Category: Magazines

‘Silence Breakers’ behind #MeToo movement named Time’s Person of the Year

The so-called Silence Breakers have been named Time magazine’s Person of the Year.

The magazine cover features some of the figures whose voices have inspired others to speak out since the #MeToo movement began in October — actor Ashley Judd, former Uber engineer Susan Fowler, corporate lobbyist Adama Iwu, singer Taylor Swift, Isabel Pascual, a strawberry picker from Mexico who is using a pseudonym, and a sixth unidentified woman whose face is not shown.

Dozens of men and women have shared their stories in the past two months about sexual misconduct by numerous high-profile men in entertainment, media, business and sports. The revelations also helped prompt millions worldwide to tweet about their experiences with sexual harassment and assault, and cued influential players to examine how to impose change.

In Toronto, a group from across Canada gathered on Wednesday to scrutinize the laws and policies that have contributed to sexual assault claims in the entertainment industry. Called #AfterMeToo, the symposium brings together members of the Canadian film and TV community, trauma experts, lawyers, activists and politicians.

Canadian filmmaker Aisling Chin-Yee began by detailing recommendations that would be included in a report to be released in the winter of 2018, as decided upon by lawmakers, activists and industry players.

They include:

– An industry-wide response that may include labour law changes for better reporting of sexual harassment and assault and dealing with blacklisting.
– Expanding the definition of a “workplace.”
– Yearly education and training, and bystander intervention.
– Support for survivors from an industry-wide fund that members would pay into.
– Boosting government mental health support.
– Implementing an online reporting system for victims.
– The immediate establishment of a national independent body that would focus on dealing with sexual harassment and assault with the authority to award punitive damages.
– Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Jody Wilson-Raybould took a moment to thank journalists for their work, and urged the audience to approach conversations with respect and without judgment.

One of the #MeToo crusade’s high profile voices has been actor Selma Blair, who gained the confidence to speak out after connecting on Twitter with fellow alleged victim, Canadian actor Chantal Cousineau.

Blair and Cousineau both accused director James Toback of sexual misconduct during separate encounters in hotel rooms.

“I was disgusted. I was really disgusted for so many years, disgusted with myself the way [Toback] made me feel,” Blair told CBC News.

“I didn’t want to be a part of this conversation. I didn’t even particularly relate to women’s stories about coming out about abuse, I didn’t want to relate, I just didn’t engage in this. But I see how important it is.”

The #MeToo movement began spontaneously after actress-activist Alyssa Milano followed on a suggestion from a friend of a friend on Facebook and tweeted: “If you’ve been sexually harassed or assaulted write ‘me too’ as a reply to this tweet.”

The hashtag was tweeted nearly a million times in 48 hours. The movement was founded by activist Tarana Burke on Twitter a decade ago to raise awareness about sexual violence.

Time’s announcement was made Wednesday on NBC’s Today show, where longtime host Matt Lauer was fired last week amid harassment allegations. Today host Savannah Guthrie acknowledged Wednesday that this year’s winner hits “close to home” and mentioned Lauer by name.

The two runners-up were Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump, himself accused of sexual misconduct by numerous women. He has denied any wrongdoing.

Emilia Clarke defends ‘Game of Thrones’ nudity

Emilia Clarke is “starting to get really annoyed” by critics slamming the amount of nudity in her hit TV show Game of Thrones.

The 31-year-old actress stars as Daenerys Targaryen in the HBO series, and has appeared in her fair share of scenes which require her to be nude or have sex. While the program has attracted some criticism for its saucy content, Clarke admitted during an interview with Harper’s Bazaar magazine that she’s getting fed up having to constantly defend the series.

“I’m starting to get really annoyed about this stuff now because people say, ‘Oh, yeah, all the porn sites went down when Game of Thrones came back on,’” Clarke said. “I’m like, The Handmaid’s Tale? I f—ing love that show, and I cried when it ended because I couldn’t handle not seeing it. That is all sex and nudity.

“There are so many shows centred around this very true fact that people reproduce. People f— for pleasure – it’s part of life.”

As well as her Game of Thrones role, Clarke has found fame in movies such as Terminator Genisys, Me Before You and can soon be seen in the upcoming Star Wars franchise spin-off Solo: A Star Wars Story.

While Clarke is stunningly beautiful, she admits she found it difficult landing roles when she started out in the industry because she didn’t have the “right look.” But rather than letting it get her down, the actress was motivated to become recognized for her talent and not her looks.

“It pushed me into another casting type; forced me to be an actor,” she explained. “Instead of playing Juliet and doing the light, airy stuff, I would be the granny who cracks wise, or a down-and-out hooker who has seen better days.”

