When Pospisil moves on to a new job on Bill OReillys show, she befriends Jess Carr, a producer played by Kate McKinnon. In a week where a reality TV favourite finally addressed its known colorism problem, Netflix UK dropped The Strays (February 22) a psycholo, Over the decades, popular culture has created dominant narratives of the Dominican Republic that are most often synonymous with poverty, crime, or state vi, This story contains spoilers for Ant-Man: Quantumania. She also launched and managed the sites virtual book club, #ReadWithMC. Group, a Graham Holdings Company. He listens for a moment. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. The camera focuses on her face. According to Randolph, important details down to the specific scene with Kayla and Ailes were taken accurately from these interviews. Bombshell's Cast Compared the Real Fox News Workers, in Photos Was Fox News circa 2016 as misogynistic a place as the movie suggest? It is invasive. She may not be based on a single person, but Robbie's character endures some painful scenes throughout the filmI won't drop too many spoilers herethat were inspired by real-life events, and unfortunately make Kayla Pospisil all too relatable for millions of women. Right: John Lithgow in, Left: Douglas Brunt. While there have been examples of secret liberals within the walls of Fox News over the years, no one of her specific profilea lesbian who supports Hillary Clinton and works for OReillywas part of any of the reporting surrounding the Ailes scandal. Marie Claire is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Jay and I had a couple of times where we were like, Maybe we can tone this down. Right: Ben Lawson portraying him in. Probably. This is telling, from an ABC News piece in November 2016: I now know the number of women who were targeted, and its disturbing, she said. In "Bombshell," Robbie's Kayla Pospisil sleeps with Kate McKinnon 's closeted lesbian character Jess Carr after a drunken night at the bar. Margot Robbie plays a fictitious news producer named Kayla Pospisil. Everything Bombshell Doesn't Tell You About The True Story After another long awards season of Hollywood doing what it does best ignoring Black art I, This story contains heavy spoilers for Creed III. As the movie illustrates, Trumps presidential candidacy proved to be a point of contention for Rupert Murdoch and Ailes. Robbieplays an ambitious, wide-eyed staffer named Kayla Pospisil. Photo illustration by Slate. Right: Nazanin Boniadi. But Kayla Pospisil is not. Mark Duplass stars as Kelly's husband, Douglas Brunt, an author and former CEO of the Internet security company Authentium, Inc. Bree Condon (Ironclad, Vampire Diaries) also makes an appearance in the form of Kimberly Guilfoyle, a former Fox News host and Donald Trump Jr.'s current girlfriend. She pulls the dress up higher, her hands trembling, until her underwear is exposed. You know, the one when Lizzie and Miranda attempt to purchase their first bras by lying about needing sc, In 2020, an old theory resurfaced on the internet hypothesizing that world famous composer Ludwig van Beethoven may have actually been Black, sparking cont, Rarely do I watch a movie that leaves me truly perplexed. She is basically an attractive, conservative, Jesus-loving Instagram influencer turned research assistant for Gretchen Carlson and later Bill OReilly. With the help of makeup and prosthetics, the actors were transformed into surprisingly accurate likenesses. That makes sense, considering Kayla Pospisil isn't a real person, but rather a composite character based on not one but multiple very real people. There is a considerable amount of emphasis placed on the appearances of women at Fox News. Photo illustration by Slate. Rupert Murdoch, the media magnate at the helm of a global empire, is played by veteran actor Malcolm McDowell. Happy twelfth wedding anniversary to the Prince and Princess of Wales. "Were not revealing the people we talk to. Kelly reported in real life that Ailes was furious over her line of questioning, telling her that there was to be "no more female empowerment stuff." It was two years later that Carlson made her first statement against Ailes and the scandal spilled out into the public eye, leading to much more extensive coverage. Although there were eventually 23 victims who gave their names and stories to construct a . Bad Moments From Recent History, Recreated in Uncanny Detail, secret liberals within the walls of Fox News. The 20 women or so who spoke to the filmmakers via anonymity did break their NDAs, but the filmmakers and those involved in the film have also agreed to protect their sources. ", She mentions how the casting of Theron, Kidman and Robbie was clever; viewers will see faces they know and love, and not dig into the potentially problematic nature of the real-life views of Kelly or Carlson. Heres how to watch them host the events red carpet, together with Derek Blasberg and Emma Chamberlain. In an effort to get Kayla to open up, Kelly admits to Kayla that she was harassed by Roger, too. She is almost indifferent to the other women and appears to prioritize herself and her career. Beth Ailes, and Connie Britton as Beth Ailes. Photo illustration by Slate. The initial allegation