Month: January 2024

The biggest money-gobbling motion picture last year was, of course, Barbie, Hollywood’s first big film about the decades-old doll line. What took the studio honchos so long? Did they not know moviegoers where hungry to watch a sentient toy take on the patriarchy while her sorta-boyfriend does a song-and-dance? Apparently they weren’t, as Sharon Stone recently recalled getting a hard no when she pitched her own Barbie movie some three decades ago.

Per People, the actress posted a comment on an Instagram post by Barbie actress America Ferrera, which included video of her accepting the SeeHer Award at Sunday’s Critics’ Choice Awards.

“I was laughed out if the studio when i came w the Barbie idea in the 90s w the support of the head of Barbie,” Stone wrote. “How far we’ve come thank you ladies for your courage and endurance.”

Stone didn’t go into detail, but given her bit about “how far we’ve come,” it sounds like execs weren’t so into the idea of a female-driven blockbuster. The ‘90s weren’t a great time for that type of movie, as witness the hostility that greeted Geena Davis when she starred in the female-driven pirate movie Cutthroat Island. After that film became one of the biggest bombs in movie history, the studios were especially wary of expensive movies about women.

In her Critics’ Choice Awards speech, Ferrera thanked Barbie director/cowriter Greta Gerwig for “proving through your incredible mastery as a filmmaker that women’s stories have no difficulty achieving cinematic greatness and box-office history at the same time.” Ferrera said she also showed that “unabashedly telling female stories does not diminish your powers, it expands them.”

(Via People)

Even though we said goodbye (maybe?) to John Wick last year, there is always some room for more assassin tales, and The Continental doesn’t count. Thankfully, there is more Wick-verse coming in 2024, and this time, Keanu Reeves will be there in all his greasy-haired, gun-slinging glory.

Ballerina is the upcoming thriller based in the John Wick universe, starring Ana de Armas as Rooney, a ballerina who seeks revenge on those who murdered her family. The story is penned by Shay Hatten, who wrote Chapter 3, and Saltburn‘s Emerald Fennell also contributed to the story, so take the information however you see fit.

The character of Rooney/The Ballerina previously appeared in John Wick: Chapter 3- Parabellum, and her story will pick up after Chapter 3 but before Chapter 4. So, yes, it’s a little bit like a prequel, but it’s mostly just a fun little look into the Wick World. Here is everything you need to know about the upcoming film.

Plot

In classic Wick fashion, many of the plot points have yet to be revealed, but Reeves gave some insight into the film while promoting John Wick: Chapter 4. He said: “[she is a] woman who has some very difficult circumstances and who’s looking for revenge… someone killed her father. Who could that be? And so it’s her journey for actually understanding her past. She lost her father at a young age, and she doesn’t really know what happened. Only that someone came into the house and killed her father, who had a tattoo. And as we know in John Wick, if you have a tattoo, something’s going on.” What’s going on? A lot of violence and maybe a few ballet performances to cap it off.

We also know that the movie takes place between Chapter 3 and Chapter 4, which is why John Wick will make a cameo appearance since, you know, he was still alive back then.

Last year, Hatten said that the film will help contextualize John Wick’s story through new eyes. “I think in Ballerina you’ll get to see some of the hints of what John experienced during his origins in that place, but through the eyes of a different character,” he told Screenrant. “It still solves some of the answers of Wick, just through the eyes of a new character,” he added.

Cast

In addition to de Armas and Reeves, a whole crew of familiar faces will show up, including Ian McShane as Winston Scott. Norman Reedus was also added to the cast in an undisclosed role, while Anjelica Huston portrays the ballet director. Lance Reddick will also appear onscreen for one last time as Charon, the loving concierge at The Continental. Reddick passed away just days before John Wick Chapter 4 was released in 2023.

Release Date

Ballerina is set to be released on June 7, 2024.

Trailer

Ballerina does not have a trailer yet, but we can expect a teaser sometime in the coming months.

For many, even those that proudly wave the flag of self-love, the sight of that first gray hair is anxiety inducing. That single strand is a harbinger of the doom of our youth. More than one, and you might as well weave them together to create yourself a noose. It’s time to kiss your beauty—and therefore, your value—goodbye.

But what if, instead of marking the end of our glory days, we could see this change as a new chapter with equally glorious reveals? Something worth presenting, rather than hiding?

