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https://nerdist.com/article/nicolas-cage-did-not-use-method-acting-for-renfield-role-as-dracula/

It’s no secret that a lot of actors really, really get into their roles to the point of never breaking character. Method acting can get pretty wild, like when Tom Hanks lost over 50 pounds and refused to bathe while filming Cast Away. But when it comes to Nic Cage’s time as Dracula in the upcoming film Renfield, that is actually not the case. Director Chris McKay said Nicolas Cage was fully method acting for Renfield; however, the actor says that is simply not the case. 

The actor spoke with The Hollywood Reporter, affirming that he was, in fact, not acting like Dracula between scenes. “I just don’t have that recollection, I don’t know why Chris said that,” Cage said. “I had a lot of laughs in between takes with both Chris McKay and Nick Hoult, so maybe that was his experience, maybe because I still had the fangs in my mouth that made me speak a certain way, but that wasn’t my experience.”

Now I’m wondering if those laughs were normal Nicolas Cage laughs or more in the style of The Count from Sesame Street. That character is a parody of Bela Lugosi’s Count Dracula, after all. Either way, the Renfield trailer shows that Nicolas Cage totally nails, no method acting needed, it as the most famous vampire of all time. And that’s what really…counts.

The post No, Nicolas Cage Didn’t Use Method Acting for RENFIELD Role as Dracula appeared first on Nerdist.

https://www.blackenterprise.com/secret-deodorant-launches-initiative-empowering-women-to-achieve-financial-wellness/

Ahead of Financial Literacy Month this April, Secret Deodorant is introducing a multi-year financial empowerment initiative that starts by providing 1 million young women with access to in-depth financial courses and training resources developed and led by highly-renowned female financial experts. The initiative was unveiled yesterday at the New York Stock Exchange during the ‘Young Women’s Financial Wellness Forum,’ hosted in partnership with Seneca Women, a women’s leadership platform dedicated to advancing women in the economy and around the world. The initiative is designed to support young women at the very start of their independent financial journeys, by providing them with the foundational tools needed to succeed today, and in turn, improve their financial wellness.

Gen Z adults in the U.S. report the highest level of stress compared to any other generation, according to the American Psychological Association.¹The biggest cause of stress? Money. Financial stress disproportionately impacts women, particularly women of color. Black and Hispanic women generally have higher unmet financial needs, more student loan debt, and are more likely to struggle financially while in school.² Unfortunately, this disparity can take a toll on a woman’s financial journey.³ By 2030, Secret will empower millions of young women to tackle financial stress and forge a path to equitable wealth.

“As part of Secret’s continued efforts to uplift women, we hope to spark a conversation about financial well-being and provide tools for financial literacy and education,” said Kate DiCarlo, Senior Communications Director, Personal Care Portfolio, Procter & Gamble. “Secret is proud to partner with a diverse group of women to lend their financial expertise to this initiative.”

Secret commissioned an advisory board of renowned multicultural financial experts to help propel its mission of increasing access to financial education, proving that a financially well life is within reach for all women. The financial experts helped launch the initiative by providing practical, tangible advice geared towards the needs and concerns of Gen Z women at Seneca Women’s ‘Young Women’s Financial Wellness Forum’ in partnership with Secret.

Secret’s alliance of financial experts includes:

• Berna Anat: Financial educator and author of “Money Out Loud – All the Financial Stuff No One Taught Us,” helping BIPOC and first-gen folks feel seen in the money world
• Carmen Perez: Creator of MUCH budgeting app, helping individuals manage their money and paychecks
• Giovanna Gonzalez: Founder of The First Gen Mentor, helping first-generation students and young professionals of color entering the workplace to confidently manage their money
• Jamila Souffrant: Founder of Journey to Launch, helping individuals launch into financial freedom
• Marsha Barnes: CEO and founder of The Finance Bar Members Club, helping individuals start their journey to financial wellness

“I understand how imperative it is to be well-versed in the world of finances. From understanding how to get your first credit card, student loans, to how to apply for a mortgage and dealing with debt, it’s a lot to take in,” said Marsha Barnes, personal finance expert and founder of The Finance Bar Members Club. “Through financial therapy and education, I can support women throughout their experiences, and partnering with Secret gives me the opportunity to extend a helping hand to more women in need. I look forward to making a meaningful impact in young women’s lives as they embark on their personal journeys to achieve financial wellness.”

The multi-phased initiative will also take to social media to reach young women through #SecretMoneyMoves, a series of financial literacy social posts that address the ins and outs of prominent financial questions, like how to create a budget, negotiate your first salary, understand your credit score and much more.

Secret has also joined forces with Prosperity Now, the nation’s leading racial economic justice organization, to help remove the barriers for young women in need to achieve financial equity. The organization’s mission is to drive economic opportunity for all and build equitable economic power through impactful systemic change; centering those who have been historically excluded, amplifying community-rooted solutions, and energizing them through research, advocacy, policy and narrative change.

