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jbaileyfansite · 3 months ago

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Interview with W Magazine (2024)

Jonathan Bailey has traveled the world to promote Wicked, but there was one person he was especially eager to share the film with: his 94-year-old grandmother. She nurtured his love for musical theater and encouraged him to pursue ballet as a child, thus shaping his career in the arts.

So, the day after Wicked came out in the U.K., Bailey hosted a private screening at a local cinema for four generations of his family. While sitting in between his nana (who had painted her nails green for the occasion) and his mom and dad, Bailey became overcome with emotion.

“It’s a miraculous thing to know that what it came down to is having parents who let me go to the local village hall, and a grandparent who let me play, dance around and sing, and be free at such a young age,” Bailey tells W. “If you can catch a passion and just ring-fence it at such a young age, you never know what it can amount to.”

Adapted from the iconic Broadway stage musical, the film, which is set before the events of 1939’s The Wizard of Oz, chronicles the friendship between Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), the future Wicked Witch of the West, and her classmate Galinda (Ariana Grande), later known as Glinda the Good.

Bailey’s scene-stealing portrayal of Fiyero Tigelaar, the charismatic Crown Prince of Winkie Country, only reaffirms his status as a Hollywood triple threat. In fact, “Dancing Through Life,” the earworm that serves as his character’s introduction at Shiz University, just cracked Billboard’s Hot 100 charts this week. (“That’s amazing. Do I get a certificate? What happens now?” Bailey quips.)

Bailey began rehearsing for Wicked in 2022 while shooting Fellow Travelers, the groundbreaking Showtime limited series that earned the 36-year-old his first Emmy nomination, and the third season of Bridgerton, the smash-hit Netflix romantic drama that made him a household name. Speaking on a video call from London in early December, the British star reveals that he is in the middle of reprising his role as Viscount Anthony Bridgerton, who is expecting his first child with wife Kate Sharma (Simone Ashley).

“There’s such an important relationship with the [Bridgerton] bros that has been developed over the series. Season four is going to be Luke [Thompson] and Yerin [Ha] being absolutely extraordinary, and there’s a whole plethora of new characters coming in,” Bailey says. “It’s so nice to come back, and it’s about celebrating the romance stories we’ve had and digging into the ones that are starting.”

Patience will have to be a virtue for Wicked and Bridgerton fans alike; the second half of the former, which Bailey coyly describes as “rich, bruising and hopeful,” will premiere next November, while the latter will debut in 2026.

How did you think about building your own interpretation of Fiyero?

The starting point was “Dancing Through Life.” He creates chaos around him, like he does in that song, because he’s got to match the chaos that’s going on inside. The challenge that I felt was the trope of a cool caddish prince. He’s deeply unnerved by stillness and adhering to rules and structure. That is probably a sign of someone who’s never really experienced love. When you see someone causing that sort of disturbance, it’s usually because they’ve never felt seen. An organizational psychologist, Adam Grant, sent me a message saying, “It’s a masterful portrayal of superficiality masking depth.” Out of all the things I’ve heard, that is the thing I’m going to get printed on a T-shirt.

The Shiz library scene was inspired by the work of Fred Astaire in Royal Wedding. What did you want to convey in those moments?

Fiyero has to come in and change the physical language and the emotional landscape of that school in one number. His fluidity, ease, and elasticity speak to his ability to maneuver and avoid. He’s quite avoidant. He has these bright, shining moments with everyone but never really allows the other person to land it with him. For those who understand the physical language of Fiyero, there are many Easter eggs and nods to what happens to him later in the story.

Fiyero is at the center of a love triangle between Elphaba and Galinda. What do you think he sees in each of them?

The brilliant thing about the film is that these slightly trivial tropes mask extraordinarily deep and shifting understandings of social experiences. The superficiality, the privilege, and the sense of easy chemistry make sense with Glinda. But I feel like he’s yearning for something more, and, as Elphaba sees, he’s unhappy and depressed. Fiyero and Elphaba can click in terms of the way they sing, dance, and move together. Elphaba has a calming presence on Fiyero and allows him to be himself. It’s a real privilege to meet someone who sees you for who you really are.

Are there any songs from the second Wicked movie you are most excited about?

“No Good Deed”—I cannot wait to see that come together. And “Thank Goodness”—it’s just such an incredibly operatic, Wagnerian opening. We know how brilliant the girls are, and I’m so excited to see the tonal shift that will inevitably happen to get to the end of the story.

You’ve been leveraging the success of projects with massive, global appeal (Bridgerton, Wicked, the next Jurassic World) to return to the theater (like your next role in Richard II).How have you been balancing these big tentpole franchises with projects that feel more niche and intimate?

I always lead with joy, and I’ve never accepted a job cynically. It goes back to this instinct—it feels like romance—where you have butterflies in your stomach and clarity of thought. I go back to the stage because I want to get better—and I want to be the best I can be. The best performances I’ve ever given on screen have been directly after coming off stage, where you hone your craft every single night. It’s brilliant, joyful, academic, and exhausting.

I’ve read more scripts in the last four years than probably in 20 years of working. It’s amazing to get sent scripts that you’re like, “This is absolutely brilliant. It’s not quite right for me, but I wonder if I can help that get made.” I’ve got a producer's hat that’s been popped on a few times in the last year, and I’m sure it’ll be coming out to play soon.

I want to keep working until something like Fellow Travelers isn’t seen as niche. We’re only on this planet for a short time, but if Fellow Travelers can be a mainstream show by the time I’ve finished my innings, I’d be very happy.

The last time Bridgerton viewers saw Anthony and Kate, they were on their way to India to meet with Kate’s family. Now that those characters are married, what are some of the new layers you’ve found in their relationship?

Anthony and Kate are these two planets that have always been in orbit of each other, and they finally come together. But then, what is life beyond [their courtship]? What’s so interesting about Anthony and what I so enjoyed in his season one arc is his relationship with duty and the power that he wielded over Daphne and his family, the isolation that he felt, and the anger that ensues because of [the passing of] his father.

I always said that you want Anthony to smile, and he does with Kate; he’s found his soulmate. In season three, they have that playfulness and, for the first time, they disregard anything that’s going on around them. They were the heart of every bit of drama and complication and, my God, how dramatic it was! Now suddenly, they’re having the time of their life, getting to play games again. They’re having a baby—everything they’ve ever wanted. What’s brilliant is to see how there are elements of yourself that you can’t grow out of. So, maybe, we’ll see hints of Anthony from season one.

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#jonathan bailey #jonny bailey #interviews #interviews:2024 #w magazine interview wicked #w magazine #max gao #wicked #bridgerton #NEW!

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solanasreality · 3 months ago

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†⠀⠀ㅤֺ⠀ INTRO 2 DESIRED REALITY : FAME DESIRED REALITY .

﹒MARIJOSIE YURI LANE — a burst of color on the hollywood scene, she is everything you’d expect in a modern-day serpentine and more, a mesmerizing blend of mystery, allure, and unapologetic individuality.

﹒physical characteristics — with the delicate sharpness of a sculptured dream, her face mirrors the haunting delicates of twilight, as if painted by the softest brushstrokes of shadow and light.

── AND ACTION!

﹒marijosie got her start on the broadway film of annie (released in 2004), the groundbreaking production that reimagined the classic story with a urban twist. as part of this trailblazing moment in cinema, marijosie brought a luminous depth to her role, standing out with a presence that was equal parts raw and magnetic.

﹒in 2012, we had the chance to catch her again, starring as herself in a comedy skit on the cult-favorite show loiter squad. known for its offbeat humor and unpredictable antics, the series provided a glimpse into marijosie’s playful side, showcasing an ability to cloud her bucket of humor behind an ethereal mystique with sharp comedic timing.

