After much speculation, Emma Watson is not quitting acting, despite what the internet says.
By Remy Zerber Culture Columnist Emma Watson is a British actress who got her start playing Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter series. She has been acting for 22 years, which is a long time. She has gone on to play multiple roles, including Belle from Beauty and the Beast and Meg March from Little Women. She seemed very happy with her role in the movie because she posted many pictures from the set on her Instagram. However, people are questioning why she only went to the premiere of the movie and did not do any other press for it. There has been some speculation that Emma Watson is quitting acting. Emma Watson is not quitting acting, despite what the internet says. Emma Watson has been accused of quitting acting after an article about her was published in The Daily Mail on February 20, 2021. The article claims that she would be quitting acting to focus on life with her boyfriend, Leo Robinton. Robinton is a businessman from Los Angeles, California. Watson recently moved to LA to be with her boyfriend. The rumor is that she is retiring from acting to spend more time with him. However, this is fake news because Watson’s manager said that is not the case. She is just inactive on social media and she has not taken on any new projects lately. She could just be taking a break. She has been in multiple films along with done many things for women’s rights like being “appointed UN Women Goodwill Ambassador in July 2014” so she could just be relaxing and enjoying some time off to recharge. She has not gone completely silent because she still keeps her book club updated for her fans. Her last interview for her book club’s YouTube channel was in 2019 with Rebecca Solnit. Emma Watson and Harry Potter fans were devastated to hear that she might be retiring. Her manager, Jason Weinberg, said that "Emma's social media accounts are dormant but her career isn't," in a statement to Entertainment Weekly. One of her fans wrote that “Emma Watson retiring is something very personal to me,”. “No, I will not be getting over this.” Unfortunately, this is common among child actors. Most Harry Potter actors have considered quitting acting at some point. Daniel Radcliffe considered quitting before he got the role of Harry Potter and Rupert Grint said he considered quitting after his daughter was born. “Emma Watson retiring is so bittersweet,” wrote another fan.” However, she has not put out a statement that she is retiring yet. Watson has taken breaks from acting before. She took a break from acting before to attend Brown University in 2011. She always comes back to acting after her breaks. Even though Watson might be taking a break from acting, she might still participate in the film industry in other ways like directing, screenwriting, or producing. Fellow actor Bonnie Wright who played Ginny Weasley has directed some films since her time in Harry Potter. Clearly, the speculation surrounding Emma Watson saying that she quit acting is not true. Just because she does not post on social media as much anymore does not mean she is giving up acting. Emma Watson’s fans are so happy that she is not quitting acting and they will be patient while she takes a break.
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Popstar Demi Lovato revisits her 2018 overdose in her second documentary, Dancing with the Devil, about her struggles with fame and living with addiction.
By Isabelle Delostrinos Culture Columnist Demi Lovato is taking the spotlight once again with her new documentary, Dancing with the Devil. The popstar aims to share her honest story about her relapse and nearly fatal overdose that took place in July 2018. The trailer features Lovato ready to clear the air about what really happened during the past two years. Looking back on Lovato’s career, the natural star has had a strong presence in the entertainment industry ever since she was a young girl. After many years competing in beauty pageants during her toddler years, Lovato went on to pursue acting and singing. Her passion for entertainment was very evident, in which her parents decided to homeschool her to prioritize lessons, coaching, and auditions across the country. She eventually landed her very first job on the television series Barney & Friends and her career took off from there. Lovato later made it to the Disney Channel, where she booked the main role of Mitchie in Camp Rock. Being one of the most successful movies from the Disney Channel Original Movie collections, she was able to keep her momentum and jump start her solo singing career with manager Phil McIntyre. From filming to recording to world tours, press interviews and business meetings, Lovato was thrown into the deep end of the industry while only being a teenager. With the weight of the world on her back, Lovato ended up turning to drugs early in her solo career. Lovato’s first documentary, Simply Complicated, was released in 2017 when she was 24 years old. During this time, the singer was running on five and half years of sobriety. She talked about her reality during her childhood and Disney Channel days, even stating that she was nervous with her interview because the last one she did, she did while on cocaine. This was the first time fans were able to dive into Lovato’s life and learn about what she went through. Throughout her time on the Disney Channel, her struggles were mostly associated with being a victim of online bullying and struggling with surviving an eating