Latest news with #NaomiWatts
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Ryan Murphy and the JFK Jr.-Carolyn Bessette controversy, explained: Why ‘American Love Story' Instagram post got so much hate
All is not well in Camelot... again. Ryan Murphy's latest prestige series is barely a week into production, but it's already stirring up controversy. Set for an early 2026 launch on FX, American Love Story chronicles the tragic romance between John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, who died in a 1999 plane crash, three years after their storybook wedding. Here's what you need to know about the unfolding real-life drama surrounding the show. More from GoldDerby Everything to know about 'The Pitt' Season 2 'The Daily Show' leads Best Talk Series Emmy odds amid outrage over the low number of available slots 'Awards Magnet': New Emmy predictions - including those cutthroat lead categories As with so many social media-era tempests, this all started with an Instagram post. On June 13, the official Ryan Murphy Productions account shared first-look camera test images of American Love Story stars Paul Kelly as JFK Jr. and Sarah Pidgeon as Bessette-Kennedy. "We started shooting in New York this week," the post revealed, adding that over 1,000 actors had auditioned for both roles. Besides Kelly and Pidgeon, the American Love Story cast includes Murphy regular Naomi Watts as Jackie Kennedy, Grace Gummer as Caroline Kenndy, Sydney Lemmon as Lauren Bessette and Alessandro Nivola as Calvin Klein. Mixed in among the congratulatory Insta comments — including a "proud mama" note from Kelly's mom — were the first hints of drama. Armchair critics were notably displeased with Pidgeon's wardrobe and hair, which they argued didn't accurately capture Bessette-Kennedy's trendsetting glamor. Experts weighed in days later, with The Cut publishing a fashion-forward critique that dismissed Pidgeon's various lewks as "modern-day replicas of their '90s counterparts." Meanwhile, Bessette-Kennedy's actual hair colorist, Brad Johns, gave an exclusive interview to Vogue where he called the actress's platinum blond hair "totally wrong." "No one would believe that Carolyn in the '90s would ever have that color from me," he added. "It's too 2024." But not all of the criticisms of American Love Story have been fashion-related. Earlier this week, writer Jack Schlossberg — son of Caroline Kennedy and nephew of JFK Jr. — posted his own Instagram reaction to the series, emphasizing that Murphy and his creative team doesn't have the Kennedy family's involvement or blessing. "There's not really much we can do," he noted. "The right to privacy, which includes the ability to control your own name, image and likeness, doesn't survive death in the state of New York. For that matter, [John]'s considered a public figure." In lieu of stopping the production, Schlossberg called for the production to find a way to give back to the memories of the couple. "I hope those making these shows about him take seriously what he stood for in his life," he remarked. "And that they donate some of the profits [that] they're making." In a June 19 interview with Variety, Murphy addressed the advanced American Love Story criticism head-on. "Carolyn Bessette is clearly a religious figure and it's a religion of her own," he noted about the intense reaction to Pidgeon's hair and clothing. "It's very interesting that people become so inflammatory." The prolific creator and producer also revealed that neither actor was modeling outfits for the camera test that will be seen in the series itself. As for Pidgeon's platinum locks, Murphy said that the actress was wearing a wig in the Instagram images — and claims that Vogue didn't reach out to factcheck the reason for that shade of blonde. "Why didn't Vogue call us and ask, 'Let's talk about your decisions. What are your reference photos?'" he remarked. Murphy vowed that the series will pay careful attention to era-specific fashions, employing a "style advisory board" to offer best practices. Additionally, some of the clothing seen on the show will have belonged to Bessette-Kennedy; the production purchased those pieces for Pidgeon to wear on-camera. "They're doing to our Carolyn, what they did to the real-life Carolyn," Murphy said, comparing Pidgeon's critics to those who criticized Bessette after her romance with JFK Jr. went public. "It's not fair." Murphy had a more diplomatic response to Schlossberg's remarks, confirming that he intends to donate some of his American Love Story profits to the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum. "I think it would be really hard if your relatives are always in the media," he acknowledged. Elizabeth Goodenough/Everett Collection American Love Story shoot sightings are happening all over New York City as production continues through the summer and into the fall. FX plans a Valentine's Day launch next year, with its usual FX on Hulu streaming option. More Murphy productions are headed to the small screen before then. Disney's TV upfront presentation in May shared footage from All's Fair, coming this fall to Hulu and starring Sarah Paulson, Kim Kardashian and Watts. 911: Nashville — the latest expansion of Murphy's 911 franchise — is also premiering this fall on ABC. And he'll soon begin production on The Beauty, a Nip/Tuck-esque series for FX featuring Ashton Kutcher, Evan Peters and Anthony Ramos. Don't expect any camera test Instagram images from those shows, though. "If I ever do something like that again, I have to put a warning label on the top of the caption, explaining to people what the process is," Murphy told Variety about his major takeaway from the American Love Story dust-up. 'I was trying to protect our actors from being absolutely swarmed by the paparazzi," he added. "But that's on me. I made a mistake, and I've learned from it." Best of GoldDerby Everything to know about 'The Pitt' Season 2 Adam Brody, Seth Rogen, Jason Segel, and the best of our Emmy Comedy Actor interviews Kristen Bell, Tina Fey, Bridget Everett, and the best of our Emmy Comedy Actress interviews Click here to read the full article.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Naomi Watts Has Pure Mama Bear Moment Helping Lookalike Daughter Kai with Her Makeup