of misconduct came from a Ailes biography in 2014, "The Loudest Voice in the Room" by Gabriel Sherman. Randolph highlighted his various interviews with victims who wished to share their stories, noting that through this, he was able to create the character of Kayla to represent them in a fictional but authentic way. Things you buy through our links may earnVox Mediaa commission. Maybe? The Roys continue their downward spiral into total desperation as Matsson and their dead father loom over every decision they make. For the purposes of "Bombshell," the narrative begins with Carlson's allegation, perhaps to portray the events from the point of the view of the main female characters. The best scene of Bombshell, the based-on-a-true-story dramatization of sexual harassment at Fox News, is one that never really happened. I watched the entire season of Showtimes The Loudest Voice, and we have all been living the last four years of Donald Trump, so its hard to imagine that Jay Roachs Bombshell has any lessons worth imparting that we dont already know. In addition, the movie portrays Ailes as giving Kelly a pat on the back for this situation, and perhaps unsurprisingly, this was also untrue. Do we need to see another actor (John Lithgow in this case) creep on another actress (Margot Robbie here)? This woman's career was controlled by Ailes and she had no way of stopping it. The objective: to ensure the films balance of levity and gravity in which strong female characters are shown accepting a baseline level of sexual degradation and coarse behavior to get ahead in the cutthroat, male-dominated world of cable news wouldnt turn off viewers. Ailes, played by John Lithgow, breathes heavily. Kayla also wonders, why did none of those women or any of the men who so obviously knew what was going on ever warn Kayla before she walked into Ailes trap? With the emotional adventure of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever closing out the controversial fourth, Joseph Bologne Could Have Been As Big As Beethoven In, Angela Bassett Doesnt Owe The Oscars A Thing Not Even A Smile, Tessa Thompson Talks Going To Couples Therapy With Michael B. Jordan, one of the people who agreed to be interviewed. Were trying to protect them," he's said of the project's sources. That is the challenging conversation in Bombshell, and like this season of Apple TVs The Morning Show, it goes to complicity. But I do think that as men capturing this sense of muscular predation, how that dynamic works is something that maybe we would not have come to so quickly had we been women.. As in the movie, he was known for asking women to stand up and spin around for him as well as justifying his actions by calling television a visual medium. Even the horrible details of his parents divorcethey are said to have broken up and moved out of his childhood home while he was away at collegeare real: That one appears in Gabriel Shermans book. While critics could argue that Robbie didn't have to worry about portraying real-life people like Charlize Theron and Nicole Kidman did (read: Megyn Kelly and Gretchen Carlson, respectively), Robbie still gives a standout performance in the movieshe plays a young conservative woman who belongs to a large Fox News-watching Republican family. Maybe. Connie Britton takes on the role of Beth Ailes, Roger Ailes's wife. Justin Kirkland is a Brooklyn-based writer who covers culture, food, and the South. Female Fox personalities like Jeanine Pirro and Greta Van Susteren also spoke up for Ailes eagerly. Bombshell is a work of uncanniness. Then there's "Mad About You" star Richard Kind, who portrays Ailes' longtime friend and confidante Rudy Giuliani. She just said, Listen, I trust you and I trust the way youre coming at this. Charlizes collaboration and power in the overall hierarchy was imperative. It certainly was for me in the room. Review: Margot Robbie's Kayla Pospisil Steals the Fox News Expose I wanted the breathing to be unmistakably monstrous.. When it came time to go, Ailes did agree to a noncompete clause, and indeed didnt get his wish to say goodbye and address the newsroom along with Rupert Murdoch, who did that on his own, locking Ailes out unceremoniously. 2019 brought us a critically acclaimed based-on-a-true-story film in the form of "Bombshell," directed by Jay Roach and written by Charles Randolph. We learn that this is a rule enforced by Ailes and it was a bigger issue than explored in the film. Photos by Hilary Bronwyn Gayle SMPSP/Lionsgate and Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images for American Magazine Media Conference. Pospisil begins to tell Carr about what happened, but Carr interrupts, saying she cannot get involved. The film stars Charlize Theron as Megyn Kelly, Nicole Kidman as Gretchen Carlson, and Margot Robbie as fictional news producer Kayla Pospisil. Why would anyone want to watch that play out again for two hours in Bombshell? Ailes himself tried to weaponize the Fox News apparatus to attack and discredit Carlson and eventually Kelly. This, of course, acts as the catalyst for the downfall of Roger Ailes, but it's not exactly how things went down. The film stars Charlize Theron, Nicole Kidman, Margot Robbie, and John Lithgow, and follows the story of a