In a recent interview, Lily-Rose Depp shared details of what it was like working on the set of her new series alongside The Weeknd, The Idol. While discussing the creative processes of different actors she worked with on the show, she got into The Weeknd’s methods, revealing that she occasionally had to “steer clear” of the artist on set.
“I don’t think anybody went full method — nobody lost their minds,” Depp explained. “Well,” she continued, “sometimes when Abel would get — I don’t want to reveal too much about where Abel’s character goes, but when he would be in full Tedros mode sometimes, I would steer clear of him. I’d be like, ‘He’s in his zone right now.’”
Abel ‘The Weeknd’ Tesfaye (2R), Lily-Rose Depp, Sam Levinson and Ashley Levinson attend “The Idol” photocall at the 76th annual Cannes film festival at Palais des Festivals on May 23, 2023 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Marc Piasecki/FilmMagic)
Depp went on to explain, “For something that does, of course, explore darker themes and has some pretty heavy emotional moments to it and everything, the vibe on set was quite lighthearted.” She says, “We’re all really good friends and we all are similar people and really understand each other. We were having a lot of laughs, listening to a lot of music, dancing around, and that kind of energy is what made the heavier moments easier and possible, because whenever you knew that there was a bigger, emotional scene coming up, you felt like you were surrounded by people that you feel comfortable with, people that have your back, and you feel that in the show.”
The Idol premieres in the U.S. on June 4, and has already managed to stir up some controversy. Some critics noted frequent nudity in the series, while a Rolling Stone piece on the set’s culture featuring one interviewee comparing the script to “sexual torture porn,” also made waves. The piece explored the series’ production, and revealed a “major creative overhaul” that took place after Amy Seimetz left the crew. Accounts detailed a behind-the-scenes “shitshow,” on set. The project still has many supporters, however, including actress Sharon Stone, who said The Idol “addresses the root of crisis in entertainment.”
Jack Harlow says that he wants to continue acting after the release of his debut, White Men Can’t Jump. The Jackman rapper discussed the future of his career during a screening of the movie in New York City.
“Through this film I was able to gain my confidence as an actor, and to me, this shit is not a side quest,” he said, as caught by PEOPLE. “This isn’t a side mission that I’m tacking on just to keep the entertainer thing going and make some extra money.”
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MAY 15: (L-R) Jack Harlow, Sinqua Walls and Calmatic speak onstage during the New York Special Screening of “White Men Can’t Jump” on May 15, 2023 at AMC Lincoln Square in New York City. (Photo by Noam Galai/Getty Images for 20th Century Studios)
He continued: “I really got the bug and fell in love with this, and I’m developing a deep passion for the craft of this the same way I had in music. I don’t want it to be a side hustle, I want to full-on go after this, and I’m going after it and I’m going to continue to do more.” Harlow also described the Los Angeles set as being like “summer camp or school” each day. He further admitted that “acting is way harder than music, if you ask me; way more grueling, so I loved the challenge and so grateful that this was the start.”
The screening comes a month after the release of Harlow’s third studio album, Jackman. With minimal promotion as well as no features, he dropped the project on April 28. It peaked at No. 8 on the US Billboard 200.
While White Men Can’t Jump is Harlow’s first appearance in a feature film, he will also appear in Wednesday night’s episode of Dave. The Hulu series was similarly started by Lil Dicky, another rapper who has found success in the acting business. White Men Can’t Jump will release on the platform on Friday.
2Pac spoke about wanting to distance himself from music and focus on his acting career prior to his death, according to a resurfaced interview with Entertainment Tonight. The outlet shared the rare discussion on Sunday, following the premiere of FX’s Dear Mama docuseries. The show explores the relationship between the legendary rapper and his mother, Afeni Shakur.
For the original interview, 2Pac sat down with the outlet to discuss his role in Gridlock’d. In the film, he stars alongside Tim Roth, Lucy Liu, and Thandie Newton. It was released four months after he was murdered. “To have change in my image, really, number one,” he said when asked what attracted him to the role. “This movie is really about friendship and what unconditional friendship means. I did it basically because it was funny and I’ve never really got to be funny.”
