Born into a billionaire's family and having amassed her own personal fortune of more than US$200 million (Dh734.6m) thanks to her role in Seinfeld and other acting gigs, Julia Louis-Dreyfus is not the sort of slacker who would quit her job if she won the lottery.
As viewers and fans, we are so very grateful that this comic virtuoso – daughter of the American businessman Gérard Louis-Dreyfus (net worth $3.4 billion) – has chosen to flaunt her work ethic with such vigour and élan as she puts Washington politics through the wringer anew in the fourth season of her HBO comedy Veep, which returns tonight on OSN First Comedy HD.
Veep has been good to Louis-Dreyfus. She has won three consecutive comedy-acting Emmys for her portrayal of Selina Meyer, formerly the United States vice president who has now risen to the office of president. If the manic first episode of the new season is any indication, her winning streak should follow her into the White House.
Sworn in as president in last season’s finale after her predecessor stepped down to care for his sick wife, Selina’s chaotic and confused existence is now a tornado of demands and interruptions. Even as she awkwardly prepares to give her first major speech, she’s also running for election to try to hang on to her shiny new Oval Office. Now try to imagine just how many ways a teleprompter can go wrong during a live national televised address – and you’ve got a disaster in the making, indeed.
“Definitely it’s great to have a woman in the White House, although I’m not sure this is the woman you want in the White House,” says Louis-Dreyfus. “Do I think Selina Meyer’s up to the gig? Absolutely not. Selina Meyer was a terrible vice president and is a terrible president – and is a terrible person, by the way … except I love her in my heart.”
Armando Iannucci, the Scottish show-runner and creator of the series – which is an American adaptation of his hit British political comedy The Thick of It – adds: "So we go into season four, really, with her almost annoyed that she's president because it doesn't give her enough time to campaign."
Her annoyance is brilliantly portrayed in scenes of rapid-fire dialogue that zing with tension and satirical overbite, further showcasing the improv and acting skills that 54-year-old Louis- Dreyfus honed during her stint on Saturday Night Live from 1982 to '85, and during nine seasons as the unlucky-in-love serial dater Elaine Benes on Seinfeld (from 1989 to '98).
Over the course of this season’s 10 episodes, Selina and her handlers will also grapple with how to make her appear more presidential to the electorate.
“I need to show that I’m a lone, fierce she-wolf,” Meyer tells her dedicated but inept staff – communications boss Mike (Matt Walsh), fixer Amy (Anna Chlumsky) and personal aide Gary (Tony Hale) – whose blunders ripple outward with unexpected – and hilarious – consequences.
In what amounts to a casting coup, House is in the house this season, as British star Hugh Laurie takes on his first major television role since hanging up his stethoscope in 2012.
Will he be her campaign manager? Her new vice president? We're not sure, but here's a hint: "[Laurie's character] is a big hitter, a big figure who vacated the public stage for about three or four years and is now back," Iannucci told The Hollywood Reporter. "And when Selina is compared to him, she may find him a bit overshadowing because he's a good operator. He presents Selina – who's feeling vulnerable as she closes in on the election – with different options, but difficulties as well."
So what motivates Louis- Dreyfus to work so hard when money is no object?
“I would say what keeps me going professionally is having something to look forward to, and having a nice family – that’s really kept me alive professionally, to tell the truth,” she says.
Married since 1987 to her college sweetheart, and former SNL news anchor, Brad Hall, they have raised two sons, Henry and Charles.
“[I love] having something that is bigger and more important in my life than the actual show-business part. And that keeps everything nice and in perspective.”
And if you're wondering whether Selena's stay in the Oval Office will be a short one, it's worth noting that Veep has already been renewed by HBO for a fifth season to be broadcast next year.
• Veep season four begins at 11.05pm on Monday, May 4, on OSN First Comedy HD
artslife@thenational.ae
The Buckingham Murders
Starring: Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ash Tandon, Prabhleen Sandhu
Director: Hansal Mehta
Rating: 4 / 5
The Penguin
Starring: Colin Farrell, Cristin Milioti, Rhenzy Feliz
Creator: Lauren LeFranc
Rating: 4/5
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Company%20Profile
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The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre 6-cyl turbo
Power: 374hp at 5,500-6,500rpm
Torque: 500Nm from 1,900-5,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.5L/100km
Price: from Dh285,000
On sale: from January 2022
How tumultuous protests grew
- A fuel tax protest by French drivers appealed to wider anti-government sentiment
- Unlike previous French demonstrations there was no trade union or organised movement involved
- Demonstrators responded to online petitions and flooded squares to block traffic
- At its height there were almost 300,000 on the streets in support
- Named after the high visibility jackets that drivers must keep in cars
- Clashes soon turned violent as thousands fought with police at cordons
- An estimated two dozen people lost eyes and many others were admitted to hospital
The Breadwinner
Director: Nora Twomey
Starring: Saara Chaudry, Soma Chhaya, Laara Sadiq
Three stars
The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
AL%20BOOM
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Getting%20there%20and%20where%20to%20stay
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Our legal advisor
Ahmad El Sayed is Senior Associate at Charles Russell Speechlys, a law firm headquartered in London with offices in the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Hong Kong.
Experience: Commercial litigator who has assisted clients with overseas judgments before UAE courts. His specialties are cases related to banking, real estate, shareholder disputes, company liquidations and criminal matters as well as employment related litigation.
Education: Sagesse University, Beirut, Lebanon, in 2005.
OPENING FIXTURES
Saturday September 12
Crystal Palace v Southampton
Fulham v Arsenal
Liverpool v Leeds United
Tottenham v Everton
West Brom v Leicester
West Ham v Newcastle
Monday September 14
Brighton v Chelsea
Sheffield United v Wolves
To be rescheduled
Burnley v Manchester United
Manchester City v Aston Villa
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Match info:
Burnley 0
Manchester United 2
Lukaku (22', 44')
Red card: Marcus Rashford (Man United)
Man of the match: Romelu Lukaku (Manchester United)
In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
- Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000
- Energy engineer: Dh25,000 to Dh30,000
- Production engineer: Dh30,000 to Dh40,000
- Data-driven supply chain management professional: Dh30,000 to Dh50,000
- HR leader: Dh40,000 to Dh60,000
- Engineering leader: Dh30,000 to Dh55,000
- Project manager: Dh55,000 to Dh65,000
- Senior reservoir engineer: Dh40,000 to Dh55,000
- Senior drilling engineer: Dh38,000 to Dh46,000
- Senior process engineer: Dh28,000 to Dh38,000
- Senior maintenance engineer: Dh22,000 to Dh34,000
- Field engineer: Dh6,500 to Dh7,500
- Field supervisor: Dh9,000 to Dh12,000
- Field operator: Dh5,000 to Dh7,000
UAE SQUAD
Ali Khaseif, Mohammed Al Shamsi, Fahad Al Dhanhani, Khalid Essa, Bandar Al Ahbabi, Salem Rashid, Shaheen Abdulrahman, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Mohammed Al Attas, Walid Abbas, Hassan Al Mahrami, Mahmoud Khamis, Alhassan Saleh, Ali Salmeen, Yahia Nader, Abdullah Ramadan, Majed Hassan, Abdullah Al Naqbi, Fabio De Lima, Khalil Al Hammadi, Khalfan Mubarak, Tahnoun Al Zaabi, Muhammed Jumah, Yahya Al Ghassani, Caio Canedo, Ali Mabkhout, Sebastian Tagliabue, Zayed Al Ameri
Our legal consultants
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Greatest of All Time
Starring: Vijay, Sneha, Prashanth, Prabhu Deva, Mohan
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