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The Brief with Jim Sciutto
CNN International: Savannah Guthrie Appeals for Return of Missing Mother; Rubio Supports Hungary's Orban; British and German Defense Officials Warn of Russian Threat; ByteDance Faces Hollywood Backlash; Oscar-Winning Actor Robert Duvall Dead at 95; British Princesses Grapple with Epstein Fallout. Aired 6-7p ET
Aired February 16, 2026 - 18:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[18:00:00]
PAULA NEWTON, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and a very warm welcome to our viewers joining us from all around the world. I'm Paula Newton in New York. Jim
Sciutto is off. You are watching "The Brief."
Just ahead this hour, it's never too late to do the right thing. Savannah Guthrie's new plea for her mother's safe return as the FBI tests DNA from a
glove found near the scene. ByteDance says it will strengthen safeguards on its A.I. video model after a backlash from Hollywood. And Robert Duvall,
the Oscar-winning actor known for his roles in The Godfather and Apocalypse Now, has passed away at the age of 95.
But we do begin with an emotional appeal from the NBC News anchor Savannah Guthrie, whose mother Nancy has now been missing for more than two weeks.
In this video, Savannah makes a direct appeal to her mother's captors.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SAVANNAH GUTHRIE, DAUGHTER OF NANCY GUTHRIE: To whoever has her or knows where she is, that it's never too late and you're not lost or alone. And it
is never too late to do the right thing.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NEWTON: Now, the FBI is analyzing DNA from a glove found near the home of the 84-year-old. Investigators believe it appears to match the glove on the
person recorded by her doorbell camera. You're seeing it there. And now, U.S. President Donald Trump is warning the abductors will face the most
severe federal consequences if she is not returned safely.
Scott Curtis is a former FBI agent and he joins me now. Scott, we certainly wish we had better news on this, but right now this remains a very stubborn
mystery. I want to start with this glove that the FBI is analyzing. Realistically, how long does it take to get this DNA analysis back? And
when will they know whether it can actually lead to a suspect?
SCOTT CURTIS, FORMER FBI AGENT: Well, first of all, putting things in the right context here, what law enforcement is telling us is that this glove
appears to be like the glove we see in the Nest Cam video footage there. That's not to say it is one of those gloves that that individual was
wearing that night.
In terms of the DNA that was collected off that glove there, once they enter it in the system, they should know within a week whether there's any
matches of anybody that was previously entered in that system. And those would be individuals that had any dealings with law enforcement over the
years, whether they were arrested or incarcerated.
As an investigator, I would be more important to know whether there was any DNA that could be collected on the outside of that glove, because that
would have meant that that glove was in contact with another human being.
NEWTON: Interesting. In terms of the video that we have been looking at, I interviewed the CEO of Ring, another doorbell camera company, and he
obviously says that, look, this is an important piece of evidence. Do you believe it has proved to be that missing link that they need? I mean,
without it, where would they be?
CURTIS: They'd be a lot further behind in this investigation without that video footage. That offered a lot of clues. I'm sure it's generated dozens,
maybe hundreds of tips from the public. But still, we're looking at an individual who went through great lengths to conceal his identity. So, it's
harder unless somebody is a family member or a close personal friend of that individual. They would probably know that individuals build mannerisms
and would hopefully call in a tip to law enforcement here.
I think Savannah's message last night or yesterday was to generate some emotional cord here with people that know something about that individual
or about this crime and to hopefully motivate them to call law enforcement.
[18:05:00]
NEWTON: Yes, it's a difficult video to watch. So, you can imagine how difficult it was for her to record it. Authorities say, look, Scott, that
there's still no leading theory here, no clear motive. I mean, what does that tell you in terms of your experience in the FBI? Is that unusual? Does
it suggest that maybe investigators know more than they're saying?
CURTIS: Well, yes, I could tell you they do know more than what they're releasing to the public here. They want to keep things in reserve here
intentionally because if they do get to a point where they have a witness who has firsthand knowledge of this crime, or if they eventually arrest an
individual or one of many individuals who may have been involved in this crime, they want to test their credibility, their story as they're
interviewing slash interrogating them. And they don't want them to know what law enforcement knows about all the minute details of this crime. They
are to test their credibility in their story.
NEWTON: Scott, I know that you're turning this investigation over in your head, given your experience. When you look at Savannah Guthrie, they're
pleading, pleading in that video. Do you believe that could have a material impact on whoever took Nancy Guthrie?
CURTIS: Yes, I believe so, because you would think that, you know, there be again, somebody that has some firsthand or secondhand knowledge of that
individual we see in the Nest Cam footage, or about this crime, somebody that would feel that emotional connection to having an 84-year-old
grandmother and would not want to see something like that happen to their family member, and would hopefully then be courageous enough to pick up
that phone and make that tip that could get law enforcement really pointed in the right direction here.
