LOS ANGELES, April 20, 2023 (Newswire.com)
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On Tuesday, April 25, 2023, Netflix and Discovery+ host Leon Logothetis will release his new book, Go Be Brave: 24¾ Adventures for a Fearless, Wise, and Truly Magnificent Life. The book encourages readers to fight for their voice and find ways to free themselves from unhealthy labels we tend to place on ourselves and society, including mental health stigmas, bullying, and trauma. His own journey of self-discovery inspires Logothetis' book as he learned to be brave in order to overcome mental health obstacles in his own life.
His book comes at a crucial time, with over 50 million Americans experiencing a mental health illness. "The key is to be brave," says Logothetis. "I want readers to know that it is OK not to be OK. It's OK not always to be strong. Through my years traveling around the world with no money to my name, relying solely on the kindness of strangers, I found that true bravery is when you know you need to ask for help. When we speak our truth."
Go Be Brave takes readers on 24¾ adventures, with bravery exercises to start becoming more confident and courageous, arming them with the bravery skills to make life what they intended it to be. Leon, who also struggled with years of bullying, trauma, along with mental health issues, serves as the tour guide throughout.
Why everyone should get mad: The five lessons of anger, towards understanding that anger is simply fear turned inside out.
Learn to say "yes" to adventure, and embrace saying "no" to things that don't serve you.
How finding a bravery buddy is the interpersonal connection we need to experience deep change.
Start writing in a "truth diary" - where you get a safe place to finally speak your truth.
Logothetis has made a successful career out of inspiring others around the world through his popular NETFLIX show, The Kindness Diaries (now airing on Discovery+). He believes that bravery isn't something you either have or don't have — it's something you can learn over time with practice and dedication. "It takes courage every day to step into the unknown and speak our truths," says Logothetis. "But if we do it together, we can all become brave emotional warriors."
Go Be Brave offers readers an opportunity for transformation by guiding them through steps towards embracing vulnerability and taking risks in order to live with joy rather than fear. By teaching readers how to be brave enough to confront their issues head-on, the book provides a path forward for those struggling with fear and doubt.
Logothetis hopes this book will serve as a beacon of hope for those who feel trapped — giving them back control over their lives by helping them see that they can conquer anything they set their minds on. With Go Be Brave, readers can begin the process of healing while finding strength within themselves along the way.
For more information on Leon Logothetis and his new book Go Be Brave, visit www.leonlogothetis.com.
About Leon Logothetis
Before Leon Logothetis became a global adventurer, TV host, motivational speaker, and best-selling author, he was living an uninspired and disconnected life as a broker in London. On the outside, it looked like he had it all. But inside, he was chronically depressed. He decided to do something radical about it - give it all up for a life on the road. He embarked on an adventure around the globe, fueled by the receiving and giving of kindness. For over a decade, he has traveled to over 100 countries and to every continent. He's documented his experiences through his best-selling books and TV shows. Leon has devoted his life to inspiring the world with his message of kindness and hope.
Thirdwave RX, a rebate administration company for healthcare providers, has announced the launch of its new website.
NEW YORK, April 20, 2023 (Newswire.com)
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Thirdwave RX, a rebate administration company for healthcare providers, has announced the launch of its new website, www.thirdwaverx.com.
The company's new website communicates its full breadth of capabilities that help draw down on drug costs through an advanced rebate solution that leverages artificial intelligence and proprietary technology. The Thirdwave solution is supported by a team of experienced specialists in pharmaceutical, financial, healthcare operations, and technology that have been pivotal to the growth of several influential healthcare companies in recent years.
"Our new website is an important part of a larger strategic initiative that will demonstrate our progressively advancing ability to help healthcare providers lower their net drug costs through a proven rebate administration process. We've assembled an incredibly talented team that has a track record of creating successful outcomes for a variety of healthcare systems and providers, and we are focused on expanding our reach so more providers can achieve their lowest net drug cost," said Ed Lagerstrom, Thirdwave RX's Chief Executive Officer.
