Sandra Oh’s Sense of Purpose

Plus: Will Shortz’s life in crosswords; Bernie Sanders’s new campaign; and the wild ride of San Francisco’s best-known swan. View in browser | Update your preferences Wednesday, February 15, 2023 In today’s newsletter, finding an identity onscreen, and then: • Will Shortz’s life in crosswords • Bernie Sanders’s new campaign • San Francisco’s best-known swan Sandra Oh’s Sense of Purpose The actor discusses Hollywood survival skills, winning the lottery, and her interest in telling “messy” Asian American stories. Photograph by Ryan Pfluger for The New Yorker “There was only one Asian person for, I don’t know, five hundred white people,” Sandra Oh says, explaining in a new interview with Michael Luo why it had been difficult to build a network of Asian American actors. “Now we are gathering up enough creative power to choose to work with each other, and to open the doors for each other.” In the conversation, which is part of this week’s Interviews Issue, the star of “Killing Eve,” “The Chair,” and “Grey’s Anatomy” talks about her early life in Canada as a child of immigrants, the “tentpole” projects that have expanded opportunities for her community, and how she stopped seeking validation from the entrenched gatekeepers of Hollywood. “It’s like being able to get over a bad boyfriend,” she says. “They’re not going to call. Just move on and hang out with the young women who want you to be their mom.” Read the interview The 2023 Interviews Issue: This week, we’ve published interviews with Cate Blanchett, Ron Klain, and many others—with more to come. Read the issue » More from the Interviews Issue The New Yorker Interview Will Shortz’s Life in Crosswords Shortz has been the Times’ crossword editor for thirty years. He initially set out to make puzzles younger and less fusty. Now he is the industry’s old guard, and his judgments have sometimes drawn criticism from a rising generation of crossword enthusiasts. Shortz discusses debates among his colleagues, controversial clues, and unexpectedly finding his first serious romance. By Liz Maynes-Aminzade From the News Desk Our Columnists Bernie Sanders’s New Campaign: Taking On Big Pharma and Starbucks As the new chair of a powerful Senate committee, the reënergized progressive leader is once again targeting the corporate plutocracy. By John Cassidy Daily Comment How Do Ukrainians Think About Russians Now? After a year of war, the struggle for cultural sovereignty has triggered complex sentiments. By Jon Lee Anderson Q. & A. How Erdoğan Set the Stage for Turkey’s Disastrous Earthquake Response The authoritarian President has stuffed his government with corrupt and inexperienced loyalists. Can a kneecapped civil society fill the gap? By Isaac Chotiner Editor’s Pick In her obituary column, the staff writer Susan Orlean pays homage to people, places, and things we’ve lost. Afterword Blanche the Unusually Friendly Swan She reigned at San Francisco’s Palace of Fine Arts, but life wasn’t always easy. “Swans seem very romantic,” a city spokesperson said, “but Blanche had a hell of a life.” By Susan Orlean Culture Dept. Postscript Always Something There to Remind Me Burt Bacharach’s complex, existential pop. By Hilton Als Screening Room A Black Woman’s Spiritual Journey Up a Mountain, in “You Go Girl!” In this short film, a comedian grapples with her fears and finds healing and solidarity in the outdoors. Film by Shariffa Ali Text by Vivian Cheng Fun & Games Dept. Name Drop Play Today’s Quiz Can you guess the notable person in six clues or fewer? By Matt Jackson Daily Shouts The Extended Versions of Thanks-for-Your-Payment E-Mails We know that the price isn’t reasonable and that previous bills were lower, but let’s just blame inflation and call it a day. By Talib Babb Crossword A Lightly Challenging Puzzle Accessory that doubles as a throwing weapon for Wonder Woman: five letters. By Elizabeth C. Gorski Daily Cartoon Wednesday, February 15th By Jason Adam Katzenstein P.S. “I watched quite a lot of it, and wowee. The sex scenes kept coming one after another. I was, like, these ladies are fucking.” That’s Vinson Cunningham, speaking about the film “Benedetta,” as part of a roundtable discussion on the state of desire for our inaugural Interviews Issue, last year. Today’s newsletter was written by Ian Crouch. Thanks for reading. Let us know your thoughts about today’s edition. Plus, browse more newsletters and invite a friend to sign up for The Daily. You’re receiving this e-mail because you signed up for The Daily from The New Yorker. Manage your preferences | View our Privacy Policy | Unsubscribe Copyright © Condé Nast 2023. One World Trade Center, New York, NY 10007. All rights reserved.