Expert Advice for Getting Rid of Blackheads at Home Without Tools

A round of applause for the people removing their blackheads at home. I’m certainly not brave enough to do it because the mere word “extraction” sounds like serious business. One slip-up and a penchant for clumsiness would leave me with permanent scarring and a permanently bad mood. If I’m going to dip my toe into DIY blackhead removal, I need the method that doesn’t involve any sort of tool.

Thankfully, there are certain experts who actually don’t vouch for self-extractions, one of them being Candace Marino, more popularly known as the LA Facialist. “It’s the equivalent of giving free condoms to teens—not encouraging it, but if they’re going to do it, let’s make it safe,” she says. “Pores are not doors. They don’t open or close, but we can improve their appearance.”

With that being said, let’s get into some preventative “pore protocol,” including ways to nix blackheads without digging into your skin with a tool or device.

Start With Identification

For starters, make sure that what you’re targeting is actually a blackhead. According to Marino, those “little dots on your nose most likely aren’t blackheads; they’re sebaceous filaments.”

“Sebaceous filaments are the normal function of the follicle. Narrow, lighter in color under the skin— they do not fully obstruct the pore and are not meant for extractions,” she says.

“Blackheads will be raised, textured, truly black, thick, and waxy. The skin oils solidify, forming plugs that can dilate the pore further leading to enlarged pores.”

Ramp Up Preventative Cleansing

Prevention should be your first line of defense against any skin setback, including blackheads. Whether you have a cluster on the tip of your nose or not, Marino recommends regularly using a gentle cleanser with light acids for mild exfoliation, like the SkinBetter Oxygen Infusion wash.

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“Keep the face free from cellular build-up and environmental sludge. Clean pores will always appear smaller so exfoliate daily. Salicylic acid is your friend—use it!,” she adds.

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Additionally, aim to strengthen collagen production and elastin with peptides. These miracle workers are compatible with most other skincare ingredients and can be found in everything from eye cream to night serums to your daily moisturizer.

Turn Up the Heat

In lieu of extraction tools, DIY steaming is both preventative and a gentle, yet effective way to loosen already existing blackheads. Marino only warns that this isn’t recommended for anyone with melasma or hyperpigmentation.

Her favorite and most cost-effective way to steam is by boiling hot water over the stove, throwing in some tea “to give off spa vibes” and “hovering over the pot with a towel over your head to trap in steam for 5 minutes to allow your skin to soften.”

Just be sure to cut yourself off after five minutes; anything longer can cause TEWL (transepidermal water loss and dehydration).

Pinch Up Instead of Digging Down

However, if you must extract, Marino stresses doing it “with caution and care.” But first, “put down the knife” and “use clean fingers only.”

“Leave digging devices to the professionals to avoid potential permanent scarring or pigmentation issues and injury,” she adds. Instead, “wrap your finger in tissue or cotton, gently pinch the skin together and press upward. Press only the direction you want the congestion to go. If you’re pressing down into the skin, you’re making things worse and potentially spreading bacteria under the skin.”

In general, you should be gentle and leave aggravated or super stubborn acne alone. Most importantly, give your pores a break in-between; no need to steam or extract every other day.

Don’t Forget to Cool Off

Once you’ve extracted a blackhead or two, cleansing and treating the skin afterward is of the utmost importance. Immediately cleanse and tone the face, ideally something with AHAs and BHAs to micro-exfoliate and balance the skin, like the Biologique Recherche Lotion P50W.

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Marino also recommends incorporating cooling products into your post-removal routine as well. One of her favorite go-to serums is the iS Clinical HydraCool Serum and if you can, she vouches for an ice roller to immediately reduce inflammation and pain.

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Should you want to take things a step further, treat yourself to a mask like Biologique Recherche’s Vivant too.

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Stay Balanced With Moisture Binders & Retinol

Whether you’re into DIY extractions or not, the best way to prevent blackheads is with regular exfoliation, daily cleansing and moisture, moisture, moisture.

“Support balance using humectants and moisture binders like hyaluronic acid,” suggests Marino. “Don’t overly dry. Limit benzoyl peroxide, as it can create a rebound effect of more production of sebum.”

A retinol product like the Better Skin AlphaRet also helps with skin cell turnover minus the trauma and if you want to go for the big guns, do it with a weekly peel. Pro-tip: it doesn’t have to be a liquid solution; something like the AlphaRet Peel Pads are just as effective.

