#real estate script

[mayomkun]

Finally done with teen wolf rewatch. Phew

[goldentigerfestival]

Forgot to post this earlier but I did in fact comb the entire Vesperia script to determine how many times he uses ま/まあ throughout the game, along with a few other phrases he uses repeatedly. This counts all of main story, every single sidequest, and every single skit in the game.

Final counts were:

ま/まあ: 280

Ma/Maa; translates to "well". He uses this at the beginning of a sentence usually, but it's sometimes in the middle. "Ma" is usually more quick and snappy. "Maa" is more thoughtful and/or prolonged. Obviously it can vary based on context, but that's the general breakdown.

んじゃ and any variants: 133

Nja, along with variants such as "ja", "soreja", etc. Variants are counted when they're all used to express "let's get going", when they're about to head off ("ja" could be used in a sentence such as "ja/but then, why is xyz like this", etc). They encompass translations such as "well then" (let's get going implied. includes "so then", "then" "alright then", and so on), "we should be off", "let's get going", "let's go", etc. (not to be confused with 行こう(ikou), 行くぜ, (ikuze), and other similar versions of this phrase. That can also mean "let's go", but any instances of Yuri using that particular phrase was not counted because it wasn't a variant of, specifically, んじゃ, which is also his most common "let's go" ja variant).

おい / おいおい: 66

Oi/Oi oi; translates to "hey"/"hey, hey", though "oi" is more or less an accepted word in English nowadays.

おっと: 12

Otto (not to be confused with "oto", referring to sound); an expression of surprise that can translate roughly to "whoa there" (which is the most common translation I do see for it and what I'd use in most cases too, context of course varying). The reason I included this one despite it being so seemingly low in number is because it's not a particularly common expression, much less one used multiple times by a single character? It's so rare from anyone else, which is just a regular thing relative to Yuri and his dialogue/speech (i.e. most characters sparingly use phrases repeatedly, as compared to Yuri... as you can see lol. Other characters use these words/phrases, but nowhere near as regularly, if regularly at all).

Realized along the way I should've included やれやれ (yare yare, "good grief", "oh dear", "oh boy" etc), but by the time I realized I should have in case it was an interesting count, I was too far into the script to be able to handle going all the way back through it LOL.

No. No, I am not joking that Yuri used ま/まあ 279 times throughout the course of the game. That is to say, it could be more if I missed any, but on the assumption I didn't, that's where it stands.

Why do I love this so much? Because it's a very specific character quirk of a character I adore. I'm very fond of his repetition. Thank you.

[businessadvisorrobert]

How to Boost Revenue with Real Estate Classifieds Script?

Business today moves at the speed of technology. Nearly every company operates within tech's framework, and even unexpected industries are thriving faster in the digital world than in traditional setups.

Take the real estate industry, for example. It has surpassed the real estate classifieds script market because finding properties and dealers has become much simpler.

Many entrepreneurs are taking advantage of this shift, running profitable businesses thanks to the digital world.

With a value of $32.33 billion in the classified market, its growth is impressive. Amazing, right?

Let’s dive into how this works!

Revenue Models Of The Real Estate Classifieds Script

Revenue generation is key to the growth of your business over time. Here's how classified software brings in income!

Commission Fees

The platform’s primary income source comes from commission fees charged to both users and sellers who access the service. While registration is free, the platform builds trust with users through transparent fee structures that everyone is aware of.

Income from Advertisements  

The platform earns additional revenue through advertisements, providing a secondary income stream. By hosting ads from other businesses on your platform, you can generate extra income with little effort. This revenue can be used to maintain the platform and fuel further growth opportunities for your business.

Subscription Charges 

This model is popular among many on-demand businesses, as it streamlines the user experience while boosting revenue for the platform owner. For example, a user choosing a basic subscription plan pays for three months in advance, instead of being billed monthly.

In-App Purchases

Users can enhance their experience by purchasing additional features. This approach not only creates a smart revenue stream for the platform but also provides an opportunity for extra income. However, relying solely on this strategy for your revenue is not advisable.

How To Use Revenue Models Efficiently? 

Can you efficiently use them? Yes if you follow these:

Understand your audience to use the monetization model effectively. For instance, if targeting young people, consider adding subscription models or premium features.

Enhance user engagement by personalizing their experience and incorporating trusted, popular revenue gateways with multiple payment options.

Ensure platform efficiency by selecting the right functionalities for seamless operation.

Summing Up, 

Want success and simple business? Going with a real estate classifieds script will be a great start. 

It is a timely solution, less cost-effective, and customisable like scratch app development, with many other advantages to mention. 

Want to find all the beneficial elements, and know the cost-effectiveness and more? My blogs can explain it better. Catch more information in my profile. 

[leadaccelerationplatform]

Revolutionizing Expired Listing Strategies: Convolo AI Inc's Dynamic Scripts

In the realm of real estate, expired listings present both challenges and opportunities. Convolo AI Inc, a leader in innovative communication solutions, offers advanced scripts tailored specifically for expired listing scenarios. With Convolo's cutting-edge AI-powered technology and intuitive platform, real estate agents can optimize their communication strategies, re-engage expired listings, and facilitate successful transactions with unprecedented efficiency.

Convolo AI Inc's expired listing scripts are meticulously crafted to address the unique needs and challenges faced by real estate professionals when dealing with expired listings. Whether it's reaching out to expired listings promptly, nurturing relationships, or persuading homeowners to relist their properties, Convolo's scripts provide agents with a comprehensive toolkit to navigate the complexities of expired listings with confidence and ease.

One of the standout features of Convolo's expired listing scripts is their dynamic nature. Leveraging advanced AI algorithms, Convolo's platform tailors scripts in real-time based on the specific needs and preferences of homeowners. This personalized approach ensures that agents can effectively engage with expired listings, address their concerns, and offer compelling solutions that resonate with their individual circumstances.

Moreover, Convolo AI Inc's expired listing platform offers real-time analytics and insights, empowering agents to track the effectiveness of their scripts, identify trends, and make data-driven decisions. From monitoring response rates to analyzing conversion metrics, Convolo provides valuable visibility into the performance of expired listing campaigns, enabling agents to continuously refine and optimize their approach.

In today's competitive real estate market, effective communication is crucial for success. Convolo AI Inc understands the importance of timely and persuasive communication when dealing with expired listings, and its dynamic scripts are designed to facilitate meaningful interactions that drive results. Whether it's following up with expired listings promptly, addressing objections, or presenting compelling value propositions, Convolo empowers real estate professionals to elevate their expired listing strategies and achieve unparalleled success in their transactions.

In conclusion, Convolo AI Inc's dynamic expired listing scripts are a game-changer for real estate professionals seeking to maximize their efficiency and effectiveness in re-engaging expired listings. By harnessing the power of AI technology and personalized communication, Convolo enables agents to navigate the challenges of expired listings with confidence, ultimately driving growth and success in their business. Experience the future of expired listing strategies with Convolo AI Inc.

[non-operator]

okay... let me start off with "I'm sorry" because I lied and I'm bored, gave H*llavu B*ss a go because my feed is full of it and HH now and I have no impulse control and I also can't leave things unfinished. And HB is free on youtube; I can technically pirate hh but I don't want to be in that much effort for that...

And like, I think it's the same as I feel about that one song from HH. It's not that great, though I guess I can see why people like it? But in a "I don't think you people ever moved past deviant art era plot and art". Which, to be nice, isn't bad by itself but objectively speaking, there is better media and stories out there. All in all, I'm giving it a 2.5/10; I think the best way to summarize HB is that it's a show made for people who were already in love with it before watching it, not a show that tries to win over its audience.

Plot

It is episodic, so I will admit that plot isn't that big of a factor in the series. But I will say that it loses sight of its premise pretty fast. Like, it's advertised and set up as a "wacky hijinks in a found family assassination business", but after the first few episodes or so, it stops showing them doing work/killing people and how they go about that, and focuses more on what happens around or outside of work. For example, ep 6 and 7 just doesn't even show them working and skips straight to the aftermath and what they're going to do after work. The Spring Break episode does show them working, but it glosses over it; IMP is more like a plot device than a premise. Ep 2 straight up has them doing other stuff (aka bodyguarding, something that is explicitly said to be not a service IMP offers). Fuck it, even the Harvest Moon Festival ep is not work-related. For a show that is supposedly centered on IMP and the main cast killing humans on behalf of sinners with a grudge, it doesn't actually interact or play with that concept. And I think it basically drops completely out of focus in Season 2.

And like, I can understand if the show wants to make it more about character dynamics than the business, but the pilot (and ep 1 kind of) promises to explore that *through* IMP work. And that leads into the next big problem with HB

Character

I feel like everyone except Blitzo is underdeveloped, especially the women in the show. We get a lot of insight into Blitzo's motivations and emotional baggage and how he copes with that in unhealthy and asshole-y ways. But literally everyone else is kind of thrown under the bus unless it's relevant to Blitzo. The only character that kind of escapes this treatment (but not wholly) is Moxxie.

But Millie is only defined by how she's Moxxie's wife, and basically nothing else. Loona-- does have some more characterization than Millie, but her biggest-- and basically only-- role in the show is being Blitzo's difficult adopted daughter; her character arc about idk getting more in-touch with her feelings and being more expressive is centered around how she feels about Blitzo. And then the side characters: Octavia and Stella. Octavia is also about being a daughter to her father, and that's kind of it! Even though she's struggling with her parents' (incoming) divorce, she's only shown to be interacting/having an emotional connection with Stolas; Stella is never in the picture. Stella is-- just a major bitch, and that's it. That's all she has to her character.

