“Up-and-Coming Star Luca Nardi Aims for Major Upset Against Carlos Alcaraz in Doha | ATP Tour”
In the high-stakes world of professional tennis, all eyes are on the upcoming match between Luca Nardi and Carlos Alcaraz in Doha. Rising star Luca Nardi is ready to make a name for himself by taking on the formidable Carlos Alcaraz in what promises to be a thrilling showdown on the ATP Tour. Don’t miss out on the action as Nardi plots to upset the odds and make a statement on the court. Stay tuned for updates on this exciting match-up! #Tennis #ATPTour #LucaNardi #CarlosAlcaraz #DohaOpen
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Luca Nardi, Carlos Alcaraz, upset, Doha, ATP Tour, tennis, match, tournament, player, victory, surprise result, sports news, professional tennis, underdog, competition, upset win
DALLAS — For the first time in his career, Anthony Davis‘ arrival to a franchise hasn’t resulted in celebrations in the city.
In Dallas, the deal that brought the 10-time All-Star to the Mavericks has resulted in heartbreak and anger. Days later, the fan base remains in shocked disbelief that 25-year-old superstar Luka Doncic got blindsided by the blockbuster deal only months after he led the Mavericks to the NBA Finals.
“I understand it,” Davis said Friday regarding the fans’ outrage. “Obviously it’s a business, and I get who Luka was to this franchise, to the city. I’m never going to downplay that — just how I know what I meant to the city of L.A. So I’m not surprised by the fans’ reaction and the city’s reaction, but it’s my job to come in and play basketball and do what I’m supposed to do and give the fans hope and reassurance on why [GM] Nico [Harrison] brought me here.”
A protest is planned outside the American Airlines Center before Davis makes his Mavericks debut in Saturday afternoon’s home game against the Houston Rockets. Billboards criticizing Harrison and the team’s new ownership group are planned around the arena after a GoFundMe account raised more than $40,000.
“I don’t know how tomorrow’s going to be as far as the reaction, but I can’t control that,” Davis said. “What I can control, it’s going and just winning basketball games and helping the team do whatever I can. But at the end of the day, I’m going to give the city life back.”
Harrison, who has accepted sole responsibility for the decision to trade Doncic, did not participate in the Friday news conference to introduce Davis along with Max Christie and forward Caleb Martin, who was acquired in a separate trade.
The general manager cited a desire to upgrade Dallas’ defense and enhance the Mavericks’ culture as among the reasons he made the trade when he met with a smaller group of media Sunday, hours after the deal was done.
Sources told ESPN that there will be an increased security presence at the American Airlines Center on Saturday due to threats received by Harrison, some of which have included racial epithets. Harrison has also employed personal security in the aftermath of the trade, sources said.
Harrison managed to keep his discussions with Los Angeles Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka private before agreeing to the deal and did not negotiate with other teams. After determining that it was in Dallas’ best interest to trade Doncic, Harrison targeted Davis as the headliner of the return package.
A longtime Nike executive before being hired as the Mavericks’ general manager in 2021, Harrison has had a close relationship with Davis since the star was a teenager. Mavericks coach Jason Kidd, who was a Lakers assistant coach when Davis helped lead Los Angeles to the 2019-20 championship, also has a strong bond with the big man.
“Obviously, I understand who Luka is and what he’s able to do and what he’s already done for our game,” said Davis, a five-time All-Defensive selection who is averaging 25.7 points, 11.9 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game this season. “He’s a phenomenal player, going to be one of the best to ever play the game of basketball.
“But to have Nico trade for me just shows his belief in me and what I can do on the floor. It’s my job to produce every night and have Mavs nation believe that as well. So I’m excited for the challenge.”
Anthony Davis, the star player for the Los Angeles Lakers, recently spoke out about the frustration and disappointment felt by Dallas Mavericks fans after a controversial call in a recent game. Davis expressed his understanding of their feelings and acknowledged the impact that such moments can have on the game.
In a gesture of reassurance, Davis emphasized the importance of fair play and integrity in basketball. He noted that while calls may not always go the way fans hope, it is essential to respect the game and its officials.
As the Lakers gear up for their next game, Davis is determined to bring his best to the court and show fans that the game is ultimately about sportsmanship and competition. He hopes to inspire confidence and trust in the game, even in the face of challenging moments.
With his understanding of the emotions at play and his commitment to the sport, Anthony Davis is poised to continue making an impact on and off the court.
After suffering an upset loss on the road to the unranked Iowa Hawkeyes, the USC Trojans women’s basketball team is now ranked No. 7, down from No. 4.
The biggest movers of the poll were USC and Michigan State. The Spartans moved down four spots to No. 20. Other teams like No. 14 North Carolina State, No. 17 Georgia Tech, No. 18 West Virginia, and No. 22 Florida State all moved up three spots in the latest rankings, released on Monday.
