Latest news with #Lolita
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- General
- Daily Mail
Harrowing plight of world's loneliest killer whales and dolphins: Tragic stories behind majestic sea creatures neglected and abused in marine parks
They swim in dizzying circles, they go blind and they die slowly. This is the miserable existence endured by many of the sea creatures kept in captivity. Some of the most disturbing cases of animal abuse in living memory have unfolded at marine parks. Behind smiling trainers posing for photos and animals performing tricks for cheering crowds, creatures are suffering in silence. Animal rights activists have spent years trying to end the torment - but the horror stories keep emerging. Recent shocking examples of neglect include dolphins going blind from chlorine exposure, a distressed whale repeatedly headbutting its tank, and a manatee wasting away under the weight of isolation. As the public finally begins to grasp the cruelty hidden beneath the unnatural spectacle, pressure is mounting on those still profiting from these watery prisons. Heartbreaking story of Lolita Lolita, the 'loneliest whale in the world', spent more than 50 years in captivity before she died, aged 57, in 2023. Experts had long protested against the mammal's poor living conditions at Miami Seaquarium, including the size of her cramped 80-foot long and 35-foot wide pool. Lolita's body was roughly the same length as the tank itself, making it impossible for her to fully submerge. Heartbreaking video footage showed the creature floating aimlessly under the scorching sun. Plans to return Lolita to the wild had been in place shortly before her death, but tragically, she passed away before she could be set free. Lolita started exhibiting serious signs of discomfort days before she died. She received treatment but could not be saved. Just 10 years after Lolita arrived at the aquarium, her companion Hugo died of an aneurysm that was caused by repeated head trauma, earning her the title of the world's loneliest whale. Washington's Lummi Nation, a Native American tribe, traveled to Miami in 2018 to leave a nearly 4,000lb totem pole behind as part of an effort to bring the orca back to Washington. It was part of an $8.5million effort to bring Lolita home, according to CBC. Jewell James, a member of the tribe, accused the Seaquarium of abandoning the animal's needs for money by forcing her to perform for audiences a couple of times a day and said keeping her in the 20-foot tank was like keeping her in a prison cell. 'She's our relative and we want her back,' he said. Lolita was the oldest whale in captivity and performed until 2022 when she was finally retired after falling ill. In a statement made following Lolita's death Miami Seaquarium described her as 'an inspiration to all who had the fortune to hear her story'. 'At her advanced age, her passing is not a complete surprise,' the facility added. 'Yet it is a tremendous and overwhelming loss, one felt particularly by those who have loved and cared for her on a daily basis, as well as those around the world that care so much for her.' Dolphin smashes into concrete during display The horrifying moment a dolphin died after leaping out of a pool at a Mexican resort and smashing down into the concrete floor was caught on camera in January. Footage filmed by a tourist shows a group of dolphins jumping out of the water in sync during a show at the Barcelo Riviera Maya hotel in Mexico. But one of them can be seen missing the mark and hitting a narrow sliver of concrete separating the big pool from a smaller one as the crowd gasped in shock. The dolphin appeared lifeless as it lied by the side of the pool, with a trainer rushing over to check on the marine mammal. Some of the other dolphins then emerged from the water, appearing to check on their pod mate. The dolphin's horrifying death has caused outrage, with animal rights organisations including Animal Heroes, Dolphin Freedom, Marea and Oceanos De Vida Libre announcing its death in a joint statement. 'For a year now, the organisations Animal Heroes, Dolphin Freedom, Marea, and Oceanos De Vida Libre have maintained a permanent campaign demanding the closure of this dolphinarium, which is one of the smallest in Mexico,' they said. Hotel Barceló closed earlier this month after a series of videos exposed the appalling treatment of dolphins there. Phil Demers, director of UrgentSeas, said the mammals were being imprisoned in small, dirty pools. Footage captured by the non-profit organisation, which works to expose cruel captive dolphin and whale facilities, shows two dolphins swimming aimlessly round the subpar facilities. The concrete pool where the animals live is located mere feet from the Caribbean Sea and is just over six feet deep, leaving the dolphins exposed to constant sunlight — which experts say can burn their skin. UrgentSeas say they were first contacted about the horrific conditions at Dolphinaris Barcelo, in Quintana Roo, months ago, but that authorities failed to take action. The park was only shut down after the organisation's videos of the dolphins sparked public outrage, according to Demers. 