But Octavia and Stella are side characters, so I can accept them having pretty flat personalities, but Millie and Loona? Those two are part of the main fucking cast. How are they being sidelined this hard??

I think a lot of the show revolves around Blitzo, so if the characters don't matter to him or don't bounce off well with him, they kind of get shafted by the writing. Like Millie. She is just generally so easygoing with Blitzo's antics that there's nothing for Blitzo to really react to there, so she's just essentially a background character.

Speaking of, almost all the characters and relationships are kind of built to parallel Blitzo and Stolitz (we'll get to this ship in a minute). Like, Moxxie is supposed to be a nice foil to Blitzo because they're both afraid of rejection, but they deal with that in opposite ways; Moxxie is polite, professional, no backbone because he doesn't want confrontation lest it lead to rejection whereas Blitzo is crass and a dick about everything so he can push people away before they reject/hurt him. And they both want to be loved, but Moxxie has a healthy relationship with Millie whereas Blitzo has no such thing in his life, so another contrast. And also daddy issues.

This is okay on its own. It makes a compelling dynamic between Blitzo as a boss and friend to Moxxie.

But then they do this for almost every character?? Loona (basically) has daddy issues and can't express herself that well because she's under-socialized and Trauma, Octavia is a daddy's girl and is too emo to communicate her feelings, Stolas has daddy issues and also communication issues, Fizzarolli has daddy issues (when he doesn't need to???)

And then there's the fact that it feels like the other relationships we see are supposed to work as parallels/foils to Stolitz as well? Moxxie and Millie and happy and healthy and committed, unlike Stolitz. Fizz and Asmodeus manage to work around that class disparity/power imbalance because they can communicate with each other, unlike Stoliz. They kind of just function as a "this is what Stolitz could be if they got over themselves and talked"

And generational trauma and the desire to be loved can be a major and shared theme, but there should at least be nuance between each representation of it?? These are literally all the same in that it boils down to "I don't know how to ask for proper intimacy".

Ships

There's only one main ship and it's Stolitz, and... I find it compelling?? But it's just not executed well enough. They just rush through the development, so when the show actually reveals that there's mutual attraction, it just feels like it comes out of nowhere and the audience has to do a lot of the legwork to figure out what the fuck happened from point a to point b.

It's also like, it steals a lot of attention from other aspects of the show. I feel like a lot of Season 2 episodes kind of focuses more on that relationship in favor of other characters who need screen time and development (like Millie)

I could give a really long analysis on Stolitz, but I'm just going to say that the problem kind of just boils down to the show doesn't sell that they actually feel genuine affection for each other. I can see them projecting their own emotional baggage onto the other and using each other, but there's no transition from the transactional relationship they have in the beginning to liking each other as people. In fact, I don't think they even know each other outside of sex and work. Which is bad. Because I can buy them fucking up communicating their wants and thus settling for fucking each other for "professional" reasons, but if the show really wants to sell this ship, there has to be something genuine between them that draws them to each other.

Which is to say, Stolitz is a ship for people who already love and want the ship, not for people who are just There. As in, the show seems to make the assumption that the audience wants this ship to happen and that the ship will happen, so they don't really take the time to establish a solid foundation and growth arc for it. It just feels like big emotional or romantic moments without the actual necessary context to make it work. Which is just a problem for the general show.

Pacing

It's bad. It's so bad. I can understand leaving arcs unresolved for a bit so that there's suspense or whatever, but they keep adding more arcs and problems while leaving unfinished plotlines unfinished. Only to then resolve it super quickly. Like ??????? It's all so cramped and rushed-- but then they sometimes slow it down in the worst way possible in that it just kind of ignores previous developments for a one-off episode or something (like S2 Ep 2 where they just ignore the Stolitz drama for wacky adventure in the human world and Stolas and Blitzo are just acting like nothing wrong happened). (And I Know! I know they showed details in the background that explain that this happens because both of them are ignoring the problem, but even so, they shouldn't be acting so casual with each other; it should be made more clear that they're both still uncomfortable but *acting*) (and something that changes the relationship should be shown to the audience clearly? Not just put in as "blink and you'll miss it" text messages??)

And sometimes this rushed pacing leads to info-dumps or telling, not showing. Like with Stolas' focus episode where we learn his backstory. It's not super bad, but it weakens the impact of big plot moments; we just hear Stolas saying he endured his loveless marriage for his daughter, but we. never really see that...? The times he's with her when she's a child doesn't count because Stella's not a picture in that. The one time we kind of see something related to this statement is when Stella's kind of being loud in the kitchen and he checks in on her sleeping peacefully, but like. That's not really and example of him enduring Stella's temper and insults for Octavia's sake. He hasn't even seen Stella at all before he drops by Octavia's room. The next time is when Stella is throwing an imp at him in the kitchen and Stolas is trying to be... nice? reasonable? But at this point, I think it's clear to Octavia that her parents don't love each other. And even then, we never really see him paying attention to her or expressing concern about what Octavia might think or feel during the fight, or trying to reassure her that this is just a normal spat between married couples afterwards as damage control. We can just take his word for it, but it's just not as powerful. I'd say the same goes for when we learn about Moxxie and his father/traumatic childhood. Would've been great to see how he struggles with that specifically or had more clues to that before we see him completely resolve to stand up to his father.

It just feels like the show itself expects the audience to be completely in love with it, so it doesn't really bother to develop its world or characters until Big Emotional Moments and at that point, it just gives the necessary context to pull it off real fast, so everything just feels so... compact and dense and not very natural. It's not trying to sell itself to a new audience, it's catering to an audience that's been supporting them since the pilot.

[oyelabstech]

Rental Tech 101 - Crafting Your Own Airbnb Clone

Introduction

Dive into the thriving landscape of the rental tech industry, where innovation shapes the future of property solutions. This guide introduces the concept of developing an Airbnb clone, a venture with immense potential to cater to the evolving needs of property owners and renters. In a realm driven by unique experiences and seamless transactions, crafting a platform that stands out becomes paramount. As we embark on this journey, recognize the significance of bringing forth a unique and innovative Airbnb clone, poised to make a mark in the competitive rental tech arena.

Understanding the Airbnb Model

In delving into the Airbnb model, it's crucial to dissect the features that have propelled its remarkable success. Airbnb's triumph lies in its user-friendly platform, allowing property owners to list unique spaces and travellers to discover diverse accommodations worldwide. The platform thrives on its visually appealing listings, rich with high-quality visuals and detailed property information. 

The target audience spans a broad spectrum, from budget-conscious travellers seeking unique experiences to property owners eager to monetize their spaces. Airbnb's key differentiators include its review and rating system, fostering trust within the community, and its commitment to personalized, local experiences. As we embark on crafting an Airbnb clone, understanding these features becomes the cornerstone for creating a platform that resonates with both property owners and renters, offering a seamless and enriching experience for all users.

Market Research and Planning

In the dynamic realm of rental tech, meticulous market research and planning are pivotal. Begin by identifying a niche, understanding specific user needs, and conducting a thorough competitor analysis. Formulate a comprehensive business plan, outlining your platform's unique value proposition, revenue streams, and growth strategies. Tailor the Airbnb model to local markets, considering cultural nuances, legal frameworks, and user preferences. This strategic adaptation ensures relevance and resonance in diverse regions, laying the groundwork for a successful launch and sustained growth in the competitive landscape of the rental tech industry.

Platform Development

Crafting a successful Airbnb clone hinges on thoughtful platform development. Begin by choosing the right technology stack, ensuring scalability, security, and efficiency. Develop user-friendly interfaces tailored to both property owners and renters, prioritizing seamless navigation and intuitive design. Implement robust search and filtering functionalities to enhance user experience, allowing swift property discovery based on location, amenities, and preferences. This phase is the backbone of your venture, shaping user interactions and laying the groundwork for a platform that seamlessly connects property owners with eager renters, creating a harmonious and efficient rental ecosystem.

Essential Features for Success

The success of your Airbnb clone rests on incorporating essential features that elevate user experience. Ensure detailed property listings are enriched with high-quality visuals, offering potential renters a vivid preview of their accommodations. Implement a robust user review and rating system, fostering trust and transparency within your community. Prioritize secure payment gateways and transaction tracking, guaranteeing seamless financial transactions while enhancing the overall safety of the platform. These features collectively contribute to creating a dynamic and trustworthy rental ecosystem, where users can confidently engage, explore, and transact, fostering long-term success and user satisfaction.

Legal Considerations

Navigate the rental tech landscape responsibly by prioritizing legal considerations. Ensure strict compliance with local rental laws and regulations, safeguarding both property owners and renters. Draft comprehensive user agreements and terms of service, outlining the rules and responsibilities for all users on your platform. Prioritize data privacy and security measures, adhering to international standards to protect user information. These legal safeguards not only establish trust but also shield your Airbnb clone from potential legal challenges, ensuring a secure and compliant environment for users to engage in seamless property transactions.

Testing and Quality Assurance

Prioritize the success of your Airbnb clone by conducting thorough testing and quality assurance processes. Rigorous testing ensures optimal platform performance and reliability, identifying and rectifying potential glitches. Actively gather user feedback to understand their experiences and expectations, incorporating valuable insights for continuous improvements. The ultimate goal is to guarantee a seamless user experience, from property listing to transaction completion, fostering user satisfaction and loyalty. This commitment to quality assurance establishes your platform as a trustworthy and reliable space for property owners and renters alike, ensuring sustained success in the competitive rental tech landscape.

