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How To Watch Nosferatu Online From Anywhere As It Exclusively Streams In The US

alice.marshall@futurenet.com (Alice Marshall) — Mon, 17 Feb 2025 11:46:38 +0000

How To Watch Nosferatu Online

Streaming Release: February 21 (US)

US Stream: Peacock TV

International Streams: Currently in movie theaters only

Watch anywhere: Stream from anywhere with NordVPN

Nosferatu – Synopsis

Originally Robert Eggers second feature length film following his directorial debut with The Witch, a remake of the 1922 movie Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror has been in the works since 2015. A passion project that was thus delayed, Eggers went on to direct The Lighthouse and The Northman before Nosferatu finally saw the light of day, with casting of Bill Skarsgård and Lily-Rose Depp announced in September 2022. Nearly a decade from conception to release, those in the States will be happy to hear you can finally watch Nosferatu online from the comfort of your own home when it's released on Friday, February 21 on Peacock , and we explain exactly how to watch it and get a deal on your Peacock subscription below.

An unofficial adaptation of the original vampire text, Bram Stoker's Dracula, Nosferatu follows Ellen Hutter (Depp) who, years prior, pledged herself to a supernatural being in the hope of curing her loneliness. Now married to Thomas Hutter (Nicholas Hoult), the couple live in a German town where, as an estate agent, Thomas seeks to make partner at the brokerage, and takes on a lucrative commission in the hopes of proving himself and securing the promotion. Endeavoring to sell the Grünewald Manor to Count Orlok (Skarsgård), a mysterious nobleman residing in a dilapidated castle in Transylvania, he leaves his wife – haunted by death – to secure the deal with the count.

A deliciously gothic tale, Nosferatu brings excitement and flare to the horror genre in its exploration of obsession – and its reception speaks for itself. The Hollywood Reported described it as "exciting, repulsive and beautiful", while its box office success saw it become Focus Features third highest grossing domestic release behind Downton Abbey (2019) and Coraline (2009).

Coming to Peacock on Friday, you have the option of subscribing to its annual Premium plan and saving 63% on a whole year's worth of on-demand content, including other Oscar nominees like Conclave and The Wild Robot, with Wicked soon to follow. But the deal does expire on February 18, so you'll need to act fast. For all the options on how to watch Nosferatu online from anywhere, we explain everything below, including using a VPN to unblock Peacock while overseas.

How to watch Nosferatu online in the US

(Image credit: Peacock/NBCUniversal )

Stakes at the ready! Nosferatu swoops onto its exclusive streaming home on Peacock in the US on Friday, February 21.

A Peacock subscription starts from $7.99 a month. You can also choose to skip the commercials by opting for its Premium Plus plan, which costs $13.99 a month.

Although Peacock doesn’t currently offer a free trial (and hasn't for some time) you can save 17% when signing up to its annual plans ($79.99 or $139.99 a year respectively).

Currently traveling abroad? Americans temporarily out of the country can download a VPN to access the same services you’d enjoy back home. We explain how below.

How to watch Nosferatu from anywhere

If you're a US citizen on vacation or working overseas, you can still watch Nosferatu online just as you would at home.

While services like Peacock block access from IP addresses outside of the US, there's a handy piece of software called a VPN that can change your IP address to make it look like you're accessing streaming services from any country in the world.

For example, US citizens overseas can subscribe to a VPN, join a US-based server and access their subscription from anywhere in the world, just like they would back home.

Watch Nosferatu as if you were at home with a VPN
Try out NordVPN, our choice of the best VPN for unblocking many of the major streaming services – and doing so speedily – including Peacock. You'll be able to stream from any device, including your mobile or desktop, TV, or gaming console. Incredibly secure, too, get assistance with its 24/7 customer support and enjoy a 30-day money back guarantee.View Deal

Step-by-step of using a VPN to unblock:

1. Choose your ideal VPN and install – our go-to recommendation for unblocking is NordVPN, costing from under $3.99 a month with its 2-year plan

2. Connect to a server – for Peacock, you'll want to connect to a server based in the US.

3. Go to the stream you wish to access - for Nosferatu, head to Peacock.

Can I Stream Nosferatu Outside In The UK, Canada, Australia, Or Elsewhere Around The World?

Outside of the US, Nosferatu is still only showing in movie theaters with no official streaming release date across performs yet set. It could soon be made available to buy or rent digitally, but currently there are no exact dates or details on this.

American oversea? Use a VPN to join a US server and access your Peacock subscription from anywhere.

Nosferatu Trailer

Who Is In The Cast Of Nosferatu?

Lily-Rose Depp as Ellen Hutter
Nicholas Hoult as Thomas Hutter
Bill Skarsgård as Count Orlok/Nosferatu
Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Friedrich Harding
Willem Dafoe as Professor Albin Eberhart von Franz
Emma Corrin as Anna Harding
Ralph Ineson as Dr. Wilhelm Sievers
Simon McBurney as Herr Knock

Can I Rent Nosferatu (2024)?

Yes! While Nosferatu hasn't found a streaming home outside of the States, in countries like the UK you can rent or buy the film digitally. In the UK, you can get it through Amazon Prime Video or Sky Store.

‘It Was A Gory Mess’: Bill Skarsgård Grosses Us Out With Stories About Filming His Final Nosferatu Scenes With Lily-Rose Depp While Covered Head-To-Toe In Latex

Sean O'Connell — Tue, 31 Dec 2024 13:38:11 +0000

One of he surprise hits of the holiday season so far has been Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu, a retelling of the vampire myth that stars Willem Dafoe, Lily-Rose Depp, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Nicholas Hoult, and Bill Skarsgård as the titular creature. I say “surprise” hit not because it’d be expected that the movie be bad by any stretch. Quite the contrary. Our Nosferatu review was a positive rave, and Eggers tends to deliver moody, sprawling epics. But a vampire romance thriller released during Christmastime is counterprogramming at its finest, so we’re a little shocked – but still thrilled – to see that audiences are flocking to theaters to see the movie. Because now we are able to talk about it.

Specifically, that gonzo finale.

We are about to get into spoilers for Nosferatu, so only proceed if you have seen the movie.

Robert Eggers’ critically acclaimed movie ends with Count Orlok (Bill Skarsgård) and Ellen (Lily-Rose Depp) consummating their condemned attraction, as part of a larger plan Ellen participates in to rid her land of Orlok and his plague. Basically, the vampire finally is able to feast on the woman who summoned him in a dream, years prior. And it’s the most shocking appearance of Skarsgard in the Nosferatu makeup. It really is something to see.

Skarsgård and Willem Dafoe appeared as guests on CinemaBlend’s official ReelBlend podcast to talk about the making of Nosferatu, and we asked the IT star about the makeup process. Specifically, we asked about the amount of sweat that’s generated by the prosthetics Skarsgård was required to wear to become Orlok. And he told us:

In terms of the sweat? Not on the face. There was nothing on the face. Everything is like, I'm covered in latex, full body. The only surface of ME is my eyeballs and the soles of my feet. That was the only thing. Everything was covered. And when we were doing the finale, the final moment of the movie, we did 30 takes of it. Without spoiling it, it's a lot of physical performance. So you're completely exhausted, and you're sweating through. What started happening, because there was nowhere for the sweat to escape, it just created this giant bubble on my stomach. It started growing like a tumor. And then between takes, they had to pierce it. … And then on top of that, fake blood and sweat and saliva. It was a gory mess.

So nasty. Beyond nasty. Once you have seen the sex scene between Ellen and Orlok, you won’t ever forget it. As it turns out, a lot of aspects of Nosferatu ended up being unforgettable. Like working with prosthetics, makeup, and latex. Nic Hoult knows all too well how that process goes, having endured it for years to play Beast in the X-Men films. He remembers the complicated process, and was there for his Nosferatu co-star in his time of need.

As Bill Skarsgård told ReelBlend:

He's such a sweet guy. When we were on set, on the first or second day of shooting, it was the long scene where (Hoult’s character) Thomas is introduced to Orlok. And he would just go, ‘Hey, Bill…’ between takes. ‘Where's your hole?’ (laughs) ‘I know how uncomfortable this is.’ He was very compassionate about what I was going through. And I was just sitting there looking (menacing). ‘Do you want to use a water, Bill?’ And I'm like, ‘Noooo!’ But he was very sweet about it because, yeah, he had done it, and so he knows how uncomfortable it can be.

It was all worth it in the end. The Orlok character is truly remarkable, and is one of the reasons why Nosferatu has been so well received. Here’s the full conversation with Bill Skarsgård and Willem Dafoe on ReelBlend:

And make sure to see Nosferatu in theaters. If it plays to your sensibilities, then you can start to plan out future trips to the movies with our list of upcoming horror movies, all arriving in the next few months.

Nosferatu’s Cast Calls Bill Skarsgard’s Character ‘One Of The Most Terrifying Things’ They Have Ever Seen, And I Completely Agree

Sean O'Connell — Mon, 16 Dec 2024 17:05:20 +0000

We have not, to this point, seen a movie like Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu. That’s not to say that we haven’t seen versions of the Dracula myth before. Most of us can tell you the key ingredients for any type of Dracula tale. Bites on the neck, blood that is sucked, a mysterious force that hunts near midnight. But here’s one thing that Eggers movie has that the previous iterations did not have? The presence of Bill Skarsgard, famously known for bringing Pennywise and The Crow to life, and now turning his attentions to Count Orlok in the upcoming 20204 movie Nosferatu.

In this exclusive clip, shared only on CinemaBlend, the Nosferatu cast talk about Bill Skarsgard getting into character. Check this out while you wait for the movie to open.

I’m still glad that Focus Features, in this exclusive clip, hid the horrifying voice that Nicholas Hoult is talking about in the above, exclusive clip. Because there’s no real way for us to describe it. You just have to trust in the fact that the actor claims it’s more disturbing than anything he did as Pennywise the Clown in the two-part IT adaptation. And when you think back to all of the horrible things that he did to children in those movies, that might help you brace for the evils of Nosferatu.

The rest of Nosferatu is a chilling ride. Anyone familiar with Robert Eggers knows that he’s a master of establishing mood, tension, and dread. He has properly colored in such disturbing features as The Witch, The Lighthouse, and The Northman. And so far, critics have fallen over themselves to praise the work that he has accomplished in this Dracula tale. It is truly unlike anything that you have seen in theaters this year, and possibly could find itself in several key awards races as 2025 rolls along.

(Image credit: Focus Features)

You might think that Nosferatu is an unusual movie to release at Christmas time. But the film industry actually has a rich history of counterprogramming horror during the holidays, as some people want to get away from the sincerity of a Hallmark Christmas movie, or the familiarity of yet another viewing of A Christmas Story. We know, we know. You’ll shoot your eye out.

Instead, this holiday season, let Robert Eggers and his cast take you on a terrifying journey into the unknown, where a powerful entity (Bill Skarsgard) seizes the love and attention of an innocent maiden (Lily-Rose Depp) from across the land, and we wonder if a mad professor (Willem Dafoe) can come up with a solution to end the reign of terror in time. Nosferartu opens in theaters on Christmas Day. Grab your tickets now.

‘Cryptic, Beautiful And Unsettling’: Critics Have Seen Nosferatu, And They Have Strong Feelings About Robert Eggers’ Horror Remake

Heidi Venable — Mon, 02 Dec 2024 23:20:21 +0000

It’s been nearly 10 years since it was announced that Robert Eggers would be remaking one of the best horror flicks of all time in Nosferatu. Thankfully the long wait is about to come to an end, with the film starring Bill Skarsgård as its titular monster making its debut on the 2024 movie calendar on Christmas Day. It sounds like horror fans might be in for a pretty frightening experience, given that Skarsgård has said his Count Orlok is even more terrifying than Pennywise in It, who he played in the 2017 and 2019 adaptations.

First reactions to the 2024 Nosferatu remake seemed to support that claim, as critics were ready to sink their teeth into the movie, which also stars Nicholas Hoult, Lily-Rose Depp and a host of other talent. Let’s see what they’re saying now that they can expand on their initial thoughts, starting with CinemaBlend’s review of Nosferatu. Eric Eisenberg rates the film 4 out of 5 stars, noting the irony but standing by his statement that Robert Eggers has breathed new life into the classic vampire tale, with help from a truly transformed leading actor. He says:

It’s Bill Skarsgård’s turn as Count Orlok that is the greatest achievement of Nosferatu. If it weren’t for the fact that the actor’s name is in the cast, one would be hard-pressed to identify him in the role, as it is a full and masterful transformation. His co-stars may not do region-accurate accents, but he entrances with a deep and rolling Romanian brogue, the words uttered from rotting lips beneath a thick, long, black mustache. He emanates control with his presence, but he is also very much an animated corpse.

Becky Darke of GamesRadar also gives the upcoming horror movie 4 stars out of 5, saying that despite its relatively straightforward retelling of a classic tale, the sights and sounds are stunning. The critic recommends that movie lovers see this one in theaters in order to fully experience the aural cacophony. Darke concludes:

The new Nosferatu is a success; it looks and sounds stunning, is packed with the vampiric horror you’d hope for from the director of such atmospheric works as The Witch and The Lighthouse, is beautifully performed and competently retells a narrative we all know and love. But perhaps this last point is also what stops it from being a perfect movie: it’s solid, but it does very little to push any boundaries of what could be done to bring the ultimate vampire story up to date.

Matt Zoller Seitz of RogerEbert.com rates Nosferatu a perfect 4 out of 4 stars. Despite being made with the most modern technology, the movie feels like an artifact from another time, the critic writes. He calls it an “awesome achievement,” writing:

Robert Eggers' Nosferatu is a cryptic, beautiful and unsettling experience: transporting in the purest way. The writer-director of The Witch, The Lighthouse and The Northman is a rare filmmaker who seems capable of putting his modern consciousness aside when telling stories. There are no metaphors or analogies, only uncanny things that actually happen. Witches exist, curses and prophecies are real, and a vampire is a monster with the ability not just to shift shapes and drink blood but distort the fabric of reality itself through force of pure evil.

Siddhant Adlakha of IGN echoes the sentiment of making the age-old feel fresh, noting Nosferatu’s scary and sensual approach. The critic rates the movie an “Amazing” 9 out of 10, writing:

Nosferatu is Robert Eggers' finest work, given how it both boldly stands on its own as a gothic vampire drama and astutely taps into the original texts — F.W. Murnau's silent classic and Bram Stoker's novel Dracula. This resplendent horror remake keeps the broad strokes of these vampire legends intact, but refashions them into a terrifying, candle-lit tale of bodily autonomy — or lack thereof — that challenges previous versions of the story (and their conceptions of female sexuality) and in which Lily-Rose Depp delivers a harrowing performance opposite Bill Skarsgård's unsettling, corpse-like villain.

Liz Shannon Miller of Consequence laments that Bram Stoker’s Dracula has been so thoroughly explored at this point that this movie hitting all the familiar plot beats results in “almost zero suspense.” However, it’s never not beautiful to look at, Miller says, even in its most grotesque moments. The critic grades the modern remake a B and says:

Nosferatu delivers exactly what it promised — a new version of a classic tale, told by one of our most technically accomplished filmmakers. And this is certainly a more explicitly sexy version of Nosferatu than what the original German film delivered 102 years ago. However, it otherwise follows its source material, as well as the paths laid out by other adaptations, so faithfully that its most original elements feel drowned out by the familiar. It’s perhaps the best-made Dracula adaptation to come around in a long time. But it never feels essential.

So it sounds like no real surprises are in store as far as plot goes, but critics seem to universally agree that Robert Eggers’ direction combined with Jarin Blaschke's cinematography and an ensemble of impressive performances make this worth the price of admission.

Horror movie fans have waited a decade for the Nosferatu remake, and especially after reading such positive things from the critics, it hopefully won’t be too hard to wait another few weeks. The film hits the big screen on Wednesday, December 25.

Years After Lily-Rose Depp Weighed In On The Nepo Baby Debate, She Got Real About People Wanting To See Her Fail: ‘It’s Been My Life’

Sarah El-Mahmoud — Sun, 24 Nov 2024 14:11:41 +0000

Ah yes, the nepo baby debate. It’s been a frequent topic of conversation around Hollywood over the past few years. Actors like Zoë Kravitz, Maya Hawke and Dakota Johnson and so many more sons and daughters of big stars have since shared takes on the discussion. Years after Lily-Rose Depp fired back on the topic, the actress set to star in this winter’s most exciting upcoming horror movies, Nosferatu, and the daughter of Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis shared an honest perspective about people wanting to see her fail.

Lily-Rose Depp has been making a name for herself in the world of acting in a big way during the last few years, between starring on the controversial HBO drama The Idol as well as booking around of indie flicks. As Depp gets ready for the world to see her biggest movie to date with the aforementioned 2024 move release, she spoke to her personal struggles from the role:

Somebody asked me the other day what was the hardest part of the role, and I said, ‘Getting over the imposter syndrome of, like, ‘Why am I here and why do these people think that I can do this?’ Getting to a place where I felt confident enough within myself to be like, ‘I can do this and I am here for a reason,’ I definitely have struggled with that. Humility is incredibly important, especially in this business. In a way, I always want to feel like I’m just starting out and like I still have so much to learn—which is how I do feel.

While the rising actress has technically been acting in movies now for a decade, since her small role in 2014’s Tusk at the age of 15, she still feels like she’s “still starting out”. Nosferatu puts her at the center of a remake of 1922 classic film of the same name (which was based on Bram Stoker’s Dracula). By all accounts, it marks the actress' first true leading role on the big screen. While speaking to Vanity Fair about the public's perception of her, she acknowledged those who'd rather she not succeed professionally:

I feel like people have been ready to see me fail, in a way, since I was a kid. That has made me only want to work harder and prove people wrong. Not in a vindictive way at all, but just in a sense of, like, fuel to my fire. I do want to prove that I’m a hard worker and I’m not here for anything else but to work hard.

There’s a perception that because Lily-Rose Depp is the daughter of one of the most famous Hollywood stars, it’s been easier for her to nab roles. However, it was the 25-year-old’s intense audition with The Witch’s Robert Eggers that brought her to Nosferatu. Apparently, the Zoom audition brought the filmmaker to tears, and Depp decided to go all out by throwing things around her space to show she “wasn’t scared to go there.” As for how she feels about people wanting to see her fail, she said:

Yeah, but it just is what it is. It’s been my life. I come from a family of artists. Both of my parents are these incredible artists and I have grown up with that. Respecting them both so much and what they do, and trying to find my own identity in this world, has been interesting when everybody’s thinking that you’re here for the wrong reasons or that you don’t deserve to be here. You either can sit there and cry about it and be like, ‘This isn’t fair!’ or you can be like, ‘Okay, I’m just going to work really, really hard and do the best that I can.’ That’s all I can do at the end of the day, is do my absolute best, and do this job for the right reasons, which is that I love what I do. I love acting. If people still want to talk shit or see me in a certain way, then that’s not my problem. I’ve had to grow into that feeling as well.

In the film, the starlet co-stars with big names like Willem Dafoe, Nicholas Hoult, Bill Skarsgard, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Emma Corrin. During the interview, she also recalled feeling “so out of [her] depth” alongside them, but it sounds like she rose to the occasion. Based on the Nosferatu trailers, though, she seems to be holding her own.

Ahead of the Nosferatu's release, the remake has received positive reactions, with first audiences calling it Robert Eggers’ “magnum opus” and his “best film." Not only that, but people are also giving Lily-Rose Depp props for being “haunting” and “astounding.” Perhaps this will be the project that proves to people and to Depp herself that she deserves a place in Hollywood, and not only because of her name. You can see for yourself when the film opens on Christmas Day!

Nosferatu Has Screened, And Critics Are Sinking Their Teeth Into This ‘Horrifically Brilliant’ Remake

Heidi Venable — Fri, 08 Nov 2024 18:04:23 +0000

Dracula may be the first thing you think of when it comes to the best vampire flicks, but that wasn’t the only classic that was inspired by Bram Stoker’s novel. The 1922 film Nosferatu is also considered one of the greatest horror movies of all time, and thanks to filmmaker Robert Eggers, we’ll see a new version hitting the 2024 movie calendar. Despite there being over a month before its release in theaters, some are attending early screenings, and the critics are already sinking their teeth into the horror remake Nosferatu.

To be clear, that’s quite a good thing when it comes to vampire movies, and indeed the first reactions to Bill Skarsgård as Count Orlok are likely enough to make even the most casual of horror fans intrigued. Nosferatu also stars Nicholas Hoult, Lily-Rose Depp and a number of other big names that have some saying it’s one of their favorite films of the year. CinemaBlend’s own Eric Eisenberg doesn’t go that far, but he does say it’s worth the buzz. His post says:

I admittedly didn't walk out of Robert Eggers' Nosferatu thinking that it's going to end up on my ‘Best of 2024’ list, but there is an amazing degree of passion on screen, the filmmaking craft is spectacular, and Bill Skarsgärd's Count Orlok is an awesome achievement. Be excited!

Horror lover Heather Wixson, however, says the upcoming horror movie is her favorite of the year. She had an emotional response to Robert Eggers’ passion project, writing:

Excited that I finally get to talk about Nosferatu as it is a breathtaking masterpiece & my favorite film of 2024. Meticulously directed & featuring incredible performances from the entire cast, Robert Eggers casts an intoxicating spell w/his haunting take on this timeless tale… No joke, I was in tears for the final 15 minutes of this film; it hit me THAT hard. I have loved everything from Robert Eggers thus far but Nosferatu is his magnum opus. This one immediately imprinted itself in my heart & soul. I loved it so freaking much.

Rodrigo Perez also says Nosferatu will end up in the critic’s Top 10 list for the year, if not the Top 5. In addition to a creepy, unsettling tone akin to Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining, it showcases a dark eroticism throughout that may leave audiences simultaneously grossed out and turned on. Perez continues on X (Twitter):

NOSFERATU: a masterful, unnerving, spine-tingling gothic horror of the highest order, Robert Eggers’ best film. Surprise amazing performance from Lily Rose-Depp, everyone is terrific. Riveting, hypnotic, amazing craft on every level including impressive camera work.

Clayton Davis of Variety praises Bill Skarsgård in a role that scared the actor more than Pennywise in It, as well as co-stars Lily-Rose Depp and Willem Dafoe, saying:

Nosferatu is paralyzing fear fully realized under the vision of writer and director Robert Eggers. Dude is just clearing his throat in cinema. He hasn't yet begun to sing, and I'm digging all of his numbers. Bill Skarsgård is menacing while Lily-Rose Depp is haunting. Every movie gets automatically upgraded simply because Willem Dafoe is in it. An artisan wet dream. Gorgeous and horrifically brilliant. I'm a fan.

