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90363462 · 2 years

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Liam Daniel/Netflix

What 'Bridgerton' Gets Right About Sex

Had I known that Netflix's Bridgerton had the sex scenes that it does…I would’ve moved on it immediately.

Kiarra Sylvester

Apr. 22, 2022 04:00PM EST

Normally, I’m quick to hop on the bandwagon for new shows but with Bridgerton I took my time. I’m not sure what it was but I think I felt disengaged by Shonda Rhimes' Shondaland for a moment or perhaps it was the mere fact that I had enough shows on my roster. Who actually knows but what I do know is this: I avoided Bridgerton like the plague or consumption or whatever disease may have been ravaging them during the Regency Era.

With all my TV shows going off-air soon, I decided to reconsider my position on Bridgerton with the release of the newest season (season two), and it didn’t disappoint. First and foremost, it was a relatively stress-free show which I’ve been leaning into because the world is glum enough but let's not get sidetracked.

Colin Hutton/Netflix

Bridgerton, in all actuality, is a relatively feminist show – as feminist as it can be for the time period. We see women making a way for themselves when there isn’t a way. Above all, we see women taking ownership of their wants and needs (sexually and otherwise) – from Eloise (played by Claudia Jessie) protesting the traditional roles handed down to her, to Kate (played by Simone Ashley) doing whatever is necessary to protect her family. We see the female leads being fierce!

But, hunny, let me tell you this! Had I known that Bridgerton had the sex scenes that it does…I would’ve moved on it immediately.

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They weren’t raunchy or graphic, but they were centered around the feminine. Truly, there was so much that Bridgerton got right about sexuality – here are just a few of the things that I found to be the most significant.

1. Sexual Desire

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Though in that era, it was frowned upon to be seen alone with men (outside of immediate family), much less have sex with them – I think the show still does a great job of identifying sexual tension in a way that’s not too subtle. The show made it clear that sexual desire and lust are not improper emotions to feel – and no amount of virtue can remove the intensity found in those emotions. Granted, depending on the social status of the woman, I noticed that there were fewer expectations of virtue than others but I can’t fault the show for depicting an otherwise realistic dynamic that no doubt occurred for women and their sexuality.

For instance, they waste no time in allowing Siena (Sabrina Bartlett) to express her sexuality in any manner she sees fit because of her social status as an opera singer. They don’t tease the sexual tension out between her and Anthony. There’s even a scene in season one where Daphne (Phoebe Dynevor) points out that women are not told in great detail about the act of sex because they wouldn’t be able to get anything done if they had truly known.

2. Woman-Centered Pleasure

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In this show, women don’t just lay there and get fucked, they do the fucking! Siena being aggressive and taking the lead during sex is but one example. Though not under the most pleasurable circumstances, I’d even say there was power in Daphne climbing on the Duke even if for no reason other than to prove all of the moving pieces were…working! Time and time again, we see women going after their sexual desires with certainty and without regret – at least not for the act of sex itself.

In my opinion, what's great about the show is that it doesn’t portray sex as some "dirty" act. I’m not stating that the show is perfect because again, it does have to be somewhat rooted in the reality for women at that time. However, what I would say is they could’ve made this another Regency Era tale where women are sexually assaulted and have little to no sexual autonomy. And Bridgerton does the opposite of that. Instead, women are portrayed at the center of their own pleasure.

3. Sexuality is Fluid

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Although they don’t do a deep dive, they make a brief attempt at highlighting the complicated nature of sexuality for men during that time. Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson) begins to run in a new social circuit (artists, of course, because some cliches must remain) and he finds himself held to secrecy. Not only in regard to the modern sex parties he’s attending but to Sir Henry Granville’s (Julian Ovenden) sexuality.

What I like about their mention of his sexuality is that rather than Benedict being homophobic and completely dismissive, they leave space for curiosity with his character – not necessarily curiosity to partake but to potentially unlearn his ignorance.

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Featured image by Liam Daniel/Netflix

Sent from my iPhone

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bridgerton-brothers · 3 years

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On March 13th, 2022, I was absolutely blessed to attend the “Jim Carter in conversation with the cast of Bridgerton” event at The Kiln in London. Adjoa Andoh, Bessie Carter, Nicola Coughlan, Ruth Gemmell, Martins Imhangbe, Golda Rosheuvel, and Luke Thompson were there! It was a magical freaking event and so while we have just a few hours left until we get Anthony and Kate (and Newton), here’s what they talked about (/ I observed)

- Luke’s bisexual sitting: one leg under butt, both legs under butt, like almost kneeling perched on chair

- When giving advice about going for auditions - Luke said that you can have a bad day or week and that happens. Like with experience you don’t not have bad days and always nail auditions. He still has bad days. And that if you don’t get a part, maybe it was just you weren’t right for it. Sometimes you’re just wrong for the part. Like not that you’re bad but that you’re just not it. And that’s ok. No one is always going to be the right fit all the time. Nicola says that they still get rejected a lot. And she gives herself one day to be sad and then forces herself to move on. Other cast members agreed with Luke’s assessment. Someone said that like the casting folks want you to be the right person, they’re not out to get you.

- The Featheringtons had a dog. Penelope took it from Marina but then it just sort of disappeared. They have no idea what happened to the dog.

- They don’t get all the scripts, just more of whatever their relevant bit is.

- They love the Shondaland spin on it. And season two is just Shonaland Bridgerton world

- Bessie said that when she was getting fitted, the costume lady had designs of historical pieces and then was like “Shonda” on the other side when talking about how Bridgerton was Shonda-fied

- Luke admires Ben’s openness and he thinks that’s part of what was being done with his sexuality - or like with those scenes in season 1

- In s2, Penelope is getting some income as Lady Whistledown and she stores it under her floorboards. And she was talking to Luke Newton about it and he was like “At your flat?” Like legit thinking she was storing her real money under the floorboards in her flat. And she was like “No, Luke, there’s a concept called a bank that I use.” And everyone had a right giggle over that.

- Ruth (as Violet) liked telling Anthony off

- They feel like a family. They think it’s part because most of them have done stage acting and stage acting brings you together to form a family and they feel, especially after season two with the covid protocols that they’re a family

- Bessie talked about how she’s so amazed at the sets and that the sets for the Featherington and Bridgerton houses are next to each other and when she goes to the Bridgerton one, it like makes her feel uncomfortable because it’s like not her house

- Bessie would love to do something modern because she’s done a number of period dramas. Bessie loves the bright colours of the dresses

- Nicola said that the Featherington sisters dress like highlighters

- Nicola wearing wigs, like getting into cars, you gotta like lean your head, tip in, and then be like “whoop that’s not gonna fit”

- Golda needed folks to help move her and her wig about because they were so big bulky and heavy

- Newton the dog was a diva and got along best with Simone. Luke said he was indifferent to him

- In the first season, they sent an intimacy coach to Luke Newton and he and Nicola were like “When is Colin have intimate scenes?” and were all confused. Turns out they sent the intimacy coach to the wrong Luke. Nicola and Luke said this happens quite often lol

- Luke talking about how he likes to be fully two feet in his world, not about thinking about his character and the writing of his character but like being his character

- Nicola switching between accents effortless and going from posh London to very working class Irish

- When Golda was helping Luke unroll the poster and the rubber band, she was rolling it down like a condom lol

- According to Martins, Will Mondrich is an anagram of Bill Richmond, a former slave in America turned British boxer that became famous for his boxing prowess

- They got sent a request for an audition tape. Luke’s was him and Eloise on the swing smoking - loved that it was so sibling-like. Like, it wasn’t 19th century siblings but could be siblings today and loved their closeness.

