Kieran Culkin is SO GOOD as Roman Roy, the youngest brother of the Roy clan on HBO’s Succession. Roman is twitchy, weird, dysfunctional and formerly obsessed with J. Cameron Smith’s Gerri, a surrogate mommy and Roman’s would-be work-wife. I always thought Kieran got the role because he was secretly a lot like Roman, but no – I’ve seen interviews with him and while he does have that twitchy Roman-esque energy, he’s actually happily married with two young children at home. He’s just a very good actor doing very good work on Succession. Kieran covers the latest issue of Esquire and he talks about the Culkin family, his brother Macaulay and some Succession gossip too. Some highlights:

He turned 40 years old last year: “I turned forty and everything changed.Get a little paper cut on my finger; nine days later, why do I still have a paper cut? It’s just f–king slow now.”

Saying goodbye to Succession: “I haven’t had a f–king moment to think about how I feel about it. All I know is I feel kind of down. It’s hard to sort of accept. What are the stages of grief? I don’t know which one I’m in right now. Maybe depression or denial. Maybe a little bit of both.”

He bought an apartment in Greenpoint. He and his wife considered leaving the city but “the idea of having a house and cars and trying to figure out the school system and how to commute—that is very easy for most, I’m assuming, but I can’t do that.”

On his brother Macaulay’s child stardom: “Poor f–king guy. He was little and having to try to accept that level of fame as reality. Even at that time, as a kid, I remember thinking, That sucks for him.”

Everything changed for him with 2002’s Igby Goes Down­. People were starting to talk about his career. “I heard that word and flipped out… I had this unhealthy relationship with what I did for a living. I really wanted to do it, but I didn’t want to be successful at it.” He’d skipped a lot of crucial stages of adolescence to work. So just as his career was about to take off, he stepped back to sew up some loose stitches.

How everyone reacted when they were told the fourth season is the last: Sarah Snook lost it and couldn’t really talk to anyone. Matthew Macfadyen, who plays Shiv’s husband, Tom, got choked up, but his response was similar to Culkin’s: At least we have an answer. I can accept that. “I think Brian [Cox, who plays patriarch Logan Roy] had mixed feelings about it, too,” Culkin says. “He was more like, ‘Well, good, we’ve done it.’ But I bet if you said, ‘Would you like a fifth?’ he’d want to.”

Whether he’ll stay in touch with his castmates: He’ll stay in touch with Smith-Cameron, for sure. But everyone else? “I’m not really going to keep up a proper relationship with anybody just because of logistics,” he says with a hint of anguish. He says that Macfadyen lives in London. Braun is bicoastal, yet mostly in Los Angeles. Ruck is in L.A., too. Strong splits his time between Copenhagen and New York but calls Denmark home. Snook is in Australia. Cox, he lives all over the place. “It’s a big, big loss.”

How he feels about his ‘career’ now: “It’s a f–king job,” he says, but “it isn’t just a job, either.” There’s a feeling—he doesn’t say fire or passion because he’d feel like a pretentious a–hole, so he calls it “that thing in the ol’ tum-tums”—that kicks in while he’s working, driving him to give it his all. But also, he says, “Not having a job? Lovely… I would like there to be nothing for a little while… I feel like what I’m supposed to do is be a stay-at-home dad. That’s where I feel like I’m the most me. And anything that takes me away from that is wrong.”

[From Esquire]

It’s interesting, to me, that Kieran might end up like his brother Macaulay – married to someone he adores, raising a tight-knit family and prioritizing being a husband and father over work. Kieran became a father for the first time during Succession’s run – as did Jeremy Strong – and after reading Strong’s interviews and now Culkin’s, I get the sense that Succession took a big chunk out of them for years and they’re both ready to prioritize their families. Anyway, Kieran is a lot sweeter than I expected. He’s not an a–hole like Roman but he shares Roman’s vulnerability.

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The Daily Mail has serialized the hell out of royal biographer Robert Jobson’s latest book, Our King. Jobson has a lot of access to King Charles’s royal court, and Jobson is also unhinged – this is the man who feels entirely comfortable “joking” on-air about dangling the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s children off the palace balcony. So, that should tell you a lot about which biographers are approved by King Charles and Queen Camilla. One of the most obvious pro-Charles stories in the book seems to be Charles using Jobson to utterly rewrite his relationship with his father, Prince Philip. Philip and Charles famously did not get along and did not understand each other, but to hear Jobson’s version of events, Philip and Charles softened towards each other a lot in Philip’s final years.

