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New research confirms that neurons form in the adult brain
A study in the journal Science presents compelling new evidence that neurons in the brain’s memory centre, the hippocampus, continue to form well into late adulthood. The research from Karolinska Institutet in Sweden provides answers to a fundamental and long-debated question about the human brain’s adaptability.
The hippocampus is a brain region that is essential for learning and memory and involved in emotion regulation. Back in 2013, Jonas Frisén’s research group at Karolinska Institutet showed in a high-profile study that new neurons can form in the hippocampus of adult humans. The researchers then measured carbon-14 levels in DNA from brain tissue, which made it possible to determine when the cells were formed.
Identifying cells of origin
However, the extent and significance of this formation of new neurons (neurogenesis) are still debated. There has been no clear evidence that the cells that precede new neurons, known as neural progenitor cells, actually exist and divide in adult humans.
“We have now been able to identify these cells of origin, which confirms that there is an ongoing formation of neurons in the hippocampus of the adult brain,” says Jonas Frisén, Professor of Stem Cell Research at the Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, who led the research.
From 0 to 78 years of age
In the new study, the researchers combined several advanced methods to examine brain tissue from people aged 0 to 78 years from several international biobanks. They used a method called single-nucleus RNA sequencing, which analyses gene activity in individual cell nuclei, and flow cytometry to study cell properties. By combining this with machine learning, they were able to identify different stages of neuronal development, from stem cells to immature neurons, many of which were in the division phase.
To localize these cells, the researchers used two techniques that show where in the tissue different genes are active: RNAscope and Xenium. These methods confirmed that the newly formed cells were located in a specific area of the hippocampus called the dentate gyrus. This area is important for memory formation, learning and cognitive flexibility.
Hope for new treatments
The results show that the progenitors of adult neurons are similar to those of mice, pigs and monkeys, but that there are some differences in which genes are active. There were also large variations between individuals – some adult humans had many neural progenitor cells, others hardly any at all.
“This gives us an important piece of the puzzle in understanding how the human brain works and changes during life,” explains Jonas Frisén. “Our research may also have implications for the development of regenerative treatments that stimulate neurogenesis in neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders.”
The study was conducted in close collaboration with Ionut Dumitru, Marta Paterlini and other researchers at Karolinska Institutet, as well as researchers at Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden.
The research was funded by the Swedish Research Council, the European Research Council (ERC), the Swedish Cancer Society, the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation, the Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research, the StratRegen programme, the EMBO Long-Term Fellowship, Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions and SciLifeLab. Jonas Frisén is a consultant for the company 10x Genomics. See the scientific article for a complete list of potential conflicts of interest.
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“We’re Finally Fast Enough”: Nuclear Propulsion and Solar Sails Could Blast a Spacecraft to Sedna in Just 7 Years
IN A NUTSHELL - 🚀 Scientists are developing two experimental propulsion methods—nuclear fusion and solar sails—to reach Sedna.
- 🌌 Sedna, named after the Inuit goddess of the ocean, offers a rare chance to explore the outer solar system.
- 🔬 Exploring Sedna could unlock insights into the early solar system and the formation of celestial bodies.
- 🌍 The mission presents engineering challenges but holds immense potential for future space exploration.
As humanity looks to the stars, the dwarf planet Sedna presents an intriguing challenge for scientists and adventurers alike. Located billions of miles from the Sun, Sedna offers a rare opportunity to explore the outer reaches of our solar system. With its next closest approach to the Sun set for 2076, researchers are keen to capitalize on this chance to gather invaluable data about the early solar system. Recently, a team of scientists has proposed utilizing nuclear propulsion and solar sails to reach Sedna in a mere seven years, a feat that could revolutionize space exploration.
Flying to Sedna with Two Experimental Spacecraft Concepts
Back in 2003, astronomers made a groundbreaking discovery when they identified Sedna, a distant object orbiting the Sun far beyond Pluto. Named after the Inuit goddess of the ocean, Sedna provided a tantalizing glimpse into the mysteries of the outer solar system. With a staggering orbital period of 10,000 years, it travels billions of miles from the Sun. However, its upcoming perihelion in 2076 offers a window of opportunity for exploration.
