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There's a creepy deleted scene from 'Doctor Strange' where the villain kills a priest

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Doctor Strange Cumberbatch Marvel

The INSIDER Summary:

• A deleted scene from "Doctor Strange" shows just how dangerous the villain, Kaecilius, was.
• He kills a priest for no good reason.
• He's bent on destroying humanity.



Every superhero needs a special adversary to go up against to cement their position as a special defender of the innocent. For Doctor Strange, that was Kaecilius, the shadowy sorcerer who formed his own sect to overthrow The Ancient One and bring immortality to every living being on Earth. A few of the deleted scenes in Doctor Strange's home media release revolve around Kaecilius' schemes, and in the one below, you can see the main antagonist acting most sinister in a holy place.

Whenever a movie or TV scene takes place in a large, dark area with only candle illumination, it's likelier than not that something bad is about to go down. Sure enough, that's what Kaecilius has in store in this "Doctor Strange" deleted scene from Marvel Studios. Taking place after he and his Zealots made initial contact with Dormammu, the scene begins with the big bad quoting 2 Corinthians 4:18 as he enters a church and a priest lights some of the candles. A foreboding environment if ever there was one.

doctor strange deleted scene still

The priest admires this stranger for memorizing that quote, but it quickly becomes apparent that Kaecilius isn't a fan of the Bible, saying that "that book promises eternity, but fails to deliver." When the priest tries to counter about the afterlife as some zealots surround them, Kaecilius retorts that the afterlife isn't real, and he proves it by conjuring two blades. The scene then cuts away, but we can reasonably assume what the priest's ultimate fate is.

On numerous occasions in "Doctor Strange," Kaecilius boasted about how he was trying to help humanity, but he was also someone who didn't mind having acceptable losses. Getting rid of that priest was just another stepping stone towards accomplishing his goals, because even though that scene was cut from the final version of the movie, it transitions excellently to the moment in which Kaecilius and his goons tapped even further into the Dark Dimension. With their eyes freshly cracked and filled with new power, they now were able to target The Ancient One and tear down what the Masters of the Mystic Arts had built over thousands of years. What they didn't count on was a former surgeon with a knack for learning magic quickly getting in their way, and in the end, Kaecilius and his remaining followers got their wish to become immortal. It just happened with him being fused with the Dark Dimension instead.

Watch the deleted scene below:

"Doctor Strange" will be released on Digital HD Tuesday, and you can pick up the Blu-ray/DVD starting on February 28.

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Here's the insane body count in the new 'John Wick' movie in one chart

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John Wick Chapter 2 Lionsgate poster

"John Wick: Chapter 2" opened in theaters over the weekend and more than doubled the original's opening take at the box office thanks in large part to doing something we didn't think was possible: It came up with even more insane fights and shootouts.

Once more Keanu Reeves plays former hitman John Wick who is out for revenge and must face numerous foes to complete his task (minor spoiler ahead). Filled with incredible fight sequences, the movie ends with Wick's opponents on the floor — in spectacular fashion.

Australian designer George Hatzis looked back on the kill count in the first movie back in 2014. He's now done it for the sequel, which has a much larger body count.

See the elaborate breakdown for yourself below:

John Wick 2 chart

 

SEE ALSO: The raise and fall (and raise) of M. Night Shyamalan's career in one chart

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This actor has taken over the R2-D2 role in the next 'Star Wars' movie

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R2D2 and Luke Skywalker in The Force Awakens

Jimmy Vee has taken over the R2-D2 role in “Star Wars: The Last Jedi,” replacing the late Kenny Baker.

“It’s been an absolute pleasure to have worked alongside the legendary Kenny Baker,” Vee said in a statement released by the Oh So Small production agency. “Kenny was a fantastic actor and taught me all the ‘tricks’ on how he brought R2-D2 to life which I will continue to portray in his honor. I’m so excited to be a part of the Star Wars universe and can’t wait for everyone to see what we’ve been working so hard on for the last year.”

Baker died in August at the age of 81. He had played R2-D2 — which stands for Second Generation Robotic Droid Series-2 — in all the “Star Wars” movies since the original 1977 film “A New Hope,” in which George Lucas introduced the droid as a comic-relief character that was influenced by the sidekick characters in Akira Kurosawa’s “Hidden Fortress.”

Vee performed some of the work as R2-D2 in 2015’s “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” but Baker was credited. Vee has appeared in the BBC television series “Doctor Who” as a variety of monsters.

Disney-Lucasfilm’s “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” will open on Dec. 15. Oh So Small made the announcement on its Twitter account.

 

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The ‘Captain America’ actor has been fighting with a former Imperial Wizard of the KKK on Twitter

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Former KKK Imperial Wizard David Duke supported the confirmation of Jeff Sessions as Attorney General, and Chris Evans thinks this means he is the wrong person for the job. The actor, who plays Captain America, took to Twitter to express his disapproval and spar with Duke about love and hate.

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THEN & NOW: The cast of 'The Princess Diaries' 16 years later

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Princess Diaries

When "The Princess Diaries" premiered in 2001, it became an overnight sensation. It had everything its watchers (primarily teenage girls) wanted: princesses, a big transformation, a love story, humor, and, of course, high school drama. With that much action rolled into one movie, it was an obvious hit.

Director Garry Marshall brought Meg Cabot's book to life by introducing the world to Anne Hathaway, who would go on to act in several big hits and eventually win an Oscar. It also brought Julie Andrews back into the limelight.

The other actors have gone on to do some amazing things as well. Here’s what the cast is up to now:

Anne Hathaway played Mia Thermopolis, who went from an unpopular high school student to Princess of Genovia.

This was Hathaway's film debut, which skyrocketed her to fame. 



Since then, she's starred in "The Devil Wears Prada,""Les Misérables," and "The Intern."

She snagged her first Oscar in 2013 for her role as Fantine in "Les Misérables" and is now working on her next big movie, "Ocean's 8" where she'll act alongside an array of amazing women including Rihanna, Helena Bonham Carter, Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Mindy Kaling, and Sarah Paulson. 



Julie Andrews, known for her iconic role in "The Sound of Music," perfectly portrayed the fabulous Queen Clarisse Renaldi.



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15 movies you should watch before next weekend’s Oscars

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The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.

FOR_STORYChristopher Polk

The 89th Academy Awards are just around the corner, so if you want to have an educated opinion on which films should take home the golden statues this year, it's officially crunch time. 