The British star has been concentrating on furthering her career in recent years – so much so that her love life has been on the backburner. And when it comes to finding “the one,” Clarke is of the impression that there is more than just one soulmate for everyone on earth.

“There is ‘the one’ for particular parts of your life — you change as you get older,” she said. “So when I was in my teens, there was ‘the one’ for my teens, for sure, and then, you know, there’s ‘the one’ for the next time of your life.

“There’s this Buddhist philosophy that says you can only really understand yourself through your interactions with other people.”

Stephen Colbert Laughs Off Trump’s “No-Talent” Criticism: “I Won!”

Stephen Colbert wasted no time in addressing President Donald Trump’s recent comments about the late-night host.

After Trump said he was a “no talent” host with “filthy” things to say in an interview with Time magazine, Colbert responded.

“The president of the United States has personally come after me and my show, and there’s only one thing to say: Hehehehe!”

As the crowd erupted into a “Stephen” chant, the host continued: “There’s a lot you don’t understand, but I never thought one of those things would be show business. Don’t you know I’ve been trying for a year to get you to say my name?”

Trump was “admirably restrained,” though, said Colbert, but “now you did it. I won.”

“There’s nothing funny about what he says,” Trump had said about Colbert. “And what he says is filthy. And you have kids watching. And it only builds up my base. It only helps me, people like him. The guy was dying. By the way they were going to take him off television, then he started attacking me and he started doing better. But his show was dying. I’ve done his show. … But when I did his show, which by the way was very highly rated. It was high highest rating. The highest rating he’s ever had.”

During his interview, Trump also slammed other members of the media, including CNN’s Chris Cuomo, who he said looks like a “chained lunatic,” and Don Lemon, who he says is “perhaps the dumbest person is broadcasting.”

Dwayne Johnson is People’s 2016 ‘Sexiest Man Alive’: Report

Action man Dwayne Johnson will be named People magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive 2016, according to reports.

Website GossipCop leaked the news exclusively on Monday, revealing the Central Intelligence star will take over from retired soccer ace and model David Beckham, who was named the Sexiest Man Alive last year.

Johnson, who is currently filming the Jumanji sequel in Hawaii, is having a great year following the movie hit Central Intelligence and his cable TV drama Ballers, while he has also shot the Baywatch movie and given his voice to Disney’s new animated film Moana.

And next year, he’ll appear in the next Fast and Furious sequel.

Johnson joins a long list of People’s Sexiest Man Alive, including Mel Gibson, who was the first recipient of the prize in 1985, Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Johnny Depp, Chris Hemsworth, rocker Adam Levine, Bradley Cooper, and Ryan Reynolds.

11 Things Adele Admitted In Her ‘Vanity Fair’ Interview That Will Make People Love Her Even More

Adele has never been one to hide her feelings (especially in song), but she also isn’t someone you see plastered all over magazine covers from week to week. So when she does sit down with a writer for an interview, it’s about as in-depth as you get. The most recent profile of the “Hello” singer appears in Vanity Fair, and she shares her thoughts on just about everything, from motherhood to Beyonce, even making a snarky remark about WiFi at one point.

Many people adore Adele already, but here are some takeaways from her latest interview and maybe you’ll fall in love even more.

She thinks her success is “f—in’ ridiculous.”

Featured in an excerpt before the article, Adele admits she can’t quite believe everything that has happened to her since her breakout in 2008. “I swear to god I laugh at every big thing that happens in my career,” she said. “I laugh out loud because I think it’s f—in’ ridiculous. At some point, the director of The Truman Show is going to come and say this is a sequel.”

She struggled with postpartum depression after the birth of her (now 4-year-old) son Angelo.

After admitting she’s “too scared” to have another child, Adele revealed that she had “really bad” postpartum depression after giving birth to Angelo. While she said it “frightened” her, the singer says she didn’t resort to antidepressants — but also didn’t talk to anyone about it. “I was very reluctant. … My boyfriend [Simon Konecki, Angelo’s father] said I should talk to other women who were pregnant, and I said, ‘F— that, I ain’t hanging around with a f—in’ bunch of mothers.’”

Gradually, Adele admitted she began gravitating toward her friends with kids because they were a bit more understanding. And over time, she realized what was best for her. “Eventually I just said, I’m going to give myself an afternoon a week, just to do whatever the f— I want without my baby. A friend of mine said, ‘Really? Don’t you feel bad?’ I said, I do, but not as bad as I’d feel if I didn’t do it.” She added, “It makes you a better mom if you give yourself a better time.”

She’s insanely protective of her son.

Despite the fact that Adele gives herself alone time every now and then, she keeps an extra careful eye on Angelo. “I’d sue the f—in’ ass off anyone that comes anywhere near my child.”

She’s in no rush to get married — and may never end up walking down the aisle.

