Lupita Nyong?o is one of the latest brand ambassadors for Chanel. Originally, I thought it was bad luck for Lupita, who is usually known as one of the best-dressed women on any given red carpet. I thought she would be confined by Chanel?s tweed-and-pearls philosophy. Instead, something magical happened ? Chanel?s designers have been customizing some of their best gowns for Lupita, and she looks like the second coming of Audrey Hepburn. Lupita?s Chanel look at last night?s Oscars was one of my favorites of the night. I love how they incorporated the ?Chanel pearls? into her hair.

Fernanda Torres also got a custom Chanel. I thought this was fine? I had a weird premonition that she would win Best Actress, but that did not happen. Her film ? I?m Still Here ? did win Best International Film, which was thrilling for Brazilians.

Lily-Rose Depp?s Chanel roots are generational ? her mother is a long-time Chanel devotee and brand ambassador, and Lily basically inherited the Chanel contract. I know Lily-Rose is the kind of woman Chanel wants to dress, but this is giving me nothing.

Margaret Qualley?s Chanel look was my second-favorite after Lupita?s. There were several women in velvet, and this was one of the better options.

And finally, Penelope Cruz is a long-time Chanel devotee and this felt like something she has already worn a million times, and like it was already in her closet.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.

As Zoe Salda?a swept the Best Supporting Actress category this awards season we really saw that she wears her heart on her sleeve. She got choked up in almost every speech, and it was moving. Zoe feels things deeply, and that obviously informs her work because she?s capitivating on screen. For all the things you can say about Emilia Perez, Zoe turned in an incredible and mesmerizing performance. I?m happy for her and I hope to see more of her on screen for years to come. Here?s Zoe?s acceptance speech. She said ?I?m the proud child of immigrant parents? and that she was the first American of Dominican descent to win.

Zoe?s fashion last night was largely considered a miss. She wore an Yves Saint Laurent empire waist gown with a sequin bandeau top with a skirt made of layered balloons of fabric. The top might have worked in a different gown and maybe the bottom could be salvaged with a more voluminous dress but the overall effect was fug. I would also like to have seen bolder makeup. She?s so pretty though and I dig her fabulous necklace and mesh gloves. They?re very old Hollywood.

Last year?s winner, Da?Vine Joy Randolph, presented in this category. Da?vine was in a black strapless sequin and silk Tamara Ralph. It?s kind of a snooze but it?s lovely for a presenter. We saw several dresses like that last night. I like the trailing chiffon.

Speaking of nondescript dresses, Amy Poehler was in a strapless black mermaid style gown. She presented best original screenplay, which went to Sean Baker for Anora. Amy made her red carpet debut with her boyfriend, Joel Lovett! He?s a former editor for the NY Times, according to JustJared. They?re cute together!

I?m including presenter Meg Ryan here, although this Ashi Studio gown is kind of banging. It?s classic and striking and I like the bold jewel tone. Meg?s bit with Billy Crystal presenting Best Picture was fun. I forgot how many times he?s hosted The Oscars.

Presenter Italian actress Alba Rohrwacher (Maria) was in a crazy ruffled Valentino gown that I mildly respect. Valentino so often toes the fug line but makes up for it in whimsy. This is very Beetlejuice-coded. Valentino did her makeup too and this seems to be her standard look. There?s something IDGAF about this. She?s also reminding us that we could have had Angelina Jolie at the Oscars.

photos credit: Avalon.red

In the olden days, Dior would only dress one or two women for the Oscars and Dior was really selective about it. They?ve loosened up a lot, and they ended up dressing two major nominees, one presenter and one of the red-carpet hosts. Mikey Madison got the most-seen Dior look of the night ? a pale pink and black look which I did not care for. But for my money, Dior gave Monica Barbaro a much better dress ? this is really stunning and I sort of wish Mikey and Monica had switched dresses. Monica also looks so much like Original Kylie Jenner, I have been doing double-takes all awards season. I wonder if Timothee Chalamet has as well. Also: pale pink was definitely one of the colors of the night, so Monica was definitely on-trend.

