Entertainment
Alan Cumming: I Feel Like Bond Villain In US Traitors
According to Scottish actor Alan Cumming, working on the US version of The Traitors makes him feel like a “James Bond villain”.
Cumming, who played in the 1995 Bond film GoldenEye, claims the reality show’s producers wanted him to “camp it up” and host as an over-the-top persona.
So he adopts an odd Scottish dialect, quotes Shakespeare, and mocks the participants, yet Cumming insists he remains deeply immersed in the drama, which he monitors on live feeds in his dressing room.
“I see them.” “I feel like a James Bond villain,” he says, smiling and petting an imaginary cat, imitating one of 007’s most famous adversaries, Ernst Blofeld.
In fact, Alan claims that when he accepted the part, he recommended bringing his dog to stroke menacingly instead.
The idea was not pursued for the first series since his dog Lala could not travel to Scotland for filming.
Alan Cumming: I Feel Like Bond Villain In US Traitors
“My dog’s in the second one,” Alan says, smiling.
Season two of the US version of The Traitors is presently airing on BBC One, alongside the UK version, which Claudia Winkleman hosts.
Both are shot at Ardross Castle in Easter Ross and feature “faithful” participants attempting to identify and destroy traitors in their midst.
Cumming hosts the US version in progressively colourful clothes, with accessories added as the series advances.
He tells BBC Scotland’s The Edit that his exaggerated Scottish accent is “me playing Moira Rose from Schitt’s Creek as Alan Cumming”.
According to Cumming, the US version is particularly unique in that all of the contestants are celebrities in some way, usually reality TV personalities.
“It heightens the drama, they understand how to do drama,” he said.
Alan Cumming: I Feel Like Bond Villain In US Traitors
While many celebrities are unfamiliar to UK fans, one stands out.
John Bercow, the former Speaker of the House of Commons, is one of the most unexpected participants in the US competition.
Cumming comments, “It was fascinating to see what the Americans thought of him because they had no idea who he was.
“They thought he talked too much, and he did.”
However, Cumming states, “In the end, he became a team player.”
He says he enjoyed taunting Bercow while recording the episode.
“It’s hilarious; I enjoyed bossing him around,” Alan says.
“Any opportunity to go, ‘order, order, John,’.”
Alan, originally from Aberfeldy in Perthshire, began acting in the 1980s and is best known in Scotland for the comedy series The High Life, which he co-created with Forbes Masson.
In the decades after, he has starred in scores of films, including Spy Kids and X-Men 2, and he has a leading role in the American television series The Good Wife.
Alan, now 58, is thinking more about ageing, and it is the topic of his new solo tour, Alan Cumming is Not Acting His Age, which begins later this month.
Alan Cumming: I Feel Like Bond Villain In US Traitors
He described the act as a traditional lounge, with music and discussions about sex, death, and drink.
Cumming believes there are some underappreciated benefits to being older.
“You get wiser; you don’t worry so much,” he said. “Wisdom is the realization that life is cyclical, that the same things keep happening.
“It’s the same show with different costumes.”
According to Cumming, realizing this allows for improved decision-making later in life as well as being open to new experiences.
“We worship at the altar of youth,” he said.
“I discuss this on the show: why have we determined that something unavoidable, like ageing, is the worst conceivable thing in the world?
“We need to find beauty in not just youth.”
SOURCE – (BBC)
Entertainment
Tim Burton’s ‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’ a Box Office Success Gets 4.5 Stars
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice preview reportedly made $13 million for Warner Bros. Fans gave it 4.5 stars on Comscore/Screen Engine’s PostTrak, while both parents and children under the age of 12 gave it 5 stars.
The sequel has a current budget of $90 million, with room to grow.
The sequel starring Michael Keaton, Jenna Ortega, and Winona Ryder had 59% female attendees, with 73% of those attendees being 25 and older. In terms of gender, 62% of the children were girls and 38% were boys. Last night, the Latino and Hispanic community had an impressive showing at 36% of the total audience.
