Jump to content

Type keyword(s) to search

Star City News


scarynikki12
  • Reply
  • Start Topic

Recommended Posts

This film festival opens next weekend...

Docs About Ray Romano’s Twins, Wrestler Mildred Burke and Bob Mackie Highlight Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival
By Kathy A. McDonald   Nov. 1, 2024
https://variety.com/2024/film/festivals/fort-lauderdale-film-festival-2024-ray-romano-bob-mackie-mildred-burke-1236194444/ 

Quote

This year’s festival opens with a gala at the guitar-shaped Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino and a screening of director Ash Avildsen’s “Queen of the Ring,” the story of pro wrestler Mildred Burke (played by Emily Bett Rickards), the first-ever, million-dollar earning female athlete.

queen-of-the-ring.jpg 

Link to comment
(edited)

Another pic of EBR in Queen of the Ring (go to source link below to see two more pics)...

Quote

emilybett Tomorrow, Queen of the Ring—the story of Mildred Burke, wrestling’s first female champion—comes to life on the big screen for the opening night of the Florida Film Festival. 🎥

Mildred’s story is as powerful and relevant as ever. She wasn’t just a champion in the ring; she was a fierce advocate for equality in a world that constantly told her “no.”

What Mildred fought for—challenging limits and redefining what a woman could achieve—paved the way for the women of today. Her fight is far from over. We honor her legacy every time a woman steps into the ring, onto a stage, or into any arena where she’s told her rights don’t matter.

Her strength and resilience continue to inspire me, and I hope her story does the same for you. Where there are people like Mildred, there will always be hope.

Sending love and strength from both Mildred and myself.

If you’re in Florida, I’ll see you at the premiere on Friday! ❤️

https://www.instagram.com/emilybett/p/DCFHqddy5yt/?img_index=1 

QueenOfTheRing_EBRpic_13.png.87a582d64942e15efda54386e006397b.png

Edited by tv echo
Link to comment
(edited)

MR talked about auditioning for the TV show Constantine, how he prepared for playing the role, the evolution of his Constantine character as he went from his own TV show to the animated series to Arrow and then to Legends, the Arrowverse crossovers, and being at the same comic con with Keanu Reeves...

Matt Ryan Q&A | Nightmare Weekend Miami 2024
GalaxyCon   posted Nov 8, 2024

ETA: This interview was recorded the third weekend in October.

Edited by tv echo
Link to comment

Emily Bett Rickards post screening of "Queen of the Ring" Mildred Burke movie at FLIFF South Florida
Pro Wrestling & MMA Interviews with Me (Jimmy V3)   posted Nov 12, 2024

Quote

Actress Emily Brett Rickards answers some questions after a screening of the movie "Queen of the Ring," the Mildred Burke story at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in South Florida near Hollywood.

Link to comment

Grant Gustin, Glee, The Flash, Broadway, and Being a Dad
Katee Sackhoff   Premiered Nov 12, 2024

Quote

00:00 Intro
01:48 Grant's Broadway Experience
02:39 Balancing Family and Career
05:26 Theater vs. TV Acting
14:27 Landing the Role on Glee
18:31 The Flash Journey
27:03 Managing Expectations and Mental Health
44:04 Life Beyond Acting
50:56 Children, Unisex Clothing and Parenting Styles
56:12 Insights on Acting and Imposter Syndrome
59:42 Random Question: Fashion Trends
01:03:04 IN HINDSIGHT w/ Producer Jeph
01:09:50 The Flash and DC Universe
01:15:34 TV Production Insights
01:28:36 THE MAIL SACK

Link to comment

The 15 Best Arrow Characters (Who Aren’t Oliver Queen)
Jordan Iacobucci   updated Nov 13, 2024
https://www.cbr.com/best-arrow-characters-not-oliver-queen-ranked/ 

15 Sara Lance Is a Terrific Addition For One Season
14 Arrow Keeps Returning to Tommy Merlyn After His Death
13 Nyssa al Ghul Is One of Arrow's Most Memorable Supporting Characters
12 Mia Smoak Carries a New Generation of Superheroes
11 Barry Allen Gets His Start in Arrow Season 2
10 Moira Queen Is Complex and Powerful
9  Roy Harper Is A Solid Ally To The Green Arrow
8  Malcolm Merlyn Always Shakes Things Up
7  Laurel Lance Is a Strong Presence In Star City
6  Ray Palmer's Legacy Goes Beyond Arrow
5  Adrian Chase Shakes Things Up In Oliver Queen's Life
4  Thea Queen Has An Interesting Character Arc
3  Slade Wilson Is Arrow's Greatest Main Villain
2  Felicity Smoak Is a Complicated and Compelling Female Lead
1  John Diggle Is Rock Solid As Oliver's Right-Hand Man

Link to comment
(edited)

‘Queen of the Ring’ Filmmakers and Bob Mackie Honored at Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival
By Todd Gilchrist   Nov. 14, 2024
https://variety.com/2024/film/festivals/bob-mackie-fort-lauderdale-international-film-festival-lifetime-achievement-1236206166/ 

Quote

The 2024 Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival opened Nov. 8 with a screening of “Queen of the Ring,” writer-director Ash Avildsen’s biopic of female wrestler Mildred Burke starring Emily Bett Rickards, Josh Lucas, Walton Goggins and Gavin Casalegno. Marking the festival’s 39th year, the film commenced ten days of programming across seven South Florida venues, including the presentation of a Lifetime Achievement Award to costume designer Bob Mackie.


