<p><em>Transformers One,</em> the untold story of Optimus Prime and Megatron is finally in India. The film was released today&nbsp;(September 20) in theatres in India and we talked&nbsp;to the director of the film, Josh Cooley who spoke about Keegan-Michael Key who voiced the character of Bumblebee and gave him an interesting new twist in the origins film.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The film promises to take its fans back to the heart of Cybertron where everything unfolded. The latest instalment of the Transformers saga will see Bumblebee take on a vibrant new persona. As the action shifts to the vibrant world of Cybertron, B-127 emerges with a voice that’s both lively and endlessly entertaining.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Director Josh Cooley revealed that in <em>Transformers One</em>, Keegan-Michael Key injects a fresh and dynamic energy into Bumblebee, transforming the usually quiet Autobot into a nonstop chatterbox.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Josh Cooley told WION, “In the earlier movies, he is very funny. I think of him as almost Charlie Chaplinesque. We decided to make him extremely talkative. In fact, he never stops talking. I immediately thought of Keegan. He can say any line of dialogue and it’s funny. That is just a fact.”</p>

<p><em>Transformers One</em> might be the newest addition to the Transformers saga but it’s the oldest in the sense that it explores the origin story of the robots who were once peace-loving Autobots and were not war-ready like we have seen them in all previous films. It also&nbsp;offers a fresh new narrative, revealing the character’s transformative journey. The film delves into the deep bond between Orion Pax and D-16, shedding light on the events that ultimately led to their epic clash.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Watch the trailer for Transformers One here:</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="720" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5a09yJU-mCI" title="Transformers One | Official Trailer (2024) - Chris Hemsworth, Brian Tyree Henry, Scarlett Johansson" width="1280"></iframe></p>

<p><em>Transformers One</em> boasts an impressive voice cast led by Chris Hemsworth, Brian Tyree Henry, and Scarlett Johansson. It also features Keegan-Michael Key, Steve Buscemi, Laurence Fishburne, and Jon Hamm.</p>

<p>The film released in theatres in India on September 20 in English and&nbsp;Hindi.</p>

<p>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/taylor-swift-craze-serena-williams-daughter-prefers-singer-over-princesses-and-fairies-760386">Taylor Swift craze! Serena Williams' daughter prefers singer over princesses and fairies</a></p>


Transformers One, the untold story of Optimus Prime and Megatron is finally in India. The film was released today (September 20) in theatres in India and we talked to the director of the film, Josh Cooley who spoke about Keegan-Michael Key who voiced the character of Bumblebee and gave him an interesting new twist in the origins film.

Transformers One, the untold story of Optimus Prime and Megatron is finally in India. The film was released today (September 20) in theatres in India and we talked to the director of the film, Josh Cooley who spoke about Keegan-Michael Key who voiced the character of Bumblebee and gave him an interesting new twist in the origins film. The film promises to take its fans back to the heart of Cybertron where everything unfolded. The latest instalment of the Transformers saga will see Bumblebee take on a vibrant new persona. As the action shifts to the vibrant world of Cybertron, B-127 emerges with a voice that’s both lively and endlessly entertaining. Director Josh Cooley revealed that in Transformers One, Keegan-Michael Key injects a fresh and dynamic energy into Bumblebee, transforming the usually quiet Autobot into a nonstop chatterbox. Josh Cooley told WION, “In the earlier movies, he is very funny. I think of him as almost Charlie Chaplinesque. We decided to make him extremely talkative. In fact, he never stops talking. I immediately thought of Keegan. He can say any line of dialogue and it’s funny. That is just a fact.” Transformers One might be the newest addition to the Transformers saga but it’s the oldest in the sense that it explores the origin story of the robots who were once peace-loving Autobots and were not war-ready like we have seen them in all previous films. It also offers a fresh new narrative, revealing the character’s transformative journey. The film delves into the deep bond between Orion Pax and D-16, shedding light on the events that ultimately led to their epic clash. Watch the trailer for Transformers One here: Transformers One boasts an impressive voice cast led by Chris Hemsworth, Brian Tyree Henry, and Scarlett Johansson. It also features Keegan-Michael Key, Steve Buscemi, Laurence Fishburne, and Jon Hamm. The film released in theatres in India on September 20 in English and Hindi. Also read: Taylor Swift craze! Serena Williams' daughter prefers singer over princesses and fairies

Transformers One director Josh Cooley on why he cast Keegan-Michael Key as Bumblebee

<p>Hollywood star Diane Kruger has what only a handful of actors in the industry can boast of – characters that she has made timeless with her persona and impeccable screen presence. Whether it be the elegant Helen of ‘Troy’ in 2004 film or the mysterious Allied spy Bridget von Hammersmark in Quentin Tarantino’s 2009 film ‘Inglourious Basterds’, Diane has never ceased to amaze with her acting prowess.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The German-American actress now stars in ‘The 355’ as she takes up the challenging role of a spy named Marie who is a weapons specialist as she forges alliance with five other women to take up on a common enemy. Speaking to WION exclusively, Diane Kruger spills beans on her recently released film ‘The 355’, her equation with Jessica Chastain who also happens to be the producer of the film and more.</p>

