On her first acting credit Thandiwe Newton’s name was misspelled. It remained that way in every acting role she had for the next three decades. Her Zimbabwean name was anglicised by the film industry, against her will. Women in the film industry face challenges, to say the least. For women of colour the industry is even more brutal. Thandiwe recently recalled turning down a … [Read more...] about What’s in a name? Quite a lot
Making currency out of controversy
2021 YouTube was not made with me in mind, and rightly so. According to my cultural advisor and 12-year-old niece, I am “an old”. There’s no stopping it, I never was and never will be down with the kids. I got a searing glimpse into this recently while playing a game of keepy-uppy with advisor/niece (same person!). I asked about the recent David Dobrik’s scandal and his ‘vlog … [Read more...] about Making currency out of controversy
The groundhog days of addiction
The following article deals with themes of an adult nature which some readers may find upsetting. During an interminably long lockdown, I’ve run a gamut of challenging books, both fictional and biographical. There is something magnetic about people who never compromise. Despite the hard realities that comes with it, the do or die approach to life is fascinating, and … [Read more...] about The groundhog days of addiction
Bobo the Clown – A Wexford Wedding
Any upcoming events where hair and makeup are ‘a thing’ I wait for the familiar pang of foreboding. The question every woman in the family asks, “Who’s doing your make-up?” It’s a fair enough question. Weddings are long all-day affairs. Irish weddings are especially vulnerable to the elements. Every summer wedding I’ve attended has seen the extremes of all seasons in a … [Read more...] about Bobo the Clown – A Wexford Wedding
No more nights of “Normalcy”
Oscar’s night is as good as its drama. The memorable stand out moments are rarely to do with the big winners (with the wonderful recent exception of Parasite sweeping the board last year). Fan outrage, wrong envelopes called out, awful name pronunciation; this is the stuff dreams are made of. It’s these absurd moments that I adore. For all the pomp of the ceremony, human … [Read more...] about No more nights of “Normalcy”