#with the actor and character's actual charm and play

[evening-rose-309]

In the words of Haversam of Novac,

Smootheskin–

but no, seriously, where is? the wrinkle? the melting sphynx wrinkle? where is the "poorly skinned chicken" vibe? where is the "the old flesh was rend off the bone to make new from under a much hardier carcass to show for the current state of the world"? thing? "we may look dead, but we've yet to let go of life and it won't let us the easy way anyhow" feel? where? is the sex appeal charm???

I mean this with every fiber of my being but whoever was in charge of designing the “ghouls” for the Fallout tv show should be jailed and given a life sentence with no chance of parole

Look at how they massacred my beautiful ghouls! Deadpool looks more ghoulish than him! There isn’t a wrinkle on this mfs body! This is just a man who lost his nose!

The writers are cowards for not giving us gross looking ghouls!

[pr0cyon-lotor]

AU where SJ is a horror movie director and actor. All the movies he makes aren't overly gore filled and they focus on psychological horror (and have an all female cast with very few exceptions because of course). However, all the movies he acts in have him get brutally murdered (it's in his contract).

SY is a horror movie nerd and got hooked on SJ through his acting. He loved the monsters and the creative deaths. The interviews he watched of SJ, he's enamored (in a TOTALLY PLATONIC AND PARASOCIAL WAY) with the way SJ says he's usually the one writing his own death scenes. That led him to find SJ's movies and he was even more hooked.

But SY is also an actor, but he plays love interests in cheesy romance dramas (he did it originally to beat his sister in a bet but it's not a bit anymore). He's charming and sweet with all his co-actors and even amassed his own irl harem. He wishes he could act in horror movies, but he's too well known as the kind pretty boy from the romance genre. And people will most certainly riot if his characters die, so :(

And as cheesy and sappy SY thinks his roles are, SJ is absolutely enamored as well. His guilty pleasure is watching cheesy romance dramas. He loves them in secret and wishes saintly men like SY's characters existed in real life.

Anyway, during an interview with SY, he's asked what genre he likes, and he tells them that he's actually fond of horror. They ask what type of horror and he immediately starts gushing about SJ. About his acting, his genius, his writing, his directing skills, etc. He tells the interviewer that his dream is to either work with or under SJ, but he laments that he always gets rejected for horror roles.

In the distance you here all the woman SY has enchanted wail in unison as they realize they don't have a chance because he likes men.

SJ obviously sees this and doesn't know what to do with the obvious praise. He panics as SY says he wants to work with/under him, and is struck with inspiration (he had writer's block for a long time). And he writes a script with a kind man that gets everyone to love him with a few words that is actually a siren that secretly consumes his admirers (or something IDK I'm uncreative. it doesn't matter it just has to be a monster role that is obviously made for SY)

He refines the script and starts casting. SY hears SJ is looking for roles openly, which is rare because SJ usually has closed castings. So he hurries over and auditions for the main villain, and he gets the role (to no one's surprise).

When they start the filming process, SY has basically enchanted the whole crew and they all agree that SY was the best option. And then one of the scenes where SY reveals himself as evil, and everyone had something awake in them.

The entire time SY is hoping he's doing well so SJ will like him. And in SJ's corner, he's fighting demons to stay professional. Everyone is fighting their battles while SY keeps looking at SJ after each shoot to see if he's doing a good job. But SJ keeps leaving, so obviously he's not. So he tries even harder (causing so much emotional distress in everyone that wants him desperately)

When everything wraps up, SY asks if SJ would be interested in dinner so he can pick his brain. SJ hesitates thinking SY was going to reveal that he too was two-faced like his character. But no, SY genuinely asks him so many questions and looked stary eyed when he answered. SY didn't try anything and they left with SY walking SJ to his car before going to his.

SJ drives home conflicted because apparently a prince charming does exist and he casted him as a murderer in his show/movie. And SY is happy because he thinks he did so well in getting his favorite actor/director to finally like him.

The movie/show releases and everyone also has a violent awakening and want SY in more villain roles.

SY is happy because he can finally be in horror movies. SJ is actively making scripts to just invite SY to act in them (the most productive he's been in a while). SY is over the moon when he gets an invite to act in another of SJ's scripts and puts his all in his characters. He ends up shining so much that even if he was a side character, he'd be a fan favorite.

And eventually he and SJ get invited to play in a movie. SY is excited to act with SJ (he didn't read the script before accepting the role), and SJ is so conflicted because not only does the movie have a kiss scene between their characters but SY kills him. It's like evil, toxic yaoi or something.

SY finally reads his damn script and is having a whole sexuality crisis, but he shuts up because he doesn't want to lose this opportunity (and he doesn't want to offend SJ, who is openly and maliciously gay). The director (Airplane) is doing this for the love of the game and fan service, so he makes them redo scenes over and over again until he liked a shoot.

SY locks in and tries not to think much of it. Then SJ tells him they have to practice the kiss scene because it has to look authentic (Airplane is a tyrant and demands it to be sloppy and crazy and REAL), and suddenly SY is thinking WAY too much about it. They try, SJ tells him he kisses stiff, and that he figured all his romantic main lead roles would make him a better kisser.

SY doesn't know how to say that he uses stage kisses instead of actually kissing his co-actor because he always felt uncomfortable with it, so he settles on saying something accidentally suave. Probably something like "It's different to kiss someone you admire so much".

SJ takes at least 15 points of psychic damage and tells him that they better practice for him to get used to it (excuse to kiss SY).

Then the day of the scene comes and like... I can't think of anything to end this with. Idk they get caught in the moment and have weird sex on set or something and Airplane calls it genius and takes the movie to production.

This optional if you want to write this au. I just don't have a way to end this post :3

[sexlapis]

actor! toji fushiguro thoughts 💭

actor toji would be one of those hot dilf actors that women would always be drooling over, edits of him always popping up on your fyp, the most outta pocket comments underneath all of his insta posts, he would be the number 1 dilf for all the old man fuckers.

toji rarely posts on social media. he’s at that age where he just does not care to post his whole life online, but that only attracts people to him more because he is so mysterious. he would have like 10 million followers and only follow 12 people (including you)

toji would probably be one of those actors that have no variety in their roles, but everybody would still eat it up anyways. toji as an actor would typically play a villain/antagonist or an anti-hero, typically in an action movie/series and he plays them well. toji can embody an intimidating, frightening, intelligent villain very well. he could be cast as one of the most horrendous, horrible villains and be a menace towards the main cast but because he looks like that, he is forgiven.

but there are those rare times toji is casted as a father or father figure and his character would do anything for their daughter and everyone just loses it. he plays the father role well, almost too well. he is so caring, protective and sweet towards the actress playing as his daughter, even behind the scene clips with one another, he is just so gentle and dreamy. the fans cannot handle it!

during interviews, toji can be charming. he cracks jokes and he answers questions honestly, even if they make him look unprofessional. he really does not give a fuck about that, which only makes him even more attractive. he’s a little sleazy sometimes, but that just adds to his lazy effortless appeal.

he just has such a dominant personality and not in a bad way either. like if an interviewer asked a question that made a cast member uncomfortable, he would smoothly change the subject and the mood, making everyone forget about it entirely. also, his stare is really intense…like when the interviewer or a fellow cast member is speaking, he makes sure to look at them and listen really closely, not even realising how intimidating that could be 😭

despite his unprofessional personality and wealthy background, people who work with toji cannot say anything bad about him. he is a great actor with great work ethic and is always respectful to his cast members. and most of all, he is humble. due to his background and accomplishments, other actors on set expect him to be all flashy and all head in the clouds, but toji isn’t like that. toji is very aware and down to earth and he doesn’t see himself as superior because of his wealth. he sees what that power does to some people (his family) and he wants nothing not do with it.

overall, for the most part, toji is a respected actor, with a loyal (albeit crazy) fanbase, he actually enjoys his job and lives a relatively private and quiet life. people barely know anything despite his wealth and fame and prefers to keep it that way.

a/n: this was inspired by jeffrey dean morgan lmao. also i’m thinking of maybe doing a mini one shot with actress reader x actor toji in the form of one of those youtube videos like “(reader) & toji fushiguro being a couple for 10 minutes straight” i think that would be fun 🤭🤭

edit: toji & reader being a couple for 10 minutes straight is here <3

[allg00dnamesrg0ne]

arcane actor au

in light of recent events, i have decided to take matters into my own hands and create the desperately needed actor au! this is my first time writing so please don’t be mean or not i will cry :)

Silco and Vander are actually renowned actors (think Liam Neeson, George Clooney, Leonardo Dicaprio, etc). When it was announced that they would be in Arcane, some fans were wary since they weren’t known for fantasy/ sci-fi roles. They had both wrapped up working on some heavy projects that were putting a lot of stress on their lives, so they decided to step outside their comfort zone and try another genre!