Embed from Getty Images

Rachel Zegler also got a Dior look, which? eh. I mean, she?s a Disney princess, right? Because she?s Snow White in the live-action film. That?s what this was ? some Disney princess vibes.

Julianne Hough?s Dior was nice. It was simple and even rather elegant. I wish it wasn?t this blah beige ombre, but whatever. It?s fine.

Photos courtesy of Getty, Avalon Red.

Last night?s Oscars were very pleasing for me, even if they did run too long and there were once again too many stupid filler bits (cough James Bond tribute cough). I also get the impression that this year?s Oscar telecast will probably have really low viewership numbers ? while Dune 2 and Wicked were huge hits, people also came into the Oscars knowing that those films wouldn?t win much and they weren?t big Best Picture contenders. That?s exactly what happened ? there was a big sweep of the major awards for Anora, with Sean Baker picking up a historic four Oscars for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay and Best Editing. Mikey Madison won Best Actress over Demi Moore and Cynthia Erivo. To be fair, I was rooting for Anora since I saw it last year. I loved that movie and I loved Mikey?s performance. I even complained several months ago that the Anora people should be campaigning harder and that Mikey should be the Best Actress frontrunner. Mikey?s Dior was kind of terrible? She has a real taffeta/satin problem.

Other notable winners: Kieran Culkin for Best Supporting Actor, who gave yet another charming speech about wanting more children with his wife Jazz. Adrien Brody beat Timothee Chalamet and Ralph Fiennes and Brody?s Best Actor speech bored everyone to tears, but hey, at least we know that he?s acting as stepfather to Harvey Weinstein?s children now??? Zoe Saldana won Supporting Actress.

Here?s Ariana Grande & Cynthia Erivo opening the Oscars with a medley of ?Somewhere Over the Rainbow,? ?Home? and ?Defying Gravity.?

Here?s Conan O?Brien?s opening monologue ? I thought Conan did a good job as Oscar host and he had some genuinely funny jokes, like the Karla Sofia Gascon one (??Anora? uses the f-word 479 times ? that?s three more than the record set by Karla Sof?a Gasc?n?s publicist.?). I could have done without the Adam Sandler bit and the song about not wasting time.

What was the purpose of the James Bond tribute and why did Doja Cat sound like that?? I wondered if they even contacted Adele about any of this.

The weirdest moment of the night was the Best Song win for ?El Mal,? with Camille Audiard?s creepy singing.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.

Here is our Oscars Open Post, hosted by two of the last movie stars around, Julia Roberts and Clive Owen. I know Clive mostly works in television these days, but he?s still got the rizz of a movie star. And Julia, love her or hate her, also has an abundance of movie-star rizz. This weekend, Julia received an honorary Cesar Award for her decades of work. Clive Owen presented her with the award, because they?re good friends in real life and they?ve worked together a few times. This means we probably won?t see either of them at the Oscars!

Anyway, my big prediction for tonight?s Oscars is that we?re going to see some major shocks in the big categories. If the supporting categories go how everyone thinks they will ? with Kieran Culkin and Zoe Saldana picking up their first Oscars ? that will mean some ?surprises? in the lead categories. I don?t even think there?s a consensus pick for director or Best Picture, so stay tuned. While this has been a wacky awards season, I also get the sense that people aren?t tuning in, and most people haven?t even seen most of the nominated films. It?s like that some years where there isn?t a populist favorite or a tentpole awards-darling.

CB & I will be updating this Open Post with the major-category winners and we?ll probably post anything interesting happening during the show. We?ll also be on social media. My Twitter (@KaiseratCB) is here and my BlueSky (@kaiseratcb.bsky.social) is here. You can follow CB on Twitter here, and on BlueSky here. We?ll post on both platforms tonight, as we have done throughout this year.

