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This month's must-try movie, book and album

Southern drama Rectify plumbs the depths of an unhappy family. Abigail Spencer plays Amantha Holden, a woman whose entire identity has been built around freeing her incarcerated brother.

This season we learn more about her complex character. What can We look forWard to for amantha’s character this season?With Amantha and the other characters, you’ll see the payoff from previous seasons and the characters really changing their lives. I think it’s something that really started with Mad Men, where you see what their characters were like in their off time.hoW do you get into the zone When playing someone With such a complicated inner life?A lot of drinking [laughs]. No, I’m joking. I have great people to draw on for her, great writers and the actors I work with.

Just the act of getting on the plane to Atlanta, getting off, going to the house, and getting into character is all part of it.you’ve had a diverse career, but are there any roles you Wish you could play?I would like to play a man or someone of a different ethnicity and have it not be mentioned. Stories are stories, and we’re not bound by how we look when portraying internal stories about people. I hope we’re on the cusp of being gender-blind — like Cate Blanchett [playing Bob Dylan] in I’m Not There.so you’ve done comedy and drama, movies and tv. What do you see yourself doing next?I’d love to play a historic figure, someone like Catherine the Great. Also a nun [laughs]. I’d really like to play a contemporary nun. Watch Rectify on Astro Channel 438, Thursdays at 10pm.

AbigAil Spencer TAlkS ArT, gender-blindneSS And The new SeASon of brooding drAmA recTify

dark SouThern chArm

days of yesteryearMystic BravesAfter doing the soundtrack for Saint Laurent SS15, they've now released an LP with a psychedelic 1960s vibe.

Album

the danish girlEddie Redmayne takes on the role of gender reassignment pioneer Lili Elbe. The Oscar winner has been praised not only for his sensitive portrayal, but also for his swan-like neck.

movie

the Japanese lover Isabel AllendeAllende mines WWII in this fragile love story between a Polish refugee and a Japanese gardener’s son. The horrors of war, the brutalities of racism and the endurance of romance form the backdrop of this tale.

book

november listings

The 48 hour Film ProjecT gives you the opportunity to show your film at Filmapalooza 2016 and a chance to screen at Cannes. The catch? You’ll have to write, cast and direct a film in 48 hours. November 13–15, 48hourfilm.com

If you haven’t caught an mPo haPPy hour, now’s the time. Chill out to the sounds of Marques Young on the trombone and prep yourself for the heavier orchestral offerings later in the day. November 25, mpo.com.my

ART ATTACKTwo events worth leaving the house for this month

LIVING CULTURE NEWS

172 ELLE.MY

winning womenThe women we love this month, from silver screen stars to feminist authors

#SQUADgoALS

You’ve seen her smouldering in Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol and turning in a heartbreaking performance in Blue is the Warmest Colour. The luminous actress is now prepared to hold her own as

a ‘soulful, passionate’ Bond girl in Spectre. BonD SeemS to hAve A SpeciAL preference for french girLS. whAt Do yoU think the AttrAction iS?The French girl is often seen as the sexy girl, the stylish girl. French girls are maybe known for being elegant.yoUr chArActer in thiS movie iSn’t the USUAL DAmSeL in DiStreSS. yoU pUt Up A Strong front for BonD women. Yes. It is true that women now in this film have a new position. They are strong. My character doesn’t need Bond. She is extremely smart. She doesn’t want to be part of his world. She has a social position

and she is a doctor. She does not need her clothes or her appearance to seduce him. You will see that she is not that physical.yoU’ve Done Art hoUSe fiLmS AnD StArreD in BLockBUSterS. how Do yoU Switch yoUr ApproAch to the Different performAnceS?I always try to adapt myself to the film. I try to penetrate the film and not disappear in it — to be a part of the material and to adapt myself. I like to be a chameleon. I can adapt to different kinds of films. It is a contradiction. I like to disappear and I appear at the same time. It is a contradiction and that is what I like about it.woULD yoU Be Up for pLAying the roLe of A femALe BonD?Yes, I would love to. It could be me — you never know! The world is changing. Spectre will premiere in Malaysian cinemas on October 26, 2015

Seydoux shinesLEa SEydoUx aS pSyChoLogiST MadELEiNE SWaNN iN SpECTRE iS REady

To fLip ThE STaTUS qUo oN iTS pERfECTLy CoiffEd hEad

Emma Chong Johnston mAnAging eDitor

KeLLy OxfOrd, author

“Consistently the funniest person on Twitter, Instagram and IRL.”

ChImamaNda NGOzI adIChIe, author

“If I can’t be Chimamanda, I want her to be my BFF.”

ImperatOr furIOsa, of mad max: fury road

“The most incredible female character to have come out of

Hollywood in the last decade.”

tEngku Zai BeAUty eDitor

fat amy, of PitCh PErfECt

“I want someone to eat pizza and laugh with.”

twILIGht sparKLe, my littlE Pony

“Because friendship is magic.”

LeIa OrGaNa, of star Wars

“This leader of the Rebel Alliance is a much sharper

shooter than any Storm Trooper.”

florEnCE song fAShion writer

BeyONCé, musiCian

“Who run the world? Queen Bey. D’oh.”

KhaLeesI, of gamE of thronEs

“Because dragons. All three of ’em.”

rONda rOusey, mixEd martial artist

“Because you can’t sit with us if you’re a ‘do-nothing bitch’.”