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Natasha Rothwell in the Spotlight for Her New Hulu Series — Andscape

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Writer and actress Natasha Rothwell, who rose to fame for her supporting role as Kelli on Issa Rae’s HBO series, steps into the lead role of her latest series on Friday, debuts on Hulu. It’s the first show she’s created, produced and starred in along with her latest production company, Big Hattie Production.

Rothwell told Andscape that working on the series “confirmed that I was following my destiny. It solidified my drive, my existence, my passion, and my voice.”

In the film, Rothwell plays Melissa, nicknamed Mel, a lonely, underpaid, debt-ridden airport trolley driver who’s petrified of flying, love and her potential. After spending her lonely thirty fifth birthday eating crab rangoon and assembling IKEA furniture, Mel has a near-death experience.

Mel wakes up alone in the hospital, with no emergency contact to choose her up, and finds a lonely older black woman in the hospital bed next to her, who gives her some sage advice. “Stop caring what other people think and start doing something that scares you.”

Mel takes the advice, decides to imagine she deserves good things and changes her life. She makes more friends, tries to get a promotion at work and tries to seek out love and herself. “(The show) is an invitation to start living now. Ordinary can be extraordinary. Your adventure can start now,” Rothwell said.

As a black woman, Rothwell finds it radical to seek out herself. “There are days when I do it really well. And there are days when I do it really badly, but I think there’s glory in trying.” One of her inspirations is a book by Sonya Renee Taylor “Sonya is incredible. She’s about the act of radical self-acceptance and dismantling the systems of oppression that have kept us from accepting ourselves fully.”

Mel’s body isn’t the focus of the show’s plot. “Mel’s body isn’t a topic of conversation. It’s just there,” Rothwell said. She embraces body neutrality, which “encourages us to understand ourselves and others as whole human beings, and to frame our concept of worth, value, and identity around a person’s inner self, rather than their outer self.” — Jessi Kneelandwrote for the magazine in 2023.

How to die alone tells the story of Mel (Natasha Rothwell), who has never been in love and has forgotten easy methods to dream, until a probability encounter with death throws her on a journey where she must take to the air and begin living in any respect costs.

Ian Watson/Hulu

Rothwell said that is why she chooses her words fastidiously in the context of the show. “That’s why I use the word fat. She’s a fat, black employee at JFK Airport who can’t fly. That’s in the logline. Putting the word fat there is to disabuse people of the idea that it’s a pejorative. It’s a description. It’s a fact. So welcome. Meet Mel. That’s who she is. Let’s keep it going.”

The show’s concentrate on body neutrality gives Mel a platform to shine. Fat black women are sometimes relegated to the role of funny best friend, comic relief, and therapist on sitcoms. But Rothwell puts herself and Mel at the center of all the characters’ messy, nuanced, imperfect selves—in other words, whole people. We all have to see someone who looks like us attempting to determine life.

She’s a large number, she wants to enhance, but she shows that she’ll do some morally gray things to get there. The whole show is not an inspiring montage of a heroine changing her life in the best way possible, but of a girl growing up, doing it systematically, if not all the time neatly.

In the past, coming-of-age stories have focused on teenagers and people in their 20s and 25s. But those stories don’t reflect the reality of so many millennials who’re in their late 40s or early 40s and still fighting funds, family, and love. Financial stability is elusive, dating is harder than ever, and the world seems bleak. With Melissa Rothwell, she brings to life the experiences of so many in this generation.

And for romance lovers, the series incorporates a tender, juicy, and realistic love triangle. But romantic love isn’t Mel’s only goal. Above all, she desires to live a life that, like all of our lives, might be satisfying to her after it ends.

“Societally, we often put romantic love on the line,” Rothwell said. “I grew up on romantic comedies and anything Disney princess-related. In a heteronormative sense, I was supposed to find my knight in shining armor on a white horse.”

It wasn’t until Rothwell began therapy in her early 20s that she began to unlearn the concept that happiness was only possible through romance. “For me, there’s a difference between being alone and being lonely.”

