While the message of "Bombshell" is an extremely important one and tells the story of a pivotal event for the #MeToo movement, there is one more thing that is misrepresented in the film. Robbie plays an ambitious, wide-eyed staffer named Kayla Pospisil. More recently, The Guardian reported in July 2020 on new allegations of sexual abuse and assault against former national correspondent Ed Henry and a few other big Fox personalities. new york mets minor league teams; little tikes dino cozy coupe assembly instructions; is stuart ramsay married; drummer needed for tour 2021. losing isaiah i threw him away monologue A small handful of women who do have their names attached to the project may have violated their NDAs, but as of now, there has been no retaliation taken against them, according to THR. This piece takes what we know about Ailes from "Bombshell" and expands on it, giving us further understanding of what it was like for these women to work under Ailes and experience his manipulative and abusive behavioral streak. Good for them (and us!). Megyn Kelly, and Charlize Theron as Megyn Kelly. This is not something the film necessarily got wrong, but more an extension of Ailes' ability to control his employees. The actress who was nominated for an Academy Award for 2017's I, Tonya is . There are certainly things that we, as men, probably missed that a female director or a female writer would have gotten. Despite writing to Fox News programming executive Bill Shine that she felt like she was being gradually cast aside on the show and the network due to the Wilson issue, she was let go by Roger Ailes a short time later. Left to right, Charlize Theron as Megyn Kelly, Nicole Kidman as Gretchen Carlson and Margot Robbie as Kayla Pospisil in "Bombshell." (Courtesy Hilary Bronwyn Gayle/SMPSP) This article is more than . In it, Kayla, a young and ambitious producer at the network, gets an opportunity that doubles as currency at Fox News: a private meeting with Roger Ailes, the chairman and CEO. The "Saturday Night Live" favorite is a scene-stealer as Kayla's savvy co-worker Jess Carr, a closeted lesbian and liberal who has complicated feelings about working at a network that preaches against her values and lifestyle. Bombshell Kayla Pospisil Is Based On Many Real People - Refinery29 Robbie plays Kayla Pospisil, a fictional composite. I paused. Short skirts were required and pants were banned." Obviously, the blonde hair and characterization lends the character to an obvious comparison to internet-star-turned-conservative pundit, Tomi Lahren. Although Kayla is a fictional character, her experiences of harassment are drawn from interviews Randolph and Roach conducted with ex-Fox News staffers(some of whom violated their non-disclosure agreements to speak with filmmakers). All contents Does she come forward with the truth? As in the movie, Kelly really was violently ill that day, and she really did have to contend with competing agendas from Ailes and Rupert Murdoch, owner of the companys corporate parent, over how hard to question Trump. This inevitably leaves holes in the story, though, as not everything can be included. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. All due respect, but Obama was fucking wrong. According to the Los Angeles Times, the book described how Ailes was willing to pay a female producer an additional $100 a week to have sex with him. Instead, the character is inspired by 20 real-life accounts. However, Dargis does go on to comment that the film "does a good job of presenting the ordinary assaults that women, even those with great privilege, can endure simply to get through a day.". That is ultimately unclear. In it, Kayla, a young and ambitious producer at the network, gets an opportunity that doubles as currency at Fox News: a private meeting with Roger Ailes, the chairman and CEO. While Kelly and Carlson's characters are recognizable from the jump, Kayla Pospisil (Robbie) is a creation that initially feels so authentically Fox News that it seems like she must exist in real life. Megyn Kelly also had no obligation to sacrifice her career to report Roger Ailes. Starring Charlize Theron, Nicole Kidman, and Margot Robbie, the film chronicles the sexual misconduct allegations and subsequent downfall of Fox News CEO, Roger Ailes. The initial allegation of misconduct came from a Ailes biography in 2014, "The Loudest Voice in the Room" by Gabriel Sherman. After gaining a meeting with Ailes, Pospisil is sexually harassed and asked to pull her dress up beyond her waist. When Camerota attempted to branch out and explore new opportunities outside of Fox News, Ailes stopped this from happening. Still, the decision to let Ailes off relatively easily in the end was what Rupert wanted in both real life and the film. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google We hear his breathing grow increasingly, discomfitingly labored. Who Is Kayla On Fox News? - montereybayareanews.com Right: Richard Kind. Every once in a while, the backward motion will hit a snag Roger Ailes exit from Fox News, Trumps impeachment but it returns to its regular pace the following day. (Theron also helped develop the material and co-produced Bombshell.) It chroniclesthe efforts of a group of women including on-the-outs host GretchenCarlson (Kidman) and star anchor Megyn Kelly to expose a culture of misogyny, leadingto the ousterof Machiavellian CEO Roger Ailes (John Lithgow), who was accused of sexual harassment by more than 20 women. "Megyn has a good ear for absurdist details.". She really had been speaking to her attorneys far in advance of filing the actual lawsuitin New Jersey and against Ailes personally, rather than the company, to avoid arbitrationand its also true that she had started recording her conversations with Ailes in the year or so leading up to her firing. This, of course, acts as the catalyst for the downfall of Roger Ailes, but it's not exactly how things went down. Most of these Halloween costumes double as stylish additions to your closet. (L to R) Charlize Theron, Nicole Kidman, and Margot Robbie play Megyn Kelly, Gretchen Carlson, and Kayla Pospisil, respectively. But Bombshells message, for all that, is straightforward: All women, no matter their politics, deserve to work in environments that are respectful and safe. For more stories like this, including celebrity news, beauty and fashion advice, savvy political commentary, and fascinating features, sign up for theMarie Clairenewsletter. To play anchor Gretchen Carlson, host Megyn Kelly, and composite character Kayla Pospisil respectively, the actresses were transformed with hair, makeup, and expert prosthetics. The last three years are ones of backward motion so accelerated that sometimes I wake up nauseous and seasick. Right: Ashley Greene. Right: John Lithgow in, Left: Douglas Brunt. The reality of this workplace would be extreme for those who experienced it and perhaps difficult to capture in one film. Forward motion! Bombshell is a fine enough film it's competently made, the performances are terrific, and it is sufficiently crazymaking but there are two phenomenal scenes in the film that make it well worth seeing. Megyn's story is the story of someone who comes to discover she is complicit by virtue of the institutional norms and her ability to manipulate them in the predation of a younger generation of women. Connie Britton is Roger's wife Beth Ailes. Group, a Graham Holdings Company. Portrayed in "Bombshell" by Nazanin Boniadi, Rudi Bakhtiar was a Fox News journalist who came out with allegations against Brian Wilson (via New York), the former Fox News Washington bureau chief. After losing her job in unfair circumstances, Carlson files a lawsuit against Fox News boss Roger Ailes (John Lithgow) for sexual harassment(via Variety). But there is some truth to the way the character becomes one of Ailes victims in the film: Kayla first meets with Ailes alone in his office because she sees it as a chance to advance her career, whereas he uses it as a chance to harass her. AI Singers Are Unnervingly Good and Already Ubiquitous, Concertgoer Allegedly Orgasms While L.A. Philharmonic Plays Tchaikovskys 5th, Melanie Lynskey, Seth Meyers, and More Support WGA Amid Negotiations. Pospisil begins to tell Carr about what happened, but Carr interrupts, saying she cannot get involved. Margot Robbie plays a fictitious news producer named Kayla Pospisil. Both Kayla and Jess are compositescharacters meant to tell the stories of women who could not speak for themselves. In an article atThe Ringer,Sherman wrote:"Although he may not have intended it, Ailes' confrontational response to the reporting of this book was as revealing as any comment he would have made in the course of an extended interview.". The Slate Group LLC. The objective: to ensure the films balance of levity and gravity in which strong female characters are shown accepting a baseline level of sexual degradation and coarse behavior to get ahead in the cutthroat, male-dominated world of cable news wouldnt turn off viewers. This woman's career was controlled by Ailes and she had no way of stopping it. As IndieWire notes, Charlize Theron alluded during anEllen DeGeneres Showappearance to Kayla being an amalgamation of real stories: "We used a lot of source material in finding the story and also spoke to a lot of women who were part of the story. Roger Ailes attempted to force himself on Kelly three times early in her career, and she rebuked him. Many of them embody familiar Fox News talents. It is painful to watch. Although there were eventually 23 victims who gave their names and stories to construct a . 