﹒by 2019, marijosie had fully cemented herself as not just a performer but as a visionary artist, stepping into both starring and directing roles with the release of K-12. the fantastical, dreamlike musical film showcased her ability to weave surreal visuals with poignant storytelling, tackling themes of self-expression, individuality, and societal critique.

﹒at the age of 29, she appeared on the stage, firmly establishing herself as one of hollywood’s most compelling talents with her portrayal of claudia in interview with the vampire. she brought a rare intensity to the role, effortlessly balancing the character’s youthful appearance with her centuries old wisdom and turmoil. with this role, marijosie once again demonstrated her versatility, proving she can command both the screen and the audience with every nuanced gesture.

﹒in 2024, marijosie took on the iconic role of elphaba in the highly anticipated wicked film adaptation. with her undeniable presence and captivating vocal ability, she brought a new dimension to the beloved character, imbuing elphaba with a mix of fierce independence and vulnerability that deeply resonated with the audience.

── DISCOGRAPHY.

﹒ marijosie’s musical journey began in 2011 when she joined the provocative and genre-defying collective odd future. her entry into the group marked the beginning of a career that would never conform to traditional expectations. that same year, she released Z, a debut album that immediately turned heads with its blend of ethereal vocals, experimental beats, and raw, emotionally charged lyrics. Z was a captivating exploration of self-discovery and introspection, setting the tone for marijosie’s distinct sound—a blend of haunting melodies, intricate production, and deep, often surreal storytelling.

﹒ in 2012, she released speak for yourself, an album that propelled her further into the spotlight. with this sophomore effort, marijosie began to refine her unique style, weaving themes of defiance, independence, and vulnerability into tracks that resonated deeply with fans. the album’s raw energy and poignant lyrics showcased her growth as both a vocalist and a composer, with standout tracks that blurred the lines between soul, indie, and alternative rock, further establishing her as a trailblazer in the music world.

﹒ after a few years of experimentation and self-reflection, she returned in 2015 with crybaby, an album marked by a darker, more melancholic tone. the project explored themes of heartache, emotional turmoil, and personal transformation, with a gritty edge that was both haunting and cathartic. crybaby cemented her status as a bold, uncompromising artist, pushing boundaries with its raw emotion and unapologetic approach to vulnerability. the album was praised for its lyrical depth and sonic complexity, capturing the chaos of personal upheaval while embracing the beauty of the struggle.

﹒ in 2019, marijosie released K-12, a groundbreaking album that tied into her film of the same name. with this album, she fully embraced her vision as both a performer and a director, creating a concept album that was as cinematic as it was sonically diverse. K-12 became more than just an album—it was an artistic statement, blending surreal, dreamlike soundscapes with poignant, socially conscious lyrics.

﹒ in 2021, marijosie released preacher’s daughter, an album that delved deep into the conflict between spirituality and rebellion. Infused with religious imagery and a sense of existential reckoning, preacher’s daughter was a personal exploration of faith, family, and the search for truth. with a more stripped-down sound, the album highlighted her vocal prowess, while the lyrics explored the complex relationship between divine love and personal autonomy, striking a balance between vulnerability and empowerment.

﹒ her latest album, alligator bites never heal, released in 2024, marks another evolution in her musical journey. the production itself mirrors the album’s themes—lush, unpredictable, and occasionally jarring—echoing the internal chaos of a woman trying to navigate her pain while asserting her power. it’s a sonic tapestry that feels as jagged as it does beautiful, reflecting marijosie’s growth as an artist who refuses to fit into any one box. the project is at once a battle cry and a healing mantra, blending dark, moody undertones with glimmers of hope.

── AND, YOUR PEN NAME?

﹒ another aspect of her artistry lies in her writing. an author of three books, her prose mirrors her music—haunting, poetic, and deeply evocative. her debut novel, a haunting tale of a teenager navigating war, burdened by the past, a god that feeds on grief, and a country’s fate tied to the history she’s running from, has cemented her place as a rising star in the literary world. with a TV adaptation (by yours truly) in the works, she’s poised to step into yet another creative realm, embodying the characters and world she’s crafted with perfect authenticity.

#reality shifting #shiftblr #shifting community #shifting motivation #shifting blog #shiftinconsciousness #shifting diary #black shifters #shifting antis dni #desired reality #shifting realities #reality shift #shifting consciousness #shifters #shifting #shifting advice #shifting script #realityshifting #fame dr

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hotvintagepoll · 1 year ago

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Propaganda

Claire Windsor (Souls for Sables)—no propaganda submitted

Alla Nazimova (A Doll's House, Camille, Salomé)—She was a proud lesbian, she was a director, she was artsy and experimental, she was instrumental in the rise to fame of Rudolph Valentino, she had the worlds biggest strap on energy

This is round 1 of the tournament. All other polls in this bracket can be found here. Please reblog with further support of your beloved hot sexy vintage woman.

[additional propaganda submitted under the cut.]

Alla Nazimova propaganda:

"HOT as hell. GAY as hell. TALENTED as hell. Producer, director, writer, actress. A silent era superstar who is credited with having coined the term "sewing circle" as a code-word for gatherings of lesbian and bisexual women. Has been called "the founding mother of Sapphic Hollywood" and was the owner/operator of the Garden of Alla Hotel in West Hollywood, which she bought in 1919 and sold in 1928 after deciding she wanted to go back to Broadway. In addition to starring opposite Valentino in Camille, she also had an affair with BOTH of his wives (Jean Acker and Natacha Rambova). In her day, she was one of the most influential women in the business."

"Nazimova was primarily a star during the silent film era, and her career in film started when she was almost forty. She was openly bisexual, and was engaged in two lavender marriages during her life while she carried on relationships with women (including at least one, and possibly two, of Rudolph Valentino's wives). She was brilliant and an autodidact - when she first moved to the United States from Ukraine, she spoke no English, but taught herself "in about five months" and went on to work as a screenwriter (among other things). Her predilections lay in art film, and she's credited with starring in / producing / directing one of the first American art films, the adaptation of Oscar Wilde's play Salome (1923). She has an elegant and commanding presence in all of her films, and is an absolute sensation to watch in motion."

Gif link, another gif link

A great actress who also produced a great deal of her films, Nazimova is absolutely mesmerizing to watch. She was also bi and coined the phrase "sewing circle" for sapphic celebrities.

#alla nazimova #claire windsor #hotvintagepoll #ladies 1 #fuck that old woman

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100gayicons · 2 months ago

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Tallulah Bankhead was an acclaimed actress on Broadway, the London Stage, and in Hollywood during the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s. She was known for her husky voice which was the result of chronic bronchitis as a child.

Some of her best reviewed performances on Broadway were in “Forsaking All Others” (1933, “Jezebel” (1933), “Dark Victory” (1934), and “Little Foxes” (1939). Unfortunately, when these plays were adapted to movies, other actresses such as Joan Crawford and Bette Davis were cast in the starring roles. This was the cause of a decades long rivalry between Bankhead and Davis.

Bankhead once said to Davis:

“So you're the woman who does all of my parts on the screen! And I do them so much better".

Through out her life, Bankhead had many affairs with men, and often spoke about her sex life. Because of this, the Hays (Hollywood Censorship) Commission considered her "unsuitable for the public".

On television, Bankhead appeared in an episode of “The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour” (1959) in a role written for Bette Davis who needed to drop out. She also played the villainess Black Widow in two episodes of the Batman series (1967).

Bankhead divorced her one and only husband in 1942, and told a reporter:

"You can definitely quote me as saying there will be no plans for a remarriage."

Bankhead was also link romantically with female stars, including Greta Garbo, Marlene Dietrich, and Hattie McDaniel. Comic actress Patsy Kelly confirmed she had a sexual relationship with Bankhead when she worked for her as a personal assistant.

