Entertainment
Tommy Orange was against revisiting Native American history in his new book. Why he changed his mind
On the Shelf
Wandering Stars
By Tommy Orange
Knopf Publishing Group: 336 pages, $29
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For Tommy Orange, there was before “There There,” and there was after. Before: He was a struggling writer, teaching in an MFA program. After, the dream: bestselling author, Pulitzer Prize finalist, his book on syllabuses across the country, invited to speak at literary events worldwide. It was a rare and lasting achievement.
His new book, “Wandering Stars,” is also a before and after. This much-anticipated novel serves as both a prequel and a sequel to the first. That unusual choice means it can be read without the centerpiece of 2018’s “There There,” which ended with Orvil, one of the main characters, in peril at a contemporary powwow in Oakland. But if you have read “There There,” it’s an unexpected, multifaceted expansion of that story.
Orange had finished writing “There There” with no intentions of a follow-up when, close to its publication, he heard “Wandering Star” by the band Portishead. “I knew the song already, but something about wandering stars at that moment,” he said over Zoom in January, “I was like, ‘Oh, I want to do a sequel.’
“It had to do with being interested in how Orvil would experience the aftermath of what happened.”
A sequel would give Orange “a way to also talk about historical trauma … tracing through history and feeling the reverberations of something that happened a long time ago,” he added.
To get there, Orange first goes way back, to two boys fleeing the 1864 Sand Creek massacre. The scenes of violence, deprivation and survival in “Wandering Stars” are reminiscent of Cormac McCarthy’s western frontier novels — only told by Indians, not cowboys. The book comes amid an increased focus on Indigenous representation in media, alongside the FX series “Reservation Dogs” and Martin Scorsese’s Oscar contender “Killers of the Flower Moon” (Lily Gladstone recently became the first Native American to be nominated for the lead actress Oscar for her role in the film).
“It’s an amazing moment,” said Orange, who is an enrolled member of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma. Aware that Native American stories have emerged and ebbed from the culture before, he’s cautiously optimistic: “I’m hoping this time around we have enough energy to build some kind of sustainable infrastructure that will keep interest in us.”
In the chronological chapters of “Wandering Stars,” Jude Star and Bear Shield’s stories move from one generation to the next and the next, reaching all the way to Orvil and his 21st-century Cheyenne family.
He’s a smart teen in a good school, but he’s on uneasy footing. Some of his friends are screw-ups. He’s more focused on music and video games than schoolwork. And he’s got a prescription for drugs that takes him to a rapturous place, “feeling like the milk of gold was buzzing in his eyes and filling him up.”
When Orvil is high, the prose is often full of pleasure. “I was trying to write something that felt true to what it’s like to experience these different states and what some of the draws are,” Orange said. The subjectivity of experience is something a novel can do that is rarely captured onscreen, and Orange does it, whether he’s bending time or showing what it’s like to float, for a time.
In some ways, the intoxication is an antidote to the torture and loss portrayed in the earlier parts of the book. But it is not disconnected from it; it’s both an aftereffect and a symptom.
Going back to the era of the Indian Wars had not originally been in Orange’s plans. In fact, characters in his books rail against the cliched depictions of Native Americans in vintage settings. “I was against it,” he said. “I really wanted to write only contemporary stuff.” But a series of coincidences changed his mind.
During a chaotic trip to Europe — he’d missed his departure when his backpack was stolen — his Swedish hosts urged him to take a museum tour of their Native American collection. There was acknowledgment that it’s problematic for Native American regalia to be stored away in Sweden, but they thought he’d like to see it.
“It’s a cool little exhibit,” Orange said. “I see this newspaper clipping and it’s Southern Cheyennes in St. Augustine, Fla., in 1875. I know enough about my tribe’s history to know that we were never in Florida.” Down the rabbit hole he went, learning about the Southern Cheyennes who’d been imprisoned there, forced to adopt white culture while abandoning their own.
“I realized St. Augustine was the blueprint for the Carlisle and boarding schools across the country that for decades were about ‘killing the Indian to save the man.’ My tribe being the centerpiece for this made me intensely interested because you don’t often hear about Southern Cheyenne history, specifically,” Orange said. “Doing this research was the moment that I decided I was going to do this historical piece.”
That wasn’t all. Among the prisoners’ names, Orange found a Bear Shield. “Reading that, I was overcome with emotion. I think I cried,” he said. The Bear Shield family is a major part of both “There There” and “Wandering Stars.” “There was the name Star also. And I’d already started writing a character named Star without having known this.” And he’d already had the book’s title; the pieces fit so well, it was as if they’d been laid out there for him.
