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Benedict Cumberbatch Sparks Debate After Saying He Regrets Nonbinary 'Zoolander 2' Role
Feb 10, 2025
Since gaining worldwide attention for his contemporary take on the world's most famous detective in Sherlock, Benedict Cumberbatch has become one of the world's most popular actors.
With two Academy Award nominations, joining the MCU as Marvel's iconic Doctor Strange and impressing audiences on stage as the title roles of both Frankenstein and Hamlet, it would be an understatement to call Cumberbatch's career prolific.
However, there is one role that Cumberbatch looks back on with anything but pride.
During an appearance on Variety's YouTube series "Know Their Lines," the two-time Oscar nominee found himself facing what turned out to be an unhappy memory from his film career:
As part of the series, Cumberbatch was handed a card with a line of dialogue on it, and was challenged to guess if he could correctly identify the matching film.
Cumberbatch correctly identified lines from Sherlock, Doctor Strange, The Grinch, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, The Power of The Dog, Star Trek: Into Darkness, and The Imitation Game, sharing his happy memories that came with each of those performances.
However, Cumberbatch had a bit more trouble identifying the film in which he uttered the line "All Is Done Here."
When he finally did realize what film it was, his memories were less than happy.
The film in question was 2016's Zoolander 2, the sequel to Ben Stiller's 2001 male model-centered comedyZoolander.
Cumberbatch admitted that he "had to apologize for that one a lot" and it was a "difficult one to talk about."
While Zoolander 2 did not repeat the critical or commercial success of it's predecessor, earning scathing reviews and grossing a mere $28.8 million in the US, Cumberbatch's unease with the film was more personal.
Cumberbatch played a non-binary fashion model named All in the film.
The Sherlock star went on to say that he accepted the role with excitement, believing he was joining the legacy of a beloved comedy film, but found himself deeply regretting his decision when his casting ended up causing a significant amount of backlash:
"I love that group of people and it was the chance to sort of be part of something that the first time around was iconic and I was a huge fan of."
"But it got complicated and it got misunderstood and I upset people."
"I respect that, so I probably wouldn’t do that again now."
Almost from the minute the first trailer dropped for Zoolander 2, the LGBTQ+ community immediately expressed their anger and concern at the casting of the cis-gender, heterosexual Cumberbatch as a nonbinary character.
An online petition was even formed by LGBTQ+ activists urging moviegoers to boycott the film, receiving over 25 thousand signatures, claiming:
"Cumberbatch’s character is clearly portrayed as an over-the-top, cartoonish mockery of androgyne/trans/non-binary individuals."
"This is the modern equivalent of using blackface to represent a minority."
The petition also went on to point out that there were any number of queer, trans, or nonbinary actors that could have been cast as All, which the producers seemed to willfully ignore:
"If the producers and screenwriters of 'Zoolander' wanted to provide social commentary on the presence of trans/androgyne individuals in the fashion industry, they could have approached models like Andreja Pejic to be in the film."
"By hiring a cis actor to play a non-binary individual in a clearly negative way, they film endorses harmful and dangerous perceptions of the queer community at large."
Cumberbatch had earlier expressed his regrets in accepting the role during a 2022 appearance as part of Variety's "Actors on Actors" series.
Speaking with his Zoolander 2 co-star and Penelope Cruz, The Imitation Game Oscar nominee admitted to seeing no trouble in accepting the role at the time, but in the passing years realized his casting was ill-advised:
"There was a lot of contention around the role, understandably now.”
“And I think in this era, my role would never be performed by anybody other than a trans actor."
"But I remember at the time not thinking of it necessarily in that regard, and it being more about two dinosaurs, two heteronormative clichés not understanding this new diverse world."
"But it backfired a little bit."
Cumberbatch's appearance on "Know Their Lines" coincides with the Trump administration making the U.S. a less than hospitable home for the transgender community, with an executive order banning transgender women from competing in sports, and references to the trans community wiped from several government websites.
