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Home , Allison Janney, Amy Adams, Boy Erased, Hong Chau, Lesley Manville, Mahershala Ali

Issue 155 December 2018 — January 2019

A NEWSLETTER OF THE ROCKEFELLER UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY Tale of Two Meals: Profile of New Sichuan Restaurant, Hui E m i ly A t l a s a n d D on n a Ta l l e n t

Emily Atlas: Donna and I recently met at a Natu- ral Selections interest meeting and learned that we both love food and exploring the various food options of the Upper East Side and beyond. Although some friends have told me that the Upper East Side has limited interesting food options, in my two months so far as a student at Rockefeller, I have found that this is not entirely true. We heard about a new Sichuan restaurant called Hui that opened about three months ago and thought it would be fun to share a meal together, a few dishes, and then tell a Tale of Two Meals.

Donna Tallent: If you’re walking up 70th Street to- ward Second Avenue, it’s hard to miss this ground-floor spot with its large maroon awning. Hui is situated in the Lenox Hill neighborhood, equidistant from Hunter College and Weill Cornell Medical College, and three short blocks from The Rockefeller University. Even at 5:30 p.m. on a Friday, NATURAL SELECTIONS NATURAL which is an early dinner hour for most New | Yorkers, I observed a steady stream of pe- destrian traffic heading inside or pausing to check out the menu as I stood out front waiting for Emily to arrive. One woman, someone who I imagined was local to the neighborhood, stopped and addressed me where I stood, as if I were some sort of DONNA TALLENT an ambassador for the restaurant: “Grand small shop on 78th Street that serves thick DT: Opening…Is this a new Chinese restau- hand-pulled noodles, famously spiced with Hui, with its white tablecloths, at- rant?”, she asked. cumin. Delicious as it may be, Xi’an Fa- tentive staff, and family-style portions, re- mous Foods focuses mostly on noodles and minded me of the Chinese restaurants my EA: regional specialties from the Xi’an province family frequented when I was a child, but We had a 5:30 p.m. reservation at of China. While I am excited about the up- with much more of a modern-day feel. The Hui. Having just come from an interest- tick of more authentic and regional Chinese exposed brick walls, grey wood floors, and ing Friday Lecture, I hustled to Hui, a 5-10 restaurants in City, my childhood sculptured metalwork décor give the res- minute walk from Rockefeller’s campus. As memories of Chinese food consist mostly of taurant a polished yet comfortable and in- I walked, I thought about how I had not Chinese-American versions of Sichuan and viting vibe. There’s also a lovely yet sleek, yet found many Chinese restaurants near Shanghainese food, and I crave many of soft-lit, fully-stocked bar if you’re looking Rockefeller. In fact, before going to Hui, those dishes. I had only been to Xi’an Famous Foods, a CONTINUED TO P. 2 - 1 CONTINUED FROM P. 1 -

for a cocktail and a quick nibble. Hui is a Editorial Board place to have an -work drink, an inti- mate meal with a friend, or a large family gathering. Jim Keller Editor-in-Chief, Managing Editor EA: Sarah Baker The first thing I noticed was that the Associate Editor, Webmaster, Distribution décor shows a lot of attention to detail. This is a place to go for a sit-down meal in a way Megan Elizabeth Kelley that Xi’an Famous Foods is not. The res- Associate Editor, Copy Editor, Communication NATURAL SELECTIONS NATURAL taurant was a tad empty at 5:30 p.m., but it

