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ALWATAN DAILY
ENTERTAINMENT FRIDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2009
Song Of The Day Dennis Haysbert prepares film on Middle East
Faisal Al-Ali
Staff Writer
ABU DHABI: American actor Dennis Haysbert one of
Hollywood’s brightest stars, has achieved success for his out-
standing work in both drama series and cinema.
The series 24 is one of the most important works by the
star, especially as he played the role of the president of US
before Obama reaches presidency.
Dennis Haysbert talked about some of works, which has
achieved many successes. He spoke little about his next movie
from the Middle East explaining that the aim of his visit is to
get to know a lot about the culture and nature, away from the
books and the media.
How is it important that an
Afro-American succeeds in Hollywood?
Haysbert: We are part of the American society and there
are no differences and one should strive to achieve the same
and therefore, the question depends on the person himself and
the skills they possess, regardless of anything else.
Fahad AlSabah And how you look
Staff Writer at the American cinema?
Haysbert: The best in the world, the film industry is a very
Song: Make You Feel My Love (Bob Dylan Cover) sophisticated, and with amazing actors and directors and writ-
Artist: Adele
ers and photographers as that Hollywood provided the oppor-
Album: 19
Genre: Soul tunity for innovators in cinema from all over the world.
In short: Adele covered one of my all-time favorite songs,
and made me fall in love all over again. Seriously, how beau- What about the movie Far from Heaven?
tiful is this song? Haysbert: That was in 2002. It is a wonderful film which
brings us back to the atmosphere of the fifties in the United
E-mail your suggestions or States and it points to the flaws and attributes in each era we
feedback to falsabah@alwatandaily.com live.
American actor Dennis Haysbert with Al Watan’s reporter Faisal Al-Ali during Abu Dhabi International Film Festival.
What about 24? (Al Watan)
Haysbert: It is a successful work of art. I was delighted
by the work that gave me the opportunity to highlight my What will you do next? the media.
talent. I owe much to Rodney Carter and the rest of the team Haysbert: I participate in a huge film that revolves
Nas ordered
including representatives, photographers and others, as I am around the Middle East. I visited many Arab countries, Do you know anything about Arab cinema?
also pleased that the success of the series, especially as the such as Iraq, Afghanistan, Egypt and Turkey to learn a lot Haysbert: I saw some short films in some festivals that
technical director follows new camera technique. about the nature of the region and its culture away from were good, but needs modern technology and bigger funding.
to pay Kelis
Theater Festival Abdullah Al-Ruwaished releases
$51,000 a month single dedicated to Saudi prince
hosts Lebanese actor
Rouji Al-Asaf Abdullah Al-Tararwah
Staff Writer
KUWAIT: Singer Abdullah Al-Ru-
waished recorded a new song dedicated
Faisal Al-Ali supports people.” to the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Sul-
Staff Writer Regarding UNESCO and Beckett, tan bin Abdul Aziz for his return from the
Rouji said that the theatre should not be medical trip treatment.
KUWAIT: The Media Center for Ku- a doctrine one as it must be opened to all The song titled “A’az al-nas” (The
wait Theater Festival hosted the Lebanese kinds of cultures. Dearest Person) is written by Nasser Qa-
artist Rouji Al-Asaf Furthermore the media center hosted imah. On the other hand, Al-Ruwaished
In a press conference to talk about his another press conference in the presence is currently working on his new album
art and his views in a number of artistic of Director of Culture and Arts center that will be released by mid January next
issues, Al-Asaf said “I became a profes- Mohammed Al-Nahari in Oman’s capi- year.
sional in theater art during the sixties, but tal city. Al-Nahari described Kuwait as a It is worth mentioning that Abdullah
the real start is in 1967 with the emer- pioneer in theatrical particularly in Gulf Al-Ruwaished held amazing concerts or-
gence of the Palestinian resistance and drama, while praising the festival suc- ganized by the Abu Dhabi Authority for
the reaction of the Arabs peoples of what cess due to the existence of distinct par- Culture and Heritage on the occasion of
happened. As a politician I portrayed the ticipants from the Arab countries which National Day celebrations of the State
issues of people through the art of theatre. helps to share experiences and enrich the along Eid al-Adha concerts in Beirut with
As for linking my name with resistance, I theatrical events of culture and the varied Lebanese singer Yara and Saudi artist
do not like this term, because the theater experiences. Jawad Al-Ali at the Hotel Le Royal. FILE - Abdullah Al-Ruwaished
Nicolas Cage’s
ex-girlfriend sues for fraud
LOS ANGELES: The former girlfriend of notice in September.