Adele told the mag that she “doesn’t need” marriage to prove that she loves Simon, whom she’s been dating since 2011. In fact, she thinks having a child together is the bigger, more important commitment. Later in the interview, she gushed over Simon, calling him “perfect.”

She could care less if her legs are hairy (yes, even having a serious boyfriend).

Adele had no problem admitting that she went a month without shaving, eventually shaving because she was afraid people in the front row of her shows would begin to notice her leg hair as she walked up the stairs of her stage. When asked if Simon minded her hairy legs, Adele was quick to declare, “He has no choice. I’ll have no man telling me to shave my f—in’ legs. Shave yours.”

She thinks WiFi is going to kill us.

After commenting on how “pissed off” she gets to see members of her crowd on their phones, Adele made it clear that she’s not super big fan of WiFi. “This WiFi, you watch, it’s going to f—in’ kill our insides. … It’s just floating around. I’m telling you, we’ll find out in 25 years.”

She was drunk while writing a majority of her album 21.

Adele revealed she “was completely off my face” writing her sophomore album, drinking two bottles of wine and chain-smoking on a regular basis. “A drunk tongue is an honest one,” she said. “I can see from an outsider’s perspective that I will never write songs as good as the ones that are on 21, but I’m not as indulgent as I was then, and I don’t have time to fall apart like I did then.”

She has adored Beyonce since she was 11.

“She’s my Michael Jackson,” Adele raved, mentioning that her love affair began after she heard Destiny Child’s “No, No, No.” (Beyonce loves her right back, telling Vanity Fair, “She’s funny as hell and her comebacks are legendary,” adding that she’s “the most humble human being I’ve ever met.”)

She doesn’t consider herself a singer, per se.

While this may sound absurd, Adele said she considers herself more of a “wailer” than a singer. With Beyonce, Stevie Nicks and Bette Midler at the top of her list of favorite singers, she apparently doesn’t think she should be grouped with them: “They’re on the next level.”

She’s “a lot less bitchy” than she used to be.

Addressing the past boyfriends who inspired her songs of long-lost love and heartbreak, Adele admitted that hate got in the way of the love she once felt for each one of them. “But I’m an adult now, I’m a mother, and I’m a lot less bitchy,” she said. “They were interesting people, and while we’re not friends and I don’t see them regularly, I have seen them and it’s all fine.”

She’d love to be on Broadway — and even has a role in mind.

After Adele said she’s in this business for “the long haul,” the 10-time Grammy winner mentioned that she probably won’t do a huge tour like the 43-city Adele Live 2016 trek again. She could see herself doing a brief Las Vegas residency, though, and even desires to play Mama Rose in Gypsy on Broadway — but “like when I’m 50.”

Jennifer Lawrence, Scarlett Johansson Top List of Highest Paid Actresses

Jennifer Lawrence and Scarlett Johansson have claimed the two top spots on the annual ranking of highest paid actresses.

Lawrence stood head and shoulders above her competition, raking in a cool $52 million the last year. It was thanks in large part to starring roles in blockbuster franchises like “The Hunger Games” and “X-Men.” She also has a contract with luxury brand Dior, according to Forbes, which compiles the list every year.

Scarlett Johansson came in second, earning $35.5 million. Johansson pulled in a nice chunk of change for her role in “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” and also starred in the hit action movie “Lucy.” She supplements her acting income with endorsements from Dolce & Gabbana and Sodastream.

“Spy” star Melissa McCarthy came in third with $23 million. Her solo espionage comedy was a resounding success, earning $234 million at the box office on a $65 million budget. McCarthy also stars on the CBS sitcom “Mike & Molly,” in addition to launching a clothing line for plus-size women.

Bingbing Fan was the only non-American to make the list. The Chinese actress earned $21 million, and is best known to American audiences for her role in “X-Men: Days of Future Past.” She also starred in the Chinese fantasy epic “The White Haired Witch of Lunar Kingdom.”

In addition, Jennifer Aniston earned $16.5 million, Julia Roberts earned $16 million, and Angelina Jolie-Pitt earned $15 million.

Here is the full list of the highest paid actresses:
1. Jennifer Lawrence–$52 million
2. Scarlett Johansson–$35.5 million
3. Melissa McCarthy–$23 million
4. Bingbing Fan–$21 million
5. Jennifer Aniston–$16.5 million
6. Julia Roberts–$16 million
7. Angelina Jolie-Pitt–$15 million
8. Reese Witherspoon–$15 million
9. Anne Hathaway–$12 million
10. Kristen Stewart–$12 million
11. Cameron Diaz–$11 million
12. Gwyneth Paltrow–$9 million
13. Meryl Streep–$8 million
14. Amanda Seyfried–$8 million
15. Sandra Bullock–$8 million
16. Emma Stone–$6.5 million
17. Mila Kunis–$6.5 million
18. Natalie Portman–$6 million

Jennifer Lawrence on Phone Hacking: ‘It Is Not a Scandal. It Is a Sex Crime.’