| Emma Garst filled up over the course of our meal, and Editorial Assistant, Copy Editor was near capacity by 7:00 p.m. The attentive wait staff quickly in- Nicole Infarinato formed that it was Happy Hour (every Copy Editor, Distribution day from 5-8 p.m.). I ordered a glass of a Melissa Jarmel dry Riesling ($6 at Happy Hour), a good Copy Editor, Website Traffic wine to pair with Chinese dishes. DONNA TALLENT The menu had a near-overwhelm- and the dish was extremely spicy. I have a Johannes Buheitel ing array of choices. Luckily, Donna and I very high spice tolerance and I enjoy spicy Copy Editor agreed to share our dishes, so we could try foods, but by the end of the meal, my lips Guadalupe Astorga as much as possible. We decided on scal- were definitely feeling the effects of the cap- Nan Pang lion pancakes (six pieces for $7.95) and saicin. The spicy and sour beef pot was less Designers pork steamed buns (six soup-filled buns for spicy, but still flavorful. Donna seemed to $9.95). We also ordered the spicy and sour prefer this dish, but I found it hard to en- selections.rockefeller.edu [email protected] beef pot ($21.95) and the spicy and sour joy the subtler flavors after digging into the shredded potatoes ($13.95). Scallion pan- potatoes; that is one of the perils of highly cakes and pork steamed buns (also known spiced foods. as pork soup dumplings, juicy pork buns, or xiaolongbao [shau-long-bau]) are two fa- DT: Chef Specialties, the spicy and sour beef miliar dishes I try, if available, to get a sense Emily and I ordered beer and wine pot. Now this specialty dish was the plate of any new Chinese restaurant I check out. from the almost-half-price happy hour of food that will make me return to Hui. A When the scallion pancakes arrived, menu (beer is $4 a glass, wine is $6 a glass) generous pile of shredded beef lay on top of I wasn’t sure whether I would like them. I and then pored through pages and pages rice noodles, which swam in a perfectly sea- tend to look for crispy, browned, bubbly of glossy menu items, including full-color soned beef broth. I left my to-go box on the scallion pancakes with only a slight sheen of photos of dishes from ten different cat- table and truly mourn for my abandoned, oil. These particular scallion pancakes were egories: Cold Appetizers, Hot Appetizers, uneaten leftovers. not browned, and frankly looked a little Soup, Salad, Vegetables, Entrees, Rice and greasy. However, I was struck by how deli- Noodles, Special Clay Pot, Chef Specialties, EA: cate they were. They were both crispy and and Desserts. All in all, I had a great meal at Hui chewy and paired perfectly with the dip- It didn’t take us long to pick out sever- with Donna and would definitely return! ping sauce of soy sauce, ginger, and rice vin- al items we felt were worth sampling: From Hui has a reasonably priced lunch menu egar. The pork steamed buns arrived piping Hot Appetizers, juicy steamed buns and and it would be a good break from my usual hot in a bamboo steamer. The soup inside scallion pancakes. Emily showed me how Collaborative Research Center or Weiss the buns was flavorful and rich and the pork to eat the steamed buns, piping hot and full lunches. n was well seasoned. I was most impressed of luscious, savory broth, by gently balanc- with the dumpling dough, which was deli- ing a bun on your spoon, nibbling the top ______cate and cooked perfectly. You could tell until the broth trickles out, and then slurp- that the dumplings were freshly made. ing up the broth. I attempted to be graceful Hui Restaurant and Bar Finally, our main dishes arrived. The with the first dumpling, but by my third, I 314 E 70th Street, between First and Second waitress had told us earlier that the sour began to shove them into my mouth whole. Avenues and spicy shredded potato dish was one her The scallion pancakes were light, crisp, and (646) 869-0339 used to make for her when she was flaky. I imagined they received a quick, Lunch specials served Monday-Friday, a child, and eating the dish evoked nostal- delicious dip into a shallow pan of oil and 11:30–3:30 p.m. gic feelings of for her. I dove right told Emily I could just eat an entire plate of According to Web site, online orders are into the potatoes, which were very thinly only them. From Vegetables, spicy and sour 10% off until December 31, 2018 julienned and crisp, with a vinegary tang. shredded potatoes, which were too spicy Visit Web site for hours and additional daily There were many thinly sliced red chilis for me but Emily seemed to love; and from specials. 2 Time is of the Essence: Limited Engagements Closing Soon M e l i s s a Ja r m e l As the new year approaches, I want- While the play focuses on one incident gallery isn’t thriving at the time the play ed to draw your attention to three limited with one particular family in the middle begins, it is still serving as a familiar place engagement plays that hit Broadway this of the night in a police station in Florida, for Gladys to remain engaged as her de- fall and are set to close in January: The Christopher Demos-Brown’s writing and mentia progresses. This play explores how Lifespan of a Fact, Waverly Gallery, and Washington’s emotional performance ex- a person with dementia and their family American Son. cellently portray how her character’s frus- cope as Alzheimer’s takes its course. Al- The most lighthearted among the trations and worries about her black son though a heartbreaking topic and portray- three is The Lifespan of a Fact. This play are the worries of many black mothers in al, you’ll find yourself laughing through- features Daniel Radcliffe as an intern at a America, sentiments that her estranged out at the odd relationship Gladys devel- magazine whose superior, played by - white husband fails to grasp for the ma- ops with a young artist, played by Michael ry Jones, assigns him to fact-check an arti- jority of the play. The dynamic portrayed Cera, and maybe some all-too-familiar cle by a writer who prefers “truthiness” to by this couple also delves into some of family dynamics. truth (though this writer, played by Bobby the challenges of interracial marriage and All three plays have rush policies Cannavale, would immediately correct raising biracial children to have a cohesive (listed below) and have recently been me to say that he wrote an essay, not an identity in a world that won’t see them in listed for same-day discounts at the TKTS article, and that there isn’t really a differ- their entirety. It’s a lot to tackle in ninety booths. n ence between truth and “truthiness” or minutes, but this cast will keep you en- maybe that “truthiness” has more truth). gaged and in suspense until the lights go With this highly topical play, you’re in for out. The Lifespan of a Fact ninety-five minutes of absurd humor that The Waverly Gallery is also based in Closes January 13, 2019 considers the value of facts and the role realism but can often feel surreal as you $40 General Rush the media has in telling the truth. are drawn in by ’s masterful If you prefer to trade in the absurd performance of a feisty New Yorker fac- American Son for something that grounds itself in terri- ing Alzheimer’s disease. May returns to Closes January 27, 2019 fying realism, you should make sure to see Broadway after fifty years to portray Glad- $35 Student Rush (famous for ) ys Green, a liberal activist in her eighties and Steven Pasquale (from Rescue Me) with Alzheimer’s who has been running Waverly Gallery play parents of a biracial teenager caught a small art gallery for many years, from Closes January 27, 2019 up in a police incident in American Son. which the play takes its name. While the $40 Student Rush