21/04/2023 There was no Kayla Pospisil, but Margot Robbie's character represents many others. Former Fox contributor Tamara Holder told The Hollywood Reporter that she signed an agreement that comes with a penalty of $500,000 if she breaks her NDA, though it's unclear if Fox would follow through on that consequence. (If you are not a fan of Jeanine Pirro, the Fox News host who recently wrote a book titled Liars, Leakers, and Liberals: The Case Against the Anti-Trump Conspiracy, Bombshell provides several scenes that will leave you feeling fully vindicated.). Right: Bree Condon in, Left: Jeanine Pirro. Rachel Epstein is a writer, editor, and content strategist based in New York City. She is the one who is capable of breaking the movies fourth wall, speaking directly to the audience. Do we need to see problematic white women, Megyn Kelly (Charlize Theron) and Gretchen Carlson (Nicole Kidman), hailed as heroes for taking down Ailes? However, Bakhtiar's story goes further than this, as she progressed from her first experience of sexual misconduct at Fox News to standing up alongside Gretchen Carlson. When Pospisil moves on to a new job on Bill OReillys show, she befriends Jess Carr, a producer played by Kate McKinnon. After one such audition, she received a message: "How did your audition go?" Following her confrontation with Wilson, she rejoined Fox News on "Fox and Friends." Would Laura Mulvey also have some things to say about it? We would hear these stories about the spin, the director says. Kayla ends up having a one-on-one with Ailes (John Lithgow) to discuss her career path at Fox. Roger Ailes is eventually forced to resign from his position at Fox News in July 2017, and dies the following year. However, the right-wing news company continued to weather allegations against Fox News journalists following the settling of Gretchen Carlson's lawsuit. Erica Gonzales is the Senior Culture Editor at ELLE.com, where she oversees coverage on TV, movies, music, books, and more. Carlson was a well-known Fox News personality from 2005 until June 23 of this year, when her contract wasn't renewed. Is the Federal Government Trying to Kill Off Crypto? on. Margot Robbie Says Her 'Bombshell' Character Will End Up - Variety Right: Charlize Theron portraying Kelly in, Left: Gretchen Carlson. Here, too, are wide-ranging tragedies expressed through an aesthetic that verges on cartoonish. The most creative liberties were taken with Margot Robbie's Kayla Pospisil and Kate McKinnon's Jess Carr. Left: Martha MacCallum. Photo illustration by Slate. Terms of Service apply. The Roys continue their downward spiral into total desperation as Matsson and their dead father loom over every decision they make. Along with Kidman and Robbie, Theron also had a custom wigand all three headpieces cost the production between $7,000 and $10,000 apiece. Malcolm McDowell plays mogul and longtime Ailes enabler Rupert Murdoch in the movie, and his sons, James and Lachlan, are portrayed by real-life Aussie brothers Josh and Ben Lawson, respectively. I watched the entire season of Showtimes The Loudest Voice, and we have all been living the last four years of Donald Trump, so its hard to imagine that Jay Roachs Bombshell has any lessons worth imparting that we dont already know. For Kayla, the episode ends in tears. Ailes resigned in 2016 and died a year later at the age of 77. I did say to Charlize, Are you sure you dont want a woman to direct this? Was the scene between these two composite characters making a point about the secret lives of women? You can see this in another composite character in the film: Kaylas best friend at the network, Jess Carr, played by Kate McKinnon. questioning then-presidential candidate Donald Trump, former "Fox News Live" associate producer Julie Zann. March 20, 2023 did kayla pospisil sleep with roger did kayla pospisil sleep with roger The film's most chillingscene is a private meeting between Ailes and Kayla when he pressuresher to lift her skirt. Seeing it is a crucial reminder of how repulsive and destructive Ailes, and sexual harassers like he was alleged to be, can be.. She also launched and managed the sites virtual book club, #ReadWithMC. Ailes himself tried to weaponize the Fox News apparatus to attack and discredit Carlson and eventually Kelly. "Bombshell" also illustrates Ailes' predatory behavior: asking women to spin in front of him during meetings, and demanding that on-air talent wearshort skirts to show off their legs. The long answer is that Kayla Pospisil is a