2Pac In “Gridlock’d”
Tupac Shakur in a scene from the film ‘Gridlock’d’, 1997. (Photo by Gramercy Pictures/Getty Images)
From there, he discussed wanting to star in a rom-com and launching a movie production company. “We got a lot of good things happening,” he said. “If I say it right now, the way my luck has been going, it’ll all fall through … Just give me a month so I can lock it down before I tell everybody. I just want to push the envelope and work, work, work. I want to move further away from the music and start wading myself into the acting more.”
The legendary rapper also discussed how fame and wealth made him feel like a “kid in a candy store” with all the opportunities he had. “[I] got cash, everything you dreamed of, and they’ve held me back in so many other circumstances that now it’s time to go and it’s kind of hard to keep [myself] from just pressing the gas down all the way,” he explained. “[It’s hard] just taking my time and thinking and analyzing situations and trying to think before I do things… But my whole mind state is that if we don’t ever go outside of the boundaries, we will never change anything… We’ll just keep talking about the people who did it once and told us not to go outside the thing… They’re telling me, ‘You can’t do this. You can only rap and if you rap, you can only rap about this. Then, you can’t act. And if you act, you can only do the Black films and you can’t be a rapper…’ I don’t like that. So I try to go outside the boundaries.”
As for music, 2Pac explained that his album, All Eyez On Me, was fueled by “emotions,” and that he wanted to start releasing music that he found to be more “thought-provoking.” He also spoke about being a Gemini and learning from his past mistakes. Check out the full interview below.
In a career spanning over 30 years, Brad Pitt starred in dozens of movies that turned him into one of Hollywood’s most sought-after actors. Of course, that list is only going to continue to grow with time as he picks up new roles alongside veterans and budding stars. For example, Damson Idris of Snowfall and Swarm fame was just added to the cast of an upcoming Pitt film about Formula One. It’s yet untitled and the details are incredibly scarce, but the pairing of Idris and Pitt alone built enough anticipation around the upcoming Apple Original Film.
Pitt made his acting debut in the late 1980s in Fox’s 21 Jump Street before landing his first major role in 1989’s Cutting Class. Since then, he starred in over 80 projects in both film and television. His latest performance was in the divisive Damian Chazelle film Babylon alongside Margot Robbie, who’s about to star in the Barbie movie. Pitt has starred in all kinds of films, but which ones are his best?
10. 12 Years a Slave (2013)
It’s hard to ignore Brad Pitt’s performance in 12 Years a Slave. The movie took home three Academy Awards in 2014, including Best Picture. Though Brad Pitt didn’t take on a main role, his character, Samuel Bass, played a critical part in the story. Bass was determined to actively help slaves. Pitt brought Bass’s moral dilemma to life as he tried to help Solomon gain freedom. A lesser actor might have struggled with a role like that.
9. Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005)
Mr. & Mrs. Smith may not be the most iconic role of his career, though, it is one of the most enjoyable Brad Pitt movies out there. He and Angelina Jolie, naturally, had excellent on-screen chemistry as a married couple that doubled as assassins for rival agencies. Filled with hilarious dialogue and action-packed sequences, Pitt and Jolie’s performances in Mr & Mrs. Smith worked flawlessly with one another.
The on-screen chemistry between actors often determines how good a film is. In this case, it’s the driving factor. This movie doesn’t work if the relationship between the two main characters doesn’t initially come across as real. Without Pitt (and probably Jolie), it would have been a complete flop.
8. 12 Monkeys (1995)
12 Monkeys is one of Pitt’s best on-screen performances. Pitt plays a mental patient Jeffrey Goines in Terry Gilliam’s sci-fi drama. It’s a convincing performance that the movie doesn’t make enough use of. The film centers around time travel and briefly introduces Goines. Though Pitt only appears in the movie for a short amount of time, he left an incredible mark that earned him a nomination for Best Supporting Actor at the Academy Awards.
7. Bullet Train (2022)
Bullet Train shouldn’t have been as good as it was. It’s a paper-thin plot with ridiculously over-the-top action and brutal violence, not to mention a lot of profanities. It easily can be boxed in as a mindless action movie, but everyone loved it, thanks to Pitt’s stellar performance as American operative Ladybug. His comedic timing has never been better. Each one-liner he threw out in the middle of a blistering train ride or brutal fight landed perfectly. The running bit of his therapy sessions while also fighting others was comedic gold. Comedy is a hard genre for actors to master, but Pitt did it here with ease.
