#Ed Firth

[downthetubes]

Rebecca K Jones has been announced as winner of this year’s Observer/Faber graphic short story prize 2022

Rebecca K Jones has been announced as winner of this year’s Observer/Faber graphic short story prize 2022

Rebecca K Jones has been announced as the winner of this year’s £1000 Observer/Faber graphic short story prize 2022, and Ed Firth and Michael Lightfoot as runners up in the annual challenge. Some 200 creators entered strips for the award for emerging cartoonists this year, and it was seventh time lucky for Rebecca Jones, with her story of three girls camping out in a suburban garden. Its upbeat…

[haredjarris]

I don’t know who needs to hear this, but Kingsman: The Secret Service turns ten years old in 2024.

We should organise some sort of birthday event. I feel old.

[weclassybouquetfun]

Netflix is so funny. The streamer goes radio silence on their projects for years ::cough:: THE OLD GUARD sequel ::cough::, then turn around and say, "By the way: this and that drops tomorrow."

Or tonight in the case of the new SING short. Did you know there was going to be a SING short? Neither did I. But today Netflix announced that tonight at midnight, the Halloween themed SING short will debut.

SING THRILLER.

What is is about? Well, just that. The gang decides to stage their version of Michael Jackson's music video "Thriiller"

Returning for the short is Matthew McConaughey as Buster Moon, Tori Kelly as Meena, Nick Kroll as Gunter, Scarlette Johannsson as Ash, Garth Jennings as Miss Crawly and Taron Egerton as Johnny.

To prove the global reach of "Thriller" Taika Watiti did a Haka inspired bent at the end of his film BOY.

Taron Egerton's not coming off of his IG hiatus for this, but perhaps he will in December when his Netflix thriller CARRY ON is finally released (on December 13th, to be exact.).

Maybe by December 13th they will release a better poster.

Entertainment Weekly exclusive pictures from the upcoming film (and other KINGSMAN alums goings-on).

Since Edward Holcroft has provided Taron's fans with a few glimpses of Taron since his self-imposed social media hiatus,

I'll give Ed equal time.

Holcroft's Lithuanian limited series A WOLF'S PALATE (which, to date is Lithuania's most expensive sereis) is one of the five series selected to screen at TV Beats Forum's inaugural screening day on November 20th.  The six-parter, A WOLF's PALATE is described as a psychological drama with supernatural elements.

While I await Ed's return to the screen, I just have to be satisfied with his selfies.

Our other KINGSMAN alum, Colin Firth has been absent from screens for a moment, but he will soon be back with the Sky/Peacock five-part limted series, LOCKERBIE: A SEARCH FOR TRUTH.

LOCKERBIE: A SEARCH FOR TRUTH tells the real-life story of Dr. Jim Swire whose daughter was among the 259 people who lost their lives in the 1988 bombing of a PamAm flight over Lockerbie, Scotland (with an additional eleven who died on the ground due to the disintergrating plane). It will drop January 2nd in the UK and the US.

Like Mark Strong, Firth will set foot in the Sherlock Holmes universe. He has been cast in Guy Ritchie's upcoming YOUNG SHERLOCK series for Amazon Prime Video starring Heros Fiennes-Tiffins as the young detective, Fiennes-Tiffin's uncle Joseph Fiennes as his father Silas,

Natascha McElhone as his mother Cordelia, Max Irons as Mycroft Holmes, Tsine Tseng (3 BODY PROBLEM) as Princess Gulun Shou'an, Dónal Finn (WHEEL OF TIME) as Moriarty and Firth as  Sir Bucephalus Hodge (no further character details have been announced).

And while not confirmed, there was a report that Colin Firth will be joining his ARTHUR NEWMAN and MARY POPPINS RETURNS costar Emily Blunt in Steven Spielberg's next film that is slated for a 2026 release.

[houseofhurley]

Everett McGill as Nugget the Horse, with Anthony Hopkins, Anthony Perkins, and Peter Firth in the original 1973 to 1975 run of Equus

[roseshavethoughts]

Europe on Film: My Top 5 Films About Greece

Europe on Film: My Top 5 Films About Greece #Film #Cinema #GreekIndependenceDay

Greece has been a popular location for filmmakers for decades, with its picturesque landscapes, ancient ruins, and vibrant culture providing an ideal backdrop for a variety of stories. From classic films to modern blockbusters. Greece has played a starring role in some of the most memorable movies of all time. Photo by Spencer Davis on Unsplash Zorba the Greek Directed by Michael Cacoyannis,���

[clockwayswrites]

Like Betta Fish Do - Part 9

Masterpost of ao3 link and all parts. wc: 2920

Jason hated Danny, a little. The other had really (accidentally) downplayed the effect the ectoshot would have. Flu like symptoms his ass, Jason felt like his insides were trying to crawl their way to the outside. Danny had apologized profusely and frequently, and Jason had forgiven him. Still, he hated Danny a little for doing this to him. Danny earned a lot of points back, though, by acting as Jason’s personal ice pack through the worst of the fever. Jason spent a lot of hours with his head or chest pressed against Danny’s cold back as he lay, miserable, on the couch with Danny sat on the floor in front of it. It was even nicer when Danny would absently run cold fingers through Jason’s hair and scratch lightly at his scalp. Jason tried not to think about how good that felt. How easy it was to let Danny touch him. He was determined to just blame the fever and ignore how his very bones seemed to hum in pleasure at the contact. Or maybe it was Danny humming. Purring? Fuck this fever, seriously.

So Jason sat close to Danny and Danny spent most of the time doing homework on a laptop that looked one step from death. “Summer classes,” he explained when Jason asked. “I’m trying to get all my gen eds done so that I can double major. Maybe even triple? I don’t know if I want to have spend the time on the language classes a Math major needs.” Jason hummed in response, trying to tuck the information away in his sick ailed brain. He couldn’t decided if he hoped Danny and Tim never met (con, they were both too damn smart), or if he desperately wanted them to meet (pro, Tim would replace all of Danny’s failing tech in a pique of disgust). Maybe the scholarship already came with a new laptop? That sounded like it would be a Tim thing to do, but Jason wasn’t sure how involved Tim was in the scholarships. “Math sucks,” he settled on. | “Sure it does, book boy. I bet you were an English major.” Danny had found Jason’s pile of books early on the second day  and made fun of him. But Danny had also found both ‘Pride and Prejudice’ movies to download and had put them on for Jason to watch. They had spend all day trying to make it through the Colin Firth one as Danny kept pausing it whenever Jason dozed off due to the fever. “Nah. Never even finished high school. Too busy being dead,” Jason mumbled and tried to press closer to the cold. Danny must have done something because the chill increased. Jason let out a content sigh. He was almost asleep when Danny spoke. “You’re not just dead any more. You can still have a life.” “Don’t know if I deserve one.” “Of course you do,” Danny said. Danny didn’t know what Jason had done, the Pit groaned in response. Jason let himself slip asleep rather than deal with either of them.

