deerstalker

https://blackgirlnerds.com/gloria-reuben-a-firecracker-in-firestarter/

I wasn’t allowed to watch horror in the churchy home in which I grew up. Every now and again, I’d sneak and watch something I wasn’t supposed to, and the original version of Firestarter was on that list. As a young girl, it was intriguing to see a peer with powers well before the big blockbuster superhero movies found their footing. Now, Universal Pictures is revisiting the cult classic for a new generation. Gloria Reuben (ER, Cloak & Dagger, and Mr. Robot) is starring in the 2022 remake in a role that may surprise you. 

The multi-talented Reuben, who’s also a singer and an author, is bringing her own flair to the well-disliked role of Captain Hollister. In this updated version of the story, Reuben acts alongside Zac Efron, Sydney Lemmon, and Ryan Kiera Armstrong to tell the story of a husband and wife struggling with their telekinetic child’s ability to start a fire with her thoughts.

BGN had the pleasure of speaking with Reuben via video chat about her role in the film, what sets the remake apart from the original, and her longevity in the industry. 

Tell us about Firestarter and your role in the film.

This remake is definitely a wonderfully updated version of the original from 1984. My role is Captain Hollister. She is the head of this department in this secret government agency, whose history revolves around doing tests and experiments on people to create and then harness these talents. One of them has telekinetic talents that can be used for the country’s benefit. 

It’s great to play Cap Hollister. The original was played by Martin Sheen. [Hollister is] very layered, very mysterious. I’m just shaking my shoulders because you don’t really know who she is. You know what she wants to do, and her mission is to get this little girl. It was great fun to play a role that’s very mysterious and not-so-nice.

Was it the not-so-niceness of the character that attracted you to the role?

Well, there is that, actually. When I was approached about the remake and the possibility of opening up the role of Cap Hollister to any ethnicity and gender, I thought, “Oh my gosh, this is the role for me.” The mystery and because, when I read the script on the page, there’s so much space in terms of Cap Hollister’s story. 

We don’t know her history. She works where she works. We don’t know her personal life or what’s driving her. With all that space I could be very creative with Keith Thomas, our director, to create her life outside of what you’re seeing on screen. That is an actor’s dream; to create who she was on the inside and what makes her do what she’s doing now. What is her personal goal in the situation? What are her dreams? How has she been heartbroken and family and all of that stuff? It was great.

What do you feel sets this version apart from the original? 

It honors the original in terms of keeping the element of the experiments for the telekinetic talents. The tie for that is still there, through Charlie, a little girl, and her parents. But it’s much more updated. Obviously, the special effects are updated, and how it’s written. 

It’s very emotional. It’s a beautiful, unique combination of this deep and emotional content. It is a psychological thriller too, with the terror and suspense, but it’s not the gory kind of shock. No ax murder or horror by any means. It’s deeper than that. I’ve watched it a couple of times, and it’s interesting how, when stories are told deeper than one expects, it’s come up to me time and time again in my thoughts. 

I just think about it here and there throughout my day. That is a great sign that it’s not only a good film, but it’s really something. Doing a remake can be tricky, but this one is solid. I’m very, very proud of it. I really can’t wait to hear what fans of Stephen King think about it. I know they’re gonna love it.

I’ve followed you since your days in ER. How have you maintained longevity in this business?

A few things. I’m really persistent. I have a great deal of faith. I work really hard, and I follow my instincts. I have a great team around me and a gift from the Divine. You know, leave the results up to the Divine.

Firestarter was released in theaters and on Peacock’s streaming service on May 13, 2022.

https://blackgirlnerds.com/new-trailer-for-she-hulk-attorney-at-law-unveiled/

Disney+ has released a new trailer and key art for Marvel Studios’ She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. Streaming exclusively on Disney+ beginning August 17, the new comedy series stars Tatiana Maslany as She-Hulk/Jennifer Walters, a lawyer who specializes in superhuman-oriented legal cases. 

Executive producer Kevin Feige, president of Marvel Studios and chief creative officer of Marvel, welcomed Tatiana Maslany to The Walt Disney Company’s 2022 Upfront presentation this afternoon at Basketball City on Pier 36 in New York. The pair shared details about the upcoming series, including the August 17 launch date, and debuted the new trailer for attendees. 

Directed by Kat Coiro (Episodes 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 9) and Anu Valia (Episodes 5, 6, 7) with Jessica Gao as head writer, “She-Hulk: Attorney at Law” follows Jennifer Walters as she navigates the complicated life of a single, 30-something attorney who also happens to be a green 6-foot-7-inch superpowered hulk.

