Virgin Atlantic's founder Richard Branson, left, will be played by actor Andrew Garfield in the television miniseries. AFP
Virgin Atlantic's founder Richard Branson, left, will be played by actor Andrew Garfield in the television miniseries. AFP
Virgin Atlantic's founder Richard Branson, left, will be played by actor Andrew Garfield in the television miniseries. AFP
Virgin Atlantic's founder Richard Branson, left, will be played by actor Andrew Garfield in the television miniseries. AFP

Culture

Film

Andrew Garfield to play British mogul Richard Branson in high-stakes legal drama ‘Hot Air’

Series is based on Virgin Atlantic's legal battle with British Airways

Saeed Saeed
Saeed Saeed

July 17, 2022

  • English
  • Arabic

After making his name scaling skyscrapers as Spider-Man, actor Andrew Garfield aims for greater dramatic heights in his next major role.

According to Deadline, the actor will play the British mogul Richard Branson in Hot Air, a miniseries based on the Virgin Atlantic founder’s high-stakes court battle with British Airways.

Directed by US filmmaker David Leitch, known for action films Deadpool 2 and Atomic Blonde, and with a screenplay by Jon Croker (Paddington 2), the six-episode series is based on the book Dirty Tricks: British Airways' Secret War Against Virgin Atlantic by British journalist Martyn Gregory.

Published in 2000, the book details how the growth of Virgin Atlantic spurred British Airways to launch a secret campaign to undermine its rival.

Code-named Operation Barbara, the push included gaining insider information by impersonating Virgin staff, contacting passengers and persuading them to switch airlines to British Airways through upgrades, and generating false and negative media coverage surrounding Virgin Atlantic.

The campaign was eventually exposed when a British Airways whistle-blower alerted Branson, who went on to sue the company for libel at the High Court of England and Wales in 1992.

The case, dubbed by the British press as the "mother of all libel battles," was eventually settled with British Airways and then-chairman John King issuing a joint statement apologising for the campaign, in addition to paying Branson damage costs and legal fees.

News of the series comes as Garfield makes major strides in Hollywood.

The British-American actor is in the running for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie, for the US true crime miniseries Under the Banner of Heaven. The awards ceremony will take place on Monday, September 12.

The Emmy nod comes on the back of this year's Best Actor Oscar nomination for the drama tick, tick... BOOM!, however, he lost out to Will Smith for King Richard.

Garfield is also part of Time magazine's annual list of 100 most influential people in the world.

Scroll through the gallery below to see all the Oscars 2022 winners:

From left, Emilia Jones, Daniel Durant, Sian Heder, Marlee Matlin, Eugenio Derbez, Fabrice Gianfermi, Patrick Wachsberger, Justin Maurer, Philippe Rousselet, Troy Kotsur and Amy Forsyth accept the Best Picture award for ‘Coda’ on stage during the 94th Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California. AFP
From left, Emilia Jones, Daniel Durant, Sian Heder, Marlee Matlin, Eugenio Derbez, Fabrice Gianfermi, Patrick Wachsberger, Justin Maurer, Philippe Rousselet, Troy Kotsur and Amy Forsyth accept the Best Picture award for ‘Coda’ on stage during the 94th Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California. AFP
Will Smith accepts the Best Actor in a Leading Role award for ‘King Richard’ onstage during the 94th Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California. AFP
Will Smith accepts the Best Actor in a Leading Role award for ‘King Richard’ onstage during the 94th Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California. AFP
US actress Jessica Chastain poses with the award for Best Actress in a Leading Role for her performance in 'The Eyes of Tammy Faye' in the press room during the 94th Oscars at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California. AFP
US actress Jessica Chastain poses with the award for Best Actress in a Leading Role for her performance in 'The Eyes of Tammy Faye' in the press room during the 94th Oscars at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California. AFP
US singer-songwriter Finneas O'Connell, left, and US singer-songwriter Billie Eilish accept the award for Best Music (Original Song) for 'No Time to Die' onstage during the 94th Oscars at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California. AFP
US singer-songwriter Finneas O'Connell, left, and US singer-songwriter Billie Eilish accept the award for Best Music (Original Song) for 'No Time to Die' onstage during the 94th Oscars at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California. AFP
Bryon Howard, from left, Clark Spencer, Yvett Merino, and Jared Bush, winners of the award for Best Animated Feature Film for 'Encanto', pose in the press room at the Oscar Awards event on Sunday, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. AP
Bryon Howard, from left, Clark Spencer, Yvett Merino, and Jared Bush, winners of the award for Best Animated Feature Film for 'Encanto', pose in the press room at the Oscar Awards event on Sunday, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. AP
Riz Ahmed and Aneil Karia, winners of Best Live Action Short Film, pose in the press room during the 94th Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood and Highland in Hollywood, California. Getty Images
Riz Ahmed and Aneil Karia, winners of Best Live Action Short Film, pose in the press room during the 94th Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood and Highland in Hollywood, California. Getty Images
Japanese director Ryusuke Hamaguchi, right, accepts the award for Best International Feature Film for 'Drive My Car' onstage during the 94th Oscars at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California. AFP
Japanese director Ryusuke Hamaguchi, right, accepts the award for Best International Feature Film for 'Drive My Car' onstage during the 94th Oscars at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California. AFP
Kenneth Branagh, winner of Best Original Screenplay for 'Belfast', poses in the press room at the Oscars, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. AP
Kenneth Branagh, winner of Best Original Screenplay for 'Belfast', poses in the press room at the Oscars, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. AP
Troy Kotsur poses with his Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for 'Coda' in the press room during the 94th annual Academy Awards ceremony. EPA
Troy Kotsur poses with his Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for 'Coda' in the press room during the 94th annual Academy Awards ceremony. EPA
New Zealand Director Jane Campion poses with the Best Director award for 'The Power Of The Dog' in the press room. AFP
New Zealand Director Jane Campion poses with the Best Director award for 'The Power Of The Dog' in the press room. AFP
Actress Ariana DeBose poses with her Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for 'West Side Story' in the press room during the 94th Oscars at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California. AFP
Actress Ariana DeBose poses with her Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for 'West Side Story' in the press room during the 94th Oscars at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California. AFP
Left to right, Joseph Patel, Ahmir 'Questlove' Thompson, David Dinerstein, and Robert Fyvolent pose with their Oscar for Best Documentary Feature for 'Summer of Soul (. . . Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised),' in the press room during the 94th annual Academy Awards. EPA
Left to right, Joseph Patel, Ahmir 'Questlove' Thompson, David Dinerstein, and Robert Fyvolent pose with their Oscar for Best Documentary Feature for 'Summer of Soul (. . . Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised),' in the press room during the 94th annual Academy Awards. EPA
The makeup and hairstyling team for 'The Eyes of Tammy Faye' Linda Dowds, centre, Stephanie Ingram, left, and Justin Raleigh accepts the Best Makeup and Hairstyling Award at Oscars 2022. AFP
The makeup and hairstyling team for 'The Eyes of Tammy Faye' Linda Dowds, centre, Stephanie Ingram, left, and Justin Raleigh accepts the Best Makeup and Hairstyling Award at Oscars 2022. AFP
Brian Connor, second from left, Paul Lambert, third from left, Gerd Nefzer, third from right, and Tristan Myles, second from right, winners of the Oscar for Best Visual Effects for 'Dune', pose with presenters Rachel Zegler, left, and Jacob Elordi, right, in the press room. EPA
Brian Connor, second from left, Paul Lambert, third from left, Gerd Nefzer, third from right, and Tristan Myles, second from right, winners of the Oscar for Best Visual Effects for 'Dune', pose with presenters Rachel Zegler, left, and Jacob Elordi, right, in the press room. EPA
Spanish director and animator Alberto Mielgo, right, and Spanish producer Leo Sanchez show off their award for Best Animated Short Film for 'The Windshield Wiper' in the press room. AFP
Spanish director and animator Alberto Mielgo, right, and Spanish producer Leo Sanchez show off their award for Best Animated Short Film for 'The Windshield Wiper' in the press room. AFP
Canadian filmmaker Ben Proudfoot with his Oscar for Best Documentary Short Film for 'The Queen of Basketball'. EPA
Canadian filmmaker Ben Proudfoot with his Oscar for Best Documentary Short Film for 'The Queen of Basketball'. EPA
Greig Fraser, winner of the Oscar for Cinematography for ‘Dune’, poses in the press room during the 94th Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood and Highland in Hollywood, California. AFP
Greig Fraser, winner of the Oscar for Cinematography for ‘Dune’, poses in the press room during the 94th Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood and Highland in Hollywood, California. AFP
British costume designer Jenny Beavan accepts the Oscar for Best Costume Design for 'Cruella' during the 94th annual Academy Awards. EPA
British costume designer Jenny Beavan accepts the Oscar for Best Costume Design for 'Cruella' during the 94th annual Academy Awards. EPA
British film editor Joe Walker poses with the Best Film Editing award for 'Dune'. AFP
British film editor Joe Walker poses with the Best Film Editing award for 'Dune'. AFP
Patrice Vermette, left, and Zsuzsanna Sipos, winners of the Academy Award for Production Design for 'Dune', pose with their Oscar trophies in the press room. EPA
Patrice Vermette, left, and Zsuzsanna Sipos, winners of the Academy Award for Production Design for 'Dune', pose with their Oscar trophies in the press room. EPA
The sound team of 'Dune', from left, Doug Hemphill, Theo Green, Mark Mangini, Ron Barlett, and Mac Ruth in the press room during the 94th Oscars at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California. AFP
The sound team of 'Dune', from left, Doug Hemphill, Theo Green, Mark Mangini, Ron Barlett, and Mac Ruth in the press room during the 94th Oscars at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California. AFP
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Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, established Edge in 2019.

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Edge has an annual revenue of $5 billion and employs more than 12,000 people.

Some of the companies include Nimr, a maker of armoured vehicles, Caracal, which manufactures guns and ammunitions company, Lahab

 

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The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.


- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law 

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Opening on October 15 and running until November 15, the free exhibition opens at The Galleria mall on Al Maryah Island, and has already been seen at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum in Atlanta, the American Museum of Natural History in New York, and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

 

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Updated: July 17, 2022, 5:27 PM`