-

The next time Jason drifted towards consciousness, there was a hand on his forehead. It wasn’t right though. It was familiar, but it wasn’t right. “Too warm.” “You sure are Jaybird. You’re burning up.” Jason jolted up and almost fell right back over as the world swam around him. When it solidified, it settled into a very different pair of worried blue eyes than he was expecting. “Big bird?” But if Dick was here, where was Danny? There was no sign of the other now; no laptop or textbooks or scribbled equations. Too many takeout boxes stacked too messily were the only clue, but Jason figured that could be excused by his sick state. Jason knew that Danny hadn’t been with him the whole time he’d been sick. The other clearly came and went at least a few times to pick up food, his school work, and other supplies. What Jason didn’t know if the timing was just lucky or if Danny had managed to disappear before Dick had made it past all the safeguards. He hoped Danny wasn’t stuck hiding in a closet or something. “What?” Jason asked. Dick had been saying something to him, but Jason hasn’t caught a word of it. He rubbed at his eyes to try and focus. “Did you get dosed?” “Does? No. Just the stupid flu or something,” Jason lied. “Why are you here?” “Because you didn’t show up for patrol for a few days in a row, little bird,” Dick said softly. He brushed Jason’s sweat soaked hair off his forehead. Jason swayed into the touch. Not even two days of finally being touched apparently was all it took to lose his self control. At least Dick wasn’t shying away from him right then. Not like he normally did. Right, his brother had said something. “That made you break into my place? You know that was fucking stupid. What if I’d been…” Jason trailed off and motioned to his eyes. What if he’d been in a Pit rage. “You don’t drop off from everything like this when you are. We were worried,” Dick said. He sounded worried, but Jason didn’t feel like he could figure out if it was real right then, not with his head so full of cotton. Maybe it was. This was Dick, he seemed to care. Of course, then Dick had to go and add, “You should have checked in.” Jason snorted at that. “Not for patrol reasons,” Dick said, rolling his eyes. “So that we didn’t worry, little bird. And so that I could have brought some soup from Alfred.” “Mmm… yeah, would have been worth it for the soup,” Jason decided after a moment. “Most things are worth Alfred’s soup,” Dick agreed with a chuckle. “But no, you had to be stubborn and not let us know you were sick so there’s no soup for you.” “Shut up,” Jason grumbled with no real heat. He tried to let himself fall back onto the couch but was stopped by Dick pulling him forward. “Nu-uh. We’re going to get you up and into the shower. You’ll feel better in clean clothes and I can change the blankets on the couch and get these through the wash.” “No.” “Yes,” Dick said in a sing-song voice that made Jason want to punch him. Instead he let Dick help him off the couch. Now that it had been mentioned, a shower really did sound good. He was left propped up against the door frame of the bathroom while Dick got the shower started. The sound of the water was almost soothing, and Jason eyes drifted closed. Normally the Pit would be snarling at him to stay alert— to stay focused and on guard— even (especially) in the presence of his family, but it seemed as drained by the ectoshot as he was and stayed quiet. “Jay?” “Hum?” “Do I need to get you to a hospital?” Jason pried his eyes open to glare at his brother. When had Dick gotten so close? He hovered just in front of Jason like if he wanted to reach out and pull Jason close. Shit, Dick really was worried, wasn’t he? “It’s just the stupid flu or something.” “I don’t know, you’re really out of it, Jay. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen you with your guard like this.” “’S fine,” Jason said and let his eyes close again. “You’re here. I’m safe.” “Okay little bird,” Dick said softly and started to help Jason out of his sweat soaked shirt. “Let me take care of you.”

-

Dick helped peel off Jason’s shirt and tossed it on the floor. This wasn’t his first time undressing and shoving one of his family members into the shower. Being a vigilante left no room for modesty between the mortal wounds, medical procedures, and decontamination processes. It was easy to be clinical about it at this point. Besides, his mind was too busy reeling over Jason’s words. Jason felt safe with him. Jason, who even when he was sitting right next to them, still held them at arm’s length. Who Dick wasn’t sure would even show up at the few family meals he did attended if it weren’t for Alfred’s cooking. Who struggled to share any details about a case. Who didn’t ask for help when he was this sick… … felt safe with him. Dick had to bite his lip to keep the tears from welling up. He hadn’t thought Jason would ever trust him again, not really. He hadn’t been sure if he’d ever really have his brother back. He didn’t even need— want— Jason back in a creepy ‘just like he was before’ sort of way. Dick knew that was impossible. Jason dying had changed them all. Him coming back had changed them again. Jason had talked to Dick about it once, just a little. They had both been drunk— Jason more than Dick— and Jason had talked. He had talked like the words were spilling out of him, bleeding out of him; a soft steady flow of horror. There in the dim light of Dick’s apartment Jason had talked, just a little, about what it was like to live with the Pit rage in him. How it was like a rabid dog on a leash that was barking, barking barking. Dick didn’t know how someone even thought over that noise, but he was so damn proud of Jason for managing. He was so damn proud of Jason for clawing his way back to life— out of his grave and out of his madness and out of his rage. He didn’t want the old Jason back. He just wanted a chance to get to be a brother to this Jason. He was so damn proud of the man he’d become. His eyes ran over the horrible autopsy scars that crossed Jason’s chest. The stark reminder of exactly why Dick hadn’t been sure they’d ever really have Jason back. Jason, when he had to change around them, always did it as quickly as possible. But right then the scars were on full display. Because Jason was trusting Dick to see them. Dick tried hard not to think too much about it. Jason needed his help right then. He could deal with the mental fallout later. With some wrangling, Dick got Jason into the shower. After getting fresh clothing, he took a seat on the closed toilet, flicking through his phone from somewhere to order food from. He wanted to be close by in case Jason lost his balance in the shower. “Is Ben’s good for pizza?” “What?” At least Jason was sounding a little more clear headed. “Ben’s. I’m ordering food.” “Yeah. Get a supreme. The chicken bbq one is good too.” “Got it.” Dick selected the pizzas, added maybe too much garlic bread to the order, and submitted it. Then he pulled up the family chat. The one that Jason still refused to be part of. Dick: So Jason’s running a pretty bad fever. He thinks it’s the flu. Oracle: He’s actually staying home and not patrolling when he’s sick? Tim: Shit. It’s that bad? Dick: He’s pretty out of it. Shower seems to be helping and I’m ordering food. I’m going to stay the night here unless you need me on patrol. Bruce: We’ll rearrange patrols. Keep an eye on him. Dick: Will do. He wasn’t going to let Jason down again.

