Oscar winner Zoe Saldaña on Pixar's first Mexican-Dominican animated lead in ‘Elio': ‘The future of America are Latinos'
Walking her first red carpet since her historic Oscar win — just a few miles from ongoing ICE raids in Downtown Los Angeles — Zoe Saldaña shared a timely and personal message at the premiere of Pixar's latest animated feature, Elio.
"I do believe that the future of America are Latinos, and people of color," Saldaña, who made history recently as the first Dominican-American to win an Academy Award, told Gold Derby. "I just think that as long as we keep being who we are and coming from a place of love and dignity and hard work we will win."
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In the film, Saldaña voices Aunt Olga to Elio, played by Yonas Kibreab, a lonely Earthling who finds friendship in space with aliens. Elio is also, notably, Pixar's first Mexican-Dominican lead character.
Brad Garrett, who voices the film's villain Lord Grigon, said he felt like the events taking place in Los Angeles really hit home. "Being a native Californian who grew up in this area, I love that [Elio] is about a Latino family," he explained. "I think we need that now more than ever."
Photo byfor Disney/Pixar
The film was originally slated for release in the spring 2024. "It's so funny that it was delayed up until this very week,' Jameela Jamil, who plays Ambassador Questa, told Gold Derby, adding that what was previously a setback turned out to be perfect timing. "Politicians and media around the world are trying to make us feel powerless by design, and this film reminds you of individual power and the power of community."
Domee Shi (Turning Red) who co-directed with Madeline Sharafian (Burrow) and Adrian Molina (Coco), outlined her hopes for Elio's impact with Gold Derby: "To be able to inspire kids and adults to reach out to their fellow human, to make a connection, to empathize with beings that don't look like them or speak the same language as them but deep down they also have a beating heart. I'm really proud that our movie shows a space that's aspirational, that could be what humanity could be one day, where all of these creatures from all over the galaxy and universe can come together and exchange ideas and technology and live in peace."
Idealistic, perhaps, but the power and sway of cinema is not to be underestimated. Overall, Saldaña expressed a positive outlook, as well as offering this future forecasting: "Every empire meets its demise," she said. "We're witnessing a very big bang before the light truly comes in."
"We have to embrace other cultures," Garrett said. "And hopefully the aliens will land on the White House. Now is a good time."
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Atlantic
31 minutes ago
- Atlantic
What Trump Missed at the Kennedy Center
Les Misérables is that rarest of things: a global phenomenon that gets political. The show—not just a musical but a megamusical; not just a drama but a melodrama—is an impassioned argument in the guise of an epic story. Like the Victor Hugo novel that inspired it, the musical rails against autocrats and the systems that elevate them. It resents injustice, inequality, and inhumanity. It does so loudly and extravagantly, and has no use for subtlety. Its gaudiest villain is a greedy innkeeper. Its true villain is unchecked power. And its collective protagonists are protesters who flow into the streets, shouting that their lives matter. Ever popular and ever lucrative, Les Mis has little need for a rebrand, though if it did, it could very well go by: Woke Mob! The Musical. But Hugo loved a good plot twist. And a performance last night at the Kennedy Center provided one: In the audience to celebrate a new staging of Les Mis was President Donald Trump, a man who treats woke as a slur, wealth as permission, and the American presidency as a kingdom in waiting. Trump appeared at the opening partly in a personal capacity (he is, famously, a fan of the show) but primarily in a professional one. This past winter, soon after his return to the White House, the president ousted the chair of the Kennedy Center's board, installing himself in the role. He now runs, in addition to ' the country and the world,' one of the nation's most powerful arts institutions. And last night's performance doubled as a fundraiser. In advance of it, according to reporting by The Atlantic 's Ashley Parker and Michael Scherer, board members received a letter urging them to contribute $100,000; other donors were invited to contribute up to $2 million. Trump's attendance also came as real-world protests simmered on the other side of the country he leads. On Saturday, in response to demonstrations in Los Angeles against his administration's treatment of immigrants, Trump made an announcement: He was ready to counter the protests with military force. By the time the president slipped into his VIP box at the Kennedy Center, 4,000 members of the National Guard and 700 Marines had been ordered to mobilize. That sound you keep hearing might be Hugo not just rolling in his tomb but protesting from it. Hugo was suspicious of kings, and for good reason: He completed Les Mis in exile, having opposed the coup that installed Napoleon III to power. That Trump would be in the audience for the musical is irony enough; that he would be attending as a champion of the show is a mordant bit of revisionism. In the musical, the 'master of the house' brings comic relief. In the bigger theater—of our nation, of geopolitics—he brings the stuff of Hugo's nightmares. Yet Trump's love of Les Mis is not much of a surprise. Irony, for one thing, does not seem to preclude his aesthetic appreciation. (Trump has also said that Citizen Kane, Orson Welles's pitying satire of a wealthy mogul turned politician, is his favorite film.) The