Latest news with #Olga
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
How Zoe Saldaña helped shape Pixar's upcoming film ‘Elio'
The filmmakers behind Pixar's latest animated movie, Elio, say Zoe Saldaña was the perfect choice to join the voice cast — and they had several reasons why. 'We're grateful to have Zoe joining our project. She's the queen of sci-fi,' says codirector Madeline Sharafian, referring to Saldaña's iconic roles in Avatar, Star Trek, and Guardians of the Galaxy. 'We wanted this film to feel like Pixar's love letter to sci-fi.' More from GoldDerby 'The Pitt' star Supriya Ganesh on Mohan 'reworking' her trauma and when she'll realize Abbot is flirting with her Everything to know about HBO's 'Harry Potter' TV series - including the cast and controversy 'Harry Potter' TV series casts its Harry, Hermione, and Ron On Tuesday, Pixar released a new trailer for the film featuring Saldaña in action as aunt Olga. The film follows an 11-year-old boy (voiced by Yonas Kibreab) who is captivated by space and dreams of being abducted by aliens. After the loss of his parents, he goes to live with his aunt Olga, a highly respected U.S. Air Force major. As Olga adjusts to her new role as guardian, she must navigate the demands of military life while caring for a grieving, imaginative child. 'Zoe brought a lot of military know-how. She's played a lot of strong military characters in the past,' Sharafian tells Gold Derby. 'She was able to bring that balance of warmth when Olga is trying to step into this parental role, but also when Olga is in professional mode and she turns it on — it's a really difficult needle to thread for this character who needs to be a little bit of an unlikeable parent.' Sharafian adds that Saldaña, who won an Oscar earlier this year for her role in Emilia Pérez, added a performance that was essential in grounding the character with emotional realism. 'She did such a gorgeous job of giving Olga vulnerability,' says Sharafian. 'Underneath everything you can tell there is love for Elio — even if she is having these arguments. I don't think we would be successful without her.' Pixar Codirector Domee Shi, who previously helmed Pixar's Turning Red also highlighted how Saldaña's cultural background played a pivotal role in shaping the film's authenticity. 'She has endless range. She can do comedy. She can do drama. She's also incredibly smart and thoughtful,' Shi tells Gold Derby. 'We leaned on her a lot in flushing out Olga's Dominican background. Lines and expression — she was able to add an authentic Dominican flavor to it that just made Olga feel more real. I am so grateful for that.' The filmmakers' commitment to authenticity extended beyond dialogue. Saldaña collaborated closely with the creative team to add personal touches to Olga's world—details that reflect the characters' multicultural roots. 'Elio [has] both Dominican and Mexican side represented in the [his] house,' Sharafian says. 'There's a moment in the film where Olga hears a song on the radio that she really likes, and we did ask Zoe for input on that — like, which Dominican song would Olga like, would you like? There is a moment in the film where Olga says, 'Oh, I love that song.' And Zoe really does love that song.' Elio hits theaters June 20. Best of GoldDerby Marilyn Monroe movies: 15 greatest films ranked worst to best Clint Eastwood movies: 20 greatest films ranked worst to best Morgan Freeman movies: 15 greatest films ranked worst to best Click here to read the full article.
Sky News
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Sky News
What new Stalin statue says about Vladimir Putin's Russia regime
Why you can trust Sky News The Moscow metro is a sight to behold. The gilded interiors of its cavernous stations have the opulence of a baroque palace. But amid the mosaics and chandeliers, there is a new monument turning heads - a life-sized statue of Joseph Stalin. The Soviet dictator was responsible for the deaths of millions of innocent people, in purges, famines and his infamous gulag labour camps. But there's no mention of that on the new sculpture at the central Taganskaya station. Instead, he's depicted as a leader who was loved by his people - a crowd of adoring workers and their children are reaching out towards him in adoration. It was described as a "gift" to passengers by the capital's metro system to mark its 90th anniversary. Behind a crowd of selfie-snapping passengers Some Muscovites have accepted it with open arms. At Stalin's feet, there is a pile of red carnations, and in front swarms a rolling crowd of selfie-snapping passengers. "It's excellent." gushes Olga. "History of art, culture, significance, beauty." For Denis, it's "the right decision". "This is the history of our state," he says. But as well as flowers, there is fury at what appears to be Russia's latest attempt to rehabilitate the tyrant. "What were they thinking?!" asks Svetlana, incredulous. "How many died under his leadership? And suddenly he appears here, this bloodsucker. How is this possible?!" "We should remember and honour some of his deeds," believes Oleg. "But to put him like this is disrespectful. He did a lot of bad things for the Soviet people." Stalin's creeping return under Putin The sculpture is a replica of one that first appeared in 1950, three years before Stalin's death, in honour of his role in the Soviet Union's defeat of Nazi Germany in the Second World War. It was removed in the 1960s during the period of de-Stalinisation, which sought to destroy his cult of personality. But under Vladimir Putin's rule, the dictator has been gradually reappearing. It's mostly been on a small scale, in towns well outside the capital. A statue so prominent and so central is a first. A historical rehabilitation? "The trend comes down to the idea of the greatness of the state," says Yan Rachinsky, a human rights activist who works to expose Stalin's crimes at the Moscow branch of Memorial, a renowned rights group that now operates on a local level after the closure of its international arm. "For the current government, the main thing is the state. The state is sacred, the state is above everything, the state is infallible. That is why criticism of Stalin is constantly decreasing." Russia's current leader has previously condemned Stalin's repressions. But he's also said the country shouldn't be made to feel guilty about its past. "Putin's old statement that one should be proud of history - that's it," says Mr Rachinsky. It certainly feels that way, looking at the statue.
