Latest news with #Norma
New York Post
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- New York Post
'Sunset Blvd.' on Broadway Mandy Gonzales Norma Desmond interview
Vivid Seats is the New York Post's official ticketing partner. We may receive revenue from this partnership for sharing this content and/or when you make a purchase. Featured pricing is subject to change. A desperate young screenwriter stumbles into the mansion of a nearly forgotten actress. Fate unfolds, and the two rustle up a plan to rewrite her script — his chance at catching a break, and hers at reclaiming the spotlight (though, we're not sure if she noticed it was gone). You might think you know how that story ends, but Jamie Lloyd Wright's electric, theatrical revival of 'Sunset Blvd.' at the St. James Theatre stretches the imagination in ways we'd never expect. And, yes, there's still a love triangle — that ends in a pool of blood. If you haven't been yet, 'Sunset Blvd.,' which netted seven Tony nominations, runs Tuesday through Sundays at Broadway's St. James Theatre until July 13. As of now, tickets are available for all remaining performances. At the show we attended, Mandy Gonzales guest starred in Nicole Scherzinger's role as silent-film star Norma Desmond. She led the ensemble alongside Tom Francis who plays down-on-his-luck writer, Joe Gillis. Their performances are a blur between Broadway and film noir; thrilling, dark, foggy, sparingly staged, yet so fleet of foot you'll barely have time to blink. We spoke with Gonzales on manifesting her role in 'Sunset Blvd.,' how she resonated with Norma's fight to endure in a demanding industry, and the art of balancing acting and motherhood. 'As a woman in this industry, once we hit a certain age, (we're told) it's done. I think as women…we just get more and more interesting. I think that's the truth,' Gonzales teased while describing her character. Before unpacking 'Sunset Blvd.' with Gonzales, we had to find out exactly what the Tony-nominated show that's stopping traffic on 47th Street was all about, so we grabbed some seats at her May 20 performance. What we thought of 'Sunset Blvd.' on Broadway A slow burn has its place, but not here. Wright's characters leap into their roles sooner than the lights drop. Hannah Yun Chamberlain (young Norma) opens the show with an ethereal ballet — graceful, haunting, and a bit beguiling — her scenes float like memories in motion. Joe rises from a body bag in a flash of foreshadowing and Norma sweeps in with her first musical number, 'With One Look.' It's 1950s Hollywood. Joe's chasing a break, Norma's in need of a comeback, and the price is yet to be determined. An 18-piece orchestra hums under all of this, but for almost two hours and 35 minutes, it's mostly Gonzales and the rest of the cast who grip the audience, sprawling the stage with spinning, psychological choreography and spoken-sung-style vibrato that divulge Norma's delusions. There are no bad seats in the St. James. Line cameras track the actors for cinematic close-ups, mere inches from their faces, plastered across a slanted, larger-than-life screen behind. These intimate, raw projections magnify them under a lens, granting watchers access to every twitch of emotion — grief and desire, fear and isolation, Norma's spiraling obsession with Joe, and her fading career. It's a glimpse into her split reality. In Act II, the story doesn't pick up, but spills over and outside. Cameras chase Joe as he weaves down from the top of the dressing rooms, catching flickers of backstage banter, through chaotic corridors and dimly lit dressing rooms. By the time he reaches the ground, it's like you've brushed shoulders with the entire company. You begin to wonder, are you watching the play, or are you in it? The live sequence follows Joe and the cast as they transcend the theatre and take the streets of Times Square, where they belt 'Sunset Blvd.' to a crowd of unsuspecting tourists who just found free, front-row seats. It's loud, grand, and more than a bit voyeuristic. This is envelope-pushing art that can only be expected by an accomplished contemporary visionary, such as Jamie Lloyd. Without spoiling the story, we'll say that Norma and Joe do find a final moment under the lights, though the nature of this departing act wasn't what either had in mind when the curtains first drew back. And, with that, we couldn't wait to chat with the magnetic Gonzales about her work in the show, career and love of all things Broadway. What attracted you to the role of Norma Desmond in Sunset Blvd.? I grew up in California, and, for some reason, my public middle school was really awesome. For a field trip, they took us to see 'Sunset Blvd.' with Glenn Close… I think the following year we saw 'Phantom of the Opera' and I absolutely fell in love with Andrew Lloyd Webber's music. I loved Sunset Blvd. so much. We bought the cast album and I listened to it all the time. When you're a kid, and then your twenties and thirties — you're like 'oh, well, that kind of part seems too far away.' [So] when this came up, it was like 'yes, absolutely, I want to sing that!' and then when I met with Jamie Lloyd and saw how he was challenging me as an actress and a person, I just thought this is going to stretch me in my artistry… I would say I manifested it. I don't know, but maybe I did. Does Norma's story resonate with you on a personal level? Norma is definitely a fighter and a survivor. In my own life, I went through breast cancer in 2019 while acting in 'Hamilton' and wanted to show people I could still do it — like this was just a part of me, and wanting to fight and still be a part of things. Even though inside, it