'We were first alerted about the conditions months ago as we learned that authorities were allowing for repeated violations to continue at the park,' the 47-year-old said. 'Once we saw the conditions for ourselves, we knew we had to make some noise to expose the issues. 'The conditions were unacceptable - so much so that we felt compelled to act. 'We started publishing videos, which went immediately viral, causing a major public outrage. The reaction was powerful. 'Their social media accounts were inundated with negative reviews and comments, and authorities were called to take actual action. 'Authorities were finally forced to shut down the awful tank, which had been our long goal. 'We are ecstatic that authorities have taken this action.' Distressed whale bashes head against wall A 'distressed' killer whale caged at a water park in Canada was filmed smashing her head against the side of her tank in after spending a decade in isolation in 2021. Kiska was seen violently headbutting the glass at MarineLand, Niagara Falls, in the heartbreaking 30-second clip. Activists were outraged by the footage and campaigned to release Kiska - but their efforts were unsuccessful and she died in 2023 aged 47. According to iNews, Rob Lott, end captivity campaigner at the Whale and Dolphin Conservation, said Kiska's behaviour in the video 'is a direct, stress-related result of wild-caught Icelandic orca, Kiska being raised in an artificial, concrete environment for the last four decades'. 'Sadly, this isn't unique and the repetitive, self-inflicted behaviour shown by Kiska has been seen in other captive orcas where years of boredom in barren, featureless tanks with little or no stimulation manifests itself this way,' he said. The cause of death for the whale was not released, but MarineLand said in a statement that her health had been declining for weeks. The theme park said: 'MarineLand's marine mammal care team and experts did everything possible to support Kiska's comfort and will mourn her loss.' At three years of age, Kiska was taken from her family near Iceland, along with an orca named Keiko, who later starred in the 1993 film Free Willy. She was taken to an aquarium in Iceland, where she stayed with four other young orcas, including Keiko. Shortly afterwards, Kiska was sold, along with Keiko, to MarineLand, according to animal activist Phil Demers, who previously worked at the park. Keiko was then sold on to an entertainment park in Mexico but would later be rescued, rehabilitated and returned to the sea near Iceland. Keiko died of pneumonia in 2003 in a bay in Norway at the age of 27. At MarineLand Kiska gave birth to five calves - Athena, Hudson, Nova, Kanuck, and one who did not live long enough to be named. All of the calves died at a young age. Kiska was the last captive orca in Canada and the focus of several animal activist protests at MarineLand. Animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) described Kiska as the 'world's loneliest orca' whose life was affected by 'tragedy after tragedy' after the death of her calves. The Whale Sanctuary Project said: 'Studies suggest that orcas' capacity to feel deep, complex emotions rivals or even exceeds the emotional capacity possessed by humans. 'The bond between mother and calf is so deep that it is hard to imagine the grief and trauma of each of Kiska's losses over the years.' Cruel trainer caught straddling dolphin A trainer at Dubai Dolphinarium was investigated for alleged animal abuse after video emerged of her sitting on the back of one of the animals. The footage, captured at the UAE tourist attraction in 2019, shows the female trainer sitting on a dolphin's back for around six seconds before it dives into a pool. Experts said the stunt could easily have damaged the dolphin's organs because the mammals cannot support their own body weight outside of water, so adding the weight of a human on top of that risks causing serious harm. Campaigners identified two trainers who they said were responsible for the video, both of whom deleted their accounts after the incident. A spokesman for the Dolphinarium, which opened in 2008, confirmed at the time that an investigation was underway but refused to discuss it further. Dr Elsayed Mohammad, Regional Director of the International Fund for Animal Welfare, told Gulf News: 'It is well known that the body of dolphins is very sensitive. 