Chris Evans' latest TV project had a nice lure built in – he was able to stay close to his Boston-area home.
“I got to sleep in my own bed and see my family on the weekends. And it felt really, for a little while, like I had a regular 9-to-5 job," the actor said. "That's tough to beat.”
I think that guilt never fully silences. That echo is always there
Evans stars in the eight-part Apple TV Plus drama series Defending Jacob, which is set in the Boston suburbs. The Captain America star got to lean into his natural accent and visit spots he knew growing up.
But there was one part that was inauthentic: he didn't get to wear his own Red Sox cap during filming. “I offered to use mine, but mine didn’t look as weathered. Mine was a bit new,” he said, laughing.
The show has seen mixed reviews from critics, with a 52% rating on Rotten Tomatoes from the 27 professional reviews. However, the 53 audience reviews on that same site at 96% positive.
Evans stars as an assistant district attorney in a Boston suburb whose 14-year-old son is accused of killing a classmate. He investigates the crime, risking his career as his marriage is shaken and both parents learn they really know little about the private life of their son.
Defending Jacob is adapted from the 2012 New York Times best-selling novel of the same name by William Landay. Evans said at the heart of the legal thriller is something everyone can relate to: guilt.
“I enjoy the examination of guilt. That may be kind of revealing about my own personal nature, but I think there is some unique downstream manifestations from guilt. It’s this thing that I think a lot of people live with but cope with very differently,” he said.
"I think that guilt never fully silences. That echo is always there. But I think he had kind of reached a certain level of peace." he says of his character. "And then all of a sudden, all of this trauma had to be exhumed in a very public format."
The show raises questions about genetics, family secrets and trust. "Hopefully it’s something that keeps you thinking well after it’s over," Evans said.
British actress Michelle Dockery stars as the teen's mother. The Downton Abbey veteran said she was attracted to the project because it explored a family's dynamics under stress.
“What I loved about this story was it focuses far more on the effects that the crime has on the family as opposed to the crime itself,” she said. “The show is really about family and how far would you go for your loved one?”
The series also features Jaeden Martell as their son, Cherry Jones as a defense attorney, Pablo Schreiber as a prosecutor and J.K. Simmons as an estranged family member.
It marks Evans' first return to episodic TV since his first professional job, the Fox summer 2000 show Opposite Sex, which he jokes was "canceled in the blink of an eye."
He credits Defending Jacob showrunner Mark Bomback and director Morten Tyldum with showing "meaningful contours and layers behind each character" and slowly ratcheting up the tension for what is ostensibly an eight-hour movie.
“I think 20 years ago this would’ve been a film and it would have been all engine; you would have removed all opportunities for the characters to breathe. It would have been entertaining, but it really wouldn’t have gone too deep,” he said.
Shooting around Boston was a comfort to Evans, but Dockery said she also fell in love with the area, especially Walden Pond, which she calls “one of the most beautiful places I've ever been to.” Her dad is Irish and she said there's "something about that Irish vibe in Boston that I really love.”
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
INFO
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
Blue%20Beetle
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Angel%20Manuel%20Soto%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EXolo%20Mariduena%2C%20Adriana%20Barraza%2C%20Damian%20Alcazar%2C%20Raoul%20Max%20Trujillo%2C%20Susan%20Sarandon%2C%20George%20Lopez%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E4%2F5%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