Back in July 2021, actress Andie MacDowell made headlines for rocking the silver vixen look at the Cannes Film Festival. MacDowell’s hair has always been a defining feature, but previously she had been coloring her raven locks to maintain her signature look. This was at the behest of her managers, according to an interview with Vogue.

See on Instagram

But after her kids officially declared the salt-and-pepper look was “badass,” MacDowell started to see going natural as a “power move.” So she followed the impulse, and you don’t need me to tell you it was a bit of a social media sensation.

MacDowell reflected on how freeing the experience was in a conversation with Interview Magazine. “I feel better like this. Honestly, it’s exhausting to have to be something that you no longer are…I was finally like, ‘You know what? I’m not young. And I’m OK with that..I feel so much more comfortable. It’s like I’ve taken a mask off or something.”’

---

Isn’t this a battle so many of us fight? Instead of basking in how far we’ve come, we spend so much effort trying to wind back the clock. And in all the rigamarole of trying to delay the inevitable, we forget that aging is a glorious gift. One that’s not guaranteed.

See on Instagram

Even when we use terms like “embrace the gray,” there’s this connotation that aging is this frightening tidal wave that we simply need to bolster ourselves for. Where’s the grace in that? I mean, yes, as the end of life approaches, it is scary to think about the impending unknown. But the process of getting there? Perhaps not so much.

In the same article, MacDowell reflected that she, too, “hates the word ’embrace,’ because it always sounds like you’re having to accept something, and I don’t feel like that.” I love this viewpoint. Accept it? Why not value it? Let’s come back to the original meaning of the word … and welcome it warmly.

MacDowell continued “We do have something unique to offer. You can’t be young forever, but you can always be considered beautiful, fashionable, and glamorous.”

The cynical voice in your head might say, “sure easy for someone who’s already glamorous to say that.” But MacDowell isn’t the only one who made this discovery. Tons of “real” women have had the same revelation.

Once the pandemic caused salons across the country to close down (coupled with major pay cuts and job losses), a surge of women chose to stop coloring their hair. But—as with many life aspects affected by COVID-19—what started as a forced restriction became an opportunity for reinvention. In ditching the hair dye, many women found that their silver strands were not only tolerable, they were empowering.

See on Instagram

Now you could even say gray hair is “in” and making a comeback tour. And trust, these dames are definitely glamorous. This is not just an experience for A-listers.

See on Instagram

See on Instagram

See on Instagram

See on Instagram

See on Instagram

Of course, this movement is not just about aesthetics. There is a bigger idea here. It’s no secret that our society has some deep-seated stigmas when it comes to aging, for women in particular. We place a high value on those “30 Under 30” lists, seek out the strongest retinol to erase all signs of life and stand mouth agape in horror at the first mention of the word “ma’am.” But it doesn’t have to be that way. All chapters of life are precious, and worth celebrating.

I’m a firm believer that glamor is only a result of confidence. And as we grow older, we only become more dynamic, more nuanced, more interesting. If that’s not a confidence booster, I don’t know what is.

See on Instagram

Going gray won’t be the answer for everyone. I certainly don’t plan on trading in my signature red anytime soon. But the real call to adventure is: How can you feel good about yourself at every stage of life? How can you throw away the (false) notion that you somehow lose your shine with every passing year?

As the saying goes, “beauty is truth, truth beauty.” I think we can really see that in stories like these. To age gracefully is to age fearlessly. Radical self-acceptance is gorgeous.

This article originally appeared on 02.25.22

We all have come to expect awards show acceptance speeches to be filled with heartfelt thanks to others—industry peers, family, spouses, a higher power…and in Jennifer Coolidge’s case, “all the evil gays,” (but that’s another story).

But as Neicy Nash took to the stage to accept her award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie at the Emmys last night, she did something a little different.

She thanked herself.

---

She thanked herself.

Granted, Nash, who won the award for her performance as Glenda Cleveland in Netflix’s “Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story,” did thank a higher power, along with showrunner Ryan Murphy, her Dahmer co-star Evan Peters, Netflix, those who voted for her and “her better half,” Jessica Betts.