AEW Kamille, Cast, Director talk "Queen of the Ring" Mildred Burke at FLIFF in South Florida
Pro Wrestling & MMA Interviews with Me (Jimmy V3)   Nov. 12, 2024

Edited by tv echo
Link to comment
(edited)

Brazilian version of official trailer for EBR's film, Autumn and the Black Jaguar (a/k/a Autumn and the Last Jaguar) - in original English with Portuguese subtitles...

A Última Onça Negra 2024 Trailer Legendado
SóTrailers   Nov 16, 2024

Edited by tv echo
Link to comment
(edited)

This movie sounds really good and EBR has been getting great reviews for her performance - including the one below from The Hollywood Reporter (unfortunately, it's only being screened on the festival circuit right now)...

‘Queen of the Ring’ Review: Emily Bett Rickards Brings Soul and Strength to Female Wrestling Biopic
By Frank Scheck   November 18, 2024
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/queen-of-the-ring-film-review-1236063810/ 

Quote

Based on Jeff Leen’s extravagantly titled 2009 book The Queen of the Ring: Sex, Muscles, Diamonds, and the Making of an American Legend (try fitting that on a marquee), the film stars Emily Bett Rickards (Arrow) in a breakout performance as Burke. We first see her as an unwed teenage mother working as a waitress in a Kansas diner under the watchful eye of her mother (Cara Buono). But Millie, who possesses a formidable muscularity, has dreams of becoming an entertainer. And since she can’t sing or dance, she figures that wrestling is her way out of the boonies.
*  *  *
... The wrestling sequences are particularly visceral, with the actors, particularly Rickards, exhibiting such a fierce physical commitment that it’s easy to imagine that there must have been plenty of offscreen nursing care. (The filmmaker might have inherited his talent for fight scenes, since his father John Avildsen’s directing credits include Rocky and three Karate Kid films. One of the stars of the latter series, Martin Kove, plays a colorful supporting role here.)

.... But it’s ultimately Rickards, who handles the intense physical and emotional demands of her role with consummate skill, that gives the film its heart and soul.

Edited by tv echo
Link to comment
(edited)

From Brandon Routh panel on Nov. 10...

-- Q: "If you had to work with any of the actors from any of the other DC shows or films you've worked on, who would they be and why?"
BR:
"I always enjoyed working with Grant Gustin... I think one of the most fun episodes we got to do was the one I did on The Flash, Season 9 or t0, where we have a battle outside and we're kind of fighting together, just Flash and Atom, that was kinda sweet. Um, I always loved working with Emily and, you know, Emily Bett, and so I didn't get much opportunity after I left Arrow to do that. So I want to work with her more."

-- Q: Was it sort of an immediate like camaraderie when you met everybody [on the Arrow set] or was it something - ... takes time to kind of get to know each other?"
BR:
"It only took a moment because the way that show and most television - television is shot is that if - unless you're in the scene with a person, you don't meet them and talk. You may not see them for a while. And it's also a very heavy set and drama, except for the scenes with Emily and I usually together. We were doing more comedy. So, uh, it took a little bit of time of me getting to know - and, you know, coming in Season 3 to, you know, meet everybody. But then, yeah, when we come to these events and everything, it's fantastic.

Brandon Routh | Full Q&A | Comic-Con Liverpool 2024
Monopoly Events   posted Nov 19, 2024

Edited by tv echo
Link to comment
(edited)

Movie Review: Queen of the Ring, Starring; Emily Bett Rickards, Josh Lucas
By Jeremy Housewright   Nov. 19, 2024
https://www.reviewstl.com/movie-review-queen-of-the-ring-starring-emily-bett-rickards-josh-lucas/ 

Quote

St. Louis International Film Festival 2024 Review! Director Ash Avildsen scores a pinfall victory with Queen of the Ring. ....
*  *  *
Emily Bett Rickards plays Burke and not only looks like the wrestler but is not afraid to take bumps. Her performance is up there among the year’s best by an actress.
*  *  *
Don’t make the mistake of thinking Queen of the Ring is just a wrestling movie, because it’s so much more. It’s not only a period piece, but it also touches on sexism, racism, and spousal abuse. Burke fights for everything she has and earned throughout her life inside and outside of the squared circle.
*  *  *
While Avildsen admits that the book featured so much more on Burke than he could include in the film, including a lot of the domestic abuse she suffered at the hands of Wolfe, he does a fine job showcasing the grit and glamour of women’s pro wrestling during that time period. He also shows what unfolds behind the scenes of pro wrestling when the crowd is not around, or the cameras are not on. This makes the film that much more captivating. The director’s love for pro wrestling is evident in the film, as he not only crafts a fine film, but gives Burke full credit for changing the landscape of women’s wrestling forever.

