I am delighted to note that all three of the interviews in this Variety Interview Pack are really interesting and worthy of your procrastination time; we are a long way from the time Jennifer Lawrence interviewed Emma Stone and asked her why she was so pretty, and that, friends, is a blessing for all of us. (Including Jennifer Lawrence!)
The Lil Nas X interview is quite good; it feels very open and honest:
“Honestly, I believe the pandemic helped me get out of the idea of trying to please everybody, and the idea of ‘He’s a cool gay person; he’s an acceptable gay person,’” Nas says. “I used to see things like that as a compliment, but it’s not. It just means you’re a people pleaser, and they never become legends. I wanted to be even more authentic in my music and let people into my life. I’m much more confident now — in my music, myself, my sexuality, the things that I believe that I stand for.”
He’s so famous, it’s easy to forget that he’s also so young — he’s only 22 — and it’s be interesting to see if his interviews in the future get less upfront about his feelings and experiences. There is a quote in there from Elton John which is very kind and which is also clearly just an emailed statement, because at this point in Elton John’s career, he is not saying anything to a journalist he hasn’t already double-checked. (That’s not a ding; I’d be the same way.) The editorial shoot is really good and cool; click through if only to eyeball it.
Olivia Rodrigo’s interview is also a good read; like Lil Nas X, I — an old crone who could be their parent — think she seems like quite a good egg. I love her album, but I also sort of love it because I know if it had come out when I was in college, I would have LOVED IT. Also, I’m glad she’d apparently in communication with Taylor Swift:
Rodrigo admits: “I put it out not knowing that it would get that reaction, so it was really strange [when] it did. I just remember [everyone being] so weird and speculative about stuff they had no idea about.” Besides, she adds, “I don’t really subscribe to hating other women because of boys. I think that’s so stupid, and I really resent that narrative that was being tossed around.”
INDEED.
And, finally, Thomas Doherty’s interview is ALSO very interesting, and the part that’s gonna get him some press is how he put off getting his vaccine and got Covid instead. Honestly, good for him for being upfront about this, though. I imagine a lot of younger, healthy folks were in the same boat, and hopefully they’ll get in there and get the job. I also found this pretty interesting:
Unlike Max and the kids on “Gossip Girl,” Doherty isn’t one to live his life on the internet. “I’m not a huge fan of social media,” he says. “I don’t think it’s a very positive addition to the world, and I worry for younger people on it.” His interactions on Instagram are limited to posting pictures and DMing his fans back. He explains: “I actually unfollowed everyone on my Instagram because I was like, this is just noise. It’s counterproductive.”
THOMAS, DMING YOUR FANS IS PROBABLY NOT A GOOD IDEA!
