Newsletter Wednesday, May 04, 2016

[LaineyGossip.com - Calling all smuthounds!] Wednesday, May 04, 2016 [Intro for May 4, 2016] [Prince Harry covers PEOPLE Magazine ] Dear Gossips, Prince Harry covers the [new issue of PEOPLE] ahead of the start of the Invictus Games in Orlando on Sunday. In support of the Games Harry even gave the magazine an exclusive interview, full of quotes that the MiniVan Majority will eat up. About his mother, Princess Diana, of course. This is what I appreciate about Harry. He understands that he’s the draw. He is doing whatever he can to generate interest for the Games without compromising the royal standard in the hopes that people will come to support the athletes. They will totally come to support the athletes. Some of them will come to propose to him. There’s always someone, probably a lot more than one, dreaming in the crowd during those walkabouts that their eyes will connect, and instant love will ensue. I wonder how he feels about this, knowing that whenever a woman of a certain age is shaking his hand, what she’s really thinking is that she wants to be his princess. It would be different if he was a regular celebrity, or a rock star. But he can’t just take randoms back to the tour bus. So in that way he’s kinda limited. Does he envy the Leos of the world for this? All the access and the options but no opportunity to actually finish. Yours in gossip, Lainey [Click here for the rest of the photos.] Posted at 12:49 PM [Blake got a gun] [Blake Lively in trailer for The Shallows] A full length trailer for [Blake Lively]’s The Shallows has been released. If you’ve forgotten, this is the movie where Blake fights a shark. A teaser for the film came out a while ago but that was a preview mostly for atmosphere – [Blake’s on a rock] being scared. This time we get more of the story. And, after watching it, I’m wondering if the story is about man-hating? We open on Blake turning down an invite to hang in the water by two dudes, the impression being that two locals are trying to get pervy with the wary blonde innocent. Later on, we cut to one of the guys telling her that this place, which we know is being hunted by a shark, is “paradise”. So they end up getting shark-attacked later on… because they were skeeves and lied to her? Blake then tells the shark that she’s not the one and they go to war. At some point she finds a gun and shoots. This is where Sarah has problems with the story because…how come there’s a gun lying around? Maybe we’re overthinking it. Maybe it’s as simple as: Beaches are nice, Sharks are scary, We should not let sharks threaten our beaches. F-ck you shark. Go see The Shallows. [Click here for the rest of the photos.] Posted at 7:16 PM [The Kit Harington Apology Tour] [Kit Harington covers Entertainment Weekly ] Lainey included a video on my recap this week of [Kit Harington] apologizing for lying for a year about the fate of Jon Snow. You can see it [here]. And by the way, it wasn’t just us—Harington had to lie to [EVERYONE]. In the wake of Jon Snow’s resurrection, there have been thinkpieces about the “[problem]” of death on television, how it’s [cheap] and a [gimmick] and is ruining everything. There’s been a lot of bitching on Twitter and social media. The “problem”, as I see it, is twofold. The first problem is that of treating the fans like idiots. It’s the internet age. People snap photos of celebrities at airports, on sets, and everywhere else and post them online. It’s extremely easy to figure out if an actor is still involved with a show. In a few weeks The Walking Dead will begin production on its latest season in Georgia. When a certain actor doesn’t show up, we’ll all know who Negan killed with his bat in the finale (if [casting notices] haven’t ruined it already). You’re not going to keep a secret that big for that long anymore. Don’t even bother trying. The second problem, though, is a narrative one that I think people are overlooking in the haste to churn out hot takes. And that problem is that Game of Thrones doesn’t have a death problem. Jon Snow’s death, and subsequent resurrection, is not a gimmick, or cheap. It was set up and foreshadowed for YEARS. Jon Snow’s murder at the hands of his brethren was, by the time it happened, a foregone conclusion. And so was his resurrection. It was the payoff of dozens of hours of carefully crafted storytelling. It’s just that the show, from a marketing angle, mishandled it. “Jon Snow is dead-dead,” said everyone from the showrunners to the actors for nearly a year. They acted like we thought he was going to stand up and brush it off and say, “It’s just a flesh wound.” But what the “Jon Snow is dead-dead” angle never addressed