Thirdwave RX provides rebate administration services to hospitals, specialty providers, pharmacies, and long-term care providers through its proprietary technology and specialty team of advisors. Through rigorously accurate and compliant processes, Thirdwave RX delivers industry-leading rebate amounts to its clients that help healthcare providers achieve their lowest net drug cost. Learn more at www.thirdwaverx.com.
Matthew McConaughey wonders if he might actually be related to his good friend Woody Harrelson after a revelation from his mother.
Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson are great friends… but is it possible that they could actually be related?
While appearing on Kelly Ripa’s Let’s Talk Off Camera podcast, Matthew McConaughey revealed that his mother let it slip that she had known Woody Harrelson’s father, perhaps even intimately. “In Greece a few years ago, we’re sitting around talking about how close we are and our families,” McConaughey said. “And my mom is there, and she says, ‘Woody, I knew your dad.’ Everyone was aware of the ellipses that my mom left after ‘knew.’ It was a loaded K-N-E-W.“
McConaughey did some digging into his family’s history and discovered that it could be possible. “We went on to unpack what this ‘knew’ meant and did some math and found out that [Harrelson’s] dad was on furlough at the same time that my mom and dad were in their second divorce,” McConaughey explained. “Then there’s possible receipts and places out in West Texas where there might have been a gathering, or a meeting, or a ‘knew’ moment.”
Although a simple DNA test would answer the question of whether Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson are actually related, McConaughey is hesitant to know that information. “Look, it’s a little easier for Woody to say, ‘Come on, let’s do [DNA tests],’ because what’s the skin in it for him?” McConaughey said. “It’s a little harder for me because he’s asking me to take a chance to go, ‘Wait a minute, you’re trying to tell me my dad may not be my dad after 53 years of believing that?’ I got a little more skin in the game.“
Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson have worked together several times over the course of their career, and they’re set to reunite once more for Brother From Another Mother, a half-hour comedy series developed by David West Read (The Big Door Prize) The series will find the actors playing fictional versions of themselves, but their friendship will be put to the test “when their combined families attempt to live together on Matthew’s ranch in Texas.” The Apple TV+ logline describes the ten-episode series as “a heartfelt odd couple love story revolving around the strange and beautiful bond between Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson.”
Do you think Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson could be related?
David F. Sandberg originally wanted Shaquille O’Neal and Sinbad to make cameo appearances in Shazam: Fury of the Gods.
Most comic-book movies feature a cameo or two, and Shazam: Fury of the Gods was no exception, but the film almost included a celebrity cameo which would have been amazing. Director David. F Sandberg took to Twitter to reveal that Sinbad was originally set to make a cameo in the Shazam sequel.
I think I’ll hold off on publishing this video for a bit. I just don’t feel strong enough to deal with whatever bullshit and misinterpretations I’m sure will come of it. Sorry for the tease. But check out Shazam 2, out now on digital. And here’s a clip for now: pic.twitter.com/rfEcLLT5i1
Sinbad’s cameo would have been a reference to the genie movie Shazaam which doesn’t actually exist except as an example of the Mandela Effect. Unfortunately, Sinbad’s health struggles meant that he couldn’t take part, so Sandberg turned to Shaquille O’Neal instead. Unlike Sinbad, Shaquille O’Neal actually did play a genie in the 1996 fantasy comedy Kazaam, but Sandberg said that Shaq had to drop out of Shazam: Fury of the Gods just days before shooting due to scheduling issues.
