#but i can’t commit to a 20+ movie series

[buckyschair]

can someone just tell me if the new marvel shit is good. or like. give me the time stamps where bucky shows up. i stopped watching marvel in like 2022 after loki season 1 & the tfatws show :( and i don’t feel like reading an encyclopedia worth of fan wiki or watching 12 boring marvel movies to catch up. but i want to see my man !

[yournightmary]

Loser!Ellie HCs

content warning:: fem!reader, modern!AU

AN:: first time writing, literally scared shitless🔥 english isn’t my native language🙏

⇢ ˗ˏˋ loser!Ellie who made a pasta recipe once (probably from instagram reels), and became a self-appointed master chef. Forgot about the fact that it took her 3 tries to even cook the pasta.

⇢ ˗ˏˋ loser!Ellie who can’t stop saying flavor instead of scent. She just genuinely doesn’t see the difference.

“What flavor do you want?” she asks you while holding up two colorful packs of wax melts. She bought a wax burner and used it to melt chocolate so she can have chocolate covered fruit anytime she wants. Used it 2 times total.

⇢ ˗ˏˋ loser!Ellie who vapes. I’m sorry but that’s the truth. She just loves to puff on her cute little mixed berries disposable. Also, keeps saying she can quit anytime she wants, she can’t.

⇢ ˗ˏˋ loser!Ellie who uses axe body spray. If someone asks about it she just says it works better, but she actually likes the scent. Kind of her guilty pleasure.

⇢ ˗ˏˋ loser!Ellie who hated on the sims franchise her whole life only to find out you’re a fan. She pirated the whole series (DLCs and all) off of some russian website in one night. Got like 20 different viruses but at least her girl could play the sims 2 happily.

⇢ ˗ˏˋ loser!Ellie who is terrible at foreign languages yet has a duolingo streak that over 500 days. She knows how to say ‘the apple is red’ in german and can barely pronounce her order in mexican restaurants.

⇢ ˗ˏˋ loser!Ellie who is chronically online. Constantly posting shit to her insta stories, sending you tik toks 24/7 and all that stuff. One time she got so invested in a facebook group drama that she didn’t reply to your texts for the whole day.

⇢ ˗ˏˋ loser!Ellie who wears the most unfunny-funny shirts you can imagine. Stuff like ‘women want me, fish fear me’ and ‘eat, sleep, game, repeat’. And they’re always either way too big or way too small.

⇢ ˗ˏˋ loser!Ellie who always said she doesn’t want any pets, that it’s too much of a commitment for her… Then she found the ugliest kitten she’s ever seen on the street and took it home without thinking. Let you choose the name but calls him ‘stinky’ no matter what. Like mother, like daughter.

⇢ ˗ˏˋ loser!Ellie who couldn’t tie her shoes until she was 15. That’s it.

⇢ ˗ˏˋ loser!Ellie who is so lovestruck for you that I can’t even explain it. She’ll always do the cheesiest things possible, like standing before your house with roses, a bluetooth speaker and a promposal poster or bringing you every little thing she found on her walk that ‘reminded her of you’.

⇢ ˗ˏˋ loser!Ellie who doesn’t like to go out on dates. She’d rather stay at home with you, watch a movie, make dinner together (you’ll be the only one actually cooking), maybe paint something or just spend time together doing nothing… Would really enjoy a date at the planetarium though.

⇢ ˗ˏˋ loser!Ellie who is a total yapper. Can and will talk about anything and everything for hours on end. And if you mention an interest of hers? Oh god, get ready to see a powerpoint presentation about it. Literally the definition of ‘☝️🤓’ but in a good way.

I’m so scared to post this it’s not even funny☠️ Hope you liked it <3

[michaelbluthsdeadwife]

can u write spencer introducing reader to star wars💕💕?? ive never seen it 😭

Star Wars

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Summary: Spencer is really excited to introduce you to Star Wars.

Warnings: reader gets a little stressed out, cursing, pre established relationship, reader works at smosh, not proof read!

Fluff!!!!

Point of view: 2nd person

A/n: this request was so adorable and I had so much fun writing it! I took this prompt and ran (maybe a little to far) with it SO if this wasn’t what you wanted I’m so sorry!! Id be willing to rewrite it if so.

————————————————————————————————————

————————————————————————————————————

You can already tell today will be very interesting. Well, the next few weeks actually.

A few days ago you had revealed to Spencer that you’ve never seen a Star Wars movie. Of course, he was shocked as to how this was the first he was hearing of it.

“You’ve never seen a Star Wars movie? How?”

“I don’t know, when I was a kid I wasn’t allowed to watch it and by the time I was an adult there were way too many and starting just felt overwhelming.” You shrugged it off as if it was nothing.

To Spencer, it was not nothing.

So he convinced, nay, begged you to watch with him.

“Come on, it’s like my favorite thing! We always watch (y/f/s) together, baby. Pleaseeeeeee.”

What were you gonna do, say no? How could you? He was right, you always forced him to watch what you wanted, so it was only fair that you comply.

However, you were still a little exhausted just thinking about the idea of committing to an entire film series. You looked it up, it will take you 25 hours and 7 minutes to watch all the Star Wars movies. This, however, includes the nine movies from the Skywalker saga and the two anthology movies, Rogue One and Solo. Excluding the anthology movies, it will take you 20 hours and 39 minutes to watch and Spencer gave in and promised not to make you watch the anthology films.

‘Okay,’ you think, ‘if we watch one movie a night it will only take a little over a week. That’s not bad, right?’

You tried to convince yourself, but you’ve always had issues with things like this. You’re a hard worker, so taking this much time to watch movies always felt like a waste to you. You felt like you could much easily find a better use of your time, like you were missing out on what you could’ve been spending on more productive activities. In all honesty, it stressed you out.

The work day is now over, you have just finished filming your last video of the day and you’re walking to the games pod to find your boyfriend. There he is, working on something on his computer. You walk up behind him, wrapping your arms around his shoulders as you bury your head into his neck.

He lets out one of his signature stupid laughs and gently rubs your arm. “Im almost done, then we can go home.” You nod, and he leans his head onto yours, “are you excited?” He whispers.

You raise your head from his shoulder so your faces are level, “hmm… depends. Are there any hot guys in these movies?” You squint your eyes.

Spencer laughs, “oh, yeah, definitely. Just wait ‘til you see Han Solo.” He raises his eyebrows, “or Anakin, he’s more your type.”

“Okay, now I’m excited.” You laugh, before placing a gentle kiss on his cheek.

Spencer closes his laptop and begins to put away his belongings for the day while you sit in his chair. “Hey,” he says, still putting things in his bag, causing you to look up at him, “I really appreciate you doing this with me…” he turns to look at you, “like, it really means a lot that you’re letting me share something with you that’s important to me. I know you’re not really into all this… space stuff, but..” he shrugs, stepping closer, “it makes me really happy that you’re doing this, that’s all.”

Your heart melts hearing this. ‘How is he so perfect? I can’t believe I was being so selfish, making this about me when it’s not. Its about him. Who cares if it’s not productive in a conventional sense of the word? it’s productive for our relationship. That’s what matters. Us. Who cares about all this superficial shit? The only thing that truly matters is doing what makes you happy, and I’m happy with Spencer.’ You stand, walking to him until you’re standing directly in front of him.

You place your hands on either side of his face, looking up into his eyes. “You’re so sweet, you know that?” His hands find your waist as you lean into him, hugging him tightly. “Im honored you’re sharing this with me, sweetheart.”

You pull away from the hug and Spencer smiles at you, before kissing your forehead briefly. “I love you, (y/n).”

“I love you too.” The two of you kiss, lost in your own little world for a moment. Its deep, yet sweet. Not rough or hasty, but full of love and passion. “We need to leave if we want to have time to actually watch the first movie, Spence.” You say, after pulling apart.

He rolls his eyes, turning to grab his backpack. “Okay, okay. Let’s go.”