FILE - In this Sunday, Feb. 10, 2008 picture, Kelis, left, Oscar-winning actor Nicolas Cage is suing him “This lawsuit is ridiculous and absurd,” Cage’s
and Nas arrive at the Sony BMG Post-Grammy Party in and his former accountant for fraud and breach attorney Marty Singer told People magazine.
Beverly Hills, Calif. (AP) of contract, demanding 13 million dollars and a “We expect this lawsuit to be promptly
home he promised her. thrown out.”
LOS ANGELES: A judge ordered Nas to increase his Attorneys representing Christina Fulton, a Singer said Cage, obliged under a court or-
payments to his soon-to-be ex-wife, Kelis, and their infant former actress and the mother of Cage’s 18-year- der to pay his former girlfriend 6,000 dollars in
son to $51,101 a month Wednesday. old son Weston, told AFP she had filed a lawsuit child support, was giving her much more - around
The ruling came after two days of testimony about FILE - Rouji Al-Asaf Tuesday claiming the actor’s series of finan- three million each year.
the musicians, during which both were portrayed as cash- cial problems had resulted in foreclosure of the In a 20-million-dollar lawsuit against Levin,
strapped. Nas had been paying Kelis nearly $40,000 a month house. Cage claimed the accountant duped him and nev-
since July. Fulton, 42, is also claiming that she racked up er warned him of the poor state of his finances,
Oprah’s channel
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge David S. Cunningham debt owed to the US tax collection agency - the forcing the actor to sell off a string of properties to
III issued his ruling after hearing detailed testimony about Internal Revenue Service (IRS) - due to “neg- recoup the financial mismanagement. The IRS has
the musicians’ finances, recording deals and significant tax ligence, concealment and misrepresentation” filed over six million dollars in tax dues in Sep-
debts. Nas and Kelis both were in court and testified Wednes- on the part of Cage’s former business manager, tember against Cage, who claims he only found
day.
Nas’ attorney, Mark Vincent Kaplan, said after the hear-
ing that the rapper benefits from the changes. Nas, whose
real name is Nasir Jones, will no longer have to pay $13,000
to feature film club series Samuel Levin. The Leaving Las Vegas and Con
Air star’s agent declined to comment.
Fulton said she believed the Los Angeles
home where she lived with her son was under her
out about the financial misdealings last year.
One of the most prolific actors in Hollywood,
Cage made 40 million dollars in a year-long pe-
riod ending in June, according to Forbes maga-
a month for the former couple’s Los Angeles home. LOS ANGELES: In the tradition of The Oprah Winfrey Network, will launch name, until Cage allegedly served her an eviction zine. -AFP
Kelis, who real name is Kelis Rogers, has been living at Oprah Winfrey’s famous book club, the a documentary film club, with a focus on
the Los Angeles home with the couple’s son, Knight, in re- talk show host’s cable channel, OWN: films with inspirational themes.
cent months and has installed recording equipment at the OWN has partnered with Ro*co
house. Prods., a division of documentary film
Her attorney, Laura Wasser, said she was “thrilled” with distributor Ro*co Films International, to
the ruling. do a primetime monthly documentary
Rogers recently signed a $175,000 contract to make new film series on the cable channel, a co-ven-
music with Interscope records, although her attorneys ar- ture between Winfrey’s Harpo Prods. and
gued most of the money went to Rogers’ former managers Discovery Communications that is sched-
and she received only about $50,000. Rogers, who gained uled to premiere in Jan. 2011.
fame for the song “Milkshake,” downplayed her new music, Exclusive footage from the films fea-
telling Jones’ attorney that the only song she’d recently made tured in the documentary film club will
debuted on Twitter. be put up on OWN.tv, and some of them
For his part, Jones said he didn’t expect to release a new will get nationwide theatrical screenings.
album in 2010. New albums create an influx of cash for musi- OWN plans to create communities nation-
cians, who receive a spike in royalty payments and touring wide that can screen the films together
proceeds, accountants for both musicians testified. and participate in a live, moderated panel
Jones, considered one of rap’s most popular and talented discussion.
artists, released his last studio album in 2008. Ro*co, founded in 2000 by manag-
He owes his current manager up to $700,000 and owes ing director Annie Roney, has distributed
millions to the Internal Revenue Service, according to testi- eight Oscar-nominated feature documen-
mony Wednesday. taries, including Born Into Brothels, The
Rogers hasn’t filed a tax return in years, which made cal- Garden, Jesus Camp, No End in Sight,
culating her income difficult. -AP Promises, Regret to Inform, Street Fight FILE - Christina
FILE - Oprah Winfrey and The Weather Underground. -Reuters Fulton