After parallel successes on stage and screen, the Londoner is being lauded as one of the greatest actors of his generation
However good they are, actors always need a defining role to transform them into a film star, and as the kidnap victim Solomon Northup in the Steve McQueen-directed 12 Years a Slave, Chiwetel Ejiofor has found his.
Always an impressive performer on screen – certainly since his breakthrough role as a refugee doctor opposite Audrey Tautou in 2002's Dirty Pretty Things – Ejiofor is now on the cusp of joining the global film-acting elite. He has already been the recipient of scores of year-end critics' awards for 12 Years a Slave, as well as Golden Globe and Bafta nominations – and the industry will view it a significant scandal if an Oscar nomination doesn't materialise on 16 January.
Northup is the central figure in McQueen's project to confront the Us with its slavery past.
However good they are, actors always need a defining role to transform them into a film star, and as the kidnap victim Solomon Northup in the Steve McQueen-directed 12 Years a Slave, Chiwetel Ejiofor has found his.
Always an impressive performer on screen – certainly since his breakthrough role as a refugee doctor opposite Audrey Tautou in 2002's Dirty Pretty Things – Ejiofor is now on the cusp of joining the global film-acting elite. He has already been the recipient of scores of year-end critics' awards for 12 Years a Slave, as well as Golden Globe and Bafta nominations – and the industry will view it a significant scandal if an Oscar nomination doesn't materialise on 16 January.
Northup is the central figure in McQueen's project to confront the Us with its slavery past.
- 1/11/2014
- by Andrew Pulver
- The Guardian - Film News
Rupert Everett has long been a martyr to his passions, but lately he's had something else on his mind. Victoria Coren, a lifelong fan, joins him for dinner to talk about his excoriating memoirs, his portrayal of Oscar Wilde and his urge to be a serious man
When Rupert Everett dies, he won't have a funeral. He has given this serious thought.
"I'll go on the bonfire," he says. "That's what I'd like."
At the risk of spoiling his cheerful plan, I feel obliged to point out that it's against the law to put corpses on bonfires.
"Yes, but it shouldn't be," says the actor, irritably squeezing lemon into his tea. "I'm sure someone can put me on there, if I've just died normally. I wanted to put my dad on the bonfire. But nobody else wanted to, so we didn't."
It feels awfully strange to be sitting in a restaurant with Rupert Everett,...
When Rupert Everett dies, he won't have a funeral. He has given this serious thought.
"I'll go on the bonfire," he says. "That's what I'd like."
At the risk of spoiling his cheerful plan, I feel obliged to point out that it's against the law to put corpses on bonfires.
"Yes, but it shouldn't be," says the actor, irritably squeezing lemon into his tea. "I'm sure someone can put me on there, if I've just died normally. I wanted to put my dad on the bonfire. But nobody else wanted to, so we didn't."
It feels awfully strange to be sitting in a restaurant with Rupert Everett,...
- 4/21/2013
- by Victoria Coren
- The Guardian - Film News
A Fake Moon rises over Bristol at the Ibt festival, Philip Pullman's I Was a Rat! scurries into Birmingham, and James McAvoy tackles the Scottish play in London
North
The big opening this week is Roger McGough's new version of Molière's The Misanthrope at Liverpool Playhouse, which should be fun. Theatre meets music gigs in 154 Collective's Dancing With the Orange Dog, which is at Stockton Arts Centre on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Hairspray is out on tour again and is at the Lowry in Salford. In Manchester, meanwhile, Queer Contact celebrates the best in Lgbt art and culture this weekend. The moving first-world-war drama, The Accrington Pals, continues at the Exchange. David Copperfield begins at the Oldham Coliseum tonight. This looks intriguing: at Haphazard at Z-arts on Saturday is Word of Warning's day of live art for all ages. The Edinburgh hit, Unmythable – all the Greek myths in 70 minutes...
