Pune: A local court in Kolhapur on Tuesday extended the police custody of Sharad Kalaskar, named by agencies to be one of the shooters of rationalist Narendra Dabholkar, till June 24 in connection with the 2015 murder of senior Communist leader and writer Govind Pansare. Government prosecutor Shivajirao Rane, along with case investigating officer Tirupati Kakade, Additional Superintendent of Police, urged the court that Kalaskar’s custody be extended for a week as the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Maharashtra police probing the Pansare murder had uncovered vital information regarding his involvement in the crime.“The SIT has obtained crucial information on Kalaskar’s role in the crime. He has confessed that there was another accomplice with him in Kolhapur as part of the conspiracy to murder Communist leader Pansare [on February 16, 2015]. While the accused has described that person to us, he has not revealed his name as yet. Furthermore, we believe that he [Kalaskar] was tasked with destroying the murder weapon,” advocate Rane said.He further submitted that Kalaskar, along with other suspects, had obtained instructions in firearms in neighbouring Belagavi district in Karnataka and that the accused had brought the weapon (that was eventually used for the murder) into Maharashtra.“The SIT also needs additional time to take the accused to a city outside Maharashtra to determine his precise role in the case. His mobile records and diaries also need to be examined in greater detail,” Mr. Rane said, arguing for a seven-day extension of Kalaskar’s custody.After hearing the arguments, Judge S.S. Raul granted extension of Kalaskar’s custody.The SIT, which had secured Kalaskar’s custody from the Mumbai Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), is investigating his precise role in the conspiracy hatched in Belagavi and Kolhapur to murder the veteran Communist leader.The Mumbai ATS had first arrested Kalaskar — a native of Aurangabad district — along with fringe right-wing activist Vaibhav Raut from Nallasopara in Mumbai and Sudhanwa Gondhalekar from Pune on August 10 last year for allegedly planning disruptive activities in several parts of the State.Probe agencies have alleged that Kalaskar was an expert in arms manufacturing and was part of the wider conspiracy that links the murders of other rationalist activists and journalist Gauri Lankesh, who was shot dead in Bengaluru.Pansare, along with wife Uma, was repeatedly shot at close range by motorcycle-borne assailants while returning from a morning stroll in Kolhapur’s Sagar Mal locality in February 2015. While Ms. Pansare survived the murderous attack with serious injuries, her husband succumbed to his wounds in Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital on February 20 that year.A total of nine people have been named in Pansare’s murder so far, including Sarang Akolkar and Vinay Pawar, two absconding activists of the Sanatan Sanstha, who the agencies earlier alleged to have carried out the actual shooting of Pansare.In June 2017, a Kolhapur court, after three rejections, had finally granted conditional bail to Sanatan Sanstha activist Sameer Gaikwad, who was picked up from Sangli district in western Maharashtra in September 2015 — the first arrest in the Pansare case.In January last year, the Kolhapur sessions court had granted conditional bail to radical Hindutva activist and ENT specialist Virendra Tawde — named as the ‘mastermind’ in Dabholkar’s murder — in connection with his suspected role in the killing of the veteran Communist leader.According to probe agencies, Tawde is a crucial link to the murders of both Pansare and Dabholkar. The SIT’s supplementary charge sheet even names Tawde as the ‘mastermind’ in the Pansare murder, suspecting him of conducting the reconnaissance before the murder.Then in November last year, Amol Kale, a key accused in the murder of Lankesh, was arrested by the SIT in connection with the murder of Pansare. Amit Degwekar, another co-accused in the Lankesh case, also was arrested by the SIT probing the Pansare murder. Motorcycle-borne assailants had killed Dabholkar on August 20, 2013, with a 7.65-mm country-made pistol when he was taking his morning stroll on the Omkareshwar Bridge in Pune. Pansare and his wife were similarly shot at close range from two 7.65-mm country-made weapons. The same modus operandi was used in the murder of scholar-rationalist M.M. Kalburgi, who was chillingly murdered by two unidentified assailants outside his home in Dharwad in Karnataka. read more