Emerson Testa agrees the “crazy vampire hunter” Willem Dafoe only adds to an already brilliant film, with Bill Skarsgård perfectly embodying the titular monster. In Testa’s words:

Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu is a masterclass. The performances across the board are nothing short of spectacular, with Depp standing out giving a haunting and hypnotic portrayal of the cursed figure. It goes without saying, the film pushes the throttle pedal when Dafoe enters… Eggers’ direction is enlightened, making the atmosphere thick with dread. The production design is massive, creating a sense of scale and immersion that really captures every shadow, every rustling breeze and feels part of a grander, ominous world.

Courtney Howard lauds the horror movie’s director as well as the crew in charge of the “haunting compositions,” “painterly cinematography,” and “inspired production design.” Also, Howard warns that if you weren’t already afraid of rats, you will be now. The critic says:

Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu goes HARDER than any other horror film this year. Holy fuck. A gorgeous grotesquerie of dread-infused terrors & a divine dark delight. Bill Skarsgård’s Count Orlok is pure sinister nightmare fuel. Lily Rose Depp & Nicholas Hoult’s best work to date.

Griffin Schiller of FilmSpeak is another who says the remake of the German classic is going to end up on a “best of 2024 list,” writing:

Nosferatu surpasses the hype as Eggers delivers a wickedly sinister reimagining of the iconic legend. A deeply chilling nightmare that lingers. If you love the horny fever dream of Coppola's Dracula you'll adore this. Lilly Rose Depp is ASTOUNDING! Easily one of the year's best.

Perri Nemiroff also praises Jarin Blaschke’s cinematography, with both atmospheric elements and Robert Eggers’ passion seemingly leaping off of the screen. The critic posts:

Nosferatu is a chilling stunner. A film that wastes no time digging its claws in and making its evil feel inescapable. That quality is heavily tied to four particular performances - Bill Skarsgård, Nicholas Hoult, Simon McBurney and Lily-Rose Depp. Skarsgård continues to prove he’s an unparalleled creature actor. Hoult delivers big blending sheer terror with a palpable love that drives his character. McBurney is wildly captivating as Knock, teeing up the evil on the horizon. And then there’s Depp who’s an utter powerhouse, brilliantly carving her character’s intoxicating path toward the darkness.

The first reactions to Nosferatu are nothing if not promising, and for those who have been looking forward to seeing Bill Skarsgård in this role, surrounded by what sounds like some impressive performances from his colleagues, this movie remake might be just the Christmas gift you were hoping for. Nosferatu is set to hit theaters on Wednesday, December 25.

32 Celebrities You Might Not Realize Also Have A Famous Parent

Alexandra Ramos — Sun, 12 Nov 2023 21:04:36 +0000

In Hollywood, there are plenty of celebrities we all know and love, but sometimes, we might not realize that there are other actors they are related to, such as famous parents who have been around for decades. From new up-and-coming stars to people who have been in the business for some time, here are some celebrities with famous parents that you should know about.

(Image credit: New Line Cinema)

Gwyneth Paltrow

First up on this list has to be Gwyneth Paltrow. While the actress has built a career for herself over the last few decades with roles in movies like Shakespeare in Love, Seven, and of course, her role as Pepper Potts in the Iron Man movies, Paltrow comes from fame and is the daughter of Bruce Paltrow and Blythe Danner, both of which worked in the industry.

(Image credit: IFC Films)

Maya Hawke

Maya Hawke may be an up-and-coming star, with her breakout role as part of the Stranger Things cast and only continuing to grow as an actor as time passes, but her parents have been around for some time. Hawke is the daughter of the actor Ethan Hawke and the actress Uma Thurman, who were married for a time back in the early 2000s.

(Image credit: CNN)

Anderson Cooper

While we all know Anderson Cooper now for his presence on the cable news network CNN, Cooper came from a large family that we all know well. His mother was Gloria Vanderbilt, who was a part of the famous Vanderbilt family.

(Image credit: NBC)

Jennifer Aniston

Jennifer Aniston has become a significant actress in the last couple of decades, specifically for her time as Rachel Greene in the Friends cast and many other great movie and TV roles. But Aniston also comes from Hollywood royalty, as her father was John Aniston, who was on the classic soap opera Days Of Our Lives for 37 years.

(Image credit: 20th Century Fox)

Angelina Jolie

Angelina Jolie's best movies have only evolved over the years, from her time as the classic Disney villain, Maleficent, to her critically acclaimed roles. Jolie's father is Jon Voight, an Academy Award-winning actor; and her mother is Marcheline Bertrand, a Hollywood actress.

(Image credit: Disney)

Chris Pine

Chris Pine is another example of someone you would never expect is the child of another celebrity, but his father was Robert Pine, and his mother was Gwynne Gilford. Robert Pine is best known for starring in the TV series CHiPS, while his mother appeared in many TV shows during the '70s and '80s.

(Image credit: Paramount+)

Colin Hanks

Colin Hanks has appeared in various films and TV shows over the last few years, including Fargo, Band of Brothers, Dexter, and more, and he hails from famous actor Tom Hanks. In 2022, Colin Hanks was a part of The Offer cast on Paramount Plus.

(Image credit: Netflix)

Margaret Qualley

Margaret Qualley is another actress who has been up and coming for some time now, appearing in films like Death Note, Once Upon a Time In Hollywood, and more, as well as in TV shows like The Leftovers and Maid on Netflix. Qualley's famous parent is Andie MacDowell, a former fashion model and actress who has appeared in films like St. Elmo's Fire, Groundhog Day and Four Weddings and a Funeral.

(Image credit: Hulu)

Zoë Kravitz

Zoë Kravitz's best movies include The Batman, the Divergent franchise, and more, but she hails from a family of famous faces. Her father is the renowned guitarist/actor Lenny Kravitz, and her mother is a Hollywood it girl, Lisa Bonet. Zoe Kravitz is also the granddaughter of Roxie Roker, from the CBS sitcom The Jeffersons.

(Image credit: Apple TV+)

Dakota Johnson

Dakota Johnson has appeared in plenty of movies, including the Fifty Shades of Grey series, and she is the daughter of Don Johnson and Melanie Griffith. Johnson was known for his role on the TV show Miami Vice, and Griffith appeared in films like Working Girl, Something Wild, and more.

(Image credit: TriStar)

Mamie Gummer

With a mother like Meryl Streep, it's no surprise that Mamie Gummer went into acting. Streep, known for many famous roles, was married to Don Gummer for several decades and had a few children with him, including Mamie Gummer. The actress has starred in the CW series Emily Owens, M.D., and appeared in films like Side Effects, Cake, and more.

(Image credit: Apple)

Rashida Jones

Rashida Jones is the daughter of the famous musician Quincy Jones. Considered a legend in the music industry, Jones was a significant influence and worked with several prominent musicians, such as Frank Sinatra and Count Basie. Rashida Jones is known for numerous acting roles, including her part in the Parks and Recreation cast as Ann Perkins.

(Image credit: Summit Entertainment)

Riley Keough

Riley Keough is an actress who has appeared in movies like The Runaways, Magic Mike, Mad Max: Fury Road, and more. She is the daughter of Lisa Marie Presley, who was the daughter of Elvis Presley.

(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

Liv Tyler

Liv Tyler is a well-known actress for her roles in movies like Heavy, Armageddon, Ad Astra, Wilding, and more, as well as the Lord of the Rings movies. But you might not know that Tyler is the biological daughter of Steven Tyler, the frontman of the famous band Aerosmith.

(Image credit: HBo)

Lily-Rose Depp

The actress is the daughter of Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis. Lily-Rose Depp made a name for herself in 2023 with her starring role in The Idol cast on HBO. Depp has also appeared in other movies and roles, such as Tusk and A Faithful Man.

(Image credit: ABC)

Tracee Ellis Ross

While many know Tracee Ellis Ross as one of the main stars of the hit family show black-ish, Ross is the daughter of another famous face in Hollywood – Diana Ross, a legendary singer from the 1970s and beyond. Ross can sing like her mother, too, and recorded an album for the film The High Note in 2020.

(Image credit: Apple)

Bryce Dallas Howard

Bryce Dallas Howard is known for many incredible movies and TV shows. She'll even be in the 2024 release of Argylle on Apple TV+ and is a well-known actress. However, her father, Ron Howard, began in Hollywood first and is a renowned director. Some of his biggest movies that he's directed include Willow, Apollo 13, A Beautiful Mind, and Frost/Nixon.

(Image credit: ABC)

Jessica Capshaw

Jessica Capshaw is primarily known for her role in the TV shows The Practice and Grey's Anatomy, which has gone on for many years. However, Capshaw is also the daughter of actress Kate Capshaw, whom you might know from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, among other films. Jessica Capshaw is also the step-daughter of a famous Hollywood director you may have heard of – Steven Spielberg.

(Image credit: Starz)

Jasmine Cephas Jones

Jasmine Cephas Jones earned much acclaim for her roles in the Hamilton cast and went on to star in the Starz series Blindspotting, but her father, Ron Cephas Jones, had been in Hollywood for far longer. While he has numerous movie and TV credits to his name, you may known him in recent years from his part among the This Is Us cast before he sadly passed away in August 2023.

(Image credit: Netflix)

Lily Collins

Lily Collins is known for her starring role in the Emily in Paris cast and several other movies like The Blind Side and Mirror Mirror. Her father, Phil Collins, is a well-known musician and was the lead singer and drummer of the band Genesis.

(Image credit: Universal)

Jack Quaid

I knew who Jack Quad was before I knew who Dennis Quaid was, thanks to the young actor being in The Hunger Games franchise and then in one of the best Amazon TV shows, The Boys. His father, Dennis Quaid, has been in Hollywood for many years. Dennis Quaid's list of films include The Parent Trap, Breaking Away, Vantage Point, and more. Jack Quaid's mother is Meg Ryan, an actress known for her great romantic comedies and hilarious comedic timing.

(Image credit: A24)

Harley Quinn Smith

Harley Quinn Smith is a young actress on this list who has appeared in movies such as Tusk and Yoga Hosers. Her father is Kevin Smith, a filmmaker who has made movies like Clerks, Mallrats, and more. He also directed both Tusk and Yoga Hosers.

(Image credit: Republic Records)

Laura Dern

Laura Dern is the daughter of Bruce Dern and Diane Ladd. Bruce Dern has appeared in movies like Nebraska, Coming Home, and more, and Diane Ladd also appeared in films like Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore, Wild at Heart, Rambling Rose, and more. Ladd is the recipient of three Academy Awards.

(Image credit: Netflix)

Allison Williams

Allison Williams has appeared in the show Girls and horror movies like the Jordan Peele-directed film Get Out and M3GAN. She is the daughter of Brian Williams, a famous news correspondent for NBC Nightly News.

(Image credit: Netflix)

Kate Hudson

Kate Hudson is a well-known actress who has appeared in movies like Desert Blue, Almost Famous, Bride Wars, How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days, and more. Her mother is Goldie Hawn, and her biological father is Bill Hudson. Based on the post she shared honoring Kurt Russell -- her mother's long-time partner -- on Father's Day in 2022, it seems she has a very close family relationship with him.

(Image credit: 20th Century Fox)

Liza Minnelli

When you think of Hollywood it girls, Liza Minnelli is bound to be one you think of, appearing in such movies as Cabaret, Stepping Out, The Act, and more. An EGOT winner, Minnelli is the daughter of director Vincente Minnelli and Judy Garland, known for her starring role in The Wizard of Oz.

(Image credit: FX)

Domhnall Gleeson

Domhnall Gleeson is primarily known for his roles in the Harry Potter franchise, where he played Bill Weasley, and appeared in Star Wars films and movies like Anna Karenina, Frank, and more. He is the son of Brendan Gleeson, a famous actor who has appeared in movies like 28 Days Later, The Banshees of Inisherin, Gangs of New York, and more.

(Image credit: Vogue)

Kaia Gerber

Kaia Gerber is a well-known young model who has appeared in Fashion Week for the last couple of years. She is the daughter of Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber, two famous models. Arguably, Crawford was one of the most popular models of the 1980s and '90s, and it's fitting that her daughter is turning out to be the same in the 2020s.

(Image credit: HBO)

Maude Apatow

While everyone knows Maude Apatow from the Euphoria cast, as her character in the show, Lexi, is a fan favorite, the actress grew up as the child of Judd Apatow and Leslie Mann. Judd Apatow's best movies that he has directed include Bridesmaids, Trainwreck, and The King of Staten Island, among others. Leslie Mann is a famous actress in films like This Is 40, Knocked Up, Big Daddy, and more.

(Image credit: FX)

Jamie Lee Curtis

Jamie Lee Curtis first appeared in the BC drama Quincy, M.E., and continued to gain popularity over time with her roles in the Halloween franchise and many other films. She is the daughter of Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh, two well-known classic movie actors. Curtis lets their legacy live on now, and even won an Academy Award for her acting in 2023 for Everything Everywhere All At Once.

(Image credit: YouTube)

Hailey Baldwin

Hailey Baldwin is a model who is the daughter of Stephen Baldwin, an actor who has appeared in movies like Bio-Dome, 8 Seconds, and more. She is also the niece of famous actor Alec Baldwin. Her legal last name now is Hailey Bieber, as she is married to well-known singer Justin Bieber, but many remember her as Hailey Baldwin from her earlier years in the industry.

(Image credit: Netflix)

Cazzie David

Cazzie David is a scriptwriter and actor. She appeared in The Umbrella Academy on Netflix and has written TV show scripts for Hannah Montana, Eighty-Sixed, and more. She is the daughter of comedian and actor Larry David and Laurie David.

(Image credit: Apple TV+)

Wyatt Russell

Wyatt Russell has appeared in shows like Black Mirror, Under the Banner of Heaven and more, and also was a part of The Falcon and The Winter Soldier cast. The actor is the son of Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell.

Other celebrities have famous parents out there, but these are just some you might not realize were related to someone famous. And now, I need to figure out who else might be related to someone I never knew about—time to dive into some Hollywood history.

30 Times Celebrities And Their Children Starred In Movies And TV Shows Together

Jason Wiese — Mon, 11 Sep 2023 20:04:22 +0000

I have always appreciated when people follow in the footsteps of their famous parents. In fact, I think it is fun to see actors collaborate with their own children on-screen, of which there are more than enough examples. The following are 30 of our favorite movies and TV shows that proved to be a family affair for the stars involved.

(Image credit: Netflix)

Adam, Jackie, Sadie, And Sunny Sandler (You Are So Not Invited To My Bat Mitzvah)

Not only did producer Adam Sandler star as the father of two girls played by his real daughters, Sadie and Sunny, in the You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah cast in 2023. The Netflix original coming-of-age dramedy also stars the comedian’s wife, Jackie, while Idina Menzel handled the role of Adam’s onscreen spouse.

(Image credit: Netflix)

Andie MacDowell And Margaret Qualley (MAID)

According to MAID developer Molly Smith Metzler, it was actually star Margaret Qualley who brought up the idea of casting her own mother, Andie MacDowell, as her character’s mother. The Golden Globe-nominated Four Weddings and Funeral star plays Paula (a woman with severe bipolar disorder) opposite the Once Upon a Time in Hollywood cast member in the Netflix original miniseries based on Stephanie Land’s memoir.

(Image credit: Disney)

Angelina Jolie And Vivienne Jolie-Pitt (Maleficent)

Vivienne Jolie-Pitt gave her debut (and, so far, sole) onscreen acting performance opposite her mother, Angelina Jolie, in 2014’s Maleficent — a live-action reimagining of Sleeping Beauty from the villain’s perspective. According to Vanity Fair, the then-5-year-old got the part of a younger version of Elle Fanning’s character, Aurora, because other children were too afraid of the Academy Award winner in full makeup and costume in the title role.

(Image credit: Disney)

Ben And Jerry Stiller And Anne Meara (Various)

Ben Stiller shared the screen with both of his late parents, legendary comedy duo Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara, multiple times — the first being the 1989 mockumentary, That’s Adequate, followed by 1991 horror-comedy, Highway to Hell. Ben later played a sadistic fitness guru who purchases a youth weight loss camp from his parents’ characters in Disney’s 1995 summer comedy movie, Heavyweights, before casting them 2001’s Zoolander, with Jerry as Maury Ballstein and Meara cameoing as an egg-throwing protester.

(Image credit: Disney)

Billy Ray, Miley, And Noah Cyrus (Doc, Hannah Montana)

Both Miley Cyrus and her sister, Noah, made their acting debuts on the medical drama, Doc, which was led by their musician father, Billy Ray Cyrus. Years later, the “Achy Breaky Heart” singer took a supporting role on Miley’s smash hit Disney Channel show, Hannah Montana, which Noah would also appear on in various unnamed roles.

(Image credit: Amazon Studios)

Brendan, Domhnall, And Brian Gleeson (Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows, Part 1, Frank Of Ireland)

Brendan Gleeson reprised Mad-Eye Moody in the penultimate installment of the Harry Potter movies, which also starred his son, Domhnall, as Ron Weasley’s older brother, Bill, in 2010. More than a decade later, the Academy Award nominee starred opposite the Star Wars movies actor and his younger son, Brian, in an episode of their Amazon Prime comedy series, Frank of Ireland, as a new boyfriend of the title character’s mother.

(Image credit: Focus Features)

Blythe Danner And Gwyneth Paltrow (Sylvia)

In 2003, Academy Award winner Gwyneth Paltrow played the title role of a biopic about Sylvia Plath. To play the renowned writer and poet’s mother, Aurelia, Paltrow’s real-life mother, Tony and Emmy Award winner Blythe Danner was cast.

(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

Chris, Tristan, And India Hemsworth (Thor: Love And Thunder)

After his older brother, Luke, portrayed his comic book character in a play in Thor: Ragnarok, Chris Hemsworth made 2022’s Thor: Love and Thunder a real family affair. Not only would Luke return, but Chris’s son, Tristan, appeared as the title character’s younger self in a flashback and his daughter, India, played Gorr the God Butcher’s daughter, Love.

(Image credit: Warner Bros.)

Clint And Scott Eastwood (Gran Torino, Trouble With The Curve)

The first time Clint Eastwood acted alongside his son, Scott, was in 2007’s Gran Torino for a scene in which — as the Suicide Squad star claimed to Conan O’Brien — his father threw a few unscripted insults toward his character. Five years later, Scott starred in the baseball movie Trouble with the Curve as a minor leaguer discovered by his father’s character.

(Image credit: CBS)

Damon Wayans And Damon Wayans Jr. (Blankman, My Wife And Kids, Happy Together)

Daman Wayans Jr. debuted as the younger version of his father’s character — aspiring superhero, Kevin — in the funny ‘90s movie Blankman, before landing a recurring role on his sitcom, My Wife and Kids, and later inviting him to play his dad on his own sitcom, Happy Together. In early 2023, Deadline reported that the Wayans are developing a new sitcom that will pair them up as an on-screen father-son duo once again.

(Image credit: Castle Rock / Miramax)

Bruce Willis, Demi Moore, And Rumer Willis (Various)

Rumer Willis’ first two acting gigs were alongside her mother, Demi Moore, as Angela Albertson in the underrated ‘90s movie, Now and Then, and as the daughter of Moore’s character in the classic stripper movie, Striptease. The actor and singer’s next two roles would be alongside her father, Bruce Willis, with an uncredited cameo in the 2000 comedy, The Whole Nine Yards, and as the daughter of Willis’ character in the 2005 thriller, Hostage.

(Image credit: Sony)

Donald And Kiefer Sutherland (A Time To Kill, Forsaken)

The first time Donald and Kiefer Sutherland appeared in a movie together — namely 1996’s A Time to Kill — Donald played a civil rights lawyer and Kiefer played a vicious white supremacist. Nearly two decades later, the father and son played a father and son in a western called Forsaken.

(Image credit: CBC)

Eugene, Dan, And Sarah Levy (Schitt's Creek)

The Schitt’s Creek cast has more than two related actors in it. Eugene Levy and his son, Dan (who also created the hit sitcom together), play Johnny Rose and his son, David, and Dan’s sister, Sarah, also stars as Café Tropical owner, Twyla Sands.

(Image credit: NBC)

George And Mayan Lopez (Lopez Vs. Lopez)

Comedian George Lopez teamed up with his daughter, Mayan, and Debby Wolfe to create the NBC sitcom, Lopez vs. Lopez. The series — which was renewed for a second season, according to Variety — also stars George and Mayan as a father and daughter forced to reconnect after year when they have no choice but to move in together.

(Image credit: Universal)

Henry And Jane Fonda (On Golden Pond)

The 1981 film adaptation of the acclaimed play On Golden Pond was a very special moment in Henry Fonda’s career. In addition to being his final performance, which earned him a Best Actor Oscar, it saw him share the screen with his real-life daughter, Jane, who played his estranged daughter.

(Image credit: Smodcast Pictures)

Johnny And Lily-Rose Depp (Tusk, Yoga Hosers)

A nearly unrecognizable Johnny Depp plays Guy LaPointe in Kevin Smith’s bizarre A24 horror movie, 2014’s Tusk, which also stars his daughter, Lily-Rose, as a convenience store employee. When Smith made a spin-off in 2016 focusing on Lily-Rose and Harley Quinn Smith’s characters called Yoga Hosers, Depp reprised the French-Canadian P.I. as well.

(Image credit: CBS)

Judy Garland And Liza Minnelli (In The Good Old Summertime, The Judy Garland Show)

As The Guardian recalls, the multi-talented Liza Minnelli was just three years old when she made her acting debut with a brief cameo at the end of 1949’s In the Good Old Summertime, alongside her mother — the iconic Judy Garland. The Wizard of Oz star later invited her daughter to perform with her on her variety program, The Judy Garland Show, in the early 1960s.

(Image credit: MGM)

Kirk, Diana, Michael, And Cameron Douglas (It Runs In The Family)

It Runs in the Family, marks a rare instance of a movie starring three generations of an actor family. It stars Kirk Douglas and his former wife, Diana, as the father and mother of a man played by their real son, Academy Award winner Michael Douglas, whose own actual son, Cameron, also stars as his eldest son in the 2003 dramedy.

(Image credit: Universal)

Leslie Mann And Iris and Maude Apatow (Knocked Up, This Is 40)

Leslie Mann’s character in 2007’s Knocked Up and its 2012 quasi-sequel, This is 40, is married to writer/director Judd Apatow in real life. Their children, Iris and Maude — the latter of which went on to star in the Euphoria cast as Lex Howard -- appear in both This is 40 and Knocked Up with Leslie Mann.

