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WORLD-FAMOUS SELFIES↥ 

Kumail Nanjiani

#FIRSTLOOK: “WELCOME TO CHIPPENDALES”

By Mr. Will Wong

Based on the book Deadly Dance: The Chippendales Murders by K. Scot Macdonald and Patrick MontesDeOca, WELCOME TO CHIPPENDALES might on the surface appear to be wild, rowdy and sensational, and that it is in ways. The eight-episode Limited Series exploring the rise and fall of Steve Banerjee, founder of male dance troupe The Chippendales, is more than that, tapping into questions about racism, the circumstances that led a once successful businessman to make detrimental choices and his mental decline.

Kumail Nanjiani stars as Banerjee, whom we meet working at a convenience store being harassed by customers. It’s the late ’70s and America isn’t necessarily the most welcoming place to immigrants. People giggle about his birth name Soman and it’s a real process for him getting into the exclusive restaurants he wishes not being an exclusive member, even after he’s become wealthy legitimately. He’s ambitious, but also obsessive, controlling and a Sociopath. The Series, created by Robert Siegel (Pam & Tommy), gives balanced observations that are in ways empathetic where Banerjee was coming from, without necessarily being forgiving of some of the horrible things he did. Above all, it honours his commitment to making The Chippendales a groundbreaking success, feuding with his creative partner Nick De Noia (Murray Bartlett) in a power struggle, before plotting his demise. It is a balance of legacy and the tragic True Crime that has left a blood stain on The Chippendales‘ brand.

Beneath the copious snorting of coccaine, sex, machismo-proud choreography and flashed buttocks, the Series really attempts to get into Banerjee‘s headspace. The charismatic Nanjiani is tasked with playing someone not necessarily likable and void of charm, but makes us believe he really can go against all odds, win the heart of the woman he feels he deserves and be the boss of an empire. And he does this exceedingly well, especially late in the Series where he growingly is paranoid and vulnerable, refusing to go down in defeat.

Annaleigh Ashford is a real force, playing his wife Irene and is the real moral compass of the story, helping enable him to become the man he aspires to be. But things are problematic when he doesn’t know where to draw the line in order to stay on-top of the throne he built. Bartlett who really is in a career renaissance following a Primetime Emmy win for The White Lotus and a memorable turn on Physical, once again tackles the role with aplomb even if he doesn’t quite get the space his character should have gotten, equally responsible for the success of The Chippendales as its face. Juliette Lewis rounds-out this Ensemble and is better than ever as the present and commanding Denise who is introduced as just a fan, but becomes an integral part of the success story as Bartlett‘s Nick launches plans to bring the troupe on tour… and further away from Banerjee.

The Series explores also Banerjee‘s relationship with his Indian mother, keeping his growing empire a secret from her, exploring cultural disapproval, but he also faces racism in America on a daily basis and in this regard, taps into some of that anger within that drives him to fight. Like Pam & Tommy, Siegel once again takes us back to another era with a commitment to detail, capturing the climate of the time period, taking us on a messy, mesmerizing journey.

The first two episodes of WELCOME TO CHIPPENDALES arrive November 23, 2022, with new episodes arriving weekly on Disney+.

#FIRSTLOOK: NEW TRAILER FOR “WELCOME TO CHIPPENDALES”

We’re so drawn to the saga of The Chippendales! Disney+ today released the official Trailer for upcoming Series WELCOME TO CHIPPENDALES, based on a true story. Strippers. Money. Murder.

Synopsis:

A sprawling true-crime saga, “Welcome to Chippendales” tells the outrageous story of Somen “Steve” Banerjee, an Indian immigrant who became the unlikely founder of the world’s greatest male-stripping empire—and let nothing stand in his way in the process.

“Welcome to Chippendales’” star-studded cast includes Kumail Nanjiani (“The Big Sick”), Murray Bartlett (“The White Lotus”), Juliette Lewis (“Yellowjackets”) and Annaleigh Ashford (“American Crime Story”), with recurring guest stars Quentin Plair (“The Good Lord Bird”), Robin de Jesús (“tick, tick… BOOM!”), and Andrew Rannells (“Girls5eva”), along with guest stars Nicola Peltz Beckham (“Holidate”) and Dan Stevens (“Gaslit”).

