With his long hair and big smile, Alex Barone has the movie star look you might imagine in a blockbuster movie.

But look a little closer and you’ll notice something a little different about this Los Angeles-based actor.

Most notably, he has only six fingers, three on each hand, which he jokingly compares to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

For more Human Interest news and videos, check out 7Human Interest >>

Over the past decade, Alex has pursued his love of acting, and while it hasn’t been easy, he says it’s finally getting easier for actors with disabilities to get roles.

born different

Born and raised in the American city of Baltimore, it was immediately clear that Alex was a little different.

“I was born with a condition called fibular hemimelia, so I was born with three fingers on both hands like a ninja turtle, and I was also born without the fibula bone in my right leg,” he explains. .

The condition causes the affected leg to become shortened, often resulting in amputation to prepare for a prosthesis. “

“Instead of amputation when I was a kid, which they wanted to do, I ended up doing something called limb lengthening, where they stretched my right leg and made it equal in length to my left,” says Alex.

“I had a total of 43 surgeries between the ages of 6 and 18.

“My parents never allowed me to believe that I was disabled in any way. So they really kept pushing me and telling me that I could do whatever I wanted,” adds Alex.

Acceptance and action

Alex admits for years he tried to hide his hands by keeping them in his pockets.

But after years of surgeries, he decided to challenge himself when he returned to high school.

“I had just completed my 30th or so surgery…I came back to school and needed to sign up for an elective course,” he recalls.

“I signed up for theater to put myself forward and face my fears and get on stage and that kind of stuff.

“I’ve found acting to be a great way for me to escape my insecurities and step into someone else’s shoes, which I think has ultimately helped build my confidence and my love for it.”

Years Later Would Be a Hollywood Eli Roth, the Writer and Director Behind Horror Hits cabin fever and Hostelthat would give him his big break.

“I walked up to him, tapped him on the shoulder and said, ‘Hey Mr. Roth, I’m Alex Barone, I’ve got these awesome hands’ which I pushed in his face.

“And I was like, ‘Knowing that you do horror, feel free to use me for anything, I’m a huge fan’, he thought that was awesome, and then this took off from there,'” he says.

Diverse cast

Alex says that while it can be difficult to get acting roles when you have a physical difference, the tide is starting to turn.

“I think things, even over the past seven years, are changing for the better for people with disabilities, actors with disabilities.

“When I first started acting it seemed like I only go out for handicap roles, which are one in a thousand.

“Now the casting directors, directors and producers bring in actors for all the roles and they change the role to fit the structure of the actor.

“So whether they’re disabled or not, they’re able to change the writing and work with that person and make it unique based on the game, not their physique or their difference, which is really cool. ”

“I noticed a really positive change with people recruiting me for all the roles, not just the disability (roles),” he says.

One of his biggest roles to date was a bit in the Hulu/Disney+ miniseries Drug alongside Michael Keaton.

It was a small but important role for Alex.

“Drug was amazing – it’s such a good story, (but) a sad story about the opioid pandemic and how it started and its rise in the United States.

“During the audition, they asked why I was connecting to this content, and I told them how my biological father died of opioids and I really connected to that.

“That’s how it went, just being vulnerable and sharing my story.”

“And this role in particular, they were looking for someone with a limb difference, specifically missing fingers, so that was perfect for me.

“It was wonderful working with Michael Keaton and (creator) Danny Strong, and (executive producer) Barry Levinson, and the cast and crew were all amazing – it’s a great show.”

It’s not just Alex who is successful on the small screen.

His friend and fellow disabled actor Zyra Gorecki recently landed a lead role in the NBC drama La Breawhich filmed mainly in Melbourne.

After losing her leg in a car accident at the age of 13, Zyra became the first amputee actress to land a central role in a television series.

“I think it’s huge for Zara to get a steady lead in this series, and what I felt was great about La Brea When they met her, they thought she was an awesome actress, and then they put her on the show and adapted the story around her leg.

“What was unique about this La Brea and NBC did was he CGId (computer generated) his leg amputated into a real leg, which I thought was really cool.

“Usually it’s the other way around, where they’ll take a valid actor and CGI a member difference. instead of taking a member difference in the CGI to look “normal”.

