Emma Stone covers the new issue of Rolling Stone to promote La La Land, her big Oscar-hopeful this awards season. Many people believe La La Land is the big favorite for Best Picture, and that Emma is going head-to-head with Natalie Portman for Best Actress. I still haven’t seen La La Land because… I don’t really want to. It looks twee as hell. But I’ve seen the good reviews and everything and I will eventually see it. Anyway, I went into this Rolling Stone interview expecting to be bored to tears, but Emma said some interesting stuff. You can read the full piece here. Some highlights:
She doesn’t like LA: “It’s what I imagine D.C. is like, where you’re surrounded by all these people who are constantly rising and falling in the local power rankings, and it’s the only thing they can think and talk about.”
Living in NYC: In New York, she drops in on dance performances, eavesdrops on sidewalk conversations or stays in to bake and watch movies with friends – a circle that includes fellow actors Martha MacIsaac, Sugar Lyn Beard and Jennifer Lawrence. “We go on trips together, we hang out at each other’s houses, watch shit,” Stone says. “I was over at Jen’s place last month – we watched Hocus Pocus.” (Stone dated her Spider-Man co-star Andrew Garfield for several years, but tells me she’s single these days.)
Whether she’s an Oscar contender: “I’m trying not to think about that… I just focus on what I’ve got to do at any one moment, and don’t necessarily think about where it’s all leading.”
Life after Trump’s victory: “It’s still so hard to process what happens next, or what to do. It’s terrifying, the not-knowing. But I can’t stop thinking about vulnerable people being ignored and tossed aside – marginalized more than they’ve already been for hundreds of years – and how the planet will die without our help. It comes in waves.”
Being a funny woman in Hollywood: “There are times in the past, making a movie, when I’ve been told that I’m hindering the process by bringing up an opinion or an idea. I hesitate to make it about being a woman, but there have been times when I’ve improvised, they’ve laughed at my joke and then given it to my male co-star. Given my joke away. Or it’s been me saying, ‘I really don’t think this line is gonna work,’ and being told, ‘Just say it, just say it, if it doesn’t work we’ll cut it out’ – and they didn’t cut it out, and it really didn’t work!'”
RS notes that Emma asked to go off the record before giving examples of how directors have left in lines that didn’t work. I would love to know which directors gave away her ideas to her male costars though, because that is just so rude, and yet completely and utterly believable. My guess is that (male) directors and writers might not even be doing it consciously. I bet they don’t even give her credit either. As for what she says about the unknowns with a Trump presidency… yes. We don’t know how bad it will get. But we know it will get really, really bad.
Photos courtesy of WENN, cover courtesy of Rolling Stone.
I’m going to be that person. Did they have to put her in her underwear on the cover?
If this was the 90s it would be pretty on point fashion wise.
I was about to say the same thing. Rolling Stone is no different from Maxim or those magazines where actresses (or women in general) are presented as mere (sexual) objects.
And, if it had to be underwear, why a cheap-looking slip, which looks 20 years old!?
Yes a beige fugly slip!!!
And her expression & pose makes it look like she begrudgingly took this pic…not cute.
I think they were going for Butterfield 8, but they ended up making her look like Black Friday at Kohl’s.
A-fecking-men. I like Emma a lot, and she deserves better. This is one smart, naturally-witty young woman with acting chops, a social conscience, high personal standards, and a truly superior mind.
So let’s dress her up like her body is what she’s selling.
She does not look happy in this pic. She looks resigned.
“Black Friday at Kohl’s” — Outoftheshadows, I think I love you!
I can’t recall Rolling Stone ever putting a female on their cover without her being semi-naked or in her underwear. What’s that about?
I was going to say “it’s 2016”, but in many ways 2016 is much worse than 1990.
First thing I noticed too.
DC is my favourite place in US.
I have to stick up for my home. There are people like that in DC, but they are the minority. The majority of people are here to do a job, and quickly realize everyone is here to do the same so we get on with it and don’t blab about it all the time. Yes, its true, the most common question you will get asked is “what do you do?” but I honestly think a lot of that is just that its a small town, we all work an insane amount, and you probably know many of the same people.
Also, many people have signed NDA’s or have a specific level of classification… so the majority is really about doing the job quietly.
DC area is filled with hard-working public servants. That said, people drive like they’re all under-secretaries of defense rushing to the situation room, and once at a party with political types someone asked what I did and when I told her – and it was nothing government – she just turned without a word and walked away.
Love DC.
I LOVE DC. went to college there and miss it terribly. such a great city and easy to navigate.
I love DC. The Smithsonian is probably my favorite of any American institution. All those beautiful museums all in a row, and they are all free to the public, sigh!! Plus: Adams Morgan, Rockcreek Park, and Georgetown.
They just know that hot women can’t be funny. Ergo, the jokes must go to the man.
