Albeit unofficial, Hollywood actress Shiva Rose has given up acting. She was last seen as the late American film actress and dancer Louise Brooks in Alex Monty Canawati’s Return to Babylon, a 2013 biographical comedy-drama about the scandalous lifestyles of renowned movie stars in the 20s. In the years she worked as an actress, Rose performed on stage and for screen audiences. She appeared in at least 21 movies and television shows, including The Practice, 61*, The Young and the Restless, and David & Layla. The latter won her the President Award for Best Breakthrough Performance at the Ft. Lauderdale International...
- 11/30/2023
- by Banks Onuoha
- TVovermind.com
When it comes to living a healthy lifestyle, some might say Gwyneth Paltrow has gotten it down to a science. These days, you can catch the Iron Man star writing books on food and sharing yummy natural meals on Instagram. If you're a fan of the A-lister's lifestyle site, goop, you know Gwyneth is living her best and healthiest life, working with contributors like Whole Beauty author, Bluprint expert and all-natural beauty buff Shiva Rose. You don't need to go on an intense cleanse to get Gwyneth-status healthy. First, baby steps! The lifestyle guru shared with E! News a few healthy beauty products that may be right in your kitchen. "My pantry must-haves are crucial since I make a lot of beauty...
- 7/19/2018
- E! Online
Kourtney Kardashian is more than a natural beauty—she's a fan of it, too. The Keeping Up With the Kardashians star has shared details of her holistic lifestyle on the E! show, from what she eats to the clean products she uses. When it comes to beauty, Kourt can partly thank Shiva Rose for some skin-care solace. "When I'm at home I'll do a body scrub in the shower with this all-natural rose oil scrub by Shiva Rose; it's really moisturizing and smells so good," Kourtney told Marie Claire in a 2017 article. You don't need to buy expensive products to look like the reality star. The founder of the eponymous all-natural beauty brand, author of Whole Beauty and Bluprint (the...
- 7/18/2018
- E! Online
Uma Thurman is getting some intimate praise from one of her new costars.
Maggie Q, who plays Thurman’s love interest in the new comedy The Con Is On, told Lapalme Magazine‘s summer issue that she “had a blast” on set.
“I look at everything in my job as — just part of my job. [My] character is a Russian billionaire’s wife who’s gay. She does whatever she wants and nobody crosses her. So she has an extramarital affair with Uma [Thurman] — who, by the way, is a great kisser,” she told the outlet, according to PageSix.
Q, 39, added that...
Maggie Q, who plays Thurman’s love interest in the new comedy The Con Is On, told Lapalme Magazine‘s summer issue that she “had a blast” on set.
“I look at everything in my job as — just part of my job. [My] character is a Russian billionaire’s wife who’s gay. She does whatever she wants and nobody crosses her. So she has an extramarital affair with Uma [Thurman] — who, by the way, is a great kisser,” she told the outlet, according to PageSix.
Q, 39, added that...
- 6/20/2018
- by Mike Miller
- PEOPLE.com
goop, the modern lifestyle brand founded and helmed by Gwyneth Paltrow, hosted the third installment of its popular wellness summit, In goop Health.
Gwyneth Paltrow Hosts In Goop Health Wellness Summit
The consistently sold-out summit featured thought-provoking discussions with leading voices in the wellness space and showcased bespoke activations that spoke to our emotional and physical health.
The summit featured:
A full day of issue-focused panels with leading doctors, scientists, entrepreneurs, and boundary-pushing celebrities. Highlights included:
Intimate fireside chats conducted by Paltrow with creatives such as Meg Ryan and Janet Mock;
- A discussion on the cannabis industry with innovative scientists and entrepreneurs, moderated by actress Lake Bell and presented by MedMen. Goop also curated a selection of cannabis-adjacent products at MedMen’s new Abbott Kinney location, which opened today;
- An exploration on intuition, creativity, and unlocking your potential led by author and poet Cleo Wade;
- Inspired by...