During the final years of their lives, both the Queen and Prince Philip had seen Charles more often and grown closer to him. The change was most marked between father and son.

‘They had both mellowed,’ said a well-placed source. ‘In recent years, they were much more accepting of the other’s point of view. They had always loved one another very much – that had never been in question. But there was a deeper respect, and it was growing as time went by. They shared common ground on the future direction of the monarchy, on religious issues – even on the environment.’

The common view is that Philip had never really appreciated his sensitive eldest son, being so different from his tougher and more resilient daughter. But a member of Charles’s close circle of friends told me: ‘The idea that the two men spent a lifetime at loggerheads, and that the Princess Royal was the son he wished he’d had, is out of date and wrong. A much more accurate picture over the past ten years is of two very strong-willed people who came to understand each other’s point of view – a father and son who loved each other and enjoyed a relationship of mutual respect and affection. Over the last year of Philip’s life, they were the closest that they had ever been.’

At 99, the Duke of Edinburgh knew that his days were numbered when he left hospital in March 2021 after a stay of nearly a month. But he wanted to spend those final days with the Queen at Windsor Castle. He died on April 9, 2021. Hours earlier, Charles had been at his bedside, talking about plans for the Duke’s 100th birthday. He had to repeat himself at volume as Philip had been growing increasingly deaf. ‘We are talking about your birthday, and whether there’s going to be a reception,’ boomed Charles.

After Philip’s death, the Queen turned to Charles more and more – not only to take her place when she was unable to carry out engagements, but also for advice. Whenever he was due to conduct an investiture at Windsor Castle, Charles arranged to stay the night there and have dinner with his mother, instead of returning to Highgrove in Gloucestershire. He knew the Queen was nearing the end of her life, and wanted to be there for her.

Last May, it was clear her reign was gradually drawing to a close. Dutiful to the last, she drew great comfort from the fact that both Charles and William were well qualified to succeed her, and that the birth of Prince George had helped ensure the continuation of the monarchy.

[From The Daily Mail]

To the victor go the spoils – Charles is free to completely rewrite the narrative of his relationship with his parents. Charles didn’t “grow closer” to his mother in her final years, he was just the regent in everything but name. He was largely in charge as his mother’s faculties were in a steep decline in her final few years. And yet… I get the feeling that QEII’s staff did a lot to “protect” the queen from her own children, Charles and Andrew included. Look no further than the arrangements made when Andrew settled out of court with Virginia Giuffre – Charles was the one pulling the strings, arranging for a quid pro quo – Andrew got to “borrow” money from the Duchy of Lancaster and in exchange, QEII signed off on “Queen Consort Camilla.” Charles was blatantly manipulating his elderly and ill mother. As for Charles’s relationship with Philip… I have no idea. I believe that they made their peace with each other in Philip’s final years, but I think mostly Philip just wanted to be left alone with Penny.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, WENN and Backgrid.

Last week, King Charles and Queen Camilla confirmed the names of their pages, the teens and preteens who would act as little ceremonial helpers during the coronation. Camilla got her way – her grandchildren have all been included as pages, as has one of Rose Hanbury’s sons. Prince George is the youngest kid included, and generally, it seems as if the goal is to get pages around the age of 13-15 years old. Which means it’s pretty odd that King Charles didn’t include his youngest nephew James, Count Severn/Earl of Wessex, right? James is only 15 years old, the ideal age. It feels like Charles gave Sophie and Edward the Edinburgh title and now he wants to completely ignore them and their children. Speaking of, Charles is apparently making a point of not inviting James or Lady Louise on the balcony for his coronation.

The finale of King Charles’s Coronation will see the royals gather on the Buckingham Palace balcony – but spots are tight. Like at the late Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, the monarch has limited balcony appearances to just working royals only – meaning there is no place for his son Prince Harry or daughter-in-law Meghan Markle if they decide to attend.

Among those landing a place are of course the Prince and Princess of Wales and their children as well as the King’s brother Prince Edward and his wife Sophie, the new Duchess of Edinburgh. But unlike Trooping the Colour at last year’s Jubilee – it appears there is no place for their children Lady Louise Windsor and James, the new Earl of Wessex.

The late Queen made an exception to her rule for her youngest grandchildren Louise, now 19 and a student at St Andrews University, and 15-year-old James to be on the balcony. But now it appears that the King won’t be making an exception for them again come May 6.