(Image credit: Twentieth Century Studios)

Martin And Charlie Sheen And Emilio Estevez (Various)

Charlie Sheen and Emilio Estevez are celebrity siblings who have acted together multiple times, including once with their father, Martin Sheen, with small roles in Badlands. However, every other time the actors appeared alongside Martin was individually — with Charlie in Wall Street, Cadence, and Hot Shots, most notably, and with Estevez in In the Custody of Strangers and The Way.

(Image credit: TriStar)

Meryl Streep And Mamie Gummer (Heartburn, Evening, Ricki And The Flash)

When speaking to Jimmy Fallon, Mamie Gummer looked back on her acting debut as a toddler in the 1986 dramedy Heartburn, which was led by her mother, Academy Award winner Meryl Streep. More than twenty years later, Gummer played her mother’s younger self in the 2007 romantic drama, Evening, before playing her estranged daughter in 2015’s Ricki and the Flash.

(Image credit: Netflix)

Ralph And Julia Macchio (Cobra Kai)

Ralph Macchio’s daughter, Julia, has made a name for herself as an actor in movies like Girl Most Likely and shows like Showtime’s City on a Hill. She would share the screen with her father on a couple episodes of Netflix’s Karate Kid sequel series, Cobra Kai, as Daniel LaRusso’s cousin, Vanessa — a young, but highly skilled, child psychology grad student.

(Image credit: Paramount Pictures)

Ryan And Tatum O’Neal (Paper Moon)

According to Collider, the record for youngest Oscar winner is still held by Tatum O’Neal for her performance in 1973’s Paper Moon. Her character in the crime dramedy directed by the late Peter Bogdanovich is a precocious, Depression-era orphan who teams up with a con artist who could be her father, played the actor’s actual father, Ryan O’Neal.

(Image credit: Lionsgate)

Robin And Zelda Williams (In Search Of Dr. Seuss, Nine Months, House Of D)

Zelda Williams had her first taste of show business with her father -- Academy Award winner Robin Williams -- right beside her in the 1994 TV movie In Search of Dr. Seuss and the following year with her small role in the Hugh Grant-led rom-com, Nine Months. Her first starring role in a theatrically released film was in 2004’s House of D, which also marked the third and final time she acted alongside her late father.

(Image credit: MGM)

Sean And Dylan Penn (Flag Day)

Sean Penn and Robin Wright’s daughter, Dylan Penn, got her start as a model before she took up acting. Her biggest role to date was as the unwitting daughter of a criminal played by Sean in 2021’s Flag Day, which the two-time Academy Award winner also directed.

(Image credit: MGM)

Sylvester And Sage Stallone (Rocky V, Daylight)

In the Rocky movies’ fifth installment, Rocky Jr. was the debut role of star and director Sylvester Stallone’s real-life son, Sage, who would later appear with his dad in the ‘90s action movie, Daylight. Sage went on to become the founder of Grindhouse Releasing — which prevented him from reprising his Rocky V role in Rocky Balboa — and, according to CNN, sadly passed away at 36 in 2012.

(Image credit: Warner Bros.)

Thandiwe Newton And Nico Parker (Reminiscence)

Nico Parker — known for Disney’s live-action Dumbo remake and HBO’s The Last of Us cast — is the youngest daughter of actor Thandiwe Newton and filmmaker Ol Parker. However, in the 2021 futuristic noir, Reminiscence, she appeared alongside the Westworld star as a grandmother and granddaughter.

(Image credit: Bristol Bay Productions)

Tom, Colin, Elizabeth, Chet, And Truman Hanks (Various)

Tom Hanks has shared the screen with all four of his children. He cast Colin Hanks in a small role in That Thing You Do! before appearing alongside him again in 2008’s The Great Buck Howard. Elizabeth Hanks was also in That Thing You Do!, but debuted in Forrest Gump. Chet Hanks has been in Larry Crowne and Greyhound and Truman Hanks normally does technical film work, but has appeared in three of his dad’s movies — News of the World, A Man Called Otto, and Wes Anderson’s Asteroid City.

(Image credit: Columbia / Warner Bros.)

Will, Jaden, And Willow Smith (The Pursuit Of Happyness, After Earth, I Am Legend)

Jaden Smith has played his father's onscreen son in two of Will Smith's movies — the first being his debut role in 2006’s The Pursuit of Happyness and the second in the M. Night Shyamalan movie, After Earth. Willow Smith also made her acting debut as her father’s daughter in a heartbreaking flashback sequence from 2007’s I Am Legend.

If you're familiar with some or all of these films, you may agree that much of these parent-child pairings demonstrate the magic that can come from family members working together on screen.

Lily-Rose Depp Spoke Out And Celebrated The Idol As It Wrapped Controversial Season 1 On HBO

mick.joest@CinemaBlend.com (Mick Joest) — Thu, 06 Jul 2023 01:48:34 +0000

The Idol has concluded Season 1 over at HBO, and as many who followed the show's timeline of controversies know, it was a wild ride. Unsurprisingly, star Lily-Rose Depp had some things to say about the show following its first season finale, and it turns out that she was in a celebratory mood following the whiplash-inducing episode.

If Lily-Rose Depp has some negative thoughts about The Idol, she wasn't sharing them in her recent Instagram post. The star had many thanks to give to many people and really let the love flow in her caption tied to photos from the set:

That’s a wrap on season 1 of @theidol 🩰 Thank you all for watching, listening, laughing & crying with us. Thank you to everyone-cast, crew, and everyone in between-who poured their hearts into making this show. Thank you Sam and Abel for the wildest, most beautiful journey of my life.& My idol family… I love you guys till the end of time ❤️Idol forever❤️ xoxo Jocelyn

The Idol had a number of critics who came after it for how it over-sexualized Lily-Rose Depp's character Jocelyn and scenes that were extreme in terms of content and nudity, even for HBO. There's no talk of any of that here from Lily-Rose Depp, who even went so far as to call it the "most beautiful journey" of her life.

Lily-Rose Depp's response shouldn't be too surprising, as she's spoken highly of her time on The Idol for a while now. To her credit, CinemaBlend's Nick Venable was a fan of her performance as Jocelyn, and he's not alone in that. It's possible that, regardless of thoughts on the show, this could be seen as another major stepping stone in Depp's career and the start of a promising career in television.

A post shared by Lily-Rose Depp (@lilyrose_depp)
A photo posted by on

Right now, it's up in the air whether or not we'll get more stories with Depp's Jocelyn. The Idol Season 2 has not been greenlit by HBO, and I think it's fair to wonder whether or not the network will renew the series, given the issues that surfaced in making Season 1.

Lily Rose-Depp's co-star Abel Tesfaye, known professionally as "The Weeknd," had his own thoughts to share following The Idol season finale. His post was a little more specific to Depp and seemingly nodded to all the show went through on its way to its HBO debut:

A post shared by Abel Tesfaye (@theweeknd)
A photo posted by on

The Idol fans might find the messaging of the two stars familiar, as it almost feels like I'm watching the finale again with my Max subscription. Both posts exude the same energy as their characters in the show. I'm not sure if that's meta, given the series was alleged to be satire, or if it's just life imitating art. Should Season 2 happen, I would certainly be intrigued to see where things go.

The Idol Season 1 is finished, but it'll live on via on-demand services and on Max. It's a series worth checking out, but readers should be warned it's as divisive as critics and others have billed it. Still, if you're looking for a short summer show that is part of a larger conversation about the lives of artists and the drama tied to the show, this is one to watch.

HBO's The Idol Has Been Heavily Panned, And It Looks Like Some Of Its 5-Star Reviews May Have Even Been Faked

Nick Venable — Mon, 03 Jul 2023 18:01:30 +0000

The Idol is one of those shows whose news-cycle fodder may be remembered stronger and longer than the series itself, with its five-episode first(?) season on HBO wrapping up on July 2 without an abundance of fanfare or revulsion, though perhaps its delayed viewership will react more vibrantly. But it’ll be difficult for post-season conversations to be louder than all the reports, rumors, and critical panning that preceded The Weeknd and Lily-Rose Depp’s big TV collaboration with director and noted “twisted mind”-haver Sam Levinson. Although now such talks might revolve around a new report that puts some of The Idol’s five-star reviews and other positive online reactions under a suspicious light.

I doubt anyone expected The Idol to match up accordingly with FX and Hulu’s The Bear in terms of hitting the 100% Fresh critical ceiling on Rotten Tomatoes, but the budget-stretching drama currently sits at 22% Rotten (from 85 reviews), which itself is a big rise from the initial post-Cannes score of 9%. The audience score is far more positive at 41%, but within that audience pool of reviewers exists a pattern of questionable legitimacy, as pointed out by Rolling Stone.

As it turns out, 491 out of the 500 5-star reviews posted on Rotten Tomatoes for The Idol’s reaction-provoking series premiere were crafted by users who were posting their very first reviews ever (at least under those names) on the site. While that certainly isn’t inarguable proof of wrongdoing or coerced promotion, and it’s theoretically possible for 98% of a TV show’s audience score to come directly from first-timers, it’s certainly not the most common occurrence. (Rolling Stone also notes that a similar look at The Last of Us’ reviewer standings doesn’t isn’t comparable by way of new users.)

Things have also looked more than a little sketchy on IMDb, where The Idol boasts over 31,000 10-star ratings. Half of those takes apparently come straight from users located in India, and out of a small sampling of those reviews, several were flagged by an A.I. content detector, while another categorized the show as a film. One can assume those stats would only grow more questionable if more of the positive reviews were studied further.

(Image credit: HBO)

I Think HBO's The Idol Could Have Been Great, Here's Why

Again, it’s within the realm of possibility that The Weeknd’s hyper-promotion of The Idol via his hugely popular social media channels engaged a large number of Indian viewers to watch the premiere, and for a ton of those people to love the show enough to hop onto IMDb to rate it. But again, not the most common way for things to go, especially not for a project that has been widely considered to be supercharged meh-ness.

Ahead of The Idol’s debut, the show was derided by many for Euphoria’s Sam Levinson choosing to refilm the entire shebang and take the story in a different direction following the sudden exit of original director Amy Seimetz, who’d already filmed a ton of footage by that point. Quite a few members of the crew who worked on the HBO series were among those who spoke of it with ill will, saying that Levinson and Tesfaye leaned heavily on gratuitous sex scenes and plotting and pushing back on the cult elements that would have added to Jocelyn’s story arc. Lily-Rose Depp also made things sound a bit feral around the set when talking about filming the second time around, though she didn’t get nearly as critical as the show’s staff.

One member from the production crew told Rolling Stone that the premiere was worse than they’d even expected. The worst thing, to them, was knowing how “nuanced and natural” the lead characters were in the original iteration, and then seeing what actually played out on screen, saying it was like “watching a jumbled analog of the show’s own SNL parody.” That parody included Chloe Fineman’s backwards-bra-wearing spoof of Depp’s character, which the actress responded to.

Making the initial bursts of 5-star and 10-star reviews all the more questionable, in the end, is the show’s viewership dropping off quite quickly after the premiere was touted as getting more online attention than The Last of Us’ debut. Perhaps the numbers for the season finale, “Jocelyn Forever,” will tell a different story, but chance are solid that they’ll be even lower than the 133,000 linear TV viewers that watched Episodes. 3 and 4 on the night.

For those who do want to catch up on all the music industry mayhem, all it takes to watch The Idol in its entirety is a Max subscription.

SNL Star Chloe Fineman Wore A Backwards Bra In Outrageous Spoof Of The Idol, And Lily-Rose Depp Responded

Riley Utley — Fri, 09 Jun 2023 16:43:35 +0000

If an actor or public figure makes waves, there's a high probability that they’re going to get impersonated on Saturday Night Live. However, since SNL’s run on the 2023 TV schedule was stopped due to the WGA strike, and their season has come to an end, one of its stars, Chloe Fineman, took it upon herself to comedically cover The Idol, which is one of the more controversial dramas on TV right now. As the comedian posted a hilarious video in a backward bra impersonating the show's star Lily-Rose Depp in an outrageous manner, the actress behind Jocelyn took to the comments to respond.

The series follows Depp as she gets involved with a sex cult leader played by Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye while trying to make it as a singer. Considering all the changes and reported issues around The Idol, plus its graphic depictions of nudity, sex and drug use, it’s been met with lots of different reactions that range from hatred to appreciation for Depp's performance.

As reviews of The Idol came out David Fear from Rolling Stone noted that he felt like he was “actually watching this satire (?) on the seven circles of showbiz hell.” Our own Nick Venable shared his thoughts on The Idol saying he couldn’t tell if this series knew what satire was. Well, SNL’s Chloe Fineman decided to completely parody the HBO drama by posting this hilarious video on Instagram:

A post shared by Chloe Fineman (@chloeiscrazy)
A photo posted by on

(Image credit: NBC and HBO)

As you can, Fineman really committed to the bit as she impersonated Depp’s Jocelyn as she tried to make it as a pop star. However, instead of new music she’s signing throwback hits like “Pocketful of Sunshine” and Cher’s “Believe.” And while talking about how music doesn’t have a gender she’s smoking not one, not two, but four cigarettes. On top of all that she’s also wearing a backward bra rather than fancy lingerie. Overall, it was outrageous and hilarious. '

Following Fineman’s video, the star herself, Lily-Rose Depp responded, writing:

I’m loling 🤣🤣🤣🤣 ….. and ur makeup looks bomb

She’s right, the SNL star’s makeup does look bomb, that winged liner is amazing and the smoky eye is to die for. Also, her outfits were on point, even though one of them was a backward bra, they really aren’t far off from the outfits Depp wears in the HBO drama.

Tons of folks took to the comments to show their love for Fineman’s impression, and point out the funniest parts of the video. This included Chrissy Teigen, who also got a kick out of the comedian's outfits that were honestly fire as she wrote:

The bra lolllll

Among the comments, Depp wasn’t the only actor from The Idol cast who saw the post, as Moses Sumney, who plays Izaak, wrote:

Amazing beautiful timeless … just needs more cigarettes

Overall, it seems like there’s a lot of love for Chloe Fineman’s impression. I also think it’s safe to say she can add Lily-Rose Depp to her long list of A+ impressions she could do on a future episode of Saturday Night Live. To see what inspired this Instagram sketch, you can stream The Idol with a Max subscription, and you can check out all the impressions Fineman has done in the past by watching SNL with a Peacock subscription.

I Watched HBO’s The Idol Premiere, And Definitely Had Thoughts About Lily-Rose Depp’s New Drama

Nick Venable — Mon, 05 Jun 2023 15:16:12 +0000

Spoilers below for anyone who hasn’t yet watched the series premiere for HBO’s The Idol, so be warned!

With only a week having passed since viewers said farewell to a pair of HBO’s critically acclaimed original series through Barry and Succession’s final episodes, the cable network unleashed its latest headline-maker, The Idol, onto audiences to kick the summer off with glitz, quasi-glamour, and enough sleazeball energy to fill a backyard swimming pool. Co-created by Euphoria’s Sam Levinson, Reza Fahim, and co-lead Abel "The Weeknd" Tesfaye, the drama is a vaguely heightened take on pop stardom and the music industry, as anchored by Lily-Rose Depp’s emotionally off-centered attention-magnet Jocelyn, who becomes enamored by Tesfaye’s self-made cult guru Tedros.

Beyond The Idol’s stacked cast, the new series made pre-premiere waves for a host of behind-the-scenes issues. One was the creative overhaul that happened after the original director Amy Seimetz (The Girlfriend Experience) left the show, with her 80%-finished work being ditched in favor of Levinson’s vision, creating a lot of additional work for various crew members. Other reported issues involved the hyper-sexualized subject matter creating discomfort, and so on. And now it’s no longer just hype, as The Idol has premiered on HBO (and for those with Max subscriptions), so let’s get into some of the thoughts this series provoked from yours truly.

1. Lily-Rose Depp Is Solid Enough That I Almost Empathize With Her As Much As I Do With Jocelyn

Like, I’m aware that Depp has spoken very highly of her experience working on The Idol, and that she isn’t the inspiration for the character’s mental health issues or her self-destructive impulses. And by all means, the life that Jocelyn is living is a bazillion times more lavish and enviable than my own humble situation, but the entire episode is draped with this cautionary-tale cloak that makes it harder for me to separate life from fiction, and I just feel sorry for everyone in this slimy predicament. Which I guess is a credit to Sam Levinson, but I’m not sure how positive the vibe should be when it’s presented.

2. So Much Smoking, Sort Of

One can always count on HBO shows to appear as if they have their own special budget just for cigarettes, and The Idol is no different. At least when it comes to Depp’s Jocelyn, who gives the characters played by the actress’ father Johnny Depp a run for their money, as she seemingly lights up at least once in every scene she’s in, regardless of the setting. But then she may be the only main character who smokes, which is itself kind of an odd choice. Pretty sure someone should be putting the kibosh on all that, though, considering they’re all in album-making mode.

3. Gawdamn, I Love Jocelyn’s Bigass Glass Door

Jocelyn’s house in The Idol is in real-life the home of The Weeknd himself, so I’m actually super-effing-jealous of the singer-songwriter for having that bigass glass door that would be perfectly suited for the front of a high-end department store.

4. I Can’t Tell If This Show Knows What Satire Is

I dunno what to think when The Idol takes a judgmental dump on safety-minded nudity clauses and hypes up the sexiness of mental illness imagery. Because there’s no satire-friendly comeuppance (at least so far) for Jocelyn’s inner circle, it’s not entirely clear what the intention is.

5. Thank Goodness They Only Showed THE Picture Once

Honestly, I’m kind of shocked that the episode didn’t end with Jocelyn’s cum-face picture being painted as a giant mantle-topping portrait, given how much verbal attention it received — the “twitter’s calling her a cumsock”-ness of it all — on top of the few seconds it was actually shown. But I’m absolutely happy that it didn’t end with that portrait’s existence.

6. Why Is Hank Azaria Doing A Voice?

I love Hank Azaria, and I’m all about his character breaking out and becoming the true hero of this show, which obviously isn’t going to happen. But I’m not sure we needed to see/hear him delivering a Simpsons-ready voice for the role. I guess I hope it pays off in some way, but I kinda just wish it wasn’t a thing. “What do they call it? The bugooki? The bunooki? The banocki?” Eesh.

(Image credit: HBO)

7. How Does Tedros Have That Hair Without Knowing It’s Called A Rat Tail?

Maybe this was viewers’ first major sign that Tedros is a shallow dork, and not the amorous and powerful cult leader he projects himself to be. Has there ever been a fully grown adult who rocked a mohawk and was later surprised when someone told them it was a mohawk?

8. It’s Hard To Know Whether Viewers Are Supposed To Actually Like Jocelyn’s Music

The Idol obviously hypes up everything that’s seen and heard in the episode, as it goes with most TV shows. But unlike most shows, the music that recurs throughout was canonically created by the main character, who herself thinks it’s not that great, and doesn’t believe anyone else’s not-entirely-convincing attempts to tell her it’s a great song. So like…who is this song for? I’d think the same to a lesser extent about the dancing and choreography, but those elements seemed to inspire only genuine compliments.

9. First-Episode Masturbation Scenes Probably Aren’t Ever Necessary, Even If The Show Was Called “Only Masturbation Time”

I’m sure it was integral to the plot.

10. Chekov’s Basic Instinct Clip

Considering The Idol had already gone above and beyond all of Basic Instinct’s sexually charged moments by the time Jocelyn and her bestie assistant Leia were shown to be watching the movie, it would seemingly be safe to assume that the clip is indeed foreshadowing a murder (dun-dun-dunnnn) coming somewhere down the line. The second somebody talks about ice sculptures being brought in for a party or even, keep an eye on those ice picks.

11. I Never Want To Be My Super-Famous BFF’s Assistant

Leia’s life surely has all kinds of positives, but being completely responsible for a dismissive bestie sounds like hell in any capacity, much less with fame added into the mix. But then my BFFs wouldn’t do any of this kind of shit, so it wouldn’t be as bad. It would still be annoying though, especially on cum-picture day.

12. Eli Roth Is Great At Playing An Annoying Shitbird

I hope we get a scene where Eli Roth's Andrew Finkelstein gets into a confrontation with Andy Cohen, and they just get louder and louder to the point where the sound barrier melts. Also, someone not having their ID on them doesn't feel like a real plot detail in 2023.

(Image credit: HBO)

13. Not A Whole Lot Actually Happened

While I can appreciate that The Idol didn’t sport an extended runtime with its premiere episode as it goes with some HBO series, not very much actually took place in the 50 or so minutes that were on display. Jocelyn took some pics, talked to a Vanity Fair writer, looked for her phone, smoked a bunch, met Tedros at a club, and then met up with him again. Sprinkle in some light exposition about Jocelyn’s mom and the pop star’s mental issues, and that’s about it. To say nothing of the direction choices, the story felt more like an ep’s first act than a first ep itself.

By and large, I think I had more fun thinking about The Idol than I did actually watching and experiencing it for its narrative values. Which, to be fair, is more than I can say for at least 50% of what's airing on TV at any given moment, so that's some kind of a win. And I'll no doubt keep watching for the remainder of the first season to see just how awkward things will get, as well as to see how many other pop stars' real-life issues get flippantly referenced.

The Idol Cast: Where You've Seen The Actors From The HBO Drama Series Before

Philip Sledge — Mon, 05 Jun 2023 00:04:29 +0000

After what seems like years of headlines, revealing and expansive profiles about the ups and downs of the show’s production, and major on-set shakeups, HBO’s highly-anticipated The Idol has finally premiered. The new drama series tells a story of fame, excess, and identity with its saga about Lily-Rose Depp’s aspiring pop star and her complicated relationship with a self-help guru played by Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye, who also co-created the new series.

So, if you watched the show as it debuted, or plan on catching it later with your Max subscription, there’s a good chance you’re wondering where you’ve seen The Idol cast before. Well, we’re about to break down all the major players in this much talked about new arrival.

(Image credit: HBO)

Lily-Rose Depp (Jocelyn)

Lily-Rose Depp sits atop The Idol cast as Jocelyn, an up-and-coming pop star whose rise in fame and popularity is at the center of the show’s complex narrative.

The daughter of Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis, the young actress and model makes her TV debut with The Idol, though she has appeared in several high-profile film projects over the past few years. This includes roles in The Dancer, The King, Voyagers, and Silent Night.