As Shazam: Fury of the Gods hasn’t been a success at the box office, it’s unlikely that we’ll see Shazam return anytime soon. Sandberg has commented on the mixed reviews that the sequel has received. “On Rotten Tomatoes I just got my lowest critic score and my highest audience score on the same film,” Sandberg wrote. “I wasn’t expecting a repeat of the first movie critically but I was still a little surprised because I think it’s a good film. Oh well.” The movie is currently sitting at 50% on Rotten Tomatoes, but its audience score is much higher at 86%. Sandberg continued, “As I’ve been saying for a while now I’m very eager to go back to horror (as well as trying some new things). After six years of Shazam I’m definitely done with superheroes for now.“
“Bestowed with the powers of the gods, Billy Batson and his fellow foster kids are still learning how to juggle teenage life with having adult Super Hero alter-egos,” reads the official synopsis. “But when the Daughters of Atlas, a vengeful trio of ancient gods, arrive on Earth in search of the magic stolen from them long ago, Billy—aka Shazam—and his family are thrust into a battle for their superpowers, their lives, and the fate of their world.”
Quentin Tarantino says the failure of Death Proof shook his confidence and he started receiving proposals from Hollywood again as a result.
Quentin Tarantino has been fortunate in that all of his movies have been successful… with the exception of Death Proof. The film was one-half of the Grindhouse double feature with Robert Rodriguez’s Planet Terror, but audiences didn’t know what to make of it. Death Proof only grossed $31 million in its standalone release, and Tarantino said that the movie’s failure shook his confidence.
While speaking to Spain’s Diari ARA (via Variety) during his Cinema Speculation book tour, Quentin Tarantino reflected on the performance of Death Proof. “I have been lucky enough to write stories that have connected with many people, and this has allowed me to practice my art without the restrictions that most filmmakers have,” Tarantino said. “Now, a funny thing happened: for a while I was getting a lot of project proposals, until the studios ended up assuming that I do my stories and it wasn’t worth the effort. But after ‘Death Proof,’ which didn’t do well at the box office and was a bit of a shock to my confidence, I started getting proposals again.”
Rather than taking one of those studio proposals, Quentin Tarantino chose to continue on his own path. “They must have thought, ‘Perhaps now he’s touched and his temper has gone down, now is the time,’” Tarantino said. “And there’s nothing wrong with making commissioned movies for Hollywood. They always offered me interesting projects. But I preferred to reinvest in myself and made ‘Inglourious Basterds.’” Could a world exist in the multiverse where he did accept Hollywood’s proposal and Quentin Tarantino’s Marley & Me is a thing?
Quentin Tarantino admitted in 2020 that he had assumed audiences were more familiar with the history of double features than they were. “With Grindhouse, I think me and Robert just felt that people had a little more of a concept of the history of double features and exploitation movies,” Tarantino said. “No, they didn’t. At all. They had no idea what the f**k they were watching. It meant nothing to them, alright, what we were doing. So that was a case of being a little too cool for school.“
The filmmaker is preparing to shoot what is expected to be his tenth and final movie. There aren’t too many details about the project yet, only that it will be set in the 1970s and will be titled The Movie Critic.
What did you think of Quentin Tarantino’s Death Proof?
BOULDER, Colo., April 19, 2023 (Newswire.com)
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Global financial technology company SumUp continues its industry-leading sustainability agenda, today announcing a range of initiatives addressing societal and environmental issues.
The SumUp ESG framework is based on: Environment, Education and Entrepreneurship. Within the Environment pillar, SumUp has pledged to donate 1% of net revenue generated by its Solo card readers to NGOs within the "1% for the Planet" movement.
Today's announcement is a continuation of that work as SumUp looks to contribute to all aspects of ESG, looking at environmental and societal matters. SumUp is proud to announce several initiatives:
In partnership with River Cleanup, removing 100,000kg of plastic from the Citarum River in Indonesia, the most polluted river in the world. In addition to the initial removal, SumUp will also conduct campaigns to raise environmental awareness among local communities
With Wilderness International, protecting 100,000m2 of forest in Peru for generations to come, preserving valuable habitats and biodiversity and offsetting 6,000 tons of CO2
Through StoveTeam International, SumUp will be supporting 1,000 families in Central America with safe, fuel-efficient cookstoves. These stoves reduce the risk of lung diseases and save 12 tons of CO2 per stove
SumUp is also offering three-month Java Full Stack courses to over 120 students across Chile, Brazil, and Colombia, providing tech education to women and girls, non-white, LGBTQ+, and other underprivileged people. Over 80% of last year's graduates have found employment post-course. In addition, SumUp works with Dharma Life to provide a technology platform that supports education for children from rural India.