North
The big opening this week is Roger McGough's new version of Molière's The Misanthrope at Liverpool Playhouse, which should be fun. Theatre meets music gigs in 154 Collective's Dancing With the Orange Dog, which is at Stockton Arts Centre on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Hairspray is out on tour again and is at the Lowry in Salford. In Manchester, meanwhile, Queer Contact celebrates the best in Lgbt art and culture this weekend. The moving first-world-war drama, The Accrington Pals, continues at the Exchange. David Copperfield begins at the Oldham Coliseum tonight. This looks intriguing: at Haphazard at Z-arts on Saturday is Word of Warning's day of live art for all ages. The Edinburgh hit, Unmythable – all the Greek myths in 70 minutes...
- 2/8/2013
- by Lyn Gardner
- The Guardian - Film News
First of new colour plaques for celebrities who died from drug abuse commemorates Noel Coward friend Billie Carleton
The dead body of early 20th-century West End star Billie Carleton was discovered by her maid in her apartment at the Savoy the morning after a victory ball at the Royal Albert Hall. London's aristocracy had attended en masse to celebrate the end of the first world war. Now, almost a century later, Carleton's death is the first to be marked with a white plaque as part of a new campaign to draw attention to flaws in the so-called war on drugs.
The scheme, modelled on the blue plaque scheme that recognises the homes of the famous, will see white, cocaine-coloured discs mounted on the walls of places associated with celebrities who have died from drug abuse.
The campaign has been launched to coincide with the British release of the film The House I Live In,...
The dead body of early 20th-century West End star Billie Carleton was discovered by her maid in her apartment at the Savoy the morning after a victory ball at the Royal Albert Hall. London's aristocracy had attended en masse to celebrate the end of the first world war. Now, almost a century later, Carleton's death is the first to be marked with a white plaque as part of a new campaign to draw attention to flaws in the so-called war on drugs.
The scheme, modelled on the blue plaque scheme that recognises the homes of the famous, will see white, cocaine-coloured discs mounted on the walls of places associated with celebrities who have died from drug abuse.
The campaign has been launched to coincide with the British release of the film The House I Live In,...
- 11/25/2012
- by Vanessa Thorpe
- The Guardian - Film News
Simon Callow, Mark Elder and Gerard McBurney share a love for the music of Ivor Novello, which will be celebrated in a Prom, Glamorous Night
One day over lunch some 15 or more years ago, the trailblazing conductor of the Hallé Orchestra, Mark Elder, the Shostakovich scholar and avant-garde composer Gerard McBurney and I discovered our shared passion for the music of Ivor Novello. The slow-burning result of that encounter is the late-night Prom on 9 August celebrating the work and remarkable life of our hero. All those years ago we pledged that we Must Do Something About Ivor, but exactly what was unclear. Novello was the most successful British musical theatre composer of the 20th century before the meteoric rise of Andrew Lloyd Webber, and one of the great figures of his time. But it would have been hard at that moment in the 1990s to have chosen a less fashionable...
One day over lunch some 15 or more years ago, the trailblazing conductor of the Hallé Orchestra, Mark Elder, the Shostakovich scholar and avant-garde composer Gerard McBurney and I discovered our shared passion for the music of Ivor Novello. The slow-burning result of that encounter is the late-night Prom on 9 August celebrating the work and remarkable life of our hero. All those years ago we pledged that we Must Do Something About Ivor, but exactly what was unclear. Novello was the most successful British musical theatre composer of the 20th century before the meteoric rise of Andrew Lloyd Webber, and one of the great figures of his time. But it would have been hard at that moment in the 1990s to have chosen a less fashionable...
- 8/3/2012
- by Simon Callow
- The Guardian - Film News
Will Young has revealed that he is negotiations to star in a new stage production. The singer, who made his stage debut in Noel Coward's The Vortex in 2007, said that he hopes to announce details of the role soon. He told The Daily Telegraph: "I have been in discussions about going on the stage again, and I hope it is something I will be able to announce before too long." Despite his performance in The Vortex not being critically well-received, Young insisted (more)...
