Latest news with #GuguMbatha-Raw
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Simone Ashley, Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Stacy L. Smith to Headline Women in Film Conference (EXCLUSIVE)
'Bridgerton' breakout Simon Ashley, Apple TV+'s 'Surface' lead star Gugu Mbatha-Raw and the USC's Annenberg Inclusion Initiative founder Dr. Stacy L. Smith are set to lead the lineup at the upcoming Women in Film Conference, to be held at Oxford University. The day-long event at the university's Sheldonian Theater will, according to organizers, celebrate change and urge further progress. More from Variety 'Picture This' Review: Prime Video's Charming Rom-Com Remake Follows an Enterprising Photographer Speed Dating to Save Her Business 'Barbie,' 'A Thousand and One' and 'Joy Ride' Rank Among the Inclusion List's 150 Most Inclusive Films Gugu Mbatha-Raw Leads Cast of Sky's Jamaica-Set Limited Thriller Series 'Inheritance,' Tackling Enduring Legacy of Colonialism Ashley, recently seen in Amazon Prime's 'Picture This,' will be interviewed on stage by Smith, whose Annenberg Inclusion Initiative is co-sponsoring the event alongside Oxford University's Cultural Programme and the Ghetto Film School. 'Simone is a multi-hyphenate who is clearly the future of the entertainment industry,' said Smith. 'As we celebrate women's work across entertainment, Simone's voice represents the newest and next generation of leaders. Giving her the stage to talk about her career, her ambitions, and her vision of success will undoubtedly inspire our audience and elevate the conversation on women in film.' Ashley is set to appear on stage after the BIFA Award-winning Mbatha-Raw, who rose to prominence across film with roles in 'Belle,' 'Concussion,' 'A Wrinkle in Time,' 'Fast Color,' and 'Motherless Brooklyn.' 'Gugu brings a wealth of experience and wisdom to her work and conversations like these,' added Smith. 'She has embodied film and television roles across the U.S. and U.K., and worked with incredible talent on screen and behind the camera. By joining us at Oxford, Gugu can share her unique knowledge of the entertainment ecosystem by discussing her career journey, how she has navigated the industry, and provide our audience with insights on what it is like to be an artist in the film and television business today.' The event will also feature a panel conversation from industry names including Oriane Pick ('The Date'), two-time Oscar-nominee and BAFTA-winning producer Finola Dwyer ('Brooklyn,' 'An Education'), and casting director Lucy Bevan ('Barbie,' 'The Batman'). Additionally, the day will feature a screening of shorts by Ghetto Film School students and an evening screening of the BAFTA-winning documentary 'For Sama' with a Q&A with director Waad Al-Kateab. Smith, meanwhile. will be presenting new research on the status of women in global film. 'There has been significant progress for women in cinema and for content focused on women,' she said. 'Through research and data, we can see where there is more to do, particularly for women of color in entertainment.' The Women in Film Conference will take place on May 12. 'As we build our programme towards the opening of the new Schwarzman Centre at Oxford University we passionately believe in bringing together incredible artists, creatives and thinkers to help address some of the biggest issues facing the world at this time,' said Josie Bamford, executive producer, Oxford University Cultural Programme. 'It is an honour to welcome Simone Ashley, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Dr. Stacy L. Smith and many others to Oxford's iconic Sheldonian Theatre for a day that celebrates how women are shaping change and progress in the film and television industry.' Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week What's Coming to Disney+ in April 2025 The Best Celebrity Memoirs to Read This Year: From Chelsea Handler to Anthony Hopkins
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Bridgerton star to attend Oxford event for women in film industry
The star of Netflix's Bridgerton, Simone Ashley, will attend a film event in Oxford celebrating women in the industry this month. The actor will join leading star of thriller TV-show Surface, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, along with industry practitioners and university academics as part of a Women In Film event series. It comes as part of Oxford University's Cultural Programme which will include a free day of screenings, talks and more at venues across Oxford on Monday, May 12. READ MORE: Banbury car crash involved girl, 14, riding e-scooter Professor Irene Tracey CBE, FRS, FMedSci, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford, said: "I am delighted that Oxford University's Cultural Programme is bringing together leading industry talent, up-and-coming filmmakers, and Oxford researchers to celebrate and discuss the critical role of women in the film industry. "The interaction between people with such rich and diverse experiences is sure to spark fascinating conversations. "I hope many in the local community, as well as university members and alumni, will join us to enjoy these events in Oxford on 12 May." Stay connected to the heart of Oxford for less! 