Part of that, perhaps, is the way he approaches the writing itself, both work and something more ephemeral. “It really feels like a collaboration with a part of you that you don’t necessarily have access to,” he said.
“Writing is kind of a mysterious process. You’re tapping your fingers at letters on a keyboard and all of a sudden, you have an idea that you couldn’t have thought of before. Writing is a form of thinking, but it’s a form of thinking you don’t have access to unless you’re writing.”
While working on “Wandering Stars,” Orange occasionally booked himself into a hotel to focus on writing. Like the esteemed writing retreats Yaddo and MacDowell — both of which he’s been to — it’s a way to have quiet time to type, but right in Oakland. “It’s my favorite place to do it,” he says. And it’s a time to get to access that tricky, elusive part of writing.
“I think writers, you know, want to take credit for everything,” Orange said. “But I feel it’s more mysterious than that.”
Kellogg is a former books editor of the L.A. Times.
Movie Reviews
Movie Review: ‘Minions & Monsters’ is a very yellow mash note to Hollywood – Sentinel Colorado
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This image released by Universal Pictures shows a scene from Illumination’s “Minions & Monsters.” (Universal Pictures via AP) -
This image released by Universal Pictures shows minions with the alien character Goomi, voiced by Trey Parker, right, in a scene from Illumination’s “Minions & Monsters.” (Universal Pictures via AP) -
This image released by Universal Pictures shows minion Henry, voiced by Pierre Coffin, left, and Goomi, voiced by Trey Parker, in a scene from Illumination’s “Minions & Monsters.” (Universal Pictures via AP) -
This image released by Universal Pictures shows a scene from Illumination’s “Minions & Monsters.” (Universal Pictures via AP)
Every once in a while, Hollywood gets high on its own supply and makes a love letter to moviemaking. It happened recently with Steven Spielberg’s “The Fabelmans” and George Clooney’s “Jay Kelly.” Now it’s time for the unlikeliest of love-letter writers: canary-yellow, gibberish-speaking, overall-wearing mini-monsters.
“Minions & Monsters” — the third chapter in the ongoing standalone adventures of the “Despicable Me” pint-sized enablers — is about the sheer greatness of moviemaking, and it’s a navel-gazing misfire. Few industries — maybe journalism, sure — is as enamored at making its profession seem heroic.
The Minions this time find themselves at the dawn of both the movie business in Hollywood and the last push by suffragists to get the vote. It’s a weird confluence that writers Brian Lynch and Pierre Coffin fumble.
The movie has playful references to old screen gods — Harold Lloyd dangling from the hands of a clock and Charlie Chaplin swallowed by the gears of a mechanical system — along Hollywood nods to “Casablanca” and the punny title “The Good, the Bad and the Stupid” — but the kids in the audience won’t get them and their parents are just too tired. Harold Lloyd jokes don’t hit as hard in 2026.
Two of the legion of faceless Minions step forward this time — best friends James and Henry, creative misfits amid a smear of yellow drones — to unite and make a movie. (Who knew there was a Minion counterculture?)
Things go very well at first — turns out adding a Minion or two to a cowboy or a heist movie makes them instant kings of the box office — and they soon move into a Beverly Hills mansion and become insufferable. James dreams of winning an Oscar, which in this case is a statuette of a gold banana, a Minion obsession.
But they hit a wall when silent movies turn to talkies. And since they spout nothing but nonsense — “Fantastico” “miso soup” and “vamos” — can’t make the transition. They’re dumped out of the studio system.
That’s when James and Henry finally get the plot going: Make their own killer monster movie by conjuring up real monsters. The first one they try turns out a little weird: The gigantic, fearsome octopus-dragon they request turns out to be a cute green Funko Pop-like critter called Goomi, voiced by Trey Parker. Goomi promises to find them some real monsters. But should we trust him?
Coffin, making his first solo directing effort after co-helming all three “Despicable Me” films and the first “Minions,” voices all the Minions — he must be fun to have at parties — and is an assured hand. The violence levels are a little high for PG, including a beheading and various impalings, plus the usual senseless mayhem.
The screenwriters have included a romantic subplot involving a suffragette voiced by Zoey Deutch who falls for a robot-alien (standout work by Jesse Eisenberg) in a storyline that makes less and less sense. And the framing device — a museum tour guide explaining how Minions shaped Hollywood — sags awkwardly.