<p><img alt="diane" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="6a3acc32-e635-45e6-a1e7-4ab0e6da6462" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/New-132_0.jpg" /></p>

<p><em><strong>Here are the excerpts from our exclusive conversation:&nbsp;</strong></em></p>

<p><strong>WION: </strong>Mace and Marie have a hate-love relationship in the film. What can you tell us about their chemistry and the circumstances in which they get to work together in the film, shedding light on your personal equation with Jessica Chastain who plays Mace?</p>

<p><strong>Diane Kruger: </strong>Mace, who is played by Jessica Chastain, works with the CIA and Marie is her most equal character in this film in terms of missions they have done, level of work they have done. They are both very Type A people, very thorough. I don't want to say ruthless but very smooth and put their jobs first. They are loners in their lives, their job is their life, and unsurprisingly they do not like each other very much from the get-go because I guess they are too similar in a way. In the course of this movie, they sort of start to trust each other, gain each other’s respect as well. It's this beautiful cat-and-mouse relationship.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-exclusive-jessica-chastain-was-important-for-me-to-make-a-film-where-actresses-own-their-work-446274" hreflang="en">Exclusive! Jessica Chastain interview: Was important for me to make a film where actresses own their work</a></p>

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<p><strong>WION:</strong> What according to you works for the film, something that will enable the global audience to connect with it? Most exciting part of being associated with such a film?</p>

<p><strong>Diane Kruger:</strong> Part of what is exciting about this film is that each one of us comes from a different country and speaks different languages and we have these different language skills that are being put to use in this movie. From the get-go you feel like this film has an international appeal, an international story that will hopefully appeal to a very broad audience.&nbsp;</p>

<p><img alt="diane kruger" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="82dd5d5b-f60f-4fa2-92c3-4e8b12967baf" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/New-131.jpg" /></p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-exclusive--lupita-nyongo-interview-on-her-film-the-355-and-playing-a-tech-specialist-446395" hreflang="en">Exclusive | Lupita Nyong'o interview on her film 'The 355' and playing a tech specialist</a></p>

<p><strong>WION:</strong> How was it to work with Simon Kinberg?&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Diane Kruger:</strong> I love Simon. He has been the rock of this film. He’s so experienced as a writer and as a producer so the scope of this film did not intimidate him. He loves collaborating and he loves actors, most importantly actresses. He gave all of us the chance to be heard. He’s super happy when things go well, and listens to all of our concerns. You know, this is a bunch of pretty strong women, it's not easy to be the one guy on the set. He’s been wonderful. I can't gush about him more, to be honest.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Watch the exclusive interview with the cast here:</p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/wion-exclusive-hollywood-film-the-355-cast-opens-up-on-female-led-espionage-film-more-446406/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p><em>‘The 355’ stars Penelope Cruz, Jessica Chastain, Fan Bingbing, Lupita Nyong'o and Diane Kruger alongwith Édgar Ramírez, Sebastian Stan in pivotal roles. The film ‘The 355’ released in the US in theatres on January 7 and released in India on January 21.&nbsp;</em><br />
&nbsp;</p>


Hollywood star Diane Kruger has what only a handful of actors in the industry can boast of – characters that she has made timeless with her persona and impeccable screen presence.

Hollywood star Diane Kruger has what only a handful of actors in the industry can boast of – characters that she has made timeless with her persona and impeccable screen presence. Whether it be the elegant Helen of ‘Troy’ in 2004 film or the mysterious Allied spy Bridget von Hammersmark in Quentin Tarantino’s 2009 film ‘Inglourious Basterds’, Diane has never ceased to amaze with her acting prowess. The German-American actress now stars in ‘The 355’ as she takes up the challenging role of a spy named Marie who is a weapons specialist as she forges alliance with five other women to take up on a common enemy. Speaking to WION exclusively, Diane Kruger spills beans on her recently released film ‘The 355’, her equation with Jessica Chastain who also happens to be the producer of the film and more. Here are the excerpts from our exclusive conversation: WION: Mace and Marie have a hate-love relationship in the film. What can you tell us about their chemistry and the circumstances in which they get to work together in the film, shedding light on your personal equation with Jessica Chastain who plays Mace? Diane Kruger: Mace, who is played by Jessica Chastain, works with the CIA and Marie is her most equal character in this film in terms of missions they have done, level of work they have done. They are both very Type A people, very thorough. I don't want to say ruthless but very smooth and put their jobs first. They are loners in their lives, their job is their life, and unsurprisingly they do not like each other very much from the get-go because I guess they are too similar in a way. In the course of this movie, they sort of start to trust each other, gain each other’s respect as well. It's this beautiful cat-and-mouse relationship. Exclusive! Jessica Chastain interview: Was important for me to make a film where actresses own their work View this post on Instagram A post shared by The 355 (@the355movie) × WION: What according to you works for the film, something that will enable the global audience to connect with it? Most exciting part of being associated with such a film? Diane Kruger: Part of what is exciting about this film is that each one of us comes from a different country and speaks different languages and we have these different language skills that are being put to use in this movie. From the get-go you feel like this film has an international appeal, an international story that will hopefully appeal to a very broad audience. Exclusive | Lupita Nyong'o interview on her film 'The 355' and playing a tech specialist WION: How was it to work with Simon Kinberg? Diane Kruger: I love Simon. He has been the rock of this film. He’s so experienced as a writer and as a producer so the scope of this film did not intimidate him. He loves collaborating and he loves actors, most importantly actresses. He gave all of us the chance to be heard. He’s super happy when things go well, and listens to all of our concerns. You know, this is a bunch of pretty strong women, it's not easy to be the one guy on the set. He’s been wonderful. I can't gush about him more, to be honest. Watch the exclusive interview with the cast here: ‘The 355’ stars Penelope Cruz, Jessica Chastain, Fan Bingbing, Lupita Nyong'o and Diane Kruger alongwith Édgar Ramírez, Sebastian Stan in pivotal roles. The film ‘The 355’ released in the US in theatres on January 7 and released in India on January 21.