Best Supporting Actor goes to Kieran Culkin! Not a surprise, but it?s lovely that everyone immediately recognized that Kieran?s beautiful, damaged, charismatic performance in A Real Pain. Kieran once again used a major awards speech to pressure his wife Jazz to have another child (they already have two kids). At the Emmys last year, he said he wanted a third. Afterwards, Jazz told him that they could have FOUR if he won an Oscar. They shook on it and now it?s looking like she?s going to have to get pregnant! Honestly, it?s more charming than I?m describing. I?m so happy Kieran won!

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.

For years, I?ve complained about the Duke and Duchess of Sussex?s ostrich-syndrome communications strategy. There have been too many times over the past five years where it felt like Harry and Meghan were bizarrely still trying to play by ?royal rules? or holding themselves to the asinine ?never complain, never explain? non-strategy. Instead of responding to the existential threats to their business and reputation from Bill Simmons and Hollywood Reporter entertainment journalists, the Sussexes either buried their heads in the sand or pushed back only through third-parties. And don?t get me started on their lack of promotion for many of their projects. They?ve needed new comms people and new strategies for a while. Well, good news, hopefully: they?ve hired their first ?chief communications officer.?

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have brought on Meredith Maines as their first chief communications officer, Axios exclusively reports.

Why it matters: Perhaps no couple makes more headlines or receives more public scrutiny than the Sussexes, and Maines will be tasked with managing their reputation as well as the reputation of their expanding business portfolio. As CCO, Maines will oversee communications for Prince Harry and Meghan, their brand footprint and nonprofit endeavors.

Shahed Fakhari Larson, founder of UNLMTD Partners and former CMO at Coatue, has also been hired as outside strategic communications counsel in support of their tech and business ventures. Maines ? who begins the role on March 3 ? is succeeding Archewell former head of communications Ashley Hansen, who left in October to launch her own firm with the support of The Duke and Duchess.

Maines joins Team Sussex from Lightspeed Venture Partners, where she served as the firm?s first marketing partner, overseeing communications, brand strategy and advised Lightspeed?s portfolio companies. Before Lightspeed, Maines ran communications at Hulu and worked as a talent manager for American Idol. She started her career at Google, helping to launch its search products.

Maines? hire comes amid the pending launch of Meghan?s new company, As Ever, and shortly after Prince Harry?s main stage speech at venture capital summit, Upfront.

Maines said: ?I?m honored to partner with Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, to highlight the amazing work they are doing through Archewell, their broader business portfolio, and nonprofit work, I?m excited to help them tell their story as entrepreneurs, builders and philanthropists, while overseeing all communications for the couple and their ventures.?

What to watch: The duke has made several private investments in recent years, including his investment in coaching platform BetterUp, and he is reportedly eyeing ventures that support veterans, mental health and online safety. The Duchess of Sussex?s new Netflix series, ?With Love, Meghan,? will premiere on March 4, while the launch of her lifestyle company is expected to follow this spring.

[From Axios]

I don?t know how this will work with Ashley Hansen, who started her own PR firm last fall and the Sussexes became her first clients. I assume that the Sussexes will have Meredith Maines as their own in-house head of comms, and Maines will liaise with Hansen?s firm on bigger projects. I find the timing especially odd ? to bring in someone new *just* as Meghan?s show is about to premiere and just a few months before the As Ever brand goes to market? I wish Maines had been given more of a head start as it appears that 2025 will be a busy season for Meghan, and maybe Harry as well, if he?s about to branch out into other businesses or brands.

Photos courtesy of Cover Images.

