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PEOPLE & ARTS Wednesday 26 June 2019
Viola Davis determined to go above and beyond on diversity

By JOHN CARUCCI I provoke change,” Davis
Associated Press said. Earlier this month, she
NEW YORK (AP) — When signed on to Netflix’s ad-
Viola Davis started her pro- aptation of “Ma Rainey’s
duction company nearly Black Bottom,” to be pro-
a decade ago, she was duced by Denzel Washing-
determined to bring about ton and co-starring Chad-
change in Hollywood with wick Boseman.
a strategic mandate: Nor- And JuVee has a slate
malize people of color on of films on the horizon,
screen. “We’re not social including “Emanuel,” a
statements. We’re not documentary released this
mythical creatures all the month that explores life in
time ... you can literally put a Charleston, South Caroli-
pen to paper and write a na, community after a self-
great story that includes avowed white supremacist
people of color, and it killed nine African Ameri-
could actually sell,” the Os- cans at a church there in
car winner said in a recent 2015. The story focuses on
interview with The Associ- the victims’ family mem-
ated Press. bers, friends and communi-
Now, in the era of Time’s ty, and their efforts to heal
Up and #MeToo, the call through faith and forgive-
for diversity on all levels ness after the massacre at
has been amplified. Some Emanuel African Methodist
actors and directors have This June 12, 2019 file photo shows Viola Davis speaking at the Women in Film Annual Gala in Church. Dylann Roof was
publicly called for 50-50 in- Beverly Hills, Calif. convicted of federal hate-
clusion riders, contractual Associated Press crime and obstruction-of-
stipulations for the diversity only deserves 12 percent of She started JuVee Produc- Sugar.” The actress, who religion charges and sen-
of a film’s cast and crew. the pie,” Davis said. tions with her husband, has an early form of the tenced to death.
But Davis says she doesn’t She calls her JuVee Pro- Julius Tennon, in 2011 so disease and has lost family Davis also has a feature
need a piece of paper to ductions a “walking meta- she could have more of a members to it, wants to use film in development, “The
do the right thing, and her phor” of inclusion, noting voice in her own career, as her celebrity to help raise Personal History of Rachel
projects don’t try to repli- that she has people of well as provide more diver- awareness. Dupree,” in which she stars.
cate diversity simply based color and members of the sity on set. Before that, Da- “That’s what I can do. I’m It is based on the Ann Weis-
on statistics. “Maybe that’s LGBTQ community on staff vis says, she often felt left not a politician. I’m not garber novel about a preg-
narcissistic of me, but I don’t at every level. out of the conversation. a senator. I’m not in the nant woman struggling
want to tell my daughter “Women are at the fore- Davis spoke to the AP while House of Representatives. to survive with her home-
that because she’s 12 per- front of just about every promoting a documentary I’m not in Congress. What steading family in the early
cent of the population, she project,” she adds. on diabetes, “A Touch of I am is an artist. That’s how 1900s.q

Jagger appears healthy as Rolling Stones rock Soldier Field

By MICHAEL TARM cago, a home of the blues member at 78. And they
Associated Press and long considered an seemed as enthusiastic as
CHICAGO (AP) — An artistic inspiration by the Jagger, and also showed
energetic Mick Jagger band. He tipped a hat to no indication of slowing as
skipped, spun, sprinted and the Chicago blues with the the show stretched beyond
pranced Friday night as the edgy “Midnight Rambler,” two hours.
Rolling Stones launched which featured Jagger All the cities on the tour
their North American tour himself on harmonica. that were previously post-
at Chicago’s Soldier Field. “We love Chicago so much poned are locked in, and
The 75-year-old showed we decided to start the there’s a new date in New
no sign of ill health three tour here instead of Miami,” Orleans. A second show at
months after the tour was Jagger said, to cheers from Soldier Field, the home sta-
postponed because a the crowd. He also gave a dium of the Chicago Bears,
doctor said he required shout out to the new mayor is scheduled for Tuesday.
medical treatment. of Chicago, Lori Lightfoot. The coast-to-coast tour,
By all visible indications: Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones performs during the “No Filter” The band stuck almost en- which the Stones have said
Jagger was Jagger. tour at Soldier Field on Friday, June 21, 2019, in Chicago. tirely to playing old clas- will feature classic hits, will
Before a sold-out crowd of Associated Press sics, the set including “Let’s include stops in Florida,
around 60,000 at the Chi- A cross-section of fans, from seemed no worse for the Spend the Night Together,” Texas, Arizona, California,
cago Bears home stadium, ages 18 to 80, swayed and wear. As he bowed, fire- ‘’Gimme Shelter,” ‘’Brown Washington, Colorado,
the band’s finger-wagging bobbed as they roared the works exploded overhead. Sugar,” ‘’Sympathy for the Pennsylvania, Massachu-
frontman opened with lyrics in unison to the finale The No Filter Tour was slat- Devil” and “You Can’t Al- setts, New Jersey and
“Street Fighting Man,” run- of one of the over 50-year- ed to start April 20 in Miami ways Get What You Want.” Washington, D.C. Tickets
ning from the stage in the old band’s favorites, sing- before doctors told Jagger All the Stones are now in sold for the original dates
end zone area and down ing, “Let’s Spend the Night in late March he required their 70s. Guitarist Keith are being honored, but
a narrow stage jutting into Together.” Jagger sang for treatment, reportedly for a Richards is also 75. Ron- those who couldn’t attend
the crowd on what is nor- over two hours on a mas- heart valve issue. nie Wood, who plays gui- were able to get refunds by
mally the 30-yard line of the sive stage, with the city’s Jagger went out of his way tar as well, is 72. Drummer accessing their Ticketmas-
football field. skyline as his backdrop, and to pay homage to Chi- Charlie Watts is the senior ter accounts.q