Exclusive! Diane Kruger interview: Playing Marie in 'The 355' and her love-hate equation with Jessica Chastain

<p>Five international spies collaborate&nbsp;with an aim&nbsp;to stop another World War. Sounds like a plot of a clichéd&nbsp; action-adventure-thriller film, doesn't it? But you make it a&nbsp;female-led cast,&nbsp;Hollywood actresses namely Penelope Cruz, Jessica Chastain, Fan Bingbing, Diane Kruger and Lupita Nyong’o and we know we have got your attention.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Ready for release in India on January 21, director Simon Kinberg’s ‘The 355’ promises to break gender tropes in a&nbsp;glamorous and globe-trotting spy thriller as they kick ass to save the world. Actress Jessica Chastain who plays CIA agent Mace in the film and happens to be&nbsp;one of the producers of the project speaks exclusively to WION on getting the finest Hollywood actresses together in a high-octane film that is truly international in its appeal and championing women’s rights one film at a time.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong><em>Excerpts from the exclusive&nbsp;conversation:&nbsp;</em></strong></p>

<p><strong>WION:</strong> How was the experience of producing a heavy-duty female-led thriller? Since you've been a champion for women's rights in the industry, was the film a way to channel your vision of providing a platform to women to own their agency in way of their powerful characters?&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Jessica Chastain:</strong> I have always been very outspoken about how women in the film industry have been treated in the past and it was important for me to make a film where we had actresses not just for hire but as owners…..having ownership over their work. It was very much a sense of having each other’s back and understanding that the position that we were in was not a normal situation to be in and we are very grateful for that. It’s been an incredible experience.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>Watch the trailer here:</em></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="442" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/i200Q_UonJY" title="YouTube video player" width="786"></iframe></p>

<p><strong>WION:</strong> What does 355 mean for you as a producer? What was the process of rounding up the title for the film?</p>

<p><strong>Jessica Chastain:</strong> 355 was the identity code name for the first female spy during the American Revolution and she was a real person but her real name remains a mystery to this day. Our consultant and other women who are active agents currently working in the field have said that it's a badge of honour to be referred to as 355 for women working today. So, for me, the film being called 355 really is a tip of the hat to women who were unrecognised. It’s about amplifying their power, their strength, their accomplishments and it’s saying thank you.</p>

<p>&nbsp;<img alt="jessica" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="12d4b03c-3a06-49d2-989d-f22a0a76c8bb" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/New-121_0.jpg" /></p>

<p><strong>WION:</strong> What can you tell us about your character Mace? How did you get into the skin of the character?</p>

<p><strong>Jessica Chastain:</strong> Mace is a CIA agent who is definitely used to working alone. She is quick, can be a bit ruthless, easy to fight and go to violence. She has to learn in this film, I think, that you can create a family wherever you want it– a family is wherever you make a family. Like Marie (Diane Kruger), &nbsp;she has to learn to trust. She is also very quick witted, funny, protective of her friends.</p>

<p>Watch the exclusive interview with WION here:</p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/wion-exclusive-hollywood-film-the-355-cast-opens-up-on-female-led-espionage-film-more-446406/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p><strong>WION:</strong> What can you tell us about the Chinese star in the film, Fan Bingbing? How was it like to collaborate with her?&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Jessica Chastain:</strong> Lin Mi Sheng has an air of mystery about her. The incredible thing about that character is that when Mace and the other women meet her, they realise that she is a little bit out of their league on all aspects – She has incredible computer skills, hacking skills, (is an) incredible field agent. (She has) Very strong athletic abilities so women don't quite know what to do with Mi Sheng. They don't quite know whether or not to trust her.&nbsp;</p>

<p><img alt="jessica" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d01c01de-551e-4756-8e1c-1375b069697c" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/New-122_0.jpg" /></p>

<p><strong>WION:</strong> What is the most fun aspect of the film that you relate with the most, something that sets it apart from others?</p>

<p><strong>Jessica Chastain:</strong> The 355 takes place all over the world. We see Columbia, United States, England, Paris, Morocco, Shanghai…….we are all over there. That's the most fun aspect for me in addition to getting these scenes with these women. It’s the idea of being all over the world.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>The 355 is an American spy film that was released theatrically in the US on January 7, 2022. It will premiere in India on January 21. The film is produced by Jessica Chastain, Kelly Carmichael, Simon Kinberg. In addition to the five actresses, the film also stars Édgar Ramírez, Sebastian Stan in pivotal roles.&nbsp;</em></p>

<p>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-exclusive-from-alex-rider-to-bridgerton-charithra-chandran-on-doing-what-she-loves-acting-438775" hreflang="en">Exclusive! From Alex Rider to Bridgerton, Charithra Chandran on doing what she loves, acting</a></p>


Five international spies collaborate with an aim to stop another World War. Sounds like a plot of a clichéd action-adventure-thriller film, doesn't it? But you make it a female-led cast, Hollywood actresses namely Penelope Cruz, Jessica Chastain, Fan Bingbing, Diane Kruger and Lupita Nyong’o and we know we have got your attention.