The two of you walk to the parking lot, hand in hand, saying bye to the various cast and crew members you see on your way.

As you get into the drivers seat and connect your phone to the auxiliary cord, Spencer suddenly speaks out, “oh, shit, I almost forgot. Do you want to watch the movies in chronological order or in release order?” He asks, looking over at you.

You look up from your phone, thinking to yourself for a second before you turn your head to meet his gaze, your eyebrows furrowed.

“They weren’t released in chronological order?”

[thatcrazynerdgirl-blog1]

I’ll preface this by saying I’m not completely sure a Heroes of Olympus show will ever get made. A lot of people have already run the math and the current kids (Walker, Leah, etc.) would likely be in their late 20s by the time that would ever be finished. Not that I don’t want a Heroes of Olympus series but it’s a lot to expect kids to commit to doing these stories throughout their adult life and age gracefully enough to make them still look believable as teens. I mean the Harry Potter kids were only at this for 8 movies. At the very least if it does happen I’d expect it to involve some in-cannon aging up (ie Percy not getting kidnapped less than a year after TLO’s events) to later teens or early 20s. I also wouldn’t be surprised if it was switched to animation at that point because the actors wouldn’t need to move locations and it would be a lot less stress on budget if everything is in the same world and not having to do CGI for the monsters but that’s a whole other issue.

But still I can’t help but have hope for if the ending is able to tease Heroes of Olympus. Like imagine Chiron or someone mentioning that Krono’s forces on Mt. Othrys fell somehow in narration and seeing the shadow of the legion descending the mountain, getting shot of a SPQR logo on a shirt or flag. Maybe even show Jason if he’s already cast (which would likely only occur if the first season of HO was already cast). Getting a monologue from Percy narrating about wanting better for demigods over shots of Leo and Piper at Wilderness School. Seeing hints of giants coming back and Gaea with narration about how much the future still holds. Idk if HO actually is able to happen in some way, I’d be so hyped to see hints at it in the finale of PJO. Because it’s proven with those teasers of Nico that it isn’t afraid to hint at the future.

[heymacareyna]

twenty questions for fic writers

I was tagged by @brynnmclean! Thank you! This was so fun!! <3

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

28 on AO3.

2. What’s your total AO3 word count?

310,970

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Currently, I write Arcane (Caitvi) fanfic almost exclusively.

Previous fandoms/ships have included the following:

Percy Jackson/Heroes of Olympus (Leyna)

Shugo Chara (Rimahiko)

Miraculous Ladybug (Adrinette)

Mortal Instruments (Malec)

4. What are your top five fics by kudos?

say my name and every color illuminates: a multichap Caitvi contemporary soulmates au.

you are the best thing that’s ever been mine: a multichap Caitvi contemporary omegaverse au.

All You Need Is Love and a Cat: a multichap Adrinette shifter au.

All Business: a oneshot Malec tech support au.

pour some sugar on me (in the name of love): a oneshot Caitvi holiday smut piece.

5. Do you respond to comments?

I try to respond to each comment, but sometimes a few will fall through the cracks, and then the longer it takes, the more awkward I feel about responding...

6. What’s the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

I haven't written angst in a long time, and there was never much of it, but the angstiest thing I ever did was probably "Sunshine" (for the Psy-Changeling series), a brief oneshot about one half of a mated pair dying in the other's arms.

7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

This one's tough because I write a lot of romance, which dictates a happy ending. Probably “All You Need Is Love and a Cat” (an overall happy story) or “Obviously” (a story with some angst but a happy ending).

8. Do you get hate on fics?

Thankfully, not so much. Fandom has been kind to me overall. The weirdest comment I ever got, though, was on a slow-burn Leyna fic, in which the reader suggested I should "think harder about what I'm doing"?? lmao

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

I do now. (I didn't for a long, long time.) I primarily write FF sex. I might write Leyna or Rimahiko (MF) smut in the future, though. We’ll see what happens.

10. Do you write crossovers? What’s the craziest one you’ve written?

I’ve written one crossover. It’s not on AO3 because it was absolutely batshit. That’s all I’ll say about that.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not a whole fic, as far as I know. Once I found a single sentence (it was a distinctive sentence!) from one of my Leyna fics copied into another Leyna fic. I contacted the author and asked them to remove it, and they did.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Yes! My Caitvi oneshot pour some sugar on me (in the name of love) was translated into Spanish.

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

Nah, I haven’t. I think it’d be super cool, though!

14. What’s your all-time favorite ship?

Now that’s mean. Leyna and Caitvi can battle it out for the rest of time.

15. What’s a WIP you want to finish, but doubt you ever will?

I want to finish “you are the best thing that's ever been mine” (Caitvi omegaverse), but at this point I have no idea where I'm going with it, so progress is, uh, unlikely.

16. What are your writing strengths?

Dialogue is definitely my strength. I like banter and conversation.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

Committing to finishing all the long-form fics I start, lol. And I’m not much for description, unfortunately.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

Sheer terror. I wrote bits and pieces of Spanish for my Leyna fics, and I was always afraid of getting hate for it not being realistic enough.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

The first fanfic I wrote, ever, was for the movie Cats Don’t Dance. It was backstory for the FMC, Sawyer the cat. Handwritten with illustrations and everything. My first posted fanfic was for the Bartimaeus Trilogy by Jonathan Stroud, in 2008.

20. Favorite fic you’ve ever written?

You can’t pay me to pick one. Here’s three.

“A Good Chance”: Rima thinks there's a good chance she might actually lose her scholarship. Nagihiko thinks there's a good chance he might actually lose his mind. College AU.

“Obviously”: Best friends Reyna and Jason rule student government, while best friends Leo and Piper wreak havoc as the campus troublemakers. But when Jason and Piper get together, the four of them begin to spend a lot of "quality time" together—and uncover why the rival university burned to the ground. College AU.

“say my name and every color illuminates”: In a world where people only see color once they make eye contact with their soulmate, Caitlyn and Vi have learned to live in black and white. But a chance encounter at the gym changes everything. Contemporary soulmates AU.

tagging: @korblez @commander-krios @birgdets @sunsetsharkblog @sparatus and whoever else is reading this and would like to!

[ear-worthy]

NHL and iHeart Launching Two Hockey Podcasts

Sports podcasts have begun to proliferate in podcasting. So far, with a few exceptions, the industry has escaped the screaming, incendiary, fake outrage for ratings shenanigans of those sports jockeys who dominate sports TV. Unlike TV and radio, women’s sports podcasts have been developed and found an eager audience.

Here we go with iHeart and the NHL figure skating their way into a partnership. Indeed, iHeartMedia and the National Hockey League (NHL) have announced a partnership to produce and distribute two new shows with iHeartPodcasts over the next year. The first show — NHL Unscripted with Virk and Demers — launched in December and features Prime Monday Night Hockey co-host Adnan Virk and former NHL player Jason Demers in a weekly discussion about all things hockey, on and off the ice.

In a highly enthusiastic statement, Will Pearson, President of iHeartPodcasts, said: “Our listeners crave sports content, and iHeart continues to be the audio sports destination for fans, delivering top sports talent and programming from insider access and interviews to play-by-play coverage and live reports across all our platforms. Partnering with the NHL to develop, co-produce, and distribute new podcasts amplifies our continued commitment to providing the best audio sports content to audiences everywhere.” 

“We’re excited to partner with iHeartMedia for its global reach and powerful distribution channels,” gushes Matt Nicholson, NHL Vice President of Production and Creative Development. “We know NHL fans are avid consumers of audio content and will be amped up about creating these new, engaging, and fun podcasts that will further connect them to our great game and provide NHL insight they won’t get anywhere else.” 

The first show of the series, NHL Unscripted with Virk and Demers, debuted on December 5. Subsequent episodes air each Thursday. Virk and Demers will provide the latest NHL news and discuss what’s happening around the world of hockey and beyond. 