-

When Jason woke on day four, he felt good. He wasn’t perfect, he knew that. Danny had said it would take at least a few infusions— maybe several if his core took to it badly. He might never be without lingering effects. But even with just the one shot of ectoplasm Jason felt better than he had in years. Jason let himself linger in bed for a bit, slowly stretching out his sore muscles, before sounds from his kitchen made him stir. The press of otherness was back, so Jason assume that Danny was back. His arrival still made Jason shudder with a chill of cold. It wasn’t as overwhelming as it used to be, but there was never any doubt when Danny was around. Yesterday Dick had hardly left his He’d convinced Dick that he would be fine for the day and that he should go to work. Dick had still insisted on waking Jason up in the morning before he headed out, but Jason had rolled over and went back to sleep. And now Danny was back. The sound of something clattering, followed by cursing, had Jason finally rolling out of bed and heading to the kitchen. He half debated at least pulling on a shirt over his sleep pants, but the cursing had turned rather fevered. Besides, he didn’t think that Danny would be bothered by his scarring. He had to stop in the doorway to the kitchen and just stare. Smoke hung in the air. Danny was right in the middle of it— holding an ice covered frying pan out at arms length. Jason was pretty sure the tips of Danny’s bangs were singed. Jason was smirking. He knew he was. He really couldn’t help it. “I can see why you always bought food these last few days.” Danny whirled to face him, blue eyes wide. He made a cut off little noise and flushed bright red. Chuckling, Jason stepped into to the space— the kitchen was hardly big enough for two people— and reached around Danny to turn the burner off. Danny’s arm was cold as he brushed against it. When Jason pulled back and Danny was still just staring at him and had grown redder. “You good there, fish?” “Um, what? Oh!” Danny finally blinked. The blush went right to the tips of his ears. “Right, yeah? But, um, I don’t think that the eggs are okay.” “Don’t know if my frying pan is either,” Jason said, eying the frozen hunk of metal. “Sorry,” Danny said with a wince and dumped it in the sink. He waved his hand and let the ice melt. Scorched eggs washed down the sink. “How did you burn them so badly?" Jason asked. He was actually a little impressed. “I never learned to cook, okay? We didn’t really cook at my house so I’m having to pick up all of it now,” Danny said with a little shrug. “It’s, ah, not going so well.” “Neither of your parents chefs?” “Too much ambient ectoplasm,” Danny said as he tried to scrub at the charred pan. Jason didn’t think it would do any good. “When the casserole tries to eat you back one too many times you sort of give up on eating at home.” “What.” “Reanimated food. They’re always bastards. I have scars from the hot dogs still,” Danny said and also gave up on the pan and turned around to lean against the counter. “…I have so many questions and I don’t know if I want answers.” Danny shrugged again. He picked at the ends of the hoodie he was wearing, unraveling the ragged edge further. “You probably don’t. So, um, I was in the right to leave the other night, right?��� “Yeah. It was my brother checking up on me. I don’t think I’m ready to explain all of this,” Jason said, giving a little wave of his hand to indicated everything as he leaned against the counter next to Danny. Danny glanced at him, his eyes flickering over the chest scars and back up. “They do know you died, right?” “Sorta hard to miss,” Jason said, crossing his arms. “But they think the Pits brought me back. We all did. Not that…” “It’s different, knowing you’re still dead,” Danny filled in where Jason trailed off. “Yeah. I’ll tell them later, maybe, but I want things to settle more. Shit, wait, am I going to get powers like you have? Then I’ll have to, I guess. It would hard to hide magical ice.” “Oh, you probably wont get ice. There are lots of difference cores. There’s all the elemental ones, fire and electricity and things, but also like, technology and shadow and a the Ancients can have really unique ones like time and hope. We won’t know what yours is until we get rid of the corrupted goop and you have enough ectoplasm.” “Huh,” Jason said with a frown. “So more ectoshots?” “More ectoshots. But we’ll give you a few weeks in between so you can recover. I’ve got to get myself moved to Gotham anyways, and I don’t really think you should take any of it if I’m not around, just in case your powers do develop.” “Yeah, alright,” Jason said, brain already working on how to hide all of this from the Bats. He was just starting to get things back to better with them. He didn’t want to throw ‘hey, turns out I’m still a little dead’ into the mix. He didn’t want to see the looks on their faces at that news. He didn’t want to break anyone’s heart again. He didn’t want to lose them again. Jason cleared his throat. “Well, guess I better give you my number then. Not that I don’t know when you’re around, but would be shit of you to have to come all this way just to check on me. How do you keep  getting back and forth, anyways?” “Oh, sometimes I use a portal but mostly I just fly.” “You what?”

-----

AN: So this chapter was originally a single scene, but it decided it really needed more time. Then Dick decided to show up. I’ve gone back and forth about showing a POV other than Jason or Danny, but Jason is such an unreliable narrator about himself and Danny doesn’t know how Jason used to be, and I wanted to be able to show that. So Dick will show up a few times! He’s mostly here to have feelings.

And yes, Danny was totally bluescrened by shirtless Jason there at the end! I debated the POV for that, but thought it was funner that Jason has no clue why Danny is blushing like a tomato.

This is rough in places, I know, but my focus has been shot by pain. Besides, cleaning it up is what rewrites are for! Speaking of, rewrite of chapter 3 will be up on ao3 Thursday! Thank you all always for your wonderful response to this and stay delightful, darlings!

Tag Cult, as it has lovinly(?) been called: @fisticuffsatapplebees | @thegatorsgoose | @wolfeyedwitch | @lazy-bouqet | @confusedandghostly | @glomsk | @kailithiel | @bahfev | @d4ydr34min9 | @claudiashq | @someonebored0100 | @pastalavistamf | @samgirl98 | @angelheartgamer | @lehana37 | @spiteismymiddlename | @rosecinnamonbun | @demon-cat-goes-woof | @violet-catsarelife | @trickerdi | @avelnfear | @undead-essence | @basilf1res | @amillionandonefandoms | @stealingyourbones | @sarcastic-yami | @bun-fish | @aconitewolfsbane | @dontfightmecauseillcry | @omgnectarina | @vehan-tikkun-olam-and-stuff | @the-blind-one-speaks | @mimilikey | @wolfe-marvin | @learning-to-fly-on-my-own | @multplelifes | @yurijay | @trickerdi | @bae-graphomaniac | @jeffeniney | @fan4rt1st | @weirdestarrow | @wolfjackle | @allulily | @onyxlightdragon | @zotinha456 | @wwwwyamd | @river9noble | @starscreamlover | @michealawithana | @robinmedea | @spideypoolalways | @jesus-camp-the-sequel | @persephoneblackrose | @clorophorm-frog | @f4nd0m-fun | @mady-is-ace-trash | @ascetic-orange | @renwilson | @ace-aro-as-shit | @rangerhorsetug | @thatrandomsarahchick | @holygoldfish | @mlpizza | @chrysanthemum9484 | @justwannaseesomebrozawa | @newgraywolf | @crazylittlemunchkin | @fire-glass​ | @eonic | @autumnrosnor | @the-nerdy-fangirl | @faithblob-says-things | @aisec-phantom | @a-star-with-a-human-name | @winged-scaly-attic-dweller​ | @mistermetalmaker | @apersond | @mustachebatschaos | @goadinggods | @joaniejustwokeup | @that-dumbass-on-a-horse | @plainly-colorful​ | @blackcatsandhaunteddolls | @booklover223 | @alice-hazelwood | @answrs | @enbydemirainbowbigfoot | @felicityroth | @wanderingrutabaga | @seraphinedemort | @write-it-right-2 | @decisively-o-indecisive | @my-mom-calls-me-rat | @01101010-01100001-01111001 | @arc-777 | @crystalice067 | @phoenixdemonqueen | @icedbluesoul  | @itsparadoxlacuna | @wisp-wishes | @spikedlynx | @redhoneysugarorange | @blu-lilac | @russetfur1128 | @mutable-manifestation | @stargirl1331 | @salembloodsong | @chaoticchange | @living-on-borrowed-time | @orshie | @britcision | @littlefeather345 | @sunflowershine03 | @aro-acedumbass | @thefanficcup | @shibanoh | @blackcatsandhaunteddolls | @racoonmcg |@ashoutinthedarkness | @icefirecrystal | @thatonejumbledmess | @cy-ella | @dolfay | @kobol1​ | @skjiasett | @metal-sporks | @tired-yet-awaken | @currant-owo | @firegirl108 | @stupidlovepurplepeace | @drowningroane | @imagineshazamlokimight | @immakittybear | @justalittletotheleftofnormal | @akikoyuii | @chrysanthemum9484 | @kawaiikenna | @imaginationmademanifest | @wisebouquettree | @a-salty-sal  | @mentalcarebear | @mj-arts-n-stuff​ | @thescarletcryptid | @xysidhe​ | @cottonscrambles​ | @manapeer​ | @yjfk​ | @ryisc​ | @666deaddash999​ | @nutcase8691​ | @idontgetpaidenoughforthisshit​ | @yumeyoruppr | @latheevening226 | @dr-syko-pharm-4​ | @i-have-opinion​ |

[youremyheaven]

vedic astrology symbols & motifs pt 3

1. Serpent symbolism

Zendaya wearing a Roberto Cavalli dress with twin serpents on the back. She has her saturn & ketu in UBP.

She's also the ambassador for Bvlgari, a brand known for its iconic serpent motif. Fellow ambassador Priyanka Chopra also has serpent yoni (Rohini moon)

Julianne Moore, mrigashira moon wearing a dress featuring cobras

Kendall Jenner, UBP moon wearing a dress with snake imagery

Charlize Theron, ashlesha sun & mercury wearing a serpent pendant.

