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PEOPLE & ARTS Wednesday 26 February 2020
ABC's 'For Life' hopes to change the way we see network TV

NEW YORK (AP) — Actor and “Marcella,” first met
Nicholas Pinnock doesn’t Wright during the table
just believe his new network read of the pilot’s script. The
TV show can save lives. He two men huddled alone
believes it can save net- for about 40 minutes, with
work TV, too. Pinnock peppering Wright
Pinnock stars in “For Life,” with questions and noting
ABC’s mid-season drama the man’s speech patterns
about a prison inmate un- and body language. From
justly incarcerated who that, he constructed a
becomes a lawyer. Social tightly coiled character.
justice issues are baked “He had to have complete
into every episode, not to focus. There was no time for
mention exploring racial in- joy. There was no time for
equality and prison reform. any grief. There was no time
Pinnock was initially skep- for wallowing. He had to fo-
tical if ABC was the right cus on his directive, which
home for his edgy and in- was getting out of jail,” Pin-
ventive show, but he’s been nock said. “Everything was
impressed by the network’s bubbling under the surface
backing. “For Life” airs on and he couldn’t fully feel
Tuesday nights opposite any one emotion for too
less demanding shows like long.”
“New Amsterdam” or “FBI: This image released by ABC shows Felonious Munk, left, and Nicholas Pinnock in a scene from That led Pinnock to ex-
Most Wanted.” "For Life," airing Tuesdays at 10 p.m. EST on ABC. pand his skills at conveying
“I think it’s going to change Associated Press fury. “What I tried to play
the shape and the way with was finding as many
network television is viewed he juggles family responsi- Actress Indira Varma plays when several pop culture different ways to convey
and how it can move for- bilities and trying to survive a sympathetic prison war- projects have wrestled that anger, to convey that
ward and compete with behind bars. den on the show and with criminal justice, includ- frustration, to convey that
the likes of streaming chan- “People initially will think, hopes “For Life” can be a ing the searing miniseries focus. It’s very easy to go,
nels like Netflix and Ama- ‘Oh legal drama — it’s go- corrective to other shows “When They See Us” on ‘This works’ and you just
zon and Apple and really, ing to be procedural, like so that illustrate violence on Netflix and the feature film keep doing this. But that’s
really challenge the out- many network procedural the streets but not always “Just Mercy” starring Mi- boring for an audience.”
look of network television,” shows that we’ve seen.’ But the consequences. chael B. Jordan. Pinnock in the end actu-
he said. this is completely different. “Entertainment, of course, The series is loosely inspired ally came up with five dif-
Pinnock plays Aaron Wal- It’s a legal, family and pris- glamorizes crime. It makes by the story of former New ferent takes on his charac-
lace, a prisoner who liti- on drama,” Pinnock said. it more frightening. It does Jersey inmate Isaac Wright ter — one in court, one as
gates cases for other in- The show’s creator is Hank all that because it’s excit- Jr., who really did go from a prisoner, one as a fam-
mates while fighting to Steinberg, whose previous ing — it’s dramatic,” she being a prisoner with a life ily man during visits, one
overturn his own life sen- series include “The Nine,” said. “Hopefully with a sentence to being a law- as a prisoner representa-
tence for a crime he didn’t “Without a Trace” and show like ours, we are shar- yer. Jackson met Wright on tive with the warden and
commit. Each episode “The Last Ship.” One of the ing a realistic version. And unrelated business and was one in flashbacks when he
deals with a case that show’s executive produc- hopefully it is entering a overwhelmed by his story. was free. Was he paid five
helps him get closer to the ers is Curtis Jackson, bet- wider conversation, which Pinnock, an accomplished times? “I’d be a very, very
show’s overarching arc: ter known as the rapper 50 is really important.” stage actor whose TV cred- rich man right now,” he
freedom. Along the way, Cent. The series arrives at a time its include “Counterpart” jokes.q

Paramount halts 'Mission: Impossible' shoot over new virus

NEW YORK (AP) — Para- tive for the virus. sales in China and else-
mount Pictures on Monday In a statement, Paramount where. Media stocks were
halted production on the cited the Venetian gov- among those that tumbled
seventh "Mission: Impos- ernment's halting of public Monday on Wall Street as
sible" film due to the new gatherings, and said it was fears increased of the virus'
virus, as Hollywood began canceling the shoot "out of effect on the global econ-
to more drastically adapt an abundance of caution omy.
to the growing global out- for the safety and well-be- Last week, the James Bond
break. ing of our cast and crew." film "No Time to Die" can-
"Mission: Impossible 7" had Paramount also on Mon- celed its planned Beijing
been scheduled to shoot day postponed the Chi- premiere and promotion-
for three weeks in Ven- nese release of "Sonic the al tour. The film is to open
ice. More than 200 people Hedgehog," which had in Britain on April 2 and in
have tested positive for been set for Friday. Cin- North America on April 10.
coronavirus in Italy, the emas in China have been The Walt Disney Co.'s an-
largest number outside shuttered due to the out- ticipated live-action "Mu-
Asia. While most of those break, closing down the lan" remake is also soon
cases are in the neighbor- world's second largest box- This image released by Paramount Pictures shows Tom Cruise in to open worldwide, with a
ing Lombardy region, au- office market. a scene from "Mission: Impossible - Fallout," the sixth film in the particular focus on China.
thorities said three people At stake is potentially hun- Mission Impossible franchise. It's due to open there on
in Venice have tested posi- dreds of millions in ticket Associated Press March 27.q