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A14 PEOPLE / ARTS
Friday 5 May 2023

Barrera hopes `Carmen’ film shows human side at the border

By LESLIE AMBRIZ important, Barrera prefers
Associated Press to “fight for other spaces
Before taking on a new role, where they don’t see us,
Melissa Barrera asks herself, and try and get us in there.”
“What is the message that As she kept reading the
I’m trying to send out into script, however, her initial
the world with this?” hesitation began to disap-
The Mexican actor and pear.
singer is intentional with the “I was like, OK, this is differ-
projects she selects, includ- ent. This is kind of beautiful
ing her latest movie, “Car- and romantic and poetic,
men,” the feature directo- and it’s going to be told
rial debut of “Black Swan” through movement and
choreographer Benjamin dance sequences,” she
Millepied. said.
It’s a musical love story Millepied’s “Carmen” is a
loosely inspired by the 1875 surrealist fever dream with
George Bizet opera. The avant-garde symbolism
modern-day retelling, now woven throughout. Each
showing in theaters, is set song and each dance se-
both in the desert along the quence features Barrera,
U.S.-Mexican border and in Mescal or De Palma.
gritty Los Angeles. When asking herself “What
Barrera best known to U.S. This image released by Sony Pictures Classics shows Melissa Barrera in a scene from the film is the message?” in this
audiences, perhaps, for “Carmen.” case, Barrera said, it’s “the
the “Scream” series and Associated Press plight of this woman who is
the film adaptation of “In someone, you get to know love for Aidan. was a story featuring an im- like many women that are
the Heights” stars here as their body and you get to The film’s score is com- migrant woman fleeing the at the border right now,
Carmen, a young Mexican know how they move, and posed by Nicholas Brittell, cartel. That’s a theme that who is running from danger
woman. She crosses paths you make a fool of your- with Julieta Venegas, Tau- Barrera had been trying to and trying to find a better
near the border one night selves together, and you ra Stinton and Tracy “The avoid since she began her life and find freedom and
with Aidan (portrayed by laugh and you fail and you Doc” Curry. crossover acting career in safety and love, which is
Oscar nominee Paul Mes- fall,” she said. “And it’s a When Barrera first heard the United States. When she what all human beings
cal), a Marine with PTSD very complete way of get- of the project, she did not first moved here, she said, want.”
who is working as a volun- ting to know another hu- know what the story was she would only get calls to She hopes the movie will
teer border patrol guard. A man being very quickly.” about. be part of immigrant story- humanize the individuals at
series of dangerous events Millepied takes audiences “I just saw Benjamin Mil- lines or cartel-related roles. the border who are waiting
forces them to go on the on a visually poetic journey lepied is making his feature “And we (Latinos) are al- for asylum, create conver-
run together. as the two make their way debut, and it’s going to ways the victims, and we’re sation and “get through to
Barrera says that build- to Los Angeles. Carmen be an adaptation of `Car- always painted in an ‘aye another type of audience.”
ing chemistry with Mescal reunites there with her late men.’ That’s all I got,” said pobrecito’ (oh, you poor Barrera said she worked
was easy, since they spent mother’s best friend, Masil- the actor. little thing) light,” said the closely with Millepied, who
hours in dance rehearsals da portrayed by Rossy De It was not until months lat- actor. was born and grew up in
together. Palma and finds comfort er, when she received the While she knows that immi- France, to approach the
“When you’re dancing with in dance and her growing script, that she realized it grant stories are real and story with sensitivity.q

This May the Fourth, Carrie Fisher gets Walk of Fame star

By The Associated Press Fans have long campaigned for her to
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Carrie Fisher is receiv- receive a Walk of Fame star. The honor
ing a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, comes on May the Fourth, essentially an
a May the Fourth tribute to one of the “Star official holiday for Star Wars fans that’s a
Wars” franchise’s most beloved figures. play on a line that Fisher said often in the
On Thursday, Fisher who died in 2016 joins films, “May the Force be with you.”
“Star Wars” co-stars Harrison Ford and Mark Devotees worldwide celebrate with a va-
Hamill on the Hollywood tourist attraction riety of tributes, while retailers hold special
that recognizes luminaries from film, televi- sales on Star Wars merchandise.
sion, music and other entertainment indus- The induction ceremony will be held at
tries. The trio’s stars are all located on the 11:30 a.m. Pacific and livestreamed by the
6,800 block of Hollywood Boulevard, near Hollywood Chamber of Commerce.
where the original film debuted in 1977. Fisher will be given the 2,754th star on the
Fisher played Leia Organa, who over six Walk of Fame. Ford received his star in
films morphed from a princess to a gen- 2003 and Hamill was honored in 2018.
eral leading the forces of good in its fight Walk of Fame stars are given to performers
against oppressive regimes aiming to con- who are nominated and a $75,000 fee is
trol a galaxy far, far away. Billie Lourd will now required to create the star and main- This April 7, 2011 file photo, shows Carrie Fisher at the 2011
be accepting the star on behalf of her tain it.q NewNowNext Awards in Los Angeles.
mother. Associated Press