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15 Games You Can Play With Friends Online When You Can’t Meet Up IRL

While we live in a world filled with video games and ways to connect virtually, it can feel like there aren’t that many online games to play with friends when you’re not with them in real life. Sure, you can sit on your buddy’s couch and race each other in Mario Kart, but what happens when you’re in separate houses, the last game was a tie and you need to name a winner? (It’s the little things in life, OK?) Even figuring out how to play classic board or card games over video chat can be a difficult situation. Thanks to a little virtual digging, though, we discovered 15 different games you can play both online and with your friends. Forget the computer-generated opponent—Now you can easily have a virtual game night with your BFFs.

Seriously, there are so many ways to play online games with your friends that are interactive, fun and—in most cases—totally free. Gather your pals for a night of card games similar to Apples to Apples and Cards Against Humanity. Or, stick with classic games like UNO! or Checkers. There’s no wrong way to play these virtual group games, so go ahead and pick your favorite. The only thing that truly makes online games better is getting to share them with your loved ones. Just because we’re stuck at home, doesn’t mean we can’t continue game night traditions or late-night friend hangouts.

 

1. Animal Crossing

In case you missed it, Animal Crossing is having a huge resurgence these days. You can play it on several different Nintendo devices—including the oh-so-popular Nintendo Switch—and meet up with your pals virtually in the Animal Crossing world.

2. Quiplash On Jackbox Games

Quiplash is a great online option that gets everyone in a group involved, and can easily be played on a PC, Mac or Linux computer. Everyone tries to write the funniest answer to a question, each person then votes and a winner of the round is declared. You can play Quiplash easily with members of your household or friends who are far away.

3. Sims 4 Multiplayer

Because technology is ridiculously innovative, you can now play Sims 4 with other players online. You have to download the Sims 4 multiplayer mod, and then you’re good to meet up with your BFFs virtually and hang out in the Sims world.

4. GamePigeon

The GamePigeon app lets you play different games online with your phone—so you don’t need a gaming device or even a computer. Available right now are 8-Ball (pool), Poker, Sea Battle (which is basically Battleship) and several more. These games are only two-player, though, so best if you just want to play with one other person!

5. Remote Insensitivity

The classic (and sometimes offensive) game Cards Against Humanity goes virtual with this online version called Remote Insensitivity. All you have to do is send your room link to all your friends, and you’re instantly in a battle to gain the most cards.

6. Mario Kart Tour

The Mario Kart Tour app allows you to race your friends at high speeds. It’s basically like playing video games IRL, except this time, you’re all on your phones.

7. GameFly

If you have a gaming console at home, you’re in luck. GameFly rush delivers everything from classic games from Zelda to Star Wars to recent releases like Disaster Report 4 and Resident Evil 3 to your door. With a free trial for every game, you can test-drive games and only pay for what you want to keep. Depending on your console, newer games allow you to play directly against friends online. Old school game fans can just Zoom their friends when they cue up Super Mario Party.

8. Checkers

If you’re into a one-on-one virtual game, you can play Checkers online while catching up with a friend or family member. This is especially nice for interacting virtually with someone who might not be as up-to-date on technology.

9. Crazy Eights

Re-live your childhood with the classic card game Crazy Eights. Just send your room link to your friends or family members, and you’re ready to play.

Cláudio Luiz Castro/Unsplash.

10. Chips & Guac on Houseparty

If you use Houseparty to video chat with your friends, you’re going to want to try out their game Chips & Guac. It’s similar to Apples to Apples, so if you love games where you choose the best card to match another one, you’ll love this game.

11. UNO!

UNO! has always been an iconic card game, and now you can play it virtually with your loved ones. It works just like it would IRL, only you play with virtual cards. Simple. As. That.

12. Communal Puzzles

Because apparently anything is possible, you can do jigsaw puzzles with your friends online. This might be the most relaxing virtual game in existence.

13. Clue

Now you can play your favorite board game from childhood virtually with all your friends. The app does cost $3.99, but that’s a small price to pay for endless hours of mystery fun, right?!

14. Drawful 2 On Jackbox Games

For a limited time Jackbox Games is offering their game Drawful 2 for free, so you can play with your friends while social distancing. The game basically prompts you to draw different (often ridiculous) things on your tablet or smartphone. You can even play Jackbox Games remotely on Zoom, if that’s your preferred method of video chatting.

14. Oregon Trail

OK, so Oregon Trail might be just a one-player game, but nothing is stopping you from playing while on the phone or video chatting with your friends! Just start at the same time and narrate your journey to one another. You can play online for free and try to avoid dysentery at all costs.

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The ‘Hollywood’ Cast’s Net Worths Prove They’ve Already Made It Big

Warning: Spoilers ahead for Netflix’s Hollywood season 1. Netflix’s Hollywood is Ryan Murphy’s latest creation, and as expected from the man behind American Horror Story, The Politician and other shows, Hollywood is splashy and over-the-top. And we’re sure the Hollywood Netflix cast salary isn’t too bad either.

