Latest news with #MaxinePeake
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Maxine Peake ‘at peace' with life and ‘embracing it' after ‘difficult' time
Maxine Peake has revealed she is at "peace" with life and "embracing it" after moving into middle age. The actress turned 50 last year, and is known for her work on the TV shows Shameless, dinnerladies and Silk. She revealed that it had been "difficult" turning 40, but has now come to terms with getting older. In an interview with The Guardian, she said: "Well, on my next birthday in two weeks, I'll be 51. "I'm at peace with the fact that I'm middle-aged now. I'm embracing it. Turning 40 was more difficult. Now I think: 'I'm still here', and that can't be looked upon lightly." Peake was born in Bolton and was asked if her northern accent had impacted her career in a positive or negative way. She shared: "They do call a group of actors a 'moan' of actors. We like to have a good moan. "When people hear a regional accent, they immediately make assumptions about your class, financial status and education. "People generally think if you've got a strong regional accent, you can't do much else. "Obviously there are amazing actors like Jodie Comer who smash that to pieces because people don't realise she's from Liverpool. But because I came out the traps with the northern accent it's probably helped." Outside of her TV work Peake has appeared in a number of films, including the Mike Leigh historical drama Peterloo, which was about the massacre of the same name. Speaking about the opportunity to work with him, she said: "I wrote to Mike when I was at drama school, where I did my showcase with Sally Hawkins, a two-hander of the April De Angelis play, Playhouse Creatures. Recommended reading: Helen Skelton to present new adventure programme alongside JLS star 'Weird' Emmerdale villain set for shock return for revenge on popular character Watch 'wholesome' moment Kelly Osbourne is proposed to at dad Ozzy's last ever gig "I said: 'We should write to Mike Leigh.' She said: 'Are you sure?' I said: 'We'll do a joint letter.' So we wrote to him and we got a call in, and the rest is history. "He's brilliant. He loves actors. He has such a specific way of rehearsing and character development, but he's so thorough and – I don't know whether he'd like me saying – humble. "There are no airs and graces about him. He's so passionate about what he does, and I just love the fact that he loves actors."
The Guardian
24-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Words of War review – Maxine Peake leads line as murdered Putin-critic journalist Anna Politkovskaya
This British-American co-production offers a dramatised portrait of Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya (played by Maxine Peake) who was assassinated in 2006. Politkovskaya's gutsy, impassioned reporting on the second Chechen war was highly critical of the Kremlin, the Russian army and Vladimir Putin personally. (The fact that she was murdered on his birthday was surely no coincidence.) Nineteen years after her death, she remains a folk hero worldwide for resistances to autocracy, especially given the rise in repression everywhere and constant threats to journalists. Given all that, the film deserves respect for the subject matter, even though this is a pretty basic rendition of Politkovskaya's story, a little too sticky with hagiographic sentimentality and the cliches of crusading journalist-led movies. It also should be noted that Politkovskaya's family haven't given the film their blessing; some of them may not be happy, for instance, with the thinly written characterisations of their fictional counterparts, like her son Ilya (Harry Lawtey) who is made to seem peevish and self-absorbed even when his feelings are understandable. ('I'm not watching you die!' he bellows at one point.) In fact, the flawed peripheral characters are more interesting than Peake's Politkovskaya, who spends much of the film with her strong jaw jutting out, projecting nobility despite the over-lacquered blond wig inflicted on her. Her best scenes are those in which she spars with Jason Isaacs, who plays her husband, Sasha – a TV journalist clearly proud of his wife but jealous of her success – and with Ian Hart (always a treat when playing the heavy) as a sinister FSB secret policeman who loves history. The gently swelling strings in the score and flat lighting all serve to underscore the televisual atmosphere – even in what should be the film's climatic set piece, the disastrous siege at Moscow's Dubrovka theatre, a cataclysmic event that deserves more dynamic film-making than the bit of slow-motion and sound dimming offered here. Politkovskaya served as a negotiator between the Russian security forces and the Chechen terrorists; she was later poisoned on a plane headed to Beslan, where a school full of children were also killed by terrorists. Politkovskaya survived that particular assassination attempt but those who know her story will dread the arrival of the final blow. It is to the film's credit that over the end titles we see a portrait not just of the real Politkovskaya but also some of the 1,500 journalists worldwide who have been murdered in recent years. Words of War is on digital platforms from 30 June
The Guardian
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Post your questions for Maxine Peake
Maxine Peake's film career took off as Stephen Hawking's nurse and second wife in 2014's The Theory of Everything, in a role that the Guardian's Peter Bradshaw said she approached 'with delicacy'. It was a far cry from Twinkle the snarky dinner lady from Victoria Wood's sitcom Dinnerladies, but not the first time she portrayed a real-life person. She played Myra Hindley in the 2006 ITV drama See No Evil: The Moors Murders, and the titular 19th-century Yorkshire lesbian landowner in the 2010 BBC period drama The Secret Diaries of Miss Anne Lister. Peake has done a ton more TV: she played Veronica Ball in Channel 4's Shameless, Martha Costello in BBC One legal drama Silk, and Grace Middleton in BBC One drama series The Village. She's in that really weird (even for Black Mirror) black and white episode about the robotic dogs. She wrote and starred in a BBC Radio 4 play about Anne Scargill, who was married to Arthur. She used to play rugby for Wigan Ladies. And she pulled on a pair of hose to play Hamlet. Back on the big screen, the Bolton-born Peake was the lead in 2017's Funny Cow, where her performance as a northern 70s stand-up was described as 'magnificent' by Mark Kermode in the Observer. She's in Mike Leigh's historical drama Peterloo as radical working class mother Nellie, and plays Samuel Beckett's bit on the side in 2023 biopic Dance First. Now, in Words of War, she takes on the role of journalist and human rights activist Anna Politkovskaya, who was murdered in Russia in 2006. In this very publication Peake described her as 'a woman with immense courage and integrity who, despite numerous threats to her life, continued to be a blazing beacon of truth in a time and place where speaking truth was extremely dangerous'. Please get in your questions by 6pm on Tuesday 24 June and we'll print her answers in Film & Music in July. Words of War is available on digital platforms from 30 June.
