#i mean sure if you can cast gael in your movie always cast gael in your movie but it's still an odd choice

[abirdie]

Gael García Bernal in Wasp Network (2019, dir. Olivier Assayas)

(Among other people, these gifs feature the backs of the heads of Anel Perdomo, Penélope Cruz and Edgar Ramírez)

Gifs are all 540px wide so you can click to see larger.

[other gael filmography gifsets]

[oddbunny]

Found this Gael interview from 2006 in the comments section on another interview. Accidental rabbit hole.

2006 New York Post interview:

It's not for nothing that Gael Garcia Bernal was twice cast as revolutionary Che Guavara. The Mexican actor is as charismatic as he is outspoken - especially when it comes to issues concerning his native country.

He's also responsible for some serious box-office magic back home: 2001's "Y Tu Mama Tambien" was the biggest opening weekend ever for a Mexican film, and 2002's "The Crime of Father Amaro" was the most successful Mexican film in history (and possibly the most controversial - he played a secretly non-celibate Catholic priest).

Bernal is currently starring in director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's "Babel," alongside Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett, and was recently seen riding a stop-motion stuffed horse in Michel Gondry's fantastical film "The Science of Sleep."

Q: Mexican directors are hot right now. Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu made waves with "Amores Perros" and "21 Grams." Alfonso Cuaron did it with "Y Tu Mama Tambien." Is Mexico becoming a center for film?

A: There's definitely a worldwide sense that Mexican cinema is pretty big, or a bit "in fashion," right now. Latin cinema as a whole, really. There's this rebirth feeling. But this is nothing, for what the country deserves - Mexico is a country of 100 million people. The year "Amores Perros" was made, there were only six films made there! And this year, it's 65. So there's been a big increase.

But unfortunately, in Mexico, it's harder to make a movie, to even contemplate the idea of directing a film - not many people have the opportunity. I'm sure people from the mountains in Oaxaca find it so far away [from their reality] to do a film. And at the same time, it's exactly those kinds of voices that you want to hear.

If I had to stick with one reason why films matter, it's that: getting to know the "other," and finding that the other is not so different than you are. That's what I think of when I feel like I don't want to make movies anymore.

Q: You have moments when you want to get out of movies?

A: Yeah, I mean, sometimes you feel unprepared, you feel untalented, like you're doing something you don't like, or that you're just doing it terribly. Or you don't like the industrial side. But at the end of the day, there is always that thing. I want to do films because I am an audience first, and films have made me know more about the other - and that the other doesn't exist, really.

Q: Which is one of the points of "Babel." But some people, like the busload of U.S. and British tourists, come across worse than others, don't they?

A: Well, there's two points of view about this movie - you can see that, OK, the people from the U.S. are portrayed as scared people, really worried about health and dirt. But you can also see the other side: Why are the ones that die always from poor countries? We are always the ones that die.

Q: Your character in "Babel" makes pretty bad decisions after he's stopped by an aggressive cop at the U.S.-Mexican border. Have you, or someone you know, ever experienced anything like that?

A: My character makes a bad mistake in a drunken state. But yeah, when you're Mexican, it's a bit of a situation. You have to apply three months before, and it costs $80 for the visa. Sometimes you have to show bank statements to show you're earning money, you're not coming to the U.S. to work. It's kind of stupid - as if money was a sign of honesty, or goodwill. It's a rite of humiliation. They act as if you are coming here to steal.

Q: Is it easier for you to avoid this than most, though?

A: No, no - the last time I crossed the border, walking, I was asked, "Where do you come from?" And I'm like, "Well, I'm from Mexico." And they say, "No, where do you come from?" And I say, "I come from Mexico." I mean, what am I supposed to explain? And they say, "What were you doing in Mexico?" And I say, "Well, I live there." And they say, "No, but what were you doing right before you came here?"

I'm not gonna answer that. Because - you know, what do you care? We're radicalizing the process of integration, and that's terrible. Because it's going backward in time. But it's not just the U.S.'s fault - Mexico is shamefully not providing a place for people to work and live properly. It's everyone's fault.