WATCH: Streetboys show off slick dance moves in Vhong Navarro’s wedding K-pop star Jung Joon-young convicted of gang rape, spycam crimes LATEST STORIES Typhoon Kammuri accelerates, gains strength en route to PH MOST READ Hyperdunk ’17 ‘Tenement’.Another Nike shoe comes home. And this one is a little bit closer to the heart of the Filipino baller.Going straight back to the roots of Filipino hoop dreams, Nike just announced the Hyperdunk 2017 Manila with little fanfare–but expect patriotic local sneakerheads to rave about this latest pair.ADVERTISEMENT The Hyperdunk 2017 Manila is of of six shoes representing different cities with rich basketball culture. The others include American playground haunts New York, Chicago and Los Angeles, Chinese hoop hotbed Beijing and Spanish basketball mecca Madrid.The “Tenement” tribute shoe honors the place where every Filipino baller dreamt of playing big-time hoops in front of adoring crowds: The streets. Taking inspiration from the Tenement Court Taguig, the limited edition Hyperdunk 2017 Manila still features its latest cushioning breakthrough, Nike React.FEATURED STORIESSPORTSWATCH: Drones light up sky in final leg of SEA Games torch runSPORTSSEA Games: Philippines picks up 1st win in men’s water poloSPORTSMalditas save PH from shutoutThat means players still get the quick bounce reaction that streetball players will find reassuring even during the harshest concrete court battles.Even the aesthetics of the shoe takes from the tenements. It boasts an all-gray upper and concrete-style midsole. Read Next Catriona Gray spends Thanksgiving by preparing meals for people with illnesses SEA Games in Calabarzon safe, secure – Solcom chief The Hyperdunk 2017 ‘Manila’ (retail: P6,745, Titan BGC and Titan22.com), is the latest in the line of Nike “homecoming” kicks released to satiate the thirst of flag-waving Filipino hoop fans for local-flavored lines.Among the fan-favorite “homecoming” kicks from Nike include the Kobe 9 EM “Philippines,” which features the likeness of flip-flops, another streetball fixture, and the Lebron 14 “Agimat,” which features Filipino words and phrases and was inspired by Gilas Pilipinas. Palace: Duterte to attend Asean Summit in Bangkok but with ‘spacing’ PLAY LIST 01:09Palace: Duterte to attend Asean Summit in Bangkok but with ‘spacing’00:50Trending Articles00:50Trending Articles01:37Protesters burn down Iran consulate in Najaf01:47Panelo casts doubts on Robredo’s drug war ‘discoveries’01:29Police teams find crossbows, bows in HK university01:35Panelo suggests discounted SEA Games tickets for students02:49Robredo: True leaders perform well despite having ‘uninspiring’ boss02:42PH underwater hockey team aims to make waves in SEA Games Brace for potentially devastating typhoon approaching PH – NDRRMC LOOK: Venues for 2019 SEA Games View comments Don’t miss out on the latest news and information. UPLB exempted from SEA Games class suspension LOOK: Filipinos in Lebanon go all out in support of Gilas Pilipinas read more

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Rajasthan Royals have changed their colour ahead of the new season of the Indian Premier League (IPL), which is set to start on March 23, 2019. Rajasthan Royals, who wore a blue-coloured jersey for the 9 IPL seasons they played, will now embrace the colour pink. The new pink jersey which was unveiled on the show Halla Bol on Sunday, will have blue colour on the neckline and the end of the shirt’s sleeves.Rajasthan Royals’s captain Ajinkya Rahane and brand ambassador Shane Warne revealed that it was the reactions of the fans to their one-match pink jersey last year that made the team think of wearing it throughout.”We wore pink for cancer awareness in one match last year and the fans loved it. Then we thought that Jaipur is the pink city and we should be wearing pink,” Rahane said on the show.Meet the Pink Diamonds of Cricket! Meet the new Rajasthan Royals. #HallaBol pic.twitter.com/3rGPOl7gM5Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) February 10, 2019″I think when we think back the last year and we joined forces with cancer charities and raised awareness about that, the fans coming back and saying we love the Royals in pink. We all started thinking that may be we should do it full time.”We then started elaborating that and exploring, Jaipur is the pink city and we thought let’s go with it. The players are looking forward to wearing it and more importantly, the fans they absolutely love it. I think the boys will be rocking the pink this year,” Warne said.advertisementSanju Samson and Shreyas Gopal will become one of the senior members of the Rajasthan Royals setup this year and are expected to shoulder responsibilities in batting and bowling department, respectively.Samson and Shreyas shared that the Royals camp has a very cool vibe and everyone is very helpful and engaging.A new colour to don, a new colour to celebrate the same Royal spirit. Say Hello to Pink! #HallaBol pic.twitter.com/rT1R8E5jSMRajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) February 10, 2019Rahane in fact revealed that Shane Warne is a funny character as he introduced this pink doll thing in the Rajasthan camp.”We have this thing in Royals – the pinky doll. So whoever is late to the ground or late to the bus when we are travelling, he has to carry the pinky doll with him for the next 24 hours.”Shreyas Gopal said he was left shaken by the eating habits of Warne. “He has butter naan with tomato sauce and he loves it. Then 20 scoops of ice cream and french fries – he loves all of that and I saw that and was like I can’t digest that.” read more