Silco and Vander are actually married irl! Their children appeared on the show as young Claggor, young Vi, and older Claggor.

Vander instantly became a father figure to Jinx and Violet the moment he read with them.

Jinx actually is British! It’s shocking to see the change between her character and her because she truly is a more introverted person irl! She also already had freakishly long hair so her braids weren’t so hard to do.

Vi was actually just a pretty normal person who had never acted in her life. She just kinda showed up and instantly charmed the directors. They just liked her vibe and knew she’d be amazing.

Ekko has an Australian accent! Jinx and Vi were so surprised when they heard him speak out of character.

Mel is a classically trained actress! (I’m talking went to Juilliard type of trained). She has been in a lot of big movies and has worked with Silco before. Well on her way to become a household name! (Has won multiple Emmys before!)

Viktor and Mel are old college friends! They both went to the same university and lost touch until they were casted to the show did they reconnect! (they just drifted apart i swear don’t take it in any other way!)

Viktor is a Czech-American actor! His parents were both Czech actors before they started to break into American media!

He was also a child star for a brief period of time before he had to take some time off after an injury. Viktor was in a car crash that caused damage to the muscles on his knee and hip causing him to walk with a limp.

Jayce didn’t really have interest in becoming an actor until his friend in college took him to an improv class and got him into theater. (P.S this man has an amazing singing voice!) This is when he realized it was a passion and he dropped out to pursue acting!

Caitlyn was in some small roles in British shows (think Downtown Abbey or Doctor Who). She really broke out when she played in a period piece and really got her name out!

Cait’s younger sister plays her child actor! They look so much alike that the directors didn’t even hesitate to cast her!

did i go a bit crazy? maybe but i had to get it out there! i hope you enjoy! lmk what you think!

[arealtrashact]

i GOTTA know your thoughts on the Boys S4 so far

I'm . . . enjoying it. Like, really enjoying it? More than I thought would be possible after season three (nearly) demolished any and all enthusiasm I held towards it.

I'm especially loving the whole 'Pinky and the Brain' thing Sister Sage has going on with Homelander.

Sage herself is such a breath of fresh air. I find her extremely charming on her own but watching her maneuver Homelander is so entertaining. I can't remember the last time he had someone genuinely interesting to play off of. I've always said that my love for HL is so monumental that it eclipses every other character in the show (so much so that it prevents me from even *having* a second favorite character) but that has changed with Sage.

I'm not thrilled about the generous amount of screen time being allotted to Frenchie of all characters. Paying attention to storylines that have nothing to do with Homelander is already hard for me so sitting through the Frenchie Guilt Extravaganza is borderline painful.

I love everything going on with Ryan. It's no secret that child actors are reaaaally hit or miss, but this kid is knocking it out of the park every single time he's on screen. I'm so impressed that he can hold his own against Homelander in all of their shared scenes.

Starlight was losing me up until that one scene with Firecracker. Call it out of character, call it sloppy writing, but I think it adds another layer to her. Starlight had/has the ability to be a vindictive little beast? Noted.

I could write more but I'm going to be merciful and stop there. I'm tentatively optimistic that this season will be better than the last. Which. . . isn't actually that much of an accomplishment. The bar is low. The bar is on the floor.

With all of that being said, regardless of if the writing tailspins in the second half of S4 the same way it did in S3, I can die in peace with all of the good Homelander content I got out of those first three episodes. I can die in peace because I have ↓ THIS ↓

[mr-walkingrainbow]

DESCENDANTS: The Rise of Red! (or the REAL hidden story in the movie + what’s gonna happen in the sequel THEORY!)

So we ALL watched the movie right? We ALL thought the plot sucked and the movie ended abruptly with a underwhelming climax?

WELL HERES WHY WERE WRONG!

So I did some really deep thinking, and I figured, these writers can’t be THAT stupid? The director can’t be THAT idiotic, lame, and boring? That would just embarrass Disney, not to mention all the well respected actors that are in this!

So I thought hard. I thought hard and I thought long. Like hella long. And I tallied up all the plot inconsistencies, all the weird explanations, all the very specific lines in songs, and I did it. I fixed descendants rise of red! I FIGURED IT OUT!

So!! Here it is! What TRULY happened that crowncoming night! And what going back in time actually did!

(I intentionally put a keep reading so if anyone wanted to avoid spoilers they can)

So! Now that we’re under the keep reading. Anything spoilerly can be said!

So first things first. The biggest theory everyone is saying.

ELLA DID IN FACT POISON BRIDGET!

Yes! I said it! We all thought the movie was leading to this! So it was underwhelming when it was revealed it was Uliana and her crew were the origins behind the prank.

OR WERE THEY?

We all saw that once they opened the book; they were frozen. Because they were ‘bad’ and Merlin’s security system was set into place.

And many of you came up with the giant plot hole that this would have happened REGARDLESS of whether Red and Chloe interfered.

AND YOUR RIGHT!

This sole reason, is why the group COULDNT have done it! Not only were they frozen, but they couldn’t read the recipe, and were properly sent to detention, ergo exonerating them from being at the dance! Meaning their was literally no way they could have been behind the prank!

So with them being withheld from the dance, who could it be? Who was the one person who was originally at the dance, but now no longer could be? What was the one actual change that Red and Chloe set off?

ELLA. AND THE VASE!

We all see that when the two go into Ella’s house, Chloe knocks over a Vase. Breaking it. Lady Tremaine GROUNDS Ella! Meaning that she COULD NOT go to the dance!

This DIDNT happen originally! Meaning Ella DID go to the dance in the original timeline! Which is proven when Cinderella (I’m calling Adult Ella, Cinderella) talks to The Red Queen (I’m calling Adult Bridget The Red Queen) about how the prank being pulled was wrong. She had first handed knowledge of the prank. AND she told Chloe she fell in love with Charming at the dance.

But! Since Ella is the only difference in the two timelines in regarding to the dance, this is PROOF that she was the one who actually pranked Bridget, NOT Uliana and her crew!

So here’s what I think happened!

Ella, who saw Bridget being bullied about the cupcakes, and saw Uliana take all the cupcakes. And promptly being threatened by Uliana. Decided to bake Bridget something to cheer her up. However Bridget literally has all of the cookbooks in auradon. As shown. So she snoops around and finds Merlin’s cookbook! (Because it’s also shown she’s okay with breaking the rules if it’s for a good cause. From her get our hands dirty song!) and double and, the book WOULD open for her because she is a good person. AND she was doing it for a good reason!

she flips through the book and finds some simple blase recipe that cheers Bridget up. Maybe gives her cool hair (Red hair??). Something simple but sweet.

However. While doing this, she happens to see the Monster food recipe. She doesn’t look at it for long of course. Just enough to remember it’s a thing.

BACK TO BRIDGET!

Now! I swear to whatever’s out there that the person who played Chloe said there was a queer character in Dedcendants 4. I can’t find it now but it was some tumblr or insta post. I know cause I immediately told my friend afterwards.