'The dolphin's body is not adaptable to any pressure outside water. Pressing the abdomen of the dolphin to the floor can easily harm its internal organs. 'If you punch the abdomen of a person, you can imagine how painful it is. 'Regardless of whether it's a few seconds or not, it's wrong. It is animal cruelty.' The Dubai Dolphinarium is a popular tourist attraction which offers people the chance to watch dolphins and seals perform circus-style tricks in daily shows. The 45-minute performances include the animals dancing, singing, juggling, playing ball, and jumping through hoops. Guests can also pay extra for a 'swim with dolphins' experience, which involves being hauled along while clinging to the animal's belly fins or dorsal fin. World's saddest orca Heartbreaking footage taken in 2024 showed a captive killer whale laying almost motionless whilst staring at the gate to his enclosure for 24 hours straight. Kshamenk, a 35-year-old Orca, is being held in a tiny pool at Mundo Marino, Argentina's largest aquarium. Shocked visitors have accused the park of holding the killer whale in cramped conditions with restricted movement and in total isolation from its own species. A 24-hour timelapse filmed by campaign group UrgentSeas shows Kshamenk languishing motionless with his face pointed directly towards the enclosure's gate as if asking to be let out. Kshamenk - previously described as 'the world's loneliest Orca' - was first brought to Mundo Marino in 1992 after being captured off the Samborombón Bay on the coast of Buenos Aires. According to the aquarium, the then three-year-old orca was found beached on the bay by three fishermen along with three other killer whales. Kshamenk was then taken to his concrete tank at the aquarium, where he has spent the last 32 years. His tankmate Belen died in 2000, at the age of 13, meaning that he has reportedly spent the last 24 years in total isolation from his own species. UrgentSeas, a non-profit organisation advocating to end marine captivity, is campaigning to free Kshamenk and bring him to an open sanctuary with other orcas to socialise with. He is now the last remaining captive killer whale in Argentina. A spokesperson from the organisation said: 'We continue to work with Argentinian activists and members of Congress to try to highlight and address his cruel world. 'He needs to be removed from his tiny concrete tank and to join other members of his species before it's too late.' Petitions calling for Kshamenk to be released to the wild have garnered tens of thousands of signatures. But, in a statement sent to ABC News, Mundo Marino said this is 'impossible'. The statement read: 'We are aware of what some activist groups believe about a hypothetical reintroduction; we respect their position, but the reality is that this is a proposal without a consistent scientific basis. 'It is impossible for Kshamenk to return to the sea without putting his life at serious risk.' Manatee kept in solitary confinement Drone footage exposed how a 69-year-old manatee named Romeo had been left to live out his twilight years alone in tiny 30ft concrete pool. The heartbreaking video, taken in 2023, shows the gentle creature using one flipper to swim in dizzying circles in his isolated, murky cage at Miami Seaquarium. Manatees are semi-social animals and 'suffer psychologically when not living in pairs or groups' - but Romeo had been alone for years after being separated from his partner, and the mother of his offspring, Juliet. But, although it's rare for stories of animals kept in captivity to have positive outcomes, Romeo was one of the lucky ones. The clip went viral and led to more than 20,000 people signing a petition putting pressure on the Florida aquarium to release him. And, in December 2023, their wishes were granted and the gentle giant was finally freed from his miserable prison. The Manatee Rescue & Rehabilitation Partnership (MRP) successfully transported three manatees – Romeo, Juliet and Clarity – from Miami Seaquarium (MSQ) to SeaWorld Orlando and ZooTampa. The transportation was a tremendous struggle due to the animals' size, weight and health condition. But accompanied by specialized vehicles and an experienced team of vets and animal care specialists, all three made the trip safely. In a report released earlier that month the USDA cited the Miami Seaquarium for alleged insufficient animal care and staffing problems - and lambasted them for their treatment of Romeo. The report said that Romeo had been housed alone in his enclosure because the three other manatees he was living with were released back into the wild in the spring. And despite numerous attempts to acquire another manatee the Seaquarium did not meet the requirements to do so. The report noted: 'Although numerous attempts have been made to acquire another manatee it was determined the facility did not yet meet the requirements to receive another animal. 