Author: bestmedeal

Pocos días después estalló el escándalo de su equipo, el Gerolsteiner alemán.Varios de sus ciclistas dieron positivo, también Rebellin, cuya orina recogidatras la carrera de los Juegos contenía restos de CERA, la llamada entonces EPOde segunda generación. El Gerolsteiner desapareció y Rebellin perdió lamedalla olímpica y sufrió una sanción de dos años. Tenía 37 años entonces,pero la suspensión no significó la retirada. Regresó en 2011. Corrió 11 más enequipos de segunda y tercera división en carreras exóticas de cuarto nivel, enlas que siempre se entregaba. Se retiró, pero no colgó la bicicleta. Seguíasaliendo todos los días, haciendo honor a su proclama de que él debíaentrenarse solo porque cuando se juntaba con otros estos no hacían más quepararse en los cafés y no se entregaban al máximo.

With the sixth season of ‘The Sky is the Limit’ – ‘Life as it is: before therevolution’ – my fascination with the infamous one percent has finally come toan end. What about watching a program about rich people if you have seen therich people by now?

Tom RaesTuesday, November 29, 202212:00

I mean it Peter Boekx also wondered, because for this season he has onceagain selected, as it is called in these sports jargon-ridden times. This waywe could get to know the debutant at our own pace Yves Maas , which meantsomething in the waste and container business. I’m not doing it. While a hotair balloon with his name on it was filling up next to him – ‘The biggest inBelgium!’, Boeckx honked – Maes went over the status of his turnover figuresfor our attention. I personally learned neither lesson nor wisdom from it, butwhen we were back on the ground after the actual balloon flight, I pricked upmy ears when Maes told how someone had tried to get more money out of him whenselling a house than agreed: that other enterprising spirit had of coursefound out who Maes was, which didn’t seem like much of an art to me since hewas more of the articulate type when it came to his finances. ‘I’ve gone toseven hundred, and after that: kissing balls! Stick it in their hole!’ Theballoon was now dying on the ground, but I still felt hot air. That’s crazy.

Woe to the one who thinks he recognizes jealousy in this writing, because, asis often the case, I read a warning in this program rather than a potentialtarget. I once suspected Peter Boeckx of a certain cunning in his work, whichwould not have been out of place in this program, but in the meantime I havefound out that sniggering along is not irony, let alone that it results in aninterview.

This is not jealousy, in short, but pity. Especially when things like that geta little fuzzy on the eyes, and they ignite what they feel is nothing short ofan impassioned confession, I set myself up for unintentional amusement. Theconcrete bons Frederick Laeremans for example, I already knew from anearlier season, but now we were allowed to experience him while he was visitedby his personal coach. It’s teeming with coaches in this arthritic era, Inotice. Once you only found such titles on sports grounds, but today thosepeople are attached in droves to other wealthy people like barnacles toostentatious cruise ships. But so, ‘When I see someone driving by with aRolls, I think: how does he do that?’, Laeremans sighed to his coach. ‘It’sgreat that the growing attention to mental health has now also crept into ‘TheSky is the Limit’, I thought, before shedding a tear for all those people who,although in a good mood, are now not that rich either that they can purchase aRolls Royce without prior fundraising. Perhaps the next Warmest Week will becommitted to them.

However, it became completely dystopian when Boeckx arrived in London JoshuaVan der Aa , ‘aesthetic doctor’. I’ve heard that cosmetic procedures areaddictive, and that dealers of intoxicants shouldn’t throw themselves intotheir own merchandise, but that didn’t apply to Van der Aa, who himself wasalso a sample of what ‘aesthetic medicine’ can do. It therefore looks like aplastic version of Mattel Reuben van Gucht has released. After he had putan expensive suit on his shoulders at home, we were in his wake at an awardceremony for plastic surgeons for which Van der Aa had been nominated severaltimes. I don’t remember the categories – ” Best New Ass (Female)” or so -but Van der Aa certainly missed the prizes. ‘You can no longer call thishealthcare’, I decided.

