Archive

Lez Dish It Out! AfterEllen’s LGBT Weekly Round-Up

Photo: Instagram, Amazon, MSNBC

Happy Friday, everyone! As always, it’s a good week for lady lovin’ ladies. This round-up I have a revealing interview from Abby Wambach, news about Ellen Page’s new movie, details on Tig Notaro’s show One Mississippi… and much more! Lez get to it.

Gif: Pinterest

Ellen Stars In Flatliners Trailer

On Tuesday, the lesbian actress debuted the trailer for Flatliners, a remake of the 1990 film starring Kevin Bacon, Julia Roberts, Billy Baldwin, Oliver Platt, and Kiefer Sutherland. The 2017 remake features Page, Diego Luna, Nina Dobrev, Kiersey Clemons, and James Norton.

For those not familiar with the original’s plot, the story centers around five medical students that devise a pretty creepy and risky experiment to experience what happens after death. Taking turns, the students stop and restart each other’s hearts, with the experiment getting more intense as time goes on. Not only do the students become increasingly more competitive about who can stay dead the longest, but the afterlife also proves to be vengeful. Spoiler alert: dead people are pissed.

Watch the trailer below:

The movie poster:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BVSCwlBhbTC/?taken-by=ellenpage

Flatliners comes out on September 29.

Tig Notaro Opens Up About One Mississippi‘s Second Season

Photo: Amazon

YESSSSS. If you’re a fan of Tig’s show One Mississippi like me, you’ll be pleased to hear it’s returning to Amazon in September. The cherry on top? On June 9 Notaro opened up to Deadline about the show’s second season.

On what to expect for season two:

“That’s really been the fun of it: I don’t know where it’s going to go; let’s figure out where this is going to go. I’ve brought in ideas to the writer’s room of where I’d like things to go; everybody has. We follow those storylines, and sometimes we get to a place where they have to scrap it. Those have been sad moments, because I’ve had a couple of storylines that I really was excited to do, and then it didn’t quite make sense with what we were doing with other elements of the show. As time has gone on, and there’s been more distance from that traumatic time that I went through, it’s been so fun to move away from and let go of it more and more, as thankful as I’ve been for all these different outlets to let me express myself in all these different ways.”
On if Tig’s character will be dating:
“Well, there are people that I’m dating [on the show], and checking things out with, and checking out the spark that got started with the Kate character. That’s definitely in Season 2.”
On the possibility for a third season:
“Season 3 would be dreamy. I never know. It’s like going back to the thing I was saying: I don’t know if people really think of me. I don’t ever assume that people are going to love or appreciate what I do. It would be great. I don’t assume that they’re not going to. I just am like, ‘I’m going to do my absolute best at everything I do, and I’m going to put it out with pride, and hope people enjoy it.’ That’s how I feel about Season 2. Maybe people will be like, ‘Wow, you completely lost us here,’ or it’ll be like, ‘Yeah, let’s have Season 3.’ Like I said, I want to do a new comedy special. I have an idea for another book. I have my babies and my wife, and I can’t wait to spend the summer with them. I just feel truly on top of the world, and the luckiest, luckiest person.”
Tig’s wife Stephanie Allynne also shared a pic from the second season’s wrap party:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BVB0ujEhXBe/?taken-by=stephanieallynne

Eek! I can’t wait for the show’s return.

Kate McKinnon Recalls The Time She Went HAM On SNL‘s Set

Gif: Tumblr

Kate, our lesbian national treasure, has a lot of feelings about Donald Trump. So many feelings, in fact, that Saturday Night Live‘s Trump-centric 42nd season compelled her to smash a hole in a wall.

McKinnon told Jimmy Fallon:

“Before we left, the last week we were all blowing off a lot of steam because it’s been like a big season or whatever and we were told the walls are coming down. The whole floor is being demolished. I grabbed the hammer and one of my writer friends was like, ‘Put a hole in the wall. Put a hole in the wall!’ So I did and I put a hole in the wall. And then they all put a hole in the wall.”
Unfortunately for the actress, she didn’t get the memo that the wall she smashed wasn’t actually supposed to come down… listen to the full story below:

P.S. If you’re seeing a lot of Kate interviews around lately, it’s because she’s doing promo for her new movie Rough Night (June 16).

Elizabeth Gilbert Has A “Love Ceremony” With Her Partner

Photo: Instagram

Although I’m a teensy bit late to this news, I had to share. On June 6, Elizabeth shared that she and her partner Rayya Elias had a non-legally binding “love ceremony.” As some of you might recall, in 2016 the Eat Pray Love author left her husband of almost 10 years to be with Elias. In Gilbert’s initial announcement of the relationship, she also revealed Elias to be terminally ill. Unfortunately, it looks like the writer’s partner is doing worse than before, which could explain the sudden ceremony. Either way, it’s clear the couple has an incredible and strong bond that no sickness could ever diminish.