Pre-launch Marketing

Set the stage for your Airbnb clone's success by strategically approaching pre-launch marketing. Create anticipation with captivating social media teasers, providing glimpses of the unique features and advantages your platform offers. Engage potential users through targeted marketing campaigns, highlighting the value proposition and benefits of joining your rental community. Build an email subscriber list, cultivating a community of interested users eagerly awaiting your platform's launch. This pre-launch marketing strategy not only generates excitement but also establishes an initial user base, laying a solid foundation for a successful entry into the competitive rental tech market.

Launch Day

Embark on a successful journey with a compelling launch day strategy for your Airbnb clone. Craft a resonant launch message, clearly articulating the platform's vision and benefits. Entice users with exclusive promotions or incentives, encouraging immediate engagement. Vigilantly monitor platform performance on launch day, swiftly addressing any issues to ensure a smooth user experience. This proactive approach not only captivates your audience from the start but also lays the groundwork for sustained interest and growth in the competitive rental tech landscape. Make your launch memorable and impactful, leaving a lasting impression on your users.

Post-launch Strategies

Elevate your Airbnb clone's success with strategic post-launch initiatives. Maintain momentum through continuous marketing efforts and targeted user acquisition strategies, expanding your platform's reach. Gather and analyze user data meticulously to discern usage patterns and preferences, informing data-driven improvements. Implement user feedback promptly, ensuring ongoing enhancements that align with user expectations. These post-launch strategies foster sustained growth, user satisfaction, and platform relevance, solidifying your position in the competitive rental tech market as a dynamic and responsive solution for property owners and renters alike.

Scaling and Growth

Position your Airbnb clone for long-term success by prioritizing scaling and growth strategies. Evaluate platform scalability meticulously, ensuring seamless functionality as user numbers increase. Explore partnerships and collaborations to expand your platform's reach and offerings, tapping into new markets. Stay responsive to user needs by continuously expanding services or introducing features that enhance the overall user experience. These proactive measures not only accommodate growing user bases but also position your platform as a dynamic and evolving player in the competitive rental tech landscape, fostering sustained growth and relevance.

Why Choose OyeLabs for Your Airbnb Clone

Elevate your rental tech venture with OyeLabs, a beacon of expertise and innovation. Benefit from tailored solutions meticulously crafted to meet your unique requirements, ensuring a seamless and efficient Airbnb clone. OyeLabs stands as a symbol of reliability, providing robust and scalable solutions that stand the test of time. Experience end-to-end support throughout your journey, from inception to continuous growth, making OyeLabs the ideal partner for entrepreneurs venturing into the competitive rental tech landscape. Choose OyeLabs for a transformative and successful journey in crafting your own Airbnb clone.

Conclusion

In the culmination of this journey, reflect on the key steps essential for a successful Airbnb clone launch. Embrace the spirit of entrepreneurship and venture into the dynamic realm of rental tech. Aspiring entrepreneurs are encouraged to seize the opportunity and contribute to reshaping the rental landscape. Innovation stands as the cornerstone, paving the way for transformative solutions. With a recapitulation of pivotal steps, this conclusion marks not just an end but the beginning of a journey where innovation and determination converge to redefine the future of rental technology. Embark on this transformative path and be the catalyst for change in the rental tech space.

[scriptzol]

Top Real Estate Property Management Script - Scriptzol

Become a leading real estate online marketplace with Repzol. Our Real Estate & Property Management script is the best choice to create a real estate portal because of its compatible features such as responsive design, advanced search options, map searches and navigation, selling residential and commercial properties, and best of all. 

Why Choose Repzol

Free Server Installation

Bug Free Code

Free Technical support

100% Customizable

Free Support

Years In This Field

Lifetime Free Update

Highly Secure & Scalable Products

Hussle-Free User Experience

Latest Technologies

Visit Our Real Estate Property Management Script - https://www.scriptzol.com/property-management-script

[colleendoran]

A Few Answers to a Lot of Questions

1: The art you see here is not the cover art.

2: I am adapting the book, not the show.

3: No, the characters will not look the way they look in the show.

4: The characters in the book generally don't look like the characters in the show.

5: I can't use the likenesses of real people. Who do not look like the characters in the book, anyway.

6: Crowley does not have red hair in the book. So he doesn't have red hair in the graphic novel.

7: Crowley in the book is only supposed to look about 24 years old. Aziraphale is only supposed to look about 30.

8: Everything I do goes through Neil and the Pratchett Estate.

9: I love the show as much as you do, but it's not the book.

10: I love the book as much as you do, but it's not the show.

11: Yes, I wrote the script and am doing all the art. I am as faithful to the source material as possible.

12: Yes, it's a lot of work.

13: Signing up at this link gives you notice when the Kickstarter goes live.

14: Publishing via Kickstarter enables the creators to maintain complete control of the work.

15: I hope you enjoy the graphic novel. I'm not going to talk about it too much because I need my energy for work.

Have a great day.

[nevisiity]

FAMA (408)

Fama Definition: Fama(408) means to be popular or well known, having reputation FAME!!! Personal interpretations of Fama in the houses below!! Please let me know if you relate or care to share anything else! Thx for reading <3 post 1/4 

.　 . • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆FAMA IN 1ST HOUSE. . • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆ The 1st house is LITERALLY the house of your physical body, how you look, how you are seen by the general public, self image surface level identity. Approach to life, this can also represent early childhood. So, In my own personal interp of this sign I have concluded that girl… YOU ARE THE MAIN CHARACTER. Like BIG star energy, You might have been popular in childhood, if not then you have no problem getting attention. It may come to you naturally, even if you don’t want it…you have it.. And here they come “I never get attention 🥺” PUT. YOURSELF. OUT. THERE. Cause you got it! Don’t be afraid to flaunt it ;) This also reads to me as a natural star, actors, musicians, artists even just big personalities. 

.　 . • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆FAMA IN 2ND HOUSE. . • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆ The 2nd house relates to personal finances, money, mula, green. It also reminds me of the earth…”natural energy” mother nature. Anything green. The second house also contains personal possessions(jewels, cars, houses, etc) and emotions. Fama in the second house gives off “that girl”(IFYKYK) vibes. Natural earthy beauty. Maybe you prefer less makeup and may get complimented more because of that. But a way you can achieve fame is through hard work, getting money and showing off jewels. Showing off cars. Flaunting your wealth may not be a bad thing after all…Kind of Glamorous if you ask me. If I had this placement I would adorn myself in jewels…try a more natural style, you are beautiful just the way you are…enjoy getting that attention.

.　 . • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆FAMA IN 3RD HOUSE. . • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆ The 3rd house is COMMUNICATION. Writing, speaking, conversing, editing, and translation. Perhaps you are excellent at communicating, Your voice is most likely really nice. Fama here to me indicates a good songwriter…maybe even a poet. You could probably write a nice script as well. Fluency in languages. You can get famous for these skills. Maybe you can even sing! Wouldn’t  surprise me :) Go on and let your voice shine then! 🌟Let your writing speak…you never know who could be listening! If you have this placement and want to write a book..write and publish poetry, music, any of that. Do everyone a favor and WRITE IT or SPEAK IT!! Your words are your superpower. 

.　 . • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆FAMA IN 4TH HOUSE. . • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆ The 4th house represents family, roots, old age but also physical structures, our homes (houses, real estate). Fama in the 4th house could mean your whole family is popular or well known where you live, especially if it's in a smaller place. Maybe some of you could get famous from where you come from… how you grew up, childhood, etc. This could also mean a family business that could get you fame or recognition. Reminds me of Tabitha Brown and her daughter (Tik Tok). Or you could get famous later in life. Maybe you could create a future of fame for your family. Maybe you could be a famous interior designer as well. 

.　 . • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆FAMA IN 5TH HOUSE. . • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆ The 5th house rules creativity,(The house of PLEASURE)  hobbies. something you enjoy doing! This can be anything from painting, music, sketching, tattooing, crocheting, any-damn-thing!!  Your hobbies are where you shine. If it puts a smile on your face and a fire in your belly DO IT!! And post it on social media! I didn’t want to mention zodiac signs yet but hun…this is the house of leo…and what is leo known for?? BEING SEEN!!The sun shines bright and you can’t miss it…The attention-getter of all the signs. Just remember to post it online! Especially if you are passionate about it. This is really the all encompassing house. Fama SHINES here. It takes a little work, but not too much..enjoy what  you are doing first though. To add, if you enjoy working with kids, want to start a business having to do with children you are sure to succeed. You could really just do your own thing and shine though.

.　 . • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆FAMA IN 6TH HOUSE. . • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆The 6th house represents health, wellness, daily routines and odd jobs. Now FAMA in the 6th house reads to me as a health influencer, Your daily routine will help you shine. Maybe you pretend to have a youtube channel in the mirror, showing your routine. Whether that be skincare, a day in my life, makeup tutorial. Maybe some of you are gym-bros or are really into fitness, maybe you will have a famous social media based on fitness, or healthier meals. You may even be into clean beauty, no real leather, vegan, etc. Your health is your strong suit and maybe people even ask you what they can do to be healthier. Maybe you are more on the fit side and people inquire about this too. You could be really well known personal trainer! Or chef 🧑‍🍳 Reminds me of famous chefs Gordon ramsey and Raechel Ray. 

.　 . • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆FAMA IN 7TH HOUSE.. • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆ The 7th house represents partnerships, beauty, fairness, legalities and even enemies!! If you have FAMA here, You could be a very famous model one day!! Probably very beautiful, whether that's unique or conventional. Besides physical beauty, I feel this also relates to art. I feel we have some amazing artists here. You could also be a great judge, family or relationship type therapist. Just anything ruling beauty and fairness. Maybe you are even a muse for some people. They want to paint you, write about you, etc…this can bring you fame. Famous fashion designer as well, beauty influencer, jewelry maker, etc! 