Cardi B, mrigashira ketu as Medusa

Rohini Mars, uma thurman as medusa in percy jackson

2. Punarvasu girls often play the Trophy Wife or the Dream Girl in media.

Malin Ackerman (punarvasu moon) played the titular Trophy Wife in the sitcom of the same name

Sofia Vergara (punarvasu sun & moon) plays Gloria Pritchett in modern family who is a classic example of a trophy wife.

Kaley Cuoco (punarvasu moon) plays Penny in TBBT. Penny is a quintessential "dream girl" type character.

Punarvasu moon Drew Barrymore plays a version of this role in nearly every romcom she's ever been in.

3. I have a soft spot for Virgo-Cancer couples. Virgo is considered the most masculine sign and Cancer is the most feminine sign. Sexual polarity is what drives a relationship and this could be why these couples are so fun to watch on screen and even irl.

Jay on the show, Modern Family is played by Ed O'Neill who is Purvaphalguni moon (tropical virgo) and Sofia Vergara, who plays his wife, has Punarvasu moon (tropical cancer).

Ed O'Neill was on the show Married With Children, where Katey Sagal played his wife. She has Pushya moon and Punarvasu Ketu. Its interesting how his two most well known characters are both husbands on shows about families with wives played by Cancer girlies👀

Chris Hemsworth is a Purvaphalguni sun and Uttaraphalguni moon and he is married to Elsa Pataky who is Punarvasu sun and Revati moon. Pisces is opposite to Virgo and opposite signs have insane chemistry.

I'll make a separate post about how movies often pair actors with opposite signs to play a couple and how this happens in real life as well (opposites attract 😏)

Priyanka Chopra is a Punarvasu sun and Nick Jonas is a Uttaraphalguni sun and stellium.

in Bridget Jones' Diary, Mark Darcy is played by Purvaphalguni sun Colin Firth and Bridget is played by Ashlesha moon Renee Zellwegger.

The OG romcom pairing. Adam Sandler, Purvaphalguni sun and Drew Barrymore who is Punarvasu moon.

Purvaphalguni sun, Hugh Grant and Pushya rising Julia Roberts in Notting Hill.

another iconic romcom pairing, Purvaphalguni sun Richard Gere with Pushya rising Julia Roberts.

6. I find a connection between Ashlesha and plastic surgery. Ashlesha is the star of restriction and its tightly coiled by nature. These natives often express their severity through their self-presentation. On another note, these tropical Leo natives become sidereal Cancers and while Leos are known for being extremely self conscious and prone to fluctuating self esteem, adding a layer of Cancerian sensitivity makes things worse for them. Their self-image becomes extremely personal and they feel a need to master perfectionism. (in my perspective, switching to sidereal does not cancel out one's tropical signs, it adds another layer or texture to it. Leos are so sensitive and picky, why? because they are sidereal Cancers underneath the surface. some Cancers are very typically girly and domestic whereas others are not? because they're split between the gemini and cancer signs in sidereal)

Now a lot of celebs get work done, especially these days but I think there are some celebrities who are known for their plastic surgery and these are just a few off the top of my head.

Megan Fox, ashlesha moon.

Kylie Jenner, ashlesha sun

Bella Hadid, ashlesha mars

Sridevi, ashlesha sun and stellium.

(she had already had some work done in the first pic) Sridevi is probably one of the first Indian actors to get plastic surgery back in the 70s/80s and was known for it.

[wordsforrain]

Aw heck, I wanna make one too

[diceriadelluntore]

Storia Di Musica #293 - The Waterboys, Fisherman's Blues, 1988

And I am the Water Boy\The real game’s not over here. Nel 1973 Lou Reed pubblica Berlin, album seminale, oscuro, profondissimo e nella canzone The Kids compare il verso che ho appena scritto. Sarà lo spirito scozzese, così abituato alla poetica e selvaggia bellezza di quella terra, ma come per la vicenda dei Deacon Blue quel verso diviene una scheggia di passione che colpisce lo spirito di un giovane ragazzo di Edimburgo, che si appassiona alla musica. La capitale scozzese è tutt’altra città rispetto a Glasgow e ha dei particolari piuttosto noti a noi, dato che è attraversata da un fiume (anzi sorge all'insenatura (firth) creata dall'estuario del fiume Forth) e si sviluppa su sette colli (Arthur’s Seat, Calton Hill, Castle Rock, Corstorphine Hill, BVarids Hill, Blackford Hill, Craiglockhart Hill). Mike Scott è un poeta e cantante di Edimburgo, che per un po’ di tempo vive a Ayr, sulla costa occidentale della Scozia. Nel 1977 fonda una fanzine, una rivista autoprodotta dedicata ai propri idoli musicali, e il titolo, Jungleland, porta subito a pensare a Springsteen, Dylan, l’astro nascente in quegli anni Patti Smith. Istrionico, fonda un gruppo, gli Another Pretty Face e una etichetta discografica, la Chicken Jazz, che subito viene acquistata dalla Virgin di Richard Branson, che vedrà in questo ragazzo del potenziale altissimo, e non sbaglierà, dato che Scott sarà personaggio dai complessi risvolti e una delle figure più interessanti del panorama musicale degli anni ’80. Dopo varie esperienze, tra cui delle serate con Lenny Kane a New York, torna in Inghilterra e decide che chiamerà il suo gruppo The Waterboys proprio in omaggio alla canzone di Lou Reed.

Eppure musicalmente ci sono delle profonde differenze rispetto a quel disco mitico: Scott è affascinato da una certa idea di folk con contaminazioni rock, già fatta da gruppi leggendari come i Fairport Convention di Richard Thompson negli anni ' 60 e ’70. Il primo nucleo dei The Waterboys era composto dal sassofonista Anthony Thistlethwaite, Norman Rodger al basso, Karl Wallinger alle tastiere, Preston Heyman alla batteria oltre a Scott che suona la chitarra, il mandolino e altri strumenti. Con questa formazione si presentano ad una famosa Peel Session nel 1983 alla BBC, dove suonano il loro primo successo, A Girl Called Johnny, brano tributo a Patti Smith che entrerà a far parte nel luglio dello stesso anno di The Waterboys: già c’è la miscela interessantissima di musica in bilico tra folk e rock, equidistante da Van Morrison e dal rock epico post new wave. Più rock è A Pagan Place, del 1984, famoso per un brano, Church Not Made With Hands. Scott è ancora alle prese con una sua definizione di musica, anzi di una “big music”, che si leghi sia alla tradizione, ma che abbia un tocco personale unico e distintivo. Si ritira ai Park Gates Studio di Hastings, celebre luogo di una battaglia, ed inizia a pensare alla sua visione della musica, che parte sempre dal misticismo caledonico di Van Morrison ma stavolta vira con decisione verse le tinte fosche dei Velvet Underground, fino alla musica minimale (Scott dichiarerà di essersi ispirato a Steve Reich). This Is The Sea (1985) seppur con brani registrati in presa diretta, è un sottile gioco di strumenti e voci sovrapposte, in una rielaborazione in chiave celtica del wall of sound spectoresco, con l’aggiunta di testi profondissimi, che affascinarono un’intera generazione di musicisti. Il risultato è splendido. Ma Scott è tipo lunatico e quando sembra sul punto di spiccare definitivamente il volo, si prende una nuova lunga pausa dove, spostandosi a Dublino, inizia a rielaborare i suoi capisaldi. Si tuffa nella musica popolare e tradizionale di Scozia e Irlanda, e con l’aiuto di nuovi innesti, centrale quello di Steve Wickham al violino, nel 1988 pubblica il capolavoro atteso, uno dei dischi più belli degli anni 80.

