Pop Cult: Your monthly dose of pop culture
MJ gets engaged, the duchess redeems herself, and why pop stars need media training
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Art by Nyamat Singh/Canva.
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Every year is full of pop culture moments, but 2024 was certainly the most, if not incredibly, happening.
Daniel Craig is back. And no, not as James Bond. The English actor who rose to fame through the spy series has starred alongside the painfully attractive, soul-crushing, mouth-watering Drew Starkey in the movie Queer. If you asked me if I am going to watch the movie for Craig, I might say sure. But if you ask me on a deeper level, I will watch it only for Starkey’s biceps.
Your favourite Spiderman and Zendaya are engaged, but this was not the only time the couple were recently in the news. In an interview and cover shoot for Men’s Health (it’s like Jeremy Allen White for Calvin Klein all over again, trust me), Tom Holland said the reason he doesn’t make an appearance on the red carpet with the queen of Hollywood anymore is to let her have her “moment.”
He further added that when they appear together, it’s not just about her anymore, but about them. Interesting how he thinks he can take any attention away from one of the most influential names (more influential than him, obviously) in Hollywood today.
Anyway, the couple are now engaged and have proven that “love can conquer it all,” according to the internet, by breaking the Spiderman curse. From Toby Maguire and Kirsten Dunst to Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone, Holland and Zendaya seem to be the only co-stars in the franchise whose relationship survived the curse.
Meghan Markle is taking another go at Netflix with her brand-new series, With Love, Meghan, coming out in March. The lifestyle series was set to come out in January but the duchess made a request to delay the release due to the fires in Los Angeles.
With the release, Markle has also ended her social media hiatus by posting the trailer on her long-dead Instagram account. While critics have mixed reviews about the new series, X says the duchess is a born content creator who apparently brought the royal family’s Instagram account back to life when she took the reins.
Many have called out the duchess for promoting an “upscale lifestyle” which, let’s be honest, most of you can’t afford. Jokes aside, I don’t think the redhead is going to be making a comeback in this one after the memoir debacle — and it’s probably for the best.
Little Timmy has been acting a bit unhinged in recent press interviews for his latest movie, A Complete Unknown. Safe to say, he hasn’t pulled an Austin Butler and is still very much himself, but a bit more than he should be quite honestly. The actor’s insane filmography makes up for all of his questionable moments, not for the lack of an Oscar, though. I said what I said.
Speaking of unhinged press interviews, whether it’s the incessant crying or handholding, Wicked has got you covered. That’s all I will say because the queens spoke for themselves through their phenomenal performance. Thank God that Ariana Grande has a stellar voice, because there’s not many things that can make up for voluntarily dating SpongeBob.
A Rolling Stone cover and profile in Vogue later, the career of Canada’s most-hated feminist heartthrob has come to an end. Justin Trudeau has stepped down from leadership and many bedroom posters.
Andrew Garfield at the Golden Globes, let’s talk about it. Holland can be your favourite Spiderman, but Garfield’s mine … favourite Spiderman, of course. The man knows how to pull off anything. The three-hour video thirst trap of him putting his glasses on to read the nominations at the award show? He has to know what he’s doing. As much as I like Garfield, his appearance on Chicken Shop Date with Amelia Dimoldenberg convinced me that love might actually exist.
Speaking of the Golden Globes, Demi Moore ignored Kylie Jenner at the event and it’s giving mean girl. But of course, the internet is divided since Jenner is, at the end of the day, a Kardashian.
Also, while we’re at it, Nikki Glaser is unequivocally the best thing that has happened to the Globes. Well, since Ricky Gervais, at least. While the internet thinks her opening monologue let her get away with far more, she is the first woman in history to host the Globes by herself. A win is a win, period.