I should start by saying that I am not proofreading these posts, so hopefully, I’m forming coherent sentences/points, but don’t judge me if I’m not. Also, I had to go back to last week's post just to remember the title of this series
LISTENING
Da’Vine Joy Randolph on It’s Been a Minute
I’ve been listening to It’s Been a Minute for a few years now, back when Sam Sanders was the host. Sam left a few months?? Years?? Ago and I’ve been less loyal, but still obsessed with the new host Brittany Luse.
Last week they brought on Da’Vine Joy Randolph who is nominated for an Oscar for her performance in The Holdovers. I was introduced to Da’Vine in the TV series remake of High Fidelity featuring Zooey Kravitz. One of the tragic series cancellations in recent years and being completely honest - Da’Vine really stole the show then. She is main character level good and I’m late to the party. She’s been nominated for a Tony and has range - having acted in everything from sitcoms to dramatic films.
This interview with Brittany shows the why behind Da’Vine’s on-screen talent. There is so much thought and care behind her performances, to a level I haven’t seen other actors speak to before. She embodies her characters more deeply - using influences from the women in her life, like channeling a spirit. For her role in The Holdovers, Da’Vine shared an image of her grandmother’s glasses to the costuming team and they created one similar for her to wear, even down to the delicate strap. She's thorough.
She also brought in her own wardrobe for her role in The Idol. This is like Michelle Yeoh icon-level status (Michelle famously used her emerald ring for Crazy Rich Asians) - but it’s also something I’m torn about. There aren’t many other actors who have the added pressure of having to think through their wardrobe or hair, but it’s put on Black actors to find their resources. Da’Vine puts in the work and it shows.
I’ll be rooting for her to win the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress this weekend!
READING
Writing this section is actually just me going through my open tabs on my phone’s browser to see what I’ve opened but not read yet. Beyoncé launched a haircare brand so we are blessed with a rare interview. We love a businesswoman and it’s also smart that she created a new brand instead of possibly continuing off of the Ivy Park brand as it hit a wall (stopped sales) with Adidas. This time she's teaming up with her mom Ms.Tina which builds credibility since she owned a salon back in the day.
I wish she had gone deeper in the interview, as this is an ongoing trend in what she does speak about. It does feel a bit surface-level, but paired with her story in Essence I'm properly satisfied. We learned that hair is an important piece in the decision of album and tour themes and overall look.
This current Renaissance and Act II are paying homage to her heritage, and Cécred is in line with that same theme. Renaissance was influenced by house music and the queer community, one that her uncle Johnny was a part of. Act II pays respects to her neighborhood roots in Houston / Texas with country music. Her haircare line is a tribute to her mother and grandmother.
The last takeaway is that Beyoncé sneaks into Target sometimes so keep an eye out.
WATCHING
One Day is a story that means a lot to me and the series brought the story back to my life. I watched the film featuring Anne Hathaway about a million times in high school and it was extremely meaningful to experience it again while at a completely different life stage.
The series and film are based on the novel by David Nicholls. I haven’t read the source material, so I’m planning to in another 10 years (I can’t even grasp the age I’ll be then). The character Emma is a nerdy awkward writer and I felt an emotional connection immediately.
I didn’t rewatch the film but read a Slate interview with Lone Scherfig, the director of the original film. Their conversation was interesting, especially in mentioning the culture at the time in which it came out. I kind of held the film as a guilty pleasure because I read so many negative reviews. However, I recognize now that it was also in a moment when Anne Hathaway was being hated for whatever reason (my guess would be media fatigue and many needed a break from seeing her on screen /on press cycles).
I’ve been thinking about how we often compare remakes and adaptations and how it will never be a fair comparison. That emotional connection I mentioned is to the original moment of experiencing the story for the first time, not knowing where it would lead. This series is through a completely different format - fourteen 30-min episodes versus a 2-hour film. It’s also through the perspective of different directors, writers, and talent. It’s their interpretation of the work. Emma and Dexter were well cast. Ambika Mod has a breakout role, like Emma in her own way. Leo Woodall already has fans a bit impassioned with him given previous work on The White Lotus, serving his character well as it's often difficult to watch his journey. There were moments I wish I felt more for the characters, or that they dug deeper into the consequences of their actions, but it made me cry and in my feels for the night so I call that a success.