In a recent paper published on arXiv, a team of researchers from Italy outlined two pioneering propulsion concepts that could significantly cut travel time to Sedna. The first involves a nuclear fusion rocket engine, while the second explores the potential of a solar sail. These innovative technologies promise to reduce the journey to Sedna by more than 50%, making it feasible to reach the dwarf planet in just seven to ten years. At its closest approach, Sedna will be within 7 billion miles of the Sun, a distance that might be surmountable with these advanced spacecraft.
“We’ve Never Seen Them This Close”: NASA Tracks Five Giant Asteroids Skimming Past Earth in Record-Breaking Flyby Cluster
Nuclear Propulsion and Solar Sailing
The first of the proposed technologies is the Direct Fusion Drive (DFD) rocket engine, currently under development at Princeton University’s Plasma Physics Laboratory. This engine aims to generate both thrust and electrical power through controlled nuclear fusion reactions. The DFD presents a promising alternative to conventional propulsion methods, offering a high thrust-to-weight ratio and continuous acceleration. However, several engineering challenges remain, such as plasma stability and heat dissipation, which need to be addressed before it can be deployed in deep-space missions.
On the other hand, the concept of solar sailing utilizes the Sun’s energy to propel a lightweight spacecraft at high speeds. This method gained traction with the successful mission of LightSail 2 by The Planetary Society in 2019. In this approach, a large sail captures photons from the Sun, providing thrust without the need for heavy fuel. The Italian researchers propose enhancing this concept by coating the sails with a material that releases molecules when heated, further increasing propulsion through thermal desorption. This could enable a solar sail mission to reach Sedna in just seven years, although it would be limited to a flyby.
“Mars Lost Its Water Here”: NASA Captures Ancient Blast That May Explain How the Red Planet Turned Into a Dusty Wasteland
The Strategic Importance of Sedna Exploration
Exploring Sedna is not just about reaching a distant celestial body; it holds strategic significance in understanding the early solar system. By studying Sedna, scientists hope to uncover clues about the formation and evolution of our solar neighborhood. Sedna’s remote and icy environment may contain preserved materials from the solar system’s infancy, offering insights into the building blocks of planets and other celestial bodies. Such knowledge could reshape our understanding of planetary science and the processes that govern the cosmos.
Moreover, the technological advancements required for a mission to Sedna could have far-reaching implications for future space exploration. The development of nuclear propulsion and solar sailing technologies could pave the way for more ambitious missions to even more distant objects, potentially leading to human exploration beyond the current boundaries of our solar system. As we push the frontiers of space travel, Sedna stands as a gateway to the unknown, beckoning us to venture further into the universe.
“Moon Time Is American Time”: NASA Moves to Set Lunar Time Zone as U.S. Races to Cement Dominance on the Moon
The Challenges and Opportunities Ahead
While the prospect of reaching Sedna in seven years is exciting, it is not without its challenges. Developing and testing the necessary technologies will require significant time, resources, and international collaboration. Overcoming the engineering hurdles associated with nuclear propulsion and solar sails is critical to the success of the mission. Additionally, the mission will need to navigate the logistical complexities of deep-space travel, including communication, navigation, and power generation.
Despite these challenges, the potential rewards of a successful mission to Sedna are immense. By pushing the limits of current space technology, we can open new avenues for exploration and scientific discovery. The pursuit of Sedna is a testament to human ingenuity and our relentless quest for knowledge. As we stand on the brink of this new frontier, one question remains: what other secrets does the universe hold, waiting to be uncovered by our pioneering spirit?
Our author used artificial intelligence to enhance this article.
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Indian cricket team loses last-over thriller to England by five runs
With England cricket team captain Tammy Beaumont electing to bat, the hosts seemed poised for a huge total with openers Sophia Dunkley (75) and Danni Wyatt-Hodge (66) putting up a century stand for the first wicket.
When Dunkley departed in the second ball of the 16th over while trying to hit Deepti Sharma’s low full toss over the ropes, England looked in total control.
However, after the two put together 137 in the first 92 balls, the rest of the team managed just 34 in the next 28 while eight more wickets toppled.