Speaking on the Mirror’s royal podcast Pod Save The King, the Mirror’s royal editor Russell Myers said: “I think it is interesting that the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh’s children won’t be there because we did see them on the balcony during Trooping the Colour during the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee last year. However, documents that I have seen, it is there in black and white that they were not part of the plans. Some may say that James has just been given this promotion to Earl of Wessex, Lady Louise is now 19 she’s now been seen at a couple of engagements with her parents. We know she had a huge bond with the late Duke of Edinburgh but they are not working royals so it doesn’t make sense to put them front and centre if Charles wants to let people see this vision [slimmed down monarchy] in the flesh.”

Detailed plans seen by The Mirror reveal how the King has chosen to say thanks for the nation alongside a select few royals who have dedicated their lives to public service, while also showing “the heartbeat and future of his family”. Future king and queen, Prince William and Kate will appear with their three children – Prince George, nine; Princess Charlotte, seven and Prince Louis, four.

The final group of 15 shows there is no place for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, should they even decide to attend the coronation. Charles’s trusted lieutenant and beloved sister, Princess Anne, will be by the King’s side with her husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence. A source with knowledge of the plans said: “The King has been very clear who he wants to represent the monarchy. There is little room for sentiment, this is a State occasion, not a family occasion and it is right that only the working members of the family are there at the big public moment.”

The King also insisted on some of his mother’s most trusted and loyal servants and family members to be included, despite their days as working royals being numbered. The Duke of Kent, 87, a working royal and first cousin of both the late Queen and Prince Philip, will also attend alongside his sister Princess Alexandra, 86. The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester have also been asked by the King to join him and Camilla.

[From The Daily Mirror]

“There is little room for sentiment, this is a State occasion, not a family occasion”– Camilla demanded that her grandchildren act as pages and not the children of aristocrats, which was the tradition. Charles is also deciding (sentimentally) to include the Glouchesters, Princess Alexandra and the Duke of Kent? It sounds like it’s less about sentimentality or lack thereof and Charles is just picking and choosing which old, white members of the family he wants on the balcony. There’s no rhyme or reason to it, they’re just staggering from one made-up excuse to the next to explain why Meghan and Harry are not welcome, and somehow Louise and James are getting some of the blowback too.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images, Instar.

Well, at least it’s settled now. Buckingham Palace has just confirmed that Prince Harry will travel to London for his father’s May 6th coronation. Harry’s wife will not join him and neither will their two children. At least that’s good news – Meghan, Archie and Lilibet won’t be in any danger from these psychos. The bad news is that Harry is flying into the lion’s den and they’re going to treat him like sh-t.

Prince Harry will attend the coronation of his father, King Charles III — but Meghan Markle will not be by his side. Buckingham Palace confirmed on Wednesday that the Duke of Sussex will be at the crowning ceremony of the King and Queen Camilla at London’s Westminster Abbey on May 6.

“Buckingham Palace is pleased to confirm that The Duke of Sussex will attend the Coronation Service at Westminster Abbey on 6th May. The Duchess of Sussex will remain in California with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet,” they said in the statement.

Prince Harry, 38, wanted to be at the service to support his father at this important moment in his life, a friend tells PEOPLE. Although there are three days of events surrounding the coronation, including a concert at Windsor Castle and a volunteer day, Harry is not expected to attend other outings aside from the crowning ceremony.

Meghan, 41, is staying in California with the couple’s two children. May 6 is also Prince Archie’s fourth birthday, and she will spend the weekend celebrating with him and his sister, 22-month-old Princess Lilibet, PEOPLE understands.

[From People]

This is also good news: “Harry is not expected to attend other outings aside from the crowning ceremony.” Our good ginger prince is literally just flying in for a few hours, that’s what it sounds like. What an exhausting journey just to stick around for a 90-minute Chubbly. But that’s also Harry drawing a line – his family doesn’t get to dictate his schedule or dictate what events he shows up for. I wish Harry didn’t even feel the need to show up for the clowning though. Still, I understand why he is going – his sense of history, and wanting to show respect to his dogsh-t father.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.

