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https://blackgirlnerds.com/riele-downs-talks-darby-and-the-dead/
Typically, American Black folks don’t fool around with the dead. We may respect, revere, and reference them, but talking with them and solving their problems is usually considered taboo. However, as of late, we’re being included in stories that allow us to explore what some would consider the mystical. That’s what makes Riele Downs’ title role in Darby of the Dead intriguing.
BGN met with Downs via video chat to discuss her new film, how she connected with the character, and her passion for fashion.
Tell us about your upcoming film Darby and the Dead.
It’s a supernatural take on a high school film, which is interesting because I haven’t seen a lot of those. It’s like Mean Girls with a supernatural twist. It centers around a girl named Darby Harper who went through something traumatic as a kid and develops the ability to see dead people. She creates this side business where she helps them move on to the next realm. When a freak accident happens at school with one of her frenemies, they’re forced to team up to take care of a similar goal.
How did you connect with your character?
I talked to the director and my castmates, and we basically discovered that there was just so much context that comes with this script. We wanted it to feel deep. We didn’t want it to just feel like a very surface-level high school film, so we did a lot of workshopping into the past. What was my relationship with this frenemy character? What was the day like when my mother passed away? I didn’t have my own experiences to necessarily pull from for those things.
In terms of the ghost stuff, for that I just really put myself mentally in the [character’s] shoes because I’m not about to do anything physical with that. I’d like to keep my distance.
What is the one thing you will always remember about making this film?
Probably that it took place in South Africa. The film doesn’t [take place there], but we shot it there. Obviously, that’s somewhere I’ve always wanted to go. It really is the Motherland. It has so much history, and luckily, I got to see some of that after the shoot. I was so busy during the shoot, I never got to really go do much, but afterwards, I stayed for a week. I went to Robben Island. I went to some museums. I took in the arts and culture. Also, I can say firsthand that South Africa is not just some desert land like people think. It’s a country. There are people there, buildings and culture, and great food. That was extremely memorable.
How do you think your role as Charlotte in Henry Danger prepared you for this role?
I would say it’s more in the work that I had to do. I never before this film had to do a role where I had this much of a demand and as an adult. Those hours are totally different, but luckily Henry Danger did definitely work us a lot. I had to go over lines and learn them very quickly. We did an episode per week. We would be at work basically all day having to learn lines very fast, having to act on our feet, improv a little bit. I definitely think what Henry Danger required from me workwise helped prepare me for the work that I had to do for this film.
Tell us about your hobby that you’re passionate about and how you got started.
I just love the visual arts in general so much. I always have, ever since I was a baby. I’d be painting on my mom’s walls — which sorry, Mom — because she didn’t love that. But in terms of fashion designing, literally in kindergarten me and my best friend would design entire lines. I guess it always came naturally, but where it connected in this industry is I realized, “Hey, I have events to go to. There’s actually a platform for me to wear these on now.” I know how to sew, but not to the level I would need to yet, so I found people that could make these outfits and I have somewhere I could showcase them. I have somewhere that will actually impact people if they see this. Why not just marry the two passions together and do something?
Now, I’m working on releasing a line because I just love fashion. I think that it’s definitely a medium where you’re able to express yourself freely, and everyone has their own style. Wearing the right outfit can really just make your day in terms of comfort and just if you feel like you’re expressing yourself.
If you’d like to check out Riele Downs and her supernatural abilities, tune in to watch Darby and the Dead on Hulu December 2, 2022.
Typically, American Black folks don’t fool around with the dead. We may respect, revere, and reference them, but talking with them and solving their problems is usually considered taboo. However, as of late, we’re being included in stories that allow us to explore what some would consider the mystical. That’s what makes Riele Downs’ title role in Darby of the Dead intriguing.
BGN met with Downs via video chat to discuss her new film, how she connected with the character, and her passion for fashion.
Tell us about your upcoming film Darby and the Dead.
It’s a supernatural take on a high school film, which is interesting because I haven’t seen a lot of those. It’s like Mean Girls with a supernatural twist. It centers around a girl named Darby Harper who went through something traumatic as a kid and develops the ability to see dead people. She creates this side business where she helps them move on to the next realm. When a freak accident happens at school with one of her frenemies, they’re forced to team up to take care of a similar goal.
How did you connect with your character?
I talked to the director and my castmates, and we basically discovered that there was just so much context that comes with this script. We wanted it to feel deep. We didn’t want it to just feel like a very surface-level high school film, so we did a lot of workshopping into the past. What was my relationship with this frenemy character? What was the day like when my mother passed away? I didn’t have my own experiences to necessarily pull from for those things.
In terms of the ghost stuff, for that I just really put myself mentally in the [character’s] shoes because I’m not about to do anything physical with that. I’d like to keep my distance.
What is the one thing you will always remember about making this film?
Probably that it took place in South Africa. The film doesn’t [take place there], but we shot it there. Obviously, that’s somewhere I’ve always wanted to go. It really is the Motherland. It has so much history, and luckily, I got to see some of that after the shoot. I was so busy during the shoot, I never got to really go do much, but afterwards, I stayed for a week. I went to Robben Island. I went to some museums. I took in the arts and culture. Also, I can say firsthand that South Africa is not just some desert land like people think. It’s a country. There are people there, buildings and culture, and great food. That was extremely memorable.
