Jose Antonio Guerrero Martínez, an actor in the celebrated movie Roma, directed by Alfonso Cuarón and nominated for ten Academy Awards, has not been able to secure a visa to enter the US to attend screenings and other industry events in the US, according to an interview he gave in the Mexican lifestyle magazine, Quién. Guerrero says he has been denied visas to the US on three separate occasions.
Read moreNo Hay Fronteras
Los Angeles Times: "'Roma' actor Jorge Guerrero has been denied visas to the U.S. — and might miss the Oscars"
My Favorite “Immigration” Movie
Although awards season for film and television is over with the Academy Awards show last weekend, there is still much buzz surrounding the fantastic and diverse films that were released in the past year. With all of the excitement, I am inspired to reminisce about my own favorite films—and influenced by my profession–specifically my favorite immigration film: The Terminal.
Read moreImmigrants and the Oscars
Awards season is upon us! Every year the American awards season captures the attention and excitement of people around the globe as the women and men of the entertainment industry are recognized for their outstanding performances in television and film. In recognition of this special time of year—and since we are an immigration law firm—we thought it would be fun to celebrate the immigration themes in this year’s films nominated for Oscars (sorry Golden Globes et al!) as well as the contributions of many foreign nationals to American film and television.
Read moreTen Iconic American Roles. Nine Foreign Actors.
America is the land of diversity (well, to some degree) as well as opportunity (go American dream), and immigrants come to the US to work in many different industries and professions, which is something we know because, well, this is an immigration law firm. The American film and television industry is no exception to hiring and employing foreign workers. Beginning with Charlie Chaplin (British) and Cary Grant (also British), Hollywood continues to employ many foreign actors in "American" roles. I still remember when I first heard Detective Jimmy McNulty (played by the British Dominic West) speak with his posh British accent. (For comparison, here's a scene from The Wire).
We're not, of course, the first to notice the foreign invasion of talent. NPR discussed this and also the equally serious and important media journal TV Guide. And while the AV Club doesn't like it, we actually do. It's good to have diversity. It's good sometimes to have an "outsider" perspective on things. And since the Oscars are this weekend and we are in a cinematic state of mind, we thought we'd take some time to admire the talent of these foreign actors (as Amy Poehler did during the recent Golden Globes) tackling that damn American accent and playing particularly famous or iconic American roles.
Read moreAnd the Oscar goes to…
JACKI: As the two-time champ of the annual D&B Oscar Pool, it should come as no surprise that I have been asked to help write the first ever Oscar predictions blog post (sarcasm heavily implied). That said, I have no formal film training whatsoever--I’m just an avid filmgoer who intends to pull off the never-before-achieved D&B Oscar Pool three-peat.
JEN: I am a relative newbie to the shark-infested waters of the D&B Oscar Pool. Having studied film and television as an undergraduate, I have the makings of a winner, but my penchant for voting with my heart often ruins my chances at victory. I am determined to block Jacki’s “three-peat” (and stop all this office trash-talk) this year.
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