At The Movies: Illogical twists in Echo Valley, David Cronenberg's daughter debuts with Humane
At The Movies: Illogical twists in Echo Valley, David Cronenberg's daughter debuts with Humane
Echo Valley (M18)
104 minutes, streaming on Apple TV+
★★☆☆☆
The story: Kate (Julianne Moore) is a solitary divorcee running a horse ranch in Echo Valley in America's rural Pennsylvania, where her prodigal daughter Claire (Sydney Sweeney) shows up hysterical late one night with a dead body in her car. She has, she claims, bashed in her boyfriend's (Edmund Donovan) head by accident during a spat.
How far will a parent go to protect her child? To answer the poser in the Apple TV+ thriller Echo Valley, Kate, without hesitation, goes to the local lake and disposes of the corpse.
A drug addict, Claire has furthermore unwittingly tossed out US$10,000 worth of heroin belonging to a dealer (Domhnall Gleeson) among her boyfriend's possessions. Kate, who cannot even afford her roof repair, has to somehow repay him or he will kill them both.
The depressed middle-ager, once married to a lawyer (Kyle MacLachlan), is mourning the death of her wife in a tragic accident. She cannot risk losing Claire too.
And so, it is one bad decision after another.
The same can be said of the story from Mare Of Easttown (2021) series creator Brad Ingelsby, directed by Bafta-winning British film-maker Michael Pearce of Beast (2017).
Beyond plot quirks such as Kate's bisexuality that does nothing to deepen her character, this study on unconditional maternal love takes illogical twists into a third-act crime melodrama once the dealer blackmails her for the murder.
He is a menacing villain. But the central relationship getting sidelined is between the exasperatingly acquiescent Kate and Sweeney's shrill, manipulative Claire, whose emotional betrayal is the most grievous violence.
Hot take: Moore and Sweeney are an intense double act in a movie that does not know what to do with them nor what it wants to be.
Humane (NC16)
93 minutes, streaming on Max
★★★☆☆
(From left) Jay Baruchel, Alanna Bale, Sebastian Chacon, Sirena Gulamgaus and Emily Hampshire in Humane.
PHOTO: MAX
The story: Mere months after an ecological collapse, world leaders are mandating euthanasia either voluntary or by conscription as a means to reduce the population. Those contributing to the planet-saving effort are valorised as 'heroes', and their next-of-kin are rewarded with a substantial payout.
Humane is directed by Canadian photographer Caitlin Cronenberg. Her dad, Canadian auteur David Cronenberg, is the progenitor of body-horror cinema, and her brother is film-maker Brandon Cronenberg of Infinity Pool (2023) and Antiviral (2012).
Nonetheless, her dystopian fable has no bodily mutations. The characters, just the way they are, are the horror in their greed, duplicity and selfishness.
A family dinner in a vaguely North American suburb implodes into a violent fight for survival when the wealthy patriarch's (Peter Gallagher) plan to join the suicide programme goes awry.
A creepily cheery Department of Citizen Strategy representative (Enrico Colantoni) arrives at the manor for the appointed 'cadaver procurement', and the four adult children have two hours to decide whom among themselves to sacrifice before the armed agents do the choosing for them.
The eldest (Jay Baruchel), an anthropologist, is a government propagandist. One sister (Emily Hampshire) is a snippy pharmaceutical executive under investigation for fraud. Another is a talentless actress (Alanna Bale) and the adopted sibling (Sebastian Chacon) is a recovering addict piano virtuoso.
Inside the house over a single night, they turn against one another with every sharp instrument available.
This is Caitlin Cronenberg's feature debut. It shows in the lack of both dramatic depth and visual flair, but the sociopolitical satire on class and privilege is blackly comic.
Hot take: The Cronenberg family business continues to make a killing.