was resurrection. I don’t think anyone actually thought he would survive, but we all thought he would come back. And the space between those two things is where the “problem” grew. The template for any show attempting a resurrection storyline is series two of the BBC’s Sherlock, which ended on the cliffhanger of Dr. Watson witnessing Sherlock’s (supposed) suicide. Like Jon Snow, Sherlock Holmes’s death and resurrection is a fundamental element of his narrative, and so the creative team behind the show made the decision to not waste time lying and confirmed at the end of the episode that yes, of course Sherlock is alive. But HOW? That one question fueled a two-year internet investigation that turned the show into a phenomenon. We shouldn’t have spent almost a year with the term “dead-dead”, or listening to actors lie and now issue apologies for lying. (Kit Harington seems embarrassed to have to do it.) Let us instead speculate on the how and when and the who. You know what Lainey and I have been talking about all week? The significance of [Ghost’s reaction] to Jon’s revival. We’re picking apart how a dog reacts to seeing its owner come back to life. He seems to recognize Jon right away—animals know, man. They’re intuitive. Does this mean there are no “pieces missing”? Is this the same Jon Snow as before? And if so, what does that mean about Jon’s journey back from death? What can we infer from Ghost’s reaction? This is a MUCH better conversation than, “Ugh, I can’t believe they’re still lying about this.” All they had to do, last summer when Jon Snow ate it, was say, “Yes he is dead, but we all know death doesn’t have to be permanent in Westeros.” And then watch as the fans spend months constructing elaborate schemes for how Jon could come back. Instead of stonewalling, encourage speculation. Invite participation. There isn’t a death problem on TV. There is, however, a “we think you’re idiots” problem. Thrones and The Walking Dead have treated viewers like idiots, but this is the savviest viewing audience that has ever existed. We know when we’re being bullsh*tted. And in treating us like idiots, producers and networks force actors into the uncomfortable position of lying to the very people who make their jobs possible. I’m excited for the possibilities of Jon Snow now that he’s finally done something interesting. I’m just sorry Kit Harington has to waste time apologizing for it. [Source] [Click here for the rest of the photos.] Posted at 5:32 PM [Smutty Tingles] 50 Cent is sorry for being a dick – this time ([Dlisted]) Who is Solange shading? ([Just Jared]) Marvin is a great name ([Cele|bitchy]) Great photo of Demi Lovato ([TooFab]) Britney’s new neon green swimsuit. Feeling herself. ([TMZ]) PETA is mad at Justin Bieber again ([The Superficial]) This reminded a lot of people of Gwyneth Paltrow ([Hollywood Tuna]) She looks good, but I feel like I’ve seen this on Naomi Watts so many times ([Go Fug Yourself]) Season 2 UnREAL trailer! ([Pajiba]) [Click here for the rest of the photos.] Posted at 5:12 PM [Jennifer Hudson Reacts to Tony snub] [Jennifer Hudson arrives for the 'Manus x Machina: Fashion In An Age Of Technology' Costume Institute Gala at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 2, 2016 in New York City] The story at the Tony Awards was never going to be Hamilton, because that was always going to be the story. Yeah, 16 nominations is a lot, but the show has probably been the most mentioned piece of art in the last twelve months, by an exponential amount. That was never THE story. Instead, I said to Lainey, the story will come from the snubs. Because, unlike the Oscars (but maybe closer to the Emmys), a Tony nomination isn’t about the voters’ interpretation of 90 minutes of acting, it’s about the performance over the eligibility period. Good days, bad days…combined with reviews, it’s meant to be a nod toward general excellence. By all accounts, [Jennifer Hudson] was excellent, and The Color Purple was excellent. And then [this]: In a now-deleted tweet, Hudson says she’s not surprised, because she was hired for her celebrity, not her talent. Which…let’s just take a second there. 1. You are a celebrity because you have talent, right? Jennifer Hudson is not a flash in the pan. She’s the real deal. No matter how much of a celebrity someone is, they don’t get to take on a huge role on Broadway unless they can carry the role; the exceptions you are gearing up to email me about prove the rule, because they are notorious. 