Robert Siegel and Nanjiani executive produce alongside Dylan Sellers, Jenni Konner, Matt Shakman, Emily V. Gordon, Nora Silver and Rajiv Joseph, who will write on the series along with Mehar Sethi. Siegel and Konner serve as co-showrunners and Shakman will direct. Jacqui Rivera is co-executive producer and Annie Wyman is co-producer.

Robust parental controls ensure that Disney+ remains a suitable viewing experience for everyone in the family. Subscribers can set access limits on mature content and create PIN-protected profiles alongside the already existing Kids Profiles to give parents and guardians peace of mind.


WELCOME TO CHIPPENDALES arrives on Disney+ November 22, 2022 via its Star banner.

(Photo/video credit: Disney+)

#INTERVIEW: MARVEL STUDIOS’ “ETERNALS”

One of this Fall’s most anticipated cinematic events is Marvel Studios’ ETERNALS. The star-studded Superhero flick is directed and co-written by Academy Award-winning Filmmaker Chloé Zhao. ETERNALS centers on an alien race of immortals who re-surface after thousands of years to protect earth and its inhabitants from the evil Deviants.

We were incredibly-fortunate to sit-in on the global press conference for Marvel Studios’ ETERNALS and it was a star-studded affair with guests including:

Chloé Zhao
Kevin Feige
Kumail Nanjiani
Gemma Chan
Richard Madden
Lauren Ridloff
Salma Hayek
Kit Harington
Lia McHugh
Don Lee
Bryan Tyree Henry
Angelina Jolie


In this epic panel, its stars and Creators shared a common sentiment – their great respect for Zhao in helping them find a truth about themselves in their respective characters. One interesting thing about this Film is that these Superheroes don’t look like your typical kind because in order for them to reflect humanity, they should look like humanity.

Producer Kevin Feige talks about this bold new step in direction for the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Feige: “Post-Infinity Saga, we wanted to take a bold new step and say we don’t know everything about the universe, yet. And there are these ten spectacular superheroes you haven’t met who’ve been here the whole time.”.

Director/Writer Chloé Zhao is asked about her first meetings with Feige and what they looked like.

Zhao: “It started with me showing him a Macro Photo of sand and quoting a Poem from William Blake and in that Poem, Blake is trying to convey that you can see the endless beauty of the cosmos, even within the smallest things you can find on earth. The vision of the Film was to set-out to capture that scale. Something as large as the creation of the sun to the whispers of lovers. Going on location and doing this kind of an immersive shoot together with the support of this amazing Cast is how we got here today.”.

Thena is the Goddess of War, played by Angelina Jolie. She is asked how she finds strength and survival in her own survivor story, in addition to what attracted her to the role?

Jolie: “I was attracted to this project for many reasons. I am a fan of the MCU, was a big fan of Chloé, and when they first talked to me about the story, it really was the Cast and the idea of what this family would be. I really just wanted to be a part of this family even before I know who I was I was going to play.”.

“Chloé‘s known for bringing-in reality to film, to somebody’s true self. So a lot of us were cast to bring out something from our own lives, something that we weren’t even aware of and then let it live and grow within the Film. She’s maybe the most fantastic thing I’ve ever played in a superhero, and yet my children thought she was the most like me they’ve ever seen. It’s hard to talk about her but her vulnerability – which she’s trying to balance -and being able to be the same woman who’s also considered very strong.. and yet she’s able to holds both, which most people do.

Sersi is played by Gemma Chan, who learns her places and embraces her strengths as the story progresses.

Chan: “Sersi is a superhero, but her powers aren’t the most obvious and flashiest. She might not be the best fighter, but what she does have is empathy and a real affinity for humankind. She’s a free spirit. I love that. That’s one of the most enjoyable things about thing Film going on this journey with the character. She learns to trust herself and grow into her own power really. That’s a really interesting thing to explore.”.

Richard Madden plays Ikaris, one of the most powerful Eternals, who is in a conflict of love (with Sersi) vs. loyalty in the Film.

Madden: “I’m used to playing lovers often. But to play someone who’s such a soldier, completely driven by love, is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. He’s actually wrestling with two characters who are very full of love and it comes out he’s actually the opposite of that. He’s trying to bury that love because it gets in the way of his duties. He’s constantly wrestling with it and that made it interesting for me.”.

Salma Hayek talks (hilariously) about finding success as a superhero at an unconventional stage in life. She plays spiritual leader, Ajak.