Five international spies collaborate with an aim to stop another World War. Sounds like a plot of a clichéd action-adventure-thriller film, doesn't it? But you make it a female-led cast, Hollywood actresses namely Penelope Cruz, Jessica Chastain, Fan Bingbing, Diane Kruger and Lupita Nyong’o and we know we have got your attention. Ready for release in India on January 21, director Simon Kinberg’s ‘The 355’ promises to break gender tropes in a glamorous and globe-trotting spy thriller as they kick ass to save the world. Actress Jessica Chastain who plays CIA agent Mace in the film and happens to be one of the producers of the project speaks exclusively to WION on getting the finest Hollywood actresses together in a high-octane film that is truly international in its appeal and championing women’s rights one film at a time. Excerpts from the exclusive conversation: WION: How was the experience of producing a heavy-duty female-led thriller? Since you've been a champion for women's rights in the industry, was the film a way to channel your vision of providing a platform to women to own their agency in way of their powerful characters? Jessica Chastain: I have always been very outspoken about how women in the film industry have been treated in the past and it was important for me to make a film where we had actresses not just for hire but as owners…..having ownership over their work. It was very much a sense of having each other’s back and understanding that the position that we were in was not a normal situation to be in and we are very grateful for that. It’s been an incredible experience. Watch the trailer here: WION: What does 355 mean for you as a producer? What was the process of rounding up the title for the film? Jessica Chastain: 355 was the identity code name for the first female spy during the American Revolution and she was a real person but her real name remains a mystery to this day. Our consultant and other women who are active agents currently working in the field have said that it's a badge of honour to be referred to as 355 for women working today. So, for me, the film being called 355 really is a tip of the hat to women who were unrecognised. It’s about amplifying their power, their strength, their accomplishments and it’s saying thank you. WION: What can you tell us about your character Mace? How did you get into the skin of the character? Jessica Chastain: Mace is a CIA agent who is definitely used to working alone. She is quick, can be a bit ruthless, easy to fight and go to violence. She has to learn in this film, I think, that you can create a family wherever you want it– a family is wherever you make a family. Like Marie (Diane Kruger), she has to learn to trust. She is also very quick witted, funny, protective of her friends. Watch the exclusive interview with WION here: WION: What can you tell us about the Chinese star in the film, Fan Bingbing? How was it like to collaborate with her? Jessica Chastain: Lin Mi Sheng has an air of mystery about her. The incredible thing about that character is that when Mace and the other women meet her, they realise that she is a little bit out of their league on all aspects – She has incredible computer skills, hacking skills, (is an) incredible field agent. (She has) Very strong athletic abilities so women don't quite know what to do with Mi Sheng. They don't quite know whether or not to trust her. WION: What is the most fun aspect of the film that you relate with the most, something that sets it apart from others? Jessica Chastain: The 355 takes place all over the world. We see Columbia, United States, England, Paris, Morocco, Shanghai…….we are all over there. That's the most fun aspect for me in addition to getting these scenes with these women. It’s the idea of being all over the world. The 355 is an American spy film that was released theatrically in the US on January 7, 2022. It will premiere in India on January 21. The film is produced by Jessica Chastain, Kelly Carmichael, Simon Kinberg. In addition to the five actresses, the film also stars Édgar Ramírez, Sebastian Stan in pivotal roles. Also read: Exclusive! From Alex Rider to Bridgerton, Charithra Chandran on doing what she loves, acting

Exclusive! Jessica Chastain interview: Was important for me to make a film where actresses own their work

<p>From a stunning debut in much-acclaimed '12 Years A Slave' to giving us the creeps in Jordan Peele's 'Us',&nbsp;Oscar-winning actress Lupita Nyong'o has come a long way. The actress is back with yet another entertainer as she&nbsp;she stars in female-led action thriller ‘The 355’ that will see her play an advanced technology specialist Khadijah who you can’t mess with! From hiding cameras in jewellery to picking up a gun like she knows what she’s doing, Lupita makes it all look cool and fascinating.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Starring alongside some of the biggest Hollywood names including Penelope Cruz, Jessica Chastain, Fan Bingbing and Diane Kruger as five spies who get together for an important saving-the-world kind-of-a-mission, actress Lupita Nyong'o speaks to WION about getting into the role of a fancy techie who is smarter than anyone in the room and being a part of an espionage film with kickass females at the helm</p>

