Directed by Chris Columbus (Harry Potter, Mrs Doubtfire), the story follows four retirees at Coopers Chase retirement village: Elizabeth (Helen Mirren), Ron (Pierce Brosnan), Ibrahim (Ben Kingsley) and Joyce (Celia Imrie). All of whom pass at least some of their time investigating cold cases, as the Thursday Murder Club, until a real murder actually lands on their doorstep.

Sir Ben Kingsley, Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan. Giles Keyte/© 2025 Netflix, Inc.

Between them they have a bunch of skills well suited to the job – particularly Elizabeth, who has a shady past as a spy, or something equally secretive in MI6. Also Joyce, who was a nurse and is excellent at knowing things like how long it takes a stab victim to bleed out, and so forth. Joyce’s other skill is making cakes.

If you’ve read the book – and with over 15 million copies of the debut novel sold already, many have – you’ll be familiar with the story. If you haven’t, there are no spoilers in this article. Not that you need worry about it. The book managed to keep me guessing whodunit for quite a while, but somehow on screen it seems less of a challenge to work it all out. I’ll admit that might be down to the fact that I do actually know who dun it. But anyway.

The casting

When you read a book, you picture the characters in your mind. It’s one of the best things about reading as opposed to watching, and I was curious to see how the TMC would translate. Generally, I think this is well cast, although I had Elizabeth down as less emotional and warm. I pictured Eileen Atkins, but got the softer Helen Mirren. Ben Kingsley as Ibrahim was a shoo-in, and Celia Imrie is a cracking Joyce.

But Pierce Brosnan as Red Ron is wildly miscast. Not the lairy, bumptious gobby socialist of the book, Brosnan is way too charming, with a very reserved energy, and don’t get me started on the wildly fluctuating accents. For Ron, I imagined Ray Winstone, not Remington Steele. But not only that, I’m afraid Brosnan is missing the comedy bone. The man is not funny, and Ron’s character in the book is heavy on the comedy.

Pierce Brosnan, Tom Ellis. Giles Keyte/© 2025 Netflix, Inc.

I loved Jonathan Pryce as the delightful Stephen, slowly disappearing into dementia – an excellent bittersweet performance. And there’s a pretty stellar British cast lined up for the other characters, including Naomi Ackie as Donna, Tom Ellis as Jason Ritchie – Ron’s son, David Tennant as Ian Ventham, and Richard E. Grant as gangster Bobby Tanner. Does Grant make a good villain? I’ll let you have a guess at that. I love Grant, but this is not his metier. He’s about as menacing as one of Joyce’s cakes. Daniel Mays makes a great DCI Chris Hudson, with the right touch of comedy and brash faux Sweeney vibes.

Naomi Ackie and Daniel Mays. Giles Keyte/© 2025 Netflix, Inc.

There is some eye candy in the shape of Henry Lloyd-Hughes, who plays a very sexy Bogdan. Perhaps one of the major upgrades in terms of characterisation. And I always love to see David Tennant, although his Ian Ventham is far too much like his recent Tony Baddingham in Jilly Cooper’s Rivals on Disney+. Is this what he does now, play English baddies? I don’t care really, he’s always watchable, but it’s not exactly a stretch for this fine actor.

David Tennant, Henry Lloyd Hughes. Giles Keyte/© 2025 Netflix, Inc.

Mirren, long tipped by fans for the role of Elizabeth, called the book “utterly charming” and said she relished playing the sharp, enigmatic leader of the group. Brosnan described Ron as “a stout fellow of good character… humorous, theatrical, with wonderful set pieces.” Kingsley compared his psychiatrist Ibrahim’s empathy and analysis to his own craft as an actor, while Imrie said she “fell in love” with Joyce’s warmth and innocence.

Helen Mirren, Celia Imrie. Giles Keyte/© 2025 Netflix, Inc.

Great location

Shot at Shepperton Studios and on location in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire, the film brings Coopers Chase vividly to life. Columbus calls it “the Hogwarts version of a retirement community.”

Since its release in 2020, Osman’s debut novel has become the UK’s best-selling book of the decade. He says he was inspired by his mother’s retirement village. “I thought, what if there was a murder here? I bet you these people could solve it.”

This is not challenging or groundbreaking in any sense of the word. Except perhaps for the premise that the main protagonists are in a care home. But it’s great viewing for a Sunday afternoon, and will absolutely appeal to the billions of Agatha Christie et al fans that crowd the world. Myself included. I enjoyed the book, and I enjoyed the film – although the latter perhaps rather less so.

The Thursday Murder Club lands on Netflix globally on Thursday 28 August 2025

Sam Harrington-Lowe

Sam is Silver’s founder and editor-in-chief. She’s largely responsible for organising all the things, but still finds time to do the odd bit of writing. Not enough though. Send help.

The post The Thursday Murder Club – more hit than miss, just about appeared first on Silver Magazine.

Tina Fey’s sharp script from 2004 still holds up pretty well 20 years later. Mean Girls was one of those films that entered our vocabulary. “You can’t sit with us!” is a way to perkily exclude someone. “Stop trying to make fetch happen!” has been used countless times when someone tries to start a lame trend. And when someone is described as a “mean girl” – even if that person is well and truly into adulthood — the meaning is automatically understood.   

From screen to theatre, what are the differences?

Damian and Janis played by Tom Xander and Elena Skye. Photo: Brinkhoff/Moegenburg

Now Mean Girls has come to the stage at London’s Savoy theatre as a musical. There have been a few tweaks to the script because the world has changed and changed again in the past two decades. There are references to Ozempic, air fryers and smartphone filters. But perhaps the most significant change is making Damian and Janis, the two gay characters, the narrators. They replace Cady, the lead character and narrator played pitch-perfectly by Lindsay Lohan in the original film.  

It would be lazy and asinine to roll one’s eyes and scream “WOKE GONE MAD!” while waving a rolled-up copy of the Express at a cloud because of the new narrators. Bringing Damian and Janis to the fore is a great way to update the script. This doesn’t take anything away from a storyline that still resonates with pretty much anyone who went to high school.  

The prominence of Damian and Janis, performed excellently by Tom Xander and Elena Skye, modernises the show. It is a wonderful way to show how society has grown up and moved forward in the past 20 years. The script has come of age, along with wider society. Xander and Skye’s presence, peppered with dry humour and camp fun, is important for gay teenagers who will see this show.  

Changing times

That there hasn’t been an outcry over this change speaks volumes. No hysterical newspaper columns. No homophobic Twitter storm following the reviews. Good. While we are seeing a lot of increasingly angry, divisive and often toxic debate on LGBTQ+ issues, the elevation – without controversy – of two gloriously gay characters is a joyous, positive thing. It is a theatrical moment to be proud of.    

Regina George and Regina’s Mum. Played by Georgina Castle and Zoe Rainey.
Photo: Brinkhoff/Moegenburg

As for the story itself, fans of the film will be pleased to know it still follows the same 2004 arc.

The easy – some would say cheap – laughs are still there. Regina George still gains weight by accidentally devouring what she thinks is a diet supplement. Karen is still almost irredeemably stupid. Regina’s mother is still the tracksuit-wearing lush who wants to be her daughter’s best mate, rather than a parent.   

Would the script feel more 2024 if Regina became accidentally addicted to Botox and fillers? Maybe, although I’m not sure how that could be shoehorned seamlessly into the script.   

