The White Lotus is breaking the Hollywood pay code
Mike Whiteβs hit show pays every cast member the same amount, regardless of role or experience. You could argue that all jobs, all workplaces, are built on hierarchies. But perhaps no more so than Hollywood. There are few other contexts in which all employees work on the same projects regardless...
Current in Media
UK calls for streaming services to share revenue into TV fund
MPs in the UK have called for platforms like Netflix to share some of their revenue to support high-end British TV. They warn that a lack of support could erode distinctly British content. A group of UK MPs have called for streaming services to contribute a share of their...
Understanding the body politic
As many people are becoming increasingly disillusioned by a tumultuous political arena and a lack of social mobility, many are turning towards the gym as a way to βcopeβ with capitalism and achieve objective βpositiveβ results. In 1982, Jane Fondaβs at-home workout videos were released, becoming one of the most...
Opinion β The bashing of Meghan Markle has gone too far
The media loves a catfight, but its obsession with inserting them into Meghan Markleβs innocent home-making exposes deep-rooted biases. Ever since she entered the remit of the royals, Meghan Markle has been subject to relentless scrutiny. Never one to break a habit, the media has ensured that her latest venture,...
News avoidance has become huge internationally
The percentage of people who selectively avoid news has reportedly reached 39% globally. This is an increase of 10% in less than a decade. Blissful ignorance or doomscroll-induced anxiety? Pick your poison. Itβs no secret that the state of the world is causing mass panic. Cost of living is on a...
Why has βAdolescenceβ had such an impact?
The new Netflix limited series, following the family of a young boy who is arrested for murder, is already the most watched show in the UK and has infiltrated discussions in Parliament. Its success speaks to the insidious impacts of social media on a generation increasingly misunderstood by the...
Whatβs all the trouble with Disneyβs Snow White?
A live-action remake of the 1937 classic has been hampered with controversy from the start. But why is a story about a princess, seven dwarfs, and an apple causing so much drama? For better or worse, Disney has been churning out live-action remakes of its classic tales for the past few years β an effort to modernise now rather outdated, but still beloved stories for a new generation. Some have been...
Pepsi purchases soda startup Poppi for $1.6 billion USD
The drinks giant PepsiCo has purchased Poppi, a prebiotic soda startup company first founded in 2018. It is part of the companyβs efforts to attract Gen Z customers. It looks as though Pepsi is entering the prebiotic soda market, a particularly attractive sector for Gen Z consumers. In a statement released this week, PepsiCo announced it was purchasing Poppi, a prebiotic soda startup company that was founded in 2018....
Justin Bieber says he feels βunqualifiedβ amidst media speculation
Following months of social media concern over his health, the singer Justin Bieber took to his Instagram to update fans on his mental wellbeing. He has also recently faced scrutiny from previous relations with high-profile industry figures. Justin Bieber has opened up about some of his recent mental health struggles amidst a wave of online speculation about his life. In an Instagram story, Bieber said he regarded himself as βunqualified...
Reflecting on the Oscars and the limits of celebrity activism
For ZoΓ« SaldaΓ±a, an Oscars win was the joyous crescendo of an incredible awards season. But it also became a stark indictment of Hollywoodβs complex relationship with socio-political representation. ZoΓ« SaldaΓ±a has enjoyed one of the most successful award season sweeps in recent memory, having taken home the prize for best supporting actress at every major 2025 ceremony. But the film for which sheβs received these accolades has been fraught with...