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people & arts Tuesday 20 February 2018
Letitia Wright steals show in ‘Black Panther’ breakout role

By LINDSEY BAHR thing that’s seen as mak-
AP Film Writer ing a living,” Wright said.
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) — “I don’t come from a cre-
Letitia Wright still can’t be- ative background. I don’t
lieve she made the “Black know anyone in my family
Panther” poster. who is a musician or actor
The 24-year-old actress has or singer. It’s a lot of teach-
an out-of-nowhere star- ers, lawyers. Professional
making turn in the Marvel stuff like that.”
superhero film as the whip- Wright said it was her own
smart Shuri, teenage sister drive and determination
to T’Challa and top scien- that made it happen for
tist in Wakanda. Vibrant, her, and her ambitions re-
funny and cool, it’s the main high. She wants to be
kind of performance that the best and work with the
has already left audiences best.
wondering who she is and “(Saorise Ronan) been
where they’ve seen her playing leading roles for
before. Tessa Thompson a very long time. That’s
has tweeted her praises, as something I would love to
has Diddy, Common and do — Play leading roles
“Deadpool” actress Brian- and really hold it on my
na Hildebrand. own in those leading roles,”
“She’s the scene-stealer Wright said.
of the movie,” said Jamie She also wrote down a list
Broadnax, who created the In this Jan. 30, 2018 file photo, Letitia Wright poses for a portrait at the “Black Panther” press junket of directors who she wants
website Black Girl Nerds. at the Montage Beverly Hills in Beverly Hills, Calif. to work with. She’s already
“(Executive Producer) Nate Associated Press checked two off in Spiel-
Moore has said she is the “It’s crazy, I didn’t expect like “Humans” and “Doctor after seeing Keke Palmer in berg and Ryan Coogler,
smartest person in the Mar- to be on the poster,” Wright Who” and “Black Mirror,” “Akeelah and the Bee” and though she hopes to per-
vel universe. She can take said the day after the but has really just begun to Saoirse Ronan in “Atone- haps work again with Spiel-
folks like Tony Stark to task.” ‘Black Panther’ premiere in make a name for herself in ment” and “Hannah.” But berg in a bigger part. Also
But Wright is still genuinely Los Angeles, looking up at U.S. films, with small roles in a career in acting didn’t on her list? Ava DuVernay
surprised that her face on herself as Shuri, armed and “The Commuter” and Ste- even seem like a possibility and Lynne Ramsay.
the promotional materi- set for battle. “She’s just ven Spielberg’s upcoming for Wright at first. Her mom, Starring in “Black Panther”
als, prominently displayed ready! Everybody is getting “Ready Player One.” She’ll while supportive, thought has been a “dream come
alongside the likes of ready and she’s ready.” also reprise the role of Shuri of it as more of a hobby. true.”
Chadwick Boseman, Lupita Born in Guyana and raised in “Avengers: Infinity War.” “I was born in Guyana, “I hope people take some-
Nyong’o, Angela Bassett in London, Wright has had a She’s said she was inspired South America. An acting thing positive away from
and Michael B. Jordan. few roles on British TV shows, to pursue a life on screen career is not really some- it,” she said.q

Court told Geoffrey Rush inappropriately touched actress

SYDNEY (AP) — A lawyer McHugh told the court that Rush, who was not in court
accused Oscar-winning parts of the defense lacked on Monday, has denied
Australian actor Geoffrey specificity and did not de- behaving inappropriately.
Rush in court Monday of tail Rush’s alleged behav- Rush announced in De-
touching an actress inap- ior. cember he was suing the
propriately on an Sydney The inappropriate behavior newspaper over its report-
stage three years ago while is alleged to have occurred ing of the actress’s com-
he was starring in a produc- when Rush and the actress plaint of what the theatre
tion of “King Lear.” were required to touch on company described in a
Rush is suing Sydney’s The stage, McHugh said. statement as “inappropri-
Daily Telegraph newspa- “To this day, it’s not clear ate behavior.”
per in Federal Court for what they’re saying. Not The company said the
defamation over articles just unclear, it’s completely complaint was made after
last year which alleged in- opaque,” McHugh said. the production closed. The
appropriate behavior and The newspaper’s lawyers actress had not wanted
touching during the Sydney have previously told the Rush informed of her com-
Theatre Company produc- court that the articles did plaint, the company said.
tion in 2015. In this Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013 file photo, actor Geoffrey Rush not allege Rush engaged Rush has performed in the
poses at the photo call for the film The Best Offer at the 63rd
The newspaper’s lawyer, edition of the Berlinale, International Film Festival in Berlin. in inappropriate behavior Sydney Theatre Company
Tom Blackburn, told the of a sexual nature. for 35 years.
court on Monday that comfortable. accusations were vague. Blackburn said for the pur- He won the 1997 best ac-
Rush, now 66, touched an “She said stop — he didn’t. Blackburn is fighting Rush’s poses of the defense it tor Academy Award for
actress who has not been He went on doing it. Our request to have the news- wasn’t important where “Shine” and has three oth-
identified on five consecu- case is that that in itself is paper’s truth defense Rush touched the actress, er Oscar nominations. He
tive nights in the last week inappropriate,” Blackburn struck out. but the fact she allegedly is perhaps best known as
of the production in a way told the court. Justice Michael Wigney de- asked him to stop — and Captain Barbossa in the
that he had not done be- But Rush’s lawyer, Richard layed his decision on that he didn’t stop — made it “Pirates of the Caribbean”
fore and that made her un- McHugh, told the court the request to a later date. inappropriate. films.q