Adnan Virk says: “I love podcasts, and I love hockey. I hosted a movie podcast called Cinephile for 8 years and 333 episodes and co-hosted GM Shuffle, an NFL podcast with Michael Lombardi, for 3 years. I can’t wait to share my thoughts on all facets of the game and I’m confident my experience will benefit me to keep the conversation fresh and fun. I am, however, less confident in my ability to wrangle in the free stylings of my co-host Jason Demers, because he strikes me as slightly unhinged… but in a good way.” 

Demers played in exactly 700 career regular-season games from 2009–10 to 2022–23 between the San Jose Sharks, Dallas Stars, Florida Panthers, Arizona Coyotes and Edmonton Oilers. He recorded 20+ points in seven seasons, with his best campaign coming in 2013–14 as a member of the Sharks (5–29–34 in 75 GP). He is one of nine defensemen in NHL history to appear in 700 contests after being selected in the seventh round of an NHL Draft. Demers last wore the red and white as part of Team Canada’s National team at the Beijing Olympics in 2022, where he tied for second in the tournament with a +7 while recording two assists.

The second hockey show is expected to debut early in the new year. Right now, it’s in the penalty box.

[adamwatchesmovies]

The Flash (2023)

Considering the demand for Zack Snyder’s cut of Justice League, I’m still surprised by the ticket sales of the later DC films. Unfortunately, 2023’s The Flash is more likely to be remembered as one of the biggest box-office disappointments Warner Bros. Ever suffered rather than the red speedster’s first solo big-screen adventure. This film offers a lot to those who’ve avidly watched prior iterations of the DC Universe on TV and the big screen. It panders to the fans a bit too much, in fact, and the special effects vary wildly in quality.

Barry Allen (Ezra Miller) is about to give up hope. As a child, his mother Nora (Maribel Verdú) was murdered. His father was convicted of the crime. Barry knows for a fact his dad (Ron Livingston, replacing Billy Crudup) didn’t commit it. Unfortunately, the last piece of evidence that could have exonerated him - video footage from his trip to a grocery store on that day - doesn’t show his face. Overcome by emotions, Barry accidentally uses his powers to travel back in time. There, he alters his mother’s fate, traveling to an alternate universe in the process.

The trailers gave it away so it’s not a big secret that the alternate universe (not alternate timeline) Barry lands in has an entirely different version of the Justice League. Most notably, Michael Keaton returns as Bruce Wayne/Batman. It was fun to see that sort of thing in Spider-Man: No Way Home and it is again here. I never thought we’d see Keaton donning the cape and cowl once more, much less see him teaming up with the Flash as they search for Superman to save the world from Michael Shannon as General Zod. With cameos from Aquaman (Jason Momoa) and Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) alongside Ben Affleck’s Batman, loads of easter eggs and some plot points from earlier movies (such as the empty pod in Superman’s ship in Man of Steel) finally getting addressed, the picture checks many boxes for its audience. Unfortunately, this story takes many cues from the terrific 2011 Flashpoint comic storyline, which was previously adapted as an excellent animated film in 2013 and at least one season of the Flash TV series. I can’t say anything about the show but when choosing between the two adaptations, the animated version is better because its dozens of superheroes and villains make it feel like an event. It’s also way shorter; this 2023 movie is a whopping 144 minutes long. If you're interested in The Flash, I'm sure you've already seen/read this story.

To be fair, the running time isn’t wasted. Before he realizes he’s traveled to an alternate universe, Barry thinks he’s gone back in time so he meets his past self: a younger more immature Barry who’s just received his powers. This film is both one of the Flash’s biggest adventures AND his origin story. If you were to cut some material, it would have to be from the third act, which is a big action scene that didn't really need to happen.

If someone aggressively edited this film, they could probably cut it down by 20 minutes with only minimal rewrites/reshoots. For example, Older Barry tells Younger Barry about the first person he ever saved and the first person he failed to rescue. We see the same people in Younger Barry’s universe as disaster looms towards them… but both Flashes are too busy trying to save the world from General Zod to even try a rescue… so what does that mean? I also feel that the mandatory scene in any time travel movie, the one where the rules are explained, is done rather clumsily.

You might not agree with the flaws directed towards the story, but an undeniable flaw is the special effects. Some are seamless, like those with two Barrys. That’s a credit to Ezra Miller as a performer as well. In many other scenes - such as the big opener that has the Flash saving people from a crumbling building - “uneven” feels like an overly generous description.

The Flash is a mixed bag that thankfully has more good than bad. The special effects may make you wonder where all the money went - I suspect post-production ate a lot of it. Some aspects of the plot are really thoughtful, such as the scenes where the younger and older versions of Barry talk about their mother. Seeing Michael Keaton reprise his role is a treat. I’d even call the performances pretty strong, particularly Miller in his dual roles. There are some issues with the screenplay - mostly during the third act. All this means I’d recommend it to those who are invested in the franchise that started with Man of Steel and to fans of the comic as well… but they’re almost certain to have seen this story done before and better.

Go see The Flash with lowered expectations and you’ll be pleased, particularly if you’re seeing it at home as part of your subscription or for the price of a rental. While you’re at it, there is a scene at the end of the credits, though it doesn’t add anything to the movie and can easily be skipped, particularly since it’s not like this is the last time we’re seeing this universe in action - that would be “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom” in December. (September 2, 2023)

[televinita]

Library Triage! kinda?

I have soooo many library items checked out right now and I’m making progress on returning none of them; between working overtime and spending way more of my downtime than usual just incessantly watching the same clips on YouTube, I am not reading very much. But I can’t seem to let anything go. So this (even more than usual) is just me trying to make sense of everything so I don’t lose any items this time...

Part 1: DVDs

No Escape: I have watched this already (twice now in this checkout period, including the one with commentary!) so really I should be done with it, but I’m not. I want it close at hand. It’s too good.

The Hollow Crown: Complete Series: the gifs have been promising so we’re gonna have fun with this. Eventually. Right now my ability to handle it is taking one look at a still from any of them and immediately turning into a cartoon with eyes/heart ballooning out of my body, so I am not yet calm enough for that.

The Night Manager: I’m pretty sure this is actually the project I’m going to target next. I know what I gotta shield my eyes about but I also think I can manage the rest of it, and I’m finally interested in the larger story.

Thor 1-3 + The Avengers: for when I’m ready to continue my Loki journey.

(And yet, I’m still over here like, “I gotta go check out those other two movies I want to see. I gotta.”)

================

Part 2: Books

After Perfect -  Maan Gabriel: 2 months ago, I pulled several titles off my Goodreads TBR that I thought I might like to try soon. And then...Hiddleston Spiral. Library is already down to 1 copy of this small-press 2021 release (they started with 3 or 4), and I’m genuinely afraid it’s gonna get weeded entirely very soon. But still, I think I’m too far off course now to be in the right mood for this particular romance, which is rare (age-appropriate student/creative writing professor, except the professor is the younger one), so I want to save it.

Harry Potter & The Order of the Phoenix (illustrated): I’ve decided not to reread this one yet, I’m just looking at the pictures, but even that I can’t commit to doing. I have been waiting more than a year for this release to get into my hands; I have to be ready to appreciate them. Block out an hour or so to observe/maybe reread select passages/jot notes on my faves.

The Hungry Place - Jessie Haas: a children’s pony book by an author I like that I really thought I would be more excited about/devour quickly, but instead I’m kind of blocked up about it. Like. There is some sadness here before the happy parts, IDK if I’m ready for it!

Just Gus - McCall Hoyle: speaking of children’s books, a cute one about a dog, companion novel to Stella. It really won’t take me more than 90 minutes to read. Why do I keep putting it off.  [edit: go me, I actually started this one in the brief interim between queuing this post and its appearance]

The Essex Serpent - Sarah Perry: still haven’t even opened it, but I WILL whether I fully read it or not.