Arundhati Reddy sent back Alice Capsey, Wyatt-Hodge and Amy Jones in the 17th over of the innings before Radha Yadav cleaned up the England skipper in the next to register her 100th wicket in women’s T20Is.
Deepti is the only other Indian bowler with over 100 wickets in the format.
Shree Charani, who has been India’s standout lady with the ball, dismissed Paige Scholfield and Issy Wong off consecutive balls in the penultimate over before Deepti Sharma missed a hat-trick in the final one as England finished with 171/9.
Besides the two openers, Ecclestone, with 10, was the only other England batter to hit double figures.
Chasing 172 for history, Indian openers Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma made a watchful start before taking the attack to the English bowlers. The duo put together 85 for the opening wicket before Verma departed just three short of a half-century.
Lauren Filer reignited the home team’s hopes as she sent back Jemimah Rodrigues (20) and Mandhana (56) in quick succession to put India in a spot of bother.
The wickets also dried up the boundaries as India’s asking rate climbed up to 30 to get from 18 balls from 49 runs needed of 42.
Richa Ghosh’s wicket in the penultimate over didn’t help India’s cause either as 12 were needed off the final over with Indian T20 captain Harmanpreet Kaur and Amanjot Kaur on the crease.
Lauren Bell, bowling the final over for England, gave away just six-runs and dismissed Harmanpreet off the last delivery of the match to send her team-mates and home support into a frenzy.
ENG-W vs IND-W 3rd T20 2025 brief scores: England 171/9 in 20 overs (Sophia Dunkley 75, Deepti Sharma 3/27) beat India 166/5 in 20 overs (Smriti Mandhana 56; Lauren Filer 2/30) by five runs.
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Jonathan Diuguid Takes Over as Penske Racing President
Travis Law Named Competition Director
Team Penske filled its leadership vacancies Friday by promoting two members of its decorated sports car program.
Jonathan Diuguid, who led Porsche Penske Motorsport to the past two 24 Hours of Daytona victories and this year’s 12 Hours of Sebring title, is the new president of Penske Racing. Travis Law, a fixture in the team’s sports car program for many years, has been named competition director for Penske Racing. The two have a combined 38 years with Team Penske.
The promotions came due to three longtime team executives – Team President Tim Cindric, Managing Director Ron Ruzewski and General Manager Kyle Moyer – being released by team owner Roger Penske in May following penalties incurred in qualifying for the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge. Moyer recently joined Arrow McLaren’s NTT INDYCAR SERIES program as the director of competition.
Diuguid will oversee Team Penske competitors in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES as well as Porsche Penske Motorsport, which races in both the IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship and the FIA World Endurance Championship. He had most recently been the managing director of the team’s sports car program. He joined Team Penske in 2005 and has served seven seasons as an NTT INDYCAR SERIES engineer, working most often with Ryan Briscoe and Helio Castroneves.
Law arrived at Team Penske in 2007 as a tire specialist. He rose through the ranks to become a championship-winning chief mechanic in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES before enjoying the same success with Porsche Penske Motorsport. Most recently, he was the competition director for that program.
The NASCAR leadership structure for Penske Racing South remains unchanged with Michael Nelson serving as president and Travis Geisler continuing as vice president of competition.
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Rebuilding global coffee stocks may need at least two good crops, experts say – Reuters
- Rebuilding global coffee stocks may need at least two good crops, experts say Reuters
- Flat white nation: How Ireland’s coffee obsession grew — and why the beans may be running out Irish Examiner
- Coffee crisis: What will it take to close the looming ‘massive’ supply-demand imbalance? FoodNavigator-USA.com
- Global coffee supply relief possible in three years, ICO head says Reuters
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No. 1 Sabalenka charges past Raducanu in Wimbledon thriller
World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka booked her spot in the Wimbledon Round of 16 in dramatic fashion on Friday, besting home hope Emma Raducanu in two gripping sets in a Centre Court nightcap.
Wimbledon: Scores | Order of play | Draws
With the roof closed under darkening skies, reigning US Open champion Sabalenka held off 2021 US Open champion Raducanu 7-6(8), 6-4 in their marquee third-round clash. Sabalenka needed exactly two hours to pull herself into the Wimbledon second week for the third time.
