Newsletter Monday, November 07, 2016

[LaineyGossip.com - Calling all smuthounds!] Monday, November 07, 2016 [Intro for November 7, 2016] [Jin Xing attends the Burberry brings London to Shanghai event on April 24, 2014 in Shanghai, China] Dear Gossips, The Hollywood Reporter’s main focus in last week’s issue was China and its growing influence on Hollywood. [The China Issue] includes an interview with Crazy Rich Asians author Kevin Kwan on China rich and the [obscene amounts of money] being spent by the Chinese billionaire cohort. There’s also a good article on [why Hollywood can’t break into the Chinese TV game]. And a fascinating look at [Wanda Studios], the world’s [largest movie-making facility], owned by China’s richest man, Wang Jianlin, who has not bothered to hide [his overt ambition to take over] at least one of the big six Hollywood studios. Hollywood is terrified of him. And also can’t resist his money. Every article is worth your time, and maybe even essential, in understanding the forces that are shaping Hollywood and where it’s heading. There are also two fascinating human interest stories that illustrate how culture is changing in China and the impact it’s having on the rest of the world. The first is a story about surrogacy – Chinese couples are [driving the surrogacy boom], particularly in California. Many women are doing it to pay off student loans, cars, or save money to send their own children to college. For Chinese couples, they’re getting off on the idea that their child is being carried by someone who looks like an old-fashioned movie star. Apparently Asian surrogates are rare. It’s just like Constance Wu said – people of colour have been conditioned to bias as well. And then there’s Jin Xing, China’s most popular talk show host. She was trained in the army. She was an internationally acclaimed dancer, praised by The New York Times and dance festivals around the United States. But instead of staying in America she wanted to go home, she preferred to pursue success in China and, also, become a woman there. Jin Xing is the first person in China to publicly undergo gender reassignment surgery. Like, with the government’s approval. And she’s now one of the most famous women in the country. They call her the Oprah of China! In China! Where you can’t even browse the internet freely! [Click here] to read the profile of Jin Xing at The Hollywood Reporter. If I were one of the producers of the Crazy Rich Asians movie, I’d totally be thinking of her for one of the parts. Maybe Nick’s mother? Yours in gossip, Lainey PS. We are experiencing an unexpected power outage. It’s been in and out all morning and site content may be affected through the day as I’m unable to connect to the internet and keep my devices charged. I apologise for any potential disruption to your gossip schedule. We are hoping that they can get this fixed as soon as possible without me having to start fights with people. Again, you may not even notice. But if you do, I’m so sorry and I promise to make it up as soon as I can. [Click here for the rest of the photos.] Posted at 2:00 PM [Hugh Grant’s +1] [Hugh Grant and Anna Elisabet Eberstein at the 20th Annual Hollywood Film Awards, November 6, 2016] [Hugh Grant] was named Hollywood Supporting Actor at the Hollywood Film Awards last night for his work in Florence Foster Jenkins. As mentioned earlier, it’s a [wide open category of Oscar]. And Hugh’s the kind of guy who would hate the idea of having to campaign for an Oscar, love the idea of actually winning an Oscar, and hate himself for loving the idea of winning an Oscar. What he would hate most is campaigning for an Oscar only to see someone else win it. It sounds complicated but it’s actually quite simple: to be Hugh Grant is to pretty much find ways to be pissed off all the time, mostly at yourself. I understand this because that’s my worldview too. Hugh did not attend the event alone. He was with one of his baby mothers, Anna Elisabet Eberstein. He and Anna have two children together. One of those children was born at close range to when one of his other children, by his other baby mother Tinglan Hong, was born. Is this a man’s equivalent of a pregnant woman not knowing who the father is? Has Hugh Grant been judged as harshly? I was surprised to see Anna by his side last night. Hugh’s been rather candid about his personal approach to relationships, particularly monogamy. That is to say, he finds it difficult. And maybe pointless. And he admires those who find ways to be together emotionally with the freedom to connect with other people physically. Either he’s changed his mind then or he and Anna share that perspective. If so, excellent for them. And I mean that. Because it would never work for me. I’m not evolved enough, too jealous and grudgy. [Click here for the rest of the photos.] Posted at 8:42 PM [Smutty Social Media, November 7, 2016] [Anna Faris] Blake Lively got chocolate on her ballot because BLAKE LIVELY LOVES DESSERT, have you heard? [🇺🇸ONLY 2 DAYS LEFT until the election! People can look it up if you don't vote 😬. Use your voice!!! 