NEWTON: Well, it is such an agonizing weight for the family, and obviously everyone who cares about even their own safety in that area of Arizona.
Scott Curtis, for us, will continue to check in. Thanks so much.
CURTIS: Thank you.
NEWTON: Now, CNN's Ed Lavandera joins me now from Tucson, Arizona, with the latest on the search. I mean, Ed, before we get to the details of the
glove, I do want to ask you about, apparently now, the sheriff saying that categorically they have ruled out any family member. Why did they feel the
need to do that?
ED LAVANDERA, CNN SENIOR U.S. NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, a couple of things. You know, they've been very hesitant to rule anybody in or out of
this investigation, and that has triggered a great deal of very painful online speculation, especially about various members of the Guthrie family.
But this afternoon, the Pima County Sheriff, Chris Nanos, is coming out and basically saying that the Guthrie family, the siblings and their spouses,
have been cleared.
So, this is the first time we've heard really investigators saying about anybody that they have been cleared in this investigation. And he went on
to say that not only is it because they're clear and the evidence doesn't point to any of them in any kind of way, but he went on to say that the
speculation about several family members has been just outright cruel. So, that's a significant -- obviously, from like just a kindness standpoint,
that is significant, but also from an investigative standpoint, significant what the sheriff here is saying.
And we also know that this comes on the day that FBI investigators could very well inform us about whether or not there is a crucial DNA match in
some of the evidence that has been collected. As you've reported yesterday or over the weekend, investigators said that there was a DNA sample taken
from a black glove that was very similar to the one worn by the suspect approaching Nancy Guthrie's front door. It's significant because a few days
ago, the sheriff told us that there has been DNA of an unknown person recovered at the home. So, if you can get those two DNA samples to match,
if that were to happen, that would give investigators a new lead to follow, perhaps even lead them to someone, that DNA would be put into a database to
try to determine the identity of that person.
Now, we will see if that happens. We have not heard from investigators. It sounded like that's information and a confirmation that could come at some
point today, perhaps even early tomorrow morning. So, you know, really significant development there if that were to come through. But it also
comes as investigators are pouring through tens of thousands of leads that have come into them since the video and the still images of the suspects
were released by FBI investigators last week. Paula.
NEWTON: Ed, grateful to have you on the ground there. You've been there pretty much since this tragedy started for the Guthrie family. And we'll
continue to check in, obviously hoping for some kind of a breakthrough. Ed Lavandera for us on the ground in Arizona. Appreciate it.
[18:10:00]
Now, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio wrapped up his European tour by backing Hungary's authoritarian leader ahead of a closely contested
election. Rubio praised Viktor Orban for leading a, quote, golden age of relations between Hungary and the United States. Rubio said the fates of
Europe and the U.S. will always be intertwined and urged countries to act in their own national self-interest.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARCO RUBIO, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: Under President Trump, it is our expectation that every nation on Earth is going to act in their national
interest. That's what nations are supposed to do. If the prime minister of Hungary does not act in the national interest of Hungary, who won't be
prime minister for long, but who's going to act in the national interest of Hungary if their prime minister doesn't do it? If your government is not
acting in your national interest, then who will? By the way, we feel the same way about America.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NEWTON: Rubio's comments come as top British and German defense officials warn about a growing transatlantic rift and how the Kremlin might look to
exploit it. In an opinion piece published by The Guardian and The Welt, they say the continent must confront uncomfortable truths about security
and boost defense spending to deter a war with Russia.
Joining me now is Democratic Congressman Greg Stanton, who sits on the House Foreign Relations Committee. Good to see you. Glad to have you with
us. Unfortunately, just before we get to all of that, and we will get to it, I do want to ask you, just having been a former mayor of Phoenix,
obviously being from Arizona, in terms of what's going on with the Guthrie investigation, I mean, what are you hearing from people, Arizona? Because
it is just chilling to think that we're entering week three and an 84-year- old woman was taken from her otherwise peaceful neighborhood.
REP. GREG STANTON (D-AZ): It's heartbreaking that it's lasted this long and the pain of the Guthrie family, you could see by the video that
Savannah Guthrie put out today. First off, I'm inspired by her faith and her demonstration of faith in that video, speaking even lovingly to whoever
has taken her mother, appealing to their humanity, I think is a beautiful thing.