Gwyneth Paltrow Hosts In Goop Health Wellness Summit
The consistently sold-out summit featured thought-provoking discussions with leading voices in the wellness space and showcased bespoke activations that spoke to our emotional and physical health.
The summit featured:
A full day of issue-focused panels with leading doctors, scientists, entrepreneurs, and boundary-pushing celebrities. Highlights included:
Intimate fireside chats conducted by Paltrow with creatives such as Meg Ryan and Janet Mock;
- A discussion on the cannabis industry with innovative scientists and entrepreneurs, moderated by actress Lake Bell and presented by MedMen. Goop also curated a selection of cannabis-adjacent products at MedMen’s new Abbott Kinney location, which opened today;
- An exploration on intuition, creativity, and unlocking your potential led by author and poet Cleo Wade;
- Inspired by...
- 6/11/2018
- Look to the Stars
goop, the modern lifestyle brand founded and helmed by Gwyneth Paltrow, announced today that it is bringing its popular wellness summit back to Los Angeles on Saturday, June 9, 2018.
Tickets for the daylong symposium are available starting today on goop.com.
The June summit marks the third installment of In goop Health, which came to the East Coast for the first time this past January. The consistently sold-out summit hosts thought-provoking discussions with leading voices in the health and wellness spaces and showcases bespoke activations that speak to our emotional and physical health.
The summit will feature:
· A full day of issue-focused panels with leading doctors, scientists, entrepreneurs, and boundary-pushing celebrities. Speakers to be announced shortly.
· Wellness experiences including facial stations by Tata Harper, Shiva Rose, Herbivore Botanicals, May Lindstrom, Anastasia Achilleos, Facile, and Annee de Mamiel. Our popular no-makeup makeup station by Glamsquad, nontoxic manicures by Côte, and B12 shots...
Tickets for the daylong symposium are available starting today on goop.com.
The June summit marks the third installment of In goop Health, which came to the East Coast for the first time this past January. The consistently sold-out summit hosts thought-provoking discussions with leading voices in the health and wellness spaces and showcases bespoke activations that speak to our emotional and physical health.
The summit will feature:
· A full day of issue-focused panels with leading doctors, scientists, entrepreneurs, and boundary-pushing celebrities. Speakers to be announced shortly.
· Wellness experiences including facial stations by Tata Harper, Shiva Rose, Herbivore Botanicals, May Lindstrom, Anastasia Achilleos, Facile, and Annee de Mamiel. Our popular no-makeup makeup station by Glamsquad, nontoxic manicures by Côte, and B12 shots...
- 4/30/2018
- Look to the Stars
Have you bought anything you loved lately? In the PeopleStyle offices, the answer to that question is usually “Yes.” (Just check out our shopping page for proof!) This week, we’re featuring model and actress Angela Lindvall, who has collaborated with ethical jewelry company Article 22 on an eponymous jewelry line (which she’s wearing above!), proceeds from which go to help clear unexploded land mines in Laos.
Related Photos: The Best Stocking Stuffer for Every Zodiac Sign (All Under $45!)
Angela Lindvall, model, actress and jewelry designer: “My favorite item is Shiva Rose Blue Crystal eye cream because it works magic under my eyes!
Related Photos: The Best Stocking Stuffer for Every Zodiac Sign (All Under $45!)
Angela Lindvall, model, actress and jewelry designer: “My favorite item is Shiva Rose Blue Crystal eye cream because it works magic under my eyes!
- 2/22/2018
- by Alex Apatoff
- PEOPLE.com
1974: CBS aired the final episode of The Secret Storm.
1978: UK serial Grange Hill premiered.
1977: Ryan's Hope's Frank was devastated over Jill.
1995: Days of our Lives' Sami and Lucas had sex."Whoever wishes to foresee the future must consult the past; for human events ever resemble those of preceding times. This arises from the fact that they are produced by men who ever have been, and ever shall be, animated by the same passions, and thus they necessarily have the same results."
― Machiavelli
"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.
On this date in...
1955: On Love of Life, Ben (David Lewis, who later won a Daytime Emmy Award for his...