But what people are really remembering is what she said next:

“And you know who I wanna thank?” Nash asked. “I wanna thank me. For believing in me, and doing what they said I could not do. And I wanna say to myself in front of all you beautiful people: go on, girl, with your bad self. You did that.”

As the audience erupted in applause, Nash took a moment to honor victims of police violence, saying, “I accept this award on behalf of every Black and brown woman who has gone unheard yet over-policed,” she said. “Like Glenda Cleveland. Like Sandra Bland. Like Breonna Taylor,” adding that her it’s her job as an artist “to speak truth to power.”

“And, baby, I’m going to do it ’til the day I die,” Nash concluded, before exclaiming, “Momma, I won!” to her mother in the audience.

It wasn’t long before thousands on social media began hailing the viral moment as an “instant classic,” and praising Nash for, as one person on X put it, “giving a masterclass on how to make the most out of an #Emmys acceptance speech.”

niecy nash to niecy nash: “you did that” pic.twitter.com/ugCe79LZk9

— zoë (@zoe_alliyah) January 16, 2024

When life is life-ing a little too hard & that little voice in your head tries to convince you you’re a loser…

Remember to channel your inner Niecy Nash and tell that voice:

🗣️AHT, AHT. IMMA WINNER BABY! pic.twitter.com/lRXEa6rDJw

— Shanelle Genai✨ (@shanellegenai) January 16, 2024

As the beautiful and incomparable @NiecyNash reminds us, always – in all ways – bet on yourself! And forever speak truth to power✌🏽 pic.twitter.com/1OdTMMeEFZ

— BlackGirlsUnscripted (@BGUnscripted) January 16, 2024

What’s more, the viral moment grew to be a masterclass in healthy self esteem.

Talking to reporters in a follow-up interview, Nash explained why she felt the need to credit herself, saying “Sometimes you have to encourage what? Yourself.”

Niecy Nash-Betts on why she thanked herself during her Emmy’s speech win 👏🏽 pic.twitter.com/7Nfjc7Y2Pb

— Liz Calvario (@lizcalvario) January 16, 2024

“And that’s why it’s not called mama-esteem, them-esteem, us-esteem, it’s called self esteem because don’t nobody got to believe it, but you,” she continued.

Ultimately, Nash hopes her iconic speech becomes a “delicious invitation” for people to believe in themselves.

And that right there is a beautiful takeaway for everyone. We might not all be striving for the life of an award-winning actor, but nearly all of us could be a bit better about hyping ourselves up. May we all have the audacity today to tell ourselves, “you did that.” Whatever it is.

Are we placing unrealistic expectations on ourselves as parents to entertain our children every second of every day? This is what a mom on Instagram purports in a clip that’s resonated deeply with fellow parents who feel stretched to the breaking point.

“I just spent a weekend with my kids who are 6, 4 and 2-years-old,” begins working mom Jen B who goes by the 8thdayformomonly. “And the amount of time I spent setting up activities, cleaning up activities, participating in activities is so much.”

In a video viewed over 35 thousand times, she says she doesn’t recall her parents ever putting in this much time. “I feel like the standard that we are holding ourselves to as parents to entertain our children is so much higher than it was when we were kids.

---

“It’s just a really, really high bar when you have two working parents and you’re also maintaining a house,” she continued.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Jennifer B. (@8thdayformomonly)

The content creator says the expectation has shifted over the years.

“We’ve changed the expectation of parenting to think we’re always supposed to be involved and we’re supposed to enjoy every minute and get on the ground and play with them… and so I don’t know if you needed to hear this today,” Jen B said. “I needed to hear this today. We can lower the bar, we don’t have to be constantly entertaining our kids, we can give them space to entertain themselves.”

The comments on the video contain astute commentary.

One commenter wonders if part of the reason we’re running ourselves ragged is to make up for what we felt was missing from our own childhoods.

“Part of me wonders if the reason we do this to ourselves is because we don’t have any memory of our parents playing with us like this,” writes Littleseel.

Another says she once heard that the amount of time put in by working parents today is more than stay-at-home-parents of the ’50s.

“I heard somewhere that working parents today spend 50% more time entertaining kids than SAHMs did in the ’50s,” writes laura.b823.

“I believe that stat,” 8thdayformomonly responded.