“I thought it was awesome – it was huge and hopefully we’ll see a lot more of it on TV.”

Not a witch

Alex is also a disability advocate, who came to prominence after the release of The witches in 2020.

In the film, Anne Hathaway plays the Great Witch, who in her true witch form has only three fingers on each hand.

The performance provoked outrage from the members’ difference community, which saw it as further alienation for people with physical disabilities.

“The whole thing in a nutshell is that they made an able-bodied person look disabled, and they kind of made it a scary thing, a scary trait, or a quality about that person. …that someone with a limb difference would be portrayed as a witch or something evil or disgusting.

“People with limb differences don’t want it to be portrayed as a disgusting thing, especially in a movie like this, which is supposed to be a kid’s movie.

“How are kids supposed to react to a movie like this? Having nothing to admire that isn’t bad makes it look cool or awesome, or having three fingers on both hands is a superhero type quality, not a witch type quality.

Actress Anne Hathaway and the studio behind the Warner Bros. Pictures later apologized for the performance.

Accept your difference

Despite many years of trying to hide their differences, Alex’s advice to anyone with a difference is to embrace it.

“I was very unsure about it for a while, I didn’t want to talk about it, I kept my hands in my pockets, etc.

“Over time it became like an icebreaker – something unique, something cool about me.

“My hands made me, so everyone knew me as Alex, the ninja turtle guy, eventually it became a matter of trust.”

What about people staring at him and asking questions when he’s out in public?

“The way I see it is if people are watching, it’s almost like you’re going anywhere and you’re near someone with super shiny, spiky, mohawk, pink hair, you’re going to look at that person because they’re different.

“I find it’s the same if people look at my hands and wonder, because that’s not a common thing, especially when I was growing up, so of course they’ll look at me.

“It’s another thing if they’re whispering or pointing or laughing and making fun of me or someone with a disability.

“But watching, I don’t mind. I love educating people – I think that’s huge.

“It also empowers you and builds your confidence to talk to them and just give them a quick rundown of your story and then move on.”

The last word

“I would say put yourself front and center. Face your fear, whatever it is, and do it.

“Whether you want to be an actor or a dancer, singer, creative and you have a disability, don’t do what I did growing up and hide behind your inner wall and be so afraid to face it.

“Just confront that you are different, accept it, acknowledge it, and use it to your advantage.”

“Showing yourself off – that’s what makes you unique and special and different from everyone else.

“You don’t want to blend in, do you?” You want to stand out!

Drug is streaming now Disney+. You can also view Alex’s webseries on ICT Tac.

You can listen to Alex’s full interview in the Real Life podcast, now available on A casting, Apple podcast, Spotify, Google Podcasts, iHeartRadio, embroiderer or your favorite podcast Platform.

Jamie Dornan is a very ordinary guy. Far from collecting high-end cars or wasting his fortune on luxury brands, his most prized possessions are a horse, five chickens, three goats, a dog and a cat. He could afford a mansion in the Hollywood Hills, but the actor and former model lives on a quiet farm in the English countryside with his three daughters and wife, actress-turned-songwriter Amelia Warner. After a few years of living through the hangover of the blockbuster Fifty shades of Greyhe now returns as the protagonist of Belfast, a new historical film directed by Kenneth Branagh. Some insiders are betting on a Free kick for the Oscarsand maybe he can shake off the series of tragic events that marked his life and that began long before he became Christian Grey.

Jamie was a happy kid. He was born in Holywood in Northern Ireland – not to be confused with Hollywood – and raised in a Methodist family, he attended church regularly until he was six years old. His grandparents on both sides were preachers. But young Jamie was much more interested in sports, especially rugby, than in the cultivation of his faith. He also showed an early interest in acting. At Belfast Methodist College he was an active member of the drama club. Even if he was not aware of it himself, everyone knew he was a star. This included her father, obstetrician and gynecologist Jim Dornan, who died last March of Covid-19 at the age of 73.

While her childhood was ordinary, everything changed in 1998. Shortly after her 16th birthday, her mother, Lorna, died suddenly of pancreatic cancer. “It’s something that affects you in a thousand different ways every day. I doubt that I will ever be able to accept this, unless I go see a therapist who can explain to me how. Maybe it made me more determined…I’m still very angry when I think about it. At my age, I am very frustrated that my mother is not there, because I have daughters that she has not been able to meet. It makes me very sad,” he said. EL PAÍS in 2016.