But from the investigation side, I have spoken to the mayor of Tucson, who happens to be a friend of mine, and she has indicated she still supports
the task force that's been put together. It's a federal county local task force, and they're trying to uncover every possible clue that they can. And
she is satisfied with the work that they're doing. I know they're working 24-7 to look for any possible clue, leave no stone unturned. And we're
still hoping and praying that we can have the safe return of Nancy Guthrie.
NEWTON: We certainly are, Congressman. And just want to get then to the news here. Secretary Rubio, we were saying, he struck a much softer tone in
Munich, saying that the U.S. and Europe, his words now, belong together. I am curious, do you see this as a real policy shift or just a change in
delivery, change in tone?
STANTON: Not at all. Barely a change in tone. And as you just said, he went and had a love fest with Viktor Orban right after he gave that speech
at the Munich Security Conference. Viktor Orban, of course, is a total authoritarian and is exactly the wrong kind of model for the United States
to be standing up.
I wonder -- you know, Trump has stolen Marco Rubio's soul. Marco Rubio had a very different view of the world when he served in the United States
Senate. He was a supporter of the alliances that the United States has built, supporter of the rules-based order. He says that each country should
act in its own interest. I don't know what he means. Does he mean that we should act in the short-term best interest of each country, or should we
take a look at the long-term?
Because certainly in the post-World War II order, the system of alliances led by the United States of America has kept the world safer, has allowed
for more trade, has helped the United States to grow the strongest economy on planet Earth. Even though in each and every instance, we didn't always
act in the immediate best interest of the United States, we always looked for what was in the long-term best interest of the United States of
America. Strong alliances are in the United States' best interest.
NEWTON: You know, we highlighted in the beginning as well, the European defense chiefs that are calling for a major rearmament to deter Russia. I
mean, look, everyone seems to agree that Europe needed to spend more on defense, and many thank President Trump for that, for saying you really did
push NATO countries, European NATO countries on this.
How much do you think it will lead, though, to a change in Russia behavior? And the reason I ask is that if you just take where Marco Rubio went,
Slovakia and Hungary, they're still taking barrels of oil from Russia, and they've been given a dispensation from President Trump himself. I mean, as
a congressman, in terms of dealing with your colleagues there, what can be done about this?
[18:15:00]
STANTON: Well, let me challenge the premise of what you just said that somehow Donald Trump used his influence to convince Europe to spend more on
defense. Remember, when Donald Trump took over, the United States was firmly standing behind Ukraine, including supplying them with a significant
amount of arms. And in the middle of it, Donald Trump essentially took the side of Putin.
I think the European countries had a look at each other and says, we can't rely on President Trump. We are going to have to rely more on themselves.
We can all agree that that was a good thing, that Europe is doing more in its own defense, but they're not doing it because of the encouragement as
part of the alliance. They're concerned that the United States will not uphold its end of the bargain.
That's what you see in the Munich Security Conference, is so many European leaders say, we can't rely on the United States. The question really is,
the fundamental question is, is this a forever thing? Are those that trust the United States gone forever, or with a change of leadership in the White
House, can we regain the United States stature in this world and be a leader of the NATO alliance and a leader of the free world again?
NEWTON: I do want to turn now to Secretary Kristi Noem's recent visit to Arizona. You have been openly critical about her push on this so-called
SAVE Act. What is your biggest concern with that bill?
STANTON: Well, first off, in my opinion, what a joke that she came to Arizona to make this case. She did it after President Trump fired her from
leading the way in Minnesota because her leadership was so disastrous. The American people, it was disaster first and foremost, because two of our
fellow Americans were killed by ICE, which is under her jurisdiction. These ICE agents are out on the streets without training, and they've got the
masks covered. They don't have a use of force policy. And so, this tragedy was almost inevitable.
She got fired from that position. So, she's trying to save herself by coming to Arizona and repeating all of the big lies that we've been living
with regarding the 2020 election. We have to relitigate that whole thing, even though over this time there has been no evidence that these
allegations of fraud in the election have happened. So, she's coming to the United States to try to rehabilitate herself in the eyes of Donald Trump.
The biggest problem with the SAVE Act is it would force states around the country to hand over voter data to the federal government. That voter data
belongs to the states. It is illegal under the 10th Amendment for the states to hand that information over. The federal government has no right
to ask for that information.
NEWTON: And we have been clear that at times it's confusing to understand when the White House is supporting states' rights and when it's not. But
for most Americans, and I have to ask you this, requiring proof of citizenship and photo ID when you vote makes sense. It's just common sense.
Is there any way to really meet that compromise there for voting?
STANTON: Well, look, she chose the wrong state to come to because Arizona is one of the strongest states in requiring documented proof of citizenship
to register to vote. The question is whether you need to continue to prove citizenship over and over and over again, even to vote by mail. Do you have
to put a copy of a passport, which only about half of Americans have a passport, do you have to put a certified copy of a birth certificate in
with your mail when you vote by mail?