With this in mind, Cumberbatch's apology was bound to prompt many reactions:
Several Reddit users applauded the actor for admitting his mistakes, and apologizing to anyone he might have hurt as a result, even if some felt his apology wasn't entirely necessary:
"This is how a healthy society works. Someone does something unintentionally offensive, they acknowledge it, they apologize for the upset they’ve caused, they advocate for change and better education." - If_you_have_Ghost
"This is what celebrities and good name figures should do."- More_Cell_601
"It was pretty cringe, glad he apologized."- DJSauvage
"I don’t think an actor should ever be made to feel like they should apologize for taking a roll, but it’s good that he recognizes some people took issue with it and acknowledged that. He mentions in the article he thinks the role should have gone to a non binary person instead, I don’t necessarily agree with that either. Acting roles should go to whoever the producers/directors believe would be best for that role, not necessarily because of who they are. That being said, he’s awesome for recognizing there may be non binary actors who would have been great in that role."- phobox360
"I thought he played the role quite well for the type of movie it was. But I also understand the hurt it can bring. I still cringe every time I think about silence of the lambs."- Shag_Nasty_McNasty
While some users on X (formerly Twitter) were less appreciative of Cumberbatch's apology and regret, bringing into play ongoing conversation regarding casting and representation in Hollywood, and others pointing out that the quality of the movie was far more offensive than Cumberbatch's casting or performance:
Cumberbatch isn't the only one involved in Zoolander 2 with regrets.
The film's director and star, Ben Stiller, shared on David Duchovny’s "Fail Better" podcast that he did not see the film's critical and commercial failure coming, and getting over the disappointment was not easy:
"I thought everybody wanted this.”
“And then it’s like, ‘Wow, I must have really f*cked this up."
"Everybody didn’t go to it."
"And it’s gotten these horrible reviews."
“It really freaked me out because I was like, ‘I didn’t know was that bad?'"
“What scared me the most on that one was I'm losing what I think what’s funny, the questioning yourself … on ‘Zoolander 2,’ it was definitely blindsiding to me."
"And it definitely affected me for a long time."
Safe to say, Zoolander 2 proved to be no laughing matter for anyone.
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Ariana Grande Hilariously Reveals The Unexpectedly Bizarre Call She Got After Her Oscar Nomination
Feb 10, 2025
Pop star Ariana Grande received her first Oscar nomination for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her portrayal of Glinda in the movie musical adaptation of Wicked.
While fans and family celebrated the news, Grande was unnerved when she saw that her gynecologist had attempted to reach out to her.
As soon as she learned of her Oscar nod, the 31-year-old shared on Jimmy Kimmel Live that her mom "called instantly" as did her best friends, Aaron Gross and Doug Middlebrook, as well as her therapist and gynecologist.
Kimmel quipped that it was "a little weird" that her gynecologist would call to congratulate her, but Grande assured it was "Lovely."
She recalled:
"Oh “I was like, ‘Oh my god. It’s been a while. We good? Is everything great?' "
Kimmel imagined how alarming it must've been for her to scroll through her message notifications from "a hundred people" and see that her gynecologist was among them.
“She was so sweet," recalled the "Thank U, Next" singer, adding:
"She was like, ‘Oh my God, you did it, I’m so proud.’ And I was like, ‘Thank you, we’ll hug over the next, you know, breast exam or whatever.’”
You can watch a clip from Jimmy Kimmel Live here.
- YouTubeyoutu.be
Fans continued showering her with praise and manifesting her Oscar win.
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Grande lobbied hard for the role ever since she heard early murmurings of a Wicked movie adaptation.
She went through a grueling audition process after investing in singing and acting lessons in preparation for the role she'd always wanted to portray.
All the hard work paid off, and her experience became a full circle moment when Grande flew to Boca Rotan, Florida, to see Wicked in her childhood theater alongside her beloved Nonna, who took Grande to see Wicked on Broadway in 2003 when she was 10.
The subject of her grandmother came up early in January when an Access Hollywood reporter asked if Grande's grandmother was "still alive."
Grande graciously handled the breach in interview etiquette and affirmed her 99-year-old Nonna was still alive and was the second person she called to share news of her Best Supporting Actress Golden Globe nomination.
