Netflix Launches a New Fund For Creative Equity, the House Passes Equality Act and Chloe Zhao Wins Best Director No images? Click here My Isolation Diary By Emily Vogel Dear Diary, The theme of the 78th Golden Globe Awards on Sunday was “Stars – they’re just like us!” Exhibit A: I went into the pandemic looking like Anya Taylor-Joy and came out twelve months later looking like Jason Sudeikis in a tie-dye hoodie with a mustache. During this year's annual ceremony, which was essentially a three hour Zoom call, hosts Tina Fey and Amy Poehler rocked three different outfits. Which is a coincidence because I've also been alternating between three different outfits... since last March. Audiences were also exposed to a more down to earth side of celebrities, many of whom paired their Dior gowns with some good ol' fashion drugstore make-up. Apparently, even Jane Fonda couldn't resist dropping by Walgreens for some dry shampoo. From Sarah Hyland's $4 eyeshadow to Viola Davis' $12 foundation, click here to check-out all the affordable beauty products that rocked the virtual red carpet. Meanwhile, stars like Jodie Foster flaunted head to toe pajamas. Now when I wear my oversized sweatpants to work, people can't call me lazy. "I'm just pulling a Jodie," I tell them. "It's called fashion. Look it up." Beyond our mutual love for elastic waistbands and CVS mascara, it turns out celebrities also have trouble when it comes to finding the un-mute button on Zoom. From dogs jumping on laps to kids running into rooms, even Hollywood's greatest minds deal with our same video conference struggles. The only key difference is that audiences thought it was cute when actors had their significant others on screen with them. But when I brought my Hinge date to a Zoom meeting last week, everyone freaked out… Chloé Zhao Makes History as First Asian Woman to Win Best Director Golden Globe (Source: Chloé Zhao at the Golden Globes, NBC) “Nomadland” director Chloé Zhao took home the trophy for Best Director ― Motion Picture at the Golden Globes on Sunday night, making history as the first woman of Asian descent to ever win the award. In taking home the award, she also became the first woman to be named Best Director since Barbra Streisand won for “Yentl” almost 40 years ago. During her acceptance speech, Zhao quoted Bob Wells, one of the real-life nomads who appeared in her film, saying, “Compassion is the breakdown of all the barriers between us. A heart-to-heart bonding. Your pain is my pain. It’s mingled and shared between us.” She added, “This is why I fell in love with making movies and telling stories, cause they give us a chance to laugh and cry together and they give us a chance to learn from each other and to have more compassion for each other.” The film also won for Best Motion Picture in a Drama Series. 29-Year-Old Cancer Survivor Hayley Arceneaux to Become the Youngest American Ever in Space(Source: St. Jude Children's Research Hospital) Hayley Arceneaux, 29, hoped that this year she would complete her goal of visiting all seven continents before the age of 30. She won't have time to do that though, because she's going to space. #Casual. Currently a physician assistant at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Arceneaux will be one of four people on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Scheduled to launch later this year, it will be the first crewed mission to circle Earth in which no one on board is a professional astronaut. Arceneaux was a patient at St. Jude nearly 20 years ago, and as part of her treatment for bone cancer, metal rods replaced parts of the bones in her left leg. In the past, this would have kept her firmly on the ground, unable to meet NASA’s stringent medical standards for astronauts. But the recent development of privately financed space travel has opened the final frontier to some people who were previously excluded. “They’ll be able to see a cancer survivor in space, especially one that has gone through the same thing that they have,” said Arceneaux. “It’s going to help them visualize their future.” Netflix Releases Diversity and Inclusion Study and Announces New Fund for Creative Equity(Source: Netflix) Netflix tapped Dr. Stacy L. Smith, the founder and director of the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative, to study its original U.S. content from 2018 and 2019. On Friday, the comprehensive study was released, revealing where Netflix has had gains in diversity and where it still has work to do. The study used 22 inclusion indicators in analyzing 126 movies and 186 scripted series and found an improvement in 19 of them year-over-year. It also saw a strong showing of gender parity, with 48% of films and 54% of series having girls or women as leads or co-leads. Along with the study, the streaming platform announced the Netflix Fund for Creative Equity. Over the next five years, the fund will distribute $100 million to external organizations known for setting underrepresented communities up for success in film and television, as well as in Netflix programs to identify, train, and employ up-and-coming talent. The Oldest Living Olympic Champion Survived the Holocaust, WWII and Now the Pandemic(Source: Getty Images) Ágnes Keleti was born in Budapest in 1921. She was 16 when she won her first national title in 1937, fast-tracking her for the 1940 Olympics. However, with the outbreak of World War II, the games were canceled. “In 1940 no athlete of Jewish heritage in Hungary was allowed to compete, so even if the Olympics had been held, unfortunately I wouldn’t have been able to take part,” said Keleti. By 1944, Hungary’s Jewish population was being sent away to German concentration camps. Fantasies about competing at the Games vanished; “staying alive was my most important goal,” said Keleti. In 1952, Keleti finally became an Olympian. At age 31, Keleti received a gold medal, a silver and two bronzes. At the Melbourne Olympics four years later—when she was 35 years old—Keleti captured four more golds. While the past year has been especially hard for many, for Keleti it’s just another challenge—and she’s no stranger to persevering through those. “I’d advise people to concentrate on bringing out the best of themselves,” she says, “for when that next opportunity eventually comes.” House Passes Equality Act Prohibiting LGBTQ Discrimination(Source: Washington Post) The House voted last week to pass the Equality Act, a far-reaching measure that has been decades in the making and would prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The legislation was passed by the House in 2019 but blocked in the Republican-led Senate. This time, Democrats control the White House, House and Senate. President Biden has signaled his support for the measure, but it still faces an uphill fight in the Senate, where it would need 60 votes to break a legislative filibuster. The legislation would amend federal civil rights laws to ensure protections for LGBTQ Americans in employment, education, housing, credit, jury service and other areas. Who Run the World?! Girls. WrapWomen is a power base of influential women of entertainment, media, technology and brands committed to changing the face of their industries. Sure to stay up-to-date on all things WrapWomen at www.wrapwomen.com. Join the conversation on social media! Follow us on Instagram for surprise guest takeovers and Insta live performances. |