Zendaya has joined the cast of Shrek 5, she?s playing Shrek and Fiona?s daughter. Is it weird that they?ve waited this long to make another Shrek movie? The fourth Shrek movie was released in 2010!! They waited fifteen years!! [Hollywood Life]
I think Kathleen Kennedy has been unfairly maligned by sexists, but I also think she?s a terrible executive who ruined a lot of properties through mismanagement. [LaineyGossip]
Getting to know model/Instahottie Denver Smith. [Socialite Life]
Man, Angelina Jolie didn?t even make Pajiba?s ?alternative Oscar? shortlist. Justice for Maria, damn it! Jolie was great in it. [Pajiba]
Lily James is so pretty, but this outfit is a no. [Go Fug Yourself]
Basement Jaxx will tour for the first time in a decade. [OMG Blog]
Mindy Kaling is still talking about BJ Novak & her kids. [Just Jared]
Millie Bobby Brown wore Dolce & Gabbana in Madrid. [RCFA]
Wilmer Valderrama?s wife looks like Marion Cotillard?? [Seriously OMG]
Grandparents are revealing secrets! [Buzzfeed]
Another tribute to Gene Hackman. [Decider]

Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan Tate are the worst of the toxic-bro culture that dominates the internet, and the Tates are all about being as violent, toxic and abusive to girls and women as possible. While they are dual British-American citizens, they operated for years in Romania, trafficking in girls and women. They were finally arrested and charged with trafficking and rape in that country and they will likely stand trial soon enough. But that didn?t stop the Trump administration from pulling strings with the Romanian government to bring the Tate brothers ?back? to America. They arrived in Florida on Thursday ? photos of their arrival are in this post.

Controversial influencer brothers Andrew and Tristan Tate, who both face charges in Romania, including human trafficking and sexual intercourse with a minor, arrived in the United States on Thursday after a travel ban on them was lifted, according to their spokesperson and Romanian prosecutors.

A spokesperson for the brothers, Mateea Petrescu, said the two landed in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, around midday, The Associated Press reported. After landing, Andrew Tate said that ?my brother and I are largely misunderstood. There?s a lot of opinions about us that go around on the internet. We?ve yet to be convicted of any crime in our lives ever. We have no criminal record anywhere on the planet,? he said in a statement.

Ahead of their arrival, Joseph McBride, the Tate brothers? U.S.-based attorney, told NBC News on Thursday morning, he would not comment on whether the State Department or the White House was involved in lifting the travel ban. A Trump official also declined to comment on the Tate brothers? arrival in the United States. The State Department also declined to comment.

McBride said the Tate brothers plan to return to Romania at the end of March to meet with prosecutors. They will then come back to the United States, he said.

When asked about the Tate brothers entering the state, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said it was under the federal government?s jurisdiction ?whether they want to rebuff his entry into the United States.?

Matthew Jury, a lawyer for those in the U.K. who have accused the Tate brothers of misconduct, told Reuters the alleged victims were ?disgusted, dismayed, distraught? upon learning the brothers had entered the U.S.

?They don?t understand how this could happen,? Jury told the publication. ?Why would the so-called most powerful man in the world intervene on the behalf of one of the world?s worst and most prolific alleged sex traffickers and rapists??

[From NBC News]

?Why would the so-called most powerful man in the world intervene on the behalf of one of the world?s worst and most prolific alleged sex traffickers and rapists?? Gee, I wonder. It?s almost as if Donald Trump and his administration have no problem with human trafficking, rape, abuse and violent misogyny. It?s almost as if Trump and the Tate brothers are in total agreement about how women and girls should be treated. One thing that surprised me is that Ron DeSantis (governor of Florida) genuinely seemed aggrieved that the Tates flew to Florida. The Florida state AG might get involved.

After the Trump Admin lobbies to get the alleged sex trafficking Tate brothers? travel restrictions lifted to come to FL, Desantis is mad and says nobody notified him and his AG is looking at their legal options.

[image or embed]

? Ron Filipkowski (@ronfilipkowski.bsky.social) February 27, 2025 at 11:28 AM

Photos courtesy of Backgrid.