.　 . • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆FAMA IN 8TH HOUSE. . • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆ The 8th house represents taboos, death, debt, other people's resources, sex. I read that it can also rule over legacies and wills! FAMA in the 8th house means you would get very famous doing astrology, tarot, spiritual guidance. Some of you may even be witches and could get popular doing that. Some of you may be into sex work….could get very famous that way! Whether that's stripping, only fans, DOMINATRIX. May be a good accountant or personal financer (idk what the profession would be called sorry).  Some good tarot accounts to look into if you’re interested would be (kino tarot, firefly tarot, lexi the leo, The gem goddess) You remind me of them a bit…

.　 . • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆FAMA IN 9TH HOUSE. . • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆The 9th house rules over philosophy, religion, higher education, I also feel good careers for this asteroid in 9th are psychics, export/import business. Just a search for the truth. You could be a very popular philosopher, this reminds me of all the greek philosophers (socrates, plato, apollodorus of athens, aristotle) Religion! You could get very famous being some type of pastor or spiritual guru. Maybe a very famous, sought after teacher. You could be a travel influencer. Love to learn about different cultures and could get very famous doing that. Very smart people here and that is your starshine. 

.　 . • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆FAMA IN 10TH HOUSE. . • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆ The 10th house is at the peak of your birth chart, it rules over professional career image, Public image, business relations and career achievements. I feel you could be a very famous business man/woman. You could even own a company one day!! Giving boss energy. The 10th house also rules over positions of power/authority. FAMA here could mean you even start your own business from square 1! From nothing! CEO’s with this placement. Directors, photographers, superintendent, managers. ALL things BOSS. Maybe even popular overseas due to business relations, lavish lifestyle because of riches here. Could be very popular for work ethic. 

.　 . • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆FAMA IN 11TH HOUSE. . • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆ The 11th house rules over The friendship of the collective, social media, friendships and groups, and HOPE. as well as idealism. FAMA in this house can indicate big social media fame. You just shine on social media. Like I said with the first house. PUT YOURSELF OUT THERE. Giving alien vibes. Reminds me of the theme of Beyonce's latest “renaissance”. Very modern, maybe even futuristic, Reminds me of fit checks I see on my TL and they have thousands of views. Maybe you yourself represent things people can’t understand, maybe with the way you present yourself. You def keep up on all the trends and memes. Maybe you could get very famous with a commentary type channel, expressing your opinions especially on pop culture. 

.　 . • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆FAMA IN 12TH HOUSE. . • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆ The 12th house rules over dreams, rest, BIG SPIRITUALITY, traumas, addictions, all that is below the surface.  FAMA here I think is very beneficial for people who want to speak about things that happened to them. Best spiritual gurus, psychics. You could CHANGE LIVES with this FAMA placement.Reminds me of FKA twigs song “Cellophane”. Most of you here could write a novel about things that happened to you. Or how you connect with god(s), spirit, whatever you believe in. You are magical, like a crystal ball.  Also may be gifted with clairaudience, channeling, mediumship, etc. Maybe you could see dead people/talk with them. You are stardust ☄️

Thank you for reading!! FAMA in the signs is next. Stay tuned <3

[exeggcute]

interesting links roundup #2

reading

America’s dairy farms are disappearing

The Canary (forgive me for sharing a michael lewis wapo piece but it's about mineshaft engineering safety which is super neat I promise!!!)

‘The data on extreme human ageing is rotten from the inside out’

Diving lizard’s built-in ‘scuba tank’ allows it to breathe underwater

The Empathy Punishment

The Final Penalty

Gold Treasure Worth a Fortune Was Just Hidden in a Forest. The Hunt Starts Now

How a Scientific Dispute Spiralled Into a Defamation Lawsuit

How to succeed in MrBeast production

How Weed Strains Get Their (Amusing, Provocative, Downright Wacky) Names

Human cases of raccoon parasite may be your best excuse to buy a flamethrower

I sell onions on the Internet

Jawbreakers

Man Called Fran

Moral progress is annoying

The optimal amount of fraud is non-zero

Planet of Person Guys

Real-Estate Shopping for the Apocalypse

Some Notes on Attunement

U.S. overdose deaths plummet, saving thousands of lives

Why Is It So Hard to Go Back to the Moon?

Why We’re Turning Psychiatric Labels Into Identities

You are not a commercial for yourself

tools/reference

archive.is (this is the paywall remover I've been running all the paywalled links through (you're welcome) and pairs nicely with the news aggregators below)

Microsoft Activation Scripts

Radio Garden

Tom Paine Today and The Brutalist Report (both of these are news aggregators that let you quickly see what's in the headlines and how different outlets are reporting on it, although the latter is a bit more tech-focused)

Unclaimed Baggage

other

Observations - Journey (YouTube)

Shouting in the Datacenter (YouTube)

This American Life #839: Meet Me at the Fair

[birdmenmanga]

no I know exactly what you're talking about. I think one of the big reasons that kekkaishi stuck out to me so much when I was reading it in middle school was that... the characters were asian... and actually LOOKED asian. like yeah it's manga and super stylized and abstract most of the time that things like race aren't even getting conveyed at all because you just know from context that the characters are asian but it just struck me so much that someone out there thought the flat profile with the rounded nose and features was worth depicting with such care and consistency, and on a main character no less (gen also has this kind of profile, and tokine to some degree as well)

I think you're quite accurate in saying that it's an early Tanabe thing too, because like... how do I say this. her early oneshots, especially the ones leaning into the horror genre, and has these almost off-puttingly realistic proportions.

proto yoshimori... you are so realistic.

I think it's obvious that she drew from life quite a lot in her early times... these are not features that art school busts have, if you catch my drift. even though kekkaishi is already far more stylized than, say, the kekkaishi one-shot, I do think this specific profile is one of the holdovers from that early era of art, and it got lost somewhere between the end of kekkaishi and whenever shuumatu happened. nearly none of that remains in birdmen, and even though kaihen is also having this heavy oriental vibe we don't really see it in the same way there either which makes me a little sad </3

I feel like this is the profile you're talking about! left is from LOST PRINCESS and right is from F is for Fake! if I had to guess, I'd say lost princess came before the kekkaishi one-shot, and f is for fake was probably drawn some time during the serialization of kekkaishi, based solely on the artstyle.

anyways I'm sorry for this info dump I just. also feel strongly about this topic lol

sometimes I'll be reading ashihara hinako and she'll hit me with this early-ish tanabe-esque profile view like

I say early-ish and tanabe-esque bc it reminds me of kekkaishi more than anything. I doubt this is a signature thing for her, realistically, but for me it is. I remember watching the kekkaishi anime on Netflix (the original audio wasn't available, so I had to watch the English dub lmao), and I thought this kind of profile was weird and I didn't like it much. now I love it. I really love it

and now idk . I'm overwhelmed. I'm so glad tanabe sensei is still alive and creating art. I'm so upset ashihara sensei took her own life. I love them both so much.

[yurunivo]

Sypnosis: In which, you are a writer and your husband is a serial killer (but you don't know that)

TW: english is not my first language, very basic plot

Characters: Yandere Ayato x reader

Huh.

Just then, the door to your office opened as a maid came inside, telling you that Ayato had come back from his commission. Nodding your head, you took your papers in your hands, preparing to go to his room. Your maid offered to carry them, but you took it yourself, insisting that you don't need help. Walking to his room in the large estate, you ran into his sister, giving polite greetings before walking away.

It was raining.

You looked out the window of the Kamisato estate, the raindrops covering the window with the glum atmosphere outside. Taking inspiration from the cloudy, moody aesthetic, you thought of a new thing to write, your writers block finally coming to an end. Taking the pen and paper in hand, you write deliberate strokes, taking time to make sure your characters don't act out of place.

Opening the door, you placed your notes on a table. Hearing his lively sister say greetings signalled you well enough that he was nearby. You walked over to his bed and sat on it, the plush of it sinking from your weight. Ayato opened the door, his nonchalant expression turning into a smile as he greeted you.

"Welcome home, Ayato," you said, his frame appearing closer as he lovingly kissed your forehead. You smiled at the action, your hand stroking his hair as you pulled him in for a real kiss. He cupped your face and held your back, pulling you slightly deeper before pulling away with sighs and giggles. Your marriage was arranged and you two have been together for years but that never stopped him from being loving and oh so gentle. You kissed his mole and laughed softly at his shiver.

He sat on the bed as he asked you about your day, to which you just gave a few remarks here and there. It was calm conversation with him, something that you enjoyed a lot. He stared at you so lovingly, causing you to be bashful of your words.

"How has your book been darling? I enjoyed your other ones but you seem to be taking longer than what you usually do," he asked, his face showing slight concern.

"Ah, it's just writers block, and i wanted to try a new style but it's so different from my older ones that I am having a hard time writing," you rambled on and on as he held on your every word.

"Could you perhaps review it for me? I need constructive criticism," you asked, eyes glinting with hope as you looked at your husband. He smiled as he pushed your hair out of your face and tucked it behind your ear.

"Mm, maybe tomorrow? I just want to be with you without any mindless work," he hummed, holding your waist and making you lie down on the huge bed. You sighed contently as he rubbed circles on your back.

He chuckled as he heard your soft snores a couple minutes later. He got up from the bed and placed you at a more comfortable position, placing a blanket on top of you and a pillow beside you so you won't wake up.

He looked at the stacks of paper on the table next to the door, figuring to take a look. He walked over and read your draft, eerily smiling to himself as he sighed dreamily at the paper. He felt so happy holding something that you had touched, it made him feel shivers down his spine!