(Meanwhile: those 20+ books I just bought and was kinda planning to read at least some of soon...) (p.s. I actually have my latest sale post written up! I just wanted to take photos)

+ 5 books I’ve technically read but don’t wanna give back because I love them and love paging through them

+ 3 Taylor Swift CDs -- Reputation for Getaway Car (I don’t think I’m ready to explore further yet, but I have as yet been too lazy to rip it); and Folklore and Lover to play in the car, the former’ cause I don’t own it and the latter ‘cause IDK where I put my copy and am frankly too lazy to look. :P

[sendme-2hell]

totally biased and unhinged wlw book recomendations list

Happy Pride! I have over 80 books in my “sapphic” goodreads list and these are my personal favs…I don’t have the energy to type actual descriptions but here are the first things that came to my mind with some of them. enjoy. or don’t. to be clear most of these are NOT romances. that’s a different genre and I feel like sometimes ppl get annoyed that the queer sci fi book had more sci fi than romance…but it’s just how it is. ** **

Literature/misc 

Stone Butch Blues - Leslie Feinberg

REQUIRED READING FOR ALL

fictionalized history of a working class jewish queer person and their experiences with lesbian bars, transitioning, unions, and more!

extremely heart breaking but I learned a lot of history I didn’t realize I didn’t know* **Last Night at the Telegraph Club-Malinda Lo **

main character is a chinese-american lesbian coming of age in the 1950′s in san francisco

she forms a sort of relationship with a girl in class and they go to a lesbian bar secretly

can’t recommend enough!  

Her Body and Other Parties - Carmen Maria Machado

Carmen Maria Machado is the GOAT. Her writing is just incredible and some of these stories are haunting.

single handedly made me like short stories.

both Lucy Dacus and Phoebe Bridgers listed it as one of their favs. I Know the End is based on a story from this book.

contains a Law and Order: SVU fanfic which HAUNTS me* 

In The Dream House - Carmen Maria Machado

a genuinely heartbreaking book about abuse in queer relationships

semi autobiographical/looking at histories of abuse

Everyone in this room will someday be dead - Emily Austin

if you struggle with anxiety or/and depression and a fixation on death and/or illness, boy do I have the book for you.

Painfully relatable but also very funny. in a laugh at your own pain kinda way. and the main character is a lesbian in a relationship. I truly love this book and highly recommend.

I had it on my tbr for a year and when I finally started I finished it in one sitting. 

No One Belongs Here More Than You - Miranda July

definitely an acquired taste but one of my favorite books of all time.

a bunch of short stories focusing on loneliness

many queer characters in the stories

The First Bad Man - Miranda July

a dowdy, depressed, anxious woman is asked to house her boss’ aggressive, sexual, and comparatively young daughter (20′s)

they start beating each other up

that leads to other activities

I cried so hard reading this book. That might just be a personal thing though.

It is gay and it is amazing but also it broke my heart. It’s also completely unhinged. can’t recommend more. 

Disobedience - Naomi Alderman

I did not expect to like this as much as I did. I hated the author’s other book. But I really liked about 90% of Disobedience. Really interesting look at religion and conformity. 

The Rehearsal - Eleanor Catton

another unhinged classic. A lot of my literary recs are a bit unhinged.

def not a romance.

A book about the weird relationship teachers have with their students, specifically in music and theatre. Touches on themes of consent and abuse, as well as sexuality and power dynamics. 

My Education - Susan Choi

Book about a woman who falls in love with her professor’s wife but the woman won’t commit to her. that’s kinda the whole story.

9/10 would recommend but that’s just me

end made me angry ngl

The Miseducation of Cameron Post - emily m. danforth

from the movie trailers I thought this book was about cameron at a conversion camp, but it’s about way more than that. and only maybe 1/5 of the book takes place at the camp.

Liked it way more than I thought I would! 

My Brilliant Friend - Elena Ferrante

sooooo this book isn’t explicitly queer but ok actually it is and I will fight anyone on this. my favorite book series ever so it must be on the list.

this book has everything: explorations of class dynamics, italian language discourse, academic rivalry, shoe drama, explorations of gender dynamics, dolls, kinda mean main character, obsession, very internal main characters

The Lying Life of Adults - Elena Ferrante

this book IS explicitly queer and literally when the fuck is the sequel coming out?

has many of the same themes as MBF. I am a whore for Elena Ferrante so had to put it on the list but I wouldn’t say either of the books are like SCREAMING explicitly wlw content. but it does inform many of the actions of the characters*

Thriller/Horror/dark

They Never Learn - Layne Fargo

when I say this book changed my life

sometimes a hot bi lit professor ruthlessly murdering rapists on campus is the catharsis one needs

the inverse of bury your gays

this book made me so happy

Plain Bad Heroines - emily m. danforth

polyamory, horror, so many footnotes, every character in this book is gay and there are so many characters

the moral of the story is polyamory? I think

The Luminous Dead - Caitlin Starling

this is a really claustrophobia-inducing book about a woman who goes into a cave lead only by this asshole woman who really doesn’t care for her well being…they sort of trauma bond? I loved it.

you will NOT catch me cave diving

 Women in Gray - K.D. Rye

very dark book about a woman who’s girlfriend is an evil scientist who has created a technology that can control her and how she escapes

Sci-Fi:

One Last Stop - Casey Mcquiston

look this book isn’t for everyone and theres a lot of discourse but here’s why I loved it: time travel, public transportation, wlw, Lost references 

 A Memory Called Empire - Arkady Martine

an incredible book about assimilation in an empire

very funny and great worldbuilding/culture building

has really interesting themes and the sequel is even better imo

the main relationship is between two women and it is very connected to the themes of assimilation and personhood but also a cute relationship 

The Space Between Worlds - Micaiah Johnson

what if the multiverse was discovered but to travel to a parallel universe you can only do it if you’re dead in that universe. otherwise you will instantly die

so who do they chose to do multiversal travel? the disenfranchised because they are more likely to be dead in other universes

book very much delves into themes of class and race.

I’m obsessed with the budding relationship between the mc and her “handler”.

misunderstanding taken to a whole new level

Gideon The Ninth - Tamsyn Muir

what if necromancers were in space and they were all kinda catholic but also queer 

don’t make the mistake I did and not read it because it has a man’s name as the title. Gideon is a lesbian

Fantasy: 

When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain - Nghi Vo

what if there was a sexy tiger lady

lots of important themes 

The Witches Heart - Genevieve Gornichec

like Circe or the Penelopiad but for Norse Myths and the mc has a girlfriend

Black Sun - Rebecca Roanhorse

great fantasy book that is based not on eurocentric standards

lots of different queer characters

I kinda forgot the plot but I remember there was a bi mermaid and some priests and i liked it a lot

The Broken Earth Trilogy - NK Jemisin

not actually sapphic (except a very side character) but it is very queer and also one of the best fantasy books EVER so it goes on the list

what if the oppressed really were dangerous? would it be ethical to oppress them? (the answer is no)

the oppressed in this case are earth benders

very dark when you connect the story to real world atrocities

The Traitor Baru Cormorant - Seth Dickinson

the first in a so-far-great series about the horrors of colionalism/imperialism and one very fucked up girl’s journey to avenge/save her island

one of my favs and very gay but also will make you cry

the series as a whole has a LOT of great queer women in it

will make u so depressed about historical and current atrocities

She Who Became the Sun - Shelley Parker Chan

china in 1300s and a girl takes the place of her brother and claims his destiny

mc is actually more of nonbinary

great writing. highly reccomend

The Unbroken-C.L. Clark

another book about colonialism

mc is a soldier who ends up working for the ruler’s niece who is trying to stop a rebellion

lots of ethical questions about loyalty and such. lots of drama. don’t get me wrong it has a lot of queer stuff too 

The Jasmine Throne - Tasha Suri

the world is based on histories of India 

a magical woman and an ambitious princess form a shaky alliance 

[runawaymun]

Not to sound like a boomer but I genuinely am starting to feel that Netflix is one of the worst things that happened to television.

It’s all the same now.