Fisherman’s Blues è un album folk, ma che dalla tradizione si muove con estrema eleganza verso sonorità fresche, nuove, in un connubio che solo la genialità di Scott poteva costruire. L’apertura con la title track già da sola è euforia e classe, come la lunga e ipnotica We Will Not Be Lovers, tutta giocata su un riff di violini (canzone iconica). Le onde dell’oceano, le colline verdi, i muretti di pietra a delimitare i pascoli, i colori selvaggi e accesi sono sempre lì, tra una strepitosa cover di Sweet Thing di Van Morrison (da Astral Week) e addirittura il folk politico di This Land Is Your Land di Woody Guthrie. La musica da pub irlandese esplode nella stupenda And A Bag On The Ear (che è l’equivalente irlandese per un bacio sulla guancia italiano) che parla di un amore nato sui banchi di scuola. E come non adorare il sottile andare di When Will We Be Married. Se non si è ancora sazi di colline verdi smeraldo, atmosfere con l’odore tostato di birra stout, dell’affumicato di un single malt torbato e di semi di lino da sgranocchiare, c’è il colpo di grazia: un duetto tra Scott e Tomás Mac Eoin, uno dei più famosi cantanti di Sean-nós, che è un particolare stile di canto gaelico irlandese, che recitano e cantano William Butler Yeats nella indimenticabile The Stolen Child. Scott registrò così tanto materiale che solo nel 2006 ripubblicò l’album con la sua intera idea, che comprendeva ancora cover di Dylan, traditional e altre piccole meraviglie (tipo Let Me Feel Holy Again o l’altrettanto strepitosa You In The Sky). Scott, chiamato da attese spasmodiche, ritornò con lo stesso stile musicale nel 1990 con Room To Roam, che nei piani del cantante, risponde appieno all'attuale percorso musicale, che in onore al traditional The Raggle Taggle Gypsy Scott definisce raggle taggle music. Poi, inaspettatamente, virò verso un suono quasi hard rock (Dream Harder, nome omen, del 1993). E dopo una virata così inaspettata, ecco che, nella sua migliore tradizione personale, scioglie il gruppo e si prende l’ennesima e stavolta davvero lunghissima pausa, un decennio fino al 2000 quando ritorna a scrivere insieme ad altri musicisti nuovi capitoli di una saga nata 20 anni prima. Un geniale lunatico.

[tyranasauruslex]

any valentines romanlukas prompts?? who’s more of a sweet tooth and one doesn’t?

I love questions like this :)

Flowers

This is Lukas's domain, although he'd rather give them than receive them - dead flowers are a bit too much of a trigger for him. Their first year he sticks with tradition and opts for giant bunch of Swedish roses. The second year they spend apart so he spends weeks researching different flowers and their meanings, sending Roman a huge bunch of Carnations, Roses, Camellia and peonies. It becomes their thing after that - Lukas doing his flower arranging and Roman having to guess the meaning behind them.

Chocolates

Roman's ED is still living large so Lukas never buys him chocolates or any kind of sweets. Lukas doesn't really like chocolate either so it's not like they can share a box of chocolate between them. He will, however, devour any type of gummy sweet or salt liquorice but ones that you can only get in Sweden. Roman enlists Oskar to sneak a suitcase full of them back to New York so he can gift Lukas a Swedish sweet box for Valentines Day.

Card

I don't think either of them bother tbh. They just send each other dumb Valentines Day memes instead.

Special Gift

Whenever Roman mentions something he likes or is into, Lukas makes a note of it in his phone so he can go back to it later to figure out what the perfect gift will be. He gets a bit obsessive at times because Roman only deserves the best, as well as something he actually likes for once. Shiv thinks that this is "serial killer behaviour" but thats only because Tom got her a generic handbag for the firth year in a row whilst Roman is freaking out over his new pottery class lessons.

Now that he's out of a job Roman enters his crafting era and Lukas gets a variety of handmade gifts for Valentines Day. The first year is a little cartoon flip book, the second is a Dala Horse made out clay, the third is a hand knitted jumper, forth is a painting of the infamous fjord and the fifth is a collage he made out of their wedding flowers. Lukas keeps them all in a specially designated area of his home office that nobody is allowed to go near or touch.

[thepastisalreadywritten]

1 January 2024

By Doug Faulkner, BBC News

The UK marked the beginning of 2024 with fireworks, street parties, and a message of inclusivity as people celebrated across Britain.

As Big Ben struck, midnight drones lit up the London sky with the message "London, a place for everyone," before a vibrant firework display began.

About 100,000 people gathered to watch the 15-minute spectacular in the city.

In Scotland, Britpop band Pulp performed as thousands braved the cold to mark Hogmanay.

There was also a fireworks display as Edinburgh marked its 30th year of the celebrations, while there was a mass ceilidh staged in Inverness.

London's display included more than 12,000 fireworks, 600 drones, and 430 lights.

It quoted Shakespeare heard from the King and also paid homage to the NHS, which celebrated 75 years in 2023.

A quote from King Charles III was used to mark the 75th anniversary of the Windrush crossing in which he said new arrivals "collectively enrich the fabric of our national life."

Further messages throughout the show were heard from Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, Dame Helen Mirren, Bella Ramsey, Stephen Fry, Joanna Lumley, George the Poet, and Baroness Floella Benjamin, who read a poem by the late Benjamin Zephaniah.

The celebration continued with a New Year's Day parade, which started in Piccadilly at midday before making its way towards Westminster's Parliament Square.

Several days of weather warnings did not put off revellers in Scotland with tens of thousands watching Edinburgh's firework display.

Visitors from more than 80 countries gathered in the city, while Pulp headlined a concert in Princes Street Gardens.

Following the fireworks, thousands continued to celebrate, singing Auld Lang Syne, and dancing.

Inverness was host to the Red Hot Highland Fling, described by organisers as "one of the biggest ceilidhs on the planet," where folk singer Siobhan Miller entertained partygoers up to midnight.

Later, hundreds of hardy swimmers are expected to brave the waters of the Firth of Forth as part of the annual Loony Dook — dook being a Scots word for dip or bathe.

People are encouraged to don fancy dress for the charity swim.

In Allendale, Northumberland, the annual Allendale Tar Bar'l ceremony was held.

The centuries-old tradition sees 45 local men carry burning whiskey barrels through the town.

Before the celebrations, King Charles III and Queen Camilla waved to onlookers as they attended the New Year's Eve service at a church in Sandringham, Norfolk.

Ahead of giving his New Year message, the Archbishop of Canterbury urged politicians not to treat their opponents as enemies but as fellow human beings.

He told the BBC:

"Our capacity to disagree deeply and not destructively is cause for hope."

His message will be broadcast on BBC1 and iPlayer at 12:55 GMT.

In his New Year message, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak hinted at tax cuts in an election year and said the UK should "look forward with pride and optimism."

He said his resolution would be to "keep driving forward."

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer used his message to say that while it had been "another tough year economically for millions of people, hope was the fuel of change."

Meanwhile, Sir Ed Davey, leader of the Liberal Democrats, renewed his party's call for electoral reform and appealed to "transform the nature of British politics for good."

[weclassybouquetfun]

Matthew Vaughn was at New York Comic Con this weekend and gave an update on the potential third KINGSMAN film. And by update I mean, reiterating the same thing he's been saying for years.

During the same NYCC panel, Vaughn was asked about the future of the Kingsman film franchise, which he said it was not over.

“We’ve got to get on with Kingsman 3 because I was joking that Colin [Firth] is going to end up being a portrait on the side while Taron is Arthur,” he said. “So we are working on that at the moment.”

This seemingly non-committal response is bewildering because at one point Taron Egerton said they were to begin filming in September 2022, but he then walked it back. But with such a definitive date in mind it appears they did have movement at one point.

Vaughn did have a more definitive answer about the follow-up to 2021's THE KING'S MAN. There will be a sequel titled THE TRAITOR KING and will deal with the rise of Hitler; which isn't surprising considering the end of the film. He will also be rebooting KICK-ASS. The original two films starred Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Chloe Grace Moretz.

