Monthly Archives

January 2019

Mindy Kaling’s Life Sounds Incredible — And Exhausting

mindy-kaling-sundance-late-night

-In her new Variety cover story, Mindy Kaling talks about her first movie, Late Night, which debuts at Sundance and stars Emma Thompson as a Letterman-esque talk show host who attempts to address diversity concerns by hiring her first female staff writer. Kaling is also the showrunner for the Hulu miniseries adaptation of Four Weddings and a Funeral, is working on a Netflix show that centers on an Indian teenager, is penning a “slim memoir,” and is raising her daughter. I got tired just reading the interview.

-In yesterday’s post, I said that if a Bryan Singer exposé was going to come out, now would be the time since Bohemian Rhapsody did so well in the Oscar noms. Today, The Atlantic published the big Bryan Singer investigation that Esquire was originally doing months ago. The report took 12 months and writers Maximillian Potter and Alex French spoke to more than 50 people, including four men that are newly accusing the Bohemian Rhapsody director of sexual misconduct and underage sex. It’ll be interesting to see what (if any) fallout comes from this, both with Singer’s career (he’s signed on to direct the adaption of Red Sonja), and BR’s Oscar race.

This bit right here illuminates why it took so long for the Singer (and Weinstein and Spacey etc.) allegations to go mainstream: “He was abetted, in a less direct way, by an industry in which a record of producing hits confers immense power: Many of the sources we interviewed insisted, out of fear of damaging their own career, that we withhold their name, even as they expressed dismay at the behavior they’d witnessed.” A lot of people in Hollywood must be dealing with a heavy conscious right now. It’s also why Rami Malek‘s comments yesterday about not knowing about the allegations are so frustrating. Even if — IF — he managed to make it all the way through his Mr Robot days without hearing Hollywood’s worst kept secret, the second Singer became attached to the project, someone in his life (agent, publicists, friend) must have mentioned it.

-Potter and French said their story was intended for publication in Esquire magazine but was “killed” by Hearst executives for unknown reasons. Also, the story is reminding a lot of people about this article on how Hollywood failed Apt Pupil star Brad Renfro.

-Meanwhile, Singer has commented on The Atlantic’s exposé, which he calls a “homophobic smear piece” (but he doesn’t actually deny anything). He’s taking a page out of Kevin Spacey‘s handbook and conflating being gay with performing abuse. (Remember when Spacey used being closeted as a privacy shield and responded to the allegations that he came onto a 14-year-old by coming out?)

-I have yet to see Bohemian Rhapsody (and have even less desire to now) but if this wonky edit made it into the final cut, that’s hilarious.

-It looks like Justin and Hailey Bieber are postponing their wedding celebration.

Jonah Hill trying to transition into a serious photographer is very on brand.

-The Suits cast is going to hang up their suits soon. The show has been renewed for a ninth and final 10-episode season.

-Spice Girls superfan Emma Stone recreated the “Stop” dance with Haim for her Omaze campaign.

Gina Rodriguez cried over accusations that she hasn’t been supportive of black women. I’m…not sure this was the best way to go.

Harvey Weinstein was denied his bid to pause the class action lawsuit against him.

-I love that Courteney Cox and Lisa Kudrow still hang out.

Meek Mill has teamed with Jay Z to launch a justice reform organization.

-We have an update on the Game of Thrones’ runtime: the six-episode final season will kick off with two hour-long episodes, followed by four 80-minute installments, according to an HBO affliliate.

-This is an interesting thread by Boots Riley about his decision to not campaign for Sorry to Bother You (a movie I’m still not sure I fully understood, but stayed with me wayyyyy longer than, say, Green Book).

-Speaking of good Twitter threads, I adore ones in which people tell stories about meeting celebrities who turn out to be great.

-Wait, is that Shania Twain playing John Travolta‘s wife in the Trading Paint trailer?!?

-Here’s the red-band trailer for Harmony Korine‘s latest film, The Beach Bum, starring Matthew McConaughey, Zac Efron, Jonah Hill, Martin Lawrence, Isla Fisher and Snoop Dogg.

Chris Brown Denies Rape Allegations

Chris Brown has been released from custody in Paris with no charges after being detained after a 24-year-old woman accused him of raping her in his hotel room last week. He denied the allegations in an Instagram post. The Paris prosecutor’s office said the investigation is ongoing.

-According to People, Brad Pitt and Charlize Theron met six months ago on a commercial shoot and haven’t seen each other since. We knew that was too good to be true.

-Ooh boy. Taraji P Henson posted an IG story that implied she’s mad there are hashtags about muting R Kelly but none about muting Harvey Weinstein. But the “mute” thing trended because Kelly’s a musician. And Weinstein’s already being “muted” cause he is on trial, no?