(Image credit: HBO)

Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye (Tedros)

Abel Tesfaye, better known by his stage name, The Weeknd, co-leads The Idol cast as Tedros, a self-help guru who acts more like a cult leader than anything else.

Outside of his successful music career, which has led to the “Blinding Lights” singer performing at the Super Bowl, Coachella, and some of the biggest stadiums around the world, Tesfay has also made several film and TV appearances. This most notably includes a brief yet unforgettable cameo in Uncut Gems.

(Image credit: HBO)

Troye Sivan (Xander)

Next up is Troye Sivan, who appears as Xander, Jocelyn’s creative director and confidante.

If you recently watched X-Men Origins: Wolverine, then you’ll most likely recognize Sivan from his portrayal of a young James Howlet, a.k.a., Logan, from the 2009 Marvel movie. Since then, the singer and actor has appeared in movies like Boy Erased and Three Months. He has also made small-screen appearances on shows like Saturday Night Live, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, and multiple others.

(Image credit: HBO)

Da’Vine Joy Randolph

Da’Vine Joy Randolph appears as Destiny, one of Jocelyn’s managers.

There are plenty of reasons why Randolph looks so familiar, and that’s because she’s appeared in movies like Dolemite Is My Name, The United States vs. Billie Holiday, The Lost City, and On the Come Up, to name a few. Her TV credits include turns on This Is Us, Empire, High Fidelity, People of Earth, Madagascar: A Little Wild, and most recently, Only Murders in the Building, in which she plays Detective Williams.

(Image credit: HBO)

Jennie Ruby Jane (Dyanne)

Jennie Ruby Jane stars as Dyanne, one of Jocelyn’s backup dancers who joins her on her rise to fame.

If you’re a fan of K-pop, you should be awfully familiar with Jane, as she is a member of the incredibly successful girl group Blackpink, in which she performs mononymously as Jennie. And, though she appeared on the 2018 Korean reality program Village Survival, the Eight, Jane is making her acting debut with her performance on The Idol.

(Image credit: HBO)

Suzanna Son (Chloe)

Suzanna Son shows up on The Idol as Chloe, one of Tedros’ many followers in the Los Angeles area.

Prior to joining The Idol cast, Son made a name for herself in the 2021 indie film, Red Rocket.

(Image credit: HBO)

Moses Sumney (Izaak)

Moses Sumney takes on the role of Izaak, another one of Tedros’ followers.

Like several other members of the show’s cast, The Idol is Sumney’s first acting gig. However, he’s had a rather successful music career the past decade, releasing multiple studio albums and making appearances with the likes of Tessa Thompson, Andrew Bird, Bon Iver, and Beck, to name a few.

(Image credit: HBO)

Jane Adams (Nikki)

Jane Adams portrays Nikki, an executive at Jocelyn’s record label.

One of the most established stars in the cast, Adams has made dozens of film and TV appearances throughout her career, including Happiness, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events, Hung, Easy, and most recently, the Max original series, Hacks. Fans of You’ve Got Mail will also probably recognize Adams from her small part as Sydney Anne, the talk show host who flirts with Greg Kinnear’s character.

(Image credit: HBO)

Hank Azaria (Chaim)

Hank Azaria pops up as Chaim, another one of Jocelyn’s managers.

Probably best known for voicing countless iconic characters on The Simpsons, Azaria has also had a legendary career in a live-action capacity, as well. Over the years, he’s appeared in movies like Grosse Pointe Blank, The Birdcage, Heat, Mystery Men, Year One, and multiple others. His TV work is just as impressive with shows like Mad About You, Huff, Ray Donovan, Life & Beth, and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel under his belt.

(Image credit: HBO)

Hari Nef (Talia)

Hari Nef plays Talia, a reporter covering Jocelyn’s story.

Prior to landing a role on the new HBO show, Nef made a name for herself on the Amazon original series, Transparent, which she followed up with roles on You, Camping, And Just Like That…, and most recently, Extrapolations. Nef is also set to appear in the upcoming Barbie movie.

(Image credit: HBO)

Rachel Sennott (Leia)

Next up is Rachel Sennott, who takes on the role of Leia, Jocelyn’s best friend and trusty assistant.

Since giving her breakout performance in the 2020 dramedy, Shiva Baby, Sennott has continued to rise through the ranks of young Hollywood. In recent years, she’s appeared in everything from movies like Bodies Bodies Bodies and shows like Call Your Mother, with more on the way.

(Image credit: HBO)

Dan Levy

Multi-Primetime Emmy Award winner Dan Levy also appears on the series. The son of Canadian comedy legend Eugene Levy is best known for his turn as David Rose on Schitt’s Creek, though he does have numerous other credits to his name. Movies like Happiest Season, Admission, and Stage Fright have all given Levy time to show his comedy chops. He’s also slated to be in the upcoming Haunted Mansion movie later this summer.

(Image credit: HBO)

Eli Roth

Horror director Eli Roth also appears, in his latest in a long line of acting gigs. In addition to directing movies like Cabin Fever, Hostel, Knock Knock, and The Green Inferno, Roth has shown off his acting chops in everything from Inglorious Basterds to The House with a Clock in Its Walls.

(Image credit: HBO)

Ramsey

Ramsey joins the long list of The Idol cast members making their acting debut on the new show, as all of her work prior to the series’ debut has been in the world of music. Her track “Love Surrounds You” appeared during the first season of Euphoria.

(Image credit: HBO)

Mike Dean

And then there is record producer Mike Dean, who makes his acting debut on The Idol. Prior to joining the show’s expansive cast, he made a name for himself working on seminal hip hop albums like Kayne West’s The College Dropout, Kid Cudi’s Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager, and Jay-Z and Kanye West’s Watch the Throne. He’s also worked on Beyoncé’s Lemonade, Frank Ocean’s Blonde, and countless others.

Critics Have Strong Opinions About Lily-Rose Depp And The Weeknd’s Controversial The Idol

Well, that about wraps up the major players in The Idol cast. New episodes air Sunday nights on HBO and streaming on Max. If you want to know about the other great shows coming out in the next few months, check out our 2023 TV schedule.

Stream The Idol on Max.

Lily-Rose Depp Comments On The Viral Report About The Idol Being A Toxic Set Ahead Of Its HBO Premiere

Caroline Young — Sun, 04 Jun 2023 20:30:35 +0000

HBO's Sunday night timeslot remains one of the most popular blocks across TV. A week after airing the finales of Succession and Barry, Sam Levinson’s The Idol is set to take over. While many are excited to see Levinson’s next series following the success of Euphoria, the show has been marked by various issues, including reports of a toxic set culture. In addition, the content has also been deemed exploitative. Now, the star of the show, Lily-Rose Depp, is sharing more comments on the allegations ahead of the show’s premiere.

Lily-Rose Depp has defended the show amid the press cycle. Thus far, she's had positive things to say about her experience working with Sam Levinson and The Weeknd, who stars alongside her on the show. The singer, who’s real name is Abel Tesfaye, also acts as a producer. While she is seemingly comfortable with the polarizing content, in a new interview with EW, the actress shared some honest thoughts on Tesfaye's work as well as how others conducted themselves on set:

I don't think anybody went full method — nobody lost their minds. Well, 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.'

While she's remaining coy about the full extent of the performer’s on-set behavior, assumed crew members have been more open. By April 2022, the HBO show apparently underwent a major overhaul, which saw the original story get changed. As a result, Amy Seimetz, who was originally set to direct, left the project over reported creative differences. Abel Tesfaye has been named as one of the reasons for the series’ change in direction. Earlier this year, the aforementioned report dropped and claimed that the crew was furious over the increase in sex and nudity, as it was a heavy departure from what was originally being planned.

Nevertheless, Abel Tesfaye, Lily-Rose Depp and Sam Levinson all seem to be standing by the HBO series and believe they communicated their vision accordingly. The show premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, though the resulting buzz didn't appear to do much to subdue the controversies. Idol reviews out of the festival were mostly negative, with many critics viewing the drama series as more of a promotion of the music industry rather than a critique of it. Much of the sex and nudity has been considered gratuitous rather than artistic as well.

Sam Levinson is no stranger to controversy when it comes to his work. Euphoria has faced criticism for its perceived sexualization of high school students, and parents of teenagers have expressed outrage over the heavy nudity. The show has also been slammed by anti-drug initiatives for its depiction of juvenile substance use. Still, none of that has prevented the series from becoming a commercial and awards darling -- and arguably one of HBO’s most popular series ever. So while The Idol may be getting slammed for its alleged workplace environment and more, there's still a possibility that Lily-Rose Depp and her colleagues could end up producing a hit show.

The Idol premieres on HBO tonight, June 4 at 9:00pm ET and will also be available for Max subscribers to stream. For more information on other series headed to streaming later this year, make sure to consult our 2023 TV schedule.

Lily-Rose Depp Reacts To Johnny Depp’s Post-Trial Movie Getting A Standing Ovation At Cannes

Dirk Libbey — Tue, 30 May 2023 14:14:21 +0000

After spending the last couple of years in courtrooms more than he was in front of movie cameras, Johnny Depp has begun his “comeback project, and based on the response, he’s off to a pretty good start. His new film Jeanne du Berry premiered this month at the Cannes Film Festival and received a standing ovation. Clearly a lot of people are impressed but one person is pleased to see Depp doing well, his daughter, actress Lily-Rose Depp.

Johnny Depp's daughter was also at the Cannes Film Festival where the first few episodes of her new HBO drama The Idol premiered and made a splash. ET Canada spoke with the actress and said she’s very happy to see people embracing her father’s work, and they were both at Cannes to celebrate work they were proud of. Lily-Rose Depp said…

I’m super happy for him. I’m super excited. And it’s so awesome that we get to do projects that we’re super proud of.

Jeanne du Berry sees Depp play King Louis XV and the film is about Jeanne Bécu, played by Maïwenn, who became mistress to the king. The film received a seven-minute standing ovation at Cannes, which is solid. It was two minutes longer than the standing ovation given to Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.

Lily-Rose Depp received a standing ovation of her own after The Idol premiered at Cannes, the length of which was not recorded. She says this was the first time she had watched the show with an audience, so it was nice to see how people reacted. It’s unclear if the father and daughter were able to actually celebrate their successes together. The early reviews of The Idol are mixed. While it's difficult to judge the show as a whole after only seeing the first couple of episodes, not everybody is in love with what those episodes include.

The film marks the first major screen role for Johnny Depp since, what appears to be, the end of his ongoing legal battles involving ex-wife Amber Heard. Depp lost a libel lawsuit he brought against a UK newspaper that called him a wife-beater. He then won a defamation lawsuit he brought against Heard. Plans to appeal the verdict were dropped by both sides after a settlement arrangement was reached.

Time will tell just what the future of Johnny Depp’s career will look like. Jeanne du Berry may have been a hit at Cannes but that’s never a guarantee that the movie will succeed with a wide audience. For what’s worth Depp has said that he doesn’t “feel much further need for Hollywood,” indicating that he may not be looking for a wider comeback and could simply be happy making smaller movies going forward.

The Idol Reviews Are Here, And Critics Have Strong Opinions About Lily-Rose Depp And The Weeknd’s Controversial HBO Drama

Heidi Venable — Wed, 24 May 2023 12:04:08 +0000

Sam Levinson is known for pushing the boundaries with his graphic depictions of sex, nudity and drug use on the popular drama Euphoria, so it’s no surprise that his newest project — the upcoming HBO series The Idol — is already stirring up controversy due to its explicit content. The director took over the project when it was almost finished, scrapping most of it and shifting the script’s narrative into what crew members have called “torture porn.” The reviews are in, after the first two episodes were screened at Cannes Film Festival, so let’s see what they think after all the changes to the series and reported issues.

The Idol stars Lily-Rose Depp as aspiring pop star Jocelyn and Abel Tesfaye (aka The Weeknd, who also co-created the series) as the sex cult leader she becomes involved with. Depp seemed to be having the best time with her colleagues at the premiere in France, and Deadline reports the show got a 5-minute standing ovation from the Cannes crowd, but what do the critics have to say?

Richard Lawson of Vanity Fair says while the show seems to take itself pretty seriously — and is certainly going for a shock factor — the stakes don’t seem that high after the first two episodes, with some of the dialogue coming off as awkward and prosaic. The critic continues:

Levinson’s whole deal is not for everyone—and often not for me—but The Idol offers up enough regular old entertainment to balance out his aggressive flourish and the bluster of his thematic ambitions. Just don’t approach the first two episodes with any notion that you are about to see something startling and transgressive. Maybe that stuff is coming in later episodes, but thus far, The Idol is way too Top 40 to rattle the squares.

Damon Wise of Deadline isn’t sure exactly where the series is headed after the first two episodes — probably somewhere nasty — but Lily-Rose Depp is “riveting,” Wise writes:

Until we know more, it’s hard to make value judgments about morality and ethics, or, more substantively, the arguments about the male gaze and female body rights that are coming in the water like a stealth torpedo. However it turns out, Depp is quite rivetingly game with, to put it mildly, a highly sexualized performance that also is grounded and often vulnerable, discomfitingly addressing the fine lines between porn and art, power and exploitation that have faced young women in the music industry for years.

Douglas Greenwood of Vogue agrees that Lily-Rose Depp is excellent in a performance that requires a lot, physically and emotionally, and says the series will likely be polarizing in the same way as Euphoria. From the review:

Whether The Idol will go down in history as a misfire of high-budget misogyny or a telling depiction of the terrifying trappings of fame will likely depend on who you talk to. The same audiences that fell hard for Euphoria—another show about the terrors of being young—will likely do the same for this one. It is buzzy, brazen television that will do exactly what it set out to do: get people talking.

David Fear of Rolling Stone argues that The Idol is way worse than the buzz that has preceded it, as Sam Levinson mistakes toxicity for complexity and crude caricatures for sharp satire. He continues:

While it’s tempting to say that everything you’ve heard about it is true, that may be soft-selling how skin-crawling the experience of actually watching this satire (?) on the seven circles of showbiz hell is. The double-dose the festival screened felt nasty, brutish, much longer than it is, and way, way worse than you’d have anticipated.

Lovia Gyarkye of THR is not the only critic to say that there’s nothing erotic about Lily-Rose Depp and The Weeknd’s sex scenes, and the critic says The Idol is frustrating in that it shows glimpses of potential when it’s not trying so hard to be shocking. More from the review:

Levinson applies his efficient and stylish direction to every scene. Some of them have momentum, others are contradictory and most of them are confusing. It makes you wonder if in trying so hard to be transgressive, the show ultimately becomes regressive. Jocelyn asserts her agency in the first ten minutes, only to relinquish it at every conceivable moment. Rarely does a scene go by without the camera showing flashes of her breasts or ass. You start to wonder if this is building to anything, and by episode two it seems likely that it’s probably not.

Caspar Salmon of the Daily Beast says The Idol is straight-up “bad,” questioning why The Weeknd’s character is not objectified in the same way as Lily-Rose Depp’s. The critic accuses Sam Levinson’s series of giving a “self-excusing presentation of rape culture," continuing:

There would be no problem in playing with sexual ambiguity (and clearly this character is presented as being sleazy and domineering, seeking to exert power over Jocelyn not just in the bedroom). But taken together with the show’s misogyny and endlessly patriarchal outlook, it plays as a pretty wobbly endorsement of nefarious behavior. Being attracted to violence and to power-play as a sexual turn-on is not unusual, but there is a horrible blurring of lines here, which frames queasy sexual behavior as the highest of turn-ons.

It sounds like Sam Levinson delivers as promised on shock value with The Idol, but how much the rest of the series comes together — and how problematic viewers find it — remains to be seen. The show will premiere at 9 p.m. ET Sunday, June 4, and can be streamed with an HBO Max subscription (now just called Max).

Like Her Dad Johnny, Lily-Rose Depp Also Had A Premiere At Cannes And Seemed To Be Having The Best Time

Heidi Venable — Tue, 23 May 2023 15:40:38 +0000

The crowd at Cannes Film Festival was pleased to see Johnny Depp make his return to acting, giving the actor a 7-minute standing ovation following the premiere of Jeanne du Barry. Some saw it as a controversial choice to have his first post-trial film open the festival, but he wasn’t the only member of his family stirring things up in France. His daughter Lily-Rose Depp was there promoting her own polarizing project in HBO’s upcoming series The Idol. If she was feeling the heat of any of the drama surrounding The Idol, you certainly couldn’t tell, because she seemed to be having the best time.

Lily-Rose Depp walked the red carpet at The Idol’s premiere May 22 with co-creators Sam Levinson (of Euphoria fame), The Weeknd (real name Abel Tesfaye) and Reza Fahim. The quartet looked thick as thieves as they stood for pictures at a photocall beforehand:

(Image credit: Photo by Daniele Venturelli/WireImage)

Big smiles were plastered on their faces, as Lily-Rose Depp wore a plunging black minidress that was complemented by her co-star’s all-black ensemble. Director Sam Levinson — who is already a controversial figure for Euphoria’s graphic content, including explicit sex scenes involving teenage characters — has received a ton of criticism from The Idol's crew members, who were allegedly furious about the increased raunchiness that was added to the series when he took over.

Sam Levinson inherited The Idol from Amy Seimetz, who had reportedly filmed all but a fifth of the series before she exited the project. The director chose to scrap the majority of that, shifting the narrative and ramping up the depravity of its characters with scenes that had crew members comparing it to “rape fantasy” and “torture porn.”

Lily-Rose Depp defended Sam Levinson amid the controversy, calling him the best director she’d ever worked for and saying she’d never felt “more supported or respected in a creative space.” That certainly seemed to come through at the photo op, as the actress seemed joined at the hip to the co-creators:

(Image credit: Photo by Daniele Venturelli/WireImage)

In The Idol, Lily-Rose Depp plays aspiring pop star Jocelyn, who — after suffering a nervous breakdown — becomes involved with The Weeknd’s self-help guru Tedros, who’s also the leader of a secret sex cult that mirrors the NXIVM scandal. The Weeknd reportedly thought the original script had too much of the female perspective, resulting in the controversial changes.

As far as appearing at Cannes with her father, it wasn’t just the controversy surrounding Johnny Depp’s film and Lily-Rose Depp’s series that they had in common. Just as the actor received several minutes of applause from the festival crowd, The Idol garnered a 5-minute standing ovation following its screening.

Audiences will have a chance to check out the scandalous series soon, as The Idol will make its debut at 9 p.m. ET Sunday, June 4, on HBO, and will also be available to stream with an HBO Max subscription (now branded as Max). Be sure to check out our 2023 TV schedule to see what other premieres are coming to TV and streaming soon.

Saved By The Bell's Elizabeth Berkley On Joining Lily-Rose Depp's New HBO Show And Wanting To Reteam With Mark-Paul Gosseallar

Nick Venable — Wed, 22 Mar 2023 22:45:21 +0000

One of the biggest joys for yours truly at the latest ‘90s Con in Hartford, CT was the panel lovingly focused on Saved by the Bell, with Elizabeth Berkley, Mark-Paul Gosselaar and Mario Lopez as the stellar trio of guests. And while much of the panel (and the event at large) was dedicated to looking back at the decade in question, the SBTB squad took a few minutes to talk about their current and future projects. Which sadly don’t include Season 3 of the superb Saved by the Bell revival, which was maddeningly canceled last year by Peacock.

Up next for Elizabeth Berkley is the HBO drama The Idol which has already made the controversy rounds this year over sexed-up content claims. That might come as quite a shock to longtime fans of the actress, who counts a Melissa & Joey appearance and a Hallmark Christmas movie among her last handful of acting roles. Sure, she’s got Showgirls on her resume, but she already poked fun at that within Saved by the Bell itself. In any case, here’s what she had to say about joining the new show from Johnny Depp’s daughter Lily-Rose Depp and the Guiness World Record-breaking musician The Weeknd.

So there's a few things that I've set up, but I will be excited to talk to you about it as it becomes more real. And then I completed a new show that The Weeknd and Lily-Rose Depp are also starring in that is done by the people who do Euphoria, Sam Levinson. So that's interesting. It's pretty gritty, dark, a little different than this. But yeah, that's called The Idol on HBO, and some other things are coming up.

Considering The Idol still doesn’t have a premiere date locked down, having been largely revamped from the ground up when Euphoria’s Sam Levinson took over directing duties from Amy Seimetz, it’s understandable that Elizabeth Berkley couldn’t say too much about what viewers can expect to see beyond what the teasers have already shown us. Speaking of, here’s the latest one that HBO put out into the world, though I couldn’t spot the Saved by the Bell vet in there anywhere.

For now, we’ll just have to be patient while waiting to see what role Berkley took on for her first big HBO role — she was in a multi-episode stint for Showtime’s The L Word — while coming up with our own theories about just how gritty the new project will be compared to Bayside’s high school silliness.

Elizabeth Berkley On Working With Mark-Paul Gosselaar Again

It was actually before she brought up The Idol when Elizabeth Berkley took a second to reflect on and regret Saved by the Bell not returning for another season. More specifically, she turned to former co-star Mark-Paul Gosselaar to pointedly compliment him and voice her wishes for them to team up again at some point. Here’s how she put it:

I was really inspired and, dare I say, excited about being one of the producers on Saved by the Bell's reboot. Our amazing director here, Mark, Paul, did an incredible episode which - [to Gosselaar] I can't wait to be directed by you again. It was one of my favorites, I have to tell you. He's an incredible director. I felt so taken care of. . . . And because of the shorthand, like, you could give me a direction, and we would just drop it. It was one of my favorite experiences with you creatively. I just wanted to point that out.

It was the Season 2 installment “The Gift,” in which Jessie talked to Kelly about applying to medical school regardless of anyone else’s thoughts, that Mark-Paul Gosselaar served as a director for Peacock’s Saved by the Bell. Prior to that, he’d only directed two other TV episodes — one episode of Franklin & Bash and one of Murder in the First — so it might be a bit before the next one comes around, and it’ll take some very special planning for Berkley to be involved. But that doesn’t mean we can’t hope for it just as much as she is. And hey, if Franklin himself Breckin Meyer wanted to get involved as well, the more the merrier!

MPG echoed her thoughts about it being a really great experience, while also restating how disappointed he was that the show was canceled. As great as it is that both seasons can be streamed over and over again with a Peacock subscription, I just want to spend more time with Zack, Jessie and all of the new characters like Daisy and Lexi.

The Idol: A Timeline Of The Changes And Reported Issues With The HBO Series

Everybody can get so excited, so excited, and mayyyybe so scared for the upcoming debut of The Idol when it hits the 2023 TV premiere schedule.

