Ana de Armas is Hollywood's latest action star with Ballerina, co-star Keanu Reeves calls her a ‘wonderful actress'
The new John Wick spinoff Ballerina, starring Ana de Armas in the lead, is all set to release in India on June 13. The initial reactions have been majorly positive, promising a blend of thrilling blend of action and intrigue. The film takes the highly beloved franchise forward with style and establishes Ana de Armas as the new action star. A decade earlier, she was still learning English, about to make her English-language debut alongside Keanu Reeves in Knock Knock (2015). Cut to 2025, she is reuniting with Keanu as a leading star- a force of her own. (Also read: Ballerina first reactions: John Wick spin-off hailed as a 'worthy addition' to franchise with 'mind-blowing' action)
Ballerina is, therefore, a full-circle moment for Ana. Keanu, who has witnessed the meteoric rise of the Cuban-Spanish actor throughout the last few years, is all praise for her talent and dedication. He said, 'She's a wonderful actress, so talented. And that inner strength and motivation, being able to draw that up and to show that in the stillness of the scenes that we had together. She's quite a presence.'
In Knock Knock, an erotic thriller directed by Eli Roth, Ana played Bel, one of the two women who end up mysteriously outside the door of Evan Webber (Keanu)'s house. Ana was still not fluent in English when she took up the role, and has to learn her lines phonetically. This dedication towards her craft was there from the first day. She was up for a challenge, which was also evident when she went on to star as Marlyn Monroe in Blonde. The performance earned her an Academy Award nomination.
Ballerina director Len Wiseman is also in agreement on Ana's talents. He went on to add about Ana's contribution to the film, and said: 'She's perfect for the role in many ways. What I love about this franchise series is that it is more of an actor-based action, and so we see the actors doing more of their own performance and choreography. And she was game with that.'
Ballerina focuses on a young, highly skilled assassin played by Ana. The story follows her quest for vengeance against those who murdered her family, unfolding between the events of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum and John Wick: Chapter 4.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India Today
6 hours ago
- India Today
Ed Sheeran praises Arijit Singh's Tum Hi Ho in heartfelt post: I was spellbound
Singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran, who was recently in India and shot for a music video titled 'Sapphire' with Arjit Singh, dedicated a heartfelt note to him. Ed stated that he was impressed by the singer's talent. The English singer also cherished his memories of going on a scooter ride with shared a clip from 'Sapphire' on his Instagram handle. He admitted to being spellbound after listening to 'Tum Hi Ho' while watching 'Aashiqui 2'. The singer-songwriter wrote, "I first became aware of Arijit Singh's music when I watched 'Aashiqui 2' and heard 'Tum Hi Ho'. I was proper spellbound by his voice, the song, the scene in the movie."advertisementEd said that he later reached out to Arijit and even played an early version of 'Sapphire' for him. He further wrote, "I checked him out, and got in touch, and said whenever you want to sing together I'm down. He was playing london, so i went to guest with him and sing Perfect there, it was an incredible show. I played him an early version of Sapphire in the dressing room, and he instantly had ideas for instruments and melodies." "We then were pen pals over email for a bit, until I was in India for tour. I said to him, we should finish this in person, and he said, please come to my hometown so I can show you my home and culture. I was with my dad on tour, which is a rarity to get so much one-on-one time with him (sic)," Ed went Ed Sheeran-Arijit Singh's music video here: The 'Shape of You' singer then travelled to Kolkata with Arijit and revealed how the latter introduced him to Punjabi and Sitar. He said, "Me and him got a flight to Kolkata, then a 5 and a half hour drive to his home town. We arrived, went on a barge down the river, which was stunning, then got a scooty back to the studio where we finished the song. Arijit taught me Punjabi and how to pronounce it all properly, and showed me Sitar. We then had dinner, and scooted around the village to see the sunset and moon with my dad (sic).""Was a proper core memory I'll always cherish with my father, and I'm honoured to have created in this way with Arijit. He's one of the most talented humans I've ever met, and I'm so grateful he shared his talent with me for this song. The full Punjabi version we recorded will be out in a couple of weeks, but until then I'll be drip-feeding fun videos from our time together. Enjoy," he music video 'Sapphire', a collaboration between Ed and Arijit released on June 5. The song mesmerised fans as the English singer also sang in Punjabi.'Sapphire', is the third track from Ed's forthcoming album, 'Play'. Prior to 'Sapphire', the singer had released 'Old Phone' and 'Azizam'Trending Reel
The Hindu
7 hours ago
- The Hindu
Music school students to get Class X and XII-equivalent pass certificates
The School Education Department has issued orders to give Class X and XII-equivalent pass certificates to music school students. 'Students studying in district government music schools will be issued pass certificates equivalent to Classes X and XII if they pass the language courses conducted by the Directorate of Government Examinations,' the Government Order (G.O.) said. School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi had announced this provision in the Legislative Assembly earlier this year. The order stated that the move aimed to ensure that students of music schools can access higher education and employment opportunities without any hindrance, and to discourage them from dropping out. It added that if they pass the Class XII Tamil (Part-I) and English language (Part-II) papers, they could continue their musical education or pursue higher education and employment with a Class XII-equivalent pass certificate.
