Movie Insights

The Giver's Brenton Thwaites dishes about Meryl Streep and Jeff Bridges

Brenton Thwaites in The Giver.

Photo courtesy of The Weinstein Company

Film adaptations of young adult novels are all the rage nowadays, but one popular YA book — The Giver by Lois Lowry — had to wait more than 20 years to make it to the big screen.

The story follows Jonas (Brenton Thwaites), a soon-to-be 18-year-old living in a utopian community where there are no societal ills such as greed or hunger. But no "good" exists there either, so when Jonas is assigned a new role as Receiver of Memories, he discovers for the first time what things like true happiness, love and color feel and look like.

Thwaites sat down with CultureMap Dallas to discuss his role, significant changes the film made from the book, and what it was like working with such noted actors as Jeff Bridges and Meryl Streep. Bridges, who plays the titular role of the giver, served as a mentor for Thwaites on the screen and off. But in the role of chief elder, Streep put the young actor to the test.

The Giver opens nationwide on Friday, August 15.

World Cup game recap

Japan and Netherlands battle to 2-2 draw in FIFA World Cup opener in Dallas

Netherlands v Japan: Group F - FIFA World Cup 2026

Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images

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ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Daichi Kamada scored on a header off Koki Ogawa's corner kick in the 88th minute, sending the Samurai Blue fans into a frenzy and giving Japan a 2-2 draw with the Netherlands in their World Cup opener on Sunday.

While the Dutch extended their unbeaten streak to 16 games in group play, the orange-clad Oranje supporters were stunned by the late goal that left them at 21-2-11 in group play at the World Cup.

Virgil Van Dijk and Crysencio Summerville scored off each post for the Netherlands early in the second half, while Keito Nakamura had a goal between those as part of a three-goal flurry in just 14 minutes.

An uneventful first half changed quickly after the break for a crowd evenly split at AT&T Stadium, the home of the Dallas Cowboys with the retractable roof that offered relief from the muggy Texas heat, and the giant video board that fans had a hard time keeping their eyes off.

Summerville gave the eighth-ranked Dutch the lead in the 64th minute, and Japan was running out of hope when Ogawa sent the corner that Kamada timed perfectly. The ball deflected slightly again on its way toward Bart Verbruggen, who got his hands on it with a sprawling dive but couldn't keep it from going in.

Van Dijk sent a header toward the far post on the right in the 50th minute, bending forward from inside the penalty area as he stared at the ball before it caromed in for the Dutch captain’s 13th international goal.

Nakamura answered seven minutes later for 18th-ranked Japan, turning and rifling a shot past Verbruggen from the left side of the arc after taking a pass from Takefusa Kubo.

Another seven minutes later, Summerville took a pass from Ryan Gravenberch and sent a left-footed shot to the far left post past Zion Suzuki, where it caromed in again.

The Dutch’s most recent loss before the elimination round came the last time the World Cup was in the United States in 1994, when a group play defeat was followed by a quarterfinal loss to Brazil at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas.

In Group F, the Netherlands plays Sweden on Saturday in Houston, while Japan goes to Monterrey, Mexico, to face Tunisia on Saturday.

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