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Drew Barrymore is the latest celebrity attempting to bring perimenopause and menopause into the national discussion. Her desire, like Naomi Watts, Michelle Obama and Beverly Johnson, is not only to spread helpful information but to change perception about what women going through The Change are like. Specifically, in Drew’s words, so people don’t see menopausal women as “some dusty, old, dry thing.” Yes, I have to agree, I’d prefer a different descriptor in my bio, thank you. Drew said she was given pause while on a date recently as to whether she should admit to being perimenopausal because of the preconceived notions her date might have about what that meant. So Drew thinks peri and menopause needs a rebranding, which I love. But then she brought Mark Zuckerberg into the discussion, and we just don’t need him anywhere near a women’s health dialogue, Drew.

Drew Barrymore is opening up about perimenopause and how it has impacted her dating life.

The 48-year-old actress detailed her experience with perimenopause symptoms during an Oprah Daily panel last week alongside Oprah Winfrey, Maria Shriver, Dr. Sharone Malone, Dr. Heather Hirsch and Dr. Judith Joseph. Perimenopause refers to the time where the body starts to make its natural transition to menopause, which marks the end of a woman’s reproductive years.

“There’s something in that stigma that I don’t want you to think I’m some dusty, old, dry thing. That’s not the image I want,” Barrymore explained, noting that she was hesitant to tell a recent date about the topic of the panel.

“I feel very confident, normally, and I want to be who I am and present myself. But in that moment I thought, I have to tell this story because it was a real life experience of, I’m so proud to be here,” she continued. “I’m an open book. But in that one moment, I was like, ‘I don’t want to say what it is, because I’m engaging in someone who I want to see me a certain way.’”

Barrymore added that the moment made her wonder if there’s any way society can “rebrand” menopause so that it’s not a taboo topic.

“If Mark Zuckerberg could rebrand Facebook to Meta, maybe we can do this for menopause,” she explained. “Because, we’ve got the word men-o-pause. Pause is a natural stop… to a lover that there might be something repellent about that subject. Whereas with no one else do I find this subject taboo.”

“You’re just that dry old bag when you talk about menopause. And that is the conversation, the stigma that has to change,” she added. “We have to make it funnier, more sexy and more safe. Because the ‘aha moment’ is the safe.”

[From People]

I’m not single so I can’t speak to dating in menopause. I didn’t realize this was still the pervasive belief among the uninformed. I’m not shocked, though. I say let’s start the rebranding now. Drop the desiccated language even by way of example and start using funnier language along side sexier imagery. I love the idea of making menopause safe: safe to talk about, safe as a phase of life, safe to glorify.

Apparently Drew got her first hot flash on camera. Jennifer Aniston and Adam Sandler were the guests when Drew was set upon by the hot flash. She called it out during filming, saying she was glad to have the moment documented. Jennifer said she was “honored.” Adam, trying to make light of the situation, said the flash was commonly followed by “a very heavy, anger mood swing. Maybe you could bring that out.” I like Adam but I wish he had stuck with holding her hand and just kind of honoring the moment. The dry, dusty, angry, hostile language should take a backseat for a bit during our rebranding. I know they play into the funny part of our strategy, but they aren’t helping right now. Let’s lean into the sexy, reemerging, goddess language. Of course, we should also discuss brain fogs, hot flashes, hair loss, skin changes, teeth pain, muscle pain and yes, mood changes, but in informative ways, not as fodder for others to swipe left on us for a 22-year-old.

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On New Year’s Day, Jeremy Renner was trying to help out a neighbor in his Lake Tahoe neighborhood when he was crushed by a snow plow. Renner broke more than 30 bones in his body and for a while, it felt like his family was trying to prepare everyone for Renner dying from all of the injuries he sustained. He was airlifted to a hospital and doctors saved his life. For the past three months, he’s been recovering, healing and rehabbing his body. He recently sat down for an exclusive interview on ABC/Disney to talk about everything that happened but I couldn’t even watch it (I’m so squeamish about those kinds of body-trauma stories). In any case, Renner walked his first red carpet last night – it was the premiere of his new Disney+ show Rennervations. His daughter Ava was there, as were many of Renner’s friends and family. He spoke exclusively to People at the premiere:

“I’m overflowing with gratitude and excitement unlike [anything] I’ve felt in a very, very long time, you know?” Renner, who was also joined by his family, told PEOPLE while on the red carpet. “Because it’s not a movie that I’m promoting, It’s not a show, it’s my, it’s my life, man, this is what I do. My breath is taken away by how honored I am that we’re even here even talking about it, you know what I mean? We had people calling me crazy a good five years ago, like, ‘What are you gonna do with all these trucks?’ Like, ‘Trust me, I’ve got a good idea,’” Renner said.