What are the men of KINGSMAN up to?

Taron Egerton is still MIA. The only credit he has on IMDB is the Netflix film CARRY-ON which wrapped some time ago. He was even absent from the BAFTA Cymru awards this weekend where he beat out Rhys Ifans (House of The Dragon), Owain Arthur (The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power) and Graham Land (Melt) for Best Actor for his work in BLACK BIRD.

The award was handed out by Luke Evans - a winner that night for Best Entertainment Programme- who said Taron is his neighbor so he will bring it to him.

Another MIA Kingsman is Colin Firth who has zero projects listed on IMDB. He did turn up in a recorded program this weekend in support of the charity organization Action for Stammering Children.

Looking good, Cols.

I can't believe this is the last image we've seen of Colin Firth this year.

Know who is never not working? Mark Strong, that's who. He's a work horse! He even has his son Roman working.

Roman, who appeared in three episodes of Strong's series TEMPLE, which is executive produced by his wife Liza Marshall.

Strong has 3 films that have yet to come out and 8 pending gigs on IMDB. However, IMDB is user-maintained so it's likely some of those 8 are dead in the water or inaccurate. One of those iffy entries is that he is listed as being in the upcoming Max THE BATMAN, spinoff series: THE PENGUIN starring Colin Farrell. It's listed that Strong has been cast as Carmine Falcone who was played by John Turturro in THE BATMAN.

Now someone who wasn't working, but now is finally back at it is Edward Holcroft who is Lithuania filming the six-part series WOLF'S PALATE.

As long as the selfies keep coming.

[sporadiceagleheart]

Everyone Welcome to my tribute edit for Suzanne Crough and all Actress and Actors Child actress and actors

Skye McCole Bartusiak,Marie Osborne Yeats,

Dorothy Ann “Dottie” Seese, Heather O'Rourke and Judith Barsi, Shirley Temple Black 1928-2014 and Baby LeRoy, Baby Peggy Montgomery, Peggy Cartwright, Darla Jean Hood, Jean Darling, Peaches Jackson, Mary Ann Jackson, Judy Garland, Margaret Hamilton, Billie Burke, Terry, Terry Burnham, Michael Gambon, Bob Saget, Betty White, Jack Albertson, Richard Belzer, Gene Wilder, Denise Nickerson, Lucille Ricksen, Lucille Ball, Lisa Loring, Lance Reddick, Alan Rickman, Richard Harris, Helen McCrory, Robbie Coltrane, Tyree Boyce, Cameron Boyce, Anne Shirley, Virginia Weidler, Jane Withers, Mary Kornman, Mildred Kornman, Dorothy DeBorba, Cammack"Cammie"King, Dominique Dunne, Samantha Reed Smith, Michael Lerner, Marianne Edwards, Shirley Jean Rickert, Rosina Lawrence, June Marlowe, Carl Switzer, Darwood Kaye, Jackie Lynn Taylor, Sybil Jason, Susan Gordon, Taruni Sachdev, Anne Whitfield, Sophie Firth, Anissa Jones, Bridgette Andersen, Dana Plato, Dana Hill, Julie Vega, Jeanine Ann Roose, Ed Asner, James Caan, Virginia Ann Marie Patton Moss, Sharyn Moffett, Adam Rich, Rose Marie, Janet Gaynor, Edith Fellows, Peggy Ann Garner, Anne Heche, Kailia Posey, Natalie Wood, Christine Chubbuck, Jacquie Jackie Lyn Dufton, Jackie Coogan, Gary Coleman, Matthew Garber, Sammi Kane Kraft,

[fashionbooksmilano]

Timeless Icons

Carlo Mazzoni

Electa, Milano 2017, 160 pagine, rilegato, 30,5 x 38,5 cm, ISBN 978-8891811561

euro 35,00

email if you want to buy booksinprogressmilano@yahoo.it

 «Timeless Icons» è un racconto fotografico che narra i personaggi che meglio rappresentano lo stile Tod’s, da Brigitte Bardot a Mick Jagger (protagonisti entrambi della copertina), da Pat Cleveland a Bianca Jagger, tutti interpreti di uno stile di vita che sa diventare leggenda grazie a personalità decise e a inimitabili stili di vita. Tra i personaggi senza tempo ci sono anche Colin Firth e Leonardo Di Caprio. Nel volume di 160 pagine scorrono anche gli accessori del marchio che hanno fatto storia: le borse, il mocassino ed il gommino ma anche il nuovo logo, la Double T, una firma grafica per le collezioni Tod’s.

Come si diventa un'icona? Un personaggio dal fascino senza tempo, nutrito dalle scelte di uno stile di vita che diventa leggenda. Il segreto di un preciso modo di essere, prima ancora che di apparire, così autentico e riconoscibile da diventare puro glamour che nonostante il passare del tempo non cambia mai i suoi codici inconfondibili e inimitabili. Immagini e dettagli del mondo privato di Brigitte Bardot e Lauren Hutton, di Steve McQueen e Sean Connery, di Zhang Ziyi e Mariacarla Boscono, di Colin Firth e Leonardo DiCaprio e di altri ancora raccontati in questo libro. Un omaggio all'eterna attualità delle icone di ieri e di oggi, ancora e per sempre moderne, insieme interpreti di uno stile di vita Timeless.

27/05/23

orders to:     booksinprogressmilano@yahoo.it

ordini a:        booksinprogressmilano@yahoo.it

twitter:          fashionbooksmilano

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[seoul-italybts]

[✎ ITA] Weverse Magazine : Articolo - V, il Visualista | 10.09.23⠸

🌟 Weverse Magazine 🗞

V, il Visualista

__ Tra le ispirazioni del membro dei BTS ci sono il jazz, Ante Badzim, Colin Firth, le pellicole in bianco e nero e molto altro __

__ di SONG HOORYEONG | 10. 09. 2023

Twitter  |  Orig. KOR 

Nel video musicale di “Rainy Days” - uno dei singoli rilasciati nelle settimane precedenti all'uscita del suo primo album solista, Layover, V intinge una baguette nella vernice bianca e la usa per dipingere su un pannello di vetro. L'immagine che disegna potrebbe essere una qualche sorta di alieno o anche un autoritratto, ma, in ogni caso, l'intento è quello di immortalare emozioni ed umori passeggeri come solo V potrebbe fare. La sua tavolozza creativa gli permette, infatti, di esprimere frammenti della sua immaginazione attraverso foto, dipinti, il parlato, la recitazione e la musica. Inoltre, V può trarre ispirazione da ciò che vede, ascolta, sperimenta ed apprezza.

In questo articolo, abbiamo cercato di seguire lo sguardo attento di questo talentuoso visualista—maestro nel trasformare i sensi in immagini concrete.

Jazz

Non è un mistero che V abbia un debole per il jazz. Infatti, come ha spiegato in un'intervista con Weverse Magazine: “Quando hai una passione per qualcosa da lungo tempo, quel sentimento non fa che intensificarsi, e quando c'è qualcosa che mi piace, non posso non provare a farci qualcosa. Crescendo, ho sempre ascoltato molta musica jazz, che mi piace molto, ed è lo stile musicale che vorrei fare ora.” Il suo amore per il jazz è talmente profondo, da arrivare a definire la scena di High Society in cui Bing Crosby e Louis Armstrong cantano “Now You Has Jazz” una delle sue preferite in assoluto, quando ne ha condiviso un link. Inoltre, ha anche tessuto le lodi del genere su Weverse, dicendo che è “una vera e propria benedizione il potersi lasciar commuovere dal jazz”. Ha anche consigliato il film drammatico Born to Be Blue, visto il suo amore per Chet Baker, e ha postato un video Instagram in cui suonava in playback la tromba su “Autumn Leaves” - strumento che ha imparato a suonare durante delle video-lezioni seguite nella seconda stagione di In the SOOP. In un'altra intervista con Weverse, V ha parlato di tutta l'ispirazione che riesce a trarre dal jazz, spiegando che il jazz classico, come quello di Louis Armstrong, “mi permette di crearmi immagini mentali. Ad esempio, può capitare che io stia ascoltando della musica, mentre cammino per strada, di notte, e certe canzoni mi permettono di immaginare cose e quasi visualizzarle di fronte a me.”

