Category Archive: Lifestyle

Riz Ahmed: The Midas Touch

Decades before he was named one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People, he was just  another working-class British Pakistani man. Years before he became the first male actor of South Asian and Muslim descent to win an Emmy, he was just another brown face in the entertainment industry. Weeks before he won the SAG award for best male actor in a miniseries, his father told him it wasn’t too late to become an investment banker. But time and time again Rizwan “Riz” Ahmed, has exceeded expectations. He’s no longer the frightful teenager that had knives held at his throat because of the color of his skin. Today, he’s a cultural icon, influencing the world for the better. In fact, when he’s not in front of the camera breaking through Hollywood’s not-so-diverse glass ceiling, he’s either rapping about social justice issues or encouraging activism and philanthropy. One thing is certain. Regardless of the stereotypes he’s been subjected to Wembley, London born actor, rapper and activist Riz Ahmed has the Midas Touch.

HyperFocal: 0

You are unauthorized to view this page.

Viola Davis: From Maternal to Mysterious

There is an infinite amount of risks when it comes to being an actor. First and foremost, there is the possibility of never achieving success. However, even after playing an Oscar-winning role, there comes the imminent fear of being typecast. Even some of our most beloved performers carry this burden, and we just don’t seem to care as viewers. We love Michael Cera as the “awkward cute boy,” and we love Morgan Freeman as “the wise older man.” But, at a certain point, this lack of variety has to be boring for the actors. Rejecting such uniformity, Actress Viola Davis has demonstrated great versatility throughout her career. Recently, she has diversified her resume with the addition of the tough-as-nails defense attorney Annalise Keating of ABC’s “How to Get Away with Murder.”

You are unauthorized to view this page.

Jeff Bezos: Billion Dollar Bezos

Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon.com, the world’s largest online shopping retailer, is worth $105.1 billion dollars, according to Bloomberg Technology. That is more than Bill Gates, the co-founder of Microsoft whose net worth sits at $93.2 billion dollars. Not so long ago, in 1999 Bezos’ work space consisted of just a basic computer, a phone, and a desk that he built from a door, stabilized by two-by-fours in his garage. The visionary spray painted the words: AMAZON.COM on the wall of his work area, breathing life into his dream way before the world took notice. Now, he holds the title as the richest person in the world.

Bezos said, you have to be resourceful and self-reliant. He firmly believes that those traits helped him propel his startup company from his garage, into a $100 billion dollar corporation.
Bezos, who just celebrated his 54th birthday on January 12th, was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He credits his first job with his grandfather as the source for honing in on the aforementioned traits. Bezos spent his summers with his grandfather working on his South Texas ranch. Bezos was born to a teenage mother and a father who worked as a circus performer whom he didn't know growing up. When Bezos was four-years-old, his mother told his biological father to stay out of their lives, and he obliged. His biological father was unaware of the success he encounter as an adult until the book "The Everything Store" about Jeff's life was being written, and the author reached out to him for an interview.

You are unauthorized to view this page.

Boris Kodjoe: Handling Hollywood

Boris Kodjoe is all over Hollywood. He began acting on television’s The Steve Harvey Show and almost immediately jumped into movies after that. You can see him on the films Love & Basketball, Brown Sugar and most recently, he played in part of the Resident Evil franchise. Kodjoe is also well- known for his looks. The man is gorgeous and it’s no secret. He’s managed to keep afloat in the uncertainty of Hollywood, but that let’s us know that one thing is absolute: it’s hard work. It’s not just about getting by on your looks.

“I have to be very disciplined because the hours are ridiculous. We shoot 12 to 14 hours a day. To do all that physical stuff yourself, you have to be on a nutritional plan. I have six or seven meals a day. I eat every hour and a half, and make sure it’s all clean. I have absolutely no sugar at all,” Kodjoe explained to media, technology and entertainment site Collider about his role in the TV show “Undercovers.”

You are unauthorized to view this page.

Liam Neeson: Gratia

Actions shape our world. The decisions of goodwill and grace as well as malevolent choices affects all outcomes. In the same manner, action movies revolve around choices. The main character is often presented with an issue, and has to make a decision on which path to take towards a solution. Action movies are more than just mindless violence, most contain plots of moral dilemmas. Critically-acclaimed actor Liam Neeson is one of the most prominent action movie stars in Hollywood. However, to consider him just an action star in thoughtless films is egregious. His films directly reflect his feelings towards life and its’ machinations as well as his faith, “We really had to strip away the layers and really confront yourself in what your real beliefs are. I certainly did, didn't come away with any answers...I'm still questing, let's put it that way," he explained to CNN about his role in the film Silence. Neeson’s movies represent important themes such as tragedy, religion and most importantly life and death. Neeson's quiet dignity and grace enhances moviegoers’ experience in any film he stars in. Although he has lived a life full of major film and personal successes, we should note his accomplishments beyond the silver screen.

You are unauthorized to view this page.