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From becoming a bright shining star in Broadway’s Hamilton to breakout in roles in both TV and film, actor Renée Elise Goldsberry is carving an indelible place in Hollywood.
Starring in the upcoming A24 film Waves, Goldsberry plays Catharine, the stepmother of a family slowly falling apart as tragedy strikes and she loses her son Tyler (Kelvin Harrison, Jr.) through a violent act that leads to his incarceration and adds further stress on her marriage to husband Ronald (Sterling K. Brown).
Goldsberry also delivered a remarkable performance in the unforgettable story Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, the HBO adaptation brought to life with the help of Oprah Winfrey. BGN had the opportunity to sit down and chat with Goldsberry about Waves to discuss the themes of motherhood and her attraction to the script.
Catharine, Waves perfectly embodies how to be a step-parent. Can you speak to how you were able to portray being a loving stepmother to Tyler and Emily, versus what it might have been to be their biological mother?
I relate to Catharine because there was a long period in my own personal life where I questioned whether or not I was going to be able to have children. I read the script and I assumed that she also was wondering, ‘Will I ever have children?’ Then she needs Ronald with these two young kids who desperately need a mother, their biological mother having died when they were very young. So I feel like she feels that they are an answer to her prayers, and I believe that they feel that she is an answer to their prayers. That’s really beautiful. That’s pretty much the extent of it in terms of being a stepmother.
There are many roads to being a mom. She is their mother because of the role that she plays in the family. I think the only reason why it’s relevant in the film is that it just shows how much pain the son is in.
In one scene, we see Tyler essentially reject Catharine and the amount of love that she has for him. Being a mother yourself, was that a difficult moment to tackle?
I have young children, a 10-year-old and a 6-year-old. My assumption is that as children go into adolescence, you have to brace yourself for greater battles. The stakes are higher. There are greater battles ahead, and there’s a possibility of really saying hurtful things. You have to brace yourself. I’m bracing myself for the possibility of that in my future as a parent, and I’m ready to love them anyway. I love the fact that there is absolutely nothing that [Tyler] could throw at her or do that would stop her from being his mom.
You have an extensive body of work in film and television but are perhaps most recognized
for your stage performances. What are the differences in preparation for a Broadway show versus onscreen drama such as Waves?
We have an opportunity to work all together as a cast in the theater. We get to see everyone else’s work because we’re pretty much there most of the time. We have a tremendous amount of information at the beginning when you’re doing theater. We get to tell the story in order, and we get an immediate response from an audience. That’s really the difference. That’s pretty much the only difference in film.
One thing I miss is that I don’t really get to see the genius work that other people are doing until I see the film because I’m not really there. I’m not shooting that day. You have to make some decisions about the emotional journey because you’re probably going to shoot it based upon the location as opposed to in order. But it is lovely in film that our work is preserved. If you didn’t see me [on stage], I just have to tell you that I think it was really good.
Were you immediately attracted to waves after you read the script?
I was immediately attracted to the idea of getting to work with Sterling K. Brown. How quickly can I get to Florida?
[Laughter.]
He’s just a beautiful human being. You can tell that even if you don’t know him. You can see his spirit, and he’s just everything you want him to be. So that was the most attractive thing for me. I’d heard that the filmmaker [Trey Edward Shults] was a genius because everybody I know that saw his first film realized the talent that was there and were so excited about him.
I didn’t know that the world needed to see any other imagery of a young Black man doing something violent. We were all very concerned about that. We spent a lot of time talking about it. Kelvin Harrison, Jr. and the director spent a lot of time creating an authentic character. I’m grateful that they chose to take the risk and cast this film with a Black family in spite of the potential danger of revisiting some stereotypes that we don’t want to see.
What do you hope families will gain from Catharine and Ronald’s marriage and how they treat their children?
A friend of mine saw the film last night. She was really shook as a parent, and she said, “I’m taking from this film that I need to be more mindful of the silences of my children.” I think we need to make sure that children understand that we are not the judge, that we are their advocate, and that we need to give them the room to disappoint us and to fail and to make bad mistakes. We need to communicate to them that my disappointment or frustration from whatever happens is not what you need to worry about.
There are real consequences in this world. This world can be a dangerous place and the world can be very dangerous to you. It is my job as your parent to advocate for you. That is my first job. That is my last job. I hope that parents can work together in their different parenting styles to figure out how to be better.
