Categories
News Trending Viral Worldwide

Olivia Wilde, Reese Witherspoon And The Women In Hollywood Finally Telling Their Own Stories

There’s a proverb passed down through generations, one that’s inspired entrepreneurs and authors, artists and CEOs: “If you want something done, do it yourself.”

I think of that phrase when I look at the careers of women in Hollywood — icons and upstarts finding new ways to shape untold narratives and bury stifling stereotypes. When you mold your mouth around that idiom, words like “ambition,” “determination” and “drive” trigger in your mind. It’s the slogan of the “go-getter,” the “work-horse,” the over-achiever ready to wrangle life’s proverbial balls in search of that elusive notion of success.

But when you examine the careers shared by Hollywood’s of-the-moment actresses through the prism of that maxim, the word that materializes isn’t “power,” it’s “versatility.” Because that ability to adapt, to adjust, to not only switch up your perspective but also, your expected trajectory, is something the women running the business of film and TV right now have in common.

It’s certainly a defining character trait of Olivia Wilde.

Like any attractive, promising actress hoping to rise through the early aughts ranks of Young Hollywood, Wilde was limited by roles that did nothing to serve her talent. She played a bisexual lynchpin in the fated romance of the sun-soaked teen soap, The O.C., and one half of a modern-day Romeo & Juliet pairing in another Fox series that imagined Verona as a more soul-sucking version of L.A. and the feuding families led by porn magnates and self-righteous lawmen. When her “big breaks” did come — a revised take on a video game franchise with Tron: Legacy and the comic-book-inspired sci-fi mashup Cowboys & Aliens — they flopped too quickly for Wilde to trade on the currency of their pre-release buzz.

So instead of mourning an early career that might have included more franchise options and action behemoths, Wilde pivoted, indulging her interest in the art of filmmaking by learning from some of the industry’s biggest auteurs. She shaped opportunity from small parts and indie projects, taking on-set lessons with Spike Jonze and Reed Morano. She steered music videos for bands like the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros. She found interesting projects that taught her the value of creative control and began to re-direct her course.

“I remember being on the set of Tron, at age 25, and really wanting to do more to control the storyline of my character, wanting to have a bigger voice in the creative direction,” she told Vanity Fair. “To their credit, the producers and director on that film were remarkably receptive to that. It was an awakening of sorts because while they were being very generous and allowing me to speak up, that wasn’t happening on other sets, and I just felt like I needed more actual control.”

But plenty of actors desire a voice, a method to channel their creative impulses. To make the jump from on-screen to behind the camera, Wilde had to start taking risks, leveraging her name and the relationships she had forged with other women in the industry to tell the stories that mattered to her.

She also had to figure out exactly what kind of stories those were.

“‘You love movies — you should be a movie star,’” Wilde said in a Variety interview last year. “No one tells a little girl, ‘Why don’t you become a director?’ It’s just not a part of the conversation. But if a little boy says he loves movies, it’s like, ‘Maybe one day you’ll direct. Maybe you’ll be the next Steven Spielberg or Martin Scorsese.’”

Friendships with insiders like producer Jessica Elbaum helped her find the script for Booksmart, the Gen Z coming-of-age comedy that would serve as her directorial debut. Revolving around a pair of studious best friends who embark on a wild journey the night before their graduation, the film looked very different before Wilde came aboard. She didn’t just want to adapt a story that had already been written in a way that had been done so many times before. She wanted to tailor it for a new generation and film it through the lens of a decidedly female gaze. And she was given the space to do it, following Morano’s advice to “pitch exactly the movie” she wanted to make without making compromises or filtering her vision to please executives in the room.

And it worked, in part because Wilde chose a project she connected with that also found an audience of teenagers looking for their own voice on-screen, and in part, because other women in positions of power — people like Annapurna Pictures’ Megan Ellison took a chance on Wilde’s passion project.

And while the budding director helms the singular stories that interest her — she just wrapped filming the thriller Don’t Worry Darling this year — her peers, women like Reese Witherspoon, are carving out a larger space for the kind of diverse storytelling that’s only possible when someone who’s survived the relentless grind of the movie-making business for decades decides to use their amassed fame and name recognition as a hammer to smash ceilings for others.