Apart from a brief statement from her spokeswoman, Jennifer Lawrence has refrained from publicly addressing her nude photo hack over Labor Day weekend. That changes with this month’s Vanity Fair cover story, in which Lawrence has strong words for the hackers who stole her photos, the web sites who spread them, and the millions who viewed them. “It is not a scandal. It is a sex crime,” Lawrence told writer Sam Kashner. “I started to write an apology, but I don’t have anything to say I’m sorry for.”

Just as disappointing as the hacking, Lawrence says, was the fact that people she trusted had no qualms about looking at the pictures. “Anyone who looked at those photos, you’re perpetuating a sexual offense. You should cower with shame. Even people who I know and love say, ‘Oh, yeah, I looked at the pictures.’ I don’t want to get mad, but at the same time I’m thinking, I didn’t tell you that you could look at my naked body.”

Scarlett Johansson Named Esquire’s Sexiest Woman Alive for the Second Time in Seven Years

Scarlett Johansson is bringing sexy back to the pages of Esquire. The magazine has named the Don Jon star the Sexiest Woman Alive for the second time in seven years, making her the first woman to ever win the title twice. Johansson looks sultry as ever on the November cover, posing in a sheer tank top, a gray bra, silk shorts and high heels.

The 28-year-old beauty first earned the title in 2006, and since then, a lot has changed. Johansson married and divorced Ryan Reynolds; won a Tony Award for her performance in A View from the Bridge; costarred in the third highest-grossing movie of all-time, The Avengers; and got engaged to ad exec Romain Dauriac.

Johansson maintains a sense of humor about her Esquire honor, telling the mag, “I’m the only woman to win twice right? You know, I gotta hustle. I’m a 28-year-old woman in the movie business, right? Pretty soon the roles you’re offered all become mothers. Then they just sort of stop. I have to hedge against that with work-theater, producing; this thing with Esquire.”

In the same interview, the Vicky Cristina Barcelona star also compares her relationship with Reynolds to her romance with Dauriac. “I didn’t think I was a jealous person until I started dating my current, my one-and-only,” Johansson reveals. “I think maybe in the past I didn’t have the same kind of investment. Not that I liked my partner less, I just wasn’t capable of it or caring that much.”

The November issue of Esquire hits newsstands Oct. 15. Previous Sexiest Women Alive include Mila Kunis (2012), Rihanna (2011), Minka Kelly (2010), Kate Bekinsale (2009), Halle Berry (2008), Charlize Theron (2007) and Jessica Biel (2005).

Tatum named ‘Sexiest Man Alive’

Actor Channing Tatum has been named the sexiest man alive by People magazine.

The “Magic Mike” star was reportedly shocked to hear the news – and he can now boast about it to his wife of four years, actress Jenna Dewan-Tatum.

“My first thought was, ‘Y’all are messing with me,'” Tatum told People. The announcement was made on the “Today” show on Wednesday morning.

“Hangover” star Bradley Cooper took the crown last year.

Other past winners include George Clooney, Ryan Reynolds, Johnny Depp, Hugh Jackman, Matt Damon, Matthew McConaughey, Jude Law, Ben Affleck Brad Pitt, and Mel Gibson.

‘Esquire’ names its 2012 Sexiest Woman Alive

Mila Kunis has snagged the title as Sexiest Woman Alive, according to Esquire.

Why Mila? The mag describes her as “the most beautiful, opinionated, talkative, and funny movie star that we’ve all known since she was nine.”

The Ukrainian-born actress, 29, is known from a variety of roles including Jackie from That ’70s Show, her supporting role in Forgetting Sarah Marshall, her manipulative diva part in Black Swan, the voice of Meg on Family Guy, and her starring role alongside Justin Timberlake in Friends with Benefits.

Soon, we’ll see her in the spring release of Oz: The Great and Powerful.

In her interview with Esquire’s Ross McCammon, Mila doesn’t talk about dating — Ashton Kutcher’s name doesn’t come up.

But she doesn’t shy away from getting political. “The way that Republicans attack women is so offensive to me. And the way they talk about religion is offensive. I may not be a practicing Jew, but why we gotta talk about Jesus all the time? And it’s baffling to me how a poor person in Georgia can say, ‘I’m a Republican.’ Why?”

She adds, “Some people don’t like to hear celebrities talk about politics.I don’t think I’m a celebrity. I’m a working actress. I think there’s a difference.”

Kunis follows in the footsteps of starlets including Rihanna, last year’s Sexiest Woman Alive. The November issue hits newsstands Oct. 16.