Annie Starke is the daughter of one of Hollywood's most respected actresses, Glenn Close, the multi-Oscar-nominated (more on that later), multi-Tony, Emmy and Golden Globe-Award-winning star of films including Fatal Attraction and Dangerous Liaisons. This weekend, the mother-and-daughter team hit UAE cinema screens in Bjorn Runge's drama The Wife, in which Starke plays a younger version of her mother's character, Joan Castleman, the long-suffering wife of a narcissistic, Nobel Prize-winning author played by Jonathan Pryce.
With such a Hollywood pedigree – her father is John H Starke, producer of films including Deadpool and Bad Boys 2 – it seems incredible that, despite some TV appearances as herself, a small role as a waitress in 2011's Albert Nobbs, and a supporting role in Peer Pedersen's 2017, straight to video on demand feature, We Don't Belong Here, this is the first time 30-year-old Starke has appeared in a significant role in a Hollywood movie.
Starke concedes the point, though she insists that, despite some expectations, she has not been drowned in offers thanks to her family connections. “I hate to disappoint, but I actually had a really normal childhood, and I give a lot of credit to my parents for that,” she says. “It wasn’t really an intentional plan [to start in Hollywood so late]. I wanted to bide my time and be independent and able to say that everything I’ve got I deserved and I’ve fought hard for. With any profession you have to have determination and I’m very glad to have gone about it my own way, but there was no great intentional plan to leave it late.”
Having finally taken the plunge, the inexperienced Starke finds herself sharing a screen not only with her decorated mother, but also Christian Slater (The Name of the Rose, True Romance), and Jonathan Pryce, the Shakespearian veteran, frequent Terry Gilliam collaborator and star of the critically adored Glengarry Glen Ross. So was the experience daunting? Or was it just another typical day for the offspring of such big names?
“Oh, of course it was daunting. I’m such a fan of [screenwriter] Jane Anderson’s scripts, and I’ve been a huge fan of Christian’s for years and years, so yeah it was daunting, but in a good way,” she says. “Because I was playing the younger version of my mother, I didn’t have to do any scenes with my mum, or Jonathan or Christian. But it was great to get so close to Harry Lloyd, who plays young Joe [Pryce’s character]. It was just the two of us on set for the first two weeks because we shot it in sequence, so I didn’t really have any scenes with anyone else, but it was still great to get to watch everybody at work.”
Although Starke didn’t shoot any scenes with her mother, she does admit that she and her mum worked very closely on developing their character together. “The character was a real collaborative effort between mum and me – it would have been impossible to do otherwise if we hadn’t sat round the table discussing every little nuance, since we’re playing the same character,” she reveals. “We actually used my grandparents, on both sides. They were both truly inspirational women with huge potential, it was just a case that a man’s career came first, so we looked to that a lot.”
At the other end of the experience spectrum Jonathan Pryce's career is the stuff of legend. From Bond villain in Tomorrow Never Dies, to Governor Swann in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, to his two Tonys for his stage work, there's little Pryce hasn't done. He even starred at the centre of his own, pre-emptive, #HollywoodSoWhite controversy when he played Asian nightclub owner The Engineer in the original stage production of Miss Saigon, much to the annoyance of many Asian actors. So how did the Welsh veteran find being an elder statesman on set, not only to Starke and Lloyd, but perhaps also to director Runge who, despite an extensive Swedish filmography, was directing his first movie in English?
“I didn’t feel like an elder statesman – Glenn’s older than me. She was the elder statesman,” the actor laughs. “No, really, it made for a great dynamic on set and a great energy. With Bjorn, it may have been his first English film, but he had a great concern for the language, what we were saying and how we were saying it. That combined experience of myself, Glenn and Christian, and Bjorn, too, because all of us work extensively in the theatre, really helped create the atmosphere on set. It’s a very story-driven, language-driven film, but with a lot of silences, too. It’s very theatrical. A lot of Glenn’s role is to be a silent observer, and those moments when the camera closes in on her in silence are vital to telling the story.”
The film's subject matter remains relevant today as Hollywood increasingly questions the role of women within its own power structures: an aspiring writer gives up her career to support her husband, although he may not entirely deserve her dedication. Pryce concedes that the themes are nothing new: "The conversations we're having about women in Hollywood today have been going on for millennia," he says. "They go back in my work at least to Shakespeare and The Taming of the Shrew, the idea of training a woman to be what you want her to be. The disappointing thing is that we're still having to have these discussions. It's an absurd conversation to be having in 2018."
Pryce does see light at the end of the tunnel, though. "Fortunately, there are a lot of strong women in powerful positions in the industry – directors, studio heads, producers, who are speaking out. Not enough, but we're moving in the right direction and what's good about things like #MeToo is it wakes up people who had perhaps become complacent and thought enough had already been done."
In keeping with the strong women theme, Close’s performance is already being talked about in glowing terms as Oscars season approaches. With six nominations, she is the most-nominated actress to have never won an award. I ask Pryce if this could finally be her year, and whether it’s irritating to have so much attention focused on his co-star. “Oh, goodness, no, it doesn’t irritate at all,” he insists. “It’s a capricious business, though, and there’s never any way of predicting how the Oscars will go. I’m an Academy voter so I know as well as anyone. I’d be thrilled if she won an Oscar, but the great thing is she’s received enormous recognition for her work, and I’ve done OK, too.”