Sky News
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Sky News
Putin's Stalin revival hits new level - and Russians are divided
Why you can trust Sky News The Moscow metro is a sight to behold. The gilded interiors of its cavernous stations have the opulence of a baroque palace. But amid the mosaics and chandeliers, there is a new monument turning heads - a life-sized statue of Joseph Stalin. The Soviet dictator was responsible for the deaths of millions of innocent people, in purges, famines and his infamous gulag labour camps. But there's no mention of that on the new sculpture at the central Taganskaya station. Instead, he's depicted as a leader who was loved by his people - a crowd of adoring workers and their children are reaching out towards him in adoration. It was described as a "gift" to passengers by the capital's metro system to mark its 90th anniversary. Behind a crowd of selfie-snapping passengers Some Muscovites have accepted it with open arms. At Stalin's feet, there is a pile of red carnations, and in front swarms a rolling crowd of selfie-snapping passengers. "It's excellent." gushes Olga. "History of art, culture, significance, beauty." For Denis, it's "the right decision". "This is the history of our state," he says. But as well as flowers, there is fury at what appears to be Russia's latest attempt to rehabilitate the tyrant. "What were they thinking?!" asks Svetlana, incredulous. "How many died under his leadership? And suddenly he appears here, this bloodsucker. How is this possible?!" "We should remember and honour some of his deeds," believes Oleg. "But to put him like this is disrespectful. He did a lot of bad things for the Soviet people." Stalin's creeping return under Putin The sculpture is a replica of one that first appeared in 1950, three years before Stalin's death, in honour of his role in the Soviet Union's defeat of Nazi Germany in the Second World War. It was removed in the 1960s during the period of de-Stalinisation, which sought to destroy his cult of personality. But under Vladimir Putin's rule, the dictator has been gradually reappearing. It's mostly been on a small scale, in towns well outside the capital. A statue so prominent and so central is a first. A historical rehabilitation? "The trend comes down to the idea of the greatness of the state," says Yan Rachinsky, a human rights activist who works to expose Stalin's crimes at the Moscow branch of Memorial, a renowned rights group that now operates on a local level after the closure of its international arm. "For the current government, the main thing is the state. The state is sacred, the state is above everything, the state is infallible. That is why criticism of Stalin is constantly decreasing." Russia's current leader has previously condemned Stalin's repressions. But he's also said the country shouldn't be made to feel guilty about its past. "Putin's old statement that one should be proud of history - that's it," says Mr Rachinsky. It certainly feels that way, looking at the statue.
Sky News
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Sky News
Putin's Stalin revival hits a new level - with his crimes out of sight
Why you can trust Sky News The Moscow metro is a sight to behold. The gilded interiors of its cavernous stations have the opulence of a baroque palace. But amid the mosaics and chandeliers, there is a new monument turning heads - a life-sized statue of Joseph Stalin. The Soviet dictator was responsible for the deaths of millions of innocent people, in purges, famines and his infamous gulag labour camps. But there's no mention of that on the new sculpture at the central Taganskaya station. Instead, he's depicted as a leader who was loved by his people - a crowd of adoring workers and their children are reaching out towards him in adoration. It was described as a "gift" to passengers by the capital's metro system to mark its 90th anniversary. Behind a crowd of selfie-snapping passengers Some Muscovites have accepted it with open arms. At Stalin's feet, there is a pile of red carnations, and in front swarms a rolling crowd of selfie-snapping passengers. "It's excellent." gushes Olga. "History of art, culture, significance, beauty." For Denis, it's "the right decision". "This is the history of our state," he says. But as well as flowers, there is fury at what appears to be Russia's latest attempt to rehabilitate the tyrant. "What were they thinking?!" asks Svetlana, incredulous. "How many died under his leadership? And suddenly he appears here, this bloodsucker. How is this possible?!" "We should remember and honour some of his deeds," believes Oleg, "But to put him like this is disrespectful. He did a lot of bad things for the Soviet people." Stalin's creeping return under Putin The sculpture is a replica of one that first appeared in 1950, three years before Stalin's death, in honour of his role in the Soviet Union's defeat of Nazi Germany in the Second World War. It was removed in the 1960s during the period of de-Stalinisation, which sought to destroy his cult of personality. But under Vladimir Putin's rule, the dictator has been gradually reappearing. It's mostly been on a small scale, in towns well outside the capital. A statue so prominent and so central is a first. A historical rehabilitation? "The trend comes down to the idea of the greatness of the state," says Yan Rachinsky, a human rights activist who works to expose Stalin's crimes at the Moscow branch of Memorial, a renowned rights group that now operates on a local level after the closure of its international arm. "For the current government, the main thing is the state. The state is sacred, the state is above everything, the state is infallible. That is why criticism of Stalin is constantly decreasing." Russia's current leader has previously condemned Stalin's repressions. But he's also said the country shouldn't be made to feel guilty about its past. "Putin's old statement that one should be proud of history - that's it," says Mr Rachinsky. It certainly feels that way, looking at the statue.