Commenting, SumUp Global Head of Diversity & Inclusion and ESG Felizitas Lichtenberg, said:
"As a world-leading technology company, we're committed to having a positive impact on the world and empowering people. And with our ESG initiatives, we want to create value throughout society and for the planet. We believe that investing in critical global issues and addressing them at source, like education for unemployed and minoritized groups, or protecting our planet, is not only the right thing to do but also a responsibility of everyone and will shape our shared future. We are committed to driving this agenda further to accelerate change and help create a sustainable future."
About SumUp
SumUp is a global financial technology company driven by the mission of empowering small businesses all over the world. Founded in 2012, SumUp is the financial partner for more than 4 million entrepreneurs in over 35 markets worldwide.
In the United States, SumUp offers an ecosystem of affordable, easy-to-use financial products, such as point-of-sale and loyalty solutions, card readers, invoicing, and a business account that allows customers to manage their money and receive payouts the next day.
NEW YORK, April 19, 2023 (Newswire.com)
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Credello: If you need cash to pay for college, you can get it in different ways. You might look into loans you can get without a bank account. Perhaps you'll get a loan from the federal government, or you may go through a private lender instead.
However you get the money you need, if you graduate years later and find you're struggling to pay back what you borrowed, you might want to know about states that will pay off your student loans. There are several out there, though you'll have to move to that state to qualify for one of these programs.
Let's look at four states that will pay off your student loans and the details of each of these programs.
1. Michigan
Michigan is up first. If you move there with student loans and agree to work in a Health Professional Shortage Area as a healthcare provider, you can receive up to $300,000 in tax-free student loan repayments.
The Michigan State Loan Repayment Program is the name of this repayment assistance plan. To qualify for the full repayment amount, though, you must work in the program for at least two years.
2. Kansas
There are a total of 95 Kansas counties that the state has designated Rural Opportunity Zones. If you move to one of them and stay there for at least five years, you might be eligible for loan repayment assistance up to $15,000. That's not as generous as Michigan's program, but the program's rules are not as rigid.
To qualify, you have to show a student loan balance in your name and prove that you're a new resident living in one of the designated areas.
3. Maryland
Maryland has something called the SmartBuy 3.0 Program. If you want to purchase a house there, you can get student loan repayment and down payment assistance.
To participate, you must have student debt totaling at least $1,000. The program pays off student loan debt amounts that are equal to 15% of the home's cost, with $50,000 being the maximum payoff amount.
4. Maine
Maine is the fourth state that will give you a break on your student loans. Their program is called the Opportunity Maine Tax Credit.
Full-time state residents are eligible. Based on what year you graduated, there are some other requirements as well. The details are still being worked out, as the program is in the midst of a simplification and expansion process.
If you meet the monthly loan payment requirements, you got one of the degrees the program designates, and you graduated at a time that meets the program specifications, you can get lifetime loan forgiveness totaling up to $25,000.
Should You Move to One of These States?
Moving to one of these four states might seem like a smart move in some instances. Any time you can get some help paying back your student loans, it's at least worth investigating.
Remember that before you commit to moving to one of these states, you should learn as many details about the program as you can. Uprooting yourself and moving to a new state is an enormous life change. You should feel confident you can take advantage of one of these programs before you start making any serious plans.
If you feel like one of these states is attractive and you meet the qualifications of one of the programs we mentioned, there's no reason not to move forward. Getting out from under those student loans should be a huge relief, and any assistance you can get will potentially make a huge difference in your life.
