Julia Stiles can ACT. She never quite made it big despite some starring roles in the late 90s/early 2000s but I think that’s her choice. A lot of people know her from Ten Things I Hate About You but I think of her as Nicky in the Bourne movies, she was so good in those. Julia doesn’t want all the trappings of celebrity and I get the impression she knows all about the drawbacks that come along with that. She’s promoting season two of her Sky Atlantic show Riviera, which is streaming now. She did a “25 Things You Don’t Know” interview with US and it was so down-to-earth and nice! I really like her.

1. I don’t like having too much stuff, because I travel so much. But I do have a lot of hand-woven baskets to keep clutter in place.

4. I have no regrets, only lessons.

5. The place I escape to when I need to clear my mind is a yoga studio or the beach.

6. I don’t have a guilty pleasure. Nothing pleasurable should make you feel guilty. (At least not until the next morning!)

7. My biggest splurge ever was a piano.

16. I wish I had a remote control for time.

17. The biggest misconception about me is that I live in some sort of bubble.

18. If I weren’t an actress, I’d be a journalist or work in a vineyard.

24. My secret obsession is watching concert and vintage music videos on YouTube.

25. I’ve never owned a car — city life! — and I may make that a life goal.

[From US Magazine]

Could you go without a car? I couldn’t where I live now, in the country, but when I lived in a city outside NY it would have been possible. I used to take public transportation a lot and I’ve only driven in New York City twice. (My aunt, who grew up on Long Island, would drive me around NYC like a boss. She never pays for parking either.) Julia of course lives in New York City. It’s hard to have a car there and you pay in parking fees what those of us in rural areas pay in rent. Julianne Moore, who also lives in NY, used to have a Mini Cooper, which seems smart because it’s small enough to get the tiniest parking spaces.

Ooh and I’ll add another thing you may not know about Julia. She named her baby after Joe Strummer, the late lead singer for The Clash. Her son, Strummer, turns two in October, and she’s been married for a couple of years to a camera assistant named Preston J. Cook. Similar to her career choices, I bet she fell for someone low key because she’s dated famous guys and doesn’t want that life. Also Julia is the new Hustlers movie with J.Lo, Cardi B, Lizzo and Constance Wu! I’m pretty sure she plays a lawyer, which I’ve gleaned from watching the trailer five times, but I wish she was one of the strippers. That’s out in mid-September, which is a bummer because I was hoping to see it this summer.

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Thanks @brkmrn and @michael_beckert for such a thoughtful interview and cool photos. Pretty impressive you both were toddlers in the 90s, and now crushing it @wmag. (Link in bio)

A post shared by Stiley (@missjuliastiles) on Jun 20, 2019 at 2:40pm PDT

photos credit: WENN, Backgrid and via Instagram

I actually had no expectations coming into my first viewing of the Cats trailer. The only thing I knew about it was what I learned from the preview yesterday – there were dance rehearsals and all the actors were so happy that they didn’t have to wander around in absurd cat costumes, and that their “fur” would be added digitally. It sounded messy and like the whole thing was going to be an uncanny valley disaster. Well, now the trailer is here and… yes, this is a disaster, I’m sorry.

So after that, I actually had to do some research. The research consisted of skimming this Polygon article. Taylor Swift plays the sexy tabby Bombalurina, and no, Taylor will not be singing “Memories.” That honor goes to Jennifer Hudson, who plays Grizabella… I think? Right? Judi Dench plays Old Deuteronomy, Idris Elba plays Macavity, Rebel Wilson plays Jennyanydots and Jason Derulo plays Rum Tum Tugger, who was originally based on, like, Mick Jagger? I don’t know about any of this, peeps.

One thing worth noting is that Taylor Swift and the other actors insist that their catfaces and fur were “not motion capture,” meaning they didn’t have to wear green-screen suits or whatever. But… I think they did, and Universal has already shown behind-the-scenes footage where the actors are wearing motion capture suits. I think that there was probably a different kind of method for achieving the “catface” look and wow, they should have waited for the technology to get a bit better, because this is awful.

This is amazing because it fits so well:

I put the song from Us onto the Cats trailer and I think it fits better. pic.twitter.com/VMBlbeDQs5

— “Ian” Abramson (@ianabramson) July 18, 2019

Photos courtesy of Cats.

I have stayed in my little cave about the Top Gun sequel, Top Gun: Maverick. It wasn’t anything I wanted or was particularly interested in, so I didn’t seek out much information about it beyond “Miles Teller is in it” and “planes.” Well, the first trailer is here and… wow, this is A LOT of Tom Cruise. And it feels especially weird for them to base a sequel on the idea that not much has changed for Cruise’s Maverick. He’s still a “hot shot” pilot/captain, he still rides a motorcycle, he’s still reckless AF, he’s still squinty and whatever. The OG Top Gun read as “macho toxic bros being toxic.” The sequel reads as “white dude allowed to have extended midlife crisis on the military’s dime.” Here’s the trailer, it’s a whole lotta CRUISE.

