ARAB TIMES, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2021 NEWS/FEATURES 13

People & Places

Film

Poised for change Ben-Adir ‘breaks’ out as Malcolm X LOS ANGELES, Jan 19, (AP): British actor King- sley Ben-Adir may not be a household name yet, but that’s poised to change with his scene-stealing performance as Malcolm X in Regina King’s “One Night in Miami....” The fi lm, which imagines an electric meeting between the civil rights icon, Sam Cooke, Cassius Clay and Jim Brown in February 1964, is currently available on Prime Video. The 35-year-old has been a working actor for over a decade and has had more than a few heartbreaks and near-breaks along the way. In his fi rst fi lm, “World War Z,” his speaking line with Brad Pitt was unceremoniously cut. Then there was the Ang Lee Muhammad Ali fi lm that he spent years testing and months in active training for (he was to play Ali) that ended up losing its fi nancing. “One Night in Miami...” was almost a missed oppor- tunity, too. His agents fi rst suggested him for Clay. He declined (“I felt too old”) but said to call him if anything happened to the actor playing Malcolm. Ben-Adir said he was partially joking, but that Ben-Adir call did come. He offi cially got the part just 12 days before he was due on set. “I thought, I don’t know if I can prepare Malcolm X in 12 days,” Ben-Adir said. “Then I was like, ‘I have to do it.’” Ben-Adir spoke to The Associated Press - hours before he’d pick up the breakthrough actor award at the Gotham Awards - about fi nding the humanity in the icon and the tricky logistics of playing both Malcolm X and Barack Obama at the same time. Re- marks have been edited for clarity and brevity. In this Jan 11, 2020 file photo, Selena Gomez attends the premiere of ‘Dolittle’ in Los Angeles. Gomez will put her quarantine cooking skills on display in a 10-epi- AP: Was Malcolm X a fi gure in your life growing sode series for the upcoming streaming service HBO Max. After an angry mob of President Donald Trump supporters took control of the US Capitol in a violent up in the UK? insurrection, Gomez laid much of the blame at the feet of Big Tech. (AP) Ben-Adir: I grew up knowing exactly who he was. I’d read the autobiography at an earlier stage and he was someone who I was defi nitely aware of. I can’t say the same for the education syllabus here. Media We weren’t taught much about African American history at all and Black British history is almost non- existent in my school. AP: Who is Malcolm X at this moment in 1964? This is about truth versus lies: Gomez Ben-Adir: Regina and I were trying to fi gure out how far we could push the exploration of show- ing Malcolm as a father and as a husband and as a man who at this moment in time was in a very, very vulnerable situation. He was on a ban from the Na- ‘Big Tech cashing in from evil’ tion of Islam and his relationship with Elijah Mu- hammad, who essentially was his father fi gure for LOS ANGELES, Jan 19, (AP): Hours Capitol insurrection both by allowing some including the American Civil 12 years, was really crumbling. There was a sense after an angry mob of Trump support- plans for the uprising to be made on Liberties Union that it was censor- that his life was in danger and there’s a feeling that ers took control of the US Capitol in their platforms and through algorithms ship, and praise from others who say Malcolm knew that his time was maybe coming to a violent insurrection, Selena Gomez that allow dangerous conspiracy theo- the president abused his platform by an end. There’s this wonderful opportunity with laid much of the blame at the feet of ries to take fl ight. That’s even though encouraging violence. this movie to explore the humanity of this “fearless Big Tech. executives, such as Facebook’s Sand- In a thread defending Twitter’s demagogue.” “Today is the result of allowing berg, have insisted that planning for Trump ban, CEO Jack Dorsey said “of- people with hate in their hearts to use the riots largely took place on other, fl ine harm as a result of online speech Malcolm described to his friend Dick Gregory that Book store worker, Dikeledi Nhlapo, he felt weak and hollow and that nobody knew the platforms that should be used to bring smaller platforms. is demonstrably real, and what drives holds a copy of Dorah Sitole’s ‘40 people together and allow people to “The operational planning was our policy and enforcement above all.” torments that he was going through at this time. Dick Years of Iconic Food’ cook book in talks about Malcolm as a sweet and bashful man, a build community,” tweeted the singer/ happening in spaces that Selena, for In addition to banning Trump, Fa- Exclusive Books in Hyde Park Corner, actor. “Facebook, Instagram, Twit- example, was identifying to Sheryl cebook has been removing video and kind man and a good-humored man and someone Johannesburg, on Jan 12. South Af- ter, Google, Mark Zuckerberg, Sheryl Sandberg in advance saying, ‘You photos from Capitol rioters. The com- who would be embarrassed if he could hear us talk- rica’s pioneer Black food writer Sitole, portrait on cover, who quietly defied Sandberg, Jack Dorsey, Sundar Pichai, know, we need to do something about pany also added text on posts ques- ing about him in this way now. And I just thought Susan Wojcicki - you have all failed white supremacist extremism online tioning the election, confi rming that that was just gorgeous. apartheid to win respect and a wide readership for African cuisine, died the American people today, and I hope and their ability to just form a group Joe Biden has been lawfully elected, AP: That seems to belie the imagery that we al- you’re going to fi x things