Category: Worldwide

For the first time during the 2020 NFL season, we didn’t net a profit last week in this space. Granted, it was a break-even week at 2-2-1, but alas, the results could have been better and it’s a reminder that handicapping professional football contests (in the world’s sharpest market) is pretty difficult. Still, we press on with an interesting card in Week 5 and, before we get to our five selections, it is time to take a glance at the season-long results.

• Week 4: 2-2-1
• 2020 Season: 12-7-1

Come get these winners.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Chicago Bears UNDER 44.5 points

We haven’t dipped much into the Unders this season and, well, that is fortunate given how things have played out across the league. With that said, there is some an intrigue with this Thursday night number. Tampa Bay’s offense, headlined by Tom Brady, is enough to scare you a little bit, but the Bucs are missing weapons all over the place. As for the Bears, count me as a skeptic of this offense, while still buying the defensive side. Cross your fingers.

Las Vegas Raiders (+7) over Kansas City Chiefs in the first half

Earlier in the week, the full-game number was high enough to like it but, at this juncture, the value may be gone. I do, however, like the first half at a full touchdown or better. The Chiefs are the better team. We all know that, but the Raiders are frisky and Kansas City sometimes takes a little bit longer than they’d like to get started. It’ll be a sweat but I like it.

Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburgh Steelers UNDER 22 points in the first half

This total feels juicy, and sharp money has come in on the full-game Under to a significant degree. If you can get more than 44 points, that full game is still pretty appetizing but, even so, I like the first half more. There is a chance, of course, that these two quarterbacks start firing in the fourth quarter but, in the first half, I trust Pittsburgh’s defense and Philadelphia should have enough to slow a Steelers team coming off an unexpected bye.

Miami Dolphins (+9) over San Francisco 49ers

We rode the Eagles to success over the Niners last week, and I’m going back to it with the Dolphins. Yes, Miami is kind of bad, but San Francisco remains completely devastated by injury. This number should probably be 6.5 or 7, and we’ll take the 9 with glee.

Cleveland Browns (+2) over Indianapolis Colts

I actually believe in the Colts. Really, I do … but I also believe in the Browns. That is, of course, abjectly terrifying, but I don’t really see the justification for Indy laying points on the road here. Cleveland is probably more trendy than I would like, but I think it’s the right side.

Even if you only have a passing knowledge of whiskey, you’ve probably heard the name Pappy Van Winkle. In an era when whiskey has sneaker-culture levels of hype, “Pappy” has become the most sought-after unicorn brand of them all. In the hierarchy of American whiskey (especially in the minds of famously cultish aficionados), the brand’s expressions stand above the likes of Old Forester Birthday Bourbon, Blanton’s, E.H. Taylor, Jr., and even the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection.

Whiskey lovers are well acquainted with Pappy Van Winkle and its easy-sipping, subtly sweet flavor, derived from a high level of wheat in the mash bill. They’re also well acquainted with the scarcity issues that have grown synonymous with the brand’s name. Every fall, the company drops its yearly release of bottles — a sort of pre-Christmas for spirits collectors — but since they don’t actually detail how many bottles will be available to the public, your chances of finding one are really a crapshoot. At best. (Befriend your local neighborhood liquor store owner and ask for a text if bottles happen to come in, you might get lucky!)

This year, Pappy Van Winkle says that the number of bottles of its 10, 12, and 15-year-old bourbons will be similar to previous years, while the much-anticipated 20 and 23-year-old offerings are available in much smaller quantities due to barrels yielding less whiskey than past years. If you have your sights set on getting a bottle of Pappy, target a bottle of its 13-year-old rye — they’re shipping more bottles of that expression than usual.

If you can manage to find a bottle of the new Pappy Van Winkle releases at your local retailer, here are the brand’s suggested retail prices:

Sadly, as these are the suggested prices, the brand can’t control whether or not stores mark it up bottles to astronomically high prices. Spoiler: Stores will definitely do that. Hopefully, they don’t get too egregious. It’s a longstanding problem that the brand seems interested (albeit vaguely) in fixing:

“We are committed to releasing quality whiskey at a reasonable cost and we hope retailers will honor what we suggest as a fair retail price,” says Julian Van Winkle, president, Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery.

According to Pappy, their whiskeys will be available beginning in November. There’s no set date because different markets will receive shipments at varying times. Some stores will also save bottles for Black Friday and big holiday sales. If you miss out on a bottle in November, be aware that you might see more pop up in the coming months. Keyword: might.