composite based on a few different accounts from actual people with connections to Fox News. Kayla helps Bombshell elide it. Kayla Pospisil, played by Margot Robbie, is instead a composite figurea woman woven from the stories of multiple real-life people. The character frees the film of the obligations that come with telling true stories about real people. Kayla Pospisil is a fictional person created solely for the film but does reflect . The lawsuit filed against the men made its point clear, stating, "Fox News would have the public believe that it is a different place from the Fox News that was run by former disgraced Chairman and CEO Roger Ailes. Chloe is a News Writer for Townandcountrymag.com, where she covers royal news, from the latest additions to Meghan Markles staff to Queen Elizabeths monochrome fashions; she also writes about culture, often dissecting TV shows like The Marvelous Mrs Maisel and Killing Eve. And the lead women weren't the only actors who spent hours in the makeup chair. A character named Kayla Pospisil (played by Oscar nominee Margot Robbie) is called before Fox News chief executive Roger Ailes (John Lithgow beneath layers of prosthetic jowl and wattle), who has ostensibly agreed to meet with the young segment producer to discuss her promotion from off-camera apparatchik to on-air talent Anchor Barbie as a co-worker (SNLs Kate McKinnon) calls it. Throughout the film, Kayla must grapple with the fact that a man with a lot of power, a person whos the driving force behind a corporation she idolizes, sexually assaulted her. She is the product of a literature review, basically: Kaylas experiences in the film are summaries of several of the allegations made about Ailes in sexual-harassment lawsuits that Fox News employees brought against the network. Nicole Kidman takes on the role of Gretchen Carlson, the Fox News anchor whose diminishing position at the network stands in contrast with Kellys. Its understandable, in some ways, that the character doing that work in the film would be fictional. Thats in part because it is shot so unsparingly. Charlize Theron, Nicole Kidman and Margot Robbie star in the drama "Bombshell," about the women who took down Fox News' Roger Ailes. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, But it is also because the assault Bombshells camera depicts is not physically violent. But I do think that as men capturing this sense of muscular predation, how that dynamic works is something that maybe we would not have come to so quickly had we been women.. James and Lachlan really were at Sun Valley, the Idaho resort town and conference, when they found out about Carlsons lawsuit. Bombshell shows Carlson planning her lawsuit against Roger Ailes diligently, as Carlson apparently did in real life too. Let's break down exactly what was missed from this important story. However, what the film misses is just how far this hatred went during their working relationship. Kayla isnt based on a single persons experience, but is actually based on, Basically, Kayla may not be a real person, but her story calcifies one of the main themes in, Bombshell Kayla Pospisil Is Based On Many Real People, I distinctly remember that Lizzie McGuire episode. Alongside Nicole Kidman and Charlize Theron, as Fox and Friends co-host Gretchen Carlson and The Kelly Files host Megyn Kelly, respectively, Robbie plays a composite character intended to represent the various women who came forward with horrific sexual-misconduct charges during Ailess tenure overseeing the top-rated news network. Fact Versus Fiction: How 'Bombshell' Tells the Truth About Sexual Assault A lifelong Fox News fanatic and young evangelical ("I see myself as an influencer in the Jesus space," she says), Kayla soon catches the eye of Ailes, who promises to promote herto on-air talent in exchange for sexual favors. Roger Ailes, the longtime Fox News leader who was ousted in the wake of a sexual harassment scandal, is played by John Lithgow. New York, Invented stories, he suggested, could be the most efficient way to talk about the things so many people wanted to be talking about when it came to those stories: the gray areas of consent; sex that is bad not in a criminal sense, but in another way. Along with Esquire, his work has appeared in NYLON, Vulture, and USA Today. Lizzy Caplan Would Return for One More Season of. But "Bombshell" leaves the circumstances around her mystery illness intentionally vague. Robbies performance is masterful, and Kaylas lack of specificity makes her an apt stand-in for the many people at Fox News who are not part of the story Bombshell is telling. Just because a movie belongs to the genre Slates Dana Stevens has called Bad Moments From Recent History, Recreated