While most of the films are still playing in theaters, buying movie tickets to all of them can get expensive fast — and we're not even factoring in how much you'll spend on popcorn.

If you want to cut costs and watch tons of great films from the comfort of your couch, you might want to consider buying or renting them online instead.

Below, the year's top movies and where you can stream them online. If you start now, you can watch them all before the Oscar ceremony on February 26.

SEE ALSO: 7 books that inspired this year's Oscar frontrunners

DON'T MISS: These 2 streaming networks are loaded with movies and TV shows you'll actually want to watch

"Hacksaw Ridge"

"Hacksaw Ridge" is not your traditional war movie. The films tells the true story of Desmond Doss, a conscientious objector who saved 75 men in one of the bloodiest battles of WWII without even touching a gun. 

Nominations: Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Director, Best Film Editing, Best Sound Mixing, and Best Sound Editing

Buy it on iTunes >>

Buy it on Amazon >>



"Moonlight"

Anyone who liked "Boyhood's" unconventional style should watch "Moonlight." This film breaks protagonist Chiron's life into three parts: childhood, adolescence, and adulthood.

Nominations: Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Director, Best Original Music Score, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing

Buy it on iTunes >>

Buy it on Amazon >>



"Manchester by the Sea"

Not only is leading man Casey Affleck poised to take home the Oscar for Best Actor, "Manchester by the Sea"is the first Amazon original film to receive an Oscar nod.

Nominations: Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Original Screenplay, Best Director

Buy it on iTunes >>

Buy it on Amazon >>



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What sequels should learn from the success of 'John Wick 2'

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Sequels may currently dominate Hollywood, but the fact of the matter is that many of them have a nasty habit of falling flat for audiences. All too often, we see franchises that phone in their second, third, and even fourth installments because they are viewed as little more than cash grabs that don't necessarily deserve the same amount of tender love or care that the original film received.

That's where John Wick: Chapter 2 comes in. The latest installment in the John Wick saga is a beautiful continuation of the story we first got a good look at in 2014, and Keanu Reeves (along with director Chad Stahelski) has delivered something that completely captures the brutally violent spirit of the original. Chapter 2 isn't just a good movie; it possesses some major lessons that it should impart on future sequels for other franchise. There are plenty of lessons to get to, so let's get started with the wise way in which Chapter 2 uses Ruby Rose's new character.

Ruby Rose John Wick

Don't Force A Love Interest

One of the most annoyingly familiar tropes that we see pop up in contemporary sequels is the forced inclusion of a love interest to develop the central hero's arc. While John Wick's dynamic with Ruby Rose's Ares certainly feels flirtatious at times, the film never lets John slow down enough to find a new romance. The film remembers that John is still very much in mourning over the recent passing of Helen (Bridget Moynahan) and the film even goes out of its way to show him wearing his wedding band on several occasions. We're not saying that John Wick won't find a love interest after Chapter 2, but the series admirably avoided that familiar pitfall this time around.

Embrace And Expand The World

John Wick 2

By now it has become pretty clear that fans love the immersive feel of the John Wickuniverse, and the sequel reasonably expands on those ideas in a way that genuinely makes sense. This film isn't like Keanu Reeves' work on The Matrix sequels, which felt like a letdown when major ideas such as Zion didn't live up to the original's description of them. John Wick 2 ultimately maintains the spirit of the first movie while also showing us a far deeper and more nuanced look at this criminal underworld. This expansion works because it feels like the "new" story elements that John Wick interacts with during Chapter 2 were always there waiting for him to return; we just didn't see them in 2014.

Organically Move The Story Forward

john Wick 2

There's an elegant overlap between the end of the first movie and the beginning of John Wick: Chapter 2 that helps sell the idea that this is a natural continuation of John's story. The events of the sequel feel directly caused by John coming out of retirement, and the arrival of Santino D'Antonio reads like a natural expansion on ideas (namely the "impossible task") that are brought up during the first John WickChapter 2 doesn't completely pull these ideas out of thin air, and it sensibly finds the right plot threads from the original to marry with the plot threads of the sequel. The result is two chapters to the John Wick story that feel logically and organically connected.

Don't Rehash The Plot Of The Original

John Wick 2The first John Wick was an entirely unexpected hit, and this sequel deserves special credit for not just sticking to what worked the first time out. Although the story and style of John Wick: Chapter 2 is firmly rooted in the DNA of the original, it is also very much a different film compared to what we've seen before. The sequel could've easily fallen into The Hangover franchises "it happened again" trap, but it wisely avoids such traps by showing a willingness to send John on a new type of mission. Luckily for all of us, his dog stays alive this time, and his rationale for taking on this new assignment is completely different than the first movie.

Take Full Advantage of a New Location

john Wick 2

It's not uncommon for a sequel to take a character to a new locale for a sequel, but the change of scenery is often nothing more than a cosmetic change for the same type of story -- look no further than the Taken franchise for a pretty bad example of that idea. John Wick: Chapter 2 understands those ideas and makes its depiction of Rome an entirely different beast compared to New York. The particular customs of this version of The Continental receive a thorough examination, the morality of the Italian criminals is brutally juxtaposed to that of the Americans, and the iconic geography of the city is used to comedic effect -- particularly when it comes to John and Cassian tumbling down stairs.

End On A Cliffhanger That Doesn't Need To Be Resolved

John Wick

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, John Wick: Chapter 2 closes on a cliffhanger that doesn't necessarily require any form of resolution. We live in an age where franchises refuse to tie up their stories neatly, and every film serves as a setup for the next movie. By contrast, watching John run off into the night with his unnamed dog -- no longer affiliated with the assassin world, but very much hunted by them -- feels like an enthralling way to end his arc. It's not something like the end of The Force Awakens, which demands answers. It keeps things open and up for interpretation, so If we never see John again, we will all theorize where he went after his excommunication.

SEE ALSO: RANKED: The 20 best new TV shows right now, according to critics

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15 terrible sequels to amazing action movies

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The Matrix Revolutions Neo Keanu Reeves

What makes an action film great? It sounds like a simple question, but it really isn't. While most movies are judged by the quality of their acting, writing, direction, and overall premise, the action genre isn't always held to these same standards. There have been numerous great action movies that featured some bad acting, bad writing, and outlandish premises.