president often discusses his love of Broadway shows and of megamusicals in particular. He has, at various points, also claimed Evita, Cats, and The Phantom of the Opera as favorites. Those musicals arose in the era that made Trump into a celebrity: the late 1970s and the '80s. Trump himself has conducted an 'off-and-on flirtation with the theater world,' The New York Times noted in 2016, a flirtation that has included a brief stint as a Broadway producer in the early '70s, as well as repeated discussions about turning his life into a musical. Until The Trump Follies makes its debut, though, the president has channeled himself through the political stylings of Les Mis. He has used one of the show's signature songs, ' Do You Hear the People Sing? ' in rallies since the days of his 2016 campaign. He used it, in fact, when announcing that he would be running for the White House in the 2024 election. And out of context, the song works: Will you join in our crusade? Who will be strong and stand with me? Beyond the barricade Is there a world you long to see? Then join in the fight That will give you the right to be free! These are unobjectionable lyrics. They are widely applicable lyrics. But their obviousness can abet misreadings, as well. Where the song refers to 'the right to be free,' a person might fill in the words 'from oppression,' 'from hatred,' 'from fear'—or 'from the woke mob.' When it refers to 'crusade' and a better world, audiences might apply those ideas to their own sense of how things are. Les Mis, Hugo wrote, is 'a progress from evil to good, from injustice to justice, from falsehood to truth, from night to day, from appetite to conscience, from corruption to life.' But evil and good have no fixed meaning. Les Misérables, as a title, is commonly translated as, among others, 'The Miserable' or 'The Wretched' or 'The Poor.' Some translations, though, choose a different word: 'The Victims.' Justice, in Hugo's time as in ours, is a slippery aspiration. Woke can mean whatever people want it to mean. So can freedom. For many Americans, Trump included, the January 6 rioters are freedom fighters and political prisoners. For many of those same Americans, Trump is fighting tyranny rather than establishing it. 'I don't know whether it will be read by everyone,' Hugo wrote of Les Misérables, 'but it is meant for everyone.' He most likely did not envision that people of the future would take him so literally. If you remove history from the equation, though—if you strip away reality as a context — Les Mis can say anything. The show's red-white-and-blue color scheme (in context, a reference to the French flag) can seem to be American. Its climactic protests (in context, a recounting of the June Rebellion of 1832) might read like the siege of January 6. So many things, these days, have Rorschachian edges, which is to say blurred ones. So many things can be shape-shifted into political convenience. Les Mis 's lyrics—'Who cares about your lonely soul / We strive toward a larger goal'—might refer to anyone's cause. So might another line: 'Our little lives don't count at all.' Les Mis, published in 1862, emerged from a period of constant upheaval: revolutions, counterrevolutions, coups, widespread poverty, displacement. France was a monarchy and a republic and a monarchy again; along the way, chaos reigned. Hugo's novel distills the human costs of that instability. It considers what happens when 'rule' becomes hopelessly unruly. As a morality play, Les Mis lives in the tension between the spirit of the law and the letter of it. The story radiates from a single, consequential moment: Its central figure, Jean Valjean, steals a loaf of bread to feed his starving family. He is arrested and imprisoned—the theft, in the eyes of the law, is a crime—and the event is so stark in its morals that it reads like an ethics case study. Who is more just, the man who tried to feed his family or the man who arrested him for it? Which is the true crime, one man's taking of a bit of food or the circumstances that led to the theft? The resonances to today's world are striking. Early in Les Mis, Valjean is released from prison after a 19-year confinement. Announcing himself as 'Jean Valjean,' he is sharply corrected by the story's prime antagonist, Inspector Javert—to whom Valjean is, and always will be, Prisoner 24601. You might think, today, of the people who are defined not as people at all, but as 'illegals,' or of the protesters dismissed as 'looters' and 'rioters' and 'terrorists.' Javert and Valjean are doubles of each other: incarnations of Hugo's interest in the connections between the just and the unjust, the dark and the light. Valjean, and nearly all of Les Mis 's other characters, are not served by the state's sense of justice; they are oppressed by it. Javert, in enforcing the law, compounds injustice. His morals are so unfeeling that they lead him to immorality. Little wonder that 'Do You Hear the People Sing?' has become a protest song the world over, its words invoked as pleas for freedom. The crowds in Hong Kong, fighting for democracy, have sung it. So have crowds in the United States, fighting for the rights of unions. The story's tensions are the core tensions of politics too: the rights of the individual, colliding with the needs of the collective; the possibilities, and tragedies, that can come when human dignity is systematized. Les Mis, as a story, is pointedly specific—one country, one rebellion, one meaning of freedom. But Les Mis, as a broader phenomenon, is elastic. It is not one story but many, the product of endless interpretation and reiteration. With the novel, Hugo turned acts of history into a work of fiction. The musical turned the fiction into a show. And American politics, now, have turned the show into a piece of fan fic. Hugo-like