Monthly Archives

April 2021

Cardi B Keeps Her Eye on the Prize

cardi b xxx cover

–Cardi B covers XXL and talks about negotiating endorsement deals (“I’m from the ’hood and sh-t. And they might be like, ‘Oh, we could offer her a $2 million advance.’ And the company is gonna make out of you, probably f—ing $50 million, $100 million. And you settle for $2 million because they think that you’re so thirsty for that money that they just gonna give you the $2 million”) and staying on top of her business dealings (“One thing for sure that I’m doing a lot now this year is music and making sure my business is straight. Not just signing things and not just making sure that I get new deals and everything. That my money is getting handled great. That I got good lawyers that’s handling my shit. Because that’s one thing that is really hard. When it comes to these new celebrities, they start learning their business more, four or five years, shit, maybe eight years in”).

-One of Hollywood’s worst kept secrets has been laid bare in a new THR story about how super producer Scott Rudin is reportedly a monster to work for. Among the allegations in a damning new exposé: he once “smashed an Apple computer monitor” on an assistant’s hand, when an employee with Type 1 diabetes told him she had to exercise 30 mins a day he only let her do it from 5:30am-6am (and still expected her to take calls then), and he’s thrown random things at employees, including a baked potato and a glass bowl.

-Gilmore Girls alums Jared Padalecki and Milo Ventimiglia are keeping the bromance vibes strong.

-Actor Zach Avery has been arrested for allegedly running a multi-million dollar Hollywood movie Ponzi scheme. He’s accused of fabricating licensing deals with Netflix, HBO, and other platforms to secure funding for his film distribution company, according to the FBI.​

-Netflix has reportedly spent $30M on a docuseries about Kanye West from Coodie & Chike — decades after Coodie decided to turn his footage into a documentary about West in 2002.

–Taylor Swift dropped a new song “From the Vault” — this one is “Mr. Perfectly Fine.” I’m not the hugest Swiftie but I’ve been listening to the Ringer’s podcast breaking down her albums, and them talking about how she experimented with different time signatures and layered vocals on her last two albums have really made me appreciate what a streak she’s on.

-I’ve sworn off CW shows, but the gender-swapped Kung Fu is getting good reviews. It debuts tonight.

–LeVar Burton wants to guest host Jeopardy, which sounds ideal.

-Here’s the first trailer for British TV series Anne Boleyn, starring Jodie Turner-Smith.

-The first trailer for Netflix’s Jupiter’s Legacy showcases Josh Duhamel as the world’s premiere superhero.

-A new Cruella trailer has arrived.

-Did every big trailer drop today? Here’s the new trailer for Those Who Wish Me Dead, starring Angelina Jolie, Jon Bernthal, Nicholas Hoult and Tyler Perry. This looks better than the initial images made it look, since it seems less about her being a firefighter and more about her being a badass a la Salt.

The Leading Ladies of the Oscars

oscar issue

–Viola Davis, Chloé Zhao and Regina King are on Entertainment Weekly’s Oscars issue. I have serious arm envy right now…

–Demi Lovato detailed what really went down between her and ex-fiance Max Ehrich. In her doc, she says “We were only together four to five months, and like, honestly, it was false advertising.” She added that starting to date in quarantine accelerated the relationship. “I think I rushed into something that I thought was what I was supposed to do. I realized as time went on that I didn’t actually know the person that I was engaged to…It was 2020. You didn’t get to ‘normally date’ like you do.”

–Ray Fisher spilled some tea in the new THR, and said he had to explain to Joss Whedon “some of the most basic points of what would be offensive to the Black community,” to which Whedon replied “It feels like I’m taking notes right now, and I don’t like taking notes from anybody — not even Robert Downey Jr.” Gal Gadot and Jason Momoa reportedly had similar experiences with the director, and a source told THR: “Joss was bragging that he’s had it out with Gal. He told her he’s the writer and she’s going to shut up and say the lines and he can make her look incredibly stupid in this movie.”

-The article was not just about Whedon. It also talks about former DC Entertainment President and Chief Creative Officer Geoff John. Apparently before Bridgeton, Regé-Jean Page did not advance in the casting process for SYFY’s Krypton because Johns said Superman could not have a Black grandfather, and he also prevented the Krypton creators from making one of the characters, Adam Strange, gay or bisexual.

-Meanwhile, Regé-Jean Page was reportedly offered an opportunity to return to Bridgerton as a guest star in three to five episodes of season two — at a rate of $50,000 an episode — but declined.

–Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s first Netflix project will be a docuseries on the Invictus Games.

-I’m sorry, but Angelina Jolie as an elite wilderness firefighter looks a little ridiculous.

