Latest news with #GreatGatsby
New York Times
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Stephen Fry Knows He's Become a Middle-Aged Cliché
By email, the actor and prolific writer (three memoirs!) apologized, sort of, for outgrowing D.H. Lawrence. SCOTT HELLER Who is your favorite fictional hero or heroine? Jo, the crossing sweeper in 'Bleak House,' is the character who has the most powerful effect on me whenever I return to that peerless book. (Incidentally, Miriam Margolyes's reading of the audiobook is one of the wonders of the age.) Jo is a minor character really, not a hero, but he literally sweeps across the different worlds of the novel. And Dickens's authorial voice denouncing the society that let him die is a masterpiece of fury and despair. Your favorite antihero or villain? Tom Buchanan in 'The Great Gatsby' stands out. There are so many Tom Buchanans in the world now. Running it. Or — to change a letter — ruining it. In 2021, the Times described you as an 'avuncular public intellectual.' How do you feel about that label? Oh my lordy lord. Avuncular gives me great pleasure. But I disavow 'intellectual,' just as I disavow 'artist' (not that quite so many call me that). I am, I think, an entertainer, impure and simple. But I love the company of real intellectuals. When were you first exposed to Greek mythology? At prep school, which in Britain means aged 7 to 13. I instantly fell in love with the juice, energy and fierce delight of them. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Elle
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Elle
Elizabeth Banks on Her ‘Crazy' Skin Care Rituals and the Importance of Sisterhood
Every item on this page was chosen by an ELLE editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy. Elizabeth Banks is busy. She's in the middle of a press run for her latest show, The Better Sister, a murder mystery that centers around two estranged sisters (played by Banks and Jessica Biel) reuniting. She's living in Toronto and filming a new series, The Miniature Wife, on Peacock. She even just gave a commencement speech at her alma mater, the University of Pennsylvania. Amid all of it, she's trying to get her beauty sleep. 'Our skin does its best repair work at night,' she says. 'I tell my kids that's when your body fixes itself, and when you grow. That's true of our skin too.' Banks is the first U.S. ambassador for skin care brand No7, and she's been using their new Future Renew line every night. Banks joined me on a Zoom call from Toronto. We caught up about her nighttime routine, her love of puzzles and podcasts (of which she has many recommendations, and even pulled up her podcast library to make sure she gave me all of them), and how important it is for her to stay active in today's political climate. Below, our full conversation. It's weird right now, because I'm living alone. I don't have my kids with me. I have a totally different vibe than I normally do when I am home. Last night was a typical night for me [alone]. I've been doing puzzles. I like to puzzle and listen to books on tape. I'm actually listening to A Court of Thorns and Roses right now, which is making me laugh. Last night's [puzzle was] a bunch of popsicles. I also did a Great Gatsby puzzle. This is my third puzzle in about four months that I've done. I leave it on the table and wind down by listening to something and keeping my mind busy. This is the one thing that I feel like is just for me. I do not bother with anything less than 1,000. Um... I think it's pretty good. I don't want to speak ill. It's a fun world to be in. The news is a bit overwhelming right now. I'm finding [that] I just want to be in a fairy tale world right now in my wind-down [time]. I get my news during the day. But at night, I'm also really trying to stay off Instagram. It's really important for my sleep that I am doing something actually relaxing that does not take my emotional life anywhere. The greatest thing about No7 is that you can line all the products up on the countertop, and go through them one by one. I use the Future Renew Peptide Cleanser. Then I do the Future Renew Night Serum, that's really silky, lovely, and yummy. It feels and works great. I got into serums after a conversation with my dermatologist, who was like, You could do more than just moisturizer. Serums are when you get the good stuff, you know? Then I have the Future Renew Night Cream. All of these are formulated for overnight use. They really make the most of your beauty sleep. The other thing I'm most interested in is sleep. I really am trying my best to hydrate at night and get as much sleep as possible. Your skin always looks improved when it's hydrated [and] after you've had a good night's sleep. I love long walks. I'm