WASHINGTON – White House officials sounded increasingly doubtful Thursday about the future of embattled Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt, even as President Donald Trump appeared to throw him a public lifeline.Speaking Thursday to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump used a series of superlatives to describe Pruitt.“I think he’s done a fantastic job,” the president said. “I think he’s done an incredible job. He’s been very courageous. It hasn’t been easy, but I think he’s done a fantastic job. I think he’ll be fine. “That was contrasted by more tepid remarks earlier from White House deputy press secretary Hogan Gidley.“They say we all serve at the pleasure of the president,” Gidley told reporters. “The president himself said he had confidence (in Pruitt), and so that’s where we stand today.”Pruitt has been under fire for days amid numerous ethics questions, including his rental of a bargain-priced Capitol Hill condo with ties to a fossil fuels lobbyist. If Trump were to fire him, he would be the fourth agency head ousted in the Trump administration’s first 15 months.Trump has often lavished praise on Pruitt, a former Oklahoma attorney general who has worked relentlessly to scrap, delay or rewrite Obama-era environmental regulations opposed by the oil, gas and coal industries.But he also has publicly expressed support for other administration officials who were fired or resigned, right up until sending tweets announcing their departure.A review of Pruitt’s ethical conduct by White House officials is underway, adding to other probes already being conducted by congressional committees and EPA’s inspector general into outsized spending on luxury air travel and unusual security precautions.The ranking Democrat on the House oversight committee, Rep. Elijah Cummings of Maryland, called Thursday for Pruitt to appear on Capitol Hill next week to provide sworn testimony. In a letter to the committee chairman, Trey Gowdy, a South Carolina Republican, Cummings said EPA had failed to fully comply with prior demands for Pruitt’s travel records and requested that the documents be subpoenaed.The New York Times reported Thursday that at least five EPA officials were reassigned or demoted after pushing back against spending requests that included a $100,000-a-month private jet membership, a bulletproof vehicle and $70,000 to replace two desks in the administrator’s office suite. None of those purchases were approved, but Pruitt is reported to have gotten an ornate refurbished desk comparable in grandeur to the one in the Oval Office.CBS News first reported that the head of Pruitt’s security detail was demoted last year after the career employee refused the administrator’s demand to use the lights and sirens on his EPA vehicle to get him through D.C. traffic faster.Meanwhile, an EPA ethics official said Wednesday he wasn’t provided all of the relevant “factual information” before determining last week that Pruitt’s $50-a-night rental was not an ethics violation.EPA lawyer Kevin Minoli said his finding that Pruitt was paying fair-market value was based on the assumption that Pruitt occupied only one bedroom for $50 a night, as outlined in the lease.Media reports later disclosed that Pruitt’s college-aged daughter occupied a second bedroom in the unit while she interned at the White House last summer. Minoli said he did not consider the value of a second room in his analysis.Pruitt paid about $1,000 a month, less than a third of what Minoli’s review found nearby two-bedroom homes listed for. The Associated Press obtained a copy of Minoli’s letter, which was first reported by CNN.Pruitt had gone on the offensive Wednesday, trying to shore up his position in a series of interviews with Fox News and conservative media outlets during which he continued to suggest he had lived alone.White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said Wednesday that Trump is not OK with some of the details that have emerged, including news this week of enormous raises awarded to two of Pruitt’s close aides. In a combative Fox News interview, Pruitt said he didn’t approve the raises and doesn’t know who did.Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York on Thursday became the third House Republican to say Pruitt should go, joining a growing chorus of Democrats and environmentalists. She was speaking to about 200 constituents in her home district.Amid the ethics cloud, one of Pruitt’s closest aides has resigned. Samantha Dravis served as his senior counsel and associate administrator for policy. EPA spokeswoman Liz Bowman said Thursday that Dravis, 34, was leaving to pursue other opportunities.Dravis previously worked for a fundraising group founded by Pruitt before being hired at EPA. She often accompanied the administrator on his frequent trips across the country and oversees.The condo rented by Pruitt is co-owned by the wife of J. Steven Hart, chairman and CEO of the powerhouse lobbying firm Williams & Jensen.On Pruitt’s lease, a copy of which was reviewed by AP, Steven Hart’s name was originally typed in as “landlord” but was scratched out. The name of his wife, health care lobbyist Vicki Hart, was scribbled in.Federal disclosure reports show Hart’s firm lobbied EPA, including Pruitt himself, extensively over the past year.The Associated Press reported last week that while living in the Hart condo he met in his EPA office with a lobbyist from Hart’s firm and two executives from an energy company seeking to scuttle tighter pollution standards for coal-fired power plants.Beyond the question of whether Pruitt paid a fair-market value for the rental, Hart’s business interests potentially raise other ethics issues that Minoli said he did not consider as part of his earlier review of whether the favourable lease constituted an improper gift to Pruitt from the lobbyist.Ethics rules covering federal officials say they must remain impartial when making regulatory decisions and can’t show favouritism. Pruitt also signed an ethics pledge when joining the Trump administration in which he promised not to accept gifts from lobbyists.But, ultimately, it’s up to the president to determine whether Pruitt goes or stays.“I’ll make that determination,” Trump said when asked whether he was bothered by the ethics issues surrounding Pruitt. “But he’s a good man, he’s done a terrific job. But I’ll take a look at it.”___Associated Press reporters Zeke Miller, Catherine Lucey and Jonathan Lemire contributed to this report.___Follow AP environmental reporter Michael Biesecker at http://twitter.com/mbieseck read more

VICTORIA – All sides in the escalating dispute over the Trans Mountain expansion project appear to be digging in with the Alberta and British Columbia governments clashing over fuel prices and Indigenous and political leaders warning of civil unrestTensions escalated Monday with B.C. Attorney General David Eby threatening to sue Alberta over legislation it introduced to restrict the flow of oil, gasoline and natural gas leaving that province, which could boost fuel prices in B.C.“The immediate recourse that’s available to us is to potentially sue the Alberta government for an unconstitutional piece of legislation,” he said.Eby said he can’t predict gasoline prices — now at about $1.50 per litre in Metro Vancouver — but “what I can say is any concern British Columbians have that a bill that preferentially punishes B.C. from the Alberta perspective and tries to drive up gas prices would be unconstitutional and we would take action immediately to address that.”Alberta Premier Rachel Notley said the legislation sends the message that Alberta is prepared to defend its resources.It would direct pipeline companies, truckers and rail operators on how much oil product they ship and when. Violators would face fines of up to $1 million a day for individuals and $10 million a day for corporations.The legislation is the latest manoeuvre in the ongoing dispute over the pipeline project that has the federal and Alberta governments supporting the pipeline expansion project, while B.C. opposes it, saying it is defending its coast from a potentially catastrophic spill.The federal government approved the 1,700-kilometre pipeline expansion project starting near Edmonton and ending in Burnaby, B.C., in November 2016, saying the pipeline is in the national interest. Alberta said the $7.4-billion pipeline to the West Coast gives the province access to overseas markets.But the B.C. government says the expansion and seven-fold increase in oil tanker traffic in coastal waters poses environmental and economic risks that are too great. The province is preparing to ask the courts to determine who has jurisdiction over the pipeline in the province.Kinder Morgan announced earlier this month it is pulling back on spending for the project and gave Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government until May 31 to give a clear signal the project will proceed.Trudeau, Notley and B.C. Premier John Horgan met Sunday in Ottawa to discuss the pipeline, but emerged from the meeting deadlocked. Trudeau repeated the federal government’s commitment to ensuring the project’s completion and announced his government was preparing to hold private, financial talks with Kinder Morgan.Indigenous leaders, who were not invited to the meeting in Ottawa, joined together with representatives of the cities of Vancouver and Burnaby on Monday to redouble their opposition to the pipeline.Stewart Phillip, the grand chief of the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs, said opposition is broad-based and entrenched.