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‘Doctor Strange 2’ star Elizabeth Olsen on how Scarlett Johansson taught her to be a superhero

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Actress Elizabeth Olsen’s character Wanda Maximoff in the ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ is at her most complex, as her relationship with the title character essayed by English star Benedict Cumberbatch, grows more tangled over the course of the film.

However, Olsen, whose portrayal of the mystical Scarlet Witch has made her a consistent MCU fan favourite, says that no matter what Wanda goes through, she’ll continue to defend the character, reports ‘Variety’.

“I remember people saying at the end of ‘Wandavision’. ‘She has no accountability’,” Olsen told ‘Variety’ senior entertainment reporter Angelique Jackson on the red carpet at the ‘Multiverse of Madness’ premiere on Monday.

“She’s gonna take accountability for herself, she’s gonna isolate, she’s gonna think about it, and she’s gonna grow.”

Although ‘Multiverse of Madness’ is a sequel to the 2016 ‘Doctor Strange’ film, it also follows many of the plot threads of the critically acclaimed Disney+ series ‘Wandavision’, which saw Olsen and Paul Bettany headline as Wanda and the android Vision.

Olsen jumped into filming on ‘Doctor Strange 2’ right after she wrapped ‘Wandavision’.

“Getting to do ‘Wandavision’ and then coming into this film, my priority was, how do we continue the thread, but how do we also make it different?” Olsen recalled.

“How is there an evolution, how can we keep it exciting for the fans? And how can we ground her and show them something they haven’t seen yet? And I’m really looking forward for the fan response after this film. I think everyone’s in for a ride.”

‘Wandavision’ is one of the most well-received MCU projects, garnering multiple Emmy nominations, including nods for Olson, Bettany and Kathryn Hahn.

However, because the series premiered early 2021, amid the Covid pandemic lockdowns, Olsen didn’t get to experience the glitz and glamour of a premiere party or the in-person fan response to the show until the ‘Multiverse of Madness’ press tour.

“It’s really surreal. I keep hearing about the response, but it’s hard to actually connect with it until you’re actually at a premiere like this,” Olsen said.

“It’s wild. This is eight years now for me with Marvel, and I just feel so grateful to still be here and to have grown this character to what she’s become. But I’m also grateful to Kevin Feige for giving me the opportunity to do ‘Wandavision’ and having the idea.”

In addition to continuing Wanda’s story, ‘Multiverse of Madness’ introduces a new superhero, 16-year-old Xochitl Gomez as the reality-hopping America Chavez. Olsen shared how impressed she was by the young actor’s poise when joining the MCU.

“She has such a vitality to her, she has so much confidence being so young,” Olsen said.

“She has so much confidence being so young. I was 25 when I started, and she’s way better off than I was when I started.”

Olsen made her MCU debut in 2015’s ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’.

Much like Gomez looked to her to learn the superhero ropes while filming ‘Multiverse of Madness,” Olsen studied franchise veteran Scarlett Johansson, who played Black Widow across several films, reports ‘Variety’.

“I remember being on ‘Ultron’ and seeing how she was with the crew,” Olsen shared.

“I was just amazed by her ease and her comfort and how she includes the crew in everything, and how she makes everyone part of the team and feel excited to come to work. And I’ve really taken that into my life since then.”

Olsen said that it’s a little “shocking” to now be in the position of a pseudo-mentor, but “it’s amazing that we’ve gone through (iterations of the MCU) and it’s been this long, that now we have these different ages of women”.

Bollywood

Delnaaz Irani explains why audience loyalty has shifted in today’s TV landscape

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Mumbai, June 24: Actress Delnaaz Irani opened up about the evolving nature of the small screen and why audience loyalty isn’t what it used to be.

Speaking to media, she shared valuable insights into how the rise of OTT platforms, changing viewing habits, and the abundance of content have transformed the way audiences engage with television today. Irani, known for her extensive body of work on television, spoke about how the industry has evolved over the years. Addressing the common perception that TV shows no longer enjoy the long runs they once did, the actress maintained that the quality of content hasn’t necessarily declined.

She emphasized that each show has its own journey and that content creators are still putting in dedicated effort to bring meaningful stories to viewers. However, she acknowledged that the media landscape has undergone a massive transformation. Comparing it to the ‘90s and early 2000s, Delnaaz pointed out that the television industry back then operated with fewer channels and limited platforms.