Sabalenka was down a break in each set before narrowly grinding out both. Sabalenka had to save one set point in the first-set tiebreak, and she was a point away from a 5-1 deficit in the second set.
Despite that adversity, the world’s top-ranked player held her nerve to keep her quest for her first Wimbledon title alive. She is by far the highest-seeded player remaining, as all of the other Top 6 seeds have already been eliminated from contention.
Mertens next up: With the win, Sabalenka remains the title favorite, and she will take on someone she knows very well in the Round of 16: No. 24 seed Elise Mertens of Belgium. Mertens ousted No. 14 seed Elina Svitolina of Ukraine earlier on Monday on No. 1 Court.
Mertens and Sabalenka were a formidable doubles team not too long ago. They paired up to win two hard-court Grand Slam doubles titles (2019 US Open and 2021 Australian Open) and both spent time at the WTA Doubles World No. 1 ranking during their partnership.
As their respective singles rankings would predict, Sabalenka has the upper hand over Mertens when they are opponents instead of teammates. Sabalenka has won their last nine meetings and leads the rivalry 10-2 overall (2-0 in 2025).
Match breakdown: Friday night’s first set will be remembered for quite some time as Sabalenka needed 75 minutes to capture the one-set lead following a variety of compelling twists and turns.
Raducanu’s groundstrokes were clicking as she took the early 4-2 advantage, but Sabalenka picked off three straight games to lead 5-4. Sabalenka then had seven set points in a mesmerizing 13-minute game, but Raducanu found some of her finest serves to battle through that tussle and somehow keep the set going.
Spurred on by an excited crowd, with their decibel level enhanced by the closed roof, Raducanu nearly pulled off a first-set steal when she held set point at 6-5 in the tiebreak. A nerveless Sabalenka, though, boldly swatted that away with a drop shot winner. Two points later, Sabalenka punched a volley winner to close out an epic first set.
Raducanu had an even bigger lead in the second set as she raced to 4-1 and had break point for 5-1. But, once again, World No. 1 Sabalenka showed why she is in that position, reeling off the next five games to earn her second victory in two meetings with former Top 10 player Raducanu.
More to come…
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Noel and Liam Gallagher joke about ticket price controversy at first Oasis Live ’25 Cardiff show
Noel and Liam Gallagher both joked about last year’s ticket price controversy during their first reunion show in Cardiff.
Oasis made their triumphant return to the stage after a 16-year absence on Friday night (July 4) at the Principality Stadium in the Welsh capital, where they played an epic, career-spanning set in front of over 70,000 fans.
During the set, both brothers took time to make light-hearted comments about the saga around the Oasis Live ‘25 ticket sale, which left thousands of fans infuriated as they waited for hours in queues as the cost of tickets appeared to surge due to demand without warning.
During a period in the set in which Noel sang lead vocals on a string of songs, he quipped: “I hope it was worth £175 of anybody’s money. Sorry, £210. Sorry, £250.”
Later, Liam also referenced the controversy, saying: “What’s happening? You alright? Yeah, you’re having a good time, yeah? Was it worth the £40,000 you paid for a ticket?”
“Was it worth the £4,000 you paid for a ticket” yeahhh he knows it @oasis pic.twitter.com/w1tVQIroPa
— Dianne Bourne (@diannebourne) July 4, 2025
Oasis said at the time that they “at no time had any awareness that dynamic pricing was going to be used” in the sale, claiming that “prior meetings between promoters, Ticketmaster and the band’s management resulted in a positive ticket sale strategy, which would be a fair experience for fans, including dynamic ticketing to help keep general ticket prices down as well as reduce touting, the execution of the plan failed to meet expectations.”
The band later announced “a small step towards making amends for the situation” with “a special invitation-only ballot ticket sale strategy” for two additional Wembley gigs on September 27 and 28.
“I thought it’d be a big deal, but I was a bit taken aback by just how much of a big deal it was,” Noel Gallagher said earlier this year, looking at the demand.
In March, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) warned that Ticketmaster may have “breached the law” and “misled fans” during the sale last summer, while earlier this month, the UK competition watchdog wrote to Ticketmaster threatening legal action over its “misleading” methods of selling tickets for the tour.