Naomi Watts Has Pure Mama Bear Moment Helping Lookalike Daughter Kai with Her Makeup originally appeared on Parade. A new photo offers an intimate look at , 56, and daughter , 16, showcasing a tender mother-daughter moment. The sweet image, which recently emerged from an Armani Beauty event, capture the Academy Award-nominated actress applying makeup on Kai. The photo arrives as the family embraces a significant chapter: Kai recently came out as transgender, a journey Watts has supported and celebrated. Naomi Watts, known for her powerful and versatile performances in films like , , , and , shows her real-life strength as a parent and as a vocal advocate for important conversations. Beyond her family life, Watts has become a prominent voice in destigmatizing menopause. Watts has shared her own experiences and challenges societal norms around aging for women. Watts also launched Stripes, a beauty and wellness brand specifically for menopausal women, solidifying her commitment to this vital conversation. Her outspokenness on menopause mirrors her support for Kai's journey, demonstrating a consistent commitment to authenticity and open dialogue. This public stance on personal and often private topics highlights Watts' dedication to fostering understanding and acceptance. The photo shows Watts engaged in a quiet, focused act of parental care, a scene many parents can relate to. This act of helping her daughter with her makeup, in a public setting, subtly reinforces the star's hands-on involvement in Kai's life and her embrace of Kai's self-expression. The authenticity of the moment is clear, as mother and daughter share a focused interaction. The new photos of Watts and Kai serve as a powerful affirmation of identity and the strength of parental support. In a world where visibility for transgender youth remains crucial, such public moments from high-profile figures demonstrate how parents can show up for their kids in quiet, impactful ways. They reflect a growing societal understanding, underscoring the importance of embracing and celebrating every facet of who our loved ones are. This public display of support by Watts provides an example of unconditional love and acceptance, contributing to broader conversations about identity and family Watts Has Pure Mama Bear Moment Helping Lookalike Daughter Kai with Her Makeup first appeared on Parade on Jun 19, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Jun 19, 2025, where it first appeared.
North Wales Chronicle
a day ago
- Entertainment
- North Wales Chronicle
David Lynch memorabilia including scripts and props sell for more than £3m
More than 450 items of memorabilia were sold in the Los Angeles auction, hosted by Julien's Auctions and Turner Classic Movies (TCM) at the Peninsula Beverly Hills, where they fetched a combined 4.25 million dollars (£3.16 million). The item which sold for the highest price was a group of 11 scripts from Lynch's unfinished film project, Ronnie Rocket: The Absurd Mystery Of The Strange Forces of Existence, which fetched 195,000 dollars (£145,206). Other lots included three scripts from the production of Mulholland Drive, which made 104,000 dollars (£77,443), with a note on one script reading: 'We are very concerned about preserving the integrity of this screenplay. Please do not let anyone read this script – it is for your use only.' Other Mulholland Drive items sold at the auction included prop menus from Winkie's diner, which sold for 7,800 dollars (£5,808), and an original diptych featuring portraits of Naomi Watts and Laura Harring as their roles Betty Elms and Rita in the film, which made 16,250 dollars (£12,100). A red leather director's chair with Lynch's name emblazoned on the back sold for 91,000 dollars (£67,762), after it had been on a tour of locations across Los Angeles such as Mulholland Drive's scenic overlook and Winkie's diner, as well as the diner frequented by Lynch during his life. Catherine Williamson, managing director of entertainment at Julien's Auctions, said: 'Every object in this collection served as a window into Lynch's surreal and uncompromising creative world – whether from his ground-breaking films, television work, or personal studio. 'The global response to the auction speaks not only to the cultural importance of his legacy, but to the profound admiration and reverence he inspires among fans, collaborators, and collectors alike.' Script copies of the pilot episode of Lynch and Mark Frost's Twin Peaks TV series, with its original name Northwest Passage crossed out and replaced with Twin Peaks, sold for 91,000 dollars (£67,762) at the auction, while scripts from its prequel film Fire Walk With Me, made 78,000 dollars (£58,082). Lynch's personal 35mm print of his debut feature film Eraserhead sold for 52,000 dollars (£38,721). The US director died aged 78 earlier this year, five months after he revealed he had been diagnosed with emphysema, a chronic lung disease, after 'many years of smoking'.