<p><em><strong>Here are the excerpts from our conversation:</strong></em></p>

<p><strong>How would you describe your character Khadijah?</strong></p>

<p><strong>Lupita:</strong> She’s a super smart computer specialist, cyber security maven I suppose. She’s very determined and discerning.&nbsp;</p>

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<p><strong>How did you prepare for this role? Did it require physical and professional training of the domain?&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p><strong>Lupita:</strong> It required a lot of physical training and a lot of brainy things. I would say, I was smart for all periods of shooting this film and I have very quickly and conveniently forgotten it all (laughs hysterically). My brain isn't wired for scientific information of that kind, numeric information or whatever you call it. My brain is not wired for it. It was definitely the hardest challenge to learn the stuff, feel confident about the meaning of the stuff, to put an emotional attachment to the stuff that Khadija was talking about, fighting for and manipulating.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-exclusive-jessica-chastain-was-important-for-me-to-make-a-film-where-actresses-own-their-work-446274">Exclusive! Jessica Chastain: Was important for me to make a film where actresses own their work</a></p>

<p><strong>How was it like to collaborate with all these amazing women?</strong></p>

<p><strong>Lupita:</strong> That was what attracted me to the project. The fact that Jessica Chastain had identified a gap in the espionage thriller genre, she called me and she said can you think of any movies in that genre with females at the helm? I couldn't think of any and so she went about creating a story that gives women a chance to be at the forefront of the espionage game. We know that there have been female spies for the longest of times, that's where the title is from. The first American female spy was referred to as 355, that was her code. So this is a homage to that – to all the women who risked their lives in that industry to make the world a safer place I suppose.&nbsp;</p>

<p><img alt="lupita" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="cb7a6c4d-97a3-4ab4-8429-ad5c4c599512" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/New-125.jpg" /></p>

<p><strong>What was the atmosphere on set?</strong></p>

<p><strong>Lupita:</strong> I learned a lot from observing my cast mates at work. They are consummate professionals, they have had long and seasoned careers and I learned from seeing them at work, their graciousness and professionals. They were all quite gracious and generous with their time. It was really powerful to watch and be a part of.</p>

<p><img alt="lupita" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="6b2e80d8-63be-47cf-bfe6-41d020726f51" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/New-124.jpg" /></p>

<p><strong>Do you think the film has an international appeal?</strong></p>

<p><strong>Lupita:</strong> That was the idea. We were making a film with female spies at the helm but not necessarily just for females just like (James) Bond is not just for males. It's really come one, come all and I do think there's something in it for all.</p>

<p>Watch the exclusive interview with WION here:</p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/wion-exclusive-hollywood-film-the-355-cast-opens-up-on-female-led-espionage-film-more-446406/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>Lupita Nyong'o hasn’t seen the film yet but wants the audience to give their honest opinion about it.</p>

<p><em>The film ‘The 355’ released in the US in theatres on January 7 and released in India on January 21. In addition to the five actresses, the film also stars Édgar Ramírez, Sebastian Stan in pivotal roles.&nbsp;</em></p>


From a stunning debut in much-acclaimed '12 Years A Slave' to giving us the creeps in Jordan Peele's 'Us', Oscar-winning actress Lupita Nyong'o has come a long way.

From a stunning debut in much-acclaimed '12 Years A Slave' to giving us the creeps in Jordan Peele's 'Us', Oscar-winning actress Lupita Nyong'o has come a long way. The actress is back with yet another entertainer as she she stars in female-led action thriller ‘The 355’ that will see her play an advanced technology specialist Khadijah who you can’t mess with! From hiding cameras in jewellery to picking up a gun like she knows what she’s doing, Lupita makes it all look cool and fascinating. Starring alongside some of the biggest Hollywood names including Penelope Cruz, Jessica Chastain, Fan Bingbing and Diane Kruger as five spies who get together for an important saving-the-world kind-of-a-mission, actress Lupita Nyong'o speaks to WION about getting into the role of a fancy techie who is smarter than anyone in the room and being a part of an espionage film with kickass females at the helm Here are the excerpts from our conversation: How would you describe your character Khadijah? Lupita: She’s a super smart computer specialist, cyber security maven I suppose. She’s very determined and discerning. View this post on Instagram A post shared by The 355 (@the355movie) × How did you prepare for this role? Did it require physical and professional training of the domain? Lupita: It required a lot of physical training and a lot of brainy things. I would say, I was smart for all periods of shooting this film and I have very quickly and conveniently forgotten it all (laughs hysterically). My brain isn't wired for scientific information of that kind, numeric information or whatever you call it. My brain is not wired for it. It was definitely the hardest challenge to learn the stuff, feel confident about the meaning of the stuff, to put an emotional attachment to the stuff that Khadija was talking about, fighting for and manipulating. Also read: Exclusive! Jessica Chastain: Was important for me to make a film where actresses own their work How was it like to collaborate with all these amazing women? Lupita: That was what attracted me to the project. The fact that Jessica Chastain had identified a gap in the espionage thriller genre, she called me and she said can you think of any movies in that genre with females at the helm? I couldn't think of any and so she went about creating a story that gives women a chance to be at the forefront of the espionage game. We know that there have been female spies for the longest of times, that's where the title is from. The first American female spy was referred to as 355, that was her code. So this is a homage to that – to all the women who risked their lives in that industry to make the world a safer place I suppose. What was the atmosphere on set? Lupita: I learned a lot from observing my cast mates at work. They are consummate professionals, they have had long and seasoned careers and I learned from seeing them at work, their graciousness and professionals. They were all quite gracious and generous with their time. It was really powerful to watch and be a part of. Do you think the film has an international appeal? Lupita: That was the idea. We were making a film with female spies at the helm but not necessarily just for females just like (James) Bond is not just for males. It's really come one, come all and I do think there's something in it for all. Watch the exclusive interview with WION here: Lupita Nyong'o hasn’t seen the film yet but wants the audience to give their honest opinion about it. The film ‘The 355’ released in the US in theatres on January 7 and released in India on January 21. In addition to the five actresses, the film also stars Édgar Ramírez, Sebastian Stan in pivotal roles.

