Thoughts I Had... While staring at THR's Actress Issue Cover
Thursday, November 20, 2014 at 10:33PM Yesterday morning, while running out to a screening and party for Al Pacino's awards run with The Humbling (more on that soon), what did I find on my doorstep but the new issue of The Hollywood Reporter, just casually dropped there. "Close call," I thought, imagining greedy scruple-free actressexual neighbors I haven't met, stealing it before I even knew it was there.
I threw it back in the apartment and dashed off and now I return to it, staring at its cover.You know how this works, herewith my immediate thoughts uncensored as they come.
Is it weird that I don't read the article (essentially clips from the roundtable) but just wait for the full video so I can hear it all?
I don't understand the set and art direction of this photo. Why is Reese behind a gold bar? Why isn't God herself reclined on that uncomfortably stiff chaise lounge chair while the other actresses fan and feed her? (Let the coronation begin!)
Is Amy Adams a silent partner in THR? Will she impale me with that crazy stiletto for spreading that rumor.
She's like Terminator Adams here. So severe! "Don't fuck with me fellas" Or rather "I'LL BE BACK" because you know she will next year (sigh)
This is her 4th roundtable in 5 years suggesting that someone at THR is either obsessed with her, has dirt on her, has zero imagination, or is weak-willed when it comes to standing up to Amy's formidable publicists/management.
Has anyone in the history of contemporary cinema -- aside from Meryl Streep -- ever been nominated with such ease each year? Weird that she missed for Enchanted in which she was so delightful considering a couple of her lesser nominations.
Vanity Fair, which started the now ubiquitous craze of groups of actors tossed together or photoshopped together for collectors issues, would never have featured the same star so often in five years... though they have had their momentary obsessive weaknesses for Trying to Make Someone Happen.
Yes yes yes I know it was sexist but Vanity Fair had much better photospreads when they put their ladies in slips, underwear, or cleavage gowns.
All six of these beautiful ladies look like they're going to a mandatory business meeting they don't really want to be at. The topic: their Oscar campaign press tours.
In fact, the only two women who look like they're wearing actual facial expressions, not frozen barely concealed grimaces, are the Wild girls. I mean that it appears as if the next frames would be different as their expressions actually changed. You know like a regular non-robot.
Reese wins the cutest outfit war.
At first I didn't think Laura Dern was going to happen in Supporting Actress but she's really working for it. And it's a specific kind of golden madness that she's only been nominated once with that über impressive character gallery of hers, you know? (Interview with her coming up soon)
Why is Patricia Arquette pointing at Hilary Swank ??? TELL ME IN THE COMMENTS !!! I must know. (Or did they just photoshop out a purse she was holding?)
Interview with Patricia coming soon, too. My god I'm so far behind. Transcription is a bitch. And I have like 6 more interviews in a row this weekend (psssst. Anna Kendrick!)
Hilary Swank should really not be on the floor in her assymetrical prom dress. It's white. Plus you don't know what's been on the floor at the THR office.
I can't explain it but I'm suddenly excited to see The Homesman.
Is Felicity Jones paying homage to Eddie Redmayne's upcoming trans film The Danish Girl by wearing a men's tux?
Felicity Jones is super nice in person. True story.
Now, about this header...
Can one of the glam gifts next year be diversity? Or at least variety! (No More Amy Adams. Love her as an actress but seriously enough is enough with this tradition)
Here's a quick list of actresses that THR could have had around the table this year since they made films and gave performances that have been talked about. Media coverage -- especially if someone is a long shot or can only hope for Globe Comedy or Indie Spirit attention -- is advocacy to an extent and advocacy is way cooler than prediction. Any one or two combo of these 25 women could have livened up the conversation, provided more diversity in terms of age, nationality, ethnicity, and position in Hollywood, and definitely offered fresher perspectives than the two ladies who've been here before (Swank & Adams).
- Gugu Mbatha-Raw
- Rosamund Pike
- Jessica Chastain
- Anna Kendrick
- Tilda Swinton
- Carmen Ejogo
- Scarlett Johansson
- Emily Blunt
- Jenny Slate
- Rene Russo
- Keira Knightley
- Jennifer Aniston
- Marion Cotillard
- Shailene Woodley
- Mia Wasikowska
- Emma Stone
- Tessa Thompson
What's more the final promise on the cover...