Witherspoon, like Wilde, knew early in her career that she wanted a say in the kind of women she played on-screen, but that idea of creative autonomy didn’t fully realize until she gained the wisdom that comes with more years spent playing by industry rules.

“I had no idea what I was doing,” Witherspoon told Fast Company of starting her first production company at age 25. “In four years I produced one film. It was beautiful, and I loved it, but it was clear to me that I wasn’t ready to tell stories—because I didn’t know what stories I wanted to tell.”

That company would go on to champion one of her most iconic roles in the film, Legally Blonde before she launched another outfit, Pacific Standard. That production house found more success, as an older Witherspoon felt drawn to films like Gone Girl, Wild, and Big Little Lies. But the actress would pivot once again, with the help of social media this time, to bring her current company, Hello Sunshine to life.

She had been the aging actress looking for meatier roles since her mid-30s — Hollywood’s immaterial expiration date when it comes to its female members continues to boggle our minds — but it wasn’t until her husband, a talent scout, suggested she start taking the reigns, not just in funding the stories she found interesting, but in finding them as well, that something clicked.

“I talked to my husband around that time when the movies weren’t working for me,” she said. “And he said, ‘Are these movies you want to be making?’ And I said, ‘No, I’m waiting for the scripts to come in.’ And he said: ‘You don’t seem like the kind of person who sits around and waits for the phone to ring. You read more books than anybody I know, so why don’t you start making them into your own material?’”

That’s how Reese’s Book Club was born, a digital gathering of book nerds on Instagram that would end up snowballing into a media company that now has shows in development at almost all of the major streaming companies, its own women-focused cable channel — think the Oprah Winfrey Network but with Witherspoon’s bubbly, Southern flair — multiple podcasts, digital programming on Facebook Watch and IGTV, a talk show, and more.

And whether it’s curious-minded talent getting behind the camera for the first time, or beloved actresses weaponizing their clout to create media empires that serve women, the trend of female ownership continues to bulldoze through the studios and networks that have stood as gatekeepers for far too long.

Award-winning actresses like Regina King are bringing social-justice dramas to Academy Awards voters and demanding they listen to the sound of their own history. Multi-hyphenates like Issa Rae and Mindy Kaling are trading in web series for author bios, building season-long comedies on streamers, and financing sitcoms that give us a tongue-in-cheek picture of the new American dream. Prodigies like Margot Robbie and Zendaya are shuffling off the archaic Hollywood typecasts of “movie star” and “ingenue” in favor of crafting roles and backing films that not only interest them but also serve as a mirror for the audiences they want to reach — women, of different creeds and colors, with disparate backgrounds and unique life experiences who’ve been shortchanged by the industry for too long.

In a post #MeToo and #TimesUp era, these women are rediscovering their agency and unapologetically pursuing their interests — on-screen and off. And the movie-making business is a hell of a lot better off for it.

Categories
News Trending Viral Worldwide

Big Sean Shows Major Love To Nipsey Hussle In Their Motivational ‘Deep Reverence’ Video

Nearly eight months after initially releasing his posthumous Nipsey Hussle collaboration “Deep Reverence,” Big Sean hits the West Side with Hit-Boy to honor the late Los Angeles great in the official music video. The video sets a gorgeous acrylic paint portrait of Nipsey against a series of sunny LA backdrops throughout the neighborhoods that served as Nip’s stomping grounds. Sean himself performs his verses on the basketball court at Crete Academy in Hyde Park, which was created by the Venice Basketball League‘s Project Backboard, and rides around in a blue lowrider with West Coast legend Snoop Dogg.

Sean recounted the difficulty he had in releasing “Deep Reverence” as a single to his 2020 album Detroit 2, describing some initial skepticism from his label about putting the track out ahead of the album’s release. “My label (a few people there, not the whole label) thought it wasn’t smart to put this song out ahead of my album, they told my team I should hold on to it,” he tweeted shortly after the song dropped. “My heart and my gut was saying not only do people deserve that song right now, I felt like hearing nips voice, but his presence and the energy of the song itself was also needed and deserved its own moment! All the love n support y’all showing gave me confirmation once again to always follow my heart n gut and not listen to anyone more than myself. No such thing as losing when you do that! Hope y’all can do the same always.”

Meanwhile, Nipsey’s incredible impact was highlighted by Daniel Kaluuya’s recent Golden Globe acceptance speech, in which he drew attention to Nip’s philosophy of giving your all to your craft.