Was Karen’s idiocy laid on a bit too thickly? Maybe, although most of us can recall laughing at something daft someone said in class many moons ago. I remember one of my school friends responding to the history teacher asking, “What happened to Schleswig-Holstein after WWII?” She said, “he was shot.” I’m still a history nerd and that 33-year-old incident still cracks me up

As for Mrs George as the perma-drunk matey mum, I remember this genre of parent in 1980s and ‘90s rural Australia. I’m sure they still exist in the UK and beyond in 2024. They’re a fair target for parody. She (or he) could be reading this very article now.  

While this latest incarnation of Mean Girls has come of age, along with the rest of us, it’s not a classic coming-of-age tale. But it doesn’t have to be an earnest Dead Poets Society-style show. The universal themes of bullying, of wanting to fit in, of doing terrible things to each other all resonate way beyond our school days. In Mean Girls at the Savoy, they’re told with a lively script, a dizzyingly bright set and bouncy tunes.   

Another article you might like:Midlife Coming of Age

We are all Mean Girls deep down

Georgia Lewis and Sangeeta Pillai

My hot date for press night was the amazing Sangeeta Pillai, who runs an award-winning sex-positive podcast for South Asian women. Our school days were worlds apart. Mumbai and the Australian towns of Wagga Wagga and Bathurst might not have much in common at first glance, but we both went to school with people who are reflected in Mean Girls. Kids can treat each other abominably, no matter where you go.  

As Sangeeta and I discussed after the show, it is not uncommon to come across people in our adult lives who don’t seem to have evolved from when they were at school. Jacob Rees-Mogg, 55, is way too obsessed with where people went to school and what that supposedly says about them, for example. I can think of plenty of prominent people who make a fine living out of embarrassing attention-seeking. The other day, LinkedIn suggested I connect with a former boss who was – and for all I know and care, still is – the epitome of an overgrown mean girl.  

Schoolyard behaviour doesn’t necessarily end for everyone when they leave school. But the one thing we can control is our reaction to adult Mean Girls behaviour. The Mean Girls characters come of age and become better people before our very eyes on stage. And there’s no reason why we can’t go through this process multiple times when we’re adults.    

The Plastics. Played by Georgina Castle, Charlie Burns, Elena Gyasi and Grace Mouat
Photo: Brinkhoff/Moegenburg

Without giving too much away, there is an inevitable resolution at the end of Mean Girls. And in midlife, many of us come to our own realisations and resolutions about how we treat other people – and how we expect to be treated by others. It’s a bonus coming of age. My latest coming of age process has been about setting boundaries and not being afraid to cut out toxic people.   

There is plenty for grown-ups to relate to in the Mean Girls musical, whether it’s teenage characters who give you schoolyard flashbacks, teenage characters whose behaviour is reflected in adults, or adult characters who make you feel seen.

Above all, Mean Girls is a lot of fun. The main reason to go along is to have a good laugh. But only the most sheltered theatregoer will leave without having a few thoughts provoked by Tina Fey’s fantastic writing.    

Book tickets here: Mean Girls Stage Show

Georgia Lewis

In a career that has spanned Australia, the Middle East and the UK, Georgia has written about all sorts of things, including sex, cars, food, oil and gas, insurance, fashion, travel, workplace safety, health, religious affairs, glass and glazing… When she’s not writing words for fun and profit, she can usually be found with a glass of something French and red in her hand.

The post Mean Girls stage show – our review appeared first on Silver Magazine.

Scrolling social media lately has been, for Gen X at least, a chance to swim in a glittering ocean of nostalgia. Normally, I’ve no time for the rose-tinted spectacles sported by the golden-agers of Facebook – the ones with a tendency to pen terrible poems about the glory days of the 1950s. (“We played on the bombsite and skinned our knees/and all the beds at home had fleas”). But when it’s my generation, which grew up in the ‘70s and ‘80s, nostalgia is a powerful and intoxicating drug. So why do we feel nostalgia?

Back in time with One Day

Ambika Mod as Emma & Leo Woodall as Dexter. Photo: Netflix

One Day, the Netflix adaptation of David Nicholls’ novel about Emma and Dex and their long, ’80s-to-’00s friends-to-lovers arc, blindsided many of us with its pinpoint-accurate depictions of the clothes, music, and attitudes we embraced growing up. From the tragic growing-out perm, to the ‘curtains’ Loaded lad hair, to the glass-brick loo walls and horrific coked-up mega-restaurants of the ‘90s.

Just watching the scene where Dexter is attaining toe-curling levels of dick-ishness shot me back to an evening at The Atlantic bar with braying media types. And the stolen Quaglinos ashtray that lived on my kitchen shelf for years.

The exquisite melancholy of the past

After that briskly refreshing plunge into the past, I went to see All of Us Strangers, a deeply melancholic film about isolation and loneliness. It sees a middle-aged Andrew Scott suddenly able to visit the ghosts of his parents who died in 1987. A world of patterned acrylic jumpers, Harvest-ware toasters, unquestioned indoor smoking, and Top of the Pops on the boxy living room telly.

All of Us Strangers, starring Andrew Scott and Paul Mescal

Not only was it a devastatingly sad film, it also triggered a tsunami of memories of what most suburban kitchens looked like before ‘lifestyle’ got involved. And how back then, dads were not only permitted but encouraged to keep emotions to themselves. Nobody in my family ever said, “love you,” or “to the moon and back.” It was just assumed that you loved each other, and you’d simply get on with arguing about homework and staying up to watch Juliet Bravo.

The midlife nostalgia-fest was completed with the recent news that The Body Shop has gone into liquidation. My entire timeline filled with fond images of dewberry oil, ice blue shampoo and fuzzy peach perfume, as if a Laura Ashley washbag had exploded all over it.

As a result, I’ve been thinking heavily about nostalgia. Why we feel it, what’s it good for – even whether it can be bad for us.

Read more: Joe McGann on finding love in later life

So why do we indulge in nostalgia?

Does harking back to a half-forgotten past encourage us to imagine it was so much better back then, and to compare our current circumstances unfavourably? Or is it a positive way of linking our modern, jaded selves to the people we used to be long ago? In my case, an insecure teen who read Sweet Valley High books and dreamed about the boy in art class who had Levis and floppy hair. (Spoiler: he never noticed me, and in retrospect, was quite possibly gay).

Nostalgia is a longing or yearning for something that has happened in our past, says psychotherapist Karen Hartley. “The feeling of nostalgia is real and is triggered by something that reminds you of previous times. It often becomes most prominent in hard or uncertain times.”

…is it a positive way of linking our modern, jaded selves to the people we used to be long ago?

The word itself is a fusion of the Greek words for homecoming and pain; and was first used by a 17th century Swiss doctor who considered the condition a mental health disorder. Nowadays, we tend to view nostalgia with amused warmth, happily following ‘I had a ‘70s childhood’ groups on Facebook, and sighing over blurry Bananarama videos. (“You see, pop stars just looked like ordinary girls back then… I actually had those pixie boots…”).

Do we remember only the good bits?

Research has found that memory tends to accentuate the positive and dismiss the negative. So we forget the casual racism, sexism, homophobia, and unemployment of the ‘70s and ‘80s, in favour of recalling fewer cars on the streets, and fun times at the roller disco.

According to a study published in science journal Nature, nostalgia can reduce the cortisol released by trauma and protect against stress and anxiety. Interestingly, the study from the University of California also found that people tended to feel more nostalgic when with family and friends, or around food. And that people leaned into nostalgia when they felt depressed – perhaps unsurprisingly.

“It’s common for people to perceive the past as a simpler, better time…”

The temptation to dwell on happier times is stronger when things in the present are not so enjoyable. “We go through more nostalgic periods with age, as we encounter more triggers,” says Karen Hartley. “People might feel lonelier the older they get as well as more ‘homesick’ for lost loved ones.”

