Newsletter Friday, October 21, 2016

[LaineyGossip.com - Calling all smuthounds!] Friday, October 21, 2016 [Intro for October 21, 2016] [Executive Producer Adele Lim of the television show 'Star-Crossed' speaks onstage during the CW portion of the 2014 Winter TCA tour at the Langham Hotel on January 15, 2014 in Pasadena, California] Dear Gossips, A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about [The Hollywood Reporter’s 25 Power Authors list] just ahead of the release of The Girl On The Train which went from book to movie in under two years. And then I wondered [in that post] when it was going to happen for Kevin Kwan’s Crazy Rich Asians which came out in 2013. Yesterday [Variety] reported that Crazy Rich Asians has been acquired by Warner Bros and that the project has been fast-tracked with Jon M Chu directing and produced by Nina Jacobsen and Brad Simpson, the team behind The Hunger Games. They’re hoping to begin shooting in the spring. With an all-Asian cast. And by all-Asian cast I don’t mean Emma Stone and Scarlett Johansson. This is so f-cking exciting on so many levels. If you’ve been reading this blog a while, you know how much I love Kevin Kwan’s story. And now Kevin’s story is being told by a first generation Asian-American director based on an adaptation by an Asian woman. Malaysian-born Adele Lim is currently the co-executive producer of the Lethal Weapon TV series, she’s written for shows like One Tree Hill, Private Practice, and Reign, and she co-wrote the screenplay for Crazy Rich Asians. Which means that the Crazy Rich Asians movie will feature Asian contribution in front of and behind the camera. It will also be… a rom-com! The project was “[pitched as a combination of Devil Wears Prada and Pride & Prejudice]” and the producers believe that a story about an Asian couple surrounded by a cast of outrageous – and obscenely wealthy – Asian characters is a “novel way to revive” the romantic comedy genre. Rachel is a Chinese American academic who’s dating Nick, also a professor in New York. What she doesn’t know is that he comes from a mega high class family in Singapore, like the Rothschilds of Singapore; Nick is the favourite son and the most eligible bachelor. And what makes this remarkable is that, according to several studies conducted over the last few years about race and relationships in North America, Asian men were [found to be the least desirable], with the fewest amount of “swipes” and or “accept” rates on dating surveys and websites. Making this movie into a romantic comedy with an Asian man presented as the Mark Darcy of the story is a way to confront and challenge that bias. I can’t f-cking wait to find out who they cast. Speaking of casting though, I interviewed Kevin Kwan twice last year and moderated his Q&A session at the Toronto Public Library and suggested to him, not subtly at all, that I would be the perfect Kitty Pong. Kitty is a low classy gold digging hustler with bad taste who’s trying to f-ck herself rich. I mean, I’m not an actor but I feel like I could totally do that. Shamelessness is a quality I know well. And I am so shameless that I’ll just take this opportunity, while we’re highlighting Asians, to spotlight myself. I was interviewed recently about this blog and my life in gossip by Allison P Davis for The Ringer. The piece went up yesterday. [Click here] to read it. Have a great weekend! Yours in gossip, Lainey [Click here for the rest of the photos.] Posted at 1:36 PM [Zachary & Miles in turtlenecks] [Miles McMillan and Zachary Quinto attend The Hugo Boss Prize 2016 at Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum on October 20, 2016 in New York City] There is so much beauty in these photos; when everything else is ugly, look at these photos. No two men have looked better side by side in turtlenecks than [Zachary Quinto] and Miles McMillan last night in New York. Like, if you are a romance novelist looking for M-M inspiration, here, what else do you need? Write a story featuring two men who look like this and let me know when it’s ready. I’ll start reading the moment you publish. I wonder how much pain the two of them cause in person. I interviewed Zachary twice at TIFF. Up close his face, it’s so elegant, and the voice, it’s a warm vibration, like if good scotch had a sound, it would sound like Zachary Quinto. And yes, he’s nice, thoughtful with his answers, not too precious to have a good time, I wasn’t at all disappointed. But I swear, if he and Miles had walked that carpet together, I probably would have passed out. [Click here for the rest of the photos.] Posted at 7:45 PM [Cate isn't bothered] [Cate Blanchett out in New York, October 18, 2016] [Cate Blanchett] is in Paris today for the Armani show. She is an ambassador for the brand and has long been one of the designer's favourites. Here she is earlier this week in New York. She'll be on Broadway for the first time in The Present - previews begin in December and the play was adapted by Cate's husband, Andrew Upton, from Chekhov's Platanov. And the cast includes members of the Sydney Theatre Company. Cate and