- Adjoa, Lady Danbury’s walking stick has the national coat of arms with an elephant-like image from Ghana, where her father is from at the top and the props department made it specially for her

- Golda and the giant wigs - how the film department built her a neck rest so she could take the stress off her neck and back but that they didn’t have to do that. Golda said it was an example of how amazing the cast and crew is because they didn’t have to do it, they just saw she was uncomfy and so they built it for her!

- They had them do etiquette lessons, like how to sit and stuff then asked them to forget. They wanted the women to lounge on furniture but there’s no lounging in corsets, according to Ruth

- Golda has to wear two “fucking corsets”

- Luke outed Ruth that she swears in front of the children. She says it’s because going back to that language is difficult and it can be hard to get it so she ends of swearing on like mess ups

- Nicola said she loves how Penelope loves with her whole heart

- Luke had to do art lessons to prepare

- They agreed it’s a show about a single woman raising 8 kids in a strict society navigating this world of gossip and where women have little autonomy

- Ruth was saying that Violet is a strong, feminist character of sorts because she’s trying to marry off her 8 kids for LOVE and nothing else because she knows that the best life women will have in this world is if they marry for love because there’s little else they have access to

- Martins had done previous boxing for a play / stage show

- They filmed really out of order so when Martins first began shooting, he looks less bulked out but as they continued shooting he got bigger and bigger and you can see it in the episodes where he’s like bigger and then he’s trim again so they’re like you gotta stop. So, his bulk fluctuates because they filmed things so out of order lol

- Martins loves that his character loves his family and is not that macho man that embraces the masculine stereotype but that he’s not limited in his role and they haven’t limited his character because he’s Black

- They love Shondaland because this world exists as a more, almost accurate portrayal of history. Adjoa was saying that like 20% of Londoners were Black. Queen Charlotte had African ancestry as did King George so folks were worried that when they got married it would like show up more in the bloodline / colouring of their kids. Luke also added that the show isn’t like continuing that idea of how people in history were stuffy. No, that we’re humans and they were doing what we’re doing - sex. Like it wasn’t a sterile society where these things didn’t go on, they did.

#bridgerton #bridgerton s2 #bridgerton season 2 #bridgerton premiere #adjoa andoh #bessie carter #nicola coughlan #jonathan bailey #martins imhangbe #golda rosheuvel #luke thompson #bridgerton press #bridgerton cast #jim carter #mp

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calzona-ga · 4 years

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[Spoiler's] departure marks only the fifth time (and first since Patrick Dempsey) that the ABC medical drama has said farewell to a series regular via character death.

[This story contains spoilers from the March 11, "Helplessly Hoping," episode of Grey's Anatomy.]

Grey's Anatomy said parted ways with a beloved member of its cast during Thursday's midseason premiere and it did so in a relatively rare fashion for the ABC medical drama: with a character death.

Giacomo Gianniotti's Dr. Andrew DeLuca was killed off following a heroic battle to stop a sex trafficker in a storyline that stretched back to last season and ultimately capped the actor's seven-season run on the Shondaland favorite. DeLuca, who was stabbed and ultimately died in surgery, became only the fifth series regular in Grey's Anatomy history to have their storyline end in a fatality and the first since Patrick Dempsey's shocking exit nearly six years ago.

In a fitting end to his storyline, DeLuca winds up on Meredith's (Ellen Pompeo) magical beach and is able to have a farewell with his former love interest before walking into the sunset. DeLuca joins George (T.R. Knight), Derek (Dempsey), Mark (Eric Dane) and Lexie (Chyler Leigh) as series regulars (per Wikipedia) to leave the show in death. Of the 33 total series regulars in 17 seasons of Grey's, 13 characters have left alive. And it's of course worth noting that several other characters have been killed off of Grey's, though those actors have either been guest stars or recurring players.

Below, showrunner Krista Vernoff and star Gianniotti talk with The Hollywood Reporter about how DeLuca's death factors into a season that has put COVID-19 at the top of the show's call sheet and what's next.

Meredith is on a vent and that was the last beat until the show's return tonight. Why was it important for that to be the image viewers had of this iconic character for three months? She's still on the vent in the midseason return.

Vernoff: That happened to be the midseason finale. Sometimes stories tell themselves and things happen in very powerful ways. As an image, that works on people's psyche and helps them understand that this pandemic is ongoing and profound and impacting communities in really painful ways. It's a powerful image to help people remember why staying they're home. If this thing can hit Meredith Grey, it can hit anybody.

This season has put COVID-19 at the top of the call sheet, with realistic portrayals of everything from infected doctors, others struggling with the emotional gravity and, in the midseason finale, hospitals reached capacity. When it aired, that episode was sadly prescient. How does the rest of the season play out in terms of how close it has been to what's happening in the world now?

Vernoff: What's so interesting about it being prescient is that we were telling the truth in that episode of what was happening in May 2020 in Washington state and it was happening again in Los Angeles in December, when the episode aired. We weren't prescient; we were telling a story that happened in the early stage of the pandemic. It's been amazing how when we thought when we were breaking the show, we thought we were going home for two weeks and now it's a year later and we're looking at this in this way. It's still staggering to me. We are not jumping forward to some imaginary future where covid is a thing of the past. We are still set in the past in the back half of the season. That was one of the decisions when we decided that Meredith has covid and that that would span a fair amount of the season. We didn't want Meredith in a bed with covid for 11 months. We are still in like May/June of 2020 creatively. We're not jumping forward so we don't have to try and keep up with what's happening now; we're looking at what was happening then.

In a season exploring covid, why was the first major character death of the season unrelated? Was this supposed to be the season finale last year?

Vernoff: There was no plan to kill him at the end of last season. I very much did not want to kill DeLuca last season because he'd been through a mental health crisis and he'd come through it. I wanted to show that a person can go through a mental health crisis and come out the other side and be a functional, contributing member of the hospital staff. This story of DeLuca seeing that sex trafficker again and following her out of the hospital and refusing to let up and it becoming a part of Station 19 and following it and right when you think he's got her, somebody punches him. You think he's been punched but you come back and realize he's been stabbed and then he's on the beach with Meredith. My reaction to [the story idea] was, What?! Fuck! No! Really!? This is what I'm doing?! No! Many times after I pitched it to the writers and we designed the season around this story, I started to chicken out and second-guess myself. Can we save him?! Can he live?! He can't. We've done a lot of near-deaths and saved them since I took over the show. So now people are expecting that. This was the story. It was as shocking to me as it was to you.

Giacomo, what was your reaction when you got the call that Andrew was being killed off?

Gianniotti: Krista and Debbie Allen, our exec producer, called me into an office said they've tried it different ways and keep coming back to the trafficking storyline from last season. The storyline was so highly received, and because of that, they knew they had to continue to explore it. They saw an opportunity to tell a beautiful story that highlighted human trafficking and for DeLuca to go down as a hero and make this really noble act to stop this perpetrator but would unfortunately cost him his life. I've been on the show for seven seasons thought it was a great way to exit. Krista running Station 19 as well had the idea to make it a crossover so we could tell it over two episodes and spend time with DeLuca. I'm a storyteller and the best story always wins and I thought this was the best story.

