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- 🧟 Daisy Ridley on Reinventing Zombies, Star Wars, + More
🧟 Daisy Ridley on Reinventing Zombies, Star Wars, + More
At SXSW, Daisy Ridley dishes about her modern zombie film We Bury the Dead and also takes a detour to talk about the "emotional story" in Star Wars.
Michael Ahr
March 14, 2025
Friday Edition March 14, 2025
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It’s been a whirlwind of a week at South by Southwest 2025 in Austin, Texas! Celebrities, scientists, directors, and others have graced our studio for many insightful interviews. We hope you’ve been following along with all of our YouTube shorts and Instagram stories, but as always, you can always find the most in-depth coverage on our website.
We’ve shared some of our favorite stories from Daisy Ridley and the biotech company behind the woolly mice below, but there’s plenty more to enjoy coming out of SXSW as well. For example, you won’t want to miss our interview with The Boys’ Colby Minfie about her new horror film, The Surrender. We also spoke with the cast and creator of LifeHack, a new screenlife heist movie. And for even more horror fun, there’s our exclusive chat with the cast of Ash, the horror film starring Eiza González and Aaron Paul. Plus, our friends at The Perfect Parfait stopped by the studio ahead of one of their most exciting episode drops yet, featuring one of our favorite actors, Paul Walter Hauser.
It’s been an amazing festival this year, and as SXSW comes to a close, stay tuned for even more great content to wrap things up!
— Michael Ahr, Newsletter Editor
Photo: Nick Morgulis
MOVIES
Daisy Ridley Is Reinventing the Zombie Movie
In the upcoming film We Bury the Dead, Daisy Ridley portrays Ava Newman, a woman on a harrowing quest to find her missing husband amidst a world where the deceased unsettlingly return to life. Director Zak Hilditch, who joined Ridley and co-star Mark Coles Smith in the Den of Geek studio at SXSW, emphasizes that while the movie is set against a zombie apocalypse backdrop, its core delves deep into themes of grief, isolation, and redemption, offering a fresh perspective on the genre.
In a follow-up article to the one linked below, Ridley also took time to reflect on her expansive career, highlighting the often-overlooked acting performances within grand cinematic universes like Star Wars. She believes that beyond the epic battles and visual spectacles, it's the profound performances and intricate character relationships that truly resonate with audiences, underscoring the essence of humanity in storytelling.
Photo: Tori Time
ON YOUTUBE
The Perfect Parfait: A Deliciously Layered Interview Show
The Perfect Parfait is a modern, irreverent interview series with the soul of a quirky cable access culinary show. It takes one of the most undeniably adorable breakfast-desserts, pairs it with some of the funniest and most interesting people, and serves it all through an off-beat, cinematic lens. Think Hot Ones as the base, Between Two Ferns in the middle, and a fruity topping of Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee. Hosted by Hunter Cope and featuring parfaits crafted by Chef David Codney, each episode builds a unique dish inspired by the guest—layer by layer, just like the conversation. In the latest episode, which you can watch below, Hunter sits down with Emmy, Golden Globe, and Critics' Choice Award-winning actor Paul Walter Hauser.
Sitting poolside at The Parfait Palace, Hunter and his guest dive into each parfait, with questions growing deeper, more intimate, and more ridiculous along the way. No gotcha questions, just a freewheelin’ mix of offbeat comedy, left-of-center questions, and unexpected moments. And in the end, the big question remains: Is it The Perfect Parfait? (Spoiler: it never is, and that’s part of the fun.)
Photo: Colossal Biosciences
SCIENCE
How Jurassic Park Made Woolly Mice Possible (and Vice Versa)
Remember how Jurassic Park made us all marvel about the possibilities of bringing extinct creatures back to life? Well, fast forward to today, and we've got Colossal Biosciences, co-founded by Ben Lamm, taking a page out of that sci-fi playbook. They've engineered "woolly mice," adorable rodents sporting traits of the long-gone woolly mammoth, and they spoke with us about it exclusively in the Den of Geek SXSW studio.
These furry little wonders aren't just for show; they're a significant step toward Colossal's bold goal of resurrecting the woolly mammoth within the next three years. Lamm's childhood affinity with Jurassic Park has come full circle thanks to partnering with a scientist who might have inspired Michael Crichton! Together, they're blending what once seemed to be science fiction with cutting edge research. If you’re curious about how these woolly mice came to be and what this means for de-extinction science, check out the full article… or watch the video!
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EDITOR’S PICKS
Sadie Sink’s reported casting opens up a variety of fascinating possibilities for Marvel’s Spider-Man 4.
Paul Rudd and Jenna Ortega shepherd A24's latest horror-comedy about mythical roadkill in the absolutely bonkers Death of a Unicorn.
With The Electric State, the Russos recycle old ideas for a two-hour, brain-dead distraction.
Ceara Coveney and Ayoola Smart discuss Elayne and Aviendha's special bond in The Wheel of Time season 3.
TODAY’S TRIVIA QUESTION
What is the most widely accepted cause of the woolly mammoth’s extinction? |
LINK TANK
In Other News…
🌀 Robert Pattinson was “going crazy for three days” over a particular scene opposite Zendaya in A24’s The Drama.
🎤 Rachel Zegler, who will soon appear in the live-action Snow White, makes her London theater debut as Eva Perón in a revival of the musical Evita.
⚽ Ted Lasso will officially have a fourth season on Apple TV+ after more than a year of speculation and a crucial Jason Sudeikis contract.
😡 Sharon Stone says on Instagram that she was removed from the cast of Another Simple Favor “for no reason at all.”
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