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Manny Jacinto is in a good place and it has only got better. The Filipino-Canadian actor’s breakout role in the Golden Globe-nominated hit show, The Good Place, drew viewers, especially Southeast Asians, to his effortless charisma and comedic prowess; he played a DJ and dancer who was initially mistaken to be a Taiwanese Buddhist monk observing a vow of silence as he happened to be wearing a barong-inspired outfit. When he did speak and the credits rolled at the end of the first season (2016-17), fans of the show were proven right – his performance had caught the eye of the critics, gaining favourable reviews. His portrayal of a “lovable doofus” from Florida goes against the stereotypes of how Asian men are often portrayed in Hollywood.



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The show’s success allowed him more room for role experimentation. Last year, he joined the stellar cast led by Tom Cruise in Top Gun: Maverick – though disappointingly, in another silent performance, his lines were cut – and was among the leads in the romantic comedy, I Want You Back. He also cinched his next TV gig with no less than Nicole Kidman and Melissa McCarthy in the Hulu miniseries, Nine Perfect Strangers, an adaptation by David E. Kelley of Liane Moriarty’s 2018 novel of the same name.


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<h3 class="wp-block-heading">PacMan revival?</h3>



Born in the Philippines and raised in Vancouver, Jacinto had a few small roles in film and TV before landing his biggest breaks. He happened to appear in a 2013 episode, titled “Pac-Man Fever”, of the long-running dark fantasy-drama Supernatural, and the PacMan adjacencies stirred instant connections to legendary Filipino international boxing icon Manny Pacquiao, not least because of the name similarity.



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Making a name in Hollywood is, of course, a feat for our Manny, not just as a Filipino but as an Asian actor. As with any success, it took a lot of hard work, determination and patience. Having had the privilege of working alongside some of the industry’s biggest names, he is sure of one thing: he doesn’t want to get too comfortable.


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<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Engineering a break</h3>



Life had a different path for Manny Jacinto before making it to the city of stars. Believe it or not, he was once a practising civil engineer. The University of British Columbia graduate was supposed to become a pharmacist, but having failed chemistry, he took another route – towards his dad, actually, thinking if his father could be an engineer, then why couldn’t he? But having accomplished that, he discovered his dancing feet.



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“There were lots of risks or jumps but a lot of it came through a series of steps because if you told me eight years ago that I would be an actor, I would laugh. I wouldn’t believe you. It’s crazy, Filipinos and Asians performing onscreen. Dance and music were things I really resonated with so I was like, hey, I think that’s super cool, maybe let’s try it out.”



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He took a dance class in downtown Vancouver and fell in love with performing. From dancing, he went on to acting and from there, it snowballed. Once this spark had activated his “acting bug”, he realised that he could express himself through different methods – from voice projection to gesticulation – and the floodgates to his career opened.



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“I had a civil engineering degree in my back pocket so I knew that if things didn’t pan out, I could always go to engineering. I also have incredibly supportive parents who never frowned upon or hindered my need to explore the creative arts,” he shares.


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<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Filipino etiquette</h3>



Filipinos, as many would and could attest, put a lot of emphasis and importance on work ethic, and for Jacinto, this is something that he has in his genetic makeup. He stresses that it was passed on to him by his parents, especially his father, who always finds a way to make things work and who has sacrificed everything for the family.



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“That’s something I would love to tie into the script I’m writing,” he says, adding: “Filipinos have this general sense of optimism and sense of ease. I remember going back to the Philippines when I was younger, and there was just so much joy being around family.”



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Despite growing up in Canada, the boyish-looking star identifies himself as a Filipino, with habits unique to the culture, such as the simple preference “to eat with a spoon and a fork”.


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<figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/178_Flaunt_TheGiftIssue_Ma-copy-scaled-e1686279821699-967x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-75896" width="500" height="529" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/178_Flaunt_TheGiftIssue_Ma-copy-scaled-e1686279821699-967x1024.jpg 967w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/178_Flaunt_TheGiftIssue_Ma-copy-scaled-e1686279821699-200x212.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/178_Flaunt_TheGiftIssue_Ma-copy-scaled-e1686279821699-800x847.jpg 800w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/178_Flaunt_TheGiftIssue_Ma-copy-scaled-e1686279821699-265x280.jpg 265w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/178_Flaunt_TheGiftIssue_Ma-copy-scaled-e1686279821699-768x813.jpg 768w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/178_Flaunt_TheGiftIssue_Ma-copy-scaled-e1686279821699-1451x1536.jpg 1451w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/178_Flaunt_TheGiftIssue_Ma-copy-scaled-e1686279821699-1935x2048.jpg 1935w" sizes="(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></figure></div>


<h3 class="wp-block-heading">When the shoe fits</h3>



As for his physical attributes, Jacinto’s stunning looks, particularly his cheekbones and jaw, have also sparked rhapsodic gushing in The New York Times. When complimented on his supermodel jawline, he notes: “It’s very flattering, but the reaction usually involves me blushing and sweating in my palms.”



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Often seen dressed down in denim jeans and t-shirts, the actor is quick to point out that shoes play an important role in his craft. “I have too many different shoes. I apply this to acting as well like I put on shoes to fit different characters,” he explains. “So, if I need to be Jason Mendoza [in The Good Place] – someone who moves a lot and is light on his feet – I wear sneakers, like a pair of Jordan’s or something like that.



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“Yao of Nine Perfect Strangers is more of a minimalist so he will probably wear a Birkenstock. Logan from I Want You Back is more of a hipster, so he’ll probably be in vintage boots. Shoes help me get more grounded with the characters.”


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<h3 class="wp-block-heading">More and/or Less</h3>



Like many other Asian talents currently making waves in the international mainstream media, Jacinto hopes to see more diverse faces on screen in the future – and not just in roles that are sidekicks, but those that occupy the lead spots. He also urges Hollywood to be more of a force for change and creativity: “I want to see more diverse stories. This isn’t a revelation, but a lot of things are being recycled or rebooted. There’s this fear for change or fear to do something different. I’d like to see less repetition and see more originality in the stories we tell.”