Also, just in the grieving. [You] don’t know when you marry somebody that you have to be compatible in grieving, and this couple has to figure that out. They have two different styles of dealing with tremendous pain. It seems to me in the end of this film that they’ve learned to stay together and work on it. I hope that’s an example for couples out there that are also dealing with tragedy.
Waves is now playing in select theaters. Everywhere December 6.
The post Renée Elise Goldsberry on Motherhood and Working with Sterling K. Brown in ‘Waves’ appeared first on Black Girl Nerds.
From becoming a bright shining star in Broadway’s Hamilton to breakout in roles in both TV and film, actor Renée Elise Goldsberry is carving an indelible place in Hollywood.
Starring in the upcoming A24 film Waves, Goldsberry plays Catharine, the stepmother of a family slowly falling apart as tragedy strikes and she loses her son Tyler (Kelvin Harrison, Jr.) through a violent act that leads to his incarceration and adds further stress on her marriage to husband Ronald (Sterling K. Brown).
Goldsberry also delivered a remarkable performance in the unforgettable story Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, the HBO adaptation brought to life with the help of Oprah Winfrey. BGN had the opportunity to sit down and chat with Goldsberry about Waves to discuss the themes of motherhood and her attraction to the script.
Catharine, Waves perfectly embodies how to be a step-parent. Can you speak to how you were able to portray being a loving stepmother to Tyler and Emily, versus what it might have been to be their biological mother?
I relate to Catharine because there was a long period in my own personal life where I questioned whether or not I was going to be able to have children. I read the script and I assumed that she also was wondering, ‘Will I ever have children?’ Then she needs Ronald with these two young kids who desperately need a mother, their biological mother having died when they were very young. So I feel like she feels that they are an answer to her prayers, and I believe that they feel that she is an answer to their prayers. That’s really beautiful. That’s pretty much the extent of it in terms of being a stepmother.
There are many roads to being a mom. She is their mother because of the role that she plays in the family. I think the only reason why it’s relevant in the film is that it just shows how much pain the son is in.
In one scene, we see Tyler essentially reject Catharine and the amount of love that she has for him. Being a mother yourself, was that a difficult moment to tackle?
I have young children, a 10-year-old and a 6-year-old. My assumption is that as children go into adolescence, you have to brace yourself for greater battles. The stakes are higher. There are greater battles ahead, and there’s a possibility of really saying hurtful things. You have to brace yourself. I’m bracing myself for the possibility of that in my future as a parent, and I’m ready to love them anyway. I love the fact that there is absolutely nothing that [Tyler] could throw at her or do that would stop her from being his mom.
You have an extensive body of work in film and television but are perhaps most recognized
for your stage performances. What are the differences in preparation for a Broadway show versus onscreen drama such as Waves?
We have an opportunity to work all together as a cast in the theater. We get to see everyone else’s work because we’re pretty much there most of the time. We have a tremendous amount of information at the beginning when you’re doing theater. We get to tell the story in order, and we get an immediate response from an audience. That’s really the difference. That’s pretty much the only difference in film.
One thing I miss is that I don’t really get to see the genius work that other people are doing until I see the film because I’m not really there. I’m not shooting that day. You have to make some decisions about the emotional journey because you’re probably going to shoot it based upon the location as opposed to in order. But it is lovely in film that our work is preserved. If you didn’t see me [on stage], I just have to tell you that I think it was really good.
Were you immediately attracted to waves after you read the script?
I was immediately attracted to the idea of getting to work with Sterling K. Brown. How quickly can I get to Florida?
[Laughter.]
He’s just a beautiful human being. You can tell that even if you don’t know him. You can see his spirit, and he’s just everything you want him to be. So that was the most attractive thing for me. I’d heard that the filmmaker [Trey Edward Shults] was a genius because everybody I know that saw his first film realized the talent that was there and were so excited about him.
I didn’t know that the world needed to see any other imagery of a young Black man doing something violent. We were all very concerned about that. We spent a lot of time talking about it. Kelvin Harrison, Jr. and the director spent a lot of time creating an authentic character. I’m grateful that they chose to take the risk and cast this film with a Black family in spite of the potential danger of revisiting some stereotypes that we don’t want to see.