🚨 Our flash sale is ON: get trusted local news for just £5 for 5 months or 40 per cent off an annual subscription. Don't miss out — subscribe now! 🗞️👇 — Oxford Mail (@TheOxfordMail) April 29, 2025 Also joining the acting stars will be leading industry voices from behind-the-scenes, including Lucy Bevan, casting director for major films like Barbie and The Batman. Finola Dwyer, two-time Oscar-nominee and BAFTA-winning producer and Oriane Pick, actor and founder of Candid Broads Productions will also be involved in the event. READ MORE: Arson in Ashbury as caravans set on fire overnight Audiences will hear filmmakers breaking down their creative process and learn about the influence of academic research on the film industry in interviews, panel talks and film screenings throughout the day. This will include a panel discussion at the Sheldonian Theatre introduced by Professor Tracey and featuring world-renowned actors and practitioners. The panel will also welcome Dr Stacy L Smith, who founded a global think tank studying inequality in entertainment, the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative. Exclusive screenings of new work by the next generation of female filmmakers will be held at the Curzon Theatre, hosted by Ghetto Film School, with explanations from the artists themselves on the productions. READ MORE: Armed robbery in Banbury by man 'with knife': Police appeal Josie Bamford, executive producer for the University's Cultural Programme, said: "As we build our programme towards the opening of the new Schwarzman Centre at Oxford University, we passionately believe in bringing together incredible artists, creatives and thinkers to help address some of the biggest issues facing the world at this time. "It is an honour to welcome Simone Ashley, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Dr Stacy L. Smith and many others to Oxford's iconic Sheldonian Theatre for a day that celebrates how women are shaping change and progress in the film and television industry." Partners in the event also include Oxford Brookes University, Oxford Film Foundation and Film Oxford.
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Simone Ashley, Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Stacy L. Smith to Headline Women in Film Conference (EXCLUSIVE)
'Bridgerton' breakout Simon Ashley, Apple TV+'s 'Surface' lead star Gugu Mbatha-Raw and the USC's Annenberg Inclusion Initiative founder Dr. Stacy L. Smith are set to lead the lineup at the upcoming Women in Film Conference, to be held at Oxford University. The day-long event at the university's Sheldonian Theater will, according to organizers, celebrate change and urge further progress. More from Variety 'Picture This' Review: Prime Video's Charming Rom-Com Remake Follows an Enterprising Photographer Speed Dating to Save Her Business 'Barbie,' 'A Thousand and One' and 'Joy Ride' Rank Among the Inclusion List's 150 Most Inclusive Films Gugu Mbatha-Raw Leads Cast of Sky's Jamaica-Set Limited Thriller Series 'Inheritance,' Tackling Enduring Legacy of Colonialism Ashley, recently seen in Amazon Prime's 'Picture This,' will be interviewed on stage by Smith, whose Annenberg Inclusion Initiative is co-sponsoring the event alongside Oxford University's Cultural Programme and the Ghetto Film School. 'Simone is a multi-hyphenate who is clearly the future of the entertainment industry,' said Smith. 'As we celebrate women's work across entertainment, Simone's voice represents the newest and next generation of leaders. Giving her the stage to talk about her career, her ambitions, and her vision of success will undoubtedly inspire our audience and elevate the conversation on women in film.' Ashley is set to appear on stage after the BIFA Award-winning Mbatha-Raw, who rose to prominence across film with roles in 'Belle,' 'Concussion,' 'A Wrinkle in Time,' 'Fast Color,' and 'Motherless Brooklyn.' 'Gugu brings a wealth of experience and wisdom to her work and conversations like these,' added Smith. 'She has embodied film and television roles across the U.S. and U.K., and worked with incredible talent on screen and behind the camera. By joining us at Oxford, Gugu can share her unique knowledge of the entertainment ecosystem by discussing her career journey, how she has navigated the industry, and provide our audience with insights on what it is like to be an artist in the film and television business today.' The event will also feature a panel conversation from industry names including Oriane Pick ('The Date'), two-time Oscar-nominee and BAFTA-winning producer Finola Dwyer ('Brooklyn,' 'An Education'), and casting director Lucy Bevan ('Barbie,' 'The Batman'). Additionally, the day will feature a screening of shorts by Ghetto Film School students and an evening screening of the BAFTA-winning documentary 'For Sama' with a Q&A with director Waad Al-Kateab. Smith, meanwhile. will be presenting new research on the status of women in global film. 'There has been significant progress for women in cinema and for content focused on women,' she said. 'Through research and data, we can see where there is more to do, particularly for women of color in entertainment.' The Women in Film Conference will take place on May 12. 