As Manny As Possible: More than just another pretty face, Manny Jacinto isn’t silent on how Hollywood should change

Robert Pattinson has been around for a while. Perhaps you discovered him in the 2005 fourth cinematic instalment of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter anthology as budding wizard Cedric Diggory. Maybe you swooned over his portrayal of brooding vampire Edward Cullen in the Twilight series (2008-2013). Or perhaps you latterly stumbled over him in the most recent film adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe’s unfinished horror novel The Lighthouse alongside Willem Dafoe.
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-64623" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/robert-pattinson-the-batman-2.jpg" alt="robert-pattinson-the-batman (2)" width="466" height="700" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/robert-pattinson-the-batman-2.jpg 466w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/robert-pattinson-the-batman-2-200x300.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/robert-pattinson-the-batman-2-186x280.jpg 186w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/robert-pattinson-the-batman-2-120x180.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/robert-pattinson-the-batman-2-400x601.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 466px) 100vw, 466px" />
Whatever your first exposure to the talented British thespian, chances are – barring role reprisals – you’ll never see the like from him again. Such is the chameleonic, ever-changing face of Robert Pattinson in a wide range of genres. And it is precisely this ability to switch mindsets and mannerisms with apparent ease that has won him such favour in Tinseltown and beyond.
Although the 35-year-old has gracefully transitioned from child actor to teen heartthrob to full-fledged leading man, given his slender frame and almost feminine features, few could have guessed that he would replace Ben Affleck as the Caped Crusader in the upcoming The Batman film, beating out such other Hollywood heavy-hitters as Nicholas Hoult and Armie Hammer. Yet, the soon-to-air movie has already garnered much anticipation from DC Comics fans and is intended as the opening salvo in a new Batman trilogy. To celebrate Pattinson’s coup in landing the role, we delve into some of the lesser-known facts about the latest Dark Knight…
Schoolboy Porn
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-64626" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/robert-pattinson-the-batman-5.jpg" alt="robert-pattinson-the-batman (5)" width="466" height="700" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/robert-pattinson-the-batman-5.jpg 466w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/robert-pattinson-the-batman-5-200x300.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/robert-pattinson-the-batman-5-186x280.jpg 186w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/robert-pattinson-the-batman-5-120x180.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/robert-pattinson-the-batman-5-400x601.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 466px) 100vw, 466px" /> 
Robert Douglas Thomas Pattinson – to give the actor his full name – was born in London on 13 May 1986 as the youngest of three children. His mother, Clare, was a booker at a modelling agency, and his father, Richard, a vintage car dealer. The family was wealthy enough to send their only son to the prestigious Tower House School, an independent prep school whose alumni include fellow thespian Tom Hardy, comedian Jack Whitehall and journalist Louis Theroux. 
Pattinson was soon expelled, however, for a rather shocking misdemeanour; he was caught stealing pornographic magazines and then selling them to his schoolmates. “I used to go in [to the shop] and take, like, one or two, and then put them in my bag. I was in my school uniform when I was doing it, and it was kind of risky,” he recalls sheepishly. “At the end, I got so cocky that I would take the entire rack.” Naughty, naughty.
Magical Debut
<figure id="attachment_64629" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-64629" style="width: 700px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-64629 size-full" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/robert-pattinson-the-batman-8.jpg" alt="robert-pattinson-the-batman (8)" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/robert-pattinson-the-batman-8.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/robert-pattinson-the-batman-8-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/robert-pattinson-the-batman-8-600x399.jpg 600w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/robert-pattinson-the-batman-8-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/robert-pattinson-the-batman-8-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/robert-pattinson-the-batman-8-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/robert-pattinson-the-batman-8-400x266.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-64629" class="wp-caption-text">Robert Pattinson as Cedric Diggory in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire</figcaption></figure>
The not-so-sweet 17-year-old had just three acting credits to his name when he landed the coveted role of Hufflepuff boy-wizard in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. It was undoubtedly a coup for the budding actor, and arguably the role that put him on the map. Interestingly, due to delays in the filming schedule, he had to decide between accepting the part or attending university. “It went so far over schedule, I couldn’t go. It was supposed to be four months, but it ended up being 10 or 11,” he says. “I was 17 and I was the only person who wasn’t in school. I’d just hang about.”
First Cut is the Deepest
<figure id="attachment_64625" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-64625" style="width: 700px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-64625 size-full" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/robert-pattinson-the-batman-4.jpg" alt="robert-pattinson-the-batman (4)" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/robert-pattinson-the-batman-4.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/robert-pattinson-the-batman-4-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/robert-pattinson-the-batman-4-600x399.jpg 600w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/robert-pattinson-the-batman-4-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/robert-pattinson-the-batman-4-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/robert-pattinson-the-batman-4-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/robert-pattinson-the-batman-4-400x266.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-64625" class="wp-caption-text">Robert Pattinson in Twilight</figcaption></figure>
While Goblet of Fire is his first movie credit, the first part he landed was in an earlier film – 2004’s Vanity Fair. He acted alongside the star of the historical drama, Reese Witherspoon, playing her teenage son. Ultimately, though, his scenes vanished from the final cut of the movie – a decision he remained unaware of until attending its screening.
It was a huge shock for the young Pattinson, but it ultimately worked in his favour when he auditioned for the Harry Potter franchise. He recalls: “The casting director, Mary Selway, felt so guilty that no one had informed me that she basically gave me the first run at the part in Harry Potter, so I was quite glad I got cut in the end.”
Red Carpet Slip Up
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-64634" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/robert-pattinson-the-batman.jpg" alt="robert-pattinson-the-batman" width="466" height="700" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/robert-pattinson-the-batman.jpg 466w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/robert-pattinson-the-batman-200x300.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/robert-pattinson-the-batman-186x280.jpg 186w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/robert-pattinson-the-batman-120x180.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/robert-pattinson-the-batman-400x601.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 466px) 100vw, 466px" /> 
In what may be the ultimate case of misjudgment, the Twilight star attempted to sneak quietly into the 2007 premiere of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix in Los Angeles, even though he only appeared in a single flashback scene. His efforts to slip in unnoticed backfired as he was immediately swarmed by Cedric Diggory fans, and was soon ushered onto the red carpet with other members of the cast.
This embarrassing situation was exacerbated by Pattinson’s dishevelled appearance. “I’d just been walking through Hollywood and it was a long walk and it was boiling hot,” he later explained. “I’d been eating pizzas and drinking beer for the whole summer and I looked disgusting.” His agent was furious because he ‘looked like an unbelievable mess’ in photos taken by the press. “My agent still sends them to this day&#8230; I was just pouring with sweat, you can just see [from] the photos. I look horrendous…”
Sick for the Part
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-64630" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/robert-pattinson-the-batman-9.jpg" alt="robert-pattinson-the-batman (9)" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/robert-pattinson-the-batman-9.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/robert-pattinson-the-batman-9-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/robert-pattinson-the-batman-9-600x399.jpg 600w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/robert-pattinson-the-batman-9-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/robert-pattinson-the-batman-9-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/robert-pattinson-the-batman-9-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/robert-pattinson-the-batman-9-400x266.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /> 
It’s not uncommon for actors to embrace a variety of pre-shooting rituals in order to make their portrayal truer to life. However, Pattinson is known for taking this to the extreme. To enter the dark emotional state needed to film The Lighthouse in 2019, he has admitted to spinning in circles and putting stones in his shoes to throw himself off-kilter so his performance in the psychological drama would seem disjointed. He even forced himself to throw up before critical scenes. When asked about the technique’s effectiveness, he answered: “I think everyone feels very emotional when they’re throwing up, and it’s quite a nice little trick to get there.”
Clamouring for the Cape
<figure id="attachment_64628" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-64628" style="width: 700px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-64628 size-full" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/robert-pattinson-the-batman-7.jpg" alt="robert-pattinson-the-batman (7)" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/robert-pattinson-the-batman-7.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/robert-pattinson-the-batman-7-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/robert-pattinson-the-batman-7-600x399.jpg 600w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/robert-pattinson-the-batman-7-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/robert-pattinson-the-batman-7-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/robert-pattinson-the-batman-7-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/robert-pattinson-the-batman-7-400x266.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-64628" class="wp-caption-text">Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne in The Batman (2022)</figcaption></figure>
It’s no secret that Pattinson has a penchant for quirky roles and often eschews parts in more ‘mass-market’ productions in favour of smaller, indie films. So, many would be surprised to hear that he’d toyed with becoming the Caped Crusader even prior to being cast in the upcoming Batman reboot. “I’d had Batman on my mind for a while… [though] it’s such an absurd thing to say,” he shared recently. “I sort of had an idea to do it, and I’d been prodding Matt [Reeves, the film’s director]. He didn’t accept any prods, so I kept asking to meet him.” 
Clearly his persistence paid off, and Pattinson was the one chosen to don the cape. Judge for yourself if he does the role justice when The Batman hits the silver screen on 4 March.