“It’s a stinker of an idea. It’s a stinker of a proposal and it will be defeated,” he said.Phillip said resistance to Trans Mountain isn’t just from Indigenous Peoples, but people of all backgrounds from across Canada.So far, about 200 people have been arrested at protests near the pipeline terminal site in Burnaby.Burnaby Mayor Derek Corrigan said he expected civil disobedience against the pipeline to continue to grow.He said he’s embarrassed Canada’s prime minister and the Alberta premier are kowtowing to an American multinational oil company.“I think if people totally lose faith in our democratic system, if they believe that the federal government has been able to impose its will, that they’ve ignored the court proceedings, then I think we’re looking for chaos,” said Corrigan. “And that’s what worries me.”B.C.’s prosecution service announced Monday it would consider criminal contempt of court charges against protesters alleged to have broken a court injunction while demonstrating near the pipeline construction site.The service also said it had appointed a special prosecutor in the cases of Green party Leader Elizabeth May and New Democrat MP Kennedy Stewart, both arrested at the site.— With files from Gemma Karstens-Smith. read more

Junior outside hitter Audra Appold (9) jumps to block an attack during a match with Maryland on Oct. 28 at St. John Arena. OSU won the match 3-0. Credit: Jenna Leinasars | Assistant News DirectorThe Ohio State women’s volleyball team had a double dose of the Maryland Terrapins this week – but the second tasted much sweeter than the first. The Buckeyes swept Maryland at St. John Arena on Friday (25-19, 25-16, 25-16). With the win on their side, OSU now stands at 15-9 overall on the season and 5-7 in Big Ten play. The first matchup between the teams this week gave a much different result. When the Buckeyes travelled to Maryland on Wednesday, it was the Terrapins who were celebrating the win after a grinding five-set fight. OSU sophomore setter Taylor Hughes said the main difference between the two matches was her team’s mentality. “We were missing our competitive edge on Wednesday. We went into (the match) soft,” she said. “Tonight we showed a lot of grit and hustle.” The Buckeyes were on top from the beginning in the first set. Junior outside hitter Luisa Schirmer fueled OSU’s offense by swinging away for six of the team’s 14 kills recorded in the opening set. OSU wasn’t easing off in the second either. They were able to continuously counter back after mistakes with kills and points of their own. It was again Schirmer who was steady at the service line and allowed the Buckeyes to go on a five-point run mid-set and pull away from the Terrapins. In the third set, sophomore outside hitter Audra Appold racked up impressive hitting numbers, posting seven kills of her own. OSU maintained a comfortable lead late in the set, allowing the Buckeyes to cruise to the match victory.Schirmer said Friday served as satisfying redemption from earlier in the week, as well as a confidence booster to the team’s mindset. “It’s great when a game like that (on Wednesday) was so close, and we feel like we had it – and then to come back and solidify the fact that we should’ve had it,” she said. OSU shut down the Terrapin’s offense, limiting them to a mere .020 attacking percentage. The Buckeyes also more than doubled Maryland’s blocking efforts — 10 for the Buckeyes and five for the Terrapins. Appold was the night’s attacking and dig leader with a double-double, 16 kills and 12 digs respectively. Hughes contributed 38 assists and combined for five blocks, barely topped by senior middle blocker Taylor Sandbothe with seven rejections. All six of OSU’s hitters ended the match with healthy attacking averages over .220. Hughes said the offense’s skills were pivotal to the win, also giving credit to the back row’s contributions.“I’m most proud of our hitters for mixing up their shots and being able to move the ball around,” she said. “On our defensive end, I think Val really stepped up and became our heart and soul tonight.” Schirmer commended Hughes for spreading out the team’s offense and giving everyone a chance to do their part. “We distributed the ball really well, and every person made big plays when it mattered. It was a team effort,” she said. OSU will see play again on Wednesday when they defend their home court against the Wisconsin Badgers at 8 p.m. read more