7 stars of awards season hit every hot button: nude photo hacks, Renee Zellweger's 'cruel' treatment and how you really fix Hollywood's female role problem.
...suggests with its choice of topics that this is just going to be one whiny first-world-top-1%-problems bitch fest (i.e. The Amy Adams Show!) when there are roughly 1000 topics that would be more interesting and more respectful and more actorly than plastic surgery and nude photo questions. These are top notch actresses. Please ask them questions about their craft and the cinema. Not stupid gossip rag questions.
How many of these ladies are getting Oscar nominations? Someone usually doesn't make it from these covers.
That's all. (Until the full video arrives)
Reader Comments (47)
I love that Laura Dern and Patricia Arquette are being used to sell magazine covers.
I think Dern will happen is WILD happens, but it could easily just become the Reese show.
Perhaps Arquette is trying that we see the "A" of actresses that is lost in Swank's dress. Editorial design 101, anyone?
This is what happens when you don't invite Helen Hunt, who I've championed for so long, but who was amazing in calling out THR's oddly sexists questions. (Unsurprisingly from the snippets Moore, Reese & Dern come off as the most eloquent)
Just finished reading WILD and now I can't wait for the film.
Of the people actually chosen and the list of potentially better choices (some of which I would not agree with - don't you think Chastain is a bit overexposed)?
I'd choose the below ladies:
Arquette (happy and surprised she was chosen)
Blunt - her star exploded this year by kicking ass in edge of tomorrow
Jones - this was her breakthrough year
Pike - this was also her breakthrough
And Moore because lets not pretend this awards season won't not be about anointing her again an again
If someone isn't going to make the cut please, please let it be the over rewarded Amy Adams. And I second not having her back next year or for the following five after that too.
i think that's a finger gun pointed at hilary; apparently patricia's a film experience fan
It's kind of ridiculous that Amy keeps taking up a seat so frequently. I mean, ok, so she stars in a great deal of Oscar bait but geez. I can't remember which year it was but i distinctly remember her giving off a vibe like she didn't even want to be there. Rosamund Pike would have been quite fine to me.
I miss Nicole being there all silent and randomly dropping bombs like e-mailing Lars Von Trier.
Great pice. Agree with everything you said...
My order from best to not best:
Dern (Looks so at ease and comfortable in her skin.)
Arquette (Best she has looked in some time. She was frightening on The View.)
Witherspoon (A bit Marian the Librarian, but it works (what is with the crossed ankles standing pose? She does that all the time. Shoes hurt that much? Need a loo? Spanks too tight?).)
Adams (Hot and I like the shoes, but it's very AH and not very BE)
Jones (Mannish is a look European women like. But after Dietrich no one else really pulls it off.)
Moore (A bit matronly. I bet that outfit looks a lot better when she is standing,)
Swank (Still trying too hard to remind us that she is a real girl and not trans. She needs to remember how hot she was in the blue dress for Million Dollar Baby and channel that.)
And I think Arquette has her hand fashioned like a gun in homage to True Romance.
I agree with you about wanting diversity in the ranks. They are running out of new questions to ask.
I'm more than happy to have Adams return every year but the questions need be limited to acting and only acting.
The other person who should return every year is Helen Hunt, so that she can interrupt (ideally in the first five minutes) with 'do you ask the men these same questions?'
Because seriously - plastic surgery, nude photo hacks - what else? The Kardashians?
Meantime - they all look perfectly lovely, except for Witherspoon, who's never looked more radiantly beautiful.
No Scarlett? That does it! Scar-Jo 3:16 time motherfucker!! It's time to lay a can of whoop-ass on all of these jabronis! One Scar-Jo Stunner! 2 Scar-Jo Stunner! And another! And another! And another! And another! And another! And another! And one more for that overrated Hilary Swank! That's the bottom line cause Scar-Jo says so bitch!
Julianne always ends up in the middle. This shot makes her invisible. Who put Reese on top and Hillary Swank on the floor? (Reese). I am finding these ubiquitous actress roundtables to feel increasingly competitive and desperate. But with only ten slots you gotta dance. Ditto re: desire to see The Homesman.