Robert Pattinson – From child actor to Hollywood heavyweight

At the tender age of 22, when most of his contemporaries were just beginning their careers, US thespian Timothée Chalamet was fêted by Hollywood as the youngest actor in almost 80 years to be nominated for Best Actor at the 2018 Academy Awards. Yet, much like Cinderella when the clock struck midnight, the following day saw Chalamet hit with the realities of his everyday life in Manhattan with no credit card, no roof over his head, and barely a few dollars to his name.
Yet, his perseverance in the face of such adversity has yielded huge rewards. Subsequent performances in big-screen productions such as Beautiful Boy, filmed later that year, and Little Women (2019) went on to garner critical acclaim and cement his status as a rising star.
<a href="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/gafencu_hollywood_actor_timothee_chalamet_new_movie_2021_met_gala.png"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-61597" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/gafencu_hollywood_actor_timothee_chalamet_new_movie_2021_met_gala.png" alt="gafencu_hollywood_actor_timothee_chalamet_new_movie_2021_met_gala" width="366" height="550" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/gafencu_hollywood_actor_timothee_chalamet_new_movie_2021_met_gala.png 466w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/gafencu_hollywood_actor_timothee_chalamet_new_movie_2021_met_gala-200x300.png 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/gafencu_hollywood_actor_timothee_chalamet_new_movie_2021_met_gala-186x280.png 186w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/gafencu_hollywood_actor_timothee_chalamet_new_movie_2021_met_gala-120x180.png 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/gafencu_hollywood_actor_timothee_chalamet_new_movie_2021_met_gala-400x601.png 400w" sizes="(max-width: 366px) 100vw, 366px" /></a>
Despite being something of a staple at red-carpet events lately – he sported white sweatpants and sneakers to what was dubbed the biggest fashion event of the year, the Met Gala – his rather recent entry into the limelight means that for the most part, his personal life remains an enigma. As Chalamet returns to the silver screen this month in the long-awaited film adaptation of cult sci-fi novel Dune, we delve into some lesser-known facts about the Call Me by Your Name star&#8230;
<a href="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/gafencu_hollywood_actor_timothee_chalamet_new_movie_2021_dune_call_me_by_my_name.png"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-61591" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/gafencu_hollywood_actor_timothee_chalamet_new_movie_2021_dune_call_me_by_my_name.png" alt="gafencu_hollywood_actor_timothee_chalamet_new_movie_2021_dune_call_me_by_my_name" width="366" height="550" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/gafencu_hollywood_actor_timothee_chalamet_new_movie_2021_dune_call_me_by_my_name.png 466w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/gafencu_hollywood_actor_timothee_chalamet_new_movie_2021_dune_call_me_by_my_name-200x300.png 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/gafencu_hollywood_actor_timothee_chalamet_new_movie_2021_dune_call_me_by_my_name-186x280.png 186w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/gafencu_hollywood_actor_timothee_chalamet_new_movie_2021_dune_call_me_by_my_name-120x180.png 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/gafencu_hollywood_actor_timothee_chalamet_new_movie_2021_dune_call_me_by_my_name-400x601.png 400w" sizes="(max-width: 366px) 100vw, 366px" /></a>
French Connection 
Timothée Hal Chalamet – to give the now 25-year-old his full name – was born in the Big Apple to real-estate broker Nicole Flender and Marc Chalamet, an editor for UNICEF. Given his French-American roots, young Timothée spent many summers in his father’s hometown of Le Chambon-sur-Lignon and speaks fluent French. 
Speaking to the duality of his upbringing, the actor explained: “Once I was there, I became the French version of myself. I was completely imbued in the culture and I even dreamed in French.” A talented linguist, Chalamet Jr also picked up a smattering of Italian prior to filming Call Me by Your Name, which was set in Lombardy.
<a href="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/gafencu_hollywood_actor_timothee_chalamet_new_movie_2021_dune_willy_wonka_red_carpet.png"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-61595" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/gafencu_hollywood_actor_timothee_chalamet_new_movie_2021_dune_willy_wonka_red_carpet.png" alt="gafencu_hollywood_actor_timothee_chalamet_new_movie_2021_dune_willy_wonka_red_carpet" width="366" height="550" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/gafencu_hollywood_actor_timothee_chalamet_new_movie_2021_dune_willy_wonka_red_carpet.png 466w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/gafencu_hollywood_actor_timothee_chalamet_new_movie_2021_dune_willy_wonka_red_carpet-200x300.png 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/gafencu_hollywood_actor_timothee_chalamet_new_movie_2021_dune_willy_wonka_red_carpet-186x280.png 186w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/gafencu_hollywood_actor_timothee_chalamet_new_movie_2021_dune_willy_wonka_red_carpet-120x180.png 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/gafencu_hollywood_actor_timothee_chalamet_new_movie_2021_dune_willy_wonka_red_carpet-400x601.png 400w" sizes="(max-width: 366px) 100vw, 366px" /></a>
High-School Posse 
Bitten by the acting bug at an early age, Chalamet attended LaGuardia High School of Music &amp; Art and Performing Arts, one of the most prestigious such establishments in New York City – luminaries like Jennifer Aniston and Nicki Minaj are alumni. While there, he partnered for the first time with his Little Women co-star Ansel Elgort. Not only did the two prodigies share the stage there, they were also on the same basketball team. Remembering their personalities, their former drama teacher Harry Shifman said: “They were both like rock stars, in a school full of rock stars. Everybody recognised them as being particularly gifted.” 
Elgort wasn’t Chalamet’s only high-profile schoolmate, though. He also met Madonna’s daughter Lourdes Leon while attending LaGuardia, and after years of speculation about their relationship, the latter admitted earlier this year that the two had been an item when they were students.
<a href="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/gafencu_timothee-chalamet-new-movie-2021_dune_willy_wonka-1.png"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-61598" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/gafencu_timothee-chalamet-new-movie-2021_dune_willy_wonka-1.png" alt="gafencu_timothee chalamet new movie 2021_dune_willy_wonka" width="366" height="550" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/gafencu_timothee-chalamet-new-movie-2021_dune_willy_wonka-1.png 466w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/gafencu_timothee-chalamet-new-movie-2021_dune_willy_wonka-1-200x300.png 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/gafencu_timothee-chalamet-new-movie-2021_dune_willy_wonka-1-186x280.png 186w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/gafencu_timothee-chalamet-new-movie-2021_dune_willy_wonka-1-120x180.png 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/gafencu_timothee-chalamet-new-movie-2021_dune_willy_wonka-1-400x601.png 400w" sizes="(max-width: 366px) 100vw, 366px" /></a>
Rap Game 
