Actor says voters should ‘do everything we can’ to stop a Conservative government
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Hugh Grant has said he considered formally entering politics before the general election, but instead decided to campaign for people to vote tactically to prevent a Conservative majority to stop Brexit.
Speaking before he canvassed in Westminster with Chuka Umunna, who is standing there for the Liberal Democrats, the actor said he had decided his best role in the election was “banging the drum for tactical voting”.
Latest election news - live updates
Hugh Grant has said he considered formally entering politics before the general election, but instead decided to campaign for people to vote tactically to prevent a Conservative majority to stop Brexit.
Speaking before he canvassed in Westminster with Chuka Umunna, who is standing there for the Liberal Democrats, the actor said he had decided his best role in the election was “banging the drum for tactical voting”.
- 12/2/2019
- by Peter Walker Political correspondent
- The Guardian - Film News
Labour's Chuka Umunna has stormed out of an interview with Sky News.
The shadow business secretary and MP for Streatham clashed with host Dermot Murnaghan over a letter, which he had not read, sent out to UK mosques by communities secretary Eric Pickles.
He was asked if he believed the letter - which urged Muslim leaders to attempt to prevent young British Muslims from becoming radicalised - to be patronising.
When pushed to give an opinion, he replied: "I think you are being a bit ridiculous right now, I was asked to come and speak about David Cameron's speech on the economy and what was happening around the labour market.
"Nobody told me that I was going to come on this programme and be asked to agree whether I thought the Government was patronising Muslim people and Muslim leaders."
He added: "I'm not just going to speak off piste without actually having read a letter.
The shadow business secretary and MP for Streatham clashed with host Dermot Murnaghan over a letter, which he had not read, sent out to UK mosques by communities secretary Eric Pickles.
He was asked if he believed the letter - which urged Muslim leaders to attempt to prevent young British Muslims from becoming radicalised - to be patronising.
When pushed to give an opinion, he replied: "I think you are being a bit ridiculous right now, I was asked to come and speak about David Cameron's speech on the economy and what was happening around the labour market.
"Nobody told me that I was going to come on this programme and be asked to agree whether I thought the Government was patronising Muslim people and Muslim leaders."
He added: "I'm not just going to speak off piste without actually having read a letter.
- 1/19/2015
- Digital Spy
The idea of British television stars heading off to Hollywood has become commonplace in recent years. In fact, there was the story only earlier this year that Charlie Brooks (better known as Janine Butcher in Eastenders) was the most recent star to want to try her luck “across the pond” as they say. Numerous stars have tried and failed, some of which are household names in the UK. But then some seem to land that one role that makes them internationally famous.
Mind you, there are certain shows that you expect to generate Hollywood stars just because of the sheer volume of people that appear in them. Eastenders for example is one of them. Actresses like Martine McCutcheon have managed to appear in movies but hasn’t become a Hollywood star. The latest one to appear in a big film was Robert Kazinsky who appeared in Pacific Rim, as well...
Mind you, there are certain shows that you expect to generate Hollywood stars just because of the sheer volume of people that appear in them. Eastenders for example is one of them. Actresses like Martine McCutcheon have managed to appear in movies but hasn’t become a Hollywood star. The latest one to appear in a big film was Robert Kazinsky who appeared in Pacific Rim, as well...
- 1/13/2014
- by Brian Chapman
- Obsessed with Film
The British film industry is letting down black actors, said Shadow Business Secretary Chuka Umunna in a speech to make the start of Black History Month. Arguing that there is a problem throughout the entertainment business, he said that the result is a shortage of role models that damages the confidence of young black people. He also said that stereotyping gives the impression black people can only succeed in sport, entertainment or music.
"It’s often only after they’ve made it big in the States that black British actors get more - and more varied - roles here," he said, citing Idris Elba as an example. "That is unacceptable and has got to change."
Umunna's comments come in the wake of an employment survey earlier this year which showed that 2,000 people from black and minority ethnic backgrounds have left the industry in the last four years - double the number that might.
"It’s often only after they’ve made it big in the States that black British actors get more - and more varied - roles here," he said, citing Idris Elba as an example. "That is unacceptable and has got to change."
