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a14 people & arts
Tuesday 8 sepTember 2020
Elizabeth Debicki rises to the challenge in ‘Tenet’

By LINDSEY BAHR maran in the English Chan-
Associated Press nel, in an epic car chase
It was Christopher Nolan’s down a six-lane highway in
producer and wife, Emma Estonia as well as having to
Thomas, who suggested he mine deeply distressing an-
watch Steve McQueen’s ger in her scenes with Ken-
“Widows” and take a look neth Branagh, who plays
at Elizabeth Debicki. She’d her very, very evil husband,
been blown away by her Sator.
performance as the belea- She admitted that she was
guered Alice and thought particularly intimidated by
the Australian actor might the F50 scenes.
be right for the female lead “Those boats, I didn’t even
in “ Tenet.” know that they existed... I
Nolan was impressed, too. was really chicken about it
But Alice, he said, was “the in the beginning,” she said.
exact opposite” of what his “It’s kind of a gift of Nolan
“Tenet” heroine Kat need- as well, who in every sense
ed to be. Kat is an art buy- pushes you out of your
er, the wife of a powerful comfort zone.”
and controlling billionaire Because of the intensity
and a kind of regal, enig- of it, the duration and the
matic and Hitchcockian simple fact of being so far
presence. Alice was not. away from home, she and
“But then I started looking Actress Elizabeth Debicki appears during a portrait session at the 76th edition of the Venice Film her co-stars became quite
at Elizabeth’s other work Festival, in Venice, Italy, on Sept. 7, 2019. Debicki stars in the Christopher Nolan film "Tenet." close. Branagh, she said,
and I realized she’s one of Associated Press really helped her through
these great actors who you the days when they’d
don’t realize how many asking her to do so. And just me feels like a good start- But she knew “Tenet” was have to shoot a particular-
things you’ve seen her in like that the role was hers. ing-off point.” going to be a different kind ly intense argument. And
until you start to put it to- Debicki, 30, wasn’t aware A trained dancer who start- of challenge. When she John David Washington,
gether,” Nolan said. “For of any of this at the time, ed in the theater, Debicki read the script, she remem- who she calls JD, became
somebody who’s as striking however, and she’s grate- broke out in a big way play- bered thinking “I’m going a travel companion.
looking as she is, Elizabeth ful for it. Although some ac- ing the sporty Jordan Baker to have to get really fit,” “I think that we helped
is and has such an extraor- tors might dream of being in Baz Luhrmann’s 2013 and she wasn’t just talking ground each other in just
dinary presence, the fact “offer only,” she actually adaptation of “The Great about physically. Debicki sort of being human on
that she can reinvent her- loves the process of audi- Gatsby” and has been called it “Nolan stamina,” either end of a shooting
self for each role, it’s really tioning. working non-stop ever which she likened to a ho- day. And I was very lucky
remarkable.” “I like the grit of going in since, transitioning seam- listic resilience. to have them,” she said.
So they arranged a meet- as an actor and proving lessly between massive pro- Over the course of the “They’re really beautiful
ing with her, where she in- yourself to these people ductions like “Guardians of six-month, seven-country people.”
sisted on reading for them, and earning the thing,” she the Galaxy Vol. 2” to small shoot, she would find her- The whole experience was
even though they weren’t said. “That exchange to indies and art house fare. self racing on an F50 cata- like a whirlwind, she said.
“It felt like we fell into like
a wormhole, like a Chris-
‘Jeopardy!’ returns with topher Nolan alternate

dimension and came out
new setup and new role the other end of it and
created something that
for Jennings asked, I guess, sort of all of
your faculties really to be
functioning all the time,”
LOS ANGELES (AP) — "Jeop- two-year survival next Feb- she said. “As an actor...
ardy!" is returning for its 37th ruary. The casting of con- that’s what you’re looking
season, with greater social testants was done entirely for. You’re looking for that
distance between Alex online for this season, which kind of challenge because
Trebek and the contes- was shot without a studio it does it does really push
tants, and a new role for audience. you.”q
all-time great contestant Jennings, the record-set- Solution Sudoku
Ken Jennings. ting contestant who won
A redesigned set for the on 74 straight shows and
coronavirus era will allow for took last year's "Jeopardy!
the contestants to be fur- The Greatest of All Time"
ther apart and at a greater title, is joining the series as a This image released by JEOPARDY! shows Ken Jennings, a 74-
distance from Trebek, who consulting producer. time champion the the set of the popular quiz show. Jennings will
has continued as host af- He'll appear on-air with his serve as a consulting producer on season 37, which premieres
ter a diagnosis last year of own video categories, de- on Sept. 14.
pancreatic cancer. velop projects and act as a Associated Press
Trebek said last month that public ambassador for the ed to have the opportunity in on all the action, but I
he's responding exception- show. "Though I've played to remain involved with my don't have to worry about
ally well to treatment for my last round of JEOPARDY! favorite show," Jennings phrasing things in the form
and expects to mark his as a contestant, I'm delight- said in a statement. "I'm still of a question anymore."q Puzzle on Page 13