🗣🎉Our future is YOUR choice. How awesome is that?! #VOTE (...and ignore the chocolate on my delicious ballot.😳😛)] A photo posted by Blake Lively (@blakelively) on Nov 6, 2016 at 9:28am PST The #mannequinchallenge is a thing on social media right now and it’s exactly what it sounds like – people standing as still as mannequins to create a scene of frozen people. But I’m more interested in what, if anything, this means about Destiny’s Child. I feel like if there was an announcement, Bey wouldn’t make it this obvious. [🎈🎉🎂] A video posted by kellyrowland (@kellyrowland) on Nov 7, 2016 at 9:13am PST I hate Daylight Saving Time so much. [A lot of you are asking what's clipped to Anna's bangs. Here's a close up. It's easy to acquire this cute look by simply attaching some packaging material from an amazon order to your head using two hair pins. Stick a silver dollar in your eye and bam, it's the perfect daylight savings look.] A photo posted by chris pratt (@prattprattpratt) on Nov 6, 2016 at 7:59pm PST All Sully did was land a plane on the Hudson. Billy Eichner chases strangers on the street, yelling out inane questions. Who’s the real hero? I'm sorry I'm trying to go high when they go low, I'm really trying, but I just had to say that. 🇺🇸 — billy eichner (@billyeichner) [November 6, 2016] Harry Styles has been pretty quiet since the end of 1D. I think it’s a great way to start his acting career and fully separate from his boy band days. But I give it a minute before a lower-tier tab puts him and Suki Waterhouse together. [I got a picture w Harry styles 🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌 happy f%ckin Sunday] A photo posted by anselelgort (@anselelgort) on Nov 6, 2016 at 4:13pm PST Conscious uncoupling, New York Marathon edition. [#family #nycmarathon #jobwelldone] A photo posted by Drew Barrymore (@drewbarrymore) on Nov 6, 2016 at 1:47pm PST Young Blake Shelton looks older than current Blake Shelton. [I wanna punch young @blakeshelton's face so hard.] A photo posted by Adam Levine (@adamlevine) on Nov 6, 2016 at 4:55pm PST Is Joel Edgerton single? Let’s ask the Gossip Genie for this one. "1. Is Joel Edgerton single? 2. Is he into plus sized, middle aged black women? Asking 4 a friend." Legit text sent to a friend who wld kno — Retta (@unfoRETTAble) [November 5, 2016] It’s crunch time, people. Things are getting serious because Anderson Cooper is wearing glasses all the time now. — Chris Regan (@ChrisRRegan) [November 7, 2016] Adrien Grenier in… Trash Fire. I thought this was maybe a joke, but then I watched [the trailer] and now I just hope Sarah reviews it. [And please don't judge me, I was simply following the logic of the character, I would never do that iRL So check out "the most controversial horror/comedy of the year." Rent or buy TRASH FIRE on itunes & vod! (Link in my profile)] A photo posted by Adrian Grenier (@adriangrenier) on Nov 6, 2016 at 4:50pm PST [Click here for the rest of the photos.] Posted at 8:20 PM [Gael Garcia Bernal in Desierto] [Desierto movie poster] The last time I struggled to see a movie my patience paid off and I saw [Hell or High Water], one of the year’s best films (watch it be a surprise Best Picture nominee). So I was hoping, after some difficulty getting to Desierto, that it might pay off in a similar way. Haha, NOPE. Not even close. A B-grade exploitation flick with political pretensions, Desierto isn’t horrible but it’s the kind of movie that comes at you with a message and then proceeds to brain you with it for the next ninety minutes. [Gael Garcia Bernal] stars as Moises, a Mexican immigrant illegally crossing the US border. One of the pros of Desierto is that it wastes no time getting through the setup and gets straight to the action. Which is: A psychotic redneck ([Jeffrey Dean Morgan]) with a sniper rifle hunting down and murdering Moises and his fellow emigres with gleeful abandon. It’s not a bad premise, as far as stripped-down thrillers go, and it has that current events flavor that makes the movie seem more important than it is, but Desierto tries to split the difference between exploitation flick—Mexploitation?