Back in the before times, Britain?s prime minister was almost always given the ?honor? of being the first foreign leader to visit a new American president. That honor reflected the British-American ?special relationship.? That stopped at some point, and Donald Trump has already received Emmanual Macron, King Abdullah, Benjamin Netanyahu, Narendra Modi and Shigeru Ishiba at the White House in his first five weeks in office. On Thursday, Britain?s PM Keir Starmer finally visited. There had been a lot of drama ahead of the meeting, mostly from the British tabloids. The tabloids were convinced that Trump would spit on Starmer as soon as they met, because Starmer and his Labour allies had openly hoped for Kamala Harris to win the election. I guess someone forgot to tell Trump about that, because he seemingly received Starmer with no hard feelings. Starmer was practically dripping with sycophancy, which is probably why Trump treated him somewhat decently. Plus, Starmer came bearing a letter from King Charles.

King Charles has invited Donald Trump to make an unprecedented second state visit to the UK in a letter handed to the US president by Keir Starmer. Queen Elizabeth II hosted Trump on a state visit in 2019. Precedent for second-term US presidents who have already made a state visit is usually tea or lunch with the monarch at Windsor Castle, as was the case for George W Bush and Barack Obama.

Trump received the invitation during a meeting at the White House on Thursday, with Starmer presenting the letter from the king. In the letter, which Trump showed to the cameras in the Oval Office, Charles suggested he and Trump could meet beforehand at Dumfries House or Balmoral, which are near Trump?s golf courses in Scotland, to discuss the plans for the much grander visit.

The letter, partially obscured by Trump?s hand, read: ?I can only say that it would be ? pleasure to extend that invitation once again, in the hope that you ? some stage be visiting Turnberry and a detour to a relatively near neighbour might not cause you too much inconvenience. An alternative might perhaps be for you to visit Balmoral. There is much on both estates which I think you might find interesting, and enjoy ? particularly as my foundation at Dumfries House provides hospitality skills-training for young people who often end up as staff on your own establishments!?

The letter continued: ?Quite apart from this presenting an opportunity to discuss a wide range of issues of mutual interest, it would also offer a valuable chance to plan a historic second state visit to the United Kingdom. As you will know this is unprecedented by a US President. That is why I would find it helpful for us to be able to discuss, together, a range of options for location and programme content. In so doing, working together, I know we will further enhance the special relationship between our two countries of which we are both so proud.?

The letter was hand-signed by the king: ?Yours Most Sincerely, Charles.?

During Trump?s meeting with Starmer in the Oval Office, the president said of the UK: ?It?s a very special place and [Starmer is] a special man ? and the United Kingdom is a wonderful country that I know very well, I?m there a lot. I?ll be going there and we expect to see each other in the near future ? we?ll be announcing it.?

[From The Guardian]

While it?s clear that Charles poured on the charm, he would not have done so without the explicit approval of Downing Street and the Foreign Office. Downing Street and Buckingham Palace are entirely united in this situation: Starmer is using the trappings of monarchy to impress Trump and keep Trump happy, plus Charles likes feeling important and politically vital. Additionally, Trump cut off Starmer & a journalist when Starmer was trying to minimize Trump?s unhinged threats to ?annex Canada.?

Keir Starmer passed on an invitation letter from King Charles to Trump. He made him read it out.

At this rate, he may as well twerk for him. pic.twitter.com/yEcuEugQJD

? Mukhtar (@I_amMukhtar) February 27, 2025

Starmer: You mentioned Canada, I think you?re trying to find a divide that doesn?t exist

Trump: That?s enough! pic.twitter.com/NF3wHaA45X

? FactPost (@factpostnews) February 27, 2025

Photos courtesy of Backgrid.

I made ?everyone is hot for Walton Goggins in The White Lotus? into the lead link recently, thinking that everyone would agree that yes, he?s really hot in The White Lotus. Of course he is! That?s why people on the internet were going feral for him. But nope ? people did not agree. To be fair, I?m an old-school Goggins-is-hot fan, back when I first saw him in Justified. He?s wonderful in Justified (as is Timothy Olyphant), and they let him play around with his inherent weird/quirky/dirtbag sexiness. Anyway, love him or hate him, Walton Goggins is here and working on back-to-back projects in film and television. After he wrapped on The White Lotus, he went straight to work on the latest season of The Righteous Gemstones, and then after that, he went to work on the second season of Fallout. He?s booked and busy (and sexy). He recently spoke to GQ about his life, his work and why he?s such an oddity in Hollywood in this era.

