ournews

For the 10th anniversary of the "Tatort" commissioner Thorsten Falke (Wotan Wilke Möhring, 55), the makers chose a highly explosive and current topic. Screenwriter Julia Drache shows the sometimes depressing existence of people in Germany without papers: "The worst thing is this hopelessness that people find themselves in." That's why, according to Drache, the drama in "Verborgen" is in the foreground. The main focus of the story is the fate of Jon Makoni. A well-integrated man who, eleven years after fleeing from Zimbabwe to Germany, has still not received official status. The role is embodied by actor Alois Moyo (56), who brought his own experiences to the Sunday evening thriller.

"My personal experiences have flowed into the film," said Moyo in advance. He also comes from Zimbabwe and was politically persecuted there. In 2001 he got his first contacts to Germany through an art project. From there, however, he first traveled on to England and applied for asylum there, which was rejected. He was then deported to Germany at the age of 35: "I couldn't work legally as an artist and would have liked to go to theater or film school." At that time, however, refugees were not allowed to work or study: "You go crazy, really. It was a difficult time."

He commuted between Zimbabwe and Germany for ten years and was later able to work in this country with an artist visa. In 2007 he produced his first play in Germany with "Afrika Montage": "Since then I have also acted in several TV productions." Moyo has had a German passport for four years. He still has a lot in common with his role, not just his origins and contacts in Great Britain. Jon has the identical attitude: "There is worse, better than nothing! That's what I thought at the time too."

Alois Moyo made a film with Morgan Freeman and Daniel Craig
Incidentally, Moyo was very moved by the shooting of "Verborgen". When playing, he even had tears in his eyes: "This film means a lot to me, because I feel like Jon." The "crime scene" also tells his story and he thinks it's good that millions of viewers can now get an idea of how difficult it is for refugees to live in Germany without papers.

Incidentally, his first "Tatort" role was not his engagement in "Verborgen". In 2015, Moyo was seen alongside Wotan Wilke Möhring. At that time he played the role of the asylum seeker Bashir in the crime film "Burned". However, Moyo made what is by far his best-known film long before he fled Africa to Europe: In 1992 he was in the drama "In the Glory of the Sun" alongside Hollywood stars such as Morgan Freeman (85) and Daniel Craig (55) seen in a smaller role.

Renata Lusin lost her baby a few weeks ago. The professional dancer has now returned to the "Let's Dance" floor. The evening was so emotional for her.

The current "Let's Dance" episode last Friday evening was very emotional for Renata Lusin (35). She returned to the TV floor after suffering a miscarriage a few weeks ago. On Instagram she tells how she experienced the evening.

"It was just so emotional for me," Lusin explains in an Instagram story published on April 15. The short clip was apparently made right after her appearance at the beginning of the show on Friday. "I just cried through it, it was so, so, so nice to dance. Oh my god I'm so grateful."

In an interview with RTL, shortly before the show, she made her anticipation of her "Let's Dance" comeback clear: "During the rehearsals I had goosebumps all over my body. I was so radiant, I don't know how it is tonight will. I'll probably explode."

In another Instagram post, Lusin also writes about her comeback: "I literally exploded with happiness and joy. It was so much fun. [...] It was so emotional for me. I'm sometimes amazed by myself . But I can't describe the feeling to you." Many of her fans are very impressed by Lusin's performance in the comments and are already hoping that Renata will dance regularly again in the next season.

Renata Lusin allowed herself "only one day of sadness and tears"
Shortly before, the 35-year-old, whose husband Valentin Lusin (36) is dancing with Anna Ermakova (23) in the current season, told the "Bild" newspaper that she had suffered three miscarriages within a year. The couple announced the pregnancy earlier than they would have liked. Because Renata Lusin didn't want to lie about why she wasn't taking part in the current "Let's Dance" season. "Normally at such an early stage - it was the sixth or seventh week - I would not have told anyone about it," explained Lusin. Her doctor banned her from dancing.

"After each of these miscarriages, I only allowed myself one day of mourning and tears, after that it had to go on," said Lusin. "Probably my body protects me from feelings that are too dark." Meanwhile, she explained to the broadcaster: "I cried for a day or two and that was it." Lusin is obviously optimistic about the future: "I'll get pregnant quickly, [...] that's why I'm positive and know that it will definitely work."

RTL (also on RTL+) shows the eighth live show of the current 16th season of "Let's Dance" on April 21 from 8:15 p.m.

Disney fans have slammed the cast of upcoming live-action Lilo & Stitch. In it, Sydney Agudong (22, "Infamously in Love") will play Lilo's sister Nani, which annoys some. Agudong, while of Hawaiian descent, does not live up to the portrayal of Nani in the 2002 animated series, critics argue. There the character had darker skin, black hair and other ethnic characteristics.

That's what the 2002 series Lilo & Stitch was about
A blue alien disguised as a dog lands on the Hawaiian island of Kauai. It is adopted there by a little girl named Lilo. She lives with her older sister Nani after her parents died in a car accident. Stitch's destructive nature keeps getting Lilo and Nani in trouble.

Nani wants to provide a stable, safe environment for her little sister. The social worker Cobra Bobo is constantly breathing down their necks. That's why Nani is trying, among other things, to find a permanent job...

"Whitewashing" accusation against Disney
A Twitter user wrote: "The conflict in Lilo and Stitch, which centers on the colonialist state's attempt to tear apart the small 'broken' Hawaiian family, is made even clearer by the fact that both girls are darker-skinned. Casting the role the Nani with a light-skinned Hawaiian woman stands in the way."