USC Trojans guard JuJu Watkins (12) looks down court Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025, during the NCAA women’s basketball game against the Purdue Boilermakers at Mackey Arena in West Lafayette, Ind. USC Trojans won 79-37. / Alex Martin/Journal and Courier / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The loss to Iowa was USC’s second loss of the season, keeping them near the top of the rankings. It was a rowdy environment in Iowa as the Hawkeyes were also celebrating the jersey retirement of Iowa legend and women’s basketball star Caitlin Clark.
“I’m really impressed with the atmosphere here, the love for women’s basketball, the appreciation for what Caitlin’s done, and coach [Lisa] Bluder,” said USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb after the loss to Iowa.
Clark was in attendance among the sold-out crowd that saw Iowa beat USC and star guard JuJu Watkins. Despite the loss, USC remains one of the top teams in the country and is expected to receive a high seed in the NCAA Tournament in March.
The current top four teams in the AP Top-25 Poll consist of No. 1 UCLA, No. 2 South Carolina, No. 3 Notre Dame and No. 4 Texas.
The Longhorns, No. 5 LSU, and No. 6 UConn all moved up a spot, ahead of USC after the upset loss to Iowa.
Behind the Trojans is No. 8 Ohio State, and USC will have a chance to prove themselves against the Buckeyes on Saturday, Feb. 8. Before facing Ohio State at home, USC has a road game against the Wisconsin Badgers on Wednesday, Feb. 5.
Before losing to the Hawkeyes, the Trojans had only lost to Notre Dame and had one the most impressive resumes in the country. USC has yet to play their cross town rival, the UCLA Bruins, giving the Trojans two chances to knock off the highest-ranked team in the country.
First, USC will host UCLA in the Galen Center on Feb. 13 before the Trojans go on the road and play the Bruins in the regular season finale.
Here is the full AP-Top 25 Women’s Basketball Poll:
In a shocking turn of events, the USC Trojans were handed a stunning defeat by the Iowa Hawkeyes in a nail-biting game. The Trojans, who were favored to win, were unable to overcome the determined Hawkeyes, who played with tenacity and skill.
The Trojans’ offense struggled to find their rhythm against the Hawkeyes’ strong defense, and their usually reliable defense faltered in the face of Iowa’s relentless attack. Despite a valiant effort, the Trojans were unable to mount a comeback and fell to the Hawkeyes in a heartbreaking loss.
This upset serves as a reminder that in college football, anything can happen on any given day. The Trojans will need to regroup and refocus in order to bounce back from this defeat and continue their pursuit of a successful season. Meanwhile, the Hawkeyes have proven themselves to be a force to be reckoned with, and will surely be a team to watch as the season progresses.
In this episode, we dive deep into the Golden State Warriors’ impressive performance against the Oklahoma City Thunder on 2025.01.30.OKC-GSW, with a focus on their new ‘Scissors’ play. Plus, Thumb Out, guard-guard ball screen, and the memorable reactions to a stunning Gary Payton II dunk.
Co-starring Coach Steve Kerr, Andrew Wiggins, Lindy Waters III, Kyle Anderson, Moses Moody, Quentin Post, Gui Santos, Draymond Green, and Buddy Hield. Also with Isaiah Joe, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Cason Wallace, Hartenstein, and Lu Dort.
I often end my analysis videos with a mock-serious analysis of Warriors celebrations. By popular demand, I have finally compiled the best ones into one video. As a thank-you to subscribers, here are the Top 20 celebration audits from 2024.
00:07 2-5 BRK. Peer Pressure
01:08 2-12 UTA. Dap Parity
02:34 3-12 SAS. Trayce Dunks on Wemby
04:14 3-27 MIA. No I in TEAM
05:48 8-7. USA-Serbia Semis (from the banned Olympics E1P)
06:32 10-11 SAC. Flop
08:04 10-15 LAL. Quadruped I
09:16 10-18 LAL. Friendly Fire
10:17 10-23 POR. Quadruped II
11:36 10-29 NOP. John Threena
12:43 10-30 NOP. Theatrical Brandin
13:39 11-2 HOU. Slo Mo Euro
15:20 11-4 WAS. Demand the Manager
16:27 11-6 BOS. A Man of Infinite Swish
18:24 11-10 OKC. Stank Face Night Night
19:49 11-12 DAL. Which side to Night Night?
