Her Cosmopolitan-sipping, Manolo-wearing, wise-cracking Carrie Bradshaw in Sex and the City was a generation-defining star turn. Now Sarah Jessica Parker has an unexpectedly cerebral new role, as a judge on next year's Booker Prize. Parker said it was "the thrill of a life" to be appointed to the panel, which will be chaired by former winner Paddy Doyle. The actor, who earlier this year appeared in the West End in the play Plaza Suite, has been quietly embedded in the literary world since becoming an editorial director at Hogarth in 2017, launching her own imprint, SJP Lit, with independent publisher Zando in 2022.
Novelist Bernardine Evaristo, winner of the 2019 Booker for her novel Girl, Woman, Other, welcomed the appointment for its ability to "hopefully draw attention to and even expand the audience for literary fiction". She added that "an ideal Booker judge is someone who is extremely well-read and passionate about novels, and open to a wide range of original voices and different cultures". Gaby Wood, chief executive of the Booker prize foundation, described Parker this week as an "incredible supporter of contemporary fiction" whose reading recommendations are frequently "ahead of the game or ahead of the Booker".
Parker brings Oscar-night stardust to the UK's premier literary prize. A wardrobe which includes custom-made Chanel and a Dolce & Gabbana golden crown featuring a nativity scene, worn to the Met Ball, will up the ante at a ceremony not known for its fashion moments.
Denne historien er fra December 14, 2024-utgaven av The Guardian.
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Denne historien er fra December 14, 2024-utgaven av The Guardian.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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EU launches 290-satellite space programme as rival to Starlink
The EU has launched an ambitious €10bn (£8.3bn) space programme with a constellation of 290 satellites to rival Elon Musk's Starlink, further widening the post-Brexit security gap with the UK.
'A slap in the face' Workers alarmed at Walmart's retreat on diversity policies
A year after the murder of George Floyd, Doug McMillon, CEO of Walmart had a warning for corporate America. The death in 2020 triggered a wave of protest over systemic racism and was \"not an isolated event. We have a long history of racism, and we see unacceptable events continue.\"
Flogging Royal Mail to faraway owners is a gamble that may go horribly wrong for Labour
It is hard to see why the performance of Royal Mail should improve beyond what it could have achieved under its own steam
Inside the drug factory Plant produced Captagon pills that enriched regime
It was no secret: everyone seemed to know where it was. When asked for directions, the coffee vendor pointed up the hill.
Watchdog claims gambling giant 'at risk of criminal exploitation'
Australia's financial intelligence agency has taken the gambling giant Entain to the federal court, alleging it \"deliberately obscured the identities\" of high-risk customers and failed to stop a \"serious risk of criminal exploitation\".
More than 300 jobs to go at Lycamobile amid losses and VAT row
Almost 90% of Lycamobile's UK workforce have been told they could lose their jobs, the Guardian has learned, in an announcement that leaves more than 300 staff fearing for their roles shortly before Christmas.
Employment falls as companies respond to Labour's NICs rise
UK businesses are cutting staff numbers at the fastest rate since the global financial crisis, according to a closely watched business survey that blames the government's tax-raising budget.
Anger over US healthcare system is justified, says Michael Moore
Michael Moore, the Oscar-winning documentary maker reportedly mentioned in the manifesto of the suspected killer Luigi Mangione, has said anger expressed towards the health insurance industry since the killing is \"1,000% justified,\" but that he condemns murder.
Key minister quits Canada cabinet as tensions rise over Trump
Canada's minister of finance has resigned amid growing tensions with the prime minister, Justin Trudeau, over the threat posed by Donald Trump's \"America first\" economic policies.
Crime and tourism Alarm at civil role of army in Mexico
package holiday promises to whisk tourists in the Yucatan Peninsula from plush hotels to Mayan ruins on a new airline and freshly-laid train tracks - an adventure brought to them entirely by the Mexican army, which now does luxury tourism when not fighting crime.