Psychotherapist Kamalyn Kaur explains, “It’s common for people to perceive the past as a simpler, better time, regardless of whether that perception is entirely accurate or not. This can happen when the brain forgets the challenges and complexities of the past, remembering and focusing only on the positives.”

So we think about the dewberry oil and forget about the school bully, or we remember our children as adorable babies and forget the agony of sleepless nights.

So a dose of nostalgia can be beneficial?

“People do it all the time, especially when it comes to relationships,” agrees Kaur. “You leave someone because they aren’t good for you but then all you can think about is all the ‘good times’.”

“As we age, we may become nostalgic for our youth or a different stage of our life – often a stage that we relate to as representing growth, exploration, or less responsibility.”

Often, she goes on to say, we feel nostalgia for a time when we experienced a sense of possibility – which is why our teenage years are such a nostalgia trigger. “As we age, we may become nostalgic for our youth or a different stage of our life – often a stage that we relate to as representing growth, exploration, or less responsibility.” It can also be a response to current stress, she adds. “When facing a difficult, complicated, or challenging time, it’s human nature to look back at a simpler, easier, and carefree time in our lives for mental relief.”

So nostalgia isn’t necessarily bad, as long as we don’t end up dwelling in an imagined past for too long. Thinking of happy memories can help put current troubles into perspective, says Kaur. “Nostalgia can evoke positive emotions; help with mood enhancement; and in some cases, be a tool for managing stress, as it allows you to ‘escape’ from your current reality.”

Although looking back, I’m not sure I truly want to escape to a time when TFI Friday was the biggest show on TV, Loaded was the best-selling mag, and ‘gay’ was a playground insult. One good thing about nostalgia – it’s a useful reminder that sometimes, the present isn’t all that bad.

Flic Everett

Flic Everett is a Mancunian writer who now lives in a cottage in the beautiful West Highlands with her patient husband and two deranged cocker spaniels. She still misses Manchester, and returns like a homing pigeon every month to see family and friends. She spends a lot of time writing on trains.

The post Why do we feel nostalgia and does it serve a purpose? appeared first on Silver Magazine.

I don’t review films very often, but an opportunity to see The Great Escaper, with Michael Caine, who is always excellent value for money, and the final performance by the late, great Glenda Jackson? I’m there like a shot.

There are no spoilers in this article, because the film is based on a true story – that of Bernard Jordan, who, in 2014 made the headlines for ‘breaking out’ of his care home in Hove and heading out to a D-Day event in France on his own. The staff at his care home, The Pines, had failed to secure him a place on the Royal British Legion trip heading to Normandy for the 70th anniversary of the D-day landings. Bernard took part in Operation Overlord as a Royal Navy officer and when he couldn’t get there with the group, he just went on his own.

The care home, incidentally, have always been at pains to point out that he didn’t ‘escape’ – it’s not a prison. But there was a media frenzy for a while, a story that captured people’s hearts, and here is where the film comes in.

This film, despite – or perhaps because of – being a well-grounded and honest portrayal, is a huge heart-string-tugger. Aside from the story itself, which is emotive enough, there is the backdrop of flashbacks that build out both the relationship between Rene and Bernie, and also the horror of the D-Day landings. I spent a fair amount of time dabbing my eyes whilst watching, and my friend Jules sat next to me openly wailing.

Director Oliver Parker and writer William Ivory are at the screening…

…doing some interviews and a bit of a double act to introduce the film. Ivory (or Billy, as Oliver calls him), is gentle, writerly. Despite being nominated three times for BAFTAs, he gives off a feeling of not quite being able to believe how lucky he is. The self-deprecating thing is charming – he tells us how he when he was writing the Great Escaper he wanted the roles to be given proper due, but couldn’t believe that they’d landed Jackson and Caine, “two absolute titans. Older titans, but still immense.” He also points out that although the story of Bernard’s ‘escape’ is well-known, there are a lot of blanks he needed to fill in, aspects of the private story that nobody knew about. Bernard’s life, for example, or his relationship with his wife Irene (Rene).

Parker talked about the challenges of filming, and his connection with Brighton and Hove, although many of the scenes are shot around Worthing and other coastal locations. Only a local like what I am would notice though. And they both talk about Jackson with reverence. She died very shortly after filming ended, and they both know how lucky they were to get her. “Tell them the story, tell them the Glenda story,” says Billy, patting him. Parker laughs.

“So, Glenda is a kind of tour de force, a force of nature…

…and the first week was particularly heavy. We had to get all of her big scenes done, one after the other, heavy dialogue and schedule. It was an astonishing thing to do. And she was absolutely immaculate, word perfect. Hit everything like that.” He snaps his fingers in the air. “And I thought we’d never get through it, but we got through it. And we watched the young crew, most of whom are literally a quarter of her age, watching her turn into this ageing creature, kind of curled up a bit, you know, that’s her motif [in this film]. But BOY still firing. And we got to that last shot of that week, and they were all mesmerised by her. As I said cut, the crew burst into spontaneous applause. And Glenda, still in character all curled up, looked up from under her hooded eyes, and went “don’t be so fucking patronising.” I said to her I don’t think they were, and she went, “oh sorry darlings, sorry!”

The narrative is expertly threaded together – frankly this is a very simple story, but Ivory has done a good job of making more of it. Both Caine and Jackson give great performances, although I’d have liked to see more of them together. The banter between them is hugely watchable, the skills they both possess as actors fully in play. And they have chemistry. But as the story is very much about Bernard’s journey alone, this separation is to be expected.

Caine – as you would expect – cuts an imposing figure. Despite using a walking frame, he’s still a huge presence. He’s over six feet high and that voice is still there. Jules whispered to me “he still SOUNDS like Michael Caine,” about five minutes into the film, and she’s right, and somehow that’s reassuring. That both Caine and Jackson are absolutely brutally honest, and comfortable, playing old people (and being old people) makes them curiously vulnerable. But that’s only until they start talking. When we look at old people, we see old people, don’t we. But the flashbacks make a difference, seeing them as young lovers. It gives weight and humanity to their characters. We also get to understand why their marriage is so solid.

It’s an unflinching depiction of life in old age, something both Ivory and Parker were keen to point out.

There’s very little sentimentality in the portrayals of Bernie and Rene, and the film is better for it. Jackson’s family have said that her Rene is the closest they had ever seen her to her real-life self. Somehow watching that made it all the more fascinating.

John Standing – who is a mate of Caine’s – plays a sturdy part in all this as Arthur, a new comrade who befriends the bewildered Bernie whilst on the ferry crossing. I won’t say too much about this except that Standing’s performance is also a joy, and his backstory is heartbreaking. There is resolution for both Bernie and Arthur whilst in France, in scenes that caused me more eye-dabbing. The horror of war is present throughout the film; the futility and the trauma loom large.

There’s a huge moment in the film where Bernie and Arthur run into some German veterans on the ferry, who are also heading to Normandy to honour their own dead. The mutual respect and unspoken commentary here had me reaching for the tissues again. It’s incredibly touching.

The rest of the cast all turn out staunch performances – in all honesty, there is very little wrong with any of this film. And I should point out that although I did my fair share of eye-dabbing, there is also some gentle humour throughout. Even a couple of proper laugh out loud moments.

But despite a relatively short amount of time on screen, for me the show is stolen by Jackson. Wry and dry, she’s sarcastic whilst hunched over her lunch tray. But kind, generous with her energy. It’s a particularly poignant experience watching the film, knowing that she would only live a number of weeks after it wrapped, but you wouldn’t know. I too, was mesmerised by her.

