There are two types of transcendent leading performers: Those you love to observe and those you can’t help but feel for. And in the contemporary landscape, the latter has become the hardest to find.
“There’s a real hole in the marketplace of actors,” says Robert Olsen, co-director of Novocaine. “If you’re looking at the next generation, Glen Powell fills the Tom Cruise slot, Timothee Chalamet is the next Leonardo DiCaprio, but where’s the Tom Hanks? Where’s the everyman?”
And without an everyman, a lot of movies just won’t work. Tom Hanks is needed for a role like Castaway, just as Jimmy Stewart was for a role like It’s A Wonderful Life. For Novocaine, an action comedy about a man impervious to pain, Olsen and his co-director Dan Berk needed to find their own.
“At the time, we were watching the series The Boys, and we just started writing the character in Jack Quaid’s voice, never even thinking we were going to be able to actually get him for the movie,” says Berk.
“We really do think he’s this generation’s Tom Hanks. He’s funny, but you wouldn’t call him a comedian. He’s handsome, but not intimidatingly so like Brad Pitt. And everyone – man, woman, young and old – is charmed by him,” says Olsen.
To say that Jack Quaid was made in a lab to be the perfect everyman would only be a slight exaggeration. After all, he’s the son of actors Meg Ryan and Dennis Quaid. And in an era of 'nepo baby' backlash, Quaid has stayed in the public's good graces by acknowledging his leg up with candor.
Quaid became aware of his everyman qualities on the set of The Boys, playing a normal guy caught up in a world of superheroes and assassins. The show, which began as satirical counter-programming to the glut of Marvel and DC fare, has become a cultural juggernaut, with season four garnering 55 million viewers in its debut month last July – setting Quaid on a path to becoming a household name.
“I don’t think you can train to be an everyman. I can’t go to the tape and learn how to do it. It’s just a quality you have and I’m lucky to have it. Some people find out they’re going to play jerks for the rest of their life – and I also do that, come to think of it – but I’m glad I can do this as well,” Quaid tells The National.
Quaid has been in the industry for more than a decade, getting his start on the first Hunger Games movie in 2012, but now that his leading man moment is finally here, he’s not exactly sure how to play it. “It’s very hard for me to take a compliment,” Quaid admits.
But as hard as it is for him to admit to himself how well everything’s going, it’s undeniable at this point. Novocaine, which releases on March 27 in the UAE, just topped box offices in the US with strong reviews, only weeks after his sci-fi thriller Companion found success critically and commercially. And stars are joining his projects just because he’s on board.
“To be honest, the thing that drew me to this was working with Jack. I love everything he does. I’ve been waiting to work with him for literally years – his name is why I said yes,” says Novocaine co-star Amber Midthunder.
Quaid thought he’d end up doing comedy – he got his start in sketch and improv – but being an action star is new to him. And as much as he excelled in it – he’s not sure if that is his true path.
“I’m really quite lanky,” Quaid says. “I’m probably the floppiest boy in the world. But I had to get in the best shape of my life for this movie,” he says. “That’s all gone now. It’s out the window. I went back to candy immediately after it wrapped. They said 'cut' and I said 'hand me some Sour Patch Kids'.”
And while he’s now more adept at stunts after pushing himself further than before, he’s having trouble unlearning the most challenging aspect of his Novocaine role – playing a man who can’t feel pain.
“It’s completely ruined me for every other fight scene I’m doing,” says Quaid. I’m shooting The Boys now, and I had one scene the other day where I got punched in the face, and I had to remind myself to show pain. It’s too in me, now.”
Quaid hasn’t mapped out the kind of career he wants for himself – “the world is too chaotic for that,” he says – but he does know that he’s not going to take any shortcuts, trying to land roles with the biggest filmmakers or franchises in Hollywood.
“I love being on the ground floor with filmmakers like [Novocaine directors] Dan and Bobby, or Drew Hancock who did Companion. I want to work with people who are coming up – to see them take off and work with them as they’re doing it. I want to find incredible filmmakers at that stage and just keep those relationships going,” he says.
There is one pet project he’s dying to do, however, that doesn’t fit this mould. He played the real-life scientist Richard Feynman in the Academy Award-winning Christopher Nolan film Oppenheimer (2023), and he still hasn’t gotten the role out of his head.
“I’m trying to make it happen. This world is insane and Hollywood is weird, but I’m trying to figure it out. I just fell in love with the guy while researching him for Oppenheimer. It’ll be the Oppenheimer cinematic universe – also known as the real world.”
Novocaine will be released in cinemas across the Middle East on March 27
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The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index
The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index
Mazen Abukhater, principal and actuary at global consultancy Mercer, Middle East, says the company’s Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index - which benchmarks 34 pension schemes across the globe to assess their adequacy, sustainability and integrity - included Saudi Arabia for the first time this year to offer a glimpse into the region.