And I don’t mean like, genre diversity. I mean the art form. Like Netflix has really just cursed the world with television that now has an absolutely breakneck, relentless pace. So few shows are casually watchable anymore. It’s hard for me to find good new comfort shows. All of mine are older. Seasons used to have 15-30 episodes, sometimes more! They used to be episodic. So you could literally just drop in at any point in a season, nearly, without having to remember where you’re at or be sucked in by cliffhangers for twelve hours. You could just sit down with your favorite characters for one episode and be done.

And sure, people still marathoned favorites, but that wasn’t the norm. And the thing is, shows like Psych, Stargate SG-1, Babylon 5, Doctor Who etc? I remember distinct episodes. I can name them, and I’ll go back and rewatch them over and over again independently. With newer shows I just don’t. If you ask me to name an individual episode of Cobra Kai, I can’t. If I’m rewatching then I’m rewatching the whole damn show and I just don’t have that kind of time, usually, so then I just don’t rewatch and it’s onto the next series— which gets super exhausting. Sometimes I don’t want that commitment.

And you lose a lot of character depth in my opinion. The beauty of episodic longform shows is in the sheer room you have. Yes. Seasons had arcs, but usually the plots were contained to an episode and the season arc was purely character development. And you had room for dumb episodes where characters go to the beach, or a party, or just dick around and live their lives. The viewer had time to get attached— which is why so many older shows still have such strong, old, thriving fanbases who are immensely loyal to their show.

And also??? Shows didn’t used to be cancelled for a bad first episode or season. That’s not normal!!? Netflix and other provider’s habits of cancelling shows that “flop” in their first three episodes or first season isn’t normal. With older shows it was just sort of accepted: the pilot and first season are like the first ugly pancake. Give the show some time. And that time is worth it. That’s why shows could run episodically for 6, 7, 14, 20 seasons, because people just accepted that some seasons are better than others and that’s okay. Some episodes are better than others. Shows didn’t used to rely on cliffhangers to keep their audience. They relied on characters. That was what we were watching them for and why we kept coming back.

I just really am starting to hate how every single tv show is now essentially a really long movie tbh. Give me my episodic, campy, 30-episodes a season shows back. They really are worth it and I’m so sad that those seem to be actively squished by tv providers. It’s an art form in of itself.

It’s just a symptom of late stage capitalistic churning of things for mass, quick comsumption. Like the fast fashion of film. Don’t get me wrong, I have a lot of new favorite shows I genuinely enjoy like Schitt’s Creek, House of the Dragon, Cobra Kai, Gentleman Jack, etc, but I just wish I had more options in terms of length/number of episodes/and how episodic a show is. It feels like a damn shame that episodic shows are being pushed out in favor of quick, bingeable ones. It also feels like writers are no longer being given the time to really craft a good story. There’s so much pressure and time crunching from studios and drive to cram your story into less than twelve episodes and that’s why you get, rather than a mediocre season, absolutely genuinely ruined seasons like the last season of Game of Thrones and the most recent season of Stranger Things. Both literally needed more episodes to make their story make sense. (If we ignore the dumb bran ending.)

Anyway this is your latest “old man yells at cloud” by your friendly neighborhood old person. Thanks for coming to my tedtalk.

[amostexcellentblog]

Every Judy Movie-#34

Way, way back in High School I set out to watch every single one of Judy Garland’s movies. Several I’ve rewatched many times since, others I had no desire to see again. Now, in honor of the centennial of her birth, I thought I’d do something with this knowledge and make a quick write up of my thoughts on all of them...

Title: I Could Go On Singing

Release Year: 1963

Plot Summary: Jenny Bowman (Garland), a famous singer, arrives in London for a series of sold-out concerts. Her true motive for the extended stay is revealed when she visits the recently widowed surgeon David Donne (Dirk Bogarde) intending to see their son. The product of a brief affair, Matt (Gregory Phillips) has been raised by his father and never told the truth about his parentage. Soap opera set up leads to inevitable heartbreak when Matt chooses his father over her. Heartbroken, she declares she’s giving up her career, but ultimately can’t resist the pull of the stage.

Thoughts: Well, here we are, the end of the yellow brick road. Garland’s final film is neither the triumphant send off she deserved, nor as embarrassing a later-career entry as those you’ll find on some of her contemporaries’ IMDB pages. It’s an awkward mix of music and melodrama, that’s somehow both the most contrived and autobiographical movie she ever made.

The movie’s biggest flaw is that the son, who should be at the center of the drama, never feels like a fully realized character so we the audience never get truly invested in his tentative bond with his mother. The saving grace of the film, in addition to the songs and Garland’s committed performance, is the final 20 minutes or so when David has to convince Jenny to honor her commitment to perform that evening. Bogarde and Garland rewrote the scene themselves, and several of Garland’s lines parallel statements she later made in tape recordings intended for a never-written autobiography. It’s a stunning, powerfully acted scene that feels raw and honest in a way everything that happened prior to it doesn’t. The follow-up scene where she returns to the stage was also deliberately autobiographical, modeled on the real bond she had with her loyal audiences, whom she would often joke with as if they were old friends.

It’s a very flawed film, but beneath the character and storyline, it’s also a fascinating portrait of what Judy Garland was like in the last years of her life. And maybe that’s all the final film of one of the greatest entertainers in history needs to be.

Can Be Enjoyed By: Diehard Fans Only | Casual Fans/Fans of Musicals in General | Essential Viewing for Everyone... Honestly, a case can be made for each of these categories.

[bewitching-elizabeth-olsen]

Press/Gallery: How Elizabeth Olsen Brought Marvel From Mainstream to Prestige

“The thing I love about being an actor is to fully work with someone and try so hard to be at every level with them, chasing whatever it is you need or want from them.”

  GALLERY LINKS

Studio Photoshoots > 2021 > Session 008 Magazine Scans > 2021 > Backstage (August 19)

Backstage: Elizabeth Olsen grins widely over video chat when recalling many such moments on set with her co-stars. Yet, she can’t bring herself to divorce such a lofty vision of film acting from the technical multitasking it requires. The camera sees all.

“But then you move your hair, and you’re in your brain, like: OK, remember that! Because I don’t want to edit myself out of a shot. I know some actors are like, ‘Continuity, shmontinuity!’ But the good thing about continuity is, if you remember it, you’re actually providing yourself with more options for the edit.”

That need to balance being both inside the scene and outside of it, fully living it and yet constantly visualizing it on a screen, feels particularly apt in light of Olsen’s most recent project, “WandaVision.”

The mysteries at the heart of the show grow with every episode, each fast-forwarding to a different decade: Could this 1950s, black-and-white, “filmed in front of a studio audience” newlyweds bit be a grief-stricken dream? Might this ’70s spoof be a powerful spell gone awry? Could this meta take on mockumentary comedies be proof that the multiverse is finally coming to the Marvel Cinematic Universe?

The series’ structure, which branches out to include government agents intent on finding out why Westview has seemingly disappeared, calls for the entire cast to play with a mix of genres, balancing a shape-shifting tone that culminates in an epic, MCU-style conclusion. What’s key—and why the show struck a chord with audiences during its nine-episode run—is the miniseries’ commitment to grounding its initial kooky setups and its later special effects-driven spectacle in heartbreaking emotional truths. It’s no small feat, though it’s one that can often be taken for granted.

“I was thinking how hard it would have been to have shot the first ‘Lord of the Rings,’ ” Olsen muses. “Like, you’re putting all these actors [into the frame] later and at all these different levels. All the eyelines are completely unnatural. And yet the performances are fantastic! And technically, they are so hard. People forget sometimes that these things are really technically hard to shoot. And if you are moved by their performance, that took a lot of multitasking.”

As someone who has learned plenty about harnesses, wirework, fight choreography, and green screens (she’s starred in four Marvel movies, including the box office megahit “Avengers: Endgame,” after all), Olsen knows how hard it can be to wrap one’s brain around the work needed to pull off those big, splashy scenes.