Check out the pair’s “love ceremony” announcement below:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BVA05ZtDkJF/?taken-by=elizabeth_gilbert_writer

So moving. Congratulations to Elizabeth and Rayya on cementing their love!

Lauren Morelli Divulges More Information On The Reasoning Behind Poussey’s Death

Photo: Instagram

It’s always nice to hear a writer’s perspective on a major plot twist! On Tuesday, Lauren gave a very detailed and lengthy interview to the Hollywood Reporter on a variety of Orange Is The New Black topics, including why the writers decided to kill off Poussey instead of another major character. The lesbian also took time to address what it was like to film season five during the election as well as how she prepared to write about women rioting.

On why it was Poussey that died:

“Jenji Kohan pointed this out in the room a lot when we were talking about wanting to do that storyline in season four and debating who would be the most effective character. We went back and forth a lot and ultimately it really came down to Jenji saying some things that I held onto that were so right on: Poussey had so much hope in her. You really feel the loss of that hope, of that smile. There are plenty of women in this prison that you think are going to stay in this prison, this is their life. But with Poussey, we felt like one day she’s going to get out and have a chance at life after this, and to be robbed of that felt like the right story way to go.”
On missing Samira and the character of Poussey:
“How far away that flashback felt in the sixth episode this season was a reminder of what a journey this show has been and how young and what a different time it was then when Poussey and Taysee first met. Orange feels like this completely different component of our lives, and it’s one that Samira and I have both really come to value. Even though I have her in my daily life, I really, really miss her in terms of having someone to collaborate with in our professional relationship. We really enjoy working together and it feels very separate from our personal relationship. I deeply missed writing for the character of Poussey and I really miss having the actress Samira around. But I honestly would feel that way about any of these castmembers, because it feels like such a collaboration. They all have such specific voices, so when you lose that voice I always feel an absence. Even if I don’t have one of the characters in my script and I’m missing that voice and that talent to depend on, it’s tough. It’s such an incredible toolbox to be able to turn to.”
On researching prison riots to prepare for season five:
“That was a real driving force that Jenji continued to remind us of as well: These are not men. Men fight. Men do whatever they’re going to do, they recognize. But we tried to think of the ways women would riot, without having any preconceived notions or books to go off of. We approached it like: If I were in prison, what would I do? That’s how we came to the idea that certainly not everyone is going to support the riot. Some people are going to want to bow out, while others will want to take this as an opportunity to lead. And, why? This is a generalization, but I do feel like women are less power hungry for the sake of power. We felt like it was such a risk for these characters to put themselves on the front line that we needed to know: At what point will they do that and why? Probably for their kids, for other women in there that they love and for the principle of the matter, like Red (Kate Mulgrew). We wanted to make sure everyone was really well-motivated and not just running around shooting people for no reason.”
On filming season five during the election:
“I was actually on set during the election. So I walked onto set the morning after. I think it would be naive to say that it didn’t affect performances, in the middle of such a dark season when the actors were really having to dig deep for a lot of stuff. Especially with the hostage situation that takes place in that tenth episode. It’s a set full of women and I think a lot of women in our country felt very threatened by the election. It was somber. It was definitely somber, and that probably fueled us to go further than we might have.”
So much great insight! I enjoy reading the interviews of TV writers because they offer a layered perspective to plot points that I hadn’t immediately considered.

Kristen Stewart & Taylor Lautner Take Us Back In Time

Photo: Summit Entertainment

I never got into Twilight, but I respect the devoted fandom that continues on today. Y’all are committed!

At a recent Moschino Resort ’18 Collection after party (because LA), Stewart & Lautner reunited for a cute photo-op that has since gone viral. In the pic, Kristen looks like she’s counting down the seconds until she can bounce while Taylor looks like he’s back in the best time of his life aka 2008. *~Memories~*!

Soak in the photo below:

Here’s to more awkward Twilight reunions in the future. I might not be here for the content, but I’m definitely here for the awkwardness!

Lauren Jauregui Talks Coming Out As Bisexual

Photo: Instagram

Pride Month is a great time to talk about coming out. In a conversation with The Sun, Lauren chatted about why she came out as a bisexual and how life has been since.

