Latest news with #culturalinfluence
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Uma Thurman Says She Didn't Realize ‘Pulp Fiction' Would Be As Iconic When She Was Making It
Though now widely recognized as a seminal film with indelible cultural influence — sparking references, parodies and homages aplenty since its 1994 release — Pulp Fiction, created on a small seven-figure budget, wasn't something star Uma Thurman initially realized would have such a watershed impact. In a recent interview with The Times U.K., the Oscar nominee discussed her four-decade-plus career and turn alongside Charlize Theron in Victoria Mahoney's The Old Guard 2, released July 2 on Netflix. More from Deadline 'Squid Game' Is Still Blowing Up For Netflix Charlize Theron On Studios' "Risk" Aversion Toward Action Films With Female Leads: "Guys Will Get A Free Ride" 'Old Guard 2' Director Victoria Mahoney On Charlize Theron & Uma Thurman, Being #1, Sequels, 'Star Wars' & Miles Davis 'I knew it was special, you could tell from the writing, the uniqueness,' Thurman said of the Quentin Tarantino- helmed and written feature, 'but it was a relatively small film.' Amid its debut at Cannes, where it won the coveted Palme d'Or, Thurman had already been acting for 10 years. At 24, she starred as Mia Wallace, the wife to Ving Rhames' crime boss and an aspiring actress, for which she was Oscar nominated in the Best Supporting Actress category. Though her black bob cut, monochromatic attire and penchant for cigarettes comprised an iconic look for the era, Thurman wasn't Miramax's first choice for the project — with Michelle Pfeiffer, Meg Ryan, Holly Hunter and Rosanna Arquette being considered — and stated previously she was unsure about taking on the role. 'He wasn't this revered demigod auteur that he has grown into,' she told Vanity Fair previously, adding she was in a 'funny little slump' following the box office failure of Even Cowgirls Get the Blues and that the vulgarity of the film made her initially hesitant. 'And I wasn't sure I wanted to do it because I was worried about the gimp stuff. No one could believe I even hesitated in any way. Neither can I, in hindsight.' Elsewhere in her interview with The Times, Thurman spoke of her daughter, Stranger Things actress Maya Hawke, and how she avoids giving her professional advice: 'Oh, she knows what she's doing. She went to Juilliard, thank God. She actually finished high school. And what I did learn [about mothering] is that nobody listens. So it's really about being there for [my kids] rather than telling them what to do,' she said. Pulp Fiction, about two hitmen — portrayed by Samuel L. Jackson and John Travolta — and how their exploits intersect with the lives of a cast of characters existing in the criminal underworld of Los Angeles, also stars Bruce Willis, Tim Roth, Christopher Walken and Harvey Keitel. Considered Tarantino's magnum opus, the flick was nominated for seven Oscars, winning for Best Original Screenplay. Thurman can currently be seen flexing her Kill Bill-era action skills in The Old Guard 2 as well as Showtime's Dexter: Resurrection, now airing its first season. Best of Deadline Streamer Subscription Prices And Tiers – Everything To Know As Costs Rise And Ads Abound (Hello, Peacock) - Update 'Stick' Release Guide: When Do New Episodes Come Out? 'Stick' Soundtrack: All The Songs You'll Hear In The Apple TV+ Golf Series
Globe and Mail
04-07-2025
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Retire Rich: The family ties of a financial plan
Good morning. I hope you found some time to relax during this week of Canada Day celebrations – maybe even in the sun. Today, we're digging into how our family backgrounds can shape the way we think about, and plan for, retirement. I've been thinking a lot lately about how culture influences our financial decisions, especially when it comes to retirement. It's not just about how much we've saved or when we want to stop working. For many people, it's also about family, their legacy and obligations. New data from Fidelity Canada's 2025 Retirement Report back that up. For example, nearly 60 per cent of people born outside Canada say financially supporting their children is holding them back from retiring when they'd like. That's almost double the rate of those born in Canada. And the financial commitment doesn't stop when the kids leave school. More than half of foreign-born pre-retirees expect to continue supporting their adult children in some way through retirement. Among Canadian-born respondents, that number drops to 39 per cent. There's a similar gap when it comes to the importance of leaving behind a financial legacy: 56 per cent of immigrants said it matters to them, compared to 46 per cent of those born in Canada. Taken together, the data paint a clear picture: Retirement isn't a one-size-fits-all experience. Cultural expectations and intergenerational ties can significantly shape what it looks like, and when it begins. But numbers only tell part of the story. I want to hear yours. Have you supported or been supported by family across generations? Did your upbringing influence how you think about retirement? Whether you or your parents were born in Canada or elsewhere, send me a note at mraman@ Past financial mistakes can delay major life goals. It might sound dramatic, but many Canadians say it's their reality. Forty-one per cent of Canadians aged 30 to 44 say previous money blunders have delayed major milestones, such as