Natalie Dormer speaks on World Humanitarian Day, the Blackfish gets a new gig, and more
By Corey Smith
NEW YORK, NY – AUGUST 19: Actress Natalie Dormer addresses the audience during the 2016 World Humanitarian Day: One Humanity Event at the United Nations on August 19, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images)
Celebrity speakers brought their star power to bear this past Friday at the United Nations headquarters in New York for World Humanitarian Day. Natalie Dormer (Game of Thrones’ Margaery Tyrell), wearing a subdued white pantsuit, was among those who appeared on stage. Dormer spoke passionately about woman and girls targeted for sexual violence, paying special attention to women in conflict zones.
"In most of the conflicts around the world, rape has become a weapon of war, with women directly targeted by fighting parties."
Dormer even roped Margaery into his comments after The Huffington Post asked her about the character’s ultimate plan. “She was doing what women throughout the world do: care for their families in times of crisis and try and get them out of it,” she said.
"There’s a woman here today, a Syrian woman called Hala [Kamil], who’s here with her four children, who went on this extraordinary journey, documented by a filmmaker, as a Syrian refugee to get to Europe, and she’s doing what Margaery was doing: trying to get her family out of a horrific situation."
Elsewhere, the actor behind Brynden “the Blackfish” Tully has a new gig. According to The Sun, actor Clive Russel has signed on to appear on British soap opera Hollyoaks. His role? Billy Brody, the ex-con brother of one of the show’s main characters. (No, he’s not an evil twin brother.) Russell enjoys filming the show, and particularly likes working with his onscreen brother, Jimmy McKenna.
"I have had some great days filming with Hollyoaks. Working with the legend that is La McKenna was also a delight. He is a wonderful actor and man. Along with Kerry Bennett – my on-screen daughter – I just had a ball!"
This is quite the change of pace from Rusell’s days on Game of Thrones, no? Or is it? Backstabbing family drama with members of the family you don’t quite like? Hollyoaks might be more like Thrones than we think. Except for the dragons.
Last but not least, Game of Thrones producer Christopher Newman is lining up his next gig now that the end of the show is in sight. Newman, who has been with Thrones since its inception, will produce Empress, a drama about Wu Zetian, China’s only female emperor. The project is set to be financed by Starlight Media and K. Jam Media, with an eye towards filming in Sichuan China in late 2017.
Along with Game of Thrones, Newman has also worked as a producer on projects such as Love Actually, and Star Wars: Episode I, The Phantom Menace. Not a bad lineup.