21:47 11-15 MEM. Kerr versus Ref
23:52 11-20 ATL. With and Without GP2
26:18 12-5 HOU. Steph and Dray chest bump JK
27:49 12-9 MIN. Dray’s Night Night
28:48 12-21 MIN. Three Kings
Featuring:
Gui Santos
Lester Quinonez
Trayce Jackson Davis
Draymond Green
Stephen Curry
Brandin Podziemski
Moses Moody
Klay Thompson
Kyle Anderson
Jackson Rowe
Anthony Edwards
Derrick White
Steve Kerr
Tyrese Haliburton
Jrue Holiday
Eric Housen
Gary Payton II
Victor Wenbenyama
Jerome Robinson
De’Anthony Melton
Quinten Post
Pat Spencer
Buddy Hield
Jacob Rubin
Lindy Waters III
Andrew Wiggins
Kevon Looney
Jonathan Kuminga
Jerry Stackhouse
In a thrilling matchup, Steph Curry, Dennis Schröder, and Kevon Looney upset the Oklahoma City Thunder with a last-second play involving scissors. But it was Gary Payton II who sealed the deal with a thunderous dunk to secure the win. Check out all the highlights from this exciting game! #NBA #WarriorsvsThunder #ClutchPlay
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Steph Curry, Schröder, Looney, OKC upset, Scissors, Gary Payton II, dunk, NBA, basketball, game recap
Entertainment gossip and news from Newsweek’s network of contributors
Jewel has apologized for hurting fans who were deeply upset by her performance at Robert F. Kennedy Jr.‘s inaugural ball. But her followers are still enraged — and they firmly let her know.
Per Variety, the “Foolish Games” artist, 50, sang “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” at RFK Jr.’s Make America Health Again Inaugural Ball on Monday, January 20 — the day of President Donald Trump’s second inauguration. (Kennedy — who has caused controversy by sharing his anti-vaccine beliefs and more — was picked by Trump to oversee the Department of Health and Human Services.)
Following her performance, Jewel received backlash from many longtime fans who felt that her appearance at the inauguration event was her way of supporting the current administration. On Friday, January 24, the singer-songwriter attempted to explain her reason for being there — but fans continued to call her out.
The “You Were Meant for Me” singer, a longtime mental health advocate, shared in the selfie video that she was attempting to spread awareness about mental health issues, including the suicide rate in children.
Jewel attends the The Los Angeles LGBT Center Gala at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California on May 18, 2024. Jewel attends the The Los Angeles LGBT Center Gala at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California on May 18, 2024. Michael Tran/Getty Images
“If there is one thing I’ve learned in the past 20 years, it’s that mental health affects everyone. Across party lines,” Jewel explained. “There are things we can do to save lives … and if I believe I can help, I have to try.”
For the four-time Grammy nominee, that means acting now — not “wait[ing] to try until I agree 100 percent with the people that might be willing to help me. I don’t think that’s how activism works, waiting until everything’s perfect enough to participate,” she continued. “It’s actually because things are so imperfect that we have to find ways to engage and to participate, and we have to act now. We cannot wait another four years. I believe there are people in the new administration that are willing to help on this issue.”
Though she does “not agree on all the politics,” she explained, she believes she “can help change the policy [around mental health] … I am going to try and I’m going to fight.”
Jewel then directly addressed her fans who were affected by her performance at RFK Jr.’s inaugural ball.
“I am so sorry that I caused pain, especially in my LGBTQIA+ community because you guys are treasures. You make the world a better place. You’ve made my life a better place. I will not stop fighting,” she said. “It pains me and I am so sorry. And it pains me that some of my longtime fans feel that I have let them down.”
The majority of people in the comments section of Jewel’s Instagram post were left feeling angry at her apology — and they didn’t hold back.
“your actions and words feel completely at odds with the values you’ve always claimed to stand for. It’s heartbreaking to see you alienate so many of your fans, especially those who once saw you as a voice for compassion and understanding,” one person wrote.
“No: You sold out. You bowed down to fascism, and your justifications ring untrue because this administration is actively hurting those you say you are supporting,” another user opined.
“a mental health advocate supporting an administration that is destroying the mental health of the LGBTQIA+ and black and brown communities?” a third fan claimed. “Give me a f***ing break.”
Still, there were a few others defending Jewel’s performance.
“You do not owe anyone anything. Please stop apologizing to adult children,” one person shared.
“You took a beautiful moment that you were grateful for and was such a huge honor and then you crapped on that amazing moment with this ridiculous apology to your whiney fans because something you believe in and had the great honor and privilege of doing upset a few people because they don’t hold the same beliefs,” wrote another follower.
Jewel’s recent performance at the inauguration event has left many fans feeling upset and disappointed. The singer faced backlash for agreeing to participate in the event, given the controversial nature of the inauguration.
In response to the backlash, Jewel issued a public apology on social media, expressing regret for her decision to perform. She explained that she had made a mistake in judgment and that she understands why fans are upset.
However, many fans are not satisfied with Jewel’s apology, feeling that it is too little, too late. Some have even called for a boycott of her music and concerts.
It remains to be seen how this controversy will impact Jewel’s career moving forward. Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story.
Tags:
Jewel’s apology, upset fans, inauguration event, Jewel performance, fan reaction, apology response, inauguration controversy, upset fans react, Jewel controversy, inauguration performance, fan backlash, Jewel inauguration, fan upset, apology backlash.