About Credello
Credello is a financial tech company offering a personal finance tool that simplifies financial decisions through personalized, on-demand recommendations — so users can borrow, save, or invest with confidence. Credello believes that finding the right financial product should be as easy and interactive as online shopping, and we are on a mission to make that possible. For more information, please visit https://www.credello.com.
Kimberly Hoffman will join the industry association's prestigious Leadership Advancement & Development (LEAD) Program, which assembles, educates and empowers emergent and aspiring leaders from all segments and sub-sectors of the overall seniors housing industry.
Kimberly Hoffman Discovery Senior Living has announced Kimberly Hoffman has been selected to be part of the 2023 Argentum Leadership Advancement & Development (LEAD) Program cohort.
BONITA SPRINGS, Fla., April 19, 2023 (Newswire.com)
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Discovery Senior Living ("Discovery") has announced that Kimberly Hoffman will be part of the Argentum Leadership Advancement & Development (LEAD) Program cohort after their nominations were chosen by the Program's Steering Committee.
Hoffman was nominated by top-ranking Discovery executives to take part in the selective, six-month educational and networking cooperative, which is presented by seniors housing industry association Argentum. The LEAD program is designed to provide emerging leaders a unique skill-building and development curriculum with firsthand executive insights, leadership coaching clinics, informative salon sessions, a team-based industry-advancing Capstone project, and the opportunity to forge beneficial relationships with other emerging leaders in the seniors housing space.
In being accepted into this year's Argentum LEAD Program, Hoffman will follow in the path of three other Discovery leaders who have participated in the cohort since it launched in 2020. The 2023 cohort will first assemble in person and kick off program-sponsored activities at the Argentum Senior Living Executive Conference, May 8-10 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
"I am truly honored to have been selected for the 2023 Argentum LEAD Program," said Hoffman. "As someone who is an advocate for continuous professional development, I am looking forward to the robust learning experience, particularly the education and conversations related to emotional intelligence (EI). As the industry continues to face staffing challenges, equipping community leaders with relevant tools and resources is imperative.
With headquarters in Southwest Florida, Discovery Senior Living currently owns and operates a national, multi-branded portfolio of more than 110 communities in 19 states.
About Discovery Senior Living
Discovery Senior Living is a family of companies that includes Discovery Management Group, Morada Senior Living, TerraBella Senior Living, Discovery Development Group, Discovery Design Concepts, Discovery Marketing Group, and Discovery At Home, a Medicare-certified home healthcare company. With almost three decades of experience, the award-winning management group has been developing, building, marketing, and operating upscale senior-living communities across the United States. By leveraging its innovative "Experiential Living" philosophy across a growing portfolio of more than 13,000 existing homes or homes under development, Discovery Senior Living is a recognized industry leader for lifestyle customization and, today, ranks among the 10 largest U.S. senior living operators and providers.
Contact Information:
Heidi LaVanway
Vice President of Marketing [email protected]
239.301.5330
WASHINGTON, April 19, 2023 (Newswire.com)
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A recently published article in Experimental Biology and Medicine (Volume 248, Issue 3, January, 2023) addresses the mechanisms by which air pollution worsens COVID-19, highlighting the apparent protection offered by a dietary antioxidant, astaxanthin. The study, led by Dr. Ayaho Yamamoto through the Children's Health and Environment Program in the Child Health Research Centre at the University of Queensland (UQ) and Dr. Stephania Cormier from Louisiana State University's (USA) Department of Biological Sciences, and Pennington Biomedical Research Center, reports exposure to air pollution prior to SARS-CoV-2 infection increases the severity of COVID-19.