Anywho. I think Bridget is the queer character! We see in the movie her only friend was Ella. Not only that but she YEARNS for someone to care about enough to ask her out (in a romantic way like charming just tried to do for Ella) Ella, who again. Is Bridget’s only friend. And ergo, shows her love no one else does, IMMEDIATELY asks her to go to the dance with her! (Might have said as friends in the other timeline too. Who knows)

But! This only makes Bridget’s crush on Ella even BIGGER. And she falls in love with her! She probably thinks they might have a chance!

This is also somewhat proven by The Red Queens song ‘Love Ain’t It’

Title ; Love Ain’t It

Red : “With all the Grief you’ve experienced”

Red (Speaking of Cinderella) : So you Knew her?

The Red Queen : I saw through her. Cinderella and I were classmates in a way.

(Notice how she uses Ella’s mocking name after she has time to recover from the interaction. She said ELLA originally when she caught her off guard. Also. The line. I SAW THROUGH HER. It’s a double edged sword. Saw through her fronts. Saw the hurting girl inside. Saw through her LIES saw the mean girl behind)

Proven by the next lines

The red Queen : I spent way to much time in this place

So I had to escape

the people might smile

but their two faced, too fake.

Girl was relentlessly bullied and betrayed by someone she loved

And Ella Knows it.

Cinderella : Some people act mean at first, because their too afraid to feel

[the reverse is also true]

Cinderella : Look hon. Back in high school, a mean prank was played

And ever since that fateful day

She was never the same, it’s quite a shame.

So the Red Queen sings a whole song about how Love isn’t it. And we ALL KNOW that her only connection to love as a kid was through ELLA. meaning Bridget HAD A CRUSH on Ella. Was IN LOVE. With Ella.

So. How did Crowncoming originally happen you ask?

Here’s my theory

Ella and Bridget go to the dance. They are happy! They have fun. Bridget falls further in love with Ella. Meanwhile. Ella falls in love with Charming!

Her and Charming hit it off. And Ella starts to feel loved and appreciated for the first time in her life.

Then, Bridget performs her ‘Shuffle of Love’ dance. All the attention is on her! Even Charmings.

Ella feels robbed. She feels jealous. She feels angry that her friend is stealing the one good moment she is finally having to herself.

And so she briefly remembers the spell. And in a moment of error, she either A. Remembers the recipe already and makes the recipe. Or B. Re-Sneaks back into the office to see it. However I’m going with A because the book wouldn’t have opened again for Ella because of her bad intentions.

Whichever way. Bridget eats the baked treat. (I think it was a cupcake. Ella could have lied and said it was from the earlier batch)

And then. IT HAPPENS! Bridget is turned into an ugly terrifying monster. Everyone LAUGHS at her. Everyone makes fun of her

And Bridget, who is confused, understands only ONE person could have done this to her. She looks at someone she was in love with. And just sees Ella and Charming laughing. Laughing at her. Bonding over laughing at HER.

Bridget runs off. In tears. Broken inside. With an equally broken heart.

Maybe if Ella had immediately realized her error and run after her she would have turned out differently. But no. It is proven that Ella stayed at the dance and stayed with Charming. They wouldn’t have had the chance to fall in love if she left.

So Bridget. Spends the rest of the night terrified. Looking like a monster. And being laughed and screamed and made fun of everywhere she goes. And not only that. But her ONLY FRIEND. Her CRUSH. Someone she TRUSTED did this to her

Now THIS! THIS is something can break a person. This is something that can change their views on the world. On humanity itself. She was a kind girl. Was kind to everyone no matter how meanly they treated her. But through it all, Ella was her rock. Her friend. Her secret love. Someone who was good and kind through it all.

But she betrayed her. Tbe one nice person betrayed her. Showing that being nice doesn’t do it. Being nice does not mean good things happen. Being nice doesn’t is worthless if this is what it gets you. Everyone is two faced. And the only thing that’s real. The only thing she CAN feel. Is hurt. And pain. And fear. And so that’s what she swears to become. That’s what she swears to do. Be mean and cruel and heartless so she never has to feel all this pain ever again. So her eventual DAUGHTER never has to feel this again. It’s better to be alone and feared. Then alone and broken.

Ella probably realized the error of her ways the next day. But as she said. It was too late. Bridget was never the same.

This Explains why they had so many odd interactions. The raw feral burning chemistry between them. All the odd phrase. Why The Red Queen would be okay sending her BEST FRIEND to death. Why she would be okay killing her. And taking over auradon. To Her? Cinderella is the one who made her this way.

but also part of her still remembers. Still cares. It’s why she gave her once chance to kneel to her. (And as we’ve noted in the books and movies. She doesn’t give ANYONE else a second chance. She punishes I’m immediately and harshly)

And so! With all of this happening. Theirs gonna be some catylist in recent times. The Red Queen might be nice now. But something will have changed. Ella never went to the dance. (She clearly fell in love with charming somewhere else cause otherwise Chloe would have disappeared) but something happened when she wasn’t at the dance. Something that caused another problem. And THATS gonna be the sequel to this movie. Descendants : Rise of Red part two.

(as we’ve seen the official script for the movie is literally called Descendants : Rise of Red part one. MEANING they wrote it with the purpose of being part one to either a sequel or a threequal)

And THAT! Ladies and Gentleman, is what I think the REAL plot behind Descendants : Rise of Red is! A movie that is not idiotically not thought out at all, but really something so secretly genuis is blows your mind!

Hope you enjoyed!

[abdy-18]

sxf actor au

Because I miss the anime so much

Loid's actor has been acting since he was a little boy, so he is good at guiding Anya's actress.

Yor's actress is a martial arts champion and has won many trophies, so she doesn't need a stunt double in most scenes.

People were surprised at the incredible resemblance between the actress who played Yor as a child in the flashbacks and Yor's actress, as they are not related.

Anya really cried when Loid yelled at her in this scene, Loid apologized to her and bought her an ice cream.

Anya's actress is actually 6 years old, she's just a pretty short girl so she can play a 4/5 year old.

Anya is the 2000s Dakota Faning and Loid is the 90s Leonardo DiCaprio of this universe.

Anya can actually speak perfectly, she just mispronounces words because of her character, in interviews people are surprised to hear her speak well. She even made a speech.

This with Loid and Anya

Because of how young Anya's character is, they had originally thought of hiring twins to play her, but Anya's actress was so charming and her chemistry with Loid and Yor was so good that she convinced the director as soon as he saw her, of the Forger family she was the last to be cast.

Loid watched a marathon of the James Bond movies for his character, while Yor watched Mr. and Mrs. Smith.

[holmesxwatson]

Hi friends, I’m popping on here to inform you that i have watched all 8 episodes of the new CW show Sherlock & Daughter, and to let you know that it is actually good! Guys, I was skeptical going in because of *gestures with muppet arms in the direction of the CW* and also because the premise is not necessarily my first choice during these public domain times, but….

David Thewlis is wonderful as Sherlock. He’s gangly and awkward, but still exudes the Victorian gentleman vibe. There’s angst, there’s tons of drawing room conversations, Watson and Mrs. Hudson have been kidnapped, a strange girl shows up at Baker Street claiming to be Sherlock’s daughter, since she has information and skills that are pertinent to the case, Holmes takes her in almost as one of his irregulars at first and their camaraderie builds from there. With Watson’s reappearance there are hugs and face touching and “my dear boy,” which are basically my criteria for a good adaptation lol. The actor that plays Watson, Seán Duggan, has those type of eyes that well up with emotion and make the few scenes he’s in very touching. Moriarty is there too, and the actor that plays him, Dougray Scott, is deliciously flamboyant and over the top.

Blu Hunt plays Amelia, the titular daughter and she is great. She’s on a mission to find out who murdered her mother. She brings a lot of skills to the table and is also willing to learn from Holmes. The way Hunt plays her character is reminiscent of Hailee Steinfeld in True Grit, just very capable and no nonsense.