In addition to starring in various high-school productions, Chalamet also dabbled in rap while attending LaGuardia. Under the alias “Lil’ Timmy Tim”, he created a music video in which he waxed lyrical about how much he loved his statistics teacher, Ms Lawton. Although said teacher only gave him a D+ grade for his effort, the clip went viral after he shot to stardom, with talk-show host Ellen DeGeneres even playing it during Chalamet’s guest spot on her show. Later, when he appeared on The Late Late Show with James Corden, he lamented: “I am never going to live this down. This is going to follow me everywhere.”
<a href="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/gafencu_hollywood_actor_timothee_chalamet_new_movie_2021_dune_willy_wonka_little_women.png"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-61593" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/gafencu_hollywood_actor_timothee_chalamet_new_movie_2021_dune_willy_wonka_little_women.png" alt="gafencu_hollywood_actor_timothee_chalamet_new_movie_2021_dune_willy_wonka_little_women" width="366" height="550" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/gafencu_hollywood_actor_timothee_chalamet_new_movie_2021_dune_willy_wonka_little_women.png 466w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/gafencu_hollywood_actor_timothee_chalamet_new_movie_2021_dune_willy_wonka_little_women-200x300.png 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/gafencu_hollywood_actor_timothee_chalamet_new_movie_2021_dune_willy_wonka_little_women-186x280.png 186w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/gafencu_hollywood_actor_timothee_chalamet_new_movie_2021_dune_willy_wonka_little_women-120x180.png 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/gafencu_hollywood_actor_timothee_chalamet_new_movie_2021_dune_willy_wonka_little_women-400x601.png 400w" sizes="(max-width: 366px) 100vw, 366px" /></a>
Interstellar Dropout 
After graduating from high school, teen Timothée was accepted at the prestigious Columbia University, where he studied cultural anthropology. However, his enrolment coincided with the launch of his career, and he dropped out in 2014 after his freshman year, just before the release of his feature-film debut in sci-fi hit, Interstellar. Recalling the struggles of managing his acting commitments with his academic schedule, he said: “I just couldn’t figure out the balance, so I left school after a year, got an apartment in the Bronx&#8230; and have since been getting a steady stream of work.”
<a href="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/gafencu_hollywood_actor_timothee_chalamet_new_movie_2021_dune_willy_wonka_oscar_red_Carpet.png"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-61594" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/gafencu_hollywood_actor_timothee_chalamet_new_movie_2021_dune_willy_wonka_oscar_red_Carpet.png" alt="gafencu_hollywood_actor_timothee_chalamet_new_movie_2021_dune_willy_wonka_oscar_red_Carpet" width="366" height="550" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/gafencu_hollywood_actor_timothee_chalamet_new_movie_2021_dune_willy_wonka_oscar_red_Carpet.png 466w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/gafencu_hollywood_actor_timothee_chalamet_new_movie_2021_dune_willy_wonka_oscar_red_Carpet-200x300.png 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/gafencu_hollywood_actor_timothee_chalamet_new_movie_2021_dune_willy_wonka_oscar_red_Carpet-186x280.png 186w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/gafencu_hollywood_actor_timothee_chalamet_new_movie_2021_dune_willy_wonka_oscar_red_Carpet-120x180.png 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/gafencu_hollywood_actor_timothee_chalamet_new_movie_2021_dune_willy_wonka_oscar_red_Carpet-400x601.png 400w" sizes="(max-width: 366px) 100vw, 366px" /></a>
Young &amp; Gifted 
As mentioned, when the Call Me by Your Name breakout star was nominated for an Academy Award, he became the youngest actor to be so honoured since 1939, when then 19-year-old Mickey Rooney got the nod for his role in Babe in Arms. The event also made him the third youngest Best Actor nominee in Oscar history. While Chalamet has yet to clinch a major award, he has racked up a host of nominations for his CV, including three BAFTAs, two Golden Globes and four Screen Actors’ Guild Awards.
<a href="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/gafencu_hollywood_actor_timothee_chalamet_new_movie_2021_dune.png"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-61590" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/gafencu_hollywood_actor_timothee_chalamet_new_movie_2021_dune.png" alt="gafencu_hollywood_actor_timothee_chalamet_new_movie_2021_dune" width="466" height="700" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/gafencu_hollywood_actor_timothee_chalamet_new_movie_2021_dune.png 466w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/gafencu_hollywood_actor_timothee_chalamet_new_movie_2021_dune-200x300.png 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/gafencu_hollywood_actor_timothee_chalamet_new_movie_2021_dune-186x280.png 186w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/gafencu_hollywood_actor_timothee_chalamet_new_movie_2021_dune-120x180.png 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/gafencu_hollywood_actor_timothee_chalamet_new_movie_2021_dune-400x601.png 400w" sizes="(max-width: 466px) 100vw, 466px" /></a>
Gaining Respect 
When #MeToo garnered global support in 2018, director Woody Allen was among the many Hollywood giants who faced backlash for his questionable past treatment of women. Chalamet was working with Allen in A Rainy Day In New York at the time, and in solidarity with the movement, the young man announced that he would donate his entire salary from the film to a list of charities aiding sexual assault victims and championing equal rights, such as Time’s Up, the LGBT Centre in New York, and RAINN. Explaining the move, he posted on Instagram: “I want to be worthy of standing shoulder to shoulder with the brave artists who are fighting for all people to be treated with the respect and dignity they deserve.”
<a href="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/gafencu_hollywood_actor_timothee_chalamet_new_movie_2021_dune-2.png"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-61589" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/gafencu_hollywood_actor_timothee_chalamet_new_movie_2021_dune-2.png" alt="gafencu_hollywood_actor_timothee_chalamet_new_movie_2021_dune (2)" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/gafencu_hollywood_actor_timothee_chalamet_new_movie_2021_dune-2.png 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/gafencu_hollywood_actor_timothee_chalamet_new_movie_2021_dune-2-200x133.png 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/gafencu_hollywood_actor_timothee_chalamet_new_movie_2021_dune-2-421x280.png 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/gafencu_hollywood_actor_timothee_chalamet_new_movie_2021_dune-2-120x80.png 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/gafencu_hollywood_actor_timothee_chalamet_new_movie_2021_dune-2-500x333.png 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/gafencu_hollywood_actor_timothee_chalamet_new_movie_2021_dune-2-400x266.png 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/gafencu_hollywood_actor_timothee_chalamet_new_movie_2021_dune-2-600x399.png 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /></a>
Dune Bug 
Even before he was attached to the newly released Dune, Chalamet was so keen to work with its director, Denis Villeneuve, that he set up a Google alert to track the film’s production and began reading the novel on the off chance that he would be cast. “I was about halfway through the book when he asked if I could come out to meet him, so I quickly busted through the second half of the book&#8230; And then I had that meeting, and it was such a joy,” he recalls. He certainly aced the face-to-face, nabbing his dream role as protagonist Paul Atreides in what will be an epic, two-part space odyssey.

