let the games begin

While the euphoria of the World Cup has certainly died down, all of us here in Jakarta are gearing up for the 18th Asian Games. There’s always something exciting, exhilarating and—most importantly—inspiring as we cheer on those that embody the best values of all of us: Strength, perseverance, sportsmanship and the drive to succeed.

So, I thought it only fitting that DAMAN joins in the excitement by featuring some of the athlete’s set to compete from mid-August to late September. We have basketball player Daniel Wenas, jet ski racing world champion Aero Aswar and volleyball athlete Rendy Tamamilang. Our latest

DAMAN Darling, too, is an athlete in her own right: Maria Selena is a notable basketball player. Expect stories of courage and crushing failure, achieving tremendous odds while injured and the sweet taste of victory.

Of course, we also have a lineup of top notch Hollywood talents in this issue. But here as well, something different awaits you. It might be coincidence, it might be an unusual stroke of luck for us, but all of our featured actors have shown an amazing sense of humor and wit, while at the same time offering some deep insight into their passions. Oliver Stark of “Into the Badlands” and “9-1-1” might be the most normal of the three. Daniel Gillies from hit vampire TV series “The Vampire Diaries” and its spinoff “The Originals” is downright funny; but his call to action for some of the most impoverished communities in the world is anything but. And on our cover this time, we have Thomas Jane, whose body of work includes “Boogie Nights,” “Hung,” “Deep Blue Sea,” “The Mist,” “The Punisher” and, coming out this September, “The Predator.” His interview with us is hands down the most bizarre, hilarious but insightful so far.

And with that, I invite you to enjoy the pages to come and delve into stories of fashion, sport, entertainment and more. Also, don’t forget to follow our digital offerings through our website and social media accounts for online-exclusive content, videos and exciting updates from all across the globe.