Jamie Bell
#INTERVIEW: “SHINING GIRLS”
Based on Lauren Beuke‘s best-selling Novel, Chicago-filmed SHINING GIRLS is set to arrive later this month on Apple TV+. Starring, produced and directed by Golden Globe, Primetime Emmy and SAG Award winner Elisabeth Moss, the genre-bending Series centers on Kirby Mazrachi, who must confront her traumatic past after being attacked violently by Harper Curtis (Jamie Bell). As aspiring Journalist herself, she teams with Reporter Dan Velazquez to uncover the truth, all as her present reality is ever-shifting.
Our Amanda Gilmore had the pleasure of chatting with the Cast and Creators of SHINING GIRLS, hot-off its premiere at SXSW ’22. Joining us were:
Elisabeth Moss (“Kirby Mazrachi”/Director/Executive Producer)
Wagner Moura (“Dan Velazquez”)
Silka Luisa (Showrunner/Executive Producer)
Michelle MacLaren (Director/Executive Producer)
ELISABETH MOSS
You wear multiple hats here as Producer, Director and Star. What made you want to tell Kirby‘s story to the world?
Moss: “I really wanted to work with the other people on the Show. Michelle MacLaren was gonna do the first two episodes, and Dana Reid four of them. Obviously, I’ve worked with Dana on The Handmaid’s Tale and Michelle I’ve always wanted to work with and we had this third spot for a Director. When they asked if I wanted to do it, I jumped at the chance to work with those women. I like the opportunity to work with other Directors and get inspired in that way. So as a Director, to get with these women I’ve admired so much – and have so much more experience than I do – and have watched for many years, to be learning from as a new Director, was the thing I leapt at.”.
A lot of reality shifting happens in Kirby‘s world. If you could shift into any reality what would it be?
Moss: “Honestly, I would shift it to be Bora Bora in one of those over-the-water huts and it would be a beautiful, beautiful day. I’ve been in Toronto since the end of November and Toronto winters – they are what they are – gotta love it. So that would be my reality shift. It’s so superficial and I’m really sorry!”.
“Where is Spring? Where is it coming? God, it’s maddening. I’ll meet you in Bora Bora!”.
WAGNER MOURA
Dan is a loving father and a truth-seeking Journalist. But there is a dichotomy to him as he is troubled. How did you balance those aspects?
Moura: “I think that’s great. That’s what you want as an Actor. To have a character that has different layers. I’m a father myself. I have three sons. And it was great to work with the kid who played my son. I was able to show a side of the character that brings a lot of humanity to a guy trying to raise a kid by himself and dealing with alcoholism, getting his life back in order and try to do Journalism. I think Dan is a really awesome character. When I first read it, I really wanted to play this guy.”.
Can you tell us about working with Jamie Bell and the rest of the Cast?
Moura: “Jamie is amazing. We had a few scenes together. Most of the scenes I have with Jamie I’m completely drunk, which is an extremely hard thing to pull-off. I’ve seen the first four episodes and he’s so creepy. But Jamie is a funny, lovely, cool guy to hang-out with in-between takes. I was drunk, he was making jokes. All the Cast was amazing. I love Erika Alexander who plays my boss in The Chicago Sun-Times. She’s an amazing Actress, really great to work with. We had a really great time in Chicago, it was Summer.”.
MICHELLE MACLAREN
Each episode directed by you is laced with mystery, but you almost manage to give us clarity on Kirby‘s reality-shifting world. What were some of the greatest challenges you faced in balancing those lines?
MacLaren: “That’s a really good question, Amanda. The biggest challenge is how much we reveal to the audience and how little do we reveal to the audience? Audiences are so sophisticated and smart today. We want to draw them in with the mystery and trying to figure it out. But we don’t them to be so lost they won’t be engaged. It’s a balance. In this case, the time-shifts are metaphors for the aftermath of trauma so we wanted you to feel unbalanced. We wanted you to feel that Kirby‘s life is constantly shifting. And what would that mean for you? We want to do it in a grounded, real way. We didn’t want to do it in a fantastical way. So it’s actually done a lot editorially. As the Show evolves, they get more complex and more convoluted in their execution. But they’re done in a way you can really identify with it.”.