gafencu_hollywood_actor_timothee_chalamet_new_movie_2021_dune (2)

The promise of Timothée Chalamet…

As far as Hollywood A-listers go, few can match the long-lived success that Angelina Jolie has achieved. Having made her big screen debut at the tender age of seven and cast in her first leading role when just 20, the 44-year-old Tinseltown thespian has over 50 films and five directorial credits to her name. She’s also received countless accolades, including an <a href="https://oscar.go.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Academy Award</a>, two <a href="https://www.sagawards.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Screen Actors Guild Awards</a> and three <a href="https://www.sagawards.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Golden Globes</a>.
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-50112" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/700x466-Dec_Celebrity_A_opt.jpg" alt="Jolie" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/700x466-Dec_Celebrity_A_opt.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/700x466-Dec_Celebrity_A_opt-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/700x466-Dec_Celebrity_A_opt-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/700x466-Dec_Celebrity_A_opt-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/700x466-Dec_Celebrity_A_opt-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/700x466-Dec_Celebrity_A_opt-400x266.jpg 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/700x466-Dec_Celebrity_A_opt-600x399.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" />
More than her numerous onscreen plaudits, though, Jolie seems to have found true fulfilment in an entirely different sphere of her life – humanitarianism. Indeed, few actresses have embraced charitable causes as wholeheartedly as the Maleficent star, with women’s rights, conservation, child immigration, education and human rights all falling under the purview of her philanthropic efforts since becoming a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (<a href="https://www.unhcr.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">UNHCR</a>) in 2001. Speaking of her motive for joining the august body, she said: “We cannot close ourselves off to information and ignore the fact that millions of people are out there suffering. I honestly want to help. I don’t believe I feel differently from other people. I think we all want justice and equality, a chance for a life with meaning. All of us would like to believe that if we were in a bad situation, someone would help us.”
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-50115" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/700x466-Dec_Celebrity_D_opt.jpg" alt="Jolie" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/700x466-Dec_Celebrity_D_opt.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/700x466-Dec_Celebrity_D_opt-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/700x466-Dec_Celebrity_D_opt-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/700x466-Dec_Celebrity_D_opt-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/700x466-Dec_Celebrity_D_opt-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/700x466-Dec_Celebrity_D_opt-400x266.jpg 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/700x466-Dec_Celebrity_D_opt-600x399.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" />
This drive to help others likely stems from Jolie’s own troubled upbringing. Born on 4 June 1975 to two thespian parents – US actor Jon Voight and French screen siren Marcheline Bertrand – she first debuted in a bit part alongside her father in the 1982 comedy, Lookin’ to Get Out. Yet, she was already estranged from Voight, who had abandoned the family when she was just one.
During her tumultuous childhood, she seldom showed any real inclination towards acting though. Something of a wilful child, she has said of her young self: “When other little girls wanted to be ballet dancers, I kind of wanted to be a vampire.”&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
<h4>“We cannot ignore the fact that millions of people are out there suffering. I honestly want to help”</h4>
Her teenage years turned out to be equally difficult. She attended Beverly Hills High School but felt isolated at the affluent school because her single mother had to make do on a more modest income. After repeated bullying, she dropped out at the age of 14, though she returned to finish her degree two years later. Jolie’s early attempts at modelling – at her mother’s urging – were also doomed to end in failure.
By the time she hit 20, Jolie had tried “just about every drug possible”, including heroin. She also confessed to suffering from depression, self-harming and having suicidal thoughts. Speaking of those difficult times, she reflected: “For some reason, the ritual of having cut myself and feeling the pain, maybe feeling alive, feeling some kind of release, it was somehow therapeutic to me.”
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-50110" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/466x700-Dec_Celebrity_F_opt.jpg" alt="Jolie" width="466" height="700" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/466x700-Dec_Celebrity_F_opt.jpg 466w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/466x700-Dec_Celebrity_F_opt-200x300.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/466x700-Dec_Celebrity_F_opt-186x280.jpg 186w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/466x700-Dec_Celebrity_F_opt-120x180.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/466x700-Dec_Celebrity_F_opt-400x601.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 466px) 100vw, 466px" />
Despite these difficulties, Jolie still managed to get her fledgling onscreen career off the ground. After acting in her brother’s university movies and nailing a few big screen roles, she landed her first Hollywood starring role in 1995’s cult classic, Hackers. Two years later, she finally entered the big league with her Golden Globe Award-winning role in the TV biopic George Wallace (1997) and as supermodel Gia in the 1998 HBO movie by the same name. Her superb performance in the latter even had one renowned critic stating: “Jolie is fierce in her portrayal – filling the part with nerve, charm, and desperation – and her role in this film is quite possibly the most beautiful train wreck ever filmed.”