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Ye Slammed For Revealing He Named His Album 'Bully' After His Son Kicked A Kid For Being 'Weak'
Feb 10, 2025
Rapper Ye disclosed the inspiration behind naming his upcoming album Bully, and it's not sitting well with the internet.
In September, the controversial artist announced his eleventh studio album by debuting the track "Beauty and the Beast" at a concert in Haikou, China at the Wuyuan River Stadium.
He recently reclaimed the spotlight with a startling origin story for the new record after the rapper's wife, Bianca Censori, stripped for the red carpet paparazzi at the 67th Grammys on February 2, 2025.
Here's the kicker, so to speak.
Last week, Ye revealed on Justin LaBoy's The Download podcast that he chose to name his new album Bully after learning his 9-year-old son, Saint West, kicked another child for being "weak."
The 47-year-old told LaBoy:
"My son was playing with some kid, and then he kicked him. I asked my son, 'why you do that?' and he said, 'because he weak.' "
"I was like, 'this man is really a bully.'"
LaBoy joined Ye laughing and said:
"Saint, you the reason for 'Bully.'"
Here's a clip.
Commenters on the Popculture subReddit condemned Ye for making light of his son's violent behavior.
"This is nothing to brag about or share with the media. Poor parenting," wrote one user.
Another said:
"Jesus. How out of touch. I feel sorry for his kids."
A third wondered:
"damn I wonder where he got that from."
People continued admonishing Ye and expressed more concern.
Popculture/subReddit
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Saint is the second of four children Ye has with his ex-wife, SKIMS founder Kim Kardashian.
His siblings, all of whom appeared on Kardashian's reality TV show, Keeping Up with the Kardashians, include North, the oldest, born in 2013, followed by Saint in 2015, Chicago in 2018, and Psalm in 2019.
People had more to say on the story in the Keeping Up with the KardashianssubReddit.
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The rapper said he chose to name his son "Saint" because he wanted the name to have "spiritual significance."
A spokesperson for Ye told People magazine:
"It needed to mean something and he agonized over it, probably even more than Kim ... Kanye believes that a name is extremely important and that it's the first sense of identity that we have."
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Chappell Roan Epically Responds To Music Exec. Who Criticized Her Grammys Call For Livable Wages
Feb 10, 2025
Musician Chappell Roan has rarely shied away from controversy since bursting onto the scene, and that now includes even the controversies stemming from her controversies.
Roan made waves at the Grammys on Feb. 2 when, after winning the Best New Artist award, she used her acceptance speech to call upon the music industry to pay a living wage and benefits to struggling artists.
You can probably guess how that went over with the multimillionaire executives in the industry—and one of them, Jeff Rabhan, quickly took to The Hollywood Reporter to rake Roan over the coals for thinking the notoriously predatory music industry should, you know, treat artists like human beings.
Roan was just as quick to clap back at his op-ed, eye-rollingly titled "Chappell Groan: The Misguided Rhetoric of an Instant Industry Insider," in an Instagram Story in which she very cleverly used Rabhan's own words against him.
In his op-ed, Rabhan contended that Roan has no right to criticize the music industry because she's so new to it, a contention that is based on a faulty premise since Roan's first record deal was a full decade ago, but whatever.
He sniped at Roan, saying:
"...[S]kin in the game earns a seat at the table. But that table requires a willingness to leave blood on the floor and to put your money where your mouth is."
Given that Roan toiled in obscurity for nearly 10 years before finding success, it's difficult to understand what point Rabhan thought he was making. But Roan was quick to clarify the conversation with her response.
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In her Instagram Stories, she wrote:
“Mr. Rabhan, I love how in the article you said, ‘Put your money where your mouth is.’ Genius! Let’s link and build together and see if you can do the same."
"@jeffrabhan wanna match me $25k to donate to struggling artists?"
Roan then included her publicist's contact info for Rabhan and added:
“Will keep everyone updated on the much awaited response! And I will show the receipts of the donations."
Rabhan has since responded—via posts on X, which Roan does not use. In one fairly indecipherable post, he replied not to Roan's account but to PopCrave's to tell her she is "looking for $ in the wrong place."