2. Doesn’t this speak to a little naked insecurity on her part? Like maybe she actually believes she doesn’t deserve the nomination? Stay with me here: The reviews of The Color Purple say that the cast is overall excellent, but that Cynthia Erivo is really transcendent. She was onstage in London, but most people don’t know who she is. So yeah, Jennifer Hudson is the more familiar name, if not the biggest role. I have a friend, H. Vance Hues [@tapeworthy], who sees about as many shows a year as you eat meals. Follow him if you want the inside scoop on shows before they happen—he was talking about Hamilton 9 months before even culture vultures caught on. I asked what he thought of The Color Purple, and he said Hudson was really great, really excellent…but then just gets blown away by Erivo, and, significantly, by Danielle Brooks. I say significantly because it’s Hudson’s first turn on Broadway. Maybe you don’t need or expect a nomination your first time on Broadway, just doing it, and getting those great reviews, is enough. Huge even! But Brooks got a nomination, and it’s her first time on Broadway—albeit in a much smaller role. So… Is Jennifer Hudson just being a bit pouty and ungracious? Or has she felt outclassed all this time, and now these nominations, even as incomplete and biased as nominations always are (6 time winner Audra McDonald didn’t even get a nod!), prove that for the first time in a long long time, she’s not the best in the room? H. Vance, who saw the production in previews, in November, said “I did feel at the bows that Jennifer Hudson knew she was outshone by them. It was in her eyes and her demeanor. She wasn’t bad about it, just like “oh, hmmm…I’m with even more amazing people”. Everyone agrees it was a huge year for women on Broadway. That there are many, many talented performers who didn’t get the nod. But when Lainey and I talked about this, she was reminded of the time [Jennifer Hudson was hours late to tape Oprah], which we saw during Season 25, still the best example of producer porn I’ve ever seen. She was…sorry, but not that sorry, you know? She was apologetic but still, it seemed at the time, focused on all her reasons and her rationale. It was about the JHud show, even on Oprah’s show. It’s worth noting that Hudson’s contract with the show is almost up. She’ll be replaced on May 10th by Heather Headley – a Tony winner. (Lainey: [click here] to watch that Oprah moment if you haven’t seen it. Imagine being late for Oprah and Oprah wanting answers!?! And then Oprah scolding you to the audience!?) Attached - Jennifer Hudson at the MET Gala on Monday night. [Click here for the rest of the photos.] Posted at 4:56 PM [Jared & Halsey] [Jared Leto attends the 'Manus x Machina: Fashion In An Age Of Technology' Costume Institute Gala at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 2, 2016 in New York City] [Jared Leto] went to see Lupita Nyong’o on Broadway in Eclipsed last night. She posted a photo on Instagram: [My dear friend @JaredLeto visited the #IronLadies of @eclipsedbway and gave us a thumbs up! I'll take that, thank you very much. Thank you for coming!! #reunited #eclipsedplay] A photo posted by Lupita Nyong'o (@lupitanyongo) on May 3, 2016 at 9:16pm PDT As you know, they won their Supporting Actor Oscars in the same year. They went through that entire award season together. They were really cute together. So there was some speculation, even though all of us who were speculating did it with a sense of disbelief. Lupita, obviously, is amazing. But is Jared Leto smart enough to appreciate that? At Coachella a few weeks ago, Jared was seen getting close with [Halsey]. [Click here] for a refresher. They were both at the MET Gala on Monday and both, coincidentally, in white. No photos together. In fact she ended up changing into an outfit that matched [Rami Malek]’s and they actually hit up the after-party together. Jared was at the after-party too. Haven’t heard anything yet though about them doing anything gossipy. Jared, by the way, is 44. Halsey is 21. So he goes to camp with Leonardo DiCaprio. For men who claim to be so individual and singular, they certainly don’t distinguish themselves in the most cliché of ways. [Click here for the rest of the photos.] Posted at 4:29 PM [Lupita Nyong’o Defends Broadway] [Lupita Nyong'o out and about in New York City, May 3, 2016] For most of yesterday morning, we were obsessing over [Lupita Nyong’o]’s hair [at the Met Gala]. I’m still not over it. Here’s what she just Instagrammed this morning about her inspiration: [Hair Inspiration. Check. @vernonfrancois @voguemagazine #metball2016] A video posted by Lupita Nyong'o (@lupitanyongo) on May 4, 2016 at 6:50am PDT By the end of the day, she was making headlines for her Tony nomination for the play Eclipsed and her essay for Lena Dunham’s Lenny Letter called [Why I Chose a ‘Small Play’ Over the Big