Official movie promotional items are often released, incorporating classic elements and character images from the movie. If you’re a big fan of the movie, you can customise products such as postcards, badges, and Personalised Pens to engage more deeply with the world of the movie for a unique and interactive experience.

The Great Escaper is in cinemas across the UK from 6 October 2023
Now also on Amazon Prime

#TheGreatEscaper

Sam Harrington-Lowe

Sam is Silver’s founder and editor-in-chief. She’s largely responsible for organising all the things, but still finds time to do the odd bit of writing. Not enough though. Send help.

The post The Great Escaper review – Michael Caine and Glenda Jackson appeared first on Silver Magazine.

In case you hadn’t noticed, the 95th Academy Awards has caused quite the stir. Not Will Smith level, obviously. But this year was not without drama; one suspects that with actors, this comes with the territory.

It’s a shame to see Angela Bassett miss out again, but we’re thrilled for Jamie Lee Curtis, 64. Brendan Fraser, 54, is having the season of HIS ACTUAL LIFE. And Ke Huy Quan, 51, was probably the most excited winner we’ve ever seen. 

I don’t normally add ages to an article like this unless it’s relevant, but I feel it’s relevant. Because this year’s awards has seen a definitive rise in older winners. Michelle Yeoh, 60, summed it all up when she said, “…don’t let anybody tell you you are ever past your prime. Never give up!”

You don’t need us to run down the full list of who won what by now. If you’re a fan, if you love the glam, you’ve already watched it, checked out the coverage, drooled over the fashion images.

What I’d like to do here is shine a light on the four winners above. We managed to bag backstage chats with them all. And if you’re a Silver regular, you’ll know what’s coming next. Yeah – these are not youngsters. This is not their first time at the rodeo, to coin a phrase.

Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh: we broke that glass ceiling

13th Mar, 2023. Michelle Yeoh arriving at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party 2023, Los Angeles. Credit: Doug Peters/Alamy Live News

Michelle Yeoh has been celebrating winning the Actress in a Leading Role award at the Oscars. The Malaysian actress received the golden statuette at the 95th Academy Awards for her performance in ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’.

Michelle beat Cate Blanchett [‘Tár’], Ana de Armas [‘Blonde’], Michelle Williams [‘The Fabelmans’] and Andrea Riseborough [‘To Leslie’].

On collecting her award, Michelle said: “Thank you. Thank you. For all the little boys and girls who look like me watching tonight—this is a beacon of hope and possibilities. This is proof that—dream big, and dreams do come true. And ladies, don’t let anybody tell you you are ever past your prime. Never give up!”

There’s more to the speech, but we wanted to pin down Michelle for a chat…

Backstage at the event…

Lucy: Congratulations Michelle. What does this win mean to you in terms of Asian representation within the entertainment industry?

“…tonight we freaking broke that glass ceiling. I Kung Fu’d it out and shattered it.”

MICHELLE YEOH: This is actually a historical moment, and I have to thank the Academy for acknowledging, embracing diversity and true representation. I think this is something that we have been working so hard towards for a very long time, and tonight we freaking broke that glass ceiling. I Kung Fu’d it out and shattered it, and we need this because there are so many who felt unseen, unheard. It’s not just the Asian community. This is for the Asian community and for anyone who has been identified as a minority. 

L: Have you ever felt like taking a step back from acting? And because you stayed, what advice would you give to people who are afraid to take up space?

MICHELLE YEOH: You should never be afraid. If this is your passion, this is your love, you have to stand up for yourself and for what you believe in and for what you want to do. I think that is what it is. I’m still here today. Finally, after 40 years, I get this. 

It just goes to show, we will  we will win the battle. And that’s what we’re doing. So don’t give up. Never give up. Because once you give up, then it’s a loss. It’s a total loss, right? So, yes, don’t let anybody put you in a box. 

“So don’t give up. Never give up. Because once you give up, then it’s a loss.”

Dare to dream. Because if you don’t dream, then it’s impossible. But nothing is impossible. Look at me, I’m here.

L: So, yesterday was exactly a year ago when ‘Everything Everywhere all at Once’ premiered. Can you take us back to that day last year and refer to that day to how you are feeling today, with all this success today?

MICHELLE YEOH: It’s been quite a marathon, hasn’t it? For the cinema that we want a collective experience where we want to enjoy, share that laughter, crying, or whatever it is together. That is what the magic of being at the movies at South by Southwest, it was the first actual – not streaming, not virtual – festival. And we were so blessed that everyone came, and we were blown away. Because you know, you give your heart and soul to a movie, but there is never any guarantee… when you put it up in the sky, please don’t fall flat on your face, right? 

I swear to God, it’s you [viewers], all of you, because you made it interesting. They had to come to the cinemas to watch this crazy wacky movie. Because you didn’t want to be left out of the conversation. So in that way, thank you to all of you. You propelled our little gem of a film. Yes, we had a huge beating heart.

This movie has helped in communication. This movie has helped to open hearts between families, whether it’s husband and wife, daughters and mothers, daughters and fathers, but just simply family. And we never give up on each other. 

L: Mothers are a big feature for you. What is something that your mother told you or gave you that you’ve carried with you through this journey?

MICHELLE YEOH: I think mothers are very important to all of us because without them, none of us would be sitting in this room, to start off with. The most important thing is my mother has always instilled in me confidence. Taught me about love. Taught me about kindness and compassion. 

I’m not very, very good at that at times. Actually, the recent thing that she asked me to do is ‘Don’t wear pants to the Oscars.’ I think what mothers do is they’re constantly reminding you to be better. And they do it with love and they do it because they really want you to be better so you have more opportunities, and you will have a better life. And that for them, is their ultimate goal.

L: Thank you so much

MICHELLE YEOH: Thank you.

Brendan Fraser: I hope I can live up to this

12th Mar, 2023. Brendan Fraser walking on the red carpet at the 2023 Vanity Fair Oscar Party (Photo by Anthony Behar/Sipa USA) Credit: Sipa US/Alamy Live News

Brendan Fraser has won the Actor in a Leading Role award at the Oscars. The US actor received the golden statuette at the 95th Academy Awards for his performance in ‘The Whale’.

Brendan beat Austin Butler [‘Elvis’], Colin Farrell [‘The Banshees of Inisherin’], Paul Mescal [‘Aftersun’] and Bill Nighy [‘Living’].

On collecting his award, Brendan said: “So this is what the multiverse looks like! Oh my goodness!

“I thank the Academy for this honour and for our studio, A24, for making such a bold film. I am grateful to Darren Aronofsky for throwing me a creative lifeline and hauling me aboard the good ship, ‘The Whale’. It was written by Samuel D. Hunter who is our lighthouse. Gentlemen, you laid your whale hearts bare so that we could see into your souls like no one else could do. It is my honour to be named alongside you in this category.”

Backstage at the event, Brendan said:

L: Huge congratulations. This is such an amazing moment for you. How do you feel right in this moment? What does winning this award mean to you?

BRENDAN FRASER: I feel a bit light in the head. This is actually kind of heavy [referring to the statuette]. One arm might be longer than the other by the end of the evening. 

I guess it means that I’m going to have to find a job. I’m grateful for this because of the number of people who worked during a time of COVID that we all lived under, and we had to be very careful with one another to stay safe. And I think of all the films we’ve seen this year, there’s a secret ingredient, and my guess is that it’s that concern that we showed for one another and for the work that we do, because we all lived under an existential threat. 

We didn’t know if there would be a tomorrow. So going to make a film with this gravity just reinforced how important it is to perform as if it’s the first and last time you ever will. That’s all I’ve got.

L: What drew you to the role and how fulfilling this win is for you?