Watch the “Deep Reverence” video above.

Nipsey Hussle is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Categories
News Trending Viral Worldwide

SZA Praised Doja Cat Saying Her Music ‘Touched My Inner Mind And Spirit’

Doja Cat was the subject of a new cover story by V Magazine today, and as Complex points out, she had a pretty amazing conversation with SZA, who interviewed her for the piece. You should really read the whole thing, but my favorite part is in a question that leads into whether or not Doja finds herself in the hip-hop conversation, SZA reveals that Doja actually inspired her and made Solana feel more comfortable with herself.

I really feel like I relate the most to you because between the pre-TDE sh*t and crossing that path, I always felt like I couldn’t fit into anything. That my music isn’t “Black enough” with “Drew Barrymore.” Or I’m doing sh*t that’s strange. I never felt that as a Black girl, I could make music and be in these realms. You make music in all these other realms and make it sound like it touched my inner mind and spirit. It’s like, you’re exactly who I needed when I was in high school [and] college. I just wanted to feel like it’s ok to be an individual that isn’t really planted but is highly mutable and superfluid. Working with you was literally my dream.

SZA also shares their collaboration is reportedly called “Kiss Me More.” And the interview ends with SZA comparing Doja to Britney Spears, which doesn’t seem that far off anymore. Look for Doja’s new album Planet Her dropping sometime later this year.

Categories
News Trending Viral Worldwide

Eddie Huang’s Debut Film ‘Boogie’ Highlights Pop Smoke’s Acting Potential

When Eddie Huang’s directorial debut, Boogie, was announced, much attention was given to the presence of one of its stars: the late Brooklyn drill rapper Pop Smoke, in his own posthumous acting debut. While it was at one point considered unusual for rappers to jump into acting — especially before they ever had an album to their name — in recent years, it’s become much more common for a new and rising star to already have their hands in many different arts to ensure that at least one of them pays off. From Vince Staples in Dope to Cardi B in Fast 9 to Quavo in Wash Me In The River, more actors than ever are pursuing side careers in film.

The question on everyone’s minds, then, was whether or not Pop Smoke’s acting chops lived up to the billing. In the film, he portrays the title character’s rival hooper, as Boogie (Taylor Takahashi, also in his debut), a first-generation Chinese-American basketball player, transfers to a new school in the hopes of drumming up interest from a college program that can get him closer to the NBA. Of course, Boogie’s life is complicated; his estranged parents battle each other over his path to pro hoops and he becomes interested in a girl at his new school, all while butting heads with his coach over his role on the team.

From a pure “movie” standpoint, Boogie shows all the hallmarks of a debut directorial effort from Huang. While the foundation of the story is solid and the performances are for the most part superb, there are probably a few too many plot threads that need tying off by the film’s conclusion, many of which are pretty cliched. The dialogue suffers from “trying to be hip,” and it’s also unintentionally funny, possibly at times that aren’t meant to be — but that’s also probably a result of its New York shooting locations. There’s one moment in which a bystander can be heard reacting to Boogie’s dialogue with his love interest as he tries to explain the friction of balancing 5,000 years of cultural history with second-class citizen status.

Also — and this part just might be due to my proximity to the game — but I found myself a little bit frustrated with the basketball culture as presented. What little gameplay is seen is serviceable at best (with odd dialogue that doesn’t seem to suit the action on-screen), but while the behind-the-scenes workings of recruiting, scholarships, and overseas offers read true-to-life, there is astonishingly little context presented for any of it. If someone were completely unversed in how this stuff works, they’d be confused — even worse, for someone who is well-versed, it’s even more confusing.

When the choice is posed between skipping one year of NCAA eligibility to play for the Shanghai Sharks or walking on at Georgetown in the hopes of securing an NBA berth, I found myself flabbergasted that the former route seemed to preclude the latter outcome when several players have already been successful at it (more so than the traditional route of playing for a few years at a ranked school). It feels almost like advocating for the exploitative practices of the NCAA, while simultaneously dumping on non-US leagues — where US-born players often thrive and Jeremy Lin, who the film name-checks early on, went in the process of mounting his NBA comeback.

