Princess brain rot and the end of civilisation
Oh, to be a princess! Haven't most little girls dreamt that dream? Perhaps a child you know wants to be Elsa, in her glamorous ice palace, or Moana, surfing the crests of azure waves.
But not even Disney could come up with this latest aspirational image: a real-life princess in her diamonds and satin, with a faint blush on her pleasing, symmetrical face, who cannot tear herself away from her smartphone even for the second it takes to snap an official photo.
I present to you Princess Isabella of Denmark, 18, whose newly released portrait shows her looking up momentarily from typing into an iPhone — the 'ultimate modern princess', as the braindead fawners of Hello magazine put it. I suppose they have it right,
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Vogue Arabia
22-05-2025
- Vogue Arabia
What We Know About The Devil Wears Prada Sequel: Casting, Synopsis, and More
The Devil Wears Prada is one of the best-known works of Anne Hathaway, who played Andrea, Meryl Streep, who played Miranda Priestly, and Emily Blunt, who played Andy's colleague Emily. The film not only earned Meryl her 14th Academy Award nomination, but was also a huge box-office success. In July 2024, Deadline reported that Disney had decided to produce a sequel to the iconic film. In recent years, Disney has produced sequels to popular films of the past, such as 1993's 'Hocus Pocus'—and 2008's 'The Devil Wears Prada' is yet another long-awaited sequel. While "Hocus Pocus" and "Enchanted" were available on Disney's streaming service Disney Plus, it is not known whether the "The Devil Wears Prada" sequel will be released through streaming or in theatres. Casting Information—Anne Hathaway and Meryl Streep to continue? Of the original cast, Anne, Meryl, Emily, and Stanley Tucci, who played Nigel, have been offered roles, reports Entertainment Weekly . Emily commented to PEOPLE that she 'can't say anything' about the project and that she "would love to enjoy dark eye makeup again," referring to her character's fondness for dark eye shadow and eyeliner. Stanley added, "I can't answer the question (about a sequel). It would involve too many people," he told Collider. Who are the director and producer? In July 2024, Deadline reported that Aline Brosh McKenna, who wrote the screenplay for the first film, and producer Wendy Finerman will maintain their positions. David Frankel, who directed the megaphone, is also in talks to join the project. What about the story? ─ What is the sequel to the original "Revenge Wears Prada"? The film is based on the eponymous novel written by Lauren Weisberger. Weisberger published the sequel Revenge Wears Prada: The Devil Returns in 2013, in which Andrea's former boss, Miranda Priestly, appears before Andrea, who is enjoying smooth sailing in her career and personal life. The director and screenwriter have admitted in the past that they tried to make a sequel based on the novel around the time the first was produced, but it did not happen at the time. While there is no official information about the film version of the sequel, several media outlets, including The Guardian , have reported that it will follow Miranda Priestley's struggles in the face of the decline of print media in a digital society.
Tatler Asia
21-05-2025
- Tatler Asia
‘Nine Perfect Strangers' Season 2 cast members share insights on the psychological drama series everybody's talking about
Above The official trailer of the second season of 'Nine Perfect Strangers'. The first two episodes will be made available on Hulu and Amazon Prime Video on May 22 (GMT+8) Meanwhile, Aras Aydin ( Oğlan Bizim Kız Bizim ) from Türkiye describes his excitement over the huge sets and the majestic natural landscape that welcomed them all. 'It was an exalting experience—being in the natural world, feeling such grandeur. We were all just in a state of enchantment, so that was way better than being just in a sound stage or wherever,' says two-time Tony winner Christine Baranski ( Mamma Mia! , The Gilded Age ). Aydin and Baranski play the roles of Matteo and Victoria, respectively, in a May-December affair which surprised Imogen (Annie Murphy), Victoria's daughter and supposedly her exclusive companion to the wellness programme. 'Its expansiveness added to the feeling of wanting to open up emotionally,' Baranski adds. Above Inside the chalet as the guests and their wellness guides, (standing) Martin and Masha, wait for them to be completed (Photo: Disney / Reiner Bajo) 'Because I was working with such extraordinary actors with so much depth, I've learned a lot about my feelings by sharing them,' Baranski continues. 'Yes, [the series] is about wellness and self-healing, and all. But honestly, you find healing through loving other people. Being loved and accepted is how you're ultimately healed,' she says. The communal and diverse cast of actors not only allows representation and inclusivity, but Baranski also thinks it is the core messaging of the show, among others. Turkish actor Aydin found parallels to his character, who initially enters the narrative as a threat, particularly to the character of Imogen, Victoria's daughter. 