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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
World
Robbie Griffiths

Londoner’s Diary: Cancelling Russian art is ‘stupid’, says Ralph Fiennes

Actor Ralph Fiennes has told The Londoner cancelling Russian art events over the invasion of Ukraine is “totally stupid”.

Fiennes, who speaks some Russian and made The White Crow about ballet dancer Rudolf Nureyev, said: “It’s crass to somehow smear the whole of Russia with the antipathy we feel towards Putin’s regime. Russians are an extraordinary people and they are not the protagonists”.

Fiennes said he’d still work with Russian actors who don’t support the war and added: “I love Russian culture and I won’t stop loving it, and I certainly think when you read stories of people cancelling Tchaikovsky operas is just stupid, totally stupid”. A Cardiff orchestra removed a Tchaikovsky piece from a concert programme in March.

Fiennes said Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is “monstrous”, and “one of the most appalling actions by any regime in this part of the world recently”. He called Putin’s Russia a “terrible, authoritarian, it’s a fascist regime”, which is “highly nationalistic and is extremely brilliant in its propaganda”, and called Russia’s reasoning for the war “bollocks”.

He was speaking last night at a screening of his new thriller The Forgiven, directed by John Michael McDonagh and starring Jessica Chastain, about a couple travelling in Morocco who have an accident involving a local. Fiennes explained that he sees the film about taking responsibility for our actions, saying it asks “what choices do people make when they are faced with bad shit that’s gone down”.

Fiennes, who plays M in the James Bond series, also said that he doesn’t see the character played by a female actor. “James Bond is the James Bond Ian Fleming created, I don’t see it being a woman” he said.

Laura Kuenssberg in Vogue

Laura Kuenssberg (Getty Images)

The BBC’S Laura Kuenssberg has done an interview in Vogue’s September issue ahead of her new Sunday political show, which starts next month. The ex-political editor talks of the political “bearpit”, and relates a wardrobe malfunction when she found a hole in her skirt just before going on air. “Somehow we found a bit of black camera tape,” she says. Would-be PM Liz Truss is said to have asked Nicola Sturgeon how to get in the fashion bible. Should have asked Laura instead...

Pity Bond, says 007 author

Anthony Horowitz (Ian Gavan/Getty Images)

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Tom Hiddleston incognito at Zawe Ashton screening

Actors Zawe Ashton and Sopé Dìrísù smiled at a Mayfair screening of their new rom com Mr Malcolm’s List last night. Director Emma Jones told us she was grateful to her cast, including Siânad Gregory, for filming during Covid in Ireland, and being “willing to come over when there wasn’t a pub open in sight”. Also there were Edgar Wright, June Sarpong and Roxy Horner. Pregnant Ashton’s partner, Tom Hiddleston, showed up too, but stayed incognito.

Tories’ Lib Dem love-in

Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey is knocking through the Tory “blue wall” brick by brick. Last week Bright Blue, a moderate Tory think-tank, gave a friendly interview with Sir Ed where he lambasted the two Conservative PM candidates. Looks like the plan to win over Tories is working in Westminster.

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