On coming out:

“It’s hard to accept yourself when you live in a world where nobody is like you, or you feel like nobody is like you because there’s no representation. For me, coming into my own and being comfortable with myself really changed me as a person. And made me more confident and vibrant.”
On the aftermath:
“A bunch of my fans have come up to me and said, ‘because of you and because you came out, I have finally begun to accept myself’. That is infinitely incredible for me. I didn’t expect to get to the point where I would own up to it within myself.”
Good for Jauregui! Hopefully the singer’s confidence will pave the way for other women to come out.

Roxane Gay Speaks Out On “Fat-Phobia” Amid Controversy

Photo: Twitter

Ugh, this entire situation is so disappointing. Earlier this week, Roxane appeared on the Mamamia podcast to promote her latest book, Hunger. The book chronicles Gay’s relationship with overeating and anxiety, issues she experienced after suffering sexual violence as a child. The memoir also explores how the bisexual author must navigate the world differently than others, whether it be dealing with harsh critics or figuring out whether to buy one or two seats on an airplane.

Prior to the interview, the host of Mamamia’s podcast, Mia Freedman, posted a bizarre as well as cruel description about the episode. In the post, Freedman made undeniably mean and unsubstantiated claims about Gay’s requests prior to their conversation. I’ve shared a snippet from the description below:

Photo: iTunes

In addition to the description, this is what Mia said in the first few seconds of the episode:

“You see, Roxane Gay, well, I’m searching for the right word to use here. I don’t want to say fat, so – even though she uses the word fat about herself – so I’m going to use the official medical term, super morbidly obese. There’s obese, then there’s morbidly obese, and then there is super morbidly obese. I don’t think the scale goes beyond that, quite literally. But it’s not just that Roxane’s overweight; she’s 6-foot-3, or about two meters tall. Her size is incredibly imposing. And this is a logistical nightmare for her. There’s no other way to put it.”

Following Freedman’s comments, Gay tweeted:

https://twitter.com/rgay/status/874818662196285444

https://twitter.com/rgay/status/874821713128824832

https://twitter.com/ethan_deeay/status/874818355840069635

The writer also told the New York Times:

“Really? This is the story? That’s not what I wanted for my book or for myself. It is helpful, in that I think people get to see, in real time, what fat-phobia looks like and just how careless people can be in considering that fat people deserve dignity. So I suppose it’s a useful example of why I wrote the book. She’s (Mia) actually seen me before. She knows that I’m very capable of entering an elevator, so things like that are just weird and humiliating.”
Although Freedman has since apologized, it goes to show that we still have a long way to go towards body positivity and acceptance. No one deserves to be humiliated for how they look.

Evan Rachel Wood Teases Westworld Season Two

Photo: HBO

I’ve never seen Westworld before, but I think I’m going to start watching before season two drops later this year. In antiicpation of the series’ second go around, Evan shared a photo hinting that filming is set to begin soon.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BVC6UZ-FTvo/?taken-by=evanrachelwood&hl=en

Side note: corsets seem incredibly painful. Many thanks to Wood for doing the lord’s work in honor of Westworld fans!

St. Vincent Doles Out Advice On Confidence

Photo: Instagram

Confidence is incredibly important, especially when you’re a young girl. In a conversation with Rookie Mag, St. Vincent shared her words of wisdom for teens struggling to stay positive about themselves. Not only did the musician admit that she was “very, very, very shy and very anxious” growing up, but she also explained that she “felt very uncomfortable talking to people.” To remedy these kinds of thoughts and feelings, the sexually fluid rocker reminded fans that “no one’s looking at you and no one cares because everyone is obsessed with themselves … and know that other people are feeling the same way as you.” St. Vincent also added:

“Fake it till you make it. If you don’t have confidence, pretend to be a person who does, and eventually, you will have confidence because you’ll see the fruits of your reaching out to people.”
So true! I’m glad to see an admired celebrity speaking out on something so important. Hopefully one of Rookie’s fans takes St. Vincent’s words to heart.

Rachel Maddow Gives An Interview To Rolling Stone

Photo: Rolling Stone

Rachel is in the prime of her career. Not only is the lesbian reporter seeing the best television ratings of her career, but now she’s gracing the cover of Rolling Stone. In the lengthy and insightful interview, Maddow discussed a ton of issues, including the Russia investigation as well as what it’s like to be a woman in a male-dominated business.