Yesterday, Quavo shared how he struck up a conversation with his now-girlfriend Saweetie, sharing the DMs he sent her that led to them forming their relationship. He led off with a reference to her song “Icy Grl” by sending just a snowflake emoji, and since that worked so well, a bunch of people have been trying the pick-up line.

Quavo is a big fan of people stealing his moves, as he retweeted a screenshot of somebody DMing somebody the emoji and receiving a confused question mark back. The pick-up artist followed up with Quavo’s follow-up, “u so icy Ima glacier boy,” which only further complicated the situation further, as the addressee replied, “N**** f*ck is you talking about.” Quavo later shared the tweet and wrote after some laughing emojis, “Snow flake Is The New One! It’s Work Trust.”

He had a similar reaction to another screenshot, which somebody captioned, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” Their screenshot showed his list of DMs, which showed then sent snowflakes to Rihanna, Doja Cat, Vanessa Hudgens, Megan Thee Stallion, and a bunch of other women.

Saweetie has also shared a few of her favorite snowflake DM attempts as well:

Somebody else tried the move on Seth Rogen, but they were unsuccessful. The actor got a kick out of it, though, as he responded, “Haha. That line might work on some people but not me!”

Even the NBA’s Washington Wizards got in on the action. They sent the snowflake DM to every other NBA team and got a few responses from squads like the Memphis Grizzlies and San Antonio Spurs.

Check out some other snowflake-themed pick-up attempts below.

Ever since the climactic events of Avengers: Endgame, Marvel fans have heavily speculated that Peter Parker would receive a new mentor as he grows into more than just your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. The name that came up the most was Benedict Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange, and now, comes word that Cumberbatch is reportedly joining Spider-Man 3 to guide the young hero. Via Hollywood Reporter:

The move puts Cumberbatch in the mentor role that was previously occupied by Robert Downey Jr., who played Tony Stark/Iron Man in Spider-Man: Homecoming, and by Samuel L. Jackson in Spider-Man: Far From Home, the latter reprising Nick Fury. The role gives Holland a chance to play opposite seasoned actors, gives Peter Parker a father figure and gives the movies extra star power while also tying them to the greater Marvel Cinematic Universe.

The announcement lines up with the production of both films, which would seem to suggest the plan to share Doctor Strange (and possibly even Spidey) has been in the works for a while. Spider-Man 3 is reportedly filming in mid-October. Meanwhile, Cumberbatch recently revealed that Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness will start filming in November.

Cumberbatch’s casting also strengthens fan theories that Jamie Foxx’s return as Electro in Spider-Man 3 will be related to the Multiverse wreaking havoc on the MCU. As you can plainly see in the title, the Multiverse will play a central role in the Doctor Strange sequel, and Marvel fans may get a glimpse into the world of alternate realities when WandaVision arrives on Disney+. That series focuses on Elizabeth Olsen’s Scarlet Witch and will reportedly lay the groundwork for the next Doctor Strange film, in which Olsen is also starring.

(Via Hollywood Reporter)

The only thing missing from RMR’s impressive UPROXX Sessions performance of his Drug Dealing Is A Lost Art single “Welfare” is Westside Gunn’s physical presence but even without it, the masked crooner still delivers a show as charismatic as any. He draws the viewer in with his eyes leering and gold teeth gleaming from beneath his custom ski mask while his live singing proves that the vocal acuity he demonstrates on his debut EP is no tech-assisted fluke; he’s got real chops.

The genre-bending troubador first appeared, of course, in the viral video for “Rascal,” his trap-country cover of Rascal Flatts’ “God Bless The Broken Road” earlier this year, prompting a bout of breathless speculation on social media and amusing music fans with his masked-up gimmick. Folks couldn’t tell if it was tongue-in-cheek or dead serious, but one thing was for sure; the camouflaged crooner really could sing, and when his next few singles saw him hold his own alongside the likes of Future, Lil Baby, and Young Thug, it was clear that he was being taken seriously by established stars — stars he would eventually come to call his peers.

Watch RMR’s charismatic performance of “Welfare” above.

UPROXX Sessions is Uproxx’s new performance show featuring the hottest up-and-coming acts you should keep an eye on. Featuring creative direction from LA promotion collective, Ham On Everything, and taking place on our “bathroom” set designed and painted by Julian Gross, UPROXX Sessions is a showcase of some of our favorite performers, who just might soon be yours, too..