Umunna's comments come in the wake of an employment survey earlier this year which showed that 2,000 people from black and minority ethnic backgrounds have left the industry in the last four years - double the number that might.
- 11/1/2013
- by Jennie Kermode
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
Big Willie is taking Great Britain, all right. Will Smith turned lots of heads at South London's St. Martin-in-the-Fields High School last week when he appeared at an assembly and rapped the theme to the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, much to the delight of hundreds of screaming schoolgirls who requested the ditty. Now that's gettin' jiggy with it! The 44-year-old Smith, who starred in the sitcom for six seasons in the early '90s, showed up at the invitation of Streatham Member of Parliament Chuka Umunna. The thesp was in the U.K. to watch his son Jaden open for Justin Bieber on the latter popster's European tour. Both Smiths costar in the sci-fi blockbuster After Earth,...
- 3/11/2013
- E! Online
More than 20 years after the Fresh Prince Of Bel Air first aired, Will Smith is still getting jiggy with it.
Yesterday, Smith delighted the ladies of St Martin-in-the-Fields High School for Girls in south London with a surprise performance. Member of Parliament Chuka Umunna, who is an admitted fan of the TV show, planned the assembly and arranged for the "rapper's" appearance.
Smith was in London accompanying his son Jaden on the UK leg of his tour with Justin Bieber when Umunna invited him to head the special event. School staffers tried to keep Smith's appearance quiet right up until he came out and closed the assembly with an unplanned performance of the iconic theme song.
Even though the hit 90s show hasn't been on the air since 1996, fans amongst the under 35 crowd can still be found everywhere you go. All you have to do is drop the starting phrase,...
Yesterday, Smith delighted the ladies of St Martin-in-the-Fields High School for Girls in south London with a surprise performance. Member of Parliament Chuka Umunna, who is an admitted fan of the TV show, planned the assembly and arranged for the "rapper's" appearance.
Smith was in London accompanying his son Jaden on the UK leg of his tour with Justin Bieber when Umunna invited him to head the special event. School staffers tried to keep Smith's appearance quiet right up until he came out and closed the assembly with an unplanned performance of the iconic theme song.
Even though the hit 90s show hasn't been on the air since 1996, fans amongst the under 35 crowd can still be found everywhere you go. All you have to do is drop the starting phrase,...
- 3/8/2013
- by Mohini Kundu
- Huffington Post
Will Smith got schoolchildren (and Chuka Umunna) going when he visited a school in Brixton. Tell us who visited your school
Will Smith has proved that he can still shake the room (boom!) by leading hundreds of screaming Brixton schoolchildren to a rendition of the Fresh Prince of Bel Air theme tune. Even his more politically inclined "peeps" - MPs Chuka Umunna and Tessa Jowell, no less – couldn't help but get caught up in the action. Did you ever have anyone as exciting as Will Smith visit your school? Tell us your stories. And is there anyone you can imagine making you scream in excitement at seeing them?
Will SmithSchoolsCelebrity
guardian.co.uk © 2013 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds...
Will Smith has proved that he can still shake the room (boom!) by leading hundreds of screaming Brixton schoolchildren to a rendition of the Fresh Prince of Bel Air theme tune. Even his more politically inclined "peeps" - MPs Chuka Umunna and Tessa Jowell, no less – couldn't help but get caught up in the action. Did you ever have anyone as exciting as Will Smith visit your school? Tell us your stories. And is there anyone you can imagine making you scream in excitement at seeing them?
Will SmithSchoolsCelebrity
guardian.co.uk © 2013 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds...
- 3/8/2013
- The Guardian - Film News
London -- Hollywood star Will Smith on Thursday visited neighborhoods in the Southern part of the British capital on what his guide called a tour of the "real London." Chuka Umunna, a member of Britain's parliament who is part of the Labour Party, tweeted that he took the star to a school, a music venue and a coffee shop, among other things. Photos: Brit Awards 2013: Highlights From London's Big Night of Music The two men visited Brixton and Lambeth, finishing with a question-and-answer session at St. Martin's School in the Tulse Hill area, TV network ITV reported.
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- 3/7/2013
- by Georg Szalai
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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