But Pop Smoke’s character appears relatively early and looms over the proceedings, giving the Brooklyn rapper plenty of opportunities to shine. He makes the most of them, stealing nearly every scene he’s in and giving off a magnetic aura that pulls the viewer in. He snarls on the court and smirks in the protagonist’s face, his husky growl dousing every line in sizzling New York authenticity. His performance made me wish that the love story had been cut in the interest of cultivating the two players’ rivalry — for the most part, we mostly hear about how Monk being the best player in the city, and rarely do the two actually share the screen in the first two-thirds of the runtime.

When they do, however, the screen lights up and the electricity is palpable. I found myself doing that two-panel meme of the guy playing the video game all laid-back until the score gets close. I scooted forward on my couch, leaning in to soak in the aura of tension. Much of this aura is given off by Takahashi, but the majority of it is Pop Smoke, who practically vibrates off the screen. It’s probably presumptuous to make a comparison to Tupac in Above The Rim… but that’s exactly what I’m going to do because even if the comparison isn’t apples to apples, the clementine that is Pop Smoke sure looks like a Tupac orange that just hasn’t grown up yet.

While the film makes little effort to flesh out the character — outside of repeated mentions of how badly Boogie needs to beat Monk — Pop Smoke does plenty of that work himself. He gives Monk a cocky, borderline brutish demeanor, but he holds back from pure thuggery. Monk is a New York classic, a trash talker who does whatever it takes to get into his opponent’s head and throw them off their game. And as infuriating as that can be — both on the court and in real life — Pop is a charismatic enough personality to not only pull it off but also to make viewers like his character almost as much as Boogie.

The one real drawback is that Pop’s performance is dragged down the same way the movie is; through unsure editing and amateurish writing. Not to speak ill of the dead, but the quick cuts during Pop’s on-court play make it clear he had way more talent on the mic than with a ball. Also, he’s alternatively listed on Google as either 5’5″ or 5’11”, which means those dunks are either being performed by a body double or on an eight-foot rim. He may have had plenty of potential as a future actor but a J. Cole-esque hoop dream pursuit was definitely out of the question.

Ultimately, Pop Smoke shining in his debut role the world winds up mostly highlighting — once again — how truly tragic his untimely demise remains. It seems certain now that he would have continued to grow in stature — his posthumous debut album, Shoot For The Stars, Aim For The Moon was one of 2020’s most-streamed projects and demonstrated how truly versatile he could be — and collect further roles as charismatic villains and possibly even roguish heroes. Even in the limited screentime that the movie allows, he becomes the center of every scene he’s in — that is the very definition of star power. Unfortunately, the world will instead continue to miss out on the growth and charm of Pop Smoke, who by every indication here, had all the making of a bonafide movie star.

Categories
News Trending Viral Worldwide

‘Space Jam 2’ Will Apparently Tie Lola Bunny Into The DC Extended Universe

It’s been a busy week for Lola Bunny. The Looney Tunes character who made her first appearance in 1996’s Space Jam will be returning for the sequel, and when she does, she’ll be bringing the DC Extended Universe with her. According to newly revealed information from director Malcolm Lee, when Space Jam: A New Legacy catches up with Lola, she’ll have forged a new life away from Bugs Bunny thanks to the help of a group of very strong and powerful women who Wonder Woman fans will surely recognize. Via Entertainment Weekly:

“We wanted to meet her with the Amazons, trying to find greener pastures for herself,” says Lee, revealing that Lola’s reintroduction is set in the world of Wonder Woman, which is just one part of the new film’s use of the WB film catalog. “As she says in the movie, there’s more to her than just being a Tune.”

Finding out Lola lives on Wonder Woman’s home island of Themyscira is a major revelation that should yield some interesting reactions from DC Comics fans, which is nothing new for the Space Jam character who dominated social media earlier in the week after Lee revealed that Lola will be “less sexualized” for the sequel. “This is 2021. It’s important to reflect the authenticity of strong, capable female characters,” Lee told EW while emphasizing that Lola would be less of a sex object for Bugs and more of a dynamic team player who’s possibly as good as LeBron James. The change to Lola’s design sparked numerous reactions on social media about the size of cartoon rabbit breasts. We’re all having a normal time.