In Arizona, 80 or 90 percent of our citizens, including Republicans, choose to vote by mail. And are we making that process as hard as possible? So,
how many hurdles are you going to continue to put in the way of our Americans? Obviously, it's particularly difficult for people who have had a
name change. Maybe someone has changed from a maiden name to a married name or gone through a divorce and gone from a married name to a different name.
That becomes particularly challenging.
And we don't want to make it harder for people to vote. We actually want to make voting more convenient so more of our fellow citizens can participate
in our great democracy.
NEWTON: Now, Congressman, before I let you go, I have to ask you right now, you know, there is, you guys are at loggerheads, DHS, it's shut down.
What do you believe needs to get done in order to get full funding to the Department of Homeland Security right now?
STANTON: Well, first off, I do know that there are other departments impacted, including FEMA. And I actually am the ranking member of the
committee that oversees FEMA. We have asked that they break away FEMA, Coast Guard, and other agencies, not ICE, and allow those to be funded so
those people can work with pay. So, far, the Republicans have rejected that. It's a very reasonable request.
As it involves ICE itself, look, all we want is, if ICE is going to continue to act like they are police officers on the streets of America,
roving patrols with deadly weapons, covering mass, no way, they've got to act -- they've got to be trained better. They've got to act as if they are
local police officers in terms of training, use of force, policy, the willingness to have independent investigations. These are not unreasonable
asks.
[18:20:00]
We expected of our local police departments, I was a big city mayor, we expected that of the Phoenix Police Department and we would expect it of
other people acting in law enforcement capacity. So, those requests are very reasonable and the American people are with us on those requests.
NEWTON: And we'll see when some kind of a compromise can be struck on this. Congressman Greg Stanton, good to see you again. Thanks so much for
being with us. Appreciate it.
STANTON: Great to see you. Thank you so much.
NEWTON: Still ahead for us, ByteDance Blues, the company that brought the world TikTok is out with a new A.I. model that has Hollywood worried about
its future. We'll break it down for you when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NEWTON: And welcome back. In today's Business Breakout, Wall Street has closed for Monday for the President's Day holiday, but there was lots of
action on other global markets. In Asia, Japanese stocks fell almost a quarter of a percent after the release of weak GDP data. New numbers show
the Japanese economy growing at a two-tenths of one percent annualized rate in the fourth quarter. Economists had been expecting growth of more than
one and a half percent.
In Europe, stocks closed mostly higher, but shares in French software firm Dassault tumbled more than 10 percent. Global software firms have fallen
sharply this month on fears that A.I. will hurt sales.
Now, Hollywood's been worried for years about the disruptive power of A.I., and those fears have now reached a fever pitch after the release of highly
realistic A.I.-generated videos like this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(MUSIC PLAYING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NEWTON: What looks like, looks like, the real Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise fighting it out was actually generated by Seedance 2.0, a new A.I. program
from the company that created TikTok. It looks so authentic that ByteDance had to put out this statement, and I quote, "ByteDance respects
intellectual property rights and we have heard the concerns regarding Seedance 2.0. We are taking steps to strengthen current safeguards as we
work to prevent the unauthorized use of intellectual property and likeness by users."
[18:25:00]
Clare Duffy is here for us to break it all down. I mean, this is more significant, right, than one video, uh, as electrifying as it was between
Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise. This really goes to the heart of the issue here.
CLARE DUFFY, CNN BUSINESS TECH REPORTER: Yes, Paula, this is exactly the sort of thing, as you said, that Hollywood has been so concerned about. You
know, the creator of that clip who said he created it with just a two-line prompt in Seedance. This is the sort of thing that in real life would have
taken dozens of people, actors, camera people, directors, people to set up the lights and the set. Now, you type two sentences into an A.I. video
generator, and within seconds you get that very realistic clip. And that is the thing that writers and directors and actors have been so worried about,
that their work would be used to train these A.I. models that then could eventually be used to replace them.
So, it's not entirely surprising that we saw Hollywood reacting very quickly to this. Both Disney and Paramount Skydance reportedly threatening
legal action over this new ByteDance tool. The Motion Picture Association also putting out a very strong statement opposing this. And now, you have
ByteDance sort of walking this back, saying that they will take steps to crack down on the unauthorized use of IP.
But I think the challenge here, Paula, is that this is sort of a race to the bottom issue, where maybe you have a big player like ByteDance that is
concerned about its reputation, it doesn't want to be in Disney's legal crosshairs. But what's to say that you won't have smaller players, smaller
companies, who are willing to create this sort of hyper-realistic content of real actors?
