A Small Light Star Bel Powley on Playing Miep Gies, Who Hid Anne Frank and Her Family, and the Series’ Scary Parallels to Today

The following interview with A Small Light actress Bel Powley was originally published last summer at Above the Line. In light of the site being taken offline this weekend, I am republishing my interview with the actress on Solzy at the Movies. None of the text has been changed since its original publication. Bel Powley recently steeled herself for the challenge of portraying Miep Gies in National Geographic’s limited series A Small Light. Gies was the subject of an…

"A Small Light Star Bel Powley on Playing Miep Gies, Who Hid Anne Frank and Her Family, and the Series’ Scary Parallels to Today"

Masters of the Air: The Best Limited Series in Years

Masters of the Air is the best limited series in years as Playtone and Amblin turn their focus to the Allied airmen during World War II. Following their efforts on Saving Private Ryan–a game-changer for ww2 movies in focusing on the human element–both Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks joined forces on both Band of Brothers and The Pacific. Ten years later, they are bringing us another WW2 story worthy of our attention: the fight in…

"Masters of the Air: The Best Limited Series in Years"

Cold Copy – Tribeca 2023

Cold Copy puts the spotlight on the world of cutthroat journalism as a J-School student will do anything to get ahead in the field. Mia Scott (Bel Powley) is a journalism student that wants to get into Diane Heger’s (Tracee Ellis Ross) class. She wants it so much that she’ll practically do anything to succeed. Mia gets into the class even as her interview does not impress Diane. Diane offers her 20 students the opportunity…

"Cold Copy – Tribeca 2023"

A Small Light Puts The Focus On Miep Gies

While Anne Frank’s story will be forever known thanks to her diary, A Small Light focuses on the woman who helped the Franks, Miep Gies. “I don’t like being called a hero, because no one should ever think you have to be special to help others. Even an ordinary secretary or a housewife or a teenager can turn on a small light in a dark room.” – Miep Gies (Bel Powley) Anne Frank’s story has…

"A Small Light Puts The Focus On Miep Gies"

The Morning Show: A TV Drama for the #MeToo Era

The Morning Show is the definitive television drama series for the #MeToo era and the Apple TV+ series could not be more timelier with its commentary. We’re over two years into the start of the #MeToo movement.  While some series have offered commentary in terms of references, The Morning Show goes big.  It isn’t just that the series is ripped out of the headlines but Mitch Kessler (Steve Carell) could easily be a stand-in for…

"The Morning Show: A TV Drama for the #MeToo Era"

TIFF 2018: White Boy Rick

Taking place during Detroit in the 1980s, White Boy Rick tells the story it wants but only to an extent. The biggest thing that I felt could have been explored better were the unjust treatments towards Rick Wershe, Jr. (Richie Merritt).  This is someone who became the youngest person to ever serve as an FBI informant.  The fact that the FBI turned their backs on a deal is wildly upsetting.  It isn’t unfair to say…

"TIFF 2018: White Boy Rick"

Tribeca 2018: Mary Shelley

Mary Shelley doesn’t focus on Frankenstein until the final half hour but the headliner is preceded by a lifeless under-card that’s not even worthy of pay-per-view. Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin (Elle Fanning) was the woman who would go on to pen the famous Frankenstein novel.  Before getting there, the future author had a relationship with romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley (Douglas Booth).  Their relationship was not one in which their family endorsed, which explains why the…

"Tribeca 2018: Mary Shelley"