Natural Expressions Editorial Note This month, the Natural Selections Editorial Music $40. More information can be Brian Dougherty of The Rock- found online. Board bids farewell to Jim Keller. We would like to efeller University’s President’s thank him for his interminable dedication to Natu- Office will be singing with Digital Events ral Selections over the past seven years. Jim first the Musica Sacra Orchestra Bernie Langs has recently joined Natural Selections as a contributor and copy at Carnegie Hall. His perfor- recorded a medley of his mance of Handel’s Messiah original composition “I Didn’t editor in October 2011, and he became Editor-in- will take place at 7:30 p.m. on Tell Anyone” and two cover Chief and Managing Editor in July 2013. Jim’s love Wednesday, December 19, songs by Mick Jagger/Keith of film is evident if you’ve read his “For Your Con- and tickets can be purchased Richards, “Till the Next Time sideration” column that has shed light on conten- online. We Say Goodbye” and “You Can’t Always Get What You tious Oscar races and given us insight into the best On Thursday, December 20, Want.” Check out the release performances each year; luckily for our community, Collette Ryder of the Office of on SoundCloud. this column will have future editions. For the past Sponsored Program Admin- five and a half years, Jim has been the fearless leader istration at The Rockefeller Email Megan E. Kelley at mkel- of Natural Selections as Editor-in-Chief and Manag- University will be singing [email protected] to submit A Ceremony of Carols with your art/music/performance/ ing Editor, making the publication the success that the NYChoral Chamber En- sporting/other event for next it is today for the Rockefeller and Tri-I community. semble. This holiday concert month’s “Natural Expressions” Jim has made a permanent impact on the Editorial will be held at 7:30 p.m. at St. and follow @NatSelections on Board, and we will do only our best to try to emu- Peter’s Church and tickets are for more events. late his success in the years to come. We wish him all the best and will miss having him on the team! n 3 For Your Consideration – Ones to Watch, Vol. 3 Edition