Then in 1999, Dornan lost four of his best friends from high school in a car accident. In 2019, on journalist Jay Rayner’s Out To Lunch podcast, he explained how the back-to-back tragedies had thrown him into depression: [those] things today, every day. I had this summer where I was going out a lot, I was drinking, I wasn’t really getting anywhere. I dropped out of college and was doing a degree in marketing and [had] no interest in any aspect of marketing, and I was like, ‘Well shit, I’m going to leave. Her two older sisters, Liesa (who works for Disney in London) and Jessica (a fashion designer based in Falmouth), staged an intervention.

modest man

Dornan Recount The Guardian in 2014 that he never considered himself particularly attractive. “I didn’t do particularly well with girls at school. I have always looked very young. And my sister’s friends always said, ‘You’re so cute.’ Damn I hated that. If you’re a skinny, baby-faced teenager, the last thing you want to hear is that you’re cute. His sisters begged him to disagree and persuaded him to enter the reality show Model behaviorwho offered a one-year contract with the Select modeling agency and an appearance on the cover of QG magazine. Liesa and Jessica thought a change of scenery might be good for him, but he didn’t win.

Soon after, however, he showed up at the agency’s offices in London on his own and was signed. “At 21 I was doing really big campaigns – it was huge – and I was making a lot of money, but because I never really saw modeling as a career, I guess I didn’t. let too much get to me,” he said. QG. Every time he went on a date or met a girl in a pub, he said he was a “landscape gardener or worked for Google”. Anything but admit that he was a model. He eventually started dating actress Keira Knightley, and they dated for two years.

Like The New York Times reflected in a 2006 article titled The Golden Torso, Dornan dazzled for brands like Dior, Calvin Klein, Armani and Abercrombie & Fitch because he looked like a typical young man who could go unnoticed in a crowd. “He’s like the male Kate Moss,” Jim Moore, then creative director of QG, says in this article. “Its proportions are a little off. He has a light build. It is rather small for male models. But his torso is long, so he looks taller, and he brings a laid-back quality to modeling. He knows why he’s there, but unlike a lot of people, he’s not trying to be a male role model. He’s not a model.”

And that was the key to his success. “I wonder why all this happened to me,” he told the American newspaper. “I don’t consider myself particularly handsome. The reason everything has worked out so well for me is that I don’t take everything too seriously,” he added. “It’s a great deal so far, a great way to make money and have fun. I attribute much of what has happened so far to luck and the right place at the right time.

He never walked the runway, but instead posed with a wistful gaze for some of the industry’s most celebrated photographers. “I’m sure there are people who dream about it, but not me. I did well and I respect that, but I always did it with a certain reluctance. Under no circumstances would I return to modeling,” he told EL PAÍS in another interview in 2019. This stage in his life would allow him to devote himself to what he had always dreamed of: acting.

The killer is looking for an interpreter

In the above Guardian article, journalist and writer Nigel Farndale portrays Dornan as popular, feminist and hyperactive by nature. We know that he usually drinks beer, opens a bottle of wine after putting his daughters to bed, and does not train at the gym because he does not gain a gram when he gorges on junk food.

His first real acting opportunity came in the form of a Sofia Coppola cameo. Marie Antoinette in 2006. But if there’s one character Dornan holds in high esteem, it’s the psychopathic family man Paul Spector in the British series The fall, for which he received a BAFTA nomination. “This show gave me everything,” he said. recognized in The Guardian in 2015. “I know that every opportunity given to me from now on is due to The fall.”

The beginnings weren’t easy as he had to prove he wasn’t just a pretty face. “In a way it benefits you, but in general it’s a big stigma. I’ve always found it infuriating that just because you’ve been a model for a few years doesn’t mean you can’t be an actor. valid. Especially in the UK. In the US, I would say they don’t care,” he told EL PAÍS.