disorder. However, little did fans know about the dangerous drug addictions the the artist was truly battling. Simply Complicated ends with an intimate nationwide tour, showcasing her hopeful return to the industry. She was also cast as a judge on the reality music competition series The X Factor alongside working to release a new album, approaching her life with a new perspective she had never known. But a year later Lovato fell into a deep relapse, experiencing an overdose that nearly took her life. Fortunately she was able to make it, and worked again to eliminate her demons in rehab. It is difficult to truly understand what a person is going through behind the scenes. Lovato talks about her ability to conceal and hide what she is struggling with mentally. In the trailer of Dancing with the Devil, family members and close friends express how they were unaware of Lovato’s mental state which kept her from getting the help she needed. Her signals of distress went unnoticed, which led her to suffer by herself. Following the success of her first documentary, Lovato demonstrates that healing is not just a specific stage in a person’s life, but is a process that can last a lifetime. Dancing with the Devil will be available on her Youtube Channel on March 23rd. The film looks to bring awareness to mental health and the stigmas against addiction and relapsing. Lovato openly shares her story with hopes to educate the public about approaching those who suffer and how to navigate these challenges with them. The media continues to ignore mental health issues, and if it is publicized its associated with negativity. Lovato works to bring normalcy to the topic, so that future generations will be able to create a safer space for vulnerability surrounding these issues like addiction and depression. As a fan who has appreciated Lovato’s talents and contributions to pop culture, I hope that this new chapter in her life makes an impact on everyone. We all have something to learn about mental health. Whether it be the effects it can have on a person or how to identify signals for help, there are many things that can be taken away with Demi Lovato’s honest film. By Remy Zerber
Culture Columnist Taylor Swift is one of the most popular modern musical artists. She has had multiple hits that have topped the charts throughout her career. Her latest single, “Love Story Taylor’s Version” debuted at number one on the Country music charts. It is a re-recording of her 2008 album Fearless, which has been extremely popular among fans. Fans will now watch the video for the new version instead of the older Scott Borchetta version. Fans have been going crazy over the new version, proud of Swift for her decision to re-record her own music. “Love Story” is just one of many successful songs that Swift has made. Swift tied Dolly Parton as the only other artist to have two renditions of one song reach the Hot Country Songs summit. Swift has to re-record all the music that she made when she first started her career because Scooter Braun and Scott Borchetta claimed that they belonged to Big Machine Records, the record company that she left. This had a big impact on Swift because she had been working with that company since she started her music career. She wanted to sing some of her old songs for an upcoming award show and to use them in her Lover documentary for Netflix but her old record label wouldn’t let her. She became angry at Scott, and decided to re-record all of her old albums to have the rights alone. Throughout her career, she has had 7 number one hits on the Hot 100 charts. Swift’s new version of “Love Story” is her most listened to song, with 61, 629 listens. Swift’s new version of “Love Story” is more of a Pop song and seems to give off a feeling of female empowerment, which is similar to her latest albums Folklore, Evermore, Lover, Reputation, and 1989. Her first four albums, Taylor Swift, Fearless, Speak Now and Red are country albums. Swift has gone through different eras and experimented with her music. Taylor Swift’s lyric video for the new version of “Love Story” features a slideshow of her teenage self wither her fans, instead of a montage with a love interest. The original “Love Story” music video stars Swift and a lover reenact the play Romeo and Juliet. This change by Swift, reveals that the relationships between her and her fans is the “love story” she wishes to tell now. Fans have been so supportive of the song that they even found some easter eggs. They think that Swift makes a lyric change, singing “Baby just said yes” instead of “Baby just say yes,” signifying that she is engaged to her boyfriend, Joe Alwyn. This is all just speculation and it has not been confirmed by Swift or Alwyn. Another easter egg is that Swift is wearing the shirt on the album cover that Romeo wore in her original music video, symbolizing that she no longer needs a prince. This symbolizes female empowerment. Swift is her own prince. This sends a powerful message to her young fans: a message of self-love. This shows Swift’s maturity. She is an adult now, and can rely on herself for support. Swift’s new “Love Story” is a big hit among fans. It has a slightly different sound from the original that Swift wrote when she was 18. Swift’s musical career is going to continue to be a major success because she is only going to create many more hits. Disney’s Cruella is the newest live action remake centering around a villain. Trailer opening to smashing views, Cruella will bring the high fashion, and the villain nature viewers want to see.