Hollywood, which premiered on May 1, follows a group of aspiring actors and filmmakers in post-World War II Hollywood as they try to make it in the entertainment industry. The show examines how race, sexuality, gender and privilege can affect one’s career and the opportunities one is afforded, especially around the hot new movie, Peg, which every character wants a part in. Along with some newcomers, the seven-episode series stars several Hollywood heavyweights, such as Patti LuPone and Holland Taylor.

While the exact numbers of the Hollywood cast salary are unclear, Netflix is known to fork over the big bucks to its actors. (For example, the two leads of Stranger Things are paid $350,000 per episode, so we’re sure veterans like LuPone and Taylor are making more than pennies.) The Hollywood Reporter also reported in 2018 that Murphy signed a $300 million deal with Netflix to create shows for them for five years. If Murphy’s Netflix salary is any indication of how much the Hollywood actors make, we can assume that their paychecks are sizable. While we don’t know the cast salary of Hollywood, there have been reports about the actors’ net worths. Find out about those figures ahead.

Netflix.

David Corenswet (Jack Castello)

Net worth: $500,000

Corenswet plays Jack Castello, a World War II veteran who comes to Hollywood to be an actor. To make ends meet or him and his pregnant wife, Jack is employed at a gas station. But he doesn’t pump gas. Instead, Jack is paid as a gigolo for clients, who are usually Hollywood stars or executives. At the end of the series, Jack’s dreams come true as he’s cast as the male lead in the blockbuster hit, Meg. Along with Hollywood, Corenswet also starred in Murphy’s Netflix series, The Politician. His credits also include House of Cards and Elementary. Stars Offline reports that his net worth is $500,000.

Darren Criss (Raymond Ainsley)

Net worth: $3.5 million

Criss stars as Raymond Ainsley, a filmmaker who’s hired to direct Meg. Raymond is the boyfriend of aspiring actress Camille Washington, who plays the lead in Meg, thanks to his push to have her screen test for the ACE Pictures executives. Like Criss, Ainsley is also half-Filipino and wants to cast Anna May Wong as the Asian lead in one of his films, but the studio tells him that he needs to have another hit first before they’ll allow him to do so. Criss also has a long history Murphy. He’s starred in Glee, American Horror Story: Hotel and The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story, for which he won a Golden Globe and an Emmy. Celebrity Net Worth reports that he’s worth $3.5 million.

Laura Harrier (Camille Washington)

Net worth: $1 million – $5 million

Harrier plays Camille Washington, a black actress at ACE Pictures. By far, Camille is one of the studios’ most talented actresses, but she’s often cast in stereotypical roles, such as the maid to a white family, because of the color of her skin. Thanks to her boyfriend, Raymond Ainsley, she was able to audition for his film, Meg. (Then titled as Peg.) Camille excels in her audition. But ACE Pictures’ head, Avis, is hesitant to cast her as the lead because she’s black. In the end, despite her coworkers telling her that the movie will bomb if it has a black lead, Avis casts Camille as Meg and Camille goes onto win an Oscar. As for Harrier, the actress has starred in films like Spider-Man: Homecoming and BlacKkKlansman. She’s also modeled for brands like Kenzo, Urban Outfitters and American Eagle. Trends Celebs Now reports that her net worth is between $1 million and $5 million.

Netflix.

Joe Mantello (Dick Samuels)

Net worth: $1 million – $5 million

Mantello plays Dick Samuels, a longtime executive at ACE Pictures, who plays a key role in Camille being cast in Meg. It’s later revealed in Hollywood that Dick is gay. At the end of the film, Dick passes away from an illness and most of the cast attend his funeral to thank him for what he did for the entertainment industry. Mantello is best known on Broadway for his roles in Wicked, Assassins and Angels in America, in which he was an original cast member. He also starred in Murphy’s 2014 movie, The Normal Heart. Trend Celebs Now reports that his net worth is between $1 million and $5 million.

Dylan McDermott (Ernie)

Net worth: $20 million

McDermott stars as Ernie, the owner of a Hollywood gas station, which employs handsome young men as attendants to be gigolos for Hollywood executives. Ernie was an aspiring actor who never made it and quit Hollywood to run a gas station. At the end, Ernie was cast in Meg as a studio executive who pushes for Meg to be cast in a fictional film. McDermott has previously worked with Murphy on several seasons of American Horror Story. He’s also won a Golden Globe for The Practice. Celebrity Net Worth reports that his net worth is $20 million, which seems high compared to the other cast members.