Dato che V vorrebbe fare musica che “crei immagini sinestetiche dal senso di mancanza che si prova in assenza di qualcuno”, non sorprende che, per lui, la musica sia un medium attraverso il quale esprimere immagini in suono. Il jazz, specialmente quello del passato, non è servito solo ad infondergli una sensibilità unica, fin dalla più tenera età, ma anche a corroborare il suo immaginario. In un intervista con W Korea, V ha svelato che è proprio per questo motivo che il suo nuovo album, Layover, ha sonorità jazz e, per lo stesso motivo, ha anche cantato classici del genere, come “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” e “Cheek to Cheek” - nella video-performance “Le Jazz de V”, rilasciato in occasione della FESTA di quest'anno. V non si limita ad esprimere il jazz attraverso la musica, ma anche nel modo in cui sa trasporre il genere ed il suo immaginario nel mondo d'oggi.

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Vante

V ha preso il nome del fotografo australiano Ante Badzim e vi ha aggiunto il suo nome d'arte per crearsi il soprannome Vante, che usa quando posta foto scattate personalmente o per discutere di quelle di fotografi per cui prova ammirazione. Dopo che V ha consigliato alcuni lavori del fotografo tedesco Hannes Becker e del canadese Callum Snape, nel 2019, entrambi i fotografi hanno risposto postando degli scatti dedicati a V, accompagnati dall'hashtag #photoforvante.“Sento una certa affinità con gli artisti stranieri”, ha confidato V a Vogue Korea. “Credo la solidarietà sia importante. Apprezzare il loro lavoro e trarne ispirazione credo mi aiuti anche ad imparare qualcosa di nuovo.” Ed è vero, il membro dei BTS non tiene particolarmente in considerazione parametri come la nazionalità, il genere o il livello di fama, quando si tratta d'arte, comunicando invece con artisti di tutto il mondo, dato che ne ha una visione e comprensione tutta personale. In una occasione, quando era in America per uno dei tour mondiali dei BTS, V si è imbattuto in una mostra d'arte a Dallas e ha acquistato un'opera, poi ha preso la mano dell'artista - autore di questo lavoro - tra le sue, e gli ha detto,“Le auguro che la sua giornata sia luminosa”. Vante è nato come alter ego usato per parlare del suo hobby per la fotografia, ma, man mano che continuava ad usarlo per parlare dei suoi artisti preferiti e dei loro lavori, questo soprannome è diventato molto di più e ora V lo usa per discutere qualsiasi forma d'arte. Possiamo farci un'idea del suo personale stile pittorico, se prendiamo ad esempio la giacca che ha decorato di suo pugno, alcuni episodi di In the SOOP, di Run BTS o anche il suo profilo Instagram.

V ha sempre condiviso talmente tanto di ciò che gli piace con le/gli ARMY, attraverso quest'altra personalità, Vante, che non è difficile immaginare che tipo di opere potremmo trovare sotto l'etichetta “by Vante”. Tutto questo spiegherebbe anche come mai così tante persone hanno attribuito il dipinto creato usando una baguette, nel video musicale di “Rainy Days” - rilasciato l'11 agosto - a Vante. Proprio come è avvenuto per le origini del nome Vante, è facile intuire ciò che sta a cuore a V, se osserviamo ogni sua mossa - talmente è aperto alle influenze che trae dalle sue passioni e dal dialogo con altri artisti.

보라해, I Purple You, 紫

In “Blue & Grey”, una canzone di BE scritta da V, l'artista esprime i suoi sentimenti attraverso metafore legate ai colori: “Il significato di queste lacrime, riflesse nello specchio / È il colore che nascondo sotto il mio sorriso, blu e grigio.” In un'intervista con Weverse, V ha spiegato che il testo è anche espressione di ciò che provava quando ha scritto la canzone: “Quando mi fisso su pensieri simili, tutto mi sembra grigio ed io sono blu [*being blue = triste].” Nella canzone “4 O’CLOCK”, cui ha lavorato con RM, V descrive il passare del tempo usando vari colori, come quando canta “Tutto il mondo è blu al chiaro di luna” o quando descrive un canto udito in lontananza come un richiamo per il “rosso mattino”. Allo stesso modo, il testo di “Blue”, traccia del suo nuovo album, prende in prestito vari colori —"Verde, giallo, rosso e blu”—per esprimere i sentimenti di chi ascolta. E questo suo particolarissimo modo di esprimere emozioni attraverso i colori – quasi fosse un artista con una tavolozza di emozioni – non è esclusivo della sua musica, infatti lo ritroviamo anche nel suo modo di parlare. È stato V ad inventare la parola borahae (“I purple you”), che è ormai inesorabilmente legata ai BTS. Nel 2016, quando i BTS stavano tenendo il loro MUSTER – un grande evento studiato per incontrare le/i fan – V ha notato che le/gli ARMY nel pubblico avevano una pellicola viola attorno alle loro ARMY Bomb. Commosso a questa vista, V ha pensato all'espressione borahae perché, come ha spiegato, il viola è l'ultimo colore dell'arcobaleno e quindi rappresenta anche un legame solido e costante, basato sulla fiducia reciproca, che resiste fino alla fine. Questa parola, dunque, è diventata l'ennesimo simbolo di affetto tra le/gli ARMY e i BTS, e V ha poi ampliato la gamma di lingue in cui questo suo neologismo coreano poteva essere espresso, aggiungendo termini come “I purple you” e “紫” [*murasaki = 'viola' in giapponese], di modo che questo amore viola potesse essere percepito in diverse parti del mondo. Non solo! È diventato un simbolo talmente d'impatto, che l'intera Seoul si è tinta di viola in occasione del 10° anniversario del gruppo. Ma ormai borahae trascende il suo scopo originario – esprimere l'amore reciproco che c'è tra le/gli ARMY e i BTS – ed è entrata a far parte della coscienza pubblica come un'espressione usata per descrivere il legame che si ha con un'altra persona. È stato V a dare origine a boraehae, e l'ha fatto grazie alla sua speciale percezione del mondo tramite colori e parole.

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@thv

A soli 43 minuti dal lancio del suo profilo Instagram, V aveva già raccolto 1 milione di iscritti, e 10 milioni dopo 5 ore e 52 minuti, stabilendo un nuovo record mondiale. Ad oggi (5 settembre) V può vantare oltre 61 milioni di follower, il numero più alto tra le celebrità coreane. Tutto sommato, quindi, possiamo dire che V è uno degli influencer più noti al mondo. Secondo Lefty, impresa che si occupa di marketing, lavorando con e analizzando l'attività degli influencer, il post in cui V ha taggato il brand di lusso CELINE aveva un EMV, o earned media value [* il valore di guadagno stimato per un post o interazione social di successo] di $12 milioni, il più alto tra tutti i post creati durante la Fashion Week. Il suo profilo Instagram ci dà un assaggio di com'è la vita di una celebrità iconica come lui, selezionato, infatti, come ambassador di CELINE e, in seguito, anche Cartier, nonché solo il secondo cantante uomo – dopo Elton John - ad esser mai apparso individualmente sulla copertina della rivista di moda britannica Pop. Ma V usa il suo profilo anche per condividere regolarmente aggiornamenti sulla sua vita quotidiana con il suo sconvolgente numero di follower.