1978: UK serial Grange Hill premiered.
1977: Ryan's Hope's Frank was devastated over Jill.
1995: Days of our Lives' Sami and Lucas had sex."Whoever wishes to foresee the future must consult the past; for human events ever resemble those of preceding times. This arises from the fact that they are produced by men who ever have been, and ever shall be, animated by the same passions, and thus they necessarily have the same results."
― Machiavelli
"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.
On this date in...
1955: On Love of Life, Ben (David Lewis, who later won a Daytime Emmy Award for his...
- 2/8/2018
- by Roger Newcomb
- We Love Soaps
Gwyneth Paltrow hasn’t revealed many details about her massive engagement ring from Brad Falchuk, but thanks to Stephen Colbert’s expert interviewing skills, the actress did confirm one theory we already had: That the ring could also serve as a Yoni egg.
Paltrow, 45, was a guest on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert Thursday night, and while she chose not to wear her large sapphire stone, Colbert made sure to flash a photo of the meteor-size rock and asked a very Goop-appropriate question: “Could that be used as a Yoni egg? It’s so huge!”
“Hell, yeah!” Paltrow jokingly replied.
Paltrow, 45, was a guest on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert Thursday night, and while she chose not to wear her large sapphire stone, Colbert made sure to flash a photo of the meteor-size rock and asked a very Goop-appropriate question: “Could that be used as a Yoni egg? It’s so huge!”
“Hell, yeah!” Paltrow jokingly replied.
- 1/26/2018
- by Brittany Talarico
- PEOPLE.com
Priyanka Chopra, who is busy with Quantico shooting, was seen spending her weekend by the pool with family. She was seen enjoying with niece Shireen Shiva Rose, and dog Diana. The actress was seen giving some swimming lessons to her niece Shireen. Sharing the video on her Instagram story, she was seen holding her baby niece while teaching her to swim. She captioned a photo, "Best snow day ever! Lol..#sundayfunday @chickyp85 @shireen_shiva_rose."
The post Watch: Priyanka Chopra gives her little niece swimming lessons in this adorable video! appeared first on Bollywood Hungama.
The post Watch: Priyanka Chopra gives her little niece swimming lessons in this adorable video! appeared first on Bollywood Hungama.
- 12/11/2017
- by Bollywood Hungama News Network
- BollywoodHungama
Moved by his trip to Vietnam with fiancée and Stalker costar Maggie Q, Dylan McDermott produced a short video to "make people feel something," he tells People, about the "senseless killing of animals" that is unfortunately rampant in the country.
The couple visited Vietnam in April to support WildAid, an environmental organization with the mission to end the illegal wildlife trade, for which Q, 35, acts as an ambassador.
"We wanted to raise awareness for the rhinos that are being slaughtered in Africa and used for their horns in Vietnam and China," McDermott, 53, tells People. "A rhino horn can get as...
The couple visited Vietnam in April to support WildAid, an environmental organization with the mission to end the illegal wildlife trade, for which Q, 35, acts as an ambassador.
"We wanted to raise awareness for the rhinos that are being slaughtered in Africa and used for their horns in Vietnam and China," McDermott, 53, tells People. "A rhino horn can get as...
- 5/7/2015
- by Amanda Michelle Steiner, @amandamichl
- People.com - TV Watch
Dylan McDermott and Maggie Q's romance blossomed on the job, so it's not surprising that the busy actors haven't settled on a wedding date. Sporting a gigantic diamond on her left ring finger, the actress, 35, posed for photos with McDermott, 53, at the N.Y.C. premiere of Insurgent. Asked if she and her fiancé, who star together in CBS's Stalker, have found the right time to tie the knot, the actress told People, "We're fishing! We're fishing for dates." The holdup: Their busy careers, including new movies in the works for both. "So, yeah, [it's] because of work and ... because you gotta balance everything,...