WINSTON-SALEM — Seated on the dais inside the Gene Overby press room at Joel Coliseum, Duke coach Jon Scheyer turned to Cooper Flagg and asked him a question.
Well, Flagg and the second-ranked Blue Devils (17-2, 9-0 ACC) played zone against the Demon Deacons (15-5, 7-2).
Trailing by six points midway through the second half, Duke had to try something — anything — in an attempt to slow down the surging Demon Deacons and quiet a riled up sea of tie-dyed shirts.
So, Duke went to a 2-3 zone defense, and it worked.
“We haven’t played it. We’ve played it one possession all year,” Scheyer said. “We’ve kept it in our back pocket, just in case. It’s good to have a curveball, it just is.”
Wake Forest went 1-for-6 shooting when the Blue Devils were in their zone, with the lone make coming on a Juke Harris free-throw-line jumper that hit several parts of the rim before falling through the net.
In that stretch, Duke had a 12-2 run, with six of those points coming from Flagg.
“We’ll have it in our back pocket. But I give these guys credit, you still have to make it work,” Scheyer said. “We haven’t practiced it too much, but we’ve had it in our back pocket, just in case. The coaching staff said, ‘Let’s do it,’ and I thought it was great timing to go to the zone.”
Scheyer said going to a zone “was a feeling for this game,” something the Blue Devils practiced later in the week leading up to Saturday.
Like Flagg, fellow freshman Kon Knueppel “never played zone” in high school. Throughout this season at Duke, Knueppel said the Blue Devils have practiced it “sparingly, here and there, not crazy often. But we did this week.”
During those tense moments in the second half, Flagg and Knueppel said Purdue transfer Mason Gillis and junior guard Tyrese Proctor were the calming voices in Duke’s tight huddles.
Duke missed its first 13 shots of the second half, going 1 of 19 during a stretch as Wake Forest surged ahead with a 23-4 run to take a six-point lead.
Once Duke mixed in some zone, in the final seven minutes, the Blue Devils responded to their challenging stretch with a 17-4 run and Wake Forest made three shots the rest of the way. The Demon Deacons missed six shots in a row from just under the 7-minute mark until there were 41 seconds left in the game.
Duke had a season-low point total, more turnovers (16) than assists (14) and saw its primary centers — Khaman Maluach and Patrick Ngongba — on the bench in foul trouble.
The Blue Devils won anyway.
“Coach (Scheyer) even said in the locker room, we didn’t throw away the game, we didn’t put our heads down,” said Gillis, who had 11 points and six rebounds.
“We were able to look each other in the eye and say, ‘We got this, we’re gonna win the game.’ We went out there and executed.”
The zone, which Gillis called a “wrinkle,” is the type of tweak that’s often required in a grind-it-out game.
It’s a tool and trick that could help the Blue Devils in the NCAA Tournament.
“Everything we’re doing right now, we’re getting ready for March,” said Gillis, who has played more games (151) than anyone on Duke’s roster.
“That was a March-style game right there.”
Rodd Baxley covers Duke, North Carolina and N.C. State for The Fayetteville Observer as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow his ACC coverage on X/Twitter or Bluesky: @RoddBaxley. Got questions regarding those teams? Send them torbaxley@fayobserver.com.
In a thrilling matchup against Wake Forest, Duke basketball relied on their zone defense to secure a crucial win and avoid an upset on the road. Despite facing a scrappy Demon Deacons team, the Blue Devils were able to hold their ground and come out on top thanks to their strong defensive effort.
The zone defense implemented by Duke proved to be effective in limiting Wake Forest’s scoring opportunities and forcing turnovers. The Blue Devils were able to disrupt the Demon Deacons’ offense and create fast break opportunities of their own, ultimately giving them the edge in a tight contest.
Key players like Paolo Banchero and Wendell Moore Jr. stepped up on both ends of the floor, contributing not only offensively but also making crucial defensive plays to help secure the victory. The Blue Devils’ ability to adapt and execute their defensive game plan was instrumental in avoiding a potential upset and coming out with a hard-fought win.
As Duke continues their journey through conference play, their strong showing on defense against Wake Forest serves as a reminder of their potential to compete at a high level and make a deep run in the postseason. With their zone defense proving to be a valuable asset, the Blue Devils will look to build on this win and continue their success as they aim for championship glory.
Tom Pestock (Baron Corbin) was utilized in a variety of ways during his 12-year run in WWE, filling a role from the top of the card to the bottom of the card.
Pestock often put over top guys who were on their way or already established as world championship talent.
Adam Cole And Costco Guys (Big Boom! AJ And Big Justice) Bring The Boom To AEW Collision: Homecoming
Speaking to Chris Van Vliet on Insight, Pestock recalled a conversation with a writer who used a term that he was not thrilled with.