“​​If you think about it, it’s, like, the biggest stakes in the entire world—every time. And that feels silly to act over and over again, especially when people are in silly costumes and the love of your life is purple and sparkly, and every time you kiss them, you have to worry about getting it on your hands. Those things are ridiculous. You feel ridiculous. So there is a part of your brain that has to shovel that away and just look into someone’s eyeballs—and sometimes, they don’t even have eyeballs!”

The ability to spend so much time with Wanda, albeit in the guise of sitcom parodies, was a welcome opportunity for Olsen. Not only did it allow the actor to really wrestle with the traumatic backstory that has long defined the character in the MCU, but having the chance to calibrate a performance that functions on so many different levels was a thrilling challenge.

“It was such an amazing work experience,” she says. “Kathryn [Hahn] uses the word ‘profound’—which is so sweet, because it is Marvel, and people, you know, don’t think of those experiences as profound when they watch them. But it really was such a special crew that [director] Matt Shakman and [creator] Jac Schaeffer created. It was a really healthy working environment.”

Related‘WandaVision’ Star Kathryn Hahn’s Secret to Building a Scene-Stealing Performance ‘WandaVision’ Star Kathryn Hahn’s Secret to Building a Scene-Stealing Performance Considering that the miniseries spans several sitcom iterations, various layers of televisual reality, and a number of character reveals that needed to feel truthful and impactful in equal measure, Shakman’s decision to work closely with his actors ahead of shooting was key.

“We truly had a gorgeous amount of time together before we started filming,” Olsen remembers. “Our goal was—which is controversial in TV land—that if you wanted to change [anything], like dialogue in a scene, you had to give those notes a week before we even got there. Because sometimes you get to set, and someone had a brilliant idea while they were sleeping, and you’re like, ‘We don’t have an hour to talk about this. We have seven pages to shoot.’ And so, we were all on the same page with one another, knowing what we were shooting ahead of time.

“Matt just treated us like a troupe of actors who were about to do some regional theater shit,” she adds with a smile.

That spirit of camaraderie was, not coincidentally, at the heart of Olsen’s breakout project, Sean Durkin’s 2011 indie sensation “Martha Marcy May Marlene.” As an introduction to the process of filmmaking to a young stage-trained actor, Durkin’s quietly devastating drama was a dream—and an invaluable learning opportunity.

“It was truly just a bunch of people who loved the script, who just were doing the work. I didn’t understand lenses, so I just did the same thing all the time. I never knew if the camera would be on me or not. There was just so much purity in that experience, and you only have that once.”

The film announced Olsen as a talent to watch: a keen-eyed performer capable of deploying a stilted physicality and clipped delivery, which she used to conjure up a wounded girl learning how to shake off her time spent in a cult in upstate New York. But Olsen admits that it took her a while to figure out how to navigate her career choices afterward. In the years following “Martha,” she felt compelled to try on everything: a horror flick here, a high-profile remake there, a period piece here, an action movie there. It wasn’t until she starred in neo-Western thriller “Wind River” (alongside fellow Marvel regular Jeremy Renner) and the dark comedy “Ingrid Goes West” (opposite a deliciously deranged Aubrey Plaza) that Olsen found her groove.

“It was at that point, when I was five years into working, where I was like, Ah, I know how I want it. I know what I need from these people—from who’s involved, from producers, from directors, from the character, from the script—in order to trust that it’s going to be a fruitful experience.”

As Olsen looks back on her first decade as a working actor, she points out how far removed she is from that young girl who broke out in “Martha Marcy May Marlene.”

“I feel like a totally different person. I don’t know if everyone who’s in their early 30s feels like their early 20s self is a totally different human. But when I think about that version of myself, it feels like a long time ago; there’s a lot learned in a decade.”

Those early years were marked by a self-effacing humility that often led Olsen to defer to others when it came to key decisions about the characters she was playing. But she now feels emboldened to not only stand up for herself and her choices but for others on her sets as well.

“[Facebook Watch series] ‘Sorry for Your Loss’ I got to produce, and I really found my voice in a collaborative leadership way. And with ‘WandaVision,’ Paul [Bettany] and I really took on that feeling, as well—especially since we were introducing new characters to Marvel and wanted [those actors] to feel protected and helped,” she says. “They could ask questions and make sure they felt like they had all the things they needed because sometimes you don’t even know what you need to ask.”

It’s a lesson she learned working with filmmaker Marc Abraham on the Hank Williams biopic “I Saw the Light,” and she’s carried it with her ever since. “I really want it to feel like we’re all in this together, as a team,” Olsen says. “That was part of ‘Sorry for Your Loss’ and it was part of ‘WandaVision,’ and I hope to continue that kind of energy because those have been some of the healthiest work experiences I’ve had.”

If Olsen sounds particularly zealous about the importance of a comfortable, working set, it is because she’s well aware that therein lies an integral part of the work and the process. As an actor, she wants to feel protected and nurtured by those around her, whether she’s reacting to a telling, quiet line of dialogue about grief or donning her iconic Scarlet Witch outfit during a magic-filled mid-air action sequence.

“Sometimes you’re going to be foolish, you know? And [you need to] feel brave to be foolish. Sometimes people feel embarrassed on set and snap. But if you’re in a place where people feel like they’re allowed to be an idiot,” she says, “you’re going to feel better about being an idiot.”

This story originally appeared in the Aug. 19 issue of Backstage Magazine. Subscribe here.

Press/Gallery: How Elizabeth Olsen Brought Marvel From Mainstream to Prestige was originally published on Elizabeth Olsen Source • Your source for everything Elizabeth Olsen

[green-blue-heller]

Sorry, I am blind as Jared, how is what he said offensive and insulting?

Theres a whole backstory that I’m not sure if you’re aware of it, nonnie.

But essentially because he had a meltdown on Twitter over the announcement they Jensen was working on a prequel.

It was obvious he didn’t even read the article and jumped the gun and got pissy even stating about Sam Winchester not being involved.

When the show is about John and Mary and set in 1972, almost ten years before Sam is born.

Plus, it’s not even a series yet. Right now, it’s just that the network is willing to pay Chaos Machine to provide them with at least one script (the article didn’t say how many scripts they committed to).

The network could still say no, or require changes. Of Jensen didn’t want those changes then he could say no and drop the project.

Plus, my understanding is that the publication is basically used to find investors. So it was their way of reaching out and saying “we have rights to this beloved and long running IP and we want to do something with it” and then investors would be like “oh, yes, I can see how this is will work out nice and I’d like to be involved” and give them money to make the show, for a piece of the profits.

This is a show about family and friends. And then you have the actor who was another lead, and brother to the producer, throwing a tantrum about not being told or given the opportunity to be involved (when there is nothing to be involved in yet, because there is no show and no script yet).

That could be a turn off to investors who then decide to not be part of the show.

Not only that, but Jensen didn’t owe him anything. This is Jensen’s company and Jensen’s future. And it could have just gotten fucked up.

They’d talked about retiring from acting after SPN and I think Jensen was probably hoping to be able to do that in the near future. Chaos Machine, I assume, was intended to be his big ticket item that would generate the most profits for him. And allow him to still stay in the tv and movie industry, while still having the brewery and his band.

The last couple years especially, Jensen seems more like the babysitter than the friend/older brother. And I think he’s been distancing himself.

Idk if the pic Jensen posted at 3 am was him letting out frustration or if it is meant as a nod to what Soldier Boy is going through in the series.

But I think more the former. Jensen talked about in the Gish zoom about how he hasn’t seen his family in 8 weeks (and it’s been a month since that zoom, so now it’s been even longer) and that it was the longest he’s gone without being able to see Danneel and the kids. And that for the first time ever, he has to miss his daughter’s birthday.

So, the announcement comes, the meltdown comes, the forced PR smooth over happens. The next day, Jared, who in their March panel talked about how he can’t be with his kids for more than 20 minutes and said he doesn’t know what to do with “these things” when they want him to play with them, posts a pic of them all in the pool.