How do you think your role as Charlotte in Henry Danger prepared you for this role?
I would say it’s more in the work that I had to do. I never before this film had to do a role where I had this much of a demand and as an adult. Those hours are totally different, but luckily Henry Danger did definitely work us a lot. I had to go over lines and learn them very quickly. We did an episode per week. We would be at work basically all day having to learn lines very fast, having to act on our feet, improv a little bit. I definitely think what Henry Danger required from me workwise helped prepare me for the work that I had to do for this film.
Tell us about your hobby that you’re passionate about and how you got started.
I just love the visual arts in general so much. I always have, ever since I was a baby. I’d be painting on my mom’s walls — which sorry, Mom — because she didn’t love that. But in terms of fashion designing, literally in kindergarten me and my best friend would design entire lines. I guess it always came naturally, but where it connected in this industry is I realized, “Hey, I have events to go to. There’s actually a platform for me to wear these on now.” I know how to sew, but not to the level I would need to yet, so I found people that could make these outfits and I have somewhere I could showcase them. I have somewhere that will actually impact people if they see this. Why not just marry the two passions together and do something?
Now, I’m working on releasing a line because I just love fashion. I think that it’s definitely a medium where you’re able to express yourself freely, and everyone has their own style. Wearing the right outfit can really just make your day in terms of comfort and just if you feel like you’re expressing yourself.
If you’d like to check out Riele Downs and her supernatural abilities, tune in to watch Darby and the Dead on Hulu December 2, 2022.
Lucasfilm revealed a new live-action Star Wars television series at Star Wars Celebration Anaheim in spring 2022. The show from MCU Spider-Man trilogy director Jon Watts and writer Chris Ford sounds like a Goonies-style adventure set in a galaxy far, far away. Here’s what we know about Star Wars: Skeleton Crew.
Title
The title of the upcoming Star Wars live-action TV series is Star Wars: Skeleton Crew.
Star Wars: Skeleton Crew‘s Plot
We know few details about the plot of Skeleton Crew. The story will take place in the New Republic era. That’s the same timeline as The Mandalorian and Ahsoka. It centers on a group of children lost in space. Watts said at Celebration, “It’s the story of their journey trying to find their way home.” And though it stars four kids, Watts noted it is not a kids show.
Behind the Scenes
Jon Watts directs Skeleton Crew and Chris Ford is writing on the series. The duo created the show. Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau provide producing support. Skeleton Crew has been in production since at least September 2022, as the creatives shared an image from the set at D23 Expo during that time.
Star Wars: Skeleton Crew‘s Cast
The only cast member Lucasfilm has confirmed for Skeleton Crew so far is Jude Law. We don’t have any details about his character, but presumably, he’s the adult who helps the kids find their way home. If so, we can’t wait to see him play the father figure (even better if it’s a reluctant dad story a la The Mandalorian).
Rumors point towards two of the Skeleton Crew‘s young actors: Kyriana Kratter (Bunk’d) and Ravi Cabot-Conyers (Encanto).
Star Wars: Skeleton Crew‘s Release Date
Star Wars: Skeleton Crew debuts in 2023. Since The Mandalorian season three premieres in March, we’re guessing summer or later. The show will premiere on Disney+.
The post Everything We Know About STAR WARS: SKELETON CREW appeared first on Nerdist.
It doesn’t take a billionaire playboy vigilante to own a Batmobile, but it does take a multi-millionaire. And what rich Batman fan wouldn’t want a replica of the best live-action Batmobile in history? Though this particular one didn’t appear in any of the films, it was used in the Six Flags Batman stunt show back in the ’90s. The replica Batmobile from Batman and Batman Returns is for sale for $1.5 million from Classic Auto Mall, which describes it as a “curvaceous steampunked black fiberglass construction that borrows from racing and a few classics, has several drops of psychedelics peppered within, and is one of a kind.”
The detailing on this Batmobile is incredible and looks straight out of Tim Burton’s fantasies. There’s a jet engine in the front and a flamethrower in the back. The second steering wheel behind the main seats is actually what drives the car. In old clips of the stunt show, you can see the stunt driver hiding so the Batmobile looks like it obeys voice commands just like in the movies.
This means the car actually seats three people—though it’s not street legal and tops out at 30 miles per hour. The dashboard is covered with lights, levers, and switches that the Classic Auto Mall describes as “an overabundance of nonfunctional bells and whistles.” There’s no mention of grappling hooks or machine guns.
We found out about the sale from DesignTAXI. If you don’t have the $1.5 million to drop on this Batmobile, you can always rent classic movie cars. If you’ve got $30,000, why not get a Batmobile clock? Or if a LEGO Batmobile is more your speed, those are “only” $250. Maybe we’ll just watch Batman again and revel in the awesome-ness of his wonderful toys.
Melissa is Nerdist’s science & technology staff writer. She also moderates “science of” panels at conventions and co-hosts Star Warsologies, a podcast about science and Star Wars. Follow her on Twitter @melissatruth.
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The post You Can Own This 1989 Batmobile Replica for $1.5 Million appeared first on Nerdist.