Boniadi asks world to back protests
Actor Nazanin Boniadi on Wednesday urged the world to back the protests in her native Iran calling for women’s rights and political change, saying despots fear nothing “more than a free and politically active woman.”
Speaking on the sidelines of the Forbes 30/50 Summit in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Boniadi said that she hopes people will sign a petition she’s supporting accusing Taliban-controled Afghanistan and Iran of committing “gender apartheid” with their policies targeting women.
“These systems of oppressing women, of dehumanizing women, are based on strengthening and keeping these entrenched systems of power in place,” she said. “So we have to legally recognize this as gender apartheid in order to be able to overcome it.”
Boniadi, who as a young child left Tehran with her family for England following the 1979 Islamic Revolution, has used her fame as an actor in the series “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” on Amazon Prime Video and in roles in feature films to highlight what’s happening back in Iran.
Since September, Iran has faced mass protests following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, a woman who died after being detained by the country’s morality police.
Royal daughter christened:
Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, announced Wednesday that their daughter had been christened in a private ceremony in California, publicly calling her a princess and revealing for the first time that they will use royal titles for their children.
Princess Lilibet Diana,
who turns 2 years old in June, was baptized Friday by the Archbishop of Los Angeles, the Rev. John Taylor, Harry and Meghan said in a statement. Lilibet’s title and that of her brother, Archie, who turns 4 years old in May, will be updated on the Buckingham Palace website later.
The announcement marked the first time that the children’s titles had been used in public.
Wilson leads CMT award nods:
Country singer Lainey Wilson is a fan favorite at this year’s CMT Music Awards, where she is the leading nominee, including for “Video of the Year.” The “Heart Like a Truck” singer earned four nods when the nominees were announced Wednesday ahead of the April 2 show airing on CBS.
Other leading nominees include Cody Johnson, CMT co-host Kane Brown and first-time nominee
Jelly Roll, who all have three nominations each. Brown and Kelsea Ballerini return to host the show from Austin, Texas.
There are 16 nominees for the show’s top prize, video of the year, a category in which Carrie Underwood holds the record with 25 awards. She’s nominated again for her video “Hate My Heart” and will also perform.
The winners will be selected by fan voting, which is open now at vote. cmt.com.
March 9 birthdays:
Actor Joyce Van Patten is 89. Actor Trish Van Devere is 82. Singer John Cale is 81. Journalist Charles Gibson is 80. Actor Juliette Binoche is 59. Actor Emmanuel Lewis is 52. Actor Jean Louisa Kelly is 51. Actor Oscar Isaac is 44. Actor Matthew Gray Gubler is 43. Actor Brittany Snow is 37. Rapper Bow Wow is 36. Rapper YG is 33.