Lifestyle Features Things Are Starting to Change in Hollywood
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20 Established 1961 Lifestyle Features Sunday, September 22, 2019 In this file photo Laverne Cox arrives for the opening ceremony of WorldPride 2019 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. In this file photo, from left, Dominique Jackson, Janet Mock, Billy Porter, Steven Canales, MJ Rodriguez, Our Lady J and Indya Moore arrive for Paley Center for Media’s 2019 PaleyFest LA panel and screening of ‘Pose’ at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood. — AFP photos In this file photo US actor Nico Tortorella attends the first Comedy Central, Paramount Network and TV Land Press Day, in Los Angeles, California. he Emmy Awards today will shine the spotlight on “With nominations for series like ‘Pose’ and ‘Special,’ audience yearnings for change, the history of diversity TLGBTQ talent, with several queer artists and shows and for performances from Hannah Gadsby, Laverne Cox, efforts in Hollywood suggests that the industry’s diversity featuring gay, lesbian and transgender characters Billy Porter, and many more, we are seeing the diversity of problem will not simply correct itself,” said the report among the nominees, highlighting Hollywood’s efforts to LGBTQ people not only represented in mainstream media, drafted by the authors of UCLA’s annual Hollywood close the diversity gap. The strong representation at this but also celebrated,” Ellis told AFP. “These shows and Diversity Report. year’s Emmys reflects the LGBTQ community’s growing Things are performances are certainly connecting with audiences “The path forward must be paved with intentions - by power in Hollywood-and the huge strides the industry has everywhere, and that is something that can no longer be industry decision-makers who actively embrace the means made in bringing those issues to the small screen. ignored within the entertainment industry.” necessary for achieving the end of a more inclusive cre- It also represents the growing ability of streaming starting to change ative space.” Nico Tortorella, who stars on the TV Land services such as Netflix, Hulu and Amazon to produce Increased representation series “Younger” and identifies as non-binary, said while shows that reflect seismic changes in American society. in Hollywood According to GLAAD’s 2018 annual report, the number LGBTQ issues have become more common themes on TV “The number of LGBTQ nominees at this year’s Emmy of LGBTQ characters on television hit a record high last shows, that did not necessarily reflect an overall change in Awards is a sign that things are starting to change in year, with 8.8 percent of the 857 characters appearing on society. Hollywood,” said Sarah Kate Ellis, president and CEO of primetime television shows identified as on the gay, trans “There’s a big difference between society as a whole GLAAD, an advocacy group that monitors diversity in the or queer spectrum. Television got its first trans superhero and what’s going on in social media,” Tortorella told media, including on television. Also vying for Emmys glory is gay actor Ben Whishaw in 2018 in the form of actress Nicole Maines, who featured Variety magazine, which recently published a special issue Groundbreaking FX series “Pose,” which explores New (“A Very English Scandal”) and lesbian actress Fiona as Dreamer on the CW series “Supergirl.” But despite the on the state of LGBT inclusion in Hollywood. “It’s a con- York’s underground ballroom culture in the 1980s, fea- Shaw, a double nominee for her work on “Killing Eve” and remarkable advances made for better representation on fusing time, that’s for sure,” said Tortorella, who will soon tured the largest cast of transgender actors in regular “Fleabag.” In a ceremony ahead of Sunday’s main gala, television, LGBTQ advocates say there is still room for star in a new “Walking Dead” spin-off. “In terms of repre- series roles when it premiered last year. It’s up for best Australian comic Hannah Gadsby won an Emmy for best improvement. sentation in Hollywood, yes, it’s getting better. “But a lot of drama series honors, and star Billy Porter is the first open- writing on a variety special for her runaway hit “Nanette.” A new study published this week by the University of characters we write for queer people are still determined ly gay black man nominated for best lead actor in a drama. Several other artists from the lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans- California Los Angeles (UCLA) said that in order for by the violence they experience.”