moving for- on Facebook and happily talk away to and saying it was taking enforcement ways see of him. January 2021, of COVID-19. (AP) — Details on Page 12 ward.” each other, plan what they’re going to action against militarized social move- Ben-Adir: I feel like all of the all of the im- It’s just the latest effort by the do next,’” said Imran Ahmed, CEO of ments like QAnon. agery that we’re used to, the stuff on YouTube 28-year-old Gomez to draw attention the Center for Countering Digital Hate, While the changes are positive, and the soundbites... it’s always Malcolm re- to the danger of internet companies which has helped educate Gomez they’re “just a drop in the bucket,” said sponding to usually the next day - or on the same critics say have profi ted from misin- about online misinformation. Jeff Orlowski, director of Netfl ix’s day - as the most hideous instances of racism or Variety formation and hate on their platforms. “The Social Dilemma,” a popular 2020 police brutality or political injustice. It’s no won- Gomez has been calling out Big Tech Search fi lm that showed how Silicon Valley’s der he’s riled up and impassioned and angry in NEW YORK: Add Garth Brooks to the for months - publicly on the very plat- In emails shared exclusively with pursuit of profi t could pose an existen- so much of that archive footage. Watching him lineup of entertainers at the inauguration forms she’s fi ghting and privately in the AP, Gomez told Sandberg in Sep- tial threat to US democracy. when he wasn’t speaking, when he was listening of President-elect Joe Biden. conversations with Silicon Valley’s tember that “a search for a militia Voices like Gomez’s can be a huge and watching him in the moment in the transition “This is a great day in our household,” big hitters. group ‘Three Percenters’ results in help to get the message across, consid- between listening and when he was just about to the country music superstar said during In an exclusive interview with The dozens of pages, groups and videos fo- ering her hundreds of millions of fol- respond, this humanity opened-up. I don’t know a virtual press conference Monday, two Associated Press on Jan. 6, just hours cused on people hoping and preparing lowers, Orlowski said. how to describe it. Also, I think I was a little bit days before Biden is to be sworn in. before the Capitol riot, Gomez said for civil war, and there are dozens of “Think of the advertising revenue in la la land by the end of it. I wasn’t eating. I was “This is not a political statement. This is she’s been frustrated by what she groups titled ‘white lives matter’ that from every Selena Gomez post. Think kind of wired. My blood was full of nicotine and a statement of unity.” views as the companies’ lackluster are full of hate and lies that might lead of the advertising revenue from every caffeine and my mind was just sort of filled with Brooks, who joins Lady Gaga and response. She said they have to “stop to people being hurt or, even worse, Donald Trump post, the advertising these ideas. The whole process was just a little bit Jennifer Lopez among others, per- doing the bare minimum.” killed.” revenue from every post from The formed during the inaugural celebration That’s even though Facebook Rock or whoever,” he said. “Those surreal and a little bit of a whirlwind. of President Barack Obama in 2009. Selling AP: Are Denzel Washington in Spike Lee’s 1992 banned US-based militia groups from people are literally generating mil- He turned down a chance to play for “It isn’t about me versus you, one its service in August. lions of dollars for these companies ... fi lm on your mind during this? President Donald Trump in 2017, citing Ben-Adir: I made a decision to sort of just leave political party versus another. This is In the same email, Gomez also The top 20 people on Instagram have a scheduling confl ict. about truth versus lies and Facebook, points to several ads with lies about probably the most infl uence over Mark that. I knew that this Malcolm needed to be different. Invited by incoming fi rst lady Jill Instagram and big tech companies election fraud being allowed to remain and Sheryl compared to anybody else AP: Is it true that you were doing this while you Biden, Brooks has known the Bidens for have to stop allowing lies to just fl ow on Facebook and Instagram and ques- until fi nally Congress as a whole gets were also playing Barack Obama in “The Comey more than a decade, when Joe Biden was Obama’s vice president. and pretend to be the truth,” Gomez tions why that was being allowed. enough momentum and energy to put Rule”? How does that work? said in a phone interview from New “I can’t believe you can’t check ads some legislation together.” Ben-Adir: I shot Malcolm for three and a half Brooks said that for this week’s inau- gural, he will perform solo doing “broken York. “Facebook continues to allow before you take money, and if you weeks and then on a Friday I jumped on a plane to dangerous lies about vaccines and can’t you shouldn’t be profi ting from Also: Toronto and shot Barack for four or fi ve days and down, bare-bones stuff,” and hinted at covering material by songwriters from COVID and the US election, and neo- it,” she wrote. “You’re not just doing NEW YORK: Sen Josh Hawley has then jumped on a plane and went straight back to outside the US. Nazi groups are selling racist products nothing. You’re cashing in from evil.” found a new publisher after his book Malcolm. As a working actor, the schedules are set He does not plan to sing his socially via Instagram. In an email response to Gomez, was dropped by Simon & Schuster in and you have to work around it. I was like, listen, conscious “We Shall Be Free,” which “Enough is enough,” she said. Sandberg defends Facebook’s efforts the wake of the siege of the US Capi- ‘You’ve been asking for this kind of opportunity for he performed at the Obama inaugural. Facebook and Twitter representa- to remove harmful content, saying the tol by supporters of President Donald the last 10 years. Now you’ve got two at the same (Agencies) tives declined to comment. Google platform has removed millions of posts Trump. time. You’ve just got to make it work.’ ❑ ❑ ❑ didn’t respond to an AP request for for hate speech, and bans ads that are The conversative publisher Regn- Also: comment. divisive, infl ammatory, or discourage ery announced Monday that Hawley’s WUHAN, China: Couples go on dates, Gomez is among a growing number people from voting. She didn’t direct- “The Tyranny of Big Tech” will come LOS ANGELES: “Parasite” director Bong Joon Ho has families dine out at restaurants, shop- of celebrities using their platforms to ly address the advertising examples out this spring. been selected as jury president of the 78th Venice pers fl ock to stores. Face masks aside, people are going about their daily life call out social media, including Sacha Gomez pointed to. “Regnery is proud to stand in the International Film Festival, organizers said Friday. Baron Cohen, Leonardo DiCaprio, “It’s beating around the bush and breach with him. And the warning The Oscar-winner will preside over seven jurors pretty much as normal in the Chinese city that was fi rst hit by the COVID-19 Jennifer Lawrence, Kerry Washington, saying what people want to hear,” in his book about censorship obvi- to hand out the festival’s top awards, including the pandemic. and Kim Kardashian West. Gomez said about her interactions with ously couldn’t be more urgent,” Reg- prestigious Golden Lion. He’ll be the fi rst South Ko- It’s a remarkable turnaround for the 11 Gomez became passionate about the Sandberg and Google, among others. nery President and Publisher Thomas rean to hold the post. million residents of Wuhan, a city devas- issue in 2017 when a 12-year-old com- “I think at this point we’ve all learned Spence said in a statement. In a statement, the director said he is, “Honored tated by the coronavirus. The commercial mented on one of her Instagram posts: that words don’t match up unless the Hawley, a Republican from Mis- to be woven into its beautiful cinematic tradition. As hub on the mighty Yangtze river spent 76 “Go kill yourself.” action is going to happen.” souri, has been widely condemned for president of the jury — and more importantly as a days in lockdown last year, from January “That was my tipping point,” she Following the violence at the US his encouragement of the Jan. 6 protest perpetual cinephile — I’m ready to admire and ap- to April. Overwhelmed hospitals sent said. “I couldn’t handle what I was Capitol, tech companies made some of that ended with a violent mob rampag- plaud all the great fi lms selected by the festival. I’m the less seriously ill home, where they seeing.” their biggest changes to date. ing through the Capitol. Thousands fi lled with genuine hope and excitement.” infected others. More than 3,800 people Social media experts have argued Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and had gathered that day as Congress vot- Festival director Alberto Barbera remarked upon died, accounting for nearly 90% of the that companies like Facebook and other platforms banned President Don- ed to formally certify Joe Biden’s win the historic nature of the selection. offi cial coronavirus deaths in mainland Twitter played a direct role in the ald Trump, drawing criticism from over Trump. Hawley and Sen. China. “We are immensely grateful to him for having Today, some residents marvel that agreed to put his passion as a cinephile attentive, what was once considered the most inquisitive and unprejudiced, at the service of our dangerous place because of the pandemic festival,” Barbera said. “The decision to entrust the may now be one of the safest. Bundled made to quarantine for 14 days. (AP) In 2018, Fair Haven residents elected Jury to a Korean fi lmmaker, for the fi rst time in the up against the winter cold, they walk ❑ ❑ ❑ Lincoln the goat as its honorary mayor. festival’s history, is also confi rmation that the Vene- briskly down a pedestrian-only shopping Lincoln helped raise about $10,000 while tian event embraces the cinema of the entire world, street that was a ghost town at the height FAIR HAVEN, Vt: A goat and a dog the current mayor, Murfee, a Cavalier King and that directors from every country know they can of the outbreak. who were each elected mayor have Charles spaniel, has raised $20,000, Town Authorities remain on guard ahead of helped raise money to renovate a Ver- Manager Joe Gunter told the Rutland Her- consider Venice their second home.” mont community playground. The Venice Film Festival was one of the only ma- next month’s Lunar New Year holiday, ald. The town chipped in another $20,000. when Chinese typically return to their The oddball idea of pet mayor elec- Murfee’s owner, Linda Barker, said jor fi lm festivals to proceed in person last year amid hometowns for family gatherings. Even a tions to raise money to rehabilitate the that when she was talked into having the pandemic. The 78th edition is set to run from World Health Organization team, which playground and to help get local kids Murfee get involved in politics, she Sept 1-11. arrived from overseas this week to inves- civically involved came from a local thought it would be easy to raise money tigate the origins of the virus, is being town manager. Brooks Lopez through T-shirts. (AP)