really trying to get those steps in. Even after a long day, I'll try and do a walk. I also have a walking pad in my trailer at work. On my breaks, I just walk. That's when I'm usually listening to my podcast. And planning the revolution, obviously. I listen to a lot of NPR, which I still support. I listen to Up First most days. I listen to The Daily. I like Pivot with Kara Swisher and Scott Galloway. I like Mel Robbins. I like storytelling, so I do like a lot of the murder podcasts. I listened to one a while ago that I really still think about called Bear Brook. I [also] listen to The Opportunist. I have a friend, Quinn Emmett, who does The Most Important Question. It's all about environmentalism and the ways that different things cross into climate. You wouldn't think this, but [there's an episode about] women's rights crossing into climate—protecting women, elevating them. Then all the Serials and Nice White Parents. I got into facials more. I do crazy things now. I put my face in ice most mornings to take down inflammation. No7 is great for elasticity, fine lines, hydration, and wrinkles. But physically, I carry a lot of water weight. I like to gua sha and move things around [like lymphatic drainage]. As you get older, things start to fall apart faster, and you really do have to pay closer attention. It's made me more mindful. I loved the themes of it. It felt almost Shakespearean in nature. There's two sisters with a shared husband, and the son [is] living in the shadow of the father [in] this rarefied world. These two daughters who took different paths and now [have] come back together. There's vengeance and revenge. To be honest, I'm a big sister, and I felt a real kinship with this character. A sisterhood at the center of a story is something I'm always drawn to. If you watch Pitch Perfect, it's about sisterhood. It's about a sorority of women who band together and solve something. I made Charlie's Angels, which is about a sorority of women who band together to solve something. It's a theme in a lot of my work. It's a relationship that we don't always see elevated. I love that this was a classic whodunit that also had sisterhood at the center of it. Sisterhood is a shortcut to saying all the women in my life who are getting shit done, who are inspiring me to get shit done, who teach me, and on whose shoulders I stand. It's one of the most important things in my life. Other than my marriage, it's all about sisterhood. I'm the oldest of four. I have two sisters and a brother. I have two sisters-in-law, who I love dearly, too. My mom has five sisters. My dad has four sisters. There's a lot of sisters in my life, but I also have all my friends and my girlfriends. [I have] mom friends. Then I have the sisters that I'm activists with. I have the sisterhood of my fellow actresses in Hollywood, who amaze me and inspire me all the time. Can't do without them. I've really been coming to back to the idea more and more that we are living in a world that was not handed to us. It was fought for—my right to vote, to a 40-hour work week, child care, ability to have a credit card and own property. None of this was God-given to me. It had to be fought for by women who came before me. It's always good to remind women that they live in a world that was fought for by other women. In the women around me and in my kids. I want more freedom for them. I want their lives to be open and enriched. I want people to be educated. We are living in an incredibly interesting time in human history. We're on this exponential curve, with everything going straight up. We've got AI, and all of these incredible technological advancements, especially when it comes to living longer. We're really the first generation of humans to live this long. What are we going to do with all that time? How are we going to spend it, and how are we going to be more inclusive of more people? We have a lot of hard things going on when it comes to climate change and income inequality. We need to be inviting more people to the solutions party, and not less. I do feel hopeful. When it comes to the protests that are going on in Los Angeles, for instance, it's about a sense of safety for everyone in our lives—our neighbors, our friends, our family, our co-workers. I feel like the current administration is making things very unsafe, and people don't like to feel unsafe. The banding together gives me hope that everyone is actually going to fight for one another's safety, and that we actually do live in community. We don't live in a divided place. I live in a community, and I'm going to help keep the people [there] safe. I'm going to continue to try and do that. If I am, I know other people are too. This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.