Exclusive | Lupita Nyong'o interview on her film 'The 355' and playing a tech specialist

<p>How difficult is it to move back in with your kids once you have finished off all your wealth thanks to poor financial management? And is it too much for the young couple to host one side of the parents when they have nowhere else to go? Exploring a similar plotline and offering laughs with situational comedy, stars Steven Weber and Fran Drescher get together in ‘Indebted’ -- a new show that deals with the life of a young couple that is forced to take in the man’s parents when they land up at his door one day in demanding circumstances.&nbsp;</p>

<p>With ‘Indebted’ streaming in India on SonyLiv, the older couple played by Fran Drescher and Steven Weber got talking to WION about the show, Hollywood in post COVID-era and why they love India!</p>

<p>Calling the experience “amazing” and heaping praises on one another, both Fran Drescher and Steven Weber admitted that they wanted to work with each other for a long time.&nbsp;</p>

<p>WION: With the entertainment industry going through a major overhaul due to the coronavirus, has the digital medium taken over theatres?</p>

<p>Fran Drescher: I can't even imagine what the whole world would be like if not for&nbsp;technology which has allowed us to continue to work, communicate and become inventive-creative in new and different ways. Out of necessity, comes invention. During the lockdown, I have done interview series, zoom sessions, organised Corona care on my website where people can go for free to the site&nbsp;and learn practical advice on how to prevent getting COVID and how to support your body if you are&nbsp;infected with a virus.&nbsp;I've seen&nbsp;creative people doing their comedy where they self taped and it's gone viral on social media. I think Instagram, YouTube has really blown up and it's a fascinating time especially here in the United States where we were so slow to really take responsible measures to flatten the curve. We don't know&nbsp;when life is going to return as it was prior to the lockdown period, so I believe we're going to see more and more creative ways of entertaining people.</p>

<p>WION: Steven, what is your take on returning to TV comedy. Have you observed any major changes over the years?</p>

<p>Steven Weber: I have observed that for me, the major changes have been in the structure of a script, the structure of a so-called half an hour show. It’s all become quicker, is&nbsp;heavily edited. The content and treatment of humour like&nbsp;sexuality in the behavior, human interactions have changed. It’s all more graphic. But what has really shifted is the way sitcoms are produced and written. I was born of a tradition that values lengthier interaction between characters like what we saw in a lot of series in the 90s and 2000s. I think what we were attempting to do in Indebted was to combine the two methods to give a little bit more depth, a little more emotional grounding to their structural demand, which is, you know, shorter scenes, more clip shows, so that's really been the major change I've seen. I think it's still important to not only be funny but to have a kind of grounding in reality and that I think has stayed constant.</p>

<p>Watch the trailer here:</p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="446" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/N5RTxscE9OI" width="793"></iframe></p>

<p>WION: How different or same will it be for Hollywood to function in post-COVID era, in a time when people would have gotten used to getting entertained from the confines of their home?</p>

<p>Fran Drescher: We don't have a crystal ball so we don't really know what the future is going to look like but as a health activist, I would hope that there is an elevation of consciousness where people will start asking themselves why this happened and start looking at causation for all levels of disease. I would hope that within our industry, which has so much power and influence over the hearts and minds of the viewers, that it will come into play on a creative level -- in the storytelling. Because all indications are that this virus came out of factory animals and the trafficking of exotic animals and that is something that has to be looked at and stopped. We as consumers have to stop supporting irresponsible manufacturing practices that in the end affects&nbsp;everyone on the planet because we are all interdependent and interconnected. It's time that we rise up, wake up and start living more responsible lives because we're all in this boat together and if we continue to abuse it, it's going to impact us and our lives and in the end drive us into our own extinction.</p>

<p>Steven Weber: Here's the thing. I'm just gonna digress for one second. Everybody thinks they know Fran Drescher for all the things that she's famous for. What they will learn now, that she is so deep and important and thoughtful. She’s more than just any comic character. It was so great coming to work because I knew that I was going to be hanging out with somebody who was deep and not your normal shallow actor.</p>