He couldn't help but memorize your entire script, holding it so delicately and praising your work. His eyes wandered over a murder scene, seeing the scribble marks with unsure sentences. He hummed as he left the paper be, taking a 'stroll' outside.

"Pl-please, I'll do anything! P-please sto-" Oops! He killed him, the crimson blood everywhere on the concrete ground. Feeling proud of himself, he walked away from the grim sight, making sure to not get any blood on his clothes. It felt great killing again, especially for his darling little wife! The killing tactic that you wrote in your book worked, he was so glad!

He walked away from the alley, soundlessly walking back to the estate. It was around one, so everyone was likely asleep. He quietly went back into your chambers through a short cut so as to not wake you up.

Changing to his robe, he pushed the pillow out of the way, grinning to himself as he snuggled into bed with you, until eventually, he fell asleep.

The following morning, you woke up, feeling strong arms on your waist. You tried to move around, only to be met with a groan. You gasped as you got pulled into Ayato's embrace, a blush creeping up on your face.

"Ayato, you have work today, can you get up?" You whispered quiet enough to not disturb him too much.

"Mmh, I took the day off, so no," he mumbled. You had a stupefied look on your face as he responded.

'Am I imagining things?' You considered. 'I'm probably imagining things, I just woke up after all,' you sighed.

You sighed. You smelt a bit of blood. Confused, you thought to yourself, 'Am I on my cycle?' You looked down your blanket, only to see nothing.

A few minutes of not being able to move from his grasp later, he finally let you go to let the both of you start your day. It was a really mundane morning, but it was a lot better than waking up with a cold bedroom.

After breakfast, you and Ayato spent some quality time together. You talked about your book, handing him your script for him to read. He pretended to read it for the first time, giving advice and just being happy to help his wife ♡

First time writing a yandere fic! How did I do? >⋁<

[businessadvisorrobert]

Top Classified Scripts to Start an Online Classified Business in the USA

The United States, a nation known for its entrepreneurial spirit and diverse communities, thrives on commerce. This drive to connect buyers and sellers fuels a market that has always embraced classifieds - from the early days of newspaper ads to today’s online platforms. 

The demand for classified websites in the US continues to thrive. According to reports, 230.4 million American people will use online classifieds in 2024. Furthermore, the US classified market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 0.29% from 2024 to 2028. This indicates sustained growth and opportunity in this sector. 

If you’re looking to capitalize on this trend, developing a classified app can be a perfect choice. However, to build a successful online classified marketplace in the US, you need a solid foundation. 

This blog explores the top classified scripts to help you build your thriving online classified Script marketplace in the USA. Let’s delve in!

1. Letgo Clone

Letgo is a popular online marketplace app that allows users to buy and sell a wide variety of products locally. A Letgo clone script is a pre-built software solution that replicates the core features and functionalities of Letgo. If you’re looking to target a younger demographic interested in buying and selling trendy, used items, a Letgo clone script might be a good option. 

The Letgo clone script typically comes with features such as:

User registration and authentication

Easy ad posting with photo uploads

Search and filter options

In-app chat for communication between buyers and sellers

Payment integration

Geolocation features to find items nearby

Social media sharing

Ratings and reviews system

A Letgo clone app can make money through various monetization methods including charging for highlighted listings, offering premium subscription plans, and implementing transaction fees per sale.

2. Shpock Clone

Shpock is another popular European classifieds app that focuses on casual buying and selling. A Shpock clone script would be a good option if you want to target a similar audience in the US. Shpock clone scripts typically offer features like:

Fixed-price listings

In-app chat with emoji support

Integrated shipping options

“Bump” feature to increase ad visibility

Seller verification system for enhanced trust

User ratings and reviews

Revenue generation methods in the Shopck clone app include targeted ads, transaction fees for sales, and offering premium features for a fee.

3. Online Classified Script 

An online classified script is a general-purpose software solution that can be used to create a website or mobile app that allows users to buy and sell various products and services. Online classified scripts can be customized to meet the specific needs of your business and may include features such as:

Multiple listing categories

Location-based search

Advanced search filters

Private Messaging

Payment processing

Ratings and reviews

Starting an online classified business with classified scripts offers various monetization options, including providing premium subscription options, allowing paid promotions for listings, and incorporating banner ads for revenue.

4. Cars Classifieds Script 

A cars classified script is a specialized type of online classified ads script that is designed specifically for buying and selling cars. A cars classifieds script typically includes features such as:

Detailed car listings with photos and specifications

Search filters for make, model, year, price, and other criteria

VIN verification

Loan calculators

Dealer listings

Revenue streams in the car classifieds script include offering dealership subscription packages, charging for featured listing placements, and generating revenue through lead generation.

5. Offerup Clone

Offerup is a popular US online marketplace app that allows users to buy and sell a wide variety of products locally. An Offerup clone script would be a good option if you want to create a platform similar to Offerup in the US. An Offerup clone script typically offers features like:

Easy ad posting with photo uploads

In-app chat for communication between buyers and sellers

Offer and counteroffer functionality

Ratings and reviews system

The Offerup clone app makes money by implementing transaction fees per sale, allowing paid promotions for listings, and offering premium accounts for additional features.

6. Carousell Clone 

Carousell is a popular classifieds app in Southeast Asia that focuses on fashion and lifestyle items. A Carousell clone script allows you to create a platform similar to Carousell and target a fashion-centric audience in the US. Carousell clone scripts typically offer features like: 

Image-heavy listings 

In-app chat 

User profiles and follow functionality 

Integrated shipping options 

"Like" and "Share" listings

The revenue generation strategies in the Carousell clone app include offering paid promotions for listings, implementing transaction fees per sale, and providing premium features to users for a fee.

7. Pets Classified Script 

A pet classified script is a specialized type of online classified script that is designed specifically for buying and selling pets. Pets classified script typically offer features such as: 

Listing templates with specific fields for pets (breed, age, etc.) 

Search filters by pet type, breed, and other criteria 

Integration with pet adoption agencies 

Screening tools for buyers to ensure responsible pet ownership 

Information about pet care and adoption

Pets classified scripts typically generate revenue by charging for featured pet listings and offering subscription packages for breeders. It also generates revenue through partnerships with pet-related businesses.

8. Real Estate Classifieds Script 

A real estate classifieds script is a specialized type of online classified ads marketplace that is designed specifically for buying and selling rental properties or homes. Real estate classifieds script typically include features such as: 

Listings for houses, apartments, condos, and commercial properties 

Search filters for location, price, property type (house, apartment, condo), and number of bedrooms and bathrooms 

Detailed property listings with photos and videos

Virtual tours 

Mortgage calculators

Revenue streams in real estate classifieds scripts include charging for featured property listings, offering subscription plans, and providing lead generation services.

9. OLX Clone Script 

OLX is a popular online classifieds website that is used in many countries around the world. An OLX clone script is designed to create an online classifieds marketplace similar to OLX. The OLX clone script typically includes features such as: 

Support for multiple languages and currencies 

Wide range of categories for buying and selling goods and services 

Integrated shipping and payment options 

Multiple listing categories 

Advanced fraud prevention measures 

Local customer support

The OLX clone app typically generates revenue through various monetization methods. This includes charging for sponsored listings, offering premium subscription plans, and implementing transaction fees for successful sales.

Summing Up

Launching an online classified business in the USA requires the right script to meet market demands and user expectations. 

Whether you're focusing on specific niches like cars, pets, or real estate, or aiming for a comprehensive platform, the above-mentioned scripts offer the essential features to kickstart your venture successfully. 

Consider your business goals, target audience, and budget to choose the script that aligns best with your objectives, and begin your journey to entrepreneurial success in the thriving American online classified market.

[alewritesfics]

Bridging Realities

ℑ𝔙. 𝔅𝔯𝔦𝔡𝔤𝔦𝔫𝔤..... 𝔡𝔢𝔠𝔦𝔰𝔦𝔬𝔫𝔰

Pairing: Anthony Bridgerton x fem!reader

Word count: 4.5k

Warnings: unedited, slow burn, eventual smut/ spicy scenes, some angst but happy ending, playful banter

⏮️                ⏸️                  ⏭️

The morning sun streamed through the windows of the Featherington estate, casting a golden glow over the lively preparations for the day ahead. You were seated at your vanity, Varley fussing over your hair with more vigor than necessary, muttering about how even a race required proper presentation. You nodded absently, your mind far from the conversation—or even the impending event.

You were dressed already, the soft, pastel blue gown fitting you comfortably as you stood and moved toward the window. You still wonder how on earth you got port- mama, to agree to buy new dresses and with different colors this time, although you think it mostly has to do with the arrival of the new featherington lord and how it meant that they no longer needed to worry about money much.

The bustle of the household faded as you leaned against the frame, gazing out at the beautiful house across the street, in which you could swear you see movement in.

It should’ve been a simple day—a moment to enjoy the festivities, the thrill of the race, and the chatter of the crowd. And yet, the weight of your thoughts anchored you in place.

The question swirled relentlessly in your mind. What do you do next?

The story you knew so well—the love story of Kate and Anthony—was already beginning to take shape. You’d seen the tension between them last night, the sharp glances, the lingering stares. You knew the moments that were meant to happen next.

But at what cost? Edwina’s heartbreak? Anthony’s stubbornness that was the whole reason people got hurt in the first place? Was it even your place to intervene? A few days ago you didn’t even exist in this world, so how could you?

Your gaze drifted to the bright sky, searching for clarity. And yet, another thought began to creep in, unbidden but persistent.

What if you didn’t step aside?

What if you let yourself want something—long for someone—for once? Anthony Bridgerton wasn’t just a name on a page, or a face in a show anymore. He was a man, flesh and blood, with flaws and feelings. And you… you weren’t just a bystander that dreamed to be in a love story like his. Not anymore.