- 3/17/2015
- by Sara Hammel
- PEOPLE.com
Are Dylan McDermott and Maggie Q are partnering up for more than just crime-fighting? A show insider tells People that the former American Horror Story star, 53, is now romantically involved with the Hawaii-born Nikita actress, 35 - who stars with McDermott on CBS's new crime drama Stalker. The onscreen detectives sparked relationship rumors last month when they were spotted getting cozy while shopping in Brentwood. McDermott ended his 14-year marriage to actress Shiva Rose in 2009. They have two daughters together: Colette, 17, and Charlotte, 9. Reps for McDermott and Maggie Q could not be reached.
- 10/28/2014
- by Mike Miller
- PEOPLE.com
Chennai, June 13: He doesn't mind being called a comedy hero as long as he can make audiences laugh, says Tamil actor Shiva, who enjoys what he is doing to the fullest and has no regrets whatsoever.
"It's not easy to make people laugh and I know it from experience. I enjoy doing films that make people laugh and in the process I don't mind even being called a comedy hero because I believe my mission is to make people laugh," Shiva told Ians.
An Rj-turned-actor, Shiva rose to fame with highly successful Tamil debut "Chennai 600028". Since then he has featured in successful comedies such as "Tamizh Padam" and "Kalakalappu" in the same.
"It's not easy to make people laugh and I know it from experience. I enjoy doing films that make people laugh and in the process I don't mind even being called a comedy hero because I believe my mission is to make people laugh," Shiva told Ians.
An Rj-turned-actor, Shiva rose to fame with highly successful Tamil debut "Chennai 600028". Since then he has featured in successful comedies such as "Tamizh Padam" and "Kalakalappu" in the same.
- 6/13/2013
- by Diksha Singh
- RealBollywood.com
Actor Dylan McDermott has moved on from his split with ex-wife Shiva Rose - he's reportedly dating soap star Shasi Wells. The former "The Practice" star and Rose ended their 13-year union in January, 2009 - and McDermott appeared to be put off from dating actresses for good.
He told the New York Post, "Right now it's work work work. I doubt I'd marry anybody in the business again. Our lifestyles are fantasy, not reality. You get out of touch with the real world. Although living alone and taking out the garbage does keep you grounded."
But McDermott has backtracked into the arms of "The Bold and the Beautiful" actress Wells. The pair was photographed cosying up to each other on a Miami, Florida beach on September 27. Insiders tell America's Star magazine they have been dating for approximately six months.
He told the New York Post, "Right now it's work work work. I doubt I'd marry anybody in the business again. Our lifestyles are fantasy, not reality. You get out of touch with the real world. Although living alone and taking out the garbage does keep you grounded."
But McDermott has backtracked into the arms of "The Bold and the Beautiful" actress Wells. The pair was photographed cosying up to each other on a Miami, Florida beach on September 27. Insiders tell America's Star magazine they have been dating for approximately six months.
- 10/7/2010
- by AceShowbiz.com
- Aceshowbiz
Actor Dylan McDermott has moved on from his split with ex-wife Shiva Rose - he's reportedly dating soap star Shasi Wells.
The former The Practice star and Rose ended their 13-year union in January, 2009 - and McDermott appeared to be put off from dating actresses for good.
He told the New York Post, "Right now it's work work work. I doubt I'd marry anybody in the business again. Our lifestyles are fantasy, not reality. You get out of touch with the real world. Although living alone and taking out the garbage does keep you grounded."
But McDermott has backtracked into the arms of The Bold and the Beautiful actress Wells.
The pair was photographed cosying up to each other on a Miami, Florida beach on 27 September. Insiders tell America's Star magazine they have been dating for approximately six months.
The former The Practice star and Rose ended their 13-year union in January, 2009 - and McDermott appeared to be put off from dating actresses for good.
He told the New York Post, "Right now it's work work work. I doubt I'd marry anybody in the business again. Our lifestyles are fantasy, not reality. You get out of touch with the real world. Although living alone and taking out the garbage does keep you grounded."
But McDermott has backtracked into the arms of The Bold and the Beautiful actress Wells.
The pair was photographed cosying up to each other on a Miami, Florida beach on 27 September. Insiders tell America's Star magazine they have been dating for approximately six months.
