Newsletter Wednesday, April 06, 2016

[LaineyGossip.com - Calling all smuthounds!] Wednesday, April 06, 2016 [Intro for April 6, 2016] [Duana/Drake] Dear Gossips, If Duana’s not trying to harass the people in her life with non-stop wall-to-wall Hamilton she’s harassing all of us about Drake. Few people feel Drake like Duana. And, yesterday, in honour of the release of her first book, Drake dropped two new singles, Pop Style and One Dance. OK, fine, not really, that’s only my own interpretation of it. But the timing was perfect. Pop Style, featuring Jay Z and Kanye West aka The Throne, has the Back To Back vibe. Have you heard Kanye’s verse? One half line in particular? “I’ma let you finish…” As for One Dance, some people are already proclaiming it the jam of summer 2016 – not a banger though, as Jordana just said to me, it’s the one you listen to on the way home. Thanks to all of you who supported Duana’s launch yesterday and for ordering the book. [Click here] if you haven’t yet. It’s SO good. Especially the chapter when The Name Therapist writes about naming her son. And she’s probably going to be mad at me for saying this but f-ck it, I’m doing it anyway. She wrote this book while managing 28 other things, including nursing a newborn, and if you didn’t know, you wouldn’t have known. Never once did she ever let on that it was a lot. And it was a LOT. Never once has she fronted like the boasty c-nt that I am all “oh I’m so busy, look at me I’m so busy”. Not once. With Duana, it’s just work and delivery. What she’s delivered is a book you will love. Yours in gossip, Lainey [Click here for the rest of the photos.] Posted at 1:19 PM [Ben’s next climb] [Ben Affleck out in Los Angeles, April 5, 2016] [Ben Affleck] stepped out yesterday. Some photo agencies are saying he was leaving the therapist’s. Gives me a great excuse to write about how he’s going to heal his latest [cycle of shame]. Sarah posted in the previous article about Warner Bros’ plans and that there’s been talk about a Ben Affleck-directed Batman movie. Zack Snyder [was just asked] about it and he said he’s been asking Ben to do it since he’s apparently written a script. As I’ve mentioned several times already, with Ben Affleck, it seems like he lives on a loop. When he gets to the top, he’s compelled to self-sabotage, and when he’s back at the bottom, he’s motivated to climb back up. After so many rounds of this, you begin to wonder whether or not it could possibly be accidental. Batman v Superman had a big opening, despite sh-tty reviews. (Could you SEE anything in the movie? It was so f-cking dark I was squinting the entire time – why do they have to make movies like this?!?) As Sarah reported [earlier this week], the box office has dropped off significantly. But Ben was embarrassed even before all that. He knows good film. He knows bad film. He knew this was not a good film. Just like he knew Daredevil wasn’t a good film. So now that’s TWO superhero films he’s been in and not that happy with. There it is then, the built-in challenge behind all his stumbles. Ben Affleck finds himself in a situation where he could write and direct a definitive Batman movie, on top of having already directed an Oscar-winning movie. And if that happens it’s more than redemption, it’ll be a coronation. Until, you know, he decides to f-ck it all up again. By the way, I didn’t notice in [these pictures] from Sarah’s post the other day but it looks like he’s vaping now. From my experience having now gossiped about him for 20 years, when Ben tries to quit smoking, it usually means he’s on the upswing of the cycle. [Click here for the rest of the photos.] Posted at 7:49 PM [And so the Warner Bros. shuffle begins] [Lupita Nyong’o at the Los Angeles premiere of Walt Disney's 'The Jungle Book' held at El Capitan Theatre, April 4, 2016] After the antipathetic public reaction to Superhero Face Punch, it seemed inevitable that Warner Brothers would have to make some changes to their plans for the DC Extended Universe, which is what they’re calling their cinematic universe. But they stuck with Zack Snyder as the director of The Justice League Part One, and they aren’t slowing down that train at all, so just what those changes would be remained a question. Then, this morning, some potential answers. First it was [the news] that Warners will trim down its release slate in order to focus more heavily on its trio of franchise properties: DC, Harry Potter, and LEGO. So, the lesson being taken away from the [box office free-fall]of Superhero Face Punch is to make less original films. Gotcha. Now comes the news that Warners is adding a couple untitled DC films to their slate in 2018 and 2019, respectively—I’ll guess Solo Batfleck #1 and Suicide Squad #2—as well as shuffling Wonder Woman’s release date next year. That movie now opens on June 2, 2017, which puts it smack dab in the middle of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and Spider-Man 3.0. It’s a smart move as it gives Wonder Woman all of June to play, but man, if superhero fatigue ever does set in, it may well be in summer 2017. But the really surprising thing on the updated Warners slate is Andy Serkis’s Jungle Book adaptation being kicked to 2018, and not cancelled