The show doesn’t solely rely on the kitschiness of the premise, it also backs that up with tons of conversation scenes between Amelia and Holmes that develops their characters and the relationship. And the way the last episode ended, I’m feeling a Holmes-and-Watson-two-dads setup that I sincerely hope we get to see. I really hope they get to make a season two, I was genuinely charmed. (Episodes are also available on HBO Max at least in the US).

[hollowed-theory-hall]

Hello there

Do you think Harry can be charismatic and charming? I see him having a bit of a silver tong and having the ability to bend people's will

See Slughorn and the gray lady, the boy can be quite manipulative

Hello, and YES! Yes, I definitely think he can be manipulative and a convincing liar. He's witty and as I mentioned here, many other characters see him as charismatic and leader material, even if he doesn't think of himself as such.

The example with Slughorn is great, we see our boy getting him drunk and reminiscing about Lily to get information out of him:

The Felix Felicis gave Harry a little nudge at this point, and he noticed that the supply of drink that Slughorn had brought was running out fast. Harry had not yet managed to bring off the Refilling Charm without saying the incantation aloud, but the idea that he might not be able to do it tonight was laughable: Indeed, Harry grinned to himself as, unnoticed by either Hagrid or Slughorn (now swapping tales of the illegal trade in dragon eggs) he pointed his wand under the table at the emptying bottles and they immediately began to refill. [...] Slughorn gave a great shudder, but he did not seem able to tear his horrified gaze away from Harry’s face. “He told her to get out of the way,” said Harry remorselessly. “He told me she needn’t have died. He only wanted me. She could have run.” “Oh dear,” breathed Slughorn. “She could have . . . she needn’t . . . That’s awful. . . .” “It is, isn’t it?” said Harry, in a voice barely more than a whisper. “But she didn’t move. Dad was already dead, but she didn’t want me to go too. She tried to plead with Voldemort . . . but he just laughed. . . .” “That’s enough!” said Slughorn suddenly, raising a shaking hand. “Really, my dear boy, enough . . . I’m an old man . . . I don’t need to hear . . . I don’t want to hear . . .” “I forgot,” lied Harry, Felix Felicis leading him on. “You liked her, didn’t you?”

(HBP, Ch22)

(As I've been saying for a while, Harry is super magically powerful and capable when he doesn't overthink things. Like, Felix Felicis makes you lucky, it doesn't make you more magically skilled or a better actor — that's all Harry. Also, a lot of what he says isn't just the Felix Felicis, Harry still needs to think what to say, the potion just gives him a nudge)

But it isn't the first or last time Harry does something like that. One of my favorite examples of his Slytherin tendencies is this scene from CoS:

“Potter! Weasley! What are you doing?” It was Professor McGonagall, and her mouth was the thinnest of thin lines. “We were — we were —” Ron stammered. “We were going to — to go and see —” “Hermione,” said Harry. Ron and Professor McGonagall both looked at him. “We haven’t seen her for ages, Professor,” Harry went on hurriedly, treading on Ron’s foot, “and we thought we’d sneak into the hospital wing, you know, and tell her the Mandrakes are nearly ready and, er, not to worry —” Professor McGonagall was still staring at him, and for a moment, Harry thought she was going to explode, but when she spoke, it was in a strangely croaky voice. “Of course,” she said, and Harry, amazed, saw a tear glistening in her beady eye.

(CoS, Ch16)

He doesn't even hesitate. Lying so well that McGonagall gets a bit teary-eyed. In OotP, he actually gets information out of Lucius in the ministry, getting him to talk both to buy time and get intel:

“You haven’t told me what’s so special about this prophecy I’m supposed to be handing over,” he said, playing for time. He moved his foot slowly sideways, feeling around for someone else’s. “Do not play games with us, Potter,” said Malfoy. “I’m not playing games,” said Harry, half his mind on the conversation, half on his wandering foot. And then he found someone’s toes and pressed down upon them. A sharp intake of breath behind him told him they were Hermione’s.

(OotP, Ch35)

Not to mention all the times he essentially tricks Hagrid into telling him things (even if Hagrid is an easier target).

His witty comebacks in many situations:

“Got plenty of special features, hasn’t it?” said Malfoy, eyes glittering maliciously. “Shame it doesn’t come with a parachute — in case you get too near a dementor.” Crabbe and Goyle sniggered. “Pity you can’t attach an extra arm to yours, Malfoy,” said Harry. “Then it could catch the Snitch for you.”

(PoA, Ch13)

It was Rita Skeeter. She was wearing acid-green robes today; the Quick-Quotes Quill in her hand blended perfectly against them. “Congratulations, Harry!” she said, beaming at him. “I wonder if you could give me a quick word? How you felt facing that dragon? How you feel now, about the fairness of the scoring?” “Yeah, you can have a word,” said Harry savagely. “Good-bye.”

(GoF, Ch20)

“Why were you lurking under our window?” “Yes — yes, good point, Petunia! What were you doing under our window, boy?” “Listening to the news,” said Harry in a resigned voice. His aunt and uncle exchanged looks of outrage. “Listening to the news! Again?” “Well, it changes every day, you see,” said Harry. … “We know you’re up to something funny,” said Aunt Petunia. “We’re not stupid, you know,” said Uncle Vernon. “Well, that’s news to me,” said Harry, his temper rising

(OotP, Ch1)

Harry, of course, had endured their snide comments for more than four years, so whispers of, “Hey, Potty, I heard Warrington’s sworn to knock you off your broom on Saturday,” far from chilling his blood, made him laugh. “Warrington’s aim’s so pathetic I’d be more worried if he was aiming for the person next to me,” he retorted, which made Ron and Hermione laugh and wiped the smirk off Pansy Parkinson’s face.

(OotP, Ch19)

Malfoy glanced around. Harry knew he was checking for signs of teachers. Then he looked back at Harry and said in a low voice, “You’re dead, Potter.” Harry raised his eyebrows. “Funny,” he said, “you’d think I’d have stopped walking around. . . .”

(OotP, Ch38)

Are further examples of Harry having a quick wit and a silver tongue when he wants/needs to. And, I love how the first time he asks Slughorn about the memory Harry is being a little shit and literally quoting Tom Riddle from the memory down to some of the mannerisms:

“Look sharp, Tom,” said Slughorn, turning around and finding him still present. “You don’t want to be caught out of bed out of hours, and you a prefect . . .” “Sir, I wanted to ask you something.” “Ask away, then, m’boy, ask away. . . .” “Sir, I wondered what you know about . . . about Horcruxes?”

(HBP, Ch17)

“…Come on, now, Harry, you’ll be late for your next lesson,” said Slughorn affably, snapping the gold clasps shut on his dragon-skin briefcase. “Sir,” said Harry, reminding himself irresistibly of Voldemort, “I wanted to ask you something.” “Ask away, then, my dear boy, ask away. . . .” “Sir, I wondered what you know about . . . about Horcruxes?” Slughorn froze. His round face seemed to sink in upon itself. He licked his lips and said hoarsely, “What did you say?” “I asked whether you know anything about Horcruxes, sir. You see —” “Dumbledore put you up to this,” whispered Slughorn. His voice had changed completely. It was not genial anymore, but shocked, terrified.

(HBP, Ch18)

I mean, considering how we're told Tom Riddle was handsome, charming, and silver-tongued and we see Harry compared to him (in looks and charisma and mannerisms), by other characters including Tom and Harry in the above scene, I think it's safe to say Harry can be charismatic and silver-tongued. It comes with being witty and thinking quickly on his feet. (And being really used to lying when put on the spot).

That being said, Harry's temper, when it gets the better of him, makes him worse at this since he doesn't think before speaking. But, when he's calm or he's angry in his usual cold way that isn't a trauma response, yeah, he's manipulative and silver-tongued as the best of Slytherins. (I personally think Harry's more of a Slytherin than Draco, for example, who actually exhibits very few actual Slytherin traits even if he wished he did)

[dropthedemiurge]

Love for Love's Sake - Director's commentary

[Extra content from Bluray boxset]

If you take it to other platforms, please leave credit and original link. And don't share links to videos publicly as well, thank you ^^

[Translation by AmetistLex]

Director Kim Gyuna: When I got to know about "Love Supremacy Zone" from our CEO, I stayed up all night reading original novel. I immediately knew when I read it, that this was a work I must create no matter what. I kept reading and imagining how to film the scenes. I told CEO that I really want to make this project.