protest, to some degree, was a theme at last night's performance. Several Les Mis cast members, when Trump's presence was confirmed, announced that they intended to boycott the show. Some audience members—including a group of drag queens seated in the orchestra section—attended as an act of protest as well. Trump himself came to the show with an entourage including first lady Melania Trump, Vice President J. D. Vance, second lady Usha Vance, and several advisers. As they took their seats, clad in tuxes and gowns, many in the crowd booed. In response, Trump stood and grinned and waved, treating the greeting as an ovation. He then took his seat to enjoy a roughly three-hour indictment of autocracy. Trump, in translating Les Mis for himself, erodes Hugo's own claims to the story. The convictions that grounded Hugo's own sense of freedom —his resentment of unaccountable power, his sense that all justice is social justice—recede, just a bit more, toward the backstage. But Hugo remains. So does Les Mis, the historical artifact. The Los Angeles protests have been spreading throughout the country. More protests are planned for this Saturday, to coincide with a military parade that Trump has arranged in the nation's capital. The parade will coincide with his birthday. The protests against it have a nickname: 'No Kings.'
Forbes
an hour ago
- Forbes
‘The Rose: Come Back To Me' Documentary Review: Keeps Us Coming Back
The Rose in their documentary, 'The Rose: Come Back to Me' In the opening credits of the documentary, The Rose: Come Back To Me, the Korean rock group, The Rose, is performing at last year's Coachella. Donned in their fancy (and very thick) bejeweled outfits, the group is introduced individually by their English names: guitarist/vocalist Sammy (Woosung), guitarist/vocalist Leo (Dojoon), bass player Jeff (Jaehyeong/Taegyeom), and drummer Dylan (Hajoon). The group has been dominating the K-music scene for the past few years, particularly in Europe and the U.S. Now, with their current agency, American record label Transparent Arts, the group has fully gone global, with fan bases all over the world. It comes as no surprise that, eight years after their debut, they'd want to tell the story of how it all started from the streets of Hongdae, Seoul, South Korea, to signing to an American label and agency, to worldwide recognition and sold-out concerts. Directed by Eugene Yi, the members of The Rose had their humble beginnings busking on the streets of the Seoul neighborhood of Hongdae. It began with Leo performing on his own and living off the tips he received, but he truly did it for the love of music. He would later meet Dylan, who was a K-pop trainee alongside Jeff. Dylan and Jeff didn't care about being trainees and left to form a band with Leo. The trio felt like they were missing one more sound from their band. Leo recalled meeting Sammy at a club. Korean American singer Sammy, who found fame on the Korean competition show K-pop Star, agreed to join the band and felt an immediate connection with the members after their music sessions together. The Rose, named for the duality of the flower – beautiful but filled with thorns- was formed and signed to a Korean label in 2016. The Rose in their documentary, 'The Rose: Come Back To Me' The group suffered a lot of hardships – an agency that was trying to single out Sammy as the star of the group, lawsuits, COVID, military service, depression, and a drug incident. Through it all, the band persevered and made it. It's interesting to learn about the trials and tribulations of a group, especially when it is expressed through their music. It provides a deeper appreciation of the group and their music. Jeff, who had suffered from depression and nearly quit music, has always been the 'quiet one' in the group, as well as Dylan, during interviews and promotions. It was endearing to hear his perspective on how music saved his life and how impactful it has been for him to learn that it has changed the lives of their fans. Although it seems each member gets their moment to shine in the documentary, from seeing Leo talk about his solo busking days to visiting Sammy's childhood home in Los Angeles, Dylan's story never expanded beyond the fact that he was a former trainee, now a band member. It would have been nice to see how much the band impacted him. The 91-minute documentary was also told through animation, further expressing the members' feelings and their stories. It was a nice touch to an already animated group. The direction, editing, and pacing were well done, cutting to appropriate funny and emotional moments to balance the story. It never felt like a sob story to garner sympathy or a sense of righteousness, which is refreshing. It was a simple retelling of 'this is who we are, and we hope you like it.' It's raw and honest. The Rose in their documentary, 'The Rose: Come Back To Me' As someone who has been following the group for the past few years, having their English names introduced was a bit of a shock and a bit disappointing. Their Korean names were how many – including myself – were introduced to them as a rock group, even Sammy performed his solo tour under his Korean name, Woosung. The documentary seemed to cater to Western audiences, making it easier for them to remember and pronounce their names. The group worked hard to make a name for themselves; they shouldn't have to change it. Overall, the film is a fun watch for everyone, even if you haven't heard of the band. It will recruit some new fans, not only because their story is so touching, but their music is excellent too. For those who are already familiar with The Rose, it will provide a deeper understanding and appreciation of them and how much they truly deserve this success. The Rose: Come Back to Me premiered at the 2025 Tribeca Film Festival.