I cannot believe that Rosamund Pike wasn't included???? I love Amy Adams but even I would like a break from seeing her on this panel. I can't believe Hilary Swank needs to be there either, I don't care if she does get a nomination - no way she would win a 3rd time. I would have perferred Pike and Emily Blunt who would have been better conversationalists as well.
At first I was gonna not watch this THR roundtable cause the actresses are too boring and vanilla for me. But then I read some of Patricia's replies and now I just wanna listen not watch the video
My picks would be :
Patricia Arquette
Rosamund Pike
Scarlett Johansson
Emily Blunt
Julianne Moore
Lorraine Toussaint
Gugu
Agata from Ida
I'm so obsessed with the THR Roundtable, it's one of the best parts of awards poledancing for me. But this line-up is kind of blergh. I do want to see what Julianne and Arquette and Dern have to say (maybe Reese too), but I don't have that joy I feel when I see that they lined-up great actresses that will probably have a great conversation and keep interested regardless of what the journalists ask.
I read the (edited) piece on the THR site. It wasn't very interesting and certainly not enlightening and if it represented the best of the talk in an effort to lure readers in, it was an epic fail. Hunt was needed to prod the moderator into asking some relevant, intelligent questions because it came off very "You are all so cute. I bet you keep your husbands very happy."
it should be noted that Woodley, Chastain, Aniston, Mbatha-Raw, and Blunt did a seperate Round-Table with the Los Angeles Times that might explain why they didn't do this one.
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-epix-la-times-hollywood-sessions-20141120-story.html
and Rosamund Pike is heavily pregnant and could not be there because she is in London.
Cotillard is in Paris and Emma Stone is on Broadway.
Variety also did some "Actors Conversations" that included Tilda Swinton and Jenny Slate.
http://variety.com/2014/film/news/varietys-actors-on-actors-conversations-to-air-on-pbs-socal-1201349134/
Rene Russo is totally M.I.A and I don't think Mia, Ejogo, Scarlett, Tessa, Kendrick are contenders.
also, Chastain and Blunt were recently on the cover the Hollywood Reporter Fashion, so maybe they thought they had enough (except with their love Amy Adams :D)
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/sites/default/files/custom/Kimberly/Beauty%20Cover%202014/coverjessica.jpg
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/sites/default/files/custom/Kimberly/Beauty%20Cover%202014/coveremily.jpg
Nat darling, thank you for making this THR post THE Amy Adams show!! Haha!
You have to be careful with what you say about Terminator Amy, because she might send you a "death" card like she did with Hilary Swank after their 2010 roundtable. Amy sent her a "great to meet you" card after their "encounter" last time. It was obviously a shade because they had met way before 2010. It was basically Amy's way of warning Hilary, "don't f__k with me or my movie roles!" I love it! I just can't believe Hilary would think this card was a nice gesture! I bet Thompson got one too last year after their weird eye exchange. Guess what happened? She didn't get nominated? I swear Amy is not the sweetheart everyone thinks she is!! She's someone who acts all innocent and sweet in front of everyone then goes home and does devious things. LOL.
A couple of things:
- I truly think Laura Dern got in this roundtable because of Reese
- Felicia is such a waste of space. She's so boring. They should've brought Eddie to the actress roundtable instead her. Bye Felicia!
- Does everyone at the roundtable dislike Hilary Swank or what? Whenever she tries to speak, everyone stares at with this look "please shut up!". I guess it's better to be boring like Felicia than annoying Hilary.
- Is it me or does Reese look at Patty in a weird "judging you" way?
- I highly doubt Amy's PR/Management team is THAT powerful. Her PR lady only presents a few A list (Amy&Javier) and the rest are B list(Weisz&Hailee). I think the reason is that someone at THR has a major crush on Amy. Haha.
- Well, I can't fault Amy for accepting THR's invite. She was fighting for her nominations during the last two roundtables. Now she's fighting a nomination again. If they invite her, why not? Free campaign press.
- Amy again. I gotta hand it to her for her hustle. True American Hustle style! She needs to write a book called, "Amy Adams - a history of american hustling aka how Giselle campaigns."
- No. Not Chastain. She's been getting on my nervous lately with her nonstop overexposure, schmoozing, thirst for an Oscar and pretentious smile/conversation. She needs to lay low for a while like Hathaway did last time.