Q. Stories about each main actor's casting?

During the first round of audition, I was really surprised that Taevin came extremely prepared. We gave actors a small script that he memorized but Taevin also read original novel and webtoon, so we could have a deeper talk with him (even during first audition). That's how we realized that with this actor we will be able to bring to life such difficult character as Myungha. We cast him quite quickly.

In the case of Joowan, playing role of Yeowoon, he was cast a bit later. There were a lot of actors trying for that role, but we had a very clear vision for the character so it was difficult to find someone matching that image. But when Joowan entered the room, we were immediately shocked: he was very tall and very cool looking. But at that day he could barely speak. We asked him whether he was nervous, but it turned out that he practiced the script for 2 weeks, 12 hours a day (from 10am to 10pm) before the audition, to the point of losing his voice. His passion was so impressive, and we thought that even if he ended up lacking somewhere, he'd be able to overcome it with this passion. That's how we decided to cast him.

We picked an actor for the role of Sangwon quite fast, too. The fans admit that all our actors fit the images of the original characters really well, and this actor (Minsu) matched a lot traits of Sangwon character in the original novel. Fierce/wild and manly, with a deep voice. Of course, his acting was good, too, so we chose him.

And finally, we didn't cast Woongki through audition. We made an offer to him instead. CEO said that there's this guy - even though he's an idol, he's been acting since he was a kid. So we contacted him and asked to meet us because we liked his image. Surprisingly, he was also very good at acting, his entertainment charms were a great help to match Kyunghoon's image too. Woongki is energetic and bright, but as we kept talking with him, we realized how solid/secure he was.

It felt like a fate to cast these actors in LFLS. Of course, there were difficulties but it all worked out perfectly.

Q. How would you brag about each actor?

Lee Taevin always prepares very diligently, and he's smart. So no matter the discussion, he receives feedback well. It's a lot of fun to work with him. The production team has to prepare more than actors, but he studied the source very passionately and kept saying "I want to try acting like this, what do you think about doing that?". I thought many times that he's a true actor who's overflowing with the passion.

When it comes to Joowan, like I said, he can practice for 12 hours a day. If he wants something, he'll do it even if his body breaks or if he's in pain. He won't even say anything - actually, there were many times when it broke our hearts. We kept telling him that he should speak up, it's okay to tell us (if he needs rest or something), but without any complaints, he worked until the work was done, that's what kind of person he is. That is very amazing of him. When someone is physically exhausted, inevitably there are things they won't be able to do but Joowan is the opposite – after finishing filming, he'd tell someone else how (badly) he made it through. Then we'd ask if he's okay, why didn't he say anything, but he'd go "No, I'm really fine!". His willpower is very strong, he's reliable.

Minsu has a great depth. He listens more than he speaks, thinks about details a lot and has many deep thoughts. I realized he studied Sangwon's character so much that he could talk about him in such depth. He contacted me a lot, even after script reading has just ended, he'd call and say "I had this thought on my way, what do you think?" And after we discussed, his memo app would be filled with a lot of notes. His depth and sincerity are his charms.

And Woongki has the most overflowing energy. Of course, other actors are energetic too but his vibe is just different. I thought that he might be the reason the four main actors were able to bond so well. And like I said, he has a great trait of being solid/secure. It might be a simple word to describe it but I mean he has amazing inner strength that can't be faked. When other actors struggle with their acting or emotions, he helped build them up. So beside just being cheerful, that's his biggest virtue.

Q. What was the most difficult during filming?

We had a lot of discussions with the cinematographer/operator. Since there's a lot of CGI in this project, we worried about how much we could actually film. And we thought a lot about how to visually convey all the complicated details of this fantasy story. We worked tightly with CG team but sometimes executing our ideas was difficult due to various restraints. I had a fear we wouldn't be able to deliver our ideas properly so we discussed everything a lot together with our teams. I think the result was good.

Q. What was the moment you enjoyed the most?

Preparing and post-production are fun but I enjoy shooting on set the most. You can immediately get feedback from everyone's energy, they give good or bad reactions. Creating something together is a lot of fun. And since our actors are good, when the scenes I imagined in my head came to life, it was extremely joyful.

Q. If you had to choose your favourite scene?

I really liked a lot the cut from episode 7 when Yeowoon says "I love you". I had a vision of this scene in my mind but reality was even better, so I thought this would definitely made viewers' hearts flutter.

I also love the scenes where the four characters are together. Even though the story focuses on Myungha's character and his relationship with Yeowoon, I actually love all four characters. So the scenes like one in the restaurant or rooftop when they grill meat have totally different energy. Comparing to the scenes with only Myungha or Myungha with Yeowoon, scenes with four characters together are full of complete joy. Even when shooting was hard and everyone was exhausted, filming those scenes was a lot of fun. If I had to pick one scene as a highlight, it'd be the one where four friends are eating meat together.

Q. What other parts of novel you'd like to put in a drama series?

Our characters are high school students, and usually at that period of life you mostly study. But since our story is about finding happiness, we removed a lot of studying scenes. But there were a lot of studying scenes in the original novel, like Myungha and Kyunghoon studying together, teaching Yeowoon and eating fruits. I thought such scenes could add one more spoon of sweetness to the drama.

Q. What are flaws and advantages of the novel and drama series?

I don't think none of them have flaws, both novel and drama complement each other. The novel, because of being just the text, relies a lot of reader's imagination and sometimes author's intention doesn't get delivered properly. And in the drama, we can visualize and show those messages more clearly. So I think both formats help each other.

And novel has scenes that we couldn't show in the drama, as well as more details for the emotional moments. Even fans say they can't choose one or another. This mutual supplement creates an effect of the loop.

Q. What did you try to bring to life the most from original novel?

We mentioned it during our group reaction to the series as well: I really wanted to bring to life the sunset scene. After I read the original novel, I had three key scenes that I definitely wanted to properly visualize. To the "world is changing" scene when main characters meet for the first time, we paid attention the most. Then, the final kiss at sunset in the ending. Since those were the beginning and end of the story, I wanted to open and close the story well so we focused a lot those scenes and had a lot of ambitions.

Q. Say a message for the actors.

Taevin, Joowan, Minsu, Woongki, every time I have to wrap things up with you, one phrase always comes to mind: "I'm always grateful to you, you did so well". I really want to say this to you guys. I was very happy to work with you on this project for such a long time, it was a very meaningful time. Thanks to you, Love Supremacy Zone received so much love and stayed in the hearts of many people. I believe you will become amazing actors – one day, one project, to anyone. I hope you will be happy in the future, thank you and I love you~ Let's be happy!

Q. Message to the fans who loved this series

First of all, thank you. I want to express my love as much as you've loved us. I think the biggest reason this project was completed was the love that you, fans, gave us. Without your love, we wouldn't even end up here, we wouldn't be having this conversation. Actors and staff think this way too. You gave us so much love and we were able to work on this project so joyfully. Thank you a lot for all the love. If you keep loving us in the future, we'll love you even more too. Thanks to you, we were able to complete this project. Thank you and be happy. Goodbye!

// other Love Supremacy Zone extra content //

[lazysoulwriter]

Behind the Scenes of Jealousy - Nicholas Alexander Chavez. ･ﾟﾟ･｡

i just wanted to write for my boy too!!!!! let me!!!!!

Nicholas had always been laid-back when it came to their relationship. Sure, he was protective, but he trusted her implicitly. The bond between them was strong, built on shared experiences, laughter, and an effortless connection that many people envied. They were actors in the same industry, often working on different projects, but that only seemed to add to their charm as a couple.