Another user finds: "Lilo and Stitch represent dark-skinned people of color." Nani's occupation with Agudong is a form of "whitewashing". It's something Disney always does.

The critics also do not accept the argument that Disney cast an African-American leading actress in the live-action adaptation of "The Little Mermaid" (2023). After all, Arielle's submission did not refer to cultural origin. That was clearly the case with "Lilo & Stitch". "You're comparing oranges to apples," tweeted one commenter.

Criticism was already pouring down on the live action film "Aladdin".
It's not the first time Disney has been criticized for casting decisions in live-action remakes. This happened in 2019 with "Aladdin", where Naomi Scott (29) played Princess Jasmine as a British actress of Indian descent. Jasmine was the first dark-skinned Disney princess in the 1992 animated film.

The shock news spread quickly in the middle of the week: Hollywood actor Jamie Foxx (55) was hospitalized. A little later, his daughter Corinne Foxx (29) confirmed via Instagram that her father was being treated for a "medical complication". But he is already on the mend, Corinne wrote in her post. It was also said that he was already joking again. However, as the US portal "TMZ" reports, it is still not clear why Foxx got into this emergency situation. It is also said that his doctors do not yet know what caused the medical problem in him.

According to the report, Jamie Foxx is still in the hospital. In the next few days, some tests should bring more light into the darkness. In addition, it is still uncertain when the actor will be allowed to leave the hospital. Nobody would think of returning to the camera at the moment. Foxx is currently in the middle of filming his new movie "Back in Action" alongside Cameron Diaz (50).

How is the shooting of "Back in Action" going on now?
As "TMZ" further reports, Foxx would have to complete a total of eight more days of shooting before his role would actually be in the can. However, it is still unclear how the project will continue. We have learned from production circles that the film will definitely be completed in the next week. It has also not yet been decided whether the Foxx scenes would be rewritten, a substitute actor would step in or the scenes that were still to be shot would simply be deleted. The "People" magazine meanwhile reports that the producers are said to have put a replacement for Foxx in front of the camera on Thursday. The next few days will show which version is correct.

In a few weeks, a new star will rise in the streaming sky. Warner Bros. Discovery has announced that the new service Max will then start in the USA. An overview of what Max is, what the whole thing costs, whether the service will also come to Germany and what content streaming fans can expect.

HBO Max and Discovery+ become Max
Warner Bros. Discovery describes Max in a press release as an "enhanced streaming service". The slogan of the new offer makes it clear what noble goals are being pursued: Max is "the one to watch", the one service that you absolutely have to watch. A big undertaking considering how many competitors there are on the market - including Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+ or Paramount+, just to name a few of the most well-known.

Starting May 23 in the US, Max will combine two previous offerings: HBO Max and Discovery+. The entire HBO Max catalog will be included in the United States, with Discovery+ adding "the most popular content," a spokeswoman for Warner Bros. Discovery Germany told spot on news. The cheaper Discovery+ offer should also remain bookable in the USA independently of Max.

Max will offer a mixture of blockbusters, premium series and reality content, which at least in the US has its price. A subscription with advertising, 1080p resolution and no download function is available for around ten US dollars a month or just under 100 dollars a year. Without ads and with downloads, the price goes straight up to just over $16 a month or $150 a year. The "Ultimate" subscription with 4K resolution, among other things, even costs around $20 a month or $200 a year.

Max not in Germany before 2025?
Over time, Max will be released in additional regions where HBO Max is currently available. Areas in Latin America are to follow in 2023 and then countries in Europe and Asia in 2024. In this country, series fans will have to wait a while. Max will be "launched in Europe next year with an initial focus on HBO Max markets," the spokeswoman said. "Rollout in additional European countries such as Germany will follow in due course, depending on our agreements with partners, specific business environments and developments."

HBO Max is currently available in Europe in Norway, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Spain, Portugal, Bulgaria, Hungary, Croatia and Romania. In 2021, the "Financial Times" reported that content from the US broadcaster HBO would end up on Sky or its in-house streaming service Wow until at least 2025 due to license agreements in Germany, Great Britain and Italy. HBO series hits such as "The Last of Us", "Game of Thrones", "Euphoria" or "The White Lotus" can currently be streamed there in Germany.

The home of Harry Potter, superheroes and fantasy warriors
The media and entertainment company relies on countless big names - be it actors or franchises. Max is the home of many well-known series and film brands in the USA, including Batman and Wonder Woman, the other superheroes of the DC Universe and probably the most famous sorcerer's apprentice in the world: Harry Potter.

In a message, Max is promised an average of more than 40 new titles or seasons a month. At the end of May, the comic adaptation "Shazam! Fury of the Gods" and the animated series "Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai" should celebrate their streaming premieres. As part of the launch of the service, Warner Bros. Discovery also announced some new productions.

The biggest surprise is that Max is collaborating on a long-running Harry Potter series with author J.K. Rowling (57), who is on the project as executive producer. The faithful adaptation will span multiple seasons and is set to last ten years. However, there will be no reunion with Daniel Radcliffe (33), Emma Watson (32) or Rupert Grint (34) as Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley, as a new cast is to embody the well-known characters.

George R.R. Martin (74), the man behind the stories from "Game of Thrones" and the prequel "House of the Dragon" is also one of the executive producers of another "GoT" spin-off. He will also write the screenplays for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight alongside Ira Parker. The series is based on Martin's Tales of Dunk and Egg stories.

Chuck Lorre (70) should make friends of comedy series laugh. Following "Young Sheldon," he is also executive producing another spin-off of his popular sitcom, The Big Bang Theory. However, there are no more details about it yet