Ji m K e l l e r

With Thanksgiving all a faded memory, it’s time to close out the Ones to Watch series with the Best Supporting Actor and Actress races. The nominees for both categories can be unpredictable but last year was the second year in a row where the Best Supporting Actor winner was essentially decided early on dur- ing the precursor awards circuit. Conversely, it has become very easy to predict the win- ner of the Best Supporting Actress race for the past six years. Often a film’s narrative can decide who will receive a nomination for the supporting races. Last year was a bit different, as you can see from the outcomes below. But the Academy clearly used other parameters in their decision to nominate Melinda Dillon for Absence of Malice in 1982 and, more recently, Photo Courtesy Pictures Universal of Photo Rachel McAdams’s for Spotlight three years in "Green Book.” ago. In the former, Dillon’s character famously skipped across lawns picking up newspapers Picture and Best Director, that was not the ter, and , the bad guy and McAdams does nothing outside of make case. in All the Money in the World (who replaced a few pensive “Mmm” sounds. Therefore, I - Ben Mendelsohn — Darkest Hour: Even an even worse guy who originally played the use a different format when discussing the though the film landed six Oscar nomina- role, ). When Spacey was caught supporting than with the leading races. In- tions, Mendelsohn was not one of them. up in the #MeToo tide following sexual mis- stead of laying out each actor’s accomplish- - — The Florida Project: Da- conduct allegations, Plummer was tapped to ments and whether I would bet on them for a foe was the film’s sole nomination, and the refilm his scenes and take the role. nomination, I have broken down the various race came down to him and . Before we dive into this year’s list of circumstances these actors found themselves - — Call Me by Your Name: contenders, let me touch upon some of the in because of the film’s narrative, and how that Sadly, despite Broadcast Film Critics Associa- phenomena we often see in the supporting may influence Oscar voters to pencil them in tion (BFCA) and Golden Globe nominations, races: for nominations. Hammer was unable to muscle his way into Two for one: A film can often have Various critics groups, including the the top 5. multiple supporting nominees. The precedent National Board of Review (NBR), the New - — Call Me by Your was set in both supporting categories back in York Film Critics Circle (NYFCC), and the Name: Same here, Stuhlbarg was unable to 1939 when Hattie McDaniel and Olivia de Film Critics Association (LAF- find Oscar love despite a BFCA nomination. Havilland competed against one another for CA) have announced their respective win- - Sam Rockwell — Three Billboards Outside Gone with the Wind, and Harry Carey and ners, and The Broadcast Film Critics Asso- Ebbing, Missouri: As I mentioned above, the Claud Rains were nominated for Mr. Smith ciation (BFCA), Hollywood Foreign Press race came down to Rockwell and Dafoe, with Goes to Washington. In the ninety years of the Association (Golden Globes), and the Screen Rockwell collecting trophies from most of the , we have seen this play out Actors Guild (SAG) have announced their precursors, including the British Academy of twenty-nine times for Best Supporting Ac- respective nominees. These announcements, Film and Television Arts (BAFTA), BFCA, tress and only seventeen times for Best Sup- and the events associated with them, help Golden Globes, and SAG and eventually went porting Actor. Last year we saw the end of a to form a consensus of Oscar nominees and on to win the Oscar. twenty-six-year streak of no double nomina- make the acting categories clearer as we ap- - Woody Harrelson — Three Billboards Out- tions in Supporting Actor with the nomina- proach nominations on January 23. In effect, side Ebbing, Missouri: After his SAG nomi- tions of Rockwell and Harrelson for Three they signal the start of the Oscar race’s second nation, Harrelson gained some traction and Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. The last leg. was nominated. This was a real two for one for time this occurred was in 1991 when Harvey the film with Rockwell’s nomination and win. Keitel and were nominated for ~THE GENTS~ - — The Shape of Water: Bugsy. Conversely, we only have to go back to Although the film did extremely well in over- 2011, when won and Jessica Last Year’s Best Supporting Actor Results: all nominations and went on to win Best Pic- Chastain was nominated for The Help, for the - — Dunkirk: Because the film ture and Best Director, the Academy snubbed last instance in Supporting Actress. Many Os- was still considered a Best Picture frontrun- Shannon’s villain. car watchers believe that double nominations ner at this time last year, it made sense that for a film effectively cancel both actors out; Rylance could be pulled along, but despite The category was rounded out by Rich- eight nominations for the film, including Best ard Jenkins, the good guy in The Shape of Wa- CONTINUED TO P. 5 - 4 CONTINUED FROM P. 4 - though it’s worth noting that Rockwell’s re- cent win should show that this belief is more superstitious than factual. Ride Along: A Best Picture nomina- tion can often yield supporting nominations for the film’s actors, e.g., (Man- chester by the Sea) and (Phan- tom Thread). Category fraud: When there are too many high-quality performances to choose from in a given year, Academy voters have been known to fill lead performance slots with supporting roles and vice versa. Lookout for Mahershala Ali to pop up in supporting for Green Book for the men and in for the women this year. Photo CourtesyPhoto of Eyes on the newcomer: Voters for pre- Timothée Chalamet in "Beautiful Boy." cursor awards often rally around a newcomer to the Oscar race and anoint them the prom nations, examines race relations in pressure Hock are kindred spirits who find comfort in king/queen, i.e., they win most of the races cooker situations, such as the division we one another as people who are largely rejected leading up to the Oscars so that by the time currently see in America. Ali’s performance is from society, and who do not have a definitive the Oscars roll around, it is a given that they widely regarded as the one to beat. path forward. Grant lights up the screen op- will win that too. See Sam Rockwell in Three score: 70 posite McCarthy and looks to be a lock for a Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri and Alli- nomination. son Janney in I, Tonya just this year. A second film focused on race rela- Metacritic score: 87 tions is ’s fantastic BlacKkKlansman. Guide to the precursor awards and This film is also based on a true story where Beautiful Boy is based on a pair of nominations standings: BFCA (*), LAF- Ron Stallworth, an African American police memoirs from father and son David and Nic CA (+), NBR (~), NYFCC (^), Golden officer from Colorado Springs (John David Sheff chronicling the experience of survival, Globe (#), and SAG ($). The symbols ap- Washington), sets out to infiltrate and expose relapse, and recovery in a family coping with pear after the contender’s names below. the local Ku Klux Klan branch. Driver plays drug addiction over many years. Chalamet Stallworth’s Jewish partner and the decoy for mesmerizes as Nic, a teenage boy whose drug Zeitgeist the operation. The depiction of two men of experimentation sends him down the slip- Mahershala Ali (Green Book)* # $, Adam different races who can work together in har- pery slope of addiction. The film is one of Driver (BlacKkKlansman)* # $, Richard E. mony to bring down evil is a bit of a metaphor three films this year exploring addiction; the Grant – (Can You Ever Forgive Me?)^ * # $, for combatting the aforementioned division others are A Star Is Born and Ben Is Back. It’s and Timothée Chalamet (Beautiful Boy)* # $: in the U.S. I would be remiss not to mention no surprise that three films tackling the same Last year we saw three films vie for Best that Lee ties in past events to deliver a searing subject matter were released in a year that Picture that comment on the Trump regime: indictment of the Charlottesville, VA rally last saw drug overdoses become one of the lead- Dunkirk, Darkest Hour, and the eventual win- August. Regardless of how the awards season ing causes of death in adults under the age of ner, The Shape of Water. This year, that trend turns out, the film is a must see with a power- fifty-five. continues. For this reason, it comes as no ful impact as it will forever mark a dark time Metacritic score: 63 surprise that most of this year’s Best Support- in America. ing Actor contenders come from films that Metacritic score: 83 Best Picture Bets capture the zeitgeist. First up is Green Book, (A Star Is Born)* ~ $, Sam Rock- which recounts the true story of a New York There are two other films this year that well (Vice)#, and Michael B. Jordan (Black bouncer (Viggo Mortensen) who drove a Ja- capture the zeitgeist in different ways. Can Panther)*: maican-American classical pianist (Ali) on a You Ever Forgive Me? is based on Lee Israel’s The rest of our contenders represent a tour through the 1960s’ American South. Al- memoir of the same name and tells the true mixed bag. We have Elliott, a veteran actor though billed as a comedy, much of the South story of best-selling celebrity biographer Isra- whose first film role was in 1969’s Butch Cas- was steeped in racism back then, and without el (McCarthy) who resorted to forgery to re- sidy and the Sundance Kid and who is known spoiling the film, much of what unfolds is far vitalize a failing writing career. Swazi-English for his work in westerns on television and the from laughable—though the director, Peter actor Grant plays Israel’s sidekick Jack Hock big screen. In ASIB, he makes the most of little Farrelly handles the subject matter with kid who gets embroiled in her schemes and leads screen time, but his voice was also purposely gloves, thereby avoiding that it becomes the to her undoing. The beauty of Hock is that channeled by who plays his film’s focus, much the way it was handled in he is a character who happens to be gay. His on-screen brother who suffers from addiction 1990’s Best Picture winner, Driving Miss Dai- sexuality is not examined under a microscope sy. The film, which has seven BFCA nomi- or even discussed at all. Instead, Israel and CONTINUED TO P. 6 - 5 CONTINUED FROM P. 5 -

in the latest version of love and stardom. El- liott’s unique voice has helped him stand out, and, in this case, is highlighted by Cooper’s use of it. Metacritic score: 88

Next is Rockwell as George W. Bush in Vice, a biopic of Bush’s Vice President, (). The film is the third film commenting on the Trump regime in that it examines the events of the past that made it possible. Rockwell, last year’s Best Supporting