It’s a question I’ve been carrying around for some time, but given the currentcrisis, I’m forced to ask it out loud: who is this program actually intended

Jennifer Hudson joins Mila Kunis, Quinta Brunson and Matthew McConaughey asone of PEOPLE ‘s 2022 People of the Year! Look for all four covers onnewsstands this week and read more below from Hudson’s revealing interview inthe new issue.

As a new mom living in her hometown of Chicago, Jennifer Hudson had a uniqueritual with her only child. “When David was a baby, we lived in this high-riseapartment that had the most beautiful view of the sky and Lake Michigan,”Hudson, 41, recalls of life with her son, now 13.

Already an acclaimed singer and actress at the time, Hudson was determined toensure the apple didn’t fall far from the tree. “My mother always instilled inus, ‘Whatever you put your mind to, you can do it,’ and I want to do the samefor him,” she adds. “So when he would eat, I would take his high chair andface it toward the window because I wanted him to know ‘As far as you can see,you can achieve.’ “

Jennifer Hudson photographed for People’s People of the Year issue on November11, 2022 at a private location in Venice, California.

Obidigbo Nzeribe Jennifer Hudson

That mantra has served her well. After her shocking early exit from americanidol in 2004, the singer went on to star in the 2006 movie dream girls andwin an Oscar for her performance. She took home a Grammy in 2009 for best R&Balbum (her first of two) and last year nabbed a Daytime Emmy as an executiveproducer of Baba Yaga , a virtual reality animated short film. In JuneHudson received a Tony for co-producing the Broadway musical _A Strange Loop_making her the 17th person — and youngest female — to achieve EGOT status bywinning the four highest entertainment-industry awards.

“It’s a huge honor and has been an ongoing celebration,” she says. “I feellike it opens the space for me to be able to pick and choose more of what Iwant to do, but that’s been my whole career. I like to lead by my heart andwhat I’m passionate about.”

Her latest passion? A highly anticipated, syndicated daytime talk show thatpremiered in September. Whether at work or navigating life as mom to ateenager, Hudson still sets her sights on the horizon. “Everything I do makesme anxious, but you will always see me try,” she says. “I love breaking newground. All of it [causes] anxiety and fear—but that’s how we grow.”

Story continues

RELATED: Jennifer Hudson Says She ‘s ‘Still Processing’ EGOT Status: ‘ItCame as a Surprise’

Jennifer Hudson Rollout

Jennifer Hudson instagram Jennifer Hudson with her awards

How does it feel to be an EGOT winner?

I’m still figuring that out. It’s something, obviously, that I aspired to, butit takes a long time to process. It puts me in a better position to be able tolend more support. But I feel the same way [about] being a talk show host, tocreate a platform for everyone, just so we all have a place to feel included,and using my position and impact to be able to just continue to bring everyonetogether.

What ‘s been the most surprising thing about doing the talk show?

I can’t say I knew what to expect. I’m still learning as I go. I think seeinghow huge of a machine it is, how many departments it has, meeting the crew andthe staff. I’ve been a guest on a show like this, but to come in from a hostperspective and see the entire production, I think that’s the most surprisingpart.

How do you think 5-year-old Jennifer would respond to your life now?

You know, back then I used to have a lot of big ideas, and I always remembermy mama saying, “You can’t do everything.” So to be the 41-year-old Jennifernow, it’s like, “Well, Mama, I done did some of everything.” Your dreams,whatever you put your mind to, you can do it. And to be able to achieve that,I think little Jennifer would see that I was on the right track with myvisions and my goals.Although this is beyond my dreams.

RELATED: Jennifer Hudson Shows Off Her EGOT Hardware in New Photo: ‘I WillAlways Be 17!’

Jennifer Hudson People POTY cove

Obidigbo Nzeribe Jennifer Hudson on the cover of PEOPLE

What were you like as a child?

I used to always speak about what I was going to do or be. Like when I was 7years old and the teachers asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Isaid, “I’m going to be famous.” And I spoke it into existence.

When did you first realize you could sing?

That’s always been a part of me. I don’t remember a time where I didn’t, butit took other people to say, “Look at the impact that you have and theinvestment that your teachers or the adults are making in you.” My familysaying, “Yes, the family has a talent, but Jennifer has a gift”—that made melook at it and say, “Oh, well, maybe I do have something different.”