This time, however, things were different. Both of them had been cast in a new drama series—a show that would push them to their limits in ways they hadn’t anticipated. She was playing a fiery, independent character, and Nicholas was cast as a brooding, mysterious anti-hero. But what truly made the project unique was the chemistry between her and her co-star, Jake. Jake was everything a person could imagine—a tall, dark-haired, impossibly handsome man who oozed charm. Every time he laughed, it felt like a wave of electricity, and every time their characters touched on set, she could feel the pull of the scene.

And so could Nicholas.

At first, Nicholas didn’t think much of it. He had always been confident in their relationship, and he understood that acting required a certain level of intimacy—fake or not. But it was hard to ignore the growing tension. His thoughts, at first playful, started to feel darker and more intense with each passing day. Jake was everywhere—on set, in her dressing room, sharing laughs between takes.

When he found himself avoiding watching scenes of their characters, it became evident that something was bothering him. He knew it was just acting, but the thought of her lips touching Jake’s, her hands exploring his body, made his stomach churn in ways he hadn’t anticipated. He'd seen her kiss men on-screen before, but this time was different. It was as though every touch between them, no matter how scripted, felt real.

But nothing prepared him for the day they filmed the scene. The moment when their characters would make love, a moment scripted to ignite a fire of raw desire and intensity between them. Nicholas had been on the set earlier, silently watching them rehearse the scene. The crew had tried to lighten the mood, but it didn’t work. Every movement, every brush of her skin against Jake’s, seemed to make his chest tighten with a possessiveness he’d never known he had.

He couldn’t stay any longer. After the director yelled, “Cut,” Nicholas had stormed off to his trailer. He tried to distract himself with music, but the images of her tangled in Jake’s arms kept replaying in his mind. The more he thought about it, the angrier he became.

It wasn’t like him to act this way—jealous, possessive—but this time, it felt different. He wasn’t used to this feeling, and he hated it. It wasn’t the acting; it was the way Jake looked at her, the way the scene felt almost too real, like something deeper was being stirred.

Later that evening, when the day’s filming wrapped, Nicholas couldn't hold it in anymore. He found her in the green room, adjusting her makeup, her face still flushed from the intensity of the scene.

“You alright?” she asked, a small frown tugging at her lips as she noticed the tension in his eyes.

Nicholas crossed the room, leaning against the doorframe. “I don’t like it,” he said bluntly, his voice low. “The way he looks at you... the way you... kiss him like that. It’s too much.”

She blinked, a bit taken aback by his admission. “Nick, you know it’s just acting, right? I’m not actually with him. It’s just part of the job. You trust me, don’t you?”

He ran a hand through his hair, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. “It’s not about trust. It’s about... how real it feels. How close you two were in that scene.” He paused, looking at her intently. “I didn’t want to feel this way. But I can’t help it. It bothers me.”

She stepped closer to him, her expression softening. “I get it. It’s not easy, especially when we’re both so invested in our roles. But you know you’re the one I come home to, right? You’re the one I’m with, the one I care about.”

He let out a deep sigh, and then, with a small grin, he leaned closer to her. “I know, I know. But it doesn’t stop me from feeling... territorial.”

Her eyes flickered with understanding as she stood on her toes to meet his lips in a soft, lingering kiss. Nicholas responded immediately, his hand finding the small of her back, pulling her closer. The kiss deepened, slow and intense, his lips tracing hers as if proving to both of them that nothing had changed.

As they pulled away, their faces still inches apart, Nicholas smirked. “Like I said, you’re mine. Let me show you just how much,” he murmured, his words a promise of more to come.

She laughed softly, feeling the warmth of his touch as he kissed her again, this time more urgently. His hands slid under her shirt, fingertips grazing her skin as she tangled her hands in his hair. The kiss became more heated, more desperate, as if they both needed to reassure themselves that their connection was undeniable, that no one could come between them.

Eventually, they broke apart, breathless and laughing, as their foreheads rested against each other.

“I just needed you to remind me,” Nicholas said, his voice rough with desire.

She smiled, brushing a strand of hair from his face. “And I will, every single time.”

He gave her a playful grin, hands still resting on her hips. “Good. Because I’ve got a lot of ways to remind you.”

And with that, he kissed her again—this time slower, more tender, letting the passion simmer between them, as though telling her, with every touch, that no matter how many scenes she filmed with Jake, she would always be his.

[georgiapeach30513]

Once you've entered the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it's pretty tough to dip back out into the world of a struggling actor. But that's exactly what Chris Evans is doing in Materialists. The new romantic dramedy from writer-director Celine Song - the follow-up to her soulful 2023 debut Past Lives, which earned Oscar nominations for Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay - sees Evans trade his Captain America spandex for a cater waiter's apron as John, a broke theater actor working odd jobs to pay the bills. The film sets up a love triangle between John, his high-end matchmaker ex Lucy, played by Dakota Johnson, and Harry, a charming, wealthy suitor played by Pedro Pascal.

"John is amalgamation of an entire lifestyle of theater artists in New York City," Song told Rolling Stone on a recent video call from New York City. "He's somebody who was born poor and grew up poor and has a bit of a chip on his shoulder about it in a way that's really beautiful, and I find that to be quite moving. So how did she land on a literal American hero as her romantic underdog?

"There is a merchandise of Chris that people who do not know him maybe see first and foremost, because that's the easiest way to understand an actor, as an object," Song says. "But then when I actually met Chris the person, he was so inspiring as John, because there's a part of Chris that's John and has been John forever. Chris for a while was an up and comer, and he also understands that." She adds with a laugh, "He's had roommates."

Evans welcomed the change of pace the role offered. "It's certainly nice to play someone who has challenges and struggles that I can relate to, just very human, pedestrian hurdles, as opposed to life-ending consequences," Evans says of playing a guy without superpowers.

"His posture, physicality, clothing, the tangible things that you can live in to bring a character to life - it's nice that it was flannels and sweatpants as opposed to a shield."

Rolling Stone spoke with Evans about Materialists, his own experience with moviemaking behind the camera, and modern romance.

What drew you to Materialists?

What Celine does so well is take what seems at times like simple dialogue and make the scene, from a directorial standpoint, incredibly special. She has a way of making it feel the way these things actually feel when they're happening to you.

Sometimes very simple things can happen in life that feel so profound, and when you try to tell a friend about it, it's never the same. And that's about the restraint that she shows as a director.

The restraint she shows as a writer. The silence and the pacing have just as much impact as the words themselves.

When you read the screenplay did you immediately feel connected to John?

I assumed that I would be cast as Harry when I first met with [Celine]. She said,

"Which role do you like?" And I said,

"Well, I like John, but I guess I'd be OK if you want to cast me as Harry." Both roles were wonderful, but I was a little more drawn to John. Luckily she felt the same.

What did you like about him?

There was more vulnerability, there was more pain. John is a guy who isn't where he wants to be in life. And I think it's easy to project an attitude of not caring, because if you care, then you'll have to try. And if you try, you might fail. John is this living embodiment of, "I'll push you away before you can push me away." But he also can't help his heart. He loves Lucy. And to admit that to Lucy, to admit that to himself, requires risk. And that's where his growth unfolds. where his growth unfolds.

Did playing John remind you about your early days in acting, considering he's still trying to break in?

I absolutely can relate to that aspect of John. The drive, the doubt, the shitty roommates, these are all things that I absolutely identify with. I myself am a little bit more of an open book. I'm too sensitive, you know. I'm a delicate guy.

And as a result, I probably overshare as a coping mechanism, where I think John is a little bit more of a closed book.

If you were 37, living with an inconsiderate roommate, and working random gigs to get by, would you still be trying to pursue acting?

I don't know how I would handle it if I were in my late thirties still trying. But I certainly know it would make me punchy. It would make me feel defensive and a little ossified and not wanting to feel inadequate because of the fact that I haven't reached my dreams. You feel inadequate enough to yourself, and to have a romantic partner also tell you the ways you're inadequate, it's just too much.