What was the larger point you wanted to make with DeLuca's storyline? He dies a hero, which is a bit of the ultimate for a Grey's death.

Vernoff: I was processing [grief] myself when this story came. As we were going through this shared trauma of covid together and quarantine and being away from the people we loved, I wanted all the other tragedies in the world to just stop. It didn't seem fair. The Alexandria House, a charity I support in L.A. that shelters battered women and their children — so people who have already been traumatized — the first week of the shutdown, the Alexandria House caught on fire. It was like, What?! Isn't covid enough? But everything else didn't stop because of covid and we were all having to process other things, too, and horrible tragedies that come with life. That's part of where this story was born. All these people are going to die of covid but also sometimes other people just die. And it's f—ing awful. Part of DeLuca dying in this way … watching this episode, watching his mom greet him on the beach and feeling that grief, I cried harder watching this episode than I cried since George O'Malley died. I thank Giacomo for playing this character so beautifully and powerfully that through the death of DeLuca I believe there is an opportunity for us all to release our collective grief.

Will DeLuca re-appear on that beach again this season?

Vernoff: No. I thought him walking away with his mom was the most powerful closure for that character. But you will see him again, just not on the beach.

Gianniotti: Even though his life has come to an end, there's many ways to show our characters who have passed. I look forward to tell some other stories in those ways. Maybe there's flashbacks or other scenarios where we can see DeLuca. That's about all I can say. But it's not a drill; he's definitely died.

What was filming on that beach like given how much those scenes have meant to viewers?

Gianniotti: Ellen and I kept pinching ourselves. To be able to shoot on a beach was amazing. It was nice to be a part of that and have DeLuca have his moment and say his piece with Meredith. There was a lot of unfinished business between them. Maybe if Meredith hadn't gotten covid, the first part of this season could have been them picking up the pieces of where they left off in their romances. But circumstances didn't allow for that. It was nice that DeLuca got to at least thank her for everything she'd given him.

How do you think Meredith will respond to DeLuca's death?

Gianniotti: It's tough to say because you think of the dream and what happened at the end of the episode and wonder if Meredith would correlate that with the metaphor: if he's joining his mother that must mean he's leaving me and passing on. Maybe that would translate to her waking up? Who knows? Or it will be a massive surprise when she wakes up. There is a very obvious, glaring comparison with reality in that so many health care professionals have lost their own due to covid. It's a direct representation and reflection of that. It's helping people in the industry feel seen as well. It hits different and it's going to send a shockwave through all the characters at the hospital — and maybe Meredith the most.

Knowing Meredith is battling covid, it feels like there's one of two outcomes there. How does the covid story that you're telling impact the different finales that you're crafting considering the show's uncertain future?

Vernoff: More will be revealed as you watch the show. (Laughs)

Without spoiling anything, how would you describe who else will visit Meredith on that magical beach?

Vernoff: There are some really fun surprises coming up. It's one of the things that I have enjoyed as rays of light in the darkness of the storytelling necessitated by covid. That beach is a ray of light and the surprises of who you see there are rays of light. And I don't want to take that away.

Can you confirm there will be others who appear on that beach who viewers haven't seen there yet this season?

Vernoff: Yes.

Giacomo, you got to make your directorial debut on Grey's this season. After seven seasons, was there anything you wanted to do on the show but never had the chance?

Gianniotti: This felt like a gift. They rolled everything I wanted to do into two episodes, they wrote my dream exit storyline. I got to have an action movie told on Station 19 chasing a perpetrator and not wearing scrubs. That was fun and not something I'd gotten to do on Grey's for obvious reasons. All the scenes where we got to take our time and be together with Ellen and Meredith on the beach was a good way to tie up the loose ends. As far as the mental health storyline, it was an honor and privilege to tell that story. Ultimately, it's about representation and for people to see someone who is bipolar can be an attending and command a whole department at a hospital is huge.

Did you keep anything from set?

Gianniotti: I didn't! Maybe I'll go steal my stethoscope next time I'm there!

What's next for you? Any plans on returning to Grey's as a director?

Gianniotti: Definitely investing a ton of time in directing and hoping to continue to do that here and abroad. I'm seeking a lot of opportunities in Italy and Canada as a director and actor and have a few things coming on the horizon that I'm excited to share

#grey's anatomy #krista vernoff #17x07 #andrew deluca #giacomo gianniotti #spoilers #THR

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douxbebearchives · 4 years

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Meet the Author: tied.knots

Hi, tied.knots!

Stories can be found here.

Twitter.

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When did you start writing Olitz? 2018, after the show ended.

Tell us about yourself! What do you want readers to know about you? I'm from the Philippines, the capital which is Manila specifically. I feel like there's not that many scandal and olitz shippers from where I'm from and I haven't interacted with a local scandal fan haha. Greys and HTGWM are very much more popular here so I guess there's that. I'm basically your regular Millenial girl - balancing work, bills, finances, shopping, the pros and cons of single life hahaha. That's it. I live a boring life!

What drew you to Olivia and Fitz? Firstly, a lot is really credited to Kerry and Tony's chemistry. They seriously have the most potent chemistry that I have ever seen when it comes to tv couples and it's very hard to forget combined with their great acting. I feel like they were really born to play Olivia and Fitz. Next would be the very raw, deeply flawed, and realistic portrayal of their epic love story but dysfunctional relationship. Olitz is a very controversial couple. I would even argue that it is Shonda's most controversial couple in Shondaland. When you go outside of the fandom, they are deeply hated to this day and people have a lot of energy (and apparently are willing to spend their time) to criticize them. But all that hatred and negativity towards them shows how very spot on their story was. There's a lot that could have been improved on but the issues that stemmed out of their relationship and their flaws I think resonated with many people which is why a lot hated them. For a ship to get so much hate even years after show ended, it goes to show that a lot really payed attention to them and were moved by their story. ps. you don't get that much attention with olake haha. that pairing appears to be only relevant when it involves fitz/olitz.

What made you want to write about them? I was really hoping that someone would write a long-form post-canon fic about them. I really thought their ending would spark a slew of fanfic! So with its absence and after back-and-forth consultation with my writer friend, Nina, I decided to just go on and write (my very first attempt ever!) what I would want to read. Canon olitz doesn't have a good rep understandably but there's really a lot of room to unpack in it and at the same time get a deeper insight on why Liv and Fitz acted that way during the show. There's still a lot of story to tell because as cheesy as this sounds Liv and Fitz storyline as seen in scandal will never be over.

How would you describe your writing? Angsty, problematic, realistic, raw, hopeful even when it feels not (I hope I do convey these!)

What inspires you to write / create? Olivia and Fitz characterization and their relationship in the show.

Favorite movies, shows, music?

Films - In the mood for love, Fight Club, Parasite, Clueless, Bridget Jones Diary lol. Any films really by Wong Kar Wai, Davin Fincher, and Nancy Meyer

Shows - Sex and the City, The OC, Succession, Skins UK 1st and 2nd Gen

Music - Too many but mainly The Strokes, Daft Punk, The XX, Phoenix, Britney, Kylie Minoque, etc.

How long does it take you to write a chapter? It really varies! The shortest was like 2 weeks-ish and the longest was like 8 or 9 months. Aside from how my life is going, it really highly depends on my mood towards the subject-Olivia and Fitz. Admittedly I'm an on-and-off shipper, sometimes I enjoy them or get in my feels and then there are times that I highly dislike and regret shipping them to the point that I wish they never got back together or argue that Fitz should have been written off the show. Writing for me is very mood based.