He keeps things simple: ?I smoke and I drink coffee and I drink cocktails and I fast almost every day for 14 hours??from dinner until the next afternoon, when he?ll usually reach for a couple of boiled eggs.

An unconventional leading man: ?I don?t think people truly knew what to do with me. I?m not Brad Pitt. I?m never going to be Brad Pitt. But I am Walton Goggins, and very few people fit in my lane.? But he agrees that?once upon a time?it was probably easier for a Walton Goggins?esque actor to make it as a big-screen sex symbol. ?There is no space left. Like, Scott Glenn?where are those actors? Who is sexy right now? Who doesn?t speak to your heart, but speaks to your loins? Where is Bill Holden? Where?s Warren Oates? Where?s Bruce Dern? I mean, where?s f?king Nicholson, man??

He think Jeremy Allen White is unconventionally hot too: ?I mean, Jeremy Allen White. He?s not conventionally good-looking. But he?s got f?kin? game. He?s got swagger. He?s got rizz. And he?s become sexy because he?s authentic. And if people look at me that way, I hope it?s because of what I find sexy in other people, and that is a life well lived. It?s a life dedicated to experiences, and the accumulation of that wisdom. I don?t have a ton of lines on my face, but I have a ton of lines on my heart. And I?ve seen a lot of things in my life.?

Growing up in Georgia, being raised by a single mom: ?It?s served me well. But I also spent a lot of time alone. In the sense that I don?t know if I ever slept in the same bed for more than six days in a row until I left home. I had a lot of babysitters along the way and would stay at a lot of different people?s houses. I feel like I was always waiting on someone to pick me up, you know what I mean? Being ferried around and not in control of your own environment, and all the rest of it?I think all I ever wanted to do was be in control of my own environment and just get out and do my own thing.?

It?s crazy that he?s lived this life: ?When I say my life is improbable, there is no bookie in f?king Vegas that would take this bet?[that I] would ever, ever, ever have the life that I?ve led. And I don?t take it for granted, man. If my life ends tomorrow, don?t weep for me, man, because God, whoever she is, has always been looking out for me. And protecting me. I was alone, so often, in my life. I was a latchkey kid once I convinced my mom that I didn?t need a babysitter anymore. I was eight when I convinced my mom, like, ?Hey, I got this.? And she?s like, ?Yeah, okay, just call me when you get home.??

More on his mother: ?And my mother worked for the employment department, finding people jobs. And it?s just, like, one of those things. Where your mother makes $12,000 a year, for years, until the day that she?s laid off. And then she?s not able to provide anything for you other than heat?which was questionable?and a whole lot of love. And I guess the ability to kind of believe in yourself, whenever she wasn?t around. But she did give me that. And I?and I?y?know, the first time that I made??his voice breaks on the last word??more money in a day than my mother made in a year of work was the greatest and the worst day of my life. What do I do, really? I just tell stories. And some people like them. And then this woman is working every day, to provide for this child that she doesn?t even get an opportunity to really see.?

[From GQ]

Are we going to discuss the fact that he name-checked William Holden as an unconventionally hot guy?? William Holden was HOT, no qualifiers needed. He was a good-looking man who could also act his ass off. But I do agree with the general sentiment that Hollywood is full of varnished pretty boys and there?s a real dearth of gritty, unconventionally-attractive men. The conversation about his crazy backstory and his ?unconventional look? reminds me of Jeremy Renner. This is Renner?s thing too ? having an offbeat sexiness and an absolutely bonkers backstory.

Photos courtesy of Backgrid, Avalon Red & HBO.