6. Ocean’s Eleven (2001)
Ocean’s Eleven is perhaps the quintessential Pitt role. Of all his movies, this is one of the most iconic performances. It features an All-Star cast that would be easy for anyone to get lost in, yet, he finds a way to stick out every time he’s on screen. Acting alongside Matt Damon, George Clooney, Julia Roberts and so many more titans of industry can be intimidating, but not for Pitt. He captured his role as Rusty Ryan to a tee and carries the movie along with him. It probably wasn’t a difficult role to embody, but his performance was pitch-perfect nonetheless.
5. Burn After Reading (2008)
Burn After Reading is easily one of the most outrageous movies of Brad Pitt’s career. The movie begins with a pretty eye-catching premise and only gets more brazen as the movie goes on. Pitt has played all kinds of roles, but the “dumb blonde” he puts on as Chad Feldheimer is impressive. Brad Pitt is clearly quite competent, but Feldheimer is so naive and half-witted. It’s a wondrous performance that showcases Brad Pitt’s acting chops shine in a comedic setting.
4. Inglorious Basterds (2009)
By 2009, Brad Pitt appeared in countless box office hits but some might consider Quentin Tarantino’s Inglorious Basterds to be a career turn for him. Pitt’s portrayal of the character Lieutenant Aldo Raine is incredible. Though it may have been difficult to tap into a character from an entirely different time period, playing a World War II American soldier comes surprisingly easy for Pitt.
3. Moneyball (2011)
Moneyball is an excellent movie for a lot of reasons. The script is tight, the direction is excellent and the source material admittedly makes for a magical film. Still, it’s Pitt’s performance that rises above and makes for one of his best movies. Billy Beane was brought to life with such respect and admiration by the actor. This movie had the tall task of telling one of baseball’s most interesting and important stories. Modern baseball is the way it is because of these Oakland Athletics and Pitt carries the weight of that on his shoulders effortlessly. Though the movie was released over a decade ago, Pitt came through with a timeless performance.
2. Fight Club (1999)
The more unhinged a character, the more demanding it is on the actor. There’s probably no character in any of Brad Pitt’s movies that are as unhinged as Tyler Durden in Fight Club. The deranged psyche of the main character manifesting as another person definitely required an exceptional actor with range. Thankfully, that’s exactly what Pitt gave. He was perfect as the figment of Edward Norton’s imagination and it’s his absurd antics and behavior that make it one of his most convincing performances. The premise of Fight Club is pretty wild but it required a central performance to drive it.
1. Se7en (1995)
Se7en isn’t exactly the best of all Brad Pitt movies, but it is his best performance yet. It’s telling that one quote from that movie has lived on longer and stronger than any from the other 80+ projects he has been in. “What’s in the box?” is a fixture in pop culture jargon almost three full decades later.
A murder mystery, particularly one as compelling as the one presented in Se7en, demands strong lead performances. Without them, the audience won’t really be invested in them. The development of each character makes it more than just a surface-level mystery. Credit to Morgan Freeman, but Brad Pitt is what makes this movie tick.
Nicki Minaj is stepping into another acting role, this time voicing a character in a new animated series. The iconic rapper has kept very busy recently. Last month, she dropped her new track “Red Ruby Da Sleeze.” The song had fans and critics alike singing Nicki’s praises. Then came the news that the rapper had signed four new artists to her label. Shortly after, Nicki appeared at Rolling Loud in Los Angeles alongside Lil Wayne and 2 Chainz. The set saw Minaj performing old classics like “Bed Rock” and “Truffle Butter.” In recent weeks, she has liked tweets about signing Ice Spice to her label, leading many to believe that it may be happening. Somehow, even with all of this, Nicki still has time to sign on to a new acting role.
Lady Danger will be an animated series produced by 50 Cent’s production company, G-Unit Film & TV. Nicki will serve as executive producer in addition to voicing the lead role. The series will follow a betrayed government field agent who was left for dead by her team. She is resurrected by Lady Danger, “an afrofuturistic ass-kicking Agent of B.O.O.T.I (Bureau of Organized Terrorism Intervention).” According to Deadline, the series will air on Amazon’s Freevee. Until it airs, Nicki has plenty of other things on her plate, including some highly-publicized beef.