<h4>“I feel empowered that I made a strong choice that in no way diminishes my femininity”</h4>
Yet even as her professional life soared to new heights, her personal life was anything but jubilant. Her first marriage to British actor and Hackers co-star Jonny Lee Miller lasted just three years. Her second marriage to actor Billy Bob Thornton (after a whirlwind romance in which she stole him away from his fiancé, actress Laura Dern, for whom the relationship’s demise came as a shock) was similarly short lived.
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-50114" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/700x466-Dec_Celebrity_C_opt.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/700x466-Dec_Celebrity_C_opt.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/700x466-Dec_Celebrity_C_opt-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/700x466-Dec_Celebrity_C_opt-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/700x466-Dec_Celebrity_C_opt-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/700x466-Dec_Celebrity_C_opt-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/700x466-Dec_Celebrity_C_opt-400x266.jpg 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/700x466-Dec_Celebrity_C_opt-600x399.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" />
Despite the scandalous start to her next relationship with Brad Pitt (she was seen as the cause of death for the marriage of ‘America’s sweethearts’, Pitt and Jennifer Aniston), it seemed to have the makings of a true Hollywood happily-ever-after when she wed her Mr and Mrs Smith co-star in 2014. Sadly, after five years of marriage and six children together – including three biological offsprings and three adopted kids – the relationship once again ended in divorce.
And the misfortunes kept on piling up. Her mother – perhaps the biggest influence in Jolie’s life – suffered from breast cancer and eventually succumbed to ovarian cancer in 2007. After learning that she too had an 87 percent risk of developing breast cancer due to a defective BRCA1 gene in her DNA, Jolie made the difficult choice to undergo a preventative double masectomy surgery in 2013 in a bid to avoid suffering the same fate as her mother. While her decision certainly caused consternation in many corners, she had no regrets. In fact, she even wrote: “On a personal note, I do not feel any less of a woman. I feel empowered that I made a strong choice that in no way diminishes my femininity.”
Thankfully, despite her lack of luck in love and her health concerns, motherhood seemed to provide the actress with the stability she craved. Indeed, her fortuitous decision to accept the role of Lara Croft in the 2001 film adaptation of the Tomb Raider game saw her journey to Cambodia for its shooting. It was there that the spark to adopt her very own child began, ultimately leading to her adoption of Maddox, a Cambodian orphan, later that year. Speaking of that life-changing experience, she said: “It’s the greatest responsibility. It’s another life and you have to make sure they’re okay and they’re ready. There is nothing else you’re doing that is more important.”
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-50113 size-full" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/700x466-Dec_Celebrity_B_opt.jpg" alt="Jolie" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/700x466-Dec_Celebrity_B_opt.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/700x466-Dec_Celebrity_B_opt-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/700x466-Dec_Celebrity_B_opt-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/700x466-Dec_Celebrity_B_opt-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/700x466-Dec_Celebrity_B_opt-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/700x466-Dec_Celebrity_B_opt-400x266.jpg 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/700x466-Dec_Celebrity_B_opt-600x399.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" />
That very same experience also kick-started Jolie’s interest in humanitarian causes. At the time, Cambodia was still reeling from the effects of war, and the suffering that Jolie witnessed there led her to contact the UNHCR upon her return to the United States. She soon became an ambassador for the organisation, and shortly thereafter, she began to visit refugee camps across the world, using her celebrity status to draw attention to the plight of the people there.
Jolie continues to juggle her humanitarian concern and the care of her six children with the considerable demands of her cinematic career. She has even found a way to combine the two, having made her directorial debut with the 2018 historical thriller, First They Killed My Father, an adaptation of a memoir by Loung Ung, who witnessed firsthand the atrocities of the Pol Pot regime and the Khmer Rouge as a child.
That’s not to say that she’s abandoned her onscreen calling either. She most recently reprised her role of Maleficent in the sequel to Disney’s live-action adaptation of Sleeping Beauty (Maleficent 2). Next up, she’s set to star in another fantasy mash up – combining the worlds of Alice in Wonderland and Peter Pan – in Come Away. Then, of course, she will join the gigantic Marvel Cinematic Universe as Thena in The Eternals (November 2020).
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-50109" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/466x700-Dec_Celebrity_E_opt.jpg" alt="Jolie" width="466" height="700" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/466x700-Dec_Celebrity_E_opt.jpg 466w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/466x700-Dec_Celebrity_E_opt-200x300.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/466x700-Dec_Celebrity_E_opt-186x280.jpg 186w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/466x700-Dec_Celebrity_E_opt-120x180.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/466x700-Dec_Celebrity_E_opt-400x601.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 466px) 100vw, 466px" />
Throughout her career, Jolie has taken on roles that have been as engaging as they are varied – from adventurer to disturbed psych patient (Girl, Interrupted) to the voice of Tigress in Kung Fu Panda. However, it seems to be in the pursuit of her humanitarian passions that the actress has found her true calling as a ‘Guardian Angelina’.