Queen of the Ring gets an A-.

Edited by tv echo
Link to comment
(edited)

Queen of the Ring Review: Wrestling Through History
by Arash Nahandian   Nov 19, 2024
https://gazettely.com/2024/11/entertainment/queen-of-the-ring-2024-review/ 

Quote

Emily Bett Rickards has a standout performance, embodying Burke’s ferocious determination and complex personal life. ....
*  *  *
Emily Bett Rickards transforms Millie Burke, a struggling single mother, into a wrestling phenomenon with astonishing nuance. Her performance is a masterclass in combining raw physical prowess and intense emotional sensitivity. Rickards doesn’t just play Burke; she becomes her, expressing the fighter’s strong drive and underlying vulnerability. Whether wrestling in carnival rings or negotiating complex personal relationships, she exudes compelling authenticity, making Burke’s journey viscerally real.
*  *  *
“Queen of the Ring”‘s wrestling sequences erupt authentically, leaving audiences breathless. These are raw, visceral accounts of human determination, not just scripted conflicts. Emily Bett Rickards turns every match into a symbolic war against societal restraints, with her physical dedication so strong that fans can nearly feel the impact of each slam and throw.
*  *  *
"Queen of the Ring" goes beyond the traditional sports biopic, presenting a powerful narrative about societal transformation and one amazing woman's journey. Ash Avildsen has created a film that grapples with complicated themes of gender, ambition, and personal perseverance, anchored by Emily Bett Rickards's remarkable performance as Mildred Burke. The film does a fantastic job of rescuing a forgotten pioneer from historical oblivion, portraying Burke as an athlete and a complex woman who challenged every barrier imposed upon her. Visually spectacular, emotionally deep, and energetically delivered, the film gives life to a unique story that deserves to be shared. While some pacing flaws and narrative compressions reduce the overall impact, the film's dedication to authenticity and powerful storytelling is obvious. It honors a trailblazing athlete who elevated wrestling from a marginalized spectacle to a platform for female empowerment.

PROS
√  Exceptional lead performance by Emily Bett Rickards
√  Visually stunning cinematography
√  Authentic period recreation
√  Powerful narrative about female empowerment
√  Dynamic wrestling sequences
√  Nuanced exploration of 1930s-1950s social dynamics

CONS
X  Occasional narrative pacing issues
X  Some historical details condensed for dramatic effect
X  Potential over-romanticization of certain personal relationships

Edited by tv echo
Link to comment

TV Roles Almost Played by Someone Else on Big Bang Theory, Lost, Arrow, One Tree Hill, The O.C., Buffy and More
By Vlada Gelman, Rebecca Iannucci, Matt Webb Mitovich   December 1, 2024 
https://tvline.com/lists/tv-actors-almost-played-different-roles/ 

Quote

ARROW
...

As Anna Hopkins told TVLine in our Memories From the Set feature, she first auditioned to play Arrow‘s Sara Lance. The part went to Caity Lotz, but Hopkins was later brought in to read for the part of a “journalist”… which she eventually learned was code for Samantha Clayton, the mother of Oliver’s secret son William!

Also:

Quote

The Affair
...
Though Colin Donnell ultimately played Scotty Lockhart in The Affair‘s first two seasons, he initially got close to playing Cole, a role that later went to Joshua Jackson. “Colin actually had come in and auditioned for Cole a bunch of times. But he wasn’t quite right,” series co-creator Sarah Treem revealed in an Instagram story ahead of the series finale. “But I loved him so much as an actor that I actually wrote Scotty for him…. I thought he was so good, and I didn’t want to lose him.”

Edited by tv echo
Link to comment

Emily Bett Rickards Shares Why Playing Wrestler Mildred Burke in ‘Queen of the Ring’ Is the Greatest Role of Her Career
By Christina Radish   Dec. 2, 2024
https://collider.com/emily-bett-rickards-queen-of-the-ring/ 

Quote

During this one-on-one interview with Collider, Rickards broke down all the ways she put her heart and soul into the character of Mildred Burke and her performance. She talked about diving into all the research, feeling capable that she could bring this woman to life, her process for transforming her body, finding that balance of femininity and strength, her favorite wrestling scenes to shoot, exploring the abuse in Mildred’s relationship with Billy, how letting go of Mildred at the end of filming wasn’t so easy, wanting a challenge with her work, and why creative fulfillment has always had a high bar to reach.

Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...