According to Yahoo Entertainment, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice social media reach With 508.6 million followers across TikTok, Facebook, X, YouTube, and Instagram combined, Beetlejuice is 41% ahead of the norm for the action comedy sci-fi genre.
“Jenna Ortega has stunned her 38.2 million Instagram followers with 103.1 million views, while Michael Keaton has 1.58 million and Willem Dafoe has 155 thousand,” the social media analytics company adds.
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice a Remarkable Sequel
Additionally, they mention, “Convo for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice A remarkable feat for a sequel, Beetlejuice has received mostly good reviews from audiences who have praised the film for its originality and sense of purpose. ‘At first, I thought this was another Scream movie, then I thought it was the Wednesday Season 2!’ A number of fans, including new viewers, are ecstatic to see Jenna Ortega in a horror film.
According to fans of the 1988 original, “My inner child from the 80’s is screaming!” when asked about the style of Jenna Ortega’s flicks. I’m more pumped up for this movie than any other! “I admire the practical effects and the attempts to make it look like the old movie!!” is one commenter’s praise for the show’s expert production values and impressive use of special effects.
You can count on seeing a plethora of costumed fans at the movies this weekend.
A large number of collectible concessions are also available. Beetlejuice jack-in-the-box popcorn buckets are available at Cinemark, competing with Sandworm and Wolverine
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Entertainment
Trump film ‘The Apprentice’ finds distributor and will open before the election
NEW YORK — Trump Film | After failing to generate interest following its Cannes Film Festival screening, “The Apprentice,” starring Sebastian Stan as a teenage Donald Trump, has found a distributor who intends to release the film right before the election in November.
Director Ali Abbasi, a Danish-Iranian filmmaker, had prioritized releasing “The Apprentice” in theatres before electors voted. After major studios and film distributors declined to bid on the project, Abbasi complained on X in early June that “for some reason certain power people in your country don’t want you to see it!!!”
Trump film ‘The Apprentice’ finds distributor and will open before the election
In a statement issued Friday, Steven Cheung, the Trump campaign’s communications director, described the film’s release as “election interference by Hollywood elites right before November.”
“This ‘film’ is pure malicious defamation, should never see the light of day, and doesn’t even deserve a place in the straight-to-DVD section of a bargain bin at a soon-to-be-closed discount movie store, it belongs in a skip fire,” Cheung tweeted.
The prospect of legal action was one factor that decreased interest in “The Apprentice”. After the film’s Cannes premiere in May, Cheung labeled it “pure fiction” and stated that the Trump team would pursue a lawsuit “to address the blatantly false assertions from these pretend filmmakers.”
“The Apprentice” follows Trump’s rise to dominance in New York real estate, guided by defense attorney Roy Cohn (Jeremy Strong). Late in the film, Trump is seen raping his wife, Ivana Trump (portrayed by Maria Bakalova). In her 1990 divorce deposition, Ivana Trump alleged Donald Trump raped her. Trump rejected the claim, and Ivana Trump later clarified that she did not mean it literally but rather that she felt violated.
Abbasi has stated that Trump might not despise the film.
Trump film ‘The Apprentice’ finds distributor and will open before the election
“I would offer to go and meet him wherever he wants and talk about the context of the movie, have a screening and have a chat afterwards, if that’s interesting to anyone at the Trump campaign,” Abbasi stated during the May election.
Briarcliff Entertainment has published several films, including the 2022 documentary “Gabby Giffords Won’t Back Down” and the Liam Neeson thriller “Memory.” The indie distributor is led by Tom Ortenberg, who helped Lionsgate distribute Michael Moore’s “Fahrenheit 9/11” and, as CEO of Open Road, supported the best picture Oscar winner “Spotlight.”
SOURCE | AP
Entertainment
Hanumankind: The Indian Rapper Who Overtook Kendrick Lamar on Global Music Charts
In a remarkably short span, Indian rapper Hanumankind has made a significant mark on the country’s emerging hip-hop scene.