While we didn’t find a study citing working parents today versus stay-at-home moms in the 50s, this study from 2016 shows the amount of time parents spend with their children doubled for moms and quadrupled for dads between 1965 and 2012.

And then, of course, there’s the question of whether this level of attention is in the children’s best interests. After all, they need to learn to keep themselves occupied and to work through boredom. Commenter little_beast_miguel writes, “It’s also important to let them entertain themselves to learn not to rely on their parents for literally everything.”

There is a school of thought that a more laissez-faire, hands-off approach dubbed “benign neglect” helps foster a greater sense of independence and self-reliance.

“The benign neglect movement seems to be a backswing from helicopter parenting, which encouraged coddling millennials and Gen Zs throughout childhood,” NYU Langone Health child psychologist Yamalis Diaz told The New York Post.

Actress Jennifer Garner is a big proponent of this style of parenting.

In a Today Show appearance, the actress, who raises three children with her ex, Ben Affleck, said, “I want to be around. But I also think it’s OK if they suffer from a little bit of benign neglect. Their lives are their own. I’m not trying to live their life, and I don’t mind that they see that I love mine.”

As with anything, though, balance is key.

Benign neglect is not the same as actual neglect.

Says Sanam Hafeez, PsyD, a neuropsychologist in New York and the Director of Comprehensive Consultation Psychological Services to Parents. “It’s a balance between freedom and safety, ensuring that children have the space to grow while maintaining a secure environment.”

Jennifer Garner believes in “benign neglect”

Karon Liu/Wikimeda Commons

In a Today Show appearance, the actress, who raises three children with her ex, Ben Affleck, said, “I want to be around. But I also think it’s OK if they suffer from a little bit of benign neglect. Their lives are their own. I’m not trying to live their life, and I don’t mind that they see that I love mine.”

As with anything, though, balance is key.

Benign neglect is not the same as actual neglect.

Says Sanam Hafeez, PsyD, a neuropsychologist in New York and the Director of Comprehensive Consultation Psychological Services to Parents. “It’s a balance between freedom and safety, ensuring that children have the space to grow while maintaining a secure environment.”

Diddy’s business empire continues to crumble in the wake of a slew of sexual assault lawsuits against him at the end of the year. Rolling Stone reports that, after settling his lawsuit against beverage licensing company Diageo, the music mogul will no longer have any ties to the Ciroc vodka or DeLeón tequila brands, relinquishing his 50-percent stake in each.

Diddy sued his former partners in May of last year, claiming racisim at Diageo had stunted the growth of his brands, going so far as asking him to take a backseat in marketing to downplay their reputation as Black brands (Diageo owns 35 percent of Hennessey, by the way). In September, the lawsuit was moved to New York district court and was cleared to become public.

However, in November, Diddy’s ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura filed a lawsuit of her own against him, alleging that he’d beat her, raped her, and coerced her into sexual encounters with other men. Although he and Cassie settled within 24 hours, by then, the damage had been done, and the floodgates opened for three more accusers to come forward over the next month.

This gave DeLeón the leverage to attempt to block the mogul’s request for an injunction granting him a $15 million marketing budget for DeLeón. Today, both parties issued a joint statement revealing the terms of the settlement, although any financial details are being kept out of the press. “Sean Combs and Diageo have now agreed to resolve all disputes between them,” it reads. “Mr. Combs has withdrawn all of his allegations about Diageo and will voluntarily dismiss his lawsuits against Diageo with prejudice. Diageo and Mr. Combs have no ongoing business relationship, either with respect to Cîroc vodka or DeLeón tequila, which Diageo now solely owns.”

As the lawsuits have continued, Diddy stepped down from his role as Chairman of Revolt, while many brands associated with his Empower Global marketplace have removed themselves.

There have not many been positive developments on now-X, then-Twitter over the past couple of years, but Community Notes has been a huge success.

Take this tweet from the FBI, for instance: “This #MLKDay, the #FBI honors one of the most prominent leaders of the Civil Rights movement and reaffirms its commitment to Dr. King’s legacy of fairness and equal justice for all.” X users thought that tribute to Martin Luther King Jr. could use some context. “The FBI engaged in surveillance of King, attempted to discredit him, and used manipulation tactics to influence him to stop organizing,” the note reads. “King’s family believe the FBI was responsible for his death.”

Power to the people (also, why does the FBI have an X account?)