CairoScene
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- CairoScene
Styled Archives: Nancy Ajram's Most Iconic Music Video Looks
A nostalgic journey through the Queen of Arabic Pop's boldest on-screen fashion. Jun 12, 2025 With a career spanning over two decades and a music video catalog that shaped a generation's idea of pop stardom, Nancy Ajram is more than a singer; she's a style icon. Whether she's serving 2000s sass or fairy-tale fantasy, her music video fashion is etched into the Arab world's collective memory. Nancy Ajram's music video fashion was never just about clothes. Each look defined a moment, told a story, and pushed the envelope of what Arab pop stars could wear, and say, on screen. Whether it was full glam, playful fantasy, or pure attitude, her style always spoke volumes. Here, we revisit some of her most unforgettable looks over the years… Ma Tegi Hena (2014) In one of her most talked-about videos, Nancy emerges in a tight red bodycon dress that became instantly iconic. Paired with gold statement jewellery, glowing skin, and a perfectly sculpted red lip, the look oozed sass and bold feminine energy. It was modern-day siren meets old-school cabaret, an outfit that spoke louder than the lyrics, matched only by her unapologetic confidence. culpted red lip, the look oozed sass and bold feminine energy. It was modern-day siren meets old-school cabaret, an outfit that spoke louder than the lyrics, matched only by her unapologetic confidence. Sheikh El Shabab (2010) A true lesson in duality, this video sees Nancy oscillating between playful and boho-chic. First, there's the unforgettable leopard print jeggings, layered with a casual red tank for that 'girl next door with an edge' aesthetic. Then, we're transported to a whimsical garden scene where she floats in an orange flowy skirt, cropped vest, and bohemian accessories, giving off strong fairy-in-the-meadow energy. Mashy Haddy (2008) Nancy channels cartoon pop realness in a bright yellow structured dress that wouldn't look out of place in a modern animation. A cute bandana and retro heels add a layer of playful absurdity. It's kitschy, it's weirdly wearable, and it reminds us that she never took herself too seriously. Ya Salaam (2009) Serving Great Gatsby glam with a 2000s twist, Nancy dons a sparkling 1920s-inspired dress - think delicate beading, sheer paneling, and the ultimate cherry on top, a bubblegum pink wig. The look was theatrical and unexpected, but it worked. The exaggerated femininity mixed with the jazz-era silhouette made it feel both vintage and delightfully offbeat. Akhasmak Ah (2003) Possibly the most iconic look in her videography. Nancy appears in a black strapless bodycon dress, paired with gold statement jewellery and sharp black stilettos. The outfit became a cultural moment, and marked the beginning of her reign as Arabic pop's most visually daring figure.
Indianapolis Star
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Indianapolis Star
American Lives Theatre's new season explores the Marine who saved a president and more
At the center of American Lives Theatre's 2025-26 season is the exploration of personal autonomy, capital punishment, family ties and patriotism. Five plays are scheduled between September and August 2026, and each fits into the theme of "Our American Legacy." "With every play this season you're watching a human being make big decisions in real time," said Founding Artistic Director Chris Saunders stated in a news release. "There's something riveting about that. In real life we aren't usually privy to those moments. But that's why we see theater, isn't it? And these decisions have an effect, that legacy we mention in the season theme." Unless otherwise noted, all shows are at the Phoenix Theatre Cultural Centre, 705 N. Illinois St. Tickets will go on sale later this month at and By Keiko Green. Sept. 11-28 A death row inmate and young woman become pen pals, leading to discussions about justice and capital punishment. The production is in partnership with The New Harmony Project, where "Wad" was further developed during PlayFest Indy last September. By Jennifer Blackmer. Feb. 5-22, 2026 The play examines how colleges in the mid-20th-century often used "practice babies" from orphanages to teach women in home economics classes. More theater: 'Great Gatsby' and 'Scarlet Letter' are on Civic Theatre's new season By Stephen Sachs. April 16-May 3, 2026, at IF Theatre, 719 E. St. Clair St. Tickets will go on sale by September. The playwright used public records and court transcripts to tell the true story of an 18-year-old son who turned in his father for his part in the January 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. By Andrew Kramer. May 21-June 7, 2026 The story centers on Oliver Sipple, the U.S. Marine who saved President Gerald Ford from an assassination attempt. Media outlets subsequently outed him as gay, which led to mental health difficulties and harassment of Sipple's family. By Makasha Copeland. July 16-Aug. 2, 2026 After losing their patriarch, a Latino family auditions for a popular home decorating show in this play about resilience and healing. The IndianapoLIST newsletter has the best shows, art and eats — and the stories behind them