Epidemiological studies have linked lower air quality to increased incidence and severity of COVID-19; however, how this link operates was previously unclear. To better understand the impacts of air pollution on SARS-CoV-2 infection, Dr. Yamamoto and colleagues obtained cells directly from the inner lining of the nasal cavity from healthy adults aged 24-40 in Australia, grew these cells into a fully differentiated respiratory epithelium and exposed them to particles containing environmentally persistent free radicals (EPFRs), oxidant components of particulate air pollution that are present in substantial numbers on atmospheric particulate matter, prior to SARS-CoV-2 infection. They then quantified viral replication and initial immune responses. A dietary antioxidant, astaxanthin, was also used to pretreat some of the cells to mimic the situation of taking daily supplements.
The study found that exposure of cells to EPFRs increased SARS-CoV-2 viral replication; a decrease in MUC5AC, which produces mucus and protects cells from viral entry; increased secretion of the proinflammatory cytokine TNF-α; and reduced the levels of antioxidant enzymes. Supplementation with astaxanthin inhibited SARS-CoV-2 viral replication by 43%. This correlated with the reduced expression of ACE2, a membrane protein required for SARS-CoV-2 entry and prevented most of the other adverse effects caused by EPFR exposure. These data suggest that oxidant damage to the respiratory epithelium may underly the link between poor air quality and increased COVID-19 severity.
Dr. Yamamoto said, "We have provided the first experimental evidence showing how exposure to poor air quality increases the severity of COVID-19 and suggesting that supplementation with a simple dietary antioxidant, astaxanthin, may prevent this negative impact. These preliminary findings may lead to future clinical studies."
Dr. Cormier noted, "This study was only possible because of the rapid supplemental research support provided by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Superfund Research Program. We were able to leverage strong existing collaboration between the University of Queensland and Louisiana State University. The findings highlight the importance of global collaboration and the potential for simple therapies to be adapted for vulnerable populations."
Dr. Steven R. Goodman, Editor-in-Chief of Experimental Biology and Medicine, said, "This important study by Yamamoto et al provides strong evidence that poor air quality leading to oxidative stress in respiratory epithelium may underlie the association between air pollution and increased prevalence and severity of COVID-19. It further provides evidence that antioxidants can help to mitigate the effects of air pollution on SARS-CoV-2 infection's impact on the respiratory system. This evidence should lead to clinical trials to test the efficacy of oral antioxidants upon COVID-19 severity."
Experimental Biology and Medicine is a global journal dedicated to the publication of interdisciplinary research in the biomedical sciences. The journal was first established in 1903 and is the journal of the Society of Experimental Biology and Medicine. To learn about the benefits of society membership, visit www.sebm.org. If you are interested in publishing in the journal, please visit http://ebm.sagepub.com/.
Renfield, starring Nicholas Hoult as the infamous lackey of Count Dracula (brilliantly played by Nicolas Cage) finally hits theaters this weekend. A few months ago, we were lucky enough to visit the set of the film, and shortly afterward, we got time to record some pretty extensive interviews with Cage himself, as well as director Chris McKay. We also got to sit down with Awkwafina, who co-stars in the film as a cop Renfield finds himself falling for. While she’s got lots of experience in big-budget action, having co-starred in Shang-Chi, here she’s at the center of much of the action, which brings with it certain challenges, she discusses here. She also tells us about some of her recent favorite genre movies and even gets her mind blown when we reveal one of her idols, Tom Waits, played Renfield in Bram Stoker’s Dracula.
I got lucky enough to see I got to see filming happen. I didn’t get to see him in person, but through a wall, basically. What was your first reaction when you saw Nicolas Cage in full regalia as Dracula?
Oh, man. There’s like a silence in the room, I think, when he walks in, because it’s still Nic under there. So it made like a big impression. I think it was like, to see it in person. I think when you’re meeting with Chris in the prep phases, you’re seeing, like, drawings of it, sketches, like ideas, maybe, of references on the wall. And then when you see it in front of you, it really does. It’s scary. It’s scary and cool, is what I’ll say.
What are some scenes that shocked you that they got away with? And what are some of your favorites that you can share without getting in trouble, you can be as vague as you need to be.