Your fingers tightened on the windowsill as your heart warred with itself. To let the story unfold as it always had or to take a leap into the unknown, to risk selfishness for the chance at something real.

And then again, maybe you were meant to change things? Why on earth would the universe transport you into the world you’ve always dreamed of if you weren’t meant to?

“Miss Y/N?” Varley’s voice broke through your reverie, startling you. “The carriage will be ready soon. We mustn’t keep the others waiting.”

You straightened, smoothing the fabric of your gown as you turned back to the room. “Of course, Varley,” you said, your tone steady even as your thoughts churned.

As you left the room, you resolved one thing: Today, at the races, you would make a choice. Whether to follow the script you knew so well or to write a story of your own.

“Why did I have to accompany you?” you asked as you walked behind Penelope as she entered the drawing room of the Bridgerton house

She ignored your words, approaching Eloise from behind “Is that a copy of Lady Whistledown?” Penelope asked

“It is” Eloise answered, putting down the paper

“I thought we were done with her” Penelope said

“Do not discourage her, Penelope” Lady Bridgerton said “If she has taken an interest in Lady Whistledown again, perhaps it means she’s interested in what she has to say about the season’s available gentlemen too” She turned towards her daughter

You chuckled, swallowing down your nerves as you approached her mother “If Eloise has anything to say about it, Lady Bridgerton, then no” You said

“See, even Y/n gets me” Eloise huffed, turning to face Penelope

You smiled, looking at what you hope will be your future mother in law “Lady Bridgerton,” you greeted

She stopped her embroidery, looking up at you with a smile “Y/n, dear, it has been a long time since you’ve visited” Violet said

You blinked before you realized that perhaps you had or well, the past Y/n Featherington had visited the Bridgerton home before with Penelope.

“Yes, it has been” you nodded before sitting on the chair next to her “artist Bridgerton brother,” you greeted Benedict with a smile

He chuckled “still calling me by that, poet Featherington sister?” He teased back

You looked at him lost “Poet?” you said confused

“yeah,” he brought down his sketchbook “Don’t you remember when you recited on and on about the color of Anthony’s hair, his mesmerizing eyes?”

What?

“Oh, yes, I remember that as well” Lady Bridgerton chuckled “It was sweet seeing how enamored you were with Anthony when you were little, of course, it never went far as you were only three and ten years old when you decided you wanted to marry Anthony and he was well off into adulthood”

Your face froze as Lady Beidgerton’s words sank in, your heart skipping a beat. What?! You laughed nervously, trying to mask your shock. “I—well, I suppose teenage girls are prone to fanciful ideas, are they not?”

“Fanciful indeed,” Violet said, smiling warmly. “Though, I must admit, it was endearing. You followed him about during those visits, asking the most peculiar questions about the responsibilities of a viscount. You were so earnest, poor Anthony didn’t know what to do with you!”

Benedict smirked. “Oh, he certainly knew what to do—run off to the study and hide.”

“Benedict!” Violet scolded lightly, though her tone was still amused.

You felt your cheeks heat, and for a moment, you were lost for words. Of course, the past you would have been a lovestruck teenager, completely unaware of what that might mean for your interactions now.

You cleared your throat, your mind racing as you tried to compose yourself. “I assure you, I’ve outgrown such girlish infatuations. Besides, Anthony and I have hardly spoken more than a few words to each other recently.”

“Oh, but that could change,” Violet said, her tone light but laden with meaning. “Anthony needs a steady hand, someone with wit and charm to keep him grounded.”

Benedict leaned back in his chair, raising an eyebrow at you knowingly. “And who better to manage his chaos than someone who once planned her entire future around him?”

You shot him a pointed look, though your lips twitched upward in a small, reluctant smile. “I believe we’re getting far ahead of ourselves.”

“Perhaps,” Violet said with a conspiratorial glint in her eye, “but it’s always nice to see old friends rekindle a connection.”

Your heart thudded in your chest, the weight of their playful remarks mingling with your own uncertainty. You had come here prepared to make a choice, but now it seemed as though fate—or the Bridgertons—was nudging you toward one particular path.

“I believe we were never friends, Lady Bridgerton, it was just a childish infatuation on my part,” you say “I believe Anthony has his eyes set elsewhere right now”

Violet raised an eyebrow at your comment, her expression thoughtful. “Perhaps, but you’d be surprised how easily one’s eyes can be redirected when the right person is in view.”

Benedict chuckled, clearly enjoying the teasing. “Oh, this is far more entertaining than I anticipated. Please, do carry on.”

You rolled your eyes, though your heart was beating faster than ever. “I assure you, Benedict, there is nothing to carry on about. Anthony and I barely speak, and whatever childish notions I had are long gone.”

“C-colin!” you heard Penelope exclaim, You stood up as the rest of the bridgertons embraced the newly arrived Colin, watching with a smile as they greeted him

“And where, may I ask, is our intrepid viscount?” Colin asked looking around his family

“He is-“ Anthony stepped into view as Lady Bridgerton spoke “back from courting already”

“Colin, you are back, even better” Anthony said as he saw Colin “Family, I would like you all to-“ his eyes met yours, making him go silent

“Y/n…” he spoke “i-I did not know you were here”

You couldn’t help but chuckle, Anthony cleared his throat, his eyes leaving yours “i-I would like you all to ready yourselves for the races today, we will be attending united as one” He finished saying to his family

You stayed next to him as his family went off to get ready “I’ll be there in a bit” you say to Pen as she looked at you expecting to leave, she nodded before she left the room

Your eyes flickered back towards Anthony, finding him looking at you, you smirked “You’ll escort me to the races, won’t you?” you say boldly, having decided to not step aside and instead make your own choices.

Anthony’s eyebrows furrowed at your boldness, his usual composed demeanor slipping ever so slightly. He opened his mouth, then closed it again, clearly weighing his response.

For a moment, the silence between you stretched thin, and you could see the flicker of hesitation in his dark eyes. His gaze shifted briefly toward the door, as though calculating his options.

“I… had intended to accompany my family today as a united front,” he said carefully, his voice measured. “There are certain… expectations that must be upheld.”

You raised an eyebrow, a wry smile tugging at your lips. “Expectations?” you repeated. “Anthony, are you saying that escorting me would somehow disrupt your plans?”

His jaw tightened, and he glanced away, his reluctance palpable. “Not disrupt,” he clarified, though the tension in his voice betrayed him. “It’s simply that…” He trailed off, clearly unwilling to elaborate.

Ah. So this was about Edwina. You felt the pieces fall into place with startling clarity. Kate’s refusal to let him court her sister must have spurred Anthony into finding another way to gain the Sharma family’s favor—an approach steeped in duty and strategy, as expected of a viscount.

But you weren’t about to make it easy for him. Especially not after what you had decided and you’d be damned if you were losing without a fight.

“Anthony,” you said, stepping closer so that he couldn’t avoid your gaze. “If your goal is to show yourself as a responsible, family-oriented man, what better way than to escort an old family friend?” You let your tone turn teasing, though your eyes stayed sharp.

His lips pressed into a thin line, and for a moment, you thought he might refuse outright. Then, with a soft sigh, he turned back to you. “You do have a way of making things sound entirely reasonable,” he admitted, though his tone lacked its usual confidence.

You smiled triumphantly, slipping your hand into the crook of his arm. “Then it’s settled,” you said brightly. “We’ll make quite the impression, won’t we?”

He didn’t respond immediately, his gaze flickering briefly toward the door again, as though still calculating his options. But then, he nodded, his movements stiff but resigned. “It would seem so,” he said finally.

As you walked together toward the carriages, you could feel the weight of his hesitation lingering between you. Anthony Bridgerton was a man bound by duty and logic, but there was something else simmering beneath the surface—a conflict he hadn’t yet resolved.

But that was fine. You weren’t looking for perfection. You were looking for an opportunity to remind him that life didn’t always need to be dictated by duty and expectations. If you were rewriting this story, you weren’t afraid to challenge the characters along the way.

Even if one of those characters was the man you’d been dreaming of for years.

You smiled, satisfied with his answer—for now. Today was only the beginning, after all. If you were going to rewrite the story, you intended to do so on your own terms. And Anthony Bridgerton? Well, he would simply have to keep up.

You looked around the field filled with people with a smile, the sound of horses galloping resounding nearby. Your eyes searched for any familiar face nearby but hard to see with so many people around.

You turned back to look at the man beside you, his eyes searching as well. You held back a scoff as you knew why, “Whatever plan you had for today, it would have only ended up hurting people” You stated, looking back at the field.

Anthony turned to look at you, your arm intertwined between his “What do you mean?” he feigned innocence

You looked at him once again “You mean to tell me you didn’t plan on elaborating a grand scheme so the eldest Sharma would leave you alone with Miss Edwina?”

Anthony’s gaze narrowed slightly, though there was no malice in it. “And what, pray tell, do you think I’m planning?”

“Oh, that’s easy,” you said, glancing toward the arriving carriages. “You intend to use today to make a grand show of your family’s unity and charm, all to prove to the Sharmas that you’re the perfect match for Edwina. Am I close?” You didn’t want to mention his plan to get Thomas Dorset to woo Kate.

His silence was answer enough.

You sighed, releasing his arm as you turned to face him fully. “Anthony, I know you mean well, but this… performance? It’s not going to end the way you hope it will.”

He frowned, his jaw tightening. “And why is that?”

“Because you’re not being honest with yourself,” you said simply. “About what you want.”

His expression darkened, though there was a flicker of uncertainty in his eyes. “I am entirely aware of what I want,” he said stiffly.

