GoneTrending

The expectation to put on an air of happy, fun, pleasant nonconfrontation through baring teeth, otherwise known as smiling, is something many, if not most, women know very well. What’s more, this pressure is often introduced to women at a very early age.

And obviously, while there’s nothing inherently wrong with naturally being a happy, smiling person, issues arise when kids are taught that being themselves, just as they are, isn’t acceptable.

That’s why people are so impressed with North Carolina-based photographer Brooke Light’s (@bdlighted on TikTok) hands-off approach when it comes to taking pictures of young girls.

Her philosophy is simple, but oh so poignant: Allow girls to show up, take up space, and perhaps most importantly, not smile if they don’t want to.

---

Light posted a video showing some of her recent portraits, and truly, the work speaks for itself. Each of the girls’ distinct, unique personalities shine in these black-and-white images. Plus the lighting is moody and artsy and cool as hell. So much better than a forced, cheesy, smiling pic.

Take a look:

@bdlighted never underestimate the power of a photoshoot for your kids confidence #moodymini #kidsphotographer #childrensphotography #portraitphotographer #confidenceboost #kidsconfidence #familyphotoshootideas #familyphotoshoots #studiophotography #blackandwhitephoto #girlpower #girlempowerment #donttellmetosmile #momsofgirls #girlmom #greenscreen ♬ Little Girl Gone – CHINCHILLA

Comments began flooding in commending Light for how she authentically portrayed the girls as individuals, rather than producing cookie-cutter images of them.

“I love how they are not trying to be anything ‘extra’ just their own raw and savage selves,” one person wrote.

Another added, “I can feel their power through my phone.”

Light redirected the praise toward her clients, saying, “They are even more amazing in person! Like that vibe you feel is ALL THEM. I’m just there capturing it.”

For many women who had their own memories of being told to smile for photos, seeing the images had a profound effect.

“CHILLS! This healed something in me. Thank you.” one person commented.

“The Sears family photo trauma was REAL” wrote another.

And for the record, Light doesn’t make boys smile either. Here’s the proof in her follow-up video:

@bdlighted these mom’s got me blushing in my DMs 🫣📸 I’ve never had my creativity or my photography validated so much in my life. thank you for the outpouring of love on these photos this week. it’s meant more than you can ever know. #boymom #boymoms #moodymini #familyphotoshoots #familyphotoshootideas #portraitphotographer #studiophotography #kidsphotographer #kidsconfidence #childrensphotography #greenscreen ♬ Area Codes – Kali

In the post, Light shared how touched she was by the overwhelmingly positive response.

“I’ve never had my creativity or my photography validated so much in my life. Thank you for the outpouring of love on these photos this week. It’s meant more than you can ever know,” she wrote.

Imagine that…celebrating others for their authentic selves, then being celebrated yourself. Now that’s something worth smiling for.

There are only a few certain instances where spots can be scary, especially if you have trypophobia, the fear of small holes (don’t Google it). But the worst is when those spots can double as portals or be used against you (don’t you hate it when that happens?!) which just so happens to be the motive behind the new villain Spot in Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse.

Spot is a new character in the Spider-Verse franchise, but he has been around Marvel for quite a while. The character was originally introduced in the 1980s as a man named Jonathan Ohnn, a scientist who discovered that he could travel between dimensions via various dark portals, which eventually consumed him and his entire body. After learning he can use those portals to help him fight, he quickly became an enemy after Spider-Man laughed at his silly name. To be fair, it does make him sound like a lost dog.

In Across The Spider-Verse, Spot is voiced by Jason Schwartzman, who is a real threat to Spidey, even though he isn’t taken too seriously. Spot worked closely with Kingpin, the big bad guy from Into The Spider-Verse, so there are definitely some unresolved issues here that need to play out. The movie also stars Shameik Moore as Miles Morales, Hailee Steinfeld as Gwen Stacy, and Jake Johnson as Peter B. Parker as they battle it out against the Spotted guy.