That shocked me that they got away with? Well, I think there is a pretty big introductory kind of when Rebecca and Renfield meet and that fight scene took place at a real restaurant. That when I went back to New Orleans to film, like, a month later. I was like, I cannot eat in there. What we were doing up in there? Like, I can’t but, yeah, it was, like a very, very long and very intense kind of scene. But it’s, like, more of a sequence that we actually started on. So I think it was our first big production fight, and I think it was really cool. It was like, one of the first times that I was really working with I forgot the word. Oh, my God. Like practical effects. And that’s crazy because it almost feels like you’re in the ride, you’re at Universal, you’re on a ride, and all these things are going off next to you. So that was really crazy. And also the synchronicity of how the crew needs to work, the stunt team, the effects team, the camera. That was a really insane, ambitious everything was kind of done as a onener. And I remember that it was very intense and there was, like, cinnamon popcorn everywhere. But, yeah, I feel like it’s going to look so cool.
How were the action scenes and the stunt scenes in this? Because when I was on the set, I got to watch Nic do, there was a fire scene where he actually ran through stuff that was on fire, and they choreographed that, and it was just an absolutely gorgeous set. I was curious how it was to film some of these shots, because in the trailer, I think we see that scene you’re talking about where there’s like, mass slaughter with dinner plates. How was that for you to film? And did you do any of your own stunt work in this?
I did do some. Honestly, for me, personally, they were definitely the most intense action scenes I’ve shot. And I’m coming from the Marvel world, right, where obviously there’s a lot of action in that, but this was different in that. Like I said, there was a moment in the restaurant where all of the kind of squibs were going off and everything is timed and everything. Like, the guys be careful about leading on this poll, because this poll is rigged and you don’t really understand what’s going to happen until it all goes off. And you finally do feel like you’re making how they used to make movies, like how they probably made, like, the original Draculas, which were very real effects, and the mixture of that and also the mixture of, obviously VFX, too. I think it was like a really cool balance of both that I really hadn’t seen before and obviously, yes, very ambitious and definitely I don’t know if I was there when Nic ran through fire, but that doesn’t sound like a surprise to me. I can totally envision that he had to run through fire.
(from left) Dracula (Nicolas Cage) and Renfield (Nicholas Hoult) in Renfield, directed by Chris McKay.
He had choreographed it, too. I was watching and thinking, Oh, he’s got the floppy hair, that’s… that’s getting really close to that flame there.
That will going to burst in flames. Trust in us, too. Which as an actor is really a compliment. And I think Nick, at least I would hope that I would be called a good sport, but I know that we both definitely went into it with that attitude. We want to do cool stuff that you feel that we’re capable of doing.
Because when we were there, we got to eat bugs with him. Did you try one or I didn’t eat real ones. I ate fake very real looking bugs.
But you ate our gummy bugs. What you’re saying is you came to visit and you ate gummy bugs. Okay. Yeah, I think I might have maybe like, at one point. What is that? The mixture was pretty cool, though, like, how they did that. Because actually, when you look at it, it’s like, oh, my God, those are real bugs in there. And then they’re like, oh, that dirt. It’s graham cracker. And you’re like it is? That’s so delicious. I have at the Hall of Science, when I was a kid, eaten one of those, like, lollipops, where there’s a bug inside. But actually, since I haven’t, I wonder if Nick has, though. Did he eat real bugs?
They actually had real bugs there, and one of the gals that was with us actually ate one
She was like, These are my personal bugs
I want to say it was a potato bug of some sort, which is not a play on words. That’s really what I think they’re called
Sounds more delicious.
Yeah, you would hope. But I watched her face as she was and I’m watching her regret her decision almost immediately because she realized, I’m not going to get this out of my teeth without some pliers.
Oh, man. Maybe that’s why I didn’t make the decision to do that.
Don’t do it.
I love that.