The nine-episode series welcomes a host of MCU vets, including Mark Ruffalo as Smart Hulk, Tim Roth as Emil Blonsky/the Abomination, and Benedict Wong as Wong. The cast also includes Ginger Gonzaga, Josh Segarra, Jameela Jamil, Jon Bass and Renée Elise Goldsberry. Executive producers are Kevin Feige, Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Brad Winderbaum, Kat Coiro and Jessica Gao. Co-executive producers are Wendy Jacobson and Jennifer Booth. 

https://blackgirlnerds.com/how-black-women-fit-into-the-great-renegotiation/

You may have heard of the Great Resignation, which refers to labor market workers quitting their jobs to search for better opportunities. Now two years since the pandemic started, we’re entering into a new era in the workforce: The Great Renegotiation.

It’s a result of inflation, and experts say there is an uptick in workers seeking higher pay to stay on pace with the rising cost of living. This has left many industries struggling to keep operations going while relying on fewer employees than normal. Within this movement, women in leadership positions demand more and are willing to leave their roles if their demands aren’t met. But where do Black women fit into this scenario?

After the recession in 2009, Black women’s employment didn’t recover for nearly a decade. As the U.S. economy is trying to rebuild, Black women are again enduring a slow employment recovery. C. Nicole Mason (president, and CEO of the nonprofit Institute for Women’s Policy Research) says that without significant action, it will be a repeat of 2009 with Black women getting left behind. “We have an opportunity to really dig a little bit deeper and address some of the structural and institutional barriers to workforce participation for people of color, and Black women in particular,” Mason said.

I’ve been away from corporate America since 2008. Black women were having internal conversations then about salaries and what upward mobility looked like. Now we are in a climate where it is harder to recruit and retain talent. It’s important that employers also look closer at gender gaps that exist to make sure opportunities are present in their ranks.

One thing that I found essential to my success was managing my manager. During yearly reviews, employers always look at what you’ve contributed to the company and where you see your future. So, I always kept detailed notes on projects I contributed to, professional development that I obtained, and training so when it came time to be evaluated, my manager was being evaluated too. I also used this as a negotiating tool for the next company I worked for.

The pandemic has prompted many people to reevaluate how they work and what’s truly important. Working remotely allowed people to do just that. It changed the game for many of us. Many people want to keep the jobs they have but on their own terms. They want the ability to work where they want and when they want. It’s more about having fulfillment in your work which translates to fulfillment in your personal life. We always hear about maintaining a work-life balance, so now employees are putting that to the test.

According to information from the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, there is a gap between what women want from employers and what benefits employers provide. The survey found that more than 75 percent of women rate paid leave, health insurance, and job security as “very important” or “important” when considering jobs.

Black women are always taking inventory of their corporate careers, and lately, many have decided to become entrepreneurs. Among many of my girlfriends, a lack of childcare and benefits has led to them leaving the workforce. They are opting for starting their own business, jobs where they can work from home, and jobs with great earning potential.

Black women still remain among the country’s fastest-growing group of entrepreneurs. Although this fact remains, Black women still trail behind their white female and male co-workers in terms of wages and employment outcomes.

I believe too little attention has been given to why disparities persist and what solutions are needed to level the playing field for Black women. The current economy is not a win for us despite what reports say. There has to be a deeper understanding of Black women’s economic realities. We must prioritize solutions that target pay disparities, promote greater workplace equality, and improve the economic standing of Black women overall. These have been overlooked, and the economy has never leaned in our favor. Even when unemployment rates decline, Black women consistently have the highest unemployment rates among all women.

So, what if companies aren’t willing to offer high-quality professionals the pay, work arrangements, benefits, and clear paths for advancement they desire? Well, it’s easier now than ever for them to walk away. Companies have to focus on how they can help employees succeed and do something about the gaps Black women experience.

Throughout the pandemic, workers have shown they are placing a renewed focus on their work balance, as well as creating new paths to get what they want professionally. While employees who choose not to partake in the Great Resignation have considerable negotiation power, they must know exactly how and when to make their big move to get what they want from their employer.

https://blackgirlnerds.com/look-at-me-is-a-fascinating-look-at-a-controversial-figure/

At what point can we say someone is deserving of death? At what age do we say a person has used up all of their goodwill? We often hear talk of consequences for actions, but this discourse typically mistakes “consequences” for “punishment.” 

A logical consequence of jumping in front of a speeding car is that you will be hit by it. Punishment for being a loudmouth at a baseball game is when someone hits you. This is not to say that XXXTentacion’s multiple alleged and confirmed acts of violence amounted to nothing more than being raucous at a sporting event. 

If his ex-girlfriend Geneva Ayala is to be believed (and there’s little evidence saying she shouldn’t), the music star was vicious at times, choking, beating, and drowning a woman he claimed to love desperately. To put it shortly: there’s a reason why articles praising X’s music inevitably lead to articles discussing the ethics of these memorializing tendencies. The singer, born Jahseh Onfrey, was complicated. That cliché may be the only fitting term. 

