With the coronavirus pandemic forcing cancellation of this year's Eurovision Song Contest, actors Will Ferrell and Rachel McAdams hope fans can get their fix by watching their madcap Netflix comedy about a duo from Iceland who compete in the event.
Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga is a "zany, unexpected, musical extravaganza," McAdams told Reuters.
She and Ferrell play Sigrit Ericksdottir and Lars Erickssong, blond Scandinavian soulmates who bumble their way into being Iceland's contest entrants, and find unlikely ways to keep advancing.
The Eurovision Song Contest is one of the world's biggest annual television events, featuring colourful and often tongue-in-cheek and over-the-top performances. It was due to take place in Rotterdam in May after the Netherlands won the 2019 contest, but was canceled as the pandemic spread.
Pierce Brosnan said he only needed a quick look at the script to sign on for the role of Ferrell's father and harshest critic, Erick Erickssong.
"I read it one morning and said yes to it by lunchtime," Brosnan said, adding he "grew up with Eurovision living in London" and watched ABBA win in 1974.
Ferrell said Eurovision officials "totally got" his idea of a movie lampooning the contest.
"I said, 'You know, we're going to have some fun with it.' And they're like: 'Oh, you should.'"
Ferrell said real past Eurovision performances were a key inspiration and gave them the idea, for instance, for a scene in which Ferrell sings while running on a giant hamster wheel.
"Andrew (Steele), our writer said, let's just do the hamster wheel." They got an "amazing team of British prop guys constructing this massive hamster wheel out of steel that would later be lowered, you know, 100 feet out of the air that I'm running on."
Ferrell said he hopes the Netflix movie can "show our love and gratitude for this kind of amazing, amazing contest that... 46 countries compete in every year. And it means so much to the community."
The film released on Netflix globally on Friday, June 26.
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Alyssa Ayres, Oxford University Press
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The annual report by the Community Security Trust, which advises the Jewish community on security , warned on Thursday that anti-Semitic incidents in Britain had reached a record high.
It found there had been 2,255 anti-Semitic incidents reported in 2021, a rise of 34 per cent from the previous year.
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Jordan cabinet changes
In
- Raed Mozafar Abu Al Saoud, Minister of Water and Irrigation
- Dr Bassam Samir Al Talhouni, Minister of Justice
- Majd Mohamed Shoueikeh, State Minister of Development of Foundation Performance
- Azmi Mahmud Mohafaza, Minister of Education and Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research
- Falah Abdalla Al Ammoush, Minister of Public Works and Housing
- Basma Moussa Ishakat, Minister of Social Development
- Dr Ghazi Monawar Al Zein, Minister of Health
- Ibrahim Sobhi Alshahahede, Minister of Agriculture and Minister of Environment
- Dr Mohamed Suleiman Aburamman, Minister of Culture and Minister of Youth
Out
- Dr Adel Issa Al Tawissi, Minister of High Education and Scientific Research
- Hala Noaman “Basiso Lattouf”, Minister of Social Development
- Dr Mahmud Yassin Al Sheyab, Minister of Health
- Yahya Moussa Kasbi, Minister of Public Works and Housing
- Nayef Hamidi Al Fayez, Minister of Environment
- Majd Mohamed Shoueika, Minister of Public Sector Development
- Khalid Moussa Al Huneifat, Minister of Agriculture
- Dr Awad Abu Jarad Al Mushakiba, Minister of Justice
- Mounir Moussa Ouwais, Minister of Water and Agriculture
- Dr Azmi Mahmud Mohafaza, Minister of Education
- Mokarram Mustafa Al Kaysi, Minister of Youth
- Basma Mohamed Al Nousour, Minister of Culture
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