Here are a few photos of Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas in Jodhpur, India, following their week-long wedding celebrations. I couldn’t even keep up with the oversaturated press about their weddings – I trust that People Magazine and Vogue got the appropriate exclusives, and that Priyanka and Nick had their traditional Christian and Hindu weddings, and there was a puja and probably a dozen other ceremonies, rituals and parties. People Magazine says that the Hindu ceremony took place in Jodhpur on Sunday, and that Priyanka wore a red sari. Which is traditional – many Indian/Hindu brides wear red, not white. PeopleMag also says that Nick wore a “turban” for the Hindu wedding. Which… I’m not entirely sure if that’s traditional.

As we discussed yesterday, the coverage was over-the-top for these two from the start. I’m saying that as someone who actually liked both Nick and Priyanka (separately) from the beginning, but the OTT sponsorships and Vogue cover and Instagrams and People Mag exclusives were just TOO MUCH. That OTT aspect of their courtship, engagement and multiple weddings makes me wonder just how much of this was really real. How much of this was based on a genuine love and desire to be together and share the rest of their lives together? I honestly don’t know. What I do know? I also think they got some kind of Bollywood sponsorship, and they worked with Bollywood choreographers, set designers and staging experts. Take a look at the absolute PRODUCTION that went down:

View this post on Instagram

It all began as a fierce song & dance competition between the families but ended, as always, as a huge celebration of love. Nick and I were looking forward to the Sangeet (musical evening), another pre wedding ritual.. and to see what each side had put together. And what a performance it was. Each family telling our stories through song and dance, filled with lots of laughter and love. We were both filled with gratitude for the effort, the love and the laughter and will carry the memories of this special evening for the rest of our lives. It is an amazing start to a lifetime of togetherness for our families and friends…#grateful @nickjonas ?/?: @calebjordanlee @josevilla @josephradhik

A post shared by Priyanka Chopra (@priyankachopra) on Dec 2, 2018 at 4:57am PST

Photos courtesy of Backgrid.

Ariana Grande’s “thank u, next” music video broke YouTube’s record for views in its first 24 hours. Those numbers aren’t a surprise or a fluke. Since Ariana’s impressive First Wives Club- inspired performance of “thank u, next” on Ellen, and the teasers hinting at a Mean Girls tie-in, the video beca…

I have no idea where this story fits into the larger smear campaign campaign against the Duchess of Sussex, but I wanted to talk about it separately because it comes from Vanity Fair rather than the Daily Mail or The Sun or whatever. It’s a Vanity Fair exclusive about Meghan’s pregnancy, and how she’s already considering a birthing plan which would be unconventional for the royals. Even though the Duchess of Cambridge also reportedly considered a home-birth plan – Kate ended up giving birth to all three children in a hospital – it seems like Meghan might for-real avoid a hospital birth, or that she doesn’t want to give birth in the Lindo Wing of St. Mary’s, like Kate.

Sources have told Vanity Fair that Meghan wants a different experience from the royal wives who have come before her and the couple have been looking at “options,” suggesting they may not have their baby at the private maternity wing where Prince William and Harry were both born, and where Kate Middleton gave birth to all three of her children, praising the staff for their incredible level of care. Patients pay upwards of £7,500 for the privilege of giving birth at the hospital, where the finest champagne is on the menu.

Aides will not comment on where Meghan and Harry are planning to have their baby, and it’s possible they have not yet decided, though Meghan is already under medical care. The couple sought medical advice before traveling to Fiji and Tonga last month by which point Meghan had had her 12-week viability scan. The plan is for the Sussexes to be living in Windsor ahead of the birth, and they could consider a hospital in or close to Windsor. There is even some talk that Meghan, who has had a straightforward pregnancy so far, might opt for a home birth, although given this is her first baby, doctors will likely advise a hospital birth.

The exact due date also remains a closely guarded secret. Palace aides have said the baby is due in the spring. It is thought Meghan was close to 15 weeks pregnant when she and Harry carried out their Commonwealth tour last month, meaning the baby could be born as early as March.

The run-up to the birth will be a busy one. The couple are drawing up plans for a nursery and a mother-in-law suite so that Meghan’s mother, Doria Ragland, has a place to stay at Frogmore Cottage in Windsor. “Doria plans to be around a lot when the baby arrives, and there are plans for her to have a dedicated space at their new home,” a source said. “She wants to be on hand to help Meghan and Harry with the baby. Doria will be involved and if she’s involved she will be encouraging Meg to go for a natural birth.”