“I spent most of my 20s afraid of bad things. Because dying alone isn’t scary. It’s dying alone,” Rothwell said. In order to avoid being alone, Rothwell needed to learn to just accept love from the places she found it in her life. “I’m a person who recovers from being a people pleaser, and the result of that was being this unnecessary weirdo who didn’t want to ask for help or even feel like I needed it,” she said. “Luckily, I moved away from that POV, and my friends were there for me when I needed them. I love the connection, people just checking in on me and not wanting anything. It’s a really beautiful thing.”

Rothwell’s acceptance of platonic love into her life, her thrust back on romantic love, and her journey of self-discovery has been healing. “That’s not to say I don’t want romantic love, but I know my happiness doesn’t depend on it.”

can also be a workplace comedy, nevertheless it’s unique in that it’s set in an airport, which is all the time a spot of change, forks in the road, decisions, paths taken and roads not taken. The setting allows us to know Mel’s journey in limbo. She’s trapped, but additionally — literally and figuratively — one flight away from changing her life. All she has to do is gather the courage to get on board.

Rothwell selected the location because “I wanted to follow the fear and explore something that was really terrifying to me at the time, which was the idea of ​​dying alone. This theme gave me the opportunity to pick a really interesting location where you can be in a crowd of people but still feel lonely.”

Mel (Natasha Rothwell, left) stars in this workplace comedy set at an airport.

Disney/John Medland

There’s also the limbo that society imposes on singles, the expectation that life doesn’t begin until you’ve a partner, a really perfect that Rothwell also needed to shatter in her own head. “When I first moved to New York in my 20s, I wanted to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge. I put it off because I wanted to do it for a date,” she said. “I thought it would be so cool, so romantic, to walk across the bridge and then go to Grimaldi’s Pizzeria. I was holding my breath for that.”

But after starting therapy, she realized she didn’t should freeze herself for anyone. “I thought, ‘You know what? I don’t want to leave these experiences for someone who’s not here. Here. I can live, I can have these experiences.’ So I got my ass over the bridge, ate pizza by myself, and watched the sunset. It was amazing.”

In some ways, Melissa’s leap of religion right into a latest life mirrors this new edition of Rothwell’s profession, taking over her own projects and pursuing larger-scale projects. Rothwell shows her range in , along with her signature comedic genius, but she also gives us intensely emotional scenes, including moments that show a darker side of Mel, which are enjoyable to look at. Her character in Stolen Hearts , nevertheless, was often one-dimensional. Here, we see Rothwell in her entirety, the whole person, a mirrored image we desperately need.

When I asked Rothwell where she thought the art world was headed for black women, she was thoughtful. “Because having an original show directed by someone who looks like me premiering without delay is a radical act of riot.

“We tell the industry that our stories matter and that they are worthy and valuable. A lot of the industry is bound by a fiduciary responsibility. I understand that, but I think by not focusing on our voices, you’re saying that our voices aren’t valuable and that we don’t matter, when in fact we do and we do.”

Rothwell believes that for things to alter, for stories to change into more diverse, “the many white cis-straight men at the center of many of these organizations in the city need to talk openly and honestly about the homogeneity of their content.”

Rothwell has made it his business to dismantle that homogeneity. “All the directors on my show were women because I intended to be women. There was a 50-50 gender split on set—in a binary sense—because I intentionally decided to do that. None of this just happens by magic. It’s not like sand eroding away on a beach over time. You have to bulldoze in and build what you need.”
is a show that so many individuals can relate to. Sometimes it takes the most terrifying thing we will imagine—like dying alone—to push us to beat our fear and at last live. What if we modify and hate it? What if we try to alter and fail? And perhaps the biggest, most unspoken fear of all… what if we succeed?

Nylah Iqbal Muhammad is a James Beard Award-nominated author whose work has appeared in Travel + Leisure, Vogue, and New York Magazine. Her work explores culture, politics, food, and their intersections, with a concentrate on North American indigenous, African diaspora, and South Asian foodways.


This article was originally published on : andscape.com
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An attempt to save the image of Jeff Bezos’ future wife backfired after weeks of outrage and ridicule over her skimpy outfit

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December 9, 2024

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Lauren Sánchez has apparently gained a popularity for her fashion hits and misses as social media users began following her every move.