It's not that conventional aspects of great movies can't help an action film be great as well, but the genre isn't dependent on such qualities. However, when a great action movie does come along, you just know it. It reaches out and grabs you in a way that few other cinematic experiences can.

As difficult as it is for someone to make a great action movie, it is almost impossible for someone to come along and make a great sequel to that movie. The intangible aspects which define the best action films are almost impossible to recreate.

As such, those who attempt to do so more often than not end up producing something that may share the name of a great action film, but is ultimately so bad that it tarnishes that same name forever by failing to come up with even a reasonable answer to the question, "What makes an action film great?"

These are the 15 worst sequels to great action movies.

15. "The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day"

The story of how the original "Boondock Saints" overcame an initially bad reception and an incredibly limited release to become one of the most beloved action movies ever made is the stuff of Hollywood legend. Whatever Troy Duffy's film about two Irish brothers who decided to take on Boston's underworld lacked in originality, it made up for it in personality. There's an energy about the movie that only exists in passion projects.

Comparatively, "The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day" is a soulless film. Nearly every aspect of the movie feels like a glorified attempt to recreate the joy of the original film by following directly in its footsteps. You've got another quirky federal agent, another unhinged friend turned assistant, and many attempts at recreating some of the original movie's most notable scenes with decidedly uninspiring results. If Duffy's goal with "Boondock Saints II" was to remind viewers of why the first movie was so great, he accomplished it — by showing them how terrible that movie could have been.



14. "Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome"

It's funny, but until the release of "Mad Max: Fury Road," when most people referred to "Mad Max," they were typically talking about "Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior." While the original "Mad Max" is a well-made example of a simple revenge film done on a limited budget, "The Road Warrior's" violent road trip through the end of the world was such a frantic masterpiece that it became hard for many people to associate it with the original movie.

There are actually times in "Beyond Thunderdome" when director George is able to recreate the grit and intensity of the first two movies, but they are few and far between. While this sequel sometimes gets a pass from fans who remember some of the excellent fights and memorable one-liners, the truth is that it’s incredibly difficult to watch any other "Mad Max" movie and try to enjoy the entirety of "Thunderdome." It lacks the raw intensity of the other movies in this franchise and tries too hard to create a mythology for the Mad Max character by incorporating traditional Hollywood elements.



13. "Another 48 Hrs."

While the buddy cop genre wasn't necessarily invented in the '80s, it was definitely perfected during that decade. During that time, directors and producers realized that the key to a great buddy cop film was to have two actors with great chemistry play fundamentally different characters who must find a way to work together. One of the best examples of this approach is the 1982 action/comedy film, "48 Hrs." Despite its fairly bare bones script, the movie ultimately succeeded thanks to the onscreen chemistry of Nick Nolte and Eddie Murphy.

"Another 48 Hrs.'" greatest failure is its complete lack of that same chemistry. It's clear that whatever inspired Nolte and Murphy to work together so well in the original movie had vanished by the time this sequel was released in 1990. Neither man looks especially thrilled to be there, which makes a lot of sense when you consider that the movie's "comedy" consists of well-worn jokes and its "action" consists of nameless thugs dying in generic, dull shootouts.



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The 20 biggest Oscar upsets of all time, ranked

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crash lionsgate

Regardless of if you love watching the Oscars or love to hate-watch it, the highlight is always when there's an upset winner.

With months of being told why a person or film is going to win, there's nothing like watching the genuine surprise and spontaneous, authentic reaction when someone seems to steal away Hollywood's biggest prize. That can range from Roberto Benigni standing on his seat after winning best actor in 1999 to Adrien Brody planting a big kiss on presenter Halle Berry when he won the award in 2003.

Here are the 20 biggest upsets in Oscar history ranked:

SEE ALSO: RANKED: The 10 worst movies to win the best picture Oscar — and what should have won

20. Marcia Gay Harden wins best supporting actress for "Pollock" (2001)

A big indicator of who will win on Oscar night comes from the nominations and wins before that night, which is what makes Harden's win so shocking. Her performance as Lee Krasner did not get recognized at the Golden Globes, SAG Awards, or BAFTAs. But her name was called on the biggest night.



19. Anna Paquin wins best supporting actress for "The Piano" (1994)

Rarely does the Academy award children, but at 11 years old Paquin took the award, beating out Emma Thompson ("In the Name of the Father"), Winona Ryder ("The Age of Innocence"), Rosie Perez ("Fearless"), and Holly Hunter ("The Firm"), who was also nominated in the best actress category for playing opposite Paquin in "The Piano." She would win in that category.



18. "The King’s Speech" wins best picture (2011)

What was thought to be a film that would showcase Colin Firth's talents to earn him an Oscar (and it did), the movie shocked the likes of nominees "The Social Network,""The Fighter," and "127 Hours" to win the top prize.



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Here are all the iconic musical movie references in 'La La Land' you need to know

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La La Land Lionsgate

Critics have described this year's Oscar frontrunner for best picture as a step back in time — and for good reason.

"La La Land," written and directed by Damien Chazelle ("Whiplash"), pays homage to classic movies and the greats that came long before Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone were stars. In fact, both actors have admitted to studying the classic film musicals while preparing for their own roles in the award-winning movie. 

From “Funny Face” to “Singin' in the Rain,” here are all the references to classic movies in “La La Land” you need to know:

Fred Astaire and Eleanor Powell danced across a starry stage in “Broadway Melody of 1940” (1940) ...



... and Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone waltz through a romantic, star-filled room and successfully mirror some of Astaire's most famous dance moves.



Paula Kelly, Shirley MacLaine, and Chita Rivera twirl in monochromatic dresses in 1969’s “Sweet Charity,” in which MacLaine plays a dancer who doesn’t give up on her dreams ...



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Mel Gibson might direct the 'Suicide Squad' sequel

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Mel Gibson Kevin Winter Getty final

Warner Bros. is courting recent Oscar nominee Mel Gibson to helm its "Suicide Squad" sequel, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Sources tell the trade that the studio and Gibson are in early talks and no offer has been made to the actor/director.

But this is the latest indication that Gibson is back in the good graces of Hollywood after a decade of being an outsider following a 2006 DUI arrest and now-infamous anti-Semitic rant while being put into police custody.