(Via Entertainment Weekly)

Categories
News Trending Viral Worldwide

‘NBA 2K’ Dropped A Ton Of New Overall And Skill Ratings For All-Star 2021

The NBA All-Star weekend is going to look a little bit different this year due to the league’s decision to put on a show amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The primary difference comes in the lack of a Saturday night — the NBA, instead of putting on a two-night card, is moving all three of its normal Saturday events to Sunday, with the Skills Challenge and Three-Point Contest occurring before the game and the Dunk Contest happening at halftime.

But still, the game itself isn’t going to be much different. A pair of squads selected by the top of vote getters in each conference – LeBron James and Kevin Durant, the latter of whom will not play due to an injury – will go head-to-head in a game that, like last year, incorporates the Elam Ending into the festivities. And to celebrate the fact that a number of players earned the All-Star distinction this year, the folks over NBA 2K have decided to offer up some updated rankings for those who will participate in the game.

Team LeBron James:

​LeBron James: 97 OVR
​Giannis Antetokounmpo: 96 OVR
Steph Curry: 96 OVR
​​Nikola Jokic: 95 OVR
​​Luka Doncic: 93 OVR

​​Damian Lillard: 94 OVR
​​Paul George: 90 OVR
​​Jaylen Brown: 89 OVR
​​Ben Simmons: 88 OVR
​​Chris Paul: 88 OVR
​Rudy Gobert: 88 OVR
​Domantas Sabonis: 87 OVR

Team Kevin Durant:

​​Kawhi Leonard: 96 OVR
​​Joel Embiid: 95 OVR
​Kyrie​ Irving: 91 OVR
​​Bradley Beal: 90 OVR
​​Jayson Tatum: 90 OVR

​​James Harden: 95 OVR
​​Zion Williamson: 89 OVR
​​Devin Booker: 88 OVR
​Zach LaVine: 88 OVR
​Nikola Vucevic: 88 OVR
Donovan Mitchell: 88 OVR
​Julius Randle: 87 OVR

Additionally, overall ratings have been updated for those participating in the Skills Challenge — the only person who is participating in this who is not in the game is Robert Covington, who is now a 77 overall — while the individual skill ratings on display during the Three-Point Contest and Dunk Contest are updated, too.

Three-Point Contest

Steph Curry: 98 three-point rating
​Zach LaVine: 88 three-point rating
​Devin Booker: 86 three-point rating
​Jaylen Brown: 86 three-point rating
​Jayson Tatum: 85 three-point rating
​Donovan Mitchell: 85 three-point rating

Dunk Contest

Cassius Stanley: 92 dunk rating
Obi Toppin: 90 dunk rating
​Anfernee Simons: 89 dunk rating

To try and fill the hoops void on Saturday, 2K will host its third annual MyTEAM Unlimited $250,000 championship game on its Twitch account. As for All-Star, the pregame festivities for Sunday will begin at 6:30 PM Eastern time, with the game slated to begin around 8 PM. The entirety of the programming will air on TNT.

Categories
News Trending Viral Worldwide

Dem. Senator Kyrsten Sinema Brought Cake To The Senate Floor And Then Made A Big Production Out Of Casting A Vote Against Raising The Minimum Wage

Democrats fighting to raise the minimum wage in America as part of a sweeping COVID-19 relief bill had a tough day on Friday, as several members of their party voted against measures on the Senate floor to include a $15 wage in the massive relief bill.

But it was one vote from an Arizona senator that drew particular ire online as the day progressed. Arizona senator Kyrsten Sinema is a Democrat who was rumored to be against the wage hike, and that turned out to be true on Friday as she was one of several Democrats who voted against the measure. Though Democrats have 50 seats in the Senate — and the tie-breaking vote of vice president Kamala Harris — they needed 60 votes to pass the measure. So it was particularly disheartening that even Democrats didn’t feel moved to help millions of Americans living in poverty due to wages that have not matched the cost of living and increasing wealth disparity.

All of that aside, it was the way Sinema voted no on the measure, which was done by roll call on Friday afternoon, that had many people utterly flabbergasted on social media. In a GIF that quickly went viral, Sinema basically struck a pose as she emphatically pointed her thumb down to vote no on a $15 minimum wage.

In case you need a video to make sure things weren’t altered, here it is from a more zoomed-out feed.

The reaction to the clip was immediate. People were furious about her demeanor, especially when the no-vote is a direct call to keep people from making a living wage.