—and commentary, and it’s worse off on both counts. Bernal and Morgan are as good as you expect—Morgan excels at playing leering bad guys (see also: Negan on The Walking Dead), and Bernal has a wiry resourcefulness that begs to be used in a better movie. He’s an intelligent actor that projects the feeling he’s always thinking, which is an underrated quality in action heroes, and someone would be smart to cast him in a Cop Drama or Gritty Revenge Thriller. Undoubtedly that’s a big part of why he’s in Desierto—Moises is a resourceful guy who depends on his ability to out-think his rival. I just wish the rest of the movie held up to Bernal’s presence. Co-written by Mateo Garcia and Jonas Cuaron—son of Alfonso—who is also making his directorial debut, Desierto stumbles hardest with the villain. First of all, his name is Sam, which is the most WE GET IT name in recent movie memory. Second of all, he is without any nuance or development, which, a movie like this doesn’t require Kubrickian layers, but without any kind of nooks or crannies to explore, JDM’s performance is restricted to one, ultimately tiresome, note. And make no mistake—Sam is a straight up serial killer. There really are self-appointed vigilantes patrolling the US/Mexico border, so there is some real world psychology to be explored here, but Sam has so much bloodlust he’s one second away from f*cking his gun. As a commentary on America, I mean, not entirely inaccurate. But as a movie character? It gets boring. And that’s the main problem with Desierto. For a movie that is literally just run-and-gun action, the sociopolitical commentary—which is so obvious it’s juvenile—deadens the thriller beats until the whole thing is just gross exploitation. Exploitation films can be fun (see also: Foxy Brown, Dolemite, Shaft), but the key to good exploitation is to take a real world premise and leave behind direct parallels. Luke Cage suffered for making the same mistake of thinking it has to comment on every current event, but that’s not necessary. Audiences are smart—we can make the leap without characters like Sam. He becomes so ridiculous by the end that Desierto edges into snuff film territory, and any of the weight carried by the first half of the movie is lost by the end. Bernal keeps the whole thing watchable, but Desierto really lets him down. A smarter movie would actually be dumber than this, knowing that the “us vs. them” mentality inherent in a border story is enough commentary and the movie itself can just focus on the characters. We don’t need to like Sam, but we shouldn’t be laughing at him, and he’s such a f*cking cartoon it’s impossible not to once he starts monologuing. It’s a fine enough looking movie, with some gorgeous desert landscape shots (lensed by cinematographer Damian Garcia), but the whack-a-mole obvious Symbolism and Meaning keep Desierto from really connecting. [Click here for the rest of the photos.] Posted at 7:18 PM [Sophie Turner & Joe Jonas] [Sophie Turner/Joe Jonas] [Sophie Turner], aka Sansa Stark, and [Joe Jonas] are a thing now. He was in the Netherlands for the MTV European Music Awards with DNCE and was seen with his arm around her. Apparently it was obvious that they're definitely a couple. Joe Jonas & Sophie Turner -- Up Close & Personal (PHOTO) [ — TMZ (@TMZ) [November 7, 2016] Sophie is 20. Joe is 27. This makes sense to me. Think about how old she would have been when we were at Peak Jonas Brothers. Now take yourself out of your own age and put yourself in hers. His little brother Nick might get the women over-30 but Joe Jonas's range is exactly where Sophie is now. And on celebrity ranking, they're pretty well matched too. For now. Sophie's been more visible than ever this year. She's spent more time than ever in LA. So far, her fame has been pretty niche. You know her from Game Of Thrones. A lot of people watch Game Of Thrones. But do you want to know her beyond Game Of Thrones? She is of the generation that wants to be known. That wants to be seen, over and above the work. Seen as a personality apart from her character. And now she's given us a reason to talk about her love life, her personal life. As we approach the end of Game Of Thrones, she may see this as a professional opportunity as well. As for Joe? Well, he was with Gigi just as she was ascending. She was around the same age as Sophie too. And then it was over. And she moved on to Zayn. One more like this and we might be able to call him a jump-off. Here's Joe at the European Music Awards with DNCE yesterday and Sophie out in Paris for Fashion Week last month. [Click here for the rest of the photos.] Posted at 6:43 PM [Kate Hudson must sing] [Kate Hudson arrives at the 20th Annual Hollywood Film Awards at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on November 6, 2016 in Los Angeles, California] [Kate Hudson] was at the Hollywood Film Awards last night. I'm sure there was an official reason for her to be there but the unofficial reason, as we've seen over and over again the last few years, is that she'll show up. The other thing we've been seeing with increasing frequency is Kate Hudson singing. On social media. At charity galas. And now she's doing birthday parties. Here's video of Kate on stage at David Foster's birthday party on Friday night with Seal and [John Mayer]: [We threw a little birthday party for dad last night. 