I think the other thing that's worth noting is that just because Hollywood is sort of cracking down and working on pulling back on the use of its
intellectual property doesn't mean that we won't see this kind of A.I.- generated videos created with their consent. Disney last year partnered with OpenAI and got a $1 billion equity stake in the startup. In exchange,
OpenAI's Sora A.I. video generator is going to be allowed to use Disney's characters in its A.I.-generated videos.
So, I think that's another interesting thing to note here, that Hollywood isn't necessarily entirely eschewing the use of A.I.-generated content. It
just wants to have control over its own intellectual property, Paula.
NEWTON: And you can see how regulation alone, lawsuits alone are not going to solve this problem, and they will have to work with this new technology.
I am wondering though, I mean, Hollywood already uses A.I., right? And I know that even if people look on their social media feeds now, it's
inundated with pictures, videos, whatever that you know are A.I.-generated.
I am wondering if Hollywood believes, you know, the IP is really where it's at here. I mean, a lot of people went to the Tom Cruise movies, "Mission
Impossible," because they knew Tom Cruise was actually doing most of the stunts himself.
DUFFY: Yes, I think that's a huge sort of point that we need to focus on here, Paula, is the fact that real people want to see art that is created
by other real people. They want to see their real actors who they appreciate. They want to see the director whose names you know that you're
excited to see their movie. So, I do think there is still going to be interest in human-generated work.
I think you will start to see more Hollywood media companies, film studios using more of these A.I. tools, and I think that's where we started to get
into the concerns from writers, again, directors, the people who are working behind the scenes on these films, worried that there may be fewer
jobs for them and for their co-workers.
So, I think that's the other challenge here. We certainly will see media companies trying to figure out how they can use these A.I. tools to their
benefit and to save money in the way that we're seeing sort of across corporate America right now.
NEWTON: Yes, they've certainly been making stunning strides. I mean, I did not know, Clare, until you told me that it was a two-line prompt that
created that video. I mean, mind-blowing. Clare Duffy for us. Thanks so much. Appreciate it.
Now, A.I. probably won't throw Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise out of a job anytime soon, but what about the rest of us, right? Mercor, a startup based
in California, is teaching A.I. models all the jobs we do. Yes, the ones we do right here at this desk right now. It says it's Work Benefits Society.
Hadas Gold finds out why.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HADAS GOLD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Meet the people training A.I. to replace your doctor, lawyer, banker, and even your sommelier.
GOLD: What is the most surprising role that you have hired for to train in A.I.?
BRENDAN FOODY, CEO, MERCOR: Lots of fun ones. We've hired wine experts who are able to recommend what pairing you should have with your dinner.
GOLD (voice-over): Brendan Foody is the 22-year-old co-founder and CEO of Mercor, one of the hottest startups in Silicon Valley, valued at $10
billion. They manage a network of some tens of thousands of professional experts who help train the major A.I. models to think, act, and talk like
them.
GOLD: Most people, I think, believe that A.I. just learns off the internet and what's out there. Why do you need humans involved in the process?
FOODY: The largest driver of A.I. progress right now is how do we effectively identify model mistakes, measure those mistakes, and allow
models to learn from them?
[18:30:00]
GOLD (voice-over): The average expert is paid $95 an hour, although some specialized roles can earn up to $250 per hour. The most popular subject is
software engineering, followed by finance, then medicine and law.
GOLD: Are these people not kind of training their future replacements?
FOODY: The way I think about it is that we're not going to run out of things to do. As a society, we have so many problems that we need to solve.
We need to cure cancer, we need to solve climate change, and making everyone 10 times more productive so that they're able to better work on
those key problems is going to be a huge, huge benefit to how we make progress as a society.
GOLD (voice-over): Mercor experts present the A.I. they are training with a prompt, then grade their response using a rubric they've created in
consultation with other experts in their field. Dr. Alice Chiao is one of these experts. She used to teach at Stanford University's medical school.
Now, her student is an A.I. model.
GOLD: So, tell me what it's like when you sit down in front of the computer. What are you doing?
DR. ALICE CHIAO, A.I. EXPERT: I am looking at the A.I. model that I'm working with, and I am posing real-life questions or challenges that I have
faced or I've seen patients face. And I ask the model, provide me with the potential diagnoses, suggest several treatments, and list the evidence that
you used to support these diagnoses.
GOLD: I've heard from doctors that sometimes medicine is a lot about a gut feeling. Can you train an A.I. on that?
DR. CHIAO: So, this is where it's really important to know that the A.I. is not a doctor. It's not a human being. It does not have the 20 years of
clinical experience that I or another one of my colleagues might have. This is where you need to be really careful.