<p>WION: How do you feel about the show reaching your Indian fans?</p>

<p>Fran Drescher: I'm just really happy that the show is going to India. It’s a great country and I was actually married to an Indian at one point and some of my dear friends are from India. I appreciate the 5000 year history and often when I speak about Western medicine, I bring attention to ancient Asian wisdom when it comes to our health practices. So it's lovely to have this project reach India and be connected to all of you so far away from where we are here in California.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/as-masaba-masaba-releases-heres-a-list-of-actors-that-played-fictional-versions-of-self-323704" hreflang="en">As 'Masaba Masaba' releases, here's a list of actors that played fictional versions of self</a></p>

<p>WION: Is there now an unwarranted pressure to bring diversity in shows and films to cater to all audiences that were earlier, either neglected or typecast in the narrative? How do you feel about new projects challenging the status quo?</p>

<p>Fran Drecher: As a writer, producer of ‘The Nanny’ during the 90s, I can say that the cast on the show was much more segregated. It seemed like most shows during the time either had all-white or all-black cast. While I was doing The Nanny as the executive producer and creator, as well as the star, I felt like I was very sensitive to that. I wanted to bring in people of colour into what was essentially an all-white cast as I didn't really like that the show was so white. So we began by bringing in grandma’s boyfriend that was played by Ray Charles and then Ray ended up having a family of his own. That was played by Whoopi Goldberg and Bryant Gumbel and Coolio. This was kind of breaking the norms in the 90’s and I'm very proud that as we were one of the first shows to have a mindfulness of that and integrated the show in a more meaningful way. Then in the next series that I wrote and created and executive produced, ‘Happily Divorced’ had my ex-husband as gay. The series regulars besides me and my gay ex-husband was my black best friend. My employee on the show, who was another series regular was Latino. So I have always been very aware of that, and very interested in bringing forward, in a very meaningful way, a rainbow of people.</p>

<p>Steven Weber: I don't think I feel pressured so much as feeling liberated. It's important to have programming that reflects the audience. There was a time when TV was dominated by white cultural roles, but that's no longer the case and it's important to change. It's important to change with the time as&nbsp;they say, if you hang on, you will be dragged and I think it's important for the industry to not be dragged by the past choices they've made. Fran just pointed out that as a show creator, you have an obligation to acknowledge real people. As an actor, you also have to acknowledge that there are real people and it's not enough to play, for a white person, a person of colour because then you’re taking away opportunities from other actors who have in the past had fewer opportunities. I think diversity is important, not only to acknowledge but to really explore. As a middle-aged white guy, who was raised on predominantly white media, it’s been regulatory for me to see the vast swath of diverse actors, people from diverse backgrounds, who are absolutely brilliant. It's easy to become routined in a kind of expectation that everything in the world, everything in our country will look just like me and that's no longer the case.&nbsp;It's called whitewashing and truth be told, however families were represented on TV in the 60s and 70s, did not really reflect what was actually happening in the world and certainly in America. What we are seeing now is more reflective of the American landscape, which is extremely diverse, and has to be represented in order to normalise it for everyone.</p>

<p>‘Indebted’ is NBC&nbsp;original sitcom that aired its first episode in the US on February 6, 2020. The show is available to stream on SonyLiv in India and other parts of the world. It premiered in India on August 21, 2020. ‘Indebted’ stars Adam Pally, Abby Elliott, Jessy Hodges, Steven Weber, Fran Drecher and others.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/the-dark-knight-to-inception-here-are-7-christopher-nolans-thriller-films-to-watch-323454" hreflang="en">'The Dark Knight' to 'Inception': Here are 7 Christopher Nolan's thriller films to watch</a></p>


How difficult is it to move back in with your kids once you have finished off all your wealth thanks to poor financial management? And is it too much for the young couple to host one side of the parents when they have nowhere else to go?