On the Russia investigation:

“There’s a lot of scandal associated with this new administration. Some of it is like normal political scandal — like Tom Price trading health stocks while he was in a public position to regulate those stocks. That’s a bad scandal, but it’s kind of normal political corruption. It’s almost quaint. Then, there are Trump-specific scandals, like we now have a ruling family where there’s a crowned prince who’s an adviser without remit, and we’ve got unqualified nepotistic appointments and conflicts of interest and Trump not disclosing his taxes. And then there is this third scandal, which is about the existence of this presidency. That’s an existential scandal. If this presidency is knowingly the product of a foreign-intelligence operation, that’s not Tom Price trading stocks that he was also affecting the price of as a public official, you know? That is a full-stop national crisis. Does that mean Russia makes the air every day, even if nothing appears new? No. But when there is something to say about it, I’m going to report it insistently. And I’m willing to do that even if it bothers people.”
On her early days at MSNBC and why she once wore a pink jacket on air:
“When I first started at MSNBC, they had this poor person whose job it was to dress the talent, and she tried to turn me into a person who looks the way they’re supposed to look on television. Can you imagine? … Look, this business is very, very, very male. It’s great that one outcome of the Fox turmoil is that they’ve apparently got a woman who’s taken [some part of] Bill Shine’s job — the top executive job there. You don’t see that here. You don’t see that at CNN.”
On Sean Hannity calling her one of the “worst examples” of the “propaganda press:”
Sean Hannity said that? That’s nice. I don’t play requests. I get to decide what we cover. From the very beginning, I’ve had a deal with MSNBC that they don’t tell me what to cover, what not to cover or how to cover what I cover. I’m not trying to make people happy. I’m trying to do an excellent job telling the stories that I think are important. That’s all I can do.
*I included this quote because I hate Hannity from the bottom of my heart. That guy really grinds my gears.

Congrats to Rachel for landing this interview, and I hope one day we’ll be watching her coverage of Trump’s impeachment. A girl can dream, right?

Abby Wambach Gets Real About Sobriety & Married Life

Photo: Instagram

It’s no secret Abby has faced numerous controversies in her life. Now that the lesbian soccer star has overcome her alcoholism and is happily married, she gave an interview updating fans on the current state of her life.

On moving past her addictions:

“I accepted who I was, the mistakes that I made. The number one thing I could do for myself was to start loving myself again. The choice to do that saved my life … Pain is a traveling professor. It knocks on everybody’s door. And the wisest people I know are the ones that say, ‘C’mon in, sit down and don’t leave until you’ve taught me what I need to know.’ And that’s what I did. The truth is that pain is the very thing that allowed me the space to open my arms and heart to this new love and this family.”
On the aftermath following her DUI:
“Thinking about the DUI, and thinking about how I wanted the DUI to impact me, it was an intentional decision to make that moment into the best thing that ever happened to me, a start to a better life. I couldn’t anticipate over a year later the joy I would feel now. I’m just so grateful because I just did it one step at a time, and I did it without hiding.”
On marriage and her new family:
“A year and a half ago when I was really struggling and pretty sick, If you were to tell me I’d be a stepmom and sober and living in Florida and as happy as I’ve ever been, I would have called you a liar, We’ve got a 14-year-old, an 11-year-old and a 9-year-old and these are the best teachers I’ve ever had.”
Time is quite the healer, right? Although there’s no excuse for Wambach’s DUI, it’s good to see her in a more healthy, happy, and responsible place.

Lesbian Police Officer Saves Republican Congressmen From Shooter

Photo: Hood College

Crystal Griner is a true hero. On Wednesday, the lesbian police officer, along with her colleague David Bailey, protected and subsequently saved 22 Republican congressmen during a shooting in Alexandria, Virginia. Following the assault, Grenier was rushed to the hospital to treat a gunshot wound in her ankle.

Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul told MSNBC:

“Everybody probably would have died except for the fact that the Capitol Hill police were there, and the only reason they were there was because we had a member of [House] leadership on our team.”
Republican Eric Cantor, told the Daily Beast:
“[Griner’s] an incredibly able and professional individual who always takes her job and responsibility seriously. It is not surprising to shear of her heroism and bravery during this horrible attack.”
Donald Trump later visited the hospital to thank Griner, and he gave her wife a bouquet of white flowers. Here’s to hoping Crystal recovers as quickly as possible.

Bella Thorne Reveals Why She Came Out As Bisexual

Photo: Instagram

Similarly to Jauregui, Thorne also explained why she came out as bisexual. Considering we’re in the midst of Pride Month, there isn’t a better time to express one’s LGBTQ pride.

In conversation with Complex, Bella explained:

“I was like, okay, this is gonna get blown up into this and that, but you do need more people out there being open and honest. My fans, they need that. It really wasn’t meant to be a big deal, it was kind of just meant to be like, ‘Yo, by the way, a little side note: I’m bisexual, if you didn’t already know. If it wasn’t obvious.'”
Woot,woot! Props to Bella for speaking out.

Well, that’s a wrap! See you guys next week.

Gif: Buzzfeed

Lesbian Apparel and Accessories Gay All Day sweatshirt -- AE exclusive

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Back to top button