The Wife is in UAE cinemas from Thursday
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THE DEALS
Hamilton $60m x 2 = $120m
Vettel $45m x 2 = $90m
Ricciardo $35m x 2 = $70m
Verstappen $55m x 3 = $165m
Leclerc $20m x 2 = $40m
TOTAL $485m
Madrid Open schedule
Men's semi-finals
Novak Djokovic (1) v Dominic Thiem (5) from 6pm
Stefanos Tsitsipas (8) v Rafael Nadal (2) from 11pm
Women's final
Simona Halep (3) v Kiki Bertens (7) from 8.30pm
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Fixtures
Opening day Premier League fixtures for August 9-11
August 9
Liverpool v Norwich 11pm
August 10
West Ham v Man City 3.30pm
Bournemouth v Sheffield Utd 6pm
Burnley v Southampton 6pm
C Palace v Everton 6pm
Leicester v Wolves 6pm
Watford v Brighton 6pm
Tottenham v Aston Villa 8.30pm
August 11
Newcastle v Arsenal 5pm
Man United v Chelsea 7.30pm
Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20myZoi%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202021%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Syed%20Ali%2C%20Christian%20Buchholz%2C%20Shanawaz%20Rouf%2C%20Arsalan%20Siddiqui%2C%20Nabid%20Hassan%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20UAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2037%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Initial%20undisclosed%20funding%20from%20SC%20Ventures%3B%20second%20round%20of%20funding%20totalling%20%2414%20million%20from%20a%20consortium%20of%20SBI%2C%20a%20Japanese%20VC%20firm%2C%20and%20SC%20Venture%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
The%20specs
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Essentials
The flights: You can fly from the UAE to Iceland with one stop in Europe with a variety of airlines. Return flights with Emirates from Dubai to Stockholm, then Icelandair to Reykjavik, cost from Dh4,153 return. The whole trip takes 11 hours. British Airways flies from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Reykjavik, via London, with return flights taking 12 hours and costing from Dh2,490 return, including taxes.
The activities: A half-day Silfra snorkelling trip costs 14,990 Icelandic kronur (Dh544) with Dive.is. Inside the Volcano also takes half a day and costs 42,000 kronur (Dh1,524). The Jokulsarlon small-boat cruise lasts about an hour and costs 9,800 kronur (Dh356). Into the Glacier costs 19,500 kronur (Dh708). It lasts three to four hours.
The tours: It’s often better to book a tailor-made trip through a specialist operator. UK-based Discover the World offers seven nights, self-driving, across the island from £892 (Dh4,505) per person. This includes three nights’ accommodation at Hotel Husafell near Into the Glacier, two nights at Hotel Ranga and two nights at the Icelandair Hotel Klaustur. It includes car rental, plus an iPad with itinerary and tourist information pre-loaded onto it, while activities can be booked as optional extras. More information inspiredbyiceland.com
MATCH INFO
Championship play-offs, second legs:
Aston Villa 0
Middlesbrough 0
(Aston Villa advance 1-0 on aggregate)
Fulham 2
Sessegnon (47'), Odoi (66')
Derby County 0
(Fulham advance 2-1 on aggregate)
Final
Saturday, May 26, Wembley. Kick off 8pm (UAE)
Company Profile
Founder: Omar Onsi
Launched: 2018
Employees: 35
Financing stage: Seed round ($12 million)
Investors: B&Y, Phoenician Funds, M1 Group, Shorooq Partners
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
The Internet
Hive Mind
four stars
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
LIST OF INVITEES
Shergo Kurdi (am)
Rayhan Thomas
Saud Al Sharee (am)
Min Woo Lee
Todd Clements
Matthew Jordan
AbdulRahman Al Mansour (am)
Matteo Manassero
Alfie Plant
Othman Al Mulla
Shaun Norris
Bangladesh tour of Pakistan
January 24 – First T20, Lahore
January 25 – Second T20, Lahore
January 27 – Third T20, Lahore
February 7-11 – First Test, Rawalpindi
April 3 – One-off ODI, Karachi
April 5-9 – Second Test, Karachi
Why it pays to compare
A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.
Route 1: bank transfer
The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.
Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount
Total received: €4,670.30
Route 2: online platform
The UAE bank’s charge for sending Dh20,000 to a UK dirham-denominated account was Dh2.10. The exchange rate margin cost was Dh60, plus a Dh12 fee.
Total cost: Dh74.10, around 0.4 per cent of the transaction
Total received: €4,756
The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Famous left-handers
- Marie Curie
- Jimi Hendrix
- Leonardo Di Vinci
- David Bowie
- Paul McCartney
- Albert Einstein
- Jack the Ripper
- Barack Obama
- Helen Keller
- Joan of Arc
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
Herc's Adventures
Developer: Big Ape Productions
Publisher: LucasArts
Console: PlayStation 1 & 5, Sega Saturn
Rating: 4/5
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