Did the show's themes and plots encourage you or discourage you from writing? Encourage.

Writing AU or Canon? Canon.

Reading AU or Canon: Canon.

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A favorite line, scene, or paragraph you’ve written.

"Fitz back then always thought that once he has fulfilled his father’s predetermined life for him at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave that he’ll be back home to this cozy beach town. That was of course before that one fateful day on February in New Hampshire when a tornado stormed into his life that was ornamented by the California sun." (Chapter 3)

To me, it sounds nice when you read it haha Their fight scene in chapter 10. Even before finishing chapter 1, I knew that I was going to write a big fight scene and one that is similar to 509. It's a very very important scene to me.

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Fave Olitz moments? The 'I hate you. I hate you too' phone call, 'I would cross that line again', those small moments when you could see how deeply and conflicted in love Olivia was (eg. watching him and Mellie dance during the first inauguration ball) - Liv is known to be not "accepting" of their love and whether she love him or not was always questioned, but a lot her actions and expressions when you look back showed how deeply she fell in love with him.

Fave Olitz fanfic moments? I forgot the title and the author but there was this one shot back then about Olivia who decided to end her engagement to Jake because she had unresolved feelings for Fitz. This fic took place a year I think after Fitz presidency. So she went all the way to Vermont regardless if it's years since her and Fitz last encounter and how bad their relationship ended - they fought about him going to war for her I think. So yeah she went all the way to Vermont not knowing what to expect and the writer did a good job of piecing them back together.

________

Do you like it when readers engage with you via comments / social media? Yes.

Story Reviews: Love them, hate them? BOTH! The reviews reminds of me of the live tweets when the show was on and the energy back then so I like that aspect. I appreciate readers that are grateful to authors and those that show how curious they are with the stories. I hate the intentional and consistent badmouthing to the point of bullying and creating competition among authors which made some quit or removed their stories. The nonstop attacks by some these "guest" reviewers really says a lot about their character. My friend Nina would always say that the writers don't owe themselves to anyone and that is highly true. We do it because we want to write and we make time for it without expecting anything in return really. Don't like it, then don't read it. Read and review the story you want to read then.

What advice would you give to a new Olitz writer? Just write! Don't care if you don't have experience at all or if you're too conscious about how not perfect your grammar is. The olitz fanfic community I think has a consistently growing audience so there will always be readers. Also most importantly, write the story that you want to tell. It is your work and only you will know how to go about it. Don't focus too much on the reviews/criticisms and don't let it solely dictate you on how to write your story.

Outside of your fics, do you have any fave Olitz stories or authors? PurplePineapple, torri.oats, Only You by anonolitz, that one shot I mentioned above.

Do you talk to other Olitz authors? If so, do you like the camaraderie? I've only interacted with like 2 I think hahaha. It's a very supporting and encouraging group! I think we're just excited to read each other's stories which is a nice feeling.

Have you made friends (people you talk to outside of fanfic) because of Olitz / Scandal fanfic? Yes and we've been friends for almost three years! She knows so much of my life honestly compared to my irl friends.

Before you go, anything else you'd like to share? Thank you for always supporting and encouraging olitz authors! You guys have a really good and organized system which is very helpful :))

ps. Beyond Whiskey is an olitz fanfic :))

________

Thank you, tied.knots, for allowing us to feature you!

#doux bebe archives #meet the author #tied.knots #olitz fanfic authors

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camillaluddingtns · 5 years

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CAMILLA LUDDINGTON X THESELECT7

— Meet Camilla Luddington ↬ Featured 3.2-3.8.20 | Duchess, Nanny, Faerie, Doctor. Of the four career-building roles British-born actor Camilla Luddington has played, she is, in our Grey’s Anatomy-loving opinion, best known (and most loved) for her role as Dr. Jo Wilson on the hit medical procedural that’s now in its 16th (whoa) season. And the other three? Luddington’s first big break came in 2011 when she was cast as Kate Middleton in the Lifetime movie “William and Kate” that saw her embody (through 72 glorious costume changes) the future Duchess’ evolution from college girl to future queen. Though the production may have been more focused on fashion than anything else, it did increase her visibility, helping her land subsequent parts — as a naughty nanny in Californication and a telepathic faerie in True Blood. And if TV isn’t your thing, maybe gaming is? Luddington is the voice and body behind Lara Croft, Tomb Raider’s athletic archaeologist. To play a physically demanding role that could very well have kicked her ass, the actress had to kick her fitness game up a notch — or five. But being able to alternate between a perfect British accent for one production and an equally flawless American accent for another? That’s a piece of cake, thanks to nearly equal time spent living on either side of the pond. Born and raised near London, her family moved to Texas for a year when she was 14, a transition Luddington says was made easier thanks to what you might call The Spice Girls factor. The happy coincidence that the London girl group was popping on all cylinders during the exact time Luddington arrived at her new school in Austin (with freshly dyed red hair) instantly made any Brit cool by association. She would later move to NYC (where she attended New York Film Academy) before moving to Los Angeles in 2007. Far from living the Hollywood high life in those early years, Luddington certainly paid her dues. During a cliche-because-it’s-true audition-rejection-waitressing cycle, she endured one particularly cringe-worthy shift working at a Santa Monica sports bar when the director who’d nearly given her the leading role in a big movie was seated — along with the actress who had just been chosen for the part — at one of her tables. Wings served, pride swallowed. But do good things really do come to waitresses who wait (and continue to audition like crazy)? Apparently, yes, as Luddington’s life has really bloomed over the past decade. After eight seasons on Grey’s Anatomy, she seems to have become a permanent resident of Shondaland. She got married twice: once on the show to fellow fictional doctor Alex Karev, and once in real life to true love (and fellow actor) Matthew Alan. But her newest and most cherished role is voicing all of the characters in the bedtime stories she invents each night for daughter Hayden, whom the couple welcomed in 2017. And in her spare time, Luddington lends her voice to the voiceless, supporting the Best Friends Animal Society in their work to rescue animals in need of loving homes. It’s enough to make us fall in love with her a little bit more. Welcome to Camilla’s week.

— MONDAY : MOTIVATION ↬ "I’ve worked with the Best Friends Animal Society for years now, and I love how passionate they are about what they do. This no-kill sanctuary not only rescues and shelters cats and dogs, but all kinds of animals — birds, rabbits, goats, sheep, pigs, and guinea pigs — in need of medical attention and loving homes. They even throw events throughout the year in support of other animal welfare organizations that don’t have as much visibility as they do."

#camilla luddington #greysedit #grey's anatomy #flawlessbeautyqueens #dailywomen #myedit #TheSelect7Photoshoot20 #Photoshoot20 #non royal #MEET MY BEAUTIFUL BABY Y'ALL #LOOK HOW GORGEOUS SHE IS

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popchoc · 2 years

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As silly as I find the Donor!Jack plot, I think in some ways it’s the writers way of securing a built in couple for themselves down the line. Like if for some reason Carina ever leaves the show then instead of having to come up with another gay relationship for Maya and having people scrutinize that one and ask them to do better this time around, all they have to do is slide Maya over to Jack because technically they’ve already got an instant family. That’s definitely not what I want and assuming that Jack could just replace Carina because he’d ‘technically’ be the dad of Marina’s kid is pretty homophobic, I know. But when has that ever stopped the writers before? In their minds that is probably quality storytelling and good insurance.