As usual, Nicki has been throwing plenty of shade recently. On her newest single, “Red Ruby Da Sleeze,” many fans noticed some jabs at fellow rapper Megan Thee Stallion. “700 on them horses when we fixing to leave,” Nicki raps on the song. “But I don’t f*ck with horses since Christopher Reeves.” The line, perceived by many to be the most obvious Megan diss, was not the only one. Nicki also references the Megan Thee Stallion shooting incident, in which Tory Lanez reportedly said “dance, b*tch” before shooting her in the foot. “That 40 cal a make’em dance like a go go,” says Nicki, allegedly dissing Megan once again.
Nicki has had beef with many other people in the industry over the years. What caused it is still a mystery. Some say that it was Meg’s collab with Cardi B, but that has not been confirmed by either party. It seems neither party is too bothered by the situation, though, as neither has publicly addressed it in any obvious way. Either way, Nicki is making sure she continues getting her checks. What do you think of the news about Nicki’s new role? Are you excited to see it? Let us know in the comments.
La La Anthony, whose real name is Alani, has been recently trending due to her advice to aspiring artists. Anthony is a successful TV actress and personality, who is well-known for hosting several shows on VHS1. Many fans praise the actress for her success and work ethic, as well as her talent. However, a video has resurfaced where La La Anthony speaks candidly about her thoughts on making it as an upcoming creative. In 2022, the actress attended an interview with radio host Angela Yee.
In her interview, Anthony spoke earnestly about her career, and how she got to where she is now. Her advice and opinions left a lot of people with conflicting opinions. It is obvious that the actress values having a good work ethic above all else. At one point in the interview she states, “I never took jobs because of money. I took jobs because I loved them. I took jobs because I wanted to work with certain people.” Due to her approach, La La Anthony feels that the money came naturally to her after gaining a lot of experience in the industry.
La La Anthony Did Not Focus On Money In Her Early Days
In her interview, Anthony explains that she feels a lot of people lately are throwing away great opportunities because of the pay. She states, “I hear people all day in my world today like ‘you know, I’m taking that they only offering this’ and they’ll throw away a great acting opportunity.” Now that the actress has made a name and fortune for herself, many people are in agreement with her statements. However, some people believe that she sounds tone-deaf, given the current economic state.
Many people believe that no one should have to work for free, especially if they are providing a service. While it is important to have a good work ethic, it’s also equally as important to understand one’s worth. However, Anthony’s advice may be directed more toward those who are just getting into the industry as opposed to those who are on the rise. Unpaid internships are not uncommon, especially in the creative world. However, there has been a rise in young adults fighting against the idea of unpaid internships. Regardless of how people feel about her advice, La La Anthony will continue to stress the importance of seizing opportunities. Stay tuned to see if she will stand by her past statements.
Damson Idris is perhaps best known for his work on FX’s Snowfall, though he’s been hard at work on plenty of other projects as well lately. Among them is his budding romantic relationship with Lori Harvey, as well as Donald Glover’s Swarm. In the latter, the English actor reportedly appears in just one episode as a love interest to Chloe Bailey, who’s a series regular. She recently revealed that he was able to make her first experience filming a love scene much less awkward, and they even laughed together while a bouncy ball separated their bodies away from the cameras.
With the recent premiere of Snowfall‘s sixth season, as well as the upcoming Amazon Prime Video release, it was the perfect time for Idris to make an appearance on The Tonight Show and catch Jimmy Fallon up on his life. During their chat, the 31-year-old revealed what his mother thinks of his career, sharing that she sometimes has trouble separating his antics on-screen from his real life. “I’m Nigerian, right?” he told the audience last week.
“So my mum, she didn’t know that this wasn’t real. She thought everything was real, right? The first time I had an on-screen kiss she was like, ‘Ah ah! Damsy! How can you cheat on your girlfriend? In front of your family!’” Idris animatedly recalled to Fallon. “So then, I get Franklin Saint, right? He’s obviously a drug dealer. She’s like, ‘Ah ah! So now you are selling cocaine?! In front of the whole world!”
The story elicited plenty of laughter from not only the late-night host but also the audience. Afterward, Fallon brought out a photo of Idris with his mother and other family members at the Snowfall season six premiere, proving she’s obviously embraced his drug-dealing ways. See the heartwarming image for yourself below, and check back later for more pop culture and hip-hop news updates.