Q: Did that experience make you want to avoid the U.S.?

A: No. I mean, we share the same territory! But Bush just signed off on the law to start building a wall. It's the second biggest wall that's ever going to be built, it's going to rival the Great Wall of China. And it costs so much money, and so much human resources. Maybe I'm stating the obvious here, but it's kind of ridiculous to build a wall. Walls are always destroyed eventually.

Q: Aside from acting, your production company organizes a worldwide traveling documentary film festival, Ambulante. Are you planning the 2007 festival yet?

A: Yeah, it's happening in 18 cities, on commercial screens, with a big chain - for half-price! Very cheap, it's like $2. And we're going to get together some 15-20 films, divided into three sections. One section we're calling "Dictator's Cut," which is about censorship. For one of those, we're showing both the "official" version and the real one; the rest are already restored, but some of them were completely not shown. It's very exciting.

Q: Your role in Michel Gondry's "The Science of Sleep" was one of your least political roles - was it fun to cut loose and just be weird?

A: It was great, it was a joy to act in. I had a lot of fun doing it. I think not many people have seen it here. Maybe because it was done in France? I mean, it's got good numbers, but still, I wish it would be much more.

There is still this myth - like, for example, I saw the trailer for [Mexican director Guillermo Del Toro's upcoming film] "Pan's Labyrinth," and they don't show you it's in Spanish. You never see a character speaking. I just think that's cheating, you know?

If they actually tell me that there's this weird Iranian love story - I want to see it, because it's in Iran. If it's about a love story in Florida, well, I've seen that before. I'm interested in the further-away, the more surprising.

Q: Do you ever worry that people will take you less seriously because of your looks?

A: [Laughs] No - there are prettier boys than me.

[lucidpantone]

i think the sensitivity comes from the problem of him not being enough for people. it seems that no matter what he does in his personal life and career someone has something to complain about, when this isn’t the case for others in the cast

Sensitive anon: lol you’re proving my point in your answer about O’s acting talents and him taking on the US. you completely ignored it was about his acting and focused on the singing. singing is his passion but he also wants to continue his acting career, both he can do at the same time and both he is talented in. it’s very telling that not once have you shown your appreciation for his acting in any of your answers

So I got this anon up here^^^^^^ up in arms because how dare I not be a sycophant for all things Omar does without even taking a moment to chill and dissect my assessments of Omar's talent. Like you said anon providing critiques and then in the same breathe stating how the person can overcome them is not negative criticism its an evaluation of the market and the best way forward. Omar fangirls get off the soapbox for a sec and listen.

I personally (meaning my opinion!!) don't think the best pathway for Omar to become a worldwide talent in both singing and acting is via acting. Because he would be up against some seasoned actors in both the Mexican and Spanish market who are specialized actors. Omar's whole angle that makes him unique is that he can sing and act so why shy away from the things you're good at. Embrace it and package yourself as such as a singer, actor and songwriter because thats what makes you special. Like I could easily see Omar in like a movie like in the heights or something.I personally think Omar's entry into prominent acting roles in both the spanish and english speaking market (but mainly spanish for now) is to create a huge fanbase that assures that producers want to cast him because he already has a massive latam fandom following him. There is a reason actors make statements like "I can't believe they cast me they couldn't get any money on my name" meaning that producers want to cast people that have an active following because it secures butts in seats. I think the quickest and more optimal way for Omar to do that is via singing and then by creating this following it give him an entry point to negotiate with producers for roles in big Latam movies or working with big Latam directors. Like the mexican big 3 or the indy circuit of spain. For now I think he should go that pathway because we have seen it with gael, javier, selma, penelope, antonia, diego luna. Thats if Omar wants to try at like big picture stardom he could always aim smaller for like a reoccurring role on another netflix show or telenovela but i honestly think if he creates a big fandom he should aim higher then that he has the talent for it. I could even see omar be like lin-manuela miranda if he is super serious about song writing and interested in theatre.Anyways am sure the Omar sycophant will find a way to twist this and say "OMG your saying omar isn't talented!!!! how dare you!!!" but what you gonna do? crazy is gonna crazy!!