Jake Picking (Rock Hudson)

Net worth: $900,000

Picking stars as Rock Hudson, a closeted gay actor who falls in love with Archie Coleman, a black screenwriter, who wrote the script for Meg. Rock and Archie meet after Rock hires Archie to have sex with him at the gas station. Throughout Hollywood, Rock (whose real name is Roy Harold) is also sexually abused by his agent, Henry Wilson. In the end, despite Henry’s advice, Rock and Archie come out as a gay couple at the Oscars. Along with Hollywood, Picking will also star in the upcoming Top Gun sequel, Top Gun: Maverick. Stars Offline reports that his net worth is $900,000.

Netflix.

Holland Taylor (Ellen Kincaid)

Net worth: $20 million

Taylor stars as Ellen Kincaid, an executive at ACE Pictures, who also has a crucial role in casting Camille in Meg. Ellen was also the only executive who saw star potential in Jack from a horrible screen test, which led him to be cast in Meg as well. Taylor has a long acting career. In 1999, she won an Emmy for her role on The Practice. She’s also starred in shows like Two and a Half Men and movies like Legally Blonde. She’s also been dating actress and Murphy’s muse Sarah Paulson since 2015. Wealthy Persons report that her net worth is $20 million.

Samara Weaving

Net worth: $3 million

Weaving plays Claire Wood, the daughter of Avis and Ace Amberg, the CEOs of ACE Pictures. Claire auditioned for the role of Peg and was almost cast until Avis decided to give the role to Camille. Claire told her mom that was the right choice, as Camille was the better actress for that character. In the end, Claire was cast as Meg’s friend, Sarah. Along with Hollywood, Weaving starred in the 2019 film Ready or Not, as well as the Showtime series Smilf. Celebrity Net Worth reports that her net worth is $3 million.

Jim Parsons

Net worth: $160 million

Parsons plays Henry Wilson, Rock Hudson’s agent who’s also closeted. Henry is viewed as a villain throughout Hollywood, as he sexually harasses men, such as Rock and Jack, in order for them to sign with him as clients. In the end, Wilson apologizes to Rock and Jack and decides to produce a movie about a gay love story after coming out. Parsons starred in Murphy’s 2014 film The Normal Heart, but he’s best known for his role on CBS’ The Big Bang Theory, on which he earned $1 million per episode in the later seasons. Celebrity Net Worth reports that he’s worth $160 million.

Patti LuPone

Net worth: $8 million

LuPone stars as Avis Amberg, the wife of ACE Pictures founder Ace Amberg. After her husband is hospitalized, Avis takes over for him and makes the history-making decision to cast Camille, a black actress, as the lead of the studio’s next feature film, Meg. In the end, Avis becomes the first female producer to win an Oscar when Meg wins Best Picture. LuPone has two Grammys, two Tonys and two Olivier Awards for her acting career. Along with Hollywood, she’s also starred in Murphy’s shows, such as Glee and American Horror Story. Celebrity Net Worth reports that she’s worth $8 million.

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The Real Story Behind ‘Hollywood’s Characters Is Just as Interesting as the Show

Warning: Spoilers ahead for Netflix’s Hollywood season 1. Those who have watched Ryan Murphy’s new Netflix show, Hollywood, may be curious to know how much of it is fiction and how much of if it is fact about Los Angeles’ real history. Is Hollywood on Netflix based on a true story? Well, the answer is complicated.

Hollywood, which premiered on May 1, follows a group of aspiring actors and filmmakers in post-World War II Hollywood as they try to make it in Tinseltown. The seven-episode series examines how race, sexuality, gender and privilege can affect one’s career and the opportunities one is afforded, especially around the hot new film, Peg, which every character in the show wants a part in.

According to reports, the show is loosely based on the experience of Scotty Bowers, a young ex-marine who owned a gas station in Hollywood in the 1940s. Vanity Fair reports that Bowers was famous for using the gas station to arrange for discreet encounters between his handsome male attendants and Hollywood stars, some of whom were closeted. There was also a 2017 documentary about Bowers, titled Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood, in which he explained how his business came to be. In Hollywood, Bowers inspired the character, Ernie, the manager of a gas station that Jack Castello, an aspiring actor, works at. After he’s hired, Jack learns that the gas station isn’t a real gas station but a business for Ernie to pimp out his employees, who are young handsome men, to clients, many of whom are big wigs in Hollywood.

But Bowers isn’t the only real person to inspire a character in Hollywood. Read on to find out about the other real people who inspired Murphy’s characters.

Netflix.