Nel suo feed possiamo trovare spaccati di vita come il post riguardo il ciondolo porta chiavi di Molang, appuntato alla tasca dei pantaloni, la borsa di plastica piena zeppa di snack che V regge tra i denti mentre Jung Kook è in posa con la mano sulla spalla di V o quello insieme al suo cagnolino, Yeontan, mentre l'artista esprime un desiderio di fronte ad una tavola rituale. Inoltre, V considera Instagram come un altro mezzo per comunicare con le/gli ARMY, che lui stesso descrive come suoi “carissimi amici”. Una volta, ha postato una storia in cui mostrava una sua caricatura disegnata da un artista di strada a Montmartre, Parigi, e in seguito ha regalato il disegno ad una fan, in aeroporto. “Ho deciso di postare solo ciò che mi piace”, ha detto in una precedente intervista con Weverse. “Su quel profilo, posso mostrare il mio estro e stile personale. E non credo di dovermi preoccupare di ciò che può pensare la gente.” Proprio come ha detto, il suo Instagram è una compilation di alcuni dei suoi momenti di vita preferiti—dove i tanti mondi di questa multi-sfaccettata star di fama mondiale e quello dello spensierato ventenne entrano in contatto, tutto quanto ben confezionato a nome @thv. 

Attore

V si reinventa in entrambi i video musicali rilasciati prima dell'uscita del suo nuovo album solista. Nella clip di “Love Me Again”, è in piedi, da solo, in quello che sembra un po' un assaggio di una performance live, le emozioni ridotte al minimo ed espresse unicamente attraverso lo sguardo ed un lieve tremito. Il video di “Rainy Days” è più rilassato e stazionario, con un'interpretazione del tutto naturale da parte di V.

Poi abbiamo il teaser di “Blue”, in cui crea un po' di tensione tra le rapide sequenze in cui cammina e poi guida, apparentemente ansioso di trovare qualcuno. In alcuni video passati, come il “The Most Beautiful Moment in Life on stage: prologue”, V doveva interpretare un personaggio con un'aura ed emozioni complesse, difficili a rendersi, e farlo nonostante non avesse particolare esperienza nella recitazione. Nel video musicale di “Spring Day”, è il primo ad apparire sulla scena e ha il compito di trasmettere, attraverso un primo piano, la profondità emotiva di questo brano, sfruttando unicamente l'espressività del suo sguardo. “In quel periodo, il mio modello era Colin Firth”, ha detto V nel libro BEYOND THE STORY: 10-YEAR RECORD OF BTS riguardo l'era The Most Beautiful Moment in Life. “Mi piaceva un sacco il suo stile, la sua aura, e anche io volevo trasmettere quel tipo di vibe.”

V ha sempre trovato ispirazione nel jazz, nella fotografia e nell'arte, ma prende spunto anche dalle performance cinematografiche di vari attori per capire come recitare al meglio nei video musicali e sul palco. In un'altra intervista con Weverse Magazine, ha detto di aver guardato tanti film adolescenziali e musical, in previsione di “Butter”, e ha poi cercato di riflettere la stessa atmosfera vista nel film Cry-Baby. Inoltre, ha anche improvvisato la scena all'inizio della performance di gruppo alla 64a edizione dei Grammy Awards, dove lo vediamo sussurrare qualcosa all'orecchio di Olivia Rodrigo. Un attore, quindi, sì, ma V è anche regista di se stesso per come trae ispirazione da altri interpreti nonché da una gran varietà di fonti per poter mettere in scena personaggi sempre nuovi.

Vintage

V adora tutto ciò che è analogico. Ha postato molte foto a pellicola, sui social media, spiegando che questo suo amore per gli scatti vintage è da attribuirsi all'atmosfera ed ai sentimenti unici che i colori di questo tipo di scatti possono catturare. V ha anche attraversato una fase in cui abbinava baschi, coppole, giacche doppiopetto, tracolle marroni e altri articoli decisamente vintage ai suoi abiti quotidiani. Il suo amore per il classico ed il vintage è ancor più evidente, se prendiamo in considerazione i progetti per cui V ha curato l'aspetto visuale. In un video intitolato “Me, Myself and V, 'Veautiful Days'”, parte del progetto BTS’s Special 8 Photo-Folio, V ha spiegato che, per il suo servizio fotografico, la scelta è ricaduta su uno stile classico perché gli piace l'atmosfera che trasuda da tutto ciò che è passato, come i film in bianco e nero, e ha aggiunto che è convinto che “tutto si rifà ai classici”. Inoltre, nei retroscena di questo progetto, ha spiegato che il suo obiettivo era mettere in risalto l'atmosfera vintage, e che quindi ha voluto usare esclusivamente la luce naturale perché il tutto sembrasse un vecchio film anni '80.

La sua visione artistica è evidente anche nei video musicali rilasciati, finora [*l'articolo risale a prima dell'uscita dell'album, n.d.t.], insieme a Layover: il teaser di “Blue” sembra un po' un vecchio film in bianco e nero, “Rainy Days”, una pellicola sgranata in stile vintage, “Love Me Again” richiama lo stile rètro attraverso gli effetti da vecchio schermo CRT. Grazie a questi video, V può esprimere appieno il senso di mancanza e solitudine—emozioni, queste, che sono alla base della sua musica.

Visualista

“Dare vita concreta ad un progetto o concept artistico fino ad allora solo immaginato è, senza dubbio, già elettrizzante di per sé , nonché una grandissima soddisfazione – sia che si tratti di video musicali o servizi fotografici.” ha detto V a W Korea, spiegando perché ha preparato un video musicale per ognuna delle canzoni di Layover, e perché sono usciti ben 4 round di foto concept per promuovere l'album. Nel 2021, quando - in occasione dell'intervista “Full Story”, riguardo i retroscena della produzione dell'album BE, dei BTS, gli è stato chiesto quale fosse la direzione della sua musica, V ha risposto, “Voglio esprimere con autenticità ciò che provo realmente, ciò che faccio nella mia vita e come la sto vivendo”. Recentemente, durante una diretta Weverse, V ha parlato molto candidamente di come sono state le riprese per il suo nuovo album, dicendo “Credo mi rappresenti al meglio... che dica 'Sono Kim Taehyung e questo è ciò che mi piace'.” Le riprese sono state piuttosto estemporanee, quindi V non era neppure truccato—molto semplicemente, la direttrice di ADOR, nonché produttrice generale di Layover, Min Hee Jin, ha chiesto, “V, domani hai un po' di tempo? … Usciamo un po'”. Essenzialmente, Layover è un catalogo di tutte le scelte estetiche per cui V ha sempre optato. Usando le parole della produttrice Min, “L'attenzione non vuol essere su quanto sia incredibile V, ma sulla sua semplicità”.

In fin dei conti, V è sia un musicista che un visualista che sa esprimere la propria musica anche attraverso ciò che mostra visivamente al pubblico. In passato, aveva già cercato di esprimere questo stesso sentimento in un'intervista con Weverse Magazine, dicendo: “Spero le/gli ARMY riescano ad immaginare qualcosa, quando ascoltano la mia musica, anche se non ci sono immagini specifiche cui far riferimento. Un po' come quando, ascoltando la colonna sonora di un film, ci tornano in mente scene della pellicola.” Layover, dunque, è una rappresentazione visiva del mondo di V e raccoglie tutti i sogni e desideri mai provati dall'artista nel sperimentare con ciò che ha a cuore ed è di suo gusto—nello stesso modo in cui l'immagine tratteggiata da V in “Rainy Days” ci restituisce una sua raffigurazione perfetta.

⠸ ita : © Seoul_ItalyBTS ⠸