Billionaire Jeff Bezos’ current fiancée stepped into the highlight long before she met the Amazon co-founder, after years spent as co-host of “Good Day LA,” a reporter for “Extra” and host of “So You Think You Can Dance,” and he even starred in a number of movies like “Ted 2.”

She faced criticism for posting a sultry selfie in November in a negligee-inspired gown by designer Laura Basca. In October, the 54-year-old again faced backlash when she showed off her latex Halloween costume as Catwoman.

Now, weeks after being deemed “cheap” and tasteless, the founder of Black Ops Aviation has turn out to be a subject of discussion.

Jeff Bezos’ fiancée Lauren Sánchez shows off a “winter white” look, weeks after critics slammed her busty latex outfit. (Photos: @laurenwsanchez/Instagram, Theimagedirect.com via Page Six)

On December 5, Sánchez and the business mogul attended The New York Times’ DealBook event in New York City. For the occasion, she wore a white Alexander McQueen suit and a white lace corset. The beaming bride-to-be sent two mirror selfies of her outfit, which she signed: “winter white.”

One follower particularly was stunned by the whole look he ejaculated that she was “very attractive and beautiful, gorgeous and stunning, charming and fantastic young lady, sexy, charming, charming and elegant” in the photos that Sánchez took.

Two other people swooned over the photos and wrote: “So chic and elegant!” and “You look great.” But as you would possibly expect from online viewers, not everyone was impressed.

When Page six published paparazzi photos from the trip, the critic commented: “It’s 30 degrees in New York and she gets out of the limo in a white Miami smock, her bra visible to everyone. No taste. Nothing. A cashmere turtleneck, flannel trousers and a wool jacket can be classy.

Someone else sharply asked: “Who can be the first to tell her that she looks tacky and not elegant and refined? Does she even know what sophistication means? A 3rd person noted: “She looks more like she’s wearing a bathrobe.”

Another person wrote in a comment from a licensed pilot: “White means…” possibly referring to rumors that Sánchez and Bezos are scheduled to exchange vows over Christmas. At least one person doubted the couple would have the opportunity to say “I do.” This person said: “This will be the longest engagement ever. They will NEVER get married and we all know why!!!!”

Sánchez told the “Today” show hosts that she was in the process of planning the big day last month. She didn’t comment on speculation about exchanging Christmas vows.

Renewed interest and scrutiny of Sánchez has increased as the pair have been spotted in various locations in recent months. The couple reportedly began dating in 2018. Their engagement was announced five years later, in May 2023. Their upcoming wedding can be a second journey for each of them.

Sánchez was previously married to celebrity agent Patric Whitesell, with whom she has two children. She can be the mother of a son, whom she shares with Pro Football Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez. Bezos was married to the mother of his three children, Mackenzie Scott, for 25 years once they divorced in 2019.


This article was originally published on : atlantablackstar.com
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Apart from the song with singer-songwriter India Shawn – Andscape

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2 days ago

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December 9, 2024

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India Shawn is a contemporary muse with a chilled nature, crafting love stories and heartfelt tales in smooth, charming songs. With over a decade of experience in the music industry as a singer-songwriter, Shawn has incredible strength. She was born in Los Angeles, and her musical roots reach throughout the country. Beginning her profession in her hometown, Shawn eventually found herself in Atlanta, where she immersed herself in the city’s deep-rooted R&B scene, further shaping her artistry.

“I transferred to ATL, I was in 10th grade, and that’s when my music journey really started,” Shawn told Andscape. “I met people who were trying to get by, so I ended up recording and learned what songwriting was really early on.”

Before releasing her debut EP in 2012, Shawn wrote songs and collaborated with artists similar to Chris Brown, El DeBarge, Keri Hilson and Monica. In 2013, she gained much more notoriety when Solange Knowles published her song “I’m Alive” on the Saint Heron compilationmarking her as an artist value watching.

Following the release of the single “There Must Be a God” from the Andscape soundtrack, she caught up with Shawn to learn more about the muse behind the vibes.

Singer India Shawn grew up singing in church with her family. “I feel like most of us R&B kids have that experience,” she said.