Actor winner, is said to be strong, but there CourtesyPhoto of is a question about his screen time that could in "Vice." ultimately affect his nomination chances. Metacritic score: 63 and never stopped. BAFTA, and SAG nominations and an NBR - Mary J. Blige — Mudbound: She was nomi- win. This year, not only does Adams have the Finally, there’s Jordan in Black Panther, nated thereby breaking the no acting nomi- nominations denoted above for Vice, but she who looks to join as the only nations curse that had been enduring. has received double nominations from those superhero movie performances to date to - — I, Tonya: As I mentioned, awards bodies for her leading role in HBO’s earn an Oscar nomination. The film is the first she not only was nominated, but she won. : Best Performance by an Ac- in the genre with an all-black cast, which sees - Octavia Spencer — The Shape of Water: My tress in a Limited Series or a Motion Picture the heir to the hidden kingdom of Wakanda hunch was right that the Academy wouldn’t Made for Television (HFPA), Outstanding ( in the title role) step for- be able to resist nominating her given that Performance by a Female Actor in a Televi- ward to lead his people while confronting a they recognized her twice in sprawling en- sion Movie or Limited Series (SAG), Best challenger from his country’s past (Jordan). sembles (The Help and ). Actress in a Movie Made for Television or Metacritic score: 88 Limited Series (BFCA), giving her campaign My instincts on (The Big a boost from the television side. Here she In all three cases, the men appear in ) and Brooklyn Prince (The Florida Proj- portrays VP Dick Cheney’s wife, Lynne, and strong Best Picture contenders, which helps ect) were also correct, and neither made the is once again earning rave reviews for her per- their chances of a nomination. cut despite BFCA and SAG and BFCA nomi- formance that has many saying that she could Others who could be nominated in- nations, respectively. win. There’s only one woman standing in her clude Steve Carrell for Vice and Lin-Manuel The biggest snub was Hong Chau who way: (see below). Miranda for Mary Poppins Returns. Ever since gave one of the best performances of the year Carrell first played against type in 2014’s Fox- in Downsizing. I was really hoping that the Returning Champs catcher his projects have often landed square- Academy would break an abysmal eleven- Emma Stone* # $ and Rachael Weisz (The ly in the Academy’s wheelhouse, and this year year streak of zero nominations for an Asian Favourite)* # $ and (Boy is no different with roles in Beautiful Boy and actress, but sadly it was not to be. Erased)*: Welcome to Marwen. On the other hand, Mi- Oscar often retreats to what is comfort- randa, a star of looking to segue his Good Will able by nominating those whom have won voiceover career to the screen, is said to be Amy Adams (Vice)* # $ or been nominated before. Enter Stone and great in the sequel to the clas- If you ask anyone who pays even the Weisz who play a pair of dueling cousins at sic. It’s important to note that neither of these slightest attention to the awards race, they’ll each other’s throats as they try to curry favor men have appeared in the precursor awards tell you that Adams is long overdue for a with Queen Anne ( ruling, lit- conversation. The only other one who has win. She was firstnominated in this category erally) in early 18th century England. Both is for Burning, but it’s difficult in 2006 for Junebug, and she amassed three women have won Best Actress Oscars: Stone enough to land a Best Actor or Best Actress more nominations in the category for Doubt, last year for and Weisz in 2006 for nomination for a foreign film, so it is not very , and The Master in 2009, 2011, The Constant Gardener. But Stone also has a likely that Yeun will connect in the supporting and 2013, respectively. Adams earned her nomination for Best Performance by an Ac- category. first Best Actress nomination for American tress in a Supporting Role under her belt for Hustle in 2014. She won the Golden Globe for 2014’s Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of ~THE LADIES~ Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Ignorance), and, the much showier role in The Picture - Comedy or Musical for , a Favourite, gives her a leg up on the competi- Last Year’s Best Supporting Actress Race BAFTA-nominated role the Academy, SAG, tion. As does her second SAG nomination for Results: and BFCA ignored. Just two years ago she ap- Outstanding Performance by a Female Ac- - — Lady Bird: She was nomi- peared in Arrival, a Best Picture nominee that tor in a Television Movie or Limited Series nated but unable to take down Allison Janney earned a total of eight nominations but Ad- who kept winning on the precursor circuit ams was left out despite Golden Globe, BFCA, CONTINUED TO P. 7 - 6 CONTINUED FROM P. 6 - in Netflix’s Maniac. As one of the highest re- viewed films of the year, the film is on track for a Best Picture nomination—will it pull both Stone and Weisz along for the ride? Metacritic score: 91

In Boy Erased, based on Garrard Con- ley’s 2016 memoir of the same name, Kidman plays Nancy Eamons, the mother of Jared (Lucas Hedges) who is forced by his parents to participate in a gay conversion therapy program. Kidman played a mother just last year in Lion, thereby earning her first Best Supporting Actress nomination. She has also