So.....I don't mind Amy appearing in every roundtable. It's better to have her than someone like Chastain or Aniston.
Btw Nat, are you doing a blog post of Amy's Vogue cover? Please do!
Can we get some new moderators? At least, the British guy is absent.
Sartorially
Hilary Swank should deploy that dress on red carpet at some future event during this pole dance. With the exception of a couple of wows, she has a knack for picking completely wrong dresses. But this one looks like a winner.
Felicity Jones is playing dress up in her mom's clothes.
I wish Laura Dern had rethought that hair. Why is she hiding her beautiful face behind the helmet of hair? It is a recurring problem for her.
It's nice to see four women wearing pants! But Dern's outfit is having an identity crisis--is it a dress, a tux, or a jumpsuit...is the leg with a high slit a lead or supporting?
In terms of content, how I miss the year they had Viola and Glenn even though Charlize Theron has been the worst roundtable guest IMO.
The Amy Adams thing was already beyond ridiculous by last year. I looked it up and it's actually her fifth time in seven years - she was already at the first (?) roundtable in the year of Doubt. I like her a lot, but she barely has had enough interesting things to say for one roundtable.
Rosamund Pike would surely be there if she weren't about to go into labor every day now. I can only assume that Chastain hasn't been at one of those because she's always busy shooting new movies. She did do that Interstellar roundtable, but I didn't bother to watch it.
Hopefully, Swank will manage to hold herself back from constantly butting in and spouting clichés this time.
I wish they had replaced Felicity Jones with Keira Knightley.
My thoughts when viewing the cover- where is Meryl Streep???!!?
Read the interview -- if you're a Julianne Moore fane, you'll be disappointed. She barely speaks and when she does, she gives bizarre answers that have nothing to do with anything. I can now see why Oscar has eluded her. She hates campaigning! Good thing she is so respected and has the media in her favor this time.
I agree that Scarlett J would've been great -- she had quite a year.
The TV panels are always 10x better...the actors are more game. Unless you get a rare year with compelling actors. This year is not that time though.
I know I probably won't make any friends but I don't get the whole Rosamund Pike thing. I didn't get what she was doing in the first half of the movie. She seem uncomfortable and not as a character, but as an actress. It got a little better towards the end but award worthy this performance isn't for me. Also is it just me or did she gained weight and got "ugly" WAY too fast?...
STJEANS -- she was actually pregnant during filming so she was getting fatter but for valid worthy reasons :)
They keep inviting Amy Adams b/c she's always in contention for Oscar. Don't hate the playa, baby!
Rosamund Pike not here is especially glaring. But she's very pregnant right now, so that's understandable.
On the diversity topic, Gugu Mbatha-Raw would have been a great choice. Is Viola Davis not trying at all for "Get on Up'? I bet with her newfound TV fame she could at least get GG attention for that if she tried. But she's getting drama actress television so whatever.
Ugh, we GET IT Nathaniel. You don't love Amy Adams. That's fine but do you have to mention how you don't think she's worthy of all her Oscar nominations every chance you get? You can be over her being at THR roundtable for years but get OVER the nominations. We understand your beef, have heard it almost weekly, and can all move on now.
touchy touchy. I just went back through the last several months of Amy Adams posts ;) and I never bitched about her multiple nominations. so I have moved on (mostly) haha.
Though you're right I said that last season when she was nominated for American Hustle (almost a whole year ago!) even though i loved her in that one. And I most definitely bitched about it when she stole Nicole Kidman's Paperboy nomination. (sigh)
I'd like to see them try to top 2010: Kidman AND Bening. It wasn't the liveliest one they've ever had (Helen Hunt takes the cake for that) but it was definitely the most compelling.
Is that adorable, placid creature on top a porcelain doll? I have to have it.
I highly doubt Adams is "in contention" for Big Eyes, but WE'LL SEE!
SERVE, Resse, Hilary!
Hayden W. -- 2010 had Kidman, Bening, *and* Bonham Carter, who I thought was the MVP. I could certainly listen to her every year.