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

After gaining a huge cult following, Conan Gray released his heartfelt debut album Kid Krow back in March. The album is a heartsick reflection on identity, young love, and the politics of high school life, but one song in particular stands as a fan-favorite. Gray’s track “Heather” has captivated audiences with its earnestness, and the singer brought a performance of the track to The Late Late Show With James Corden.

Gray sang “Heather” amid billowing white sheets. As the song progressed, Gray became increasingly urgent with his delivery, eventually falling back into the sheets, ripping them down, and revealing a vast California landscape.

Briefly chatting to Gray ahead of his performance, Corden gushed over the singer’s recent rise: “I’m so thrilled for everything that’s happening in your life and career at the moment. It feels like everywhere I turn, people are just going crazy about you.” Corden also spoke to Gray about “Heather,” asking Gray why he almost didn’t include it on his debut album:

“When I wrote the song, I was really embarrassed because it’s about this girl from my high school who barely knew that I even existed and I was super jealous of her. I just thought that, maybe, no one would relate to it. I thought that I was insane feeling the way I felt. I was super jealous of her, it’s not a very nice song. It’s not very nice to tell someone you want them to disappear. So, I almost didn’t put it on the album. I thought that I was crazy and it turns out that I’m not the only one that’s felt that way about someone. I think everybody has a Heather in their life.”

Watch Gray perform “Heather” on The Late Late Show above.

Kid Krow is out now via Republic. Get it here.

Are you a little fried? I bet you are. I am, for sure, what with everything happening all the time, relentlessly. While television shows and movies can often be ways to relax and turn the volume down in your brain a little bit, sometimes even the sweetest, nicest options you can find — a Ted Lasso or a Schitt’s Creek — run a little hot. No, sometimes you want to shut it all down. This is fine. It’s good. And now A World of Calm is here to help.

The show, available on HBO Max, is maybe the most soothing thing I’ve ever seen. Created by the people behind the Calm meditation app, it’s just ten half-hour episodes about nature and food and glass and birds, all narrated by celebrities with peaceful voices. It says a lot about the world as it is presently constructed that this was the show I was most looking forward to this fall, and it did not disappoint. I had no idea how badly I needed to hear, like, Kate Winslet talk about horses or Keanu Reeves talk about trees. Turns out the answer was “a lot.”

Below, I have ranked all 10 episodes from least to most soothing. They’re all soothing, though. This is just splitting hairs. And now I want an episode about getting a haircut, narrated by, oh, let’s say Helen Mirren. Watch this show. You’ll understand.

10. Episode 6 — “The Great Beyond”

Narrated by: Idris Elba

Official summary: As we take giant leaps in the advancement of space travel, the vast, complex beauty of galaxies reveals itself with a level of clarity and reach that prior generations could only dream of.

What watching it feels like: Like doing one very slow zero-gravity somersault after another, just spinning freely with no resistance, which an astronaut in this episode actually does.

Additional notes: This one has a lot going for it. Idris Elba’s voice is wonderful and many of the space shots — especially the ones of Saturn’s rings — are captivating. The issue here is that I didn’t particularly want to comprehend my insignificant place in the vast expanse of the cosmos, at least not while I’m trying to relax. A bit much!

9. Episode 4 — “Snowfall”

Narrated by: Cillian Murphy

Official summary: After completing an epic voyage through the atmosphere, the real journey for snow begins after it touches down on earth, blanketing the world with promises of wonder and adventure.

What watching it feels like: Like being a little baby rolling around on a puffy white cloud in the sky, just staring at things with wonder-filled eyes, without enough knowledge to fear any of it, but just enough to be relentlessly amazed by all of it.

Additional notes: Here’s the problem, and I fully cop you this being a Me Issue more than it is a critique of the show: I watch Peaky Blinders. I love it. And in that show, Cillian Murphy plays a gangster named Tommy Shelby, a man who goes entire episodes moving and speaking slowly, deliberately, before erupting into furious fits of violent rage directed at his enemies or whoever happens to be standing closer to him than his enemies. So listening to him talk about snow in gentle, soft tones was wonderful until I remembered the Peaky Blinders of it all and half-expected him to burst into the frame with a Tommy Gun and start spraying it into snowmen. Again, definitely a Me Issue. But these are my rankings. So the point stands.

8. Episode 2 — “The Glassmaker”

Narrated by: Zoe Kravitz

Official summary: Aided by a deep understanding of the natural world, one of the Netherlands’ leading glassmakers harnesses the elements – earth, wind, fire, and air – in order to transform sand into wondrous works of art.

