Adam Deacon wrote Sumotherhood to counter ‘scary stuff’ written about him in the press
Adam Deacon says he wrote his latest film – Sumotherhood – as a way to “take ownership” of some of the “scary stuff” written about him in the press following his breakdown.
The 40-year-old Hackney-born actor and rapper says it was important for him to put some of his own mental health issues into the movie, which he wrote, directed and stars in.
Pic: Paramount Pictures
He told Sky News: “I felt like not only was it quite therapeutic for me to get it out of my system, but also take some ownership in what was written about me, because there was so much stuff in the press that can be quite scary for someone to read.
“I felt like if I don’t take it that serious, then, you know, people reading it don’t have to take it that serious. And I want people to understand that you can go through a mental health breakdown, and you can recover. It’s just like a broken leg – you break, a leg heals. It’s like your mind, your mind heals.”
Deacon’s rise to fame was swift, starring in 2006 movie Kidulthood, followed by Adulthood two years later – both written by and starring Noel Clarke.
Deacon went on to pick up BAFTA’s rising star award in 2012 – ahead of Eddie Redmayne, Tom Hiddleston, Chris Hemsworth and Chris O’Dowd.
But Deacon’s upward trajectory was stopped in its tracks following mental health struggles, culminating in two breakdowns and a bi-polar diagnosis.
‘More needs to be done to break the stigma’
Deacon now hopes the film will help tackle the “stigma around mental health”, which he says is still an issue.
“I faced that [stigma] myself. And I know a lot of young men have come up to me and told me about their own issues… I think things are changing. I think the way the media talk about mental health now was a lot different when I went through my breakdown. But I think more needs to be done and hopefully this film will just start a little conversation going, especially for young men out there watching it.”
Intertwined with his illness, a very public row with Clarke – who Deacon claimed was sabotaging his career – led to a restraining order against Deacon in 2015.
Clarke has since been the subject of multiple bullying and sexual misconduct claims following an investigation by the Guardian newspaper. Clarke has never been charged with any offence and strongly denies the allegations made against him.
Now, with those events years behind him, Deacon sees Sumotherhood as his calling card to the industry he loves.
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“For me, it was it was a struggle letting the industry know that I’m cool. I feel better. I’m in a good place. And I think that’s why I made the film as well, to kind of prove myself to the industry, to let people know, ‘Look, I’ve been in this industry since I was 12 years old, and I just want to work. I just want to act and I want to direct and I love what I do’. So, it feels like a second chance.”
‘I added lines… and people laughed’
It was in fact his first film, playing troubled teen Jay in Kidulthood, that first led him to the idea of creating a parody of the gritty London-set gang drama that made his name.
“I think Jay in Kidulthood was written quite aggressive and quite obnoxious a lot of the time. And so, I added a few lines and when it came out and I went to the cinema to watch it, I realised the comedy lines I added had an effect and people were laughing.”
It was then he decided he had to write a full comedy of the drama, resulting in his directorial debut, Anuvahood in 2011. Now 12 years later, Sumotherhood follows.
Inspired by Brett Ratner’s 1998 action-comedy Rush Hour and the work of Guy Richie, the film has a British feel with an American flavour.
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Sumotherhood has numerous star cameos throughout
Pop star ‘shows off’ acting skills
Plus, more cameos than you can shake a stick at.
Appearances include Ed Sheeran, Lethal Bizzle, Jennifer Saunders, Denise Van Outen, Linda Robson and Jeremy Corbyn.
Jazzie Zonzolo, who co-wrote and stars in the movie alongside Deacon, says the support was “crazy,” and has particular praise for Shape Of You singer Ed Sheeran.
Zonzolo explains: “Let me tell you about Ed Sheeran. Ed Sheeran is a real professional. He invited us to his house to rehearse and he was not letting us go home. He just kept going, and he literally came on set, knew his lines like he was amazing.”
Heaping on more praise, Deacon says Sheeran was a “perfectionist”, who showed “professionalism” and “creativity” throughout the shoot.
Plus, he says fans will get to see a whole different side to the squeaky clean pop star: “He’s a proper actor in this film. I think a lot of his work in the past was him playing himself. And I feel like this is an opportunity for the world to see Ed in a way they’ve never seen him before and for him to really show off his acting skills.”
Sumotherhood is in cinemas now.
Angelina Jolie says although she appreciates being an artist, she would prefer for her legacy to be “a good mother” and to be known for her “belief in equality and human rights”.
The Oscar-winning actress stars as Maria Callas in the new Pablo Larrain film about the opera singer’s life.