'Manatees are semi-social animals and do better medically and psychologically when they are housed in pairs or groups.' Miami Seaquarium also housed the 'loneliest whale in the world', Lolita before she died. The facility was ordered to close and vacate its premises on April 21, 2024. Killer whales left to die France's last two captive killer whales are stranded in an abandoned algae-infested Marine park, neglected with the exception of a skeleton staff that comes in intermittently to feed them. In a nearby smaller tank, 12 bottlenose dolphins are the only other occupants of the facility, who have been stuck in bleak living conditions since January. The majestic creatures remain confined in Marineland Antibes, a French marine park near Cannes that shut its doors four months ago. Disturbing drone footage released by animal activist group TideBreakers shows the orcas Wikie, 23, and her 11-year-old son Keijo wandering aimlessly around the abandoned park. The video also shows the algae-infested pool where the remaining dolphins are kept. But despite their despairing condition, French authorities have yet to identify a suitable site in Europe for the orcas and have rejected a proposed move to a marine zoo in Japan. Marketa Schusterova, co-founder of TideBreakers, said: 'The situation in Marineland Antibes is an emergency and needs worldwide attention. 'These are the last two remaining orcas in captivity in France and they should be moved quickly. 'The orcas need to be removed from dangerous conditions that are posing significant risks to their health and safety.' The marine park closed on January 5, citing legislation banning shows featuring cetaceans such as dolphins and whales, which the French government passed in 2021. Since then, the management for Marineland have been shuffling through various options for where to rehome the animals, especially the orcas. Though Marineland has closed as a marine zoo business, they are still legally responsible for the welfare of the animals until they are rehomed. The orcas were both born in captivity so could never survive in the wild. Animals trapped in filthy tanks Dolphins housed at Florida's Gulf World Marine Park have finally been relocated after they were reportedly left to rot and swim in their own filth. Activists demanded the animals be moved after five dolphins have died there in less than a year. It comes after the facility's company went bankrupt in March and could not afford to maintain it. Campaigners believe the conditions were so bad that dolphins had started going blind after they were filmed swimming with their eyes 'jammed shut' in murky water. Campaigners believe the conditions were so bad that dolphins had started going blind after they were filmed swimming with their eyes 'jammed shut' in murky water The rough-toothed were transported to Clearwater Marine Aquarium on June 4 and authorities have launched an investigation into their former home. Despite activists voicing concerns over the well-being of the marine life at Gulf World the park remained open until May 30. Until then dolphins were forced to perform tricks for crowds and endure human encounters with customers who pay £97 to swim in their enclosure. A scathing report released earlier this year exposed the dire living conditions of the animals housed at the park. It raised a litany of concerns such as dolphin holding tanks filled with algae, broken water filters, lack of shade, and deteriorating facilities. The filter in one of the dolphins' tanks stopped working last November, and the filter in the second tank only works at 50% capacity, meaning they have reportedly been swimming around in their own filth for six months. Meanwhile, green algae has started growing in the crumbling tanks and inspectors from the US Department of Agriculture scraped nearly six inches of the plant off the step of one of the pools. The animals had been moved to a separate pool so staff could 'shock' the water with granular chlorine to treat the algae growth. But the harsh chemical can cause blindness in dolphins after repeated exposure and and aerial footage from campaign group Tidebreakers suggested the poor water quality had started to cause health problems. Five dolphins at Gulf Word have died in mysterious circumstances within six months including one in March that landed on its head in front of children in a shallow part of the pool. Jett, who was 14 and had lived his entire life at Gulf World, dove head-first into the shallows during a show, causing a fatal brain injury. Crying park staff had to escort families out of the arena so medics could treat the dying animal. Experts later suggested Jett could have misjudged his jump