[From Vanity Fair]

Meghan and Harry will most likely move into Frogmore Cottage a few months before Meghan gives birth, which would probably mean that they’re looking into hospitals and doctors close to Windsor Castle, one would think. While Meghan and Doria might like the hypnobirthing/home-birthing vibes, I just don’t think Meghan will go that route. She knows her age, she knows that there could be complications, and she knows it’s better for her – in her position – to give birth in a hospital. My guess is that this is just a way for the Sussexes to let it be known that they’re not going to copy William and Kate’s birthing plan or their Lindo Wing presenting-the-baby thing. Maybe Meghan and Harry will present their baby at a different hospital.

Photos courtesy of WENN, Avalon Red.

Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas are officially husband and wife. They got married this weekend in Jodhpur, India, in a legit palace. I spent all weekend trying to creep their wedding. As Lainey predicted, the photos from the actual wedding ceremony (or ceremonies) will be a Vogue exclusive. Those pho…

Viola Davis is covering L’Officiel magazine, and the editorial really captures her. They dressed her in bright solid colors and in sequins with gorgeous styling. She looks like she’s going to an event to accept an award. Her interview is just as good as the photos. As we’ve seen from Viola for years, she has a way of explaining things that seems so insightful yet accessible, like “why didn’t I think of that?” Viola explains diversity not as a special case, but as matter-of-fact. We should be seeing more women of color in lead roles across the board, not just in prestige and historical films. She also talks about her career philosophy and approach, and I came away from this with a lot of good advice. Viola is getting Oscar buzz for Widows, which I haven’t seen yet but Kaiser saw it and loved it. I’m going to watch that and so many more movies over the holidays, I’m so excited for that.

On if she still loves acting
“I am in the season of being challenged by that question. I’m sort of trying to find a way to fall back in love with it again in the midst of the responsibility of the other stuff, in promoting movies, in contractual obligation for publicity. All the things that are not about my work. I think that you have to really exercise the power of No.”

On losing your passion and finding it again
“You’re gonna lose your passion. You’re gonna become disillusioned. But in the midst of it, you have to press the reset button, you do. And then you have to go back to something that challenges you. It doesn’t have to be in movies, because not everyone has the opportunity to just say, ‘Oh, give me a great role in a movie, so I can be challenged.’ It could be theater, it could be writing a book. It could be just taking a break and doing nothing. But to have the courage to extract yourself from the mess and the noise and to press the reset button is the only way to find your passion again and to find the love again. But I’m in the midst of that right now.”

On her production company and inclusion
“I feel like our production company is the poster child of what it means to be inclusive with narrative in this business. It is not just my hope for myself [to be cast in roles not specifically written for a black woman]; it’s my hope for every person of color, and I don’t just mean black—I mean Hispanic, I mean Asian. I mean for any person of color to be seen as not myopic. If we are committed to inclusion, then that same role that you’re thinking for Sandra Bullock, or for Nicole Kidman, or for Saoirse Ronan, or for Anne Hathaway, can be thought of for Michelle Yeoh, or for myself, or for Taraji P. Henson, or for Catalina Sandino Moreno. That is my hope for the business: I don’t always have to be in a Civil Rights movie. I don’t always have to make a statement. I don’t always have to save the world. Sometimes I just want to be a woman in a story.”

[From L’officiel]

I needed to hear her advice about being challenged, finding your passion and trying something different. It’s also important to know how and when you can step away from things that aren’t working, especially when you’re giving too much to other people and projects that aren’t moving you forward. Sometimes this type of advice can seem trite, but there’s a reason it’s common and that’s because it’s true. I also like the idea of pressing reset as a metaphor for making life changes. Hit reboot and move on like a boss.

Speaking of that, Viola has been cast to play Shirley Chisholm (D-NY), the first black woman elected to Congress.

Going into the weekend like…. ?
? by @McLyte f/@Thegroupxscape
Dress by @maxmara
Jewelry by @TiffanyAndCo
? @LOfficielUSA/@daniellelevitthttps://t.co/unmqujhSI4 pic.twitter.com/8Jy6gS2VqH

— Viola Davis (@violadavis) December 1, 2018

MOOD ?@daniellelevitt pic.twitter.com/5npSsbfHbQ

— Viola Davis (@violadavis) December 1, 2018

View this post on Instagram

The view from Saturday. Now that we’ve got your attention, make sure to read our interview with the incredible Viola Davis at the link in bio. * Photography: @daniellelevitt Styling: @elizabethstewart1 L’Officiel USA

A post shared by L’Officiel USA (@lofficielusa) on Dec 1, 2018 at 11:57am PST

View this post on Instagram

All of us need to be of service to others. Each of us has different ways that we can do this. What are you doing to be of service to others? If you want to share pls do. Hopefully you will inspire others with the work you doing!