“I had a vision, but it took a lot of people to help me with the vision though you know? It seems so easy in my brain. Oh, yeah. Right. Yeah, the idea is easy,” Renner said, while laughing. “The idea is the easy part, Geez Louise.”

He pointed out that the event served as his “first time to kind of get out of my bed and out of rehab and, you know, to be on my feet and be out in the world. It’s intense, you know, for me, it’s a lot, but it’s a step in the direction I want to be going, right? And this is exactly what I want to be doing and exactly where I want my life to be right now.”

Asked how he feels to have his family by his side, Renner told PEOPLE, “I mean, it’s everything. It’s everything. They’re the fuel behind a lot of things that I do, and it’s nice to be able to share this with them and be a part of it.”

He added that little Ava also plays an important role in the show. “My daughter is a big part of the design on some of these, on these buses and these ideas, she’s been a big part of that narrative on the show, but also in the behind the scenes of it all. It’s great to be doing something you love to do with people you love. That, to me, is like what Heaven is. That’s the greatest dessert. That’s the greatest, you know, thing I’ll ever do. Right? Amazing.”

[From People]

I’m glad he’s up and about, although I can’t even imagine how much he’s pushed himself to recover. If I broke 30 bones? Lord, I would be in bed for a year. I would be afraid to walk or breathe or talk. My guess is that Renner is still on painkillers to deal with what must be a great deal of daily physical pain. He made use of a cane and he seemed to have some kind of roller device on the carpet too. I think he has trouble putting weight on his left leg. Anyway, his recovery is nothing short of miraculous.

Photos courtesy of Backgrid, Cover Images.

In 2021, suddenly Prince William and Kate’s people began openly briefing the media about their desire to move permanently to Windsor. They spent the next year looking at various homes, forts, castles and mansions on the Royal Windsor estate and in the greater Windsor area. At one point, they considered renting or buying a private home and merely making taxpayers foot the bill. Personally, I believe QEII and Charles shut down their requests to take over one of the nicer places on the Royal Windsor estate, like Frogmore Palace. So in the end, they moved in to Adelaide Cottage. We then had to listen to months of William and Kate play-acting their sense of privileged normalcy, that all they needed was a humble little four-bedroom shack with no live-in staff, and of course they didn’t need any upgrades. They moved into Adelaide just days before QEII passed away. I doubt her body was even cold before William and Kate began to whine about how they needed a bigger place.

Crash cut to recent months, where King Charles evicted the Duke and Duchess of Sussex from Frogmore Cottage, which the Sussexes had spent millions on, which was also a gift from QEII. not only did Charles evict the Sussexes, he plans to shuffle Andrew into the cottage, where Andrew can live rent-free. That frees up Royal Lodge, a 30-room mansion on the Royal Windsor estate. And obviously, that’s the place William and Kate want. Apparently, King Charles is spitting mad at Andrew because Andrew won’t just accept the “downgrade.” Sounds more like William and Kate are incandescent with real estate rage, but sure.

In times of old, a king might have banished rebellious relatives — or even chopped off their heads. But it’s 2023, and King Charles has simply been left “tired and furious” by the continuing disobedience of his family, sources told Page Six.

What should be a time of reflection and joy for Charles as he prepares for his May 6 coronation alongside his queen, Camilla, is being marred by the behavior of not just one but two “spares.”
While Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are still negotiating their attendance on the big day (despite the RSVP date of April 2 having already passed), Charles, 74, and his younger brother Prince Andrew are fighting over real estate.

Now, the onetime “spare” is refusing to bow to demands to move out of his palatial $37 million home, Royal Lodge in Windsor, despite the demands of the new monarch. In an effort to convince him to move, Andrew has even been given the keys to Frogmore Cottage — the five-bedroom house from which the King recently evicted Harry and Meghan. But so far, Andrew, 63, is standing firm and refusing to leave the much grander home he has lived in since 2003.

“Andrew doesn’t want to leave because the property is seen as a symbol of senior royalty — an important property in the family’s portfolio,” said a royal source. “But William, who is the heir to the throne, has his eye on it.”

William, Kate and their children, George, Charlotte and Louis, only moved to Adelaide Cottage, near Andrew’s Royal Lodge, less than a year ago. But with just four bedrooms, it is already said to feel too small, particularly as William needs more office space to go with his growing role.