Talk to me a little bit about shooting the barn scene near the end of the film, where John and Lucy have a painful but necessary heart-to-heart. John says some rather swoon-worthy but also sorrowful lines.

One of the things that I love about Celine is that she shoots on 35[mm film]. Past Lives was absolutely gorgeous. And when you show up that night and see those string lights, you know you're going to be in a frame of film that's going be beautiful. You feel that it's special.The scene itself is this very vulnerable, very honest declaration of his love and knowing that he doesn't have what she wants, but also stating what he's desperate for. It's just very raw, and so it's very painful. But as an actor, when you try to call from your own personal experiences, there's plenty of things in life that I could call to, to feel that level of vulnerability, feeling just totally exposed and honest with your heart in your hand - and it usually leads to tears [laughs].

The fact that it was shot on 35mm also raises the stakes in terms of how many takes you can do.

Absolutely! That's part of the romance of making movies. I like the fact that there is a finite amount of film. I like watching mags of film being switched out of the camera. I like checking the gate. I like all that stuff. I like things dipping in and out of soft focus and not being able to fix it in post. That's the art of it.

What distinguishes Materialists from other romantic films? Celine Song's writing seems to tap into a different perspective on love, one could say more grounded.

Most rom-coms have this very idealized version of love, which is fun. It's great for escapism, but it doesn't always reflect real life. And this movie has a much more realistic, grounded, slightly less naive interpretation of what love is as something that's far more relatable to the modern viewer. The landscape of love today is really tough. A lot of the social norms that used to keep marriages together have been deconstructed. Now it's predicated purely on compatibility, and that can very easily devolve into an algorithm as opposed to matters of the heart.

Lucy says early on that love is easy, but dating is difficult. That seems to synthesize the film's theme.

Couldn't have said it better. Love is your heart. It's clear. It's binary. Dating is when the math comes in, dating is when it becomes a calculation. Dating is your mind, dating is pragmatism, and trying to reconcile the needs of your mind and the wants of your heart is messy.

Later this summer you also star in the Ethan Coen thriller Honey Don't! Is this a shift in gears in your career?

I hope so. It's just working with good filmmakers. As long as I've been doing this, it always comes back to the filmmaker. There are always a hundred reasons to do a movie. Sometimes it's great a role. Sometimes it's a really funny script or an amazing director, a great producer. But sometimes you try to squint to make a movie make sense and check enough boxes to make sense. The only box that matters is the filmmaker. It really comes down to the director, and that's really all I'm pursuing these days.

And if I like their work, then I'm in.

You directed your own romantic dramedy, Before We Go, a decade ago. Is this a genre you particularly enjoy, or were there other reasons to tackle it in your first feature as a director?

At that time, I wanted to direct, but I also was thinking from a very pragmatic perspective: I needed to learn. I had never been to film school. I was veering into a lane that I had no experience in. So I just felt like I owed the title of director a little more respect than to jump in and try and do something that I knew I might not be able to handle. The piece itself is a very contained script: two people, New York City, all-night shoots, felt very manageable to me. I did love the topic, but there was a more pragmatic motivation behind it as well.

Is directing something you want to try again?

It really is, but the tricky thing is I have about a hundred other things that I'm also interested in. I'm slightly fickle. Some days I'll wake up and I want to direct, but then some days I wake up and I want to go learn carpentry. [Laughs.] Honestly, it's about the movies I see. When I see an incredible movie that really inspires me, it completely pulls my focus back. But if I step away from actually going to see films, my interests drift.

It would be interesting to see what you would do behind the camera now, 10 years after that first attempt and after the experience of working with directors like Celine.

I would do it very differently. Oh, my gosh. When you look back, you just realize how much of the movie was done in a defensive posture. You have a movie you see in your head, but you almost don't have the courage or poetry of language or just knowledge of the medium to convey what you want it to be. You end up sometimes out of just simple fear, intimidation, letting things settle to a familiar, recognizable place.

I probably would take a lot more risk or be a lot more confident in what I wanted to see happen. But part of the reason that diving back in is so intimidating is because you know that it would have to be that the second time. You can't do the same thing if you're going to do it again. It's such a demanding thing. You give so much of your life: the prep, the filming, the post. To do it again but not do it properly would be a disservice to myself, my time. And that's a little intimidating.

What would you say is the defining quality of Celine Song as a filmmaker or what you found most memorable about your work with her in creating John?

Conviction. She knows exactly what she wants. I've worked with a lot of directors that have an idea, and they're very passionate, but they're more than happy to collaborate, massage, meet in the middle, find, make it this kind of, "Well, you bring this, and I'll bring this." And not to say that Celine is not a collaborator, but she's also very confident in her reasons. There's not a word that she writes that's filler; everything is on purpose. And it takes a minute to understand that, but once you find that trust, that confidence, and you start to say, "OK, I'm going to let go a little bit and let you take the wheel completely. If you say jump, I'm just going to say how high." She's two for two now, in my opinion.

X

[heartz4levi]

HELLO!!! May I request? :DD Alnst boys (anyone js include Luka), they and their s/o got invited for a famous work in progress show and while they were auditioning, they were doing good but when it came to a scene where the female lead(s/o) sacrificed herself to save the male lead(alnst boys) in which they finally reunited but it was tragic because of the sacrifice, alnst boys cried for real (like too real) but when the lights turned on they were still clinging to their s/o and crying more because the scene affected them too much "I dont like acting.." And decided not to take the role after all THANKYOUUU IN ADVANCE

you wiped my tears while i cried !

☆ thinking abt alnst boys + acting accident . .

☆ luka (alnst) & till (alnst) separately ,, gn reader . . modern au ,, reader is in an established relationship with both luka and till (separately) ,, all of them are actors ,, both till and luka are very in love with reader ,, i would have added ivan TRUST but i can't envision him in this scenario without making him ooc. </3

luka's image has never been tainted.

in front of fans and cameras his elegance and poise is unmatched, his charisma charming even those who surprisingly have yet to even know his name. many may think luka is untouchable, but..

they're sorely mistaken. behind closed doors, luka is nothing if not a clingy puppy, always looming within your vicinity and seeking out comfort of any kind, whether that be basking in eachother's presence without uttering a word or picking up a new hobby together.

today, instead of a hobby, you decided to pick up a new role. upon inspecting the offer that was presented to both of you, your interests were piqued. the plot is intriguing, original, unique. the budget is high, the other names you see on the list of people that will work alongside you are influential.

the audition skit seemed easy enough at first for luka. not only because he is a generally skilled actor, but also because the two of you were given the two lead roles — acting anything out with you is a piece of cake.

well, acting anything but this out with you is a piece of cake. luka came in confident, as per usual, and he came out almost traumatized. he knows your acting is really plausible too but jeez, you really are good at playing dead..

it was supposed to be a sacrifice that takes place in a fictional world, nothing else, and yet it struck a little bit too close to home for luka. even if it wasn't genuine, feeling your supposedly cold hands brush so gingerly against the side of his face before you mutter one last weakened 'i love you' had him breaking down on the spot.

to the people evaluating the performance, they all assumed that luka's tears were just as staged as the light that felt like it slowly seeped from your gaze. but, lo and behold, when the lights turned on luka was still crying.

now luka's image is tainted.

initially, till was reluctant about accepting the role of a lead character in an action—centered show that had a romantic subplot with the second lead character.

as much as he likes the adrenaline that overcomes him whenever shooting one of the scenes that solidifies the 'action' genre tied to that specific piece of media, till wouldn't say that his strong suit lies in acting out romantic scenes as well.

alas, you, who had received the offer of the second main lead and found out about till's similar predicament, convinced him to join you in the auditions. unfortunately for him, till cannot say no to you.

till thinks the audition would have gone perfectly if only a tragic scene wasn't forcefully squeezed in at the end. he told himself to just not look you in the eyes when the time comes, to recite his lines and not focus too much on you lest he wants to ruin both your chances of getting the role.

once again, unfortunately for him, till cannot keep his eyes off of you. your character was a confident one, fearless and charming — regardless of whether or not that reflects your actual personality, you sure made it seem like that character is you. till, understandably so, was in awe.

problem is he couldn't tear his gaze away mere seconds before you, or rather your character, would have to drop dead before his very eyes. till's attention was fixated on you, almost hypnotized, not even thinking about how he should deliver his next lines or what details he should add to make the performance more credible.

one moment his eyes are practically sparkling, a dead giveaway of just how immersed he is in admiring you and your expertise. the next moment his eyes are stinging with tears that brim in both corners. curse you for being so captivating and so good at acting out a bittersweet scene at the same time.

curse this whole offer. till will stay far away from any romance—plotted movies or shows for the rest of his acting career.