Andrew were co-directors of the Sydney Theatre Company for a few years and this production of The Present was staged in Sydney first. The reason this is important is because, for Cate and Andrew, their work lives and their personal lives are merged. A few days ago the Daily Mail published photos of Andrew in Sydney with actress Harriet Dyer at a bar. He has his arm around her in several shots, in several locations. Like they'd move around the place and the pictures suggest that every time they moved their arms would still be around one another. At the end of the night he walked her out and she was recognised by some fans. He put her in a cab and went off on his own. [Click here] to see. These images though. I mean they're not humping or anything but, um, if it were my husband in these photos I would have some questions. Like, did you have to keep putting your arms around each other just to watch people play pool? And then, again, it's not enough to convict either. If Cate is bothered, well, we wouldn't know either way. She certainly doesn't look it. And maybe there's no reason to be bothered to begin with. I'm thinking now of [Saturday Night Live's Crucible After-Party sketch] and theatre company dynamics, a troupe of travelling thespians, their relationships, their dramas, the tension, sexual, artistic, political, hierarchical, and I wonder, given that Cate and Andrew are so fully immersed in that world, what a theatre marriage looks like. And how unconventional it might be compared to a non-theatre marriage. I mean, she wouldn't be the first acclaimed legendary actress to have it that way. [Click here for the rest of the photos.] Posted at 6:51 PM [Smutty Social Media, October 21, 2016] [Katie Holmes gets a coffee in LA, October 19, 2016] Taylor Swift probably doesn’t miss this face. Especially if that’s his finish face. [A photo posted by Calvin Harris (@calvinharris)] on Oct 20, 2016 at 9:29pm PDT Bella’s cheering is a little bit extra. There’s still like 842 NHL games left in the season. [Apparently also very into hockey] A photo posted by Bella Hadid (@bellahadid) on Oct 20, 2016 at 6:20pm PDT You shouldn’t judge a movie by its poster but did she direct in chalk? [So excited to share my directorial debut dec 9 in select cities and video on demand ❤️ #gratitude #allwehad @stefanialavieowen @janetribeca @berrywelsh @michaelfitzpd @michaelcavadias @missjudygreer @brettsbo @brenabban @thegreatbrendar] A photo posted by Katie Holmes (@katieholmes212) on Oct 21, 2016 at 8:27am PDT As Lainey wrote yesterday, there’s nothing to the [Sofia Richie and Tobey Maguire rumours]. The real reason to worry about Sofia? She’s hanging out [with Paris Hilton.] How quickly do you think big sister Nicole is going to shut this down? [Great times @officialplt] A photo posted by Sofia Richie (@sofiarichie) on Oct 20, 2016 at 5:45pm PDT Does anyone watch The Ranch? I’m not being snarky I’m genuinely curious, I have heard nothing about it. If you do, tell me your thoughts. [When you live @theranchnetflix, you go ice fishing.. haha Shooting yesterday with family.. oh how we laughed @dannymasterson @elishaphaneuf and @aplusk #TheRanch #OnSet] A photo posted by Wilmer Valderrama (@wilmervalderrama) on Oct 21, 2016 at 9:42am PDT The NFL’s ratings are down and many are quick to blame Colin Kaepernick – one player’s quiet protest can have that effect? “[Anger, deceit and oversaturation]” seems to make a lot more sense . [💗Go papai go! #gopats] A photo posted by Gisele Bündchen (@gisele) on Oct 16, 2016 at 11:18am PDT [Click here for the rest of the photos.] Posted at 5:40 PM [Low key Rachel McAdams] [Rachel McAdams at the Hollywood premiere of Doctor Strange, October 20, 2016] Is it just me or has there been relatively little press about [Rachel McAdams] leading up to the release of Doctor Strange? Like, my reaction to seeing that she was at the premiere was “Oh yeah, she’s in it too”. And it’s not like I don’t pay attention to Rachel McAdams. Of course I do. And still, I feel like typically when a movie of this size comes out, sure the primary focus is on the superhero, but there’s also a lot of it on the supporting characters. If they were making comparisons between Doctor Strange and Iron Man, think of how much attention was paid to Gwyneth Paltrow during promotion for the Iron Man movies. Has Rachel covered a magazine in the last couple of months? Did I miss it? Maybe it’s just starting for her now. There was an [interview on Ellen] this week and perhaps we’ll see her on the late night schedule. Still, I don’t know, to me it seems muted. And if it is muted, I wonder if that’s self-directed. Her media strategy over the last couple of years hasn’t been aggressive and she was never a thirsty one to begin with anyway. That said, “quiet” isn’t usually what happens when you agree to be in a Marvel movie, you know? Like, you don’t sign up to be in a blockbuster movie to stay out of the spotlight. As for her dress, it’s Atelier Versace and I hate it. I hate the non-colour, I hate the under-violet, and my God, I hate the shoes. [Click here for the rest of the photos.] Posted