I’m not sure if he did it intentionally. But considering he hasn’t posted about the kids really at all, it seems like it was an intentional dig at Jensen.

Then you have Gen and Dee putting up IG stories which seemed to be a dig at the other family. And then Jensen made a post that also could have been a dig back at Jared.

Either way; then Jensen posts about trying to cope with shit and Jared responds about having nightmares about the post.

But at this point, he needs to just step back and let Jensen live his life. They don’t need to appear to be best friends anymore. Jensen already got rid of the house that was down the road from Jared a few years ago.

Now he’s moved to Colorado. And sure, they still have a house somewhere in Austin, but I get the feeling that Colorado will be their main residence.

So, while Jared was the one who thought the show ended in a satisfying manner, knowing Jensen did not feel the same at all, and has mentioned many times about how Dean would be back, Jared seems to be the one who is unable to let go.

Jared is producing and starring in a new show.

So I don’t know why he feels he has the right to be angry at Jensen for wanting to bring back a version of the show that Jensen also starred in. Especially when he’s been vocal since at least comic con in July 2019, about coming back and it not being over for him.

This also makes me think that the show was literally ending so that he go on to do the other show for the network. That Jensen hadn’t wanted to end it after 15, but really didn’t have a choice.

Tl;dr: Jared acted childish and could have ruined Jensen’s first production with his new company. It also paints a bad image for Chaos Machine to investors and to the moose’s stans who have since started attacking Jensen and Danneel over this.

All he had to do, was send him a text or call him.

But then again, he’s known for Twitter meltdowns and sending his fans to attack whoever he has a grievance against.

[alreadybrcken]

     *  TAG  9  PEOPLE  YOU  WANT  TO  GET  TO  KNOW  BETTER !

favourite  colour :   Purple

currently  reading :   Haven’t really had the chance to read in a while, but The Witcher series, and City of Ember

last  song :    Picture Perfect by Escape The Fate

last  series :   Idk man. I’ve started like 20 different ones but I can’t seem to commit to anything. Closest thing would be a rewatch of Elementary

last  movie :    I can’t? Remember? 

sweet / spicy / savoury :   Savoury

currently  working  on :  Trying to get some replies done lmao

TAGGED  BY: @ochrepaints​

TAGGING: I think the majority of my mutuals have done it, but.. if not, feel free to steal and tag me

[kate-likes-this]

Pedro for GQ Spain (09-04 /17)

by Maria Contreras • Photographer: Giampaolo Sgura Related: photoshoot / list of articles / en Español 🇪🇸

First 'Game of Thrones', then 'Narcos' and now glory. We spoke with the Chilean actor about succeeding at 40, his 'little brother' Miguel Ángel Silvestre, and his non-existent training routine.

According to the actor’s own confession he shares some similarities with his character, Javier Peña, the DEA agent from the Netflix hit series Narcos, like his very little willingness to comply with the rules. No, we are not talking about committing crimes, to be clear. “I don't like to hide my feelings or have to behave in a certain way because social rules demand it. Maybe that's why I was always punished at school ” - he reveals, while constantly jumping from Spanish to English. 

The actor has arrived at the London studio hosting this shooting from Seattle, where he has just shot an indie film, and as soon as the interview is over he will fly to Los Angeles on his way to San Diego Comic-Con. An intense schedule for an actor who until just four years ago considered that appearing in a chapter of 'Nikita' or 'Law and Order' was like a winning lottery ticket. Seasoned in theater and television, Pascal had developed “the professional ability to survive”: “I have been going to castings since I was 20 years old, and I had begun to assume that maybe my dream was not viable and to consider that making a living from acting, even anonymously, could also be considered a success. Also, in New York I was sheltered by my sister and my friends, whom I could always count on when I ran out of money. But then 'Game of Thrones' came along and everything changed for me”.

His brief appearance in Westeros as Prince Oberyn finally caused him to leave the ranks of the eternal aspiring stars. His popularity has only strengthened with 'Narcos', of which third season premieres on September 1 on Netflix. Without Escobar, and without Murphy, the plot now centers on the Cali cartel: “It's a different empire that has more money, more power, more control and more discipline, so it will be much more difficult for my character to dismantle it, because they have their hands in everyone's pockets ”. The Spanish Miguel Ángel Silvestre, Javier Cámara and Tristán Ulloa have joined the cast, and to say that they have got on well with Pascal would be an understatement. "Miguel Ángel in particular is like my little brother. We met in the United States a long time ago and became instant friends". 

In addition, on September 22 we will see him as Agent Whiskey in 'Kingsman: The Golden Circle', the sequel of Matthew Vaughn's spy movie that became the sleeper-hit of 2015. And Pascal joined the cast of stars like Jeff Bridges, Halle Berry or Julianne Moore. Thanks to the director‘s determination, who discovered him in the first season of 'Narcos' and was fascinated by his presence, and resemblance of a tough actor, a��la Burt Reynolds. “When Matthew is clear on something, he is unshakable. Because I can imagine the studio would ask him: 'But who is this Pedro Pascal?' He says: although my character is arrogant, he also transmits vulnerability, because there’s a fear that they would reject me. And I think he’s right".

However, getting famous around 40 also has its advantages, for example: you think more about squandering your salary on sport-cars and yachts: “ I can't afford yachts. Yes, I have bought a car, but it's a Mini Cooper, so it's not terribly extravagant. I'm already very used to my habits, and I think that's the luxury: experiencing a certain level of exposure when you're older, you've already become the person you are and there are certain things that it's too late to change. A nice new thing about not being under financial pressure is that I can do things for the people I care about. I know it makes me sound noble, but what I like most in the world is being in a position to help someone".

In these troubled times, there are many people that Pascal believes must be helped. When he was a few months old, his family left Santiago de Chile to escape the Pinochet regime. They received asylum in Denmark and later moved to the US, where Pedro and his three brothers grew up as gringos, first in Texas and later in California. Today, the political climate in his adopted country literally robs him of dreams: “We are living in a terrifying time. I have no idea what the future holds, I just know that at every opportunity I will stand up for what I think is right. And that includes the fucking fabulous diversity in North America".

Every successful actor knows which role changed their lives, and Pedro Pascal's was the scene stealer of the fourth season of 'Game of Thrones'. His bloody death by the hands of The Mountain has been burned into our memory, for sure. (Trivia: the actor who plays the huge Lannister bully had been chosen the third strongest man in the world in a championship shortly before filming that fight.) Several actors on the series have admitted that they read scripts with apprehension, but Pascal knew from the first audition that Oberyn Martell would die in that season. What he didn't know was how: he learned that his brains would end up on the ground almost in passing: "I was talking to the showrunners and in a very casual way they told me: 'We will have to send you to London to do your head.' And I: 'And why the head?' And they: 'Because you have to take out your eyes and smash your skull ...'. And I: 'So, this is how I die??? You sick bastards!’ ”, he remembers between laughter.

To this day, he still considers the HBO production the best professional experience of his life. “Nothing is going to beat it, not even if winning ten Oscars. I completely fell in love with that cast, with the locations, with everything”. Who does Pedro think should end up on the Iron Throne? “I think they are all going to die (laughs). I imagine the empty throne”. 

Another experience that he will never forget was the filming in 2014 of the video clip 'Fire meets gasoline', by Sia, in which he starred alongside Heidi Klum, including a bed scene. "What was it like? It was good. It was really good (laughs). To put it mildly, she has been a popular figure in my life over the years, so just seeing me in my underwear and running around with her was very surreal". 

As if all of the above were not enough, very soon Pedro Pascal will also look at us from the bus stops in the new Solo Loewe fragrance campaign: a collaboration that has only rekindled his attachment to Spain: “I have a tremendously romantic relationship with Spain. My grandfather's family was Basque, my grandmother was born in Majorca, and I studied there as a young man one summer and immediately felt at home. So having the opportunity to collaborate with such a creative and stylish Spanish team has been really special. I have to figure it out how to move there once and for all".