Whatever response Rabhan was expecting, it was likely not the one he got, which was mockery.
Rabhan followed that with another extremely lengthy X post in which he insinuated that he is a financially struggling "educator" and excoriated Roan for asking someone like him for money.
Which, it must be said, is a frankly ludicrous thing for someone who used to manage Kelly Clarkson, for just one illustrious music industry résumé credit, to actually say out loud.
Anyway, Roan's clapback definitely won her plenty of applause.
If Chappell Roan has proved one thing besides her talent, it's that the entertainment industry simply does not know what to do with a woman who outspokenly refuses to play any of its games.
May she keep the powers that be quaking in their boots.
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Things People Found In Someone's House They Weren't Supposed To See
Feb 10, 2025
Do you open the medicine cabinet or cupboards or peek into rooms when you're a guest in someone's home?
According to surveys, around 40% of house guests admit to snooping around their host's home to some degree. The most common areas?
The bathroom and medicine cabinet. After all, it's the one place you can go as a guest and lock the door behind you.
While not everyone does snoop, almost half of guests were willing to admit to snooping. It's likely a fairly prevalent behavior among guests.
So there's clearly an impulse to explore.
But it's important to remember: what's been seen, cannot be unseen.
Reddit user ForTheLoveOfPhotos asked:
"What have you found in a friend/relative's home that you probably weren't supposed to see?"
Reading Material
"When I was 12 or so (early 90’s), I spent the night at my friends house and he got in trouble for not mowing the grass, so he and his dad went out and mowed the grass for about 2 hours or so."
"Idle hands and such, I went snooping around because I was bored of playing with Nintendo and GI Joes. I went into his dad’s room—he was divorced and it was just he and my friend in the house."
"As I ventured through the room I found this wood panel behind his TV/chest of drawers. I tried lifting it to move it and it fell off the wall."
"Behind it was an absolute treasure trove of Playboy magazines…HUNDREDS of them stacked in little organizing holders by year. It was like finding an unlimited supply of 'reading' material. It was glorious."
"I put the board back, never said anything to anyone and took one random mag for myself. I still remember it, it had a woman crouching wearing roller blades in neon panties, a ball cap and roller blades on the cover."
"A few weeks later I spent the night again, and I wanted to check out the collection again, but this time my friend caught me snooping and said, 'so you found my dad’s girlie mags, huh? I won’t say anything if you won’t'."
"And we had a laugh and I visited that stash a hundred times during those years we were friends."
~ MonkeyManJohannon
A Different Kind Of Candy Dish
"My husband and I were at one of my coworkers homes in the nineties and they had a long ashtray. I pulled it toward me to ash my cigarette and the top shifted and underneath it was a massive bag of drugs"
"We just looked at each other, then I put the top back and we didn’t talk about it again until we got home."
"The coworker was in the bathroom when that happened so they never knew we saw it."
~ pineapple3712
Prized Possessions
"Over at my neighbor's house and my friend shows me his dad's stash of girlie mags. Young me steals one without my friend knowing."
"Dad finds out and tells friend it better be back when he gets home later that night. Friend never got ahold of me, so it wasn’t back."
"The next morning there’s a knock on my door. The dad and my friend are there, and the dad literally tells my parents I stole a girlie magazine, and he wants it back."
"I go get it and give it back, and they go back to their house. My parents just laughed."
"To this day, I can’t understand who in their right mind would go through that kind of a self-shame to get that mag back. Must’ve had some good times with that thing I guess."
"This was 30 years ago and I still make fun of the dad when the story comes up from time to time with my friend."
~ jim182182
Toys Aren't Just For Kids
"I remember when I was about 9, a friend of mine wanted to show me something he found in his mum's room."
"We sneak upstairs & he reveals a huge black sex toy. At the time we didn't have a clue what it was, just that we definitely shouldn't have found it."
"He denies it to this day, but I know what we saw!"
~ Cheesecake_Jealous
Like Austin Powers
"My 3-year-old found a penis pump at my father-in-law's house."
"We didn't know where he found it, so we hid it behind the TV."