His latest directing effort, "Hacksaw Ridge," was well received by critics and went on to make over $100 million worldwide at the box office. The movie received six Oscar nominations, including best picture, best actor (Andrew Garfield), and best director for Gibson.

suicide squad 1The renewed interest in Gibson makes sense for Warner Bros. as the first "Suicide Squad" movie directed by David Ayer, though it made over $745 million worldwide, was filled with reported issues during production. Perhaps WB is looking for a more experienced helmer. But at the same time, the movies Gibson has directed have been produced outside of the studio system, Will he play nice on a project that is vital for a studio?

It sounds like there's still a lot of talking to be had before a decision is made (THR also reports that director Daniel Espinosa of the upcoming sci-fi movie "Life" is also on their list). But this might not be the only superhero franchise that wants Gibson.

Robert Downey Jr. has been campaigning for years to get Gibson to direct an "Iron Man" movie. The Gibson comeback might just make Marvel start to take RDJ's talk seriously.

A representative for Gibson had no comment for this story when contacted by Business Insider, and Warner Bros. did not give an immediate response.

SEE ALSO: The 20 biggest Oscar upsets of all time, ranked

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Dissociative identity disorder is nothing like how it's portrayed in 'Split,' according to people who have it

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split

  • Having a "split personality" is called Dissociative identity disorder.
  • Split personalities are known as "alters," while the body is the "host" or "system."
  • DID has been wrongly portrayed in film, TV, and books as linked with evil.
  • In most cases, people with DID are the victims of abuse, not the abusers.
  • They want you to know they are not "monsters" but are human just like you.

Have you ever been reading a page of a book, but you zone out and don't recall anything you've just read? Are you ever driving a familiar route, only to realize you haven't really been focusing on the road the entire time? This is sort of what it's like to have dissociative identity disorder (DID), according to several people Business Insider interviewed who live with the disorder as well as a psychologist who specializes in treating it. The only difference is it happens all the time, and in these moments someone else takes over.

Non-violent and seemingly normal anecdotes like these from people who have multiple personalities — or "alters"— are a far cry away from the character(s) represented in "Split," the new film starring James McAvoy as a man with 24 individual personalities.

In the climax of the film, Kevin (McAvoy) morphs into "the Beast," one of his personalities. The Beast has superhuman speed, strength, and agility, apparently unique to its manifestation, and also kills and devours people, suggesting the human body can adjust itself biologically to fit a dangerous and psychopathic alter. 

While the film is entertaining, it is not a realistic portrayal of DID, and may do harm to people who live with the real disorder. One common misconception about DID is that whoever has it is not "themselves" 100% of the time. In fact, concepts such as "me,""myself," or "I" can be quite tricky things to define.

According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, or the DSM-IV, DID is formally recognized as a psychiatric diagnosis, and the patient must show at least two individual identities or personalities, which routinely take control of the individual's behavior. Along with this there is also memory loss that goes beyond normal forgetfulness, and each alter can display a broad range of traits such as phobias or mood disturbances.

All of the individuals that Business Insider spoke with who self-identified as having DID said they had suffered abuse at some point in their lives. Since our sampling was by no means exhaustive, we also interviewed Dr Robert T. Muller, a professor of clinical psychology at York University in Toronto, who has over 20 years experience working with people with DID, to get a better idea of how the two may be linked.

"It's virtually unheard of that you have a client with multiple personality disorder who has not had significant attachment based trauma," or psychological trauma such as abuse from an early care giver like a parent, Muller told me.

Several studies have found a relationship between childhood trauma and dissociation, such as the work by Dr Bethany Brand who recognized there was controversy around the disorder and looked into independent files and police records. She found that people with DID had all routinely had severe childhood traumas, and since then the research has been consistent. 

"Split" does address the topic of child abuse somewhat, explaining that Kevin's personalities began manifesting to help him cope with an abusive mother who has obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). However, as a horror film, it fails to accurately represent DID. 

Here are the stories of four people with multiple alters who told me what it's really like to live with many voices — sometimes competing and conflicting ones — within their own heads. It's important to remember that these are personal stories, however, and everyone who deals with a distinct mental illness — just like anyone who deals with a distinct physical one — has a unique experience. 

Jennifer's* story

There are four people in Jennifer's system — the name people with DID sometimes call their collective selves — and three of them are much younger. Jennifer is 39 years old but Emily* is 3, Caroline* is 7, and Eloise* is 16. She wanted her name and location to remain anonymous as she was only recently diagnosed.

Jennifer believes she started dissociating at around age 3 to try and escape the volatile temper and abuse of her mentally unstable mother. For this, she sees her alters as her saviors. 

"My father never stood up for me so I felt defenseless and alone," she recalls. "Without Eloise, I wouldn't have survived being in that house. Without my alters, I wouldn't have survived — period."

For Jennifer, her alters kept her safe when nobody else could. She says that Eloise was the personality that finally started fighting back, for example. Apparently she is the headstrong, fierce and very protective tomboy of them all, who enjoys martial arts, hunting and all things military. This couldn't be further from Jennifer, who is a liberal who loves animals and is considering taking up a career in dog massage. Eloise, Jennifer says, thinks this is ridiculous. 

Caroline is the most burdened of all the alter, probably because she was present for the majority of the abuse. She doesn't trust anyone, even Jennifer herself, which they say they are working on in therapy. 

For all their differences, Jennifer and her alters have found a happy medium by listening to each other and learning how they can help each other. 

"I have learned to face Eloise, to listen to her and to treat her as an equal, and it seems to have made our relationship much more manageable," Jennifer said. "If there is any friction we talk it out calmly rather shouting at each other like we used to do.

"The system only works if we all respect each other and are all given 'air time' to voice our thoughts and feelings. I’ve never argued with Emily or Caroline; with them being so young they tend to look to me as parent-like figure so they are easy to advise and guide."

Rich's story

Rich, a 38-year-old farmer from California, was diagnosed with DID at age 14. He currently has three alters, but he told me there used to be a lot more. Eventually, he said, those other alters became integrated into his personality. Now it's just him (Rich), Bobbie (who is female), and Fred (a newer addition). For him, his dissociation was a journey which began with him phasing out from reality, to seeing things in third person, to finally splitting into other separate personalities. 

"I couldn't feel anything that was happening to me, and sometimes I would have an out of body experience and even leave the room," he explained. "Later in life, my dissociative episodes were stronger, for lack of a better word. I would get amnesia and depending on the situation I would behave differently and even use different names. I guess it made things feel like they weren't happening to me."