What watching it feels like: Lying in a field and just watching windmills spin very slowly as they catch the passing breeze.

Additional notes: A few pros and cons here.

PRO: Lots of shots of bright, fire-red glass melting and becoming a liquid, oozing itself into shape; a Dutch glassmaker named Bibi who seems awesome; etc.

CON: Too many shots of lava flowing wherever it wants, barreling through and destroying anything in its path.

7. Episode 9 — “The Gift of Chocolate”

Narrated by: Priyanka Chopra Jonas

Official summary: Celebrate one of the world’s most prized and venerated trees, the cacao, a symbol of fertility and abundance once traded as currency¬ – and a gift from nature that, above all else, gives us chocolate.

What watching it feels like: Sitting on a couch with a blanket wrapped around your body and nothing to do for an hour or so.

Additional notes: This was lovely and made me realize I would 100 percent just watch footage of people making chocolate in slow-motion even with no narration. I’d even watch an hour of them just pouring melted chocolate from one container to another. It’s fine. We’re all doing great!

6. Episode 10 — “Water, Giver of Life”

Narrated by: Mahershala Ali

Official summary:As water in all of its various forms weaves a tapestry across the globe and permeates every facet of life, take a moment to reflect on its journey and offer gratitude for all it provides.

What watching it feels like: When you’re cutting wrapping paper with scissors and everything lines up perfectly for a second and the scissors just start to glide through the paper like a fish swimming downstream.

Additional notes: Oh hell yeah, I will listen to Mahershala Ali talk about babbling brooks. I will listen to it forever. Mahershala Ali, if you are reading this, come hang out with me next to a real babbling brook. I’ll be quiet, I promise. I’ll let you talk. But only about the babbling brook. Please do not change the subject. We can talk about whatever you want next time. This one is strictly brook chat.

5. Episode 3 — “The Birds’ Journey”

Narrated by: Nicole Kidman

Official summary: As spring arrives and birds around the world take flight for their yearly migrations, a system of interconnected moving parts help keep nature driving forward.

What watching it feels like: Soaring through sky with your wings extended, looking down at the ground below, not even focusing on anything in particular, just kind of scanning while soaring.

Additional notes: It should be noted that people who have a British or Australian or South African accent have a bit of an unfair advantage here, as their voices are just objectively better at narrating nature documentaries than anyone else’s. Imagine watching 30 minutes of deeply soothing footage of birds narrated by some goon with the thickest Philly accent you’ve ever heard. “Watch cleauslee as the eauree-ole seaurs among the clay-ouds.” Absolutely not. Nicole Kidman, though? Yes. She can talk about birds all she likes.

4. Episode 1 — “The Coral City”

Narrated by: Lucy Liu

Official summary: As the breaking dawn illuminates the thriving underwater metropolis of coral in Indonesia’s Raja Ampat archipelago, a multitude of tiny, majestic creatures work together to keep the reef alive.

What watching it feels like: Kind of like that GIF up there of the turtle.

Additional notes: At one point in here we meet a little dude whose people have lived in the ocean-adjacent land near the reef for centuries. He rules. There are so many shots of this kid paddling his boat through the sea or swimming underwater with a slew of brightly-colored tropical fish and I don’t know if I’ve ever been more jealous of another human being in my entire life. I hope he never changes. Kid has it all figured out, man.

3. Episode 5 — “Living Among Trees”

Narrated by: Keanu Reeves

Official summary: In order to fulfill a childhood dream, a Latvian man roots himself in the slow and steady rhythm of the natural world to craft a canoe from one of its massive, yielding tree trunks.

What watching it feels like: Floating on a tranquil lake, in a canoe you made yourself, staring up at the sky and listening to birds chirp around you in the woods surrounding the water.

Additional notes: The thing here isn’t so much that there’s an episode of television where Keanu Reeves tells you about a cool Latvian dude who lives in the forest and builds an entire canoe out of a single tree, to the degree that he makes a tar out of its roots and uses that tar to waterproof it, which we see when he paints it on in long, slow strokes that are shown at what appears to be 10 percent of its natural speed. No, the thing here is that it took us until the end of 2020 to make this. What have we been doing? Why didn’t this exist over a decade earlier? I honestly do not know. I’m glad it’s here now, though.

2. Episode 8 — “A Horse’s Tale”

Narrated by: Kate Winslet

Official summary: Uncover the true magic of horses – free, beautiful, and calm spirits who embody power, gentleness, and adaptability.