Rock Hudson

Jake Pickling plays Rock Hudson (who was born as Roy Harold Scherer Jr.), a famous heartthrob actor in the ’50s who was closeted and was one of the first celebrities to die of AIDs. In Hollywood, the character is introduced as Roy Harold, an aspiring actor who meets screenwriter Archie Coleman at Ernie’s gas station. Roy hires Archie for sex, and explains to him that he can’t be seen with a man in public, otherwise it will end his career. Roy’s name is changed to Rock Hudson by his agent, Henry Wilson, who knows that he’s gay and tells him that he must change many characteristics about himself to succeed in Hollywood. In the end, Rock and Archie fall for each other and become boyfriends. They go public with their relationship at the Oscars, at which Archie is nominated for his Meg screenplay, which angers Henry. Rock doesn’t care, however, as he would rather live his life as an out man with his love. In the final scene of Hollywood, Archie writes a movie about his relationship with Rock, in which Rock plays a man who works at a gas station and falls for one of his clients.

Henry Wilson

Jim Parsons plays Henry Wilson, a Hollywood agent in the ’50s who was known for starting the beefcake craze. Along with Rock Hudson, Wilson also represented actors, such as Tab Hunter, Chad Everett, Robert Wagner and Nick Adams. Wilson, a gay man, was also known to sexually harass his clients and coerce them to do sexual favors in order for him to sign them. When his sexuality became public, many of Wilson’s clients distanced themselves from him to not be associated with a gay man. In Hollywood, Wilson is Rock’s aggressive agent, who also sexually harasses him. In another episode, Wilson also sexually harasses Jack after promising to sign him as one of his clients. Wilson is unlikable for most of Hollywood, until the final episode where he apologizes to Rock and asks Avis, ACE Pictures’ CEO, if he could produce a film about a gay love story.

Anna May Wong

Anna May Wong is played by Michelle Krusiec in Hollywood. Wong is considered as one of the first Chinese American actresses to be a Hollywood movie star. She starred in films like Daughter of Dragon and Daughter of Shanghai, but since her success, there have also been reports about the racism Wong faced as one of the only Asian actors in Hollywood at that time. In Hollywood, Wong is introduced as a veteran actress who is now retired because of how Hollywood treated her. An ACE Pictures executive later tells a story about how Wong was the best actress for a role that would’ve won her an Oscar, but she was turned down because the studio wanted a white actress instead. Raymond Ainsley, the director of Peg, tells her that he’s written a script for her, which she’s excited about. Wong becomes disappointed, however, when Raymond’s script is rejected because the studio doesn’t want an Asian lead. In the end, Wong is cast as Caroline Lee in Meg, a Hollywood actress who gives Meg advice. At the end of the show, she wins the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her role.

Netflix.

Hattie McDaniel

Hattie McDaniel, played by Queen Latifah, became the first black actress to win an Oscar in 1940 when she won the Best Supporting Actress award for Gone With the Wind, in which she starred as Mammie. At the Oscars, McDaniel was seated far away from the main stage because of the color of her skin. Her character references this in Hollywood, when Camille Washington, the black lead in Meg, is nominated for an Oscar. McDaniel calls to congratulate Camille on the part and later has lunch with her, where she tells her to force her way to the front row. When Camille is denied entry at the Oscars because of the color of her skin, she heeds McDaniel’s advice and takes her rightful seat. In her lunch with Camille, McDaniel also tells her about how the roles she expected didn’t come after Gone With the Wind, despite her Oscar.

Vivien Leigh

Vivien Leigh, played by Katie McGuinness, was a famous Hollywood actress in the ’30s and ’40s who won two Oscars for her roles as Scarlett O’Hara in Gone With the Wind and Blanche DuBois in the film version of A Streetcar Named Desire. In Hollywood, Leigh is seen as one of ACE Pictures’ most successful actresses and is invited to many events by the studio as an honored guest. She is also one of the presenters at the Oscars who presents awards to the cast of Meg.

Eleanor Roosevelt

Harriet Harris plays Eleanor Roosevelt, President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s wife and the First Lady of the United States at the time. Avis has lunch with Eleanor at the time she decides whether to cast Camille or a white actress as the lead of Meg. When Avis tells Eleanor this, the First Lady encourages her to cast Camille and even asks to visit ACE Pictures in person to tell the studio how much of a history-making move that would be. Eleanor serves as one of the main reasons that Avis casts Camille.

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‘Hollywood’ Could Take the ‘American Horror Story’ Approach For Season 2

Warning: Spoilers ahead for Netflix’s Hollywood season 1. So you’ve binge-watched all seven episodes of Netflix’s Hollywood. Now what? Is this the last time we’ll see Camille, Archie and the rest of the crew? Maybe not. While Netflix’s Hollywood season 2 release date, spoilers, news and cast haven’t been confirmed, the season 1 finale hints that Ryan Murphy may have more in store for another season about Tinseltown and its aspiring actors and filmmakers.