Hm I doubt if they even think that far ahead. We'd like to picture them with complete storyboards, with every piece of (background, timeline and research) information at hand all the time, but based on their writing I'm afraid their office comes with a very empty wall. They don't even seem to catch up on their co-writers work, or sometimes even remember their own. And with them never looking back it's hard to imagine them ever looking forward.

Plus they don't seem to need constructions like that as they do whatever they hell they please anyway, whether it makes sense or not. If they want two characters together then - bam! - it's done. Who needs groundwork anyway, right?!

I don't think they would shy away from another queer couple though. We can say a LOT about Shondaland, but they have always tried to be inclusive and I can't see any reason why they would drop that. Yes, half of the time they suck in writing those couples well (and as equal), but at least they're trying.

#ask #station 19

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ryderreturns · 6 years

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Sai and Sorry’s || Hummelynn

Who: Kurt Hummel and Ryder Lynn

When: Wednesday evening, October 10

Where: Undique Stadium

Why: Kurt gets interrupted at the gym by Ryder looking to patch things up between them.

What: Trigger warnings for violence and mentions of jail

Kurt continued to kick the punching bag in the training room. His Ron Dorff sweatshirt was rolled up to his forearms, and his slate gray track pants from Nike clung to his sweaty skin. His Camper Lab white sneakers squeaked on the floor. Kurt breathed through his nose. He had already knocked the bag down before, however it was tied together with magic and had stitched itself back up. Kurt was curious by the magic since it would be useful for his clothes however thinking about magic again brought his frustration forward. He had been fighting all week to get his anger out and nothing was working. In fact, it was only making Kurt feel isolated and annoyed with himself. He aimed another kick and the bag knocked off of its chains. Kurt stretched his leg back as it pulled itself together. He knew he was getting stronger. There was something in him which was beginning to grow. It was a question if Kurt could control it. He was done for the night. Picking up his bag, Kurt sipped on his water bottle.

Ryder arrived at the gym and pushed the hood off his head, headphones still in his ear. After the Yankees lost to the Red Sox last night, what he needed was a punching bag. Though he knew he’d end up in a training room by himself to work on some new illusions. His eyes swept over the room and spotted a familiar face, as usual. Ryder hadn’t talked to Kurt since their text conversation, but he knew he needed to. If Blaine could forgive him, maybe Kurt could. Pushing past the twinge of discomfort in his gut, Ryder walked over to the man. “Hey, Kurt,” he called softly. “Could I talk to you for a second? Please.” His eyes darted to the bag, noting how it stitched itself back together. Huh, that was smart. He focused back on Kurt.

Kurt was getting ready to go when he thought he heard someone calling his name. Who is it? Kurt turned to see Ryder Lynn. Oh, it's you. The desaturated red hoodie wasn't too bad, however Ryder needed some tips for shoes. After sweeping a look at the boy's fashion choices, Kurt fell back to his disdain for Ryder. "You have a second. Tonight's a Shondaland marathon night." Kurt put his bag over his shoulder and was already walking out the training room. If Ryder had something to say, he better say it before Kurt left.

Ryder felt himself shrinking under Kurt’s gaze, feeling less than in front of the confident guy. One second, shit, okay. He followed behind Kurt. “I’m a piece of shit who said the wrong thing and was a terrible friend. But I apologized to Blaine. Showed him the whole conversation we had, told him what I meant to say, like how he saved my life and I just - I fucked up. So I’m sorry to you too.” He sucked in a breath after his deluge apology.

Kurt was holding the threshold of the door as he heard through Ryder's apology. "Yeah, you are," Kurt replied, looking back at Ryder with an unchanged and unfazed expression. "And Blaine's not. So. What did you mean to say, because from my perspective, you wanted me to tell Blaine's brother to help us out because me 'saving Blaine would work as something.' Your words. As if I would use something which near-threatened Blaine's life to put pressure on his family." Kurt was itching to punch something again. "I don't know if you know what's it's like, having people in your face think they can get something from you, because they think they saved you. That if you don't say please and thank you, you're not worth saving. And the kicker? It's your friends looking at you like that. So tell me, what exactly are you sorry to me for? You're the one who recommended we use the very person you said had saved your life." Kurt's fingers gripped the door's frame tighter.

Ryder recognized his own words and winced just hearing them back. “I shouldn’t have said anything like that at all. It was idiotic and hurtful. I know that now.” He looked away for a moment before squaring his shoulders to face Kurt. “I’m sorry to you because I hurt your boyfriend and triggered you, which was shitty. If I could have longer than a second, if we could go someplace a little quieter? I can tell you the rest, how Blaine saved my life.” He knew the likelihood of being given the chance was slim, but at least Kurt was still standing in front of him.

"Triggered me? What are you talking about," Kurt was picking apart Ryder's argument one by one, "and how does Blaine 'saving your life' have anything to do with your apology to me. Go ahead. Have more than your second. You look like a person who needs time to figure crap out." Kurt was crossing his arms and looked at the empty training room minus him and Ryder. It was cruel, Kurt knew. However it satisfied something. This place isn't quiet enough? "Where's a place you have in mind?"

Ryder thought back to the texts. “You asked if I knew how traumatizing the event was. I assumed I’d triggered you,” he explained. Or maybe he was just triggering anger. “I’m trying to explain why I said what I said, the bullshit thought process behind what shouldn’t have been said at all.” He looked beyond Kurt to the gym and then past him to the training room. “Okay, training room it is.” He walked past Kurt into the empty room and set down his duffel bag. “I got arrested in Siberia after I attacked a man on a full moon. They were ready to execute me - neutralize or whatever the fuck bullshit term they use to write away slaughtering LN. Then he shows up.” Ryder mutters a spell, Show the man who saved me that day. Suddenly a wall of prison bars jumped up between him and Kurt. On one side stood Ryder and then an illusion of Cooper appeared on the other side. It doesn’t last long as Ryder waved it away before he got caught up. “I thought the only reason Cooper saved me that day was because I helped Blaine escape his dreams. I assumed it was only my connection to his brother that kept me from getting shot again, taken out back like a dog and left to be buried when the snow was gone.” He cleared his throat. “I was wrong about that. I was wrong about Cooper,” he said. “So when we were talking, I said the wrong thing. That your connection to Blaine would get you to Cooper like it had for me. That you should even go down that route. So I’m sorry for suggesting that. I’m sorry for how I fucked up.” He took in a breath. “That’s it. And that’s what I told Blaine. Just shorter ‘cause you have Shondaland.”

Kurt narrowed his eyes, was Ryder referring to the kidnapping in January. Kurt had told Ryder not to change how he talked to him if Ryder learned about it. Naturally it was a request not many could fulfill, wasn't it? Kurt walked behind Ryder, hearing Ryder's story. Kurt was not expecting to see jail bars. It reminded Kurt of his own stint in the prison when he was taken in by the cardines. "What the hell, Ryder?" Kurt shouted, stepping back from the illusion. "Warn someone before you do that. Seriously, this is why I freaking hate all of you. What's wrong with normally talking about things?" Everyone just used their magic without ever thinking. It's why Kurt was starting to dislike himself. He needed to get his powers under control. Ryder's story only confirmed Kurt's suspicions. So, Ryder gets stuff wrong about everyone and runs on his fear. Kurt huffed, tired of the apologies. "If you're looking for me to go back to how things were, you're going to be disappointed. I don't do forgiveness easy. I don't forget either. You can apologize but I'm watching you. I'm watching to see if you meant your words. That's what you do with people who screw up your trust."

