umber bhatti

UCLA Cinema and Media Studies MA Candidate

United States

Portfolio
The Hollywood Reporter
11/04/2019
'Us' Star Evan Alex Says He's Writing His Own Horror Script

Evan Alex, the 11-year-old actor who starred in Jordan Peele's , said he's writing his very own script and even got some pointers from Peele himself. "I'm working on my own project," Alex on Sunday told The Hollywood Reporter at UCLA Mattel Children's Hospital's 20th annual Party on the Pier.

Teen Vogue
12/06/2019
"Hala" Has Created a Fiery Debate Around Muslim Representation in Film

Hala's internal feelings are never revealed, making it hard to rationalize her actions like when, in the final scene, she takes off her hijab. Though the struggles that comes with wearing a hijab are a reality for many Muslim women, it appears out of left field in the film.

NYLON
08/20/2019
What It's Like To Live A Hot, Muslim Girl Summer

Muslim women are not a monolith. When it comes to our clothing, some of us wear the hijab and prefer longer, more covered clothing. And some of us don't. We should wear what makes us feel good about ourselves. As Megan Thee Stallion said, being a hot girl means, "being unapologetically YOU, having fun, being confident, living YOUR truth."

MTV News
09/26/2019
Succession's Shiv Is An Unlikely Role Model For Young Women

As audiences, we are both mesmerized by and sympathetic to morally corrupt characters. Whether it be our collective concern for Walter White despite his descent into venality, the way we're glued to watching couples self-destruct on TLC's 90 Day Fiancé , or the conflicting feelings we have for broken characters, such as Joaquin Phoenix's Joker, we're obsessed with the bad guys.

Bitch Media
Debates over "Ramy" Reveal the Complexity of Cultural Authenticity

In June, Natasha Rothwell, who plays Kelli on Insecure and writes for the show, posted a picture of an array of items (Hennessy, cocoa butter, castor oil, and hot sauce) on Twitter with the caption: "If you were wondering if the S4 @insecurehbo writers' room was Black AF, the answer is yes.

Mic
02/15/2020
Netflix's 'Messiah' is the apocalyptic series 2020 needs

Messiah, Netflix's series about an enigmatic man claiming to be God's messenger, feels like an appropriate apocalyptic tale for the year 2020. When you look into religious texts, certain signs of the end have already occurred. Whether it be the...

Dailybruin
Actor draws from Muslim-American identity in show exploring challenges of dual cultures

Flooded bathrooms at mosquesare something Muslim actor, comedian and writer Ramy Youssef is all too familiar with. This is often a byproduct of wudhu, an Islamic ritual where individuals wash themselves before prayer. Usingpersonal experiences, such as dealing with messy washrooms during prayer times, Youssef created stand-up comedy routines that eventuallyinspiredhis upcoming television show, "Ramy" which he created with A24 and Hulu.