Pic: StudioCanal
She has called Maria “the hardest” and “most challenging” role she has had in her career and put months of preparation into immersing herself into the world of opera.
Jolie, who recently reached a divorce settlement with actor Brad Pitt, told Sky News: “To be very candid, it was the therapy I didn’t realise I needed. I had no idea how much I was holding in and not letting out.
“So, the challenge wasn’t the technical [side of opera], it was an emotional experience to find my voice, to be in my body, to express. You have to give every single part of yourself.”
The biopic combines the voice of the Maleficent actress with recordings of Maria Callas.
Jolie believes it “would be a crime to not have [Callas’] voice through this because, in many ways, she is very present in this film”.
Who was Maria Callas?
Born in New York in 1923, Maria Callas was the daughter of Greek immigrants who moved back to Athens at the age of 13 with her mother and sister.
After enrolling at the Athens Conservatory, she made her professional debut at 17 and went on to become one of the most famous faces of opera, travelling around the world and performing at Covent Garden in London, The Met in New York and La Scala in Milan.
Callas’s final operatic performance took place at Covent Garden in 1965 when she was 41 but she continued to work conducting master classes at Juilliard School, doing concert tours and starring in the 1969 film Medea.
Written by Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight, Maria focuses on the artist’s final years in the 1970s when she moved to Paris and disappeared from public view.
She died on 16 September 1977 at the age of 53.
Pic: StudioCanal
Jolie on changing motivations as an actor
Maria follows the life of an artist fully consumed by the art she creates and even remarks that “happiness never developed a beautiful melody”.
Reflecting on her own life in the spotlight, Jolie said she noticed her own career motivations change over the years.
“There’s this kind of study of being human that we do when we create, and we communicate with an audience because our work is not in isolation – it’s a connection.
“I think when I was younger, I had different questions about being human and different feelings and now as I’ve gotten older, I understand some things and now I have different questions.
“It’s a matter of life, right? And so maybe that’s interesting that this now is a character really contemplating death and really contemplating the toll of certain things in life that I, of course, couldn’t have understood in my 20s”.
Jolie at the New York Film Festival in September with three of her children (L-R) Pax, Zahara and Maddox. Pic: AP
A family affair
Two of Jolie’s children, Maddox and Pax, took on production assistant roles during the filming of Maria and witnessed their mother perform opera for the first time in public.
She says the film allowed them to create new experiences together and for her children to see her approach to playing a difficult role.
“Everyone in my home, we all give each other space to be who we are and we’re all different.
“I’m the mom, but I’m also an artist and a person and so my family has been very kind and gives me their understanding. They make fun of me, and they support me and just as you’d hope it would be.”
She adds: “When you play somebody who is dealing with so much pain, it’s very important to come home to some kindness.”
Maria is in cinemas now.
Tom Holland’s dad has confirmed his son’s engagement to Zendaya – revealing how the 28-year-old meticulously planned the proposal.
Zendaya, also 28, sparked engagement rumours when she attended last Sunday’s Golden Globes wearing a sparkling diamond on her ring finger.
Neither star has publicly addressed the rumours but Tom’s comedian father, Dominic Holland, has now confirmed the pair are set to wed.
He wrote in a post on his Patreon account: “Tom, as you know by now was very incredibly well prepared. He had purchased a ring.
“He had spoken with her father and gained permission to propose to his daughter.”
“Tom had everything planned out… When, where, how, what to say, what to wear,” he added.
Zendaya arrived at the Golden Globes with a noticeable piece of new jewellery. Pic: Invision/AP
Dominic also noted that while most men worry about being able to afford an engagement ring, he suspects his actor son was “more concerned with the stone, its size and clarity, its housing, which jeweller”.
Tom and Zendaya met on the set of Spider-Man: Homecoming in 2016, when they played the titular hero and his love interest MJ, respectively. Their romance was confirmed in 2021.
In his post, Tom’s father admitted fears over whether being in the spotlight could put a strain on the couple’s relationship.
He wrote: “I do fret that their combined stardom will amplify their spotlight and the commensurate demands on them and yet they continually confound me by handling everything with aplomb.”
“And even though show business is a messy place for relationships and particularly so for famous couples as they crash and burn in public and are too numerous to mention […] yet somehow right at the same time, I am completely confident they will make a successful union.”
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Zendaya rose to fame after landing a role in Disney sitcom Shake It Up, and became a household name after starring in Euphoria.
Holland – who has starred in three Spider-Man films opposite his now-fiancée – made his stage debut in Billy Elliot the Musical in 2008.
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