“The cottage they live in once belonged to people who worked for the royals – such as Group Captain Peter Townsend, who had a romance with Princess Margaret and who described it as an ‘ice box’ — and is very cramped,” said royal commentator Joshua Rom. “It makes a lot more sense for William to have this house to reflect his new role particularly as Andrew is no longer a ‘working royal’ and therefore doesn’t need an office or to entertain dignitaries.”

Insiders say all the wrangling has “infuriated” the King at a time when he needs to focus on the Coronation. “Relations between the king and his brother have never been this bad,” a source said. “It has turned into a real battle which he never expected and it’s left him tired and infuriated.”

[From Page Six]

As I said, it sounds more like the Waleses want Royal Lodge to be move-in ready by the end of the school year. They want to get the hell out of Adelaide Cottage, their fourth home, which they claimed was just perfect for them because they were so humble and low-key. The “William needs office space” excuse is weird too – why wouldn’t William simply use Windsor Castle to work and entertain? Why isn’t William using his extensive office and entertaining space in his London home, Kensington Palace? Here’s what I also don’t understand: why has William always been obsessed with Royal Lodge above all other potential royal properties? There are tons of royal forts, castles, palaces and mansions which currently need tenants. Those places also need lots of renovations, which is why I guess they’re not being considered. But that’s just the thing – Royal Lodge apparently needs a lot of work too. I think William’s obsession with Royal Lodge is because he always wants what other princes have. Right?

Note by CB: Sign up for our mailing list and get the Top 8 stories about Will and Kate’s real estate drama! I only send one email on weekdays which I personally write.

Photos courtesy of Cover Images, Avalon Red.

Pedro Pascal is covering the May/June issue of Esquire. Their profile, written by Dave Holmes, is fabulous and the editorial is fire. The Esquire people sent us the photos and I’m so grateful to them. Look at his arms my God. Look at his face! This is a beautiful man and he’s not my “type,” I like bald men don’t hate, but there’s something about him. I think it’s the fact that he’s just a genuinely lovely person and he’s completely himself. Esquire also has a video interview with Pascal, I put that below. He’s tired, his hair is a mess and he’s a giant goofball but he’s still so hot. When he caressed his knee I screamed!

Holmes’ profile is filled with quotes from Pascal’s friends and coworkers and it gives so much background and context to his hard-won fame at 48. He grew up going to the movies as a child, he would sometimes spend all day at the theater, and he lost his mom when he was just 24. He’s fiercely protective and loyal to his family and friends, who feel the same about him. He’s tight with Sarah Paulson, Oscar Isaac and of course Bella Ramsey. Everyone has kind things to say about him and they’re all so happy for him, as are the people who approach him on the street. Here are some quotes from that story and you can read it at the source.

On what it means to be middle aged: “I had a moment of thinking, You’re in your forties and you don’t own a home? Grow up. But I’m relinquishing expectations around what it is to be middle-aged and what it means to be fully grown up. Why am I trying to force a square shape into a triangle? I just don’t want to make any decisions.”

On hosting SNL for the first time: “I’m usually not all that interested in challenging myself…I could not have had a better time.”

More on SNL, which fell on the anniversary of his mother’s passing: “I was so scared that week that I was talking to her…there would be that terror waiting for me—that practical fear of bombing in front of the world. And then I talked to her, and it was really comforting. I had sort of the realization that it would be nice to talk to her more…I love you. I miss you. Thank you. I’m scared. I would love it if you would help me believe in myself, because I know you do.”

On his little sister, Lux: “I wouldn’t want to speak on her behalf, but she is and has always been one of the most powerful people and personalities I’ve ever known. My protective side is lethal, but I need her more than she needs me.”

On why safeguarding the emotions of others—including his siblings, his father, and their extended family—is always front of mind for him: “It could have to do with the fact that I don’t have my own family, and that my siblings and my chosen family are where I invest all of my emotional energy. But I’m also a little protective of people’s experience in general.”

On worrying about whether he’d ever make it as an actor: “I died so many deaths. My vision of it was that if I didn’t have some major exposure by the time I was twenty-nine years old, it was over, so I was constantly readjusting what it meant to commit my life to this profession, and giving up the idea of it looking like I thought it would when I was a kid. There were so many good reasons to let that delusion go.”

On the fate of his character in the second season of The Last of Us: “It wouldn’t make sense to follow the first game so faithfully only to stray severely from the path. So, yeah, that’s my honest answer.”

