The annual showbiz gatefold tableau, an Annie Leibovitz shot of the cream of the film world wearing funny-looking clothes, has finally overcome its past shortcomingsAwards season breaks into a gallop with the first peek at Vanity Fair's Hollywood Issue, second only to the Superbowl as an annual exercise in celebrating rich people in funny-looking clothes. Every March the magazine features a colourfully titled gatefold cover, populated by a group of Hollywood's hottest stars and photographed by Annie Leibovitz. This year's pic features Chiwetel Ejiofor, Idris Elba and Naomie Harris, but it's not just the healthy number of Brits that makes the new cover an oddity compared to most years. It's nothing less than a rebellion against the format."Diversity"There are six black actors on this year's cover. That's a six-fold increase over most years (Will Smith was the only black man on 1996's "Boy's Town" cover, Anthony Mackie the sole non-white face in 2011). Angry fans had started Photoshopping black and hispanic faces over VF's traditionally WASPish brood. So 2014's cover is a giant stride forward for diversity or – at the least – recognition that 2013 was a good year for black talent (Fruitvale Station, 12 Years a Slave, Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom). Funny that they never noticed that in 2005 (Jamie Foxx won an Oscar, Don Cheadle was nominated) or any other year before ...GrinsThree of them here! Potentially more of a surprise than the diversity thing. Nobody smiles on the VF... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'
[ The Guardian | 2014-02-04 00:00:00 UTC ]