GOLD: Do you ever feel like you're training your replacement?
DR. CHIAO: No, I do not. I don't want to see it as A.I. taking over our jobs. I want to see it as A.I. taking over the aspects of our jobs that
prevent us from being good doctors, good healers, and good listeners.
GOLD (voice-over): And, Dana, while Mercor is paying millions of dollars per day, they say to these professional experts, there are some things that
can't be taught. They told me that they tried to make one of the leading A.I. models funnier. They brought in experts from the Harvard Lampoon, and
they just found that humor is something that is so subjective. That's at least one area where humans have the upper hand.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NEWTON: Well, I hope it's not too late for me then. Hadas Gold, thanks for that report. Now, checking some of today's other business headlines, the
U.K. government is taking new steps to protect children from harmful online content. The government says it's looking to impose fines and other
penalties on chatbot makers whose content puts children at risk. It may also curb children's access to features like infinite scrolling, and it
could restrict social media access for children under the age of 16.
New fallout today from the Epstein files. Billionaire Tom Pritzker is stepping down as executive chairman of the Hyatt hotel chain. His
association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein was revealed in the latest release files by the U.S. Justice Department. Pritzker says he,
quote, "exercised terrible judgment in maintaining contact with Epstein."
Call it a case of withering heights reaching new heights at the box office. The latest remake of the world-famous Emily Bronte romance earned $83
million globally in ticket sales just this past weekend. Valentine's Day on Saturday obviously likely helped boost this film. The movie stars Margot
Robbie and Jacob Elordi. It was released by Warner Brothers Pictures, a unit of Warner Brothers Discovery, the parent company of CNN.
OK. Straight ahead for us, remembering legendary actor Robert Duvall, who has died at 95 years old, we take a closer look at his six decades in film.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[18:35:00]
NEWTON: And welcome back to "The Brief." I'm Paula Newton. Here are the international headlines we're watching today.
Savannah Guthrie is pleading for the safe return of her missing mother, Nancy Guthrie. The NBC news anchor posted a new video directed at her
mother's captor, telling them it's never too late to do the right thing. Meantime, the FBI is analyzing the DNA on a glove found near Nancy
Guthrie's home. That glove appears to match the one worn by the suspect in footage from Guthrie's doorbell camera.
The U.N. Secretary General is slamming Israel's new move on the West Bank as a flagrant violation of international law. For the first time since
1967, Israel has approved a process to officially register large parts of the territory as state property. Palestinian officials call it de facto
annexation.
Two people are dead and three others injured after a shooting at a hockey rink in Rhode Island. Law enforcement officials say the gunman, who died of
a self-inflicted gunshot wound, may have been targeting members of his own family. Local media is reporting the person killed was a young girl. The
three injured are hospitalized in critical condition.
Robert Duvall, the Oscar-winning actor who starred in some of the greatest films of the 20th century, has died at the age of 95. He's best known for
his portrayal of Tom Hagen in "The Godfather" trilogy and performances in "Apocalypse Now," and "The Apostle." Danny Freeman has more now on Duvall's
legacy.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's a terrific story. We have newspaper people on a payroll, don't we, Tom? They might like a story like that.
ROBERT DUVALL, ACTOR: They might. They just might.
DANNY FREEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Regarded as one of the most iconic actors of his generation, Robert Duvall had a knack for bringing to
life a variety of compelling characters. His debut on the big screen was playing Boo Radley in the 1962 film "To Kill a Mockingbird."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hey, Boo.
DUVALL: Ms. Jean Louise, Mr. Arthur Radley. I believe he already knows you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FREEMAN (voice-over): Yet it would be another decade before his big break in "The Godfather."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Tom. Tom, you're the conciliary. Now, you can talk to the Don. You can explain --
DUVALL: Just a minute. Don is semi-retired and Mike is in charge of the family business now. You have anything to say, say it to Mike.
There was no movies I'd be on stage, but "Godfather" was kind of a catalyst for all the actors.
It's time to stop this beat.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FREEMAN (voice-over): Duvall went on to play a psychotic warmonger in "Apocalypse Now," delivering one of the most famous lines in film history.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DUVALL: I love the smell of napalm in the morning. Smells like victory.
Everybody relates to that line, I think, you know, in many places. In scenes like that, we had to get quickly because all that fire in the back
of me was supposed to be the napalm, and sometimes that's the best stuff you can get.
I've decided --
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FREEMAN (voice-over): Duvall's role as a down-and-out alcoholic country singer in "Tender Mercies" won him his first Academy Award as Best Actor in
1984.
