Threatening Stars: a rant.

A film called Ocean's 8 has just had its British release. I understand it's a bit like Steven Soderburgh's Ocean's Eleven, but with a cheaper cast and a feeling it's not worth bothering to write out the names of numbers properly.

It also appears that none of it takes place under water. This is a disappointment, but not a huge one,because I'm no more likely to see Ocean's 8 than I ever was to see Ocean's Eleven.

But never mind the film, there's enough fun to be had with the reviews and the publicity. The i newspaper had a piece which particularly caught my eye. It said that one of the stars, Mindy Kaling, had been intimidated to work with Rihanna.

Well, I was terribly shocked. I mean, I know that Rihanna is a primarily a singer rather than an actress, but I wouldn't have thought intimidation was necessary to provide her with fellow actresses. 

What I wanted to know was, what did the casting director do? Did he whisper something in he ear about the poor quality of brake cables nowadays? Mention a potential fashion for concrete stilettos?

Did Mindy wake up with a dolphin's head beside her on the pillow? 

But upon further reading I was relieved to discover that the answer to all those questions is no. No one intimidated Mindy into anything. Instead Mindy had felt intimidated about working with Rihanna because she feels that music stars are starrier than mere actresses.

'They can do whatever they like and nobody thinks it's crazy or weird,' she said, rather sweetly, if erroneously.

Well, I wish Mindy a long and distinguished career. 

But most of all I'm glad, poor love, that no one sent round the mob.

Word To Use Today: intimidate. The Latin word timidus means fearful, from timor, fear.