BRENDAN FRASER: Darren Aronofsky was going to make a film. Any actor is like a moth to the flame for that. And he told me that it was a story about a man who has been overeating and it’s harming him, and he’s very lonely, and he wants to reconcile with his child if he can. And that’s about all I knew. And, of course, he showed me the script. 

I was intensely moved by it, much in the same way, I learned, that Darren was when he first saw the stage play in New York ten years earlier that Sam D Hunter had written. Darren was quite forthright that this would be a challenging part just in terms of what it would take to create Charlie and his body, and luckily, he had now-Oscar winner Adrien Morot to do my makeup.

But it was my job to play Charlie from the inside out, and theirs to create him from the outside in.

L: Queer storytelling has come a long way since you starred in Gods and Monsters, which was also an Oscar-winning film. So how rewarding was it to bring a voice to a complicated queer character like Charlie? You have a lot of gay fans, the the gays love you! So…?

BRENDAN FRASER: I love you right back. Charlie is so much more than just a gay man. He’s a father, he’s an educator, he’s a truth seeker, and that he fell hopelessly, inconveniently in love with whomever is immaterial. He’s someone who found love, lost it, and then found it again. 

“Charlie is so much more than just a gay man. He’s a father, he’s an educator, he’s a truth seeker.”

I think that’s something that we can all take a page from. And know that with perseverance, if you put one foot in front of the other, like Charlie did, go to the light, believe me. If I can do it, you can too. Good things will happen.

L: What a year you’ve had. What was the first thought in your head when you heard your name called?

BRENDAN FRASER: This has been incredibly rewarding and affirming, and it’s given me a lesson in humility and gratitude. What did I hear when I first heard my name? I heard my name but I thought, ‘that can’t be right.’ But it was, so I guess I should get up there and say something quick!

Jamie Lee Curtis: Please don’t cancel me!

12th March, 2023. Jamie Lee Curtis posing for photos in the press room at the The 95th Academy Awards. (Photo by Sthanlee B. Mirador/Sipa USA) Credit: Sipa US/Alamy Live News

Jamie Lee Curtis won Best Actress in a Supporting Role award at the Oscars. The US actress received the golden statuette at the 95th Academy Awards for her performance in ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’.

Jamie Lee beat Angela Bassett [‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’], Kerry Condon [‘The Banshees of Inisherin’], Hong Chau [‘The Whale’] and Stephanie Hsu [‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’].

On collecting her award, Jamie Lee said: “Stop. I have 45 seconds, and I promised Janet Yang I would do it well because I’m a good girl.”

She proceeded to thank her entire crew, her family, agents, team members and everyone who supports movies. It was quite the 45 seconds!

Read More: Getting candid: Interview with Jamie Lee Curtis

Backstage at the event, with Jamie Lee

L: Congratulations on this win, Jamie Lee

JAMIE LEE CURTIS: Thank you so much.

L: There are 65 women this year nominated for academy awards across various disciplines. How does it feel for you to be amongst that number?

JAMIE LEE CURTIS: Surreal and proud, and obviously I would like to see a lot more women being nominated so there’s gender parity in all the areas, in all the branches, and I think we’re getting there. We’re not anywhere near there. 

And of course, the inclusivity then that involves the bigger question, which is, how do you include everyone when there are binary choices, which is very difficult. And, as the mother of a trans daughter, I completely understand that and yet, to de-gender the category also I’m concerned will diminish the opportunities for more women, which is something I have also been working hard to try to promote. So it’s a complicated question, but I think the most important thing is inclusivity and more women. Basically, just fucking more women anywhere, anytime, all at once.

“I don’t believe in a world where there are a bunch of people up there looking down on us. I think we are them in our actions, and in our deeds, and in our ideas.”

L: You are everyone’s favourite nepo baby, as you said. Do you think your mum and dad are looking down on you tonight and smiling?

JAMIE LEE CURTIS: Well, let me just be honest. I don’t believe in a world where there are a bunch of people up there looking down on us. I think we are them in our actions, and in our deeds, and in our ideas, and then we build our own and then we give them to our children and that’s how the world goes on. So I am a product of them and I am a proud product of them. And I know they would be incredibly proud of me, of course. Thank you.

NEXT UP, THERE IS A VIRTUAL QUESTION…

JAMIE LEE CURTIS [completely misunderstanding the question!]: The virtual people don’t get shit. They don’t get food. They don’t get water. They’re at home. Their kids are screaming. Their husband’s cheating on them. They’re so bummed out. They want to be here with you people so bad.

[IT BECOMES CLEAR THAT THE QUESTION IS FROM AN ONLINE JOURNALIST]

JAMIE LEE CURTIS: Oh, excellent. Good. Good. Oh, you’re actually, I thought it was just sort of like a tweet. I didn’t realize there were people…. guys, don’t cancel me. Please do not cancel me because I assumed that your husband is cheating on you [laughs]. I literally thought when they said digital it was, like, a virtual that I thought it was a tweet question. Seriously. Do not ruin this moment for me. I cannot handle it if you cancel me now. Cancel me tomorrow. Just not tonight. Give me a break. I’m so sorry if I was insulting.

Q: How much Hungarian are you?

JAMIE LEE CURTIS: I can’t really show you on national television. How much am I? That’s very personal. I can sing that little song, (singing in Hungarian). I won’t sing to you people because Stephanie Hsu just sang, and she can sing; I can’t. Anyway, I love my Hungarian heritage.

Q: Can we consider this at least a semi-Hungarian Oscar?

JAMIE LEE CURTIS: Oh, yeah. The lower half. [Looks at statuette] Definitely the lower half.

L: Thank you so much.

JAMIE LEE CURTIS: Oh my goodness me. Now you people are going to hate me because I cracked wise. I’m so sorry. But I’m taking this really seriously. And this is the thrill of my life. And please don’t cancel me. Please. Thank you.

Ke Huy Quan: never forget where you came from

13th Mar, 2023. Ke Huy Quan walking on the red carpet at the 2023 Vanity Fair Oscar Party (Photo by Anthony Behar/Sipa USA) Credit: Sipa US/Alamy Live News

Ke Huy Quan has been celebrating winning the Actor in a Supporting Role award at the Oscars. The Vietnamese/American actor received the golden statuette at the 95th Academy Awards for his performance in ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’.

Ke Huy Quan beat Barry Keoghan [‘The Banshees of Inisherin’], Brendan Gleeson [‘The Banshees of Inisherin’], Judd Hirsch [‘The Fabelmans’] and Brian Tyree Henry [‘Causeway’].

On collecting his award, Ke Huy Quan said: “Thank you. My mom is 84 years old. She is at home watching. Mom, I just won an Oscar.

“My journey started on a boat. I spent year in a refugee camp. And somehow, I ended up here on Hollywood’s biggest stage.

“They say, ‘Stories like this only happen in the movies.’ I cannot believe it’s happening to me.”

Backstage at the event, we caught up with Ke for a chat.

L: Congratulations!

KE HUY QUAN: “Thank you. Can you believe I’m holding one of these? This is so surreal. Wow.”

L: When you starred in ‘Goonies’ and ‘Indiana Jones’, you were credited as Jonathan Ke Quan. What does it mean to win an Oscar with your real name on it?

KE HUY QUAN: “When I started as a kid, I was you know, it was my birth name, Ke Huy Quan. And I remembered when it got really tough, my manager told me that maybe, you know, it would be easier if you were to have an American sounding name, and I was so desperate for a job that I would do anything. 