Lily-Rose Depp Releases Statement After New Exposé Claimed Her Series With Euphoria’s Creator Was Torture Porn

Heidi Venable — Thu, 02 Mar 2023 17:12:12 +0000

Sam Levinson is no stranger to criticism when it comes to the graphic nudity and sex scenes depicted in his work, particularly on HBO's Euphoria. However, those critiques were taken to a whole new level for his upcoming project The Idol, when Rolling Stone released an exposé in which 13 anonymous cast and crew members spoke out about the direction Levinson had taken the project, comparing it to “rape fantasy” and “torture porn.” Now, The Idol’s star Lily-Rose Depp has weighed in, releasing a statement in defense of the director.

The Idol stars Johnny Depp’s daughter as an up-and-coming pop star who falls in with a self-help guru and sex cult leader played by The Weeknd (real name Abel Tesfaye). Sam Levinson, in collaboration with Reza Fahim and The Weeknd, made some big changes to The Idol when he took over the nearly finished project for Amy Seimetz. While many crew members were furious about the amped-up depravity of the characters, Lily-Rose Depp defended Levinson and the environment he created. In her words:

Sam is, for so many reasons, the best director I have ever worked with. Never have I felt more supported or respected in a creative space, my input and opinions more valued. Working with Sam is a true collaboration in every way - it matters to him, more than anything, not only what his actors think about the work, but how we feel performing it. He hires people whose work he esteems and has always created an environment in which I felt seen, heard, and appreciated.

Amy Seimetz vacated The Idol with the majority of it already filmed, but Sam Levinson chose to scrap most of what had been done to shift the narrative — which The Weeknd allegedly thought had too much of a female perspective — and up the debauchery. The change in tone for the series doesn’t seem to have negatively affected Lily-Rose Depp’s experience, as the actress praised Levinson for making her feel seen and respected.

Rolling Stone’s exposé featured numerous members of the cast and crew who took issue with Sam Levinson’s revised scripts, and while some of the scenes they found offensive weren’t actually shot, the magazine reported some strong reactions from the employees regarding The Idol controversy, including:

It was like, ‘What is this? What am I reading here?’ It was like sexual torture porn.
It was like any rape fantasy that any toxic man would have in the show — and then the woman comes back for more because it makes her music better.
It was a show about a woman who was finding herself sexually, turned into a show about a man who gets to abuse this woman and she loves it.
It’s almost such an extreme that it’s like, there is no message. There is no point. They’re just trying to see how much of a reaction they can get.

Lily-Rose Depp wasn’t the only one to make a statement following the Rolling Stone article. The Weeknd responded as well, taking a shot at the magazine’s relevance:

.@RollingStone did we upset you? pic.twitter.com/Uyx06lyRgxMarch 1, 2023

Even before the Rolling Stone article, though, viewers reacted to the release of The Idol’s trailer with concerns about the oversexualization of Sam Levinson’s female characters and his use of graphic sex and trauma. You can see the trailer for yourself below:

No release date has been announced for The Idol, but fans can see Sam Levinson in action with Euphoria, which is available for streaming with an HBO Max subscription. Keep an eye on our 2023 TV schedule for all of the upcoming premiere dates.

Crew Members From Lily-Rose Depp's New HBO Show The Idol Are Allegedly Furious Over Unplanned Increase In Sex Scenes And Nudity

Nick Venable — Wed, 01 Mar 2023 19:11:16 +0000

HBO is currently enjoying the spoils of success anew thanks to its ratings monster The Last of Us, and the wait is already on for the second season of House of the Dragon. But just beyond all of the premium cabler’s known upcoming projects, one highly anticipated drama that has largely maintained an air of mystery has been Lily-Rose Depp and The Weeknd’s The Idol. With no release date in clear sight, the sex cult-infused project is at the center of an alarming new report filled with allegations of unplanned increases in sex scenes and nudity, among other issues, as tied to the budget-ballooning creative overhaul that gave Euphoria creator Sam Levinson the reins to reshoot an already near-completely season.

13 past and current crew members from HBO’s The Idol spoke anonymously with Rolling Stone about what many of them claim has been a truly standout production in their respective careers, but largely in the most negative kinds of ways. Many of the issues stem from the sudden behind-the-scenes shift in April 2022, in which original director Amy Seimetz vacated the series with only around one-fifth of the production yet to be completed. What was said to already have been a challenging and stressful filming gig (though not because of the director herself) became something else entirely once Sam Levinson stepped in. He reportedly scrapped the majority of what was already filmed — with the unconfirmed budget for Seimetz’s work being in the $54-75 million range — and shifted the narrative in a way that allegedly undercut the original idea behind the show, in part due to an assortment of newly added sex scenes that ramped up the depravity of its characters along with the nudity for the actors.

Under Amy Seimetz’s guidance, The Idol was a story about Lily-Rose Depp’s starlet attempting to make a name for herself in the music industry and falling into the snares of an influential predator (played by Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye”) who runs both a nightclub and a secret sex cult that mirrors the NXIVM scandal. With The Idol changes reportedly happening in part because Tesfaye felt the story had too much of a female perspective, Levinson’s revised take on the core story is implied as being his way of topping Euphoria’s controversial sex scenes, thus flipping the entire point of the show on its head. As one crew member put it:

What I signed up for was a dark satire of fame and the fame model in the 21st century. The things that we subject our talent and stars to, the forces that put people in the spotlight and how that can be manipulated in the post-Trump world. It went from satire to the thing it was satirizing.

Sam Levinson’s script changes reportedly came on the fly, to the point where production staff were allegedly unaware what they were meant to be planning for on a day to day basis. And even after finding out each morning what was happening, still had to deal with mid-day changes, with scenes getting added and removed, shot and reshot. Two such drafted-but-unfilmed moments reportedly included:

A scene in which Tesfaye's character violently punches Depp's character in the face, after which she smiled and asked to be hit more, thus provoking an erection from her aggressor.
A moment in which Depp's character would be tasked with carrying an egg inside her vagina without dropping or breaking it, with the punishment for erring being that Tesfaye's character would refuse to "rape" her. This would have been followed by her going emotionally overboard and loudly begging him to "rape" her.

The reason why the latter moment wasn't filmed is allegedly because no one could figure out a way to realistically convey that Depp was putting an egg into her vagina without her physically inserting an egg into her actual vagina. One of the crew members who spoke about that suggested sequence had this to say:

It was like, ‘What is this? What am I reading here?’ It was like sexual torture porn.

Sam Levinson's penchant for nudity and envelope-pushing scenes in Euphoria have earned the full gamut of reactions from viewers, with those opposed pointing to the sexualization of the teenaged characters as being problematic, even if the performers themselves are of age. (With co-star Chloe Cherry coming directly from the world of porn.) Not that the show's older character don't get their own risqué scenes, as evidenced by Eric Dane's prosthetic dong.

Sydney Sweeney has spoken out several times about her own nude scenes, sharing that they've had a measurable effect on her career. She's also revealed that her character was written to have other nude moments as well, and said she felt comfortable suggesting to Sam Levinson that she be clothed, with the director reportedly having no problem adjusting.

Which isn't to say that Amy Semetz's initial take on The Idol was without sex scenes, since that was still central to the story, though in a way that allowed Lily-Rose Depp's character to empower herself enough to escape the violence of The Weeknds character and his cult. But the heightened focus on such content is noted as being totally gratuitous and a disservice to the story itself, taking away from whatever message is still there.

Several sources pointed to a reported lack of oversight and involvement from HBO's higher-ups as being part of the problem, with no one in charge to corrall Levinson's creative process. If not to cull the rampant nudity, then to at least provide a steady daily schedule for those working.

Stay tuned for more info on The Idol's impending release on HBO.

Forget Pants-Free, Johnny Depp's Daughter Lily-Rose Just Wore Pants And Nothing Else In New Cover Photo

Corey Chichizola — Tue, 21 Feb 2023 16:42:16 +0000

There are a few fashion trends currently going around Hollywood, and being adopted by a number of celebrities. Some A-listers are wearing see-through looks thanks to a trend that began with Florence Pugh, while others are going more casual with the pants-free lifestyle. Now we’ve got a new variation on the latter trend that’s sure to go viral. Forget pants-free, Johnny Depp’s daughter Lily-Rose just wore pants and nothing else in a new cover photo. Talk about turning a trend on its head.

Johnny Depp has made countless headlines over the years, thanks to his long legal battle with ex-wife Amber Heard. But he’s not the only celebrity in the family, as his daughter Lily-Rose Depp is an accomplished model and actress. She recently appeared on the cover of I-D Magazine, going topless and letting her pants do the talking. Check it out below, courtesy of Depp’s Instagram account.

A post shared by Lily-Rose Depp (@lilyrose_depp)
A photo posted by on

Talk about a bold look. Lily-Rose Depp might have to fight off nepo baby comments here and there, but you can’t deny that she knows how to work a camera. It’s likely for that reason that she continued to work as both a model and actress. After all, she doesn’t need anything but pants to make a work look.

Lily-Rose Depp shared the above image on her personal Instagram account, which has 7 million followers at the time of writing this story. In addition to the cover image featuring nothing but pants, you can scroll through for more bold looks that came from her I-D Magazine shoot. That includes a see-through dress, following Florence Pugh’s call to #FreeTheNipple. Indeed, Depp is baring it all in most of these images, and is clearly comfortable in her body.

As previously mentioned, Lily-Rose Depp has also been taking after her famous father Johnny and flexing her acting muscles of late. She appeared in projects like Voyagers and The King. She’s also got an upcoming role in Robert Eggers’ adaptation Nosferatu. Although she has gotten some flak due to her father’s status and the ongoing conversations about nepo babies in Hollywood.

Clearly Lily-Rose Depp’s career is clearly thriving, and it should be fascinating to see how her father Johnny Depp continues to move on now that the Amber Heard defamation case is settled. The comeback tour has included public appearances, returning as the face of Dior’s scent Sauvage, and taking his first post-trial acting gig. Lily-Rose Depp largely kept quiet about the trial as it was happening, although she was brought up a number of times throughout the legal proceedings. We’ll just have to wait and see what comes next for the pair of famous Depps. In the meantime, check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.

Lily Collins Is The Latest Nepo Baby To Defend Her Success Following Lily-Rose Depp And Zoë Kravitz's Comments

Corey Chichizola — Wed, 23 Nov 2022 14:33:38 +0000

For as long as there have been celebrity couples, there have also been celebrity kids. And it’s been common for these kids to also go into acting, like beloved figures Carrie Fisher and Drew Barrymore. Lately there’s been a ton of conversation about the idea of a “nepo baby” and how famous kids have had to deal with the pressures and privilege that come with having famous parents. Emily in Paris star Lily Collins is the latest nepo baby to defend her success, following viral comments by the likes of Lily-Rose Depp and Zoë Kravitz.

Nepotism isn’t a new concept to Hollywood, and a number of established stars have had to deal with talks about their family lately, such as Maya Hawke and The Boys’ Jack Quaid. Now there’s the term “nepo baby” with Lily-Rose Depp going viral for her comments about the subject. Actress Lily Collins is the daughter of pop star Phil Collins, and she recently spoke to Vogue France about her experience trying to become established without relying on her father’s name. As she shared:

It was out of the question that people would think that I use a free pass thanks to my name. I’m proud of my dad, but I wanted to be me, not just his daughter. For that, I was ready to wait to break through.

Indeed, Lily Collins’ parentage might be new information to fans out there. She’s already had quite a successful acting career. In addition to her ongoing role in Emily in Paris, she’s also had roles in projects like Mank, Okja, and Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile. Clearly things are on the rise, although smart money says there were some struggles for the 33 year-old actress along the way.

Lily Collins’ comments about nepotism come in her conversations with Vogue France, who featured her largely due to her role as the title character in Emily in Paris. While speaking about her life and career, Collins eventually opened up about the ways her famous father has and hasn’t helped her career. As she further explained,

By dint of failed castings, I learned to focus more on my work, and I managed to make acting my job. But I’m not resting on my laurels: this environment is very competitive and places are expensive.

As previously mentioned, this comes as there’s a ton of conversation online about nepo babies. Lily-Rose Depp recently landed herself in hot water with Italian model Vittoria Ceretti over conversations she made about nepotism to Elle. The comments that started this feud read as:

It’s weird to me to reduce somebody to the idea that they’re only there because it’s a generational thing. It just doesn’t make any sense. If somebody’s mom or dad is a doctor, and then the kid becomes a doctor, you’re not going to be like, ‘Well, you’re only a doctor because your parent is a doctor.’ It’s like, ‘No, I went to medical school and trained.’

Lily-Rose Depp was careful to clarify that she doesn’t really equate herself as an actress/model to a doctor, but seemingly feels her training and career speak for themselves. In response, model Vittoria Ceretti wrote a response on Instagram Story, revealing the financial and personal struggles that came with trying to be a model without the support system of a rich and famous parent.

(Image credit: HBO)

Zoë Kravitz has had a wildly successful career, but she also admitted to having insecurities related to her famous parents. She was recently featured on GQ, where she defended the decision for famous kids to go into acting. As she put it,

It’s completely normal for people to be in the family business. It’s literally where last names came from. You were a blacksmith if your family was, like, the Black family.

Some points were made. And indeed, Zoë Kravitz has established herself aside from her famous relatives, thanks to performances in projects like Big Little Lies, Mad Max: Fury Road, and The Batman.

We’ll just have to wait and see how the careers of actors like Lily Collins and Lily-Rose Depp continue to shape out, but they’ve both got exciting projects coming up. In the meantime, check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. But sorry naysayers, there will be plenty of “nepo babies” front and center.

Unlike Lily-Rose Depp, Pierce Brosnan’s Kids Get Candid About Feeling Their Nepotism

Corey Chichizola — Tue, 22 Nov 2022 15:18:34 +0000

For as long as there have been celebrities, there have been famous kids. And when these children of privilege end up having their own success in the industry, talks of nepotism are bound to happen. Lily-Rose Depp recently got into hot water with a fellow model over her response to being identified as a “nepo baby.” And unlike Lily-Rose, Pierce Brosnan's kids have gotten candid about feelings on their nepotism.

Lily-Rose Depp is a model and actress, who has been clear that she wants her talents to stand on their own, regardless of her famous father Johnny Depp. But Pierce Brosnan’s two sons Paris and Dylan seemingly have another attitude about being part of a famous family. As 21-year old Paris spoke to E! News about the subject of nepotism, saying:

I think we need to just be grateful for our blessings. It's always gonna be there and we got to recognize it. At the end of the day, we're just grateful to be here. Dylan's an amazing musician and I'm painting right now, so we're figuring it out. Taking it day by day.

Well, there you have it. It seems like Paris Brosnan isn’t too bothered by association with his James Bond alum father, or any chatter that might follow him regarding nepotism. Instead, he feels grateful to be given so many opportunities, and is aiming to work hard and find his own path. Pretty refreshing, right?

(Image credit: Warner Bros. )

As previously mentioned, Lily-Rose Depp got into hot water with Italian model Vittoria Ceretti over comments she made about nepotism. The Voyagers actress spoke to Elle about about backlash she’s faced over her famous father, saying:

It’s weird to me to reduce somebody to the idea that they’re only there because it’s a generational thing. It just doesn’t make any sense. If somebody’s mom or dad is a doctor, and then the kid becomes a doctor, you’re not going to be like, ‘Well, you’re only a doctor because your parent is a doctor.’ It’s like, ‘No, I went to medical school and trained.’

While Lily-Rose Depp clarified her comments and made it clear that she can’t compare her job to that of a doctor, this comment soon went viral. Eventually this lead to model Vittoria Ceretti tearing into Depp on her personal Instagram stories, and explaining some of the real financial and personal struggles that came as she was getting established in her career. One has to wonder if she might appreciate the comments given recently by Paris Brosnan.

Despite any chatter, Lily-Rose Depp has a number of exciting projects coming down the line, including Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu movie. In the meantime, check out the 2022 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. And her famous father is also in the midst of a comeback, including his first post-trial movie.

Johnny Depp’s Daughter Lily-Rose Says She’s Not A Nepo Baby, Gets Slammed By Italian Model

Corey Chichizola — Mon, 21 Nov 2022 16:06:28 +0000

Actor Johnny Depp has been a public figure for decades, thanks to his years playing a variety of characters on the big screen. Most recently he’s made headlines thanks to his ongoing legal battle with Amber Heard, as well as the growing career of his daughter Lily-Rose Depp. And while she claims she’s not a nepo baby, Lily-Rose was recently slammed by Italian model Vittoria Ceretti. Here’s how the situation played out.

Over the last few years Lily-Rose Depp has had a thriving career as an actress and model. But as is often the case for the children of famous celebrities, she’s been accused of nepotism more than once. She recently spoke to Elle about this discourse, sharing her thoughts on those who might diminish her accomplishments. Unfortunately, it got a big reaction from model Vittoria Ceretti. Depp was quoted by the outlet saying:

It’s weird to me to reduce somebody to the idea that they’re only there because it’s a generational thing. It just doesn’t make any sense. If somebody’s mom or dad is a doctor, and then the kid becomes a doctor, you’re not going to be like, ‘Well, you’re only a doctor because your parent is a doctor.’ It’s like, ‘No, I went to medical school and trained.’

While Lily-Rose Depp was careful to clarify her comments and not compare her career to that of a doctor, her point is made clear. Namely that one’s name and claims of nepotism shouldn’t negate their training and accomplishments. And these comments would end up getting a more widespread life online thanks to a burgeoning feud with another model.

After Lily-Rose Depp’s interview with Elle started circulating online, Italian model Vittoria Ceretti issued a response on her Instagram story, which were screenshotted bv Diet Prada. In a series of posts, the 24 year-old model weighed in on nepotism claims, and the difficult time she had coming up in the industry. As she posted,

Yes, I get the whole ‘I’m here and I work hard for it.’ but I would really love to see if you would have lasted through the first 5 years of my career. Not only being rejected, because I know you have an experience with it and you can tell me your sad little story about it (even if at the end of the day you can still always go cry on your dad’s couch in your villa in Malibu), but how about not being to play for your flight back home to your family? Waiting hours to do a fitting/casting just to see a nepo baby walk past you, from the warm seat of her/his Mercedes’ with her/his driver and her/his friend/assistant/agent taking care of her/his/ mental health???? You have no fucking idea how much you have to fight to make people respect you. TAKES YEARS. You just get it by free day one.

She certainly didn’t mince her words here. And while some might think that models have it all, Vittoria Ceretti’s post shows just how difficult it was to be established in the industry. And that meant some serious stakes and financial worries. It’s for this reason that she seemingly has such an issue with Lily-Rose Depp’s assessment of her own career.

There’s been talk about nepotism in the entertainment industry for years, with plenty of established working actors nowadays having famous parents. Lily-Rose Depp’s name has certainly been roped into this discourse, as she was seen modeling and appearing in films like Voyagers. Many of these projects have come out as her father has been breaking the internet thanks to his ongoing legal issues with ex-wife Amber Heard. Vittoria Caretti further posted on Instagram about the comments by Lily-Rose Depp, saying:

I have many nepo baby friends whom I respect, but I can’t stand listening to you compare yourself to me. I was not born on a comfy sexy pillow with a view. I know it’s not your fault, but please, appreciate and know the place you come from.

Is it too late for “nepo baby” to be the official word of the year? Clearly there’s a ring to it, and it’s being used quite liberally when speaking about famous kids-turned-professionals like Lily-Rose Depp. She’s no doubt going to have to prove herself to many naysayers out there, and there are plenty of other beloved figures who have faced nepotism chatter, including Maya Hawke and Jack Quaid.

Lily-Rose Depp has a few upcoming movies coming down the line including Robert Eggers’ take on Nosferatu. In the meantime, check out the 2022 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. And buckle up, as her famous father Johnny Depp is seemingly in the midst of his post-trial comeback.

Johnny Depp's Daughter Lily-Rose Explains Why She Hasn't Commented On The Trial With Amber Heard

Adam Holmes — Wed, 16 Nov 2022 20:33:21 +0000

2022 hasn’t been lacking for news stories involving Johnny Depp, from going to France to play King Louis XV in the upcoming movie La Favorite, to briefly dating one of the lawyers who represented him in his 2020 defamation case in the United Kingdom, to being sued over alleged plagiarism. That said, arguably most of the media coverage concerning the Pirates of the Caribbean star this year has revolved around the defamation trial that happened in Virginia between him and his ex-wife Amber Heard. Five months after the trial ended, Depp’s daughter, Lily-Rose Depp, explained why she hasn’t commented on this particular chapter of her father’s life.

Lily-Rose Depp is one of the two children that Johnny Depp had during his time with actress/singer Vanessa Paradis, the other being their son Jack. Lily-Rose Depp has followed in her father’s footsteps by becoming an actor, but because she grew up in the spotlight given her parents’ fame, she leads a more private life than you’d expect from your average celebrity, as well as takes personal responsibility quite seriously. In that vein, she doesn’t feel it’s necessary to throw in her two cents on what unfolded between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard, telling Elle:

When it’s something that’s so private and so personal that all of a sudden becomes not so personal…I feel really entitled to my secret garden of thoughts. I also think that I’m not here to answer for anybody, and I feel like for a lot of my career, people have really wanted to define me by the men in my life, whether that’s my family members or my boyfriends, whatever. And I’m really ready to be defined for the things that I put out there.

Lily-Rose Depp has said before that she’d be open to starring in a movie with Johnny Depp, but when it comes to her father’s personal life being spotlighted for the public, this isn’t just a matter of valuing privacy, but also that fact that she doesn’t feel any need to join in with the crowd by providing her own commentary. The actress would rather be defined by her own accomplishments and endeavors rather than by what the men in her life have done. So while she surely has an opinion about about Johnny Depp’s tumultuous time with Amber Heard, and in particular the defamation trial, she’ll be keeping said opinion to herself.

Depp v. Heard ended on June 1, 2022, with Johnny Depp being awarded $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages (which was later reduced to $350,000), and Amber Heard being awarded $2 million in compensatory damages. Depp’s legal team has since filed an appeal stating that he should not be held liable for paying that $2 million because Heard’s countersuit was “fatally flawed.” Heard’s legal team has filed its own appeal too, arguing that the Aquaman actress shouldn’t have to pay the $10 million portion. Clearly this legal saga isn’t over just yet, but don’t count on Lily-Rose Depp sharing her views on what’s happening.

CinemaBlend will continue reporting on what’s going on in Johnny Depp’s professional and personal lives, but as far as Lily-Rose Depp goes, she had a busy 2021, appearing in Crisis, Voyagers, Silent Night and Wolf. She’s next set to star in the TV show The Idol, which will premiere on HBO sometime in 2023.

Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu Remake Is Back On, With Stellar Replacements For Harry Styles And Anya Taylor-Joy

Adam Holmes — Fri, 30 Sep 2022 18:40:20 +0000

Robert Eggers has made quite the splash on the filmmaking scene for nearly a decade, first delivering The Witch to audiences in 2015, followed by The Lighthouse in 2019 and The Northman earning rave reviews earlier this year. So what’s next for the director? Well, good news for those of you who were disappointed when Eggers had to set aside his Nosferatu remake a few years back: the project is back on, and it’s found stellar replacements for Harry Styles and Anya Taylor-Joy.

Initially the plan had been for Don’t Worry Darling’s Harry Styles and Last Night in Soho’s Anya Taylor-Joy, who worked with Robert Eggers on both The Witch and The Northman, to star in the remake of the 1922 F.W. Murnau-directed horror movie starring Max Schreck as the vampiric Count Orlok. However, those plans fell through in 2019 when Nosferatu was set up at Studio 8, and Eggers decided to focus on The Northman instead. Now word’s come in that Bill Skarsgård has been cast to play Orlok, and Lily-Rose Depp is being courted to co-lead the upcoming horror movie.

(Image credit: 20th Century Studios/Lionsgate)

Additionally, Deadline reports that the Nosferatu remake has now found a home at Focus Features, and as has always been the plan, Robert Eggers will write and direct. According to the outlet, after The Northman’s release, Eggers looked at other projects, but decided he wanted to tackle Nosferatu next. While Bill Skarsgård was reportedly “loosely attached” to play Count Orlok even in the Harry Styles and Anya Taylor-Joy days, Eggers made sure to snag Skarsgård once the remake efforts were revived before the actor’s schedule became full. As for Lily Rose-Depp, once it became clear Taylor-Joy would be too busy to do Nosferatu, Eggers met a number of actress and decided that Depp was the best choice to play the female protagonist.

Bill Skarsgård is, of course, no stranger to the horror genre. In addition to arguably being best known for playing Pennywise the Dancing Clown in the IT movies, he also took part in the short-lived Hulu series Castle Rock and most recently appeared in the bonkers and brutal Barbarian. Along with Nosferatu on his slate of upcoming projects, Skarsgård is appearing opposite Keanu Reeves in John Wick: Chapter 4 and leading The Crow reboot. 2021 was a big year for Lily-Rose Depp’s film career, as she starred in Crisis, Voyagers, Silent Night and Wolf. The actress is also one of the leads on the upcoming HBO series The Idol.

This won’t be the first time that Nosferatu is being remade, as Werner Herzog helmed his own adaptation called Nosferatu the Vampyre in 1979. That movie, though, outright named the lead vampire Count Dracula rather than Count Orlok, something the original didn’t do since it was an unauthorized adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula. 2000’s Shadow of the Vampire also told a fictional account of the making of 1922’s Nosferatu, with Max Schreck, played by Willem Dafoe, being an actual vampire.

It remains to be seen when Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu will begin production, meaning it may be a while until we also learn about the actors who will join Bill Skarsgård and Lily-Rose Depp. As we wait for more updates, check out what 2023 new movie releases are officially slotted.

The Idol: 6 Quick Things To Know About The Weeknd And Lily-Rose Depp’s Upcoming Series

Philip Sledge — Sun, 24 Jul 2022 20:04:51 +0000

For the better part of the past three decades, HBO has been home to shows that pushed the envelope in terms of content while also being considered artful in their approach to topics that may not be deemed as savory or decent. In the past it was with staples like Oz, we see it now with Euphoria, and in the future we’ll see it with the sensationalized drama series, The Idol, starring Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye and Lily-Rose Depp.

Is this the first you’re hearing of the upcoming series co-created by the Grammy Award-winning musical artist and the mastermind behind Euphoria’s craziest moments? If so, don’t worry, because we’re about to break down the promising and extremely twisted series and share everything we know about it so far!

(Image credit: HBO)

The Series Centers On A Pop Star Who Gets Wrapped Up In A Cult Led By A Self-Help Guru

When The Idol makes its debut on HBO at some point in the near future (a release date has yet to be announced), the drama series will center on an up-and-coming pop star (Lily-Rose Depp) who finds herself getting wrapped up in a modern-day, Los Angeles-based cult and its charismatic and enigmatic leader, a self-help guru (The Weeknd).

Though not a lot about the intricacies of the plot have been revealed at this time, what HBO has announced about the show at this point makes it sound dark, mysterious, and enchanting from both a story and visual standpoint. Let’s just hope it finds its way to the 2022 TV schedule so we can find out more about this show.

(Image credit: HBO)

The Idol Cast Is Led By The Weeknd And Lily-Rose Depp

The Idol cast will be led by The Weeknd and Lily-Rose Depp, who will portray the self-help guru/cult leader and the pop star who is taken under his wing, respectively. Although he has appeared in multiple music videos, documentaries, and specials since breaking out as one of the most successful and unique mainstream musical artists of the past decade, this will be The Weeknd’s first lead role in a scripted series. He previously had a cameo in Uncut Gems, though he played a version of himself.

This will also mark the first main role on a TV series for Lily-Rose Depp, though like her father, Johnny Depp, she has a great deal of experience on the silver screen. Since making her debut in Kevin Smith’s 2014 horror comedy, Tusk, Depp has given performances in The King, Voyagers, and Silent Night, to name a few.

Following the initial announcement by HBO, Deadline revealed in December 2021 that Juliebeth Gonzalez, Maya Eshet, Tyson Ritter, Kate Lynn Shell, Liz Sierra, Finley Rose Slater, and multiple others had been added to The Idol cast.

(Image credit: HBO)

The Weeknd Co-Created The Idol Alongside Reza Fahim And Euphoria’s Sam Levinson

Not only will The Weeknd be playing one of the show’s main characters when The Idol makes its debut on HBO (and streaming on HBO Max) at some point in the future, the pop star also helped come up with the idea behind the show along with Sam Levinson, best known for creating the smash hit series Euphoria and movies like Malcolm and Marie, Assassination Nation, Another Happy Day, and Operation: Endgame. Joining the pair in this creative venture was Reza Fahim. All three also served as writers and executive producers for the series.

When The Idol was first announced, HBO Executive Vice President, Francesca Orsi, released a statement saying the trio’s “subversive, revelatory take on the cult of the music industry” was something new for the premium cable outlet, which is saying something, considering the channel’s stellar history of trying new things.

(Image credit: HBO)

The Idol Went Through A Major Overhaul In April 2022

Production on The Idol kicked off in late 2021 and a large portion of the show’s first season was filmed at that time, but the series was given a remix in April 2022 when the show went through a major overhaul. The various changes on The Idol, which were reported by Deadline, included several members of the crew departing the project, with at least one member of the cast stepping away from their duties as well.

According to the report, Amy Seimetz, who is probably best known for writing, directing, and starring in several episodes of The Girlfriend Experience, was slated to direct the series but left the project as part of the major shakeup. Joseph Epstein, who helped write part of the series and was to serve as showrunner, left the show as well. The following day, Deadline reported that actress Suzanna Son would not be returning amid the overhaul of the series.

Following Seimetz’s departure, it was expected that Sam Levinson would be taking over her duties as the show’s director. At the time, The Hollywood Reporter noted that some of the show would have to be reshot, but it wasn’t entirely clear how much of the material would have to be tossed.

(Image credit: HBO)

The Show Is Expected To Have Six Episodes

When The Idol was first announced in November 2021, HBO revealed that the show would consist of six episodes, though the duration of each chapter was not yet known. Even though there was a major overhaul of the show partway through production of its first season, there have been no announcements concerning the episode count, so we can expect to see six episodes unless otherwise noted before its eventual debut.

(Image credit: HBO)

The Idol Trailer Gives A Taste Of ‘The Sleaziest Love Story In All Of Hollywood’

In July 2022, HBO dropped a teaser trailer for The Idol that gave prospective viewers their first taste of “the sleaziest love story in all of Hollywood.” Though only clocking in at a little over 90 seconds in length, the trailer had a lot to unpack and showed off The Weeknd and Lily-Rose Depp’s characters in some fairly chaotic and tense interactions set in and around the Los Angeles area. You can take a look for yourself below:

Just about as soon as the trailer dropped, Twitter was abuzz with comments from people sharing some pretty honest thoughts about the show and its similarities to Euphoria. How much the two shows have in common won’t be known until The Idol makes its debut at a later date.

The Idol is slated to debut on HBO at some point in the near future. You will also be able to watch the show online, but only if you have an HBO Max subscription.

Lily-Rose Depp's New HBO Show Released Its First Trailer, But It Wasn't Johnny Depp's Daughter That Had People Talking

Erik Swann — Mon, 18 Jul 2022 19:59:08 +0000

Lily-Rose Depp has been steadily making a name for herself within the Hollywood landscape over the past several years. And as a result, she’s slowly but surely moving out of the shadow of her famous father, Johnny Depp. The 23-year-old actress has had roles in films such as The King, Silent Night and Wolf and is now venturing into TV for a new show. Depp has been tapped to lead upcoming HBO drama The Idol, which will pair her with The Weeknd. The series dropped a trailer this past weekend, and social media has plenty of thoughts on it. But Depp isn’t exactly at the center of the chatter.

The Idol is the brainchild of The Weeknd, Reza Fahim and Euphoria creator Sam Levinson. Those who are familiar with Levinson’s work on his Emmy-winning drama surely know that he tends to tell stories centered around young adults and employs themes like love, trauma, sexuality and identity. He’s also been noted for crafting graphic sex scenes, with some taking issue with the way he’s portrayed some of his female characters. Upon the release of the trailer for his latest show, a number of people like @AIaaAshraf took to Twitter to share some honest thoughts:

sam levinson’s obsess[i]on with nudity and oversexualization of his female leads needs to be studied cuz this is not normal

The Idol sports a backdrop that’s vastly different from Euphoria’s, as the new series tackles the music industry. It tells the story of a self-help guru (who also happens to be the leader of a modern-day cult), as he starts a relationship with an up-and-coming pop star. Despite the differences in the narrative, some like Twitter user @diornowhere still see similarities:

Sam Levinson’s storytelling is just drugs, sexualization, party and boobs.

Euphoria’s graphic nudity and intense drug-related scenes have been widely discussed by commentators. Series star Sydney Sweeney has discussed her nude scenes, even discussing her own grandparent’s surprising reaction to them. Her co-star, Jacob Elordi, has also talked about being nude on the show. While he seemingly had to adjust to it, Elordi now seems comfortable “getting naked in front of [his] family,” (a.k.a. the crew). When it comes to the characters’ drug use, the D.A.R.E. program’s leaders are among those who were upset with its depiction of addiction. Lead actress Zendaya eventually responded to D.A.R.E., arguing that the series “is in no way a moral tale to teach people how to live their life or what they should be doing.”

Story arcs and suggestive content aside, Sam Levinson has also established a very specific visual aesthetic for the young adult show. And one fan called him out for utilizing, what appears to be, the exact same approach for The Idol:

sam levinson starting to be a one trick pony with his cinematography like it’s genuinely the same light show with every sceneJuly 17, 2022

Another aspect of the trailer that commentators seem to have thoughts on is the way in which the Malcolm and Marie director is referred to as a creator. One fan seems to find humor in the varied creative titles that he has on his different projects:

“from visionary director” in the malcolm and marie trailer to “from the sick and twisted minds of euphoria” im cryinggg sam levinson always giving himself fake titles bc no one else is bothered to give it to him 😭😭July 17, 2022

Despite any criticism aimed at Sam Levinson, it’s likely that many are going to have their eyes on this new show when it kicks off its run. It certainly has a high bar to clear, given the acclaim that his other show has received. We’ll see if Levinson, Lily-Rose Depp and The Weeknd can deliver a compelling piece of work to an audience that appears to be angling for something fresh.

The Idol is set to premiere later this year as part of the 2023 TV schedule. While you wait for it, you can read all about The Idol controversy, or stream the first two seasons of Euphoria with an HBO Max subscription.

Amber Heard Testifies About Johnny Depp Having To Sell His Boat, And JK Rowling Was Involved

Sarah El-Mahmoud — Thu, 05 May 2022 23:58:06 +0000

After weeks of Johnny Depp presenting his case for his $50 million defamation lawsuit against ex-wife Amber Heard for her 2018 Washington Post op-ed, the court has begun to hear Heard’s defense this week. The Aquaman actress has recounted many allegations of physical abuse on the stand under oath, including a story involving a yacht Depp apparently sold to Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling.

During the trial, streaming on Wednesday via live Court TV, Amber Heard shared an alleged incident of abuse from July 2013. According to Heard’s testimony, Depp was about to sell his boat to the bestselling author, who he worked with later on 2018’s Fantastic Beasts: Crimes of Grindelwald, and was not taking it well. In her words:

Johnny was upset that he had to sell his boat and he was off the wagon again, but he didn’t want to tell his kids, so he was hiding it from them. He was putting it in coffee cups and drinking and the behavior was just kind of like, he was upset, he was emotional and that’s how he dealt with it, just drink. But, there was just no off button with Johnny. So then, he just kept drinking and the behavior kept getting more obviously drunk.

Amber Heard said that she, Johnny Depp, his children Lily-Rose and Jack, and one other helper went out for a final “goodbye” on the boat he was about to sell, and she claims he started heavily drinking and hiding it from his young children. At one point, she alleged that they were all playfully throwing themselves into the water, until Depp “jumped off in a face-chest-forward way” in a way that didn’t look OK to her. She continued:

It looked a little scary, the way his body fell into the water and Lily-Rose started to cry and then the crying becomes like almost like a panic attack, rapid breathing, crying, lots of questions and I’m holding her, kind of comforting her and Johnny comes in and within a few seconds I realized he kind of shifted his attention on me and he seemed very angry.

Lily-Rose was 14 during the reported family vacation that went awry. On Depp and Heard’s relationship timeline, it was the summer prior their marriage in early 2015. During her testimony, Amber Heard claimed that the incident that left Lily-Rose in tears led to a confrontation:

He asks Lily-Rose to leave… and he starts accusing me of like telling on him and calling him a drunk in front of his kids. I hadn’t done that. I was actually trying to protect Johnny. It didn’t feel like my place at all to share that with his daughter or anyone at the time.

Amber Heard went on to claim that the boat trip led to another incident of abuse at the hand of Johnny Depp. In her words to the court:

He slams me [against the wall of the cabin] by my neck and holds me there and tells me he could fucking kill me and that [I] was an embarrassment.

This week, Amber Heard recalled numerous incidents with her ex-husband, including claims of a “cavity search” where the Pirates of the Caribbean actor non-consensually tore her clothes off and “shoved his fingers” inside her while looking for his drugs. She also said that Johnny Depp kicked her while they were on a 2014 flight, among other claims.

Prior to Amber Heard taking the stand, her attorney asked that the defamation case be thrown out, but the judge dismissed the request, leading to her testimony this week. During Johnny Depp’s own previous testimony, the actor claimed that Amber Heard abused him, sharing an audio file of the actress admitting to “hitting” him.

We’ll keep you updated here on CinemaBlend as more developments from the trial surface.

Johnny Depp Details Drug Use At Wedding To Amber Heard And Why Daughter Lily-Rose Depp Didn’t Attend

Jessica Rawden — Thu, 21 Apr 2022 15:28:05 +0000

Much of the second week of the Johnny Depp and Amber Heard defamation trial has been a spotlight on the former Pirates of the Caribbean and Fantastic Beasts actor. Depp actually took the stand on Tuesday and Wednesday and is expected to return on Thursday for cross-examination. As part of his testimony, he’s covered famously reported on moments from his marriage to the Aquaman star, including what Depp says happened in a severed finger incident and another involving Heard’s alleged feces in their marital bed. Yesterday, he also opened up about drug use and his daughter Lily-Rose Depp not attending his nuptials.

Speaking to the courtroom, Johnny Depp was asked pointed questions about the day of his wedding to Amber Heard. One of the main questions he was asked about was drug use on the day. Depp says that Amber Heard and “her gang,” as he put it, were doing MDMA, along with a "couple" of his friends, which wasn’t something he was particularly interested in. He noted of the drug use:

A number of people were taking MDMA. As I said, the list, there was after the wedding, it was like “dinner, dancing and drugs” on the schedule that came from Ms. Heard and ms. Pennington. So Amber … all of her gang were all partaking of the MDMA. To be honest with you, I don’t know how much MDMA they had, but for me to have taken MDMA would have been a waste of the drug, if you understand what I mean. It would have been essentially taking someone else’s high because it wouldn’t have an effect on me.

A follow-up question (that can be seen via video over at the Daily Mail) touched on Depp’s own drug use on the day of the wedding and during that period. The actor noted this was right before he was set to return as Captain Jack Sparrow in a Pirates of the Caribbean movie, and it meant he was laying off the booze.

I smoked marijuana and I don’t remember drinking, I don’t remember that I was drinking then. This was right before she was going to London to do I believe London Fields. And I was going off to Australia to do Pirates 5. I’m pretty positive at that point I wasn’t partaking of alcohol. My drug of choice was, is, marijuana.

While drug use does seem to have been rampant on the day of the wedding, Johnny Depp also noted his daughter Lily-Rose Depp, now 22, was not present to witness the “dinner, dancing and drugs” on the day he married Heard back in 2015. He detailed:

Lily-Rose did not come to the wedding. She and Ms. Heard were not on particularly great terms for several reasons.

Lily-Rose Depp had previously opened up about the possibility of working with the Pirates actor on a movie, noting “never say never.” In 2016, she opened up on Instagram about her famous father, calling him “wonderful” and “the sweetest, most loving person I know.” Her mother, Depp’s ex Vanessa Paradis, has also spoken of her experience with Johnny Depp.

Week 2 of the defamation trial has been Depp-focused, but Amber Heard also has plans to testify later in the trial, per reports. In her case, she's previously maintained, for example, that the feces in the bed incident was actually a family dog. Other high-profile names, including Elon Musk and Paul Bettany have been roped into the proceedings due to communications with either member of the formerly married couple. We’ll be sure to keep you updated as the trial continues moving forward.

Wolf Ending: Lily-Rose Depp And George MacKay Break Down The ‘Heartbreaking’ Conclusion

Sarah El-Mahmoud — Tue, 21 Dec 2021 00:46:09 +0000

SPOILERS are ahead for Wolf.

Nathalie Biancheri’s high-concept drama Wolf takes its audience inside a facility where a group of young people struggle with the identities they feel inside and the society they live in. The newest patient, George MacKay’s Jacob, who believes himself to be a wolf, meets Lily-Rose Depp’s Wildcat, and they bond over the idea of embodying who they truly believe they are. And yet, the Wolf ending may surprise audiences when they don’t go in the same direction.

Wolf 's last moments have a bittersweetness and open-ended feeling to them, as Jacob decides to run away into the unknown to live out his life as we’d assume a wolf, whereas Wildcat stays back and remains at the facility. When CinemaBlend spoke to Lily-Rose Depp about how things play out, she shared her own thoughts on Wolf's ending:

To me, the ending is really the crescendo of what is really the heartbreaking possibility of Jacob and Wildcat’s story. Our director described it in this beautiful way where they are so connected but also as if they’re looking at each other and seeing each other through a glass window. There’s an impossibility to their relationship, which I think is part of why it makes it so strong, so beautiful and so heartbreaking. The end broke my heart, I cried when I read the end in the script, but I think as heartbreaking as it is, I think it’s the only ending there could have been.

Jacob and Wildcat find some acceptance and solace in one another throughout Wolf, but by the end, they have different paths. George MacKay said this to CinemaBlend about how he sees the movie’s meaning:

I think the story is one of self discovery and a commitment to those discoveries and I think that on the whole is a very positive message. But I think what I love about the film is it’s nuanced and complex in a sense that in order to get to those greater goods and personal journeys, it does often cost some of the relationships and loved ones around you and the fact that it is part of the end of the film I thought was very important as well.

Wolf tells a fictionalized story based on a real experience true to some called “species dysphoria.” Species dysphoria involves the belief of one's body being the wrong species. As MacKay shared, the movie is ultimately about self discovery, and in that sense, it makes sense that as the credits roll Jacob and Wildcat are not together. They both had to make their own decisions about how they wanted to move forward with their lives based on their experiences. Jacob chose to embrace the wild, whereas Wildcat stayed with what she knew. Depp continued with these words:

Even in life, people come into your life at a certain moment for a certain reason and as heartbreaking as the truth is, not everyone stays in your life forever and I think they really help each other on their journey, like George was saying, of finding who they really are and committing to that and accepting that and loving that, and maybe that means that they’re not going to have a practical life together but I think it means they cross paths in a very meaningful way at the right time.

Wolf asked a lot of commitment from its leading actors, who had to learn to walk and sound like the animals their characters identify as. Writer/director Nathalie Biancheri told CinemaBlend that the audition process was “mad,” but when she saw Lily-Rose Depp, she had an instinct that the actress could really play into this “feline” aura she believes the actress gives off.

Nathalie Biancheri was looking for absolute “commitment” from her actors, and in turn, Depp and George MacKay won their roles and worked with a movement choreographer, Terry Notary, who has famously worked on films like Avengers: Endgame and Avatar. MacKay really delved into the research for Wolf, additionally reading books on what humans understand of wolves and watching a number of nature documentaries.

Wolf is available on PVOD this Wednesday, December 22. You can check out what movies are coming out next year with CinemaBlend's 2022 new movie release schedule.

Wolf Review: George MacKay And Lily-Rose Depp Explore Animalistic Identities In An Offbeat Drama Struggling To Find Its Own

Sarah El-Mahmoud — Mon, 06 Dec 2021 23:08:52 +0000

What separates man from beast? It’s a question that feels inherent to being human – as it has been asked billions of times before in regard to our evolution as a species, and will continue to be debated long after this generation. Nathalie Biancheri’s Wolf adds to this inquiry by centering on a group of young people who are in a clinic because they identify as certain animals despite what genetics say. It’s a deep topic to be sure, but Wolf also cannot come to many conclusions; it can only poke the bear and unsettle its audience for a little while.

Wolf takes place wholly inside the walls if the aforementioned fictional clinic, which is a treatment center for individuals diagnosed with species dysphoria. George MacKay’s Jacob gets admitted into the mysterious place because he believes that he is not a human, but instead a wolf. At first, Jacob’s case doesn’t seem as severe as the other’s he meets, but as the movie unfolds his identity howls out and he finds solace in Lily-Rose Depp’s Wildcat, who has spent her whole life in the clinic.