Sorry Emma, the world is shit sometimes. I would die to hear those examples though, off the record, whatever.
Can we make guesses as to who? I’m guessing it was on the set of Easy A and 21 Jump Street.
Well, she was the lead in Easy A and wasn’t in 21 Jump Street, so my bet’s on Superbad.
I’m not really an Emma fan anymore (since she worked twice with Woody Allen after Dylan’s letter and then played a half-Asian character in Aloha), but I generally like what she said here. Re: her Trump comments, I like that she appreciates the gravity of our situation (unlike other stars who has said we should wait and give Trump “a chance”).
As for the Oscar comments … C’mon girl, you are going for that Oscar! Stop being coy! Seriously, this girl has been at every screening/shoe store opening since September. It’ll actually be embarrassing if she doesn’t win, given how hard she has been campaigning.
I thought it would be Zombieland.
oh, both excellent guesses.
I actually pick Jesse Eisenberg to be a bigger prick than Rogen, but those aren’t the directors soo…..
My guess was SUPERBAD.
Yeah, Superbad is a good guess. That entire group of guys seems so douche-bro-y.
I forgot about Superbad! I could totally see this.
Superbad is a good guess.
What’s with the 1930s lingerie? God that cover is awkward.
Perhaps they were trying to evoke the screwball goddesses of the 30s like Lombard, Arthur, Colbert and Dunne….
or they know the only reason anyone will pick up the magazine is because they’re hoping that inside she takes off the slip.
Wow, she’s so.. well adjusted? Want that black dress, where is it from!
I really like Emma Stone. I am surprised she didn’t mention Taylor Swift as one of the friends she hangs out…
I really like her too. She is so very talented, her eyes are amazing on screen, and she seems very sincere and guarded.
I just find her really over rated and jennifer lawrence there’s just something about both of them
that seems forced but actresses like Amy Adams/Jessica Chastain i really enjoy:)
Agree with this completely. I think Emma has great comedic timing but isn’t very convincing in dramatic roles. She’s also problematic as I noted above. Amy Adams and Jessica Chastain are two of my faves. They are great actresses, very intelligent, classy, down to earth, and seem genuine. Waiting for both of them to finally win Oscars!
Wow, I find her very genuine and moving in dramatic roles. Hmm.
I like Jessica Chasten more too, but I wonder if Adams and Chastain have the advantage of being older. I think you carry yourself better in terms of presence when you’ve aged out of your 20s.
I agree with this- Adams and Chastain are brilliant dramatic actresses, but they also have the benefit of greater life experience to bring to those weighty roles. Maybe Emma will get there by her 40s. I also think comedy gets a bad rap, it’s far harder IMO to pull off good comedy than drama.
I will be crushed if Emma wins an Oscar before Jessica Chastain or Amy Adams. I mean Emma is talented not as the other two.
I agree, Marc and Julp. I think she’s fine as an actress but not super amazingly talented. And I know I’ll probably get slammed for asking because everybody on this site is such an Emma Stone Stan, but did she get some work done? She’s been looking different lately and I can’t put my finger on it.
I’m sad to say that I read the headline and said, of course they did. America gave away Hillary Clinton’s presidency to an a$$hole, and it is a large, stinking metaphor for the things women go through on a day to day basis.
Am I missing something…..”A Star Is Born”??? It seems like she’s been around for awhile. “The Help” was 5 years ago, I thought she had been a star for awhile.
Am I missing where it says she hasn’t?
Oh, I totally am. Yeah, weird headline.
She sounds smart here. That’s all I got.
Yeah, the slip is kind of ugly though.
Does is ever get exhausting to be so negative? How do you know things will be really, really bad?
Common sense.
The fact that Trump is so embarrassing to the country’s reputation abroad is depressing enough.
We have done a lot of things to embarrass ourselves over the last eight years as well. Perhaps give democracy a chance?
The leader is the ultimate representative symbol of how the country presents itself to the rest of the world despite whatever chaos might be brimming elsewhere inside or outside of the the county. There’s no denying he’s embarrassing. Even the biggest fan can’t deny that Trump is the embodiment and symbol of the Ugly American stereotype. And that doesn’t help diplomatic relations in any way whatsoever.
True democracy would be if HRC won the presidency because FAR more people voted for her than Trump. Sorry to get technical but that needed to be pointed out.
And I don’t understand this assertion that we should give Trump a chance when he has done absolutely NOTHING to inspire faith in his presidency.
He hasn’t even held an official press conference since July, he hasn’t hired any cabinet member that isn’t an anti-science army general or billionaire or White Supremacist or all of the above. He has ZERO political experience and has proven to be a shitty businessman yet he persists with his business conflicts as well as other unprecedented behavior because no one has the nuts to say to Chump.
