#Middlebury
Q: I just watched “News of the World” with Tom Hanks, and he was great as always, but who was the little girl in the movie? How old is she in real life? She was really good, and I could see her being around on screen for years to come. – A.G.
A: “News of the World,” which was released in theaters and via video-on-demand, is a post-Civil War era film directed by Paul Greenberg. Hanks’ character makes his money by reading the newspaper to townspeople as he travels throughout Texas. Along his journey, he finds an orphaned girl, played by Helena Zengel, and the two ride through treacherous territory, in more ways than one, to rehome her with her mother’s relatives.
Tom Hanks, Helena Zengel in “News of the World” (Universal Pictures photo)
Zengel is 12 years old. She caught the attention of Greenberg with her lead performance in “System Crasher,” which earned her the German equivalent of a best actress Oscar. She speaks her native German, but had to learn the language of the Kiowa people in “News” since her character was raised by the Native American tribe after her parents were murdered.
“News of the World” was filmed around Santa Fe, New Mexico, and is based on the 2016 novel by Paulette Jiles. I suspect you’ll be seeing much more of Zengel in the years to come. She’s never had an acting class and really held her own against the seasoned Hanks and other strong actors in the film, including Mare Winningham (“The Affair”) and Elizabeth Marvel (“Law & Order: SVU”).
Q: What happened to teen singer Brandy? Is she still around? I never hear about her anymore. – F.A.
A: In yet another confirmation of the cliche “time flies,” teen singer Brandy is 41 years old! She won a Grammy at age 19 for her duet “The Boy Is Mine” with singer Monica, and also became a TV star with her hit sitcom “Moesha” on the UPN channel. However, her fame had already been solidified when she attended Kobe Bryant’s high-school prom as his date.
Brandy has had her share of ups and downs. She was in a car accident in 2006 and has battled severe depression, but decided to seek help for the sake of her daughter, Sy’Rai, who is now 18. Brandy also has a new album out, her first in eight years, titled “B7.”
Q: Is there going to be another season of “Riverdale” on Netflix? If so, when? I hope we don’t have to wait too long. – G.G.
A: The new season of “Riverdale,” its fifth, premiered Jan. 20. The first three episodes were originally intended to cap the end of season four, but due to the pandemic, they weren’t able to complete last season’s scripted episodes.
According to TVGuide.com, the new season will begin by wrapping up the teens’ senior year of high school, with their prom and graduation. After that, the writers have figured out a way for the group to return to town in a storyline that will launch the remainder of season five.
Send me your questions at NewCelebrityExtra@gmail.com, or write me at KFWS, 628 Virginia Drive, Orlando, FL 32803.
© 2021 King Features Synd., Inc.
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