🍸🍷💥🎉🎊🍰🍾 @davidfoster @katehudson @johnmayer @seal @ericbenet] A video posted by Sara Foster (@sarafoster) on Nov 5, 2016 at 10:07am PDT Would Kate Hudson and John Mayer ever be a possibility? Have we talked about this already? I feel like no hookup in Hollywood is ever new anymore. One way or another they've all made their way around each other. But anyway, Kate and John, who was most recently seen [making moves on Demi Lovato] seem kinda obvious, non? Why WOULDN'T they? Oh right, she's friends with Katy Perry. And...why would that matter? In this town, they'd cut a friend for a role in a movie so I'm not sure that's a defence that stands up. But while we're talking about a circle of friends, Jennifer Aniston is also a member of this club. And Kate joked recently on Howard Stern [that she's aiming for Brad Pitt]. It was a joke at the time, totally. Still. STILL. There are many people I've talked to who didn't entirely laugh it off. You remember before she hooked up with Matt Bellamy a few years ago, there was a report out of US Weekly that Kate's [first target was Thom Yorke]? Thom and his longtime partner were solid at the time so Kate redirected and ended up with Matt. But you could look at that as an example of how she goal sets her romances. Brad Pitt is single. Some would say he's still a major "catch". Just something to keep in mind. [Click here for the rest of the photos.] Posted at 6:05 PM [#LaineyxSKINCEUTICALS: Join me November 17 in Oakville!] [#LaineyxSKINCEUTICALS: Join me November 17 in Oakville!] Earlier this summer I was introduced to Skinceuticals, a line of L’Oreal professional grade skincare products. They are specifically designed to complement non-invasive skin treatments like the cold gel laser that you’ve heard me talk about for years on this blog. You can [read my post on the line here] as a refresher. I’ve been using Skinceutical products religiously since and stocked up on a few of them, including their sun screen, in advance of my trip south. If you’re interested in trying them out yourself and talking to their experts come and join me at the SkinCeuticals Flagship store on November 17th ([Verso Surgery Centre]: Unit B4-1148 Winston Churchill Blvd) in Oakville. Cocktails, mingling, product samples, and of course gossip – OMG we have SO much to catch up on! Would love to meet you and your friends and hang out for a couple of hours. If you’re interested in attending, RSVP [here]. Hope to see there! [Click here for the rest of the photos.] Posted at 5:45 PM [Jennifer by the sea] You know what I did there. I am a sh-t. Here’s [Jennifer Aniston] on the cover of [Marie Claire]. The photo shoot happened on a boat. She looks amazing. I love the shot of her in that grey hoodie, wearing joggers, her freckles visible below her bright blue eyes. It’s the one I would have chosen for the cover – this is America’s Sweetheart, so healthy and happy she’s glowing from within. It’s a sales strategy that almost never goes wrong. And, right now, considering what’s happening with her ex-husband and the woman who “replaced” her, well, I mean it’s hard not to draw the comparison. Smug? No way! Who has time to be smug? And besides, [she wrote an entire essay] for the Huffington Post about this very subject. As she explains it; "My marital status has been shamed; my divorce status was shamed; my lack of a mate had been shamed; my nipples have been shamed. It's like, Why are we only looking at women through this particular lens of picking us apart? Why are we listening to it? I just thought: I have worked too hard in this life and this career to be whittled down to a sad, childless human." Yes but part of the work was maintaining that narrative. It’s the source of her popularity although, of course, all celebrities want you think it all goes back to their art, as if the MiniVan Majority’s devotion to Jennifer Aniston really comes from that movie she did with Gerard Butler. Kristin Hahn, Jen’s friend and producing partner, told Marie Claire that: "People just love her. It's a blessing and a curse." Right. And what is the origin of that love? You can try to tell me it’s her films but I’m not sure how you can argue that it’s not the fact that Rachel Green married the Sexiest Man Alive. But celebrities will always try to rewrite the origins of their fame. And, interestingly, Jen may be sensing that that position has, up to this point, been based on a rather weak foundation. She says she’s on the brink of change: "This is a time when I'm not