- 10/6/2010
- WENN
Actor Dylan McDermott and 13-year-old daughter Colette share a laugh while sitting courtside at the Los Angeles Lakers/Sacramento Kings game, held New Year’s Day at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. The Lakers defeated the Kings 109-108 with the buzzer-beating 3-pointer by Kobe Bryant.
Dylan, 48, and ex-wife Shiva Rose are also parents to daughter Charlotte, 4.
Gamepiks
Posted in Dads, Kids, Main...
Dylan, 48, and ex-wife Shiva Rose are also parents to daughter Charlotte, 4.
Gamepiks
Posted in Dads, Kids, Main...
- 1/8/2010
- by Sarah
- People - CelebrityBabies
Jean Baptiste Lacroix/WireImage
Celebrities stepped out for opening night of Cirque du Soleil’s Kooza at the Santa Monica Pier in Santa Monica, Calif. on Friday evening.
At left, actor Dylan McDermott poses with daughters Charlotte Rose, 4, and Colette, 13.
Mom is Dylan’s ex-wife Shiva Rose.
Click below for photos of David Boreanaz, Anne Heche, Kelsey Grammer, Kimora Lee Simmons and Djimon Hounsou.
Kevan Brooks/AdMedia
Bones star David Boreanaz and wife Jaime Bergman brought along son Jaden Rayne, 7, but left 7-week-old daughter Bardot Vita at home for the evening.
Kristian Dowling/Getty
Anne Heche’s 7 ½-year-old son Homer...
Celebrities stepped out for opening night of Cirque du Soleil’s Kooza at the Santa Monica Pier in Santa Monica, Calif. on Friday evening.
At left, actor Dylan McDermott poses with daughters Charlotte Rose, 4, and Colette, 13.
Mom is Dylan’s ex-wife Shiva Rose.
Click below for photos of David Boreanaz, Anne Heche, Kelsey Grammer, Kimora Lee Simmons and Djimon Hounsou.
Kevan Brooks/AdMedia
Bones star David Boreanaz and wife Jaime Bergman brought along son Jaden Rayne, 7, but left 7-week-old daughter Bardot Vita at home for the evening.
Kristian Dowling/Getty
Anne Heche’s 7 ½-year-old son Homer...
- 10/19/2009
- by Sarah
- People - CelebrityBabies
Dylan McDermott and actress Shiva Rose have finalised their divorce.
The Practice actor, 47, filed for divorce from his wife of nearly 13 years in May, citing irreconcilable differences as the reason for the break-up.
The couple's split was made official at Los Angeles Superior Court on Tuesday and the marriage will be dissolved on 2 January.
McDermott and Rose separated in 2007. They married in 1995 and have two daughters together, however custody arrangements were not made public as WENN went to press.
The Practice actor, 47, filed for divorce from his wife of nearly 13 years in May, citing irreconcilable differences as the reason for the break-up.
The couple's split was made official at Los Angeles Superior Court on Tuesday and the marriage will be dissolved on 2 January.
McDermott and Rose separated in 2007. They married in 1995 and have two daughters together, however custody arrangements were not made public as WENN went to press.
- 12/3/2008
- WENN
Dylan McDermott didn't need The Practice for this one. The actor's divorce from his fashion-plate wife of 13 years, Shiva Rose, has been finalized, according to court documents filed Tuesday in Los Angeles Superior Court. (View the documents.) The paperwork did not indicate what sort of custody arrangement the two arrived at concerning their two daughters, 12-year-old Colette and 3-year-old Charlotte Rose, but McDermott's original petition stated that he wanted joint custody. Indicating that he would be acting as his own attorney in the proceedings, the star of the short-lived Big Shots filed for divorce in May, about 10 months after he and Rose separated. The standard irreconcilable...
