Page 31 - aruba-today-20161231

PEOPLE & ARTS Saturday 31 december 2016
A31

In ‘20th Century Women,’ Bening found freedom in the unknown

LINDSEY BAHR ing to play a scene. She
AP Film Writer changed it up every time,
WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif. which her co-stars and di-
(AP) — In 1979, Annette rector weren’t expecting
Bening was 21-years-old. A for someone with so much
year earlier she had moved classic training.
from San Diego to San “If you tell Annette to go
Francisco to study classi- sit over there, she’ll go sit
cal drama. She remembers somewhere else, in a great
it as a time of tremendous way, and with the intention
change and uncertainty to keep the scene alive for
and the big moments like herself and to make each
the day Harvey Milk and take its own experience,”
George Mascone were recalled Mills.
killed, but, for the most part Gerwig said that it’s her
her head was in Chekov way of looking for new “life-
and Shakespeare and blood.”
Shaw and Arthur Miller. “She’s always finding the
So when she read the truth at the minute that it’s
script for Mike Mills’ “20th happening,” she said.
Century Women,” now in In her prep, Bening worried
limited release, it caught about Dorthea’s contradic-
her off guard. Set in 1979 tions and paradoxes, but
Santa Barbara, he was writ- This image released by A24 shows Annette Bening and Billy Crudup in a scene from “20th Century realized in time that that’s
ing about a time she lived Women.” Bening is getting some of the best marks of her career for her portrayal of a 55-year-old “where the gold is.”
through and a place she single mother in 1979 Santa Barbara in Mike Mills’ “20th Century Women.” Associated Press “I wanted to be very emp-
lived not too far from, but ty and very clear-headed
looking at it in a way she’d speech because he’s talk- was there. Meeting her just his life, an angry 20-some- and not decided,” she
never considered. The story ing about searching for proved it. I mean that as thing, Abbie (Greta Ger- said. “The further I get away
about a 55-year-old single meaning and the material- the biggest compliment.” wig) and his disaffected from those (acting) lessons
mother, Dorthea (Bening), ism of the moment. They’re Dorthea is the kind of char- peer Julie (Elle Fanning), to that I very much needed,
and her 15-year-old son Ja- all looking for meaning in acter who’s impossible to help him become a good the more liberated I feel
mie (Lucas Jade Zunman) their lives, like most of us summarize. She winces at man. But while it is her era, and I don’t feel tied down
was set against a macro are, but he’s using that the ugliness of punk, but Bening doesn’t necessarily by any of that.”
backdrop of anxiety, punk point in history when things attempts to understand see herself in the film. Things are going well for
rock and Jimmy Carter tell- are really turning.” it anyway. She’s truly im- Instead, it’s got her think- Bening at the moment. On
ing the country that they Dorthea is based on Mills’ pressed when she discov- ing about her family, and the family front, she’s tre-
were in a crisis of confi- mother, who died of can- ers how her son has been how she relates to her own mendously proud of her
dence. cer in 1999. He remembers forging her signature but parents, who are still alive husband’s film “Rules Don’t
“Somebody was contex- her as mercurial and a also tells him to not do that (Dad’s 90, Mom’s 87), and Apply,” in which she has a
tualizing and teaching me trickster and was happy to anymore. She loves Hum- her four children with War- bit role, and takes its finan-
about this period that I was find that Bening had some phrey Bogart and wonders, ren Beatty. “There’s a deep cial shortcomings in stride.
in in my life in a way that of that in her too. sometimes, if she’s stuck love but there’s almost a “He has been well reward-
nobody else had done “She’s like a real rebel,” in life. She’s both classical longing and a searching. ed in his life and he knows
before,” Bening, now 58, said Mills, who also directs. and modern. She is some- Do you really know them? that,” she said. “And, really,
said on a recent, rainy af- “I got the sense that there’s one her son is trying to un- Do they really know you?” at this point in his life, mov-
ternoon in West Hollywood. this non-compliance and a derstand, and she’s trying Bening wondered. ies mean a lot to him — it’s
“That’s why (Mills) wanted rascal in there which was to understand him back. On set, no one ever knew his work — but he’s got the
to use that Jimmy Carter the key for me and I hoped She recruits two women in how Bening was go- kids and me.”
Run-DMC sues Wal-Mart, Amazon for $50M

NEW YORK (AP) — The rap promoting and distribut- Mizell, who was fatally shot
group Run-DMC filed a ing multiple products” in in his Queens recording stu-
$50 million lawsuit in New the group’s trademarked dio in 2002. McDaniels and
York accusing Wal-Mart, name. The products in- Simmons later announced
Amazon, Jet and other re- clude glasses, hats, t-shirts, that the group was official-
tailers of selling products patches, wallets and other ly disbanding.
that traded on the group’s items. The lawsuit alleged The group’s hits include
name without permission. that the retailers have im- “King of Rock, “It’s Tricky,”
A founder of the group properly profited, diluted and “Can You Rock It Like
and owner of the Run- and harmed the Run-DMC This.”
DMC brand, Darryl “DMC” brand, which it said has In 2009, Run-DMC was in-
McDaniels, was listed as generated more than $100 ducted into the Rock and
the plaintiff in the lawsuit, million in revenue since its Roll Hall of Fame, becom-
which was filed Thursday in inception in the 1980s. ing only the second rap act
the Southern District of New Run-DMC was founded in to be awarded that honor.
York. New York in 1981 by Mc- Amazon and Wal-Mart, In this Sept. 2, 2012 file photo, Joseph “Run” Simmons, left, and
The complaint said the Daniels, Joseph “Run” Sim- which also owns Jet, did Darryl “DMC” McDaniels of Run-DMC perform at the “Made In
defendants are “advertis- mons, Darryl “DMC” and not immediately respond America” music festival in Philadelphia. Associated Press
ing, selling, manufacturing, Jason “Jam Master Jay” to a request for comment.