She died at in December 1968, at age 66. The cause of death was pleural pneumonia, complicated by emphysema due to her life long cigarette smoking.

#gay icons #lesbian #tallulah bankhead #Bette Davis #patsy kelly #little foxes #Batman 66 #black widow villain #unsuitable for the public

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nnicknnelsonn · 7 months ago

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Kit & Joe featured in Variety Magazine’s Young Hollywood Impact Report

Kit Connor and Joe Locke Source: Variety Magazine (X)

The British series “Heartstopper” became an instant success for Netflix, with the two actors playing the fan favorite main couple in the comic book adaptation. Season 3 debuts in October. In the meantime, Connor, 20, will star as Romeo on Broadway in “Romeo & Juliet” with Rachel Zegler. Other upcoming projects include A24’s “Warfare” and DreamWorks animation’s “The Wild Robot,” alongside Lupita Nyong’o. He eagerly awaits his return to theater, as he finds it “very creatively fulfilling,” noting “it’s one of the best things an actor can do to improve their craft.” Locke, 20, took to Broadway himself earlier this year as Tobias Ragg in the revival of “Sweeney Todd.” He notes that “live theater is acting in its purest form, there’s no camera, or doing 25 takes.” He also stars in the anticipated Disney+ series “Agatha All Along.”

#heartstopperdaily #kit connor #joe locke #heartstopper #nick nelson #charlie spring #narlie #nick and charlie #nick x charlie #daily heartstopper #dailyheartstopper #mine

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thegoldenretrieverandthegaynerd · 7 months ago

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Joe Locke and Kit Connor are on Variety’s young hollywood impact list!

#kit connor #joe locke #heartstopper #nick nelson #charlie spring #nick and charlie #alice oseman

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more-than-tender-curiosity · 3 months ago

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I’m really curious as to your opinions on each of the Gatsby films. What do you think they did right/wrong? What do you like/dislike about casting choices? If you could make your ideal Gatsby movie rendition would you take any inspo from the existing movies?

(I would add the broadway musical into that list just for the heck of it but we all know that was just funky music loosely wrapped in Gatsby paper)

Oh good heavens...

Okay. So. I'll just talk about them in order of release. And again these are my OPINIONS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THAT I WAS ASKED FOR !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NO YELLING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I WILL CRY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SO many spoilers ahead. You have been warned.

1926

Obviously this film is lost, but we have the trailer, photos, and Fitz's own reaction to it, which was to say he and Zelda left halfway through. It's not even based off the book, either, but based off a play based off the book, so one can imagine that given the filmmaking style of the time and its disconnect from the source material, it likely wasn't the most accurate adaptation.

Accuracy isn't everything in terms of what makes an adaptation 'good'—it's definitely a factor, though, along with entertainment value, justification for any alteration to the story, attention to detail, Genuine Caring For The Source Material, acting, casting, etc...all of these go into consideration, at least for me.

The casting seems alright for this version. Daisy has dark hair. Nick's taller than Jay and visibly, uhhhhhhhhh...well, like...have you ever heard of 'gay face'? But it ends about there, as Tom looks like he's 50, Jordan is...just not right, and as is often the case, Wilson is somehow beyond 'faintly handsome'? Do they just not have enough middies running around in Hollywood?

The costumes are obviously pretty accurate, though very clearly 1926 trying to do 1922. The skirts are. UP there. And I get that jay's shirts are monogrammed but a hand-sized monogram on each jacket? What? Did they think audiences would lose track of which brunette man was which?

Here's a photo. God nick is such a cunt look at him

I can't accurately give the whole film a rating but what I know of it gives it a 6.5/10. Bonus points to jay for pushing the no white shoes after labor day rule up to the very brink.

1949

...listen.

In terms of accuracy to the book, this is not the best. It's just not. It's a star vehicle for Alan Ladd who, at the time, was popping off hardcore in the film noir market, so they fiddle faddled with the tone a bit and shot it in black and white despite having access to color, amped up the crime (jay smokes some bitches in the first five minutes??? takes a hefty swing at a man at a party????) and then said uhhhhh what book are we adapting again?

East Egg and West Egg are scrambled, which goes against the whole 'east coast/old money' vs 'westerners/new money' thing. Nick and Jordan are married in the beginning before flashing back. Nick's just not hypocritical enough in this one, either, which is bothersome, because that's the whole point of his character in the novel—that he can't see his own faults for the more glaring faults of others.

They press fast forward a lot. Like there's no drive to new york or meyer lunch—nick and jay just snuggle in his boat watching the green light and jay tries to lie to nick and nick catches him immediately and jays like AH. YA GOT ME. HA HA. ?????????

if it weren't for alan ladd I would not watch this movie. Don't get me wrong, I love Macdonald Carey as Nick, but I think playing across from anyone else, this would be entirely forgettable and borderline unwatchable.

Alan Ladd. Alan Ladd. Where do I begin with Alan Motherfucking Ladd. This man is Jay Gatsby personified. I know that's controversial because 2013 has brainwashed people into thinking jay gatsby is over six feet tall, but there is something so distinctly perfect about casting a malnourished 5'7 midwestern blonde with such intense parental issues that he never recovered from the sickness that is an impoverished American childhood as jay gatsby. Alan Ladd was underestimated, spat on, put down from day fucking one. Every single time he got ahead in life he was cut down at the knees until finally, finally he found validation and celebrity in playing these soft-spoken, angel-faced killers onsreen. Only it wasn't enough. It was never enough. It could never fill that void and he could never get ahead of himself. You want to tell me that doesn't mirror the fuck out of Jay's life? You want to tell me there was a man in Hollywood at the time who could so deeply understand this character, even through the bullshit rewrites to try and mold the story into something it wasn't? There are even accounts of him taking reporters to his bedroom to show them his closet, saying 'not bad for an okie boy'. That's Jay. That's Jay in pure essence. Never having enough, and so excited to show what he had. Literally look into his past at all and you will mourn his lack of control over the direction the film took, because I know damn good and well if he had been more than just everybody's favorite film noir star at the time and a more respected name, he could have really pushed and pulled to peel back the story and pull better performances from the rest of the cast as a result.

Bonus points for having a really fucking weird Dan Cody and Ella Kaye. Both were distinctly, visibly, vocally predatory toward Jay and it's like the directors actually looked into prior drafts, even if I know damn good and well they didn't. I don't even know if they read the damn book.

Costumes were fine. I wish wish wish wish it had just been in color (THEY COULD HAVE DONE IT.) so that we could see if jay got his pink suit. I swear to god the sight of alan ladd in a pink suit would actually kill me.

I'll give this one a 7/10 overall, points dinging for accuracy to the novel and pacing and some really weird choices, like having jay come from the rainbow division in the war (????) to making nick like...offer to spank jordan. i don member THAT from the book. Most of these points come from Alan Ladd.

Uh. Here's myrtle getting hit by the car

1974

oh boy.

Where to begin? The film is a fucking mess. It's a goddamn motherfucking mess and I can only watch it if I cut Jay and Daisy out of it entirely, which is a shame, because I love both of their characters (for different reasons) but. oh my GOD.