He is a corrupt con artist who frequently disseminates bold-faced lies without ever correcting himself. He has the temperament of a small child with the disposition of Archie Bunker.
Yet we’re all expected to fall in line and have faith that he’ll do the right thing? Really????
Just blows my mind that some people entrusted this idiot with arguably the most challenging job in the world.
“We have done a lot of things to embarrass ourselves over the last eight years as well.”
Oh FFS. Trump was bitching on Twitter about China taking our water drone AFTER they had already returned it to us. He is an ignorant, incompetent fool.
Trump calls to mind one of my favorite quotes from Sports Night (OPBSN)
Isaac Jaffee: “If you’re dumb, surround yourself with smart people. If you’re smart, surround yourself with smart people who disagree with you.”
We can debate which of the two categories Trump falls into. But there is no debating that he is not doing either of the recommended actions. He instead seems to be surrounding himself with shrewd people who know how to get media attention, who know how to work the system to line their own slimy pockets, or who know how to lie to screw people they actively hate or simply don’t GOS about. But above all, he’s surrounding himself with people who will say ‘yes’ to him and don’t challenge him.
He actively and defiantly eschews any information that may have come from outside his own head and his faux-news, alt-right, grab-what-you-can-who-gives-a-sh*t-if-it’s-yours-or-who-you-damage-while-grabbing cronies. It’s one thing (however ass-y) to do that when you are a private citizen. It is civic malpractice and possibly treason to do it while you are president elect, soon to be POTUS and Commander in Chief.
-Intelligence experts which critical information about global threats, issues the US is facing? Nope, he doesn’t want to bother listening to them.
– Scientists who have spent their careers learning about climate and the impact of human activity on the global ecosystem we all depend on? Nope, they’re ‘yuuuuge’ liars, he’s not going to bother with them.
-Diplomats who understand the delicate balance in relations between the US and other countries? Nope, not them either.
-Seasoned military personnel, generals who have seen battle (unlike DT), who understand what is needed to provide/maintain a military force for our country? Nope, he knows more than they do.
-Any author *ever* who wrote anything worth reading that is more that 3 paragraphs long about any subject, any historical event, any philosophical position or political/civic viewpoint? Books? Who reads books, who needs books, it’s just blather blather blather. He won’t bother.
An outsider who had an honest desire to come in and shake things up, disrupt the status quo and ‘drain the swamp’ to do a better job and put in place a government that would be more efficient, more beneficial to more citizens, and achieve great things domestically and in the world at large…THAT person would be eager to learn from every expert, would actually gather smart people from all walks of life and all political corners around them, ask smart questions, listen and learn…and then make decisions. This guy? Trump? He is not doing any of that. There is no reason at this point to wait and see. He has already shown us EXACTLY what kind of shitty President he will be. If we’re lucky, most of us will survive the next four years (I mean, the missile codes ARE at his disposal). If we’re really lucky, he won’t do any serious long term damage, and won’t take the human race down in a slow death spiral of climate disaster, homelessness, starvation and illness, along with the human rights violations, war, pillaging etc many people will experience along the way.
I wish I were exaggerating. Sadly, I am not. Every single worry I list can be traced directly to an action of Trump’s or a statement he has made in the last 18 months.
Oh, and don’t get me started on him already brushing off anyone who is trying to call him/the Children of the Corn out on conflict of interest issues.
The best predictor of future behavior is past behavior. Past behavior for Trump, Pence, McConnell and Ryan has been really, really bad.
Where would you like us to start?
The cabinet filled with appointments with no experience and that would happily sell their grandmother to make a profit?
The near certain repeal of Obamacare and a several year lag while a replacement is crafted, leaving millions without insurance?
The fact that Trump has already explicitly said that he’s over his “drain the swamp” message?
The fact that we are on the road to a MAJOR conflict with China and are in bed with the Russians?
Or how about the election seems to have signaled a ‘win’ for Neo Nazis, who are publicly coming out of the woodwork?
How about when Trump’s sons already got busted for trying to sell access to their dad?
The nearly universal conflicts of interest in the Trump business orbit? I mean, I think it’s incredibly inappropriate to try to profit off of the office of president.
And seriously, the Russians TAMPERED WITH OUR ELECTION. That doesn’t bother you?
Seriously, can you tell me one single good thing on the horizon? Have you actually read Trump’s tax plan, or his plan for his first 100 Days?
Very appropriate post Lindsey in a thread about La La Land, because you must be living there. Trump has had many many chances to prove he’s not the ghastly man that appeared in the campaign. He hasn’t taken them. In fact he seems to delight in doing the wrong thing: appointing a pro Russian S o S on the day that the Russian violence in Allepo was at its worst? Enough with chances.
This is a pretty great interview. I totally get what she’s saying about her lines being given away- I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been in a meeting and piped up with something only to be ignored, and then a male colleague say the EXACT same thing 5 minutes later and be hailed as a genius. It’s infuriating.