been getting rave reviews for her performance Features Focus Courtesy Fox of Photo in Destroyer this year, earning her a Golden in "Mary Queen of Scots." Globe nomination for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama. Performance by an Actress in a Television Se- Crime. The first two in 2015 and 2016 were for Like Adams, she has done well on television ries – Drama in 2017 and a nomination the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited having won the Golden Globe for Best Per- following year. In 2017, Foy was also nomi- Series or a Movie, and the third this year in formance by an Actress in a Limited Series nated for the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Netflix’s Seven Seconds was for Outstanding or a Motion Picture Made for Television this Drama Series Primetime Emmy award, which Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie. year for Big Little Lies. The same role won her she won the following year. In First Man, Foy King earned a third nomination for American the Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Lead plays the wife of famed U.S. astronaut Neil Crime last year but did not win. This year, the Actress in a Limited Series or Movie last year. Armstrong (Ryan Gosling), and because she BFCA nominated her for that same role in Sadly, the film, my favorite so far this year, did a lot with a small role, hers somewhat Best Supporting Actress in a Movie or Limited hasn’t been able to build momentum, and has overshadows the subtler performance given Series. In If Beale Street Could Talk, King plays been largely shutout of the awards race. Be- by Gosling. This has translated to more ac- the mother of a pregnant woman in Harlem cause of this, a nomination for Kidman would claim for Foy’s performance than her coun- who scrambles to prove her fiancé’s innocence be a nice surprise. terpart, but the film’s prospects are uncertain of a crime. The film is director ’ Metacritic score: 71 following the controversy that erupted among follow up to his 2016 Best Picture winner conservatives because of Damien Chazelle’s Moonlight and stands strong in the Best Pic- The Wildcard decision to not show a flag being planted on ture race this year. All season, King has been Margot Robbie (Mary Queen of Scots)$: the moon during Armstrong’s history-mak- the favorite to win. She will most certainly be Last year, Robbie was always in the ing walk on the Moon on July 20, 1969. Given nominated, but can she stem the tide of Amy awards conversation for Best Actress for play- that Oscar nominations are often built Acad- Adams’ good will? ing the ill-fated figure skater, emy branch by Academy branch, if the film Metacritic score: 86 in I, Tonya. So, it was no surprise when she doesn’t land a Best Picture nomination (as it landed her first Best Actress nomination. This most certainly should), will Foy’s chances slip For the ladies, other possibilities in- year is a bit of a different story—for one, her away? Her lack of a SAG nomination could be clude Michelle Yeoh as a high and mighty film has mixed reviews, and second, she is just a harbinger of what is to come. matriarch in Crazy Rich Asians, Natalie Port- barely in the supporting race with her SAG Metacritic score: 84 man’s caustic popstar in Vox Lux, and Rachel nomination. In Mary Queen of Scots, Robbie McAdams remarkable turn in another one plays Queen Elizabeth I opposite her cousin, This brings us to the peculiar case of of my favorites, Disobedience. Of course, one Mary Stuart (), who is ultimate- King. Up until the SAG nominations, she should never count out who is ly imprisoned before facing execution for her looked like a slam dunk for the Oscar. But said to be great in a small role in Mary Pop- attempt to grab . At this stage, I am when she failed to get that nomination, which pins Returns. betting Robbie gets in the top five, but a win is many say is crucial, it set her chances of win- Similar to the men discussed earlier, just not in the cards. ning back—you have to go back 18 years to none of these women have appeared in the Metacritic score: 61 ’s win for Pollack to find major precursor awards conversation, though a winner in this category who did not have a McAdams was nominated for Best Support- Newcomers SAG nomination. Some say that because the ing Actress by the British Independent Film (First Man)* # and Regina King film is a late breaker the nomination commit- Awards. (If Beale Street Could Talk)+ ~ ^ * #: tee may not have seen the film, but we can With recent developments on the pre- Although British actress Foy is new to never be sure. So, let’s focus on what we do cursor awards circuit, this year’s races are the Oscar conversation, she is well known know: King is a revered member of the Hol- quite exciting. It just goes to show that one for her role in the Netflix drama The Crown, lywood community, having won three Prime- should never get too comfortable where Os- which netted her a Golden Globe win for Best time Emmy Awards for her work in American car is concerned. n 7 When the Moon Hits Your Eye… A i l ee n M a r s h a l l Quick, what is the most ubiquitous food you can think of? One that almost everyone around the world knows and loves, even if they have their own style? What is your go-to food to get when you want something quick and satisfying? I think pizza fits that bill. If you live here in , you know that there is a pizza parlor almost every few blocks. How did pizza become such a pervasive and popular food? Many ancient cultures had some form of flat bread, for example focaccia in Italy, naan and roti in India. The ancient Greeks made a bread called plakous, often topped with herbs, onions, garlic, and cheese. Archeologist have found evidence of baking Photo CourtesyPhoto of Lizard10979/Wikipedia a flat bread from 7,000 years ago in Sardinia Slices of New York-style pizza. and of pizza-making tools in Pompeii from the first century B.C. There are notations issued commercial license to sell pizza in about soldiers in the sixth century B.C. Persia 1905. Brothers Gennero and Giovani Bruno using their shields to bake a flat bread, and opened a pizzeria on the Loop in then adding cheese and dates on top. in 1903 that some claim to be the first U.S. The pizza as we know it today started in pizzeria. Totonno’s Pizzeria of Coney Island Naples, Italy. In the fifteenth century, Naples was started by a former Lombardi employee had a large working-poor population. Pizza, in 1924 where he sold slices for a nickel. translated as “pie” in Italian, was a flatbread Several factors helped drive the surge with cheese and olive oil, and sometimes in the popularity of pizza in the mid-1900s. vegetables. It was a popular, cheap, and quick Several chain restaurants started in the forties food for these workers. In 1522, tomatoes and fifties, such as Pizzeria Uno, Pizza Hut, were first imported from Peru and it was Little Caesars, and Papa John’s. The advent in Naples that pizza makers started adding of frozen pizza, invented by the Celentano tomato sauce to the pizza. Being a port city, brothers in the 1960s, was another factor. many sailors and merchants spread word Finally, the delivery of pizza to homes also about pizza throughout Europe. In 1830, became popular during the 1960s. The U.S. Antica Pizzeria Port’Alba, what is thought Army’s military intelligence unit reportedly Photo CourtesyPhoto of Alexandra Hamer/Wikipedia to be the first pizzeria in modern form was used pizza deliveries to spy on politicians Pizzeria Port Alba in Naples established in Naples and is still there today. and reporters in that decade, according to a Raphael Esposito was a famous report issued by the City University of New cheese product that is a combination of pizza maker in Naples in 1889. In June of York. cheddar, swiss, and provolone. Washington that year he was commissioned to make New York-style pizza is traditionally D.C., is known for its jumbo slices that can be some special pizzas for of Queen an eighteen-inch wide pie made in a coal more than a foot long and need to be served Margherita of Italy. One pizza he made was oven, although many places use a gas oven on two paper plates. covered with tomato, mozzarella, and basil, today, and is known for its crispy crust and Has all this reading about the history of to mimic the colors of the Italian flag. Queen foldable slices. A “regular” slice has only pizza made you hungry? The author admits Margherita declared that version her favorite. tomato sauce and cheese. Some say it is the to having pizza twice during the writing Afterwards, people started calling that type New York City tap water, used in making of this article. Luckily, in this city, there is of pizza “margherita style.” the glutinous dough that gives it that great, always a neighborhood pizza parlor. In the Pizza first appeared in the U.S. in the distinctive taste. Rockefeller area, while we have Sutton 1800s, mostly among Italian immigrants. Other cities are known for their own Pizza, there is still the popular Pizza Park It surged in popularity after World War II, unique style of pizza. Perhaps the most on First Avenue., near 66th Street as well as as many soldiers who had been stationed famous is Chicago, known for its deep dish Famous Ray’s on Lexington Avenue and 63rd in Italy came home and raved about pizza. pizza. The format, started by Pizzeria Uno, has Street. What is your favorite pizza joint in the There is some contention as to which high edges and uses chunky tomato sauce. In city? Next time you are there, remember the was the first pizzeria in the U.S. In 1897, , pizza is usually a personal sized famous quote from Yogi Berra when a pizza Gennaro Lombardi opened a grocery store pie that is topped with local vegetables and maker asked if he wanted his pie cut into on Spring Street here in New York City that avocado. In St. Louis, the crust is made with a eight slices: “Better make it four, I don’t think evolved into a pizzeria, receiving a city- yeast-free dough and topped with processed I could eat eight.” n 8 Pets of Tri-I Po oja Vi s wa n at h a n