So they got truman capote to write the screenplay at first. unfortunately he made nick and jay skinny dip, and jordan was a vindictive lesbian, and it was 1974 so they weren't about that noise at ALL. There's other stuff in that script too and it's honestly...not a great script to begin with, but that meant they had to REWRITE THE ENTIRE THING WITH JUST WEEKS TO GO BEFORE PRODUCTION. THEY ASKED FRANCIS FORD COPPOLA (THE GODFATHER.) TO WRITE IT AND HE DID IT IN THREE WEEKS IN A HOTEL ROOM, HAVING BEEN UNFAMILIAR WITH THE BOOK, THEN CLAIMED THEY DIDN'T EVEN USE HIS SCRIPT AFTER ALL??? HUH? HUH WHUH?

you can tell. oh boy you can tell. 'jay' and 'daisy' sit around talking in silent rooms for several minutes at a time, just...expositioning all over the place. it's...astonishing.

that's another thing. i...am aware mia farrow is a beloved actress and she did wonderful things onscreen in other films but she is totally and completely unwatchable as daisy. if I knew no other adaptation, she would make me hate daisy with a blind fucking rage. it's not even that she's a bad actress in this—she just does not fit the role even a LITTLE. she's shrill and loud and like...i don't know if she's on coke or what (I mean it's the 70s.) but she just whines and flails her way through the film in an entirely undaisy sort of way. like where is this girl with the sad, lovely face and the voice that's a deathless song? her voice isn't full of money in this, it's counterfeit. she owes me a debt for making me have to listen to her. she only got the job because her name was big at the time and she just asked for it and got it, no audition, no screen test, no nothing. i wish they would have switched lois chiles into daisy's role rather than have her playing jordan, because she was just a much better match for the character.

1974 has one of my favorite toms at least. I've said it before but he's got that sort of frustrated, unsatisfied disinterest, a sort of distraction about him that really lends well to the whole notion of forever chasing down his college days and all that.

WEIRD fuckin chester mckee in this one, but points for being the first fuckin film to show my man onscreen! there's even an elevator scene in this one but it's not between nick and chester, unfortunately. though there is immense sexual tension regardless.

SPEAKING OF NICK! SAM WATERSTON MY BELOVED!!!!

Yet again another flawless casting along the lines of Alan Ladd as Jay. He's such a bitch. I don't think Nick is the same if he's not a cynical gay little cunt some of the time and despite being apparently one of the nicest people in Hollywood, sam just GETS IT. HERE is someone who floats above reproach like his shit don't stink. HERE is someone who will throw the blame on just about anyone but himself—and has to let jay into that same bubble of protection. HERE is someone who knows he's useless but is too afraid to admit it to himself because he's turning 30 and is about to face a crisis of mortality. he's judgemental and critical and somehow pulls off the sort of mind-altering gay panic nick very explicitly experiences around jay every 5 seconds in prior drafts of the book. i wish you all understood how hot nick thinks gatsby is. i wish you all knew what I know. sam waterston knows. and he gets it. he also just looks like nick. like crooked teeth and awkward nose and all. that's nick. i wanna kick him in the shins.

i gotta talk about jay's house in this one. it's bad. why does he live in a greek temple. like. nick describes jay's house in the book. he does. he's a faux provincial palace. almost a fairytale castle. that's on purpose. why. is he living in a marble box. is it supposed to be a tomb. are you making death jokes. fuck you Robert Redford

speaking of Robert Redford. did anyone let him know who he was playing in the movie or did you just hand him a script and tell him to start wherever. I get that jay isn't known for his brains but I have never seen a more confused lead in a film does he even know the camera is rolling or does he do that naturally

costuming is unmemorable and inoffensive except

YOU CALL THAT PINK? PINK?

6/10. Saved by Sam Waterston. Rendered unwatchable by Mia Farrow.

2000

OH BROTHER THIS GUY STINKS

No seriously who let the BBC do this. 5 million dollar budget and they used 4.9 of it on jordan's fuck ass bob.

I don't even know where to begin. I guess I should start at the beginning. The movie opens to Jay dead in the pool, which is the best part of the movie because he's dead.

Nothing about this film is good. I...I hate to say that because I try to find a little good in every adaptation but holy CHRIST. I have only seen this one in parts because I physically cannot sit and watch the whole thing at once.

Nick is played by Paris from Romeo+Juliet. He's not good. Even the one scene I kind of sort of like, at the end where he burns all of jay's papers(?????) is kind of undercut because HE STILL WRITES THE BOOK?? THE EXPOSE??? WHY BOTHER??? HE'S ALREADY DEAD????

I don't remember tom in this. I barely remember Jordan, but she's really, really into Nick and it's kind of upsetting to watch from a visceral standpoint. It's very uncanny valley. That's a NotJordan. the real jordan would never.

it gets worse.

Whoever thought they should cast whatever his name is as Jay—death. death to all of them. That is the most smarmy, leering, dickweed of a dude I have ever had the displeasure of existing near. It's like if the jay equivalent of people who make hating daisy their entire personality got to design jay's characterization for this film. There are no good parts to him. It's just like every single person who's boiled him down to jUsT a CrEePy StAlKeR OWO got to write a film. i would even be down for that point of view if it was well-acted and well written but UNFORTUNATELY, THE ACTING BUDGET WENT TO JORDAN'S WIG,

I can't even remember. 1974 and 2000 blend together for me.

The costuming is so bad but like. whatever. i thought I could live with it.

until.

oh dear god why does daisy have 2007 hollister hair it's 1917

you get more than one photo this time because I know most people haven't seen this film

tell me this didn't come off a CW vampire show in 2011

IS THAT RENESMEE?

SMILEDOG IS THAT YOU?

THE HAIR?

and of course, jordan's 4.9million dollar fuckass bob

Like i get it. period dramas are hard. but good fucking god. im so uncomfortable looking at every single person in this film

BONUS:

1/10 only because i get to watch NotJay die twice

i need a breather

...

2013

okay

In terms of direct, faithful adaptation, I think this one is the best. Like they didn't technically skimp on anything super major, didn't really try to put scenes in a blender. There's clearly, like. a whole script.

I'm already a Baz Luhrmann fan. I have been since the 7th grade when I saw this little movie called—

Romeo + Juliet. No, not tgg. I saw that next, though, and was obsessed. Love. Love!

I love when you can tell an adaptation is made by someone who actually cares about adapting the source material. Very key words there. Adapting. Source Material. Cares About. Because all of these other adaptations are clearly just looking to use a classic novel to make a movie but bazco clearly wanted to Adapt The Great Gatsby For Modern (At the time) Audiences.

I like a lot of the decisions made there. Casting an Indian actor as Meyer Wolfshiem—even if it goes against the explicit description of him in the book as this small beady eyed little weirdo, I think it was a better call to give a lesser-known (to American audiences) poc actor a role rather than continue digging the antisemitic hole Fitzgerald decided to dig himself for some reason.

The music too. It gets so much flack but I totally get what Baz was going for and it was honestly a little ahead of its time in 2013. To take a very White story (I could talk about the implications of Jay being mixed/black/otherwise poc all day) and apply our generation's equivalent of jazz ("oversexualized black people music") to forcing modern white audiences to face the fact that we absolutely will still sit here and find any reason to try and justify the erasure of black influence on the culture of America at any given point—it's chef's kiss. Shut the fuck up about it. I'm tired of hearing shit about the music being anachronistic. Yes, I would have loved to hear more period-accurate rejuvenated jazz covers in there. NO it would not be swing because hey bitch that too is anachronistic, it wasn't around in 1922. You can't have it both ways. Baz had a point to make and he teamed up with JAY Z to make it and yet again a bunch of white nerds got mad that they had to confront their internalized racism.

Yes, it is that deep. Everything is. To pretend it isn't is cowardice.

Anyway! The CGI pisses me off. It always will. If it's marvel or mordor I really don't give a damn, with that kind of budget you can afford some practical effects and save the CGI for moments where it can ACCENTUATE the practical effects to heighten the sense of mystification Nick undoubtedly felt upon entering this world. There's just no excuse for a lot of their effects and it's very disappointing to think of them trying to act in all these hollow blue environments.