due to the murkiness of the water, which has been the subject of concern for months. Three more dolphins died within a week of each other last October. Gus, 14, was euthanised for a life-threatening condition, 15-year-old Turk contracted a bacterial lung disease, and Nate, 20, died from systemic infection, according to the Marine Mammal Inventory Report. The most recent fatality came just one week ago when a dolphin called Samira died. The World's loneliest dolphin Honey, the 'world's loneliest dolphin', died in 2020 after spending two years alone in a tiny tank at a derelict aquarium. The creature - who had spent her life in captivity - was abandoned at the Inubosaki Marine Park Aquarium in Japan along with dozens of penguins in 2018. Activists campaigned to free the animals but their efforts were unsuccessful and Honey never escaped her gloomy prison. The operator of the park shut the facility following a decline in visitors after the 2011 earthquake and Fukushima nuclear crisis. But, Honey and 46 penguins, along with hundreds of fish and reptiles, were left behind, an official with the Chiba Health and Welfare department said. Photos and video taken by activists from outside the park at the time show Honey floating in a tiny pool in an eerily empty facility. In another picture, dust-covered penguins can be seen perched on a crumbling structure near a pile of debris. The female bottlenose dolphin was captured in 2005 near Taiji, a western port town that has become notorious for its annual dolphin hunt that was featured in the Oscar-winning 2009 documentary The Cove, Japanese media reports. The Dolphin Project attempted to intervene, reaching out to rescue Honey and the other abandoned animals. They even explored purchasing her from the new owners of the facility in an effort to offer Honey a peaceful retirement. However, by March 2020, it became clear that her health had deteriorated beyond recovery and she passed away.
Daily Mirror
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Scandalous debut to summer staple: The evolution of the bikini as it turns 75
The bikini has been making waves as a summer essential since it was created in the 1940s. As we dust off our swimwear once again, here's a look back at the evolution of the iconic two-piece The iconic bikini, a staple of summer fashion since the 1940s, is nearly 80 years old and still turning heads. Diana Vreeland, the legendary fashion editor at Harpers Bazaar and Vogue, once famously remarked that the bikini was "the most important thing since the discovery of the atomic bomb." Indeed, Vreeland's observation holds true as the two-piece continues to captivate with its enduring allure and provocative charm. This tiny garment has made an unprecedented impact on fashion history. Tracing back to the mid-19th century, swimsuits have adorned the figures of those frequenting the beaches of Normandy and Biarritz. However, it was in the summer of 1946 that swimwear experienced a revolutionary change. Inspired by the first American nuclear test at Bikini Atoll, French engineer and textile manufacturer Louis Réard unleashed a sartorial sensation upon post-war France: the bikini. Réard, while soaking up the sun in Saint-Tropez, noticed women rolling down their swimsuits for a fuller tan, which led him to design a swimsuit that left the midriff entirely exposed. The so-called "world's smallest swimsuit" made from mere scraps of fabric and adorned with Bernardini's fan mail excerpts, scandalously revealed her navel – a body part deemed too intimate for the public eye at the time. Brigitte Bardot became an early advocate when she famously donned a simple floral bikini on Cannes' beaches in 1953. At just 18, Bardot's bold choice helped cement the bikini as an emblem of youthful rebellion and the burgeoning consumer culture of her era. By the 1960s, bikinis continued to ride a wave of popularity, even as some European beaches still banned them. Hollywood played a pivotal role in the bikini's enduring appeal. The James Bond flick Dr. No featured Ursula Andress emerging from the ocean in a now-iconic white belted bikini, a scene that caused quite the splash. Channel 4 hailed this moment as the ultimate bikini scene in cinematic history, and in 2001, the bikini fetched £46,070 ($61,500) at auction, with film writer Martin Rubin calling it a "defining moment in the Sixties liberalisation of screen eroticism". In the same year, actress Sue Lyon was seen lounging on the grass in a floral bikini in Lolita, while Raquel Welch donned a fur two-piece in One Million Years B.C. (1966). These iconic film scenes played a significant role in popularising the bikini worldwide. However, it wasn't until 1968 that the bikini really took off in France, as social rebellion and the rise of feminism began to redefine women's fashion and its symbolism. 