altogether. Disney’s Jon Favreau-directed Jungle Book opens in a couple weeks and has started screening for press and the early word is rapturous. After the Super Bowl trailer debuted I said, “If they nail the story AND it looks this good? Instant classic.” By all accounts, Favreau and his team hit that sweet spot, and Jungle Book is expected to open well, and go on to be a new classic for Disney, which would be #2 for the year, following Zootopia. Here’s some back room bitchery to go along with all this. Back in 2011 Warners sacked Alan Horn, their studio chairman. Horn ran Warners for over a decade and ushered such films as The Departed, the Harry Potter franchise, and the Dark Knight Trilogy onto the screen. It was an ugly ouster, not well handled by Warners’ parent company, TimeWarner. Horn brought the studio incredible success—they topped market share in both volume and box office for several years under his control—and he deserved a better exit than what amounted to being unceremoniously dumped on prom night. Enter Disney. In 2012 they named Horn chairman of Disney Studios, and under his guidance Disney became the dominate force in cinematic pop culture. Horn is managing a film group that includes Marvel, LucasFilm, Pixar, and the rejuvenated Disney Animation, and the results have been incredible so far. Disney is looking at another banner year in 2016, with one major win already on the books and Jungle Book set up to be their next success story. Alan Horn has turned Disney into an unstoppable juggernaut. Sort of makes you wonder how Superhero Face Punch would have turned out with his supervision. [Source] Attached - [Lupita Nyong’o] at the Los Angeles premiere of The Jungle Book the other day. [Click here for the rest of the photos.] Posted at 7:06 PM [Smutty Tingles] Two people who are always fighting with people fight with each other ([Dlisted]) How Cam met Benji ([Just Jared]) Tom Hiddleston looks great in this suit ([Cele|bitchy]) Center Stage!!! ([TooFab]) Taylor Swift goes out with the models ([TMZ]) How Donald Trump is like Joe Simpson ([The Superficial]) Don’t hate this outfit but the tie on the pants needs to go ([Hollywood Tuna]) Sarah Paulson in another great dress ([Go Fug Yourself]) What if I don’t want to watch it with him!?? ([Pajiba]) [Click here for the rest of the photos.] Posted at 5:59 PM [Tom’s Mummy] [Tom Cruise and Annabelle Wallis on the set of The Mummy in London, April 5, 2016] [Tom Cruise] has started working on The Mummy reboot. Check him out on set in London last night with [Annabelle Wallis]. He looks intense, as usual. Question: are you getting a Kelly McGillis vibe from her here? I ask this because you could have seen it once, right? Maybe you can still see it. Like, if all those rumours of “girlfriend auditions” are true, Annabelle Wallis would be a perfect candidate to be “auditioned”. Promising actress, not yet a household name, very attractive, would look great on the back of his bike. But she already has a boyfriend. Which, once upon a time, would have also worked so well with the Tom Cruise narrative. That he’s even more captivating and irresistible than a lead singer rockstar. And back then, it would have been believable. You wouldn’t have regarded an on-set romance involving Tom Cruise with suspicion. And now? [Click here for the rest of the photos.] Posted at 5:07 PM [Macaulay Culkin seems to be fine] [Macaulay Culkin shopping in the East Village on March 30 2016 in New York City] [Macaulay Culkin], one of the most famous child actors of all time, keeps a low profile. There are only [nine posts] on LaineyGossip pertaining to him, even from back in the Mila days. He doesn’t create many opportunities for coverage, and beyond that, a lot of people go out of their way to protect him, [including me]. A lot of actors talk about wanting to get away from it all, but most of them don’t actually mean it. The vast majority of them don’t mean it. Macaulay Culkin meant it. He went away, and has, for the most part, stayed away, despite still being easily recognizable. But there’s been a recent uptick in activity. There is actual Work out in the world, featuring Macaulay Culkin. Last year he guest starred on The Jim Gaffigan Show, playing himself. Then in December he appeared in a [web short] as a grown-up Kevin McCallister. He also popped up in a [Red Letter Media video], and you get the sense that Culkin is not in any way bitter or burdened by his childhood fame. He’s willing to poke fun at it, at himself, and he does it with that undeniable charm that made him so successful in the first place. A lot of child stars can’t transition to adult careers. Culkin probably could have transitioned (see also: Saved), he just…didn’t want to. In a new interview with Vulture he says, “I’m a man in his mid-thirties who’s essentially retired.” He’s talking to Vulture to promote Adam Green’s Aladdin, a movie made by his friend, musician/filmmaker Adam Green. You kind of get the feeling that he’s doing the interview as a favor to Green, who is also in the interview, and to generate some press for Aladdin, which is a crowd-sourced project still seeking distribution. You kind of get the feeling a lot of what Culkin does these days is favors to friends. That web