A post shared by Paola Mendoza (@paolamendoza) on Dec 1, 2018 at 8:47am PST

photos credit: L’Officiel and via Instagram, Twitter

Does anyone know if Michelle or Barack Obama have even met the Duchess of Sussex? I don’t think they’ve ever met. But the Obamas are very big fans of Prince Harry, to the point where I always thought Michelle and Harry had little crushes on each other. If you ever want to see Michelle giggle like a schoolgirl, watch any of the joint interviews she did with Harry for the Invictus Games. So I believe that Michelle probably has some (positive) feelings about Harry marrying an American woman, and even more, an African-American woman. When Michelle was being interviewed by British Good Housekeeping magazine, of course she was asked about Meghan. And Michelle offered her some advice:

Speaking in the January issue of Good Housekeeping, Michelle revealed what she’d tell the Duchess.

“Like me, Meghan probably never dreamt that she’d have a life like this, and the pressure you feel – from yourself and from others – can sometimes feel like a lot. So my biggest piece of advice would be to take some time and don’t be in a hurry to do anything. I spent the first few months in the White House mainly worrying about my daughters, making sure they were off to a good start at school and making new friends before I launched into any more ambitious work. I think it’s okay – it’s good, even – to do that.”

Michelle also believes in the importance of doing what you feel truly passionate about.

“What I’d say is that there’s so much opportunity to do good with a platform like that – and I think Meghan can maximise her impact for others, as well her own happiness, if she’s doing something that resonates with her personally,” she said.

[From Good Housekeeping UK]

I understand what Michelle is saying and it’s good advice… for a first lady. You know what I mean? Michelle was already a mom, she already spent two years on the campaign trail and trying to balance everything in her life, so of course her advice would be “take a few months to decompress and understand where you are now.” The idea of giving yourself time to just make the mental adjustment is important, whether you’re a FLOTUS or a duchess or you’ve just moved to a new town or you’re starting a new job. But I also understand COMPLETELY why Meghan, in her particular position, felt the need to “hit the ground running” and start working so soon after she married.

Photos courtesy of WENN, Avalon Red.

Dear Gossips,

It’s been 14 years since Beyoncé last performed in South Africa. Last night she made it worth the wait at the Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100, paying tribute to one of the greatest human beings in history, honouring his memory and also those who are keeping his memory alive, c…

Embed from Getty Images
I used to be such a Matt Damon stan I didn’t like it when Kaiser covered him, he was MINE. I watched The Bourne movies multiple times, I admired what an outspoken activist he used to be, and he was so hot to me, even with a dad bod. Then he showed his ass multiple times. There was his whitesplaining to a WOC producer about diversity, his defense of playing a white lead in an Asian movie, and then his horrible take on MeToo really put it over the top. He tried to dial it back eventually and he did apologize. We haven’t heard of him being abusive or inappropriate, but Damon is a white dude who can’t see beyond his perspective and will always be on the side of men like him. (Also I’m still mad at him for the time I wasted watching Downsizing.) Hence his calling John Krasinski’s starring role on The Office as Jim an “unfair burden he had to smash through.” That’s a BREAK for most people. Being on a TV show for years is a f’ing privilege and a big break into show business. I assume that Damon was asked for his take on his friend John Krasinski and his wife, Emily Blunt’s, big successes. EW has this weird essay from Damon about them without much context. Damon and Krasinski cowrote and starred in Promised Land in 2012 and Damon and Blunt were in 2011?s The Adjustment Bureau. Since then Damon has floundered somewhat while Kraskinski and Blunt have only gone up. There’s no shame in that, people have career ups and downs, I’m just saying Damon’s very bad take take on issues rightfully derailed him a bit.

For people who know them well, this is the year we’ve all been waiting for. They are both now going to have the careers that they deserve and want. I can’t imagine A Quiet Place was anything but just a lovely set to work on because those two have the same sense of humor and they see the world in the same way.