1980s By the 1980s, bikinis accounted for 20% of swimsuit sales in the US, outperforming all other swimwear styles. However, with growing awareness of skin cancer, the popularity of the skimpy bikini plummeted. Suddenly, high-rise one-pieces were all the rage. Alongside one-pieces, variations of the bikini like the 'tankini' and 'camikini', featuring long tops that covered the midriff and ended at the hip bones, gained popularity. Swimwear icons such as Baywatch's Pamela Anderson and Sports Illustrated model Cindy Crawford were often seen in plunging one-pieces and high-waisted bottoms. 1990s As the Eighties athleisure trend began to favour simpler aesthetics, the bikini made a triumphant return. Luxury brands started transforming the two-piece swimsuit into high-glamour fashion statements. In 1996, Chanel downsized the bikini and adorned it with its iconic logo, showcasing it on the runway modelled by supermodel Stella Tennant. The following year, Tom Ford at Gucci pushed the boundaries further with an almost invisible ombré thong bikini embellished with a bold metal G – designed for all genders and intended to be noticed. 2000s – 2010s Today, the bikini continues to be a contentious item of clothing, often finding itself under censorship. In 2013, an advert featuring Pamela Anderson dancing in a bikini was banned by the British Advertising Standards Authority for degrading women. That same year, Cambridge University prohibited the Wyverns Club of Magdalene College from organising its annual bikini jelly wrestling contest. However, as designers become more inclusive and innovative with their designs, it appears that the bikini has entered its golden age. A symbol of liberation and freedom, the bikini remains one of the most popular sectors of the fashion industry, being valued at around $811 million. Regardless of its future transformations, one thing is certain: the bikini is here to stay.
Express Tribune
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Filmmaker talks exile from Russia to Britain
Russian filmmaker Roma Liberov had long been fascinated by writers who fled the country after the 1917 Bolshevik revolution. He never imagined that he would one day become an exile himself. In the midst of the COVID pandemic in January 2021, Liberov left Russia because of a powerful conviction that its people had become "hostages of the state" and that a long-simmering conflict with Ukraine would erupt into full-scale war. Thirteen months later, his fears became reality when Russia invaded its neighbour. In 2023, he was designated as a "foreign agent", making it very risky to return. Yet even now, Liberov said he suffers doubts, and wonders if he should have stayed. "It's always louder when you're in the same cage, when you experience the same difficulties, when you are with your country and with your people, with all its grief and joy. And now ... for those who stayed in Russia, I'm a betrayer, I'm an alien, I'm someone who left." Artists who move abroad are "condemned to be forgotten in our home country. We need to declare that we exist," he said. We Exist! is the title Liberov gave to a 2023 "film concert" he produced that features Russian musicians now spread across the world from Montenegro to Argentina. It is also the name of the cultural foundation he runs from London, which aims to promote arts throughout the Russian diaspora. When Russia was convulsed by revolution and civil war more than a century ago, an estimated two million people fled abroad including artists, musicians and poets. Some, like Vladimir Nabokov, author of Lolita, became famous in the West, while others lived in near-obscurity, haunted by the desire to return home but able to do so only in their imaginations. Liberov is equally fascinated by those who made the opposite choice and remained in Russia despite the danger of persecution, such as the poet Anna Akhmatova. REUTERS
TimesLIVE
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- TimesLIVE
From London, a Russian film maker explores the pain of exile