'As we build our programme towards the opening of the new Schwarzman Centre at Oxford University we passionately believe in bringing together incredible artists, creatives and thinkers to help address some of the biggest issues facing the world at this time,' said Josie Bamford, executive producer, Oxford University Cultural Programme. 'It is an honour to welcome Simone Ashley, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Dr. Stacy L. Smith and many others to Oxford's iconic Sheldonian Theatre for a day that celebrates how women are shaping change and progress in the film and television industry.' Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week What's Coming to Disney+ in April 2025 The Best Celebrity Memoirs to Read This Year: From Chelsea Handler to Anthony Hopkins
The Guardian
23-02-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Gugu Mbatha-Raw: ‘It's good to trust your gut'
Early on in Gugu Mbatha-Raw's career, an older, white actor advised she change her name to something easier to pronounce. She declined – a strong choice for a young actor. 'I don't think it's that strong,' rebuts Mbatha-Raw. She likes her name. Besides, 'it means 'Our Pride' in Zulu. To change that would be the antithesis of its meaning.' Mbatha-Raw is known for choosing roles that combine art and social advocacy. She's won awards, been honoured with an MBE, appointed a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Refugee Agency. People still mispronounce her name, though. The most extreme example she recalls was in Norway, when a host announced her from a piece of paper. 'Gucci… Matthew… Ray? I was like, 'I guess that's me!'' I wonder if this says something about the west's complacency regarding the achievements of those with ethnic roots elsewhere. Doesn't middle England relate more easily to names that reflect their own? 'I disagree,' she says. 'I think it's OK for people to be challenged. To reach outside their culture and know that's not all there is.' Yes, but do they? 'Well, you've got to give them the opportunity.' The answer brings me up short. We're at a farmhouse table at a west London photography studio. When I walked in, Mbatha-Raw was wearing beads of jewellery and doing a fan dance with a pink tutu. She's here to promote the second series of Surface, the Apple TV thriller about a woman who suffers memory loss after an apparent suicide attempt. 'I'd seen other amnesia stories, but always featuring a male protagonist, from a male point of view,' she says. Surface, made by Hello Sunshine, Reese Witherspoon's media company, offered Mbatha-Raw the opportunity to come on board as an executive producer. She relished being a bigger part of the process, from pitching to Apple to choosing the creative team and having a voice at script level. Surface investigates identity, trust and trauma. The first series, set in San Francisco, was measured and mysterious. The second series takes place in the UK – 'darker, faster-paced, a bit grittier.' It also boasts a bigger cast including Joely Richardson and Tara Fitzgerald, actors Mbatha-Raw looks up to. Of anyone working today, who does she most admire? 'Cate Blanchett', she says. 'I love how she carries herself in the world.' Blanchett, a fellow UNHCR Goodwill ambassador, is widely respected for her elegance and range, splitting roles between stage and screen. Also, 'I don't know much about her personal life, which I like.' Mbatha-Raw has never publicly discussed her private life (it's unknown if she is currently in a relationship). 'It's a way to have longevity as an artist,' she explains. Her job is to take audiences on an imaginative journey through a character. The more they know about the actor, the less they believe. 'If people have too many ideas about your world, it dilutes the work,' she says. It's a purist view of the craft. 'There's this Michaela Coel quote from a few years ago, about how it's OK to disappear,' she goes on. 'As an artist you need to refill the well, have something to say.' She remembers life before the internet and social media. 'I'm thankful to have a perspective that isn't just pushing yourself out there, simply for the sake of being present.' Her self-possession is admirable, but it comes with a certain reserve, a graceful front I'm not sure I'm allowed to see behind. I wonder if I should tease her, but it's hard – she's a Teflon mix of LA positivity and British politeness. She keeps a gratitude journal, which she combines with morning pages (a daily practice of stream-of-consciousness writing), and is given to exclaiming 'Oh gosh!' like Ned Flanders. When someone sets down a plate of fresh-baked brownies on the table in front of us, she actually says 'Holy moly!' I tell her she has head girl energy. 'Well, I was head girl,' she says. Optimism is part of everything she does. Getting up at 4am to film on location in the freezing cold necessitates faith in a larger goal. 