[chicassht]

MY CORONA CONTRIBUTION

Last night my mister and I were FaceTiming with some friends and they asked for TV show recommendations. For those of you who know me (which let’s be honest, is all four of you), you know that there are very few things in life that make me light up more than the opportunity to talk about TV.  

I jumped into action straight away.

“So what do you want to watch? You want Drama? Something light? Dark? Dark light?”

They wanted light so I started rattling off my top picks. When I listed something they had watched already, our friend said, “Oh I’ve seen that, but you’re in exactly the right territory. That’s what we want.”

I smiled smugly. “Oh. I know.”

Adam observed and finally muttered, “You should charge for this shit.”

Which got me thinking. Obvs not to charge. That wouldn’t be chic. But, maybe this can be my corona contribution. The countless number of hours I have put into Netflix, Amazon Prime, BBC… . it’s all been in preparation for this moment. To allow me to help you. If you’re stuck at home (which I know you are) and are wondering what to watch, let me be your guide. There’s SOO much good content out there, just waiting to be consumed. Amazing, quality stuff that can help get you through this new normal of nothing to do. No matter what you want to feel, TV can deliver.

And that brings me swiftly onto what I started racing through my brain next. How to categorize. There are obvious genres like Light Comedy, Dark Comedy, Dark Drama, but then what about the sub categories? Like, Things To Watch With Your Significant Other or Shows You Missed the First Time Around. But of course there could be a light comedy that you could watch with your significant other and that came out 10 years ago. Then I started to think about colour coding and excel charts and my head exploded. This was followed quickly by the realization that I am not Netflix. I don’t have algorithms or links or ways to mass personalize. So you’ll have to be happy with some good old fashioned lists. This first post is my list of light-hearted, not too dark and stressful, GET YOU THROUGH CORONA WITH A SMILE SERIES. I have eliminated the super obvious ones, but don’t think for second that I’ve somehow missed the blockbusters! Another post, for you more twisted at heart, will contain my more disturbing choices. And man are there some DOOZIES, but more on that in the coming weeks.

For now here are my top picks for light, but clever and well written shows that won’t disturb your sleep!

GLOW - Netflix 

This is 30 minutes of sheer viewing pleasure. It depicts the making of a women’s wrestling show in the ‘80s, so you know the costumes, makeup, hair and music alone are enough to keep you well entertained. Then you add in the GENIUS script by Liz Flahive (think Homeland and Nurse Jackie) and the talent of Alison Brie (of Community and Mad Men fame) and an all star cast, and it’s a TOTAL KNOCK OUT!

Mozart in The Jungle - Amazon Prime

Gael Garcia Bernal. Nuff said. But also, dreamy dynamic between Gael as the Maestro of The New York Philharmonic, and his musicians, dreams and patrons. It’s an ode to music, New York City and romance. Can’t watch an episode without smiling.

I Love Dick – Amazon Prime

Unfortunately, there was only one season of this show (plus side it’s not a big commitment), but I absolutely loved it!  It’s based on the critically acclaimed book of the same name and stars Kevin Bacon and Kathryn Hahn. Such a dream to see Kathryn in a lead role. Her kind of neurotic-feminist-best-friend vibe (seen in movies/TV you know like Transparent and How To Lose a Guy in 10 Days), is perfect in this role as a filmmaker New Yorker spending a year in the elitist art community of Marfa Texas. The show is funny and always entertaining, but also makes you feel like you’re getting a bit of culture and sophistication in too. #Smug.

This Way Up – On Demand Channel 4 (in American not sure, but FIND IT)

A friend recommended this show to me and I couldn’t be more grateful! Aisling Bea wrote it and stars in it (she’s my new OBESSION) as a twenty something Londoner trying to find her way back to normal life after a mental breakdown. It’s the perfect blend of laugh out loud funny with genuine heart-warming moments. A true British comedy, it also stars Sharon Horgan and falls in the same category as Catastrophe and Flea Bag. Meaning it has that distinct appeal of extreme dry wit mixed with self-deprecation and a dash of darkness that makes it gritty and real. If I was doing subcategories (which I’m not) this would definitely fall under Hidden Gems and MUST SEE.