What was the most important thing you learned from not winning americanidol?

There’s a lesson in everything. Nothing is just, like, “Oh you just placedseventh.” That was a platform that allowed me to be seen and prepared me forwhat was to come. Everything leads to the next in some capacity. You may notget what you think you’re supposed to out of it, but it will help prepare youfor what you will have eventually.

Is there anything that makes you feel insecure?

I mean, we are all insecure about something. I always like to accentuate thepositive, though. What am I insecure about? I don’t know how to explain it.How vulnerable of a heart I have. Because sometimes when people see kindness,they take it for granted, so at times I think it can cause an insecurity inthat way.

RELATED: Jennifer Hudson Says About Raising Her Teenage Son: ‘He Has His OwnSwag Now’

Jennifer Hudson Rollout

Jennifer Hudson instagram Jennifer Hudson with son David

What do you love most about the person your son has become?

He is so thoughtful and very well-rounded. He’s very considerate. He is such agiver and very practical. I think he’s wise for his age. We have our children,you love them, but sometimes they grow up in a way where you’re like, “Now Ididn’t raise you like that.” But [even] if he wasn’t my child, this little boyis an amazing human.

Talk me through a day when you ‘re not working.

I don’t know what that is! I’m with the kids, maybe watching basketball. It’snot like once the cameras cut, I’m off from that persona that’s created. No,this is very much me. Half the time [when] I’m singing, I don’t even realizeI’m singing or talking. And I love people, so it’s like what you see is whatyou get.

Are you a morning person or a night owl?

Why sleep when you’re busy living your dream? I don’t need a lot of sleep,because I do thrive off of energy. I love what I do, and I rest when I can. IfI don’t do my work or if it’s lingering, my mind never stops. Which is why Iwork as hard as I do, because I want to have earned the right to rest.

Jennifer Hudson photographed for People’s People of the Year issue on November11, 2022 at a private location in Venice, California.

Obidigbo Nzeribe Jennifer Hudson

So how do you decompress?

Sitting in the house with my cats. Massages. I love just sitting and watchingmy kid play his video games. Shopping and chocolate. Drawing. I love spray-painting things, riding my bike, those things help bring me down a notch.

What ‘s left on your bucket list?

I definitely want to direct at some point. That’s enough, because when I saysomething, it happens. And I wouldn’t mind touring again. Obviously anotheralbum. And then I want to play the piano more. By the time I get out of thischair, I’ll have something else.

Jennifer Hudson photographed for People’s People of the Year issue on November11, 2022 at a private location in Venice, California.

Obidigbo Nzeribe Jennifer Hudson

With that said, how would you describe your life now?

It’s hopping on a roller coaster every day as I hit the ground running. It hasits highs and lows and everything in between. But it’s a beautiful, beautifulride. If God don’t do another thing, he’s done enough. And I am satisfied.

For more of the exclusive interview with Jennifer Hudson, and PEOPLE ‘ sthree other People of the Year cover honorees, please pick up this week’sissue, on newsstands everywhere Friday.

TVThe happiness of true ‘Gossip Girl’ fans has been running wild since theGeorgina Sparks makes her appearance in the second season of the reboot, whichwill be released December 2 on Streamz. So actress Michelle Trachtenberg (37)is once again taking on the role of her character from 2007. But what aboutthe rest of the original cast? One bombed to superstardom, the other wentbankrupt or came into the eye of the storm since the #MeToo movement.

Georgina Sparks appeared in the brand new trailer for the reboot of thepopular 2007 series. A recognizable image from the series that kept fans gluedto the screen for six seasons. A role for which the original cast can begrateful, because since then many have secured roles in major productions.

LOOK. This is what Georgina Sparks will look like in 2022

Blake Lively (35) played Serena van der Woodsen

Blake Lively © The CW/Getty

After years of portraying the fashion-conscious Serena in “Gossip Girl,”Lively shifted her focus to the big screen. The actress played the leadingrole in ‘The Age of Adaline’, ‘A Simple Favor’, ‘The Shallows’ and ‘The RhythmSection’, among others. On the set of ‘Green Latern’ in 2011, she got alongvery well with her co-star Ryan Reynolds (46), with whom she eventuallymarried and had three children.