was a very dark place. I think that really helped me understand Norma. If you're in this business long enough, you go through so many ups and downs and so many people. I've been lucky that I've been in shows that have been hits, and shows that have been the biggest misses. One of those shows was my first original Broadway show, 'Dance of the Vampires,' which I starred in opposite Michael Crawford. I was about 23 years old, and the show was panned all around. At 23, I had somebody come up to me and say, 'well, you're probably going to leave the business now because this is it,' and it was just like, 'why would I do that— I've only just begun.' René Auberjonois, who was also in that show, said, 'the only place to go is up.' What did you learn from being told your career would be over at 23 years old? Back at that time, I was like 'why me,' but I look back and think that really taught me a sense of how strong I was. To read things about yourself, or about people you care about in a show, that are really horrible — it allows you to go, 'oh, I can either believe that or I can just keep going and keep fighting.' I think Norma is exactly like that. I think she is the ultimate warrior. Norma's a complicated character. How did you capture her emotions? She's not just a caricature. As I've gotten older, I see that more. Her vulnerability is real. She's always being watched by somebody in her mind. Whether the show is in her imagination or whether the show is really happening, I think that's a really beautiful thing, and nobody really knows. As women in this industry, once we hit a certain age (we're told), it's done. I think as women… we just get more and more interesting. I think that's the truth. When you're so isolated, and that's all Norma has — her career and her past — that can be a very dangerous thing. Norma never learned the balance of things, or how we try to balance different parts of our lives. She always put her career first. How did you practice for the close-ups on the screen? I come from a theatre background and worked in television and film. But theatre is what I love. During the rehearsal process, they had a small screen and they were rehearsing with the cameras, and there was one moment when I turned and was like, 'Oh, that's really close. That's very triggering.' As women, we look at ourselves and say, 'oh, there's that wrinkle, and there's that,' and Jamie just said, 'We never look into the screen. We never look at it,' and I have not looked at it. It's all coming from my heart. It's not coming from how I think I should pose, so I'll look better in front of the camera this way or that way. It's very freeing as a woman not to think about the screen. It's like not thinking about the mirror, and being like 'I am the most beautiful woman in the world.' Was there anyone in the cast you grew close to over the course of the production? Tom Francis. I was able to rehearse with the company for the first few weeks of rehearsal here in the States, so I was able to be Norma for everybody. Tom came in early, so we could work together and develop our show together, which I really loved and appreciated. He's so fantastic. It's really the entire company. That's what I love. I love community, I love putting it together. Eating lunch together. Hearing what everyone's talking about. I feel like it's a family and nothing happens on that stage without the other person. What about that pivotal scene where Joe leaves the theatre — how do they do that? Is it recorded? That's all live! I'm lucky. I just get to sit there on stage and watch it all happen, and I've watched through all of it. Through winter in New York, through snow, sleet, and rain… But, Tom… it amazes me every night that I get to see it. He's seamless. He makes it, he tells the story, and he gets those lyrics out. That's all live, the orchestra is playing live, and all the camera operators are out there. They have a great security team and he has people around him, so people won't come up to him and interfere with filming. It's just this thing that has never been done before, and it's thrilling. The way that Jamie Lloyd has used space, he's expanded beyond the theatre to create this story. That's what I love, pushing beyond the bounds of what we think is possible. I'm so impressed by actors who can flip between roles. How do you do that? We're women, and we multi-task very well, and I think it's just that. It's about survival, and when you're an actor, it's like, 'Oh, okay, like this is where the job is, and you've got to do it.' You've got to figure out a way to do it, to make it happen… You don't get home from the show until 11, and then you stay up until 2 in the morning, and then you've got to get up for your kid at 6. That's just part of it. When did you first get the Broadway itch? It started early for me because I had a grandmother who lived in the Valley, who loved musical theatre. She especially loved big Torch Singers, so I grew up listening to Judy Garland, Eydie Gorme, and Liza Minelli. I fell in love with any musical they were in because my grandma would play them for us, and I was really the only grandchild who sang back. My grandma was the one who said, 'Mandy has talent. She's really loud, and she's going to hurt herself, so we have to get her into lessons,' and little did she know that that loud voice would someday help me. What's next for you? I am going to be making my Carnegie Hall solo debut in the Fall. As well as with the Boston Pops, I will be with the New York Pops at Carnegie Hall. I am going to be doing a show that I created and have been working on with my dear friend Lin-Manuel Miranda's music catalog. Any other