completely sure what I'm doing. I'm at this sort of crossroads trying to figure out what inspires me deep in my core. What used to make me tick is not necessarily making me tick any- more ... The most challenging thing right now is trying to find what it is that makes my heart sing." Pretty sure that’s not Office Christmas Party though? That’s the movie she’s promoting with this magazine cover, yet another in an ever-growing series of ensemble comedies that seem to contradict her comments later on about her choosing her roles: "You have to be so madly in love with it and think, I will be so upset if I don't go and play this person...Especially these days, with Justin in Melbourne. It has to be worth it." Ummmm…does Office Christmas Party fit that description? As for [Justin Theroux] and their relationship, from the minute they showed us their engagement ring in the [paparazzi hub that is New Mexico], I’ve always said she’d found a worthy co-player in the fame game. And, in that sense, it truly is a beautiful partnership. When you can be completely transparent in your motivation and find someone who appreciates you for it: "Why is he the right person for me? All I know is that I feel completely seen, and adored, in no matter what state. There's no part of me that I don't feel comfortable showing, exposing. And it brings forth the best part of myself, because I care about him so much. And he's such a good person. It hurts me to think of anything hurting him." [Click here] for more on Jennifer Aniston in Marie Claire. [Click here for the rest of the photos.] Posted at 5:21 PM [World War Brange: Brad files back] [Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt] Late Friday afternoon [TMZ reported] that [Brad Pitt] had filed a response to [Angelina Jolie’]s divorce petition. You’ll recall – how could you forget? – that she asked for sole custody of their 6 children. And that they’re both currently cooperating with the Los Angeles Department of Children and Family Services recommendation for temporary custody to Angelina with Brad seeing the kids on supervised visitations. That recommendation was [extended a couple of weeks ago] and remains in place as of the writing of this post. Brad was never going to agree to Angelina having sole custody. I’m not sure anyone was expecting him to submit documentation that essentially amounted to him saying, sure, let her have the kids full-time and I’ll just look like an asshole to everyone. So it’s no surprise that he’s asking for joint legal and physical custody. Filing on Friday though is more like how we would have expected them to behave in this situation from the very beginning. It was just before the last weekend of the US election, an election that’s really taken over the headlines not just in news and in politics but even in entertainment and pop culture. Doing so this past weekend then was in the hopes that not many people would be paying attention and that, by today, one day before we find out who will be the next American President, we’d have other sh-t to talk about. For her part, Angelina’s side has also scaled back on the offensive, reaffirming only that her children are her priority. Still, sources for each team maintain that Brange aren’t speaking, that they have completely severed their relationship. Basically no one wants to give the public any hope of a reconciliation. The only hope here is that they can resolve their differences over their children as amicably as possible – and this is the only battle ground here. Neither one is asking for money for legal fees or for lifestyle. And both want to come out of this saving face, although it’s Brad’s face that has to get out there sooner since Allied is coming out soon. He’s not listed as a participant on the Allied junket. It’s just Marion Cotillard and Robert Zemeckis. And, unlike Angelina, who’s been papped on long lens a couple of times with the kids, he’s been able to stay deep underground. Once this settles though, there are a lot of people who can’t wait to embrace Brad Pitt, to make him part of their circle. Guess who? [Click here for the rest of the photos.] Posted at 5:05 PM [TV Review: Netflix’s The Crown] The Crown is allegedly the [most expensive TV show ever made]— definitely the most expensive for Netflix to date—and its hefty price tag is obvious from the opening moments of the first episode. Every cent is up there on screen, with locations that take in the plains of South Africa, the shores of Malta, and the drawing rooms and stately apartments of Windsor Castle, Buckingham Palace, and the other homes of Britain’s royal family. Undoubtedly most of that enormous budget went to location renting and set dressing, and exact replicas of the royal family’s jewels, including the crown jewels, which, if