This is a series to introduce the Tri-I community to the wildlife amongst us. In this issue, Natural Selections’ Pooja Viswa- nathan interviews Watson Gonzales, the terrier mix who lives with Kevin Gonzales (postdoc, Fuchs Lab).

Pooja Viswanathan: How long have you lived in New York City? Watson Gonzales: I was moved to NYC in July 2017. I remember being scared in the car ride and pooped inside my carrier. Then I met my dad and the first thing he did was pour water on me and scrub me with soap! I’ve been in NYC now for 1.5 hooman’ years, and I still don’t know why he keeps doing that to me! I’ve learned it’s called a “bath.” I’m scared of baths!

PV: Where do you live? What is your fa- vorite neighborhood in NYC? WG: I live in Manhattan. I like my neigh- borhood, the Upper East Side. I heard only snobby rich dogs live here but I’m certainly not one! All my doggie and most of my hooman’ friends aren’t either!

PV: If you could live anywhere else in the world, where would you live? WG: Anywhere with a big backyard where I can run run run run like a gazelle! My hooman’ brought me to Cape Cod for Thanksgiving and I love it there. Lots of space to explore! I chased and caught a mouse, but the hoomans’ got angry because it didn’t survive...I just wanted to play with it. :( POOJA VISWANATHAN | NATURAL SELECTIONS me that highlight my true beauty! I guess PV: What are your favorite foods of NYC? PV: Which human do you live with? How she isn’t half-bad. WG: Hooman’ food definitely! I always do they belong in the Tri-I community? look at hoomans’ eating with puppy eyes, WG: I live with Kevin, he says he is a post- PV: Can you tell us a funny story? and they always give me some! I love out- doc at The Rockefeller University, but I WG: Once I went hiking with my hoomans’ smarting hoomans’! Unless it’s salad, celery don’t know what that means. All I know upstate, and I found a big pile of poop! I or strawberries. Ewww! is he keeps doing fun things outside home thought it smelled nice so I wanted some and won’t bring me. on my fur and rolled on it! My hoomans’ PV: What do you miss most when you are made a funny face when they saw me and out of town? PV: Besides your human roomie, who is said, “What’s wrong with this dog?” They WG: I don’t miss anything. Whenever I’ve your favorite human in the Tri-I com- took all the tissue paper in the car to undo been out of town, there’s always a big back- munity? (If you could share your bone my effort. Guess they don’t like the smell yard to run around in and mud to roll in! with anyone in the Tri-I community, who of poop as much as I do...in the end, Kevin would it be?) had to use his gym towel and Tati’s water to PV: What is your favorite weekend activ- WG: All my roomie’s friends think they’re give me a bath. Their faces were so funny; it ity in NYC? my favorite, especially Tati! She always kid- looked like they were getting sick, not sure WG: What’s a weekend? My activities are naps me from my home when my roomie why. Oh wait…you said a funny story, but eat, sleep, poop, and play. My favorite is isn’t around. But she gives me biscuits, that one had a sad ending with me getting play. belly rubs, and takes really good pictures of an actual bath. I hate baths! n 9 Science (Policy) for the Benefit of Humanity