Rich told me he was also mistreated when he was young. He was left with a babysitter for much of his childhood as his parents worked, and was sexually and emotionally abused, and he feels he probably hasn't recovered all of the memories from that time yet due to dissociating. 

"It feels like I am watching a movie when I try to recall things I did when I lived in that town," he said. 

Rich is married and says that his wife and Bobbie get on very well, and even sometimes go shopping together. He thinks Bobbie is likely to stick around now, rather than disappear like many of his other alters, because he is now "comfortable and happy."

"I never took an exact count but I could count more than 10 and felt there was more," Rich said. "That includes alters that were just containers for memories and fragments that performed a singular purpose. I have struggled with food. I feel guilty about eating. I had one solely to make sure I would eat. I — it — would sneak food during the night. I had obsessive hand washer. That trait passed to me when it integrated."

Drew's story

Drew is in his 40s and lives and works full time as a graphic designer in a major metropolitan area in the US Midwest. There are about seven alters in his system of which he is the only male. He's also in a female body, but he doesn't consider himself trans — more that he has gender dysphoria. Drew was diagnosed with DID at age 20. 

Drew's alters include Sophie* who is the host aged 41, Claire who is 23, Eden who is 17, Rain who is 12, and a couple of younger alters who are about 4 and 8, but that's an estimate.

"I don't like to put an exact number on us, especially the kids, because there are rumors that there are others hidden away," Drew said. "When you think you know everyone but then run into someone you didn't know, it really throws everyone for a loop."

Drew says they are all very different people, and all appeared at different times. Many of them have memories of abuse growing up, and hold different memories about what happened to them.

"Some memories of abuse are even 'split' in a way that one recalls only intense feelings like shame and fear, where someone else recalls mainly physical pain," Drew said. "Working together to share those memories with each other and integrate the experiences into a complete narrative is what we consider an eventual goal. Nobody has any desire to try and become one person, if that were even possible, which we don't believe it is."

Drew believes his alters may have appeared as a way of dealing with emotional and physical abuse, as well as neglect and psychological harm, meaning there was no safe space to crawl away to. Splitting off and dissociating can be a defence mechanism, like playing possum or focusing your mind, only it has been taken to the extreme, according to Muller.

Over the years, Drew and the others have worked hard at being co-conscious, which he describes as "a state in which one person is "out" but the others are also aware of what is happening." So while one may not recall going to the shops as a first-person memory, they would be aware of what happened as a sense of "we went to the shops."

They also have their own areas where each prefers to take the lead. For example, Claire is very well organized, and so handles most of the day-to-day things at work. Sophie and Rain are the "artists" and are both very creative. Drew is the practical and logical one, and, he admits, slightly controlling.

"We have pretty clearly defined areas of expertise, which helps us work cooperatively most of the time," he said. "There is occasionally a lot of shouting, or at least loudly voiced opinions."

Jess's story

Jess is studying to be an interpreter for the deaf. She's 34, from Ohio and works part time as a server assistant in a restaurant.

Jess was diagnosed with DID at age 25, and sees her dissociation slightly differently to the others, in that she doesn't believe any person really just has one identity. She told me babies take a long time to figure out their spatial surroundings, and even what and who they are, and so we develop identities as we grow, "through experiences and discovering the relation of ourselves to our environment."

As for her system, she says there are three hosts: Post Traumatic Jess, Dissociative Jess** (who uses two asterisks to signify the alters within her) and Normal Jess, as well as 15 alters contained within three groups. That 18 people all together. 

There's Jey, Morrighan, EvaMarie, Morgana and Erzsebet in the adult group, Suzy, June and Bel in the teen group, then Emerald, Sapphire, Eloise and Connie who are children. There are also three "non-human" alters that Jess says helped her with surviving trauma. They are Kiki, a cat that distracts from reality as a human, Zoey, a sprite-a fairy like creature, and Justice, her guardian angel. Jess discusses them and her feelings and thoughts in her blog

She doesn't exactly know when each identity was created, but she knows she was very young, because that's when the sexual assault by her brother started. 

"I feel that each time I was in a situation that was unbearable, then I'd leave and someone else would be there," Jess said. "I believe at first they were like a blank shell, and the more they came out, the more they grew and learned just like any child does."

Connecting everyone internally is the most difficult skill to master according to Jess, especially as all her alters differ in age, the memories they have, and their emotional reactions to situations. Some even have very distinct facial expressions, voices, and unique body language behavior.

A challenge with DID, she says, is when something triggers the dissociation and she is suddenly not "present" any more and loses time. 

"You end up places you don't know how you got there, your plans you were supposed to do, go undone. Sometimes things come up missing or are misplaced," Jess said. "There are a lot of challenges but it's really unique to each individual.

"The hardest part about life is just living it, I say. It's a lot of work to get everyone inside here on the same page."

split

The challenges of being more than one person

Dissociation can come with a host of challenges, but one of the most difficult may be memory loss. Jennifer, for example, told me about how her partner used to get frustrated because she would forget conversations they'd had three or more times before. 

"I find that I do things without realizing that I've done — nothing sinister — mundane things like I would somehow find I have something in my hand that I know for a fact was in a different room, on a different floor in the house, but have no recollection of fetching it," she said. "I can forget whole movies, I can forget a book within days of reading it. I can even forget entire days of trips that I've taken with my partner."

Rich recalls similar events. Sometimes he meets people and later doesn't remember when he sees them again, which can be confusing for others, and can sometimes be misconstrued as rudeness.

Drew says Sophie refers to the lost time as "time warps" in her diary when she was younger and before she was diagnosed with DID. It's like driving along and missing the turning because you're on autopilot, but it happens at seemingly random times.

"I might suddenly realize I'm having a conversation with a person I don't know or that I'm in a part of town I don't recognize holding a shopping bag of things I don't remember buying," Drew said. 

Jess says normal days can end up being like a game of Cluedo (Clue), trying to figure out "who did it."

"I have a dark sense of humor that keeps me going," she said. "It's different for everyone, but I'm sure we all spend our days just trying to keep a schedule going between us all."

Another challenge is something as simple as looking in the mirror and defining a sense of self. 

"Looking in the mirror and not recognizing myself is also a little disconcerting but I have grown to accept it now," Jennifer said. "Or I should say that the others have grown used to not recognizing themselves, as the reflection in the mirror is of the physical host, me, Jennifer*."