'Meeting a lot of beautiful hearts was healing me, so that was a life-changer, an incredible experience for me,' he says. Read more: Dolly de Leon's visceral performance in 'Request sa Radyo' is a masterclass in pensive acting Above Nicole Kidman plays Masha Dmitrichenko, who invites strangers into a transformational wellness retreat over the course of a week. Will they make it as she takes them to the brink? (Photo: Disney / Reiner Bajo) Henry Golding (Crazy Rich Asians , The Gentlemen ), who plays Peter Sharpe, Strong's son in the show, credits the expansion of the novel's original narrative (around which the first season revolved) to the series' director Jonathan Levine, who envisioned including more relevant elements in the show. Besides adding more variety to the mix of the 'nine perfect strangers', audiences get to see people who are personally close to the lead protagonist, Masha. 'Here, we've been able to develop and create a world of Jonathan Levine, so it was an incredible experience,' Golding says. 'We all bring something to our characters from our personal lives, so not only was it a crazy amalgamation of creativity but of stories and histories interacting with each other.' As another internationally acclaimed actor of Asian descent, De Leon shares her joyful experience of filming an on-location international series with such a diverse cast and with the iconic Australian actor Nicole Kidman. ' Saya! Sobrang saya at ang sarap-sarap nilang lahat katrabaho [It was fun! So much fun and it felt so good to work with them all],' she says ecstatically. 'They're all very loving, sweet, generous people, and I love that particular scene where we were all together, that for me was the most valuable as far as I'm concerned, because that was my chance to really share the set with all of them.' Above Lucas Englander as Martin, Zauberwald's pharmacologist and right-hand man of Masha, with Aras Aydin and Christine Baranski as Matteo and Victoria who came to the chalet as part of the batch of participants in the programme (Photo: Disney / Reiner Bajo) Revolving around themes of wellness and personal transformation, what sets the first season apart from other shows is the unravelling of Masha's unorthodox healing methods, pushing her guests to the brink through the aid of psychedelics. To what extent Masha's methods would develop in the second season, we can only wait for the episodes to drop on May 22 (GMT+8) on Amazon Prime Video, now that there is a complication in her personal life tied into the latest batch of 'perfect strangers'. 'The method of Masha can be put into question with regard to how effective it can be,' says De Leon. 'As for my character ex-nun Sister Agnes, who found herself unable to hear God's voice anymore, she had reservations over that method, and I believe that was justifiable. This is because she believes that it is important for us to move forward in order for us to remember all aspects of our past.' Above Mark Strong as David Sharpe, a wealthy international businessman (Photo: Disney / Reiner Bajo) 'I think in this day and age, people are a lot more open to therapy and its benefits,' Golding surmises. 'Mark and I have similar sentiments as to how we were taught as children to 'bury stuff', sucking it up and putting on a brave face. So the idea of travelling with these characters of ours to a place like Masha's or Zauberwald is an amazing one because you see how humans can reveal themselves and work through these traumatic events from their past.' As he plays the role of Peter, a wealthy bachelor lacking direction in life, he shares that his arc revolves around building a bridge of love to his father, David Sharpe, portrayed by Strong. Similarly, Baranski, who plays Imogen's (Annie Murphy) mother and Matteo's (Aras Aydin) paramour, also felt that the scenes they worked on together were not only vital for their characters' relationship-building but also were impactful as they required her vulnerability as a human being. Above Lena Olin plays the role of Dr Helena Von Falkenberg, owner of Zauberwald, whose shared history with Masha led to the relocation of the latter's famed wellness programme (Photo: Disney / Reiner Bajo) Nine Perfect Strangers is produced by Made Up Stories, Blossom Films and Fifth Season. It is available on Hulu (Disney) and Amazon Prime Video, with the second season commencing on May 22 (GMT+8). Asked what people could get out of this riveting series, each of the new cast members shares their varied insights. For Aydin, it's the lesson of not running away from your traumas and problems in life but rather facing them to be fully healed. For Baranski, it's the call for empathy, where we should realise that everybody in the world suffers, hence why don't we show humanity towards each other? It can be difficult, but it's not something to be ashamed of. For Strong, the possibility of someone changing for the better. Golding, whose character's motivation was to patch things up with his father through the promise of this unconventional therapy, shares that it's the reality that there's never one solution to all our diverse problems. 