paying off debt or buying a home, according to a new survey from Why it matters: Money mistakes don't just hurt in the moment, they can cast a long shadow. Survey respondents said these past choices made it harder to save, tackle debt, plan for retirement or simply live the life they want. Yes, but: Everyone makes money mistakes. What matters is what you do next. With some smart planning and consistency, it's entirely possible to get back on track. Can we renovate our basement and still retire in a decade? That's the question Romesh, 54, and Gayle, 52, are asking. Let's break it down. The numbers: The Toronto couple earns $150,000 a year, has $2-million in assets, and carries a $475,000 mortgage. They're planning a $125,000 basement renovation, with maybe another $50,000 to add a rental unit. Their goal is to retire in about a decade with $8,000 a month in after-tax income. The good news: They're in solid shape. A financial planner says they can reach their goals, even with the renovation, as long as they make a few smart moves. Key steps, from a financial planner: Plus: A rental suite could boost their net worth by 11 per cent, but they'll need to weigh the potential tax impact and whether they want to be landlords later in life. 🚨 Traditional retirement is changing. The idea of working until 65, retiring and never working again is fading. Many people are retiring earlier, then starting businesses, freelancing or even becoming influencers. We want to hear about what your second act is. Tell me about it at mraman@ ☀️ Will Canadian snowbirds in Florida go extinct? Florida just isn't the sunny escape it once was for many Canadian retirees. Rising costs, a shaky loonie and growing U.S.-Canada trade tensions have prompted some to stay north or even sell their winter homes altogether. A new law may ease the pressure by helping condo owners with rising maintenance fees, but for many, the Florida dream is starting to dim. 🩺 The 101 on preventing falls as you age. Falls can be dangerous at any age, but they're especially serious for older adults. In Canada, they're the leading cause of injury-related hospitalizations for those over 65. The good news? You can lower your risk with simple preventative measures, such as balance-focused exercises and regular strength training. 🏡 Cheaper housing could lead to a retirement crisis. That sounds intense, but opinion writer John Turley-Ewart could have a point. Many Canadians rely on the equity in their homes to fund retirement. If housing prices drop, that nest egg shrinks. With just 38 per cent of today's work force covered by employer pension plans, more people are depending on home sales to finance their later years. 🤑 Gen Z is better at saving for retirement than you might think. A New York Times article dives into how American Gen Zers are contributing to their 401(k)s more than millennials did when they first entered the workforce. DIY investing and easier access to financial knowledge through social media could be a big reason why. 📱 Stop paying roaming fees on vacation. If you're headed out of the country this summer, don't just turn on roaming and hope for the best ... that's a fast track to a hefty phone bill. Instead, call your provider before your trip and ask about travel plans or perks (many have options they don't advertise). Or, consider getting an eSIM, a digital SIM card already built into your phone. Services like Airalo, aloSIM and Global YO let you buy international data packages before you even leave.
New York Times
22-06-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
‘Are We Past Peak Harvard?': 3 Writers Mull Higher Education's Woes
Frank Bruni, a contributing Opinion writer, hosted a written online conversation with Times columnist Ross Douthat and Larry Summers, a contributing Opinion writer and a former president of Harvard University, to discuss the state of higher education in Trump 2.0 and beyond. Frank Bruni: Ross, Larry, I'm excited to get into some of the fine points of the intensely heated, bitterly partisan war over what, whom and how America's colleges and universities should teach, but for starters, I have a big picture question. When President Trump and his allies started going after Harvard and its kin, it hit me more forcefully than ever before: These institutions have amassed a truly extraordinary degree of cultural sway well beyond what most people probably intended or planned. That's a big part of why they drew Trump's gaze, a big part of why his supporters scorn them. Regardless of how this battle turns out, are we past peak Harvard — past peak Ivy — forevermore? Larry Summers: Maybe, but there are countervailing forces. Harvard's relative prestige rises with the square of the distance from Cambridge, and so a global talent competition helps it. The greatest universities are drivers of progress. The 21st century will be a center of the life sciences, and because of Harvard, M.I.T. and their affiliates, Boston and Cambridge are ground zero, creating a flywheel effect with Stanford and digital technology. If anything, the trend is toward a higher fraction of government, business, artistic elites coming from elite schools as they get better at drawing talent. Bruni: That's definitely the trend to this point. But how much will that be affected by what the Trump administration is doing substantively, in terms of funding cutbacks, and symbolically and culturally, in terms of casting a cloud over these institutions and characterizing them — or maybe I should say caricaturing them — as Maoist or Marxist indoctrination camps? I mean, I know because I've heard from them: There are definitely parents rethinking the Ivy League. Summers: The trend could break if Trump stays super-destructive, courts are super-tolerant and the universities don't adapt and settle. That is a real worry. My best guess, though, is that the need for universities as economic engines, the enforcement of law and the fact that there is low-hanging fruit for cultural correction in the universities will carry the day. I don't think there is yet evidence of leading universities losing their appeal. Yes, there is a need to walk back from crazy, as there was after the 1960s. My guess is this will happen. You will see versions of Stanford's Hoover Institution on many campuses, more emphasis on nonideological science and a big walk back on identity politics. Ross Douthat: One way to look at it is that Harvard, for reasons Larry suggests, is permanently well-suited to endure as a hub for global talent, but it needs to figure out its relationship to the United States of America. The whole post-Cold War idea that you could be a 'global university' and form students for a 'global elite' tended to wave away the reality that Harvard is still deeply bound to the government and people of the United States. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Associated Press
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
Tunisian Voice, Global Vision: Nawres Hichri Emerges as a New Icon in Dubai's Style and Culture Scene
Blending North African Elegance with Cosmopolitan Flair, Nawres Hichri Redefines Fashion and Cultural Influence in the Heart of the UAE. DUBAI, DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES, June 11, 2025 / / -- A bold new voice is emerging in the Gulf's fashion and lifestyle landscape, blending the elegance of Tunisia with the ambition of the future. Nawres Hichri, a Tunisian creative and rising brand ambassador, is making her mark in Dubai—not just as a model, but as a storyteller, cultural bridge, and advocate for authentic representation. Born and raised in Hammamet, Tunisia's Mediterranean heartland, Nawres was immersed in tradition, resilience, and beauty. 'My childhood was filled with creativity and the freedom to dream without limits,' she says. That passion first brought her to magazine covers in Tunisia, and now to the heart of Dubai's fashion scene. Today, Nawres shines as a prominent face representing Arab and North African beauty on a global stage. With a strong academic background and experience in public service, she seamlessly blends intelligence with elegance. She describes her public persona as 'bold, graceful, and unapologetic'—a reflection of her mission to challenge stereotypes while staying true to her roots. Her collaborations span from global fashion houses like Dior and Fenty Beauty to regional brands celebrating Arab heritage. Nawres seeks partnerships that align with her core values: authenticity, inclusivity, and empowerment. She aims to use her influence beyond fashion, championing women's rights, mental health awareness, and access to education—believing that 'fashion and influence must always serve a meaningful purpose.' Since moving to Dubai, Nawres has found deep inspiration in the city's dynamic and supportive creative community. 'Dubai is where fashion, culture, and ambition meet. I came here to grow and be part of something bigger,' she reflects. Looking ahead, Nawres envisions leading global campaigns that celebrate marginalized voices and cultures. Her ultimate dream? A worldwide initiative that showcases true beauty—spotlighting talents from Africa and the Middle East and offering them a platform to shine. 'Tunisia gave me roots. Dubai gave me wings. I want to be the voice that connects tradition with the future,' Nawres concludes. For the latest updates and to connect, follow Nawres Hichri on her official Instagram: or at @ on instagram As the Gulf region enters a new era of values-driven fashion and broader cultural vision, Nawres Hichri stands out as a radiant symbol of what lies ahead. Rajesh Menon Bluarrows Marketing Management email us here Visit us on social media: Instagram Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content 'as is' without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
South China Morning Post
08-06-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
Iranian government expands restrictions on dog walking, pets
Iranian authorities have expanded a ban on walking dogs in public to multiple cities nationwide, citing public health, social order and safety concerns, domestic media reported on Sunday. The ban – which echoes a 2019 police directive that barred walking dogs in Tehran – was expanded to Ilam city in the west on Sunday, according to reports. At least 17 other cities introduced similar bans in recent days, including Isfahan in the centre and Kerman in the south. Owning and walking dogs has been a contentious topic since the 1979 Islamic revolution in Iran, though there is no law outright banning dog ownership. Many religious scholars however consider petting dogs or coming into contact with their saliva as 'najis' or ritually impure, while some officials view them as a symbol of Western cultural influence. Local authorities have periodically introduced bans on walking dogs in public spaces or carrying them in vehicles as part of a wider campaign to discourage their ownership.