Broadway shows you've enjoyed recently? Any Tony's predictions? I just saw 'Buena Vista Social Club,' which I absolutely loved, and I think so many things about that show are just so incredible — from Saheem Ali's direction to Justin Peck and Patty Delgado's choreography. I also just saw 'Stranger Things,' which I thought was fantastic. The entire ensemble completely blew me away, as did the show's set design. Last question. Give us one word to describe Norma and one for Mandy. For Norma, I would say, limitless. For me, I would say fearless. This interview was lightly edited for length and clarity. Huge Broadway musicals Already seen 'Sunset Blvd?' Here are five more hit shows on the Great White Way you won't want to miss live these next few months. • 'Death Becomes Her' • 'Just In Time' • 'Maybe Happy Ending' • 'Buena Vista Social Club' • 'Dead Outlaw' What else is running in Midtown? Take a look at our list of all the biggest Tony-nominated shows going down on Broadway to find the one for you.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
People Are Sharing How They Avoid Paying Their Student Loans, And It's Not For The Weak
Student loan debt is a major crisis in the United States that, unfortunately, doesn't appear to be going away anytime soon. While repayment options are available, they're still incredibly unaffordable for many people, leaving them unable to pay or desperately searching for alternative options. Recently, a TikTok user by the name of @thenormajeane5 shared the unique way they plan to avoid repaying their loans, and as it turns out, it's not that uncommon! Basically, the plan is to stay in school to keep their loans in deferment so they're not required to pay them back immediately. Norma said, "I'm currently getting a doctoral degree ... However, upon graduation in about two and a half years, I'm going to continue to go to college for the rest of my life." He added, "I'll continue to get associate's degrees and you know, keep learning!" The post has garnered over 3 million views, 400,000 likes, and over 10,000 comments as people reacted to Norma's "brilliant" strategy. Some have even done it themselves. "One of my professors told us he did this," one viewer wrote. "he owed over $800,000 in student loans and was still currently enrolled. He laughed and said 'I'll never pay it back.'" Another said, "this is what my grandma did lol she is getting her Masters next Saturday 🥰" "my friend is a perpetual student too," a third person added. "her job has tuition reimbursement so she take class a semester and as long as she gets a B she gets her $ back "LMAO me," one more said. "Rinse repeat since 2007." Another pointed out the cost of going back to school compared to their monthly student loan payments. "it will save me $600 a month to get another masters and pay 100% out of pocket instead of my new monthly student loan payment if my income playment plane gets canceled," they said. But it's not a foolproof solution. In the United States, one has to be enrolled at least half-time at an eligible school in order to receive an automatic deferment. It would also mean you would pretty much have to stay in school until the end of your life! As this person said, it's a shame it's come to this. But what do you think? How are you repaying your loans? Let me know in the comments below.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
People Are Sharing How They Avoid Paying Their Student Loans, And It's Not For The Weak
Student loan debt is a major crisis in the United States that, unfortunately, doesn't appear to be going away anytime soon. While repayment options are available, they're still incredibly unaffordable for many people, leaving them unable to pay or desperately searching for alternative options. Recently, a TikTok user by the name of @thenormajeane5 shared the unique way they plan to avoid repaying their loans, and as it turns out, it's not that uncommon! Basically, the plan is to stay in school to keep their loans in deferment so they're not required to pay them back immediately. Norma said, "I'm currently getting a doctoral degree ... However, upon graduation in about two and a half years, I'm going to continue to go to college for the rest of my life." He added, "I'll continue to get associate's degrees and you know, keep learning!" The post has garnered over 3 million views, 400,000 likes, and over 10,000 comments as people reacted to Norma's "brilliant" strategy. Some have even done it themselves. "One of my professors told us he did this," one viewer wrote. "he owed over $800,000 in student loans and was still currently enrolled. He laughed and said 'I'll never pay it back.'" Another said, "this is what my grandma did lol she is getting her Masters next Saturday 🥰" "my friend is a perpetual student too," a third person added. "her job has tuition reimbursement so she take class a semester and as long as she gets a B she gets her $ back "LMAO me," one more said. "Rinse repeat since 2007." Another pointed out the cost of going back to school compared to their monthly student loan payments. "it will save me $600 a month to get another masters and pay 100% out of pocket instead of my new monthly student loan payment if my income playment plane gets canceled," they said. But it's not a foolproof solution. In the United States, one has to be enrolled at least half-time at an eligible school in order to receive an automatic deferment. It would also mean you would pretty much have to stay in school until the end of your life! As this person said, it's a shame it's come to this. But what do you think? How are you repaying your loans? Let me know in the comments below.