-In terms of Oscar noms, it was a great morning for Black Panther, Roma and The Favourite, but not so great for Crazy Rich Asians and If Beale Street Could Talk. Bradley Cooper should be happy for his acting nod, but you just know that he’s burning about being snubbed in the Best Director category. Check out more Oscar snubs and surprises.

-I’m surprised it took so long for these questions to start coming, but Rami Malek was asked whether he has any “regrets” about working with Bryan Singer on Bohemian Rhapsody. “I think that the allegations and things were, believe it or not, honestly something I was not aware of, and that is what it is.” Hmmmmm….

-Also, did Esquire’s big exposé on Singer get squashed? Now the Bohemian Rhapsody is up for Best Picture, this would be the time to print it. If it doesn’t get publishing in the next couple of weeks, I’m guessing it was blocked.

Anna Wintour shared her thoughts on Meghan Markle’s Givenchy wedding gown , saying it was “sophisticated, it was chic, it was grown up. It was an English designer, albeit one that was working for a French house, which in a way was a message to the world: ‘Yes, I’m from somewhere else, but I belong.'”

Azealia Banks called Grimes a ‘brittleboned methhead’ who smells ‘like a roll of nickels’. But how do you *really* feel?

-In an appearance on Ellen, the Anne Hathaway said that she made the decision to stop drinking for the next 18 years because she doesn’t want to be hungover around her kid. “I’m going to stop drinking while my son is in the house just because I don’t totally don’t love the way I do it and he’s getting to an age where he really does need me all the time in the morning.” Also, her and Fred Savage were really good at the Head’s Up game.

Tessa Thompson attended the Chanel show at Paris Haute Couture Week SS19 with a purse necklace. Oh god, I just got used to fanny packs!

-Russian Doll is the next Netflix show that every critic I follow is loving. It stars Natasha Lyonne as a woman stuck in a Groundhog Day/Happy Death Day loop, and it premieres next Friday.

Sarah Jesscia Parker recreated the Sex and the City opener for a charity campaign.

-Wait, there’s a new Nancy Drew?

Pete Davidson’s Triumphant Return

Pete Davidson‘s appearance on SNL this weekend was all kinds of wonderful. I love that he did it with his friend and former SNL writer John Mulaney, who knows a little something about substance abuse and anxiety.

-I can’t stop watching this video of Bryce Dallas Howard crying on command. What kind of witchcraft is this?!

-This is my favourite Keanu Reeves story of the week, but then again it’s only Monday.

-I’m highly skeptical of the Sun’s story about Brad Pitt and Charlize Theron dating, but man that would make for some juicy gossip. Especially since there’s been rumours of friction between Theron and Angelina Jolie.

-Meanwhile, homeowners who bought Make it Right houses in the wake of Katrina are suing Brad Pitt and the foundation for shoddy workmanship, who are in turn suing the architect in charge of the project.

Leslie Jones isn’t wrong to be pissed about the new Ghostbusters announcement. The way that it all went down definitely makes it seem like they’re trying to erase the last one.

-This is nice: Bon Jovi‘s restaurant is giving away free meals to furloughed workers.

Gillian Anderson is going to play Margaret Thatcher on The Crown. Between this and Olivia Colman on board to play Queen Elizabeth II, I might have to break down and watch this thing again.

-It didn’t take me long to stop following Noah Centineo on Instagram because his posts were killing my crush real quick, so I’m not super surprised by his defense of Logan Paul. Still gross, though.

-Here’s the first official image of Emilia Clarke and Henry Golding in Paul Feig‘s romantic comedy Last Christmas and I can’t wait to watch the crap out of this!

This thread about how the world treated Sinead O’Connor in 1992 is so worth your time (and will make you love Kris Kristofferson).

-I watched the Netflix doc on the Fyre festival this weekend, and the fact that Ja Rule is now trying to cast himself as a victim is rich.

-Also, if you watched it and were saddened by how the Bahamians were treated during the festival’s meltdown, consider donating to this GoFundMe for Maryann Rolle, who lost $50k of her personal savings in order to pay her staff when the fest organizers bailed. It’s already raised $140,071 of its $123,000 goal.

Russell Brand is in hot water after giving an interview in which he basically admitted to letting his wife handle most of the child-rearing duties.

-Ugh. While promoting Incredibles 2’s Oscar campaign, Brad Bird defended disgraced Pixar exec John Lasseter. “You’re navigating a world where men have acted a certain way for thousands of years. Way too late, but all of a sudden, they’re expected to change that on a dime and it’s necessary and it’s right. But it’s a little bit a gray area.” (Seems like a good time to revist this article.)

Millie Bobby Brown tries to make a connection in the new Godzilla: King of the Monsters teaser.

Judi Dench is accused of being a spy in the Red Joan trailer.