Sterling K Brown on Black Panther, taping up his basketball shoes and Paradise
Sterling K Brown says being part of Black Panther was a “cultural moment” that allowed him to be “part of history” – and he’d jump at the chance to become part of the Marvel world again.
The 48-year-old actor, who’s currently starring in the mind-bending drama Paradise, told Sky News: “I remember reading that script – they don’t give it to you – you have to read it and then turn it back or your hands burn off or something like that…
“I remember thinking, this is a cultural moment. This is so big, not only for black America but for black people across the globe to see themselves front and centre in the largest, most zeitgeisty pop cultural machine in the world right now, the MCU [Marvel Cinematic Universe].
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Pic: Marvel Studios
The superhero movie won three Oscars – Marvel’s first ever Academy Awards – including a win for costume design and best production design, the first in both categories for women of colour.
Brown goes on: “I just want to be a part of history. It was history. It was awesome.”
The Missouri-born star’s career trajectory has been impressive, from “living beneath the poverty line” to being nominated for an Oscar, he’s always been single-minded in his pursuit of acting.
He explains: “I didn’t have a hard knock life. We grew up in a house. My mom was a schoolteacher. My dad was a grocery clerk. All our needs were met.
“But I would tape my basketball shoes up if the sole came apart because that fixed them. And my mom got mad at me one time, she’s like, ‘You know, we can buy you shoes?’ I was like, ‘Yeah, but I fixed them. What’s the big deal?'”
He says making his living through his craft was always his focus, adding, “I know that’s a luxury that’s not afforded to a lot of people. The fact that it’s gone my way, I’m incredibly thankful for.”
This Is Us. Pic: Disney+
A three-time Emmy winner, The People V O J Simpson: American Crime Story saw him gain public attention, followed by a season in The Marvellous Mrs Maisel, an episode of Brooklyn Nine-Nine and the multi-award-winning This Is Us.
‘I’ve got good taste’
When his role in American Fiction earned him an Oscar nomination, he insists he didn’t see it coming, saying: “I just knew it was a great story, a great script, and I wanted to be a part of it.”
He goes on: “They’re all sort of game-changers. People will give me credit. I’ll take credit for having good taste, but you never know when lightning is going to strike, right?”
A fatalist, he says: “I leave it in the hands of the universe and just say, ‘If you want me to step here, I’ll step there and whatever happens, happens’.”
Now he’s leading the cast of Disney+ drama Paradise, playing Agent Xavier Collins, a man charged with protecting a second-term president – played by James Marsden – in a serene community of high-net-worth individuals.
Brown admits the role came with obligations: “There is a different level of responsibility when you’re one on the call sheet. I think people do look to you to help set the tone of what the environment is going to be like, and I don’t mind that.”
Pic: Disney+
The brainchild of Dan Fogelman, best known for his work on This Is Us and Only Murders In The Building, Paradise is a murder mystery with something much bigger underneath.
‘Billionaires on camera’
Impossible to elaborate on further without giving away spoilers, it’s enough to say the first episode throws up a twist few will see coming.
Despite various parallels with the current political climate, Fogelman says he came up with the idea over a decade ago, but concedes the timing is “certainly unusual”.
Fogelman tells Sky News: “We’re openly seeing billionaires on camera having a big hand in government. And while money and wealth have always been a factor in things behind the scenes, it’s very out front and centre right now in a way that the show openly discusses [and] things about the environment and climate change.”
Brown too says the themes are prescient: “The world is unpredictable and a little bit nutty and a lot of people are on edge as to what is next. I don’t know if it’s across the world. I definitely know that it’s in the United States for certain.
“I think the show in a very strange way, is sort of asking the same questions like, ‘All right, we’re in new territory right now. I have no idea what happens next. I’m a little scared about that.'”
He goes on: “People are going to draw all sorts of conclusions and inferences and comparisons. I will leave them to draw whatever they wish because if I was an audience member, I would too.”
The first three episodes of Paradise are available on Disney+ now, with new episodes dropping each Tuesday.
Entertainment
BAFTA Games Awards: Astro Bot tops leaderboard – with psychological horror close behind
Astro Bot was the big winner at this year’s BAFTA Games Awards, taking home five prizes, including the coveted best game.
The 3D platformer, which was launched to critical acclaim in September to mark PlayStation’s 30th anniversary, was nominated for eight gongs, while Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II, led with 11 nods.
But in the end, the critics – some of whom had dubbed Astro Bot a “perfect game” – were right as it dominated the awards at London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall, hosted by comedian Phil Wang for the second year running.
Astro Bot. Pic: Team Asobi
Nicolas Doucet with his five awards for Astro Bot. Pic: PA
BAFTAs for audio achievement, game design, animation, and best family game completed the set for developers Team Asobi, who designed multiple galaxies and dozens of levels for the titular Astro to journey through, retrieving spaceship parts and rescuing lost robots.
“We’re a team based in Japan, but we have over 12 nationalities. We really mix it up and get ideas from everyone,” Nicolas Doucet, president of Team Asobi, told Sky News.