Leighton Meester (36) played Blair Waldorf

Leighton Meester © The CW/Wire Image

The actress who played the spoiled brat with a small heart from the Upper EastSide all these years has become a jack of all trades. She was seen in thesitcoms ‘Single Parents’ and ‘Making History’. But she also made herappearance on the Broadway stage in ‘Of Mice and Men’. But not only acting,singing is also one of Master’s passions. In 2014 she launched her first album’Heartstrings’. She also got married with a fellow actor. In 2014, she married’Gilmore Girls’ actor Adam Brody, with whom she welcomed two sons.

Ed Westwick (35) played Chuck Bass

Ed Westwick © The CW/EPA

A charmer at heart, that Chuck Bass. After his popular role, Westwick was alsooffered work in ‘Wicked City’, ‘Snatch’ and ‘White Gold’, among others.Unfortunately, the actor also came up during the #MeToo movement. Severalwomen accused him of sexually transgressive behavior, but he always deniedthat. In the end, the police dismissed the case because of insufficientevidence.

Chace Crawford (37) played Nate Archibald

Chace Crawford © The CW/Vertical Entertainment

One of the coveted men from ‘Gossip Girl’ was played by Crawford. After that,he was featured in several TV shows such as ‘Blood & Oil’, ‘The Boys’ and’Casual’.

Penn Badgley (36) played Dan Humphrey

Penn Badgley © The CW/Wire Image

After writer Dan Humphrey’s true colors surfaced in “Gossip Girl,” Penn wasseen in such films as “Easy A,” “The Stepfather,” and “Forever Strong.”Nowadays, Badgley is particularly successful as Joe Goldberg in the Netflixseries ‘You’. Fortunately, on a private level, he handled things better inlove than his character in ‘You’. He married singer Domino Kirke, togetherthey have a son.

Taylor Momsen (29) played Jenny Humphrey

Taylor Momsen © The CW/Getty

Taylor was barely fourteen years old when she played Dan’s younger sister.Music was already her great passion at the time, which is why she left theshow in 2010. She released four albums with her band ‘The Pretty Reckless’. Soshe put acting aside for a while, but “never say never”, she told ‘E!’.

Jessica Szohr (37) played Vanessa Abrams

Jessica Szohr © The CW/Getty

Jessica Szohr has been an integral part of the film world since ‘Gossip Girl’.She made appearances in blockbusters like ‘The Internship’, ‘Ted 2’ and ‘TwoNight Stand’. In between, she also put on TV shows including ‘Kingdom’,’Shameless’ and ‘The Orville’. In addition to her successful career, shewelcomed a baby girl in 2021 with her fiancé Brad Richardson.

Michelle Trachtenberg (37) played Georgina Sparks

Michelle Trachtenberg © The CW/Streamz

So the manipulative Georgina Sparks returns to the elite of the Upper EastSide. Since her departure in 2007, the actress’s career has cooled. She didappear in ‘The Scribbler’, ’17 Again’ and did a voice for ‘Human Kind Of’ in2018. Michelle prefers to keep her love life behind closed doors, but when sheseemed to get along with her ‘ Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ colleague was runningthe rumor mill at full speed.

Kelly Rutherford (54) played Lily van der Woodsen

Kelly Rutherford © The CW/RTLTVI

Lily van der Woodsen was Serena’s mother. Since then, Kelly has mainly been inthe news because of her much-discussed lawsuit with her ex-husband DanielGiersch. The two could not agree on the custody of their two children. Thebusiness even got so out of hand (financially) that the actress went bankruptin 2013. Career-wise, she managed to get roles in ‘Reckless’, ‘The Mysteriesof Laura’ and ‘Quantico’. She can also be seen in the reboot of ‘Dynasty’.

Connor Paolo (32) played Eric van der Woodsen

Connor Paulo © The CW/Rezo Films

The van der Woodsen family also knew Eric, Serena’s younger brother. After’Gossip Girl’, Connor immediately plunged into another hit series: ‘Revenge’,which ran until 2013. After that, he played roles in the horror film ‘FriendRequest’, among others. We recently saw him in an episode of ‘The Resident’.