“Sorry,” Ryder winced. “Illusions come easier when tied to my emotions.” But he should’ve warned Kurt. Just another fuck up to add to the list. “That’s more than I expected to be given,” he nodded. “Words only mean so much.” He reached a hand back to scratch at his neck. “Sorry if I cut off your workout too.” He looked back to Kurt, “Actually, I was gonna train for that tournament if you wanted to? Totally understand if you don’t.”

Kurt rolled his eyes and stared straight at Ryder as he said, "Make that your new ringtone." He sighed, wondering if anyone in this school, minus a few, knew how to apologize without tying it to their tragic backstory. Everyone sought understanding for why they messed up. Not knowing the actual way to do an apology was to understand how they hurt the other person. Kurt pressed his lips together. Did Blaine know how he hurt Kurt when he said sorry over those voicemails? Or was Blaine saying sorry for Kurt to understand his actions? Kurt could call to confirm any time. However, his night was ruined. "Yeah, words only mean so much." Kurt repeated. He gave Ryder a once over and smiled sardonically. He placed his bag on the bench and nodded, unzipping it. Might as well get this restless energy out. "I should be training with my socius, however we've decided we're going to get reassigned. If she falls on her A-line dress, it's not going to be because of me." Kurt reached into his bag and pulled out his blunt-tipped sai.

Ryder was surprised Kurt didn’t just walk out on him. So he walked back in the room to stand in the center. “Makes sense. I’m trying to get a friend to change her SP too,” he said. “Would you rather I don’t use illusions on this?”

Kurt raised an eyebrow as he was wrapping bandages around his palms. "You're trying to get your friend to change her SP? The bond thing?" Kurt wondered if it had to do with the Marley and Blaine's Celebrity Crush thing he saw on tumblr. It looked like minor drama not worth Kurt's time. "If only you guys fought harder for the glister thing," Kurt muttered under his breath and he got ready. He was spinning his sai around his wrists and gave Ryder a pithy look. "What, you want to go easy on me? Just use your magic. You're training for the tournament, aren't you." Kurt was saying as he took his place on the platform. He didn't know how Ryder fought, however a quick jog through his memories reminded him that Ryder was a water witch and an illusionist. He half-crouched, putting his arms out in a defensive position.

Ryder nodded and brought up his magic circle as he spoke words to start churning waves of water beneath the floor. "If I were her, I would want to be with someone I could trust when shit hits the fan." He raised a brow when Kurt got angry with him for the offer. "Alright, just asking," he shrugged, taking a fighting stance.

RYDER: 1d7 = 3

KURT: 1d8 +2 = 5

Kurt frowned at that, and got lower to the ground. I can't even trust Blaine to be next to me when something bad happens. His sai raised up when Kurt flipped them around. It was all the warning he gave Ryder before he sped toward the other boy and hit his arm with one strike. Kurt backed off after impact. He would be reserving his strength and seeing what Ryder could do.

Ryder started to gather up water around his fists. Kurt moved a lot faster than he expected as he shot forward. Shaking out his arms, Ryder readied his next attack, starting forward and attempting to strike out with a punch to Kurt's side.

RYDER: 1d7 = 4

KURT: 1d8 +2 = 6

Kurt pressed his weight to his right and jumped out of the way of the punch. Close combat? Kurt thought and defended himself by striking his sai up to catch Ryder's arm when it was exposed by the punch. Water droplets sprayed onto the ground when his sai collided with Ryder. Thinking on his feet, Kurt shuffled the sai around Ryder's fist to trap it from another move.

Ryder winced at the second strike to his arm. With his wrist stuck in a sai, he couldn't go for another punch. Instead, he tried for an illusion of vines going around Kurt's ankles to pull him back.

RYDER: 1d7 = 7 (ILLUSION attempt)

KURT: 1d8 +2 = 9

Kurt smirked, seeing the world around his eyes shift around. Another illusion? Kurt thought. Before Ryder could say the words, Kurt wound up a kick, freeing Ryder's wrist before he struck the boy on the stomach. Kurt didn't want to dislocate anything.

Ryder got the breath knocked out of him with that kick, thinking it was worth it to free up his wrist again. Again, he pulled water around his fists and up his arms like two giant boxing gloves. "You're fast. Dodge this," he said then brought his fists together for a water cannon.

RYDER: 1d7 = 5

KURT: 1d8 +2 = 8

Kurt could see the water aiming for him easy. "And you're open. Thanks for the warning," Kurt replied, rolling out of the way. He used the momentum of his roll to spin out and throw a sai at Ryder's hand. It appeared Ryder mainly used his hands for his spells. After throwing the sai as a distraction, Kurt rushed him, faking a move and swiping Ryder's feet with a kick to knock the other down.

Ryder had a second to recognize his mistake and used the next second to watch Kurt's sai coming for his hand. In the next moment, he was on his ass and holding a sai. He laughed as he got up, covered in the water from his own spell that soaked into his clothes. As soon as he was back up on his feet and steady, he brought up his left leg to kick out at Kurt's shoulder.

RYDER: 1d7 = 6

KURT: 1d8 +2 = 9

Kurt didn't think it was funny to get wet, however he had a feeling he and Ryder were two different kinds of people. Kurt allowed Ryder to regain his stance and saw the kick coming at his shoulder. It was an over-extension of Ryder's leg and simple to counter. He grabbed Ryder's foot like grabbing the last shoe at an upscale boutique store during their price slashes, and gave Ryder extra spin by also twisting around so Ryder would lose balance and fall.

Ryder hadn't landed a single attack against Kurt and it was his pride that hurt more than his body, especially when he almost got sent sprawling again. He had to jog off the momentum and catch himself on his hands, but he didn't fall on his ass. It wasn't a win, but it wasn't a complete loss. This time, rather than trying to charge at Kurt, he took a defensive stance instead and let the other man take his shot first.

KURT: 1d8 +2 = 3

RYDER: 1d7 = 5

Kurt could see Ryder was adapting. Good, finally something's kicking in? Kurt spun his sai and wondered how good Ryder's defense was compared to his offense. Kurt spun his sai to an offensive position and rushed in, aiming again for Ryder's hands. A simple hit-and-run technique was what Kurt was after.

Ryder only had a moment to react, but seeing Kurt charging with his sai, he used that momentum against the other guy. Stepping out of the way, he sent a punch into Kurt's ribs before getting back again. Okay, maybe I don't always have to be on the offensive.

KURT: 1d8 +2 = 5

RYDER: 1d7 = 7

Kurt felt the punch, however it was only a minor graze. He could feel the blood rushing in and knew it would be moments before healing would start. Testing his stance, Kurt aimed for something back, maybe the shoulder? Before he could count another move, Kurt lunged and tried to bring his elbow down on a muscle he was taught could send a jolt down the arm. Unfortunately for Kurt, he missed.

Ryder kept his eyes focused on Kurt's arms again, ready for the next attack. It was only that focus that allowed him to move out of the way and get another punch sent out to Kurt's stomach. His brow was furrowed and lips pursed in concentration. Thinking he had the upper hand now, Ryder attempted to sweep a leg to knock Kurt down.

