Since I was 27 and a cast member emergenciesMaria Bello spends part of each year in her “happy place”: Nairobi, Kenya. Bello – Produced and tells the story behind Sony’s historic epic a female kingLocated in the Kingdom of Dahomey (present-day Benin) and released on September 16 – spoke THR About the love of the continent.
You’ve been traveling in Africa for half your life. What is stopping you?
The continent offers your imagination. I’m really excited about what’s happening there. It’s a stereotype that all of Africa is one big safari, but that’s not true. There are thriving and beautiful cities, and people group them all together: “Oh, this is Africa.” But it’s not, it’s so diverse, with so many different cultures, foods and music. Now I listen almost exclusively to Afrobeats because my friends’ kids brought me Burna Boy from Nigeria. There is so much energy on the continent right now. For me, this is one of the most interesting places on the planet.
a female king Filmed in South Africa. Why do you think Hollywood should film more in Africa?
In the 1980s, Kenya was a film center with films such as out of africa s bad white, but with changes in leadership, the industry largely went to South Africa with many well-trained staff. The current government is open to tax breaks for specific projects and is working to bring cinema back. Kenya has great soundstages and equipment waiting to be used. I would love to see Hollywood really explore African stories and meet different filmmakers in Nigeria and Ghana. There are a lot of very interesting stories to tell and different places to film and that would change the economy of many countries. We are now starting to look beyond traditional American food as global culture expands.
What motivated you to produce and develop? a king woman
a female king It was really born out of my love for the continent in general. It’s based on a story of women, a story I discovered many years ago about this army of women in the 17th century. Brave Heart And I thought, why isn’t there a female movie like that?
You call Karen, a suburb of Nairobi, your part-time home. How do you spend your time there?
I live in a small cabin on the grounds of the Hotel Eden. It has become a hub and meeting place for some really cool people in the industry. A-N-A [Trzebinski], the owner, is an amazing designer and the property is amazing. There are so many different areas of Nairobi that are so beautiful. The River Cafe in Karura Forest is amazing. I had the best meals at the Embark restaurant by Talisman and Chef Dennis Ang’ani. But I really love the road nyama choma. It’s basically grilled meat and it’s very well done. I’m salivating just thinking about it. We are going to have an African food and wine festival in Kenya in the fall because my fiancé [three Michelin-starred chef Dominique Crenn] I was also very interested in the idea that there are so many interesting foods in different African countries that many people don’t even know about. We plan to bring amazing chefs from across the continent and the world to this food festival.
The interview has been edited for length and clarity.
A version of this story first appeared in the August 17 issue of The Gossipify. Click here to subscribe.
Source: Hollywood Reporter
Camila Luna is a writer at Gossipify, where she covers the latest movies and television series. With a passion for all things entertainment, Camila brings her unique perspective to her writing and offers readers an inside look at the industry. Camila is a graduate from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with a degree in English and is also a avid movie watcher.
