firefly

Do you heart Chiwetel Eijofor as much as we do?

He's the man who played Okwe, the hotel night clerk and doctor, in 2002's brilliant Dirty Pretty Things, the super-creepy Operative in Serenity and the also-creepy Luke in the woefully under-awarded (HELLO! SHOULD HAVE WON THE OSCAR FOR BEST FILM!) Children of Men. He's also been in a ton of other movies, two of which — Talk to Me and American Gangster — are sort of out right now (depending on how long they linger at the dollar theaters, sadly).

But it's his performance in a London stage show of Othello that has people paying, yes, up to £800 a ticket (that's about $1623, according to this second's currency calculator; by the time you read this, it may be oh so much more).

Anyway, here's a great article about him. It includes this awesome quote from director Stephen Frears:
"He's just a very splendid person. Denzel [Washington] told me that he'd have him assassinated - Chiwe is the one he's threatened by."

Go read it. Then snag his movies from the library because you probably aren't getting tix to the play anytime soon.

(Also, hurray! We have the same birthday! Only, um, he's a little younger. And, um, a little more successful. But I still heart him.)

Why? Because I'm the performing and visual arts editor, that's why.

1. New museum in Denver. Opening soon, with an emphasis on the kiddies (who will, of course, grow up to become donors! Big donors! Let the private school kids in first!).

2. Oscar winners likely to be depressing. This is news?

3. Holy crap. Best. Sale. Ever.

4. Heads up, homophobic Singapore! Gandalf is after you. Hint: Change your ways. You know what happened to the Balrog, right?

5. Am I just weird? Also, if I read 300 books a year (say), how much does that mess with the average?

That reminds me, I went to see Stardust last night, and it was super. Don't miss it. Especially if you were a fan of Princess Bride.

The Unshelved strip today somehow seems apropos.