Finally, FINALLY there's some depth to nick and jay's interactions. There's been this sort of disconnect in every other adaptation thus far and I'll give credit to Tobey Maguire and Leo DiCaprio for being friends for six thousand years before taking these roles, because the chemistry is Something Else.

that being said. tobey maguire was a really weird choice for nick carraway. I...don't really see it. I've called it Gooberfication before, as if they're sort of dumbing down his character and making him more palatable for the audience. I don't think it was an acting choice on Tobey's part but a choice made by the filmmakers themselves. There's no point in the book where Nick tries to make himself out as this friendly aw shucks ah geez scuse me ass goober, even when he's trying to claim he's like this unjudgemental dude. He lets you know outright that he'll do just about anything to get out of a conversation. He lies about his relationships, breaks up with people on a whim, is cynical and critical and has a barb to his tongue EVEN AROUND JAY (like when he considers asking to see Jay's rubies, knowing damn well he doesn't have any fuckin rubies.) And that's BEFORE jay dies. He's even worse after that, and I do appreciate the framing device of having Nick write this book while in recovery from...That Event.

which brings me to Baz Luhrmann Ships Natsby, Fuck You. He does. Oh my god. How are they queerer here than in actual fics I've written? Literal fireworks when they meet??? Nick being the one to call jay and hear the gunfire. that is his HUSBAND. "he did not know it (his dream) was already behind him" AS NICK STANDS BEHIND AN IMAGINED VERSION OF JAY. NICK HAVING TO PUT HIMSELF AWAY IN A MENTAL HOSPITAL AFTER GRIEVING HIM FOR YEARS???? BECOMING AN ALCOHOLIC INSOMNIAC WITH DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, AND FITS OF ANGER?????????????? BECAUSE HIS NEIGHBOR HE KNEW FOR THREE MONTHS DIED???????????????????????????? H. HELLO?

GOD.

Anyway. Speaking of their meeting, the song used in the background is Rhapsody in Blue by George Gershwin, which was professed by Fitz to have been THEE gatsby song, so that's a very nice touch. All the newspapers about Jay are written by prior Fitz characters. Even the clippings in Jay's scrapbooks attempt to add realism to the world but they...don't make sense entirely but that's fine. I know the filmmakers read at least Trimalchio but I don't know if they read the Princeton Draft. Either way, good on them.

Will never forgive this film for twinkifying Nick Carraway. Will never forgive it for planting the seed of top jay/bottom nick in the minds of the youth. I completely blame this movie for it. I don't think Jay was even topping Daisy at this point. He couldn't top a sundae. Even if he's played by Leonardo DiCaprio.

SPEAKING OF DAISY!!!!! I think Carey Mulligan did a damn good job at playing her accurately and as as much of a person as she could while still having the film's pov limited to Nick. Carey's a very good actor and she pretty clearly did her research to play Daisy, and was just very well cast. Now if the costume designers had simply allowed her to keep her natural hair color. Same with Jordan/Elizabeth Debicki. Daisy's brunette. Jordan's blonde. It's right there in the book in several places. I've talked about it forever. WHY would you go to the effort to change your actors' appearances when they were already accurate? Why? Why? Are you incapable of imagining a desirable woman who isn't blonde?

that being said, all jordan bakers should be 6'3. Elizabeth debicki, no notes.

tom's fine in this one. myrtle and George are too. chester actually gets to like. appear onscreen and try to get nick into the bedroom but UGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH of COURSE there's no elevator scene because nothing is ever fair or right or good. that's not MY chester (iykyk) but it is certainly A chester which is better than NO chester.

I would like to say that the Plaza scene in this film is the best of any of them. I believe beyond a shadow of a doubt that Jay was at a point in his health that if Wilson hadn't killed him, a heart attack would, and that's precisely the behavior exhibited in 2013's plaza scene. This is a man who has been twisting himself up into a tighter and tighter ball his entire life and has now just fucking sprung open because he's realized this is it, this is the end, everything I have done has been entirely pointless and I'm about the lose the one last fucking thing I have to live for and it's my fault because everything has been since the day I was born. Like I won't say it's 'mask off' and this would have been some sort of normal explosive behavior for him if he did end up getting to 'keep' daisy (because obviously shes An Object,,,,, right,,,,) but this...was coming regardless of whether tom dragged it out of him or not. it really exhibits just how much was going on behind the scenes that not even nick was privy to. just imagine how much pressure wolfshiem put on him in the end to keep going, keep working, as if his life isn't on the cusp of completely turning upside down.

(putting a space here because tumblr got mad about how much I wrote.)

that's one tiny little thing I absolutely adore about 2013. it's a blink and you'll miss it moment where meyer AND GOONS are in jay's office and he asks jay what's going on. It's so simple but so fucking menacing. it's so subtle. the implication that meyer has jay in a chokehold and the more time he spends with daisy, the more meyer gets pissed, and the more meyer gets pissed, the more likely he'll cut jay out of the business entirely, and jay's holding on to this tiny little string of assurance that he can manage it all for daisy and it's worth it for daisy and he's still the pretty face for the front of the company and meyer NEEDS him for that and if meyer needs him then it'll be okay, he can balance daisy and the business it'll be FINE—until it isn't, obviously. he originally turned daisy down when she suggested running away because all his money is tied up with meyer and if he runs, either meyer will track him down and kill him because he knows too much or he has to start over again. of course eventually he comes around to realize that running is their only option but it's too late and he knows that by the time he blows up at the plaza. he hit his breaking point and ruined everything. and leonardo DiCaprio is the only one who I think really captured just how fucking wound up jay really was.

I'm not talking about the broadway musical anymore

but if i were to make my own gatsby film...

I've never actually thought about it enough to pin down a cast. I have, however, considered that if for whatever reason I was given the opportunity to make any sort of adaptation of it, I'd probably have a black Jay regardless, and I think Ncuti Gatwa would be a really fun choice. Look at him. Imagine you're drunk and gay and this is across the table. Nick I get it.

I would try to keep in line with the book as best I could, though, because it's important to me. I live and breathe the history of this novel and I can see all the lives woven into each minute detail and I would hate to not do it justice.

...

Otherwise...I do spend hours a day daydreaming about turning Gatsby into a limited series a la Anne with an E, albeit more adult in nature due to the subject matter. But I can see it in my head so clearly. I wish wish wish I could. Maybe one day. If only.

#the great gatsby

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roukabi · 2 months ago

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My objectively correct opinions on a hadestown adaptation

(Explanation under the cut)

For the purposes of this chart, the hypothetical Hadestown adaptation would follow the original Broadway production (2019).

Lawful Good: Out of all animated possibilites, this would be the medium I'd want to see a HT adaptation in purely for its tangibility and underground atmosphere. Stopmo is considered inherently kitsch and a less 'pretty' animation medium in the eyes of the public. Critics only recognize it if a big name is attached (see Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio, which won the Golden Globe for its running year). Therefore, there's no real fear of an adaptation like this getting too popular, and a smart director would use this tactile medium to restore the scrappy, raw feel of the Vermont production. Even if the conditions aren't perfect, as long as a studio that isn't Laika or Aardman takes the helm, there's a good chance the average stopmo director can be trusted with the show. Overall, this is my pie-in-the-sky option, though it'll probably never happen.

Neutral Good: The next best thing, and hopefully what we will get. Personal preference would leave lyrics the way they were in the original Broadway version, but I can't always get what I want.

Chaotic Good: A stage puppet version of Hadestown gets created and posted for free on YouTube and it gets, like, 100,000 views. The puppets are wonderful, the stage is great, and the actors are... good. Lots of exciting staging options to be had here. Gets as creatively interesting as possible without losing anything to the scope of a screen or animated fluff. Not really an official adaptation but still pretty cool, right?