Matthew Settle (53) played Rufus Humphrey

Matthew Settle © The CW/Getty

In “Gossip Girl,” Matthew played the role of Dan and Jenny’s father, a formerrock star. The acting did not let go of him afterwards. He was seen in thehorror film ‘Ouija’ and made his appearance in ‘Criminal Minds: BeyondBorders’. His latest achievement dates from 2017 with ‘Valentine’. His ownfamily now includes two daughters.

El primer Mundial del Tri en los tiempos de Yon de Luisa se juega suclasificación en el partido contra Arabia Saudí, el que era aparentemente elrival más débil del grupo. Los saudíes atraparon en su trampa a una Argentinaque por más tiros que intentó no pudo batir a la defensa asiática. Ese 1-2frente a la Albiceleste complicó el grupo C para polacos y mexicanos también.El empate 0-0 contra Polonia mostró una cara agresiva de los mexicanos y conun guardián en la portería. La derrota 2-0 contra Argentina puso en el blancode criticas el plantteamiento defensivo de Martino que soportó una hora ydespués se vino abajo con cambios que asfixiaron su juego. El anhelo de laselección mexicana depende de una victoria y no solo por la mínima, sino deesperar a lo que hagan los de Lewandowski contra Messi. Necesitan ganar 4-0para desentenderse del otro partido. Si empatan o pierden contra los saudíes,eliminados. El resto de combinaciones quedan and el azar.

“Siempre dije que el nueve es Raúl [Jiménez]. Está con una lesión que no lepermite tener continuidad. Pero lo que me produce satisfacción es que noestamos en problemas por escasez”, dijo Martino en noviembre. La confianzaplena en Jimenez ha sido su controvertida. El futbolista dejó de tener surasgo de goleador tras la fractura craneal que sufrió en 2020. Su cuerporeaccionó bien a la recuperación, pero le costó tomar ritmo. A inicios de esteaño mundialista, Jiménez pasó 77 días lesionado. En los 43 minutos que hajugado en Qatar se le ha visto errático y sin opciones de aportar a suscompañeros. Martino le ha respetado su jerarquía por encima de los otros dosdelanteros Henry Martín (77 minutos jugados contra Polonia) y Rogelio FunesMori, sin jugar.

It could be an episode of the TV series Grey’s Anatomy. The love story ofnurse Christoph Cottignie (34) and doctor Ine Van Oeteren (32) also begins inthe hospital. During his night shift, he musters up all his courage to write aletter to that graceful young doctor who is doing an internship in hisdepartment.

Gert Reynders and Raymond Rutten

Yesterday at 03:00

It is October 2018. Christoph Cottignie has been working at the Sint-Vincentius hospital in Antwerp for eight years. Recently, a young femaledoctor in training from the distant Lanklaar (Dilsen-Stokkem) has been walkingaround in his department. She immediately catches the attention of the youngmale nurse. “I had already tried to find her on Facebook in vain. She couldnot be found on other social media either,” says Christoph. “I also didn’tdare to speak to her when I passed her in the corridor of the hospital. Ifound that quite embarrassing with all those colleagues around.”

“Then I have it old school done with a letter. During my night shift I crawledinto my pen. After several drafts and formulations, I finally dared to put mynote under her keyboard. In very careful terms I asked her in that letter ifshe would like to go for a drink with me in the city. I soon regretted it.’Oops, what have I done now’, that’s how it popped into my head.”

Christoph did not immediately receive an answer to his letter. So the doubtsonly increased. But two days later the redeeming message came. “I would liketo have a drink with you,” Ine wrote. It sounded like music to Christoph’sears. “We agreed a few weeks later. On our first date we went to a cozyItalian restaurant. It clicked immediately. We turned out to have a lot of thesame interests. We both had a cat as a pet. Conversational enough. After thatdinner we went for a cocktail at the Groenplaats in Antwerp. It was alreadyquite late when we got back to the hospital where her bike was still standing.It was cold and wet. After some insistence, I was allowed to take her home bycar.”