Another recent example comes from @jdebbiel, who wrote, “Learned that sea urchins have a single eye and now I’m physically ill.” They also included two photos of what they assumed was the sea urchin’s eye, but nope:

“That is a butthole.”

Speaking of buttholes and ocean dwellers, the official X account for the delightfully dirty Amazon Prime Video series The Boys quote replied to @jdebbiel’s tweet by writing “the community note author,” along with an up-close photo of The Deep, played by Chace Crawford. If you know, you know (and you’ll probably never forget).

The Boys will return for season four later this year.

If you find yourself in northern California from May 11 to 12 this year (or you’d like to), the Mill Valley Music Festival is entering its third year in 2024. The latest lineup is out now: Fleet Foxes and Greensky Bluegrass are set to headline, and elsewhere on the lineup are Thee Sacred Souls, Margo Price, St. Paul & The Broken Bones, Fruit Bats, Rebirth Brass Band, Danielle Ponder, Eric Lindell, and Elliott Peck.

How to buy tickets for the 2024 Mill Valley Music Festival

Two-day GA and VIP passes are currently on sale via the festival website, and additional ticket options are also available for teens, seniors, and kids. As a press release notes, the first allotment of passes sold out last fall, and pricing will increase as the festival approaches.

As for pricing, a GA 2-Day pass currently goes for $209, with prices discounted for teens, seniors, and kids. Meanwhile, a VIP 2-Day pass will run you $479.

Jim Welte, Executive Director of the Mill Valley Chamber of Commerce, says of the fest, “As we head into year three of what started as a somewhat hair-brained idea to rejuvenate and inspire our community by reveling in the deep, historic roots of live music in our town, we’re grateful on a number of fronts – the amazing support we’ve had so far, the growth we’ve experienced each year, and the patience and support from our neighbors, our partners, and our stakeholders. We’ll continue to raise the profile of this town we’re blessed to call home.”

It’s been two years since the release of Joey Badass’ last album, 2000 (which was, funnily enough, released in 2022), and it looks like the Brooklyn rapper is back to a regular production schedule. While nearly five years passed between 2000 and its predecessor, All-Amerikkkan Badass, he’s already announced the follow-up to 2000, United States of Amerikkka, will come out sometime this year.

It may do so sooner than you think, as Joey announced the release of the album’s first single, “Passports & Suitcases,” today on his social channels along with a preview of song. In a video posted to Instagram Reels, Joey traipses through an airport (on the moving sidewalk, no less), with a snippet of the song’s chorus, sung by KayCyy, at the very beginning. You can check out both below.

Joey recent increased focus on his music coincides with the end of his most recent screen role. A little over a week after bidding farewell to his Power character Unique (RIP), Joey was featured on “Fallout,” the latest single from Lyrical Lemonade’s upcoming compilation album featuring Gus Dapperton and Lil Yachty.

The feature may have been the first result of the “fire sale” he called last April, when he vowed to “knock out any and all features.” Since then, he’s laid relatively low, but ironically, with “Passports & Suitcases” coming out this week, it’s clear that his vacation is over.

“Passports & Suitcases” is out January 19. You can pre-save it here.

Mike Brown had an eventful Sunday night as the Kings suffered a gutting loss to the Bucks in overtime. In the fourth quarter, Brown went ballistic after a no-call where he felt De’Aaron Fox got fouled, running up to the official and needing to be pulled away by two of his players as he got ejected.

The Kings would then erase a 12-point deficit after that ejection to force overtime and looked like they were going to pick up a stunning win, until Damian Lillard ripped their hearts out with a buzzer-beater from well beyond the arc in his first real Dame Time moment as a Buck.

After the game, Brown wasn’t done with the officials as he had apparently spent his time in the locker room working up a full video presentation of missed calls during the game, breaking out his laptop to show the assembled press some of the plays he found egregiously mishandled by the refs. Unsurprisingly, the league didn’t like that — even if I appreciated the creativity and going the extra mile to bring props — and handed down a healthy fine of $50,000 to Brown on Tuesday.

A postgame officiating rant typically runs a coach $25,000, but Brown got an additional $25,000 slapped on for the way he went after the ref to earn his ejection, with the league noting part of the fine was for “aggressively pursuing a game official during live play.”