Guardian Angelina: Jolie’s transformation from Hollywood A-lister to humble humanitarian

Byron Mann, Hong Kong’s most promising export to Hollywood, talks to us about what it is like to be an Asian actor in Western films and his latest success story, Wu Assassins.
<div style="width: 640px;" class="wp-video">
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You studied law before turning to acting. When did you realise that films were your true calling?
Well, I figured out law wasn’t right for me during my first year of law school itself. I was interning at a law firm in Hong Kong over summer break, when my manager there suggested I pursue something else. He asked me what I would like to do instead and I told him that I used to like acting in high school. He was the one who suggested that I should try my hand at it, because the University of Southern California – where I was enrolled at that time – is in Los Angeles, just minutes away from Hollywood. And that is exactly what I did over the next few years of college. By my third year, I had already signed up for a movie. So even before I had graduated, I knew that I wanted to act for a living.
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-49328" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Byron-Mann-of-Wu-Assassins-1.jpg" alt="Byron Mann of Wu Assassins 1" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Byron-Mann-of-Wu-Assassins-1.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Byron-Mann-of-Wu-Assassins-1-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Byron-Mann-of-Wu-Assassins-1-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Byron-Mann-of-Wu-Assassins-1-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Byron-Mann-of-Wu-Assassins-1-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Byron-Mann-of-Wu-Assassins-1-400x266.jpg 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Byron-Mann-of-Wu-Assassins-1-600x399.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" />
Did you go through the struggling actor period?
Not in the traditional sense. Having started young, I was quite excited about the prospect of acting. I couldn’t believe they were paying me to do it, I would have done it for fun. Fortunately, as I was already based in Hollywood, I didn’t have to struggle too much, I was landing roles pretty much from the start. I think, if there’s any struggle, it’s in keeping yourself fresh for any new challenge after you’ve been acting for 10 or 15 years.
Do you think that being an Asian worked in your favour?
I really believe that there are roles for everyone in Hollywood. And I’m talking about the mid-’90s, way before Crazy Rich Asians happened. Of course, the roles available to a Caucasian actor were more in number than those available to an Asian, but there were fewer Asians competing for those parts than Caucasians at that time.
&nbsp;<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-49329" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Byron-Mann-of-Wu-Assassins-2.jpg" alt="Byron Mann of Wu Assassins 2" width="466" height="700" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Byron-Mann-of-Wu-Assassins-2.jpg 466w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Byron-Mann-of-Wu-Assassins-2-200x300.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Byron-Mann-of-Wu-Assassins-2-186x280.jpg 186w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Byron-Mann-of-Wu-Assassins-2-120x180.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Byron-Mann-of-Wu-Assassins-2-400x601.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 466px) 100vw, 466px" />
What do you consider as a turning point in your career?
There have been several such moments actually, but none of them made an impact overnight. I did this film called The Big Short in 2015. During the production phase, it was a low-budget film and nobody knew anything about it. But after it came out, it got more and more popular. I started feeling its impact over a year later, when producers and directors approached me for roles because they had all seen the movie. They all said they loved how evil I was in that cameo role.
Is there any particular decision you made that you would like to go back and change?
If there’s anything that springs to mind, it’s that for the first 10 years of my career, I only wanted to do feature films. I had grown up watching such great movies as The Last Emperor, Schindler’s List and so on. As a result, I was quite focussed on only signing full-length films and not TV shows. If I had to do it all over again, I would surely consider acting in both mediums.
&nbsp;<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-49330" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Byron-Mann-of-Wu-Assassins-3.jpg" alt="Byron Mann of Wu Assassins 3" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Byron-Mann-of-Wu-Assassins-3.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Byron-Mann-of-Wu-Assassins-3-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Byron-Mann-of-Wu-Assassins-3-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Byron-Mann-of-Wu-Assassins-3-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Byron-Mann-of-Wu-Assassins-3-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Byron-Mann-of-Wu-Assassins-3-400x266.jpg 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Byron-Mann-of-Wu-Assassins-3-600x399.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" />
Do you think that Hollywood has become more sensitive to Asian cultures over time?
I definitely think that there’s more awareness in Hollywood now than there was 20 years ago. There are several reasons for that. First and foremost is, of course, easy access to the Internet. Researching a character’s background and culture has become much easier. Secondly, there’s the emergence of China and India on the global stage. These are huge markets and Hollywood studios definitely don’t want to rub them the wrong way.
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-49331" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Byron-Mann-of-Wu-Assassins-4.jpg" alt="Byron Mann of Wu Assassins 4" width="466" height="700" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Byron-Mann-of-Wu-Assassins-4.jpg 466w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Byron-Mann-of-Wu-Assassins-4-200x300.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Byron-Mann-of-Wu-Assassins-4-186x280.jpg 186w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Byron-Mann-of-Wu-Assassins-4-120x180.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Byron-Mann-of-Wu-Assassins-4-400x601.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 466px) 100vw, 466px" />
How different is the experience of shooting a full-length feature film from doing a TV series?