“Are you?” you challenged, stepping closer. “Because it seems to me you’re more concerned with what you think you should want. There’s a difference, Anthony, and if you don’t figure it out soon, you’re going to hurt a lot of people—including yourself.”

The words hung heavy in the air between you, his gaze locked on yours as if trying to decipher your meaning. For a moment, you thought he might push you away, dismiss you like he did everyone who dared to question him.

But then he sighed, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly. “You make it sound so simple,” he said quietly.

“It’s not,” you admitted, your voice softer now. “But it’s worth it.”

Anthony’s gaze lingered on you, something unspoken passing between you. Then, with a subtle nod, he extended his arm to you once more. “Shall we?”

You smiled, slipping your arm back into his. “Lead the way, Lord Bridgerton.”

As you walked toward the crowd, the weight of your words seemed to settle on him, though he said nothing more. But you could feel it in the way he held himself, in the quiet moments of hesitation that punctuated his otherwise confident demeanor.

“You should let things flow the way they’re supposed to,” you pat his arm “If there are things impeding you to court Miss Edwina…..perhaps you should give up” you say selfishly

Anthony glanced at you, his brows knitting together as he processed your words. “Give up?” he repeated, his tone skeptical. “You would have me surrender so easily?”

You met his gaze steadily, though your heart raced at your boldness. “Not easily, Anthony. But if you’re only pursuing her because you think it’s the right thing to do, rather than what you truly want, then yes. Why waste your time—and hers—on something that isn’t real?”

His jaw tightened, and for a moment, you wondered if you’d pushed too far. But then he sighed, the tension in his features softening ever so slightly. “You speak as though you know my heart better than I do.”

“Perhaps I do,” you said, a faint smile playing on your lips. “Or perhaps I just see things more clearly because I’m not the one caught in the middle of it.”

Anthony didn’t respond immediately, his gaze drifting to the lively crowd ahead of you. The sounds of laughter, conversation, and the occasional cheer for a victorious horse filled the air. You could see his family mingling in the distance, their bright smiles a sharp contrast to the weight of the conversation between you.

“And what about you?” he asked finally, his voice quieter now. “You speak of honesty, yet you remain shrouded in mystery. What is it that you truly want?”

The question caught you off guard, and for a moment, you faltered. How could you explain the tangled web of emotions and desires that had brought you to this point? How could you tell him that you weren’t just another Featherington, but someone who had seen his story unfold in ways he couldn’t possibly understand?

“I…” You hesitated, your gaze dropping to the ground. “I want to live a life that feels real. Not one dictated by expectations or duty, but one where I can make my own choices. Isn’t that what everyone wants?”

Anthony studied you for a moment, his expression unreadable. Then, with a faint smile, he shook his head. “You’re a peculiar woman, Y/N Featherington.”

You laughed softly, the sound tinged with relief. “I’ll take that as a compliment.” You looked at him “Besides…. I’m already fighting for what I want” there was something unreadable in your eyes as you looked at him

Anthony’s smile faltered ever so slightly as your words hung in the air, their weight settling between you like an unspoken challenge. His dark eyes flickered over your face, searching for something—clarity, perhaps, or reassurance—but all he found was a quiet determination that seemed to unnerve him.

“Fighting for what you want?” he repeated, his voice careful, measured. “And what is it, exactly, that you want, Miss Featherington?”

You tilted your head slightly, the faintest hint of a smirk gracing your lips. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

The teasing lilt in your voice did little to ease the tension that had crept into the conversation. Anthony’s hand shifted subtly where it rested on yours, as though he were considering letting go. His usual air of control seemed to waver, and for the first time, you saw a flicker of something unfamiliar in his expression—unease, perhaps, or uncertainty.

“Miss Featherington,” he began, his tone carrying the weight of a man accustomed to steering conversations in his favor, “it is not often I find myself at a loss for words, but you seem intent on ensuring I remain so today.”

You chuckled softly, though your gaze remained steady on his. “Perhaps that’s because you’re not used to being challenged, my lord.”

Anthony’s brows furrowed, and he looked away briefly, his gaze scanning the crowd as if seeking an escape. When he looked back at you, his composure was intact once more, though there was a faint crease in his brow that betrayed his lingering nervousness.

“You speak with remarkable confidence,” he said, his voice cooler now, as though attempting to regain the upper hand. “But confidence can be a dangerous thing when wielded carelessly.”

“Only to those unprepared to face it,” you countered smoothly, the edge in your tone softened by a smile. “But don’t worry, Lord Bridgerton. I have no intention of unsettling you—too much, at least.”

His lips pressed into a thin line, his gaze dropping briefly to the ground before meeting yours again. “You have an uncanny ability to make a man question himself,” he admitted, his voice low. “I wonder if that is your intention.”

You tilted your head, feigning innocence. “And if it were?”

Anthony’s jaw tightened, and for a moment, he said nothing. The silence stretched between you, thick with unspoken thoughts and emotions neither of you dared to name. Finally, he let out a quiet sigh.

“Then I suppose I must brace myself,” he said, his tone laced with reluctant amusement.

You smiled, your grip on his arm tightening ever so slightly. “Good. You’ll need it.” You say “Just like you’ll need it when I say that High Flyer will be the winner today and the horse you bet on, Nectar, will not” you smirk

Anthony stopped in his tracks, turning his head to look at you with an expression of mild disbelief. His brows arched, and for a moment, his usual composed demeanor gave way to something closer to exasperation.

“You’re challenging my judgment on horses now?” he asked, his tone laced with incredulity.

“Perhaps,” you replied breezily, your smirk widening. “High Flyer has a higher chance to win, the track is soft and hot thus Nectar will have a great disadvantage as he’s not as swifter and lighter as High Flyer. A rather unfortunate trait for a racehorse, wouldn’t you agree?” you use your knowledge of this episode

Anthony blinked at you, his lips parting slightly as he processed your words. “You’ve been studying the horses?”

“Is that so surprising?” you teased, tilting your head. “I’m merely preparing for the inevitable moment when you’ll have to admit I was right.”

His gaze narrowed, though there was a flicker of amusement in his eyes now. “You’re rather confident for someone who has yet to see the race.”

“Confidence, as you’ve pointed out, can be a dangerous thing,” you said, echoing his earlier words with a mischievous glint in your eye. “But I’m willing to take my chances.”

Anthony shook his head, though he couldn’t entirely suppress the smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “Very well, Miss Featherington. If you’re so certain of your prediction, perhaps we should make this more interesting.”

You raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “Are you proposing a wager, Lord Bridgerton?”

“I am,” he said, his voice gaining a touch of his usual commanding confidence. “If High Flyer wins, I will publicly admit my error—and you may choose a forfeit for me, within reason.”

“And if Nectar wins?” you asked, folding your arms as you regarded him with playful suspicion.

He looked in thought for a minute “Then you will meet me tomorrow morning when you come to my home with your sister” he said smoothly, his gaze steady on yours. “Just the two of us. No Penelope. No excuses.”

The boldness of his proposal took you by surprise, and for a moment, you were at a loss for words, feeling your breath catch in your throat. But then you smiled, the thrill of the challenge sparking in your chest.

“Very well, Lord Bridgerton,” you said, extending your hand to him. “You have yourself a wager.”

He clasped your hand, his grip firm and warm. “Then may the best horse—and the best gambler—win.”

As the two of you continued toward the racetrack, you couldn’t help but feel a sense of exhilaration. This wasn’t just a wager; it was a game, a dance, a challenge—and neither of you intended to back down.

“You were saying?” you turned to look at the viscount smug as High Flyer won first place in the race

Anthony’s expression was unreadable at first, his gaze fixed on the racetrack where High Flyer had just thundered across the finish line. The crowd erupted into cheers, but the Viscount’s focus remained solely on you.

“I believe I was saying something about confidence,” he murmured, though there was a faint edge of resignation in his voice. His eyes flicked back to yours, narrowing slightly at the smug smile that curved your lips.

“You were,” you said, tilting your head. “Something about it being dangerous, wasn’t it? It seems my confidence wasn’t misplaced after all.”

Anthony exhaled sharply, though you couldn’t tell if it was a laugh or a sigh of defeat. “It seems not,” he conceded, his tone reluctant. “I suppose I owe you my public admission of error.”

“Oh, there’s no need for dramatics, my lord,” you said, feigning modesty. “A simple acknowledgment that I was right will suffice.”

He arched a brow, the corners of his mouth twitching as though he were fighting a smile. “Very well,” he said, inclining his head slightly. “Miss Featherington, you were right. High Flyer was indeed the better horse today.”

Your grin widened, your victory made all the sweeter by his reluctant but good-natured capitulation. “Thank you, Lord Bridgerton. That wasn’t so difficult, was it?”

He stepped closer, his voice lowering so that only you could hear. “You’re enjoying this far too much,” he said, his tone teasing yet laced with something deeper, something that sent a shiver down your spine.

“Perhaps,” you replied, meeting his gaze with a glint of mischief. “But don’t forget—this means you’ll have to endure my chosen forfeit.”

Anthony’s smile finally broke free, a rare and genuine thing that made your heart skip a beat. “I haven’t forgotten,” he said. “And I’ll face it with as much grace as I can muster.”

The two of you stood there for a moment, the lively crowd around you fading into the background. There was a spark between you, unspoken but undeniable, a sense that this was more than just a game.

“Well then,” you said, breaking the spell. “I look forward to seeing how well you handle it, my lord.”

Anthony chuckled, his gaze lingering on you for a beat longer than necessary. “And I, Miss Featherington, look forward to our morning meeting—when Nectar’s loss will no longer matter.”