Economic Times
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Economic Times
Words of War: When will the film release in theatres? See release date, storyline, cast and creative team
Storyline Cast and Creative Team Live Events Release Date FAQs (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel The upcoming film Words of War tells the story of Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya . She reported on sensitive topics and paid a high price. The film will open in theaters across the United States on May 2, film is based on the real life of Anna Politkovskaya. She was known for reporting on conflicts and human rights issues in Russia. She faced several threats throughout her career. Despite danger, she continued reporting. She eventually lost her life for her work. Maxine Peake , Jason Isaacs and Ciarán Hinds play lead roles in the film. They are featured in a newly released poster with a red background. Other cast members include Ian Hart, Ellie Bamber, Harry Lawtey, Sophie Simnett and Ben Strong directed the movie. Eric Poppen wrote the script. Sean Penn is one of the executive producers. He shared that the film aims to highlight the value of honest journalism. He said it is both a tribute and a reflection on the power of story shows Anna Politkovskaya's dedication to free press. She believed in telling the truth, no matter the risks. The film reminds audiences of the challenges journalists face worldwide. It presents the cost of speaking out against authority and standing by the of War will premiere in US theaters on May 2, 2025. This date coincides with the United Nations' World Press Freedom Day . Release dates for other countries and streaming platforms will be announced Politkovskaya was a Russian journalist who exposed corruption and war crimes. She died for reporting film opens in US theaters on May 2, 2025. Global and streaming releases are pending.
Time of India
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Words of War: When will the film release in theatres? See release date, storyline, cast and creative team
The upcoming film Words of War tells the story of Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya . She reported on sensitive topics and paid a high price. The film will open in theaters across the United States on May 2, 2025. #Pahalgam Terrorist Attack Nuclear Power! How India and Pakistan's arsenals stack up Does America have a plan to capture Pakistan's nuclear weapons? Airspace blockade: India plots a flight path to skip Pakistan Storyline The film is based on the real life of Anna Politkovskaya. She was known for reporting on conflicts and human rights issues in Russia. She faced several threats throughout her career. Despite danger, she continued reporting. She eventually lost her life for her work. Also Read: Raising Kanan Season 4 Episode 8: Why was the episode's release delayed? Check out new release date, time, what to expect and where to watch 5 5 Next Stay Playback speed 1x Normal Back 0.25x 0.5x 1x Normal 1.5x 2x 5 5 / Skip Ads by by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Click here for more information Undo Cast and Creative Team Maxine Peake , Jason Isaacs and Ciarán Hinds play lead roles in the film. They are featured in a newly released poster with a red background. Other cast members include Ian Hart, Ellie Bamber, Harry Lawtey, Sophie Simnett and Ben Miles. James Strong directed the movie. Eric Poppen wrote the script. Sean Penn is one of the executive producers. He shared that the film aims to highlight the value of honest journalism. He said it is both a tribute and a reflection on the power of truth. Live Events The story shows Anna Politkovskaya's dedication to free press. She believed in telling the truth, no matter the risks. The film reminds audiences of the challenges journalists face worldwide. It presents the cost of speaking out against authority and standing by the facts. Release Date Words of War will premiere in US theaters on May 2, 2025. This date coincides with the United Nations' World Press Freedom Day . Release dates for other countries and streaming platforms will be announced later. FAQs Who is Anna Politkovskaya and why is she important? Anna Politkovskaya was a Russian journalist who exposed corruption and war crimes. She died for reporting truthfully. When will Words of War be available to watch? The film opens in US theaters on May 2, 2025. Global and streaming releases are pending.