'I hope audiences come to realise that it's always important to remember the mistakes made in the past, and it's okay to fail and make missteps sometimes. Our failures are what would lead us to a brighter future because that's how we learn as humans,' De Leon concludes. NOW READ Aromatherapy: The art of using scent to soothe the soul and heal the body Tea from East to West: from solemn ritual to daily pleasure Detoxify and rejuvenate at these 6 luxurious wellness-centric resorts in Southeast Asia
Tatler Asia
29-04-2025
- Tatler Asia
8 movies that sold more toys than tickets
2. 'Cars' Above The 'Cars' setup at Disney California Adventure Park in Anaheim (Photo: Isaac Garcia / Pexels) Merchandise revenue: US$10 billion Box office revenue: US$462 million Cars wasn't Pixar's most critically adored film, but it was easily its most financially savvy move. Designed almost like a moving catalogue for toy cars, backpacks, pyjamas and lunch boxes, it captured the young boy demographic with ruthless efficiency. Cars merchandise flooded stores, and Disney built entire theme park lands around Radiator Springs, a world bigger (and more profitable) than the original movie could ever contain. 3. 'Toy Story' Above 'Toy Story' movies have gone full circle when it comes to merchandise (Photo: Antonino Visalli / Unsplash) Merchandise revenue: US$9 billion Box office revenue: Approximately US$3 billion Ironically, Toy Story is a movie about toys coming to life, and it has become one of the biggest toy-selling machines in history. Woody and Buzz Lightyear flew off shelves, embodying the emotional power of childhood nostalgia. Unlike Cars , which was engineered to sell, Toy Story merchandise thrived because audiences wanted to bring home what they loved. This is a case where art and commerce came perfectly together. 4. 'Frozen' Merchandise revenue: Over US$5 billion (within the first year) Box office revenue: About US$2.7 billion (for the two main films) Elsa, Anna and Olaf became a merchandising juggernaut seemingly overnight. Disney reportedly sold three million Elsa dresses in one year alone. Frozen' s success redefined how Disney approached animated films, not just as movies, but as merchandise pipelines. 'Let It Go' wasn't just a song. It was a retail battle cry. 5. 'The Lion King' Merchandise revenue: US$3 billion Box office revenue: US$968 million (original 1994 movie) In the pre- Frozen era, The Lion King was Disney's reigning merchandising king. Simba plushies, Hakuna Matata T-shirts and even stage adaptations turned this animated classic into a lifestyle. The Lion King created a generation that grew up sleeping in Lion King sheets, proof that heartwarming storytelling combined with masterful branding creates lifetime fans (and lifetime consumers). 6. 'Jurassic Park' Above The real-life Jurassic Park in Orlando (Photo: Dave Harwood / Pexels) Merchandise revenue: Over US$1 billion Box office revenue: US$912 million (first movie's original run) Jurassic Park made dinosaurs cool again—and more importantly, made them profitable. The franchise moved everything from action figures to lunch boxes and theme park rides. Steven Spielberg wisely kept merchandising rights to some of the products, creating a system where the dinosaurs never really went extinct. While the total box-office gross of the franchise has now reached over US$6 billion, every new Jurassic Park movie feels engineered more for toy store domination than for cinematic entertainment. 7. 'The Lego Movie' Merchandise revenue: Over US$15 billion (franchise-wide toy sales) Box office revenue: About US$1.1 billion (all movies combined) Yes, the toys came first, but The Lego Movie is different from Transformers , Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Battleship. The surprising success of the film franchise turbocharged Lego's popularity into the stratosphere. It wasn't just about selling bricks; it became a full lifestyle brand, including movie-specific sets, video games and theme parks. 'Everything is awesome' was less a lyric and more a business forecast. 8. 'Pokémon' Above There's nothing more appealing to Pokémon lovers than these cards. (Photo: Mick Haupt / Unsplash) Merchandise revenue: Over US$100 billion (across the Pokémon brand) Box office revenue: About $1.8 billion (all movies combined) Pokémon may have started as a video game, but the first movie unleashed a merchandising tsunami. Trading cards, action figures and stuffed Pikachus flew off shelves at a scale rarely seen before. The movies played a crucial role in deepening Pokémon 's global appeal and extending its stranglehold on the hearts (and wallets) of a generation.