at 5:10 PM [Casey & Floriana] [Casey Affleck and new girlfriend Floriana Lima out in Malibu, October 20, 2016] [Casey Affleck] was seen with a new girlfriend at the beach and out for coffee in LA [a few days ago] and he stepped out with her again, arm in arm, yesterday in Malibu, well aware that the paps were on them. She is [Floriana Lima], an actress who joined the cast of Supergirl this summer. As Sarah noted [earlier this week] Casey is all but assured of a Best Actor Oscar nomination for his work in Manchester By The Sea. His performance is outstanding and he’ll have Matt Damon campaigning on his behalf. And, well, everyone seems to be ignoring [those sexual harassment allegations]. Sexual harassment allegations can sideline a presidential campaign. But not an Oscar one. So, given how comfortable Casey and Floriana seem to be in public with each other and in their relationship, will she be with him when Manchester By The Sea moves into the next gear of its Oscar run? The film will be released November 18th. He’s basically given us a month’s notice that there’s someone new in his life. I wonder if they’ll be on the carpet together. And I wonder too how many of his Hollywood friends will turn out, in addition to his brother and Matt Damon, to support him. Like… Joaquin Phoenix, the brother of his ex-wife. Not that Joaquin is any help on the award circuit. Probably the opposite. But they were close. Very close. Still close? [Click here for the rest of the photos.] Posted at 4:50 PM [Iron Man & Doctor Strange] [Benedict Cumberbatch and Robert Downey Jr at the Los Angeles premiere of Doctor Strange, October 20, 2016] Hollywood premiere of Doctor Strange last night. The movie opens in the UK October 25 and in North America November 4 and some project that it could bring in as much as [$75 million] its first weekend. Full reviews are embargoed until Sunday but early reactions were mostly positive with critics impressed by the visual effects. Some are saying the story was a little clunky but that, overall, it’s a strong effort to begin the arc of the latest superhero to join the Marvel family and similar to the way [Robert Downey Jr] introduced Iron Man. A few even mentioned that [Benedict Cumberbatch] as Doctor Strange “[could be Marvel’s answer to (RDJ) leaving the series]”. Last week when an unprompted RDJ found a creative way to [Benedict and Doctor Strange] I noted that he’s been Marvel’s best spokesperson. Best paid and best value. He always shows up. And he showed up last night, the only Avenger but the most well-suited one, in attitude and influence, if not in actual attire. I am trying, so hard, to be down with whatever it is that he’s wearing but it’s Friday, and I’m done. What do you think the dynamics are here? He is the leader, both fictionally and in real life. Iron Man was first. And the success of Iron Man was critical to the success of the others who followed. To have his presence, to have him by his side, for Benedict Cumberbatch, is that like a blessing? Is it like the Godfather coming to your wedding? If so, how do you show the gratitude? It was also confirmed last night that Benedict and his wife Sophie Hunter are [expecting their second child]. They already have a son, Christopher. [Click here for the rest of the photos.] Posted at 4:24 PM [Leo will be OK] [Leonardo DiCaprio attends the 'Before The Flood' New York premiere at United Nations Headquarters on October 20, 2016 in New York City] Just in case, you know, you were worried about that Malaysian money scandal and whether or not [Leonardo DiCaprio] would be connected to it, you shouldn’t. Because Leo’s gonna be OK. We can all stop wringing our hands now and stressing about his reputation and his career. Here’s Leo at the NY premiere of his environmental awareness documentary Before The Flood last night with many VIP guests, including Secretary of State John Kerry and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. You’ll recall, a few days ago, the Bruno Manser Funds, a charity lobbying against deforestation in Malaysia, [called out Leo] for his relationship with the people being investigated in the embezzlement scandal, and protested his position as UN Messenger of Peace for climate change, an appointment he received from Ban Ki-moon. A day later, a spokesperson for the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation (LDF) [released a statement], finally addressing the allegations: “Several months ago in July, Mr. DiCaprio first learned through press reports of the government’s civil action against some of the parties involved in the making of The Wolf of Wall Street. He immediately had his representatives reach out to the Department of Justice to determine whether he or his foundation, the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation ever received any gifts or charitable donations directly or indirectly related to these parties, and if so, to return those gifts or donations as soon as possible. All contact was initiated by Mr. DiCaprio and LDF. Both Mr. DiCaprio and LDF continue to be entirely supportive of all efforts to