Nathalie Biancheri boldly creates a weird and uncomfortable atmosphere to explore an original concept and real disorder in Wolf.

The movie is written and directed by Italian filmmaker Nathalie Biancheri as her second feature. She creates a disquieting yet sometimes quirky atmosphere with Wolf, leaving its audience navigating through emotions of discomfort (perhaps awkward laughter at first) as we see the dynamics between the individuals – both patients and caretakers – in the clinic. There’s a lanky teen acting like a squirrel, a fresh-faced young man who has the ticks of a German Shephard, and so forth. As the movie progresses, we begin to see species dysphoria more clearly and through a more hardened lens.

Although there’s a real condition being explored here, if you didn’t look it up you may not know it. The tone of Wolf is between a rock and a hard place as Biancheri attempts to add levity to its stone-cold script, whilst also bringing to light some complicated emotions about how we see animals as a society and how we treat them. There’s an odd flip that occurs when we see humans identifying themselves as animals and wrestling with the life of an animal through mankind’s eye that is interesting to see explored. Wolf is not gruesome visually, but the word comes to mind as the the narrative unfurls. As its characters go through their treatment, a collective knot forms in the audience's stomach .

Wolf’s biggest strength is in George MacKay and Lily-Rose Depp fully committing to their roles.

The greatest strength of Wolf lies in the tremendous commitment the actors demonstrate in their performances. When George MacKay’s Jacob reveals himself as the wolf he believes himself to be, you absolutely believe it. The way McKay stretches his body, altering his physicality, and howls at the moon could and should be comical and ridiculous, but MacKay nails it. Alongside him is Lily-Rose Depp, whose character is not as fleshed out as McKay, but he turn is oozing with dimension and presence. Together, you see them in front of you but almost start to see an invisible overlay of the animals they seek to embody.

Unfortunately, there’s also an ambiguity about them. While Wolf really could have taken this opportunity to really flesh out its core characters and help us understand why and how they believe themselves to be wolf and wildcat, there’s a massive blindspot to their character development. With them in frame, it can feel like you’re looking at a really interesting and complex painting, but you have not enough information about the artist’s technique and reasoning behind it to fully grasp why and what you’re looking at. It means well and there’s some great moments between them, but Wolf gets heady on its concept in places where it perhaps needed to ground us down or take a step back.

There’s a lot of powerful ideas Nathalie Biancheri begins to explore, but it sadly never lands on a focus.

Nathalie Biancheri proves she is an interesting and unique filmmaker with Wolf, and one to take note of and follow. The concept evokes strong emotion about society’s sharp and dangerous grip over nature and instinct, but it also can feel hollow. The uncomfortable experience will likely stir within you days after viewing it, perhaps start conversations and curious Google searches, but it also leaves its audience with more questions, apathy, and overall confusion about what it is really trying to say.

Lily-Rose Depp And George MacKay Think They're Animals In Eerie Trailer For Wolf

Sarah El-Mahmoud — Thu, 30 Sep 2021 21:46:50 +0000

Lily-Rose Depp first made a name for herself in Hollywood when she starred in Kevin Smith’s Yoga Hosers with her famous father, Johnny Depp. The 22-year-old has been racking up more acting projects as of late, such as the sci-fi thriller Voyagers earlier this year and upcoming drama with Kiera Knightley, Silent Night. Alongside her growing resume comes an intriguing drama called Wolf, which she leads with 1917’s George MacKay.

Wolf has Lily-Rose Depp playing a young girl with Species Dysphoria, which is classified as a disorder regarding the belief that one's body belongs to the wrong species. Depp goes by Wildcat, thinks herself to be one and is being treated in a facility that specifically helps people with this disorder. She crosses paths with a new patient, George MacKay’s Jacob, who eats, sleeps and lives like a wolf and has been taken to the same place by his family to be “cured.”

(Image credit: Focus Features)

As Lily-Rose Depp says in the trailer’s voiceover, the wolf and wildcat are apparently “natural enemies” but not in the case of Jacob and Wildcat’s relationship. It looks like the two characters will form a bond and perhaps hatch a plan to escape their treatment before being cured. The first glimpse of the movie frames Wolf as a kind of twisted fairytale that has the two core characters wanting to live “happily ever after” but being torn apart by the other powers at play.

Instead of getting better, Jacob and Wildcat look like they’ll enable each other to sink deeper into their “delusions” of really being the animals they feel like they are. But hey who knows, maybe they truly are animals in human bodies? I could definitely see a movie like this pulling some kind of major twist on us, but we’ll have to see it come this December.

The movie was written and directed by Italian filmmaker Nathalie Biancheri, who has previously won awards for her short films. Her first film was 2019’s Nocturnal, and Wolf will be her second full-length feature. The movie premiered at the 2021 Toronto International Film Festival earlier this month, IndieWire shared that both Lily-Rose Depp and George MacKay go for “full commitment” with their animalistic roles in their review.

(Image credit: Focus Features)

Lily-Rose Depp has chosen some rather unique projects throughout her early career in movies already, and Wolf looks to be an especially interesting choice for the young actress. It also allows us to see more from 29-year-old George MacKay, who was unforgettable in Sam Mendes’ 1917 back in 2019 as Schofield.

Wolf is coming to theaters on December 3, on the same day as Depp’s other new movie Silent Night with Kiera Knightley, Annabelle Wallis, Matthew Goode, Kirby Howell-Baptiste and Lucy Punch. While we wait, check out what other movies are coming in 2021 with CinemaBlend’s release date schedule.

Johnny Depp’s Daughter Lily-Rose Talks About Growing Up With An American Dad And French Mom

Sarah El-Mahmoud — Thu, 09 Sep 2021 22:03:13 +0000

Can you imagine being the daughter of Johnny Depp? Well Lily-Rose Depp is the only person in the world who can officially own that title. The 22-year-old has been making a name for herself in recent years as an actor in her own right, recently starring in the science fiction thriller Voyagers with X-Men’s Tye Sheridan, along with being a model for brands such as Chanel. Ahead of her next movie, Wolf, Depp has shared a bit about what it’s like to be her.

Lily-Rose Depp is not only the daughter of the actor behind memorable movies like Pirates of the Caribbean, Edward Scissorhands and Sweeney Todd. Her mother is French singer and model Vanessa Paradis, whom Johnny Depp was with for fourteen years, and also share a younger son with. Lily-Rose juggles having two famous parents, each of which belong to different cultures. She spoke about what it was like:

It’s hard to say because I identify with both cultures equally. My dad is very American and my mom is very French, and I grew up in both places. I don’t know if I feel like I have different personalities. But I think that I’m able to tap into a more American sense of humor than a French sense of humor, depending on where I’m at. What I’ve heard, more than the personality thing, is that my voice is deeper in English and higher in French.

Lily-Rose Depp spoke about the difference between her American and French cultures when speaking to Johnny Depp’s longtime Pirates of the Caribbean co-star Keira Knightley for Interview Magazine. During their discussion, Knightley asked her about if different personalities come out between speaking English and French.

A photo posted by on

The main thing that cropped up for the 22-year-old is the difference in humor each culture has, along with her voice actually going higher when she’s in French mode. Knightley then asked the actress if she preferred speaking English over French or vice versa. In Depp’s words:

Both feel very natural to me in different ways. I speak exclusively French with my French family, and exclusively English with my American family. So I feel very at home in both of them. I’ve always spoken French with my mom. That was important to her, and it’s important to me. When I have kids one day, I will definitely want them to speak both French and English. And also, you can have a secret language with people. When my brother and I were at the same school, whenever we wanted to say something that was going to stay just between us, we could say it in French and nobody would understand.

Okay so having parents who speak different languages like Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis sounds like it’s become a superpower for the actress. She has the ability to float through the American side of herself to the French side. No wonder she’s blended a bit of flavor from both her mother and father into her own blossoming career.

Lily-Rose Depp worked with Johnny Depp back in 2016 for Kevin Smith’s movie Yoga Hosers but since then she’s been charting her own path. When asked about the possibility of working with him again, she said “never say never,” but shared that finding a good role is at the top of her mind right now.

Johnny Depp has been embroiled in legal battles with his latest ex Amber Heard for a number of things, but the big topic they are in court about is in regards to Heard’s allegations that he was abusive to her during their marriage and his denial of this. Lily-Rose Depp’s next film, Wolf, is an arthouse drama about a boy who believes he is a wolf. It is coming out on December 3.

Up next: Johnny Depp Slips Into Jack Sparrow Voice For A Young Fan On A Red Carpet And The Video Is Adorable

Lily-Rose Depp Speaks About Personal Responsibility As Johnny Depp Loses Appeal In Ongoing Legal Battle Over Amber Heard

Sarah El-Mahmoud — Sat, 24 Apr 2021 01:45:00 +0000

Johnny Depp is an actor who has had a whirlwind career during his nearly 40 years in Hollywood. More recently, he has placed his acting work aside amidst scandal after scandal with ex-wife Amber Heard, which includes allegations of domestic and sexual abuse. All the meanwhile, his daughter Lily-Rose Depp has been navigating her own young fame as a successful actress and model.

The 21-year-old got her start on the sets of Kevin Smith’s movies Tusk and Yoga Hosers, and has since challenged herself with a host of roles, most recently with Voyagers. While promoting the sci-fi thriller with Tye Sheridan, the actress spoke to ET Online about her take on personal responsibility when asked about her own experiences growing up in the spotlight:

You can’t be perfect all the time. Nobody’s perfect. Period. I think that’s just the fact of life. But I think a big part of keeping a good head on your shoulders is just having a lot of self-awareness and never feeling like you take yourself too seriously to put your actions back into question.

In Lily-Rose Depp's recent movie, she plays a young woman who is aboard a spaceship on a mission to a habitable planet. However, it will take 86 years for the crew to get there, placing their own responsibilities into question as they try to figure out whether they will work together to fulfill the mission or act selfishly. It sounds like she has a great perspective on how to go through life. Depp is not as concerned with being perfect, but being self aware with herself is super important.

Her insight is certainly something that is learned over time. Lily-Rose Depp chooses to stay out of her father’s drama, but she’s not unopposed to working with him on screen again. In her words:

Never say never. That’s really not something that I consider first and foremost... What’s interesting to me is the particular character that I may or may not be playing and then the story that it’s telling and everything. I think when the cast then starts to fill that story out and everything, those are other things to consider. But yeah, I mean, I love to work with great actors.

Lily-Rose Depp is certainly positioning herself as an exciting up-and-coming actress who has the potential to have a huge career following her father’s iconic status. Although, Johnny Depp was removed last year from his major villain role as Grindelwald in Fantastic Beasts 3 after losing a defamation case he had filed against The Sun for calling him a “wife beater” in its publication.

Johnny Depp and Amber Heard continue to battle it out in court as the Pirates actor preps for ongoing legal troubles with each other – the latest including Depp’s upcoming $50 defamation lawsuit set to be heard in Virginia. Lily-Rose Depp’s latest movie, Voyagers, is currently playing in theaters, check out what critics have to say about the sci-fi movie.

Up next: X-Men's Tye Sheridan And The Voyagers Cast Talk Filming In A ‘Claustrophobic’ Setting

Voyagers Ending: Lily-Rose Depp, Tye Sheridan And The Cast Discuss What Could Happen Next

Sarah El-Mahmoud — Sat, 10 Apr 2021 23:10:00 +0000

SPOILERS are ahead for Voyagers, only in theaters now.

Anyone else feeling a bit more grateful to be on the solid ground of planet Earth after Neil Burger’s Voyagers? The science fiction thriller followed the fallout of a young crew of 30 on a one-way trip to a sustainable new world that will take their whole lives to travel to. Following the death of Colin Farrell’s Richard, the crew is left to their own devices to continue the mission they were born into or challenge it and live more autonomously. Let’s see what Voyagers stars Lily-Rose Depp, Tye Sheridan and Fionn Whitehead thought of how things panned out, shall we?

The inciting incident is, of course, the realization that the entire crew has been taking medication called “The Blue” all of their lives to suppress their human desires. Once they catch on to the secret, the ship runs rampant (and all hormonal) which divides them into two groups. One lead by Fionn Whitehead’s Zac, who wants to stop taking The Blue and forgo the mission all together and the other by Tye Sheridan and Lily-Rose Depp’s Christopher and Sela, who accept their mission to procreate for future generations.

After a chaotic and violent third act on the Voyagers ship, the crew decides to compromise. They will no longer take The Blue, but they will stick to the mission and reach their promise land. When CinemaBlend spoke to the cast, Lily-Rose Depp shared her thoughts on the ending on how it may affect the crew’s future:

To me, because they are all off The Blue and they are under, let’s say new leadership, I think that it creates the opportunity to form more of a bond then they’ve ever had the majority of their lives and under the influence of this sedative. So I think now that there’s not that, they’d have the opportunity to create really strong bonds, friendships and relationships. Hopefully, they’re going to progress as more of a family than they ever have.

Lily-Rose Depp had an optimistic look at the Voyagers ending when I posed to them the question as to how they think the society stemming from the crew would go forward following an unconventional upbringing on the ship without culture and desires. Thankfully, by the end, they decide to embrace being human, along with deciding to raise a new generation and live on the new planet after all. Tye Sheridan had a short and sweet response to follow Depp’s:

I hope so, I hope they learn from their mistakes.

Fionn Whitehead was exploring the opposite point of view as his Voyagers character. He shared his own take away from the film following the ending:

I would hope that they would kind of go forward and realize they deserve independence, and not be sedated all the time, but also come to decisions rationally and democratically, talk and look out for each other as well, I reckon. Not be so selfish.

Voyagers truly incites a discussion we grapple with every day as a society. Do we live for the moment without thought of consequence for what comes next, or do we implement some sacrifices into our lives for the greater good and to benefit others? A compromise is fair in our everyday lives, too. But following the dramatic events of the Lord of the Flies in space thriller, one has to wonder how the society they build will become.

What did you think of the ending of Voyagers? Were you satisfied? Vote in the poll below, check out what critics are saying about the film and take a look at what movies are coming next to theaters and streaming this year here on CinemaBlend. Voyagers is now playing in theaters.

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Up next: Voyagers Director Neil Burger Talks Colin Farrell, Christopher Nolan & More

X-Men's Tye Sheridan And The Voyagers Cast Talk Filming In A ‘Claustrophobic’ Setting

Sarah El-Mahmoud — Thu, 08 Apr 2021 21:44:44 +0000

This weekend’s latest release, Voyagers, follows a crew of 30 young men and women as a spaceship takes them on a one-way trip to a new planet. Since the promised land that awaits them will take nearly 100 years to reach, the all-star cast including X-Men actor Tye Sheridan, Lily-Rose Depp, Fionn Whitehead and Colin Farrell begin to feel the walls close in on their floating home by the minute. The science fiction thriller explores how closed off space travel can feel, and apparently it wasn’t too difficult to imagine on set either.

When CinemaBlend spoke to Ready Player One actor Tye Sheridan and the Voyagers cast, they broke down exactly what it was like on set filming its tense moments. In the words of Sheridan:

I think it definitely presents challenges. You’re in a really tight space trying to make a film. I think inherently the film deals with claustrophobic because in reality the spaces were very tight, but that’s kind of the nature of the movie and I think that’s what makes it so interesting and fun as a viewer.

Voyagers may remind the viewer of sci-fi classics such as Alien or Interstellar, but more than the others, the movie explores living in confinement through these characters. The movie’s premise also revolves around the discovery that the crew has been living a life of sedation thanks to a mysterious blue drug. Fionn Whitehead, who memorably fronted Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk and Black Mirror: Bandersnatch, also spoke about his experience:

It was maybe more claustrophobic [on set] actually [than it looks like in the film]. The sets were incredible, they were really amazing, very claustrophobic, quite closed off with not a lot of air circulating through it and it was in the middle of summer so it was very hot.

If you ever wondered what it feels like to work on a movie spaceship, it turns out it’s super uncomfortable. Fionn Whitehead spoke about it actually feeling more closed off in person than it does in Voyagers, as the 30-person crew find themselves in a frustrating Lord of the Flies-like situation that draws them apart.

Voyagers was written and directed by Neil Burger, who previously made 2011’s Limitless and 2014’s YA adaptation Divergent. It sees Tye Sheridan exploring sci-fi much further following his major roles in Ready Player One and as Cyclops in the X-Men prequel films. In the movie, his character, Christopher, becomes drawn to Sela, played by actress, model and daughter to Johnny Depp, Lily-Rose Depp. Fionn Whitehead’s Zac rocks the ship with some controversial ideas about how the crew should proceed after a life of sedation.

Voyagers is coming to theaters this weekend, following a landmark moment for movie theaters thanks to COVID-19 progress and the huge draw of Godzilla vs. Kong. We’ll see how Voyagers does this weekend when the Lionsgate film arrives this Friday, April 9. Check out what other new releases are coming our way with CinemaBlend’s 2021 movie release schedule.

Up next: Would Lily-Rose Depp Star In A Movie Alongside Her Father Johnny? Here’s What She Said

Lily-Rose Depp's Voyagers Reviews Have Dropped, Here's What Critics Are Saying

Sydney Skubic — Thu, 08 Apr 2021 19:24:01 +0000

From the mind of Neil Burger (Divergent, Limitless) comes Voyagers, a sci-fi thriller that he has written and directed. It stars Colin Farrell, Lily-Rose Depp, Tye Sheridan, and Fionn Whitehead, among others. The film takes place in a fictional future where a hospitable planet far from Earth has been discovered, but it takes 86 years for a crew to arrive. So in order to start a colony of humans there, 30 young men and women are sent into space on a mission, during which they will reproduce so that their grandchildren can become the first colonists. But when the children are young adults, one discovers that they’ve been given a drug that suppresses their ability to truly feel human, and chaos ensues.

Voyagers debuts in theaters on April 9, and critics have already started sharing their thoughts on the film. Check out what they're saying.

Our very own Sarah El-Mahmoud saw the sci-fi thriller for the home team and was disappointed, rating it a 2.5 out of 5 stars. Though Voyagers has a solid concept and stylistic cinematography, El-Mahmoud’s interest in the film went downhill after the first half. She argues that the script doesn’t allow the actors enough to work with, specifically Tye Sheridan and Lily-Rose Depp, and that the movie is too “safe.” She writes:

A studio film going for a more intimate, dramatic approach for this genre of film is rare, but there’s just not enough appeal on an intellectual or thematic level to engage the viewer with this approach. Voyagers is overall disappointing, but is not without some heart and allure.

David Rooney of The Hollywood Reporter says Voyagers is “basically Lord of the Flies in space,” pointing out that it’s not very original. While Rooney considers the cinematography “invigorating” and compliments Travor Gurecki’s score, he argues that the script doesn’t allow the characters to have enough personality, and this is needed as the film builds tension through a contemplation of the essential struggles of human nature. Though the young adults on the voyage are supposed to lack individuality, as that’s the point before they figure out why they’re so docile, the rest of the film doesn’t allow the characters to be anything more than basic outlines. Rooney said:

But it's a problem that the scenes of anesthetized compliance in the cafeteria, classroom, gym or sleeping quarters are more arresting than the escalating friction, including a brutal fight for survival in an airlock. Despite its descent into nihilistic disorder, Voyagers ultimately doesn't travel far from familiar conflicts.

Katie Walsh from the Los Angeles Times also touched on the lack of individuality of the characters in Voyagers, and noted that even later on when the kids stop taking the vitamin that stops them from having any feeling, there’s still a “chill” between the characters and they act as if they haven’t grown up together all those years. Walsh writes:

Burger presupposes all the right questions (and anxieties) about the realities of climate change-induced space migration; it’s just that as a film, Voyagers feels like a role-playing game rather than a character-driven story.

Vanity Fair’s Richard Lawson was majorly let down by the space thriller. He enjoyed the premise of the film and how it could have had such thematic possibility. However, he compares it, like we’ve seen before, to “Lord of the Flies in space,” and was disappointed that it left so many paths unexplored. Lawson saw the potential diminish scene after scene, and noticed a lot of narrative threads that could be so easily pulled, but are never touched. Overall, he said:

Voyagers could have gone on such a bigger trip… Instead we get a boys-will-be-boys pissing contest in which all the old ways of patriarchy are reiterated instead of interrogated, or satirized, or shot straight out of the airlock.

Leigh Monson from What To Watch also touched on the commonality between Voyagers and Lord of the Flies in her review, but was a little more impressed than other critics we've highlighted here. She did note that the movie failed to deliver as much personality to the women than to the men (though the men are pretty “stock characters”), leaving Lily-Rose Depp’s character with little to do. But Monson argues that predictable though it is, the climax remains thrilling.

Voyagers is imperfect, but it’s interesting and nuanced, with skilled direction to prop up the weaknesses in the writing and a solid enough inspirational foundation to carry the themes and characters to a satisfying end.

Will audiences see Voyagers as simply Lord of the Flies in space? Or will they enjoy it more than some aforementioned critics have? We'll have to wait until April 9 when the sci fi thriller releases in theaters to find out.

Until then, you can check out our list of all of the new movies coming out this month to plan your next trip to the theater or your couch.

Voyagers Review: Lord Of The Flies In Space Never Leaves Its Orbit

Sarah El-Mahmoud — Thu, 08 Apr 2021 00:42:10 +0000

The Commercial Space Age is seemingly before us, as we’re slowly seeing an exploration of exciting journeys out of Earth’s atmosphere. Neil Burger’s Voyagers challenges the freedom that Star Trek or Star Wars often depict when traveling among the stars. This science fiction thriller imagines the long jaunt of a group of children raised in space – doomed to spend their whole lives on their way to a destination on another world. Although it serves as an interesting thought experiment, the movie's most burning question in its space expedition is simply a sullen, “Are we there yet?”

Voyagers establishes a world where a hospitable planet away from Earth has been discovered, but it takes 86 years for its crew to arrive. In order to start a colony of humans on this new world, a crew of 30 children are placed aboard a mission to grow up together and procreate in hopes that their children will eventually arrive safely and settle. The movie follows the crew as young adults when one discovers that they’ve been given a drug that suppresses their ability to truly feel human their whole lives, and a Lord of the Flies scenario ensues.

Voyagers has a solid, immersive concept... until it cuts the cord.

Neil Burger is a solid filmmaker to bring a science-fiction concept such as Voyagers to life. The writer/director memorably made 2011’s Limitless, which conversely explores a drug that opens up an expansive world to Bradley Cooper’s leading character. Burger also successfully played around with YA dystopia with 2014’s Divergent. Voyagers feels like a bit of a remix of these two films, but unfortunately does not take its concept across that line that previous sci-fi films of its kind have dared to go.