“I almost lost it one time. I was so angry, and I don’t get angry that easy over stuff like this. I try not to let people control my emotions. I was sitting with the head writer of SmackDown, and it still makes my blood boil because it doesn’t pertain just to me, but I was like, ‘Do we have any ideas? What are you thinking creatively?’ He’s like, ‘We have Jacob [Fatu] up and running. We’re going to need bodies for him.’ We’re not bodies. Nobody on this roster is just a body. That was so frustrating to hear. It doesn’t pertain to me, but this is what you think of? I’ve been here 12 years and I’m a body for somebody else? If you want to say something like that, go, ‘We think you’d be great to help build Jacob. You’d make him look like a monster.’ Let’s go. ‘We’re going to need bodies.’ He’s referring to the bottom half of our roster. It’s so disrespectful to say that about people who go out there and put their life on the line every night. Careers can be ended in an instant. Look at Big E. One suplex wrong and he may never wrestle again. It can end like that. You can end up a quadriplegic; all of these things can happen. It’s your livelihood and how you put food on the table.
“I’m grateful to have a long career that I don’t have to worry about that. If you’re three years in and just a body and disregarded as not even a human being, in a sense, come on. It takes everybody. Guys who are there to be extras are just as important as talent. Without those guys, we don’t have major superstars. You need guys that can do that and do it well. That’s harder sometimes than being the top guy when everything is fed to you, and you’re given every opportunity, and you’re built on this pedestal. When you’re the dude clawing at the bottom trying to get there, it’s way harder to be down there and survive and be happy and successful than to be ‘this is our guy and everything funnels to him.’ That’s easy to be up there. The only hard part is the amount of time it takes. When you’re put on a pedestal, it’s much easier than being a guy fighting for those two or three minutes. To refer to them as bodies….I said something and he was like, ‘I didn’t think of how I said it that way.’”
Pestock never faced Fatu in WWE.
Elsewhere during the interview, Pestock explained why Baron Corbin is dead. You can find his full comments by clicking here.
If you use any of the quotes above, please credit and link to the original source with a h/t and link back to Fightful for the transcription.
Tom Pestock, better known as WWE superstar Baron Corbin, recently opened up about a situation that left him feeling upset and disrespected. In a recent interview, Pestock revealed that he was approached by a writer who told him, “We need bodies for Jacob Fatu.”
The comment caught Pestock off guard and left him feeling frustrated. He explained that being referred to as just a “body” for another wrestler made him feel like he was being reduced to nothing more than a prop in someone else’s story.
Pestock emphasized that he takes pride in his work and always strives to deliver the best performance possible in the ring. Being treated as expendable and replaceable was a blow to his morale and passion for the sport.
While Pestock understands that wrestling is a collaborative effort and that each wrestler plays a role in elevating their opponent, he believes that every wrestler should be respected and valued for their contributions to the industry.
In response to the incident, Pestock made it clear that he will not tolerate being treated as just a “body” and that he expects to be treated with the same level of respect and professionalism as any other wrestler.
Fans have rallied behind Pestock, showing their support and appreciation for his dedication to his craft. Pestock’s willingness to speak out against injustices in the industry has only further endeared him to his fans and solidified his reputation as a true professional in the world of professional wrestling.
Americans have accumulated over $1 trillion in credit card debt. For context, a stack of one trillion dollar bills would wrap around the Earth more than three times.
Almost more troubling than the total amount of U.S. credit card debt are the sky-high interest rates consumers owe on their balances—APRs that have been climbing higher as market interest rates rise. In late 2021, the average interest rate for a credit card was about 14.51%. By 2024, it was over 21%—and many Americans find themselves with cards charging as high as 30%.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has begun an investigation into credit card interest rates. The agency is encouraging consumers to submit their thoughts on their rates, terms, and conditions.
“As Americans pay off their credit card bills from holiday spending, many are concerned about credit card interest rates that often surpass 30%,” said CFPB Director Rohit Chopra on X, announcing the initiative. “A few credit card companies dominate the market, and average interest rates have creeped up significantly over the past decade.”
CFPB is seeking public feedback in seven areas:
The terms of credit card agreements and the practices of credit card issuers
Whether credit card plan disclosures of terms, fees, and other expenses are helpful
The adequacy of protections against unfair or deceptive practices relating to credit card plans
The cost and availability of consumer credit cards
The safety and soundness of credit card issuers
The use of risk-based pricing for consumer credit cards
Consumer credit card product innovation
Consumers can respond to individual questions or comment generally about how the credit card market is functioning. Following analysis of consumer feedback, the CFPB will publish additional research to inform the policy debate.
The bureau is mandated to conduct this research every two years under orders of the CARD Act. The 2023 report noted that add-on products, fee harvester cards, and deferred interest products were still major concerns in the credit card market. Transparency issues, including online disclosures, rewards products, and grace periods, are also major worries.
“Large credit card issuers too often play a shell game to lure people into high-cost cards, boosting their own profits while denying consumers the rewards they’ve earned,” Chopra wrote in late 2024.