[18:40:00]
His natural ability to transform into these characters led to more than half a dozen Oscar nominations throughout his career.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DUVALL: It always has to come from yourself. The base is yourself. You turn that a certain way.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So, you're not impersonating someone?
DUVALL: No, no, no. You only have one temperament, one set of emotions, one psyche, one image. So, it's like you a certain way. You become the
character, but it's you doing it. If you say, I'm going to become the character, I'm going to become the character, like this, this, this, this,
it becomes tense, it becomes abstract, and you lose contact with yourself.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FREEMAN (voice-over): Duvall's talent went beyond just acting. He wrote, directed, and financed "The Apostles," playing the leading role of a
Pentecostal preacher. Duvall also had a penchant for dancing and singing, hobbies which made their way into many of his films.
But as successful as Duvall was professionally, his personal life was complicated. It took three failed marriages before he fell in love with
actress Luciana Pedraza. The two shared the same birthday, January 5th, though she was more than 40 years his junior. Born in 1931, Duvall was the
son of an actress and a Navy admiral. His passion for the arts, acting, and life was evident to the end.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Why do you like it?
DUVALL: It's like playing house with big steaks, you know how kids play house.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So, it's childlike then?
DUVALL: Yes. But it's fun, and maybe not as much as other professions, but we give a positive influence to society, hopefully.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NEWTON: OK. Coming up for us, the Epstein fallout continues in the U.K., how the daughters of the former Prince Andrew are handling their names
being mentioned in those files.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NEWTON: The renewed scrutiny is swirling around the British monarchy as Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie grapple with the fallout from their
parents' ties to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. CNN's Royal Correspondent Max Foster has more now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MAX FOSTER, CNN ROYAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, of Britain's royal family, thrust into the spotlight after being
named hundreds of times in the latest tranche of Epstein files. The saga involving the late sex offender had already engulfed both their parents,
the former Prince Andrew and his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson. Now, new details have emerged about Epstein's friendship with the princess's mother, who
seems to have brought her daughters into his orbit even after he was convicted for sex offences.
[18:45:00]
A series of emails released by the Department of Justice indicate that Ferguson, Eugenie and Beatrice all visited Epstein in Miami in 2009, just
five days after he was released from jail. He served 13 months for sexual assault charges, and is now soliciting prostitution from a minor.
Do you need a ride, Epstein asks before they lunch. No, thank you, the former duchess replies, adding it'll be myself, Beatrice and Eugenie, at a
time when they were 20 and 19 years old. In a subsequent email, Ferguson tells Epstein, cannot wait to see you.
A separate thread between Epstein and his personal assistant days earlier also appears to indicate that he paid about $14,000 for the trio's flights
to the U.S. And here's another email chain, nearly two years later, in 2011, between Epstein, Ferguson and her then-spokesperson. In it, the
former duchess says that Beatrice advised her on how to handle a British journalist to whom she had given a statement about Epstein.
Just last year, Ferguson's spokesperson said she had cut off relations with Epstein, quote, "as soon as she was aware of the extent of the
allegations." But all these DOJ files suggest otherwise.
As for Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, Beatrice and Eugenie's father, he remains under pressure from his ties to Epstein. The disgraced former
prince has previously denied any wrongdoing, including after he reached an out-of-court settlement with a woman who said she was trafficked to him as
a teen.
Beatrice and Eugenie have kept a low profile through all of this, and there's no suggestion of wrongdoing simply because they've been named in
the Epstein files.
FOSTER: We have reached out to Ferguson's representatives for comment on these exchanges seen in the Epstein documents, and CNN has sought to
contact the princesses for comment, but we haven't heard back from them.
Max Foster, CNN London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NEWTON: Coming up on "The Brief," the U.S. and Canada sailing through the Winter Olympics in both men's and women's hockey. The great rivalry on the
ice next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NEWTON: The U.S. women's ice hockey team reaches the final after dominating Sweden at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics. Canada also
advancing to the gold medal game after defeating Switzerland. Captain Marie-Philip Poulin has already set an Olympic record for career goals in
women's hockey. And yes, you better believe she's not done yet. The final is scheduled for Thursday.
Now, on the men's side, the U.S. and Canada both went unbeaten in the group stage and advanced directly into the quarterfinals. NHL stars have returned
to the Olympics for the first time since 2014.
[18:50:00]
Allain Roy is the president of RSG Hockey and a silver medalist for Canada in those 1994 Olympics. Good to see you, Alain. Thanks for being with us
today as we try and parse what is now a real marquee event, right, in the Olympics. Tell me, what is it about Olympic hockey? What does it do for the
Olympics? And what does hockey do in turn? I mean, how do they feed off of each other?
