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Pedro Alonso: Charismatic Even in Madness

  Some actors become famous because of one character, but a small percentage can make it almost impossible for audiences to separate the character from their identity. For many viewers worldwide, Pedro Alonso is Berlín. The Spanish actor became internationally famous for playing Andrés de Fonollosa, better known as Berlín, in Money Heist ( La Casa de Papel ). The character was arrogant, sophisticated, unpredictable, and often deeply unpleasant — yet somehow impossible to look away from. Alonso gave him enough charm and vulnerability to become one of the most memorable characters in the series. But there is much more to Pedro Alonso than Berlín. From Vigo to the Stage Pedro González Alonso was born on June 21, 1971, in Vigo, Galicia, Spain. He developed an interest in acting at a young age and eventually moved to Madrid, where he studied at the prestigious Real Escuela Superior de Arte Dramático (RESAD) and graduated in 1992. He also studied at Teatro de la Danza. His professio...
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Jeff Kinney: The Author Behind Diary of a Wimpy Kid

  Jeff Kinney is the American author and illustrator best known for creating Diary of a Wimpy Kid , one of the most successful children's book series of the 21st century. Born in Maryland in 1971, Kinney originally dreamed of becoming a newspaper cartoonist rather than a children's author. While studying at the University of Maryland, he created a comic strip called Igdoof for the university newspaper. After college, however, he struggled to get his work syndicated. Instead of giving up on his ideas, Kinney eventually found another way to use them. From Cartoonist to Children's Author Kinney began developing the ideas that would become Diary of a Wimpy Kid in the late 1990s. He worked on the project for several years before publishing it online on Funbrain in daily installments in 2004. The response was enormous. After attracting millions of views online, the project was eventually turned into a print book. Diary of a Wimpy Kid was published in 2007 and quickly becam...
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Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2: Rodrick Rules — Why I Prefer Greg to Nikki

  Reading children's books as an adult is a strange experience. Reading them as a mother is even stranger. And reading them as a psychologist means that sometimes I notice things I probably wasn't supposed to notice. But that's exactly why I enjoy reading my daughter's books and discussing the topics with her later. This time, I picked up Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules , the second book in Jeff Kinney 's Diary of a Wimpy Kid series.  After reading a couple of Dork Diaries books, I found myself comparing Greg with Nikki. I have to say it: I prefer Greg. Here's why. Greg Is a Terrible Kid — But There Are Consequences Greg is not exactly a model child. He lies. He tries to avoid responsibility. He makes selfish decisions. Sometimes he is mean. And, obviously, he spends a considerable amount of time trying to find ways to get out of trouble. But here's the thing I really appreciate about these books: Greg's actions have consequences. He gets puni...
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Viggo Mortensen: The Actor Behind the Characters

  Viggo Mortensen is one of those actors who can disappear so completely into a character that it is easy to forget the person behind the performance. For many viewers, he will always be Aragorn from The Lord of the Rings , but his career has been far more varied than that iconic role suggests. Born in New York in 1958 to an American mother and Danish father, Mortensen spent part of his childhood living in South America and Denmark. He eventually returned to the United States and began pursuing acting, making his film debut in Witness in 1985. His career developed gradually, with supporting roles in films such as Carlito's Way , Crimson Tide , A Perfect Murder, and G.I. Jane . Then came the role that changed everything. Becoming Aragorn In 2001, Mortensen appeared as Aragorn in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring . It is difficult to imagine anyone else in the role now. Mortensen brought something unusual to Aragorn. He wasn't simply a heroic warrior. His pe...
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Captain Fantastic and the Problem with Being Right

  Captain Fantastic  is not interested in knowing whether the main character is right. It's more uncomfortable than that.  Ben ( Viggo Mortensen ) has a very particular way of raising his children. They live away from society, deep in the woods, hunting their own food, exercising, reading constantly, and learning about everything from philosophy to politics. They are taught to question the world rather than simply accept it. It is extreme. But it is also fascinating. Ben's way of parenting isn't entirely wrong There is a lot about Ben's parenting that I actually admire. He doesn't talk down to his children. When they ask difficult questions, he tries to answer them honestly. He expects them to think, understand, form opinions, and defend them. There is something beautiful about that. I've always believed that children deserve honest answers. Sometimes the answer is complicated. Sometimes it's uncomfortable. And sometimes the most honest answer is simply:...
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James Gandolfini: More Than Tony Soprano

  For many actors, playing the same character for years would be enough to define a career. For James Gandolfini, it was both a gift and a challenge. As Tony Soprano , Gandolfini created one of television's most unforgettable characters. But what makes his career particularly fascinating is what happened after The Sopranos ended. He was only beginning to show audiences how much more he could do. Becoming Tony Soprano Before The Sopranos , Gandolfini had already built a solid career in film and television, often playing tough, intimidating, or physically imposing characters. Then came Tony Soprano. Tony was a contradiction: violent but vulnerable, intimidating but frequently insecure, capable of cruelty while still worrying about his family. Gandolfini brought extraordinary humanity to someone who could also be horrifying. His performance earned him three Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series and made Tony Soprano one of the defining characters of the televis...
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Before Walter White, There Was Tony Soprano

  Rewatching the first season of The Sopranos today is an interesting experience. Of course, there are the elements everyone remembers: the mafia, the violence, the betrayals, and Tony Soprano himself. But watching it again years later, one thing stands out. Tony Soprano ( James Gandolfini ) feels surprisingly ordinary. He worries about his children. He has problems with his mother. His marriage is complicated. He struggles with anxiety and unhappiness. He worries about the future and questions his own decisions. And then, occasionally, he orders someone to be killed. That contrast is what made  The Sopranos  so important.  The show did not simply tell the story of a mob boss. It placed a mob boss inside the familiar structure of everyday life. That combination did more than make The Sopranos entertaining. It helped change television. The extraordinary became ordinary A gangster story was not new when The Sopranos arrived. Audiences had already seen organized ...
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