Is there anything more exhilarating than a good action flick? Nope, definitely not. So, if you’re looking to give your 2017 a little kickstart, we have a movie for you: xXx: Return of Xander Cage. And, I know what you’re probably asking yourself, “Is Vin Diesel back?” Well, the answer is yes! Vin Diesel stars as Xander Cage in one of his most talked about roles to date. He’s joined by Samuel L. Jackson, Nina Dobrev, Donnie Yen, and more. The film promises to be the first hit of 2017.
If you caught the premiere of NBC’s new fantasy-drama, Emerald City, last week then you’ll recognize Mido Hamada as Eamonn, the Wizard’s trusted enforcer (by the way, if you haven’t watched it, we recommend you do). Born in Cairo, raised in Germany, and trained at the Oxford School of Drama, Mido has performed on both stage and screen. He has been in movies like American Sniper, and he has had extensive roles on television shows like 24 and Homeland; being a part of Emerald City, though, may be one of his most
2016 was a breakout year for Taylor Hickson. She starred in a little movie called Deadpool alongside Ryan Reynolds and effortlessly made her television debut in SYFY’s addictive thriller, Aftermath. She displayed remarkable range, moving between vulnerability, bravery, mysteriousness, and fear with ease. This year, she’ll play Kara Bright in the highly-anticipated film, Everything, Everything. Pop Culturalist was lucky enough to chat with this rising talent about all her projects. Aftermath Questions PC: What attracted you to the role? How did you prepare? Taylor: Bri was dynamic. She had qualities
2016 was a great year for young adult books (especially ones that got our pulses racing and our hearts swooning). It was a crowded field, to be sure, but these stood out from the pack and lingered on in our minds long after we read them. Full disclaimer: I work at Penguin Random House but the opinions below are my own (and I wouldn’t put it on here if I didn’t truly love it). Here are Pop Culturalist’s favorites from last year (in no particular order): The Sun Is Also