When did the first rumors of a possible film adaptation of Fifty shades of Grey began to surface, the whole world began to speculate on who would play the protagonist. The first novel was universally criticized for being poorly written, but it was still a literary phenomenon. The toxic relationship between secretive businessman Christian Gray and shy student Anastasia Steele has revitalized erotic literature, a dormant genre for decades. Since its release in 2011, the first installment alone has sold over 165 million copies worldwide.

On September 2, 2013, news broke that Charlie Hunnam had been cast to bring Christian Grey to life. But on October 12 of the same year, Hunnam gave up. A few days later, Dornan agreed to be his replacement. The first trailer for Fifty shades of Grey racked up over 36 million views in its first week on YouTube in 2014. The teaser for fifty shades darkera sequel, reached 144 million in 24 hours in 2016. Dornan was well aware of the monster he was facing, and that from minute one the press would attack him without mercy.

“You know what you’re getting into and I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about whether to take the fifty shades role. Most people hated books. And I’m not saying I don’t understand why these books were so powerful for millions of people, but you’re not going to have books that were horribly reviewed turned into films that will be critically acclaimed. he said QGadding that he had no regrets: “It hasn’t hurt my career to be part of a film franchise that has made over a billion dollars. Every working actor would say the same thing. It’s provided – a lot. There’s no shame in saying that it has transformed my life and that of my family financially.

He may play it down now, but in 2015 he was stung by some of the reviews that came out when the first movie was released. “One of them was ‘Jamie Dornan has the oatmeal charisma,’ which – some people like oatmeal, so I thought that was a bit harsh. I remember that it stuck with me,” he said Variety. Others said he had “the charisma of a hologram”. In 2016, with fifty shades darker and fifty shades lighter not yet released, he tacitly agreed with his detractors, declaring to EL PAÍS: “I don’t think I was right to Fifty shades of Grey. I’m sure it’s my worst performance to date. I don’t mind admitting it.

Although he said QG, “I always pay penance for this choice”, he continues to receive scripts. Like Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart (the stars of dusk saga), or Daniel Radcliffe (who will forever be haunted by Harry Potter), Dornan has built a solid career outside of Hollywood blockbusters. Now his performance in Belfast is destined for Oscar glory, according to Initiated. Soon, the guy who hated being a model may return to his farm with a golden statuette.

The Loveland area will see a variety of events over the coming week, including the launch of the Valentine’s Day Lights at Chapungu Sculpture Park, the Mountainfilm Tour, a new Loveland Museum exhibit, a talk on nature by Kevin Cook and more.

Lights of the land of love

Loveland Lights at Chapungu Sculpture Park on Sky Pond Drive in Centerra will be on display February 1-14.

The park will be illuminated with red and pink lights, with a lovers-themed decor.

Similar to Loveland Winter Wonderlights, the light shows will be free and open to the public from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. every night.

For more details, go to visitlovelandco.org/event/loveland-lights-at-chapungu.

Loveland Orchestra

The Loveland Orchestra will perform works by Wolfgang Mozart at 7:30 p.m. Friday, January 28 at Mountain View High School Auditorium, 3500 Mountain Lion Drive.

At 7 p.m., conductor Louie Silvestri begins the evening with a discussion of the music on the program.

The concert will feature the String Quintet No. 2 in C minor, K. 406/516b performed with a full string ensemble; Serenade in G major, “Eine kleine Nachtmusik”, K. 525; and Serenade No. 10 in B flat major, K. 361/307a, often called “Gran Partita”.

Everyone in the concert hall must wear a face mask.

Tickets at the door are $10 for adults, $5 for students, and free for children 12 and under.

They are also available online for an additional $1 fee. Six-ticket packages cost $50 for adults and $25 for students.

From 4-8 p.m. on Wednesday, February 2, the orchestra will team up with Noodles at 225 29th St. in Loveland for a fundraising event. The public is welcome.

The Loveland Orchestra comprises over 60 musicians, amateurs and professionals, from Loveland and surrounding areas.

To audition for the orchestra, tickets, information about the orchestra’s 2021-22 season, or ways to support the orchestra, visit LovelandOrchestra.org.

mountain film on tour

Mountainfilm on Tour arrives at the Rialto Theater Center, 228 E. Fourth St., Loveland, at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday, February 5.

The tour travels the world with a collection of culturally rich, adventurous and informative short documentaries selected from the most beloved films of the annual Telluride Festival.