Newsweek
an hour ago
- Newsweek
WWE Legend The Undertaker Underwent Surgery After Major Health Scare
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Michelle McCool and The Undertaker were at WrestleMania 41 in Las Vegas. Michelle McCool was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. The Undertaker was also featured at WWE World. Behind the scenes, there were worries because The Undertaker was dealing with a heart issue. The Undertaker and Michelle McCool discussed the situation on the latest episode of Six Feet Under (H/T to McCool: "It's because of the heart issues you've been having weeks prior. Which, by the grace of god, we found out just by — It ended up being terrifying. The day we got home from WrestleMania, the next day at 6 am, we were at the hospital for a little bit of heart surgery." The Undertaker: "Just a little bit." McCool: "It was your heart." The Undertaker: "There was that little sidebar going on." McCool: "A sidebar for five weeks. It was terrifying." The Undertaker: "I wasn't supposed to go to Vegas." American retired professional wrestler Mark William Calaway, aka 'The Undertaker', is presented prior to the Riyadh Season Cup Final match between Al Hilal and Al-Nassr at Kingdom Arena on February 08, 2024 ,in Riyadh, Saudi... American retired professional wrestler Mark William Calaway, aka 'The Undertaker', is presented prior to the Riyadh Season Cup Final match between Al Hilal and Al-Nassr at Kingdom Arena on February 08, 2024 ,in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. MoreMcCool continued, "You weren't supposed to go anywhere. You didn't want me to tell anybody. Not fair to me, not fair. We were in the hospital for four nights two weeks before WrestleMania. Yeah, you weren't supposed to go. I'm not mad at it because I'd probably be the same [way], but it was terrifying. I couldn't focus on anything else. The Undertaker's Undiagnosed AFib More news: WWE News: Steve Austin Reveals Real-Life Vince McMahon Confrontation "I did. That I had scheduled in January, that's crazy about it. You went to the doctor March 28th, I'll never forget. Then you called me and you were like, 'They won't run the heart exam.' Just a routine heart scan that we were going to do."McCool: "Got you into another [appointment] about an hour later. They had one appointment open. Come to find out, you had been in chronic AFib for who knows how long. But the scary part was that you didn't feel any symptoms, so we didn't know. Yeah, you came in a few times out of breath and I'd give you a hard time like, 'Dude, you were just throwing the ball with the dog, why are you so out of breath?' Or going up the stairs to pray with the kids, 'Why are you out of breath', not thinking it was an actual heart issue. So, yeah. Medicines didn't work and we ended up in the ER on a Friday. Of course you wouldn't stay the night." "At the end of Kai's flag football all day Saturday, you looked at me and said, 'I'm still in AFib,' because you were doing it with the watch. I was like, 'If you're not out of AFib when we're getting ready to go to church tomorrow morning, we're going to the hospital.' Thankfully you agreed." Hospitalization and Recovery "We went to the hospital, numbers were out of whack. Heartbeat was out of whack. Your ejection fraction of how the blood was pumping was 30%, it wasn't much. Supposed to be 100%, obviously. We ended up staying in the hospital for four nights where they actually had to cardiovert you and shock you back to a normal rhythm. That sadly lasted, what, 24 hours. Maybe 48. After four days we go home, two days later you're back in AFib. Man I was stressed." The couple confirmed that The Undertaker's heart issues have since been resolved. More WWE News: For more on WWE, head to Newsweek Sports.