Elle
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Elle
Everything Is Under $75 at Norma Kamali's Flash Sale
Every item on this page was chosen by an ELLE editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy. As long as I've worked in fashion, I've had a secret crush on Norma Kamali. While it might not be the buzziest brand on everyone's lips, maybe it should be—especially today. As of now, the site will offer a sale, in which a few items are $75 or under, every Friday for the foreseeable future. Yep. Blink a few times, rub your eyes, wipe off your phone screen. It sounds too good to be true, but your eyes do not deceive you! The weekly flash sale will last 24 hours, ending at midnight on the following Saturday. Simply put, the label is a sleeper hit, so it's perfect if you need to refresh your wardrobe for the summer ahead without bankrupting yourself. Seeking inspo to get you started? Look no further than ELLE's May cover star, Addison Rae. Or, Rihanna has been spotted in her sleeping bag coat numerous times, including the day of her Super Bowl Halftime Show. The mesh black swimsuit Sabrina Carpenter wears in the viral 'Espresso' music video is from Norma. Carrie Bradshaw wears one of the ruched dresses in And Just Like That. Martha Stewart, Miley Cyrus—the list of A-list supporters just goes on. Shop the full sale online, and see a curated selection below. Why Trust ELLE Every product featured on is independently researched, tested, or editor-approved. We only recommend products that we stand behind, and the merchandise featured on our site is always driven by editorial and product testing standards, not by affiliate deals or advertising relationships. Any content created in partnership with advertisers is marked as such.
Buzz Feed
17-05-2025
- General
- Buzz Feed
27 Wholesome Stories About Grandparents That Made Me Cry
Recently, BuzzFeed shared the results of a study on the impact grandparents have on their grandchildren. It turns out that of all four grandparents, maternal grandmothers (aka your mom's mom) have the biggest positive influence. Of course, the other grandparents often have a positive, loving impact on kids as well. And some maternal grandmothers aren't the best influence. But generally, the 'main finding was that investment from maternal grandmothers seemed to be able to protect their grandchild from the negative influence of experiencing multiple adverse early-life experiences,' Samuli Helle, the lead researcher, told HuffPost. People commented on the post with examples of how their grandparents — especially maternal grandmas — positively impacted their grandkids' lives. Here are some of the many wholesome replies: "My maternal grandmother is one of my favorite people on the planet. She was the first person to educate me about trans and queer people. She has been an advocate for science, nature, truth, art, and peace throughout my life. She protested the Iraq War. She also doesn't have patience for BS. I love her. I hope she lives forever." —asstundersecretary "My mom passed in late November. She had a massive stroke in April and never really recovered. In her last year, I saw my 17-year-old son demonstrate selflessness to make her passing easier for her. He'd hold her hand for hours in the hospital because she was scared, and it made her feel safe. I watched him read trashy celebrity news on his iPad to her (she loved trashy literature). He actually picked her up to help her when the elevator wasn't working. He fed her. He cleaned her up." "My maternal grandmother passed away nearly 40 years ago, whereas my mother passed five years ago. I still miss my maternal grandmother all the time — we adored each other. I don't miss my mother at all." "I'm a maternal grandmother and love all my grandchildren equally. They are all precious to me. ❤️ I'm in my late 60s, and talking on the phone and texting with them is one of my greatest pleasures, since I don't see them often. Whenever we're together, it's like no time was lost. ❤️🙌" —savoryfan557 "My four grandparents all positively influenced in my life for different reasons. They all had a different perspective, and I admired them both individually and collectively." "My mom and I would go visit my maternal grandmother every summer vacation for six weeks in Kentucky. I loved her so much. Great childhood memories." "My name is Norma. I stopped working after 30 years to look after my three grandchildren from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. every weekday until all of them went to preschool. They're adults now and still come to see me. Love moves mountains." —goldenbubble64 "My maternal grandmother was the most amazing woman ever. She's been gone 40 years, and I still think of her every day. I