group of women at Fox News whose efforts led to CEO Roger Ailes' crimes being exposed. Robbie plays Kayla Pospisil, a fictional composite. The above scene underscores both the ambition of the film and its inherent challenges. Megyn Kelly approves of Charlize Theron's 'Bombshell' casting. Idon't have anything.". Offline, shes likely watching a Heat game or finding a new coffee shop. The movie is also faithful in its depiction of the relationship between Kelly and Gretchen Carlson, who kicked off Ailes eventual ouster by publicly accusing him of sexual harassment: The two were collegial but not friends. The abuse here is psychological. Theron's resemblance to Kelly is especially shocking. Allison Janney plays Susan Estrich, Ailess lawyer who also managed Michael Dukakiss presidential campaign in 1988. The other terrific scene, which illustrates whats really the thesis of the film, is a conversation between Kayla and Therons Megyn Kelly. Roger Ailes attempted to force himself on Kelly three times early in her career, and she rebuked him. My television career combusted, and I couldn't get a job for over a year come after me. Lizzy Caplan Would Return for One More Season of. La La Anthony, Chloe Fineman Will Play Fashion Correspondents at Met Gala 2023. Bombshell is a fine enough film it's competently made, the performances are terrific, and it is sufficiently crazymaking but there are two phenomenal scenes in the film that make it well worth seeing. The dried-out husk of Kendalls soul is up, Roman is spiraling down, and the game of. Photo illustration by Slate. Photo illustration by Slate. Right: Elisabeth Rohm. Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, I often have a good sense of what transpired during those two hours, give or take, and dont re, Latines love entertainment. Roger Ailes, the longtime Fox News leader who was ousted in the wake of a sexual harassment scandal, is played by John Lithgow. Yes? Bollywoods silver-screen darling is both at the top of her game and just getting started. Left: Megyn Kelly. Does that sound to you like the temperament of a man we should elect as president?". All contents 'Bombshell' fact vs. fiction: What really happened at Fox News? - USA Today Photos by Hilary Bronwyn Gayle SMPSP/Lionsgate and Kevin Hagen/Getty Images. From a bond as close as any sibling to silenceis their relationship repairable? Shes beautiful, devout (to God. Margot Robbie's character, a young and ambitious associate producer named Kayla Pospisil, is a composite character based on the stories of dozens of real women. Despite writing to Fox News programming executive Bill Shine that she felt like she was being gradually cast aside on the show and the network due to the Wilson issue, she was let go by Roger Ailes a short time later. Megyn Kelly also had no obligation to sacrifice her career to report Roger Ailes. The film begins with an anxious but steely Megyn en route to moderate the first debate of the Republican primary campaign. Is the Federal Government Trying to Kill Off Crypto? The lawsuit filed against the men made its point clear, stating, "Fox News would have the public believe that it is a different place from the Fox News that was run by former disgraced Chairman and CEO Roger Ailes. There is an inherent challenge in that arrangement: To tell the story of workplace sexual harassment through the experience of Megyn Kelly is to tell the story of workplace sexual harassment through the experience of Megyn Kelly. Erica Gonzales is the Senior Culture Editor at ELLE.com, where she oversees coverage on TV, movies, music, books, and more. Ultimately, 10 women publicly accused Ailes of sexual harassment, and he would go on to die the following year at 77. A number of other recognizable stars appear in the film that we didn't get to see in the trailer. John Lithgow as Roger Ailes is in the bunch, sporting a heavy dose of prosthetics. I wanted the breathing to be unmistakably monstrous. But the main way the film wrestles with the complications of its own story is by eliding them. At the center of Bombshell (opening Dec. 20) are Gretchen Carlson (Nicole Kidman), Megyn Kelly (Charlize Theron), and Kayla Pospisil (Margot Robbie), all news anchors or producers at Fox News . The real Megyn Kelly addressed this in the discussion mentioned above after watching the movie for herself,describing it as a "fantasy." However, the right-wing news company continued to weather allegations against Fox News journalists following the settling of Gretchen Carlson's lawsuit. Kayla is one of three women at Bombshells center; the other two are Megyn Kelly (Charlize Theron) and Gretchen Carlson (Nicole Kidman). That is ultimately unclear. In the movie, hoping to get her big on-air break at Fox News, Pospisil takes a meeting with Ailes and ends up leaving her job on Carlson's team for Bill OReillys. We would hear these stories about the spin, the director says. The actress who was nominated for an Academy Award for 2017's I, Tonya is . 