Charles Melton: Hell but Heaven

We end the day in hell and heaven both. A human manifestation of temptation from the devil, but also living proof of the divine: Charles Melton. These are my gifts to you at dusk:

Charles Melton by day, his shirt unbuttoned halfway as he greets fans in Cannes. And Charles Melton by night, at the Palais, looking the most dashing, the most handsome, the most beautiful in a black tuxedo at the premiere of Nicolas Winding Refn’s Her Private Hell.

The cast also includes Sophie Thatcher, Diego Calva, and Havana Rose Liu. Headlines about the film have ranged from standing ovations to how many people walked out the press screening. And there were people booing too. First reactions have ranged from four stars to zero stars. Some people are posting that the film is brilliant, others are saying it’s trash, a goddamn mess. All of which sounds about right for Nicolas Winding Refn. Her Private Hell opens July 24, the weekend in between The Odyssey and Spider-Man: Brand New Day. It needs all the controversy it can get. Here’s the trailer which came out yesterday.

Going back to Charles though – he’s just coming off season two of Beef, could be in contention for an Emmy nomination. He also has at least three projects in pre-production and another movie, Saturn Return, with Rachel Brosnahan and Will Poulter, that will be released on Netflix before the end of the year. It’s about navigating romance in your 30s and while of course the story will be exploring life and loss and disappointments, the key word here is romance! Romance in Chicago! It’s in the press release - we’re getting Charles Melton and romance in 2026.

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What else happened today…

Kathleen’s piece on Is God Is and the catharsis of Black female rage. (Refinery 29)

I haven’t loved everything that Demi Moore has worn in Cannes (the purple custom Gucci was a letdown for me) but this furry one-shoulder situation over the pants is a banger. And the jewels are sublime. (Go Fug Yourself)

Kayleigh Donaldson on how Outlander changed Scotland. (Pajiba)

Jessica Simpson was on a flight and sat first class with her mother while her children and their father sat in economy and… I dunno… is this polarising? The kids had a parent with them. Jessica and her mom were comfortable, I see no issues. If I had kids I’d do the same thing. The cost of a first class ticket is wasted on young people – their bodies can handle sitting back there for a few hours. (Celebitchy)

Jung Kook’s new collaboration with Calvin Klein isn’t just a brand sponsorship. This is a capsule collection where even the labelling includes his initials. CKJK releases tonight at 6pm ET. I want a sports  bra and a t-shirt and I’ve set my alarm to remind me but… I wonder if this will be like how it works with BTS merch, quickly selling out. Those Calvin Klein servers better ready. (Hype Beast)