The star of Rye Lane, a new rom-com set in Peckham, has welcomed the film’s role in leading to discussions of gentrification in the area.
David Jonsson told us at the premiere last night: “I think Peckham is incredibly diverse and I love that it gets people talking about something like that”.
Rye Lane sparked a debate after a Guardian piece wondered if it could speed up gentrification in the area, as Richard Curtis’s Notting Hill did in W11. The two are not the same: while Curtis’s film was accused of “white-washing”, Rye Lane has a black cast. Several people have made the point too that Peckham has already gentrified in many ways.
Leading lady Vivian Oparah told us the film is “a capsule for Peckham now”, while Poppy Allen-Quarmby, who plays Cass, said: “This is such a gorgeous story that hasn’t been told and I don’t feel that article is relevant.” Producer Damian Jones joked he’d like to match Notting Hill only in “commercial success”.
Cara knows how to raise a glass
If Cara Delevingne decides to give up modelling, she has a successful drinks business to fall back on. Della Vite, the prosecco brand Cara runs with sisters Poppy and Chloe, has raised millions in a recent funding round.
Big sister Chloe tells us the family’s plan is “world domination” for the company, which they started during the pandemic. The grapes are grown on an Italian vineyard. Chloe says that they don’t argue about business decisions: “We’re quite good at talking things through, and we tend to be pretty much aligned”, but that she is the biggest prosecco drinker of the three when the working day is done. As the eldest, that’s her right.
Oakeshott hints at exit
Journalist Isabel Oakeshott upset some people at her employer Talk TV by leaking Matt Hancock’s texts to rival The Telegraph last week. Last night on the channel, Oakeshott bigged up the next day’s Telegraph story without revealing what it was. She also joked about Cabinet Secretary Simon Case resigning, saying they meet up when they are both “out of a job”. Was she hinting she could be leaving soon?
Maitlis and Goodall on Lineker row
Former BBC journos have defended Gary Lineker in the row over his tweets, saying it is too hard to criticise the Government on the Beeb these days. On the News Agents podcast, ex-BBC hack Lewis Goodall said board member and former Tory spin doctor Robbie Gibb used to police his coverage, while co-host Emily Maitlis said DG Tim Davie was worried about cuts to Beeb funding if it criticised No 10.
Peckham in the spotlight
David Jonsson and Vivian Oparah, the stars of new film Rye Lane, were all smiles at the Peckhamplex cinema premiere last night. There too was the director Raine Allen-Miller, with filmmaker Freddie Waters, and comedian Munya Chawawa, who is in it too. In Soho, Florence Pugh teamed up with her ex Zach Braff, who she split from last year, for a screening of their film A Good Person. And around the corner at the Hotel Cafe Royal, Daisy Lowe posed with fellow model Clara Paget at her baby shower.