ALLAIN ROY, PRESIDENT, RSG HOCKEY AND SILVER MEDALIST, 1994 CANADIAN OLYMPIC HOCKEY TEAM: Well, thanks for having me, first of all. And you
know what, with the NHL being back in the Olympics, because I was fortunate enough to be part of the Olympics in 1994 when it was amateurs, it's really
changed the game. This is the top talent in the world, and it shows.
Right now, we're looking at going into the play-in series tomorrow. You know, I expect -- fully expect Canada and the U.S. to make it past the next
round, but the U.S., if Sweden beats Latvia, which they are the favorites, they have a tough test to move on from Sweden. You know, Canada will play
the Czechs, also not an easy game for them.
So, the fun part of this is these NHL players coming in and really playing a big role in their countries moving forward. Sometimes you get a hot
goalie, you get a team that's on a hot streak, and, you know, this is -- we're getting into a one-game elimination type of tournament. So, this is
where it gets fun for everybody.
NEWTON: It gets fun, and apparently also gets intense. You know what I'm going to ask you about, it was the fight heard round the rinks all over the
world. Canadian Tom Wilson mixing it up with French player Pierre Grignon. I was actually shocked when I saw it. There is no fighting, and I don't
have to remind you, in Olympic hockey. You know --
ROY: Yes. I'm pretty sure Tom Wilson forgot the rules.
NEWTON: Wait, wait. Listen, listen. One of your own, you're an agent, a guy you represent, Brandon Hagel, great hockey player, told the Athletic
that it's -- you know, it's just what Willie does. He sticks up for his teammates. Allain, explain this to us because you do go to the Olympics to
see the sport, no matter what kind of role fighting plays in the NHL.
ROY: Yes, hockey, especially in the NHL, is one of those few sports where you are -- you're not really allowed to fight, but you get a penalty, a
five-minute penalty if both willing participants are fighting each other equally. And in Olympic hockey, international hockey, you get kicked out of
the game. So, it's a whole different rule that NHL players have to get really used to.
But interestingly enough, because the NHL rinks and Olympic rinks are so different, here in Milano, basically the arena was built in a smaller
surface area, and I think it really made the selection of the U.S. and Canadian players different than it has been in the past because it feels
more like an NHL rink, more so than the usual Olympic-sized rink.
And I think players like Tom Wilson play a bigger role because they're very physical, but yes, I think maybe he forgot for a few seconds that the rules
are different.
NEWTON: Where he was. Well, because you're risking being ejected for the next games. I want to turn to the women's side now. What do you attribute
the popularity of women's hockey, not just at the Olympics, obviously, but women's professional hockey is enjoying quite a boom?
ROY: It is, and it's great to see a lot of young female fans jumping into hockey too. And it's definitely a boom all the way up from amateur hockey
to women's college hockey to pro hockey. I think they're seeing the beauty in the game. You know, it is a very skilled game, and it is -- it does make
a lot of young female athletes feel like, OK, I can maybe get a scholarship and go play NCAA and now have a chance to play pro, which didn't exist
before.
You know, there was -- this is the first real pro women's league we have, and much like the WNBA, I think a lot of people are getting excited about
it.
NEWTON: I don't have a lot of time left. But before I let you go, what's it like to be there at the Olympics right now, especially when you have
these marquee events in terms of the hockey coming up?
ROY: It's been great. I've seen quite a few American and Canadian fans here. It's interesting because the hockey and some of these other sports
like curling and figure skating are here in Milan and everything else is so far away. But it's been a great event so far, and it's going to be very
exciting to see who ends up in the finals. But I'm kind of secretly pulling for a Canada-U.S. gold medal game, but we'll see what happens.
[18:55:00]
NEWTON: I think there are a lot of people rooting for that, except if you're, you know, Swedish. I think they've got some other plans in mind.
ROY: I do have a lot Swiss players I represent. I don't want to hurt their feelings either, you know. But it would be nice to see them in there too.
NEWTON: There you go, Allain. Thank you so much, and we will continue to watch the exciting Olympics so far. Appreciate your time.
ROY: Thanks for having me.
NEWTON: Now, in today's Good Brief, Lunar New Year celebrations are underway in many Asian countries, including China. It's the Year of the
Horse, I will remind you, and take a look at this. A team of humanoid robots and young kung fu artists performing a dynamic martial arts showing
in Beijing. You can see the robots there executing sophisticated fight sequences. It was on the annual Spring Festival Gala, China's most watched
TV show. What are we thinking about some of those moves?
I want to thank you for your company. I'm Paula Newton in New York. You've been watching "The Brief." Stay with CNN for more news.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:00:00]
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