S a r a h A c ke r m a n

Science policy is a broad subject, which is vitally important to all scientists and members of society. It encompasses many topics ranging from NIH grant fund- ing, to restrictions on new technologies, such as CRISPR or stem cells, to how data and science should be used when making policies about health care or the environ- ment. These policies greatly impact scientif- ic research and it is essential for scientists to understand these policies and to advocate for their research with society in mind. The Science and Education Policy As- sociation (SEPA) is a Tri-Institutional group led by graduate students and postdoctoral fellows who recognize the importance of science policy. To bring these topics to light, SEPA organizes speakers on policy is- sues, discussion groups, career panels, and writing workshops to educate our academic community about science policy and poten- SARAH ACKERMAN | NATURAL SELECTIONS tial career options in the field. On November 10, SEPA hosted the ence communication, scientists in politi- For more coverage of the day, check out our Second Annual Science Policy Symposium cal office, and changes to STEM education. twitter hashtag #NSPNsymposium18! at the Rockefeller University. The day was More than thirty students/student groups For those who are interested in sci- sponsored by The Schmidt Foundation, The also participated as presenters in a poster ence policy there is more exciting news— Moore Foundation, The Rockefeller Uni- session. The day’s schedule ended with a SEPA, in collaboration with the Science versity, and Weill Cornell Medicine. The keynote talk given by Dr. Kerri-Ann Jones, Policy Initiative (SPI) from the University goal of the symposium was to expose early the Vice President of the Pew Charitable of Virginia, has launched the new National career scientists to the world of science pol- Trusts and the former United States Assis- Science Policy Network (NSPN). The or- icy, provide training workshops to acquire tant Secretary of the State for Oceans and ganization aims to connect science policy skills used in science policy, and create a International Environmental and Scientific groups all over the country and come to- networking opportunity for like-minded Affairs at the U.S. State Department. She gether on new initiatives. One initiative is scientists. The symposium attracted over discussed her invaluable experience serving the microgrant project. The first round of 200 attendees, predominately graduate stu- as a scientific advisor in the White House. grants have been given out to science policy dents, from all over the country. This jam-packed symposium schedule groups around the country for specific proj- The event was kickstarted in Caspary allowed attendees to tailor the day to their ects or to launch their own group at their auditorium by Dr. Jennifer Pearl, the direc- interests, interact with and ask questions university. NSPN’s second initiative is the tor of the American Association for the Ad- of high-level scientists working in the pol- memo writing competition. Memo writ- vancement of Science (AAAS) Science and icy field, and build relationships with other ing is a critical component for influencing Technology Policy Fellowship. Through- early career scientists interested in science policy and knowing how to write one is cru- out the day we heard talks by Erin Heath, policy. The event has fostered connections cial for a successful science policy career. At an AAAS Federal Budget expert, Dr. Fran- and training opportunities for symposium the Symposium on November 10, NSPN ces Colon, the former Deputy Science and attendees from around the country and par- announced the start of the memo writing Technology Advisor for the State Depart- ticularly for SEPA members who organized competition. Winners will receive a reward ment, and Dr. Dalal Najib, the senior pro- and volunteered for the event. The magni- and be published in the Journal of Science gram officer in the Policy and Global Af- tude of interest curated from the event en- Policy and Governance. fairs Division of the U.S. National Academy couraged attendees that there are other like- If you are interested in being part of Sciences. The day also included a panel minded scientists passionate about science of our memo writing team or just want to titled Rebuilding a Sustainable and Resilient policy and that these interests are possible get involved please email SEPA (nyc.sepa@ Puerto Rico through Science and a panel to pursue as a career. In a follow-up survey gmail.com). SEPA is working hard to edu- with representatives from different science given to our attendees, 85% said that after cate our community about science policy policy fellowship programs. Six workshops attending the symposium they are more issues and provide unique educational op- throughout the day also trained attendees likely to contact someone they met at the portunities for scientists to be competitive in skills pertaining to science advocacy, symposium and 90% said they would attend for policy fellowships and jobs. Come join working with non-profit organizations, sci- another conference like ours in the future. us! n 10 Life on a Roll Many comparisons can be made This sunset—these three pictures taken between a single day and a full year. within 15 minutes of each other—of- E l o d i e Pau w e l s Both are the result of the rotation of fered blazing colors, as it often does at https://elodiepphoto.wordpress.com/ the Earth, on its axis or around the sun. the end of the year. Happy holidays! n

11 Life on a Roll B e r n a r d L a n g s While vacationing in London in May, my wife and I took the train to visit Hampton Court Palace in East Molesey, Surrey. Hamp- ton Court Palace was occupied by King Henry VIII and his many wives in the early sixteenth century, and he utilized its grandeur to dem- onstrate power and magnificence. Several subsequent royals added structures to the Pal- ace and William Shakespeare’s “King’s Men” first performed Hamlet and Macbeth there in 1603 for James I. The beautiful gardens were expanded by William III and Mary II in the late 1600s. Queen Victoria ordered the palace open to all of her subjects in 1838. n

Natural Selections is not an official publication of The Rockefeller University. University administration does not produce this newsletter. The views expressed by the contributors to this publication may not necessarily reflect views or policies of the University. 12