[From Esquire]

Pascal didn’t have to worry about his stint on SNL as he was delightful and so entertaining. There was of course his skit with longterm friend Sarah Pauley where they played up his zaddy status and there was also the restaurant bit where he broke character and busted out giggling. He talked about that in his video interview, admitting that “I’m a corpser, as they say in the UK, a giggler.”

My favorite quote from a friend of Pascal’s in that story was from The Last of Us showrunner Craig Manzin, who so expertly summed up Pascal’s appeal. “There are two kinds of actors: There are actors you feel slightly intimidated by, and then there are actors you want to take home and hug and give some soup. And he’s both.”

The quote in the title comes from Pascal’s video interview, below, where he acknowledged that the term “Daddy” can be triggering but played it up with a wink. I also related to his story of trying to play The Last of Us but not being able to work the controller and just giving up and watching his nephew play it.

Now Pedro Pascal knew EXACTLY what he was doing with this photo/pose pic.twitter.com/Dpd2Mf2Y9n

— Meech (@MediumSizeMeech) April 11, 2023

Image credits: Norman Jean Roy for Esquire. Used by permission

Ever since Kate became “the Princess of Wales,” her styling has gone straight to hell. The quality of her wigs and extensions has fallen off a cliff, she staggers from dowdy Victorian gear to Meghan cosplay and she’s spending way too much money on ugly clothes she’s only worn once. But to hear the Salt Island media tell it, William and Kate are setting the style standard for the rest of the Windsor clan. The Telegraph did a ridiculous piece called “The royals have never looked so chic – and it’s all thanks to William and Kate.” It should have been called “Busted Wiglets & Doom: White Privilege and Single White Female-ing Your Sister-in-Law to fill the hole in your soul.” I am giving you just the most bonkers highlights:

The Edwardian Disruptors: The word disruptor doesn’t instantly spring to mind in the context of the Prince and Princess of Wales. Yet in the 13 years since their engagement, Kate and Wills have quietly revolutionised the way senior royals dress, honing a modern royal style strategy that makes them and their three photogenic children both charmingly traditional and highly relatable.

Color coordination & normcore: Despite the careful colour coordination at work in all the Waleses’ family walkabouts – including Easter Sunday’s rhapsody in blue – William remains the embodiment of normcore although if he absolutely must, he can scrub up well for a Bafta red carpet or a royal procession. The Princess, meanwhile, is the always appropriately dressed mum of three who shows other mums how to make M&S look aspirational by getting it altered to fit properly and ensuring her hair and make up are as glossy as they are when she’s in Alexander McQueen.

Frugal Peg: William may not share either of his parents’ interest in clothes, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have Views. It was William, sensitive to charges of extravagance, who encouraged Kate to adopt a high/low approach to fashion. Mixing high street with designer played well to the frugally minded as well as adding a degree of interest for royal watchers who can now share and comment on the pictures of the royals that whizz onto websites and social platforms the moment they leave the house.

CopyCamilla? None of this has been lost on the other royals who are (mostly) as keen as the King and Prince of Wales to ensure there is no significant seepage of popularity in the coming years. In their different ways, they’ve all been taking notes from the Waleses for years.

One must dress your children like lil’ colonialists: The Wales children mostly look as though they’ve stepped out of the 1950s – and against all reason, even republicans wilt. In the face of mass logo-isation, the three Waleses’ shorts, smocking and Start-Rites have sparked a mini revival in traditional childrenswear.

Matchy-matchy: Go viral by colour-coding your outfits – On Sunday, the senior royals (King Charles, Queen Camilla, Princess Anne and the Waleses) all wore blue. Less senior royals (the Duchess of Edinburgh, Zara Tindall, Princess Beatrice) were in pink. Is this a modern version of the Sumptuary Laws – the medieval legislation that regulated the fabrics and colours people wore according to their status? None of this choreography happens by accident.

Rebel Keen: “Small rebellions make it interesting – It took Kate the outsider years before she felt comfortably deviating from royal protocol. These days the Princess is more daring: witness the red nail varnish that on Sunday had replaced the nude pink which was the late Queen’s preferred choice. Meanwhile the Queen Consort loves a hint of leopard print and swapped a coat for a cape last week. These small but revealing touches are widely appreciated by all but the most curmudgeonly of observers as they suggest both women are now feeling more at ease with their roles.