Granted, maybe future trailers will show more of the plot, but this just seems like an extended ad for Navy pilot recruitment. The first Top Gun was like that too – after the movie, there was a spike in interest in Navy pilot schools and increased enrollment. This film also features Ed Harris (featured quite prominently in the trailer), Jon Hamm, Miles Teller, Jennifer Connelly and… Val Kilmer. Can someone please tell me if Connelly is playing Maverick’s new girlfriend? Because… yikes, is Jennifer poor or something? And poor Miles, he’s barely in this trailer. Let’s hope he has significant screen time.

Screencap courtesy of the trailer, poster courtesy of Paramount.

I don’t know who was on Twitter Wednesday but among the awful political news and other flames wars, Spider Twitter had an absolute meltdown when photos of Tom Holland and a woman with whom he seems to be romantically linked appeared. So far, all we know about her is that, according to the internet, her name is A. Mystery Blonde, but also goes by the alias, Not Zendaya:

Is Tom Holland Dating? Actor Enjoys Drinks with a Mystery Blonde at London’s Hyde Park https://t.co/qLwMmli670

— People (@people) July 18, 2019

During Spiderman: Homecoming promo, it was widely speculated that Tom and Zendaya were a couple. They were very comfortable, constantly together and absolutely adorable. They have never confirmed their relationship and seemingly denied it, although truthfully, they just made several sarcastic remarks that could have been to throw people off their trail. With Spiderman: Far From Home, the two seemed equally comfortable with each other but in a more platonic way, rather than romantic. This could mean they broke up or, the more likely option, that they had not dated in the first place. Kathleen over at Lainey Gossip is convinced they were at least friends with benefits for a while. But I think most of us wanted them to be dating because they are both neat people and they’re cute together with fun chemistry on screen. Plus – and, yes, it has to be mentioned every time we speak of Tom – why would he put that much into his lip synch battle against Zendaya if he wasn’t trying to impress the woman he loved? But alas, now there is Not Zendaya in the picture so we must hate her, or at least that’s what Twitter told us to do after the news broke:

okay but some tom holland stans are insane pic.twitter.com/YRp6Gb5lRN

— abril ? emmy nominee jodie comer (@lenasnirvana) July 17, 2019

tom holland: *has a girlfriend*
12 years old stans:pic.twitter.com/6jJ05IptwU

— ? (@peterssbooty) July 17, 2019

tom holland has a whole ass gf that isn’t zendaya- what even is 2019 pic.twitter.com/IWbMvdz1Xk

— mon (@fakinforyou) July 17, 2019

tom holland’s rumored new girlfriend has changed her @ and her picture to a black screen… the pictures have been out for less than a DAY. can y’all PLEASE rest and stop attacking this poor girl??? no one deserves the shit y’all are giving her

— abbi (fan acc) (@mcucevans) July 17, 2019

I don’t know what to do! A. Mystery is certainly Not Zendaya, and she is dating Tom and touching his butt, but she is also really cute, and they seem very giddy together. I know I am supposed to hate her to death, but I can’t seem to do that. As a matter of fact – and this stays between us – I’m kind of happy for them. Actually, I’m really happy for them. Some internet sleuths uncovered this photo of them when they were young… I mean, younger, since they aren’t exactly geriatric now:

THEY WERE CHILDHOOD FRIENDS WHY IS HIS ENTIRE LIFE A MOVIE IM CRYINGGGG #Tomholland pic.twitter.com/CBoQji2Yuu

— summo (@mapofnamjoon) July 17, 2019

So there you have it. Tom and A. Mystery have known each other forever, are dating now, possibly have in the past, and our dreams of a Zendom future have been crushed into sand.

I don’t envy this poor woman, though. Either his fandom or Jake Gyllenhaal are coming for her. I am waiting with bated breath, however, to see what lip synch he will do to wow her. I’m thinking One from A Chorus Line with a full kick line in which he plays all the parts.

Photo credit: Twitter and WENN Photos

I’m still thinking about the story I wrote a couple of weeks ago about Paul McCartney discussing the death from breast cancer of his beloved first wife, Linda McCartney, and his mother, Mary. It made (makes) me incredibly sad. So, I’m thrilled to be able to write a happy story about him so soon after: Fans of It’s a Wonderful Life, rejoice! Sir Paul is adapting the 1946 Christmas classic into a stage musical, his first. The movie stars James Stewart as banker George Bailey, who contemplates taking his own life one Christmas Eve, and Donna Reed as his wife, Mary. An angel named Clarence (played by Henry Travers) helps George see that he matters, and how he has impacted the people around him. (The movie was an adaptation of a 1943 short story, “The Greatest Gift,” by Philip Van Doren Stern). People has more on Paul’s plans for the stage musical:

Paul McCartney is adapting the iconic Christmas film It’s a Wonderful Life for the theater in what will be his first-ever stage musical, something the iconic musician said he never previously considered.