What do you hope families will gain from Catharine and Ronald’s marriage and how they treat their children?
A friend of mine saw the film last night. She was really shook as a parent, and she said, “I’m taking from this film that I need to be more mindful of the silences of my children.” I think we need to make sure that children understand that we are not the judge, that we are their advocate, and that we need to give them the room to disappoint us and to fail and to make bad mistakes. We need to communicate to them that my disappointment or frustration from whatever happens is not what you need to worry about.
There are real consequences in this world. This world can be a dangerous place and the world can be very dangerous to you. It is my job as your parent to advocate for you. That is my first job. That is my last job. I hope that parents can work together in their different parenting styles to figure out how to be better.
Also, just in the grieving. [You] don’t know when you marry somebody that you have to be compatible in grieving, and this couple has to figure that out. They have two different styles of dealing with tremendous pain. It seems to me in the end of this film that they’ve learned to stay together and work on it. I hope that’s an example for couples out there that are also dealing with tragedy.
Waves is now playing in select theaters. Everywhere December 6.
The post Renée Elise Goldsberry on Motherhood and Working with Sterling K. Brown in ‘Waves’ appeared first on Black Girl Nerds.
The Imperial stormtrooper is one of the most iconic designs in all of Star Wars. The trooper aesthetic as created by Ralph McQuarrie for the original trilogy remains one of the most recognizable images in all of cinema history. Sure, they always miss their targets, but they look cool while doing it! And with the upcoming The Rise of Skywalker, we are going to be introduced to yet another variation of trooper, with the crimson Sith Trooper.
At this year’s D23 Expo, Lucasfilm shared a video for fans called The Evolution of the Stormtrooper, which they have finally released online. The video dissects 42 years of trooper designs, from A New Hope up until the films of today. You can check out the full video down below:
It’s interesting that the video opens with director J.J. Abrams saying, “You cannot make a Star Wars movie without stormtroopers.” This is not entirely accurate, because The Phantom Menace actually doesn’t have any stormtroopers in it at all. Would fans embrace that chapter of the saga more if there had been? Who knows. But I can say that when the Republic clone trooper army arrived in the climax of Attack of the Clones, the prequels finally began to feel like Star Wars proper. So that really goes to show how integral the iconography of the stormtrooper is to the saga.
Lucasfilm
The animated series Clone Wars and Rebels also made key additions to the stormtrooper evolution, and it’s nice that the video acknowledges them. The video’s comments from series executive producer Dave Filoni really highlight the contributions the cartoons made to the overall evolution of the troops. Under Filoni’s guidance came the idea that the Republic clones under the leadership of their Jedi generals exhibited individuality, and decorated their helmets and armor with color and individual graphics. When Order 66 takes place and the Empire is formed, everything becomes monochromatic and stark.
Lucasfilm
Because the video came out during D23, they didn’t want to give away the latest contributions to stormtrooper canon with The Mandalorian. The new Disney+ series gave us a new variation of stormtroopers—of a sort. Five years past Return of the Jedi, the rusty and dirty looks that the former Imperial troops now wear make them look even more menacing. Although not specifically stated, it seems the old Imperial troops are now renting themselves out to former Imperial military officers who now rule as warlords. The grungy, worn-out look is sure to be cosplayed plenty in the years to come.
So what kind of trooper armor can we expect when the Skywalker saga wraps up? It’s impossible to say. If we get an adaptation of Knights of the Old Republic, that game found ways to include a class of troopers that are a precursor to the clone troopers and stormtroopers of centuries later. As J.J. Abrams said in the video, it’s doesn’t really feel quite like Star Wars without them. It’s safe to say there will be white-clad armored troops of one kind or the other in Star Wars for as long as the franchise is alive.
Header Image: Lucasfilm
The post New STAR WARS Video Chronicles the Evolution of Stormtroopers appeared first on Nerdist.
As much as we’d love for it to still be Spooky Season (October came and went far too fast), Thanksgiving and Black Friday are right around the corner. You know what that means: it’s Gift Guide Season, y’all. The holidays bring about plenty of opportunities to find the perfect gift for someone, be it at an office White Elephant party or exchanging gifts with one of your closest friends or loved ones. But with those opportunities to find the perfect gift often comes stress.