Screen]. In the piece, Lupita writes about fielding questions about why she decided to do a “small” Broadway production when she’s such a well-known Academy-award winning actress. If you were to ask me that question before I read the essay, I would have said “because Hollywood was probably offering her sh*t roles” and while Lupita puts it way more eloquently, that’s basically the gist. She went where the material was the strongest. Here’s how she explains it: So often women of color are relegated to playing simple tropes: the sidekick, the best friend, the noble savage, or the clown…As an African woman, I am wary of the trap of telling a single story. I decided early on that if I don’t feel connected to, excited by, and challenged by the character, the part probably isn’t for me. It’s a relatively new thing to see actresses discussing and defending their career choices so openly but in this case it’s especially powerful because we know, for someone who looks like Lupita Nyong’o, the options are limited at best. When Sarah wrote about the reality of Lupita’s casting possibilities in Hollywood right after her [Oscar win in 2014], she basically predicted how few substantial opportunities Lupita would have on film. We haven’t seen Lupita’s face on the big screen in two years, yet she has starred in two of the biggest films of late, Star Wars: The Force Awakens and The Jungle Book. I loved both movies. She’s exceptional in them and both were really smart career choices. But, again, in both films, we don’t see her face. For two years, the roles Lupita deemed worthy of her aptitude were either CGI or not on film. That’s embarrassing for Hollywood. It’s very telling of the film industry that Broadway is where Oscar winner Lupita Nyong’o has chosen to focus her talent because the best material was on stage, not on screen. Eclipsed garnered six Tony nominations. By all accounts, it’s supposed to be excellent. Joanna [raved about it here] a few weeks ago. Eclipsed is the first Broadway play with an all-woman cast, writer and director and all are of African decent. When does that happen in Hollywood? Never. Eclipsed is the story of several women trapped by a rebel commander during the Liberian Civil War. It sounds fascinating. As Lupita puts it “why wouldn’t [she] want to be in an incredible, gorgeous, meaty piece” of work? She also touches on the class system in entertainment culture. Broadway is deemed lesser than TV and film. If you look at the calibre of talent and stories that are on Broadway, the hierarchy seems a bit messed up. It’s dangerous to write off Broadway as “small plays” when that is where some of the best work for people of colour lives. See: Hamilton. (Note: if you are reading this and you have Hamilton tickets, I am willing to sleep with you for them. Holler at me.) One of the most notable paragraphs in Lupita’s Lenny essay is when she talks about having to defend her career trajectory to begin with. I wonder if Bradley Cooper or Benedict Cumberbatch were questioned in the same way about their choices to do Broadway at the height of their big screen careers. Lupita writes: “I think as women, as women of color, as black women, too often we hear about what we “need to do.” How we need to behave, what we need to wear, what’s deemed as too much or not enough, the cultural politics of what society considers appropriate for us and for our lives. What I am learning is that the most important questions you can ask yourself are “What do I want?” and “Who do I want to become?” Yes to this on so many levels. The questions “what do I want?” and “who do I want to become?” are big, universal life questions but for so many women of colour, the answers have limits. Lupita has actively chosen not to be a stereotype. She is consciously deciding to only act in roles that excite her and that portray fully formed, complex human beings. In her Lenny essay, Lupita hints at some big roles coming up. Other than Disney’s biopic, [Queen of Katwe], we don’t know a lot about what she’s going to do next. Whatever it is, I can’t wait. Attached – Lupita out in New York yesterday. [Click here for the rest of the photos.] Posted at 3:31 PM [Zendaya after the gala] [Zendaya at LAX, May 3, 2016] Maria texted me after the MET Gala posts yesterday about Zendaya, positing that “part of what makes Zendaya’s style special is that she’s not afraid to be unrecognizable. So many of them, teen or not, are terrified of not being SEEN. Obviously the Rita Oras and the Bella Thornes but also JLO and Julia Roberts always look more or less the same”. She’s right. Zendaya is a style chameleon. And she looks different from one event to the next, one carpet to the