I directed this show, would be in every goddamn shot regardless of context. The Crown is unbelievably gorgeous to look at, like Downton Abbey on steroids. Telling the story of the first years of Queen Elizabeth II’s reign, The Crown begins at the royal wedding of then Princess Elizabeth and Philip Mountbatten. [Claire Foy] (Wolfe Hall) stars as Elizabeth, and [Matt Smith] (Doctor Who) as Philip, and they are spectacular. Foy is nothing short of extraordinary, capturing the contained turmoil of a public figure thrust into the spotlight and threatening to be consumed by the legacy to which she belongs. And don’t underrate Smith’s performance as Philip. Smith, himself a tall handsome fellow like [Prince Philip], plays Philip as a dashing charmer who sours on his wife’s position as it becomes clear he will never get out of her shadow. In fact, this is where The Crown is strongest, when focused on the domestic drama between Elizabeth and Philip. Early episodes capture their role reversal, as Elizabeth is shown to be, essentially, a daughter who is taking over her father’s business, and Philip is the middle-manager she married. He wants to walk beside her, but that’s never going to be allowed because her authority must be absolute. Philip gives up the things that women traditionally gave up in marriage—name, career, individuality. That’s less the case now, but they married in 1947, when it was absolutely assumed a wife would take a husband’s name, and stay at home and raise children. Their role reversal is clearly defined, as is the irony that Philip can’t handle doing the very things women have done for thousands of years as a simple matter of course. He turns into a great big crybaby because his wife’s life doesn’t revolve around him. The best parts of The Crown explore how duty slowly wears away at every other bond as Elizabeth’s role as queen usurps every aspect of her personality—daughter, sister, wife, mother (her children are almost an afterthought). The crown allows no loyalty except unto itself, and as her reign progresses, Elizabeth finds herself increasingly isolated. Tradition prevents her from even naming a trusted friend as her personal secretary, and at every turn her attempts to put her own stamp on the monarchy are thwarted. Individuality is not allowed, which becomes the mantra of the dour grey men who manage the queen’s affairs. The specter of abdication looms over Elizabeth, and it’s both cautionary tale of what happens when a monarch puts their own wants ahead of the crown’s, and a club used to keep Princess Margaret (Vanessa Kirby, Genius) in line. The Duke of Windsor (Alex Jennings, who also played Prince Charles in Stephen Frears’ The Queen) even shows up, to remind everyone of what happens when duty is not honored first and foremost. Where The Crown stumbles is when it moves away from the domestic storylines and deals with actual political events. John Lithgow is f*cking stupendous as Winston Churchill, but Churchill arguing with political rivals is not as engaging as Elizabeth and Princess Margaret tearing strips off one another about who their father loved most, or Elizabeth and Philip trying to find an even keel. The entire show is very well written—the sole writing credit belongs to series creator Peter Morgan—but not all the material is equally fascinating. It is, oddly enough, more compelling to watch people argue over seating arrangements than check in on what was happening in Egypt in 1952. The Crown doesn’t want to be a soap opera—and it doesn’t need to be—but it’s not as good at blending family strife and political drama as, say, Game of Thrones. That’s largely because Elizabeth’s role within the government forces her to be a bystander, so real world events are brought up but ultimately she has nothing to do with them. That’s just not as compelling as the stuff she can directly influence, like her relationships with Margaret and Philip. But when The Crown shines, it SHINES. By the time Elizabeth’s marriage is strained to the breaking point and Margaret is in open revolt over her thwarted romance with Peter Townsend (Ben Miles, Coupling), the show is clicking along at an enjoyably escapist clip. With ludicrously beautiful settings and absolutely ridiculous costume design (courtesy Michele Clapton, who also does much of the designing for Game of Thrones), and some really crazy cinematography from Ole Bratt Birkeland and Adriano Goldman, this is an incredibly beautiful show to watch. Elizabeth doesn’t choose to be a leader, she is thrust into the role by circumstance, and the best drama comes from showing what happens to those around her as she learns to embrace and wield her power even as it takes a toll on her personal relationships. The Crown is an impressive piece of legacy