Sinema also quite literally brought cake to the Senate floor, bringing some serious Marie-Antoinette vibes to a day when she later quite gleefully voted to keep millions of Americans in poverty.

The senator actually retweeted that clarification on Friday, though who the cake was intended for doesn’t really seem to matter much to the larger metaphor. In any event, here’s a reminder of how much money each of the Democratic senators who voted against a more reasonable minimum wage are worth.

Categories
News Trending Viral Worldwide

Mitski Goes Country On ‘The Baddy Man,’ An Early Preview Of Her ‘This Is Where We Fall’ Soundtrack

Sorry no, Mitski isn’t announcing a new album cycle. I’m sorry to be the one to disappoint you on that front. However, there is a slew of new Mitski songs coming soon, in a different form than fans might be used to.

News broke last fall that new music from the breakout indie star is coming courtesy of a soundtrack for Chris Miskiewicz and Vincent Kings’ graphic novel This Is Where We Fall on Z2 Comics. It’s not totally clear if Mitski is going to be the only one working on the soundtrack to the adaptation of their work, which is a sci-fi story that touches on “theology, death, and the after-life,” but they did call her soundtrack a “companion piece.”

Today the first preview of that companion piece is here, dubbed “The Baddy Man,” the song is a pretty straightforward, rollicking country track. It’s a very different sound for Mitski. (Seems like she took the phrase Be The Cowboy even more seriously on this one!)

“It was exciting to make a soundtrack for a comic book,” the singer said about the soundtrack when it was announced. “It allowed me to work outside of my usual songwriting form and try to approach it like a score, but without any of the cues that come with working alongside a moving image, which ended up being both freeing and challenging. I hope the end result helps to immerse you in the story!”

Categories
News Trending Viral Worldwide

After Watching ‘Framing Britney Spears,’ Kim Kardashian Sympathizes With The Pop Star

The recent Framing Britney Spears documentary shed light on the struggles the titular pop star has gone through and continues to endure. This led to multiple reactions online, including from Dua Lipa and now from Kim Kardashian.

Kardashian just got around to watching the documentary and in a series of Instagram Story posts today, she began by noting that it made her feel “empathy” for Spears and that she remembers similar experiences she has undergone. She continued:

“When I was pregnant with North I was suffering from preeclampsia, which made me swell uncontrollably. I gained 60 lbs and delivered almost 6 weeks early and I cried every single day over what was happening to my body mainly from the pressures of being constantly compared to what society considered a healthy pregnant person should look like — as well as being compared to Shamu the Whale by the media. Looking at all of the photos of myself online and in magazines made me so insecure and I had this fear of wondering if I would ever get my pre baby body back. I was shamed on a weekly basis with cover stories that made my insecurities so painful I couldn’t leave the house for months after. It really broke me.

Luckily I was able to take these frustrating, embarrassing feelings and channel it into motivation to get me where I am today, but to say this didn’t take a toll on me mentally would be a lie. I’m sharing this just to say I really hope everyone involved in the business of shaming and bullying someone to the point of breaking them down might reconsider and instead try to show some understanding and compassion. You just never fully know what someone is going through behind the scenes and I’ve learned through my own experiences that it’s always better to lead with kindness.”

Kasdashian then shared a depressingly long gallery of tabloid covers and memes commenting on and poking fun at her weight. She ended by concluding, “These are just a few examples… I’m tired of googling! Ok heading off to my workout now LOL.”

Find Kardashian’s original posts below.

@kimkardashian/Instagram
@kimkardashian/Instagram
@kimkardashian/Instagram
@kimkardashian/Instagram
@kimkardashian/Instagram
@kimkardashian/Instagram

Dua Lipa is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Categories
News Trending Viral Worldwide

Scotch Whiskies Under $75 That Are Perfect For Sipping On The Rocks

Ordering a “scotch on the rocks” is one of the most classic bar orders in the history of time. But that order is a bit like someone ordering a “beer” from a bar on TV or in a movie. What beer? No one orders just “beer” or just “scotch.” They order a specific brand — a PBR or Guinness or Chivas or Jack Daniel’s.

To give your next “on the rocks” order a little clarity, we’re calling out ten Scotch whiskies we dig served that way. Drams that, in our opinion, legitimately benefit from a few cubes of ice.