You talk to any actor, what Emily did in that movie is incredible. And what John took on — co-writer, director, and actor — selling a movie on the fact that there is going to be very little talking? That’s a really high bar, and those performances —really led by her — were just outstanding. They’re so versatile.

Playing a character on a TV show for so long, John had this unfair burden he had to smash through, and that’s been done now, clearly. Emily, I don’t think she ever repeats herself. When I worked with her almost 10 years ago in The Adjustment Bureau, everybody knew she was this really gifted actress. But with this year’s one-two punch of A Quiet Place and Mary Poppins Returns, she’s now a huge movie star in the eyes of the people who greenlight movies. I don’t think we’ve seen the limit of what either of them can do yet.

[From EW]

Maybe I wouldn’t have come away from this rolling my eyes if EW had presented it as an interview and not Damon lecturing us about how Krasinski and Blunt are successful and he could see it coming. Damon is the arbiter of people’s successes too, right? But yes, poor John Krasinski, having to convince people he’s not a good guy paper salesman from Pennsylvania. Chris Pratt must have overcome so much to go from playing a doofus shoeshining musician to a superhero. I wonder if Damon’s friends ever regret telling him their personal business. He likes to tell their oppressed perspective as he sees it. Maybe Krasinski asked for advice on how to make the transition to movies. Then Damon translated it to Damon-ease involving an unfair burden and a glass ceiling for white male TV actors on hit shows.

Embed from Getty Images

In 2013:

photos credit: WENN and Getty

Ashley Graham covers the current “digital issue” of Glamour Magazine. The cover reminds me of a nitpicky problem I have with so many magazines – when they dare to feature a fuller-figured woman on their cover, they only do it in extreme close-up on her face, or they do a full-length photo of her, usually from a bigger distance. There’s no happy medium for full-figured ladies. Anyway, Ashley is still happening. She worked for years without getting much attention, then about three or four years ago, she was everywhere, and she was part of the bigger conversation we had about body type representation and plus-sizes and more. Ashley hustled when she got her chance, and now she’s getting tons of modeling work, she’s got fashion lines and a popular podcast (Pretty Big Deal), and sponsorships with Revlon and more. You can read Ashley’s Glamour interview here. Some highlights:

Intersectionality conversations: “I think everybody in today’s day and age is curious, right? There are so many different backgrounds, and people are assuming this and assuming that… What I’ve always done—especially when I first got married and I was more involved in black conversation—[is say], ‘Oh, I didn’t know that.’ You don’t know it because you don’t ask questions.”

On being a breakthrough plus-sized model: “When you’re the first of something, you are always going to have to answer the hard questions,” she says. People aren’t going to like you. People are going to hate you. People are going to be confused by you because you’re the new kid in town. But if you ask me, I’m not the new kid in town—this body’s been around for centuries and now I’ve just been given a voice.”

Her husband helped educate her on race and privilege: “Because I’m white and because of white privilege, I’ve been given a platform. But we can’t erase all the women who came before me. Now, I can also talk about the Marquita Prings, the Precious Lees, the Paloma [Elsessers]…. The list goes on and on, so why aren’t we talking about them as well? I’ve had this conversation with some of my white friends, and it’s hard for them to understand what that means—the only reason I understand is because of the hard conversations that I’ve had with my husband. He’s the one who really opened my eyes to that and made me understand. I’ve been married to Justin for eight years now, and there are still moments where I’m like, Oh God, did I just say the wrong thing?”

When people accused her of losing weight to fit in: “It sucked that everybody had to go in on me like, ‘Oh, you lost so much weight.’ If these people actually knew me—which, you know, they don’t and maybe never will—they would know that my body just hasn’t changed. To be completely honest, I’ve gained weight in the last five years, not lost weight. If you actually look at my IMG Polaroids from when I first signed with them to now, you can tell I’m thicker. I mean, it’s just age. Geez. Whatever!”

[From Glamour]

I sort of appreciate the careful way she worded some of what she said about race and white privilege and recognizing the fuller figured models who came before her. Think about how messy and racist that conversation could have been – she handled it with a lot of sensitivity. And she’s absolutely right – as soon as a woman who looks like a plus-sized Eva Mendes came around, she was embraced by the fashion community more than any beautiful, plus-sized black model. I do wonder if her husband gets a little bit tired of being her Race & Racism professor though. Of course, if she doesn’t know, she should ask, and as I said, she’s showing a lot of sensitivity for what are some very charged conversations. But surely she has other people in her life whom she can ask too?