RYDER: 1d7 = 4

KURT: 1d8 +2 = 9

Kurt licked his lips after taking another blow to the stomach. He could feel something rustling underneath his clothes, and felt the cool and dry feeling of leaves over his skin. His body was reacting by itself. Kurt leaped, letting Ryder swipe his leg across air, and used this moment to grab Ryder's head for stability to knee him right in the middle of his chest.

"OOMPH," Ryder huffed out the air knocked from him. He shook off Kurt's hands and stepped back, bringing up his arms. "Uncle! Uncle." He caught his breath, using his sleeve to wipe sweat off of his brow. In the next moment, he spoke the spell to dry off both of their clothes from his water magic. "Nice to know my chances suck for that tournament," he chuckled, shaking his head. He held out a hand to Kurt. "Good duel."

Kurt landed in a crouch, one hand touched the floor for balance. He rose up, and pulled his arm back. Normally he would follow up with a punch across the jaw however Ryder had given up. Kurt didn't need to go for an overkill. Kurt's clothes were back to being dry after the spell, and Kurt deadpanned, "Can you bring detergent next time? If you're going to wash my clothes, at least do it right." He wondered how the tournament would go, however at least Kurt knew something about how Ryder approached problems. At the offered hand, Kurt shook it back. He didn't know if it could be considered a duel if all he did was beat on Ryder almost all of the fight, but he replied back, "Good duel." He was unraveling the bandages and going around to pick up the sai he had thrown. Once collected, Kurt said to Ryder, "Where did you learn to fight? On the streets?"

Ryder's face was blank for a moment before he laughed again at the joke. "I'll try to remember that," he said. As Kurt went to pack his things, Ryder sent back the water from the fight down to the water below. "Yup. Nothing fancy about street fighting," he mused, looking up as he walked over to collect his bag. "Just a lot of boxing. What about you? Where'd you get your moves?"

Kurt raised both of his eyebrows and had a small smile. Ok, however I'm not kidding. I'm going to bring detergent next time. At hearing Ryder did boxing, Kurt tsked his tongue. Boxing would work in close quarters. Last resort. "It shows," Kurt said, zipping up his bag and slinging it over his shoulder. "I had training when I was about done with middle school. There were classes at a community center near where I lived. It's called kobudo. Mainly weapons training. I picked up the sai as my favorite, but we trained with staffs, tonfas, and nun-chucks too. As for moves? Experience." Kurt left it at that. He was heading to the door and gave Ryder one last look. "Seriously, your apology? I'll see it to believe it. Some people don't have blind faith."

#para: Kurt #nimtraining #hautekurture #tw: violence #cw: mentions of jail #t: para

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dailystillstarcrossed · 7 years

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Actor Medalion Rahimi Spills on New Shondaland Series 'Still Star-Crossed' & Why You'll Fall in Love With Princess Isabella

It's been a hot minute since Shonda Rhimes has graced us with a crisp new series. Now, conveniently timed and generously lessening the harsh blow of Scandal's cancellation, we can confirm: It was totally worth the wait.

Still Star-Crossed is a period drama like you've never seen before, picking up right where Shakespeare's epic play Romeo & Juliet left off. Based on Melinda Taub's 2013 novel of the same name, the show tells the story of the Montague and Capulet families as they continue to battle for power, prestige, and love. In retrospect, a follow-up makes a lot of sense. After all, any community with this many issues is proven to make for quality TV.

The notable diversity of the series' cast is an exciting (if not expected) complement to its as yet untold story, calling to mind Rhimes' splendid ability to create and produce addictive dramas that still manage to stand apart from the crowd.

Zimbio caught up with actor Medalion Rahimi, who plays Princess Isabella on the ABC series, a week before its May 29 premiere.

Zimbio: Tell me about your character, Princess Isabella. What makes her different?

MR: Princess Isabella is Prince Escalus' [actor Sterling Sulieman] sister. He's been away for a few years, sort of learning how to become a ruler. Isabella, meanwhile, has been at home with her father, so she's learned a lot about how the city works and how the politics are at home. Some might say she's more fit to rule, or more capable to rule because she has so much knowledge of how it all works, but because she's a woman, she doesn't have the opportunity to be in power. So she steps aside and lets her brother rule, but that's very difficult for her to deal with. She still acts as an advisor, but she does have a taste for power, and I think she wants more.

Zimbio: Does Escalus acknowledge and respect Isabella, or is he begrudgingly taking her advice? What is the dynamic between them?

MR: Most of the time he's a little reluctant, but she does actually convince him to listen. There are times they do butt heads and he doesn't follow through or do what she recommends, so that's where the conflict happens. They get themselves in a little bit of trouble.

Zimbio: Got it.

MR: They're young rulers, they're still figuring it out. They want to make their father proud, so there's a lot of pressure.

Zimbio: So lots of sibling rivalry?

MR: I think there's tension, but you can tell they're still loving with each other. As the season goes on, though, that tension starts to build. I don't know what that breaking point would be like, but I'm sure there would be one eventually.

Zimbio: Normally when a character has the title "Princess" in their name, a certain kind of person comes to mind. It sounds like Isabella isn't, you know...trope-y.

MR: Oh yeah. She isn't necessarily concerned with, you know, when the dress-maker is coming over to make her dress for the ball. She's more concerned with the Montagues slaughtering the Capulets, and what do we do, because our city is being torn apart. She's much more concerned with politics and power, not so much the frivolous things like getting her shoes or dresses made, or falling in love. She's not even looking for that. You know, she's an eligible princess, and eventually she might need to find somebody in order to cement relationships between other cities, so it'll be interesting to see how that works out.

Zimbio: For sure! So in Season 1, do we see Isabella with any sort of love interest at all?

MR: We do see someone. I can't say too much, but it's sort of just introduced, and...well, she has someone that comes into the picture who changes her mind about certain things. But she's very hard-headed, and she has one goal, so that's another conflict she has to face, is following her heart versus following her head. Usually she's following her head. Escalus is the one who's always following his heart, so that's why they say Isabella is more fit to rule. She's more logical.

Zimbio: Do you relate to Isabella as a person?

MR: Absolutely! I wish I was as strong as her. But she lives a very sheltered life, she doesn't ever get to leave the palace, and I had a pretty sheltered, strict upbringing, so I understand that — wanting a taste for freedom and having your own life and making your own decisions. She doesn't really get to do that, so I feel for her. She's constantly encaged, and also wearing these corsets, which are a physical metaphor for her being so oppressed, in a way. You get to see the corsets, what they're made out of. In one scene you see the whole process of her getting ready, and they show what it takes. It's really cool.

Zimbio: Ugh, yeah, I've always wondered about that. I can't even imagine.

MR: We were lucky in that we tried to be authentic, but they gave us more comfortable versions of the corsets. We weren't actually using whale bone, but you'll see. There was one corset I wore that was really crazy. It was really uncomfortable, but it was worth it.

Zimbio: It's no secret Shonda Rhimes has the Midas Touch. Did you have more confidence going into this show because of her involvement?

MR: I trust Shonda so much because all of her past work has done so well and has made such an impact on people's lives. She always casts such strong female leads, which as an actor — or actress, I prefer to say 'actor,' but 'lady actor' — I appreciate. As soon as I tell people this is Shonda Rhimes' show, they're like, 'Oh! That's gonna be amazing!' She has this great resume, this history, so I'm hoping that's gonna get us more attention. She really does have the Midas Touch, I just saw the cut of the series pilot after she put her touch on it and it looks amazing. It has that fast pace of Scandal and the drama of Grey's Anatomy and it's just, like, you can tell it's her, but it's also so different than anything that ABC or Shondaland has ever done before.