There’s really no right or wrong answer when ordering a scotch on the rocks. A lot of the juice out there is built specifically to be taken that way. That being said, you don’t need to go too wild with the prices here. A solid mid-range scotch (think in the $50 range) will get the job done nicely. Especially now that prices are sure to start dropping after the trade tariffs that jacked up prices of scotch in the U.S. have finally ended.

The ten bottles below aren’t really ranked. They’re simply bottles we like to drink with a rock or two. Prices are all under $75, so today it’s all about the taste — let’s dive in!

Johnnie Walker Green Label

Diageo

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $65

The Whisky:

The blend is a “pure malt” blended whisky, meaning that it’s made only with single malts (usually blended scotch is made with both grain and malt whisky). In this case, the juice is pulled from all over Scotland with a focus on Speyside, Highland, Lowland, and Island malts, including a minimum of 15-year-old Talisker, Caol Ila, Cragganmore, and Linkwood.

Tasting Notes:

This sip draws you in with the smells of an old, soft cedar box that’s held black pepper, sweet fruits, and oily vanilla pods next to a hint of green grass. The taste really holds onto the cedar as the fruits lean tropical, with a hint of dried roses pinging in the background. The end builds on that by adding a note of spicy tobacco, a splash of sea spray, and a distant billow of campfire smoke.

On The Rocks:

This is one of Johnnie Walker’s best blends, by far. The whisky really opens up on the rocks and takes on a slight creaminess that pairs well with the spice and cedar.

Old Pulteney 12

InterBev

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $45

The Whisky:

Old Pulteney is all about sea vibes. Their entry-point spirit is aged for 12 years in second-fill bourbon casks before it’s batched, proofed, and bottled.

Tasting Notes:

There’s a clear sense of creamed honey with a touch of sea spray on the nose. The taste really holds onto that creamy honey while notes of wildflowers and oaky spice mingle with malts. The end is fairly short and leaves you with a sense of that creamed honey and a touch of spicy warmth.

On The Rocks:

This becomes more floral as the ice releases water and cools the dram down. Next, a touch of espresso bean bitterness arrives, providing a nice counterpoint to the velvet honey sweetness.

The Balvenie 12 DoubleWood

William Grant & Sons

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $70

The Whisky:

The Balvenie 12 is a classic bottle of whisky. The juice is aged for 12 years in ex-bourbon and then finished in old Olorosso sherry casks for nine months before it’s vatted, proofed with soft Speyside water, and bottled.

Tasting Notes:

Clear notes of sherry plumminess and nuttiness mix with a touch of honey and vanilla on the greeting. The taste holds onto those notes while adding in hints of marzipan, cinnamon sticks, and an almost chewy-sherry sweetness next to oak. The finish is very long, fills you with warmth, and has a soft and sweet edge.

On The Rocks:

This is already remarkably well-rounded. With ice, there’s an amping up of the nuttiness and plummy nature of the dram to the point of a berry jam that’s been hit with eggnog spices.

Glenfiddich 12

William Grant & Sons

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $50

The Whisky:

This is an entry whisky not only to Speyside but to single malts in general. The juice is aged in a combination of used American and European oak before it’s married, rested, proofed with Speyside’s iconic water, and bottled.

Tasting Notes:

This dram is creamy like a vanilla pudding with a bright pear orchard and some mild toffee. That leads towards a very easy and soft woodiness with a touch of candied pear and more vanilla cream. It’s also very light and approachable while still feeling like a solid whisky.

On The Rocks:

This is a really solid choice for an “on the rocks” order. The ice brings about this almost … warm and creamy oatmeal filled with raisins, vanilla beans, brown sugar, dried pear, and cinnamon. It’s super comforting while also being very crushable.

Chivas Regal 12

Chivas Brothers

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $35

The Whisky:

This Highland whisky is built around the famed Strathisla Distillery. The whisky is crafted to work as a sipper or mixer, with real complexity built-in. It really shines in both respects.

Tasting Notes:

There’s a matrix of oak, nuts, malts, and fruit up top. The fruitiness leans into orchards in full bloom as a minerality drives the taste towards spicy tobacco with a hint of creamy vanilla. The oak peeks back in with a little more maltiness, as the end slowly fades alongside a mild chewiness.

On The Rocks:

This is the classic on the rocks whisky. The ice really mellows down the maltiness and warmth while highlighting a slightly savory edge with plenty of vanilla tobacco chew and a dry nuttiness.