Even though his powers might sound dicey, punching one person while simultaneously kicking someone with a portal three feet away does seem pretty useful! Especially with all of those Spider-Men swinging around.

Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse is currently playing only in theaters.

(Via Nerdist)

After a scary brush with some dark thoughts and a subsequent social media hiatus, Chika has returned with new music. Her new song is called “Requiem For A Dream,” and like the film from which it takes its name, the song finds Chika dwelling on her disturbed mental state. She discusses her feeling of alienation and insecurity, as well as her encounters with online fans whose comments and critiques set her off in the past.

While the former XXL Freshman was going through a rough patch, last year, she started to bounce back, securing a slot to perform at LA Pride alongside Anitta and Syd. Things are far from perfect, however; as recently as earlier this week, a cranky Chika complained about a minor inconvenience on Twitter and saw her mentions turn into a wall of censure from commenters who deplored her grousing and its unseemly metaphors.

With a new song out, now might be the time for Chika to turn the keys over to a professional account manager, because “Requiem For A Dream” sounds as sharp as she’s ever been, and with the proper application of her creativity, the sky’s the limit for the young rapper. She’s just got to learn which thoughts are worth sharing — and to make sure they always come with a beat.

Listen to “Requiem For A Dream” above.

Chika is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

With Afro Nation set to take over Miami this weekend, rising Afrobeats star Ckay has released the video for his latest single “Nwayi” and announced the impending release of the deluxe edition of his Warner Music Africa debut, Sad Romance. Originally released in September 2022 to general acclaim, the Uproxx cover star‘s album featured appearances from Ayra Starr, Davido, Focalistic, Abidoza, Mayra Andrade, and Ronisia. Ckay executive produced himself.

In the video for “Nwayi,” Ckay expresses his infatuation for a beautiful woman, staging a carriage ride on a picturesque beach in Lagos. Their ride concludes in a secluded village, where a collective of artists creates works such as paintings and ceramic sculptures — although Ckay’s lady love proves to be less than adept at pottery. That’s okay, though; Ckay returns to comfort her despite her setback.

Prior to “Nwayi,” Ckay released the video for “Hallelujah,” a joyous single featuring Blaqbonez. With his appearance at Afrobeats and his upcoming deluxe album on the way later this month, Ckay’s star continues to rise.

Watch Ckay’s “Nwayi” video above.

Sad Romance (Deluxe) is due later this month via Warner Music Africa.

Ckay is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

A funny thing has been happening with Ron DeSantis ever since he officially launched his presidential campaign: The Florida governor can’t seem to decide how to pronounce his last name. At 44 years old, you’d think DeSantis would know how to say his own name, but the biggest threat to Donald Trump has been noticeably switching pronunciations over the past few weeks.

Via Axios:

What’s happening: During his first week as a candidate, DeSantis pronounced his name “Dee-Santis” during: The video announcing his presidential campaign. A radio interview in South Carolina, in which he told listeners to go to “RonDee-Santis.com.”

But then: DeSantis pronounced it “Deh-Santis” during interviews with Fox News, Glenn Beck, Erick Erickson, and Mark Levin this past week.

However, when DeSantis was asked by a Fox News reporter how to correctly say his last name, the Florida governor grew irate and lashed out at the question.

“This is ridiculous,” DeSantis said. “These stupid things. Listen, the way to pronounce my last name? Winner.”

Naturally, the Trump campaign has already latched onto Namegate. A Trump spokesperson told Axios, “If you can’t get your name right, how can you lead a country?” and it wasn’t long until the former president got in on the action with a Truth Social post.

“Have you heard that ‘Rob’ DeSanctimonious wants to change his name, again,” Trump wrote. “He is demanding that people call him DeeeSantis, rather than DaSantis. Actually, I like ‘Da’ better, a nicer flow, so I am happy he is changing it. He gets very upset when people, including reporters, don’t pronounce it correctly. Therefore, he shouldn’t mind, DeSanctimonious?”