What watching it feels like: Watching many majestic horses sprint in slow-motion across a desert

Additional notes: This would have been number one, easily, if not for two developments. One, the episode opens with a look at a group of small horses who live on a tiny island that they share with a huge population of seals, and they survive the harsh conditions by eating the vegetation that grows naturally when the seals poop and ocean water fertilizes the soil, and when this all started to sink in — little horsies and seals living peacefully on an island fertilized by poo — I shouted “WHAT?!” at a volume that cannot be described as “calm” or “relaxed. ”

Two, look at this freaking guy.

I was a little too amazed to be soothed. Decent problem to have.

1. Episode 7 — “Noodles”

Narrated by: Oscar Isaac

Official summary: The story of a family recipe lovingly passed down through generations exploring the origins of the humble noodle from China to Italy and back to the USA.

What watching it feels like: I mean, it’s like watching Oscar Isaac explain noodles to you. I think that’s pretty self-explanatory.

Additional notes: No notes. Just more screencaps.

I needed this. Thank you, Oscar Isaac. And thank you noodles, too, I guess. Real team effort here.

When YG first emerged on the scene five albums ago, certain elements of his artistry were more rough around the edges than many rap purists would have liked. But it wasn’t his gift for wordplay or emmaculate cadences that drew listeners in. It was his honesty, at times blunt, brutal, and bombastic, that set him apart from well-practiced Compton cohorts like The Game or Kendrick Lamar or even Problem. His flows lacked polish and he hewed closely to familiar concepts, but there was an edge of lived experience that made his debut, My Krazy Life, and its follow-up, Still Brazy, so electric and engaging.

Now, six years removed and with much more experience, wisdom, and practice in the game — and a lot more to lose than the scruffy, devil-may-care version of himself that once introduced the world to the concept of “flocking” and apologized to his mama for all his street-running shenanigans — YG releases his fifth studio album (and last under his Def Jam deal), My Life 4Hunnid. The new album offers few surprises and while the rougher edges have been polished off, the music provides something else in exchange: A glimpse of a veteran at work — one who has since mastered his craft and turns out to be pretty damn good at it.

While prior releases prompted some listeners to call YG’s music “one-dimensional” due to his aforementioned tendency to stick to comfortable topics, My Life 4Hunnid arrives in a completely different context — as did many other releases this year. Like the rest of us, YG has seen his plans derailed and his day-to-day existence upended by the arrival of the novel coronavirus and the resulting shutdown of his industry, both of which offered frustrating setbacks and promising opportunities for rebirth or renewal.

However, on a personal note, YG also faced turmoil, seismic upheaval, and the reevalution of his own emotional state early this year, which inform the self-effacing tone and anxieties expressed on tracks like lead single/album closer “Laugh Now Kry Later.” He began 2020 demonstrating personal growth by apologizing to the LGBTQ community for previous ignorant statements and views, a sign that his relationship with Bay Area artist Kehlani had left a positive impact on him. Unfortunately for YG, he also faced the disintegration of that relationship, which he touches on in the lyrics to multiple songs on the album, albeit in an oblique way that suggests he’s looking at things from her point of view as much as his own.

“You be wantin’ more from me,” he confesses on the melancholy “Thug Kry,” “Tryna make me strong when I’m weak / You be wantin’ more from me / But I like you more as a friend.” On “Laugh Now Kry Later,” he addresses his errors in the third person: “Baby got her heart broken, need labor / He cheated, like head, so the n*** played her / Now she anti-dick, she a dick hater / Got her in her house playin’ with the vibrator.” The flashes of his devious humor remain evident, but he’s also smiling to keep from crying, just like the title of the song — a favorite axiom among gangster types — says.

Likewise, YG has been observing the months of civil unrest directed at police who continue to abuse, harass, and murder Black people at a disproportionate rate. He’s spoken on the subject before; Still Brazy contained “Police Get Away With Murder,” a self-explanatory examination of the phenomenon. This time, though, he taps into the zeitgeist from a different angle with “FTP,” reflecting the transformation of the peoples’ exasperation with police’s invulnerability into fury and action. It’s no surprise that “FTP” has not only become the soundtrack of the movement, but reverberates that energy in its protest footage-fueled video.