Fader’s new Hulu documentary, Look at Me: The Untold Story of XXXTENTACION, looks at Onfrey’s intrapersonal conflicts and contradictions without ever feeling like it is letting him off the hook for any of his actions. 

Like many docs on those slain young, Look at Me takes viewers back to Onfrey’s childhood. This is where his seventeen-year-old mother and Rastafarian father gave him a name meaning “God said.” From here, we see Onfrey, known to close friends and family as Jah, grow up. 

Even at an early age, Jah seems distant. He doesn’t smile much in childhood photos, though his mother is often beaming. This may be because he grew up in a home that had violence. His father beat his mother, and his mother fought back. She refused to call the police, because, where she grew up, they didn’t do that. 

From there we learn of Onfrey’s father going to prison when Onfrey was ten.This perhaps led to him acting out in school. School psychologists diagnosed Onfrey with bipolar disorder, but his mother did not want him medicated. She preferred counseling and talk therapy. If this approach helped, we do not see it in the documentary. 

The rest of the portion dedicated to his pre-music life depicts him angry, incarcerated, and in multiple fights. Where fourteen-year-old Onfrey made a turn, however, was when his mother rewarded him with studio time every week he didn’t skip school. It was this positive and reinforcing consequence that helped him hone his craft.

The story becomes what we’d expect from here as far as music bios go.

He begins accruing fame while touring with friend and fellow South Florida musician Ski Mask the Slump God. He begins viral video campaigns to bring views and streams to his SoundCloud account. He and his friends attempt to manipulate Instagram algorithms with multiple sockpuppet accounts to put more eyes on Onfrey. 

We get scenes of him at pulse-pounding concerts leading the show. We get behind-the-scenes footage of him and a producer having a eureka moment when they stumble upon creating the hit single “SAD!” 

All of this is fine. The scenes of Onfrey dancing around the stage, blurring the line between “rapper” and “rock star” is engrossing. It becomes quickly apparent how and why XXXTentacion’s shows were a can’t miss event for his fans. When the documentary becomes most interesting, however, is when it eschews X, the rapper/singer/songwriter, for Onfrey, the child and teenager struggling with bipolar disorder.

As I said earlier, the documentary is not a hagiography. It is not the legend of a martyr slain in the prime of his goodness and life. It is the story of a wildly troubled young man shot to death eight months before the birth of his child. 

The documentary, directed and executive produced by Sabaah Folayan in addition to Onfrey’s mother Cleopatra Bernard, never excuses Onfrey of anything. But it does attempt to contextualize them. And maybe this is wrong. 

Maybe, this is a more subtle attempt to garner sympathy for an alleged abuser. If to understand is to forgive, maybe this doc is a wholesale attempt to get us to understand Onfrey’s actions and therefore have us forgive them. This is certainly a possibility, but it doesn’t seem to be the case. 

Instead, what we get is a person as complicated as any other person. More violent than most people, but still a person.

There’s an interesting moment late in the documentary where the interviewer presses Onfrey’s aunt Deandra Ellis about his supposed attempts at redemption. Ellis says Jah was trying to right his wrongs as they were concerned about the alleged beating of Geneva Ayala. The interviewer asks how is that possible if he never publicly admitted this wrongdoing? An admission that likely would’ve saved Ayala from online and in-person harassment.

Ellis does some mental gymnastics to explain that away, saying admitting it to himself and maybe Ayala would’ve been enough. A friend of Onfrey’s sitting in on the interview offers that maybe, admitting it in public would have cost Onfrey the legal case against him. This then begs the question: if we assume prison is a logical, growth-oriented consequence, can one truly be sorry if they’re unwilling to deal with the fallout of admitting guilt? Can one redeem himself of a wrong he refuses to, at least publicly, admit it exists?

Look at Me discusses these questions by way of only hinting at them. Onfrey’s family is involved, but so is Ayala. She has forgiven Onfrey, but the documentary never dictates that we should. In fact, it’s hard to watch sometimes. 

Jahseh Onfrey could be a sadistic brute. But then, he could also be a loving older brother with genuine charm. Jahseh Onfrey could be manic and paranoid, but he channeled this into his X persona and became one of the world’s most-streamed artists, even after his death. 

Maybe XXXTentacion, Jahseh Onfrey, or both, got exactly what they deserved. Maybe a life of violence, even when you begin taking ostensible baby steps to right these wrongs, will inevitably lead to a violent death. Maybe being shot in the throat three times while being robbed is exactly the punishment Jahseh Onfrey merited.

“Everybody will get a death that is deserving. Everybody will get a life that is deserving,” he says in the documentary. And if we all agree that his actions were often juvenile to the point of pathology, why would we ever cosign such a foolish statement? Jahseh Onfrey didn’t get the death he deserved. He simply got death. This documentary does a fantastic job of looking at his life.

Look at Me: The Untold Story of XXXTENTACION will be available to stream on Hulu Thursday, May 26, 2022.