- 5/23/2011
- by By Kristy Kelly
- Digital Spy
Will Young is re-launching his stage career. The 32-year-old singer - who made his stage debut in Noel Coward's The Vortex in 2007 in Manchester, North West England -has been 'in discussions' about treading the boards once again but remained tight-lipped on the details of the production. He said: 'I have been in discussions about going on the stage again, and I hope it is something I will be able to announced before too long.' Will - who shot to fame in 2002 after winning TV talent contest Pop Idol - admitted he could be taking tips from Ralph Fiennes after recently producing...
- 5/23/2011
- Virgin Media - Celebrity
Singer Will Young is set for a spooky new role - he's landed the lead in an upcoming British thriller series. The "Leave Right Now" hitmaker made his acting debut in 2005 by appearing opposite Dame Judi Dench and Bob Hoskins in "Mrs. Henderson Presents".
He followed it up with a starring role in Noel Coward play "The Vortex" in 2007 and earlier this year appeared in British teen drama "Skins". And he's continuing with his small screen stardom by taking on a role in "Bedlam", a new drama set in a former psychiatric hospital haunted by ex-inmates, according to Britain's The Sun.
Young says, "I'm so excited to be part of Bedlam. The scripts are original and fantastic, as are the other actors involved. I can't wait to get my teeth into the role." The series, also starring Theo James and Charlotte Salt, is set to air on U.K. network Living early next year.
He followed it up with a starring role in Noel Coward play "The Vortex" in 2007 and earlier this year appeared in British teen drama "Skins". And he's continuing with his small screen stardom by taking on a role in "Bedlam", a new drama set in a former psychiatric hospital haunted by ex-inmates, according to Britain's The Sun.
Young says, "I'm so excited to be part of Bedlam. The scripts are original and fantastic, as are the other actors involved. I can't wait to get my teeth into the role." The series, also starring Theo James and Charlotte Salt, is set to air on U.K. network Living early next year.
- 8/17/2010
- by AceShowbiz.com
- Aceshowbiz
Race debate stirs after London-born star of The Wire wins role as Norse deity Heimdall in Kenneth Branagh's new film Thor
Even for an actor who has played a vampire-hunter with a guilty conscience, a Baltimore crime lord with a taste for Adam Smith, and an asset manager with a stalker, the role of the Norse deity Heimdall – guardian of the burning rainbow bridge between the world of men and the world of gods – was always going to be a bit of a challenge.
But playing a god in Kenneth Branagh's forthcoming film Thor has turned out to be the least of Idris Elba's worries, after fans of the comic books turned on the star of The Wire for reasons that have nothing to do with his acting ability and everything to do with the colour of his skin.
When news emerged late last year that the...
Even for an actor who has played a vampire-hunter with a guilty conscience, a Baltimore crime lord with a taste for Adam Smith, and an asset manager with a stalker, the role of the Norse deity Heimdall – guardian of the burning rainbow bridge between the world of men and the world of gods – was always going to be a bit of a challenge.
But playing a god in Kenneth Branagh's forthcoming film Thor has turned out to be the least of Idris Elba's worries, after fans of the comic books turned on the star of The Wire for reasons that have nothing to do with his acting ability and everything to do with the colour of his skin.
When news emerged late last year that the...
- 4/28/2010
- by Sam Jones
- The Guardian - Film News
A.C.T. Young Conservatory proudly presents Bright Young People: The Words and Music of Noël Coward, a brilliant, buoyant tribute to one of the greatest theater artists of all time. This world premiere revue showcases everything you love about Noël Coward-the songs, the wit, the style-with scenes and music from his greatest hits, such as The Vortex, Design for Living, and Hay Fever, as well as lesser known gems, some of which haven't been produced since the 1920s.
- 4/15/2009
- BroadwayWorld.com
Will Young has confirmed that he plans to put his acting career on hold for the foreseeable future. The singer appeared in the movie Mrs Henderson Presents in 2005 and later landed the lead role in a production of Noel Coward play The Vortex. "I love acting and would love to do more projects, but I think it confused people a bit," Will told the Daily Star. "It's tougher for people to cross over here than it is in America. (more)...
- 8/19/2008
- by By Daniel Kilkelly
- Digital Spy
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