Oasis will play a second date in Cardiff tomorrow (July 5) ahead of five homecoming shows at Manchester’s Heaton Park, seven nights at London’s Wembley Stadium, and stops in Edinburgh and Dublin. Later on the ‘Oasis Live ’25’ trek, they’ll head to North America, South America, Australia, South Korea and Japan.
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Hamas says it is prepared to talk about Gaza ceasefire proposal
A general view of destruction in North Gaza, as seen from the Israeli side of the Israel-Gaza border, on May 17, 2025.
Amir Cohen | Reuters
Hamas said it had responded on Friday in “a positive spirit” to a U.S.-brokered Gaza ceasefire proposal and was prepared to enter into talks on implementing the deal that envisages a release of hostages and negotiations on ending the conflict.
U.S. President Donald Trump earlier announced a “final proposal” for a 60-day ceasefire in the nearly 21-month-old war between Israel and Hamas, stating he anticipated a reply from the parties in the coming hours.
Hamas wrote on its official website: “The Hamas movement has completed its internal consultations as well as discussions with Palestinian factions and forces regarding the latest proposal by the mediators to halt the aggression against our people in Gaza.
“The movement has delivered its response to the brotherly mediators, which was characterized by a positive spirit. Hamas is fully prepared, with all seriousness, to immediately enter a new round of negotiations on the mechanism for implementing this framework,” the statement said.
In a sign of potential challenges still facing the sides, a Palestinian official of a militant group allied with Hamas said concerns remain over humanitarian aid, passage through the Rafah crossing to Egypt and clarity over a timetable of Israeli troop withdrawals.
Trump said on Tuesday that Israel had agreed “to the necessary conditions to finalize” a 60-day ceasefire, during which efforts would be made to end the U.S. ally’s war in the Palestinian enclave.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has yet to comment on Trump’s announcement and in their public statements, the two sides remain far apart. Netanyahu has repeatedly said Hamas must be disarmed, a position the militant group, which is thought to be holding 20 living hostages, has so far refused to discuss.
Netanyahu is due to meet Trump in Washington on Monday.
Trump has said he would be “very firm” with Netanyahu on the need for a speedy Gaza ceasefire, while noting that the Israeli leader wants one as well.
“We hope it’s going to happen. And we’re looking forward to it happening sometime next week,” he told reporters earlier this week. “We want to get the hostages out.”
Attacks overnight
Israeli attacks have killed at least 138 Palestinians in Gaza over the past 24 hours, local health officials said.
Health officials at the Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, said the Israeli military had carried out an airstrike on a tent encampment west of the city around 2 a.m., killing 15 Palestinians displaced by nearly two years of war.
The Israeli military said troops operating in the Khan Younis area had eliminated militants, confiscated weapons and dismantled Hamas outposts in the last 24 hours, while striking 100 targets across Gaza, including military structures, weapons storage facilities and launchers.
Later on Friday, Palestinians gathered to perform funeral prayers before burying those killed overnight.
“There should have been a ceasefire long ago before I lost my brother,” said 13-year-old Mayar Al Farr as she wept. Her brother, Mahmoud, was shot dead in another incident, she said.
“He went to get aid, so he can get a bag of flour for us to eat. He got a bullet in his neck,” she said.
‘Make the deal’
In Tel Aviv, families and friends of hostages held in Gaza were among demonstrators who gathered outside a U.S. Embassy building on U.S. Independence Day, calling on Trump to secure a deal for all of the captives.
Demonstrators set up a symbolic Sabbath dinner table, placing 50 empty chairs to represent those who are still held in Gaza. Banners hung nearby displaying a post by Trump from his Truth Social platform that read, “MAKE THE DEAL IN GAZA. GET THE HOSTAGES BACK!!!”
“Only you can make the deal. We want one beautiful deal. One beautiful hostage deal,” said Gideon Rosenberg, 48, from Tel Aviv.
Rosenberg was wearing a shirt with the image of hostage Avinatan Or, one of his employees who was abducted by Palestinian militants from the Nova musical festival on October 7, 2023. He is among the 20 hostages who are believed to be alive after more than 600 days of captivity.
