In ‘The Card Counter,’ Tiffany Haddish brings the light

By LINDSEY BAHR
AP Film Writer

VENICE, Italy (AP) — Tiffany Haddish may seem like an unconventional choice for a Paul Schrader movie, but that’s just what he liked about the idea. Haddish co-stars in the “Taxi Driver” writer’s latest film, “The Card Counter,” as a gambling agent who hooks up with Oscar Isaac’s card shark William Tell. Schrader said he learned how comedians can enliven roles from Martin Scorcese. Haddish said she was horrible on the first day of rehearsal, but that she learned a lot from Schrader in the process. The film about torture and forgiveness premieres Thursday at the Venice International Film Festival before hitting U.S. theaters on Sept. 10.