What do you think of when you hear the name “Colin Kaepernick?” Do you think of what he can do with a pigskin? Down-the-wire plays and rushing yards as a college and professional quarterback? Do you think of his activism? Him standing up against police brutality and racial inequality? How his pre-game moments as a San Francisco 49er became the catalyst to athletes, public figures, and fans kneeling to the U.S. national anthem at games around the world?
Ever wonder what David Harbour’s life was like before Stranger Things? It may not be what you would’ve expected.
Success as an actor is often hard to define. Sometimes critical acclaim or commercial profitability are the metrics used to define success. However, there’s another lesser attained category that only a few actors ever get the honor of being – a cult classic. Thanks to Stranger Things, David Harbour has certainly hit that mark. He hasn’t always been the household name he is today and chances are most fans wouldn’t have known his life prior to the culture defining Netflix series. But judging from the response at New York Comic Con this year, they certainly wanted to know more and David was happy to share about his life prior to the show.
For starters, he grew up in New York in the East Village and stayed there for much of his life as he pursued a career as an actor. However, he wasn’t exactly dominating the big or small screen in any capacity. His appearances were mostly confined to recurring roles on short lived TV series and doing off Broadway plays. It got to the point where he was started to worry about where next month’s rent would come from. He was on a tv series that had just shot its first season and he needed it to get renewed to ensure he’d be fine financially for the coming months. He waited by the phone and hoped to get the good news, but when the phone rang, it didn’t go the way he wanted.
As you can imagine, he was saddened by the news, but it was relatively short lived. Not too long after, he got a call to audition for a certain Netflix show – Stranger Things. After auditioning though, he wasn’t exactly encouraged. He figured at first that someone with a better track record or name would get selected as it was a fairly large role and he was right. Someone else did get selected but ended up rejecting the role. Who passed up on that opportunity, we may never know, but the rest, as they say is history.
It was really great getting this story and many others like it from David and other cult classics at Comic Con. Be sure to check out the other coverage here on the Knockturnal for more interesting stories like this.
The Knockturnal sat down with the cast of Netflix’s new show, Pretty Smart.
The Knockturnal was on the scene for the NYFF premiere of Director/Producer/Writer Rebecca Hall’s “Passing” at Alice Tully Hall.
Cast Tessa Thompson, Ruth Negga and Andre Holland were in attendance. They were joined by producers Nina Yang Bongiovi, Forest Whitaker and Margot Hand.
Lesli Klainberg (FLC Executive Director), Eugene Hernandez (Director of NYFF) and Dennis Lim (FLC & NYFF Director of Programming) were also in attendance.
The Netflix release and awards season contender is based on Nella Larsen’s 1929 novel Passing. Writer/Director Rebecca Hall makes an impressive debut with this beautifully shot black and white picture. Tessa Thompson and Ruth Negga play as middle-class reacquainted childhood friends Irene and Clare whose lives have taken divergent paths. Clare has decided to “pass” as white to maintain her social standing, even hiding her identity from her racist white husband, John (Alexander Skarsgård); Irene, on the other hand, is married to a prominent Black doctor, Brian (André Holland), who is initially horrified at Clare’s choices.
Thompson told reporters on the red carpet, “I feel so privileged to be in this film, to be screening it at New York Film Festival and I’m so excited and nervous for people to see it. To be honest – I’ve missed cinema, I’ve missed gathering and to watch stories collectively. So I’m also so excited to get to do that, never mind that it’s a film that I’m proud of.” She spoke on the film’s themes. “Yes completely there are themes of race and gender. But, I also think it’s a film that is about ways in which we all pass, which is to say that sometimes we don’t allow ourselves to be the fullest expression of who we are – we pretend to be things that we are not and that is a kind of prison in a way … you could read the source material Nella’s Larson beautiful slim 93 pages of a novela and then soon Clare’s character is passing. In fact Irene (the character I play) I think is passing for so many things. I think it’s like a cautionary tale … you are privileged enough to live in a time where you can really show up and be who you are. It’s probably the best thing to try and do for everyone’s sanity.”
A fantastic party followed at the Empire Hotel Roof where guests celebrated the NYFF premiere and Tessa Thompson’s birthday. DJ MOS was on the turntables.
The Knockturnal was on the red carpet for the New York Film Festival premiere of Netflix’s “The Power of The Dog” on Friday evening at Alice Tully Hall.
Mario Kart racing, flash mob scenes, and a love triangle (or square?) for the ages: It does sound like “The Kissing Booth 3” is a “surreal” conclusion to the beloved YA Netflix series, so it’s no wonder star Meganne Young wants to reflect on the five-year journey to make the three films.
A new immersive VR experience is making its way around the country and it’s none other than ‘Viva Las Vengeance: Army of the Dead.’ The VR experience is based on Zach Snyder’s ‘Army of the Dead’ Netflix film which was released in May of 2021 that follows a group of mercenaries who attempt a casino heist amid a zombie outbreak in Las Vegas. The film became one of the most-watched original Netflix films with over 75 million viewers over the first four weeks in addition to a limited theatrical run. After a successful LA run, the VR experience, ‘Viva Las Vengeance: Army of the Dead’ opens to the New York area in Paramus NJ on September 8th.
In the ‘Viva Las Vengeance: Army of the Dead’ VR experience, mercenaries in groups of 2-6 embark on a rescue mission in a Sin City taco truck similar to the one in the film. Before you board the truck, you can select your avatar and weapon loadout and then head to the briefing room and are given your mission objective: to fight through hundreds of Shamblers (zombies) in order to rescue stranded civilians.
The ‘Viva Las Vengeance’ experience gives guests a phenomenal immersive experience with a truly realistic feel from the mixed reality technology. From the shaking of the truck, wind in the air, the vibration from your weapon, and more, guests can expect to feel every twist and turn. After completing your mission you can then take a commemorative photo at the photo booth and head over to Sin City tacos.
The ‘Viva Las Vengeance: Army of the Dead’ experience by Netflix runs in partnership with Pure Imagination Studios, Fever, and The Stone Quarry. The experience is scheduled to run in the New York metro area until October and will then run in Vegas and continue to tour through the US in multiple cities.
Tickets start at just $24, making it a great adventure for friends and families. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit armyofthedeadvr.com.
Billy Corben is the visionary filmmaker behind Netflix’s six-part documentary series ‘Cocaine Cowboys: Kings of Miami.’
Julia Antonelli is one of the stars of Outer Banks, a hit show on Netflix.
Netflix is expanding their collection of love stories with their latest release “Resort to Love.”