While it took co-writer/director Darius Marder 12 years to bring his passion project, “Sound of Metal,” to the screen, star Riz Ahmed learned to play drums believably in just over seven months. For his role as Ruben, the punk-metal-noise drummer whose increased hearing loss leads him to a deaf community for addicts and wounded veterans, Ahmed threw himself into the task with Method-like abandon, according to his chief drumming guru Guy Licata.
“Riz is a drummer, he’s one of us,” says the touring and session pro who shared the task of tutoring the actor — Ahmed dubbed him “my Mr. Miyagi” — along with Sean Powell, a veteran stick man for hardcore acts including Austin’s Fuckemos, who seconded as the star’s “spirit animal” and inspired much of his tattoo design. London-based drum teacher Adam Betts, who handed the actor over to Licata to film stateside, gave fellow Brit Ahmed,...
“Riz is a drummer, he’s one of us,” says the touring and session pro who shared the task of tutoring the actor — Ahmed dubbed him “my Mr. Miyagi” — along with Sean Powell, a veteran stick man for hardcore acts including Austin’s Fuckemos, who seconded as the star’s “spirit animal” and inspired much of his tattoo design. London-based drum teacher Adam Betts, who handed the actor over to Licata to film stateside, gave fellow Brit Ahmed,...
- 3/2/2021
- by Roy Trakin
- Variety Film + TV
Olivia Cooke plays Lou, the girlfriend to Riz Ahmed‘s Ruben in the new film “Sound of Metal.” Her performance has netted multiple Best Supporting Actress nominations from critic groups, including the San Diego Film Critics Society.
Cooke recently spoke with Gold Derby contributing writer Kevin Jacobsen about what made her interested in “Sound of Metal,” how Lou is not just the average girlfriend role and what it was like working with Ahmed. Watch the exclusive interview above and read the complete transcript below.
SEEDarius Marder interview: ‘Sound of Metal’ writer/director
Gold Derby: What was it about the script that really just grabbed you and made you want to be a part of this?
Olivia Cooke: I just hadn’t read anything like it before. I know everyone says that every time they read a script and they have to promote something but I genuinely hadn’t. I never...
Cooke recently spoke with Gold Derby contributing writer Kevin Jacobsen about what made her interested in “Sound of Metal,” how Lou is not just the average girlfriend role and what it was like working with Ahmed. Watch the exclusive interview above and read the complete transcript below.
SEEDarius Marder interview: ‘Sound of Metal’ writer/director
Gold Derby: What was it about the script that really just grabbed you and made you want to be a part of this?
Olivia Cooke: I just hadn’t read anything like it before. I know everyone says that every time they read a script and they have to promote something but I genuinely hadn’t. I never...
- 2/13/2021
- by Kevin Jacobsen
- Gold Derby
Welcome to “Just for Variety“…
Olivia Cooke admits she didn’t know much about “Game of Thrones” when she first auditioned for its spinoff prequel, “House of the Dragon.” “When I read the script, I hadn’t seen any ‘Game of Thrones,’” the British actor, 27, tells me from her London home. “But then I binged it and now I’m obsessed.” It was announced in early December that Cooke landed the role of Alicent Hightower, the daughter of Hand of the King Otto Hightower. “I had to do so many self-tapes,” Cooke says. “I was on hold for ages.” She was offered the job in October but had to keep mum for two months. “People would ask, ‘What’s up for you next?’ and I’d have to be like, ‘Nothing.’”
She insists she doesn’t know what her wardrobe and hair and makeup will be like. “I’ve had...
Olivia Cooke admits she didn’t know much about “Game of Thrones” when she first auditioned for its spinoff prequel, “House of the Dragon.” “When I read the script, I hadn’t seen any ‘Game of Thrones,’” the British actor, 27, tells me from her London home. “But then I binged it and now I’m obsessed.” It was announced in early December that Cooke landed the role of Alicent Hightower, the daughter of Hand of the King Otto Hightower. “I had to do so many self-tapes,” Cooke says. “I was on hold for ages.” She was offered the job in October but had to keep mum for two months. “People would ask, ‘What’s up for you next?’ and I’d have to be like, ‘Nothing.’”
She insists she doesn’t know what her wardrobe and hair and makeup will be like. “I’ve had...
- 1/14/2021
- by Marc Malkin
- Variety Film + TV
Olivia Cooke was wowed by the script for “Sound of Metal,” in which she co-stars as Lou, a heavy metal singer whose boyfriend and bandmate, Ruben (Riz Ahmed), loses his hearing. “I had never read anything that affected me so much,” says Cooke in an exclusive new interview for Gold Derby. “I would’ve done anything just to be a part of it.” Watch the video interview above.
SEERiz Ahmed interview: ‘Sound of Metal’
Cooke is somewhat unrecognizable when we first see her in the film, with bleached eyebrows and a tangle of golden hair. “There’s an androgyny to her, inherently,” the actress observes. “It just gives this alien quality to the look, which I think really helped the character’s overall appearance and feel to her.” Cooke also had to learn guitar and the specificity of heavy metal vocals with help from Margaret Chardiet of the band Pharmakon.
SEERiz Ahmed interview: ‘Sound of Metal’
Cooke is somewhat unrecognizable when we first see her in the film, with bleached eyebrows and a tangle of golden hair. “There’s an androgyny to her, inherently,” the actress observes. “It just gives this alien quality to the look, which I think really helped the character’s overall appearance and feel to her.” Cooke also had to learn guitar and the specificity of heavy metal vocals with help from Margaret Chardiet of the band Pharmakon.
- 12/10/2020
- by Kevin Jacobsen
- Gold Derby
The Transfiguration is not your average vampire coming-of-age tale (what is, really?). This ain’t Twilight – it’s “realistic,” in the words of main character Milo. Filmmaker Michael O’Shea shoots a portrait piece of urban New York City through the eyes of a blood-sucking teen, who’s also navigating an adolescent interracial relationship. There’s so much going on – gang aversion, racism, early signs of serial killings, suicide, Ptsd – but a young boy’s maturation always remains paramount to story. O’Shea asks a lot of his audience, and in return, bares so much of his film’s morbidly curious soul. It’s hard being a kid in NYC. Even harder when your idol is Nosferatu.
Eric Ruffin stars as Milo, a child who has no guidance after his mother’s decision to exit our world. Brother Lewis (Aaron Moten) spends day and night glued to their living room couch,...
Eric Ruffin stars as Milo, a child who has no guidance after his mother’s decision to exit our world. Brother Lewis (Aaron Moten) spends day and night glued to their living room couch,...
- 3/12/2017
- by Matt Donato
- We Got This Covered
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