Dead to Me - Netflix

This was a real unexpected treat! I think it popped up in a suggested watches email from Netflix. I saw Christina Applegate was in it, decided to give it a shot and I’m so glad I did! Christina stars as a recently widowed mom who finds an unlikely friend in Linda Cardellini (of Freaks and Geeks greatness) at a grief counselling group. It’s very well written with lots of funny one liners mixed with surprising, punchy plot twists and dark moments. A great exploration of friendship, obsession, desperation and the human response to those motivations. Really loved it and can’t wait for the next season!

Working Moms – Netflix

Canada! Who knew? This Canadian show about new working moms just GETS IT! It’s so well written, so funny, so cringey and relatable! It was definitely one of my fave shows to discover this year on Netflix and, jackpot, they’ve already uploaded three seasons!

Community – Amazon Prime

Somehow I completely missed this show the first time around (2009-2015.) But what a treat to now have 6 season of pure delight to make my way through! Based in a community college, we follow a motley crew of friends whose funny daily exchanges are the epitome of no stress, keeping things light, perfect COVID19 tv viewing. It’s clever, it’s funny and you really fall in love with the characters, especially the bromance between Troy and Abed. Also, Alison Brie is in it and I just love me some Alison Brie (see Glow).

Sex Education – Netflix

I pray that you guys have already discovered the two seasons of what I deem one of the best things on television at the moment! Gillian Anderson is SPECTUACULAR. Her acting obvi, but more importantly she is KILLING IT in her ‘70s vibe jumpsuits and Meryl Streep a la The Devil Wears Prada hair cut. The whole thing is beautifully shot and gives off a trendy-right-now mutli-decade vibe, sitting neatly between the 70s to 90s. The high school story lines are a treat and I especially love the girl power, feminist plotline it brought, particularly in season 2. LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT! I can’t EVEN!

Love – Netflix

Judd Apatow wrote and produced this show, so that should be reason enough to give it a shot! It’s charming and funny and just a light-hearted relatable show about two twenty-somethings in LA who fall in love. It stars Gillian Jacobs (see Community), Paul Rust and Iris Apatow (Judd’s daughter), who is surprisingly great in it! A good one to watch with a significant other.

Call My Agent – Netlfix

I’m not one to usually gravitate towards subtitles, but something drew me to this French comedy and I wound up sticking around for all three seasons. It’s very French, very funny and very chic with the premise all around a Parisian based celebrity agency. I got the impression it was full of French movie star cameos too, which made it very cool and inner circle. Highly recommend.

WELP. That’s all I can muster for now. Other top (most of them obvious) choices in this genre are...

The Good Place - Netflix

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel - Amazon Prime

Atypical - Netflix

The Politician = Netflix

Kominsky Method - Netflix

The Goop Lab - Netflix

Love Is Blind - Netflix

Cheer - Netflix

Casual - Amazon Prime

Stay tuned for the darkly diturbing list up next!

[richincolor]

An Interview with Abdi Nazemian

Today we welcome Abdi Nazemian to the blog. We're excited to learn more about his new novel The Authentics, which was released earlier this month.

Summary: The Authentics is a fresh, funny, and insightful novel about culture, love, and family—the kind we are born into and the ones we create.

Daria Esfandyar is Iranian-American and proud of her heritage, unlike some of the “Nose Jobs” in the clique led by her former best friend, Heidi Javadi. Daria and her friends call themselves the Authentics, because they pride themselves on always keeping it real.

But in the course of researching a school project, Daria learns something shocking about her past, which launches her on a journey of self-discovery. It seems everyone is keeping secrets. And it’s getting harder to know who she even is any longer.