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What they want you to know

One major issue with "Split," as with other films about DID, is the fact that they portray one or many alters as evil. You just have to Google the term "multiple personality film" to see the ominous, brooding titles and covers accompanying the topic. 

In reality, this is almost always untrue, according to Muller. The vast majority of people with DID do not have alter-egos that allow them to indulge in evil desires.

Drew has friends with DID, and said that the media portrayal has perhaps even contributed to individuals fearing their own alters, but it all comes down to a lack of understanding and willingness to listen.

"Everyone I've known with DID has alters who were considered "evil" or "bad" by the rest of the system, only to come to understand that these individuals are actually very badly hurt children who have been tasked with carrying the bulk of the sadness, rage, and pain associated with abuse," he said. "People are just afraid of anything they don't understand and it's easy to turn people into monsters for being different."

Muller told me the idea of alters being dramatic or flamboyant in TV and film could originate from the fact there is often a juvenile part, who is childish to their approach to the world, and then a "persecutor" who is very aggressive.

"[It's] a part that actually wants to torture themselves in a way, but to the person when they're in the persecutor role, they feel powerful and their cruelty feels powerful to themselves," Muller said.

This doesn't mean the alter wants to wreak havoc on anyone else, as usually it's a means of punishing themselves. As with some other victims of abuse, people with DID also may have very low self esteem and self-worth, according to Muller.

As for whether there is an "evil one," Muller says it's interesting because in some ways, DID is almost literary.

"Something like Jekyll and Hyde, something that is the embodiment of a metaphor: our different parts and how we have different sides to ourselves, and how we don't show people our ugly sides, and we present a certain way to the world," Muller said.

'The human mind is remarkable'

It can be frightening for people in relationships with those who have DID to see their aggressive sides, but that's because it's disorienting to see your loved one as someone completely different, rather than being scared of what they would do to you. Jennifer said it's never crossed her mind to harm anyone else, because she knows how it feels to be scared of an abuser.

"We are not dangerous in any way — we are more likely to hurt ourselves and be hurt by other people than we are to hurt anyone," she said. "We have endured so much suffering that to inflict pain on anyone else is the last thing we would ever wish for."

Suffering is such an integral part of DID because it is so closely intertwined with PTSD. Certain triggers can make someone dissociate, such as loud noises, raised voices, or the sight of flannel shirts, in the case of Matt who has DDNOS, a form of dissociating, and keeps a blog about his experiences. Now that Matt is an adult, his mind is allowing him more and more access to his past and the abuse he went through as a child, thanks to therapy and finally exploring why he had so many feelings of depression within himself. 

"It's a defense mechanism and it's a very good thing, because our brains are so amazing," he said. "The trauma happened when I was a kid, but I didn't start dealing with it until 30, 35 years later.

"All those memories were in a shoe box in the bottom corner of the closet of my mind... Then once you begin to pick through the rubble and start to recall memories, your brain says, 'okay, now you're able to deal with this memory so I'm going to give you bits and pieces of this gigantic puzzle.'"

DID is an incredible survival tool rather than something to fear. Unfortunately, as a way of dealing with trauma that kept them safe as children, people with DID have carried it on past that stage. However, everyone I spoke to with DID was very aware of their disorder and their shortcomings, and had a take home message along the same lines: we are human, just a little different. 

"We just want them to know that we're not a monster, just because we have a DID diagnosis," said Jess. "We may be a system of many people, but we are people just like you... DID experiences are personal, and are as different as the amount of different people in the world."

Ultimately, Rich would just like people to be a little more patient. 

"In short, 'I have a Dissociative Disorder. Please forgive my forgetfulness,'" he said.

 

*Some names changed for anonymity at the interviewee's request.

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Will Ferrell and Amy Poehler start an underground casino in 'The House'

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the house warner bros

Comedy greats Will Farrell and Amy Poehler will share the screen in the comedy "The House" this summer as they play parents who can't afford to pay for their daughter's tuition to college so they decide to start an underground casino to earn some quick cash.

With that premise anything goes and by the looks of the trailer it does. The "Saturday Night Live" greats have to do everything from building out more features once the casino gets popular, like a fight night, to sending a message when they find a cheater.

Check out the trailer below. "The House" opens in theaters June 30.

 

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How 'Split' pulled off its incredible twist ending — and where it goes next

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Following the smash success of M. Night Shyamalan's "Split" at the box office, we now know how the movie pulled off its shocking final moments. And it turns out it involved the rare cooperation of a studio not involved with the movie.

Warning: Spoilers ahead if you haven't seen "Split."

At the end of "Split," we find that the character with 24 split personalities played by James McAvoy lives in the same cinematic world as a character from another Shyamalan movie when Bruce Willis suddenly appears, playing David Dunn, the main character from 2000's "Unbreakable."

The appearance by Dunn hints that Shyamalan is planning a sequel that will feature characters from both movies. The director has also fed that theory on Twitter.

But behind the scenes, getting Willis to appear as that character for a very short cameo in "Split" was a remarkable feat, and not just because of Willis' fame. "Split" was released by Universal and "Unbreakable" is a Disney property. Studios rarely ever allow characters they own to jump to competing studios' films.

Split M Night Universal.JPGAccording to the Wall Street Journal, it was Shyamalan's relationship with Disney that made this possible. In 2015, he called Sean Bailey, head of production at Disney, about using the "Unbreakable" character in "Split," which he was writing at the time. After some back and forth, Bailey agreed to let the David Dunn character be in the movie for free. Shyamalan promised Bailey that if a sequel were made, a new deal would be struck.

Bailey and Disney may not have thought much of the decision at the time. "Split" was a thriller made for $9 million under Blumhouse Productions, known for its low-budget genre titles, but Disney sure wants in on the sequel now, since "Split" has earned over $172 million worldwide so far.

According to the WSJ story, Disney expects to work with Universal as a partner in the sequel and share in the profits.

Shyamalan is currently writing the sequel.

Blumhouse and Universal declined to comment for this story. Disney did not give an immediate response.

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Everything we know about the next 'Avatar' movie

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The INSIDER Summary

• Fans have been anticipating for an "Avatar" sequel.
• "Avatar" is the highest grossing movie of all-time. 

• Director James Cameron and the original cast will return for  "Avatar 2."
• "Avatar 2" will be the first of four sequels.
• Production is set to begin this year. 