He’s a Family Man
Damson Idris (4th from L) and guests attend the Red Carpet Premiere Event for the Sixth and Final Season of FX’s “Snowfall” at Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, Ted Mann Theater on February 15, 2023, in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Amy Sussman/GA/The Hollywood Reporter via Getty Images)
Yung Miami continued going back and forth with fans online over her performance on the latest episode of 50 Cent‘s BMF show. For the episode, Miami played the role of Deanna Washington. In one viral moment, her character learns about the death of her husband from Big Meech. Yung Miami’s fake crying in the scene was the subject of many jokes online afterward.
When one fan shared a TikTok referencing the show, Miami wrote back “Man I’m cryinh.” Earlier in the night, she vented: “If I’m crying why y’all laughing??? Y’all play to much.” While there were plenty of jokes made about her appearance, other fans praised the performance. “I love to see [people] win in life, elevate, and give their family the [world]!” one fan wrote in a sweet message. In response, the City Girls rapper said: “The more they hate, the more opportunities come!! It’s only the beginning for me!”
Yung Miami At The Grammys
BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 04: (FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY) Yung Miami attends the Pre-GRAMMY Gala & GRAMMY Salute To Industry Icons Honoring Julie Greenwald & Craig Kallman at The Beverly Hilton on February 04, 2023 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic)
Miami isn’t the first rapper to land a role on BMF. Kash Doll also recently played Monique, a single mother who works as a paralegal and serves as a love interest of Big Meech. “It’s a full circle moment man. I came up hearing about BMF when I was younger and just seeing how big their movement was. Being a part of this story on Starz with 50 Cent, man, it just feels amazing. It’s something I can’t explain. I’m just grateful for that opportunity,” she told HipHopDX.
STARZ renewed BMF for a third season in January. “BMF captures the essence of Detroit through elevated, gritty storytelling and our fans have passionately responded to this show more than ever before,” STARZ president of programming Kathryn Busby said in a statement. “Following such a strong debut with Season 2, we’re thrilled to continue to expand on the incredible story of the Flenory brothers as they change the game by writing their own rules. We can’t wait to see what our extraordinary producers and cast deliver next.”
She’s best known as one-half of the City Girls, but that doesn’t mean Yung Miami doesn’t have other aspirations outside of becoming a rap icon. Most recently she’s been pouring her energy into several different avenues. Among them are her upcoming music releases alongside JT, her Caresha Please podcast, and finally, her acting career. The Florida-born performer first showed up in Netflix’s You People. She’s since gone on to have two noteworthy TV stints as well.
Kenya Barris’ Grown-ish series hired the mother of two to play Ms. It in one episode of their fourth season. Elsewhere, 50 Cent brought Miami onto the BMF cast alongside names like Lil Meech, Kash Doll, and La La Anthony. Her appearance in season two aired on Thursday (March 9) night. It obviously left plenty of viewers upset – according to Twitter, anyway.
Users haven’t been biting their tongues about the 29-year-old’s performance, some of them dubbing it “the worst acting” that they’ve ever seen. In her brief scene with Meech, Miami slaps him after hearing the bad news that her own partner has been shot. As some social media users pointed out, this is similar to the “Twerkulator” artist’s real-life situation with one of her children’s fathers, who previously lost his life.
Unfortunately, Caresha’s acting wasn’t giving the emotions that BMF fans wanted. Many were quick to criticize her for looking as though she wanted to laugh during the serious moment onscreen. As the trolls continue to clown her, the recording artist didn’t hesitate to clap back at this on Friday (March 10) afternoon. “If I’m crying why y’all laughing??? Y’all play [too] much,” she wrote.
Miami is Tired of the Trolls
If I’m crying why y’all laughing??? Y’all play to much
In other posts, Miami showed love to those supporting her venture into acting. “So today y’all hating on @yungmiami305? She went from scamming, finessing, etc. to rapping, talk show hosting, and acting… Now y’all mad? Damned if you do, damned if you don’t!” one enthusiastic fan wrote.
“I love to see [people] win in life, elevate, and give their family the [world]!” their sweet message concluded. In response, the City Girl said, “The more they hate, the more opportunities come!! It’s only the beginning for me!” Read more Twitter reactions to Yung Miami’s BMF performance here, and check back later for more pop culture news updates.
The more they hate the more opportunities come!! It’s only the beginning for me! https://t.co/YQLld4aqpw