Hollywood, which premiered on May 1, followed a group of aspiring actors and filmmakers in post-World War II Hollywood as they tried to make it in Tinseltown. The seven-episode series examined how race, sexuality, gender and privilege affected one’s success and the opportunities they’re afforded, especially around the hot new film, Peg, which everyone in Hollywood wanted a part in. Despite the efforts of Ace Pictures’ racist founder, Ace Amberg (who refused to cast black actress Camille Washington as the lead of Peg), Camille was cast and Peg (retitled as Meg) became the most successful film in years. The finale of Hollywood marked a new start for the entertainment industry, where people of color, the LGBTQ+ community and women were starting to receive the recognition they deserved. So is there a season 2? Here’s what we know so far.

Netflix.

Is there a season 2?

So far, there hasn’t been a season 2 confirmed for Hollywood. If the show is renewed, we should expect to hear from Netflix in June or July, which would be a month to two months after Hollywood premiered. (That’s around the time frame that Netflix usually decides whether a show is worth a renewal or not.)

That said, Hollywood is described on Netflix’s site as an “anthology,” which means that if there is a season 2, is may not be with the same characters. Murphy has also described the show as a miniseries, which means that maybe Hollywood is done for with its one season. Still, we have hope that there will be another season.

When’s the release date?

Hollywood hasn’t been renewed for another season yet, so a release date for a season 2 hasn’t been announced. But if the show is picked up, we would expect season 2 to come out in 2021 or 2022, given the 2020 coronavirus crisis that has shut down production of TV shows and films across the world.

Who’s in the cast?

For many of Murphy’s shows (American Crime Story, American Horror Story, etc.), the director-screenwriter-producer casts the same actors each season in different roles. If Hollywood is an anthology, we expect the main cast to return for a second season: David Corenswet, Darren Criss, Laura Harrier, Joe Mantello, Dylan McDermott, Jake Picking, Jeremy Pope, Holland Taylor, Samara Weaving, Jim Parsons and Patti LuPone. Whether they will play the same characters is unknown.

Netflix.

What will season 2 be about?

At the end of season 1, the characters started to film a new movie, titled Dreamland, about the way Rock Hudson and Archie Coleman met. (To recap: Archie worked as a gigolo at a gas station, where he was hired by Rock, a closeted actor. Rock and Archie fell in love with each other, and at the Oscars, where Archie was nominated, the two came out as a gay couple.) At the end of the season, Henry Wilson, Rock’s gay agent, also told Ace Pictures’ CEO, Avis, that he wanted to make a film about a gay love story. In the first shot of the film, Rock plays the gigolo at the gas station while Jack plays a customer who hires him. Archie is also back to write the film, while Raymond Ainsley (the director of Meg) is back to direct. Season 2 could revolve around the production of this film or other movie ideas that were introduced at the end of the season, such as Raymond’s initial idea about a movie about an Asian protagonist with Anna May Wong as the lead.

That said, if Hollywood is an anthology, it’s unlikely the same characters will return, which means that the show will likely not revolve around these films but another idea.

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The Final Cast of ‘Hollywood’s Fictional Film ‘Peg’ May Surprise You

Warning: Spoilers ahead for Netflix’s Hollywood season 1. Ryan Murphy’s new show, Hollywood, revolves around the film Peg, an upcoming movie about an aspiring actress who kills herself because of Hollywood’s pressures. Those who started the show, may be curious to know who was cast in Peg in Netflix’s Hollywood. As we expect from Ryan Murphy, there’s a twist.

Hollywood, which premiered on May 1, follows a group of aspiring actors and filmmakers in post-World War II Hollywood as they try to make it in Tinseltown. The seven-episode series examines how race, gender, sexuality and privilege affects one’s success and the opportunities that one is afforded. As mentioned before, the show revolves around the hot new fictional film Peg, which everyone in Hollywood wants a part in. It’s clear that there are more talented candidates than others, but for Ace Pictures founder, Ace Amberg, talent is enough. The lead of the film needs to be white. Hollywood is a frustrating look at the entertainment industry, and how it’s still failing its marginalized communities. In the end, Murphy writes somewhat of a happy ending. So, who was cast in Peg? Ahead, we break down the roles for each of the main players for the fictional film.

Netflix.