have an old spoon and knife she used for baking every day — no store-bought cakes or biscuits in her house! I use them to bake now, and friends will always ask what cakes I have. I like to think my grandmother smiles at that." "I'm my granddaughter's paternal grandmother, and our bond is so amazing and close — much closer than the other side. I think it has nothing to do with maternal or paternal and everything to do with access and willingness to be in their life." "I'm a maternal grandma to 15+ grandchildren and great-grandchildren. I am in their life every single day. I have been the only one through thick and thin. Attended all their births too. I wouldn't have it any other way. They are my oxygen. I couldn't breathe without them. We're a German and Italian family and very tightly knit. ❤️" —sharpqueen33 "I'd give anything to have my grandmother and grandaddy back! They were WONDERFUL! They both took care of my sister and me when we were newborns until we were 2. We were shown so much love and kindness. My mother was great, but when she married my stepdad, our life took a turn for the worse. My grandparents were always there when we needed them." "My maternal grandmother was one of my favorite people. She loved us fiercely and defended us against my abusive mother." "My maternal grandma was the greatest person in my life. I would give 20 years off my life to have her here with me again, younger and healthy." —sekhmet_0224 "I was so blessed to have the most wonderful maternal grandmother. She passed away just before I turned 24. It's been almost 21 years, and I still think about her almost every day." "Mothers statistically take on the majority of child-related work. When they look for support, those mothers are also statistically more likely to ask their own mother for support (unless that relationship is damaged in some way.)" "I can feel a natural bond with my grandchildren and their love and excitement to be with me, and I also see that bond between my daughter and my mom. My daughter spends half of her vacation time at my mom's home in Germany almost every year!" —maskedhedgehog683 "This is what I experienced as a child! My maternal grandmother helped me to become a high achiever with a solid self image. It's what I'm fighting for with my own granddaughter." "I was blessed with three amazing grandmothers who each gave me unconditional love and acceptance. They each contributed to who I am and who I want to be." "Both of my grandmothers were outstanding ladies. Very different, but I learned lots from both of them. I quote my dad's mom a lot. Both grandfathers were nice as well." —bdrsreen "I spent so much time with my grandparents growing up, and I'm grateful to still have one grandmother who is still alive and well. I miss my other grandparents constantly — cooking with them, watching old movies, and all those other lovely memories I hope won't fade. Now that I'm out of college, I'm so happy to be able to show my grandma around and hang out with her like a real grown-up." "My grandson is 17. After football or work, he always flops down by me so I can scratch his head or rub his feet. I tell him how beautiful he truly is. He's the best, and my son is too." "Memories of my maternal grandmother always warm my heart. She wasn't the cuddly grandma type, but she was always there for her kids and grandkids. She loved us unconditionally. She's been gone 38 years now, and I still miss her so very much." —ladysingstheblues "As a person who grew up in an extremely tumultuous household and endured abuses on every level, this really rings true. Grandmothers and grandfathers can 100% be a child's salvation." "My maternal grandmother was one of my life's greatest gifts. Her unconditional love gave me more than I could ever articulate. I miss her every single day. I'm 52 and still cry for her." "I adored my maternal grandma, and I was lucky to have her in my life well into my 50s. But the only person in my family who ever loved me unconditionally was my maternal grandfather. I was named after him, and that always meant something to him. He loved to tell me about all the ways that I took after him, and I loved that. "He would invite me to stay with him and Granny for the weekend sometimes, just so he could pamper me and spoil me. He knew that I didn't get much attention at home. I miss him every day. He just loved me exactly the way I was."—sportypizza952 "My maternal grandmother protected me from sexual abuse when no one else would." "I have one grandson who I love dearly! We have a wonderful relationship! He calls and texts me all the time! I love hanging out with him. 🥰 He is my daughter's only child." —wittyscissors708 How have your grandparents shaped your life? Tell us in the comments!