By Maia Pagán Culture Columnist Disney dropped a new trailer for a movie we didn’t know we needed. The trailer for a live-action film about Cruella de Vil from 101 Dalmatians centers around her origin story. Why do we need this Cruella film? To answer the question fans of 101 Dalmatians' have been asking for years? Why does Cruella de Vil hate Dalmatians so much? Is Cruella a feminist? Fans of the upcoming film have mixed reviews about this upcoming film. Some think that Disney is trying to push a feminist agenda on a movie about a villain. Even with all the criticism, the trailer has received more views than other Disney trailers in 2021. The film seems strikingly similar to Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker but about a woman with a better fashion sense. Cruella de Vil plays on the word “demon,” and in the original film, Cruella names her country house “Hell Hall.” Throughout the trailer, many similar dark colors, a disheveled looking main character looking to shatter the world around them while exacting their revenge, and of course, a memorable quote. Darker versions of movies (film noir) are popular, and viewers’ excitement is more than Disney expects. Now, let’s talk about fashion; this movie trailer reminds me of The Devil Wears Prada but more sinister. The style is very dark and sleek while depicting high fashion. In the original film, 101 Dalmatians, Cruella wore fur, heels, and tight black clothing similar to the style we see in this live-action Cruella origin story. The film is set in the 1970’s London and captures so many looks with super fun and funky retro feel. Cruella is known for her outfits using both black and white, whether with her hair being half black and half white or the black and white elegance we see as Cruella enters the masquerade ball. However, we get something we have never seen before, which is color, where the white and black satin cape catches fire and turns into a fiery red dress. I can tell just by the trailer that this film will be full of iconic outfit moments. Cruella will be a fashion sequel to The Devil wears Prada with a 1970’s London twist. The red outfit isn’t the only thing that is new to this film. Some exciting viewpoints regarding Cruella as a feminist, bring an interesting perspective to this iconic villian. Many critics don’t want a feminist twist on the film. In contrast, others don’t appreciate the idea that a “crazy woman” is how feminists are often portrayed in media. Conversations around this trailer create a buzz about the crazy dalmatian hating lady we all love or hate. Let’s go back to the flaming satin cape. Just maybe the red in the world of black and white outfits is a liberation. Chew on that for a bit. She’s Estella, the maid? “I am Cruella,” so where did she get the name Cruella? An answer to a question that needs a solution. Is the consensus she may have stolen her identity from a woman of high society? In an early scene shown in the trailer, Estella exits an elevator in a maid uniform. Then next scene in the trailer, she’s at a high society masquerade ball. Did Estella grow jealous of this woman who once was Cruella who owned Dalmatians? Is she taking over the high society lifestyle by creating her new identity? Another possible clue pointing to this idea is the shot of a burning building similar to the outside image of a large mansion right before Estella enters the ball. Does she burn down the home of the high society women to “phoenix” her new life? The trailer incorporates Estella’s scene holding a sharp needle-looking object and three dalmatians barking at Estella, which may be foreshadowing her hate for the dogs. Who knows, maybe this movie has a deeper meaning about how society treats people they feel are “less than” and how only a “crazy feminist” could smash those ideals? There’s only one way to find out, watch the film when it comes out on May 28, 2021. |
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October 2023
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