With just 11 songs, not including the two “Traumatized” interludes recording his own children’s reactions at having police officers’ guns pointed at them during a raid on YG’s house early this year, there was less room for missteps. Unfortunately, the Chris Brown and Tyga-featuring “Rodeo” counts as one that started with a good idea — calling back to Tupac’s “How Do You Want It?” — and executing it poorly, speeding up the beat to an arhythmic rattle that doesn’t suit either YG or Tyga’s usually dependable flows. Meanwhile, YG does continue to stick to the usual subject matter, which limits the perception of his growth. Nothing here is particularly high-concept, although the expansive range of instrumentals will undoubtedly widen his appeal beyond the sun-soaked streets of Los Angeles.

My Life 4Hunnid isn’t quite the superstar effort that YG’s first two projects were. Back then, we were watching a rookie coming into the game and blowing us all away with highlight play after highlight play. Now, we sort of know what to expect from him, and when we get it, it’s harder and harder to feel impressed — after all, familiarity breeds contempt. But taking a step back, the timeline of YG’s development as an artist and a craftsman becomes clearer. When a rookie-of-the-year candidate doesn’t quite become the perennial all-star we all thought he’d be, it’s easy to view his career trajectory as a disappointment. But in a game where the average career doesn’t last more than two years/albums, to see him still here, still consistent, and building his business as a label owner while owning up to past mistakes, YG’s persistence and longevity reveal an artist coming into his own. That’s more than enough to satisfy.

My Life 4Hunnid is out now via Def Jam. Get it here.

BTS is in the midst of the most prosperous stretch of their career, but thanks to some South Korean laws, their ascent could be put on pause. In South Korea, able-bodied men between 18 and 28 years old are required to serve in the military for around two years, depending on the military branch. Men must enlist at the latest when they are 28 years old, so for BTS members, the clock is ticking.

For example, Jin, the oldest member of the group, turned 27 this past December, so he has until the end of 2021 to sign up. Meanwhile, his bandmates — RM, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook — are all between 23 and 27, so they too will have to enlist at some point in the next few years.

There are some politicians who think cultural forces like BTS shouldn’t have to do mandatory military service. Noh Woong-rae, a senior member of the ruling Democratic Party, said at a party meeting earlier this week, “Not everyone has to take up a rifle to serve the country.” Meanwhile, Democratic Party member Jeon Yong-gi proposed that K-pop artists be able to delay their service until they are 30 years old, so as to not disrupt their careers. He said, “For the sake of the fairness, we are not talking about exempting them from their duty, but pop musicians and artists like BTS — their careers can blossom in their twenties. We cannot let military duty block their way at the height of their careers.”

South Korean citizens seem pretty split on the issue, although most agree that some exception should be made for the group. 31.3 percent of respondents to a Kuki News survey believe BTS should be exempt from service, while 28.6 percent said their service should be delayed. Meanwhile, 30.5 percent thought they shouldn’t get special treatment.

The band previously addressed their military prospects in February, with Jin saying at a February news conference, “As a Korean, it’s natural, and someday, when duty calls, we’ll be ready to respond and do our best.” Jungkook added, “I don’t want to think about it at this point, we have something really good going.” RM said he treats every day of his fame as though it’s his last: “That’s the answer. We have to enjoy the ride, live in the moment — that’s all we can do.”

As the second season of The Boys heads into its final episode, Aya Cash wouldn’t mind a shot at playing another superhero. Only this time around, it’d be for the considerably less raunchy Marvel Cinematic Universe, which is gearing up to add the X-Men to the mix following Disney’s multi-billion dollar purchase of Fox.

When asked during an interview if she’d be open to joining the X-Men if the MCU called her up, Cash revealed that she grew up on the team of mutants and would love to be “a part of that world.” As for which character she’d like to play, Cash initially showed a preference for Jean Grey before floating an unexpected role choice. Via ScreenGeek:

I mean, my favorite character in all of the X-Men universe was always Beast. So, if we’re going to do gender swap – no, they would kill me. I don’t even want to do a gender swap.

Interestingly, Cash has already pulled off a successful gender-swap after being cast as Stormfront on The Boys, so that might explain why she walked back her reluctance and included Beast in her final answer for which X-Men characters she’d be open to playing. (Her other choice was Rogue, another hat tip towards Cash growing up on the classic animated series.)

Cash’s casting choice also isn’t the first time the X-Men have popped up in the context of The Boys. Just this week, showrunner Eric Kripke revealed that the upcoming spinoff of the Amazon Prime series will pull heavily from the G-Men storyline in the comics. Much like The Seven satirizes the Justice League, the G-Men are a direct parody of the X-Men and its school for gifted youngsters.

(Via ScreenGeek)