“And it’s insane that I at one point that I would, you know, try a different name, not the name that was given to me. But it can only show you how desperate I was to try to try to make things different. So when I decided to get back into acting, which was three years ago, the very first thing that I wanted to do was to go back to my birth given name, and to and tonight to see Ariana open that envelope and say ‘Ke Huy Quan,’ that was a really, really special moment for me. And then immediately I was so emotional. 

“But the first image that I had in my mind was my mom, was my mom, who is the reason why I am in America, who is the reason why I have a better life, I have all these opportunities. 

“Like I said in my acceptance speech, she sacrificed so much. She had a great life where we came from, and she gave all that up so that all her children, there’s nine of us, there’s nine of us, and every single one of them are so grateful to my parents. So yeah. And Dad [looks to the sky tearful] I hope you’re proud of me. So…”

L: How does it feel to call yourself an Oscar winner tonight and be here?

KE HUY QUAN: “Tonight, my family, a portion of them, I have a big family, flew in from Houston to be with me tonight. So that was really special. 

“And, during one of the commercial breaks, I ran up to Steven Spielberg, and he gave he a big hug. He put his arms around me and he said, ‘Ke, you are now an Oscar-winning actor.’ And hearing him say that meant the world to me, and I still cannot believe it. Yeah, I mean. Wow. Wow.”

“… my younger self would not know all the struggles that I went through to be here, because he was just having the time of his life being a kid, being on a set.”

L: if your younger self could be here now at the age of data and your younger Goonie brothers were here, what would they say to you right now?

KE HUY QUAN: “Well, my younger self would not know all the struggles that I went through to be here, because he was just having the time of his life being a kid, being on a set with, you know, on a pirate ship going down a water slide. 

“And, you know, right before this night started, Corey Feldman one of my Goonies brothers called. I was talking to Kerri Green and of course tonight, Jeff Cohen, who is my entertainment lawyer, is here tonight with me. He was in the audience. And that’s why I wanted to thank him because I love all of them so much, and every single one of them is so happy. Sean reached out, Josh, Martha, and, you know, we are always bonded you know, we’re family together. Goonies never say die.”

L: A lot of people think of you as a very positive person, relate to you in numerous ways. How do you just stay humble and true to yourself?

KE HUY QUAN: “It’s how I was brought up. It’s how I was taught and, also, that’s why I always say: Never forget where you came from, because if you forget that, then all humility goes out the window. I remember how difficult it was for me, so that’s why every time I walk on a movie set, I’m so grateful. This tonight was certainly wasn’t, you know, I didn’t think this was possible. But yeah, I don’t ever want to forget that, and I always want to I think it’s important to appreciate where you are. 

“Never forget where you came from, because if you forget that, then all humility goes out the window.”

“And I’m just so grateful. I’ve said this maybe some of you have heard it, you know, I didn’t think any of this would be possible. And God, it has been so crazy. All of a sudden my mind is drifting back to the days when I lost my health insurance during the pandemic when I couldn’t get a job. And you know, somebody asked me this earlier: Do I have anything planned? What am I doing next? I don’t know what I’m doing next. 

“All I know is, first thing tomorrow morning I’m going to call my agent because I remember when I was struggling, I would call my agent. I try not to bother him too much. But I would call him, you know, once every three months, once every six months, and I would say, ‘Hey, is there anything out there for me?’ And the answer would always be the same: ‘Oh, I’m so sorry. There’s nothing out there, but I’ll continue to look.’ So hopefully when I call my agent tomorrow, he will give me a different answer!”

L: Thank you

KE HUY QUAN: “Thank you so much. Thank you so much. I love you all. I love you all. I love you, love you, love you, love you.”

Read the Academy digital magazine

Edited for clarity. As told to Sam Harrington-Lowe

Sam Harrington-Lowe

Sam is Silver’s founder and editor-in-chief. She’s largely responsible for organising all the things, but still finds time to do the odd bit of writing. Not enough though. Send help.

The post Backstage chat at the Oscars – the big four appeared first on Silver Magazine.

Mrs Harris Goes to Paris hits cinemas this Friday, 30 September. We’re here to share some exclusive behind the scenes shots from the film. Plus, we’ve got some special editions of the book to give away.

The comedy-drama is based on the beloved 1958 novel, Mrs ‘Arris Goes to Paris. The story follows Ada Harris after receiving her war widow’s pension. The London housekeeper, who’s long admired her employer’s own Christian Dior dress, dreams of having one of her own. Watch her adventure as she travels to Paris to achieve her dream.

This charming film stars Lesley Manville, Jason Isaacs, and Matrix actor, Lambert Wilson. It’ll be the third screen adaptation of this beloved Paul Gallico novel, and the first to feature in cinemas.

To celebrate Mrs Harris Goes to Paris opening in cinemas later this week, we’re running a giveaway. We have some limited edition special film branded copies of the book to give away to five of our readers. 

To be in with a chance of winning a copy of the book, scroll to the bottom to fill in our entry form!

Credit: Dávid Lukács / © 2021 Ada Films Ltd – Harris Squared Kft

A behind the scenes look:

The Caracas dress from the Christian Dior show 

Actor Lucas Bravo, director Tony Fabian, and actor Lesley Manville on the set of Mrs Harris Goes to Paris

Lucas Bravo stars as André Fauvel, Lesley Manville as Mrs. Harris, and Alba Baptista as Natasha 

Costume designer Jenny Beavan and director Tony Fabian on the set of Mrs Harris Goes to Paris

Ellen Thomas stars as Vi, and Jason Isaacs as Archie

Roxane Duran stars as Marguerite, Bertrand Poncet as Monsieur Carré, and Lesley Manville as Mrs. Harris 

Mrs Harris Goes to Paris hits cinemas Friday 30 September.

Complete the form to win a copy of Mrs Harris Goes to Paris 

We have five copies of Paul Gallico’s novel, Mrs ‘Arris Goes to Paris. The perfect companion to the film. Drop your details into the form below to enter. Entries to the giveaway are open until 5pm Thursday 6 October. 

We are also running the giveaway over on our Instagram. With one entry per person, per platform. So head over to our there for an extra chance of securing yourself a book!

No cash alternative. T&Cs apply. Please see the Privacy Policy for handling your data. Winners will be required to provide a postal address for delivery.

Lana Hall

Lana can usually be found spinning her collection of records, or writing odd poems in her phone notes. Her mixer of choice is a ginger beer, and you’ll never find her away from the sea for more than a few weeks.

The post Mrs Harris goes to Paris: behind the scenes look and giveaway! appeared first on Silver Magazine.

Kenneth Branagh – who plays the wily Hercule Poirot – admits lockdown has given him clarity and a vision for the future that he didn’t perhaps expect.

In an industry where so many of the major players have sat back and waited for lockdown inertia to pass, Branagh is a director, producer, and actor who takes a rather different view.

Making the most of a situation

“Opportunities are made out of unfortunate events,” he begins. “Covid was horrendous, and deeply upsetting, for all of us. But I, like many others, was able to take away from it a sense of calm. It gave me time, offered a reset of a few ideas and, I hope, has helped me come back a letter person.”

On the evidence of Death on the Nile, 61-year-old Branagh has undoubtedly come back a better producer and actor. Although the point is lost slightly when you realise the bulk of this movie was completed pre-lockdown. It was only the closing of cinemas worldwide that meant the big-budget production – estimated to be in the region of £90million – sat in the can for so long.

That we’re now being treated to an impeccable piece of cinema, straight from the pen of Agatha Christie, will be a relief to Branagh, even though this project is one of four of his finding an audience this year.

There’s the collosal success that is Belfast, a voyage into his own mind as a boy growing up in Northern Ireland; TV series This Sceptred Isle, in which he plays Boris Johnson; and a voiceover role in animated adventure Fireheart.