'You have to believe in things you can't yet see.' Mbatha-Raw was born in the small town of Witney in Oxfordshire in 1983, to a white mother, Anne, a nurse, and a black South African father, Patrick, a physician. Her parents met at the Churchill Hospital, a cancer centre, and divorced when she was around three. They remain active presences in her life. Her mother gave her confidence and work ethic, she says, and supported every interest, from saxophone to ballet. An only child, she was already itching to begin the life of a professional artist. 'I would've moved to London at age 12,' she says, 'if she'd let me.' Her father, an activist who fled apartheid, gifted her political awareness. She remembers dinner table conversations that gave her a global perspective, opening up questions about justice and equality. 'As my dad always said, in South Africa, you're politicised at birth. It's not a luxury, or a choice.' She has family in Johannesburg. Visiting the country as an adult deepened her understanding of Britain's role in world history. 'Culturally, that's something we're still figuring out.' As an adolescent, painting was her passion. During the YBA years she was inspired by Damien Hirst and Tracey Emin, and by the fleshy, psychologically acute portraits of Jenny Saville. But theatre ultimately brought her more out of herself. She started attending the National Youth Music Theatre and was accepted into Rada, which she started two weeks after 9/11. She made her name in a 2009 production of Hamlet opposite Jude Law, followed by the landmark 2013 film Belle. Two years later she was nominated for an Evening Standard award for her performance in Jess Swale's play Nell Gwyn, about an orange seller who rose socially to become the mistress of Charles II. She gained a new level of visibility starring in San Junipero, the queer, Emmy-winning episode of Black Mirror. In 2017 the Queen awarded her an MBE for services to drama. Social change happens incrementally, but there are people and moments that drive it. Belle, the 2013 film in which Mbatha-Raw played mixed-race aristocrat Lady Dido Elizabeth Belle, was one. Based on a true story, it helped overturn staid assumptions of what period drama looked like. Without Belle, there might not have been a Bridgerton, a show she credits with lasting influence in her industry, particularly the hiring of non-white crew members on sets. 'There's a generation of runners and assistants on Bridgerton who are coming up from there, moving onwards.' Diversity is a cause she's passionate about. While her achievements are frequently held up as a success story, representation is only one aspect of it. 'You could go, 'Oh [the industry has been] fixed because there's this person in front of the camera',' she says. 'But actually behind the camera is no different than it's been for years.' In the last two or three years she's noticed a positive shift, she says, at least in the UK. She now uses her executive role to widen opportunity when staffing crews, as a condition of her involvement. The last two sets she's worked on have been 'by far the most diverse of my whole career, and that's not by accident'. I ask if she experienced racism growing up in a small town in the 80s. She wasn't really aware of racism, she says. This stuns me. 'I don't know if I was living in a post-racial bubble of ignorance, or if that was just my experience,' she shrugs. When she was a little older, she learned more about her father's experiences under apartheid. Working in America in her mid-20s was another turning point. The media there is far more sharply tuned to race, and she observed people keen to assign labels, sometimes farcically. An early experience was ppromoting JJ Abrams's espionage drama Undercovers in 2010. She recalls being introduced by a host, who announced, 'This is the first show to feature two African-American leads since The Cosby Show!' The only problem being: 'I'm biracial British, and my co-star was German-Ghanaian.' She's since worked with the biggest names in showbusiness, including Oprah Winfrey, who was supportive of Belle, and whom she later acted alongside in Ava DuVernay's A Wrinkle in Time. The last time they met was for Edward Enninful's final Vogue cover, which showcased 40 stars including Serena Williams, Naomi Campbell and Laverne Cox, over the strapline 'Legendary!' It was surreal, she says. 'To be in a room with somebody like Jane Fond…' she catches herself. 'With Jane Fonda! There's nobody like Jane Fonda.' It is an extraordinary cover: a latter-day, female Sergeant Pepper. 'Everyone thought it was Photoshopped! With AI and CGI, no one believes we were all in one place.' The day may have been a blur, but something stayed with her. 'I was in awe of the elders. The mature women in the room, and that idea of longevity that I aspire to.' Longevity is hard for anyone, and there is extra pressure on people of colour. I ask about Will Smith, her co-star on Concussion. She has nothing but praise for his generosity, like the occasion she mentioned she no longer had time for painting. 'The next day, my trailer was filled with paints and an easel, in classic Will Smith style.' During the pandemic Mbatha-Raw was locked down in her Los Angeles apartment. Turning out cupboards in boredom, she found the unused art materials Smith had given her. She began painting portraits from photographs, as a way of connecting with family who weren't there. 