- 12/3/2008
- E! Online
Dylan McDermott of TV's The Practice finalized his divorce from his wife of nearly 13 years on Tuesday, court papers show. The 47-year-old actor filed for divorce from Shiva Rose, 39, last summer, citing the legal boilerplate of irreconcilable differences. While the judge signed off on the split, McDermott doesn't become officially single until Jan. 2 after the legally required six-month waiting period. The L.A. Superior Court papers don't reveal the custody status of the pair's two daughters, ages 12 and 3. In the original divorce filing, McDermott had sought joint custody. McDermott, who most recently appeared on Big Shots, and Rose, an actress,...
- 12/2/2008
- by Mike Fleeman
- PEOPLE.com
Actress Shiva Rose is reportedly struggling to buy out her ex-husband Dylan McDermott during their divorce - so the couple has agreed to sell the marital home.
The Practice actor filed for divorce from his wife of 11 years earlier this year, citing irreconcilable differences as the reason for the split.
Their marital home is listed as "community property" in divorce papers - and Rose allegedly cannot afford to pay to keep their former residence.
A source tells New York gossip column PageSix.com, "Rose is being forced to sell the gorgeous Brentwood home she and ex-husband Dylan McDermott bought nine years ago. Shiva's looking for a smaller house nearby."
Rose says in a statement, "Dylan and I are getting a divorce, and we have mutually agreed to sell the house we shared as a married couple."
McDermott and Rose have two daughters: 12-year-old Collette Blu and three-year-old Charlotte Rose. The actor is reportedly seeking joint custody.
The Practice actor filed for divorce from his wife of 11 years earlier this year, citing irreconcilable differences as the reason for the split.
Their marital home is listed as "community property" in divorce papers - and Rose allegedly cannot afford to pay to keep their former residence.
A source tells New York gossip column PageSix.com, "Rose is being forced to sell the gorgeous Brentwood home she and ex-husband Dylan McDermott bought nine years ago. Shiva's looking for a smaller house nearby."
Rose says in a statement, "Dylan and I are getting a divorce, and we have mutually agreed to sell the house we shared as a married couple."
McDermott and Rose have two daughters: 12-year-old Collette Blu and three-year-old Charlotte Rose. The actor is reportedly seeking joint custody.
- 10/2/2008
- WENN
Actor Dylan McDermott will represent himself in his upcoming divorce hearing.
McDermott, 46, filed for divorce from his wife of 11 years, Shiva Rose, earlier this month.
And, according to the New York Post, the actor - who spent seven years playing a litigator on hit U.S. TV show The Practice - will be handling the case in propria persona, acting as his own attorney.
The star has cited irreconcilable differences as the reason for the split, following his announcement of the pair's separation in September last year.
McDermott and Rose have two daughters: 12-year-old Collette Blu and two-year-old Charlotte Rose. The actor is reportedly seeking joint custody.
McDermott, 46, filed for divorce from his wife of 11 years, Shiva Rose, earlier this month.
And, according to the New York Post, the actor - who spent seven years playing a litigator on hit U.S. TV show The Practice - will be handling the case in propria persona, acting as his own attorney.
The star has cited irreconcilable differences as the reason for the split, following his announcement of the pair's separation in September last year.
McDermott and Rose have two daughters: 12-year-old Collette Blu and two-year-old Charlotte Rose. The actor is reportedly seeking joint custody.
- 5/28/2008
- WENN
Dylan McDermott filed for divorce from his wife of nearly 13 years, Shiva Rose, court papers show. McDermott, 46, who previously announced their separation, seeks joint custody of their daughters, Collette, 12, and Charlotte, 2, according to the Los Angeles Superior Court papers filed Friday. The papers cite the usual irreconcilable differences as the reason for the split. McDermott, best known from Tv's The Practice, and Rose, 39, an actress, were married in 1995 and separated in March 2007, according to the papers. McDermott, who played an attorney on TV, is acting as his own lawyer in the divorce, according to the papers. – Mike Fleeman...