To learn more about Secret’s new financial empowerment programming, visit Secret.com/MoneyMoves.

https://nerdist.com/article/spideman-across-the-spider-verse-everything-we-know/

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse blew everyone away in 2018, introducing mainstream audiences to Spider-Man Miles Morales, as well as a host of multiversal variants of everyone’s favorite wall-crawler. The film was a hit at the box office, and won Best Animated Feature at the Academy Awards. Now, after several delays, the first of two sequels is finally hitting theaters next year, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. A third film, Beyond the Spider-Verse, arrives in 2024.

In addition to these entries, the Spider-Verse franchise will also release a short from Sony Pictures Animation and Sony Pictures Imageworks. This short will be titled “The Spider Within.” Per Variety, here is the synopsis for this next Miles Morales animation:

In the short, Miles Morales struggles to balance his responsibilities as a teenager, friend and student while acting as Brooklyn’s friendly neighborhood superhero. After a particularly challenging day living with these pressures, Miles experiences a panic attack that forces him to confront the manifestations of his anxiety and learn that reaching out for help can be just as brave an act as protecting his city from evil.

Our favorite heroes face many enemies that seem surreal and very fictional. But anxiety and the pressures of life can fell as all. Allowing Spider-Man to face these issues, especially since he’s really just a teen, will be a powerful thing. The Spider-Verse short will l debut at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in June. Hopefully, it will also release to the public soon after that.

In addition, Sony Pictures Animation and Sony Pictures Imageworks will launch a new mentorship program called LENS (Leading and Empowering New Storytellers). The publication shares that “the new program aims to provide high-potential candidates from underrepresented groups an opportunity to gain valuable leadership experience.”

Here is everything we know about the first, long-awaited continuation of Miles Morales’ adventures across the multiverse.

Title

The title for the first sequel to Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse‘s Plot

In this movie, Miles Morales will reunite with his friends Spider-Gwen and Peter B. Parker, and also team up with Spider-Man 2099, Spider-Punk, and the original Spider-Woman, Jessica Drew. Whatever multi-dimensional shenanigans the story entails will see multiple animation styles at play. The villain is an often mocked villain from the comics, called the Spot. But for the film, they have given the Spot a power upgrade. Now he has abilities that allow for him to create portals to other realms of the multiverse. Early toy reveals for also show that Ben Reilly, the so-called “Spider-Clone” from the ’90s, as well as a Cyborg Spider-Woman also feature in the plot.

Of course, we will also see many new Spider-Man variants in Across the Spider-Verse.

Which new Spider-Person are you most excited for?

Jessica Drew, Spider-Woman (@IssaRae)
Pavitr Prabhakar, Spider-Man India
Hobie Brown, Spider-Punk (Daniel Kaluuya)
Mayday, Peter B. Parker and Mary Jane's baby

More Across the #SpiderVerse reveals here: https://t.co/mIfy0NGAyh pic.twitter.com/1fKkJZzlVB

— Sony Pictures Animation (@SonyAnimation) December 13, 2022

And, per a recent article on Empire, five new worlds in total. According to the article, there’s Spider-Gwen’s Earth-65, which is done in watercolors. Additionally, we’ll visit Mumbattan, an India-inspired world, Nueva York where Spider-Man 2099 lives, and New London, the world of Spider-Punk. There’s one more universe besides all of those, but that’s a secret for now.

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse‘s Cast

Across the Spider-Verse will see many returning cast members from the first film, like Shameik Moore (Miles Morales), Hailee Steinfeld (Gwen Stacy), Jake Johnson (Peter B. Parker), Oscar Isaac (Spider-Man 2099), Brian Tyree Henry (Jefferson Davis), Luna Lauren Vélez (Rio Morales), Issa Rae (Jessica Drew/Spider-Woman), Jason Schwartzman (the Spot), and Daniel Kaluuya (Spider-Punk). Shea Whigham is also part of the cast, as police captain George Stacy, Gwen’s father. Jorma Taccone plays the Vulture, as a secondary villain.

Recently, we learned that Deadpool franchise actor Karan Soni would join Across the Spider-Verse as Pavitr Prabhakar or Spider-Man India. This is an exciting addition to an already incredible cast.

There’s no official word yet if we’ll see cameos from some characters from Into the Spider-Verse not officially listed in the cast for the sequel. As far as the official cast listing, there’s no indication that variants like Peter Porker will appear again. But it would not surprise us to see some of them. It would also not shock us to see and hear animated versions of the live-action Spider-Mans like Tom Holland, Andrew Garfield, and Tobey Maguire, although none of them are confirmed.