Ine and Christoph on their wedding day. — © raru

Bottle of cava

Christoph and Ine agreed to meet again a week later. But a second date was notlong in coming. “It’s my birthday on November 11,” says Christoph. “A birthdayparty with the family was planned on that day. I had told Ine that I wouldcome to her after that party. But that party turned out pretty well. At acertain moment I left anyway and I brought a piece of cake and a bottle ofcava for Ine. That was not the best idea, because Ine turned out not to likecava at all.”

Fortunately, that blunder did not stand in the way of the fledgling love. Thetwo never left each other. When Ine received an offer to work at the ZOL inGenk, Christoph did not hesitate for a moment. He quit his job at Sint-Vincentius Hospital, left his familiar home in Hove in Antwerp and followedhis love to Limburg. “Not such a big risk, because nurses are looking for themeverywhere,” he says. They both now work at the ZOL in Genk: Christoph as anintensive care nurse and Ine as a cardiologist in training. “I moved toHasselt in July last year. Normally we would get married on July 1, 2023, butfor family reasons we brought that date forward to November 12, 2022. One dayafter my birthday,” Christoph nods.

Whether he likes the move from the metropolis of Antwerp to green Limburg?“Certainly, I had absolutely no problem following Ine to Limburg. It was noproblem to find a job as a nurse here. I have fantastic colleagues in the ZOL.I also really like life in Limburg outside of work. The people are veryfriendly. Here everyone says hello to each other.”

TVIs one of your resolutions for 2023 to learn a new language? What if we toldyou that you can both relax and at the same time stimulate the language centerin your brain just by watching TV in another language? From a Korean-Japaneseimmersion in ‘Pachinko’ on Apple TV+ to Interwar German in ‘Babylon Berlin’ onStreamz, it’s time to turn that binge into something useful!

‘Babylon Berlin’ (Streamz)

We turn back almost 100 years, to a time when the decadence of Berlin’snightlife stands in stark contrast to the rising poverty and threat ofviolence from the rising Nazis. This TV series about the Weimar Republic in1929 provides the ideal stage for brushing up on your German, while alsobrushing up on an important piece of inter-war history. Co-created by TomTykwer and based on the books by Volker Kutscher, the award-winning seriesfollows the roaring twenties through the eyes of a young Cologne commissionerand a young stenographer aspiring to become a police inspector. While thefourth season has only just been added on Streamz, the fifth is already indevelopment. And it may not stop there, because Tykwer has big plans tostretch Germany’s most expensive series for a few more years.

Pachinko (Apple TV+)

Speaking of budget, one of the most eye-catching series that saw the light ofday this year is undeniably ‘Pachinko’. In it, we follow Kim Sunja from herbirth against the backdrop of a Japanese-occupied Korea at the turn of thelast century to her old age in prosperous Japan in the 1980s. The series showshow one family endured some tough moments in history and how they shaped them,while the term ‘pachinko’ refers to the popular Japanese slot machinesoperated by Koreans to escape poverty. The series may have a confusingtimeline at times – and unlike the book – but in terms of language it doeslend a hand by subtitling the Japanese dialogues in blue and highlighting theKorean ones in yellow.

‘Clark’ (Netflix)

None other than Clark Olofsson is your Swedish teacher for today. Not only didthis controversial criminal turn the well-known stockholm syndrome into athing, Sweden’s most notorious gangster actually has a Belgian connection. Inbetween the bank robberies, he fell in love with a Flemish beauty, went intohiding in our country for years and became the father of three sons here. Theseries presents the truths and lies of Olofsson in a flashy fun package of sixepisodes. Because the series takes place between the 1960s and the 1980s, itis a guaranteed wardrobe spectacle and visually distorted fast in nature.

‘Tehran’ (Apple TV+)

If Glenn Close can learn Farsi, so can you. Her role as a CIA agent in thesecond season of this Emmy-winning Israeli spy thriller saw the ‘FatalAttraction’ star say she had to do some serious cleaning. Not only thelanguage was new, the multilingual cast and the many location recordings werealso quite a living for Close. Although this series, which brings the conflictbetween Israel and Iran to your living room in an exciting way, also featuresEnglish dialogue, most of it is spoken in Hebrew and Farsi. Striking: thescenes in Tehran were shot in Athens for creative and security reasons, wherethe Iranian capital was impressively recreated.