The index highlighted fundamental issues for all 34 countries, such as a rapid ageing population and a low growth / low interest environment putting pressure on expected returns. It also highlighted the increasing popularity around the world of defined contribution schemes.
“Average life expectancy has been increasing by about three years every 10 years. Someone born in 1947 is expected to live until 85 whereas someone born in 2007 is expected to live to 103,” Mr Abukhater told the Mena Pensions Conference.
“Are our systems equipped to handle these kind of life expectancies in the future? If so many people retire at 60, they are going to be in retirement for 43 years – so we need to adapt our retirement age to our changing life expectancy.”
Saudi Arabia came in the middle of Mercer’s ranking with a score of 58.9. The report said the country's index could be raised by improving the minimum level of support for the poorest aged individuals and increasing the labour force participation rate at older ages as life expectancies rise.
Mr Abukhater said the challenges of an ageing population, increased life expectancy and some individuals relying solely on their government for financial support in their retirement years will put the system under strain.
“To relieve that pressure, governments need to consider whether it is time to switch to a defined contribution scheme so that individuals can supplement their own future with the help of government support,” he said.
The five pillars of Islam
The five pillars of Islam
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
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Defence review at a glance
• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”
• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems
• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.
• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%
• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade
• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels
The years Ramadan fell in May
A cryptocurrency primer for beginners
Cryptocurrency Investing for Dummies – by Kiana Danial
There are several primers for investing in cryptocurrencies available online, including e-books written by people whose credentials fall apart on the second page of your preferred search engine.
Ms Danial is a finance coach and former currency analyst who writes for Nasdaq. Her broad-strokes primer (2019) breaks down investing in cryptocurrency into baby steps, while explaining the terms and technologies involved.
Although cryptocurrencies are a fast evolving world, this book offers a good insight into the game as well as providing some basic tips, strategies and warning signs.
Begin your cryptocurrency journey here.
Available at Magrudy’s , Dh104
Zayed Sustainability Prize
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
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The 10 Questions
- Is there a God?
- How did it all begin?
- What is inside a black hole?
- Can we predict the future?
- Is time travel possible?
- Will we survive on Earth?
- Is there other intelligent life in the universe?
- Should we colonise space?
- Will artificial intelligence outsmart us?
- How do we shape the future?
The five pillars of Islam
Ticket prices
General admission Dh295 (under-three free)
Buy a four-person Family & Friends ticket and pay for only three tickets, so the fourth family member is free
Buy tickets at: wbworldabudhabi.com/en/tickets
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Champions parade (UAE timings)
7pm Gates open
8pm Deansgate stage showing starts
9pm Parade starts at Manchester Cathedral
9.45pm Parade ends at Peter Street
10pm City players on stage
11pm event ends
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The years Ramadan fell in May
How to get there
Emirates (www.emirates.com) flies directly to Hanoi, Vietnam, with fares starting from around Dh2,725 return, while Etihad (www.etihad.com) fares cost about Dh2,213 return with a stop. Chuong is 25 kilometres south of Hanoi.
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Banned items
Dubai Police has also issued a list of banned items at the ground on Sunday. These include:
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Political flags or banners
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Bikes, skateboards or scooters
Company profile
Date started: Founded in May 2017 and operational since April 2018
Founders: co-founder and chief executive, Doaa Aref; Dr Rasha Rady, co-founder and chief operating officer.
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: Health-tech
Size: 22 employees
Funding: Seed funding
Investors: Flat6labs, 500 Falcons, three angel investors
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MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
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ASHES SCHEDULE
First Test
November 23-27 (The Gabba, Brisbane)
Second Test
December 2-6 (Adelaide Oval, Adelaide)
Third Test
December 14-18 (Waca Ground, Perth)
Fourth Test
December 26-30 (Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne)
Fifth Test
January 4-8, 2018 (Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney)
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
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Read more about the coronavirus
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Zayed Sustainability Prize
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
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A timeline of the Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language
- 2018: Formal work begins
- November 2021: First 17 volumes launched
- November 2022: Additional 19 volumes released
- October 2023: Another 31 volumes released
- November 2024: All 127 volumes completed
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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A State of Passion
Directors: Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi
Stars: Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah
Rating: 4/5
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Key recommendations
- Fewer criminals put behind bars and more to serve sentences in the community, with short sentences scrapped and many inmates released earlier.
- Greater use of curfews and exclusion zones to deliver tougher supervision than ever on criminals.
- Explore wider powers for judges to punish offenders by blocking them from attending football matches, banning them from driving or travelling abroad through an expansion of ‘ancillary orders’.
- More Intensive Supervision Courts to tackle the root causes of crime such as alcohol and drug abuse – forcing repeat offenders to take part in tough treatment programmes or face prison.