next. Remember her at the [MET Gala]? This is Zendaya after the gala, arriving back in LA, like a regular teenage girl waiting for her bags, getting caught at baggage claim [by TMZ]for a series of questions about Beyoncé and Jay Z. There’s a rule on television though, an old rule that [Traci Melchor] told me came from Aaron Spelling. That back in the 70s and 80s, he wanted actresses to never change their hair, at least for 3 months or so, so that audiences could settle into familiarity with them. For Zendaya, who is just starting her career, whose acting and performing career has been relatively specialised and niche to date, it would have been sage advice… 20 years ago. But that’s arguably a pre-social media Hollywood standard. Now I’m not sure it matters as much. We all know what they look like as soon as they wake up in the morning. [Click here for the rest of the photos.] Posted at 3:09 PM [Danai Gurira: Tony nominations at the MET Gala] [Anna Wintour] is a tastemaker, and last year, she helped relaunch the Tonys as a must-watch event by upping the glamour on the red carpet. She brought in Kendall Jenner and the Hadids, but her love of theatre also extends beyond fashion. She helped make sure [Danai Gurira], the writer of Broadway's Eclipsed, scored an invite to the MET Gala on Monday. Danai wore a white Giambattista Valli gown on the red carpet, and just hours later, she was making history. Danai is an Obie Award-winning playwright, but she is best known for her work as Michonne on The Walking Dead. And now she's a Tony nominee. Eclipsed scored six Tony nominations yesterday, and Danai is the only female writer nominated for Best Play. Vox reports Eclipsed -- which first debuted in 2009 - is the first Broadway play to feature an all-black cast and creative team, and Broadway's embrace of Danai's work has certainly paid off. [Lupita Nyong'o] earned a nod for her role as Wife Number Four -- as I predicted [back in March], and as Kathleen will write about later today -- as did Pascale Armand (the hilarious Wife Number Three) and Saycon Sengbloh (the matriarchal Wife Number One). Director Liesl Tommy has an honour of her own, too. The play is a coming-of-age story, and focuses on the lives of five women who are fighting to survive in the final days of Liberia's 14-year-long Civil War. Eclipsed shows how these women endured a seemingly endless run of rapes and sexual assault at the hands of their commanding officer, but does so with plenty of moments of brevity, and "savagely funny" humour. On paper, it doesn't necessarily sound like a must-see, but Danai's story, and the play's performances are so gripping that when you see it you barely want to buy a Lupita-themed drink at intermission. I saw it back in March, the night before it opened. [Click here] for a refresher. This is the type of work and buzz that Anna is rewarding with a MET invitation. It may sound like a risk, but she's helping the show receive the visibility it deserves before the Tony news was even announced. While outlets are able to report about Danai's success story, they're also able to use those photos of her in the Giambattista Valli dress. Or of Lupita in Calvin Klein. Or even of newly-minted Tony nominee Michelle Williams in LV. Also there? The Color Purple's Cynthia Erivo... another newly-minted Tony nominee. Her pre-nomination day tweet expresses her gratitude perfectly: Tonight Anna Wintour said she was a fan of mine. Sarah Jessica Parker said I was beautiful. I feel like a princess [pic.twitter.com/6YBMG6RJyG] — Cynthia Erivo (@CynthiaEriVo) [May 3, 2016] But back to Eclipsed. The A-Listers have seen it in droves: [Jared Leto], Bono, [Chris Rock], [Seth Meyers]... And then some. Anna and her MET team knew it's an important work and the Tony nominations have confirmed it. When will Hollywood be up for embracing these types of stories? Thank you [@TheTonyAwards] for this incredible honor! So proud of the entire [@Eclipsedbway] family-6 [#TonyAwards] noms! [pic.twitter.com/snnTjCcXPB] — Danai Gurira (@DanaiGurira) [May 3, 2016] [Click here for the rest of the photos.] Posted at 2:43 PM [Tell me your Every Day Care stories] [Whirlpool Every Day, Care.] By the time I was eleven years old, I was already helping around the house. My dad worked two jobs and back then, in that generation, it was considered safe and acceptable for kids my age to take public transportation to and from school. I always got home before dad did. And to spare him to have to make dinner after a long day, I started washing the rice and getting it ready in the rice cooker. After that I learned how to marinate the meat and prepare it to be wok-steamed. On the weekends I helped out with the