Hayek: “This was really humbling. I dream big. And in my big dreams I wanted to be a superhero, work with the best Directors in the world, make big Blockbuster movies and movies that are Art from a very big place. But it didn’t happen for me. You fight for it in your 20s, 30s and 40s and you go, ‘Screw them! They don’t get it! They missed out! I would’ve been a great superhero! Screw them! I’m gonna go do something out, like have a baby!’. (laughs) And then you give up! It’s very humbling when you’re in your 50s, a brilliant Director gives you the opportunity to do both! I was wrong. Everything is possible.”.

Kumail Nanjiani brings a ‘Bollywood Swagger’ to his role of Kingo and even does a musical number. He talks about the challenges of going outside his comfort zone.

Nanjiani: “I can’t put Chloé on the spot, and I can’t swear, so put-in a swear word here! Chloé lied to me. When we first talked about the Movie, she said there was a Bollywood dance scene and I said ‘I don’t think I can do that.’, She said ‘Okay, we’ll make it a Bollywood action scene and as soon as I got to London hehehe.. it’s a dance scene! And I was like, ‘Get me a dance teacher alright?’. And they were wonderful teaching me the Choreography, working with me for months and months because I was so outside my comfort zone.”.

“For me, ultimately it came down to trust… usually my instinct is to have a moment of and fear, but in meeting her, I realized she’s not going to let me suck in this thing so if she wants me to do something, I’m gonna do it!”.

“She had this whole Movie, this whole universe inside her head. I didn’t understand it until I watched the Movie. I felt, ‘This isn’t something I would do, but if Chloé says do it, let’s do it!'”.

Brian Tyree Henry plays Phastos, an intelligent inventor. He talks about finding the humanity in his character, who experiences his share of despair.

Henry: “I think it really came down to trust and I really wholeheartedly trusted Chloé, to piggyback off of Kumail. What attracted me to this part was I think of all the black men out there and how we are portrayed. What I love most about Phastos is that he is an Ancestor. All of us are Ancestors, technically. So Phastos predates everything and goes through all these things which actually makes him lose faith in humanity very quickly. And I remember coming into this project, I lost faith in humanity and just looking at all the things we’ve been through and looking at images of how black men were portrayed and how power was taken away from us, the lack of power. What I love about Phastos is that him being an Eternal, knowing that he can never die, he still chose love and still decides to have a family even though he may have to watch them perish. And try to bring heart and love into everything he did. It just really resonated with me.”.

“I remember the first time they approached me to be a superhero and I asked, ‘How much weight do you want me to lose?’, and Chloé said ‘What are you talking about? We want you exactly as you are.’. And to be a black man and have someone say they want you exactly the way you are is unlike anything I’ve ever felt.”.

Kit Harrington plays Sersi’s human boyfriend Dane, who seems to handle all sorts a catastrophe with a calm cool.

Harrington: “He’s a nice guy. I felt from the beginning I had to represent something that was worth saving. I hope that Dane comes-off a nice, stand-up guy and one thing I respect about him is that a man flies out of the sky shoots lasers out of his eyes and steals his girlfriend, and he’s kinda cool with it!”.

“I come in at the start and in some ways intro the Movie, and then it goes its own wonderful direction, so I felt a bit separate, but I do think the advantage is that you do have a glimpse of the humans at the start and it tells you who these guys truly are trying to save.”.

Some Snaps from the Junket:

Marvel Studios’ ETERNALS arrives in theatres November 5, 2021.

*Please exercise caution in observing COVID-19 protocols if seeing this in-theatre*.

(Photo/video credit: Marvel Studios Canada)

#FIRSTLOOK: NEW TRAILER FOR “THE LOVEBIRDS”

Set to premiere at SXSW, THE LOVEBIRDS sees the launch of its Trailer. The Comedy stars Issa Rae and Kumail Nanjiani.

SYNOPSIS:
A couple (Issa Rae & Kumail Nanjiani) experiences a defining moment in their relationship when they are unintentionally embroiled in a murder mystery. As their journey to clear their names takes them from one extreme – and hilarious – circumstance to the next, they must figure out how they, and their relationship, can survive the night.

 

Trailer:

 

Paramount Pictures Canada release THE LOVEBIRDS Friday, April 3, 2020.