Scene from Death on the Nile

Bringing personality to the role

Where Death on the Nile succeeds is in evading the various traps that are laid when retelling a story many people know. And in bringing something new to a famous character, as did John Malkovich.

“You must believe you can do something different and better or, without sounding arrogant, don’t bother,” fires Branagh, whose countless other films include Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Valkyrie, Thor, Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit, and Murder on the Orient Express.

There is no point me being the same Hercule Poirot that, say, David Suchet, would be. You have to be your own character

“And from a personal perspective, playing Hercule Poirot himself, I knew there was a huge amount of scrutiny coming my way.

“I had to undertake lots of research; lots of looking at how other actors have gone about the character. But also lots of searching and yearning for originality.

“There is no point me being the same Hercule Poirot that, say, David Suchet, would be. You have to be your own character. You have to really study Agatha Christie’s words and accept that the interpretation we have seen on our screens before is only one interpretation. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a bloody good one, but if all you felt you were going to do was replicate what someone else had done on screen, then you really should just go home and put a film on.”

The pressure to succeed

With such a colossal budget, there was added pressure to make the film not just an artistic success, but a commercial one. Although with a cast boasting the likes of Gal Gadot, Russell Brand, Letitia Wright, Dawn French and the somewhat controversial Armie Hammer, the box office was buzzing in its opening weekend.

“I think for us … it’s such an iconic story, and arguably one that has been confined to stage or screen. Barring one previous film adaptation from 1978 which, by the way, won an Oscar and a BAFTA.

“We’re not saying this hasn’t been done properly in the past. Yet what that extra finance gives you is detail and delivery. It’s the fine details that really begin to shine when you have a bigger budget to play with. The luxury of doing something really good. And knowing you have the time to go back and take another look if it hasn’t quite come through the way you had expected. It’s quality control.”

Quality is certainly a buzzword Branagh. He’s led many early artistic endeavours by either directing or starring in film adaptations of Shakespeare’s plays. Those include Henry V – for which he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor and Best Director – Much Ado About Nothing, Othello, Hamlet and As You Like It. And this is still true despite how, within a generation, technology has taken forward the possibilities of film and TV into whole new realms.

Branagh in Death on the Nile

Romanticising the past

“I think that really hit home with Death on the Nile,” says Branagh. “That era possessed such an arty, seductive innocence. And it’s frightening to think how, in such a short space of time, the whole world has changed.

“I do understand when people become philosophical or maudlin about this romantic past age that clearly we are never going to get back.

“What I would say to that is yes, it was a romantic time. But we have substituted that for a new era of entertainment and connectivity and, actually, knowledge.”

He continues: “Life is also incredibly more convenient now. In the past to do the most basic things without technology could actually be profoundly difficult. people were largely uncontactable.

“People could lose their lives on the Nile… and almost get away with it!”

Richard Aldhous

The post Kenneth Branagh on his Hercule Poirot appeared first on Silver Magazine.

Nicole Kidman’s longevity in the film industry is a marker not only for age and experience, but the ability to choose scripts that inspire the actress as much as watching audiences, and she has already given as many bravura performances as any actor can rightfully be expected to deliver in one lifetime. But the last year or two has been an exceptionally rich period for the Australian star.

An Oscar nomination for Lion preceded not only her award-winning work in the critically-acclaimed HBO TV series but also two high profile indie films, The Beguiled, directed by Sofia Coppola, and controversial Greek filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos’s The Killing of the Sacred Deer. She also has a key role in Jane Campion’s Top of the Lake.

Busy? You bet. But it is Kidman’s portrayal of battered wife Celeste in Big Little Lies that has set Hollywood on fire. Not only has it won her the Globe, it has earned her a best actress Emmy nomination, and many critics have argued that it is perhaps the finest work of her distinguished career.

Accepting her award last night, Kidman said, “The character I play represents something that is the centre of our conversation right now – abuse… I hope we can elicit change through the stories we tell and the way we tell them. Let’s keep the conversation alive. Let’s do it.”

What makes all this this particularly remarkable is that Nicole Kidman is winning such plaudits in a year that saw her turn 50, an age that often spells doom for female movie stars. But the industry is changing, and Nicole is taking advantage of this point in her career to test her limits even further.

“I’m not a people pleaser… I say what I think and I don’t choose roles that are just going to placate”

“I’m blown away,” she says. “For all this confluence of events and success to be happening; that feels really powerful and makes me unbelievably thankful.

“I’m also anxious to keep taking more risks in my work than ever. I’ve always had the kind of attitude where I tell myself ‘why not?’ when it comes to working with new directors and wanting to explore different kinds of stories and characters, so that’s what I’m doing.

“Emotionally, I still feel so open and curious and want to always be jumping off the cliff with the abandonment of a 21-year-old. I’ve fallen off that cliff a few times,” she laughs. “But my husband reminds me I’m not a people-pleaser, because I say what I think and I don’t choose roles that are going to placate, and that’s just the way I was raised – to stand up for what you believe and not fit in.”

That attitude certainly applies to her film, The Killing of the Sacred Deer, in which she plays the wife of a surgeon (Colin Farrell), and watches as a strange 16-year-old boy enters their lives and exerts a mysterious hold on their family. Lanthimos (Dogtooth, The Lobster) is notorious for his profoundly disturbing narrative journeys and Kidman was anxious to enter his bizarre universe.

“When I was younger, I would try to fit into a formula, but that never worked for me”

“At this stage in my life I want to stay very bold and open, and try things and support filmmakers that I believe in. Yorgos (Lanthimos) is one of those directors who has a very unique filmmaking style- I’m totally up for taking risks… and supporting people who are trying different things.”

“When I was younger, I would try to fit into a formula, but that never worked for me. I was being advised to do big American movies, and as soon as I freed myself artistically to follow filmmakers and storyteller, I found my passion.”

An outspoken advocate for women’s rights and in particular a vociferous proponent of equal pay for women in Hollywood, Kidman applies her feminist mindset when co-producing Big Little Lies together with good friend Reese Witherspoon.

Based on the eponymous best-seller by Australian author Liane Moriarty, ‘Big Little…’ not only proved to be a massive critical success but has made TV history in that it was the first ‘lead’ series ever to feature five talented actresses – Nicole Kidman, Reece Witherspoon, Shailene Woodley, Laura Dern, and rising star Zoe Kravitz – in the main starring roles.

“There are five great roles here. For women, it’s very, very rare. I like working with women, but first of all I like to find the right stories. For years I’ve worked to support women in all fields. And I believe in sisterhood. I learned so much from having a feminist mother who in the 1960s who fought for our rights and has always been involved in social work. We are sisters in the world and we have to support each other.”

Playing Celeste was far more physically and psychologically demanding than she expected

Playing the part of Celeste, a mother of twin boys married to Perry (Alexander Skarsgard), an abusive, jet-setting businessman, Kidman invested herself fully in a highly compelling and shattering role. Playing Celeste was far more physically and psychologically demanding than she expected, however.

“It is deeply disturbing playing her,” Kidman observes. “It’s a complicated character and I definitely felt the weight of it. A lot of times I can move away from the character very easily, yet this one I found a lot harder to move away from because it’s a very volatile relationship. They inflict pain on each other and there is an enormous amount of danger. At the end of a day’s shooting I’d go home, sit in the bath and cry.”

Celeste and Perry’s underlying relationship is fraught with psychodrama and that was part of what drew the fearless Aussie actress to the role in the first place: “We wanted it to be complicated. We didn’t want it to be black and white, because so many of these relationships are very complicated. There’s an addictive quality for them – the way in which they’re both culpable, and the way in which they can’t get away from each other, because there is love there… deep love. And they have two children. Which makes it even more difficult for her to see a way out.”