Economic Times
10 hours ago
- Economic Times
'What a magical thing that is': Carl Sagan's wise words on reading books are the fresh breeze we need amid digital brain rot
A resurfaced 1977 Carl Sagan clip warns against intellectual decline, a vital message today as "brain rot" proliferates. Sagan championed reading as a magical connection to past minds and stressed nurturing childhood curiosity. (Images: X/@carlsagandotcom , iStock) A resurfaced video of legendary astronomer Carl Sagan from a 1977 appearance on The Tonight Show is sparking crucial conversations, offering profound insights amidst widespread concerns about dwindling attention spans and the pervasive "brain rot" of the digital era. As screens dominate and algorithms dictate our daily lives, Sagan's wise words on the sheer power of reading books and nurturing curious minds feel less like a relic of the past and more like an urgent plea for our intellectual the captivating 1977 clip, Sagan, a master communicator of science, articulated the almost unbelievable power held within a book. "The whole idea of what happens when you read a book I find absolutely stunning," he told Johnny Carson. He marveled at how "some product of a tree with little black squiggles on it" could open up, revealing "the voice of someone speaking who may have been dead 3,000 years, and yet there he is talking directly to you. What a magical thing that is." This timeless connection through the written word, a direct link to minds across centuries, stands in stark contrast to the fleeting nature of digital content. Sagan didn't stop at the magic of books; he delved into the inherent curiosity of children, a vital "natural resource" he believed we are tragically wasting. He observed that children "start out eager, intellectually wide-eyed, asking extremely clever questions." Yet, he lamented, "something happens, by and large, to discourage them."He highlighted how dismissive responses to profound questions, like "Mommy, why is the grass green?", teach children "there's something bad about using the mind." Sagan warned that in perilous times, facing "complex and subtle problems" requires individuals capable of "complex and subtle solutions"—a capacity nurtured through intellectual engagement and curiosity. Sagan's 1977 observations are eerily prescient today. The Oxford 2024 Word of the Year, "brain rot," encapsulates widespread anxiety about declining attention spans. Data from Gallup and the Bureau of Labor Statistics show a steady decline in American reading habits. In a conversation on NPR, author Elaine Castillo noted that "massive corporations have essentially captured the capacities in us for reading," offering "momentary dopamine hits" that replace reading's restorative aspects. Abdullah Shihipar of Brown University added that reading a book requires a higher "mental load" than casual scrolling, and studies suggest reading physical media is "superior" to screen reading, which often encourages skimming. The education sector sounds a loud alarm. A former English and digital arts teacher, Hannah, recently resigned with a viral video, lamenting that "a lot of kids don't know how to read," and that AI tools are eroding critical thinking. She witnessed students unable to write basic sentences, and essays produced entirely by ChatGPT, with students showing little concern over plagiarism. Hannah's drastic suggestion: "We need to cut it off. Let them learn how to think again."Abdullah Shihipar, in an NPR conversation, cited a Duke study showing a 12% decline in reading comprehension when AI tools were used. Elaine Castillo articulated a deeper fear: that we might "abdicate our own humanity and our capacity to read, to contemplate, to wrestle with difficult concepts." She emphasized reading's role in building empathy and fostering a "capacity for defiance." The statistics are stark: roughly half of American adults read below a sixth-grade level. Beyond cognitive benefits, reading boasts tangible health advantages; Shihipar mentioned a study indicating a 20% decrease in mortality for book readers, independent of wealth or age. Carl Sagan's powerful message from decades ago offers a vital path forward. His emphasis on the magic of books and the nurturing of intellectual curiosity is not just nostalgic; it's a strategic blueprint for preserving our minds, our empathy, and our ability to navigate the complexities of our world. It's time to heed his timeless wisdom.