Adults can keep awake looking for the Easter eggs Coffin has left for serious cinephiles: “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea,” “Steamboat Bill, Jr.,” “A Trip to the Moon,” “Metropolis,” “Citizen Kane” and “The Blob.” Maybe the best moment in the movie is almost a throwaway: Director George Lucas, appearing as himself.
“Hooray for Hollywood” is on the soundtrack and that might have been the subtitle for the movie itself. There are some people whose eyes get moist thinking about picking up a film camera and following their muse, having their work play in a dark theater to cheers. And then there are others who just want to get on with it already. “Vamos!”
“Minions & Monsters,” a Universal Pictures release that opens in theaters July 1, is rated PG by the Motion Picture Association for “violence/action, language, and rude/macabre humor.” Running time: 90 minutes. One and a half stars out of four.
Related
NEW YORK — Manhattan was sweltering at 100 degrees and preparing to mark 250 years since the United States declared independence from Great Britain.
But on Friday, the city seemed transfixed by what might be the closest the country gets to a royal wedding: The nuptials of pop superstar Taylor Swift and Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.
The two were married Friday night, but the party is expected to continue into the morning. Swift’s publicist confirmed the marriage to several news organizations.
Madison Square Garden and its surrounding streets — 31st and 33rd streets toward 6th and 8th avenues — were blocked off as guests arrived for the event. Fans craned their necks for any views they could get from the street.
The world-famous arena was reportedly set to transform into a “massive castle,” surrounded by a garden fit for pop culture’s royal couple, both 36. While the complete event details and guest list have been kept a secret, the Associated Press reportedly obtained a city permit showing Friday’s wedding event was set to start at 5 p.m. Eastern time and could last until 4 a.m.
Secrecy surrounding the event is so tight that the reported venue has been cordoned off with privacy tents, tarps and barricades. But neither those measures nor Friday’s sizzling temperatures stopped fans from gathering in hopes of sneaking a peak at their longtime idol and sending Swift their well wishes.
“I heard we won’t be able to see her either way because the spot that they picked is going to be covered,” said Sarah Shrestha, 21, an Anaheim resident visiting friends in Manhattan.
Madison Square Garden was a good venue for the couple’s nuptials because “in interviews, [Swift] said she wanted to be able to invite everybody to the wedding so it’s still a good venue for that,” she added.
Ellie Kitschke, 13, and her mother, Mymy Nguyen, 38, were visiting New York City from Adelaide, Australia.
Ellie said she thought it was a weird choice for the venue.
“It’s like a stadium. I get that no one can come inside but I think it’s a bit much blocking up the roads,” added Ellie, who attended the Eras tour in Sydney with her mom.
The two said they also thought it was odd Swift didn’t choose a venue or date that included her lucky number, 13, saying it “didn’t add up.”
“If she does get married, we wish her well,” Nguyen said. “We’d love to see her.”
Emma Rasco, 19, was also surprised by the choice in wedding venue.
“When I heard it, I was like, that’s definitely a choice,” Rasco said. “It’s a little unconventional and very forward-facing.”
Swift and Kelce announced their engagement in August after two years of dating, to much fanfare. “Your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married,” Swift wrote in the caption of her Instagram post.
While the Swift camp didn’t release a guest list, various news organizations staked out local hotels and Madison Square Garden and began counting bold-face names headed to the event. The New York Times obtained a schedule for the wedding, which included a cocktail hour followed by a 5 p.m. wedding and reception. The event was set to end at 2 a.m.
The AP reported the guests included Hugh Grant, Ethan Hawke and Jason Sudeikis, Karlie Kloss and Kareem Hunt.
The couple were first linked in July 2023, when Kelce mentioned his desire to meet the pop superstar on his podcast, “New Heights,” and made their relationship public that September. Their coupling instantly captured the attention and hearts of fans around the world, and Swift’s presence at Chiefs games was even credited with bolstering female interest in NFL football.
Kelly, 36, is a longtime Swift fan who said she grew up listening to her music. She came from her apartment on the Upper West Side to 33rd Street to see if she could catch a glimpse of Swift entering the stadium.
“I feel like I was the same peer group growing up with her, and am just so happy that she had her happy ending,” she said. “I want to see what a royal American wedding looks like.”
Kelly said she admires Swift and Kelce for donating to charity. The couple donated a combined $26 million to 20 local and national charities ahead of their nuptials, Swift’s publicist told Business Insider.
“They really are a positive influence,” she added.
Kelly said Madison Square Garden made sense as a venue for the privacy and security of guests.
