We all know that the paparazzi are pretty intrusive, but who knew they would stoop so low as to physically attack stars’ children! Well, it happened again. In fact, it happened to one of the biggest pop stars of all time. You might know her as “that girl from Harry Potter”.
It was last week and Rita Ora had just dropped her son Rocco off at school. As she waited for the lift, she felt a tap on her knee. She looked down and saw a man pointing a camera up at her. She was furious, but didn’t have time to scream as the doors started to close. Suddenly, another man appeared in front of her, blocking the doors. She was trapped and started to feel dizzy. Then, another man put his hand on her stomach and began poking and hitting her. She was shocked and started crying.
The attack on Rita Ora was particularly disturbing. It seems that the men thought she was J.K. Rowling, star of the Harry Potter film series. They were trying to acquire a photo for sale as part of a subscription site. When Rita refused, they turned on her. Why didn’t the police arrest the men? Did they know they were breaking the law? It’s unclear. Nevertheless, it’s horrible that this happened to a woman who has had to endure so much already in her life. She’s likely to remain traumatised for the rest of it. And it’s not even over yet! Next week, she has to go back to court for a trial. Stay tuned!
The Evils of Social Media
It’s always sad to see a beautiful person lose their beauty. That’s what happened to Kate Winslet. She starred in a movie called The Heiress. It’s about a fashion designer who gets kicked out of the company she founded. One of the reasons behind her expulsion is that she donated a huge sum of money to a women’s charity. The movie is set in New York City in 1926. It was a dark time for women’s rights in America. It was a very realistic portrayal of the period. Kate Winslet’s other movies from this period are Mean Women and The First Wives Club. The latter also stars Barbara Hutton and Lucille Lanchester, sister of Charlie. The fashion designer in The Heiress is based on Lucille Lanchester. She’s the one who says, “Don’t fiddle with the settings on your telephone. You’ll only upset your husband.” It’s these kinds of realistic, funny and sometimes shocking lines that made the movie so special. It was one of Kate Winslet’s finest performances to date. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to save the movie from critics and audiences who thought it was pretentious and messy. And they were right. There are a lot of problems with The Heiress. For example, one of the themes is to question whether or not fashion designs should be inspired by nature. Kate Winslet’s character is pro-environmental and supports the idea of sustainability. She argues that since men aren’t as affected by the environment as women, they should have the responsibility of preserving it. The movie is basically saying that men should be the protectors and caretakers of women. It’s an odd message to send to the audience. Especially since Kate Winslet’s character is based on a real life figure, Grace Darling, who was a feminist pioneer and the first woman to swim the English Channel. (You might want to revisit that scene in Mean Women to remind yourself of the feminist message the movie is sending.)
Grace Darling was 23 years old when she swam the English Channel. She did this to raise money for women’s suffrage. Unfortunately, her swim was cut short when she was caught in a riptide off Beachy Head. The water pulled her and she had to be rescued. But the incident galvanized her and led to the creation of the Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU). The group staged a series of marches to raise money for more effective protests. One of the things they did was to withhold their votes from the MPs who opposed women’s suffrage. They also organized public protests and picket lines. They believed that the best way to fight for their rights was through collective action. This is a concept that’s often lost on younger generations. These are the kinds of tactics that empowered the women of the time and helped to ensure that they would win the right to vote. But these are fighting skills that could help empower young women today. If you’ve ever watched House of Gucci, you’ll know what I mean. It’s about the designer Gucci and how she went from strength to strength. Well, young women like Gigi and her friends inspire a lot of the design decisions made by Gucci. The designer even said that she based her new business acumen on her teenage years watching Gigi grow up. (I love how fashion recognizes its roots!)
And then there’s the problem of the child in the movie being a representation of death. This is pretty heavy stuff for a family movie, but it’s a theme that was actually echoed in Barbara Hutton’s The First Wives Club. Barbara Hutton plays a rich widow who sets out to reclaim her status as a “First Lady”. She hosts an extravagant party for her husband’s colleagues and friends. Amongst these guests is Lucille Lanchester and her daughter, Gigi. It’s here that we first meet the terrifying and heart-breaking “Frankie”, played by Annabel Karim Kassar. She is the wife of one of the guests and the mother of Gigi. As the movie opens, we see Frankie lying on a bed, attended only by a nurse. She has recently given birth and although she is recovering well, the doctor has told her that her child would likely die if she doesn’t change her lifestyle. When Lucille Lanchester comes to visit, she brings along her daughter, Gigi, who is staying at her grandmother’s house while her mother is away. We soon discover that this is no ordinary girl. On the contrary, she is a willful and headstrong young woman who breaks all the rules. She is determined to prove that she is as good as her mother and that she can take over the family business. This puts her at odds with her grandmother and, of course, with her mother. In a matter of days, she will have infuriated everyone who crosses her path. But that’s not all there is to her. She is also head over heels in love and about to propose to the man of her dreams. Unfortunately, this is not what happens. Instead, she betrays him and storms off, leaving a heartbroken Lucille Lanchester behind. This, however, is not the end of the story. As luck would have it, Gigi is staying at a house nearby. Despite her anger and hurt, she cannot resist the allure of the ocean and decides to go for a swim. While on the beach, she meets Robert Pattinson. He is an English actor and musician who came to prominence for his role as Edward Cullen in the Twilight series. Naturally, she recognizes him from movies and TV shows she’s watched with her grandmother. Before long, they are sitting together on a beach towel, drinking cocktails and flirting with one another. The chemistry is instant and they decide to be together. When she tells him about her life, he promises to help her. Together, they hatch a plan to prove to the world that Gigi is indeed her mother’s daughter. This, however, is easier said than done. It turns out that Robert is also the father of Lucille Lanchester’s grandchild. As if this wasn’t complicated enough, now there’s a baby involved! Can these two families put their differences aside and live together in harmony? Time will tell. But for now, it’s complicated. And it’s not over yet!
The Rise Of The Internet
The fact that Robert Pattinson’s daughter is pregnant with his baby is the least of this movie’s problems. I’m talking about The Heiress. What you may not know is that it was once adapted for the big screen. In fact, it was one of the first Hollywood movies to be filmed digitally. It was made before there were any restrictions on what you could and couldn’t do with a phone. Nowadays, any resemblance to events in reality is purely coincidental. And it’s not even a complete adaptation. The author Lili Elbein has said that parts of the movie were censored. Even now, it’s considered a bit indecent to show a man and a woman holding hands or kissing. (You’d be surprised how often this happens in movies nowadays though. People are often so used to seeing these intimate moments that they don’t even notice them anymore. Unless they’re pointed out. Then, all of a sudden, they’re in a committed, loving relationship and the audience is shocked.)