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PEOPLE & ARTS Thursday 19 december 2019
Breakthrough Entertainer: Ferreira’s

2019 has been surreal

This Nov. 30, 2018, file photo shows screenwriter and
playwright Aaron Sorkin in New York to promote his latest
stage project, an adaptation of "To Kill a Mockingbird."
Associated Press
Play ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ flies

to Madison Square Garden

By MARK KENNEDY tickets are being distrib-
Associated Press uted by the city’s educa-
NEW YORK (AP) — The tion department.
hit play “To Kill a Mock- The entire current Broad-
ingbird” is busting out of way cast will be present,
Broadway — and dunk- led by Ed Harris as Atti-
ing at Madison Square cus Finch. Harris told The
Garden. AP he was thrilled by the
For one night only in Feb- prospect, especially with
ruary, the stage adap- such a powerful play.
In this Dec. 9, 2019, photo Barbie Ferreira poses for a portrait in Los Angeles. Ferreira was named tation of Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird”
one of The Associated Press’ Breakthrough Entertainers of 2019.
Associated Press iconic book will be per- won the Pulitzer Prize in
formed exclusively for 1961 and has been wide-
By MICHAEL CIDONI LENNOX Ferreira noted that she lucked out in two 18,000 public school ly praised as a sensitive
Associated Press ways. It’s rare that a relative novice lands children free of charge portrait of racial tension
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Barbie Ferreira has a plum role on a major TV series. And it’s at the home of the New in 1930s Alabama. Finch
been hearing countless variations on the an even longer shot that the series ends York Knicks and Rangers, is a lawyer called upon
word “breakthrough” applied to her role up an out-of-the-gate critical and audi- The Associated Press has to defend a black man
in HBO’s groundbreaking teen drama “Eu- ence hit. learned. falsely accused of raping
phoria” ever since the series debuted over “You know, I saw how great it was and I The move marks the first a white woman.
the summer. But the actress clearly isn’t had my inclinations to be like, ‘I think the time a Broadway play The stage adaptation
tired of them. world’s ready to see it,’” Ferreira replied. has been performed at is directed by Bartlett
When Ferreira was asked when it meant “By the same time, I remember all of us the venue nicknamed Sher and written by Aar-
to be named one of The Associated Press’ just so scared for weeks -- and not scared, “The World’s Most Fa- on Sorkin. Sorkin’s other
Breakthrough Entertainers of 2019, she ex- but more just nervous. And we know that mous Arena,” which has plays include “A Few
plained that it, and all of the praise she’s we were putting something out there that hosted concerts by the Good Men” and “The
received since “Euphoria,” has validated maybe was shocking and maybe did Beatles and Billy Joel, Farnsworth Invention.”
a dream she’s had since age 10: To be a things that other people didn’t do. And boxing bouts between He won an Academy
professional actor. that comes with a lot of anxiety. And, for Joe Frazier and Muham- Award and a Golden
“It’s been a lot of ’No’s, a lot of rejection,” me, I think the takeaway that I’ve had is mad Ali and “The Con- Globe Award for his
Ferreira said. “But somehow, some way, that anything is possible within this career.” cert for Bangladesh” in screenplay for “The So-
it has happened. And I have a role on a Ferreira next appears opposite Haley Lu 1971. cial Network.” His films in-
TV show, and I have this opportunity and Richardson in the feature adaptation of The play’s usual Broad- clude “Steve Jobs” and
it just feels really surreal.” Though “Eupho- the novel “Unpregnant,” and HBO re- way home is the 1,435- “Moneyball.”
ria’s” star id Zendaya, Ferreira has stood newed “Euphoria” for a second season. seat Shubert Theatre, “This is a one-of-a-kind
out of the daringly dark and often sexually Down the road, Ferreira would like to tell where it is routinely sold event — 18,000 young
graphic series by portraying Kat Hernan- her own stories. out and commands an people who wouldn’t
dez, a teen working her ways through sex- “I used to think that I would have to wait, average ticket price of otherwise be able to af-
uality and finding her place as a plus-size like, 10 years...or have to go through all this $162. ford to see a Broadway
woman in a size-zero world. stuff to be able to have a voice or a story But on Feb. 26, thou- play are going to be in-
While this is Ferreira’s star-making acting to tell,“she said. “And it’s just not true. So, I sands of middle and high troduced to American
role, she is no stranger to success: She just want to explore all aspects of it.” school students from all theater,” Sorkin said.
was a fashion model in New York who re- However, for now, she’s savoring every five boroughs will get to “Scott, Bart and our cast,
ceived attention for embracing her fuller moment, and every sweet word. see it for free, courtesy Jim Dolan and Madison
size. At 19, Time featured her in a profile Today, “breakthrough” suits her just fine. of the Scott Rudin-led Square Garden and the
and noted “her image inspires girls around “Ït has been such a blessing and a privi- production and James Department of Educa-
the world.” lege to do it that now, I’m like, ‘The world L. Dolan, the execu- tion are bringing the
But she gave it all up and moved to Los is my oyster.’ And this was my goal for so tive chairman and CEO mountain to Moham-
Angeles to make her Hollywood dream long that I’ve achieved it. of The Madison Square med — and I’m very ex-
come true. “Now I’m like, ‘What else?’”q Garden Company. The cited to be a part of it.”q