Rhyl Journal
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Rhyl Journal
David Lynch memorabilia including scripts and props sell for more than £3m
More than 450 items of memorabilia were sold in the Los Angeles auction, hosted by Julien's Auctions and Turner Classic Movies (TCM) at the Peninsula Beverly Hills, where they fetched a combined 4.25 million dollars (£3.16 million). The item which sold for the highest price was a group of 11 scripts from Lynch's unfinished film project, Ronnie Rocket: The Absurd Mystery Of The Strange Forces of Existence, which fetched 195,000 dollars (£145,206). Other lots included three scripts from the production of Mulholland Drive, which made 104,000 dollars (£77,443), with a note on one script reading: 'We are very concerned about preserving the integrity of this screenplay. Please do not let anyone read this script – it is for your use only.' Other Mulholland Drive items sold at the auction included prop menus from Winkie's diner, which sold for 7,800 dollars (£5,808), and an original diptych featuring portraits of Naomi Watts and Laura Harring as their roles Betty Elms and Rita in the film, which made 16,250 dollars (£12,100). A red leather director's chair with Lynch's name emblazoned on the back sold for 91,000 dollars (£67,762), after it had been on a tour of locations across Los Angeles such as Mulholland Drive's scenic overlook and Winkie's diner, as well as the diner frequented by Lynch during his life. Catherine Williamson, managing director of entertainment at Julien's Auctions, said: 'Every object in this collection served as a window into Lynch's surreal and uncompromising creative world – whether from his ground-breaking films, television work, or personal studio. 'The global response to the auction speaks not only to the cultural importance of his legacy, but to the profound admiration and reverence he inspires among fans, collaborators, and collectors alike.' Script copies of the pilot episode of Lynch and Mark Frost's Twin Peaks TV series, with its original name Northwest Passage crossed out and replaced with Twin Peaks, sold for 91,000 dollars (£67,762) at the auction, while scripts from its prequel film Fire Walk With Me, made 78,000 dollars (£58,082). Lynch's personal 35mm print of his debut feature film Eraserhead sold for 52,000 dollars (£38,721). The US director died aged 78 earlier this year, five months after he revealed he had been diagnosed with emphysema, a chronic lung disease, after 'many years of smoking'.
New York Times
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Can Menopause Be Funny?
For the past couple years, menopause has been the hot topic among Gen X and Xennials now that they're in its unrelenting, sweaty grip. Halle Berry and the best-selling memoirist Naomi Watts have been promoting menopause-wellness programs and beauty and health products. And a year after it first hit shelves, readers are still unpacking Miranda July's critically acclaimed book 'All Fours,' the irreverent autofictional portrait of a perimenopausal woman's voracious sexual awakening. The havoc that menopause wreaks on bodies and minds can feel nothing short of absurd. But, while it has provided an abundance of great material, can it actually be the basis for an entertaining TV sitcom? The veteran comedy writers and actors Meredith MacNeill, 50, and Jennifer Whalen, 55, are the creators, executive-producers and stars of 'Small Achievable Goals,' a boldly candid half-hour workplace sitcom on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) that depicts two Gen X women going through menopause, much as they are experiencing it themselves. The premise alone is a large achievable goal: selling what Ms. Whalen described as 'a joyful comedy about menopause' to Canada's premiere network, especially amid a culture that is squeamish discussing anything related to the menstrual cycle. Then again, the comedians have a proven track record at CBC, with multiple writing and acting awards to their names. They're considered 'Canadian comedy royalty,' according to, among others, their castmate Alexander Nunez. Though Canada has exported the comic actors Catherine O'Hara and Eugene Levy, as a Toronto resident Lisa Levy (no relation to Mr. Levy) explained it, our neighbors to the north do not have an obsessive celebrity culture like Americans do, unless they're 'athletes or Drake,' so there is not, say, a Tina-and-Amy equivalent in Canada (referencing Tina Fey and Amy Poehler). But if there were, these two would qualify. 'Small Achievable Goals' — or 'SAG,' as the women appropriately call it — deftly strikes the balance between raucous comedy and heart-rending poignancy as an unlikely work partnership unfolds between polar opposites whose hormones have gone haywire, amid an office full of bewildered young millennials and zoomers. 'This is a crazy time of life, but we wanted to make a laugh-out-loud comedy about [menopause] and talk about these things openly,' Ms. Whalen said. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