“Every show has its own journey. Content creators are working hard, and good content is still being made. But the media landscape has changed drastically. Back in the ’90s and early 2000s, we didn’t have this many channels or platforms. Today, OTT has taken over in a big way. There’s so much variety that audience loyalty is scattered. The TRP game has shifted. It’s not about quality alone—luck and timing play a big role.”

Delnaaz Irani also reflected on her experience with the beloved historical comedy “Akbar Birbal.” She called it one of the most special projects of her career, having been part of the popular TV series for nearly three years. The Kal Ho Naa Ho actress expressed a deep sense of pride in revisiting the same role for the stage version, calling it a full-circle moment.

Speaking about the challenges of live comedy, Delnaaz shared that the stage has always been home for her. With her acting roots grounded in theatre, she finds performing comedy in front of a live audience not just effortless but immensely enjoyable. “Comedy has always come naturally to me. I started my journey from the stage; that’s where my acting roots are. The stage was my school, my training ground. So, for me, doing comedy on stage doesn’t feel like work—it feels like play, like I’m just having fun.”

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Bollywood

Pankaj Tripathi talks about how growing up in Bihar influenced his craft

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Mumbai, June 24: Acclaimed star Pankaj Tripathi has opened up about how his growing up days in Bihar influenced his craft in acting.

Talking about how growing up in Bihar has influenced his craft, Pankaj told IANS: “Of course it has. That will happen. We are nothing. We are puppets of our experience. So my experience, everyone’s experience, not mine, where I was born, where I grew up, my experience is in my work.”

Pankaj added: “Even if I was in corporate, or in any other field, I would still be there because I am in acting, I am in art, and in this, our art form, performing art, is very close to human emotion and nature.”

“If we leave singing, everyone has an instrument, if we leave singing. In the art form of acting, the instrument is your experience, your body, your emotions.Through that we create something. Yes. So the experience we have, we recall that memory and put it in scenes and films.”

The actor currently awaits the release of “Metro…In Dino,” which delves into the complex and modern relationships, the upcoming film promises an exploration of love, heartbreak, and human connection.

The film stars Aditya Roy Kapur, Sara Ali Khan, Ali Fazal, Fatima Sana Shaikh, Pankaj Tripathi, Konkona Sen Sharma, Anupam Kher and Neena Gupta. Directed by Anurag Basu, the film will be in cinemas on July 4.

The film is a spiritual sequel to the 2007 film “Life in a… Metro” directed by Basu. Partly inspired by Billy Wilder’s romantic comedy film The Apartment, it features an ensemble cast of Dharmendra, Nafisa Ali, Shilpa Shetty, Kay Kay Menon, Shiney Ahuja, Irrfan Khan, Konkona Sen Sharma, Kangana Ranaut, and Sharman Joshi in lead roles.

It narrates the lives of nine people living in Mumbai and deals with topics such as extramarital affairs, sanctity of marriage, commitment phobia, and love.

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Entertainment

Ali Fazal says Anurag Basu uses sets to his advantage, likes to break illusion

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Mumbai, June 24: Actor Ali Fazal, who has collaborated for the first time with director Anurag Basu in ‘Metro… In Dino’, has lavished praise on the director saying that he is very resourceful, and his process is very immersive.

Ali spoke with media recently, and shared that Anurag likes to break illusions as a storyteller, and pushes the envelope for his actors as well.

The actor told media, “Working with Anurag Basu is like walking into the perfect set. What I love about him is that he uses sets to his advantage. He opens up the imagination. He can sometimes think of a shot that can go through a wall”.

He further mentioned, “He allows his imagination to think and shoot that. As opposed to a lot of people, who only think this is how I’ve thought it, but will it be possible in reality? He likes breaking that illusion. And I think that’s what keeps it going. Of course, as an actor, I’m stepping into the perfect set because all I have to do is just catch that rhythm rather than start my own thing and see where it goes”.

Ali is returning to the big screen with ‘Metro… In Dino’ after a brief period of time. Earlier, the actor had said that his favourite Anurag Basu film is ‘Jagga Jasoos’.

‘Metro… In Dino’ also stars Anupam Kher, Pankaj Tripathi, Konkona Sen Sharma, Aditya Roy Kapur, Sara Ali Khan, Fatima Sana Shaikh, and Neena Gupta, and promises soul-stirring tales rooted in the relentless rhythm of ever-moving cities.

Presented by Gulshan Kumar & T-Series presents, in association with Anurag Basu Productions Pvt. Ltd., ‘Metro In Dino’ is produced by Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar, Anurag Basu, and Taani Basu.

The film is set to arrive in cinemas on July 4, 2025.

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