 

 

(Photo/video credit: Paramount Pictures Canada)

#GIVEAWAY: ENTER TO WIN ADVANCE PASSES TO SEE “STUBER”

20th Century Fox Canada x Mr. Will want to give Readers a chance to win passes to an Advance Screening of STUBER. The Screening takes place in Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, Edmonton, Calgary and Ottawa July 3, 2019 at 7:00PM.

 

SYNOPSIS:
When a mild-mannered Uber driver named Stu (Kumail Nanjiani) picks up a passenger (Dave Bautista) who turns out to be a cop hot on the trail of a brutal killer, he’s thrust into a harrowing ordeal where he desperately tries to hold onto his wits, his life and his five-star rating. Directed by Michael Dowse, this action-comedy from 20th Century Fox also stars Iko Uwais, Natalie Morales, Betty Gilpin, Jimmy Tatro, Mira Sorvino and Karen Gillan.

 

See the Trailer:

 

Artwork:


 
To enter to win, click “like” on this Post at MR. WILL ON FACEBOOK. Re-Tweet this Tweet from @mrwillw for an extra chance!

 
(Photo/video credit: 20th Century Fox Canada)
 

 

#INTERVIEW: KUMAIL NANJIANI & EMILY V. GORDON ON “THE BIG SICK”

Review by David Baldwin for Mr. Will Wong

After ten years of marriage and multiple projects together, Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon are still very much in love. They finish each other’s sentences, have similar thoughts and opinions, and have no trouble cutting off each other’s answers. When we get the opportunity to interview the pair during a recent press day in Toronto for their critically acclaimed Film The Big Sick, they are sitting together on a couch that could seat three comfortably. But with how close they are sitting together, there’s no room for a third.

The semi-autobiographical Film revolves around the relationship between Kumail (Nanjiani) and Emily (Zoe Kazan). They are happily dating, but Kumail is harbouring a secret — his strict Muslim parents are keen on him entering into an arranged marriage with a Muslim woman. Emily has very little time to process this news, as she lands in the hospital with a severe lung infection. This emergency only gets worse, leading Kumail to rethink everything about their relationship and his relationship with his parents.

Despite having iconic Comedy Producer Judd Apatow on-board from the beginning, the writing process was anything but easy. The pair would bring drafts of their screenplay to Apatow for approval, and he “would rip it to shreds and send us off on our way,” says Gordon. “And then after three years, he was like ‘Okay, I think we can get a director now’.” When asked about how much of the Film’s story happened in real life, the pair laugh and give different answers. Gordon settled the debate quickly – claiming the Film being 60% factual. “The broad strokes are pretty accurate to what happened,” Nanjiani says. “But the specifics and some of the characterizations and the order of events, that’s the stuff we changed.”

Having lived the events of the Film, Nanjiani and Gordon recalled certain moments in their lives quite differently. “In doing press, I found out that our relationship before I got sick was way more casual than I thought. That’s something I’ve been discovering that’s been super fun,” Gordon mentions. “I don’t regret saying it all,” Nanjiani says with a laugh. “Every time we found in writing this that we would have a disagreement about how we experienced some from our past. We tried to fold both perspectives into the Movie.” While their emotions would range from “That was a really happy memory” to “No that was a horrible memory”, Nanjiani was quite happy with the end result it had on the screenplay: “I think it made for a much more complicated dynamic between the main characters.”

While the appreciation and gratitude for Apatow was evident throughout our conversation (“We’d never written a movie before and Judd getting behind us and helping us through this has been very exciting” Nanjiani says), the pair also praised the Film’s female lead, Kazan. Gordon explains that after watching her audition, she felt “she was absolutely right for the part. I don’t really know what would have happened if I really wanted her and other people didn’t.” Nanjiani adds, “She has that really fun, funny side, but she’s also a very, very serious person who takes herself serious.”

For all of the enthusiasm the pair shared about the writing and casting process, both Nanjiani and Gordon were more apathetic when asked about the Film’s take on religion and culture. “We didn’t think that we really wanted to say anything with this Movie. We just wanted to tell our story,” Nanjiani explains. “If we’re writing a personal story that’s about us and [religion] is something that is part of that story, not having it in there just felt disingenuous.” Gordon was a little more direct in how she felt: “It’s just another aspect of the story.”

