Mahershala Ali to Star with Julia Roberts in Leave the World Behind
Oscar winner Mahershala Ali is joining Julia Roberts to star in the upcoming Netflix thriller based on the Rumaan Alam novel Leave the World Behind. Sam Esmail, the creator of Mr. Robot, is on board to direct. Last year, when the project was first announced, Denzel Washington was rumored to be taking on the role opposite Julia Roberts. Now, it has been officially announced that the role has gone to Ali. A production start date has yet to be announced.
Amanda Gorman Says Hamilton Helped Her Overcome Her Speech Impediment
Amanda Gorman read her poem “The Hill We Climb” on live television at Joe Biden’s presidential inauguration, so it might be difficult to believe she once had a vocal hurdle to overcome. But in an exclusive clip of Amanda Gorman: Brave Enough With Robin Roberts — A Special Edition of 20/20, Gorman opened up about her speech impediment and how the musical Hamilton helped her overcome it. The poet revealed that she used to have trouble pronouncing her “r” sounds, and there was one specific song from Hamilton that helped her practice her R’s: “Aaron Burr, Sir.” Gorman said, “I would listen to the track of ‘Aaron Burr, Sir,’ and try to do it over and over and over again, and I told myself, ‘If you can do this song, you can speak this sound wherever.'” The entire interview airs Wednesday, Sept. 15 at 10 p.m. ET on ABC.
Here’s the 2021 NBA Longlist for Young People’s Literature
The National Book Foundation has revealed their longlist for the 2021 National Book Award for Young People’s Literature. This year’s longlist features ten titles chosen from 344 submissions. The list includes two authors who have been previously recognized by the National Book Awards. Kekla Magoon was longlisted in 2015, and Anna-Marie McLemore was longlisted in 2016. The five finalists will be announced on October 5, and the winner will be announced during an in-person awards ceremony at Cipriani Wall Street in New York on November 17.
The Best Modern Shakespeare Retellings
Shakespeare maybe be hundreds of years old, but the Bard isn’t going anywhere any time soon. Here are 12 of the best modern Shakespeare retellings, adapted from 12 of his most famous plays.