With infighting among the Authentics, her mother planning an over-the-top sweet sixteen party, and a romance that should be totally off limits, Daria doesn’t have time for this identity crisis. As everything in her life is spinning out of control—can she figure out how to stay true to herself?

How did you find your way to this story of family and identity?

I started my career as a screenwriter, and I still work in film and television. I love that medium, but one of the unfortunate realities of the business is that getting movies about Iranian characters made is extremely difficult. I’ve tried many times to write stories that explore my culture for the screen, and inevitably the conversation turns to the lack of bankable stars that could be cast in the roles. Take a look at some of the highest-profile movies about Iranians that Hollywood has made for a peek into this problem. Gael Garcia Bernal and Alfred Molina are Hollywood’s version of Iranians. Jake Gyllenhaal is their Prince of Persia. The argument for these decisions is that there are no Iranian stars, but how can there be if no one gives Iranian actors a chance? I’ve always loved books, and at some point in my screenwriting career, I had this epiphany that in the literary world, no one could tell me they needed a celebrity to publish my book. Then I discovered that writing novels was also a far more personal journey than screenwriting, and that liberated me to write stories that explored issues of family and identity that were (and still are) closest to me. For this particular story, it’s hard to pinpoint one thing that helped me find my way, but I think the biggest inspiration was my own children, who were born with the help of an incredible surrogate, and who are being raised in a very modern, very multicultural family. They were babies when this book began to take shape, but I projected forward to the kinds of questions they might have, and I began to write a fictional story inspired by those questions. And then, luckily, Daria took on a life of her own. She had a lot to say. And for the record, I have no secrets from my own children.

What did you like most about Daria?

I love so much about Daria, but perhaps what I love most is her passion. That passion is partly inspired by myself as an older teen (I was very outspoken about my views on right and wrong), but mostly inspired by many young people I know who are devoted to speaking out for what they believe in. Daria’s pride in her culture, her commitment to her friends, her patience and empathy for her family, are all offshoots of that passion. She is a deeply moral person, and wants to live a life of truth. Sometimes circumstances make that difficult, and that’s what the book explores, but Daria never strays far from her core desire to be honest and make moral decisions. I love that about her. Also, I love her capacity for forgiveness.

What forms of media were you most interested in when you were a teen? What kinds of stories got your attention?

Before my teen years, I was a huge reader (a lot of Ramona books, endless readings of Charlotte’s Web and an insatiable obsession with Archie Comics).  By the time I became a teenager, I developed a fascination with Old Hollywood. I watched old movies voraciously, everything from film noir to musicals to silent film. Those films transported me to a fantasy version of the world, which was very appealing to me as a kid who usually wanted to crawl out of his dark, gay skin. I read a lot back then, though YA wasn’t the thriving world it is now, and there were few diverse reads to be found. My favorite book as a teen was Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray. I worshipped it. And in my later teen years, I discovered James Baldwin, who remains my favorite author. His writing is ridiculously good, and perhaps sadly, more relevant than ever. If we all read his words and studied them, we’d probably live in a much more beautiful world.

Though this is your debut YA novel, you're not new to writing. Did writing The Authentics have any unique challenges?

It absolutely did. First and foremost, this was my first young adult novel, and I love YA, so I wanted to enter this world with a story that would have an impact and feel honest. Also, this is a far more personal piece of writing than most of my screenwriting work. This is a chance for me to represent the people I love most: Iranian-American characters, LGBTQ people of color, young people questioning their identity, and struggling with how to define themselves in a world obsessed with labels. I am painfully aware of how rare depictions of minorities are in our stories, and so I felt an added responsibility here to get it right, and to make sure that all my love for these characters came through loud and clear.

Being authentic is obviously a focus in this story. What does it mean to you to be authentic? How does that look in everyday life?