When Russia was convulsed by revolution and civil war more than a century ago, an estimated two million people fled abroad, including artists, musicians and poets. Some, like Vladimir Nabokov, author of Lolita, became famous in the West, while others lived in near-obscurity, haunted by the desire to return home but able to do so only in their imaginations. Liberov is equally fascinated by those who made the opposite choice and remained in Russia despite the danger of persecution, such as the poet Anna Akhmatova. Akhmatova wrote dozens of poems reproaching her former lover Boris Anrep for leaving her, and Russia, behind, foreshadowing what Liberov calls the 'terrible conversation' taking place today between those who stayed behind and those who left. She endured surveillance by the NKVD secret police, expulsion from the Writers' Union and her son's arrest, while other writers and artists, including her friend Osip Mandelstam, perished in Josef Stalin's camps. Several Akhmatova poems are included in Keys to Home, an album compiled by Liberov in what he calls his farewell to Russia. It features music by artists inside the country, though Liberov said seeking partners there was a tough process during which he discovered 'things I'd prefer not to know'. 'People were selfish, scared. People lied, people were false. People avoided (me), people did not respond,' he said. However, he declined to engage in personal recriminations. 'If we're going to blame those who stayed and they're going to blame those who left, it leads to nowhere, only to further separation.' From exile, Liberov, 44, has tracked the repression of fellow artists with horror. In a high-profile 2024 case, a playwright and a director, Svetlana Petriychuk and Zhenya Berkovich, were sentenced to six years each in prison for 'justifying terrorism' in a play about Russian women who married Islamic State fighters. Inspired by a defiant speech Berkovich delivered to the court in verse, Liberov created a widely viewed YouTube video in which her words were turned into rap-style lyrics, accompanied by drawings made inside the courtroom. Last July Russian pianist Pavel Kushnir, 39, died in a Siberian prison where he had launched a hunger strike while awaiting trial on charges of inciting terrorism after posting anti-war material online. Thanks to Liberov's efforts, a recording of Kushnir playing Sergei Rachmaninov's preludes has been restored and released on Spotify and Apple Music, and a scholarship was established to support young pianists from Russia, Ukraine and Belarus who want to study in Europe. Concerts dedicated to Kushnir are taking place this month in London, Paris, Amsterdam, Tel Aviv and Berlin. Liberov is pessimistic about what lies ahead. Russia squandered the opportunity to reinvent itself as a free country after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, he said. 'So the question is: will we ever have this chance again? I pray for that, but I doubt it. If we have this chance I would love so very much to go back home and work there.'
Los Angeles Times
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Natasha Lyonne remains unconventional as a sleuth in ‘Poker Face' and in her career
Her hair is red, voluminous and wild. She walks with a swagger. Her voice is raspy, and not in a sexy kind of Lauren Bacall way, but more like Peter Falk. Long before finding her groove with unconventional roles in 'Orange Is the New Black,' 'Russian Doll' and now, 'Poker Face,' there weren't many options for a free spirit like Natasha Lyonne, especially when she aged from a pliable child actor into a self-aware adult. 'It's weird that all of a sudden, one day, everybody looks at you differently and you're aware of it,' says Lyonne, 46. 'I remember the 'Lolita' audition, and it was like, 'Will you slowly eat this apple?' And I was like, 'I know what you're asking of me. I can eat it for you comedically.' But no, I will not simulate sex with an apple on camera. I mean, I'd studied the history of film. These were not revelations.' The real surprise? Lyonne forged a career by finding and later creating projects that capitalized on her undeniably intrepid personality, wrapping the roles around her eccentricities rather than conforming to what was expected of a female performer in Hollywood. Lyonne's latest act of defiance is Season 2 of the Peacock series 'Poker Face,' a murder-of-the-week mystery created by Rian Johnson ('Knives Out,' 'Glass Onion') that she stars in and executive produces. This season, in addition to writing, she's also directing two episodes. The series, which returns Thursday with three episodes followed by one each ensuing week, continues to follow Charlie Cale (Lyonne), a scrappy Vegas casino employee who is blessed and cursed with the ability to accurately discern when someone is lying. Following the murder of her best friend, she's forced to outrun the mob in her 1969 Plymouth Barracuda, traversing the byways of America while solving murders along the way. The hourlong series takes its cues from personality-driven, '70s-era detective dramas including 'The Rockford Files' and 'McCloud.' But it's 'Columbo,' starring the wonderfully rumpled Falk, that's most heavily influenced 'Poker Face.' Lyonne recalls the 1971 pilot episode of the vintage TV series, which was directed by a 24-year-old newcomer named Steven Spielberg. 'I ripped from it directorially,' Lyonne says. 