Tickets cost between $17 and $20.

For details, call 970-962-2120 or visit rialtotheatercenter.org.

Tom Mazzullo exhibition

An exhibition by Tom Mazzullo will open Saturday, February 5 at the 12 Feet of Wall Gallery at the Loveland Museum, 503 N. Lincoln Ave., Loveland.

An opening reception will be held during Night on the Town from 6-8 p.m. on Friday, February 11.

Mazzullo works in metalpoint, an ancient drawing medium that uses precious metal to make marks on specially prepared surfaces.

The exhibition lasts until May 1.

Mazzullo will present an artist talk and demonstration at 6 p.m. on Friday, March 11.

The event is free, but people are asked to register. Go to thelovelandmuseum.secure.force.com/ticket or call 970-962-2410.

Let’s talk about nature

Wildlife Window columnist Kevin Cook will present a nature talk on Wednesday, February 2, from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., online.

In 2022, Cook is focusing on 12 naturalist desiderata to complete a guide by which a person can engage in the wonder of “life on Earth”, with a program on the first Wednesday of every month.

“The Quest” is the theme for February. Cook says a quest represents the manifestation of time and energy to explore places and seasons, to discover diversity and connectedness.

For more details, visit lovelandpubliclibrary.org/events.

gardening lessons

A Lunch ‘n’ Learn gardening class will be held from noon to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, February 9, online.
Alison O’Connor of the Larimer County Extension Office will debunk myths, such as whether putting a banana peel in the bottom of a plantation helps or whether bug zappers work.

Upcoming monthly classes in the Lunch ‘n’ Learn Gardening series will focus on:

•March 9: Development of the cut flower garden.
•April 13: Landscape irrigation.
•May 11: Management of Japanese beetles.
•June 8: Dry shade gardens.
• July 13: how to clean, preserve and prepare vegetables.
•August. 10: Pet friendly landscaping.
•Seven. 14: Fruit trees for the Front Range.
•Oct. 12: Great plants for fall color.
•Nov. 9: A year of gardening in review.
•Dec. 14: Evergreens for the Colorado landscape.

Courses presented by Northern Colorado Libraries and CSU Extension are free, but registration is required.

To register for the class on February 9, visit bit.ly/3rZkjk9 and after registering, you will receive a link to join the Zoom meeting.

cookbook club

LOVEland Cookbook Club will meet online with Zoom from 6:30-7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, February 9.

The Loveland Public Library is hosting the event which will explore cookbooks, recipes and talks with local chefs.

The first meeting will focus on pastry. Ashlee Redger, recipe developer for Snooze Restaurants, will lead the discussion as the group dives into Dorie Greenspan’s “Baking with Dorie” cookbook.

The event is free.

For more details or to register, visit bit.ly/3g3WoL1.

Imbolc fire festival

The Imbolc Fire Festival and Metaphysical Fair will be held from noon to 9 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, February 5 and 6 at Panthers Gate, 357 Mountain Ave., Burgdorf.

The event includes vendors, fire throwers, circus acts, belly dancing, tarot readers, healers, workshops and speakers.

There will also be an altar for offerings as well as a space to honor the recent Colorado Fire and those it caused.

Admission is $10.

For more details, visit panthersgate.com.

“The Little Dog Laughed”

The Bas Bleu Theater, 401 Pine St., Fort Collins, will perform Douglas Carter Beane’s “The Little Dog Laughed” Feb. 4-20.

In what is being called a hilarious and naughty adventure through Hollywood, follow the adventures of Diane, a devilishly smart agent who struggles to keep her budding idol client, Mitchell, in the closet and away from the sexy young drifter who lured her Warning.

The show, intended for mature audiences, contains brief scenes of male nudity and adult themes.

Shows are at 7:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 2:30 p.m. on Sundays, February 4-20.

A preview of pay-what-you-can is February 4, open first-come, first-served. The show opens February 5.

Tickets are $26, $20 for seniors 65 and older or $8 for students with ID. Masks are mandatory in the theater.

For more details, call 970-498-8949 or visit basbleu.org.