assure that justice is done in this matter. Mr. DiCaprio is grateful for the lead and instruction of the government on how to accomplish this. Out of respect for its ongoing investigation, which has touched many charities, hospitals and individuals, who may have been unwitting recipients of funds now in question, Mr. DiCaprio has refrained from public comment throughout this period of investigation. He will continue to limit his statements on this matter.” Well OK. That takes care of it then. Leonardo DiCaprio, who partied with alleged thieves, and accepted Marlon Brando’s Oscar as a gift from those alleged thieves, had no idea that they were thieves. He’s totally clean. Of course he’s clean. He’s friends with Ban Ki-moon and John Kerry. And having powerful political connections – in addition to dirty rich ones – doesn’t help anyone at all. Least of all Leonardo DiCaprio. [Click here for the rest of the photos.] Posted at 3:33 PM [Anne Hathaway and the search for “uncomplicated happiness”] [Anne Hathaway] The reaction to Anne Hathaway’s Oscar campaign and eventual Best Supporting Actress win for Les Miserables became a pop culture personality of its very own a few years ago: Hathahate. There were probably more think-pieces about Hathahate than there were about Anne’s performance. And then she addressed the Hathahate, [rather well I think], and it’s been a relatively quiet couple of years since. So, Hathahate was supposed to be over. Right? [The Guardian] published a new interview with Anne yesterday connected to her new film Colossal. It was a half hour interview and the part that’s making headlines now is her response when asked about the Oscar and the Hathahate: “I felt very uncomfortable. I kind of lost my mind doing that movie and it hadn’t come back yet. Then I had to stand up in front of people and feel something I don’t feel which is uncomplicated happiness. It’s an obvious thing, you win an Oscar and you’re supposed to be happy. I didn’t feel that way. I felt wrong that I was standing there in a gown that cost more than some people are going to see in their lifetime, and winning an award for portraying pain that still felt very much a part of our collective experience as human beings. I tried to pretend that I was happy and I got called out on it, big time. That’s the truth and that’s what happened. It sucks. But what you learn from it is that you only feel like you can die from embarrassment, you don’t actually die.” I had to take a really, really deep breath after reading that quote. To manage the frustration of reading that kind of Anne Hathaway quote. Because, sometimes, loving Anne Hathaway is hard. It’s so much harder than loving Gwyneth Paltrow. The more Gwyneth is Gwyneth, the more happy I am about Gwyneth being Gwyneth: indulgently oblivious, sanctimonious under the pretense of selflessness, and unapologetically privileged. That’s the key there: Gwyneth isn’t sorry. But Anne… Anne can’t decide if she wants to be sorry or if she just wants to give no f-cks. As Duana said to be this morning, “She's still so anxious about sounding cool. She's never not anxious about sounding cool. Poor Anne Hathaway's biggest flaw is she was born a tiny split-hair too early to embrace the ethos of 'the dorkiest nerd is the coolest one in the room', and has spent her whole professional life apologizing for what she should be celebrating”. A tiny split-hair too early before Anna Kendrick? It’s not that she wanted it so badly, because they all want it badly, it’s that she wasn’t very good at pretending she didn’t want it badly. (See also Leonardo DiCaprio.) Sometimes it was the “surprise” at hearing her name called at the 579 award shows that came before the Oscars. Sometimes it was the alternating torture-ennui/earnest enthusiasm she had to take on and take off that season. For many if it was the words “It came true” when she finally had the Oscar in her hand. And now, now it’s because her happiness was, apparently, complicated by her guilt. Guilt over being celebrated for her portrayal of pain, and doing so in an expensive dress. Which, if you recall, wasn’t even her first choice, because she changed it at the last minute when she found out [Amanda Seyfried’s was similar]. In other words, Fantine’s suffering was Leo and the bear and the cold winterness, the snot and spit dripping and freezing from his orifices. Anne was too close to the struggle and it became a shadow over joy. THAT’s how you want to play it now? Now that Hathahate was [supposed to be over]? Turns out that it’s not over. Turns out that she’s the one who’s not over it. Above all else, that’s what she’s telling me here. [Click here] to read the full interview. And let’s not talk about the part where she says “I’m feeding a child from my body” because I can’t. I can’t. [Click here for the rest of the photos.] Posted at 3:02 PM [October 21, 2016 – Smutty Shout-Outs] [Happy Birthday, Gabrielle! ] Gabrielle! Happy Birthday from Amber! And congratulations on your recent profile in [Notable]! [Click here for the rest of the photos.] Posted at 1:46 PM [Privacy Policy] - [Unsubscribe]