703. Oscars and Gossip with Kayleigh Donaldson

Kayleigh Donaldson is back! She is the guest on some of the most popular episodes, and I know what that is: she’s brilliant. We recorded this just before the Oscar nominations were announced, so Kayleigh is making (some pretty accurate!) predictions about Oscar nominations, and explaining what makes this year’s group of films so interesting.

Along the way we also talk about vintage Hollywood gossip, character actors who go weird gremlin, and the way actors shape public narrative with their project choices, their fashion, and their cosmetic procedures. And also – Scotland made the World Cup – woohoo!

I love talking to people who think about their favorite aspects of popular culture the way I think about romance fiction, and I already know you love when Kayleigh is a guest. Don’t worry, she will be back.

Technical note: we had some connectivity issues and delay during the recording, so I don’t have a full video episode for this one, though I do have clips, so watch for them on social media. You might hear some muddy audio, and I apologize. Please know I did all the things I could.

CW/TW: At about 2 minutes in, we talk about Elizabeth Taylor’s abusive first husband. We also talk about body and beauty standards in Hollywood.

Patreon folks, you have an extended episode inside your Patreon feed with a whole extra hour of discussion about the Beckhams, the industry of celebrity children, and more.

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You can find Kayleigh Donaldson at her website, KayleighDonaldson.com, on Bluesky, and on Pajiba.com. You can also sign up for her (excellent) newsletter, Gossip Reading Club.

We also mentioned:

• The New Yorker: “Amanda Seyfried’s Epiphanies”
• Reddit: Sydney Sweeney and Scooter Braun in Central Park 
• Reddit: Sydney Sweeney and Christy Martin in Sports Illustrated
• Tom and Lorenzo: Sydney Sweeney’s hair on Jimmy Fallon
• The New York Times: Dr. Tressie McMillan Cottom on the “Enduring Invisible Power of Blondeness” (Archive link)
• The Wrap: Kayleigh reviews All’s Fair
• The List: Bradley Cooper’s Face and Resulting Rumors
• The Wall Street Journal: Club Chalamet/Simone Cromer profile
• Wikipedia: The Leveson Inquiry 

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