-Meanwhile, Angelina Jolie and Diplo were spotted at the same BBQ.

-Congrats to Henry Golding, who’s a new dad.

–Kate Winslet says she knows “at least four” closeted actors who are “terrified” to come out, adding ‘a well-known actor’ was recently instructed by their agent to keep their bisexuality a secret.

–Sheryl Underwood says she and Sharon Osbourne haven’t spoken since their confrontation on The Talk.

–Lena Dunham debuts her new project: a plus-size clothing line. Which is all well and good (though sizes only go to 26) and the positioning of the NYT article is very weird.

–Jimmy Fallon welcomed TikTok dance creators to his show after the Addison Rae backlash.

–James Charles has apologized for poor behavior. Again.

–Aaron Rodgers and Shailene Woodley did an IG video together to celebrate his Jeopardy guest hosting stint.

-The showrunner of the CBS sitcom The Neighbors has stepped down, saying “At this moment, in light of everything going on in the world, I had concluded that I am not the right person to continue to tell these stories.” The move comes after two Black writers reportedly left the show over race-related issues.

–Andrew Garfield plays a charismatic stranger who helps a woman become an internet sensation in the trailer for Mainstream.

Celebs Praise Jennifer Lopez in Instyle

Jennifer-Lopez-InStyle

–Jennifer Lopez’s Instyle cover features quotes about her from a ton of costars and celebrities (though, noticeably, nothing from A-Rod). Among the famous friends singing her praises are Charlize Theron (“To call her a triple threat doesn’t come close to describing her—she’s all of the threats!”), Michelle Obama (“What impresses me the most about her is her unwavering commitment to leverage those gifts and use her platform to give voice to the voiceless”), Matthew McConaughey (“Extremely deliberate, intentional, fully choreographed, and self-aware, she even knows how to make accidents look like accidents”), and — most hilariously — Ben Affleck (“Where are you keeping the fountain of youth? Why do you look the same as you did in 2003 and it kind of looks like I’m in my 40s…at best?”).

-It’s Thandiwe, Not Thandie. Thandiwe Newton reclaimed her name in British Vogue, explaining the “w” was left out in her first acting credit and it stuck. “That’s my name. It’s always been my name. I’m taking back what’s mine.”

-I don’t know if I’m just getting used to the at-home fashions or if stars/stylists are really learning how to bring it, but the SAG Awards outfits were some of the best we’ve seen in ages.

-Last night’s SAG Awards marked the first time in its history that all four film acting categories went to actors of color. It also revealed how wide open the Oscar race really is. Is this what it looks like when stars can’t campaign? I love it!

-Rapper DMX overdosed on Friday night which triggered a heart attack, and the prognosis is not looking good.

–Regé-Jean Page will not be returning for Bridgerton season two, saying he was only contracted for a one-season arc. I mean, he’s right, and I don’t think it’s as big of a deal as people seem to be making it out to be. The second season follows the second book, which means the main focus was always going to be on Anthony and Kate, so Simon and Daphne would be pushed to the background regardless. A couple of cameos would have been nice (especially in the Pall Mall scene), but I hope his absence doesn’t keep people away from the show. Not only will this season focus on the book series’ BEST couple, it will be led by an openly gay actor and a British-Indian actress — and that’s pretty effing boss.

–Apple Martin roasts her mom Gwyneth Paltrow‘s morning routine in a new TikTok: “She just prances around the bathroom putting on her millions of Goop glow products…Then she gets to working making some more vagina eggs and vagina candles and vagina perfumes. Just everything vagina.”

-In a new video on her YouTube page, Hailey Bieber chats with a psychologist about the negative effects of social media on mental health.

-Reviews for HBO’s The Nevers suggest the show requires some benefit-of-the-doubt. It’ll be interesting to see what the next batch of episodes looks like since Joss Whedon left the show, because according to Variety, in its current state it “bears so many of his narrative and stylistic hallmarks that it might as well be playing Whedon Bingo.”

-One of the only shows I’m currently watching right now, Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist, has pretty much lost me. This week’s episode was especially rough.

–Armie Hammer has departed The Minutes, a Broadway play which was originally set to debut last year and is now on track to resume production during the 2021-2022 season.

-Here’s the trailer for Netflix’s The Circle season 2.

–Jamie Kennedy did not seem prepared to be grilled about his role in an anti-abortion movie.

–Scarlett Johansson and Colin Jost popped up on RuPaul’s Drag Race to offer advice.

-The final Black Widow trailer arrived this weekend.

-The biggest buzzed Marvel trailer right now is the new one that dropped today for the Loki series on Disney+, which is coming this summer. It looks really, really good.