While Chopra and CFPB’s focus on credit cards, interest rates, and points worries some consumers who enjoy cashback bonuses, the future of the CFPB work is unclear. There remain questions about whether the Trump administration will replace Chopra or dismantle the agency.
Are you frustrated with the high interest rate on your credit card? The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) wants to hear from you.
Credit card interest rates can often be overwhelming and make it difficult to pay off debt. The CFPB is committed to protecting consumers and ensuring fair and transparent practices in the financial industry.
If you have experienced high interest rates or other issues with your credit card, the CFPB wants to know about it. You can submit a complaint through their website or contact them directly to share your concerns.
Your feedback is important in helping the CFPB identify and address issues in the credit card industry. Don’t hesitate to speak up and let your voice be heard. Your input could lead to positive changes that benefit consumers like you.
French director Jacques Audiard’s musical about a Mexican drug lord is a frontrunner for the Academy Awards’ big prizes. But its depiction of the country is stoking criticism.
Rarely is a film so successful with critics and awards voters, yet so controversial to its detractors. Emilia Pérez, written and directed by French auteur Jacques Audiard, won both the Cannes Film Festival jury prize and a joint best actress prize for its four leads back in May. More recently, the Spanish language musical, set in Mexico but mostly filmed in France, has won four Golden Globes, five European Film Awards and been nominated for eleven Baftas. It’s now a favourite to lead the way at this year’s Oscars, when the nominations are announced tomorrow.
Netflix
The film stars Karla Sofía Gascón as a Mexican Cartel leader who goes through a gender transition, and atones for her crimes (Credit: Netflix)
The genre-mixing story of a male Mexican drug lord who transitions into a woman seeking restorative justice for the country’s “disappeared” – dead and missing persons who have been the victim of drug and crime-related violence – might also make history on Thursday with a nod for actor lead actress Karla Sofía Gascón. She would be the first trans woman to be nominated for best actress. But while the film’s characterisation of its transgender protagonist has been divisive – the US LGBTQ+ organisation Glaad has called it “retrograde” – it isn’t even currently the most controversial talking point.
That would be Emilia Pérez’s representation of Mexico, which has come under increasing scrutiny as awards season has kicked into gear. The film is due to open in Mexico to the general public tomorrow, but there have already been complaints from Mexican critics and industry figures about the negligible involvement of Mexican people among its leading cast and crew; and its depiction of the country, not least when it comes to dealing with such a horrifying subject.
A viral moment of criticism
Following Emilia Pérez’s Golden Globes success, there was a flurry of criticism of the film on X from Mexican users. In one post that’s been viewed 2.6 million times, Mexican screenwriter Héctor Guillén tagged the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, who run the Oscars, the day after the Globes and published a poster saying: “Mexico hates Emilia Pérez/ “Racist Euro Centrist Mockery”/ Almost 500K dead and France decides to do a musical.”
“I tried to copy the Hollywood way of promoting films [for awards consideration], you know, when they basically say, ‘amazing film’” Guillén tells the BBC. “I wanted to do a counterpart of that, I wanted to get another vision out of what Emilia Pérez is to many of us Mexicans.”
Guillén calls Audiard “a great film-maker” but says the decision to make the vast majority of the movie in studios outside Paris, as well as the way the story treats a painful national topic has upset many in his social network.
“There’s a drug war, nearly 500,000 deaths [since 2006] and 100,000 missing in the country,” he says, citing recent Mexican government figures.”We are still immersed in the violence in some areas. You are taking one of the most difficult topics in the country, but it’s not only any film, it’s an opera. It’s a musical. So for us and many activists, it’s like you are playing with one of the biggest wars in the country since the Revolution [in the early 20th Century]. Part of the plot is about searching mothers of the disappeared [searching for their children]: one of the most vulnerable groups in Mexico. And there were zero words in the four Golden Globe acceptance speeches to the victims.”
Getty Images
The parents of 43 missing student teachers outside Mexico’s National Palace last year – one of the most notorious cases of the country’s “disappeared” (Credit: Getty Images)
Guillén also questions why a decision wasn’t made to involve more Mexican people in the production. One of the four leading actresses, Adriana Paz, is Mexican. Of the others, Zoe Saldaña, who won a best supporting actress Golden Globe, has Dominican heritage but was born in the US; Karla Sofía Gascón is Spanish, from a Madrid suburb, though she has worked extensively in Mexican TV; and the last (and most famous), Selena Gomez, is American, but with Mexican heritage. Having grown up speaking Spanish but lost her fluency, Gomez had to re-learn the language for the role, while her character Jessi was rewritten to make her character Mexican-American rather than purely Mexican. Meanwhile Saldaña’s character, Rita, a lawyer, was changed to reflect Saldaña’s Dominican, rather than Mexican, background. As for Audiard, he is not a Spanish speaker at all.