Let us know what you like about Geek by taking our survey. Stay on target If you’re a gamer, then you know the title everyone’s currently talking about is God of War. Like I said in my review, this is easily one of the best releases of 2018. It comes as no surprise God of War would get spotlighted during this year’s Tribeca Games Festival, where the game’s director and cast spoke about its development and shared behind-the-scenes stories in front of a live audience.After the panel, I interviewed director Cory Barlog, and actors Christopher Judge (Kratos), Danielle Bisutti (Freya), and Jeremy Davies (Balder). Given the spirit of the event (a celebration of story-driven media), I focused on how the actors brought their respective characters to life and how wearing motion-capture equipment impacted their performances. I also asked the director about how this entry honors the legacy of the series and if he believes they were successful on that end.What was it about Christopher Judge that made him an ideal actor to play Kratos? Was it due to his natural speaking voice?Cory Barlog: The power he had as a performer was the thing that really drew it. I mean, I also was a gigantic Stargate fan, so I entertained the idea early on but because of a lack of confidence, didn’t know if we should approach him. It took a little while but then it came back around and everything kind of fused together.First and foremost we were looking for the physicality in the voice, but that was such a small part of it. There was so much of the performance that had to come through on the set with all the actors because I needed to do it all in one take. Everybody had to hit their sort of emotional range all the time. He was, without a doubt, just so incredibly powerful, even in the first audition. It’s wonderful.Jeremy Davies: I want to credit Chris as well. I have met a number of individuals who were just born with this gift. They can roll out of bed and sound like god. I’ve seen folks rely on that. But what you get when you’re this close to him is that you really sense this powerful presence. He isn’t relying on his god-given voice. He’s got a lot to back it up. He is a dangerously gifted guy.What was the motion capture process like? Was it difficult to act while having all of that motion-capture equipment on you? Without a traditional set, how much of your imagination did you need to use?Judge: Stargate kind of came out right at the beginning of CGI. So, very often, our reactions to stuff didn’t match what was there. I learned that when someone says “it’s immense, it’s the world” it’s believable. Every time Cory would say “so, this is going to [be huge],” I took him at his word. Thank god that I did because all of the set pieces were just mind-blowing. I was watching my son play, and I remember thinking to myself: “My reaction, it almost wasn’t big enough.”Davies: I found it interesting. The whole apparatus, the camera, these massive hard drives right over your heart. But the phenomenon with having a camera right in your face, I found really surprisingly helpful. When you’re shooting film, the cameras use these long lenses; you kind of feel this tendency, if it’s wide especially, to push it. With the camera so close, it can be reassuring to know that when they see it, they’re not going to miss anything. You don’t have to redo it. I found that really, really helpful. It helped me get over the fact you got these suits on.Judge: You really articulated something that I felt but I never thought about. When you do film or television, you generally do a lot of takes. You always get a break, you’re off camera. But sometimes when you do something that is surprising and it’s in the wide, then you have to re-create it.Judge: Every time we did discover something [during this shoot], it was documented.Davies: That’s right. From every conceivable angle.Bisutti: A lot of times in the theater, you’re in a black box. It’s black box theater. There’s no set. You create these imaginary sets and circumstances and you can see it. So, as we were there, we had the privilege of sometimes watching the rehearsals or sometimes seeing the scenes and the animation that was happening so we can kind of get a sense of the world. Of course, then actually watching it when it all came together was like, oh my god, that is a big scope, the world we’re living in.Davies: Because you’re surrounded by all these computers, computer power from every single angle, you could imagine a director just having an attitude of a robot like we talked about [during the panel]. An attitude of “we will fix your performance.” But it was like, as I said, equal to the best experience I’ve had. It’s a human being working with human