—AFP Transgender actress Laverne Cox earned her third nomi- gender, and queer (LGBTQ) community, including televi- Hollywood to be a more inclusive and diverse industry, nation this year for her recurring role on breakout Netflix sion host Ellen DeGeneres-one of Hollywood’s first openly companies need to adopt new strategies focused on hiring, series “Orange Is the New Black.” gay celebrities-also secured nods. sponsoring and promoting minorities and women. “Despite This photo taken on July 24, 2019 in Paris shows the logo of the US social networking application Tinder on the screen of a tablet. — AFP he South Korean satire “Parasite” has become Tthe most successful Cannes-winning film at the French box office in 15 years, new figures show. Director Bong Joon-ho became the first Korean to lift the Palme d’Or in May for his brilliant class war black comedy, and is an early favourite to lift the best foreign language movie Oscar. More than 1.6 million people have paid to see the film in France so far, according to the site CBO box office, a feat not achieved by a Cannes-winner since Michael Moore’s incendiary documentary, “Fahrenheit 9/11”, in 2004. After ecstatic reviews at the Toronto and Telluride festivals this month, Vanity Fair said it “has everything that a (Oscar) best-picture front-runner f dating were not scary enough already, users of the could possibly need. Except the English language.” ITinder app will now be able to simulate the experience Even so critic Katey Rich said lightning could strike with an interactive reality show where they choose part- twice and it could yet follow the Mexican film ners for a character just before the end of the world. “Roma”, which became the first non-English lan- Tinder’s “Swipe Night” is set to debut in the US on October guage film ever to be nominated for best picture last 6, the dating app said, describing it as an “apocalyptic year. It went on to win three Oscars, including best adventure” that will let members play leading roles and foreign language film and best director for its maker make quick moral choices as a group of friends face the end Alfonso Cuaron. of the world. In this photo taken on Sept 7, 2019 actress/singer Jennifer Lopez arrives for the premiere of “Hustlers” during the 2019 Toronto The app dating service, known for its “swipe” feature on ‘How far can it go?’ International Film Festival Day 3. — AFP the profiles of prospective partners, said it hopes the inter- She predicted that Bong’s exhilarating story active show will help users who face their own thorny deci- about a family of clever underclass scammers was sions on finding a mate in an uncertain world. “Let’s face it, virtually guaranteed a clutch of nominations. “The if we knew the world was ending, we wouldn’t want to go it question now is how much further it can go,” said alone,” Tinder said in a blog post Friday announcing the Rich. “It’s hard to imagine that Academy voters new feature. “We can’t think of a better way to break the won’t feel the same pull that festival audiences ice than over emojis and the apocalypse.” have... It’s even harder to imagine that anyone who “Swipe Night” is described as “a first-person, apocalyp- starts watching ‘Parasite’ could stop; the film’s tic adventure where at key turning points” Tinder members propulsive energy sweeps all the way through to its decide what happens next. The show follows a group of towering conclusion,” she added. friends played by actors Angela Wong Carbone, Jordan If it does get an Oscar nomination, it will make alaysia has banned the hit Jennifer Lopez movie “We can see women’s breasts and mens’ private parts. Christian Hearn and Shea Gabor and asks users to guide history as the first South Korean film to do so. The M“Hustlers”, authorities said Friday, criticizing the There are also erotic dances which are too much, and them through “moral dilemmas and practical choices.” A rights to “Parasite” were already sold to distributors film about strippers as packed with “obscene scenes (with drugs).” Square Box Pictures, the film’s dis- new episode of “Swipe Night” will air each Sunday in in 192 countries even before its premiere in Cannes- content” not suitable for cinema-goers in the conserva- tributor in Malaysia, confirmed the ban in an Instagram October, streaming live inside the app. a record for a Korean film. Bong, 49, best known for tive country. The star-studded movie-billed as a female post: “We deeply apologize for the inconveniences “Seven years ago, Tinder revolutionized the way we the cult hits “The Host”, “Snowpiercer” and “Okja”, “Wolf of Wall Street”-is about how New York strippers caused to our beloved followers, fans of the movie, meet with the invention of its swipe feature,” said chief is one of a rising wave of Korean directors including turned the tables on wealthy businessmen during the medias and partners.” The film had reportedly been due executive Elie Seidman. “Now, with Swipe Night, we’re Park Chan-wook (“The Handmaiden”) and Lee financial crisis.