(Via Axios)

Congratulations Citizen Detectives, you were right.

After weeks of fans theorizing that a bonus Yellowjackets episode might have been filmed for season two, the show’s creator is now confirming that a special episode of the series will likely air before its third season drops. Co-creator Ashley Lyle responded to a fan’s tweet this week theorizing that a new episode of the show might surprise viewers by landing on Showtime’s streaming platform on June 2nd. While she debunked the timing, Lyle did admit a bonus installment would be airing at some point to tide fans over until the season three premiere.

Currently, the writer’s strike has stalled Lyle and partner Bart Nickerson’s storytelling plans which means Yellowjackets fans will likely have a longer wait until the genre-bending thriller picks up from season two’s shocking finale. But the prospect of a drawn-out hiatus hasn’t stopped Reddit sleuths from theorizing about what the gifted extra episode might be about. Before season two premiered, the cast confirmed that actor Jason Ritter — husband to star Melanie Lynskey — would make an appearance on the show. Set photos of a mustachioed Ritter dressed in period garb holding a baby soon emerged. Though Ritter’s character didn’t pop up in season two’s scheduled run, fans now think the show’s bonus episode might be a flashback focusing on him as the mysterious “Cabin Daddy” whose bony corpse the girls stumbled upon back in season one.

Whether the entire episode will be dedicated to fleshing out one of the show’s central mysteries, or whether we’ll see some of the fallout from the present-day “hunt” that claimed Natalie’s (Juliette Lewis) life, we’re still not sure, but if Lyle and company are taking requests, might we suggest a Halloween-timed showing? Christmas seems too far out — and we don’t trust Walter with hot cocoa duties.

(Via Screenrant)

There are as many Spider-Man movies with Andrew Garfield as animated films that have been nominated for Best Picture. It’s a short list, and they’re all Disney productions: Beauty and the Beast, Up, and Toy Story 3. That’s it. 2018’s magnificent Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse could have been the fourth; 2023’s Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse should be the fourth.

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is currently sporting a 96 percent “Fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a 4.7 on Letterboxd. In his review, Uproxx‘s Mike Ryan wrote, “On paper, these really probably shouldn’t work. ‘An ambitious mess,’ would be the most likely headline. Instead, it’s one of the most, if not the most, immersive superhero stories going, pushing far beyond the boundaries of what superhero stories should and could be.”

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse won the only Oscar it was nominated for, Best Animated Feature (it beat Incredibles 2 and Ralph Breaks the Internet, among others). Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is a remarkable, superhero fatigue-busting achievement that makes me mad all animated movies can’t be this imaginative, and it’s deservedly getting Oscar buzz outside of the genre-specific category. Is Best Picture a possibility? Variety makes the case:

It has a chance. With Oscar-winning and nominated auteurs such as Guillermo del Toro (Pinocchio), Wes Anderson (Fantastic Mr. Fox and Isle of Dogs), and Charlie Kaufman (Anomalisa) exploring stories in animation and becoming vocal advocates for what it can achieve, it only helps the future of the medium. This conveys hope for more opportunities for the industry to see this as a serious art form as more respected filmmakers discover and explore its creative capabilities.

I hate going to bat for a comic book movie, which have dominated the culture for over a decade. But most comic book movies aren’t this good.

Sabrina Carpenter’s powers of manifestation have presented her with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Thirteen years after the “Nonsense” singer uploaded a video of her performing a Taylor Swift song onto YouTube, she’s been announced as Swift’s official tour support.

When Taylor Swift kicks off her The Eras Tour Latin America wing in August, Carpenter will join her for each of the eight tour stops. Carpenter is in for a wild ride with dates booked for Mexico City, Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro, and São Paulo. To share the news, the recording artist took to Instagram to write, “Trying to process this, but alas, I can’t wait to join the ‘Eras Tour’ in Latin America. Thank you, Taylor Swift. You’re the 1 :’). This is a dream come true.”