An official familiar with the negotiations said on Thursday that the proposal envisages the return of 10 of the hostages during the 60 days, along with the bodies of 18 others who had been held hostage.
Ruby Chen, 55, the father of 19-year-old American-Israeli Itay, who is believed to have been killed after being taken captive, urged Netanyahu to return from meeting with Trump with a deal that brings back all hostages.
Itay Chen, also a German national, was serving as an Israeli soldier when Hamas carried out its surprise attack on October 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking another 251 hostage.
Israel’s retaliatory war against Hamas has devastated Gaza, which the militant group has ruled for almost two decades but now only controls in parts, displacing most of the population of more than 2 million and triggering widespread hunger.
More than 57,000 Palestinians have been killed in nearly two years of fighting, most of them civilians, according to local health officials.
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Luna Blaise on ‘Jurassic World Rebirth’
Despite a busy schedule of globetrotting for Jurassic World Rebirth, actress Luna Blaise is all smiles.
The 23-year-old, who joins the iconic franchise as almost-college student Teresa in the latest Jurassic installment, has been taking the entire experience in. “I felt like I was at the masterclass,” Blaise tells The Hollywood Reporter on a Friday morning Zoom weeks before the film’s release.
The actress, whose past credits include a series regular role on NBC-turned-Netflix fan favorite Manifest, prides herself on having worked hard to get where she is, and she doesn’t plan to stop anytime soon.
Below, Blaise speaks with THR about Jurassic World Rebirth, taking any opportunity she can to be onset, and where she sees herself going in the future.
How do you feel about joining such a beloved and large franchise with Jurassic World Rebirth?
Truly, it’s been an unbelievable experience from the beginning to getting the call all the way to now. It’s been a minute-by-minute, heart-pounding, eyes-widening, mind-melting situation. When you get the call to do this, it’s one you’ll never forget. Honestly, I have been so blessed. To be able to have this opportunity and work with the people that I did and just continue to go on this journey is so exciting. I’m just so excited now for the world to now see it.
It has to be a little intimidating. Do you feel that you learned anything from other members of the cast?
Beyond. Oh my gosh, yes. The whole thing was a learning experience. I felt like I was at the masterclass, literally. To be able to work with the people that I did — [the] actors, yes, but crew as well. It’s just not your everyday thing. Honestly, [it was] a college course for what I want to do — to have a captain of the ship, which was Scarlett [Johansson], and to be able to have her set the tone for everything. Really from the beginning, the tone was set, and we all knew that no matter what, we’re all going to be taken care of. We all have each other’s backs. This is a hard process, but we’re not going to be able to do it without each other. We stuck with that, which was so helpful and so amazing.
What was it like getting to watch the film with audiences at the premieres? What were the reactions, particularly with your big T-Rex scene?
It was completely surreal. I remember just sitting at the Odeon [Luxe in London], and I was just with all my cast, and finally we’re seeing and hearing it be received by others. You’re looking around, and you’re just like, oh my gosh, this is happening. To be able to have so many people invested and involved and vocal about everything, it made the experience so much more heightened and so much more memorable because it wasn’t just you experiencing this. You were in a room with everybody else experiencing it, and it was just so special.
Did you always see this type of film for yourself, or do you feel it’s a departure for you?
I think that for me, if I was writing the script of my acting career, I don’t think I know what I see at all. I have a vision of where I want to go and what I want to achieve, but anything that comes along with that is all part of the ride. It’s all part of the journey. I’ve been blessed to be able to work in this industry for the amount of time that I have and have been attached to projects that have truly changed my life. I’ve had just such a pleasure doing them. Having this come my way — it’s my biggest thing yet — it’s not that I didn’t ever see it for myself, but I almost thought that that was something just completely unimaginable. Being in a Jurassic movie, it’s like a dream. I’m still waiting to be woken up.
You get that call, and you don’t think that that’s the actual call. I’m still waiting for that to simmer down in my brain because it’s just unbelievable. I guess if I were to close my eyes, look out and see what would be happening, it’s not that I wouldn’t not see this, but it was in an unimaginable sort of way. Now that it’s been able to happen, it’s even crazier.