~ Ethen44
"Oh god. Your father-in-law found it behind the TV and realized someone took it out of its hiding place."
"He’s probably traumatized. At least your kid won’t remember."
~ vainbuthonest
To Do
"Family Christmas last year, my husband's brother and his girlfriend hosted."
"They had a 'To Do' list on the fridge. #1 and #2 were normal things. #3 was explicitly sexual."
"I told him I liked his list. It took a second for him to figure out what I meant."
"He quickly went over and erased it. It was on a whiteboard, so it was very quickly removed."
~ RuledByCats
Whips And Chains
"They had a sex dungeon, but it was really badly put together in the skeeviest part of the house."
~ ChrisMossTime
"Generally, the sex dungeon is the skeeviest part of the home by default."
"Mostly on account of there being a sex dungeon there."
~ Broken_castor
Not What It Looks Like
"Early in my relationship with my (now) husband, we were staying at his parent's place. I was looking for towels under the bathroom sink and found a red plastic container with the word 'Viagra' across the top."
"I abandoned my search and didn’t mention it to my husband."
"Months later, I was back at their place, and my father-in-law was complaining about water-logged ears after a swim. He went into the bathroom and came out with the Viagra container."
"I just looked at it. He opened it up, and it had earbuds [cotton swabs] in it. I still didn’t say a word."
"My sister-in-law saw my face, burst out laughing, and said, 'It’s just for earbuds. Mum got it from work'."
"Their mum is a nurse, and she tends to collect, keep, and use stuff that other people would otherwise throw out or donate."
~ Aristaeus16
Getting To Know You
"I was housesitting/pet sitting for a couple. I was allowed to use their PC."
"I wouldn't normally look through photos in the photos files, but there was a random JPG file on their desktop, so I clicked it."
"The thumbnail on the desktop was not the image."
"It was a peen pic."
~ spidergirl79
Personal Massager
"When I was around 5, I found my mom's pink vibrator and came out to where the whole family was gathered asking what it was."
"But the worst part was, I apparently found a way to turn it on and was putting it on my neck like a neck massager."
"I don't really remember doing it, but my parents like to bring it up from time to time to remind me."
~ sk1thr1x
It's Always The Quiet Ones
"I house and dog sat for a buddy—mind you they’re very square seeming. He asked me to grab some paperwork off his nightstand and drop it off at our work."
"Well, I went to his bedroom and saw two nightstands, but I didn’t see any paperwork. So I opened the drawer. I swear I wasn’t snooping."
"To my surprise, there were about 5 or 6 different-sized toys, lube, and vibrators. I’m assuming it’s his wife’s."
"I promptly closed the drawer and just texted him that I didn’t see any paperwork on the nightstand."
"Apparently, there’s a nightstand in the spare room/office. He probably should have led off with the location, I guess."
~ RestaurantPatient649
Side Hustle
"My Dad was painting my Mom’s grandfather’s house and found a secret space with a very nice 25-gallon copper [whiskey making] still!"
"This was back in the early 1950’s and gramps had worked for Al Capone in Chicago managing a speakeasy during prohibition.
"He must have had a side business when they moved back to Muskegon, Michigan."
Tragedy Barely Avoided
"Friends dad kept a revolver in his sock drawer. We used to play with it when nobody was home. It was NEVER loaded."
"One day, like usual, we play with the gun. We’d always dry fire and goof around. Well, I put the gun against a kid's head. Usually I’d pull the trigger."
"I didn’t for some reason. Well, as I was putting it down, someone noticed that it was loaded."
"Parents, I know you do all you can to keep your kids safe, but you should also teach them what to do if they are around a gun. I know you’d never let it happen, but it happens."
"Teach the four basic rules of gun safety. I made my kids memorize them before they could even have a Nerf gun."
"1. Treat all guns as if they are loaded."
"2. Never aim a gun at anything that you are not willing to destroy."
"3. Keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on target and you have made the decision to shoot."
"4. Be sure of your target and what is behind it."
"My daughter is now training to hunt squirrel. I trust both my kids around firearms."
~ wearytravelr
Have you ever found something you wish you hadn't while visiting friends or family?
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