James Cameron hasn't directed a lot of movies over his long, storied and very successful career, but he has made a big impact almost every time he has stepped behind the camera over the years. It is arguable, and inarguable by certain metrics, that he made his biggest impact with 2009's 'Avatar.' The movie was a massive hit in every single way. That being the case, people have wondered why we haven't had a sequel yet? There are reasons for that, but rest assured, 'Avatar 2' is on the way.

Fox has wanted a sequel to James Cameron's 'Avatar' pretty much since the movie hit theaters, and who could blame them? Avatar grossed an insane, unprecedented $2.78 billion at the worldwide box office, which is truly staggering. Even after movies like 'Jurassic World,' 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' and a ridiculous amount of very popular superhero movies, 'Avatar' remains the highest grossing movie of all-time by a very wide margin. The difference is, most studios would have put pressure to get a sequel to a movie like that out much more quickly, but that hasn't been the case with 'Avatar.'

Interestingly enough, James Cameron hasn't directed any other movies in the time since, so it isn't as though he is focusing his efforts on another directorial project. Sure, he has produced things here or there, but nothing so demanding to prevent him from directing 'Avatar 2.' He has actually been hard at work ever since 'Avatar' came out on his plans for the franchise and that is what has taken so long. He honestly didn't even know how vast and expansive his plans for 'Avatar 2' and beyond were until he started digging in, which is why this process has been delayed for so long.

There have been many false starts and stops in the years since 'Avatar' first hit theaters in terms of when 'Avatar 2' is actually going to get underway. Fans of the first movie have been teased again and again with false reports of shooting happening or things of the like, often from James Cameron himself. Last year, though, he and Fox made it clear that their plans for the 'Avatar' franchise are finally just about ready and the director is going to pour all of his efforts into 'Avatar 2.'

Unless there is a really big setback of some kind, it really looks like 'Avatar 2' will be in production before we know it for real this time. Fans can rest easy and get excited about returning to the world that James Cameron created nearly a decade ago. So, with the shooting on the highly-anticipated sequel supposedly starting soon, here is what we know about 'Avatar 2.'

James Cameron is directing.

It would be hard to make a case for making 'Avatar 2' without James Cameron, even though Fox would probably want a sequel to the highest-grossing movie ever made no matter what. Luckily, that won't be a concern because the Hollywood legend seems hell-bent on spending a good chunk of his remaining years on this Earth making 'Avatar' movies and that will start with 'Avatar 2.' In most circumstances, a studio would not give a director nearly a decade to prepare a sequel to such a successful movie, but with James Cameron comes box office success. So they are giving him time to work.

The director currently has the two highest-grossing movies ever made, with 'Titanic' coming in behind 'Avatar.' James Cameron has seemingly cracked the code on mass appeal and even though he has only directed eight movies, those eight movies really speak to that. From 'Aliens' to 'Terminator 2' and yes, to 'Avatar,' he has proved that he knows what audiences want. So, if you were a fan of the first 'Avatar,' great, but even if you weren't, having him fully involved in 'Avatar 2' is arguably the single largest reason any movie fan should really be looking forward to this movie.



Audiences will return to Pandora.

Whether you loved 'Avatar' or feel indifferent about it, there is no denying that James Cameron was able to create a fascinating and beautifully crafted cinematic world in Pandora. In a lot of ways, the planet was itself a character in the movie, so it makes perfect sense that we will be returning to Pandora in 'Avatar 2.' In the first movie, we were introduced to the planet and sort of learned the rules and got used to how things work there. In 'Avatar 2,' we are going to explore the planet further, which is one of the few things that we do know for sure about the upcoming sequel. For fans of the franchise, getting to take a trip back to Pandora is probably worth the price of admission, so 'Avatar 2' is probably already going to be worth checking out no matter what else happens, because we should be getting our best look at the Na'vi home planet yet.



Avatar 2 will go underwater.

Never let it be said that James Cameron doesn't have an imagination. One of the things that James Cameron is pushing for will be underwater performance capture, since a chunk of 'Avatar 2' will reportedly explore the oceanic part of Pandora. Performance capture has been an ever evolving, increasingly important aspect of big Hollywood movies, but doing full performance capture underwater for 'Avatar 2' will be something truly groundbreaking.

James Cameron's long time producing partner Jon Landau spoke quite some time ago about the digital artists who worked on 'Avatar' testing underwater performance capture technology. That was nearly four years ago, so surely they have nailed down what they need to in order to make it work for 'Avatar 2.' Jon Landau also explained that yes, they could animate water around the actors, but having them capture their performance while actually being underwater will be a more authentic simulation of the experience, which makes total sense. Logical as it may be, it sounds very expensive, but probably very cool for the viewer when 'Avatar 2' finally hits theaters.

 



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Jordan Peele plans to direct a whole series of horror movies about 'social demons'

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Jordan Peele is best known for his comedic work alongside Keegan-Michael Key on their Comedy Central show "Key & Peele" and in their movie "Keanu," but his directorial debut "Get Out" (opening February 24) will show the world that he's also really good at scaring us.

And it's a mission he plans to continue for a while.

In "Get Out," a young black man (Daniel Kaluuya) finds himself in a very messed up situation —actually a massive understatement — when he goes out to the country to visit his white girlfriend's (Allison Williams) family. We won't give anything else away, but if you've seen the trailer, you can get a hint of how Peele created a unique chiller that explores real ideas and attitudes about race, some of them quite ugly.

See for yourself:

But this is far from a one-and-done for Peele. He recently told Business Insider that "Get Out" is the first in a collection of movies he wants to direct that examine what he calls "social demons."

"I have four other social thrillers that I want to unveil in the next decade," Peele told Business Insider. "The best and scariest monsters in the world are human beings and what we are capable of especially when we get together. I've been working on these premises about these different social demons, these innately human monsters that are woven into the fabric of how we think and how we interact, and each one of my movies is going to be about a different one of these social demons."

Peele's examination of race and alienation in "Get Out" is an impressive, confident directorial debut. We can't wait to see what he will throw at us next, though we're also pretty afraid.

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Critics tear down Matt Damon's new blockbuster 'The Great Wall': a 'tedious' 'white savior' movie

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Matt Damon plays a mercenary who travels east in search of black powder and instead finds himself battling monsters in "The Great Wall" (in theaters this weekend).

What might have been considered an outlandish blockbuster a decade ago is now looked at more skeptically in 2017. Many see Damon's new movie, an American/Chinese coproduction in which he is the lead and surrounded by Asian actors, as Hollywood's latest example of whitewashing.