“Their way of making the film is to disregard so many in the (film) industry in Mexico already talking about this topic, like not considering Mexican screenwriters, or more Mexican actors other than Adriana, who did an amazing job,” Guillén argues. He cites as “really painful” the film’s Mexico-born casting director Carla Hool’s comment during a Sag-Aftra Foundation Q and A that they had searched Latin America and Mexico for actors, but ultimately, they believed that they had chosen the best ones for the job. “Having a few Mexicans in there does not stop it from being a Eurocentric production,” he adds.
There could be commercial reasons behind the casting decisions: Gomez and Saldaña are arguably bigger global names for the project than many Mexican actors. In particular, Gomez’s performance led to another viral moment of criticism against the film, this time on a popular Mexican film podcast, Hablando de Cine.
Actor Eugenio Derbez told host Gaby Meza that Gomez’s Spanish pronunciation was “indefensible” leading to Selena Gomez to comment on a TikTok post of the podcast clip: “I’m sorry, I did the best I could with the time I was given”. Derbez later apologised for the remark, while Meza says that the wider interview between her and Debrez was not a criticism of Gomez’s acting in the film – indeed, Gomez was nominated for a Golden Globe and a Bafta – or her Spanish accent, given she was supposed to be playing an American for whom Spanish is not her first language.
“It was intended to remark that if you don’t speak Spanish, you just see her good performance with subtitles,” Meza explains. “And she does give a good performance. What isn’t good is that there’s a disconnect between the words she says and her understanding of them. Her body, her voice, her tones say something, but the dialogue doesn’t match with what she’s saying. And that’s not Selena’s fault, because I think she wasn’t given the proper indications, the tools for her performance. The director is French and Selena is from the United States, but they’re communicating in Spanish.”
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Selena Gomez’s character Jessi was adapted to be American-born following her casting (Credit: Netflix)
Meza adds that in her opinion, the movie is one that’s “designed for export”. “If you go to resorts in Mexico, tourists can buy things that look Mexican, but they’re made elsewhere,” she says. “With this movie, you might see references to Mexican culture, and it might speak about Mexico, but it wasn’t made in Mexico.”
The film-maker’s defence
However, amid the flurry of criticism, some accusations about the film are inaccurate. For example, one post on X called the director “a Frenchman who’d never set foot in Mexico”. Audiard, however, tells the BBC that he went to Mexico several times, looking to shoot the film there, as well as cast the main roles.
“I had the idea of making an opera of Emilia Pérez and then I got a bit scared, I felt like I needed to inject some realism into it,” he says. “So I went to Mexico, and we scouted there during the casting process as well, maybe two, three times and something wasn’t working. And I realised that the images I had in my mind of what [the film] would look like just didn’t match the reality of the streets of Mexico. It was just too pedestrian, too real. I had a much more stylised vision in my mind. So that’s when we brought it to Paris and reinjected the DNA of an opera within it.”
“And also,” he adds, “it might be a little bit pretentious of me, but did Shakespeare need to go all the way to Verona to write a story about that place?”
Judging by the film’s success in awards season, many critics and voters must agree with Audiard, or at least, believe Emilia Pérez has strong artistic merit regardless of this issue.
“I felt it was hugely fresh as a piece of work when I saw it,” James Mottram, a British film critic, says. “I mean, a brand-new take on the cartel story, a very unusual musical, a transgender story. Just combining those three elements is a feat of narrative dexterity. I admire the bravery of the film more than anything. Audiard has worked in the crime genre before – if you could call this a crime film – with movies like The Beat That My Heart Skipped, but this felt brand new. And as a critic, that’s what you’re always looking for – someone who’s taking on divisive subjects and putting a fresh spin on them.
“You can call Emilia Pérez a soap opera as well as an opera, and it is a fantasy on some level, I don’t think it is supposed to be an authentic portrayal of the cartels. However, it’s difficult, I can understand why some Mexicans are offended when it’s such a sensitive subject for them, and not that many were involved in the production.
“There’s been complaints from the trans community about it as well. Audiard’s been attacked from all angles really, and perhaps understandably, but I think when you do something risky and divisive, that’s always going to happen.”
Jacques Audiard says that he first had the idea for the film after reading some of French author Boris Razon’s novel Écoute, which featured in one chapter the minor character of a drug lord “who wanted to transition” but “Boris hadn’t followed up on the idea”, as Audiard puts it.
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Jacques Audiard has apologised “if there are things that seem shocking” in his film (Credit: Netflix)
“There are two sensitive issues really in this film, transgender identity and the disappeared in Mexico,” he says. “And it’s something that I can’t quite rationally explain, but there was a link between the two where I imagined that this story of whether this gangster, who’s responsible for this evil, redeems themselves and by extension the whole of Mexico, through this transition, through changing themselves.
“And I think that the use of opera, of singing, and of dancing, allows a certain distance and by which it makes the message much more effective. It penetrates much more deeply than if than you were to document it in a very realistic manner.”