The word “authentic” is thrown around so often these days that it starts to lose any real meaning. Sometimes it’s a badge of honor (that’s how Daria and her friends use it), and sometimes it is hurled as an accusation toward anyone or anything we think is false. I wanted to explore this subject matter because I feel passionately that there is more than one way to be authentic. To me, being authentic only means being true to oneself, and that looks different for every human being. That might be why the relationship between Daria and her ex-best-friend Heidi (who Daria calls a “Nose Job”) is one of my favorites in the book. Daria considers Heidi inauthentic for focusing so much on her appearance, while Heidi feels that she is authentic because she is projecting the person she wants to be. To me, both characters are authentic in their own way, and their journey is to see authenticity in someone who is different from them. I recently read this quote from one of my favorite singers, Lana Del Rey, who is constantly accused of being inauthentic, and she said a lot of smart things on the subject: “Of course. I’m always being myself. They don’t know what authentic is. If you think of all the music that came out until 2013, it was super straight and shiny. If that’s authentic to you, this is going to look like the opposite. I think that shit is stylized. Just because I do my hair big does not mean I’m a product. If anything, I’m doing my own hair.”

I just found and read Madonna's picture book The Adventures of Abdi at my local library. Are you certain there's no connection to you?

There are few things I want more in the world than to be connected to Madonna. I fell in love with her when her very first video was released, and made my parents take me to The Virgin Tour despite being way too young for it. Not long after that, I converted a room in our home into “The Madonna Room” (no, this is not a joke). You can imagine my extreme excitement when I saw that Madonna had released a book about the adventures of a boy named Abdi, who does look a little like me. Sadly, I have no proof that the character is connected to me, though I can confirm I knew some people who worked with Madonna at the time, and that she signed an autograph to me well before the book was released, so perhaps my name seeped into her subconscious somehow. A boy can hope.

What's up next for you in writing? Are we likely to see more YA books from you?

I write both screenplays and novels. In my screenwriting life, I am currently adapting a phenomenal documentary called “Out of Iraq” into a narrative feature. It’s the story of two Iraqi men who fall in love against the backdrop of the Iraq War, and their struggle to be reunited when one moves to the United States and the other gets stuck in the bureaucracy of the immigration system. It’s an honor to adapt it. In my life as an author, I am committed to continuing to write young adult fiction. Writing “The Authentics” was so gratifying, and I have more stories to tell in this space. I’m about halfway done with my next book, so I shouldn’t say too much about it, but I can say that it is probably the most personal writing I’ve ever done, and that it tells the story of a love triangle between three teens who get caught up in the world of AIDS activism in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Is there anything you would like to tell our readers that I didn't ask?

I’d like to say thank you to the young adult reading community for demanding diverse reads from publishers. Reading young adult fiction gives me so much hope for our future. I believe storytelling is our greatest tool for creating empathy, and seeing the way young people are demanding and consuming literature about characters who don’t look or think like them is so exciting to me. It’s easy to be pessimistic about the world, and seeing a book like The Hate U Give on the bestseller list makes me optimistic. Discovering there is a whole community of Iranian YA authors makes me optimistic. Reading YA books about cultures and experiences that were foreign to me gives me hope. And that’s all the result of readers creating demand for these stories. So, I’d like to just say thanks, and keep seeking out stories you may not think are for you.

Abdi Nazemian spent his childhood in a series of glamorous locations (Tehran, Paris, Toronto, New York), but could usually be found in his bedroom watching old movies and reading. He currently resides in Los Angeles with his two children and his fiancé.

Abdi has written four produced films: MENENDEZ: BLOOD BROTHERS (Lifetime, 2017), THE QUIET (Sony Pictures Classics, 2006), CELESTE IN THE CITY (ABC Family, 2004), and BEAUTIFUL GIRL (ABC FAMILY, 2003). He also wrote, directed and produced the short film REVOLUTION (2012). He is proud to say his words have been spoken by the likes of Carmela Soprano, The Nanny, and The Girl With The Most Cake.

Abdi’s first novel, THE WALK-IN CLOSET, was released in 2015 by Curtis Brown Unlimited, and was awarded Best Debut at the Lambda Literary Awards. His debut young adult novel, THE AUTHENTICS, was released on August 8, 2017 by Balzer + Bray / HarperCollins.