You’ve worked on some of the most iconic Television franchises of our time. What drew you to the Shining Girls?
MacLaren: “Really good writing. Characters I felt invested-in. Lizzie Moss. And something I haven’t done before. It’s genre-bending, it’s different. It was a challenge. It scared me. I like to choose things that challenge me that put me out of my comfort zone. And I got to use different things from genres I’ve worked in to bring to this. And Apple TV+, I’ve collaborated with them before and I’m doing it again. I love working with them.”.
Does adapting an already beloved Novel add any more pressure than already is there?
MacLaren: “I happen to know that Lauren Beukes loved what Silka did in her adaptation. So I think if the Author is happy, that’s awesome. That’s really great and takes a little bit of the pressure off. If she’s supportive of it, that’s really wonderful. It’s always interesting. It’s like doing a sequel. Some people love it, some people don’t. It’s subjective storytelling. It’s Silka‘s version of Shining Girls. Hopefully, people will love it and there’s people that may miss certain things from the Book. You never know. But I think she did an amazing job of adapting a really challenging story.”.
SILKA LUISA
How did you navigate the pressures of adapting this beloved Novel especially seeing how this story involves a reality-shifting element?
Luisa: “I think because I loved it so much, I felt so intuitive. It felt the story was in my bones. It wasn’t so much a pressure. It felt like a pleasure, living in a world I was really connected to. Hopefully in the translation that really shows.”.
Can you walk us through the process of finding your Ensemble Cast?
Luisa: “So Lizzie was the first piece of Casting. It was fantastic because she came on right after the Pilot and became a part of the development process. So as we got a Writers’ Room and started to write more scripts, she actually helped shape Kirby‘s character. At that point, once we were closer to production we had to fill-out the rest of the Cast. Wagner gives an amazing performance. Jamie Bell brought so many unexpected turns I hadn’t imagined in Harper myself. As we got closer to production, we filled-out all those other roles.”.
SHINING GIRLS premieres globally on Apple TV+ Friday, April 29, 2022 with the first three episodes of the series and will be followed by one new episode dropping each week.
(Photo/video credit: Apple TV+)
#FIRSTLOOK: NEW TRAILER FOR “SHINING GIRLS”
Elisabeth Moss stars-in, produces and directs Apple TV+ Series SHINING GIRLS, debuting soon on Apple TV+. See the new Trailer here!
Synopsis:
Based on Lauren Beukes’ best-selling novel, “Shining Girls” follows Kirby Mazrachi (Moss) as a Chicago newspaper archivist whose journalistic ambitions were put on hold after enduring a traumatic assault. When Kirby learns that a recent murder mirrors her own case, she partners with seasoned, yet troubled reporter Dan Velazquez (played by Wagner Moura), to uncover her attacker’s identity. As they realize these cold cases are inextricably linked, their own personal traumas and Kirby’s blurred reality allow her assailant to remain one step ahead. In addition to Moss and Moura, the gripping drama stars Phillipa Soo, Amy Brenneman and Jamie Bell. “Shining Girls” is adapted for television and executive produced by Silka Luisa, who also serves as showrunner.
Elisabeth Moss stars, directs and executive produces through Love and Squalor Pictures, alongside Lindsey McManus. Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Davisson and Michael Hampton executive produce through Appian Way. Michelle MacLaren directs and executive produces with Rebecca Hobbs for MacLaren Entertainment. Daina Reid directs and executive produces. Author Lauren Beukes and Alan Page Arriaga also serve as executive producers.
Apple TV+ release SHINING GIRLS Friday, April 29, 2022.
(Photo/video credit: Apple TV+)
#SXSW: “SHINING GIRLS”
By Mr. Will Wong
Based on Lauren Beukes‘ acclaimed Novel THE SHINING GIRLS, Apple TV+’s SHINING GIRLS delivers on the twisty thrills of its source material. The genre-bending Sci-Fi-Thriller series stars Elisabeth Moss as Kirby Mazrachi, who falls victim to a vicious attacker. Just avoiding death, she survives to hunt her assailant down. While this is a premise we’ve heard before, what makes this story interesting is that the time-travelling attacker, Harper Curtis (Jamie Bell) has a purpose. He must murder bright, successful women to be able to continue further in his time travels.
