❧❧❧ Whatever you can do or dream, you can BEGIN IT. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Goethe ❧❧❧
❧❧❧ You were born whole, not broken. Sandra Hammel ❧❧❧
The movie Amazing Grace is the first film I have seen with Ioan Gruffudd in it. I first became introduced to Ioan Gruffudd through my interest in Matthew Rhys, who plays Kevin Walker on my favorite TV show, Brothers and Sisters. Ioan and Matthew both grew up in the capital of Wales, Cardiff and knew each other in childhood. They both attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, as well as owning a home together at one time for ten years.
Currently, Ioan is starring as William Wilberforce in the inspirational film, Amazing Grace. April 6, he can be seen in the movie, The TV Set.
Here are select photos which were downloaded from www.ioanonline.com which is great source for Ioan Gruffudd admirers.
Harriet Beecher Stowe praised him in the pages of Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Novelist E. M. Forester compared him to Gandhi. Abraham Lincoln invoked his memory in a celebrated speech. In the houses of Parliament, Nelson Mandela recalled his tireless labors on behalf of the sons and daughters of Africa, calling Britain "the land of William Wilberforce—who dared to stand up to demand that the slaves in our country should be freed." The cat in residence at 10 Downing Street between 1973 and 1987 quickly earned a "Wilberforce-ian" reputation for catching mice, and as such was given the name Wilberforce and served under four prime ministers.
William Wilberforce (1759-1833) led the twenty-year fight to end the British slave trade, a victory now regarded as He finally succeeded in March 1807 and continued to fight for abolition until, days before his death in 1833, he saw the institution of slavery abolished throughout the British colonies. Not limiting himself to just abolitionist work, he dedicated his life to what he called his "two great objects:" abolishing slavery in the British Empire and what he called "the reformation of manners [society]." To this end, he advocated for child labor laws, campaigned for education of the blind and deaf, and founded organizations as diverse as the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) and the National Gallery (of Art). "Good causes," it has been said, "stuck to him like pins to a magnet."
- Wilberforce biographer and Amazing Grace lead historical consultant, Kevin Belmonte
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About Ioan Gruffudd
Ioan Gruffudd will reprise his role as Mr Fantastic in The Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, based on the Marvel Comic Superheroes, starring alongside Julian McMahon, Jessica Alba, Chris Evans and Michael Chilkis, following the success of the last year's blockbuster The Fantastic Four.
Ioan began acting in his teens in his home town of Cardiff. He enrolled in the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London and immediately began work upon graduation. He starred in the Welsh language Academy® nominated romantic drama Soloman and Gaenor.
He first found fame in the title role of the award-winning television series Hornblower. Other recent television successes include the popular miniseries The Forsyte Saga, with Damian Lewis and Gina McKee; the lead role in the adaptation of Tony Parson's bestselling novel Man and Boy, and the role of Pip in Tony Marchant's Great Expectations, starring alongside Charlotte Rampling and Justine Waddell.
His film profile continued to rise with recent leading roles in 102 Dalmations, co-starring with Glenn Close and Alice Evans and TV Set, starring with David Duchovny and Sigourney Weaver.
The wonderful actor who portrays William Pitt and such a dear, precious friend of William Wilberforce is played by Benedict Cumberbatch.He is simply marvel - ous in this role.
ALL of the relationships with William Wilberforce were engaging all by themselves.They include Barbara Spooner, Richard, William's butler, Thomas Clark, Lord Charles Fox, James Stevens, Olaudah Equiano, even the little twerp, Duke of Clarence who in the end had a line something akin to
"Even a Noble man must recognize the virtue of an exceptional commoner," once the bill had finally passed. WHAT a scene! What a sorry thing that such a triumphant act took so much persuasive energy and articulation. And time. While human beings were being treated worse than plants and animals.
I went back and combed through my scratchings of notes that I wrote down during the second viewing of the movie - on paper that already had writing on it - so these notes are difficult to decipher and found the following of Francis Bacon's quotes via Richard, William Wilberforce's butler: From the scene of William and Richard sitting on the wet grass at William’s house: “It is a sad fate when a man is known to everyone else but he is unknown to himself.”
Said at the feeding/reception of many people, I think immediately following Barbara and William’s “both impatient and prone to rash decisions" marriage “Great changes are easier than small ones.”
I simply and deeply loved the scene where William falls to the floor in the arms of his beloved and pregnant wife. What beautiful acting, indeed! William’s line just before he falls to the floor: “I can’t even enjoy the moment of this victory…” Oh to live such passion and to have the convictions to grant you such passion and to have the relationship with your partner that we were witness to in this WONderful film.
OH, and that speech which I don’t have down perfectly in my chicken scratches, “Great men are spoken about when it’s to do with violence, such as Napoleon and return to pomp. Rarely do they speak of men of peace. William Wilberforce, however, will return to his family with head on pillow, knowing the slave trade is no more – making a better world.….” Thomas Clarkson, I believe delivers this speech. Please correct me, if I have that wrong. This isn’t the exact wording and it isn’t complete, but those of you who saw the movie KNOW what I am referring to. Wasn’t that speech just delectable and so true!!!
I loved the scene where we see William Pitt and William Wilberforce running barefoot in the fields of Wilberforce’s house. William Pitt: “…….at least they would know we mean business. ......Why is it that you only feel the thorns on your feet when you walk on them slowly?"
William Wilberforce: "Is that a metaphor for …? "
William Pitt: "Yes, it means you should move fast."
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Miscellaneous lines I love:
Wilberforce: “First step, we are talking about the truth…”
Lord Charles Fox arrives Wilberforce: "Oh, God, dear God." Fox: "Well, almost."
Barbara to William Wilberforce: “……and you still have passion. That matters more.”
“…unless we all have plenty one of us will become a thief and the thief will make you angry you will hurt him
this will hurt his children they will punish you this will hurt your children they will punish his children and that’s how it begins
to believe in man is to know peace will not work if just one man alive is unjust if one man alive is ignorant or hungry or crazy or ashamed FOR we have seen if only one of us decides to pull the plug, the millions of us can kiss the world good-bye whether we like it or not.”
........From Joseph Pintauro’s little book “to believe in man” ........Illustrated by Sister Corita Kent
"The strong can not expect the weak to placate them and call it healing."
........Sandra Hammel, aka ilovemylife
Don’t let weeds grow around your dreams.
.......From H. Jackson Brown, Jr.’s ........Life’s Little Instructon Book. Volume 2
I love my life. I love where I live. And I am passionate about my passions. I love to dance. Necessary to live: music, piano, singing, writing, acting, painting.
I have been fighting for and supporting the arts all my adult life. Since 2004, I have been working with other activists to end the Darfur genocide.
I have traveled to Europe many times since my early twenties. Places I have been: many USA states including Hawaii, Montreal, Canada, Barbados, France, Spain, Luxembourg, England, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Greece and Germany - and have wonderful memories.
My last trip was in May - June 2013 to Spain.
I would like to travel to Europe and Kyoto, Japan.
I love the southwest where I have visited Hopi, Navajo, Zia and San Idlefonso potters.
Life is exciting and I intend to live it full-out to the end.
B.S. and M.M., both in music
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Khartoum, Sudan Stop Genocide Time
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RAFA NADAL -BRING BACK LONG PANTS - SLEEVELESS TOPS
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Darfur - The Abandoned Genocide - a video by Sandra Hammel
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Genocide is not only a word,
it is crying of the whole human race.
There is nothing redeeming about being silent
when speaking up is the humane thing to do.
The honor and integrity of the human race is at stake.