Camille Washington

Played by Laura Harrier, Camille is a black actress at Ace Pictures, who wants a part in Peg but is denied by Ace because of the color of her skin. By far, she’s the most talented actress at the studio, but because she’s black, she’s often stereotyped to roles like the maid of a white family. Camille receives an audition for Peg through her boyfriend, Raymond Ainsley, the director of the film, who pushes for her to screen test. In the end, Camille’s screen test impresses the executives at Ace Pictures, including Ace’s wife, Avis, who’s taken over for Ace after her husband is hospitalized. Avis, however, is hesitant to cast Camille because of how publicists and lawyers at the studio have told her that the south will boycott the film and Ace Pictures if the company casts a black lead. In the end, Avis is convinced to cast Camille when other executives, Ellen Kincaid and Dick Samuels, tell her how she will make history if she does so. The movie is then retitled as Meg and rewritten so that the lead doesn’t kill herself to send a hopeful message to young black girls who may watch it. When Meg becomes a success, Camille wins an Oscar for Best Lead Actress.

Jack Castello

Jack, played by David Corenswet, is an aspiring actor who has the least experience of anyone in Hollywood. He auditions for Peg thanks to Ellen Kincaid, who saw his screen test for another film and was impressed by his star potential. In the end, Jack is cast as Meg’s boyfriend, Sam Harrington, who talks her down from the Hollywood Sign when Meg wants to jump and kill herself. Jack is nominated for Best Supporting Actor for Meg, but he loses the Oscar to another actor.

Claire Wood

Claire, played by Samara Weaving, is the daughter of Ace and Avis. Though she’s seen as Camille’s rival, the two are on good terms. Claire also auditions for the role of Peg and Avis almost casts her, not because she did well in the screen test, but because she’s white. After Camille is cast as the lead, Claire tells her mom that that was the right choice. Avis then casts Claire as Sarah, Meg’s best friend, who tries to find her before she kills herself.

Rock Hudson

Rock, played by Jake Picking, also auditions for Meg’s boyfriend. He doesn’t do well in the screen test, but Avis pushes for him to be cast when Rock’s agent, Henry Wilson, blackmailed her with photos of her hiring a gigolo. Avis changes her mind when she watches Jack’s screen test and sees his natural talent. In the end, Rock is cast as a bartender, who gives directions to Meg to the Hollywood Sign, unaware that she wants to go there to kill herself. Rock also has some scenes with Sarah and Meg’s boyfriend who try to find her before she commits suicide.

Anna May Wong

A fictional Anna May Wong is played by Michelle Krusiec. Anna and Raymond, the director of Meg, become close when he wants to cast her as the lead in a film that wasn’t greenlit by Ace Studios. When Avis greenlights Meg, Raymond casts Anna as Caroline Lee, a famous actress who gives Meg advice about her career. Anna goes on to win the Best Supporting Actress Oscar.

Netflix.

Ernie

Ernie, played by Dylan McDermott, is the last actor to be cast in Meg. Ernie is Jack’s employer and manages the gas station where Jack works as a gigolo. Ernie tells Jack that he was once an aspiring actor too, but gave that career up when he couldn’t be successful. In the end, Ernie was cast as Daryl B. Selzman, a film studio executive who pushes for Meg to be cast in one of his movies.

Raymond Ainsley

Raymond, played by Darren Criss, is the director of Meg. He was hired as the director after he goes to Ace Studios to pitch a different film with an Asian lead. The studio tells him to direct this film first, and if it’s a success, they will maybe make his other film. Raymond pushes for Camille and Anna to be cast in Meg. And in the end, he wins Best Director and Best Picture. (Best Picture also made Avis the first female producer to take home the award.)

Archie Coleman

Archie, played by Jeremy Pope, was the screenwriter for Peg. He was hired for the film and then fired after Ace discovers that he’s black. Ace then decides to take the script for Peg, but remove Archie’s name from the film. Archie’s name is reinstated when Avis takes over Ace Pictures and casts Camille. In the end, Archie, who’s Rock’s boyfriend, wins the Best Screenplay Oscar for the movie.

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All the ‘Hollywood’ Spoilers You Need to Know if Camille Is Cast in ‘Peg’

Warning: Spoilers ahead for Netflix’s Hollywood season 1. Anyone who has seen a Ryan Murphy show knows that the man loves his twists. But as these Hollywood Netflix spoilers show, the screenwriter, director and producer’s latest series has the satisfying end that won’t make viewers want to scream at their TVs in the finale.

Hollywood, which premiered on May 1, follows a group of aspiring actors and filmmakers in post-World War II Hollywood as they try to make it in Tinseltown. For some, who are straight white men, it’s easier, while for others, who are people of color, LGBTQ+ or women, it’s a lot harder to find their big break in Hollywood. The seven-episode series revolves around a movie titled, Peg, an upcoming film about an aspiring actress who commits suicide because of the pressure from the entertainment industry, that every character in the show wants to be a part of. While some may be more talented than others, the executives at the studio behind Peg, Ace Pictures, are set in their ways to not cast a black actress as their lead, nor do they want a black screenwriter to write the script of Peg. Don’t worry. The characters of Hollywood have their comeuppance in the end. Here’s how it happens. (Spoilers ahead.)

