The big movie coming out at the end of this week is Beauty And The Beast. Emma Watson has been carrying much of the publicity responsibilities ahead of the release. Duana wrote last week about her Vanity Fair spread and how some people criticised her for one of the poses because she, allegedly, once criticised Beyoncé for kind of sort of doing the same thing… ?

This was Emma’s response to that criticism:


But on this episode of Show Your Work, Duana and I begin by trying to figure out WHY she was criticised in the first place. Does Emma Watson have a target on her back?

Speaking of Beyoncé though, Melina Matsoukas, who has directed several videos with Beyoncé (including Formation) was profiled recently in The New Yorker. As previously mentioned, Melina also worked closely with Issa Rae on the first season of Insecure. And, for Duana and me, the way she talks about her work is pornographic. It’s not just the details of how she comes up with the treatments but also what she shares about being a woman in charge on a set where men have historically been the leaders. The stories she tells about camera operators doubting her during production and how it eventually became normal for her to just do it herself when they were uncooperative, even though, as she’s proved over and over again, she was the best person for the job, are fascinating and infuriating and… well… unfortunately they’re not unusual. But, as noted in The New Yorker, Melina Matsoukas has helped “female artists reinvent themselves”. Hers is just one example of the work of women telling stories with and about women.

There was a great sketch on SNL this weekend about what happens when women aren’t at work and the men do all the writing. Basically, in the end, what happens is a lot of mansplaining. Scarlett Johansson was the host this weekend (joining the 5 timers club) and it was a strong show but Duana and I end up debating whether or not Scarlett Johansson can legitimately be considered a Movie Star, with Duana arguing that Scarjo does not have a defining role. Agree or disagree?

It’s been a pretty gossipy week for Scarjo. She filed for her divorce and is seeking residential custody. Her estranged husband, Romain Dauriac, claims she travels so much for work, their daughter wouldn’t have a stable home life. Duana and I discuss whether or not this is bullsh-t, whether or not this is yet another issue women have to confront as they become more successful, whether or not this is yet another way a woman’s success can be held against her. On the subject of motherhood, The Cut published a piece recently about young moms in Hollywood (Adele, Hilary Duff) and if these are realistic examples for people who aren’t famous, who don’t have all the resources, and how certain institutionalised expectations about pregnancy and motherhood can impact a woman’s work before and after childbirth.

After that we move on to Kristen Stewart who currently stars in Personal Shopper and getting some of the best reviews of her career. Several outlets published articles this week about Kristen’s place among the actresses of her generation. Vulture declared that she “has always been a great actress” and The Hollywood Reporter encouraged us to “start appreciating Kristen Stewart as a great actress”, while The Ringer posited that she “might be the most fascinating movie star around”
which prompted us to discuss the difference between Movie Star and Star Who Acts In Movies. And this declaration from Duana – that Kristen Stewart is like Hilary Swank…?

I’m still trying to process that one.

Finally… it’s the 20th anniversary of Buffy The Vampire Slayer. And in a new interview about the show with THR, Joss Whedon talks about what he missed when he was working on it, where he fell short, where his gaps were. So, is Joss Whedon allowed to look back on his past and regret that he didn’t do better? Also… this week’s installment of Do You Need Care About…

Buffy The Vampire Slayer?

We LOVE doing this podcast. And we are really, really grateful that you are listening and sending us your thoughts and contributing to our discussions. Catch us weekly on iTunes and Google Play, and hit us up on twitter at @laineygossip and @duanaelise. Thanks for listening!