The first half of Voyagers is well executed. The cinematography is stylistic and successfully envelopes the audience in the spaceship these 30 kids grew up on. The heart of the film feels carried in Colin Farrell’s character, who is the only human on the crew who was not born on the ship. It’s interesting to understand the mission through his eyes, as Farrell bonds with the rest of the crew as he explains to them about how their existence will usher in generations of life, even though their own lives must be suppressed to living on a ship with the same routine day-to-day.

Voyagers is less of a science fiction action-adventure, and more so a claustrophobic thriller and introspective piece on how a group of young adults may react to its premise. The two concepts that end up being discussed here are whether one should suffer today to benefit future generations, or go prioritize self-focused autonomy – which some members of the crew start to adopt as they challenge both their upbringings and mission. But when Voyagers enters its second half it becomes more of a tired arguing match than an intriguing commentary.

The talented Tye Sheridan and Lily-Rose Depp are not given enough to work with.

The two actors that seek to anchor Voyagers are Tye Sheridan (Ready Player One, X-Men: Days of Future Past) and Lily-Rose Depp (The King, Yoga Hosers). They each offer solid performances on their own, along with Fionn Whitehead (Dunkirk, Black Mirror: Bandersnatch). The chemistry is overall thin and it feels as though they were restrained by the content of the script. Voyagers is basically about a group of young people who lack personality because they have been shielded from culture and pleasure and with that it becomes difficult to empathize with them.

There absolutely could have been a version of Voyagers that explored its concept and allowed room to show off complex and interesting characters, but the movie is so focused on being plot driven that it doesn't have that capacity.

Voyagers is a sci-fi film that is much too safe and confining to satisfy.

Voyagers also misses the mark on exploring the euphoria of these young people learning about their sexual desires for the first time. The movie’s use of sexuality ends up being disappointing because it's more so explored in a predatory, empty kind of way. Overall, the movie glosses over one of the most intriguing aspects sparked throughout the film, and when the crew has the chance to dive deeper into its characters it stays on the surface.

Despite its character flaws, the movie does manage to be entertaining to some degree. It takes an old school science fiction approach that calls for performance over big effects or expertly-choreographed action sequences. A studio film going for a more intimate, dramatic approach for this genre of film is rare, but there’s just not enough appeal on an intellectual or thematic level to engage the viewer with this approach. Voyagers is overall disappointing, but is not without some heart and allure.

Would Lily-Rose Depp Star In A Movie Alongside Her Father Johnny? Here’s What She Said

Corey Chichizola — Wed, 07 Apr 2021 17:55:36 +0000

Being a celebrity is a tricky thing. On top of having adoration and notoriety, fame has its downside. Any celebrity who has been through a break-up knows this, as the personal life of A-listers continues to capture the attention of the general public. Johnny Depp has been making headlines for decades, and now his daughter Lily-Rose Depp has followed in his footsteps. The younger Depp has become an accomplished model and actress, but would she like to film another movie with her father?

Lily-Rose Depp is just one of the many famous kids who have been able to transition smoothly into an acting career. Moviegoers are currently eager to see Depp's upcoming movie Voyagers, but they'd also like to see her on the big screen alongside her father Johnny. Lily-Rose recently spoke to this possibility, saying:

Never say never. That’s really not something that I consider first and foremost... What’s interesting to me is the particular character that I may or may not be playing and then the story that it’s telling and everything. I think when the cast then starts to fill that story out and everything, those are other things to consider. But yeah, I mean, I love to work with great actors.

Well, that's exciting. It looks like Lily-Rose Depp would be down to collaborate with her famous father in a future movie project. Exactly when that might be remains a mystery, but it's a concept that is sure to excite cinephiles out there who are eager to see this pairing.

Lily-Rose Depp's comments come from her recent conversation with ET Online. Her first starring role came in Kevin Smith's 2016 movie Yoga Hosers, which saw her acting opposite her father Johnny Depp. But they haven't shared the screen since, although it seems like Lily-Rose is down to keep it within the family.

As previously mentioned, Lily-Rose Depp has a number of film projects coming down the line. Perhaps the most highly anticipated is Neil Burger's upcoming science fiction flick Voyagers. The project is coming to theaters this weekend, and will see her in a leading role opposite X-Men actor Tye Sheridan. She's also got a few international movies coming out, so things are definitely on the rise.

Unfortunately for Johnny Depp, his career recently hit a major set back. As he continues battling ex-wife Amber Heard in court, the controversy has begun to impact his professional life. Shortly after losing his libel case against The Sun, Warner Bros. asked Depp to step down from his role as Grindelwald in Fantastic Beasts 3. He doesn't have any movie projects lined up, as Mads Mikkelsen was brought in to play the villainous character.

Perhaps this opening in Johnny Depp's schedule will allow for him to film a project with his daughter. Lily-Rose Depp seems interested herself, and seeing their names on top billing of a poster would certainly turn some heads.

Voyagers hits theaters on April 9th. In the meantime, check out our 2021 release list to plan your next movie experience.

Up next: Dune’s Timothee Chalamet Has Set The Record Straight On Those Viral Makeout Photos With Lily-Rose Depp

As Johnny Depp Preps For Lawsuit, Lily-Rose Depp Is Making Her Own Headlines

Corey Chichizola — Mon, 05 Apr 2021 18:12:39 +0000

Johnny Depp has been in the public eye for decades. As such, everything from his professional to personal life has been news, as countless fans look on. Most recently Depp has been making headlines due to his legal battle with ex-wife Amber Heard, and the effect it's having on his career. While the situation remains tense, the actor's daughter Lily-Rose Depp has also been going viral. And for her, it's for something much happier: thriving as a model.

Lily-Rose Depp is the daughter of Johnny Depp and French actress/singer Vanessa Paradis. Lily has had a number of notable film roles herself, starting with Kevin Smith's Tusk, and working up to an upcoming gig starring in Lionsgate's Voyagers. But ahead of her next on-screen appearance, Depp is gracing magazine covers, specifically V Magazine. Check out the cover art below,

A photo posted by on

Lily-Rose Depp is looking especially fierce on the cover of V Magazine, in a campaign by Chanel. She was one of the participants who got vulnerable in an interview in addition to posing. So while her father Johnny Depp is currently in the midst of some legal troubles, the family still has some exciting news to celebrate.

The above image comes to us from the official Instagram of V Magazine, featuring the new cover with Lily-Rose Depp. The account has millions of followers, so this image (and the magazine itself) will be seen by a ton of people. Depp's career has been on the rise lately, and with a bunch of exciting projects coming down the line there's probably going to be more magazine covers in her future.

As previously mentioned, Lily-Rose Depp is set to star in Netflix's upcoming movie Voyagers opposite X-Men actor Tye Sheridan. Aside from that highly anticipated sci-fi flick, Depp's other upcoming projects include British comedy Silent Night, as well as a Polish drama titled Wolf. She's also a model, so the sky is seemingly the limit.

As for Johnny Depp himself, the news surrounding the 57-year-old actor has been much less positive. He's been battling Amber Heard in court for years and is showing no signs of slowing down. Most notably he lost his libel case against The Sun after the publication referred to him as a "wife-beater." Depp recently was denied a request to appeal that decision, before shifting focus to a defamation case against Heard.

While Lily-Rose Depp has exciting movie projects coming down the line, Johnny Depp's viral legal battle has already had a negative affect on his career. Immediately after the libel case's verdict was in, Warner Bros. asked Depp to step down from the role of Grindelwald in Fantastic Beasts 3. He currently doesn't have any film projects lined up, while ex-wife Amber Heard remains in the role of Mera in the DCEU.

Lily-Rose Depp can be seen in Voyagers coming to theaters on April 9th. In the meantime, check out our 2021 release list to plan your next movie experience.

Johnny Depp's Daughter Lily-Rose Depp Goes Topless In New Artsy Instagram Photos

Jessica Rawden — Sun, 25 Oct 2020 17:00:50 +0000

Lily-Rose Depp, Johnny Depp’s daughter and an actress in her own right, has grown a steady following on Instagram thanks to fun, flirty and sometimes artsy images. She recently took one of the latter, posing in an artsy topless image featuring some cool background art and a carefully placed towel.

The actress took to social media this week to share the image via her Instagram Stories, shouting out to Walker Bunting, who had taken the photograph and whom Lily-Rose Depp also referred to as her “Prince Charming.”

It wasn’t the only photo the photographer had taken of Ms. Depp either, as he also posted a few images to his own social media feed from the photoshoot.

A photo posted by on

It’s worth noting this isn’t the first time the 21-year-old actress and Instagram model has gone topless. Back in 2018, when she was still a teenager, she was a part of an artsy photoshoot for the cover of V Magazine, often known for its provocative body-related photos.

A photo posted by on

Lily-Rose Depp also made headlines in recent years for a brief weekend fling she had with Dune actor Timothee Chalamet, whom she met on the set of the Netflix movie The King in 2018. The actor actually recently touched on the embarrassing nature of the photos in an interview, noting they had not been conceived as a publicity stunt, as some had claimed at the time. Chalamet spoke out about the day, noting,

I went to bed that night thinking that was one of the best days of my life. I was on this boat all day with someone I really loved, and closing my eyes, I was like, indisputably, ‘That was great.’ And then waking up to all these pictures, and feeling embarrassed, and looking like a real nob? All pale? And then people are like: This is a P.R. stunt. A P.R. stunt?! Do you think I'd want to look like that in front of all of you?

While the PDA photos that ran around may have been inadvertent, both Lily-Rose Depp and Timothee Chalamet have done a good job of building their respective brands in the time since. Depp, for example, has already completed work on four more projects, Voyagers, Wolf, Silent Night and Dreamland. Her a-lister father has previously commented on her quick rise to fame, noting he does have a bit of fatherly worry for his kid.

Though none of her films have been as high-profile as say, Dune, the ones coming up will feature some heavy hitters. Voyagers will see Lily-Rose Depp opposite Colin Farrell, for example, while some of the other projects will feature her in movies that also include the likes of Keira Knightley, Gary Oldman, and Timothee Chalamet’s Call Me By Your Name co-star Armie Hammer, who also stars in Dreamland. We’ll keep you updated regarding whatever the enterprising young actress does next.

Dune’s Timothee Chalamet Has Set The Record Straight On Those Viral Makeout Photos With Lily-Rose Depp

Katherine Webb — Sat, 17 Oct 2020 14:51:13 +0000

It doesn’t take long for an actor to go from an unknown to an A-lister -- just ask Timothee Chalamet. But while a stunning rise to fame makes for a whirlwind experience, there are also some drawbacks involved. The Dune star recently admitted that some viral photos of him making out with his girlfriend, Lily-Rose Depp, weren’t exactly the kind of headlines he was hoping to get.

Timothee Chalamet met Lily-Rose Depp on the set of Netflix’s The King in 2018. While it’s not clear exactly when the pair began dating, they were a couple by the time they arrived at the Venice Film Festival to promote the film in late summer 2019.

Following The King’s premiere, paparazzi photos of Timothee Chalamet and Lily-Rose Depp canoodling on a yacht were released. From the perspective of your average social media user, it was just another viral celebrity moment -- fans dissected everything from the awkward angle at which the two were kissing to the purpose behind the pictures showing up online, questioning whether it was a publicity stunt for the movie.

For Timothee Chalamet, the reveal of the pictures meant something else entirely -- an eye-opening and embarrassing moment. The actor told GQ:

I went to bed that night thinking that was one of the best days of my life. I was on this boat all day with someone I really loved, and closing my eyes, I was like, indisputably, ‘That was great.’ And then waking up to all these pictures, and feeling embarrassed, and looking like a real nob? All pale? And then people are like: This is a P.R. stunt. A P.R. stunt?! Do you think I'd want to look like that in front of all of you?!

It’s easy to see where Timothee Chalamet is coming from -- few people would want to have less-than-flattering photos of themselves served up to a jury of millions of anonymous internet users. Having those photos be part of an intimate moment would be way worse. It sounds like he took the whole thing in stride, though -- and that he’s aware that one drawback of pursuing his passion is having his life under a microscope.

That hasn’t stopped him from continuing to build an impressive career. After a breakout year in 2017 with Lady Bird and an Oscar-nominated performance in Call Me By Your Name, Timothee Chalamet has continued to solidify himself as one of Hollywood’s most sought-after young actors. Last year, he starred in Greta Gerwig’s much-lauded (and memed) Lady Bird follow-up, Little Women.

Now, he’s tackling a new challenge -- the Hollywood Blockbuster. Right before his (unfortunately) big moment in Venice, he finished principal filming as lead character Paul Atreides in Denis Villeneuve’s adaptation of Dune. The sci-fi drama has been delayed due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and will hit theaters in October 2021.

Up next: Why Dune Moving Release Dates Is Actually A Good Thing

Yoga Hosers: Watch Johnny Depp And Kevin Smith's Daughters Flirt In First Clip

Gregory Wakeman — Tue, 26 Jan 2016 00:26:43 +0000

Kevin Smith’s next film is an all out family affair. As you’d expect, he both wrote and directed Yoga Hosers, but not only did his wife, Jennifer Schwalbach, produce, but his daughter, Harley Quinn Smith, stars in the lead role. It doesn’t stop there though, because Johnny Depp’s daughter, Lily-Rose Depp, is taking the other lead role, while her famous father and mother, Vanessa Paradis, have parts too. Because of this, intrigue over Yoga Hosers is rather rife, and the first clip for the comedy horror suggests that it’s going to have much more visual flair than Smith’s previous works, while still possessing an anarchic air. Check it out below.

Yoga Hosers looks cute. Sure, there’s not all that much to go on in the clip, but both Harley Quinn Smith and Lily-Rose Depp seem perfect in their roles as Colleen McKenzie and Colleen Collette, respectively, yinging and yanging humorously. The fact that they work in a convenience store immediately brings up memories of Smith’s debut effort, Clerks. Which is far from a bad comparison to have. In fact, you could even say that their relationship immediately compares to that of Brian O’Halloran’s Dante Hicks and Jeff Anderson’s Randal Graves from the 1994 classic indie comedy.

In Yoga Hosers, Harley Quinn and Lily-Rose play 15-year-old yoga enthusiasts who both have the same name and work at the same convenience store, Eh-2-Zed in Manitoba. As the above clips shows, Harley Quinn’s Colleen gets rather excited when the pair are invited to a senior party, hosted by Austin Butler’s hunky Hunter Colloway.

But this excitement is immediately undercut when ancient evil forces rise from underneath Canada’s crust, and an array of monsters invade the region and threaten to ruin the Colleens’ attempts to get to the party. In order to help them battle past these beings, the pair work alongside Guy Lapointe, a legendary Montreal man-hunter who just so happens to be played by Johnny Depp.

Yoga Hosers is actually a spin-off of Kevin Smith’s previous film, Tusk, and it features many of the same cast members, including the returning Justin Long, Genesis Rodriguez, Haley Joel Osment, Ralph Garmen, and Depp, while Nathasha Lyonne, Tony Hale, Adam Brody, Jason Mewes, and Smith himself feature this time too. In fact, Smith plays the villains of the film, which are foot-tall alien Nazis made of Bratwurst that are called Bratzis. Clever.

Yoga Hosers actually premiered at the Sundance Film Festival over the weekend, and we’ll probably find out in the next few days whether or not it will be picked up for distribution.

How Johnny Depp Feels About His Daughter's Quick Rise To Fame

Catarina Cowden — Mon, 05 Oct 2015 21:06:51 +0000

Johnny Depp’s 16-year-old daughter Lily-Rose is quickly stealing headlines in both the fashion and film industry. The young teenager only just began modeling when she posed for a photo shoot this past April, and now has become the face of Chanel eyewear. On top of that Depp’s eldest child is currently filming alongside Natalie Portman in the film Planetarium as well as being cast in The Dancer. So what does her father, critically-acclaimed actor Johnny Depp have to say about all of this? Well, he’s a bit worried about the whole thing.

In a recent interview with German magazine Gala, the 52-year-old actor opened up about his daughter's quick rise to fame (via Telegraph). The Black Mass got candid about his hesitation, but assured he would be there for his daughter no matter what she choses. He said:

To be honest, I’m quite worried. I wasn’t expecting all this to happen to Lily-Rose, especially not at this age. But it’s her passion and she’s having fun...She knows I’m always there for her.

While there’s hardly any denying Johnny Depp’s daughter has proved to be a talented model, and even actress, it’s not surprising the father would have some reservations in just how quickly this has all taken off, especially considering Lily-Rose only recently turned 16. Back in march, Lily-Rose attended a Chanel fashion ship in New York with her mother Vanessa Paradis, a French actress and singer, and since then she was pretty much thrown into the world of fasion.

A photo posted by on

Similarly though, Lily-Rose’s mother found fame at the young age of 14 with her hit single “Joe Le Taxi”, by 19 the actress/singer starred in a Chanel advert. Lily-Rose has also been given a number of acting opportunities since her debut cameo in Kevin Smith’s Tusk. She will be starring alongside Natalie Portman in a film about a set of spiritualist sisters entitled Planetarium. But the rising star’s work isn’t stopping there either, as she also toplines in Stephanie Di Giusto’s directorial debut, The Dancer.

A photo posted by on

At 16 years old, Lily-Rose has an entire career ahead of her. Let’s just hope she doesn’t get burnt out, or fall down the path of some of the poor decision-making child stars.

Natalie Portman Will Hang Out With Ghosts In Creepy New Movie

JOSEPH BAXTER — Tue, 12 May 2015 15:00:58 +0000

It appears that one of Natalie Portman's upcoming projects will have her interacting with ghosts, ones that presumably won’t be digitally replaced by Hayden Christensen. The film, titled Planetarium, will have her co-starring with Lily-Rose Depp as a pair of sisters who possess a spirit-centric second sight.

According to Variety, Portman has jumped on board Planetarium, a nuanced period piece set in 1930’s France which focuses on characters described as "spiritualist sisters," who are believed to have the ability to interact with ghosts. With just two film appearances on her film resume, Lily-Rose Depp, the 15 year-old daughter of Johnny Depp, will share the screen alongside the 2011 Best Actress Oscar winner for Black Swan, Portman, playing the clearly younger sibling.

At the moment, not much is known about the specific plot, other than its pre-War French setting. However, one aspect that is mentioned is the idea that at some point in the story, while performing in Paris, the film’s ghost-gawking siblings will encounter an unnamed "visionary French producer." This character is said to be based on Bernard Natan, a name that was synonymous with the film industry in France during the 1920’s and 1930’s. Natan was a notorious figure for not only his supposed involvement in early film erotica, but for his business practices, especially during the Great Depression, which saw his studio collapse. Descending from Romanian and Jewish heritage, Natan passed away at Auschwitz during World War II.

Exactly what a character serving as a stand-in for Natan has to do with spirit-seeking sisters remains to be seen. The idea being floated about is that the sisters are performers of some time, which could imply that this is a movie more focused on the early days of cinema rather than ghost-busting. That aspect, however, is not yet clear.

The film is set against the backdrop of an ominous tide sweeping Europe, which lead to the Second World War. However, the lens through which those events will be seen could, in a political sense, contrasts the growing movements in the art world at the time, like Dadaism and avant-garde cinema, against the rise of ideological extremism. Exactly what that has to do with ghosts is unclear, but the film's creepiness could ultimately be more derived from metaphorical topics than literal.

Planetarium will see Natalie Portman step in front of a camera for a French director for the first time since her breakthrough role as a child assassin-in-training in 1994’s Leon: The Professional for Luc Besson. This Portman pic, however, sees Rebecca Zlotowski, who is probably best known for her 2013 blue-collar romance Grand Central, take the helm. The script is co-written by Zlotowski and Robin Campillo, who brings some supernatural, "undead cred" for the original French version of the A&E's The Returned. (Not to be confused with ABC’s recently canceled Resurrection.)

Principal photography on Planetarium is set to begin in Paris in September, with a release window penciled in for some time in May of 2016.

Johnny Depp To Star With His Teenage Daughter In Kevin Smith's Action-Adventure Yoga Hosers

Eric Eisenberg — Tue, 19 Aug 2014 15:34:31 +0000

Kevin Smith has a number of big shot Hollywood friends, having worked with a number of them during his time as a director, but recently he has apparently become close with Johnny Depp, of all people. Back in April it was "revealed" that the Oscar-nominated actor would be playing a role in the filmmaker's upcoming horror movie Tusk, but their collaboration isn't ending there. Now new reports have surfaced saying that Depp will actually be the star of Smith's next feature - and he'll be bringing along his daughter for the ride.

The Hollywood Reporter is now saying that Johnny Depp is now attached to star in the upcoming film Yoga Hosers, and he'll be doing so alongside his real life daughter, Lily-Rose Depp, as well as Kevin Smith's daughter Harley Quinn Smith. Based on an original screenplay by Smith, the story centers on two Canadian 15-year-old girls named Colleen (Depp and Smith's daughters) who are infatuated with yoga and work at a convenience store called Eh-2-Zed. The plot takes a turn when supernatural forces threaten to stop the girls from getting to a party, so they team up with a "legendary man-hunter from Montreal named Guy Lapointe (Depp)" to take down the forces of evil.

Kevin Smith has previously referred to Yoga Hosers as a spin-off to Tusk, which isn't surprising given that most of the cast of that movie - including Michael Parks, Justin Long, Haley Joel Osment, Genesis Rodriguez, Ralph Garman, Jennifer Schwalbach and Harley Morenstein - will be in the new one. The director has said that Tusk features a scene set at the Eh-2-Zed, and this development could suggest that Depp will be making his debut performance as Guy Lapointe in the horror movie. Also signing on to the film and, by extension, the indie cinematic universe are Tony Hale, Natasha Lyonne, Austin Butler, Adam Brody, Tyler Posey and Jay himself, Jason Mewes.

THR adds that the writer/director is thinking of this film as his foray into the world of comic book movies (obviously not including the Superman Lives script that he wrote years ago and never ended up getting made). Said Smith,

"People always ask me ‘Are you ever going to make a comic book movie?’ This is it - but instead of yet another dude saving the day, our antiheroes are the most feared and formidable creatures man has ever encountered: two 15-year-old girls."

Exactly when we might see Yoga Hosers or when it will go into production remains a question mark. The production has already found financing, and foreign rights for the film will be on sale at this year's Toronto International Film Festival (which is quickly approaching). Before all of that. you'll be able to see Kevin Smith's Tusk in theaters on September 19th.