2023 Vox Media, LLC. Previously, she was an editor at Marie Claire, where she wrote and edited culture, politics, and lifestyle stories ranging from op-eds to profiles to ambitious packages. (Though whether Pirro confronted Megyn Kelly at a vending machine and asked her to do the same, as in the movie, is less clear.) Portrayed in "Bombshell" by Nazanin Boniadi, Rudi Bakhtiar was a Fox News journalist who came out with allegations against Brian Wilson (via New York), the former Fox News Washington bureau chief. She endures some of the toughest scenes in the film. By using our Services, you agree to our use of cookies. Ailes resented reporting to Murdochs sons, and the sons had less tolerance for Ailes exploits than their father. Apparently making Ailes out to be a villain didnt require much embellishing. While it doesn't cover everything, "Bombshell" does a good job of addressing events that otherwise get overshadowed, and the film does still serve as an important beacon of hope for the wider movement. Password must be at least 8 characters and contain: As part of your account, youll receive occasional updates and offers from New York, which you can opt out of anytime. It is revealing that one of the main characters, in this film that has marketed itself as a retelling of the sexual-harassment story at Fox News, is a work of fiction. Let's break down exactly what was missed from this important story. On her first day on The O'Reilly Factor, Kayla Pospisil meets fellow female staffer Jess Carr, and the two sleep together. Is Kayla Pospisil real? Kayla is devastated that Ailes pressured her, that she gave in to the pressure, and that people know about it, and when Kelly asks Kayla to come forward, Megyn uses that empathy tool that journalists often use to elicit cooperation. Kayla Pospisil, the ambitious young "evangelical millennial" producer (played by Margot Robbie) who works for Carlson's show when she is introduced, is a composite character invented for the . Photos by Hilary Bronwyn Gayle SMPSP/Lionsgate and Neilson Barnard/Getty Images for Hollywood Reporter. The Blondes In Bombshell Tell A Story About Fox News - Refinery29 Kelly may be the star of the show; Kayla, however, is its moral center. Similarly, Is Kayla supposed to be Tomi Lahren? As they say, it takes a village, and here, theres the clear villain in Roger Ailes, but theres the secretary who sent the young women into Ailes office fully aware of what was happening (the secretary is also singled out in the Showtime series); theres Ailes wife, Beth (Connie Britton), who looked the other way when she knew better; there are all the women like Megyn Kelly who experienced the worst ordeals of their lives and knowingly allowed it to happen to the women that came after them in order to protect their own careers; and there are the husbands and the boyfriends, who knew what happening but remained silent, too, because they didnt want to rock the boat, or endanger a salary. By letting the abuse play out in real time, Randolph hopes male viewers, in particular, will feel uncomfortable but also feel greater empathy for victims. When Camerota attempted to branch out and explore new opportunities outside of Fox News, Ailes stopped this from happening. Knowing that he. His deep dislike for Carlson is right in the center of "Bombshell," and this chilling exchange emphasizes just how far this goes. Fact Versus Fiction: How 'Bombshell' Tells the Truth About Sexual Assault "When you're in the room and you appreciate the intonations and context of it, you can see how it could be utterly life-changing and maddening and complicated for a young woman,' " Randolph says. The True Story Behind Bombshell and the Fox News Scandal | Time However, some viewers did feel that this was glossed over to make sure that audience members of different political or spiritual persuasions would still root for them. So, how do you make heroines out of characters that some in the audience will see as deeply compromised if not outright villainous? Carlson was a well-known Fox News personality from 2005 until June 23 of this year, when her contract wasn't renewed. Lionsgate While the three leading stars appeared in the initial teaser released in August, the full-length preview gave a . The number of women directors in Hollywood is so small, its such an embarrassing statistic, he recalls. Kayla is surprised to learn this, but even more surprised to learn that its happened to so many other women, none of whom came forward. This is something weve tried to communicate and its a little delicate for us to do so. All due respect, but Obama was fucking wrong. She gives a quick spin, her mouth frozen in a tight smile, attempting to make light of the move. For years, we have been the top moviegoers even though the films we watch rarely reflect our communities. ADVERTISEMENT Theron plays Megyn Kelly, Kidman plays Gretchen Carlson and Robbie plays Kayla Pospisil. The filmits pun of a title offers a hint at whats to comehas a kaleidoscopic quality. Invented stories, he suggested, could be the most efficient way to talk about the things so many people wanted to be talking about when it came to those stories: the gray areas of consent; sex that is bad not in a criminal sense, but in another way. The film does an excellent job at chronicling the way Gretchen Carlson took full control of the situation by filing a lawsuit against Ailes after an extended period of inappropriate behavior at Fox News.

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