Photos courtesy of Alex John Beck for Glamour, sent from promotional Glamour email.

I’ve always felt that Carole Middleton is Britain’s answer to Kris Jenner. I’ve said that since the beginning, and eventually the British tabloids picked up on it and started making the comparison as well. I’m not necessarily trying to insult Carole, but I’m just saying… she gives off a very Kris Jenner vibe. Living vicariously through her daughters, the Machiavellian puppet master capable of working the press and manipulating her children and their spouses. Kris Jenner and Carole both started out as flight attendants too, and they both married well, given their humble origin stories. Both Kris and Carole have more hustle than all of their kids combined too. Carole’s hustle is more of the social climbing variety – she wants the best “position.” Kris’s hustle is about money and fame.

Anyway, Carole decided to give an interview. This is her first sit-down interview…ever? She’s given quotes here and there, but like Kris Jenner, her power is behind the curtain. Again, it’s interesting timing, especially given that “sources” keep talking about how Kate’s got a big initiative she’s about to unveil, and given the rash of negative stories about Meghan. Is all of it connected? I don’t know. Some quotes from Carole’s Telegraph exclusive:

Why it has taken her so long to be interviewed: She said that her life is simply “really normal – most of the time….Over the years, it’s proved wise not to say anything.”

She doesn’t have a problem being pulled in all directions. ‘I love it. I’m definitely hands-on. I don’t find it complicated. My biggest fear [as her offspring grew up] was that I’d lose my family, but we’ve stayed close. There are times when they say, “Can you do this, or that?” and I can’t quite. But they like the fact that I work. I have two lovely sons-in-law and,’ she adds (is that a wistful note?), ‘I hope I’ll have a lovely daughter-in-law.’

She was her own wedding planner: ‘Not everyone can afford a party planner,’ Carole says – and she should know. She planned her own wedding. ‘I found the venue, organised the wedding breakfast, the bonfire and chilli con carne in the evening.’

Duchess Kate asked her mom for wedding advice:‘We talked about music… everything. I was involved lots with both Pip’s and Catherine’s weddings. But I think the most important thing, as a parent, is to listen to what your daughter wants. You can have all the ideas in the world, but it has to be about them. And don’t muscle in on the guest list.’

She doesn’t like shopping: ‘I’m bigger round my top half than I was, so that’s why I prefer dresses to trousers and I don’t like anything tight. One of the reasons I don’t like shopping for clothes is that there aren’t enough for women my age. I know what I want, but I can’t find it. There’s a way of dressing that’s what I call “correct”.’

She is a disciplined parent: ‘Although my parents gave me lots of love, there weren’t huge expectations of me. This might surprise you, but I think one of the most important qualities of a good parent is discipline. That doesn’t mean you’re strict, but routine is vital. Maybe structure is a nicer word. You can’t suddenly start teaching them about politeness at 13. You have to do it from the start.’

Carole doesn’t read the stories: Carole prefers not to read any stories about herself online – a rule she has stuck to for more than a year. “Well, I thought it was better to know what people thought. But it doesn’t make any difference. I’m not really sure how I’m perceived now.”

The Middleton kids always helped out at Party Pieces: “They did a lot of modelling. Catherine was on the cover of one of the catalogues, blowing out candles. Later on, she did some styling and set up the First Birthday side of the business. Pippa did the blog. I still value their ideas and opinions.”

Kate texted her mom: “You can see why the Middletons remain such a close family (Catherine texted her on the shoot to wish her luck).”

She’s the hostess: “I do love a good party. I’m definitely a night owl and a real chatterbox. My children look at me sometimes…”

[From The Daily Mail, The Telegraph and Harper’s Bazaar]

I realize that Carole could have given an interview at any time, to any outlet. She’s been quiet publicly all of these years by her choice, and because she thought it would be frowned upon by the royal courtiers. So my question is… why is she no longer worried about the royal courtiers? Why isn’t she worried that someone from the palace will snipe at her in the next week for giving an interview where she really had nothing to promote except herself, and maybe Party Pieces a little bit? Why now? Also: remember how the British tabloids insisted that Doria Ragland gave an interview to Oprah and everyone called Doria “tacky” and whatever, and then it turned out that Doria and Oprah just hung out and there was no interview? I wonder if those same people are mad at Carole.

Photos courtesy of WENN, Avalon Red and Backgrid.