Amy Adams said "prolification of media" during this roundtable. Normally eloquent stars can misspeak, too! ;)
I would echo everyone else on Chastain but I'm just so proud of you for leaving Emma Stone so far down on your list :)
And anyway, I think Laura Dern is a bigger threat to be nominated than most realize. Her dad was everywhere last season, and she was his date, so she already made the rounds once last year. Plus she might have inherited his fierce campaigning genes. Glad to see her, Julianne, and Patricia here at any rate.
Swank and Dern really believe in their films and it shows.
Rarely do I ever hear Amy Adams say anything compelling in these roundtables and she never seems particularly enthused to be there either so yeah, no freaking idea why she's there every single year. I really hope Oscar snubs her this year.
Swank being there PERIOD..is the problem! She's like Serena Williams - enters the race or a tournament, every so often to WIN. Ugh. Can she just go away?
Queen Julianne will be crowned this year!
As to Amy Adams...breaking news: http://deadline.com/2014/11/janis-joplin-amy-adams-jean-marc-vallee-1201292074/
Jean-Marc is directing Amy Adams? I am impressed. It's not like she has the best agent in WME or something. Her agent mostly represent B list and comedy actors. And yet she keeps getting good projects and working with big time directors. This girl must have voodoo dolls of all good Hollywood directors or something. Everyone wants to work with her. Or maybe PTA is right of what he said about Amy - a teacher's pet. Every teacher (director) loves a pet. Heehee.
Nat - Blame Jackie Weaver. Hahaha. Amy was always getting in. Even though people did not like the Master, the actors branch certainly had a lot of support for PTA and the three actors from the movie. Besides, she was Harvey's only contender in supporting.
I would have liked to see Knightley up there. If you seen any of her interviews for TIG she's very eloquent and intelligent. The accent doesn't hurt either, but she's pretty well spoken and I think she would thrive in one of these discussions.
I sort of can't believe that Hillary Swank is up for an award again. I remember being in complete disbelief when she showed up out of nowhere in 2004 and stole Annette Bening's Oscar again. Like who saw that one coming? And then I feel like everyone in retrospect was collectively like, "Oh.. sorry Kate."
I'm just like girllll get out. of. here.
I want to become a journalist just so I can get Jenny Slate a nomination. It might not be the most intense, dramatic, complex performance ever, but I just love the girl and it would be fun to reward a newcomer in an allegedly "weak" year.
I have to say, I wasn't so taken with Patricia Arquette in Boyhood. She was very good, but the performance was uneven for me overall. I'm curious if anyone else felt similarly as I was a bit surprised when she emerged as an Oscar frontrunner. I thought Ethan Hawke was the clear MVP, almost summarizing and paying homage to his own run throughout Richard Linklater's oeuvre.
Anywho, Dern for the win!!
Is this Amy Adams' 13847857th Actress Roundtable? It certainly feels like it is.
I most definitely bitched about it when she stole Nicole Kidman's Paperboy nomination. (sigh)
Jacki Weaver's Sliver Linings nomination was garbage. The worst Oscar nomination of the decade.
I haven't seen Big Eyes but I kind of want that Amy Adams nomination to happen now just out of curiosity for the reaction of others. I also think it was Jackie Weaver who took Kidman's spot. Am I wrong in thinking that?
The first thing I thought when I looked at this picture was, well it's not the lineup I would have chosen, but I can live with this.
Who should be there every year? Emma Thompson and Tilda Swinton. And of course, Amy Adams.
Hilary and Felicity are like gargoyles at the feet of demigod Zuul (or Gozer the Gozerian). Werk!
I will just chime in to agree that Jackie Weaver's nomination for Silver Linings was weak, and still stands out as a strange choice.
I also found Patricia Arquette's performance very uneven. Granted it was a tough challenge to stay consistent over 12 years, but sometimes she line readings were very clunky. Glad I'm not the only one who had that reaction.
I LOVED Patricia in Boyhood. Amazing work, loved her emotional honesty and her character had the weight of the world on her shoulders and the audience felt it. Her character had so much responsibility. Loved her in this round table, again very honest and real. She deserves to be included in every award conversation this season, and is. Reese...hm....she had better not be giving Patty dirty looks. they worked together WAY back in 1991's Wildflower...which, I say is one of Patricia's very best performances. If you love her or have any doubts about her talent, watch Wildflower. Now.