Kidman’s husband was shocked by the toll the series had on her. Nicole, however, wouldn’t have had it any other way

Her insistence on absolute realism not only impressed co-star Witherspoon and director Jean-Marc Vallée (Dallas Buyers Club), but also left Kidman’s husband, singer and former American Idol judge Keith Urban, who was shocked by the toll the series had on her. Nicole, however, wouldn’t have had it any other way. And now it’s back again!

“There’s certain choreography that you need for a violent scene, so that you don’t actually get your cheekbone shattered,” she admits. “But a lot of the time, they’d say, ‘Oh, you can put some pads in your back,’ and I would say, ‘no, because you might be able to see them’, and besides it wouldn’t have been ‘real’“.

After having numerous and lengthy conversations with victims of domestic abuse prior to the filming, she came away with a heightened appreciation of her marriage to Urban. Says Kidman: “Keith and I always say that we are just so lucky to have each other. In this world, to be able to come back to that love and that strength is so nourishing and powerful.”

Married to the singer for the past 11 years, Kidman is as devoted to their happiness as she is looking after their two daughters – Sunday, eight, and Faith, six. They live in Nashville, which is mecca to her husband and his country music roots. Urban is particularly proud of his wife’s work in Big Little Lies:

“Everything about it was done with such a raw authenticity,” he says. “It was extraordinary work and, for me, among some of Nic’s finest work ever. Some of the therapy scenes were just fantastic. What I love especially is it was all them, it was all the girls that made this happen. This wasn’t a project that got brought to Nic or Reese (Witherspoon). This was them — Reese — reading the book, Nic getting on a plane and flying to Australia to meet (author) Liane Moriarty and seeing if they can get their support in securing the rights in getting it made into a series.”

For her part, Kidman is happy that she and Urban have found a pleasant rhythm to their private and professional lives. “As an actress, you’re always trying to balance motherhood with the work you want to do,” Kidman explains. “I’m fortunate in the sense that I’m married to a musician, so our schedules are able to be juggled. I keep it simple in that regard.”

She adds: “I’ve worked a lot, but I don’t have to work. I work because it is still my passion.”

Long may it continue.

Big Little Lies is on Sky/HBO

Richard Aldhous

The post Nicole Kidman on birthdays, Big Little Lies and being 50+ appeared first on Silver Magazine.

The Women Over 50 Film Festival (WOFFF) supported by FilmDoo, taking place on 16th & 17th September 2017 in Brighton, East Sussex, UK, is an international film festival aiming to redress the age and gender imbalance older women face in the film industry.

WOFFF champions women over 50 in front of and behind the camera, and this September’s third annual, interactive, engaging, entertaining weekend of films and activities for older women and their friends looks to be the largest event yet with 55 films being screened, from over 150 submissions from around the world, the largest number of submissions ever received.

Festival Director Nuala O’Sullivan said, “We’re excited to see the depth and breadth of talent on display, both on screen at the festival and in our other events. We’re delighted to have film industry professionals, like Felicity Beckett and Claire Lamond, on our jury panel and University of Brighton film academics, Vanessa Marr and Louise FitzGerald, hosting workshops and delivering lectures at this year’s WOFFF.”

For tickets go to www.wofff.co.uk/2017-festival/tickets
Prices start from £8.55 per programme
A Weekend Pass giving you access to all eight programmes is £56.35
All tickets are available via Eventbrite at https://wofff17tickets.eventbrite.co.uk
Some events are free but still require booking via Eventbrite. Limited concession tickets are also available.

For more information about the Women Over 50 Film Festival 2017, visit www.wofff.co.uk

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The post Women Over 50 Film Festival unveils full 2017 programme appeared first on Silver Magazine.

Lost in London is a film, although it’s not a film like any film you’ve seen before. This is a film shot with one camera, in one continuous take, at the same time being streamed live into cinemas and theatres. It’s a storytelling piece of theatre on film. Read our interview with Woody Harrelson about how he came up with the idea, and made it work.

To be fair, it almost didn’t. With something as complex as this there are technical challenges, incomparable to filming an ordinary movie. But the reviews were amazing, and Woody seems pretty pleased. Telling us in that instantly recognisable Texan drawl, “Yeah, it did work, you know. There are several things I wish would have gone down a little different. Being live, you know, it wasn’t exactly perfect but all in all I actually quite like it, I really do.”

As with live theatre, the only way to get something like this to work is rehearsals. “It was all one take, one camera, so there’s no cuts – believe me I’d love to have cut some stuff in! The night before, we filmed it twice. The second time, we finished around 6am so we were all just so spent. But the second time was good, and that was on the Wednesday night. And I decided to keep with the live one just by virtue of the fact that it was live, and it was really more the dream I had, which was the blending of film and theatre – it was more a theatrical experience.”

He’s also keen to identify that the end result wasn’t without its glitches, although he wouldn’t be drawn on what those were. He laughs, “There’s just a couple of things that I would definitely shift. But in terms of mistakes, you know there’s just one major thing, but I asked a couple of audiences if they could tell where it was, and we’ve shown in three times to audiences in Edinburgh, and Liverpool and York, and none of them could tell where the mistake was, and that was kind of interesting because it seems kind of glaring to me, but it’s not so obvious others. But kind of cool that there were some mistakes, you know.”

He admits that it was a pretty tough thing to make happen; “Everything had to be plotted out to the tiniest detail. It was a mad amount of work. Being a lazy person it really didn’t suit me! It was lot of stress. I’m relieved it’s over. People say it was fun right? And I say yeah, it was fun when we wrapped it.” So it’s hard to wonder what made him try it. Some say it’s a pioneering piece of live performance, others said it was insanity.

“I’ve always had this dream of merging theatre and film, and I thought well, I can shoot it live – but then you’re missing an element which is that you don’t have an audience, and that gave me the idea of streaming it, since I was gonna film it in real time anyway, if it was actually physically and technically possible. And so I set out to ask some people and some said no, it wasn’t possible, and some said yes it might be possible. I did have to make certain concessions, like everything had to happen within a 15 mile radius, which is still pretty remarkable. I don’t think the movie suffers because of this. But there’s some iconic images of London that I would have liked included, but I had to have it all in a certain space. I had constraints.”

The film itself is based on a real experience Woody had in London; something he’d been working hard to try and forget. “It was the night that went wrong and just kept going more wrong as the night progressed. It was actually a night – and I’m going to be a little bit vague about it because I think it’s just best to see the movie, you know? – but it was a night I tried to forget, I tried to repress, and it just kept coming back and I just kept thinking about it. And I thought there’s just something to the story. It is a very personal, oddly vulnerable type of story. I don’t consider myself particularly vulnerable but in the telling of this story I am, and so, I don’t know. I’m glad I did it. It does feel cathartic.”

If you feel like seeing this film and watching Woody’s Lost in London unfold live before your eyes, the film is being screened in cinemas around the country with Woody attending a Q&A after the screenings. A good chance to meet a true star and find out more about this pioneering blend of live performance and film. We for one will be there, front row seats. We can’t wait

Lost in London – click on the links below…

Cambridge Picturehouse 23 April
Brighton Duke of York Picturehouse 29 April

Sam Harrington-Lowe

Sam is Silver’s founder and editor-in-chief. She’s largely responsible for organising all the things, but still finds time to do the odd bit of writing. Not enough though. Send help.

The post Woody Harrelson exclusive interview about his live film experiment appeared first on Silver Magazine.