His track “Big Dawgs” has not only topped global charts but also briefly overshadowed Kendrick Lamar’s diss track “Not Like Us.” The BBC delves into the extraordinary ascent of Hanumankind, whose real name is Sooraj Cherukat.
At 31, Cherukat, also known as Hanumankind, radiates an electrifying presence in the “Big Dawgs” music video.
Filmed in a maut ka kuan—a dramatic performance space where drivers execute gravity-defying stunts inside a colossal wooden barrel—Cherukat commands the scene with an intense energy, surrounded by daring drivers zipping past him.
The track, a collaboration with producer Kalmi Reddy and director Bijoy Shetty, has amassed over 132 million streams on Spotify and 83 million views on YouTube since its release in July, propelling Cherukat to international fame.
On the surface, Cherukat’s music follows the hip-hop tradition of portraying gritty street narratives through raw, explicit lyrics. However, a deeper look reveals a rapper navigating his multifaceted identity through his art.
The Roots of Hanumankind’s Sound
Born in Kerala, Cherukat’s childhood was a global journey due to his father’s work with a major oil company, leading him to live in France, Nigeria, Egypt, and Dubai. His formative years in Houston, Texas, were crucial in shaping his musical career.
Houston’s hip-hop scene is unique, known for its distinctive “screwed-up” remix style influenced by the local use of cough syrup. Cherukat has often cited Texas hip-hop legends like DJ Screw, UGK, Big Bunny, and Project Pat as major influences.
Although his style reflects this heritage, it has evolved since his return to India in 2021 after dropping out of college.
Having earned a business degree and worked with firms like Goldman Sachs, Cherukat left the corporate world to pursue rap full-time, a passion he had previously juggled alongside other commitments.
Cherukat’s music reflects his attempt to reconcile his cosmopolitan experiences with his Indian roots. His tracks often highlight the struggles of southern Indian street life, combining intense vocal delivery with engaging rhythms.
His song “Genghis,” filmed in Bengaluru, critiques national issues through a gritty lens.
Challenging Rap Norms and Navigating Criticism: Hanumankind’s Unique Path
In “Big Dawgs,” Cherukat diverges from the typical rap glorification of wealth, focusing instead on small-town stunt performers from impoverished backgrounds. “These are the people that are the real risk-takers…Those are the big dogs, for real,” he told Complex.
Despite his innovative approach, Cherukat faces criticism. Some argue that his English lyrics may limit his appeal to non-English-speaking Indian audiences and that his style too closely mirrors Western artists.
Abid Haque, a PhD student, believes that while Cherukat’s inclusion of South Asians in the Western rap scene is notable, his music sometimes feels disconnected from Indian reality.
Cherukat himself navigates this duality. He views his return to India as a way to explore his sense of belonging. “I think it really moulded me as someone who never really had a place to call home… and that kind of shaped the way I perceive music, people, and culture,” he explained.
Yet, he also embraces a broader perspective: “I’m not an Indian rapper, but I’m a rapper from India,” indicating his position outside the traditional Indian hip-hop scene.
Hanumankind’s unique style has attracted both admiration and criticism, often encountering resistance from listeners who struggle to categorize him. His distinct approach and refusal to conform to expectations have, however, resonated with many fans.
“He isn’t trying to cater to an Indian audience, which shows in his music, and he is unapologetic about it,” said Arnab Ghosh, a Delhi-based psychiatrist.
Cherukat’s journey, marked by his adaptability and dedication to authenticity, represents both a triumph and a challenge. As he continues to break boundaries and redefine expectations, Hanumankind remains a compelling figure in the global hip-hop landscape.
“You keep certain things as your roots, but it’s up to you to adapt to the environment and go with the flow, as long as you don’t compromise on integrity,” he once said, capturing the essence of his remarkable career.
Source: BBC
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