[velvetseahorse]

Jyestha Men ☿ ♏︎

I have a thing for Jyestha men, especially their coolness. They’re creative, goofy, and kind of rude not in an annoying, self-brooding way, but in a way that’s actually quite humorous and sexy. I find their grumpiness and uncooperativeness charming, probably because I’m the same way. It’s funny, though, considering I’m Ashwini, and our deities aren’t exactly on the best terms.

One thing about Jyestha is that they will succeed period. They’re ambitious, talented, and have a magnetism that draws people in, often sparking jealousy and copycats. However, this same intensity can sometimes make them prone to jealousy themselves and possessiveness.

Jyestha ☉ Spike Fearn and Jyestha ↑ Damon Albarn are my current fixations. I’m a huge fan of Damon Albarn; I was introduced to him through Gorillaz and later got into Blur’s music. He’s one of those artists who are truly innovative, constantly adapting and evolving with time—something I’ve noticed with many people who have sidereal water or sun nakshatras not just Jyestha. Spike Fearn is an upcoming actor I noticed in Alien: Romulus (2024). I thought he played his role exceptionally well, even though his character was an asshole. He managed to bring depth and layers to his like 15 minutes of screen time and which that nuance in portraying a flawed yet understandable character is really a testament to his skill as an actor. Despite having only a few projects to his name, he’s already building a strong foundation, with roles in Aftersun (2022), The Batman (2021), and a prominent part in an upcoming Ella McKay film featuring a star-studded cast. I can see a promising acting career ahead of him.

They look amazing in those coats with the fur-lined hoods, and the headbands just add to the vibe. Something about their walk…

[lurkingshan]

Hey Shan!! IDK if you're planning to do a BL wrap up or superlatives or anything like that this year so this question might be a bit too early but um...what has been a few of your favorite first watches for 2024 bls?

Hi Eboni! This is actually pretty good timing for a list because most of the shows that will end within 2024 are already over! The only two I could see maybe making my list that have not ended yet are Love is Like a Poison (Japan) and Blue Canvas of Youthful Days (China), so I'll mention them here (fingers crossed they end well and stay favs).

That said, here are my favorite completed BLs of 2024 (alpha order)!

At 25:00 in Akasaka (Japan, Gaga)

Two actors who first met in college are cast in a bl together, old feelings resurface, and the lines between their professional and private lives start to blur. This show is super beautiful and moody.

Cooking Crush (Thailand, YouTube or WeTV for uncut)

Ten and Prem are my favorite of OffGun's many couples. Ten is a med student with food issues who wants to learn how to cook, and Prem is a chef in training. Their romance is super sweet and I also really like the side couple and friend groups in this one.

Cherry Magic Thailand (Thailand, YouTube or Viu, requires VPN)

I still can't believe this show happened. How on earth did GMMTV manage to make a superior version of Cherry Magic?? Tay Tawan had a lot to do with it, along with a very smart adaptation. It's so sweet and funny and perfect (if you just pretend ep 8 doesn't exist).

City of Stars (Thailand, iQIYI)

I was surprised by how much I liked this charming little Thai pulp. It had an interesting story with strong writing and the pair was very good together. More people should watch it!

I Became the Main Role of a BL Drama (Japan, Gaga)

This is a short and sweet and note perfect BL comedy about two actors falling for each other while making a BL. Loaded with meta jokes about the industry and stan culture and very loving about it.

Knock Knock Boys (Thailand, Gaga)

I am obsessed with this excellent Thai BL that not nearly enough people watched. Two couples, both compelling and sexy and fun, and amazing friendship dynamics. I want everyone to watch it!

Let Free the Curse of Taekwondo (S Korea, iQIYI)

My top BL of the year. It's a second chance romance, you see the characters both in high school and later as adults and I don't really want to spoil anything else about it. It's beautiful, the characters are so compelling, and the story is masterfully told.

Love for Love's Sake (S Korea, iQIYI)

This one is special and quite unique, and I also don't want to spoil much about it! It begins with a basic isekai set up that then goes to some unexpected places. Really, really beautiful show.

Love Sea (Thailand, iQIYI)

Definitely my favorite spicy romance of the year. I really loved a lot about the story for this one, in particular the class dynamics that defined the characters and their relationship, and Mahasamut (played by Fort) is on my list of favorite drama characters this year.

Marahuyo Project (Philippines, YouTube)

We didn't get much from the Philippines this year, but they did drop one absolute banger in this show about a fierce and proud gay kid who gets booted out of school in Manila and sent to live with his grandma and mother on a small island. He makes friends and enemies and starts an LGBTQ+ club, and falls in love along the way.

Mr Mitsuya's Planned Feeding (Japan, fansub)

An excellent age gap romance about a young editor and the chef who writes for his magazine making food together and falling in love. Lots of fun side characters, too. I loved every minute of this show.

Perfect Propose (Japan, Gaga)

Two old friends meet when one of them is in need of housing and one is on the verge of a nervous breakdown from a soul-sucking corporate job, and help each other heal. This one is short and sweet.

Ossan's Love Returns (Japan, Gaga)

This one is technically a sequel, but you can enjoy it without having seen the original (and might like it better that way, tbh). One of the funniest shows of the year and featuring a main couple that is a personal fav and are now on my ride or die list.

Takara's Treasure (Japan, Gaga)

This one is a simple story but so, so sweet. A cute little bean follows his mysterious idol to university and joins the hiking club to get to know him better. They get to know each other slowly and fall in love.

Unknown (Taiwan, Viki)

ALMOST my favorite bl of the year, but we had a few issues on the back end. Despite that, I still loved it a whole lot. A family drama and a love story about two chosen brothers whose relationship changes over time. Easily the best BL Taiwan made this year.

Looking at this list, I am realizing how absolutely invaluable my Gaga and iQIYI subscriptions have become; it's where nearly all my favorite BL is airing.

[vintageandroid]

Star Trek Voyager is weird I think because it's so inconsistently written and the actors are so good. Like. You'll have these really amazing moments, and then the dumbest thing you've ever heard in your life, and it's not even like TNG where those are different episodes; in Voyager those bits are 10 seconds after one another. Robert Duncan McNeill is turning into a lizard because of his daddy issues. Janeway's committing to the Prime Directive today and letting it go for pragmatism tomorrow without any sort of acknowledgement, and it's because the writers aren't talking to each other or something and not a fault of the character, but because Kate Mulgrew conveys it all with such conviction you get fanboys decades later talking about what a horribly inconsistent monster Janeway is. Jeri Ryan is delivering her lines with such nuance and restrained emotion that you totally overlook the way the Borg apparently constructed its drones entirely out of spandex and padded bras. And I know Robert Beltran stopped bothering in the last half or so of Voyager, but the first couple seasons he was actually quite charming, or so it seemed like from whatever of his dialogue you could hear over the Weird Racist Flutes that played anytime he spoke. Neelix is annoying as hell and then you find out he survived a brutal war and has so much rage simmering under the surface. IT'S INSANE. WHAT IS HAPPENING.

Meanwhile we've got TOS, where William Shatner is chewing the cardboard scenery and leaving it soggy, and batting his eyelashes at Leonard Nimoy because who wouldn't, and the sci fi concepts are so good they'll blow your dick clean off.