Lawful Neutral: Look, I love 2D as much as the next guy, but anything could happen. 2D is functionally limitless in what you can do with it, which sets it apart from other mediums... for better or worse. I fear a lot of directors would go crazy with the visuals and forget to ground Hadestown in its emotional core. I think Cartoon Saloon would get it, though. While not the most top-tier team of directors, their eye for visual storytelling is unmatched. Just look at Screecher's Reach if you don't believe me. If they can bring the same amount of writing prowess to Hadestown as they did The Breadwinner, it could work. 2D is also in high demand from certain audiences (though not all), so it could run the risk of getting dangerously generic to appeal to everybody. To quote Chris Sanders, who'd just finished up work on The Lion King when he said this: "This is either gonna be huge, or it's not gonna work at all."

True Neutral: Sometimes it's best to let some shows stay as they are. Hadestown is one of those shows.

Chaotic Neutral: "indie" has become a subjective term I think, because "indie" ranges from "two people with a string" to "Amazon Prime/Netflix-funded, B-list actor, industry-standard tech with a slightly smaller fanbase". That was definitely not a slight at anyone in particular. There's already some college theatre-esque medleys on YouTube, but those aren't really full adaptations. While there'd be a lot of heart and passion in this project, the limited budget/opportunities would detract from the show's scale, and be a little embarrassing to watch tbh.

Lawful Evil: The Wicked treatment. Or maybe the Illumination treatment? Oh, no. Ew. Don't wanna think about that. 3D appeals to general audiences and gets used by the big companies more, so by that association it gets lumped in with the rest of Hollywood. Not great, overproduced, weird casting choices (related snide: in a show that's cultivated a diverse range of vocals, why on earth were Betty Who and Jordan Fisher casted on Broadway? Besides stuntcasting, of course...). A dishonest portrayal of an honest show. Could be worse, though. I can only see a 3D animated adaptation working if some smaller, non-US studio goes absolutely batshit during visdev. Other than that, 3D is too polished and techy to fit the needs of the show.

Neutral Evil: The only good thing that comes out of this is that most people see AI as a cheap scammy tool, so whatever HT-ness comes out of it will not tarnish Hadestown's name too much. I doubt it'd be taken seriously at all, if anyone would even care to look at it. I don't even think AI bros would touch the anticapitalist 'woke' themes with a ten-foot pole.

Chaotic Evil: remember what I said during the Chaotic Neutral bloc? That was about Viv. I don't care that she technically falls into Lawful Neutral, this is its own circle of hell. It's worse than AI because unlike AI, which is forgettable, Viv's understandings of mythology, gender, and politics are actively, stupidly shallow. Can you imagine what would happen to Eurydice and Persephone? Or the Fates? Could you imagine the sexism? The stereotyping? The song 'Flowers' might as well not exist. Persephone would be painted as a crazy drunk abuser. The negative cultural impact + Viv's rabid fanbase would ruin me forever. This idea has cursed me the moment it popped into my head and if I have to think about it, you do, too. Let's hope it never happens.

#swinging a chainsaw at a hornet's nest to start the new year right #yes this was just an excuse to complain about my animation pet peeves. i have thoughts!#anyway. fingers crossed the *possible* proshot is good #hadestown #rook roars!

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1americanconservative · 16 days ago

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Michael Douglas acquired the film rights to "One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest" from his father, Kirk Douglas, who had been trying to bring the story to the big screen for years. Kirk had starred in a successful Broadway adaptation of the novel in the 1960s and believed in its cinematic potential, but Hollywood studios remained unconvinced. When Kirk’s attempts to produce the film stalled, he passed the rights to his son, hoping that a younger, more determined producer might succeed where he had struggled.

Michael Douglas faced immediate resistance from major studios, which viewed the story as too dark and uncommercial. The novel, written by Ken Kesey, was a critical success, but its themes of mental illness, authority, and rebellion against institutional control were not seen as bankable. Hollywood executives hesitated, fearing that audiences would reject a film set in a psychiatric hospital with a cast of mentally ill patients. Many believed that the project lacked a clear hero and had no traditional romance or uplifting resolution.

Despite these challenges, Michael Douglas remained committed. He partnered with Saul Zaentz, a record producer with a passion for film, and together they sought a director who could bring the story to life. They approached Miloš Forman, a Czechoslovakian filmmaker who had fled his home country after the Soviet invasion of 1968. Forman had an outsider’s perspective on authority and rebellion, making him the perfect choice to direct the adaptation. However, convincing Forman to take the project was not easy. Living in financial hardship in New York, Forman initially misunderstood Douglas' offer, believing that he had lost the opportunity. When the misunderstanding was corrected, Forman enthusiastically accepted, seeing the film as a powerful statement on individual freedom.

Casting the lead role of Randle McMurphy proved to be one of the most difficult hurdles. Kirk Douglas had played McMurphy on stage and wanted to reprise the role, but Michael knew that his father was too old for the part by the mid-1970s. Hollywood stars were reluctant to commit, unsure if the film would be a success. Actors such as Marlon Brando and Gene Hackman were considered, but it was Jack Nicholson who ultimately agreed to take on the role. Nicholson’s involvement gave the film credibility, and his portrayal of McMurphy would go on to define his career.

Once filming began, challenges continued. The production took place at Oregon State Hospital, a real psychiatric institution, where many scenes were shot among actual patients. Forman insisted on using method acting techniques, encouraging the cast to stay in character even off-camera. Some actors spent weeks observing real patients to perfect their performances. Louise Fletcher, who played Nurse Ratched, found it difficult to maintain her cold and authoritarian demeanor, as she was naturally warm and kind. She later admitted that she struggled emotionally during production, but Forman’s insistence on realism helped create one of cinema’s most chilling antagonists.

Tensions ran high on set, particularly between Forman and the cast. The director’s perfectionism led to numerous takes, frustrating Nicholson, who was used to working with more improvisational directors. At one point, Nicholson clashed with Forman over the film’s pacing, leading to heated arguments. Despite this, both men remained committed to the project, and their creative differences ultimately enhanced the film’s intensity.

Michael Douglas, though working behind the scenes as a producer, played a crucial role in ensuring that the film stayed true to Kesey’s vision. He fought against studio interference, refusing to allow the film’s darker elements to be watered down. Many executives pushed for a more conventional Hollywood ending, but Douglas and Forman resisted. They remained loyal to the novel’s message, knowing that the film’s emotional impact depended on its unflinching honesty.

When "One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest" was finally released in 1975, it became a phenomenon. Audiences responded to its raw storytelling, and critics praised Nicholson’s performance and Forman’s direction. The film went on to sweep the Academy Awards, winning Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor for Nicholson, Best Actress for Fletcher, and Best Adapted Screenplay. It was only the second film in history to win all five major Oscars, a feat that solidified its place in cinematic history.

Michael Douglas' struggle to get "One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest" made was an uphill battle, but his persistence paid off. His vision, combined with Forman’s direction and Nicholson’s unforgettable performance, transformed what Hollywood had dismissed as an uncommercial project into one of the most celebrated films of all time.

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buttherainbowhasabeard · 3 months ago

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Why Glicked Never Really Clicked

It was the mashup that Hollywood hoped would match the magic of Barbenheimer: a kooky combination of gladiators and good witches. But Glicked — the name given to the late November releases of 'Gladiator II' and ‘Wicked’ — was a tale of two cities (Rome and Oz) that felt forced to sit side-by-side in cinemas.

When ‘Barbie' and ‘Oppenheimer' debuted together in July 2023, they were an unlikely yet complementary pair. Even though one was a technicoloured exploration into the world of dolls and dreamhouses and the other was an IMAX-scale atomic biopic, they became a must-do double bill. They gave audiences an excuse to dress up and make going to the movies an “event”.