One Spider-Man we won’t see returning, though is Nicolas Cage’s Spider-Man Noir. Here’s what Cage had to say about Spider-Man Noir’s presence in Across the Spider-Verse.

You’d have to ask Sony. I don’t know what’s going on with that… No one’s spoken to me about that. Ask them. I don’t know. I really don’t. I wish they would. I love Spider-Man Noir, too. I think that’s a great character. Spider-Man’s the coolest superhero. And then you combine that with [James] Cagney and [Humphrey] Bogart and Edward G. Robinson, come on, it’s a great character.

That’s one Spider-Man variant we’re sad to see go.

Behind the Scenes

Across the Spider-Verse is directed by Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, and Justin K. Thompson, in their feature directorial debuts. The script comes from the original film’s writing team of Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, and David Callaham. Like the first film, this one is a Sony Pictures Animation production, and Marvel Studios had no involvement.

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse‘s Release Date

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse hits theaters on June 2, 2023. 

The post An Upcoming SPIDER-VERSE Short Will Tackle Dealing with Anxiety appeared first on Nerdist.

https://blackgirlnerds.com/historical-fiction-meets-multicultural-romance-in-ana-maria-and-the-fox-by-liana-de-la-rosa/

I have been enjoying the new trend of more multicultural romances, and Ana Maria and the Fox is a refreshing addition. Ana Maria Luna Valdés and her sisters are Mexican heiresses with connections to the democratically elected government. When the French invade in 1863, they are secretly sent to England to lie low until they can return to Mexico. But their uncle, who also happens to be the Mexican ambassador, has other plans: Why not use his beautiful, lady-like nieces to gather support for the Mexican regime?

Experiencing their first taste of freedom in London, the sisters are tasked with entering society and attempting to shine a sympathetic light on Mexico’s plight. Member of Parliament Gideon Fox is also trying to rally political favor, attempting to secure the votes he needs to put forth a measure to abolish the Atlantic slave trade once and for all.

For context, the Atlantic slave trade involved the transportation of enslaved African people by slave traders mainly to the Americas. The slave trade regularly used the triangular trade route and its Middle Passage and existed from the 16th to the 19th centuries. Britain was one of the most successful slave-trading countries. Together with Portugal, the two countries accounted for about 70 percent of all Africans transported to the Americas. It is estimated that Britain transported over three million Africans (of whom fewer arrived alive) to the British colonies in the Caribbean and in North and South America and to other countries.

With that being said, the historical setting and political landscape get a lot of attention in this story. Ana María’s sisters are also highlighted in such a way that they will be the subjects for future books. Because of this, the book feels like it slants more towards historical fiction. The romance sometimes feels secondary. Ana María and Gideon’s relationship doesn’t really pick up and go until more than halfway through the book.

Gideon Fox, whose grandmother was enslaved, has worked hard to become a member of Parliament. On Ana Maria’s side, she’s engaged to be married to one of her father’s political allies. Gideon is devoted to his career, and a foreign wife would not help his cause. Nonetheless, these two find themselves constantly drawn to each other. Ana María and Gideon share an attraction, but neither are free to act on their feelings.

Despite having a fiancé — handpicked by her father back home — Ana María can’t help but be attracted to Gideon. He has his own political storyline, fighting for a cause that is close to his heart as the grandson of a formerly enslaved woman. Gideon has to decide what’s more important: his heart or his votes.

The Luna sisters have been isolated and controlled in Mexico, completely under their father’s thumb, and are not close at the beginning of the story. But their sibling relationship develops and grows. They start to stand up for one another, like when their chaperone suggests that sister Isobel needs to lighten her complexion or after a situation arises at a house party.

Ana María is an interesting woman. As the oldest daughter, she has been raised to do her father’s bidding and has lived with the pressure to be perfect in his eyes. The strain of this follows her through various points in the book, and I enjoyed the progression of her coming into her own. She’s witty, charming, and full of fire. I also love that she seems to have an amazing fashion sense.

Her interactions with Gideon were always beautiful. Gideon is driven, ambitious, and cares deeply about his cause. He wants to help make the world a better place and is using all his political power to abolish slaver ships docking at foreign ports. While he is a man of little emotion to others, he blossoms when he is around Ana María. She is determined to expand her mind, and Gideon grows to appreciate her opinions and world view.

Historical fiction is not a genre I read very often, but this book has changed my mind. The writing is so descriptive and fluid. There is some spiciness to the book, appropriate to the place and time. The author, De la Rosa, does an excellent job of writing the dual perspectives and giving each their own voice. The plot was exciting and full of tension. This book takes place over the course of several months but the time does not drag at all. 

I give this book at 5/5 stars and recommend if you’re wanting to expand your reading horizons into more multicultural stories. It’s a slow burn, for sure. But, if you can stick with it, there’s a lot to love about this story.

Ana Maria and the Fox is available April 4, 2023, wherever books are sold.