That’s what we’re here to take care of. Below you’ll find some of the coolest geek gear released in 2019, from tabletop gaming supplies, to dope sneakers, to the ever-reliable Star Wars collectible. It might not have every answer you need heading into the holiday season but hopefully, it will at least give you a point in the right direction.
Happy holidays to all of our readers, and good luck finding gifts that will make your friends and loved ones light up in the coming weeks!
Dungeons & Dragons/Gaming
Photo Credit: Amazon
Dungeons & Dragons Stranger Things Starter Kit
Dungeons & Dragons Essentials Kit
Unmatched: Battle of Legends Board Game
Dungeons and Dragons Rick and Morty Kit
Kraken Dice – Most tabletop gamers will tell you that they already have too many pairs of dice, but trust us: what they really mean is they just haven’t found the next pair they want yet. A new set of dice is such a reliable gift, be it a relatively cheap set as a stocking stuffer or a limited-edition precious stone set to really make someone’s holiday bright. The folks over at Kraken Dice have you covered on all fronts. They make a variety of unique dice sets that range from super affordable to high-end collectibles.
Headphones
Photo Credit: Under Armour
Panasonic Premium Wireless Headphones
Project Rock – A set of headphones that gives you high-end sound and is also built for activewear is a rare thing. That’s why The Rock’s signature headphones (yes, apparently he has those) are such a revelation. They’re built to function during high-motion activities like running, weightlifting, and shooting hoops but sound as good as any quality studio headphones. If there’s an active person in your life, their days of having to stop workouts to put their headphones back on after they’ve fallen off for the umpteenth time are over.
Collectibles
Photo Credit: Amazon
Star Wars Black Series Luke Skywalker Helmet
Photo Credit: Amazon
Star Wars Ultimate D-O Interactive Droid – Back when Star Wars: The Force Awakens hit theaters, those awesome BB-8 Bluetooth droids that you could control via a downloadable phone app were nigh-impossible to find for months. Get ahead of the coming rush and pick up your own interactive D-O before Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker hits theaters and you miss out.
Photo Credit: Amazon
Cowboy Bebop Spike Spiegel Figuarts – There hasn’t been a great Spike Spiegel action figure available for years, save for a few that have been out of production that fetched high prices on eBay. Tamashii Nations fixed that this year by bringing the legendary space cowboy into the fold. It’s sure to delight the Bebop fan in your life.
Black Series Lightsabers – These are an always-reliable standby. Force FX lightsabers have been the perfect Star Wars collectible of the modern era and any fan of the franchise is sure to be delighted to receive one. There’s a wide array of options available but the new Supreme Leader Kylo Ren one is easily the top of the line these days.
Books
Photo Credit: Amazon
The Lady from the Black Lagoon
Stranger Things: The Official Companion
Movies (And Other Things) – Shea Serrano may be the most popular nonfiction writer in the world today thanks to his unique wit and perspective on subjects like rap music, basketball, and television. His latest offering, Movies (And Other Things) is among his best and makes for a great gift for anyone you know who spends time in front of a screen, regardless of what they’re watching.
Game of Thrones: A Guide to Westeros and Beyond
Fashion/Accessories
Photo Credit: Adidas
Mondo Pins – Pins are the ultimate stocking stuffer and it’s hard to go wrong with any of Mondo’s offerings in that department. Featuring everything from Marvel characters to the cast of Duck Tales, it shouldn’t be hard to find the right one for whoever it is you’re shopping for.
Movies/TV
Photo Credit: Amazon
Cobra Kai – YouTube Red may be the single biggest dud of the Streaming Era but man, it’s been worth it if only for Cobra Kai. What could be an easy nostalgia cash-grab has instead turned out to be a poignant meditation on masculinity and how it shapes young men. Don’t get us wrong, though – there’s still some great Karate Kid fan service and dope action sequences.
Robocop (Arrow Video Special Edition)
Do The Right Thing (Criterion Collection) – Perhaps the single most impressive home media release of the year. One of the great movies of all time now comes in a well-designed box set crammed with special features and a book that contains essays on the film, photography, as well as director/star Spike Lee’s shooting diary.
Batman Beyond: The Animated Series
More on Geek.com:
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- GameStop Reveals Full Black Friday 2019 Gaming Deals
- The Best Black Friday Gifts for Comic Book Fans