Time Magazine
04-06-2025
- Business
- Time Magazine
The History of How Vodka Became America's Spirit of Choice
This summer, millions of Americans will drink vodka in a stunning array of popular cocktails: from the well-known Moscow Mule and martini to the more obscure vesper or Great Gatsby. In 2024, vodka accounted for nearly a quarter of the spirits consumed in the U.S. The clear, neutral spirit has dominated American liquor sales for decades, far surpassing whiskey, which once enjoyed an unchallenged status as the nation's preferred spirit. While whiskey remains a cultural touchstone for claims on American identity, the reality is that American consumers have consistently chosen vodka as their spirit of choice for decades. The story of vodka's rise in the U.S. was closely intertwined with Cold War-era cultural politics and shifting consumer tastes shaped by strategic marketing. While whiskey had long symbolized tradition, rural Americana, and old-world nostalgia, vodka emerged as a sleek, modern alternative. It became a beverage adaptable to changing American lifestyles marked by countercultural politics and globalized consumer culture. Even amid today's craft cocktail renaissance and whiskey revivalism, vodka still stands as the most consumed spirit in bars and homes across the country—proof that Cold War cultural conflicts continue to shape our tastes. Initially, Americans greeted vodka with limited enthusiasm. Late 19 th century newspapers depicted the spirit as a foreign, exotic drink, associated primarily with Russian immigrants who brought their drinking traditions with them. In the 1930s, vodka gained its first meaningful foothold in the U.S. when a Russian immigrant named Rudolph Kunett brought the Smirnoff brand to Bethel, Conn. Over the next decade, the spirit remained mostly a curiosity—far down the pecking order of Americans' drink preferences. Read More: The History Behind Why Canadians are Boycotting American Whiskey Vodka made its real breakthrough during World War II. Businessman John G. Martin, president of the Connecticut based Heublein import company, acquired the struggling Smirnoff vodka brand from Kunett for $14,000 on a whim. In the following years, Martin realized that vodka had huge untapped potential. He emphasized the spirit's flavorlessness as a selling point, rather than a liability. The businessman marketed vodka as "Smirnoff's White Whiskey: No Smell, No Taste," an odorless, flavorless mixer suitable for blending into a wide range of cocktails. Seeing some initial success with this advertising strategy in the 1940s, Martin heavily promoted a wide range of vodka-based drinks to grow the brand's appeal. He popularized not only the Moscow Mule, in its distinctive copper mug, but also the Bloody Mary and the Screwdriver, all of which became household names over the following decades. All of Martin's concoctions emphasized ease of consumption—only requiring one or two ingredients—as well as distinctive presentation. In the first half of the 1950s, vodka sales exploded, rising from 40,000 cases in 1950 to over 4 million by 1955. As a flavorless mixer, vodka filled a gap in the American spirits market, providing bartenders and home drinkers alike with an unchallenging tipple to mix with anything on hand. Interestingly, vodka's rise came against the complex backdrop of the Cold War. As major Cold War events like the Cuban Missile Crisis, the space race, and the Vietnam War fueled American anxieties and obsessions about Soviet power, the spirit found a way to slip past political divisions and into American homes—despite its connections with the Soviet enemy. Companies were aware of the risks of vodka being swept up in Cold War politics. Their marketing campaigns took care to avoid anti-Soviet hostility by emphasizing aspects of Russian culture disconnected from contemporary geopolitics. Advertisers invoked images of Imperial Russia rather than Soviet communism, hyping vodka's sophistication and European heritage. High gloss ads for Smirnoff showed celebrities drinking the spirit in locations ranging from the Russian imperial court to exoticized jungle backgrounds. The vodka bottle became an emblem of elegance and international flair. Observing Smirnoff's success, the company's competitors—brands like Samovar and Wolfschmidt—quickly seized on the same marketing strategy. The transformation of vodka from derided immigrant liquor to acclaimed opulent spirit operated in tandem with a broader cultural shift: as the Baby Boomers came of age in the 1960s and 1970s, they became major consumers and increasingly rejected the cultural norms of the previous generation. Baby Boomers' parents