In a press release, the former Beatles member confirmed his involvement, revealing that he “found myself thinking this could be interesting and fun” after meeting Billy Elliot playwright Lee Hall and West End producer Bill Kenwright three years ago, both of whom are collaborating with McCartney on the musical adaptation.

McCarney is writing the music and lyrics, while Hall wrote the book and lyrics, and Kenwright is producing.“Like many of these things this all started with an email,” McCartney said of the collaboration. “Bill had asked if it was something I might be up for. Writing a musical is not something that had ever really appealed to me but Bill and I met up with Lee Hall and had a chat and I found myself thinking this could be interesting and fun. It’s A Wonderful Life is a universal story we can all relate to.”

While the move to musical theater is unchartered territory for McCartney, the music icon inherited a love of Broadway from his father, Jim McCartney, who would perform show tunes on the family piano during the star’s youth.

Hall praised McCartney’s “wit, emotional honesty and melodic brilliance,” saying he “brings a whole new depth and breadth to the classic tale.”

[From People]

It’s a Wonderful Life has made several AFI (American Film Institute) lists, and once December rolls around, it’s impossible to not run across it multiple times while channel surfing, so it’s exciting that people will have an opportunity to see it live on stage. The marriage of one of the most beloved films of all time with one of the most beloved musicians of all time is perfect. I’m predicting (and hoping for) a sold-out run. Maybe it will become an annual production, like Radio City Music Hall’s Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio City Rockettes. There doesn’t seem to be an official website yet, but I’m going to be on the lookout so that I can get tickets, assuming there are performances not too far from me.

Photos credit: Avalon.red and WENN

Bradley Whitford and Amy Landecker eloped in Santa Barbara on Wednesday! I am unreasonably happy for them and I didn’t even know they were dating. That’s on me for not paying attention because they’ve been engaged for almost a year and have been dating since 2015. The pair met while working on Transparent, but didn’t couple up for almost a year after they met. Now, the two both have roles on The Handmaid’s Tale, although they have no scenes together. Bradley plays Commander Lawrence, with whom June currently lives, and Amy plays Mrs. McKenzie, the woman to whom June’s daughter Hannah (now Agnes) was placed after she was abducted. I’m only giving all that detail because here is how Bradley announced it on Twitter:

In a shocking, totally unearned plot twist, Commander Lawrence married Mrs. McKenzie today in Santa Barbara. The shark may have been jumped, but the couple is thrilled. pic.twitter.com/iPZtzCGbob

— Bradley Whitford (@WhitfordBradley) July 18, 2019

Aw, it’s such a nice photo, they look so content. And I love they included their dogs, Otis and Izzy. I’ll bet it killed Bradley not to include his new, rescued kitten in the ceremony. Have you seen his Twitter pics of that little thing? OMG – talk about your daily ounce of joy.

Amy announced it on Instagram with another Handmaid’s reference:

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Of Bradley. #eloped

A post shared by Amy Landecker (@amylandecker) on Jul 17, 2019 at 7:48pm PDT

I think the ‘Of Bradley’ hasthag is cute but let’s not make any mistake, Amy is bad@$$ and wouldn’t be Of anyone. Maybe a wife, most likely one of the Swiss delegates.

This is a second marriage for both. Amy was married to journalist Jackson Lynch and Bradley was married to actress Jane Kaczmarek for 17 years. Both Kaiser and I remember that split, it was so surprising, and sad. Jane seemed devastated by it, but they spoke so respectfully of each other, I don’t think there was a “bad guy” in their case. Jane has since moved on, by the way. And she still says Bradley is a great guy so I hope she can be happy for his marriage as well.

There aren’t many more details from the wedding, which is why one elopes, I imagine. They look wonderful together and both are doing really quality stuff in their careers, plus they have his three kids and their fur babies so I’m sure they will have a long and happy life together.

But seriously, not that’s she’s all loved up with the commander, she needs to give Hannah back to June so we can end this nonsense and destroy Gilead.

Congrats to Bradley and Amy!

Photo credit: Twitter, Instagram and Getty Images

As we saw at the polo and at Wimbledon, the ladies of House Cambridge and Sussex are getting closer. And royal sources are being captain obvious about the reason: babies. Why can’t we hear a story about how the prince brothers, William and Harry are putting aside their differences because of the bab…

As we saw at the polo and at Wimbledon, the ladies of House Cambridge and Sussex are getting closer. And royal sources are being captain obvious about the reason: babies. Why can’t we hear a story about how the prince brothers, William and Harry are putting aside their differences because of the bab…

As we saw at the polo and at Wimbledon, the ladies of House Cambridge and Sussex are getting closer. And royal sources are being captain obvious about the reason: babies. Why can’t we hear a story about how the prince brothers, William and Harry are putting aside their differences because of the bab…

As we saw at the polo and at Wimbledon, the ladies of House Cambridge and Sussex are getting closer. And royal sources are being captain obvious about the reason: babies. Why can’t we hear a story about how the prince brothers, William and Harry are putting aside their differences because of the bab…