Ardbeg 10

Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $50

The Whisky:

This is a classic bottle of peated malt. The Islay whisky is made with locally peated smoky malts and then primarily matured in ex-sherry casks for the years. Those casks are married and then cut with local lake water before bottling.

Tasting Notes:

There’s a clear sense of stonefruit, orange oils, and earthen peaty smoke that greets you. The palate leans into the iodine and earthiness with plenty of campfire smoke next to black pepper, vanilla, and an underlying nuttiness. With a little water, a coffee bitterness arises next to a hint of black licorice. The end really embraces the smoke, adding fattiness like an old meat smoker as the fruit and nuts make a final appearance on the very slow fade.

On The Rocks:

This is a peaty whisky but really mellows nicely with a rock or two, making it a bit more accessible to the non-peat lovers out there (myself included). The licorice and anise amp up a tad with this preparation, while the citrus shines a bit brighter and the smoke is tempered down.

The Dalmore 12

Whyte & Mackay

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $67

The Whisky:

This Highland whisky is a standard that feels like a classic. The juice is aged in ex-bourbon for nearly a decade. The whisky is then transferred to former sherry casks for that crucial finishing touch of maturation for around three years. It’s then proofed down with that soft Highland water to a very accessible 80 proof.

Tasting Notes:

Oranges studded with cloves mingle with a deep dark chocolate foundation and a hint of eggnog creaminess and spiciness. The palate goes even deeper on the orange and spice as heavy vanilla arrives — the husk, seeds, oils are all present. The end is fairly succinct and touches back on the chocolate with a bitter mocha-coffee vibe and more of the vanilla.

On The Rocks:

Ice really amps up the bitterness of this dram by highlight the dark chocolate bar that’s bespeckled with crushed coffee beans and orange rinds. That vanilla also stays in the mix as the taste leans into the oiliness, kind of like chewing on a vanilla husk.

Aberfeldy 12

Bacardi

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $45

The Whisky:

This Highland malt is the cornerstone of the much-beloved Dewar’s Blended Scotch. This whisky is a very accessible single malt that spends 12 years resting before it’s married and proofed with that soft Highland water and bottled.

Tasting Notes:

The heart of the nose is in the mingling of pear and honey with a hint of Christmas spice, especially nutmeg. The palate expands on that with a lush maltiness, creamy vanilla, mild spice, and more of that honey and orchard fruit. The end gets slightly nutty and bitter with a little water as the honey, fruit, and spice linger on the senses.

On The Rocks:

There’s a real sense of that honey when ice is in the mix. It becomes creamy and velvety. The spice mellows a bit but zeroes in on nutmeg and clove even more so.

Shackleton Blended Malt

Mackinlay

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $35

The Whisky:

This whisky is a bit of a conversation starter that also delivers a solid taste. The whisky is a retread of the actual whisky Sir Ernest Shackleton took with him on his voyage to Antarctica in the early 1900s. The juice offers a recreation of that exact dram — with a few of the rougher edges taken off to make it a little more palatable to today’s drinker.

Tasting Notes:

Malty crackers dusted with brown sugar and cinnamon greet you. The taste builds on those notes, with plenty of orange zest and caramel-dipped apples next to a whisper of oak. The orange drives the sip towards its short yet malty finish.

On The Rocks:

This sort of gets dusty with those spices when iced — kind of like an old wooden box that once held spices left in a cellar. The cinnamon is the real highlight, but you’re also met with a touch of bitter orange and coffee beans next to a warm malty note.

Glenfarclas 12

J. & G. Grant

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $60

The Whisky:

Glenfarclas is a bit of an outlier from the Highlands. The whisky is distilled with old-school fire-heated stills (most stills use steam) to this day. The juice is then aged exclusively in ex-sherry casks for 12 long years.

Tasting Notes:

There’s a rumminess to the nose that touches on molasses, prunes, nuts, and jam. The taste holds onto that vibe to the point of having an almost spiced rum sweetness and spice with clear notes of holiday spices, plenty of dried fruit, and a roasted almond element. The end long and spicy, leaving you with a Highland hug.

On The Rocks:

Ice definitely calms down the spiciness a bit but amps up the jamminess and adds some serious vanilla roundness. The nuttiness gets a bit drier as well, veering into nutshell territory.