Perhaps a shoot will facilitate the transfer; Pascal is a great admirer of Spanish cinema, but with Almodóvar's he has a personal connection: “My parents took me to see 'Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown' at the only art-house cinema in Orange County, and I no longer stopped. I lost my mother 17 years ago, and the way in which she identified with Almodóvar's characters means that his cinema has always played a very emotional role in my life”.

Although the luxury brands are already beginning to haunt him, Pascal admits that he is still "a bit lazy with fashion". And he illustrates it with an invaluable anecdote: “The other day, the driver who had to pick me up to go to the airport didn't even look at me. When I told him that I was Pedro, he replied: 'Oh, excuse me, I thought you’re a homeless'. I swear, I was freshly showered!" [In case these photos are not sufficient proof, we attest that Pedro Pascal does NOT look like homeless]. 

At 42 years old, another of his pending subjects is to find a trainer who will help him.“ Discipline with sport has always been very difficult for me. You know what pisses me off? The asshole of Miguel Ángel Silvestre, who is physically like a superhero. Sometimes I would kill him, but I also want him to teach me to follow a routine”. Are you asking Silvestre from here to become your personal trainer? "Exactly. What's more, I'm going to call him as soon as we finish talking".

[dani-of-the-cosmos]

*how the signs are acting during quarantine*

~with a touch of unsolicited advice: my venus in cancer’s specialty~

<3 pick your sun, moon, rising, mars, mercury, venus, or dominant sign <3

aries

overall, restless. the day seems to drag on and on, and they cope with it by playing video games and snapchatting someone every 20 seconds. self-hatred lingers in the back of their mind, because of all the time they have to analyze themselves. at random times (usually at night), they may be hit with big waves of profound emotions, where they just need to cry it out and acknowledge how lost they feel. may wonder what their purpose is, or where they fit in in the big scheme of the world. gets philosophical, but not in that condescendingly vague, optimistic way--they truly want answers, because the nothingness is just getting to be too much.

taurus

is actually doing pretty okay. is reading a lot about how they can improve themselves, and probably have a few google docs open with plans on how to upgrade their life. they’ve probably started a garden of some sort, or bought some plants to take care of. the day may seem to pass by quickly for them. they fill their time with watching movies and discovering new recipes to cook. has started getting more sleep, which makes their alluring eyes even more beautiful. the downside is that they may feel a bit groggy, or their head feels heavy, because even the most security-loving, routine-oriented zodiac sign needs some variety. 

gemini

getting really excited about all these new methods for self-improvement: exercise, mental health, new projects, clearing their skin, etc. is consistent with these newfound activities for a few days, then gets annoyed when they don’t have 45 inch hips, a 22 inch waist and graceful, 11-shaped abs after less than a week of the chloe ting hourglass program. talks on the phone as they sit on the toilet. watches youtube videos about how to achieve the glow-up that they crave, but can never commit to a single video’s advice. wants something exciting to happen in their life, so they lean into their big emotions and taboo curiosities to compensate for the lack of stimulation. on their phone a LOT.   

cancer

has gotten even more beautiful since the quarantine started. loves the simplicity they’re getting accustomed to, but also constantly worries if they’re “making the most” of all this free time. probably will scold themselves after all this is over for not being more disciplined during self-isolation. goes on walks outside a lot, and finds that connecting with nature significantly boosts their mood. observes the quiet beauty around them as a way to cope with the universal chaos of our world. since cancer tends to be a very empathetic sign, they may feel like a sponge for fatigue and suffering whenever they read the news. being aware of the world is great and necessary, but take care of yourself, cancer. know when to take a break from the news.

leo

is really excited about reinventing themselves--they want it all! new clothes, improved mindset, cleaner room, a kinder social circle, new hair--the works. they want to bust out of quarantine looking even more striking than before, with a wardrobe reflecting their new style. probably has either already done something drastic to their hair (like dying it, or the dreaded 2 am impulsive bangs cut), or is at least seriously considering it. really wants to get out of their house and camp out on the beach or something--they miss seeing their friends face-to-face, and try to make up for it by calling them to hear their voices. is irritated that they happened to be born at a time where the pivotal years of their life are being wasted by such an awful series of world events.

virgo

has upgraded their bedroom to look as aesthetically pleasing and soothing as possible. their social life has most likely downsized to 2-3 super close and genuine friends that they call, text, and/or facetime with daily. since virgo is a mutable sign, they’ve probably done a great job adjusting to their surroundings and are helping their family with domestic tasks. however, they may feel anxious, and unsatisfied with their current mindset and resources, so they feel the urge to expand their horizons and feed their genius mind as much as possible! it may be hard to find motivation, virgo, but the world needs a physical manifestation of your potential right now. if you have an idea you want to pursue but are too scared to, take the plunge. this sounds cheesy and cliche but, this is your sign to start!

libra

reminisces a lot about the past. thinks about how they would have handled past situations differently, and mentally shames themselves for it. is probably doing a lot of self-reflection, which is good for their sweet hearts and furthers the progress of their mental health, but also depresses them, as libra energy tends to be highly critical of itself. sleeping in too late and talking aloud to themselves at ungodly hours of the night. finds their mind going on the philosophical route more often than usual. might be posting passive-aggressive mood quotes on instagram

scorpio

is actually exercising pretty consistently like they said they would. their body has been getting curvalicious and toned, and to that i say WOOHOO GO SCORPIO! however, they’ve probably completely messed up their entire sleep schedule, and may be practically nocturnal some days. probably feels really emotional at the moment, and is overwhelmed with the amount of pain in the world that they wish they could singlehandedly stop. may be pretty loner-ish at the moment, and is probably not very active on their social media, because they’re realizing who their truest friends are. scorpio does well with transformation (they’re ruled by pluto, the planet of regeneration) so rest assured, they will emerge from quarantine new and improved! 

sagittarius

is eating too much junk food. sagittarius, if you’re reading this right now, PUT DOWN THE CHIPS BUDDY BOY. is probably finding ways to hang out with their friends in person, like yelling across the sidewalk to them while wearing a mask. has been super active on social media regarding current social justice issues. feels enormous compassion for the oppressed and has been signing petitions at the speed of light. probably getting in fights with their family and being a little feistier than usual. i can’t blame them though...sagittarius is a sign that needs entertainment, so they’re gonna be a little punchy in this stagnant yet catastrophic time. 

capricorn

has established a daily routine that keeps them feeling grounded and stable. they may realize how little they’ve actually prioritized their own joy in the past, and they’re using quarantine as a way to get to know themselves again. purchases luxury pajamas and is most likely drinking a hot beverage in a mug right now. probably on a health kick. is getting even closer with their closest friends, and basically forgets about acquaintances. cuddling their pets a lot (or fantasizing about adopting a pet if they don’t have one). misses putting on mascara and stepping into that cute skirt, because that sPeCiAL pErSoN isn’t there to see it lol

aquarius

thinking about ways they can make money. getting bursts of hyper inspiration to flip their life around and start working super hard for their dream life. is masking hopelessness, and finds themselves pondering the fragility of human life. may experience thoughts of nihilism that they don’t act on, and is increasingly worried about the state of their environment. is stuck between feeling motivated and believing in their ability to positively transform, and getting depressed and detached from their earthly obligations. 

pisces

probably painting their nails a lot. is finding ways to put a little spice of excitement in their life--like making a nice breakfast (at 4 pm, which is like an hour after they wake up lately), giving their pet a concert of them, naked, singing ski mask the slump god songs into a hairbrush they’re pretending is a microphone. stares at themselves in the mirror for too long, letting their insecurities get the best of them. has probably gotten in touch with their grandparents (or any other relatives they usually don’t keep in close touch with) over the phone. may be dealing with worsened anxiety and feelings of depression at this time, and sleeps a lot to try to escape it. their room might be pretty messy at the moment as well, which they’re overly hard on themselves for. pisces: you are such a uniquely sweet and tender soul. take it one day at a time and never underestimate the power of reaching out to someone <3