Nevertheless, in a recent press conference in Mexico, Audiard apologised to his critics, saying that the film is opera, and thus not “realistic” and that “if there are things that seem shocking in Emilia Pérez then I am really sorry… Cinema doesn’t provide answers, it only asks questions. But maybe the questions in Emilia Pérez are incorrect”.
Yet, while there is some anger, the film also has high profile supporters in Mexico, including The Shape of Water director Guillermo Del Toro, who called Audiard “one of the most amazing film-makers alive” in an on-stage conversation with the director at a Directors Guild of America screening last October, and True Detective: Night Country director and writer Issa Lopez, who has declared the film a “masterpiece”. Meanwhile Paz has said of the controversy: “I’ve heard people saying it’s offensive to Mexico. I really want to know why, because I didn’t feel that way. And I have questioned some people that I trust, not just as artists but as people, and they don’t feel that way, so I am trying to understand.”
Saldaña tells the BBC that letting film-makers carry out their artistic vision is important, even when the topic is delicate.
“I think that we’re living through really sensitive times where communities are very vocal about being represented accurately,” she says. “And I vacillate with respecting that, which is primarily my goal, but also allowing space for gentle film-makers or storytellers to have a very special approach to it and giving space for them to do it even if they’re not a part of that community. Because sometimes they may have the best story to tell. And I think that Jacques was always respectful, was always very gentle, with how he was approaching it.”
Saldaña, who was grateful that the film gave her an opportunity to work in her native Spanish language (“I’ve never been able to do it before, apart from an independent film in the Dominican Republic when I was very young, but never in the US,”) also says that she “wasn’t worried” about Audiard not speaking Spanish, as he had made films including A Prophet and 2015’s Palme d’Or winner Dheepan in other languages besides French.
“He’s challenged himself and defied this gravity that we hold ourselves to through language, and it hasn’t prohibited himself from connecting with other people. I’ve always admired him for being curious about other cultures and for telling stories without appropriating himself,” she says.
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Zoe Saldaña, who plays lawyer Rita, says she has always admired Audiard “for being curious about other cultures” (Credit: Netflix)
But Emilia Pérez is now part of the current cultural debate about whether cultural authenticity is of paramount importance in storytelling, or if western productions should be more aware that they’re open to accusations of cultural appropriation when directors are dealing with stories in countries and cultures outside their realm of experience.
Asked how he feels should the film be further rewarded by the Oscars, Héctor Guillén replies that, “it just shows the industry works that way, that it’s distant from what’s happening in Latin America and Mexico, even if we’re not that far away from California.
The screenwriter says he “just wishes” the production had been “more open” to advice from within Mexico.
“I think Audiard is a great film-maker, and I think he was well intentioned with the film, I do not think he’s a racist French man who wants to ridicule our culture,” he says. “But he could have been more open to Mexican creators, to activists, to talk about the correct way to tell the story. Because I did think at the end of the film, there was an opportunity to be a great, great, audacious film in the right way.”
Emilia Pérez is available to stream on Netflix internationally
The Oscar-tipped film Emilia Pérez has been receiving praise and accolades from critics and audiences alike. However, some Mexican people are upset about the film for various reasons.
One of the main reasons for the backlash is the portrayal of Mexican culture and traditions in the film. Some viewers feel that the film perpetuates stereotypes and clichés about Mexico and its people, without accurately representing the diversity and complexity of Mexican society.
Additionally, some people are criticizing the lack of Mexican representation on screen and behind the scenes in the making of the film. Many feel that a film about Mexican culture should have more Mexican actors, writers, and filmmakers involved in the production process.
Furthermore, there are concerns about the historical accuracy of the film and the way it portrays events and figures from Mexican history. Some viewers feel that the film takes too many liberties with the facts and romanticizes certain aspects of Mexican history, which can be seen as disrespectful or inaccurate.
Overall, while Emilia Pérez may be receiving Oscar buzz and critical acclaim, it is important to consider the perspectives and opinions of those who feel marginalized or misrepresented by the film. It is essential to have a nuanced and inclusive portrayal of Mexican culture in film, and hopefully, future projects will take these criticisms into account.
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Mexican film controversy, Emilia Pérez backlash, Oscar-nominated film criticism, Mexican cultural representation, Latinx representation in Hollywood, Emilia Pérez film backlash, Mexican community outrage, Cultural misrepresentation in film industry
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Lily-Rose Depp Reveals 1 Of Her Dad’s Most Beloved Movies “Traumatized” Her As A Kid: “I Got Really Upset”
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Lily-Rose Depp, Johnny Depp, Traumatized, Beloved Movies, Childhood Memories, Emotional Impact, Lily-Rose Depp Interview, Celebrity News, Family Relationships, Childhood Films, Personal Experience, Parental Influence, Emotional Response
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