Fort Collins Symphony

The Fort Collins Symphony, under the direction of Maestro Wes Kenney, will present its signature Midwinter Concert 3: “Solemn, Joyful & Ecstatic” at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, February 5 at Lincoln Center, 417 Magnolia, Fort Collins.

The concert features guest cellist Anthony D. Elliott performing “Memorial to Martin Luther King” by composer Oskar Morawetz; “Adagio for Strings” by Samuel Barber, a response to the changes that occurred in 1936 in America and Europe; Pytor Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s “Serenade for Strings”; “Wind Symphonies” by Igor Stravinsky and “Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman” by Joan Tower.

Tickets are $38-$60 for the live show, or $35 for the livestream or a webcast at 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 13, available at lctix.com or 970-221-6730.

Visit FCSymphony.org for concert program notes; listen to an interview with Anthony Elliott at fcsymphony.org/blog/cellist-anthony-elliot; tune into Kenney’s “World of Symphonic Music” at 7 p.m. Sundays on KRFC 88.9 FM; or attend the Dawn Grapes Composer Talk via Zoom at noon on Wednesday, February 2 – Zoom: 823 1447 7068 (meeting ID), 198923 (access code). To free.

The Friends of the Symphony Orchestra will host a virtual “Meet the Guest Artist” event on a Zoom platform at noon on Thursday, February 3, when the guest cellist will discuss their career, the piece they will be performing, and answer questions.

The event is free.

To register, visit bit.ly/3G6Rck6. The meeting ID is 892 3041 3691 and the access code is 192672.

“Your affection”

The Clara Hatton Gallery at Colorado State University, 551 W. Pitkin St., Fort Collins, will present “Affective Tone” by guest artist Adán De La Garza through February 25.

Based in Denver, De La Garza’s work integrates performance, sound, photography and video with a strong punk ethos.

Using an array of audio technologies from the military-industrial complex, “Affective Tone” explores the sonic terrain where noise music and military-influenced sonic warfare intersect.

The hope is to develop a broader understanding of the weaponization of sound.

The gallery is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Friday.

For details, call 970-491-6774 or visit adandelagarza.com or uca.colostate.edu.

At this point, we all know what to fear. A weekend in a country mansion? Regrets! A trip on the Orient Express? We will fly. So how did the after partya new eight-part series streaming now on Apple TV+, find a fresh take on the classic murder mystery?

To begin with, it wasn’t. The series, like the greats of the genre Index Where Sheila’s Last– focuses on a murder and its aftermath, all of which take place in the same location. In this case, it’s pop star Xavier’s (Dave Franco) mansion, where a group gathers for a post-high school reunion frivolity before their host is offended. Each of the guests (a rogues gallery of possible killers played by Sam Richardson, Ilana Glazer, and Genevieve Angelson, among others) has a motive, and they’re all trapped in the house with a Poirotesque cop (Tiffany Haddish) determined to crack the case.

“What’s interesting about creating a murder mystery these days is that we have 100 years of others that came before,” says Christopher Miller, who wrote and executive produces the series with Phil Lord. . “It’s a world we know and love, but we intentionally didn’t want it to feel stored away.”

What sets the after party apart from its predecessors is a unique approach to storytelling. Each episode focuses on a suspect’s memories and is told in a style specific to that character’s version of the night in question.

“11 years ago, I had the idea of ​​a Rashomonmurder mystery crime comedy, and I originally conceived it as a movie,” says Miller. “When we dusted it off, we thought, what if, in this age of amazing streaming content, we expand it?”

the after party is also contemporary in the way it unveils its mystery. “The public is warned these days,” Miller says. “They are more sophisticated than when the original was Murder on the Orient Expressand being one step ahead of them is a real trick.

Despite all its modern know-how, which makes the after party work is something timeless. “We tell stories to understand where the threats are coming from,” says Lord. “We’re also concerned about who we can trust, so learning lessons about when people aren’t honest really scratches the itch.”

Need to watch? SIGN UP FOR APPLETV+ HERE.

This story appears in the February 2022 issue of City & Country. SUBSCRIBE NOW

Adam Rathe
Editor-in-Chief, Arts and Culture
Adam Rathe is an editor at Town & Country, covering arts and culture and a range of other topics.

This content is created and maintained by a third party, and uploaded to this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content on piano.io