Glicked on the other hand, felt like an arranged marriage, and we the viewers – the children – took sides.

The first problem was the source material.

The musical ‘Wicked: The Untold True Story of the Witches of Oz’ debuted on Broadway in 2003, and it was an instant classic. It spawned a stunning soundtrack of award-winning hits, including “What is This Feeling?”, “The Wizard And I”, “Popular” and “Defying Gravity”. It went on to be performed right around the world, including in Europe and Australia and continues to tour to this day.

This means that despite Jon M. Chu's movie adaptation coming 21 years after the first stage show (and 22 years once Part 2 is released in 2025), the fans hadn’t moved on or forgotten the Witches. If anything, the love and appreciation for the characters of Elphaba and Glinda (played by powerhouse performers Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande in the film) have only grown over the years, picking up new devotees with every new stage outing.

Ridley Scott’s ‘Gladiator’ came out even earlier, in the year 2000. Although it was a big hit (winning five Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor for Russell Crowe, and Best Supporting Actor for Joaqiuin Phoenix), it wasn’t a movie that needed a sequel, and frankly, the ending didn’t really lend itself to one.

Now, 24 years on, spiritual successor ‘Gladiator II’ is here sans most of the original cast and it feels... unnecessary. The lineup is impressive (Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Denzel Washington and Joseph Quinn to name a few) the visuals are epic and the CGI is fun (ugly baboon, I’m looking at you!) but the story is lacking somewhat. Crowe’s Maximus Decimus Meridius is mentioned and mirrored constantly, meaning that overall, the film struggles to step out of the original’s successful shadow.

The second point of difference was appeal and accessibility.

Although musicals aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, the family-friendly rating of ‘Wicked’ meant it was going to be a go-to choice for families and big groups of all ages. Fans of Erivo and Grande were also going to be keen to see their favourite singers in action, even if they weren’t familiar with the play.

'Gladiator II’, on the other hand, was hindered by its R rating. An Ancient Rome saga of bloody battles and political betrayals wasn’t going to have mass appeal, and those who were drawn to it would need to be over 17 years of age.

The third reason was marketing.

Barbenheimer had its own memes, merchandise, costumes and a communal sense of fun, as well as triggering that all-important feeling of FOMO to drive ticket sales. Glicked didn’t generate any of that kind of buzz.

The stars of ‘Wicked’ walked yellow brick road themed red carpets in colour-coordinated pink and green, and the movie account had an unmissable social media presence through regular collaborations, sing-a-longs, fan art shares, dance tutorials and announcements. 'Gladiator II’, however, followed the more traditional path of posting trailers, set photos, and interviews.

There didn’t seem to be much effort on the part of either film’s team to create a sense of “us”, so it instead became a feeling of “this” or “that”. Not “When are you going to see Wicked AND Gladiator II?” but "Are you going to see Wicked OR Gladiator II?"

And that brings me to my fourth and final point – which is probably the most important: Barbenheimer worked because it wasn’t planned. Glicked felt like a failed attempt to manufacture lightning in a bottle. But as the myth goes, lightning never strikes twice…

‘Wicked’ 4.5/5 stars. ‘Gladiator II’ 3/5 stars.

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shewhoworshipscarlin · 1 year ago

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Evelyn Preer

Evelyn Preer (née Jarvis; July 26, 1896 – November 17, 1932), was an African American pioneering screen and stage actress, and jazz and blues singer in Hollywood during the late-1910s through the early 1930s. Preer was known within the Black community as "The First Lady of the Screen."

She was the first Black actress to earn celebrity and popularity. She appeared in ground-breaking films and stage productions, such as the first play by a black playwright to be produced on Broadway, and the first New York–style production with a black cast in California in 1928, in a revival of a play adapted from Somerset Maugham's Rain.

Evelyn Jarvis was born in Vicksburg, Mississippi, on July 26, 1896. After her father, Frank, died prematurely, she moved with her mother, Blanche, and her three other siblings to Chicago, Illinois. She completed grammar school and high school in Chicago. Her early experiences in vaudeville and "street preaching" with her mother are what jump-started her acting career. Preer married Frank Preer on January 16, 1915, in Chicago.

At the age of 23, Preer's first film role was in Oscar Micheaux's 1919 debut film The Homesteader, in which she played Orlean. Preer was promoted by Micheaux as his leading actress with a steady tour of personal appearances and a publicity campaign, she was one of the first African American women to become a star to the black community. She also acted in Micheaux's Within Our Gates (1920), in which she plays Sylvia Landry, a teacher who needs to raise money to save her school. Still from the 1919 Oscar Micheaux film Within Our Gates.

In 1920, Preer joined The Lafayette Players a theatrical stock company in Chicago that was founded in 1915 by Anita Bush, a pioneering stage and film actress known as “The Little Mother of Black Drama". Bush and her troupe toured the US to bring legitimate theatre to black audiences at a time when theaters were racially segregated by law in the South, and often by custom in the North and the interest of vaudeville was fading. The Lafayette Players brought drama to black audiences, which caused it to flourish until its end during the Great Depression.

She continued her career by starring in 19 films. Micheaux developed many of his subsequent films to showcase Preer's versatility. These included The Brute (1920), The Gunsaulus Mystery (1921), Deceit (1923), Birthright (1924), The Devil’s Disciple (1926), The Conjure Woman (1926) and The Spider's Web (1926). Preer had her talkie debut in the race musical Georgia Rose (1930). In 1931, she performed with Sylvia Sidney in the film Ladies of the Big House. Her final film performance was as Lola, a prostitute, in Josef von Sternberg's 1932 film Blonde Venus, with Cary Grant and Marlene Dietrich. Preer was lauded by both the black and white press for her ability to continually succeed in ever more challenging roles, "...her roles ran the gamut from villain to heroine an attribute that many black actresses who worked in Hollywood cinema history did not have the privilege or luxury to enjoy." Only her film by Micheaux and three shorts survive. She was known for refusing to play roles that she believed demeaned African Americans.

By the mid-1920s, Preer began garnering attention from the white press, and she began to appear in crossover films and stage parts. In 1923, she acted in the Ethiopian Art Theatre's production of The Chip Woman's Fortune by Willis Richardson. This was the first dramatic play by an African-American playwright to be produced on Broadway, and it lasted two weeks. She met her second husband, Edward Thompson, when they were both acting with the Lafayette Players in Chicago. They married February 4, 1924, in Williamson County, Tennessee. In 1926, Preer appeared on Broadway in David Belasco’s production of Lulu Belle. Preer supported and understudied Lenore Ulric in the leading role of Edward Sheldon's drama of a Harlem prostitute. She garnered acclaim in Sadie Thompson in a West Coast revival of Somerset Maugham’s play about a fallen woman.

She rejoined the Lafayette Players for that production in their first show in Los Angeles at the Lincoln Center. Under the leadership of Robert Levy, Preer and her colleagues performed in the first New York–style play featuring black players to be produced in California. That year, she also appeared in Rain, a play adapted from Maugham's short story by the same name.

Preer also sang in cabaret and musical theater where she was occasionally backed by such diverse musicians as Duke Ellington and Red Nichols early in their careers. Preer was regarded by many as the greatest actress of her time.

Developing post-childbirth complications, Preer died of pneumonia on November 17, 1932, in Los Angeles at the age of 36. Her husband continued as a popular leading man and "heavy" in numerous race films throughout the 1930s and 1940s, and died in 1960.

Their daughter Edeve Thompson converted to Catholicism as a teenager. She later entered the Sisters of St. Francis of Oldenburg, Indiana, where she became known as Sister Francesca Thompson, O.S.F., and became an academic, teaching at both Marian University in Indiana and Fordham University in New York City.