in Uncanny Detail doesnt guarantee that everything in it is accurate. All the show tunes! "What happens inside of Roger's office is based on the stories of three women we had access to," Randolph says. She is basically an attractive, conservative, Jesus-loving Instagram influencer turned research assistant for Gretchen Carlson and later Bill OReilly. -Smart Writers & Smart Content & Smart Readers-mclennan county indictments 2020 Geral mclennan county indictments 2020. I wanted the breathing to be unmistakably monstrous.. leading the Screen Actors Guild Awards nominations, accused of sexual harassment by more than 20 women, Charlize Theron transforms into Megyn Kelly, blasts the Fox News patriarchy in 'Bombshell', Gretchen Carlson calls for change on big 'Bombshell' day, Megyn Kelly approves of Charlize Theron's 'Bombshell' casting. Ailes, played by John Lithgow, breathes heavily. She brings none of the baggage that comes with a real existence. Bombshell portrays him as a complex character: a Machiavellian, tantrum-prone blob with a quiet but pronounced paternal streak that he could weaponize to sexually exploit female employees. From a bond as close as any sibling to silenceis their relationship repairable? Even though they sleep together, Kayla insists shes not gay, but the real scandal is that Jess Carr is a closeted Democrat working at Fox News. Additionally, in a Time magazine article about "Bombshell," it's said that Ailes' personality was overwhelming and intimidating, helping to create a climate in which his employess worked in a constant state of fear. Though Margot couldn't copy the mannerisms, speech patterns, and looks for her character like Charlize and Nicole could, she's still getting a lot of attention for her part in Bombshell. Theron's resemblance to Kelly is especially shocking. It was two years later that Carlson made her first statement against Ailes and the scandal spilled out into the public eye, leading to much more extensive coverage. Does that sound to you like the temperament of a man we should elect as president?". Justin Kirkland is a Brooklyn-based writer who covers culture, food, and the South. However, as with any film rooted in reality, directors and writers are able to take creative liberties for the benefit of the story and take them they do. An article in Vogue explored this rule: "The Fox dress code for women? She pulls up the hem of her dress. The embattled Ailes asks thepolitician/attorney how to handle the fallout of his sexual harassment allegations. The black room and the employing of detectives to dig up dirt was real, too. This drama follows three central characters working at Fox News: Gretchen Carlson (Nicole Kidman), Megyn Kelly (Charlize Theron), and Kayla Pospisil (Margot Robbie). When other victims come forward against Ailes, the movie portrays Kelly as keeping herself separate from them. That is an important argument, and Kayla, ambitious and vulnerable and fictional, expresses it well. It is through Kayla that the horrors and humiliations of sexual harassment are brought to the films screen. During the discussion, Kelly went on to say that she found the scene to be counterproductive in regards to the #MeToo movement overall, hinting that it was inaccurate about the women's relationship because a man wrote it. Margot Robbie is getting Oscar buzz already for her role as Kayla Pospisil. Perhaps one of the most infamous moments in the film arrives when Megyn Kelly isquestioning then-presidential candidate Donald Trump in 2015 on Fox News. The next day, Ailes begins sexually harassing Pospisil. 'Let's start by killing her in the ratings. Right: Allison Janney. The scene is intimate. Ashley Greene (Twilight) makes an appearance as Abby Huntsman, a former Fox & Friends co-host who moved on to The View. "Wow! (Kelly and Carlson, for instance, only share the screen once in passing in an elevator true to real life, where they worked different shifts and "almost never interacted," Randolph says.). For Bombshell, a trio of A-listersNicole Kidman, Charlize Theron, and Margot Robbiewere Fox-ified. Later in the film, it's revealed that she was asked to give sexual favors to Ailes. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Carlson didnt owe anybody shit, but had she not said something, men like Ailes; his successor; Bill OReilly; Bill Shine; and Charles Payne would still be at Fox News, and they would still be harassing women, and Brian Kilmeade and Steve Doofus would still be openly harassing their Fox & Friends co-host on air. He asks again. It is, like the cable-news network that is its subject and its setting, shiny and hectic. Bombshell 's miniskirt-harassment scene between John Lithgow's Roger Ailes and Margot Robbie's Kayla Pospisil was the most "excruciating" sequence director Jay Roach has ever filmed . A timeline of Justin Bieber, Hailey Bieber, and Selena Gomezs love triangle. coos county jail detainables She may not be based on a single person, but Robbie's character endures some painful scenes throughout the filmI won't drop too many spoilers herethat were inspired by real-life events, and unfortunately make Kayla Pospisil all too relatable for millions of women. The end! As for Ailes hard-to-miss derogatory comment about James in the film (Tell me that mouth hasnt sucked a cock), it supposedly really happened, though a Fox spokesman denied it. The real Megyn Kelly addressed this in the discussion mentioned above after watching the movie for herself,describing it as a "fantasy." There was an overwhelming consensus during asit-down discussion between Megyn Kelly, former Fox News host Juliet Huddy, former Fox News reporter Rudi Bakhtiar, and former "FoxNews Live" associate producer Julie Zann that the atmosphere that Roger Ailes created in the workplace was much more extreme than portrayed in "Bombshell." There isn't an Oscars category for casting directors, but whoever was in charge of assembling the cast of Bombshell deserves some type of award. By letting the abuse play out in real time, Randolph hopes male viewers, in particular, will feel uncomfortable but also feel greater empathy for victims. She tells Ailes about her career. The scene mostly works because who is not going to love pillow talk between a closeted lesbian played by Margot Robbie and a closeted Democrat played by Kate McKinnon (also, its impossible not to think of Bari Weiss at this moment). Jess was "all made up," Randolph says. The Murdoch brothers, and Josh and Ben Lawson as James and Lachlan Murdoch. He would have good advice, and women would come into his office and feel very comfortable at first. "Bombshell" exploded into the awards race last week, leading the Screen Actors Guild Awards nominations with four nods, including best ensemble, actress (Charlize Theron) and supporting actress (Margot Robbie and Nicole Kidman). McKinnon has described her character as a closet liberal and closet gay woman. Her presence allows Bombshell to point out that Fox News is a more complicated place than its broadcasts might make it seem. "I wanted to show the bystander narrative. Randolph highlighted his various interviews with victims who wished to share their stories, noting that through this, he was able to create the character of Kayla to represent them in a fictional but authentic way. Offline, shes likely watching a Heat game or finding a new coffee shop. To play anchor Gretchen Carlson, host Megyn Kelly, and composite character Kayla Pospisil. While Huddy struggled for a while following her departure from Fox News, she is now a successful talk radio host and podcaster. All the nudity of porn, but with the plot and storylines of mainstream film. While critics could argue that Robbie didn't have to worry about portraying real-life people like Charlize Theron and Nicole Kidman did (read: Megyn Kelly and Gretchen Carlson, respectively), Robbie still gives a standout performance in the movieshe plays a young conservative woman who belongs to a large Fox News-watching Republican family. Left: Lachlan Murdoch. She left the network last year and reportedly pressured women at work to support Roger Ailes amidst sexual harassment allegations, according to Vox. The long sweep of America has been defined by forward motion, President Obama said in his farewell speech three years ago. The above scene underscores both the ambition of the film and its inherent challenges. His deep dislike for Carlson is right in the center of "Bombshell," and this chilling exchange emphasizes just how far this goes. "I was pulled off the air and suspended for a few days because I wore a what I thought was cute denim jacket. As the movie illustrates, Trumps presidential candidacy proved to be a point of contention for Rupert Murdoch and Ailes. If you wanted to be a Republican public intellectual, all avenues went through Roger Ailes' office, and that mattered in terms of his ability to prey on young people who hadaspirations. In short, Kayla Pospisil isn't based on a singular woman, but rather the accounts of several sexual assault victims. Sort of! Yes? Right: Nicole Kidman as Carlson in. Post-twirl, Ailes tells Robbies character to hike up her minidress higher and higher. Beth Ailes, and Connie Britton as Beth Ailes. A scene with Kayla and Megyn displays a case of victim shaming from Kayla with her placing the blame on Megyn for her own assault because she did not speak out.
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