‘Los Espookys’ (Streamz)

By now you know how to set up a bank robbery in Spanish courtesy of ‘La casade papel’, but if you want to run a business in fake ghost parties, fakeexorcisms and staged monster attacks, ‘Los Espookys’ is your handbook. Co-created by actor, comedian and “Saturday Night Live” star Fred Armisen, thisSpanish-language HBO comedy series centers on a group of friends in an unnamedLatin American country who seek to turn their love of horror into a successfulbusiness. Their job is to stage horror-like situations for customers who paythem handsomely for it. This bizarre yet brilliant series received criticalacclaim for its first season and returned this year after a three-year hiatusdue to the pandemic, for part two.

Halfway through the conversation via Zoom, Michiel Huisman apologizes andstands up. Writer and showrunner Mark Boal, the big man behind series Echo 3, enters the room and greets his protagonist with a warm hug – a relativelysimple scene that was almost unthinkable during the corona pandemic. The Dutchactor nods enthusiastically: “On the set of the series, there was still a lotof testing and wearing face masks outside the recordings. But also in thatarea, everyone here in the US is now starting to relax a bit. It is great thatwe seem to be able to put that period behind us.”

Like many colleagues, Huisman could do little in the spring of 2020 but waitand see what was going to happen. The recordings of the series The FlightAttendant were shut down for a long time; the actor filled his time withchores around the house and writing. But now it is also for the Dutchman again_business as usual_. He shot the British thriller Angela Black worked on formore than a year Echo 3 and completed two films with director Zack Snyder,creator of major productions like 300 and Batman v Superman. “For a longtime after every project I thought: this was the last role I will ever play.I’m finally starting to let go of that uncertainty a bit, I’ve become calmer.I have also stepped into films in the past because it mainly offered anopportunity to take a step further. I am now in the luxurious position that Ican say no sometimes and can only choose projects that feel to me as an actoras a big step forward in my career.”

Echo 3 is one such project, the first production that writer and producerMark Boal developed for television. The American continued with committed warfilms The Hurt Locker and Zero Dark Thirty two instant classics to hisname; on his mantelpiece are two Oscars.

Read about Michiel Huisman ‘s first steps in Hollywood here

Tight regimen

The ten-part series is about a scientist who disappears on the border betweenColombia and Venezuela. Her husband Prince (Huisman) and her brother Bambi(Luke Evans), both men with military training and troubled pasts, go lookingfor her. Of Echo 3 the Dutch actor works for the first time for Apple TV +,which has proven itself in recent years with series such as The Morning Show_and _Ted Lasso. Huisman previously played major roles in series for streamingservices such as Netflix ( The Haunting of Hill House ) and HBO ( Game ofThrones and The Flight Attendant ).

Yes, of course it was great to play such a tough American soldier on the setin Colombia, the actor beams: “The little child in me awakened. It feels likesomething very iconic.” The preparation for the role demanded a lot from theDutchman, especially physically: his body betrays a strict regime of hardtraining and healthy eating. Huisman and co-star Evans spent ten months datingMitchell Hall, a former Navy SEALs who began a second career as a technicaladvisor in Hollywood. “I was able to pull myself up as an actor from thatresearch. Shooting such a huge weapon may look simple. But Mark and Mitchellaimed for realism. On set we were constantly corrected if a certain attitudeor action was not correct.”

But Huisman emphasizes that his character now has more depth than the averageHollywood soldier. Just like in Mark Boaz’s earlier work, the macho knowledgeof his heroes hides complicated men with a large backpack of problems. “Princeis used to being at the top of the US military pyramid. He is quite anarrogant, rich man who does not know the word no and thinks that he cancontrol everything to his will. But in Colombia he doesn’t feel comfortable atall. It takes him more and more effort to survive in that arena, he continuesto believe that the end justifies all means.”