drank whiskey, and they wanted to rebel. To the Boomers, whiskey symbolized traditional masculinity and rural values, deeply rooted in American history and nostalgia for a simpler past. Vodka, conversely, signaled sophistication, fitting comfortably into this generation's desire for newness. Despite the fact that almost all vodka consumed in the U.S. was made in America, the spirit's global associations intertwined with baby boomers' desire for cosmopolitan connection. The spirit's association with Russia only emphasized its freshness—countercultural opposition to the Cold War led many a baby boomer to drink vodka as protest. Heublein, the manufacturer of Smirnoff, attributed their success to a 'youth-sparked movement' as the boomers embraced the company's product. Gender also played a key role. Vodka advertisers marketed the spirit as less challenging for women, even a diet option in some cases. As more women entered the workforce and companies targeted them as consumers, it changed the gender norms around alcohol. Recognizing this, Samovar upset the traditional rules of advertising in 1960 by hiring five women to help market their vodka. Marion Johnson, the company's brand manager and one of the first female liquor advertising directors in the U.S., commented on this new strategy: 'Women generally do not like the taste of liquor. Vodka is said to have no taste. So they can be sociable and still enjoy themselves.' In contrast to this female focused pitch, many whiskey brands in the 1960s and 1970s continued to lean into names and imagery evoking age, tradition, and masculinity. Brands like Old Crow, Old Forester, and Old Grand-Dad sought to signal a deliberate link to a gendered past. The entry of Stolichnaya into the U.S. market in 1972 further cemented vodka's status. Paradoxically, the brand benefitted from its Soviet origins. While Smirnoff and other brands touted their cultural heritage in the pre-Soviet Russian Empire, Stolichnaya entered the U.S. as the first ever Soviet-produced spirit. Through a brand deal with PepsiCo that also saw Pepsi sold in the U.S.S.R, Stolichnaya represented a novel economic exchange between the two superpowers. At a time when Cold War tensions heightened curiosity and suspicion about all things Soviet, American consumers flocked to the new vodka as an edgy, exotic choice—drinking vodka became simultaneously an act of defiance and fascination. A 1974 ad for Stolichnaya displayed four vodka bottles and noted where they were made—Samovar: Schenley, Pa.; Smirnoff: Hartford, Conn.; Wolfschmidt: Lawrenceburg, Ind., and Stolichnaya: Leningrad, U.S.S.R. The tagline proudly trumpeted, 'Most American vodkas seem Russian. Stolichnaya is different. It is Russian.' These claims to authenticity exploded consumption of Stolichnaya, specifically, and vodka, more generally. By 1976, vodka had unseated whiskey as the most consumed spirit in the U.S. Vodka's dominance continued through the 1980s and 1990s with the meteoric rise of Swedish brand Absolut, whose artistic advertising campaigns captured the imagination of a new generation of young Americans. The brand's minimalist bottle and bold, art-infused ads made it a cultural icon, feted in magazines and billboards across the country. During this period, flavored vodkas—from citrus to pepper to vanilla—also took off. American tastes had also fully shifted toward light, easy-drinking spirits whose ad campaigns promised them versatility, fewer calories, and a sense of modern sophistication. Vodka's newfound status as the country's go-to liquor reflected how thoroughly it had reshaped the American drinking landscape. The craft cocktail revolution of the 2000s—when high-end bars, aproned bartenders, and carefully curated liquor menus surged through the country—seemed to pose a threat to vodka's dominance. Craft bartenders often turned their nose up at the flavorless spirit, and the Wall Street Journal in 2009 triumphantly declared, 'vodka is passe.' Yet, despite repeated claims of vodka's demise, it remains America's top-selling spirit. That's a testament to its successful reinvention during a crucial period of American cultural change. Whiskey, which has experienced a resurgence over the past 15 years, has never regained its mass-market dominance. The Cold War era fundamentally reshaped American drinking culture, aligning vodka's blank-slate versatility with new cultural identities less rooted in tradition and place, and more in global consumerism and modernist aesthetics. Reflecting on vodka's ascendance helps illuminate how consumer choices are deeply connected to broader cultural and political trends. The story of vodka is the story of modern America, encased in a clear, flavorless spirit that appears neutral but retains cultural power. E. Kyle Romero is an assistant professor at the University of North Florida. He studies the history of American foreign policy, immigration politics, and global consumer economics.