#ThankYouMattDamon has even gone viral on Twitter, with people sarcastically thanking Damon for everything he's done for Asian culture.

Now critics have chimed in, and it's not just the whitewashing allegations they see as a problem for the movie, which currently has a 38% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Here's what critics are saying about the movie:

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The movie is just dull.

Though the movie was directed by acclaimed Chinese director Zhang Yimou ("House of Flying Daggers"), its plot and action are predictable and extremely watered down, according to the scribes.

As USA Today puts it: "'The Great Wall' would probably be a lot more culturally offensive if it wasn't such a complete trainwreck."

The Chicago Tribune called it: "A monster movie, a white savior movie, and an extremely tedious movie."



There's some cool CGI, but that's not enough to save it.

As in all of Yimou's work, visual effects are prevalent, but not even beautiful CGI-generated landscapes and huge creature battles will keep you interested.

"There are plenty of fun CGI monster-skewering scenes,"Empire said, "but a clunky plot, rigid script, and equally stiff acting make this a crumbling disappointment, if not quite a disaster."



And the dialogue is just plain weird.

There are certain moments in the movie when you don't know if suddenly the actors forgot they were supposed to be playing characters in ancient China. Modern slang is repeatedly used. One character says "b----" and a few say "I heard that!" Pretty sure neither was around in those days.

The Hollywood Reporter sums up the movie this way: "'The Great Wall' is easily the least interesting and involving blockbuster of the respective careers of both its director and star."



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How Donald Glover went from unknown comedy writer to triple-threat Hollywood star

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Donald Glover has a lot to be proud about. Not only is he the series creator for his hit FX show "Atlanta," but he's also been cast in not one but two huge movies that will rake in billions of dollars.

 

Not only was Glover cast as Lando Calrissian in the upcoming Han Solo "Star Wars" film, but he'll also voice of Simba, the rambunctious lion cub who becames the leader of the pride, in Disney's live-action remake of "The Lion King."

Since securing a job as a writer for "30 Rock" in 2006, Glover has used his diverse talents and signature humor to find success in a staggering number of industries, including television, stand-up comedy, music, and film. 

The former "Community" star's career trajectory is unlike any other. From his Grammy-nominated rap persona, Childish Gambino, to an impressive array of acting roles, Glover has defied expectations at every turn.

Check out Donald Glover's unique road to becoming an A-list star in the entertainment industry:

Donald Glover grew up in a strict Jehovah's Witness household in Stone Mountain, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta. In high school, he was voted "Most Likely to Write for 'The Simpsons'"— a show that his mother wouldn't allow him to watch.

Source: Rolling Stone



Glover attended New York University and graduated in 2006 with a degree in dramatic writing. During his time at NYU, he joined several sketch-comedy groups, including Derrick Comedy, which produced a number of viral YouTube hits.

Source: Vulture



In his senior year of college, Glover caught his big break when his viral videos and performances in New York attracted the attention of the producers from NBC's "30 Rock." He was hired as a writer for the new sitcom in 2006 and would go on to make several cameos on the show.

Source: NYU



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Most Americans haven't seen a single movie nominated for best picture, according to survey

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Movie lovers often go out of their way to see every film nominated in the best picture category before the Oscar ceremony goes down. And you'd think that once a movie wins the revered best picture trophy, people would leap to see it as soon as possible.

But that's not so. According to a survey conducted by Morning Consult55% of Americans actually haven’t seen a single movie nominated for best picture in 2017. Only 14% of the people surveyed take a nomination as a reason to see a movie. So while the Oscars do have some impact on a film's audience, there are other factors that play a more important role. 

"When asked to choose what should win best picture, the top picks were 'La La Land' (13%) and then 'Hidden Figures' (11%). However 47% of Americans say they don't know or don't have an opinion on what should win."

oscars surveyThe survey questioned a group of 2,000 people about what drives them to see a movie. The No. 1 factor? Who's in it. Thirty-nine percent of the people surveyed said that their decision to see a movie is driven by the stars.

Thirty-one percent said that the movie's trailer plays a major factor in their decision to see it. Young people tend to be in this category: 50% percent of adults under 30 say that the trailer is a big influence on their choice to see a movie or to skip it. 

Like the Oscars, critics also don't have a huge influence: only 15% said that a critic's review determines whether they see a movie.

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'Lego Batman' and 'Fifty Shades' power the holiday box office as 'Great Wall' fails

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The long President's Day weekend helped holdovers like "The Lego Batman Movie" and "Fifty Shades Darker," but for new releases "The Great Wall,""Fist Fight," and "A Cure for Wellness" there wasn't much business.

"Lego Batman" took in an estimated $34.2 million, according to Exhibitor Relations, to win the domestic box office for a second consecutive weekend. That's only a 35 percent dip from last week.

The animated movie that has pleased kids and Batman die hards alike will have taken in over $40 million by Monday for a cume of over $100 million in the States.

And negative reviews of "Fifty Shades Darker" hasn't stopped fans of the popular book series to come out and see the sequel to "Fifty Shades of Grey," as the movie came in second place for a second straight weekend with $20.9 million ($24.1 million by Monday).

The "best" performer out of the new releases this weekend was Matt Damon's $150 million-budgeted action thriller "The Great Wall," which took in only $18.1 million ($21 million four-day total). An extremely disappointing release for Universal as the movie was DOA out of the gate, earning only $5.9 million on Friday.

the great wall 1 universalWarner Bros.'s Ice Cube/Charlie Day comedy "First Fight" took in $12 million (just under $13 million four-day), which the studio will live with and hope it makes back more on its investment in home video.

While Fox's trippy "A Cure for Wellnes" from director Gore Verbinski (numerous "Pirates of the Caribbean" movies) found more press creating fake news to promote the movie than for the title itself. It befuddled critics and audiences as the visually stunning $40 million thriller only took in $4.2 million (just under $5 million four-day).

Studios are finding that titles it releases the week before a holiday weekend are doing better than the ones they schedule specifically for the four-day weekend. The Martin Luther King Jr. weekend in January had the same result as President's Day. Going forward it will be interesting to see if studios adjust and put its titles that would typically fit for a long weekend and place it the week before.

SEE ALSO: Jordan Peele plans to direct a whole series of horror movies about "social demons"

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