JEDDAH: The children of Al-Oula –- a non-profit organization targeted to break the cycle of poverty –- had the most thrilling school trip as they came to see World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) superstars Mojo Rawley and Mark Henry in King Abdullah stadium on Tuesday.
The stars sat down in front of 30 students from the institution and softened up as they shared stories from their childhood and introduced their anti-bullying campaign “Be a Star.”
The stars shared personal stories and the difficulties they have faced.
Dean Muhtadi, 31, better known by his ring name Mojo Rawley, told the children: “We are different in many ways but sometimes you have to focus on the similarities and positive aspects of others.”
Mark Henry, 46, opened up about his past: “When I was young people would call me names and were mean to me, so I decided to become the strongest person in the world.
“I won three world championships in three different world countries that had nothing to do with each other and I am very proud of myself for not letting the mean comments get to my head.”
Henry was world heavyweight champion, and is also a two-time Olympian and a gold medalist at the Pan American Games.
Later the children had the chance to talk directly with the stars. Rawley is originally Palestinian, so he spoke in Arabic with some of the children.
Henry told one of the students: “If someone is troubling you, don’t give them the satisfaction of letting the comments or actions affect you, and immediately tell your teacher or your parents or any adult, and they will help you through your problems.”
The children then took pictures and were given tickets to the WWE Royal Rumble show on Friday.
“Jeddah is a very family-friendly and a culture-loving city, so I love being here,” Henry told Arab News. “The only difference is the language. Apart from that everyone is very nice and warm.”
On the Royal Rumble, he said: “Get ready for the best entertainment you have ever seen with your own eyes.”
“For someone who comes from an Arab background, this is a historic achievement and it will be remembered for ever,” Rawley said in an interview with Arab News.
“When I first found out that we agreed to a ten-year partnership, it was the coolest thing to find out.
“I am very fortunate to be a part of this long-term partnership which will give the citizens a long time to understand and give us enough time to develop our brand here in Saudi Arabia.
“Last year the show in Riyadh was a small, non-televised show but it was one of the coolest experiences of my life, so I am very excited to perform in this grand-scale show. It’s going to be an amazing show. It will rival Wrestle Mania, which is the biggest event of the year.”
Jana Marwan, a nine-year-old student, said: “Everyone told us that the wrestlers were scary but they weren’t. In fact they were very friendly. They taught us how to look out for ourselves and I had so much fun. I am thankful to them.”
WWE stars soften up to Jeddah children to introduce anti-bullying campaign
WWE stars soften up to Jeddah children to introduce anti-bullying campaign
- Al-Oula is a non-profit organization targeted to break the cycle of poverty
- WWE stars sat down in front of 30 students from the institution
Britain’s Harris Dickinson on John Lennon, directing and news overload
- He’s acted as Nicole Kidman’s love interest, delivered an acclaimed directorial debut, and been cast in Sam Mendes’ upcoming “The Beatles” films
PARIS: He’s acted as Nicole Kidman’s love interest, delivered an acclaimed directorial debut, and been cast in Sam Mendes’ upcoming “The Beatles” films, but Britain’s Harris Dickinson insists he’s keeping his feet on the ground.
The modest Londoner, who turns 30 later this year, has had a whirlwind year that has seen his stock rise further as an actor who can straddle both art house cinema and more commercial TV and film work.
But the “Babygirl” star and upcoming on-screen John Lennon insists he won’t be swapping Hollywood for his beloved home in the British capital — now or ever.
“It feels like I’m grounded by London, east London specifically. It feels like a very important place,” he told AFP in an interview.
“I have my people. I have my family. I have my own little community there,” he added.
The city is the backdrop to “Urchin,” his first film as a director which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival last May and which includes a cameo from his mum.
’Stay on track’
The premiere in Cannes, where he starred in 2022 prize-winner “Triangle of Sadness” by Ruben Ostlund, was so stressful Dickinson felt sick before the screening.
But his film, about a homeless man struggling after his release from prison, won over critics with the strength of the acting and directing, as well as its wry humor.
Dickinson sees it as containing an important message about community: the importance of it, as well as the dangers for drug users of “exhausting (their) support networks.”
“It’s very common, even for people with good family setups, or friends and family, they get to a point where no one wants to help them anymore,” he said.
Keeping destructive behavior at bay is a battle he relates to, having seen the ravages of alcohol in his family — but also as a member of the notoriously addiction-prone entertainment industry.
“Ultimately no one’s safety or path is guaranteed. You have to do a certain amount of work in order to stay on track, especially if you’ve got addictive tendencies or destructive tendencies,” he explained.
’Get obsessed’
Dickinson is currently in the middle of an exhausting filming schedule for four biographical films about “The Beatles” from “American Beauty” and James Bond director Mendes.
Each one is shot from the perspective of one of the Fab Four, with Dickinson landing what is arguably the plum role as Lennon.
Paul Mescal (“Hamnet,” “Gladiator II“) plays Paul McCartney.
“I’m getting up at 4:45 am every day, and I’m getting home at 8:00 pm,” Dickinson explained.
Working with Mendes has made a big impression — “he’s a big canvas director” — but one of the hardest things is pulling himself out of the daily news doom cycle and his research into the 1960s.
“I do go through periods where I tune out from news a little bit because I can get obsessed with it. I go deep, and I get very troubled by it,” Dickinson explained.
“I don’t think our brains and our systems are designed to be that tuned into injustice and tragedy and darkness.”
The troubled post-war era “doesn’t feel any different to what we’re going through today, that’s the alarming thing really,” he added.
“The Beatles” is a long-term job that will keep him busy until December.
After that?
“I’m quite interested in anything apocalyptic, anything dystopian, or a survival film,” he explained.
“I’m interested in the idea of what happens when society falls, what happens when we are left with nothing or we’re stripped of everything.”