Religious and cultural apprehensions aside, the pair are satisfied with all of the work that went into making The Big Sick. “We wrote this Movie for three years with no money, no plan, no guarantee that it would ever become a thing. And we worked our asses off,” Gordon says. “It was really, really great to make a movie where we could pour in everything that we think about,” Nanjiani mentions. “It’s pretty great to be a part of a Movie where we can be proud of every character.” And if the spectacular limited US box office results from this past weekend are any indication, The Big Sick may just become the breakout Comedy of the summer.

Elevation Pictures release THE BIG SICK in select theatres starting Friday, June 30, 2017 and across Canada on Friday, July 14, 2017.

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)

#SPOTTED: KUMAIL NANJIANI + EMILY V. GORDON IN TORONTO FOR “THE BIG SICK”

Real-life couple Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon have turned their love story into the Film known as The Big Sick, which was a huge hit at Sundance earlier this year.  After getting a limited release in the U.S. this past weekend where it is getting huge raves including endorsements from the likes of Amy Schumer, the Film soon is set to open here in Canada.

The Film centers around Nanjiani, a Comedian, known best for his work on HBO‘s Silicon Valley, who meets Emily V. Gordon (played by Zoe Kazan) one night at one of his gigs. With a looming romance and his parents set on an arranged marriage for him, things change when a medical emergency forces Kumail to spend time with Emily‘s parents.  It also explores the comedy in the couple’s cultural differences. The semi-autobiographical Film is directed by Michael Showalter and co-written by the couple, while Judd Apatow produces.

In addition to press today, Nanjiani and Gordon present the Film at a special advanced screening in Toronto followed by a Q&A. We spotted them earlier upon a visit to KISS 92.5 and they were amazing to stop for a quick photo – Billy included – and they were excited that I’ll be at the screening!

Our David Baldwin chats with the couple today, so stay tuned for that! Can’t wait to see it.

Elevation Pictures release THE BIG SICK in select cities Friday, June 30, 2017 and across Canada on Friday, July 14, 2017.

 

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)

 

#GIVEAWAY: ENTER TO WIN ADVANCE PASSES TO SEE “THE BIG SICK”

Elevation Pictures x Mr. Will want to give Readers a chance to attend an Advance Screening of THE BIG SICK! Screenings take place as follows:

Toronto
Date: June 26, 2017
Time: 7:00pm
Location: Scotiabank Theatre (259 Richmond St W, Toronto, ON M5V 3M6)

Vancouver
Date: June 28, 2017
Time: 7:00pm
Location: Scotiabank Theatre (900 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC, V6Z 3G5)

Calgary
Date: July 5, 2017
Time: 7:00pm
Location: Scotiabank Theatre Chinook (6455 Macleod Trail SW, Calgary, AB T2H 0K4)

Edmonton
Date: July 5, 2017
Time: 7:00pm
Location: Scotiabank Theatre Edmonton (WEM – 8882 170 St NW #3030, Edmonton, AB T5T 4M2)

Winnipeg
Date: July 5, 2017
Time: 7:00pm
Location: Scotiabank Theatre Winnipeg – Polo Park (1485 Portage Ave #100, Winnipeg, MB R3G 0W4)

Ottawa
Date: July 5, 2017
Time: 7:00pm
Location: Cineplex Cinemas Ottawa (3090 Carling Ave, Nepean, ON K2B 7K2)

Halifax
Date: July 5, 2017
Time: 7:00pm
Location: Cineplex Cinemas Park Lane (5657 Spring Garden Rd, Halifax, NS B3J 3R4)

Victoria
Date: July 5, 2017
Time: 7:00pm
Location: Odeon Victoria (780 Yates St, Victoria, BC V8W 1L4)

 

Synopsis:
Based on the real-life courtship between Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon, THE BIG SICK tells the story of Pakistan-born aspiring comedian Kumail (Nanjiani), who connects with grad student Emily (Kazan) after one of his standup sets. However, what they thought would be just a one-night stand blossoms into the real thing, which complicates the life that is expected of Kumail by his traditional Muslim parents.

See the Trailer:

Artwork:

To enter to win, click “like” on this Post at MR. WILL ON FACEBOOK. “Re-Tweet” this Tweet at @mrwillw for an extra chance!

Elevation Pictures release THE BIG SICK Friday, July 14, 2017.

(Photo/video credit: Elevation Pictures)

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