Moss has a hand in producing, directing and starring in this suspenseful Series and if you loved her in The Invisible Man, tonally there are some echoes of the quiet, vulnerable brilliance we saw in that Film. Her Kirby is confused, shaken and traumatized and it is up to us to uncover what happened exactly to her as she makes amends too these painful memories she’s suppressed. Bell is haunting, disarming at first, but just that little bit too eager to get to know his victims, before launching his attack. Also featured prominently is Wagner Moura as Dan who works at the newspaper which Kirby is employed. Dan had written about Kirby‘s attack years prior, but never followed-up on it and together they form multi-layer alliance to help her understand her present and her past.
Canadian Director and Producer Michelle MacLaren (Breaking Bad, The Morning Show) has a hand in directing the Series’ first two episodes, which leaves us wanting more.
SHINING GIRLS arrives on Apple TV+ April 29, 2022. It screens at SXSW ’22 as follows:
Shining Girls at ZACH Theatre
Mar 13, 2022 2:45pm—3:39pm
Shining Girls at Online Screening
Mar 14, 9:00am CDT – Mar 16, 9:00am CDT 9:00am—9:54am
#GIVEAWAY: ENTER TO WIN ADVANCE PASSES TO SEE “ROCKETMAN”
Paramount Pictures Canada x Mr. Will want to give Readers a chance to attend an Advance Screening of ROCKETMAN. We’ve waited so long to see Taron Egerton as legendary Sir Elton John!
Screenings are as follows Wednesday, May 29, 2019:
Toronto
Scotiabank Theatre Toronto, 7PM
Montreal
Cinema Banque Scotia Montreal, 7:30PM
Ottawa
Scotiabank Theatre Ottawa, 7:30PM
Synopsis:
ROCKETMAN is an epic musical fantasy about the incredible human story of Elton John’s breakthrough years. The film follows the fantastical journey of transformation from shy piano prodigy Reginald Dwight into international superstar Elton John. This inspirational story – set to Elton John’s most beloved songs and performed by star Taron Egerton – tells the universally relatable story of how a small-town boy became one of the most iconic figures in pop culture. ROCKETMAN also stars Jamie Bell as Elton’s longtime lyricist and writing partner Bernie Taupin, Richard Madden as Elton’s first manager, John Reid, and Bryce Dallas Howard as Elton’s mother Sheila Farebrother.
See the Trailer:
Artwork:
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Paramount Pictures Canada release ROCKETMAN Friday, May 31, 2019.
(Photo/video credit: Paramount Pictures)
#FIRSTLOOK: NEW TRAILER FOR “ROCKETMAN”
We’ve all been waiting for it and it looks every bit dazzling! Check-out the Trailer for Elton John Biopic, ROCKETMAN starring Taron Egerton!
Synopsis:
The only way to tell his story is to live his fantasy. ✨ Taron Egerton is Elton John in #Rocketman, in theatres May 31. Watch the new trailer now!
ROCKETMAN is an epic musical fantasy about the uncensored human story of Elton John’s breakthrough years, starring Taron Egerton, Jamie Bell, Richard Madden and Bryce Dallas Howard.
See the Trailer:
Paramount Pictures Canada release ROCKETMAN Friday, May 31, 2019.
(Photo/video credit: Paramount Pictures)
#FIRSTLOOK: NEW TRAILER FOR “ROCKETMAN”
Just as Elton John is front and center on his Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour, a new Trailer surfaces for his Biopic ROCKETMAN starring Taron Egerton, whom we all know is more than capable having covered John‘s I’m Still Standing in 2016’s SING!
Synopsis:
#Rocketman is an epic musical fantasy about the uncensored human story of Sir Elton John’s breakthrough years, starring Taron Egerton, Jamie Bell, Richard Madden and Bryce Dallas Howard.
See the Trailer:
Paramount Pictures Canada release ROCKETMAN Friday, May 31, 2019.