authoring for a still-living subject, but even viewing “Elizabeth” as a fictional character, it’s still a fascinating character study of a woman embracing duty above all else. And goddamn, it really is the best-looking TV show of the year. [Click here for the rest of the photos.] Posted at 4:23 PM [Notes from the Hollywood Film Awards] [Nicole Kidman at the 20th Annual Hollywood Film Awards at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on November 6, 2016 in Los Angeles, California] The Hollywood Film Awards are about as significant as the People’s Choice Awards which is to say, not significant at all. The difference though is that, somehow, the Hollywood Film Awards actually attract talent and not just the cast of Big Bang Theory. That said, the award categories, every year, sound totally made up to me. And they basically nominate and recognise who they hope to get to the event (and who might actually agree to go to the event). Like, this year, they really wanted [Leonardo DiCaprio] to come. So they gave him the Hollywood Documentary Award. Gold hasn’t even screened yet and somehow [Matthew McConaughey] was there to accept the Hollywood Ensemble Award. And, even though Damian Chazelle’s La La Land [is the frontrunner for Best Picture,] either he couldn’t get there or they thought they’d have a better chance with [Mel Gibson] and [Tom Ford] so they gave Mel the Director Award and Tom Ford the Breakthrough Director Award respectively. Hacksaw Ridge just opened to strong reviews and an impressive box office this weekend so Mel’s hustling for a nomination. Tom is too and was obliging on the red carpet, [as he’s been through festival season]. So, as meaningless as the Hollywood Film Awards are, it is now considered a proper stop on campaign trail. Which, interestingly, is why we saw Eddie Murphy there to accept the Hollywood Career Achievement Award. Joanna tells me Eddie did the entire press line. You’ll recall, she wrote about Eddie’s [possible Oscar ambitions] last week. He’s doing interviews, he’s been on social media, and this is not someone who’s typically so front and centre with the thirst. If he is, it means he wants something. He wants to be included in the Oscar conversation. And this might be a good year for him to do it since, so far, the Best Supporting Actor race seems to be relatively wide open. As for the Best Supporting Actress race, Fences screened for several guilds this weekend and the reaction was overwhelmingly positive. We’ll get to more of that later but it basically means that Viola Davis is the one to beat and, perhaps, the one you shouldn’t even bother going up against. Still, [Nicole Kidman]’s out there trying to secure a nomination. For her, this season, getting an invitation to the party is the victory, especially for a role she’s taken so personally, as Lion is about a boy who gets lost, ends up adopted, and then goes back to find his biological family. In the open today I posted about The Hollywood Reporter’s China Issue featuring an interview with China’s richest man, [Wang Jianlin] who is aggressively trying to own Hollywood. When asked about his favourite actors, he shrugged on big names like Jennifer Lawrence and Leonardo DiCaprio and said that he prefers Nicole Kidman, who he considers his “muse”. "Honestly, my muse is Nicole Kidman," he says, tilting back in his chair, lighting up a little. "When I was young, I adored her. She's very beautiful, and she's also a big name here in China." This is a big deal and we should keep an eye on it. Nicole makes trips to China several times a year. And the man from China with all the money is coming to town and has named her as his favourite. Will China start affecting award nominations? And eventually winners? And Nicole’s approach to her career? China is a youth-obsessed culture. They don’t judge plastic surgery the way it’s judged in North America. They have plastic surgery beauty pageants! Over time then, will Chinese influence in pop culture and entertainment affect the way celebrities manage beauty – even MORE than how we’ve seen them already manage their beauty? What does she care when Americans side-eye her fillers if a billion fans in China are calling her the one? [Click here for the rest of the photos.] Posted at 3:55 PM [November 7, 2016 - Smutty Shout-Outs] [Mark Ruffalo for Amy] Amy! Happy Birthday from Nick who was so sweet he was worried it would be too much to ask for a shout-out two years in a row. It's never too much, especially now that you're in grad school in Chicago, although last week must have been fun, non? Have a great year, work hard, reward yourself after. And I look forward to wishing you well again in 2017. [Click here for the rest of the photos.] Posted at 2:34 PM [Privacy Policy] - [Unsubscribe]