Are you someone who takes roles as they come, or do you have certain milestones you’re looking to hit at certain times?
I’m just excited to be here. [I’m] just excited to be working in this industry, no matter what scale that’s at. It could be your Jurassic blockbuster, it could be a guerilla-style shoot for four days with one camera guy. It doesn’t matter. If I’m creating, and if I’m just continuing to just have my juices flow in that way and continue to work on my craft … I’m just excited for the opportunity. I think that whatever comes my way will come my way. If it’s something that I am intrigued about and something that resonates and sits with me, then 100 percent, I’ll take the opportunity to do anything on a set for sure. But then on the other hand, when those other projects do come, it’s like [you] jump at [them]. It’s an ebb-and-flow sort of situation but excited. Period.
It’s obviously a busy time for you with several premieres and the movie coming out. What does self care look like for you?
You can hear my lingering press sickness that’s happening right now. (Laughs.) It’s all fun. The stress of doing the 6 a.m. to this to going to the premiere and going to this and doing that and doing the press day; it’s like there’s so much, but you have to have fun. Because if you don’t, you’re just going to stress yourself out even more. I think for me, remembering to stay light, to stay positive. You’re tired, but it’s all part of the job, and you just have to get your work done. That’s it. It’s still work. You’re still working. The movie’s not over yet. It’s not over yet.
For me, especially within this past week that I’ve had — hopping from three different countries and doing a premiere and coming back here and going to New York and doing the whole thing — I have had to at least take 20 to 30 minutes at the beginning of my day to just breathe, to just set my intentions, to just center myself. [I will] repeat strong words in my mind that are just going to continue to keep my brain positive. I think if I’m lucky enough to be in a hotel that has a spa, I will go to the sauna, and I will go to the steam [room], and I will meditate for a second. I have definitely been taking advantage of my spa privileges during this press run.
Like you said, this is the biggest project you’ve ever done. What are you hoping to do next? Where’s your head at?
The actual percentage of working actors in this industry is so small, so small. For me, Luna, if I’m in that percentage, I want to do anything. I just want to have the opportunity to be on a set and to do what I love, regardless of what that is. To just have that young excitement is so refreshing, and it’s so nice to have. I can’t write what I want to do next. It is not something that I know yet. Everything that’s coming my way right now, it’s super exciting, and I’m into everything. Honestly, it’s just [me] waiting to see what actually meshes and what clicks. Whatever that may be is going to be the next opportunity that I’m so unbelievable blessed to have.
I think that I want to do something that is going to make me work even harder, something that I can fully invest my time and energy [into] and create a character. Because it’s also crazy for actors too. You spend so much time in a role, you have to let that go. Even after all the press and after everything, you’re like, OK, onto the next, let’s move on. That’s that. To be able to really immerse myself in another character and to do something that’s just completely different than anything I’ve ever done before, which Jurassic was for me at the time… I think that’s just what’s exciting for me, to be able to do something that I haven’t done, something that’s new and something that’s exciting for me in my life.
How do you want people to view you as a performer?
I think the no. 1 thing with actors that I personally get turned off on is you watch their films and you get this sense of light and you get this sense of character. Obviously, they’re playing something else, but then you watch the interviews and you watch everything else and you’re like, ‘Oh, that’s not who you are.’ I think that’s the worst. That’s the last thing I would want to happen to me. I want people to just see me. I hope you’ve seen talking to me, I’m excited to be here. I’m excited to have this opportunity. I’ve worked hard, and I am not going to stop working hard. I want people to see that. I want people to know that I am nowhere even near the top of where I want to go in my vision of life.
I have had the same visions for so long, and I am going to continue to try and work and to do that. I want people to see the hard work. I want people to know that. I also want people to know that this isn’t my first rodeo that I’ve done. I’ve been doing this for a while, and I want that to come off when people see me. I want people to know that it’s not just a walk in the park and that you have to be a hard worker to be able to get here. Nothing’s been handed to me in that way. I just want people to see that this is something that I truly, truly love to do, and I haven’t been given anything straight off the bat. I’ve done the work, and I’ll continue to do the work — and if you don’t see that, then that’s on you.
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