Culture Lane

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Culture Lane

Sunday, 03 February 2019 | Pioneer

Culture Lane

Fiji Water Girl lands cameo in show

The serial photobomber who stole the show and became a meme after this year’s Golden Globes has made a new splash with a cameo on The Bold and the Beautiful. Canadian model Kelleth Cuthbert became known as Fiji Water Girl after popping up in the background of a series of celebrity portraits taken during the 72nd Golden Globes awards in January. She was at the event as one of a number of promotional staff for the water company, a Globes sponsor, but went viral after Twitter users noticed her face and distinctive blue dress turning up in shot after shot.

Rumours about Cuthbert’s link to the long-running CBS soap opera began circulating after she posted a picture of herself with actors from The Bold and the Beautiful on Instagram last week, thanking the production team for having her on set. CBS haven’t confirmed her role as yet, or whether it will be an ongoing one, but the official Instagram account for The Bold and the Beautiful also posted a picture of Cuthbert on set, in the background, wearing a black dress and carrying … a tray of water.

The Bold and the Beautiful appearance comes after stints on the Late Late Show With James Corden and E! News, among others, in the wake of her Golden Globes notoriety. IMDB currently lists her appearance at the Globes as “Fiji Water Girl”. Although not everyone found her knack for getting in the frame endearing.

Black Sheep nominated for Oscars

Black Sheep, a film commissioned by the Guardian, has been nominated for best short documentary at the 2019 Oscars. Directed by Ed Perkins, Black Sheep tells the story of Cornelius Walker, a black 11-year-old from London who moves with his family to a housing estate in Essex after the murder of schoolboy Damilola Taylor in 2000. Walker, the same age as Taylor and of similar background, found himself confronting a gang of local racists and, after first fighting back, went to extraordinary lengths to fit in and gain their friendship. The film features interviews with Walker looking back 15 years on from the events he describes, which are re-enacted in the locations where they took place, with Kai Francis Lewis playing Walker.

Walker said that he was, “humbled and proud. I worked on this film to tell my story and hoped that it would resonate with people. To be nominated for this award is the highest recognition.” The film was produced by Simon Chinn and Jonathan Chinn of Lightbox. Chinn has previously won best documentary Oscars in 2013 for Searching for Sugar Man and in 2009 for Man on Wire.

Black Sheep is executive produced by the Guardian’s head of documentaries, Charlie Phillips, and Lindsay Poulton, executive producer, documentaries. Katharine Viner, the editor-in-chief of Guardian News & Media, said: “It’s wonderful to see such an important and personal story resonate with so many people and I’m delighted that the Guardian helped to tell it.”

Roma and The Favourite vie for glory

Roma and The Favourite will go head to head at the Oscars after they received 10 Academy Award nominations each. Roma, Alfonso Cuarón’s memoir of childhood in 1970s Mexico City, topped many critics’ lists of 2018 and has scored 10 nominations, including best film and best director for Cuarón. Roma’s success demonstrates the Oscars’ acceptance of streaming giant Netflix, which it had had hitherto treated with suspicion. Netflix has launched an expensive awards campaign which appears to be have paid off.

Scabrous period comedy The Favourite, about political power games at the 18th-century court of Queen Anne, also received 10 nominations, including best actress for Olivia Colman. With 12 Bafta nominations, and a single Golden Globe win for Colman (for the best actress, musical or comedy), The Favourite emerged as a much liked contender as awards season has progressed, and a powerful vehicle for its cast, which includes Rachel Weisz and Emma Stone, who were both nominated for best supporting actress.

A Star is Born, Bradley Cooper’s directorial debut about a waning country icon and the unknown singer (played by Lady Gaga) he mentors, picked up eight nominations. The film, which premiered at the Venice film festival last August, began awards season as frontrunner, before losing momentum.

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