Side-eyeing ‘I’m trying not to think about that’ though. Girl. People get really annoyed by the actresses (never the actors though, funny that) who campaign hard but I much much prefer the ones who just come right out and say ‘yeah, I want it’. Of course they want it.
…actually that whole look n pose is hilariously sad…just the normal thing you do if you is trying to get an oscar presumably…blah…
I’ve noticed there is a storyline that (male) writers CANNOT handle.
The point in the story *after* the hero has won the girl. The movies usually ends there. In the sequel though…they lose their damn minds. Its like they have no vision for what a woman can do or be beside ‘an object to be won’.
So sequels are a story problem.
I was so worried about ‘Guardians of the Galaxy 2’ because of this. It looks as if they’ve solved it by continuing to make Gamora an ‘object-to-be-won’.
For examples see ‘Shrek 2’. In ‘Shrek’ Cameron Diaz was an equal part of the story. She was ‘to-be-won’. ‘Shrek 2’ she then devolved into ‘point-and-watch’ him do stuff character.
Or ‘Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2’. Sam (female character) *had* been interesting. But once they were a couple…no storyline for you girlie!
Feel sorry for Emma Stone. So much of a woman’s working life is figuring out how to manage the ego’s of those around her. Why? So she can get sh*t done without being blocked.
Half of your success will depend on your ability to maneuver around the Alpha males intent on their way, regardless of its effect on the project at hand *sighs from real life experience*.
*Reads comment. Nods in complete agreement.*
Girl you are so right. A couple of friends and I discuss this often. How women are portrayed in movies and books as well. If I knew you in real life, I think we could talk comfortable for at least an hour on this topic.
You might get a kick out the this. See below.
https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/if-women-wrote-men-the-way-men-write-women
This is so true!
Ted 2 is another example – doubly so since they could have just said Mila Kunis’s character was off on a business trip or whatever.
I would love to see more movies and TV shows with stable relationships instead of needless drama or women as objects of conquest.
Yeah stuff like that was part of the great British skit show ‘smack the pony’ written and performed by a bunch a women years back, they used to do a skit where a women in various scenarios comes up with a brilliant solution to a problem, all the men pretend they cant hear her then one of the men pipes up with THE SAME solution and all the other men congratulate him.
She needs to write a script.
She is of age now equipped with experience – she can do it. Then sell it. Then nobody will dare to do that w/o giving her a writer’s credit. If Amy or Lena can do it, so can this person.
Or she could support a talented female screenwriter or director …
Im not worried about Trump, he wont accomplish anything in his 4 years and is not likely to be re-elected.
… and we all said he was unelectable; yet, here we are. So, I’m very worried. And will make it my business to make sure he’s not re-elected.
Have you seen the document put together by congressional staffers regarding strategy to stop Trump’s agenda? I highly recommend it. It gave some depressed friends of mine hope, because it allows you to see how to put your feelings into action.
It’s called:
“Indivisible: A Practical Guide for Resisting the Trump Agenda”.
Having your jokes taken and repeated by someone else just because they’re male must suck, kinda like being an Asian and/or Polynesian actress auditioning for roles that go to red headed white girls instead because they’re white.
Oh God will people just STOP with this? the whole point if you bothered to read about it is that the woman its based on was ONLY 1/4 Hawaiian 3/4 white – she was a redheaded white girl with ‘some’ Hawaiian heritage.
When the island is represented by 40% Asians, 10% of Polynesian descent, and 23% mixed, why would a character by the name of Allison Ng need to be represented by a person who is clearly not of Asian/Polynesian/mixed descent at all? The character is supposed to represent Hawaii, otherwise why set the film on an island filled with such a diverse group of people but only represent it with white characters? You might as well just write a movie about Vermont. They could have cast Katie Chang, Kristin Kreuk or Brenda Song in the movie. Kelly Hu is actually Hawaiian. The movie is all about being “Hawaiian,” the title is in Hawaiian, but sure let’s not make a movie about the actual representation of the island.
Twee as hell. I love this site.
I adore Emma Stone, but I live in LA and I hate when people make the whole city into one small microcosm. Yes, there are the stereotypical Hollywood types, but just like DC, the city is much more than a small, power-hungry circle.
I love Emma but the fact that she’s close with JLaw.. I don’t know, it’s kind of a bummer imo.
i thought the movie would be twee as well and it wasn’t. I mean it was super cute, but not in the typical twee way and the characters played by Ryan and Emma were real and not twee. loved the movie.
emma, I didn’t have strong feelings about one way or another, but she was good in the movie. she comes across well enough in this interview. commiserate with her experience on movies with men giving her ideas to other guys. same happened to me recently when working with a male boss. i do wonder about her choice to do movies with the pedophile though.