'I like the one long, slow [Robert] Altman-like zoom shot through the office window down to the car. And I hear Spielberg went on to do great things. It's like, 'You like that long shot? You're never gonna believe what this guy does next! Holy smokes. Are you in for a ride!'' But Charlie Cale is not Columbo. She carries a vape pen instead of a cigar and prefers cut-off shorts to a trench coat. She does, however, share the uncanny knack for arriving just as a murder's taking place, be it on an alligator farm in Florida or a sprawling East Coast mansion. She's confronted with a new cast of characters at every stop, and the roster of talent who inhabit those roles is impressive. The lineup includes Cynthia Erivo, Giancarlo Esposito, Katie Holmes, Justin Theroux, Alia Shawkat, John Mulaney, Kumail Nanjiani, Lili Taylor, Margo Martindale, Melanie Lynskey and Rhea Perlman. 'Charlie is a great lover of people,' Lyonne says. '[My former character] Nadia in 'Russian Doll,' which I co-created with Amy Poehler and Leslye Headland, it's almost like she was on her own case. But Charlie's already been on the journey where we lose interest in ourselves and gain interest in our fellows. The mob is after her. She can't have a phone. She can't have roots. She can't really fall in love. It's lonely.' Lyonne's own journey into the world of acting turned her into a seasoned veteran before she was even old enough to vote. The New York native worked in commercials before kindergarten, and as a grade-school student landed the TV role of Opal in 'Pee-wee's Playhouse.' She also appeared in films such as 'Heartburn,' 'A Man Called Sarge' and 'Dennis the Menace.' By her late teens, she landed her breakthrough role as the daughter of a broke single dad (played by Alan Arkin) in the 1998 indie comedy 'Slums of Beverly Hills.' 'I've been doing this since I was 4 years old, dear reader,' jokes Lyonne, whose acting career now spans four decades. 'As a child character actor, there is this kind of inner knowingness. We were completely alert, little businesspeople. If you start at 4, by 6, you kind of get the idea [of what's going on], like 'Don't mumble. The Minute Maid people don't like that in their commercial.' By 8, you know where the bodies are buried. You know how to read a room, to perform on command. I can still smell the Pine-Sol from that Pine-Sol commercial in 1986.' Even as a child, Lyonne didn't quite fit the mold of precocious yet accessible girl next door: 'I was trying to carve out this weird lane while discovering the heartbreak of not getting the role in 'Curly Sue.' I was like, I'm perfect for this thing. What's wrong? Oh, I see. You've got to be Shirley Temple or you can't really hang out.' Lyonne pivoted to another passion: film and television history. She is a walking encyclopedia of great performances and buried, esoteric moments in both media. For a short time, she studied film and philosophy at NYU. 'I was already thinking that I've got to transition this into filmmaking from the inside out, rather than just being an actor for hire. It took 20 years for that to materialize into a reality,' she says. She disappeared from the public eye for over a decade as she battled drug addiction. Her comeback included a recurring role as Nicky Nichols in 'Orange Is the New Black,' Netflix's breakout streaming hit. Lyonne has said she had plenty to draw on for the character, who was a recovering drug addict. Nicky became a fan favorite. By 2019, Lyonne co-created her own Netflix series, the existential dark comedy 'Russian Doll,' where she played Nadia, a New York City-based video game developer who gets caught in a time loop at her 36th birthday party. She's on a quest to solve the mystery of why she dies, repeatedly. 'There were techniques [I had to learn], like actual filmmaking, actual writing, actual producing,' Lyonne says. 'The parts weren't there, and the parts are still not there. It's like nobody's writing them.' But she credits collaborators like Johnson for creating parts for actors such as herself. 'Rian really is some kind of genius because he took this self-referential gig that I was doing [and turned it] into a kind of character piece. I'm self-made, I suppose,' she says. 'This is the way the hair grows out of my head. I'll commit to it. So he took that and made it into something.' 'Poker Face' is a colorful, entertaining ride through a retro murder-mystery genre, present-day pockets of quirky American culture and Lyonne's own personal journey as seen through Charlie. 'The show is about losing this nihilistic, self-destructive streak and finding connection with another human,' Lyonne says. 'You try to build a life and not kill yourself over and over again. It's like a marathon man or a long-distance runner. But she's been through that dark and stormy night of the soul, and come out on the other side with the sun at her back.'
