From the Group Chat: The Emilia Pérez and Karla Sofía Gascón Controversy, Reese Witherspoon Drama, and “Apple Cider Vinegar”

EDITOR’S NOTE

Happy Sunday. I don’t have to tell you that there’s a Big Sports Game this evening. And while most will be watching for the Chiefs or Eagles (or, yes, Taylor Swift), I’m just here for this ridiculously delicious Cheeseburger Tater Tot Casserole (I look forward to it all year) and Jalen Hurts’s all-female management team. A few other things that have me cheering? This surprisingly neutral shade is apparently the chicest handbag color (it’s much more practical than burgundy); Sydney Sweeney’s effortlessly cool, double-leather look (unlike double denim, I actually can copy this get-up); and Anya Taylor-Joy’s commitment to extraordinarily over-the-top fashion (I’ll be thinking about that outrageously fluffy yeti coat for days). Oh, and one last thing: If you’ve enjoyed the Weekend Skimm, we’d love to hear from you — so we can better tailor our newsletters to the kinds of content you want to see.

— Melissa Goldberg / Senior Editor / Washington, DC

👀 If you thought That Beard was something, wait until you see Prince William’s “finance bro style transformation.” Someone get this man a Patagonia vest.  

💇‍♀️ Our Grammys takeaway? Absolutely no one can pull off “the step cut.” Friends, do not try this at home. 

🙏 Finally, a Y2K revival we can get behind: Flared leggings (yoga pants) are back. Quick, find your Hard Tails.

🍌 Is rubbing a banana peel all over your face the equivalent of getting Botox? According to Gen Z, yes. 

🧛🏻 Grab your ruffled bonnet — because “couture for vampires” is coming for your closet.

The drama surrounding Emilia Pérez was already brewing, but thanks to Karla Sofía Gascón, it has officially boiled over. On January 30, journalist Sarah Hagi unearthed a series of years-old xenophobic, racist, and offensive tweets in which Gascón — who recently made history as the first openly trans actress to be nominated for an Oscar — criticized Muslims, George Floyd, and more. The backlash was swift, and in response, Gascón deactivated her X account, issued several Instagram statements, and appeared on CNN en Español. During the hour-long interview, she apologized for her posts, alluded to a possible smear campaign, refused to rescind her Oscars nod, and declared that costars Zoe Saldaña and Selena Gomez supported her “200%.” Except that Saldaña, when asked about the comment, reportedly took a long pause and referred to a previous statement in which she said, “it makes me really sad.” Meanwhile, the film’s director was far less generous, saying, “I haven’t spoken to her, and I don’t want to.” 

Of course, Emilia Pérez — which leads this year’s Academy Awards with a whopping 13 nominations — is hardly the first movie to have a scandal taint its Oscars campaign. Remember Green Book? Or Zero Dark Thirty? Even some of this year’s other nominees have come under fire (see: The Brutalist’s polarizing use of AI, Fernanda Torres’s resurfaced comedy sketch). But few have been as messy — and potentially consequential — as Emilia Pérez. Because, let us remind you, the Gascón fiasco is just the latest in a string of controversies surrounding the genre-bending movie musical. (In an effort to keep this…brief, we recommend this very extensive timeline.) Now, to “salvage the film’s Oscar prospects,” Netflix is said to be writing Emilia Pérez out of the Emilia Pérez Academy Awards campaign. It’s reportedly no longer covering Gascón’s travel for awards shows and new marketing materials largely focus on Saldaña, who is the likely best supporting actress frontrunner. Who knows if she’ll take home a statue next month, but what we do know? Gascón will probably still be on a social media break.

It’s hard to imagine anyone having beef with Reese Witherspoon, but even America’s Sweetheart isn’t immune to friend drama. Last week, while promoting her new rom-com You’re Cordially Invited, Witherspoon hinted at a falling out with “a very serious, proper actress,” after she roasted her at a “British, elegant, [and] classy” awards ceremony (read: not the place to be making laser hair removal jokes). Witherspoon said she and the Actress Who Shall Not Be Named never spoke again, which still “haunts” her. Naturally, the internet was quick to speculate: Emily Blunt? Helen Mirren? Peppa Pig? It didn’t take long for Just Jared to seemingly solve the case, pointing to Kate Winslet, based on a 2007 speech where Witherspoon jokingly mocked Winslet’s accent and teased “bawdy” stories, including one about laser hair removal. But Just Jared may want to issue an apology — because Witherspoon has since taken to Instagram Stories to clear things up, writing, “Just spoke to my very dear friend for years, Kate W. We laughed about this stupidity.” Back to square one.

Introducing Yoko, the baby shark born in a habitat of all-female sharks, who hadn’t had contact with a male…for years. Daddy shark, who?

If you’re a fan of juicy scammer scandals like Inventing Anna and The Dropout, prepare to be obsessed with Netflix’s Apple Cider Vinegar. The six-part series, adapted from the nonfiction book The Woman Who Fooled the World, tells the wild “true-ish” tale of Belle Gibson (Kaitlyn Dever), an Australian Instagram influencer who becomes famous after allegedly curing her own brain cancer through a strict diet and other alternatives to traditional medicine. But the lucrative wellness empire she’s built starts to unravel when Belle is exposed for — you guessed it — never actually having cancer. The show features a “masterly performance” by Dever (who went to extreme lengths to perfect her Aussie accent) and is being hailed as a “drily witty, acutely intelligent, compassionate, and furious” social commentary. Plus, you’ll never look at a bottle of apple cider vinegar the same way.

Steve Madden Jones boots

Yes, we’re talking about those zipped boots from The Row — which, even if we had an extra $1,600, are sold out nearly everywhere. Thankfully, our senior commerce editor’s cousin, who just so happens to be a professional stylist, unearthed these Steve Madden boots when she couldn’t get her hands on the OGs, and she swears by the style and quality. Like the originals, these ankle boots have a cool-yet-comfortable platform sole and a zipper down the middle for a sleek-meets-edgy vibe. But best of all? They’ll only set you back about $130. Channel your inner Olsen and wear them with an oversized faux-fur coat and slouchy trousers.

Trending products and brands our shopping team has been loving recently.

From a pocket-sized coloring book to an aromatherapy set inspired by Japanese baths, here are the mood-boosting products our editors reach for in the dead of winter.

Another way we’re staving off the winter doldrums? Buying cute, cozy sweaters like this one. (And this one.)

Gap is running a major sale event right now, taking up to 50% off all denim. If you haven’t tried these super-soft baggy jeans yet, you’re missing out.

This L’Occitane body lotion is lightweight, absorbs quickly, but deeply hydrates. It smells delicious and is like an almond milk latte for your skin. This two-pack will keep you stocked through winter.

Unleash your competitive side with today’s games and puzzles. Choose from an anagram word search, digital jigsaw puzzle, or crossword (with a twist). Better yet: Try them all.