Netflix.

Camille Is Cast as Meg

Laura Harrier plays Camille Washington, a talented black actress at Ace Studios who’s often passed over because of the color of her skin. And if she is cast in a film, she’s stereotyped to offensive roles, like the maid to a white family. Camille and Claire Wood (the white daughter of Ace Studios founder Ace Amberg and his wife, Avis) audition for the lead role of Peg. Claire does so-so, while Camille excels. But Avis, who has taken over for Ace as the head of Ace Studios after her husband is hospitalized, is hesitant to cast Camille after the studios’ publicity head tells her that the south will boycott Peg and any films by Ace Studios if she casts a black lead. (It’s also important to note that Camille wasn’t even allowed to audition for Peg at first, but her boyfriend, Raymond Ainsley, the director of the film, pushed for her to be in the room.)

In the end, Avis is convinced by Ellen Kincaid and Dick Samuels, two other execs at Ace Studios who want to see history happen, to cast Camille as the lead of Peg. However, because the script was originally written for a white actress, the movie retitled as Meg with Camille as the lead.

Archie Is the Screenwriter of Meg

After Camille is cast as Meg, Ace Studios rehire Archie Coleman, a gay black screenwriter, to write the script. Archie originally wrote the script for Peg and was hired with Raymond to create the movie, but when Ace found out that Archie was black, he decided to remove his name as the screenwriter and take the script for himself.

Jack Is Also Cast in Meg

Another role that viewers may be curious about is who was cast as Meg’s boyfriend, Sam Harrington. In the end, Jack Castello, a straight white actor, was cast as the lead after he impressed the executives with his screen test. The other auditionee was Rock Hudson, a closeted gay white actor, who bombed his audition. Rock’s agent, Henry Wilson, tried to blackmail Avis, who hired Jack as a gigolo, to cast his client, but in the end, Avis chose Jack. In the end, Rock, who’s Archie’s boyfriend, was also cast in Meg as a bartender who gave directions to Meg to the Hollywood sign, unaware that she was going to kill herself. A fictional Anna May Wong, who’s considering retiring from acting because of Hollywood’s racism toward Asian actors, was also cast as Caroline Lee, a famous actress who Meg advice about her career. Claire is also cast as Sarah, Meg’s friend. Lastly, Ernie, Jack’s employer and pimp, is cast in a last-minute role as Daryl B. Selzman, an executive at a fictional movie studio who pushes for Meg to be cast. (You can see how the Meg is a meta version of Hollywood.)

Netflix.

Meg Is Rewritten to Not Kill Herself

In the original script from Peg, the lead character kills herself by jumping off the Hollywood sign because of the pressures of Hollywood and the fear that she won’t make it. Once Camille was cast, Raymond decided to rewrite the script, so that Peg climbs down from the Hollywood sign after her boyfriend talks her down. Raymond does this because he didn’t want to send a negative message to black little girls who may watch Meg and see themselves in her.

Meg Is a Success

Before Meg‘s release, the cast and crew were told that there’s a 99 percent chance the film would bomb and bankrupt Ace Pictures because the south refused to show it. To their surprise, Meg became the most successful film in seven years and even earned the cast and crew Oscars. (There’s a small storyline where executives who wanted to save Ace Studios burned the footage for Meg, but luckily, someone had a backup copy.)

Camille Wins an Oscar

After Meg’s success, most of the cast win Oscars. Archie wins for Best Screenplay. Raymond wins for Best Director. Anna May Wong wins for Best Supporting Actress. Meg wins for Best Picture, which made Avis the first female producer to take home the award. And Camille won for Best Lead Actress, which made her first black woman to win the award. Before the Oscars, she received advice from a fictional Hattie McDaniel (the first actress to win an Oscar for Gone With the Wind) to take her seat in the front row, even if security tells her otherwise. When Camille walked into the venue, before her win, she was told that she would have to sit in the back, but in the end, she pushed past the ushers to take her seat in the front row. The Oscars also marked the first time Archie and Rock went public with their relationship. Rock’s agent told him that he would never work again if he came out as gay, but Rock stood by his values.

Raymond Directs a Gay Love Story

After the success of Meg, Avis becomes the new head of Ace Studios and greenlights Archie’s about a gay love story that starts at the same gas station that he met Rock. (The gas station, where Jack also worked, invited customers who were interested in gigolos to say the password “dreamland,” in which a handsome man would hop in their car and ride with them where ever they wanted to go. Rock was a client of Archie’s, but in the end, the two fell in love.) For the fictional movie, which was titled Dreamland, Rock played the gas station worker while Jack played his client.

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