5 SURPRISING CELEBS THAT WERE GOTH (AT ONE POINT), TOO!

Teens in 2000 to 2009: IT’S NOT A PHASE, MOM

2019: … *Spotify Year In Review is filled with all the same music*

Regardless if you’re one to still let your freak flag aesthetically fly, or keep it reined in to your playlists & choice of nail polish, the fact is we’re in exceptionally good (& large!) company when it comes to the roster of current- & former-goths.

Hopping onto the bandwagon for shallow reasons was always one thing, but I am a HUGE believer that any genuine alternative “phase” (not a phase) is something that potentially sticks with you forever. 

Time is a thing. So eventually you grow out of the angsty teenage years, set sail into the workforce, evolve your style & may or may decide to bring the aesthetic along with you. But even if you trade in your blue hair for blowouts, & industrial dancing cred for an ergonomic office chair, it doesn’t mean that part of you doesn’t continue to play a role.

Way back when in those god-awful grade-school years, we were all drawn to whatever scene for a reason. Whether it was the music, the movies, the themes or philosophies held by its people, there were crystal-clear reasons why your little black sheep heart chose the pop-cultural path it did. And here you are, metamorphosed into the slightly less fledgling of a freak that stands today!

No doubt, it’s been a wild ride. Although I think it’s important to stay true to & relish in the things you KNOW have always stuck near & dear to your heart. No matter when you discovered them…& no matter what type of highly questionable hairstyle you inevitably sported at the time (did I mention we’ve all teeth-clenchingly been there?).

Which is why my rant is officially over & it’s now time to remember that celebrities are hilariously no different. 

Seriously! When you think “goth” celebs, of course there’s Kelly, Winona, Taylor Momsen – you know, the ~obvious~ suspects who’ve never fully abandoned their dark-friendly looks. Then, there are the A-listers like Taylor Swift who have ONE old MySpace picture with dark hair that the Internet freaks out about & claims it was a “it’s not a phase, mom” phase. Ugh, insane. 

BUT those aside, I wanted to pull the curtain back on a few of the more unsuspecting peeps. Like the ones you never would have guessed they took their looks to the dark side at one point or another.

Because as I mentioned, we’ve all teeth-clenchingly been there !!!

So let’s begin:

CHRISTINA HENDRICKS

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Office Manager of a 1960s ad agency is a bit of a pivot from the obligatory brooding-teen-goth-in-the-woods pic, but hey, she undoubtably rocked it! From Mad Men to Good Girls, to one of the voices in Toy Story 4 (none of which I’ve actually seen but a lot of people seem to like !) Christina Hendricks has definitely come a long way from her jet black-laden days.

ELIZABETH HURLEY

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Definitely a punk if there ever was one, Elizabeth Hurley spent quite a time raging against the cultural grain, without question. Of course, we all know the British bombshell from The Royals, Austin Powers & ~most importantly~ Gossip Girl, but before her modeling debut, she was all about this bold, badass & gravity-defying look.

MELISSA MCCARTHY

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So even though Melissa McCarthy somehow went from cheerleader to mega-goth overnight, we have to at least give her props for some apparently major commitment. According to her husband & fellow actor/comedian Ben Falcone, the Gilmore Girls & Bridesmaids alumna donned a “really scary” kabuki-makeup/blue-hair/black-coat-in-the-summer situation throughout some of her high school years. So wish we had a pic of that!

CATE BLANCHETT

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Who doesn’t love a gal with a good buzz cut, am I right? Probably taking the cake of most unrecognizable is the too-many-roles-to-count superstar Cate Blanchett. Citing her pale skin as one of the biggest things she celebrated during the time (girl, we feel), she proudly represented the Aussie goths & now has a million prestigious acting awards to show for it.

ANDREW YANG

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And arguably one of the most surprising of them all, the prez candidate himself- Andrew Yang. Revealing his truth as a full-on “ex-goth” via Twitter earlier in 2019, he included his fave bands of the time & a few pics of the long(ish), greasy hair. A few months later another pic surfaced showing a pretty hefty dose of guyliner as well. But apparently that one was just a Halloween costume.

Embarrassing baby goth photos = SO much to love.

We wouldn’t be where we are now without them. So what’s the best-worst fashion memory you have?