The excitement continued on Twitter as Carpenter quote tweeted Swift’s announcement: “I went to sweet angel princess island, and everybody knew me.”

View the full tour schedule below.

08/24 — Mexico City, MX @ Foro Sol
08/25 — Mexico City, MX @ Foro Sol
08/26 — Mexico City, MX @ Foro Sol
11/09 — Buenos Aires, AR @ Estadio River Plate
11/10 — Buenos Aires, AR @ Estadio River Plate
11/18 — Rio de Janeiro, BR @ Estadio Nilton Santos – Engenhao
11/25 — São Paulo, BR @ Allianz Parque
11/26 — São Paulo, BR @ Allianz Parque

To secure tickets, you must register. Registration is open until Wednesday, June 7, at 11:59 p.m. CDMX time. Find more information here.

(Spoilers for Manifest will obviously be found below.)

Manifest has finally made its final descent on Netflix with the back half of Season 4 arriving on June 2. Any moment now, people will find out how that Death Date stuff shakes out and if Saanvi will ever be able to stop stressing out. Creator Jeff Rake promised that the series finale will be the most ambitious display ever seen on this already bonkers show, but there was a surprise in store for viewers, too.

Back in the midseason finale, Michaela’s husband, Zeke, died. This wasn’t his first brush with the Grim Reaper, of course, but he was actually dead this time. Dead as a flight-warped nail, in fact, and while his death would have been tragic enough had it been an accident or otherwise “ordinary” passing, very little is normal on this show. So, we saw Zeke decide to sacrifice himself by absorbing Cal’s cancer, since he could be the key to defeating the inexplicably evil Angelina and apparently saving the whole world.

Actor Matt Long recently discussed how he learned about his character’s fate (which he subsequently kept a secret from the rest of the cast) from Rake. From Tudum:

“He sat me down and told me everything,” Long recalls. “He told me about the [series] finale. He also told me that Zeke was going to give his life to save Cal, and therefore, hopefully, save the lifeboat and everyone on planet Earth. That was hard to hear, but also I loved the way it was going to go down.”

“[Jeff]’s such a great storyteller that I was emotional at lunch just hearing it,” he continues. “I love my character so much, and I feel so close to him, because he’s had such a powerful story. He’s carried so much shame. And so hearing about what was going to happen to him just really moved me, even though it meant that I wasn’t going to be in it quite as much, which is a bummer.”

However, Zeke isn’t totally off the map in this final batch of episodes. He does surface as Ghost Zeke and visits Michaela in order to help her get on with it. And in order to do so, she’s going to have to team up with her ex and fellow detective, Mr. Jared Vasquez. Hmm.

Manifest‘s final fourth season episodes are streaming on Netflix.

We have never seen the Miami Heat and the Denver Nuggets play in the NBA Finals before — in the case of the Nuggets, we’ve never seen them play in the Finals at all — and neither Miami or Denver are especially gigantic television markets. As a result, people who do not need to care about stuff like whether or not the ratings would be good for these Finals are spending time talking about whether or not the ratings would be good for these Finals.

Does this matter? Unless you’re an executive with either Disney or the NBA, almost certainly not, but nonetheless, we run out of things to talk about at some point and this is, without question, a thing that people can spend time talking about. As such, a question was posed on Twitter about whether or not this is “one of the most boring NBA Finals to ever be played,” and in a tweet that he sent on Friday afternoon, Oklahoma City Thunder guard Josh Giddey offered up a blunt response.

Game 1 of the Finals ended up being a bit one-sided, with the Nuggets picking up a 104-93 win on Thursday night despite a late push by the Heat to make things interesting. Nikola Jokic, in particular, was outrageous during his first career Finals game.