Lucas Hedges at 25. Where to next?

by Nathaniel R

A month ago we celebrated Tye Sheridan's 25th to crickets from readers. Today it's Lucas Hedges turn and he bears the notable distinction of being the youngest male actor working to have already been Oscar-nominated (Timothée Chalamet, also a December baby, is a full year older).

If an actor isn't yet famous the quarter century mark is a great time to start landing roles, honing their skills, and finding a breakthrough project. If the actor is already established, chances are they were already a teen or child star; They have easier access to offers but it's much trickier career navigation. There are already years of pop culture baggage, preconceptions, and expectations before they're even right / ready for the leading man parts that can make a career enduring. 

From our purely anecdotal evidence, Lucas Hedges has already been through several stage of film stardom...

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Almost There: Michelle Pfeiffer in "White Oleander"

by Cláudio Alves

This past weekend, actressexuals and Pfeiffer pfans were scandalized when Lucas Hedges revealed he had never seen a movie starring Michelle Pfeiffer before working with her on French Exit. I kid, while also admitting I was surprised. Being only two years older than Hedges, I've seen plenty of Pfeiffer movies as have many of my friends, ranging from work by renowned auteurs to blockbuster fare. Hers is a varied filmography. She may have only been nominated thrice for the Oscars, but Michelle Pfeiffer has delivered a fair share of awards-worthy star turns and her range is quite expansive. Equally brilliant in big leading parts and small supporting roles, broad comedy and thrilling drama, Pfeiffer is one of my favorite actresses and I'd love nothing more than to share my adoration with you, dear readers.

With that in mind, let's delve into one of the best performances in her resume. Maybe more than any other of her other films, White Oleander got Michelle Pfeiffer very close to that elusive fourth Oscar nod…

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Tweetweek: Lucas Hedges not a cinephile, Kirsten Dunst's mystique, Jamie Dornan clones

Can we talk about Lucas Hedges saying he'd never seen a Michelle Pfeiffer pfilm while promoting French Exit (finally "out" though that definition is so strange now) in which he plays her son?

Rescind his Oscar nomination pic.twitter.com/wuXVZm8g4T

— Nathaniel Rogers (@nathanielr) February 11, 2021

How is that even possible? Yes, he's just 24 but he's in the industry and she's made all kinds of movies in every genre from massive franchises to surprise blockbusters to indie darlings to cult favourites...

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On Soderberg, Experimenting...

by Eric Blume

We've discussed Let Them All Talk a few times, but mostly in the ccontext of Meryl Streep. In honor of director Steven Soderbergh's birthday, I'd like to root for this weird little movie currently streaming on HBOMax.

Before the film came out, a friend of mine texted and said, "I feel like Soderbergh doesn't even make movies anymore...he just does experiments."  And that feels true.  Several years ago now, Soderbergh toyed with retiring, saying something along the lines of if he had to shoot one more over-the-shoulder shot, he was going to kill himself.  (I'm paraphrasing, relax.) While that may sound a bit pretentious, it also makes sense...

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Review: "Let Them All Talk"

by Christopher James

Imagine a cruise ship movie starring Meryl Streep, Candice Bergen, Dianne Wiest and Lucas Hedges. With five Oscars, 26 Oscar nominations and 10 Emmy wins between them, Let Them All Talk was poised for greatness just on its logline alone. The new HBO Max film may sound like the perfect fluff while at home, but that would ignore the film’s not-so-secret ingredient. With director Steven Soderbergh at the helm, he steers the film away from madcap and into more contemplative, but far less calm, waters. Let Them All Talk may move more glacially than expected. Yet, what we’re left with is a thornier and more interesting look at a decades long friendship filled with fractures.

A renowned author, Alice (Meryl Streep) learns that she is receiving a prestigious award in England (“it’s not even given out every year,” she reminds everyone she encounters). Ever the diva, Alice wants to travel by style and not by plane...

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