“We do a lot of jokes in the game, but the joke has a different meaning depending on where you are in the world. So it’s really, really nice to go around and ask everyone ‘is that joke fine in your country?’ And then together we come to a kind of universal playfulness.”
Among the gongs for Astro Bot was the best game award. Pic: BAFTA
It’s a very different atmosphere than that generated by British psychological horror Still Wakes The Deep, which won three awards for best new intellectual property and best supporting and leading roles.
Compared to John Carpenter’s 1980 sci-fi horror The Thing but on a Scottish oil rig, the game sees players take on the role of an electrician trapped on a damaged facility while being pursued by monsters.
Still Wakes The Deep. Pic: Sumo Digital Limited
Developer The Chinese Room has been praised for using home-grown talent to voice the characters, including comedian and actress Karen Dunbar, who picked up best performer in a supporting role for voicing Finlay.
“I’ve been nominated for quite a few BAFTAs in my time in Scotland, and I’ve never won one,” said Dunbar.
“It was such a great category, so many great performances. When they shouted my name, I think I started clapping for someone else!”
Read more: See full list of winners
Still Wakes The Deep star Karen Dunbar won best performer in a supporting role. Pic: BAFTA
Meanwhile, best multiplayer game went to Helldivers II – a satirical, sci-fi shooter that sees players fight bugs, aliens and robots with the gumption and gullibility of the characters in Paul Verhoeven’s Starship Troopers.
It has gained a cult following since launching in February 2024 with so much initial interest it created server problems.
“Games for me are about connecting people and forging those bonds of friendship and the multiplayer award is exactly what it stands for,” said Johan Pilestedt, chief executive of Arrowhead Game Studios.
Helldivers II. Pic: Arrowhead/Sony
From outer space to a fictional Yorkshire town called Barnsworth. Thank Goodness You’re Here! – a cartoonish, comedy platformer – won Best British Game. Like Still Wakes The Deep, it has won praise for the authenticity of its actors and setting.
“I think it’s been a real privilege to be able to represent Barnsley on the silver screen,” said Will Todd, who is from the town and one of two game designers behind the project.
Thank Goodness You’re Here! Pic: Coal Supper/Panic Inc
Co-creator James Carbutt added: “Me and Will wrote everything in our tone of voice, quite literally. The further along development we got, the more we lent into it. I think the voices from different parts of the UK and different voices in gaming are super important, and hopefully we’re one of them.”
By the time the BAFTAs wrapped up, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II was only handed one of the 11 BAFTAs it was nominated for, technical achievement.
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II. Pic: Ninja Theory
But developers Ninja Theory are already adding this year’s win to a tally of five BAFTAs they were awarded for the first game in the series, which created a protagonist with psychosis by drawing on clinical neuroscience and the experiences of people living with the condition.
Blondie drummer Clem Burke has died at the age of 70
The band said Blurke had been diagnosed with cancer, and described his death as a “profound loss”.
He featured on all the Debbie Harry-fronted group’s studio albums since joining a year after their formation in 1975.
Blurke was with the band from their self-titled debut, through their 1978 classic Parallel Lines, to 2017’s Pollinator.
Drummer Burke.
Pic: Reuters
In a statement on Blondie’s Instagram, Harry and the band’s guitarist, Chris Stein, said: “It is with profound sadness that we relay news of the passing of our beloved friend and bandmate Clem Burke following a private battle with cancer.
“Clem was not just a drummer, he was the heartbeat of Blondie.
“His talent, energy, and passion for music were unmatched, and his contributions to our sound and success are immeasurable.
“Beyond his musicianship, Clem was a source of inspiration both on and off the stage. His vibrant spirit, infectious enthusiasm and rock solid work ethic touched everyone who had the privilege of knowing him.
“Clem’s influence extended far beyond Blondie, a self-proclaimed ‘rock and roll survivalist’, he played and collaborated with numerous iconic artists.”
Burke in his performance at Festival Estereo Picnic 2023.
Pic: AP
Burke featured on Iggy Pop’s 1982 album Zombie Birdhouse and also performed with Bob Dylan, The Ramones, The Who guitarist Pete Townshend and Joan Jett.
The statement went on to say Burke had left an “indelible mark on every project he was part of”.
It added: “We extend our deepest condolences to Clem’s family, friends, and fans around the world. His legacy will live on through the tremendous amount of music he created and the countless lives he touched.”
Burke, who performed on classic tracks such as Call Me, Heart Of Glass and One Way Or Another, made his final live appearance with Blondie last year.
Read more from Sky News:
King arrives in Rome for Italy tour with Queen after health concerns
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Blondie performing during Glastonbury Festival in 2023.
Pic: Invision/AP
Among those paying tribute to him was Kinks guitarist Dave Davies, who said: “I feel saddened that Clem Burke was taken from us so soon.
“May he rest in peace, spectacular drumming, we were friends.”
Nancy Sinatra said: “My heart is shattered. Clem became an icon as a member of Blondie, but he was also an important part of my band, the K.A.B. I was blessed to call him my friend.
“If I ever needed him, he was there. Always. Sending healing prayers and comfort to his widow, Ellen, his family, and all who loved him.”
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