You’ve done Sci-Fi as well as fantasy, but I think this is like the first horror project that you’ve done. I was curious, as an actress and a writer creator, what are your thoughts on the horror genre and how women have really come into their own within it over the last 10,20 years? You’ve got Mia Goth kind of coming out there and just being everywhere, Jamie Lee Curtis showing that women of any age can kick ass. I’m just curious about your thoughts on that.
Yeah, that’s such an interesting question that I’ve actually yeah, that’s so cool that you brought that up. Obviously, you’re very well known in the genre, but horror is one of my favorite kind of movies. I sometimes have trouble paying attention, which is obviously a horrible thing to say. As someone who’s in this field, in the theater, and horror consistently holds my attention in this way that I am super fascinated by it. I think that it’s a really underrated genre that really can in so many ways that other genres can’t involve aspects of drama, involve aspects of comedy, involve aspects of even like romance. All kinds of things can meet in the horror genre. And some of my favorite movies of recent are like Barbarian and Titane. And I super agree with the way that women are kind of taking back the genre. And I think that filming horror, it was my first horror movie. It was actually so fun. Like, there were moments where I know what that line is. I know what that line where I am as an audience member when this line is delivered. And it’s mysterious. And I often felt like when I was going around with my partner, Adrian, he plays Chris.
He plays Chris in the movie. It really felt like I was investigating. So I think in that way, it was actually really cool to do horror. It’s really fun to do horror as an actress. But it definitely is dark. The material you’re working with is dark. You kind of go home with a little bit of a dark feeling. But I think that that’s another thing that makes it kind of a transcendental experience. But I really, really like horror. And I’m going to continue thinking about what you said about women taking place in the last ten to 20 years. That’s like a really cool observation.
One thing I was curious about, too, because I’d seen that you loved Tom Waits and that he was one of your inspirations growing up. I was curious, did you ever see him as Renfield in Francis Ford Coppola’s Dracula? And what were your thoughts on that?
No, I didn’t see that.
Oh, you need to see that he plays Renfield.
Wow. What? Okay. Yes. I should have known that I’m looking that’s crazy. That’s so cool. Wow. That’s so cool. I love him as an actor, so that’s amazing.
Oh, he’s fantastic. Put that on your list. And on top of it, it’s Nick Cage’s uncle who made it.
What? Yeah. Right. Okay. Sorry. Right, okay. Yes, that makes sense. Wow, that’s very cool. Blown my mind every corner.
Well, my last question for you, because I know I’m about to lose you here, but I wanted to ask you about because, again, you’ve done a lot of Sci-Fi this is your first horror film, but you’ve done fantasy and Sci-Fi within your work in animation and everything. I was curious about your thoughts on using genres like those to sneak in, talking about issues and ideas that people might not realize they’re thinking about or talking about, because we kind of covered that a little bit with the toxic relationship within Dracula and Renfield’s life. But can you speak to that? Because Shang Chi broke down a lot of boundaries and barriers for people, and it really opened eyes, I think, to a lot of fans that may not have thought about that culture and Asian Americans so I was just curious what your thoughts are on using those genres to kind of let people see.
Sure. I think that any good story is going to say something universal. It might be political, it might be something that has to do with representation. It might be something that has to do with just human nature. And I think horror as a genre, I think it really often explores that. And I think especially with Renfield and what it’s saying about what it’s saying about justice, what it’s saying about toxic relationships and complicated people. I think that sometimes those things, those kinds of like those kinds of representation or those kinds of stories get told, sometimes accidentally, simply by casting the right people in a place, by who they are. I think that those things are told. I mean, in Shang Chi, the fact that we were all Asian, I think, tells a story in its own. And I think that, you know, you have a good story when it often thinks about those things too, and how it’s telling the story and obviously how they fit into the larger piece. And I think that horror is honestly a really great genre for that, too, because it often shows you a kind of, like, nightmare version of what we are, who we are.
And I think that in itself is a comment on stuff. That’s a really good question. I’m going to think about a lot of what you said today. Thank you.
