‘Transparent’ finale proves to be healing
Latest role taught actress compassion
Anne Hathaway says playing a bipolar character in Amazon’s new series “Modern Love” affected her emotionally long after she wrapped the role. Hathaway plays Terry Cheney, a woman navigating romance with bipolar disorder, in an episode of the anthology. The series, based on The New York Times column of the same name, debuts Oct. 18.
At a Television Critics Association meeting Saturday, Hathaway said the role gave her a heightened compassion for people with mental illnesses who can’t walk away once the cameras stop rolling.
She said she hopes telling stories like Cheney’s will open up the conversation surrounding mental illness.
After reflecting on her role, Hathaway lightened the mood when she was asked how she feels about her newly announced second pregnancy. “How do you think?” she replied, smiling. “Transparent” creator Jill Soloway says they know wrapping up the awardwinning series with a musical finale is a risk, but risks are part of the show’s DNA.
Soloway joined sibling and executive producer Faith Soloway and the cast of the Amazon series during a Television Critics Association meeting to talk about the
fitting conclusion for the characters as they mourn the loss of one of the show’s central characters, played by Jeffrey Tambor, who left the show last year after allegations of sexual harassment. Approaching the death of Tambor’s character with a musical gave the cast a creative outlet to also mourn their own loss, Jill Soloway said.
The “Transparent” musical finale, which debuts Sept. 27, concludes a series that broke barriers with its representation of LGBTQ characters on screen.
Rapper: A$AP Rocky is Swedish hostage
RZA of the Wu-tang Clan says he’s concerned over what he calls a hostage situation for fellow rapper A$AP Rocky, who’s charged with assault in Sweden. RZA told The Associated Press at an event Friday promoting the Hulu drama series “Wutang: An American Saga” that he doesn’t condone violence, but celebrities have to protect themselves, and Rocky is not dangerous or a criminal.
He says he’s “disappointed in Sweden” and “disappointed that a judge cannot discern that this is not a man you hold hostage.” Swedish prosecutors say Rocky and two others attacked a man there. Rocky says he acted in self-defense.
He has been held since July 3.
President Donald Trump has also spoken out against Rocky’s detention.
RZA says if Trump helped, “That’d be a beautiful thing.”