(Photo/video credit: Paramount Pictures Canada)
#TIFF17: DAY SIX SIGHTINGS – LUKE EVANS, ANNETTE BENING, JAVIER BARDEM, CHLOĂ‹ SEVIGNY, JAMIE BELL + MORE
TIFF ’17 very much continues to be alive and kicking at its halfway point. We admit it, we’re drained but we look forward to the pace calming down tomorrow.
The Birks Diamond Tribute honouring the accomplishments of Canadian Women in Film. Held on the scenic rooftop of the Spoke Club, the gathering brought to us by Maison Birks and Telefilm Canada was a who’s-who and who’s next in the industry. Diverse honourees this year include Ellen Wong, Amanda Brugel, Mina Shum, Shailyn Pierre-Dixon and Sherry White. Â We are so honoured to have been one of 27 selected jurors across Canada! Hover left and right to navigate the slideshow.
Annette Bening and Jamie Bell are getting praise for their performances in Professor Marston and the Wonder Women. We spotted the pair who play lovers in Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool. We spotted them out earlier doing the rounds and both were gracious to stop for fans! Huge fan of Bening!
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Luke Evans‘ star continues to rise especially with his fantastic work in Beauty and the Beast. He is at TIFF ’17 with Professor Marston and the Wonder Women tonight, a timely Film which comes off the recent Box Office record-setting success of the superhero on which it centers. Australian Actress Bella Heathcote also is here for the Film and looked lovely for her Premiere!
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Javier Bardem continues to be amazing TIFF ’17 with starring roles in mother! and Loving Pablo, plus an In-Conversation slated.
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Lean on Pete is the one Horse Racing Film of TIFF ’17. Buzz came out of Telluride Film Festival for its star Charlie Plummer who finds himself in a quarter horse. ChloĂ« Sevigny plays a jockey in the Drama. Both stars were kind to stop despite Sevigny joking that nobody knew who she was!
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THE ESCAPE stars a talented duo of Gemma Arterton and Dominic Cooper and premiered tonight TIFF ’17!
#TIFF17: #GemmaArterton at #TIFF2017 with #TheEscape. #TIFF #TorontoInternationalFilmFestival
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We love the international component of TIFF in that we get to see stars who normally aren’t based stateside here. Adele Exarchopoulos (Blue is the Warmest Colour) and Matthias Schoenaerts graced the Red Carpet at Ryerson Theatre tonight for Racer and the Jailbird and despite being late, they introduced their Film and came back out to greet fans one-by-one. Amaze!
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While they weren’t really ones for Selfies, Don Johnson and Vince Vaughn were at Ryerson Theatre tonight for BRAWL IN CELL BLOCK 99.
#TIFF17: #DonJohnson at #TIFF2017 with #BrawlinCellBlock99. #TIFF #TorontoInternationalFilmFestival
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(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)
#GIVEAWAY: ENTER TO WIN A COPY OF “NYMPHOMANIAC” ON DVD
One of the most controversial and daring Films of 2014 certainly is Lars Von Trier‘s NYMPHOMANIAC and now is your chance to own a copy of the fast-selling DVD!
Official Synopsis:
Recounting the erotic journey of self-diagnosed Nymphomaniac Joe (Charlotte Gainsbourg). After being rescued by a stranger following a beating in an abandoned alley, Joe shares her unlikely stories with her charming savior.
NYMPHOMANIAC stars Charlotte Gainsbourg, Stellan SkarsgĂĄrd, Stacy Martin, Shia LaBeouf, Christian Slater, Jamie Bell, Uma Thurman, Willem Dafoe, Mia Goth, Sophie Kenney Clark, Connie Nielsen, Udo Kier, Jens Albinus and Nicolas Bro.
Watch the Trailer:
To enter to win, simply click “like” on this Post at Mr. Will Wong on Facebook! Â Share with your friends on Facebook and increase your chances!
Mongrel Media releases NYMPHOMANIAC on DVD, Blu-ray (also available on iTunes, Digital & Video-On-Demand) Tuesday, July 8, 2014.
(Photo/video credit: Mongrel Media)
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