short, Dryvyrs, comes up and he talks about it as something he did with a friend. Even Red Letter Media—he’s friends with Max Landis, who was a guest on that episode. So Mack’s just hanging out, occasionally collaborating with friends. He’s splitting his time between New York and Paris, where no one bothers him. Sometimes he acts, or does art projects; occasionally he [sings about pizza]. I doubt there’s a Culkin Comeback around the corner, but he seems more comfortable dipping his toes in the Hollywood pool every now and again. There was a point where I didn’t think we’d ever see him again, period. Now he’s dabbling, and seems happy. It’s enough. [Source] Attached - Macaulay shopping in New York last week. [Click here for the rest of the photos.] Posted at 4:26 PM [Mindy Kaling, Slytherin] [Mindy Kaling attends the Universal Studios Hollywood Hosts The Opening Of 'The Wizarding World Of Harry Potter' at Universal Studios Hollywood on April 5, 2016 in Universal City, California] Well now I have another reason to love her. [Mindy Kaling] and I are housemates. Mindy attended the opening of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Hollywood last night. I was lucky enough to go to the opening of the one in Orlando a few years ago. Everyone there was given a special commemorative wand that lit up with Hogwarts during the ceremony. It was… magical. As you can see, Mindy is also testing out her wand. I know you people who aren’t Potter don’t understand but this sh-t is real for the rest of us, as real as our identities. Mindy is Slytherin. She’s being sandwiched in this photo by a Ravenclaw and a Gryffindor. [From left to right: Ravenclaw, Slytherin, Gryffindor] A photo posted by Mindy Kaling (@mindykaling) on Apr 5, 2016 at 8:45pm PDT She also tweeted a photo of herself with Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti. Her note is so very Slytherin. We get kinda eye-rolly about Gryffindors. Fine, fine, charge into the battle first thumping your chests, you go on ahead, eager puppies. We’ll just hang back here, plotting. Lumos [@ericgarcetti]! He's a Gryffindor even this Slytherin loves. ❤️ [pic.twitter.com/P89vLLvNX2] — Mindy Kaling (@mindykaling) [April 6, 2016] [Click here for the rest of the photos.] Posted at 3:59 PM [Rihanna: reluctant “role model”] [Rihanna leaving her apartment in NYC, April 5, 2016] In the previous post, Kathleen mentioned the Black Girls Rock event that aired last night. [Rihanna] was presented with the Rock Star Award. During her acceptance speech, she made a sassy comment about how “You know, role model is not the… title they like to give me, you know”. And, in the past, it’s not a title she’s wanted, felt comfortable with. But you’ll hear in the video below it sounds like she’s growing to accept it – on her terms, always on her terms. I do understand her reluctance though to take that on. It’s hard enough to live with yourself, to “do you” as they say, let alone having to live UP to the expectations you carry around when you’re deemed a role model. And there’s a long list of problems you can attach to assigning role model status to celebrities. What I like about Rihanna is that in – up to this point – declining that responsibility, what she’s been saying is that she has needed her own time to figure her sh-t out…which is what most people in their 20s are doing too. What she’s figured out so far is sex positivity, a prevailing anthem on her new album ANTI. Some may argue that sexual assertiveness does not necessarily illuminate the road to equality but there can be no doubt that women have been conditioned to be hesitant in sexual intimacy, their needs simply an extension of male desire. When Rihanna repeats, over and over again, that her pleasure is paramount, and that her pleasure exists individually – essentially that she comes FIRST – it’s an independence that can be extended beyond the bedroom, even though, ironically, her sexual expression is what some hold against her as the opposite of a role model. [To view the videos associated with this article click here.] [Click here for the rest of the photos.] Posted at 3:06 PM [Kerry Washington’s Adweek Photoshop] [Kerry Washington on the cover of Adweek ] Yesterday, I wrote about [Kerry Washington]’s new feature in Adweek. [Click here] for a refresher. I raved about the choices she is making when it comes to her brand. I didn’t mention the cover. To be honest, I thought she looked a bit off but that wasn’t interesting to me. Her intellect and her career strategy were more noteworthy. Well, last night, Kerry posted this to Instagram: [So...You know me. I'm not one to be quiet about a magazine cover. I always celebrate it when a respected publication invites me to grace their pages. It's an honor. And a privilege. And ADWEEK is no exception. I love ADWEEK. It's a publication I appreciate. And learn from. I've long followed them on Twitter. And when they invited me to do a cover, I was excited and thrilled. And the truth is, I'm still excited. I'm proud of the article. And I like some of the inside images a great deal. But, I have to be honest...I was taken aback by the cover. Look, I'm no stranger to Photoshopping. It happens a lot. In a way, we have become a society of picture adjusters - who doesn't love a filter?!? And I don't always take these adjustments to task but I have had the opportunity to address the impact of my altered image in the past and I think it's a valuable conversation. Yesterday, however, I just felt weary. It felt strange to look at a picture of myself that is so different from what I look like when I look in the mirror. It's an unfortunate feeling. That being said. You all have been very kind and supportive. Also, as I've said, I'm very proud of the article. There are a few things we discussed in the interview that were left out. Things that are important to me (like: the importance of strong professional support and my awesome professional team) and I've been thinking about how to discuss those things with anyone who is interested, in an alternate forum. But until then...Grab this week's ADWEEK. Read it. I hope you enjoy it. And thank you for being patient with me while I figured out how to post this in a way that felt both celebratory and honest. XOXOXOX] A photo posted by Kerry Washington (@kerrywashington) on Apr 5, 2016 at 2:46pm PDT I like that she starts with mentioning that being on the cover of Adweek is an “honour and a privilege.” She’s coming from a place of respect while still, in her words, being “honest and celebratory.” What a pro. So, she likes the article and doesn’t love the cover. This isn’t the first time. Kerry’s magazine covers have a controversial history. There was the December 2013/January 2014 issue of Lucky (who the eff is that?) …and the March 2015 cover of [InStyle], which appeared to have altered Kerry’s skin tone, nose and lips. I can’t imagine what’s it’s like to see your face on a magazine cover knowing someone else decided which of your features were worthy of public consumption. Other celebs like [Zendaya] and [Lena Dunham] have also expressed their discontent over retouching. As Kerry says, “we have become a society of picture adjusters.” In the Adweek cover, it looks like Kerry’s nose and forehead have been messed with the most. As someone with a five-head, I am personally offended. I should note that Adweek [has responded] to Kerry’s statements saying they only made “minimal adjustments” and “meant no disrespect.” OK, let’s be real: do we actually solely want to see completely un-photoshopped images of celebrities? I doubt it. Heck, I filter and tweak my own images for Instagram all the time. No shame. But that’s not what we’re talking about here. We’re talking about changing a woman’s appearance to the point where her distinguishable qualities are almost unrecognizable. I stress the importance of representation a lot. Kerry’s presence on the covers of magazines is important. It’s necessary. It’s inspiring. Her presence also serves the purpose of depicting facial features and a skin tone we don’t always see on the cover of magazines. Yesterday, I said that we knew Kerry as an “ivy league educated Friend of Hillary.” Some of you were quick to point out that Kerry actually went to George Washington University, which isn’t technically an ivy league. Whatever guys, I’m Canadian. What’s an ivy league? I Googled and still couldn’t figure it out. My point is that Kerry is freaking smart. She’s smart enough to truly care and think about the image she is presenting to the world. She knows what her face on a cover means. On the heels of the incredibly inspiring Black Girls Rock special on BET last night, I can’t help but think of all the young women looking at magazine stands and hoping to see a face that resembles their own. Intentional disrespect or not, these magazines need to do better. [Click here for the rest of the photos.] Posted at 2:25 PM [Janet’s “family” break] [Janet Jackson on Instagram] Back in December, [Janet Jackson] postponed her Unbreakable tour, telling fans that she had to have surgery. There followed all kinds of rumours about her being sick and a few weeks later she had to post a message on Twitter denying that she had cancer. Yesterday she posted yet another message on Twitter, again to announce that the tour will be delayed even longer, but this time with a much different tone. A message from Janet...[ — Janet Jackson (@JanetJackson) [April 6, 2016] Sometimes her voice sounds so much like Michael’s it kills me. It KILLS me. But the breath she takes before she says, “My husband and I are planning our family” and the smile that follows…you can’t help but be happy for her, non? I mean you can feel that she wants to squeal about it, right? Even though the wording is vague-ish, everybody’s speculating now that she’s pregnant since she mentioned “doctor’s orders”. Janet turns 50 in two months. It’d be a great way to celebrate her major milestone. [Click here for the rest of the photos.] Posted at 1:46 PM [April 6, 2016 – Smutty Shout-Outs] [Idris Elba for Liz] Liz! Happy Birthday from Fernanda! As you well know, Beyoncé runs on her own clock, so I’m not sure if you’ll get the album as your birthday present. But here are Idris Elba, Tom Hardy + puppy, Jon Snow, and Beyoncé in Ivy Park as very, very, very secondary gifts…until Beysus decides when she’s good and ready to honour us with her work. [Click here for the rest of the photos.] Posted at 1:37 PM [Privacy Policy] - [Unsubscribe]