How difficult is it to move back in with your kids once you have finished off all your wealth thanks to poor financial management? And is it too much for the young couple to host one side of the parents when they have nowhere else to go? Exploring a similar plotline and offering laughs with situational comedy, stars Steven Weber and Fran Drescher get together in ‘Indebted’ -- a new show that deals with the life of a young couple that is forced to take in the man’s parents when they land up at his door one day in demanding circumstances. With ‘Indebted’ streaming in India on SonyLiv, the older couple played by Fran Drescher and Steven Weber got talking to WION about the show, Hollywood in post COVID-era and why they love India! Calling the experience “amazing” and heaping praises on one another, both Fran Drescher and Steven Weber admitted that they wanted to work with each other for a long time. WION: With the entertainment industry going through a major overhaul due to the coronavirus, has the digital medium taken over theatres? Fran Drescher: I can't even imagine what the whole world would be like if not for technology which has allowed us to continue to work, communicate and become inventive-creative in new and different ways. Out of necessity, comes invention. During the lockdown, I have done interview series, zoom sessions, organised Corona care on my website where people can go for free to the site and learn practical advice on how to prevent getting COVID and how to support your body if you are infected with a virus. I've seen creative people doing their comedy where they self taped and it's gone viral on social media. I think Instagram, YouTube has really blown up and it's a fascinating time especially here in the United States where we were so slow to really take responsible measures to flatten the curve. We don't know when life is going to return as it was prior to the lockdown period, so I believe we're going to see more and more creative ways of entertaining people. WION: Steven, what is your take on returning to TV comedy. Have you observed any major changes over the years? Steven Weber: I have observed that for me, the major changes have been in the structure of a script, the structure of a so-called half an hour show. It’s all become quicker, is heavily edited. The content and treatment of humour like sexuality in the behavior, human interactions have changed. It’s all more graphic. But what has really shifted is the way sitcoms are produced and written. I was born of a tradition that values lengthier interaction between characters like what we saw in a lot of series in the 90s and 2000s. I think what we were attempting to do in Indebted was to combine the two methods to give a little bit more depth, a little more emotional grounding to their structural demand, which is, you know, shorter scenes, more clip shows, so that's really been the major change I've seen. I think it's still important to not only be funny but to have a kind of grounding in reality and that I think has stayed constant. Watch the trailer here: WION: How different or same will it be for Hollywood to function in post-COVID era, in a time when people would have gotten used to getting entertained from the confines of their home? Fran Drescher: We don't have a crystal ball so we don't really know what the future is going to look like but as a health activist, I would hope that there is an elevation of consciousness where people will start asking themselves why this happened and start looking at causation for all levels of disease. I would hope that within our industry, which has so much power and influence over the hearts and minds of the viewers, that it will come into play on a creative level -- in the storytelling. Because all indications are that this virus came out of factory animals and the trafficking of exotic animals and that is something that has to be looked at and stopped. We as consumers have to stop supporting irresponsible manufacturing practices that in the end affects everyone on the planet because we are all interdependent and interconnected. It's time that we rise up, wake up and start living more responsible lives because we're all in this boat together and if we continue to abuse it, it's going to impact us and our lives and in the end drive us into our own extinction. Steven Weber: Here's the thing. I'm just gonna digress for one second. Everybody thinks they know Fran Drescher for all the things that she's famous for. What they will learn now, that she is so deep and important and thoughtful. She’s more than just any comic character. It was so great coming to work because I knew that I was going to be hanging out with somebody who was deep and not your normal shallow actor. WION: How do you feel about the show reaching your Indian fans? Fran Drescher: I'm just really happy that the show is going to India. It’s a great country and I was actually married to an Indian at one point and some of my dear friends are from India. I appreciate the 5000 year history and often when I speak about Western medicine, I bring attention to ancient Asian wisdom when it comes to our health practices. So it's lovely to have this project reach India and be connected to all of you so far away from where we are here in California. As 'Masaba Masaba' releases, here's a list of actors that played fictional versions of self WION: Is there now an unwarranted pressure to bring diversity in shows and films to cater to all audiences that were earlier, either neglected or typecast in the narrative? How do you feel about new projects challenging the status quo? Fran Drecher: As a writer, producer of ‘The Nanny’ during the 90s, I can say that the cast on the show was much more segregated. It seemed like most shows during the time either had all-white or all-black cast. While I was doing The Nanny as the executive producer and creator, as well as the star, I felt like I was very sensitive to that. I wanted to bring in people of colour into what was essentially an all-white cast as I didn't really like that the show was so white. So we began by bringing in grandma’s boyfriend that was played by Ray Charles and then Ray ended up having a family of his own. That was played by Whoopi Goldberg and Bryant Gumbel and Coolio. This was kind of breaking the norms in the 90’s and I'm very proud that as we were one of the first shows to have a mindfulness of that and integrated the show in a more meaningful way. Then in the next series that I wrote and created and executive produced, ‘Happily Divorced’ had my ex-husband as gay. The series regulars besides me and my gay ex-husband was my black best friend. My employee on the show, who was another series regular was Latino. So I have always been very aware of that, and very interested in bringing forward, in a very meaningful way, a rainbow of people. Steven Weber: I don't think I feel pressured so much as feeling liberated. It's important to have programming that reflects the audience. There was a time when TV was dominated by white cultural roles, but that's no longer the case and it's important to change. It's important to change with the time as they say, if you hang on, you will be dragged and I think it's important for the industry to not be dragged by the past choices they've made. Fran just pointed out that as a show creator, you have an obligation to acknowledge real people. As an actor, you also have to acknowledge that there are real people and it's not enough to play, for a white person, a person of colour because then you’re taking away opportunities from other actors who have in the past had fewer opportunities. I think diversity is important, not only to acknowledge but to really explore. As a middle-aged white guy, who was raised on predominantly white media, it’s been regulatory for me to see the vast swath of diverse actors, people from diverse backgrounds, who are absolutely brilliant. It's easy to become routined in a kind of expectation that everything in the world, everything in our country will look just like me and that's no longer the case. It's called whitewashing and truth be told, however families were represented on TV in the 60s and 70s, did not really reflect what was actually happening in the world and certainly in America. What we are seeing now is more reflective of the American landscape, which is extremely diverse, and has to be represented in order to normalise it for everyone. ‘Indebted’ is NBC original sitcom that aired its first episode in the US on February 6, 2020. The show is available to stream on SonyLiv in India and other parts of the world. It premiered in India on August 21, 2020. ‘Indebted’ stars Adam Pally, Abby Elliott, Jessy Hodges, Steven Weber, Fran Drecher and others. 'The Dark Knight' to 'Inception': Here are 7 Christopher Nolan's thriller films to watch

Hollywood stars Fran Drescher, Steven Weber to WION on new show, TV comedy & more