Zimbio: Did you know how diverse the cast would be when you signed on?

MR: Absolutely not! I was really excited about being cast in a period piece being a Middle-Eastern actor. Then when I found out who my brother was I was a little surprised at first. I was like, 'Oh, okay! This is cool,' and then I started seeing more of the cast and I just thought it was amazing. It made me really excited. I was a little nervous, because I know people are going to ask questions like, 'How does this work? This doesn't make sense,' but we're not trying to focus on race as much as we are just the prejudice and the power struggles. It's not black versus white or anything like that. Everyone was cast because they were just right for the role.

Zimbio: Ebony Magazine recently pointed out that this period of time in history — the 1300s and beyond — has been portrayed in a lot of TV shows and films, but most have failed to illustrate the fact that minorities even existed in society. The stories tend to revolve around white enclaves, or white families.

MR: Oh, absolutely. You know, if people want a reason for [Still Star-Crossed's casting], it's that Verona was a port city. People were coming from all over, they were doing trades and things like that. So there could have absolutely been people from all over the world, the Moors or Africa, whatever, if you want to really explain it. But again, this isn't an historical drama, it's an historical fiction. It's Shakespeare. People should remember that, and keep an open mind. It's fantasy.

Zimbio: Definitely! That's what makes it so fun. Do you think fans of Romeo & Juliet, or Shakespeare in general, will be pleased with Still Star-Crossed's portrayal of the same universe?

MR: I think they will. We've also taken a bit of liberty with the characters, so as long as they're open to that, I think they'll quickly fall in love with everyone. There are some characters who aren't in the play that viewers will get to meet, which is cool. There might even be some characters from other plays!

Zimbio: Interesting! So, some cross-overs from other Shakespearean pieces?

MR: Maybe, yeah. I think they were trying to do that by alluding to certain people. I can't say who exactly, but you'll see!

Zimbio: I heard that in Season 1, Isabella will be forced to "succumb to a twisted scheme." It brought to mind the fact that, often in history (but also in modern times) women have had to make moral concessions in order to do what is, ultimately, the best thing for them. For their survival.

MR: Absolutely. Isabella, for the greater good, definitely has to set some of her own morals aside and get herself into really uncomfortable situations, but it's because she's so dedicated and so loyal to her city and her people that she does it. I feel for her. She definitely gets herself into a really sticky situation. That will be Episode 5, I believe, in the middle of the season.

Zimbio: Is Still Star-Crossed one of those shows where someone dies every other episode? I mean, should viewers make an effort to hold characters at arm's length, Game of Thrones-style?

MR: I would say so, yeah. Unfortunately, there are a lot deaths, so yeah...

Zimbio: I'll brace myself.

#medalion rahimi #princess isabella #still star crossed #interview #spoilers

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90363462 · 2 years

Text

Liam Daniel/Netflix

What 'Bridgerton' Gets Right About Sex

Had I known that Netflix's Bridgerton had the sex scenes that it does…I would’ve moved on it immediately.

Kiarra Sylvester

Apr. 22, 2022 04:00PM EST

Colin Hutton/Netflix

But, hunny, let me tell you this! Had I known that Bridgerton had the sex scenes that it does…I would’ve moved on it immediately.

64.media.tumblr.com

1. Sexual Desire

i.pinimg.com

2. Woman-Centered Pleasure

miro.medium.com

3. Sexuality is Fluid

c.tenor.com

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Featured image by Liam Daniel/Netflix

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fabulizemag · 7 years

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Now on http://fabulizemag.com/2018/02/how-shonda-rhimes-fooled-the-world/

How Shonda Rhimes Fooled The World

When I say the words: “Bland white woman”, I’m quite sure many things pop into your mind.

What If I told you the most bland, white, fictional female character ever written on television was created by a black woman?

The mayonasian in question is Meredith Grey, from the award-winning hospital sitcom “Grey’s Anatomy”. Having been on television for 10+ seasons, it would appear that focusing a show around an incredibly mediocre white woman appears to pay dividends, no?Then I sat and thought about why it even exists. (Heavy speculative conspiracy in 5…4….3…2…)

The creator of Grey’s Anatomy, Shonda Rhimes, is a black woman.

Crumples up paper and tries again

Shonda Rhimes is a beautiful, intelligent, talented black woman who manipulated the viewing public the best way she knew how..Giving them what they wanted– at first. What they wanted was apparently an incredibly snooze-inducing white female protagonist, aimed at relating to a particularly large demographic of similarly snooze inducing white women.

Jackpot. Rhimes also owns and runs Shondaland, her own production company, keeping her all of her shit in-house. I’m sure you’re starting to see where I’m going with this. Her next major show, “Scandal”, featured Kerry Washington as Olivia Pope, a political drama in which she was pretty much a boss bish, (and sleeping with the President). This is what I call an incremental move, as it still works within the confines of the particular demographic she was shooting for.

Many have chided Rhimes for Washington’s characterization, and of course the inevitable elephant in the room of being a “white man’s bish”, but Scandal had purpose. One does not simply go straight for the jugular when it comes to the white viewing audience.

Despite whatever misgivings you may have about Olivia Pope, the story lines, and racial implications, Kerry was still extremely suitable for television, as colorism, and acceptability (along with respectability) politics have never NOT been in full effect. In this case I would call it the “Halle Berry effect”, which illustrates my point later in this piece.

It hasn’t been relevant to mention until now, but this is what Shonda Rhimes looks like:

“What does that have to do with anything?” you might be asking yourself.

Everything, as it makes her next move a legendary one. As Scandal was winding down/decreasing in popularity, there were rumblings across rumor mill outlets and social media that Shondaland was putting a new show into production. One with similar roots with political and or law intrigue. The show was to be called “How To Get Away With Murder”, with actress Viola Davis taking the lead role.

Up until this point, Shonda had been playing a very safe game. Ordinary white woman, light skinned black protagonist (aka acceptable). In case you’ve been under a rock, here is what Viola Davis looks like:

Remember what I said about the “Halle Berry” effect? Yeah. Shonda threw that shit out of the window. In an industry that imposes its will at every turn, and regularly keeps anyone that fails a paper bag test out of defining roles, Viola Davis broke all of the rules. She was a dark- skinned, full figured black woman, with all of our wonderful features. The ANTI-demographic pleaser.

My wife insists that Shonda used her power, having produced all of her own shows to make the move. ABC simply couldn’t say no to the person who helped them own prime time television, and best believe if it was ever possible, another network would give her everything she asked for and then some.

The decision to put Viola onto TV was a landmark moment in my life, as it forced me to look back and attempt to count how many dark skinned woman I’d ever seen leading a show, hell, even BEING on a show, much less one on a MAJOR network that wasn’t cable. Cable is where they shove all the negroes. Which is why a wonderful show like “Claws” (starring Niecy Nash) is on TNT.

Ms. Rhimes played a long game, and considering that How To Get Away With Murder got renewed for a 4th season, with Viola Davis having recently been the first black woman to EVER win an Emmy for Outstanding Lead actress..

It was a game well played.

#Celebrities #My SuperHeroes Are Black!#TV/Film/Music

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