- 5/20/2008
- PEOPLE.com
NewRoz Films
First-time writer-director-producer Jay Jonroy, an emigre from Kurdistan, has a strong personal connection to his material in David & Layla. Not everyone in his family escaped Iraq's killing fields; he pays tribute to the region's murdered souls through a why-can't-we-all-get-along romantic comedy set in New York. At the heart of the tale is a real-life Jewish-Muslim love story that Jonroy heard from an acquaintance, and though he's clearly inspired by it, he doesn't know how to distill his themes into a compelling narrative. Broad strokes far outweigh the moments of insight and delight.
The script makes rather clumsy work of their romance's fitful progress, but leads David Moscow and Shiva Rose are engaging. He plays the host of a cable access show titled Sex and Happiness, and she's the stunning, chaste Kurdish beauty who keeps walking through his on-the-street shoots. When he gets up the nerve to pose one of his impertinent questions to her, she responds with a stinging slap across the face. The pursuit is on, despite -- or because of -- David's surgically enhanced, shrill-to-the-point-of-insane girlfriend (Callie Thorne). His opinionated French cameraman (a very good Alexander Blaise) offers encouragement -- and Ecstasy.
Layla has 30 days to marry a citizen before immigration officials deport her. Her aunt and uncle (Anna George, Ed Chemaly) have a dull doctor in mind, but they're willing to entertain the possibility of David as a suitor. Then they learn that he's Jewish. His over-the-top parents (Polly Adams, Peter Van Wagner), meanwhile, assume that Layla is a Sephardic Jew, a big enough leap for his surprisingly provincial Realtor mother.
With the help of obvious but lovely music cues, Jonroy sets the scene of the Hasidic and Muslim neighborhoods in Brooklyn where the story unfolds. He's better with atmosphere and visuals than with dialogue, which tends toward the expository. When the characters aren't spouting Middle Eastern history, Jonroy inserts documentary footage on TV screens. There's no question that this recent history matters; Layla's immediate family was gassed by Saddam Hussein's regime. But all the on-the-nose lessons, the quotes from the Torah and the Koran, the philosophizing and kvetching will wear down most viewers in this overlong film.
First-time writer-director-producer Jay Jonroy, an emigre from Kurdistan, has a strong personal connection to his material in David & Layla. Not everyone in his family escaped Iraq's killing fields; he pays tribute to the region's murdered souls through a why-can't-we-all-get-along romantic comedy set in New York. At the heart of the tale is a real-life Jewish-Muslim love story that Jonroy heard from an acquaintance, and though he's clearly inspired by it, he doesn't know how to distill his themes into a compelling narrative. Broad strokes far outweigh the moments of insight and delight.
The script makes rather clumsy work of their romance's fitful progress, but leads David Moscow and Shiva Rose are engaging. He plays the host of a cable access show titled Sex and Happiness, and she's the stunning, chaste Kurdish beauty who keeps walking through his on-the-street shoots. When he gets up the nerve to pose one of his impertinent questions to her, she responds with a stinging slap across the face. The pursuit is on, despite -- or because of -- David's surgically enhanced, shrill-to-the-point-of-insane girlfriend (Callie Thorne). His opinionated French cameraman (a very good Alexander Blaise) offers encouragement -- and Ecstasy.
Layla has 30 days to marry a citizen before immigration officials deport her. Her aunt and uncle (Anna George, Ed Chemaly) have a dull doctor in mind, but they're willing to entertain the possibility of David as a suitor. Then they learn that he's Jewish. His over-the-top parents (Polly Adams, Peter Van Wagner), meanwhile, assume that Layla is a Sephardic Jew, a big enough leap for his surprisingly provincial Realtor mother.
With the help of obvious but lovely music cues, Jonroy sets the scene of the Hasidic and Muslim neighborhoods in Brooklyn where the story unfolds. He's better with atmosphere and visuals than with dialogue, which tends toward the expository. When the characters aren't spouting Middle Eastern history, Jonroy inserts documentary footage on TV screens. There's no question that this recent history matters; Layla's immediate family was gassed by Saddam Hussein's regime. But all the on-the-nose lessons, the quotes from the Torah and the Koran, the philosophizing and kvetching will wear down most viewers in this overlong film.
- 7/24/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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