beings.Chris, was it intimidating to know you were portraying such a beloved character that people have high expectations for?Judge: I… sometimes got a little performance anxiety [laughs]. Especially in the beginning, when we were discussing what he should sound like. I worked with a voice coach but we quickly moved away from that from the first day.Barlog: That was the fantastic sort of miscommunication on that one. We had talked to the voice coach but somehow there was a misinterpretation. I said we need to look at the previous Kratos’ performance since there is a sense of the speech pattern that can act as the foundation. The interpretation was more “this is the time period” so you [Chris] had more of an English accent at some point. That was was totally my fault. So we went through the whole thing. You trained with all that stuff. You came on the set with a little bit of this English accent and we’re like “what the fuck?”Judge: Cory walked up to me and he was like: “Was that a British accent?” I thought you wanted just a hint of that [laughs].Thank you for getting rid of that. That’s just weird. Kratos with an English accent? No way.Bisutti: Especially in Norse mythology. You see those films in Roman times and they speak with a British accent. That’s not quite right [laughs].Danielle and Jeremy, did you discuss your characters off-set? Your relationship with one another was very natural. How were you able to make that authentic?Bisutti: Well, I just fell in love with him the second I met him. I was already a fan of his work. I mean, Lost was for me one of the best shows ever created. But of course, I’d known him prior. I just have this approach of just opening my heart as an actor, opening my heart to these imaginary circumstances and believing them as real. We actually didn’t discuss very much, did we? A little bit. But we kind of just brought it in the moment and riffed off each other.Davies: It was instantaneous. The first day you got on set, everybody kind of warmly welcomed each other. It felt like the momentum, this sort of kinetic energy, was instant. We were going from zero to one hundred right away. I just felt like we were all family from a long time ago. It never felt like we had to work on it or force any of it. That was just incredibly lucky. I was thankful every single day that it just came naturally.Judge: You said something very interesting. Acting is supposed to be the recreation of the natural. But what you’re asked to do is something very unnatural. To walk into spaces where you don’t know people with an open heart and an open mind, which is very unnatural and can be very, very painful. We keep saying over and over again about the safe space that it was. That’s why it always happened. The ground was watered and fertilized and lovingly cultivated so that it was a space for these relationships to grow at a very unnatural speed.Cory, in a lot of ways, this is a soft reboot of the franchise. You’re introducing a lot of new mechanics, storylines, locales and so on. At the same time, you still have this giant legacy behind it. Was it a challenge to balance everything people know about God of War with all of the new elements you wanted to incorporate?Yeah, it was something that I was conscious of at all times. To not just respect the work that we had done, but to honor it. To know that we made every choice that we made to create this world very specifically. The continuation of this growth, the evolution needed to be built on that foundation. While you can blur your eyes and see something differently, the clarity shows you very clearly, that the DNA, that the molecular level of what we were doing, was so incredibly inspired by what we started with. It’s easy, very easy, to lose sight of that.We’re blessed to have such good, smart people like Richard Gaubert and Matt Sophos, our writers, being on set every day. They were the honesty that I needed. That gut-check, that mirror that I needed to look at. To say “Alright where are we going with this?” Because, I would just throw things in on the day of like “Hey, something came to me last night. Let’s try this.” And they were the sounding-board to go “I don’t know about that,” and I had to defend it. If I couldn’t defend it, it was something I realized, okay that’s not what we need to do.It was constant discussion, constant evaluation of “is this Kratos?” He can evolve and change, but does he go in a direction that is antithetical to where he began? There were a lot of times where we had to course-correct to ensure the evolution felt correct. I think the response that people are having says that we did hit a few of those notes right to resonate, to connect in the right way. ‘God of War’ Documentary ‘Raising Kratos’ Explores 2018’s Top Video GamePS4 Hits Turn Tabletop With ‘God of War,’ ‘Bloodborne&… read more