Complicated plot

Over ten episodes, a complicated plot slowly unfolds about the geopoliticalmess the two men have found themselves in. The series unabashedly dissects theway the US sets up covert operations in countries where the superpower haslittle business.

In the past, Huisman sometimes alluded to a return to the Netherlands if theright project presented itself. His last role on home soil he played in Net5series The Intern from 2010. But at the moment that no longer seems to be arealistic option for him. Huisman is sixteen years after his springboard role_Black book_ by Paul Verhoeven is fully established in New York, where hisfamily has been living for a few years now, and in the international filmworld. Daughter Hazel is now 15 years old and goes to a secondary school. “TheNetherlands is not really on the radar right now. There are only so many daysin a year and I’m getting these awesome opportunities here now. It’s reallystarting to get fun here.”

Echo 3 can be seen on Apple TV+. A new episode is added every week.

El estoicismo no es una filosofía teórica, sino una forma de pensar aplicablea la vida. Una versión simplista de este pensamiento helenístico, fundado enel siglo III antes de nuestra era por Zenón de Citio y que debe su nombre alpórtico ( stoa ) bajo el que se reunían sus seguidores en Atenas, podríasugerir que los estoicos eran fatalistas, que se dejaban llevar por lascircunstancias de la vida sin hacer nada. Pero no es así, el estoicismoconsiste en aceptar lo que ya es inevitable, no en dejarse arrastrar sinluchar. Más bien todo lo contrario. No es tan distinta de las otras dosgrandes filosofías helenísticas, los cínicos y los epicúreos, porque las tresse plantean la necesidad de vivir en armonía con la naturaleza.

Aplicado al fútbol, ​​se podría decir que lo que propone Luis Enrique a susjugadores cuando les aconseja el estoicismo no es que salgan al campo pensandoen una posible derrota, sino que hagan todo lo posible para ganar, pero quesepan afrontarla si se produce. “Esta selección es estoica en todas susfilas”, llegó a decir el técnico asturiano para ilustrar como sus ideas hanpermeado en la plantilla. “Una de las consignas que tenemos es no quejarse.Cuando pasa algo que parece que no es positivo, sale rápido algún compañerodiciendo: ‘Somos estoicos, no pasa nada, superamos esto y lo que tenga quevenir”. Aplicado a la vida, el estoicismo enseña a asumir lo inevitable,explica que hay tragedias con las que solo podemos aprender a convivir —cadamañana, cada día—, sin resignarnos a la ausencia, pero sabiendo que es algofrente a lo que ya no podemos hacer nada.

De todos los pensadores estoicos el más difundido, el que tiene másreediciones, es Marco Aurelio (121-180), uno de los más célebres emperadoresromanos, considerado uno de los grandes sabios de la antigüedad. Sus_meditations_ O Pensamientos para mi mismo —los diferentes traductores no seponen de acuerdo en el título— es un libro que recorre todos los aspectos dela vida, desde la forma de hablar —”Con la afectación del lexico no trates dedecorar tu pensamiento”—hasta las relaciones sociales — ”La mejor forma dedefenderte de ellos es no pareciéndote”—. Su resumen puede encontrarse en estaphrase: “No te arrastren los accidents exteriores”. Yotro de sus pensamientosdice: “El arte de vivir se acerca más al de la lucha que al de la danza”.

LuisEnrique, este martes durante un entrenamiento.JUANJO MARTIN (EFE)

Las primeras palabras de otro clásico del estoicismo, El manual para la vidafeliz , de Epicteto, un esclavo romano que escribía en griego, van en unsentido parecido: “Hay cosas que dependen de nosotros y hay cosas que nodependen de nosotros”. Solo hay que preocuparse de las primeras y aprender aconvivir con las segundas. Precisamente, al ser preguntado por la charla quedirigiría a los jugadores antes del debut mundialista ante Costa Rica, LuisEnrique señaló los principales mensajes que tenía pensado trasladar al grupo:“Tranquilidad, intentar disfrutar y centrarte en lo que puedes controlar”,para añadir : “Un pensamiento muy estoico: en lo que puedo controlar prestoatención, y lo que no puedo controlar lo dejo de lado y que no me afecte”.