India Shawn

Name:
India Shawn

Hometown:

Los Angeles

Artistic soundscape

Airy, soft, telling a story, multidimensional, soft, mysterious, atmospheric

The oldest musical memory

Shawn’s soulful sound is deeply rooted in her upbringing, with influences drawn from her childhood memories and the musical culture of her church. “I sing with my sister all the time, and I also grew up singing behind my mom in church. She was the leader of praise and worship. So I feel like most of us R&B kids have that experience,” Shawn said. “I had these little solos in church, and I believe what made me consider in it was that after the service people got here as much as me with tears of their eyes and said, ‘You really moved me while you sang.’ “These early moments of connection with music and audiences laid the foundation for conveying depth and sensitivity through her music.

Influences

For Shawn, music, especially R&B, has all the time held a special place in her life. “Me and my sister are harmonizing in the living room, just picking some of our favorite songs, including for me Mariah Carey, Babyface, Boyz II Men and (and) Brandy,” she said of her early music memories.

Creative process

Shawn often draws inspiration from real-life experiences and relationships that influence her music. She weaves this into the authenticity and atmosphere of her songs, but she didn’t immediately recognize where her inspiration got here from. “It’s funny that it took me so long to make that connection, but I realized that I was telling my whole story and presenting my business through my music,” she said. “It took me two albums to realize, wait a minute, I’m giving people a lot to understand here… these aren’t just songs. This is truly the life I live.”

Challenges and development

As Shawn’s profession grows, so do his moments of appreciation and reflection. “I literally just thought about a very gradual progression of my career. It’s like step by step, but there are more breakthrough moments. My first tour, which was so beautiful, I just knew I could pack a room and people knew my lyrics and sang my songs to me. Those moments that make the waiting not in vain.”

Shawn has plenty of recommendation for up-and-coming singer-songwriters. Her biggest sacrifice? Collaboration is essential. “I think (cooperation) is really why I’m still here. So find your people… you’ll know when it feels right, you’ll have that freedom and fluidity, and you’ll be able to really create things and create without having to think too much.” He also shares the importance of patience. “Just be patient during the journey. This has been a theme throughout my profession. Let it develop. I feel like more things come from being in that flow and being present reasonably than forcing all of it.

Current project

“There should be a God”, the lead single from Andscape , now streaming on Hulu, also serves as a teaser for Shawn’s solo album. “(This song) is such a manifestation of God’s love,” she said. “I think when you find yourself in a place of waiting, you can feel very hopeless. So when you see glimpses of God’s love again, or the fact that you know there is a higher power, there is a source that is thinking about you, has you in mind, has a perfect plan for you, it’s just like the clouds parting. And this is the moment, I understand. I understand that I had to go through all this to get here. And that’s exactly what I felt in the studio that day.”

Sheila Matthews is a digital producer at Andscape and a proud HBCU graduate. She believes “Return of the Mack” must have won a Grammy, and her Twitter mentions are open to all debate.

This article was originally published on : andscape.com
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ICYMI: Tessa Thompson’s Mocha Lip, Danielle Brooks’ Updo and More – Essence

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2 days ago

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December 9, 2024

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With just a number of weeks left until the tip of 2024, the celebrities are setting the tone for the brand new 12 months this week. And although mocha mousse is anticipated to be fashionable in 2025, neutral shades in darker tones have gotten more and more popular. Paired with an array of beauty eras – from elegant Twenties updos to 2000s-style round pink, the brand new Hollywood showcases its best 12 months-end beauty moments.

Tessa Thompson and Issa Rae are the newest to debut mocha lips holiday shade near the season, and Coco Jones’ lipstick was cranberry red. Doechii’s perforated suggestions and signature face-lift tape made it probably the most avant-garde look of the week, and within the sweetest moment, Chloe and Halle Bailey’s round pink cheeks made pink cheeks a winter styling staple.

From makeup to hairstyles, Sabrina Elba and Alva Claire opted for light, coffee colours, and Jourdan Dunn’s short hairstyle proved relevant at any time of the 12 months. Meanwhile, Lupita N’yongo, Danielle Brooks and Venus Williams’ braided buns showed just how classic this style may be.

In case you missed it, take a take a look at 17 of the very best celebrity beauty moments from the week below.

This article was originally published on : www.essence.com
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