I would compare a feature film to a sprint, whereas a TV series is like a marathon. In feature films, you have to tell the whole story in two or three hours, so the intensity is at a different level. Having said that though, I think the two experiences are becoming more and more similar now, thanks to streaming services like Netflix or Amazon Prime. For example, I acted in Altered Carbon and more recently in Wu Assassins on Netflix. Let’s say there are 10 episodes in each series, with a budget of over US$15 million for each episode. Given the money involved, the production quality is very high – it’s like shooting 10 feature films of shorter lengths.
&nbsp;<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-49332" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Byron-Mann-of-Wu-Assassins-5.jpg" alt="Byron Mann of Wu Assassins 5" width="466" height="700" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Byron-Mann-of-Wu-Assassins-5.jpg 466w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Byron-Mann-of-Wu-Assassins-5-200x300.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Byron-Mann-of-Wu-Assassins-5-186x280.jpg 186w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Byron-Mann-of-Wu-Assassins-5-120x180.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Byron-Mann-of-Wu-Assassins-5-400x601.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 466px) 100vw, 466px" />
Do you think that streaming services will soon eclipse the theatre-going experience?
That’s already happening to an extent, but I don’t think streaming will completely overshadow the cinematic experience. There’s something unique about collective theatre-viewing. You can’t completely recreate that at home. But, thanks to streaming services, you can watch very high-quality productions at leisure in your own home, at own your pace, and there is definitely a place for that as well.
What are your thoughts on Wu Assassins’ popularity? 
Wu Assassins’ popularity has really exceeded my expectations. As of 23 August, it was ranked the third most-watched show in the world. What has surprised me the most is how audiences worldwide have responded to some of the racism issues addressed in the show. There’s a scene in episode 7 where my character responds to a racist waitress by educating her about the history of Chinese people in America. That scene has gone viral worldwide and has been one of the main talking points for the show. That’s very gratifying for me.
&nbsp;<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-49334" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Byron-Mann-of-Wu-Assassins-7.jpg" alt="Byron Mann of Wu Assassins 7" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Byron-Mann-of-Wu-Assassins-7.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Byron-Mann-of-Wu-Assassins-7-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Byron-Mann-of-Wu-Assassins-7-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Byron-Mann-of-Wu-Assassins-7-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Byron-Mann-of-Wu-Assassins-7-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Byron-Mann-of-Wu-Assassins-7-400x266.jpg 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Byron-Mann-of-Wu-Assassins-7-600x399.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" />
What was it like playing Uncle Six, who had a huge character arc in Wu Assassins, so much so that the audience ends up rooting for the villain?
The character of Uncle Six that I played in Wu Assassins has been a highlight in my career – a rather unexpected highlight, I might add. I signed up for this show because I had worked with the creator / producer John Wirth previously on AMC’s Hell On Wheels. I had such camaraderie with John that when he asked me to do this show, I said yes without even knowing much about the character or the series.
But I am glad that I said yes. I had a good time getting into the skin of this character and creating a contrast between how he looks at present and how he looked like 15 years ago, and following him on his journey when he lost his fire power and became a mere human, particularly what he looked like and how he felt when he took a road trip with his adopted son in episode 7. It was important for me to play a real human being instead of a stereotypical Triad boss. That was the challenge for me.
&nbsp;<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-49333" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Byron-Mann-of-Wu-Assassins-6.jpg" alt="Byron Mann of Wu Assassins 6" width="466" height="700" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Byron-Mann-of-Wu-Assassins-6.jpg 466w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Byron-Mann-of-Wu-Assassins-6-200x300.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Byron-Mann-of-Wu-Assassins-6-186x280.jpg 186w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Byron-Mann-of-Wu-Assassins-6-120x180.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Byron-Mann-of-Wu-Assassins-6-400x601.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 466px) 100vw, 466px" />
Finally, who’s your favourite actor?
Ah, there are so many&#8230; Al Pacino, Denzel Washington, Gene Hackman, Daniel Day-Lewis, Meryl Streep&#8230; I would like to compare acting to really good food. After you’ve tasted something delicious, you think about it even after the meal is finished. It’s the same with movies. After you watch a good movie, you walk out of the cinema hall and still think about it. That’s good acting there if it moves you and gives you pause for thought. All the actors I just named are the ones who have moved me deeply with their acting prowess.
Thank you.
Interview by: Suchetana Mukhopadhyay 
 Photos: Jack Law 
 Art Direction &amp; Styling: San Wong 
 Grooming: Chris Yu @ Morphologique 
 Venue: The Fleming Hong Kong 
 Wardrobe &amp; Accessories: Etro, BOSS, Jimmy Choo, Giorgio Armani, Chopard, Cerruti 1881

Gafencu's interview with Byron Mann of Wu Assassins

Tag: actor

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Robert Pattinson – From child actor to Hollywood heavyweight

The promise of Timothée Chalamet…

Guardian Angelina: Jolie’s transformation from Hollywood A-lister to humble humanitarian

Mann of Action: Wu Assassins star Byron Mann on his Hollywood journey

Tag: actor

Blog Section

As Manny As Possible: More than just another pretty face, Manny Jacinto isn’t silent on how Hollywood should change

Robert Pattinson – From child actor to Hollywood heavyweight

The promise of Timothée Chalamet…

Guardian Angelina: Jolie’s transformation from Hollywood A-lister to humble humanitarian

Mann of Action: Wu Assassins star Byron Mann on his Hollywood journey