Mine was definitely the great “scene hair” pandemic of 2009…

xxAA

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EVERYONE RELAX, IT: CHAPTER TWO JUST MIGHT BE THE MOST FEARLESS KING ADAPTATION YET (SPOILER-FREE)

For horror nerds, this past week marked a much-anticipated end to an agonizing wait.  

It’s been two years since Andy Muschietti’s IT (2017) floated into our hearts – and nightmares. Especially since it also went on to become the highest grossing horror film of all time after dethroning the then-long-reigning champion, The Exorcist.  But for many (me included), the recent release of It: Chapter Two marks an even longer awaited milestone.  Like a comet passing Earth or cryptid encounter – this is a rarely seen event: an actually accurate adaptation of a Stephen King story.  

Please, please, please – Hollywood – don’t fuck this part up!

Image Source: IMDB/Brooke Palmer/Warner Brothers Entertainment

It’s obvious that even the most casual horror fan remembers the beloved IT made-for-TV miniseries from 1990 that has become a cult favorite.  And while that adaptation was an honorable attempt to tell the 1,300-page horror opus, the fact that the ABC network produced and broadcasted the two-night event pretty well guaranteed that many of the darker, violent, and more sexual elements of the story wouldn’t make the cut.  

Now, don’t get me wrong – Tim Curry as Pennywise will never be forgotten.  At the very least, that element of terror from King’s story was definitely retained in the miniseries.  Hell, it’s the biggest thing most horror fans remember about it! How badass his take on the infamous dancing clown truly is.  

Tim Curry as Pennywise | Image Source: IMDB/Warner Brothers Television/ABC

But when it comes to anyone that’s read the book, it’s a little different. Those readers don’t walk away from the ending only retaining the scary parts—they remember the Losers. They remember all the heart that King poured into his prose, literally hundreds of pages developing the soul-bonds of the Losers.  Bonds that made them magical.  Magical enough to defeat “The Eater of Worlds”.   

Twice, technically.  

These kids become your friends. Because these kids become you. Each one a reflection of real-life childhood love, fear, aspirations, and trauma that each one of us can relate to. And to their credit, the young adult cast from the ‘90s version is incredible.  Honestly, both adaptations nailed the first, adolescent-focused timeline; but in regard to the OG miniseries, its portions featuring the adults unfortunately seemed to fall flat in a lot of people’s eyes.  

Well, almost all of the adults.

Point being when it comes to telling the latter part of Bill, Bev, Ben, Richie, Eddie, Mike and Stan’s story, the struggle has always been real.  Since in the book – things get…weird.  

Like real weird.  On a cosmic/mystic level.  

So viewers who only know the story from watching the miniseries probably don’t know how meta King really gets. Which makes any kind of authentic adaptation for the masses damn-near impossible.  

Although, that’s what separates Muschietti’s films from other Stephen King remakes of the past.  

IT has never really had an accurate cinematic telling.  And I can already hear the outcry from the T.C. Pennywise fans, but we – the horror community – needed this!  We pined for Chapter Two to not only be weird (I’m talking Ritual of Chud), but that it be scarier than the first film, too.  

And I’ll be damned if the movie doesn’t deliver on all of these points.  

Image Source: Twitter

In the same way that Chapter One’s cast made the world fall in love with the young Losers’ Club, Chapter Two only reinforces that affection.  Seriously, the adult cast could not have done a better job of honoring their younger counterparts as well as the characters from the original page. 

And this is why the Muschietti films just might be the best Stephen King adaptation to date.  I know – bold words.  But anyone who doesn’t identify as a “Constant Reader” probably won’t know the author’s deep, dark secret…

The King of Horror is a great, big softy. (If you don’t believe me, just check out his Instagram).  

https://www.instagram.com/p/B2F1ZLDJDrL/

A sweet-hearted nerd with a passion for standing up against bullies of all shapes, sizes and Lovecraftian form.  This truth is something that Hollywood sadly doesn’t always capture; and instead, just milks the creepy while skipping the heart and soul. (I’m looking at you Dreamcatcher!)

Though to be fair, Stand By Me and The Shawshank Redemption are beloved by the mainstream; however, neither are particularly horrific in their plot.  Dark?  For sure. But not night sweat-inducing by any means.  

But IT… 

IT is different.  If any one book of his could be used to describe his entire thematic life’s work, IT could easily be the top contender. The imagery is true stuff of horror: children being eaten alive by a shapeshifting monster with a million-year-old backstory.  Jeez, that’s hardcore.  And on the flip side, the prose equally captures the joy of life-long friendships, the pain of navigating young adulthood and how some of that trauma can sometimes haunt us long into adulthood. Whether we realize it or not.