His words left you breathless, your retort caught in your throat as he offered you his arm once more. “Uh, you lost, how is the meeting still in place when I won?” you asked

Anthony smirked, his expression that of a man who had been waiting for this exact question. “Ah,” he said, his tone deceptively casual, “but the terms of our wager never explicitly stated that the meeting would be void if High Flyer won. I simply said I would admit my error. And I did.”

Your eyes narrowed, your hand tightening slightly on his arm. “That’s not how wagers work, Lord Bridgerton,” you countered, though there was a flicker of amusement in your tone. “You can’t twist the terms to suit your convenience.”

“Twisting?” he echoed, his smirk growing. “Not at all. I am merely exercising the same cleverness you demonstrated in predicting the race. Surely, you wouldn’t begrudge me that?”

“You’re insufferable,” you muttered, though the corners of your mouth betrayed the urge to smile.

“And yet, you’re still here,” he replied smoothly, his gaze flicking to yours with a glint of challenge.

You let out a soft huff, trying to suppress the fluttering sensation in your chest. “Fine,” you relented. “But don’t think this means I’m letting you off the hook for losing.”

Anthony chuckled, his voice low and warm. “I wouldn’t dream of it, Miss Featherington. I’ll accept whatever forfeit you impose. But I do hope you’ll keep it… reasonable.”

“I’ll think about it,” you said with mock seriousness, pretending to consider all the humiliating possibilities.

As you walked together, the playful banter between you was laced with an undercurrent of something deeper, something unspoken yet impossible to ignore. You might have won the wager, but you couldn’t shake the feeling that Anthony had been the winner in the end.

⏮️                ⏸️                  ⏭️

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[mrs-stans]

Sebastian Stan Shows His Range in New Films 'The Apprentice' and 'A Different Man'

The 'Pam & Tommy' star appears unrecognizable in two projects that prove he's a master of transformation

JASMIN ROSEMBERG

"I have these very vivid memories,” says 42-year-old actor Sebastian Stan of growing up in Romania during the 1989 revolution.

“One of them being this Dacia car, driving by with screaming people holding the flag. The flag had a hole in the middle, which they had cut out — [erasing] the communist symbol at the time. And then I remember being on my couch with my mom and my grandmother and neighbors, watching Ceausescu be shot.”

What propelled them was the “obsession” Eastern Europeans had with the American Dream. “All I ever heard about was America: the land of the free, the land of opportunity,” says Stan, who at 8, moved with his mother — a pianist, who named him after composer Johann Sebastian Bach — to Vienna before heading to the U.S.

“I remember coming to this country when I was 12 with my mom and seeing the big Twin Towers of New York City and feeling overwhelmed,” Stan says. “And my mom looking at me and saying: “Now you have a chance to become someone.”

Stan takes a seat in an Amiri look with a ring by The Crown Collective.

The memories rushed back to him in 2019, when he was first reading the script for The Apprentice — the biographical film about Donald Trump directed by Iranian-Danish filmmaker Ali Abbasi (Holy Spider, The Last of Us) and penned by Gabriel Sherman (who wrote the Roger Ailes biography The Loudest Voice in the Room).

“I was intrigued there was a movie being made about [Trump’s] earlier years,” says Stan of The Apprentice, which details Trump’s rise as a real estate businessman in New York during the ’70s and ’80s after being taken under the wing of ruthless attorney Roy Cohn (Jeremy Strong) — who dealt in blackmail and had prosecuted the Rosenbergs in the espionage trial that led to their 1953 execution. “I was excited about [Abbasi] as an Iranian-European filmmaker approaching the story.” But after receiving the script, he heard nothing … until 2022.

“Of course, you have hesitation,” says Stan, who takes on the role of the former president and 2024 Republican nominee. “You’re wondering, ‘Why tell the story? What is there to add?’ Or, ‘What can I contribute here? I don’t look like him.’ There were plenty of reservations and my own personal judgements.”

But Stan tried an exercise: “I went back to the script, crossing out the character names and just trying to read it [without] bringing any baggage with me. And I found it to be much more relatable than I had anticipated, in terms of what I felt it was saying about the American Dream. [It was] this point of view of, ‘You’ve got to get there, you’ve got to be perfect, you’ve got to win, you’ve got to get more.’”

Now you have a chance to become someone.

Stan in Christian Dior Irvin Rivera for LA Magazine

“You have to find parts of yourself through which you can understand the people you’re playing,” he says. “For me, [it was] that moment coming to New York and remembering how grateful I was to finally have a chance — and what my mom was telling me. But I also suddenly felt this burden, which I still feel now sometimes, which is, ‘When is it enough?’”

In the film, Trump goes from being the impressionable, wide-eyed son of an impossible-to-please real estate developer to a megalomaniacal wheeler-dealer who speaks in hyperbole, is obsessed with appearance (his own and that of his first wife, Ivana — played by Maria Bakalova — a relationship that escalates into sexual assault) and surpasses his master in heartlessness and corruption.

“We can see how easy it is to make a Faustian deal with the devil in order to win,” Stan says. “‘What is the cost of this American Dream?’ I related [to] seeing a person so determined to get there, no matter what, that he was abandoning who he was in the process.”

Stan’s ascent has been just as remarkable. After acting in school plays in New York’s Rockland County, he studied at Rutgers University before scoring a recurring role on the CW series Gossip Girl. “The next really big shift I felt was [landing] Marvel, in 2010,” says Stan, who played Captain America colleague Bucky Barnes, the Winter Soldier, a role that led to his signing a nine-picture deal with the studio. He’s also worked with a string of award-winning directors and actors in films such as Black Swan, The Martian and Destroyer.

Irvin Rivera for LA Magazine

His first experience portraying a real person was in 2017 biopic I, Tonya as figure skater Tonya Harding’s husband opposite Margot Robbie. For 2022 Hulu miniseries Pam & Tommy, he transformed into Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee, husband to Lily James’ Pamela Anderson — which earned him Golden Globe, Critics Choice and Emmy nominations. The projects “had one thing in common, which was Craig Gillespie,” Stan says, “an incredible director, who taught me a lot of things about myself I didn’t necessarily know I could do.”

In becoming Trump, Stan wanted to rely on prosthetics as little as possible. “But we were very aware we don’t look very similar,” he says. “And so, about two months before we started shooting, Ali told me that I should start gaining as much weight as I could in my face.”

Stan’s nutritionist advised him to drink beer — but because Trump doesn’t drink, the actor preferred ramen with sodium-packed soy sauce. He adopted the precise way Trump spoke and moved through a process he equates with osmosis: “Subjecting yourself in an obsessive way to watching and listening and reading everything [about Trump] you can find.”

He credits Strong for elevating their work. “We improvised a lot,” Stan says. “And Jeremy was so prepared that I had to do my research to keep up. Like that scene where [Trump and Cohn are] meeting: I would have to know what school [Cohn] went to, and who his last client was, and that he was from the Bronx and had a photographic memory — in case it came up in the improv. Because he knew who was pitching for the Mets in 1976! It was a really immersive experience and we were on our toes together.”

Maria Bakalova as Ivana Trump and Stan as Donald Trump in 'The Apprentice'

After premiering at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival in May, The Apprentice had a hard time finding a U.S. distributor due to Trump threatening legal retaliation. But after Tom Ortenberg’s Briarcliff Entertainment acquired the film in late August, it hit theaters Oct. 11.

Stan also stars in A Different Man, in which he plays Edward, an aspiring actor with neurofibromatosis — a rare genetic skin condition that produces tumors. Edward undergoes a medical procedure in the hopes his new appearance will win him a woman (Renate Reinsve) and better his life. Like The Apprentice, Stan considers this film — which scored him the Silver Bear for Best Leading Performance when it bowed in Berlin — to address self-acceptance.

Stan with Renate Reinsve and Adam Pearson in 'A Different Man'

“It’s this idea, of ‘the grass is greener on the other side’ — and the truth is, you don't know,” says Stan, who lobbied for the role after seeing director Aaron Schimberg’s 2018 Chained for Life. Both that film and A Different Man, released theatrically by A24 in September, star British actor Adam Pearson, who has neurofibromatosis. “I spoke to doctors, I’ve spoken to Adam in-depth about his upbringing,” says Stan, who sat in Mike Marino’s makeup chair for up to two hours to transform into Edward.

“The prosthetics were so realistic that when I started to walk around, nobody recognized me ... and it was scary,” he says. “You see firsthand how we respond to somebody who looks different.”

Irvin Rivera for LA Magazine

Stan next stars in Marvel’s Thunderbolts* with David Harbour, Wyatt Russell, Florence Pugh and Julia Louis-Dreyfus, out in May 2025. “It's a funny group of not-perfect antiheroes that are trying to come to terms with their pasts, and I think people will get behind them," he says.

He’ll reunite with Pam & Tommy’s James on horror thriller Let the Evil Go West, about a railroad worker who stumbles into a fortune that comes at a price — “a very different movie than our last experience," he notes. And he’s producing Blue Banks, from Romanian writer-director Andreea Cristina Bortun.

“It’s this really personal film about a single mother’s journey with her son in Romania, which reminded me a lot of my humble beginnings with my mom — and how tough it was after the revolution, as a single parent, to take care of your kid and at the same time, provide,” Stan says.

“A lot of parents had to leave their kids behind to get a job somewhere else — which is what happened with me for a couple years, until I started living with my mom again. I was with my grandparents," he adds. "It explores the implications and the suffering that comes at the hands of a system that has oppressed people for so long. And then they’re left with trying to find their way.”

SEBASTIAN STANLEADING MEN OF 2024 NOVEMBER 2024