Still from the 1919 Oscar Micheaux film Within Our Gates.

#historical #black history #actress #evelyn preer

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jbaileyfansite · 3 months ago

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Interview with Elle Italia (2024)

Viscount Anthony Bridgerton is currently busy. To play the hearthrob with Glinda and Elphaba in the kingdom of Oz, waiting to go hunting for dinosaurs on a remote island with Scarlett Johansson. Jonathan Bailey has made it. During the pandemic, he feared that his career was over. He had filmed the first season of that bizarre, sexy period drama by Shonda Rhimes and, locked in the house, he was asking himself about the possible outcomes. We know how it went, a firework of colored sugared almonds. Everyone went crazy about everyone, including "Jonny".

Now, the consecration, with a role he dreamed of, the vain Prince Fiyero in the film adaptation of the legendary musical Wicked. The first part will be released on November 21, the second in 2025. With him, Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo and Michelle Yeoh. When he is late for our interview, he gets into the car, turns on the speaker on his phone and apologizes.

Don't worry about it. In Italy we have dinner late.

Oh, the italian dinners! You are living in my favorite place in the world, you know? I'm just back from Salento, near Lecce, and I had my fair share of amazing night dinners, but still my delay is unaccetable, i'm sorry. Too much passion in talking about the movie, and I was long...

Film are a great escape mechanisms. Why we need Wicked right now?

When I watched it for the first time, I got emotional. I think it brings joy, the joy of escaping, and underneath, it is full of strong and deep meanings for our world. It's a movie deeply political that speaks about identity, diversity, understanding the differences and celebrate them, finding each other, be together. It speaks of friendship, commitment and new awareness. Of evolution and growing up. All important things.

Are you a fan of the musical?

Yeah, I've seen it four times in London and I've always been obsessed by the Broadway's recording. We are all fans of the musical in the cast, everyone see themselves in it for different reasons. Fiyero has an incredible story and an interesting transformation, there are elements in him that I understand. The trick was to be able to capture the essence of someone who is considered a playful frivolous person, vane and superficial and make it work behind a camera. I think this could be applied even for my fellow companions. Cynthia's perfomance is able to portray a truth and an emotion, both vibrant of urgency. The first time I've spoken with the director, Jon M. Chu, I was so excited: he showed to me every frame of the initial sequence with such an enthusiasm, a year before beginning filming it. And the movie is exactly how he pictured it in his head, he made his vision true. He immediately conquered me and I have been on board ever since.

After Bridgeron, even here 'you are the most eligible bachelor in town'. It's an habit.

It's an absolute privilege.

Talking about the scene in the library in the movie, in a review, a journalist praised "the costumist for the line of the pants (very tight) and the director for the framing."

(He laughs) Amazing! You see? The immense joy of doing this job is that you are going to play characters so different from you, like an eligible bachelor.

Wicked invites us to fight for who we are. Does this reminds you of something?

When I was a teenager, I was similar to him, very undisciplined, but in a funny way; I could very well beginning to dance in a library. It was then that I began to sing and dance, so this is basically coming full circle for me. I was very confused about roles at that age, and attracted by strange and intriguing people. I would have definitely befriended Elphaba.

You are very reserved but you talked about homophobia in Hollywood in the past, of when they suggested to hide your own sexuality to be able to get roles. Did things change?

I have never used the word 'homophobia' linked to Hollywood but, yes, things are definitely changing. I have a career I would have never imagined to have before, and it was amazing to be able to do a series like 'Fellow Travelers', to talk about certain aspects of my life and I'm so proud of that project. I think the entire world is evolving and it's better for everyone.

You have started working at 7, you have done Dickens and Shakespeare on theatre, you have worked with Oliver Parker e Shekhar Kapur. Then Shonda arrived and...boom!

I'm feeling very lucky that this happened to me. After every type of experiences through the years, to try to do the right thing, and make a lot of mistakes, years without a job, Bridgerton came and it opened to me many doors. It came out during the pandemic so there were so many variables but the magical moments just fell into the right place. I'm happy and grateful.

Are you still able to take the metro?

I would never give up on that. I'm determined to continue to live a normal life. Something has changed, of course, but in a positive way. It can be a little scary at the beginning, but thankfully I have amazing friends and family, and I've been lucky with my castmates, both over at Wicked and Jurassic World, I have met special people, very generous and sensible who helped me to understand how to adapt to the changes...

Jurassic World. Don't tell me it's another dream that came true...

I'm going to tell you that Jurassic Park is one of my favorite movies ever. I still remember when I first went to the cinema to see it. When I came out I was shaken in a way I couldn't comprehend, so imagine the joy in being in it now. Also there is Spielberg as a producer, Gareth Edwards as a director - and I have been a fan of all his movies - I've worked with Mahershala Ali and Scarlett Johansson, another dream coming true. It doesn't start where the last one has ended, it is called Rebirth, and it truly is and there will be many surprises.

Let's get back to Wicked, witches and wizards: what's the magic in your life right now?

Nature. I've realized through the years that nature is able to give me balance, calm and solidity. In the movie, all the scenes with Elphaba and the talking animals moved me, so yeah, nature and the sea...I'm living outside London now, a dream to live a quiet life in the green.

You have often worked in costumes. The more uncomfortable to wear?

When I was little, at my first play, they dressed me up as a water drop. I was six, I was full of blue shimmery fabric that hanged down on my arms and pinched me.

How do you release the tension after a day at work?

I go for a walk, take a bath and listen to a podcast. And listen to music. Today I listened to Bee Gees, and lately I'm listening a lot of Ludovico Einaudi. A great mix of different genres.

Is there a movie that helped you to feel less lonely?

There is a silent short movie, based on a book, The snowman, by Raymond Briggs and talks about a snowman who comes to life and becomes friend with the kid who created him. Together they fly North and meet Santa Claus. It's very poetic and sad because at the end of the story the snowman melts, but it moved me and I could feel the love watching it.

A person who had an impact in your life?

A professor, Dr Brunton. He had a gentle manner about him and encouraged me, it was stimulating. He asked me to read Shakespeare in class with him, and I could feel that he understood me better than anyone else. Even in elementary school, to be fair, there was a teacher who had an important influence on me, Mr Peters. He encouraged all of us to sing, he had been the first one to make me believe I had something special in me.

In the next season of Bridgerton you will become a father. How do you feel about it?

It's an incredible sensation, I feel that son as my own (laughs)... I'm happy that Anthony has found happiness now. New challenges awaits him as a father and I'm sure he will talk to his son about his own father, whom he has lost too soon. That will be a good territory to explore.

Do you remember the precise instant you decided to become an actor?

I have started by chance, I was living in a little town in the countryside and taken dancing lessons in the town hall. That's where they discovered me. At the beginning it was mostly a game, then I've played prince Arthur in King John of the Royal Shakespeare Company and from there I've begun to understand this was what I wanted to do for a living. I realized for the first time on stage the power of playing Shakespeare. I remember thinking: if only I could this for a living I would be the happiest man on earth. That boy couldn't have predicted in a million years what would have happened next, though.

The work helped you to grow?

Yes, because it forces you to bring out what you have inside, even now that I'm an adult it's a continue discovery. It definitely helped me in the process of growing up.

Someone in Wicked says: "As soon as you figure out how to harness your emotions, only the sky is your limit." Have you learned, then?

I have always expressed my emotions with my body language. What I feel and think has always been clear on the outside, but emotions need to intrigue you, you have to understand them and learn to accept them. A certain transparecy is important in relationships. I think I have learned to communicate my emotions better through my work and the experience of others. Yes, I definitely think that without acting I would be a lost man.

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