cleaning. At 14 I was ironing my dad’s shirts for work. At 16 I was expected to drive my ma around to her appointments and for groceries. And her mahjong games. These were my chores. And they were set out for me, at the time, so that I would learn how to contribute to our home, and appreciate how that contribution strengthens family. As an adult, that contribution led to my independence. And now, that contribution has turned into care. My ma lives with an incurable disease and disability. As her only child, it’s on me to assist dad in making her life as comfortable as possible. This includes housework and household tasks – habits and routines I’ve been familiar with all my life because I’ve been doing it all my life. Chores were a big part of my upbringing, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. A story similar to mine has probably played out in your life, too. I want to hear about it. Tonight from 8-9PM ET I am taking over Whirlpool Canada’s Twitter handle ([@whirlpool_CA]). Come join me for the chat! #EverDayCare Below: What Whirlpool Every Day, Care is all about: [Click here for the rest of the photos.] Posted at 2:20 PM [That New York rumour] [Blind Riddle] I first heard this rumour a few weeks ago. Now two more people have told me the same rumour, all circulating among people in New York…about a hot actor and a married woman with a famous husband. It’s been a while since he’s made a relationship stick. Because he’s so devoted to his work. One relationship apparently fell apart because of his work. We love him because he’s great at his job and so personable, handsome and cute at the same time. And stays out of trouble, off the party circuit, never attached to any drug-doing smut. Maybe the trouble he gets into has to do with who he hooks up with? According to gossips in New York, he had an affair with the wife of a wealthy celebrity. Because of her marriage, she’s well-connected and has her own famous friendship circle that overlaps with his friendship circle. And while she doesn’t seem like his recent types, you don’t have to go back too far to find similarities with a previous type. This happened a while ago and ended not dramatically. Word is it took him a while to get over – not the emotion of it but the guilt. And he beat himself up pretty badly over what he considers a major mistake. [Click here for the rest of the photos.] Posted at 2:09 PM [Miley skipped the MET Gala] [Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth at LAX after arriving from Australia, May 2, 2016] When I saw photos of [Miley Cyrus] and [Liam Hemsworth] leaving Brisbane this weekend I was excited, hoping they’d be on their way to New York for the MET Gala. Miley was there last year and two years before that. But they ended up landing, hand in hand, in LA after spending time with his family in Australia. And it didn’t seem like they were hiding it either. Just like they’re not hiding their arrival back in the US. No going out of different doors. No trying to avoid being photographed together. Which suggests that their reconciliation has reached a new level? Some are saying that their trip was to plan their wedding. Well, sure. But he also has a movie coming out in July, Independence Day: Resurgence. A new trailer was released yesterday in the form of a “news report” about the 20th anniversary of the alien invasion. Super cheesy. As it should be! As Sarah noted when the first trailer came out in December, the tone was too dark and ominous. [Click here] for a refresher. But what makes the original so memorable – and the reason I watch it over and over again – is that it’s ridiculously corny and patriotic. And this new preview seems to embrace that Roland Emmerich signature. Also Liam looks really f-cking hot in this trailer. And this is big for him. Not just looking hot but that Resurgence does well. Because, well, so far he hasn’t made much of an impact, professionally. He needs a win that he can claim, apart from The Hunger Games. Which, really, had nothing to do with him anyway. [Click here for the rest of the photos.] Posted at 1:47 PM [May 4, 2016 – Smutty Shout-Outs] [The unBeach Party poster ] Over 80,000 cases of skin cancer are diagnosed in Canada every year. Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer. And sun season is starting now. Are you taking care of your skin on the beach? If you’re in Vancouver, hit the beach with unBeach, the first annual party to benefit the Save Your Skin Foundation and celebrate melanoma survivorship and raise awareness for skin cancer and sun safety. [Click here] for more information. [Click here for the rest of the photos.] Posted at 1:00 PM [Privacy Policy] - [Unsubscribe]