44 February 7 • 2019
jn

T

he journey from youthful per-
forming with the Jewish Ensemble 
Theatre in West Bloomfield to 
being nominated for a 2019 Academy 
Award has been dramatic and fulfilling 
for Jaime Ray Newman, who has enjoyed 
diverse and notable stopovers along the 
way.
Although appearing on stage, in films 
and on television, Newman is being rec-
ognized for production skills in making 
a live action short film with her Israeli 
husband, Guy Nattiv, as director.
The nominated film, Skin, tells a pow-
erful story of brutal white supremacists 
reacting to an innocent gesture and 
encountering the resulting reaction. The 
production is in competition with four 
others: Detainment, Fauve, Marguerite 
and Mother. 
Weeks before and shortly after the 
Oscar winners are announced during a 
glam broadcast starting at 8 p.m. Sunday, 
Feb. 24, on ABC, all the nominated short 
films can be seen Feb. 8-28 at the Detroit 
Film Theatre at the Detroit Institute of 
Arts. The program, The 2019 Academy 
Award Nominated Short Films — 
Animated and Live Action, will include 
every film in its entirety during each 
screening session.
“Ours is not an easy film, but I don’
t 
think Guy has an interest in making 
escapism,
” says Newman, honored to 
be nominated and appreciative of the 
subjective approaches to the artistry that 
went into all the films in the category. 

“Guy pulled ideas from different 
events so it’
s not a documentary. The 
cinema we love explores the darkest cor-
ners of the mind. We want to make art 
that evokes thought and debate. We want 
it to stir something.
”
The nominated film came during 
work on a longer feature film Nattiv 
wrote as a docudrama. Bearing the same 

title and planned for release later this 
year, it probes the life of a notorious 
white supremacist who turns away from 
hatred.
While funding was being raised for 
the longer film, the short was produced 
and became a transition into the feature.
“Sting and his wife, Trudie Styler, are 
big indie producers,
” explains Newman, 

who grew up in Farmington Hills and 
attended Hillel Day School, Cranbrook 
and Interlochen before graduating from 
Northwestern University. “They saw the 
short and, within days, we were in New 
York for pre-production of the feature.
”
Newman, who brings an on-camera 
perspective to the work she does with 
her husband in leading New Native 
Pictures, has not restricted herself to 
working with her husband. She next will 
be seen in the feature film Valley of the 
Gods starring opposite Josh Hartnett 
and John Malkovich as directed by Lech 
Majewski, and Midnight Climax with 
Anson Mount and Jason Patric as direct-
ed by Joseph Sorrentino.
Earlier work has placed her in TV 
series, including The Punisher for 
Marvel/Netflix, Bates Motel for A&E, 
Eastwick for ABC and, most recently, 
Midnight, Texas for NBC. Stage work 
near her Los Angeles home has included 
roles in The Gift with James Van Der 
Beek and Kathy Baker and Turnaround 
opposite David Schwimmer.
The recent film production initiative 
occurred as the couple anticipated the 
arrival of their daughter, Alma Ness, 
by surrogate after Newman endured 
a stillbirth and miscarriages. The two, 
entering their 40s, chose the name Alma 
because it means “little miss” in Hebrew 
and “soul” in Spanish, and Ness because 
it means “miracle” in Hebrew.
Nattiv associates ideas of parenting 
with the plot of the nominated Skin. 

SUZANNE CHESSLER CONTRIBUTING WRITER

fi
 lm
arts&life

Nominated fi
 lm, Skin, earns kudos for 
native Detroiter and her Israeli husband.

details

The 2019 Academy Award Nominated Short Films – Animated and Live Action will be 
shown Feb. 8-28 at the Detroit Film Theatre in the Detroit Institute of Arts. $7.50-$9.50. 
(313) 833-7900. dia.org/events.

TOP: Scene 

from the Oscar-

nominated Skin.

RIGHT: Producer 

Jaime Ray 

Newman and 

director Guy Nattiv, 

her husband, on 

the set of Skin.

Oscar Hopes

continued on page 46