Daily Mail
16-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Chaos in Congress as HIV-positive disabled woman is wheeled out after wild Trump health policy meltdown
Capitol Hill was blanketed in protesters earlier this week as lawmakers debated the 'big, beautiful bill' that would slash health spending by about $880 billion over 10 years and lead to 8.6 million poor and disabled people to lose their insurance by 2034. One of those protesters was Olga from Youngstown, Ohio. She was present at Tuesday's House Ways and Means Committee meeting about the proposed budget from the White House and changes to policy that would gut the federal health program. From a wheelchair, the woman yelled: 'You will kill me [if you cut Medicaid]! I'm HIV positive. For 20 years, I have survived on my meds that are $10,000 a month.' She was slowly wheeled out Capitol Police after yelling 'Look at me!' to lawmakers on the dais. Hearing rooms across the Hill were filled with tense debates this week over the White House's proposed budget bill, which must be fine-tuned, debated, and voted on by Congress. But to pay for the staggering $5 trillion in tax cuts that President Donald Trump is requesting, Republicans are seeking to slash federal spending and Medicaid is on the chopping block, leaving people like Olga potentially responsible for staggeringly high drug costs. Without insurance, infusions of HIV drugs such as Trogarzo and Lenacapavir can cost between $9,000 and $12,000 per month. Without them, people with advanced or drug-resistant HIV can die. Other Medicaid Beneficiaries with various health conditions – high blood pressure, bipolar disorder, and rheumatoid arthritis, for instance – could soon see their out-of-pocket costs go from zero to several thousand dollars, as well. Olga's explosive presence in the Ways and Means Committee hearing room was just one of many on Capitol Hill as people seek to pressure lawmakers to abandon proposed cuts to Medicaid as well as the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and policies that would disqualify millions from coverage. The proposed Republican bill would require able-bodied Medicaid recipients to meet new eligibility conditions, including working at least 80 hours per month, participating in an education or job training program for the same amount of time, or fulfilling a combination of both. It exempts people who are disabled, pregnant or in postpartum care. More than 70 million Americans rely on Medicaid for health care, including one in six adults and two in five children. Critics of the work requirement proposal say it imposes significant bureaucratic hurdles on both beneficiaries and state agencies, often leading to eligible people losing coverage due to paperwork issues rather than actual non-compliance. Georgia's experiment with Medicaid work requirements — a conservative alternative to full Medicaid expansion- had the opposite effect on money spent per person on healthcare. The state's per-enrollee spending surged to $13,360 annually, more than five times initial projections. Instead of funding care, most of these costs were swallowed by administrative bureaucracy — verifying compliance with work rules, paperwork processing, and managing enrollment churn. Meanwhile, thousands lost coverage, and the state saw no significant improvement in health outcomes. Despite projections that 240,000 low-income residents would gain coverage, only 6,500 enrolled in the program's first 18 months, as complex paperwork and bureaucratic hurdles locked out eligible applicants. That policy is still in place. Meanwhile, in a House Energy and Commerce meeting, Capitol Police removed 26 protesters, including disability advocates, from the hearing as chants of 'protect Medicaid' and heated denials of program abuse allegations disrupted proceedings. Several Republicans, though, have stood up against the cuts. The bill failed to advance out of the House Budget Committee on Friday after five Republicans broke ranks to join all Democrats in opposition, with Medicaid cuts being a major sticking point. Conservative hardliners Reps. Chip Roy (R-Texas), Ralph Norman (R-S.C.), Andrew Clyde (R-Ga.) and Josh Brecheen (R-Okla.) rejected the measure on ideological grounds, while Rep. Lloyd Smucker (R-Pa.) made a last-minute switch from 'yes' to 'no' to preserve the panel's ability to reconsider the legislation later.