“It’s not an ideal wedding venue but they’re both creative and have their own stages in a way,” she added.
By mid-afternoon Friday, dozens of fans clustered near MSG as black SUVs and vans with tinted windows, presumably filled with wedding attendees, turned the corner toward the stadium.
New York Police Department sources told The Times that streets will be blocked off all Friday and should return to normal by Saturday morning.
In October, Swift told TV host Graham Norton that she was casting a wide net with the guest list, joking that she would invite “anyone I’ve ever talked to.”
“I shouldn’t have said any of that,” she added.
Pulling off an event of this magnitude — which many described as America’s “royal wedding” — required considerable preparation, with a particular emphasis on privacy. Guests were reportedly required to sign nondisclosure agreements before receiving any event details (although the NDAs were said not to have included any penalties for violating the terms).
The couple were also linked to wedding planner Mark Seed, who previously orchestrated the 2023 wedding of Jack Antonoff and Margaret Qualley and the 2019 wedding of Jennifer Lawrence and Cooke Maroney. Seed is known for his elaborate event builds and notable discretion.
On the Tuesday before the event, workers were photographed installing a red carpet outside of MSG, which one individual reportedly said was for “a wedding,” according to Page Six. It was quickly removed that same day.
Lin reported from New York; Garcia and Rollins-Fife from Los Angeles.
Obsession, dir. Curry Barker
Obsession is the debut feature from director Curry Barker, which follows Bear (Michael Johnston), an awkward teenager desperately in love with his friend Nikki (Inde Navarrette). When he is given a mystical chance to make one wish come true, he decides to make Nikki fall head-over-heels in love with him, unaware of the horrific consequences that will arise. A twisted tale of entitlement and regret, Obsession is eager to let audiences sit with the discomfort it offers.
The film’s cast is mostly made up of unknown actors (Andy Richter not included) who bring life and levity to an, at times, very heavy script. Michael Johnston’s puppy dog eyes and tender demeanour make him apt for this tortured lead, especially as we watch him descend deeper into the hell of his own making. However, Inde Navarrette’s gutting portrayal of Nikki is Obsession’s standout performance, as she carries the weight of the film on her shoulders with seeming ease. Navarrette captures the vacancy and lifelessness that this character requires, with moments of lucidity and terror that will undoubtedly make this a horror performance discussed for years to come.
Obsession is a mean film at its heart — one that does not let the audience feel comfortable at any moment, and that thrives in its grime and dimness. The “hero” of the story is hateable and places every character around him into terrible scenarios, leaving the audience to squirm as he tries to make things right. Barker’s direction provides palpable suspense for moments of sudden intensity and horror, yet the film remains comedic in its efforts to relieve tension. I, however, left this screening with a pit in my stomach. Highly recommend!
Dead Lover, dir. Grace Glowicki
Presented at my screening in sickly “Stink-O-Vision,” Dead Lover is the sophomore feature of writer, director, and actress Grace Glowicki. Inspired by works of Gothic horror like Frankenstein and The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, Dead Lover is a gloriously grotesque, goofy, and grody romantic horror-comedy that centres a smelly gravedigger (Glowicki) who goes to monstrous and comedic extremes to reanimate her one true love (Ben Petrie) after he perishes at sea.
Though the film is co-written by her partner and frequent collaborator, Ben Petrie, Dead Lover feels like Glowicki’s brain-child, harnessing her aptitude for the cartoonish and the outrageous. This is best exemplified through its use of Stink-O-Vision, a scratch-and-sniff technology seen previously in John Waters’ “Odorama” for Polyester, placing these filmmakers in conversation for their vulgarity, comedic stylings, and embracement of camp.
Dead Lover, shot entirely on black-box stages over the course of two weeks, uses only four actors playing multiple parts in heightened makeup and costumes, evoking the feeling of a filmed stage show. The film employs over-the-top performances, handcrafted sets, stage props, and colourful, high-contrast lighting reminiscent of German expressionism. Indeed, Glowicki’s directorial vision seems to be heavily inspired by the handmade aesthetics and experimentalism of independent theatre and silent-era filmmaking, akin to the work of fellow Canadian, Guy Maddin.
Dead Lover’s plot is more of a contrivance to get to the next excellent set piece, disgusting smell, or gonzo performance, though still remaining full of twists and tenderness. While the film may grate at times and the sickly scents conjured by the scratch-and-sniff cards were certainly gag-inducing, Dead Lover carries an infectious sense of fun and delight that keeps audiences laughing. Recommend!
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