Pro tip, “Humble-brag your heritage jewellery”: Both the Queen and Princess of Wales have been amping up the heirloom family jewellery lately. In late March, Camilla wore the late Queen’s necklace and Queen Mother’s fabulous Art Deco Greville tiara to a state banquet in Berlin. Meanwhile, for Common-wealth Day last month, Kate accessorised a sprigged navy silk Erdem suit, one of her most regal day looks yet, with the Prince of Wales three feathers brooch, a royal heirloom dating back to 1863, and sapphire and diamond earrings which once belonged to Princess Diana.

[From The Telegraph]

I lost it at “heritage jewelry.” It’s a stretch to even refer to Royal Collection pieces as “heirloom pieces” rather than what they are – stolen, grifted or illegally gifted. Plunder from another era, symbolizing their privilege and neo-colonialist attitudes. Look no further than Kate’s red nail polish suddenly branded as a “small rebellion.” When Meghan wore colored nail polish, she was called vulgar, unroyal, common, disrespectful, etc. It’s so different when it’s a white woman, I guess. Anyway, Peg and Keen are not disruptors nor are they rebellious. Kate, in particular, wanders around like an extra from Downton Abbey who borrowed a Call the Midwife wig.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid, Cover Images.

There are several amazing stories in the British media this week about coronation chaos, aka Chubbly Shambles. Apparently, the Windsors and their staff have only begun to organize the actual ceremony and try to pace out how long everything will be and it’s just been one catastrophe after another. King Charles is worried he’s going to collapse under the weight of his cloaks and stolen jewels. No one has made a firm decision about who gets to wear tiaras because Charles keeps dithering over the dress code. And to make matters even worse, the seating chart can’t be finalized because the Duke and Duchess of Sussex still haven’t RSVP’d.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s reluctance to confirm their attendance at the King’s coronation has caused huge headaches for organisers. Sources close to Prince Harry last night confirmed “no decision” had been made by the couple.

Despite the Sussexes, who quit their royal roles in 2020, being aware of the April 3 cut-off date, Buckingham Palace staff are still none the wiser as to whether they will show up. It means organisers in charge of details such as seating arrangements, transport and security for VIPs, are unable to sign off on their plans. Buckingham Palace last night admitted seating plans were still not confirmed, just over three weeks away from the May 6 ceremony.

Royal sources revealed how organisers are “exasperated” with the couple, who have spent two years railing against the monarchy after they decided to leave in favour of earning millions in the corporate world. The Duke and Duchess have been in “email correspondence” with the palace in recent weeks, but Harry reportedly remains in a “predicament” about whether to attend. Palace insiders said they expected him to attend but were unsure whether Meghan would accompany him and may choose to stay in the US given it is their son Archie’s fourth birthday on the day of the coronation.

A source with knowledge of the plans, said: “They (Harry and Meghan) still haven’t confirmed either way. Of course they will be afforded extra time but in all honesty, everyone is exasperated with them.”

The Mirror last week revealed how Harry and Meghan, who now live in Montecito, California, do not feature in plans for a roaring coronation day finale on the famous Buckingham Palace balcony, featuring the Red Arrows. The King declared he would only share the historic moment with the “working royals”, those who have dedicated their lives to the monarchy and public service. One well placed source said: “His Majesty wants to be surrounded by those who he considers to be the heartbeat and future of his family, hence there is no place for the Duke and Duchess (of Sussex) or the Duke of York.”

Palace sources said they would continue to plan for the Sussexes to attend “unless advised otherwise”.

[From The Daily Mirror]

FAFO, that’s all I’ve got to say. If you wanted Harry to come at his father’s command, then his father should have thought of that years ago. In the same breath as these courtiers are melting down at the fact that the Sussexes won’t confirm, they’re proudly declaring that the Sussexes are not the heartbeat or future of the family. Imagine saying that about your son and grandchildren.

The Mirror is also running an interview with a “PR expert” who claims that if the Sussexes had rejected the invitation back in February, “the story would have died after a few days,” and that Harry and Meghan are trying to “create drama” by keeping everything up in the air. That’s incorrect analysis – if the Sussexes had said, back in February or March that they weren’t coming, every single tabloid story would be about how the Sussexes are terrible people who should be stripped off their titles for disrespecting Charles, and ALL of the coverage would still be about “why aren’t they coming.” Same if they had RSVP’d immediately and said “we’re coming!” The same media would be complaining about THAT and issuing violent threats about how the Sussexes will be punished. Say what you will, but I think the Sussexes have played this the right way, especially since their silence just emphasizes how f–king crazy everything is over there.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Instar.