'To be able to concentrate on somebody's face made me feel close to them.' Painting every day, and watching the news, she saw America's racial divisions play out. At the most painful collective moment of 2020, she painted portraits of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, black citizens killed by the police. 'It became a way to metabolise what was going on.' She later auctioned the pieces to raise money for Equal Justice Initiative, The Bail Project, M4BL and Black Lives Matter. Life is short, she says as we finish. 'You hope people appreciate what you're trying to do, but you can't get hung up on it.' There's that self-possession again. It feels innate, but Mbatha-Raw insists it's something she's worked on over time. So what's been the key to her confidence? It boils down to trusting one's intuition. 'If something isn't feeling good, I'm OK to say it right away, rather than fester,' she reflects. 'Your gut is always trying to tell you something.' After years living out of a suitcase, she's now settled back in Oxfordshire. Though settled may be the wrong word. We'll see her leading upcoming Doctor Who spin-off, The War Between the Land and the Sea. She's about to fly to the Caribbean for two months to complete Inheritance, a Sky Original which addresses legacies of slavery and colonialism. Filmed between Bristol and Jamaica, the show will tackle the theme of slavery reparations, and how we measure the harms of the past. 'It's going to be a conversation provoker; and I'm excited for the conversation.' She's where she wants to be, sailing right into the storms that rage loudest. Or maybe she's making her own weather. How does she switch off? More often than not, watching nature documentaries. 'Something where there's no acting,' she says, pondering the appeal. 'That fish is just being itself. Just swimming in the ocean. That's relaxing to me.' Surface season 2 is streaming on Apple TV+ Fashion editor Jo Jones; hair by James Catalano at The Wall Group using Amika; makeup by Tania Grier using Prada Beauty; fashion assistant Sam Deaman; photographer's assistants Ethan Humphries and Sophie Phillips
Yahoo
22-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The TVLine-Up: What's Returning, New and Leaving the Week of Feb. 23
This weekly feature is in addition to TVLine's daily column, our monthly breakdown of , and our master list of . With over 500 scripted shows now airing across broadcast, cable and streaming, it's easy to forget that a favorite comedy is returning, or that the new 'prestige drama' you anticipated is about to debut. So consider this our reminder to set your DVR, order a Season Pass, pop a fresh Memorex into the VCR… however it is you roll. More from TVLine Every New Scripted Show Confirmed to Premiere in 2025 — Save the Dates! When Is Your Favorite TV Show Back? An A-to-Z List of 300+ Scripted Series Surface Season 2 Premiere: Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Millie Brady Talk Sophie and Eliza's 'Dark History' and 'Messy' Dynamic This week, you'll find six returning series (including 1923, Shoresy and Survivor), 11 series debuts (including Stephen Amell in Suits LA, Melissa Fumero in Gross Pointe Garden Society and Kate Hudson in Running Point) and three finales (including All Creatures Great and Small and Rogue Heroes). SUNDAY, FEB. 233 am 1923 Season 2 premiere (Paramount+)7 pm The Americas docuseries premiere (NBC)8 pm County Rescue Season 2 premiere (Great American Family)8 pm SAG Awards (Netflix)9 pm All Creatures Great and Small Season 5 finale (PBS)9 pm The Food That Built America Season 6 premiere (History)9 pm No Taste Like Home With Antoni Porowski series premiere (NatGeo)9 pm Rogue Heroes Season 2 finale (MGM+)9 pm Suits LA series premiere (NBC)10 pm The Baldwins series premiere (TLC)10 pm Bar Rescue winter premiere (Paramount Network)10 pm Funny Woman Season 2 finale (PBS)10 pm Gross Pointe Garden Society series premiere (NBC) MONDAY, FEB. 242 pm Beyond the Gates series premiere (CBS) TUESDAY, FEB. 253 am Black Ops series premiere (Hulu; all six episodes)3 am Full Swing Season 3 premiere (Netflix; all eight episodes)3 am Matthew Perry: A Hollywood Tragedy documentary premiere (Peacock)3 am Venom: The Last Dance streaming premiere (Netflix)9 pm Eyes on the Prize III: We Who Believe in Freedom docuseries premiere (HBO) WEDNESDAY, FEB. 263 am Shoresy Season 4 premiere (Hulu; all six episodes)8 pm Survivor Season 48 premiere (CBS) THURSDAY, FEB. 273 am Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke docuseries premiere (Hulu; all three episodes)3 am House of David series premiere (Prime Video; first three episodes)3 am Running Point series premiere (Netflix; all 10 episodes)3 am Toxic Town limited series premiere (Netflix; all four episodes) FRIDAY, FEB. 283 am The Lord of the Rings: The War of Rohirrim streaming premiere (Max) SATURDAY, MARCH 13 am Strange Darling streaming premiere (Paramount+ With Showtime)7 pm WWE Elimination Chamber (Peacock) . Your February Streaming Guide Is Here! View List Best of TVLine Weirdest TV Crossovers: Always Sunny Meets Abbott, Family Guy vs. Simpsons, Nine-Nine Recruits New Girl and More ER Turns 30: See the Original County General Crew, Then and Now The Best Streaming Services in 2024: Disney+, Hulu, Max and More