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Which is why, regardless of the Rotten Tomato score or the number of IMDB stars the movie ultimately ends up with, Andy Muschietti and his creative team should be proud. IT: Chapter Two successfully walks a razor-sharp tight rope between these contrasting emotional elements from King’s novel, quite possibly making it the most successful Stephen King film to-date.  

You’ll scream, you’ll laugh, and you’ll cry.  But honestly, what more could you ask for from the film version of the greatest horror novel of all time? 

Although just to be safe, I still wouldn’t watch it alone.

xxKF 

(((Feature Image Source: IMDB/Warner Brothers Entertainment/New Line)))

LIGHTS, CAMERA, CATNIP: 4 CATS THAT SHOW THEY’RE TAKING OVER HOLLYWOOD

For all my subliminal goth, feline fanatics out there, Happy Black Cat Appreciation Day!

While Cher is currently plotting her sashay across the keyboard to remind us that that’s every day in our household, we still love any excuse to celebrate the wisdom and wonder behind this greatly under-appreciated faction of the kitten squad at large.

Much to probably no one’s surprise, black cats have always held a special place in my heart; so when it comes to commemorating an occasion like this, you won’t ever have to twist my arm. But once I found out that this “holiday” was actually created to help dispel the reluctancy some people apparently have toward adopting our black, spooky and supposedly bad luck-ridden friends, I was all the more on board! If that’s even possible…

Although, because we love the fun, adorable and fascinatingly psychopathic essence that is cats SO much, it’s also hard to stop at just one type! And if you’ve been paying attention to pop-culture at all this past year, then you surely know that cats have been totally crushing it. And I mean CRUSHING it.

But whatever you do, please know I mean the actual cats of Hollywood…not the clowder of singing humanoid CGI we’re still scratching our heads over. 

Anyway – star-studded cases in point:

Salem | The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina

Kicking things off in true BCAD fashion, we have Salem! Who plays the stoic reinterpretation of Salem Saberhagen in Netflix’s The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (which is based on a comic book, based on a comic book).

Unlike the originally sassy, sarcastic, animatronic version from the ABC series we all know and worship, this Salem doesn’t talk. However, since actions speak 1,000 words, and he’s been known to swoop in and save Sabrina about that many times as well, this little guy’s talent is undeniable. 

And let’s be real, have you ever seen such a red carpet-worthy strut? 

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Church | Pet Sematary

As for breakout actor of the year, there’s no question the award goes to Church—fuzzy staple of the remake of Stephen King’s ’80s classic Pet Sematary.

Now, part of what often makes a dramatic portrayal of the century is when actors are able to transform into someone that looks and behaves totally opposite to what they really are. So in the case of this pack of Maine Coon divas, that couldn’t be more true. Spearheading a lot of the scenes were two in particular: Tonic and Leo. And while Leo sadly passed away shortly after the film’s premiere (RIP!!!), Tonic is living his absolute best, well coiffed life. As we thankfully can keep tabs on through his fantastic Insta account.

Seriously, go follow it right now.

It’s also hard to believe that both of them are rescues, never before seen or trained for the camera. But to all of the Hollywood bigwigs out there, you best watch out for this natural who’s bound to be gracing the screen again in no time.

TONIC – Image Source

LEO – Image Source

Goose | Captain Marvel

Super heroes are currently all the rage. But when it comes to the seemingly endless cast of characters that make up the famed MCU, the true star is obviously Goose! The scene-stealing, eye-clawing, Tesseract-gobbling alien cat (spoiler alert?) who made his debut in Captain Marvel earlier this year.

For this masterful performance, we actually have a furry troupe of four to thank: Reggie, Rizzo, Gonzo and Archie. Reggie of which we saw the most since he was the “hero” cat used for most of the close-up and reaction shots. But before you go thinking these are your average stay-at-home kittens, think again! Reggie and Archie have quite the resumes themselves, previously taking the stage in Tarantino’s The Hateful Eight – with more projects inevitably on the horizon. 

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So there you have it. If there’s one thing that can somehow bring approximately 87.3% of our world together, it’s an unabashed love for these furry little murder machines we call fam.

But before you get too comfortable, don’t forget that Cat World Domination Day is just around the corner as well.

xxAA