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Straits Times
a day ago
- Straits Times
Altruism or algorithm: The rise of online philanthropy
Canadian content creator Zachery Dereniowski is one of the biggest 'kindness content' creators in the world, raising money through online donations from the public. PHOTO: MDMOTIVATOR/INSTAGRAM SINGAPORE – Wearing a body cam, a man approaches a street artist painting on a pavement. 'Excuse me sir, I'm really hungry. Do you have any food, by chance, or a dollar?' Without hesitation, the painter reaches into his pocket and passes the man a dollar – his last one, as it turns out. Moments later, the man surprises him: 'Jerry, since you were kind to me, I've got $1,000 cash for you.' Overwhelmed, the painter gratefully accepts the money and lets on that he is homeless. The 1 min 35 sec video ends with the caption: 'CrowdFund link in bio.' It is typical of the feel-good content that has made Canadian content creator Zachery Dereniowski – better known by his handle mdmotivator – a viral sensation on social media. In his videos, he often approaches strangers with a simple request, such as a meal or a small sum of money. When they accede to his plea, he flips the script and reveals that he is not actually in need. Instead, he rewards their kindness with a substantial cash gift, typically ranging from US$1,000 (S$1,274) to US$20,000. More often than not, the strangers are usually going through a difficult time. Some are facing eviction, others are battling serious illnesses like cancer. Since 2020, Mr Dereniowski has given out hundreds of thousands of dollars to – among others – small business owners, single mothers and an orphan who lost his entire family in an explosion. With over 19 million followers on TikTok and several million more on other platforms, the 31-year-old is one of the world's biggest 'kindness content' creators, raising money through online donations from the public. Kind and wholesome content Although the internet is often associated with trolls, toxicity and hateful comments, people are turning to social media for something entirely different. Enter 'kindness content' – featuring creators performing spontaneous acts of generosity in public. On TikTok alone, the hashtag #Kindness has racked up over 2.2 million posts, while #SpreadKindness has more than 391,100. According to Google Trends, the word 'wholesome' hit peak popularity in September 2020, right in the thick of pandemic lockdowns when the world was desperately craving feel-good moments. Today, the word has taken on a life of its own in Gen Z lingo, referring to content that is pure, kind and good. Around the same time, a wave of 'core' trends began popping up online, such as cottage core, goblin core and hope core. The idea came from 'hardcore,' but 'core' now refers to the heart of a certain aesthetic or vibe. One of the more touching ones is hope core, which started gaining traction in 2022. It is about restoring faith in humanity through small, meaningful acts. Think handing a stranger a bouquet with a note that says, 'Dear person reading this, the world is a better place with you in it', or complimenting strangers and catching their surprised reaction on camera. One of the genre's most popular creators, MrBeast, with 404 million subscribers, currently has the most-subscribed YouTube channel in the world. The 27-year-old American, whose real name is James Donaldson, is known for videos that test people's limits in exchange for a large cash prize and donating large amounts of money to various needy communities around the world. One video posted in January 2025, titled I Helped 2,000 People Walk Again, shows him giving amputees prosthetic legs that cost between US$5,000 and US$50,000. He sent one amputee home with an additional US$10,000, and another with enough money to cover his daughter's wedding expenses. In another video, Mr Donaldson bankrolls the building of 100 homes in Jamaica. In 2020, he launched Beast Philanthropy, a charity that donates 100 per cent of its revenue generated from content, merchandise sale and brand deals. Its YouTube channel now has more than 28 million subscribers. The MrBeast Effect Singaporean creators have also been jumping on this hope core bandwagon. One of them is Mr Kevin Wee, 30, who posts under the name Radical Kindness and has 66,700 followers on TikTok and more than 9,000 on Instagram. Mr Kevin Wee posts under the name Radical Kindness and has 66,700 followers on TikTok and more than 9,000 on Instagram. ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI 'Singaporeans are kind, and I feel like we just require someone to inspire them to take the first step,' says Mr Wee, who posts a video every day. He experienced depression and mania in his 20s, and once almost took his own life. In November 2023, after resolving to be a positive force in the world, he decided to start his channel, inspired by MrBeast. From giving compliments to strangers on the street to surprising families in need with home makeovers, his content is about uplifting others. In June 2024, he reached into his own pocket and handed $1,000 to migrant workers cleaning up the East Coast Park oil spill. He has also started two fund-raisers to help two families, raising thousands of dollars for an elderly woman's cancer treatment, and a family with young children after the father – the sole breadwinner – was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. 'Some of my videos are spontaneous. I give out money to my followers. I don't really have criteria. For those that I raise funds for, I'll pick and be a bit more selective to ensure that their stories are authentic,' says the entrepreneur, who also runs several businesses including a direct sales company and two training and speaking engagement companies . He adds that he gets a lot of requests from followers to be featured, but will select only those he feels are really struggling. Clinical psychologist Alexandrea Tay notes that those who have faced struggles growing up may have a stronger sense of empathy for those in need, fuelling their desire to give back. 'Individuals may seek to promote the visibility of their charitable acts as a means to reinforce their sense of belonging within a community,' she says. Z, the creator behind SomethingForSomeone (@something4rsomeone), did not have a stable environment growing up. His parents are separated, and he lived with other relatives in overcrowded conditions. The 25-year-old, who is self-employed in the food and beverage industry and did not want to be named, started volunteering as a teenager, but felt like he could do more. He started his kindness content channel in June 2024. It now has more than 2,000 followers on Instagram and 18,400 followers on TikTok. 'I have always believed in helping others, even strangers. Small gestures can go a long way and even things that are non-monetary can help, like words of encouragement and acts of service,' he says. 'I don't care if I'm famous or not, as long as my message goes far.' Z, the creator behind SomethingForSomeone (@something4rsomeone), started his kindness content channel in June 2024. PHOTO: COURTESY OF Z Can watching kindness inspire kindness? A 2020 study published in peer-reviewed journal Psychological Bulletin suggested that kindness can be contagious. After analysing 88 experiments involving over 25,000 participants, researchers found that witnessing an act of kindness – whether in a news story, a social media clip or live on the street – can inspire a person to be altruistic by, for example, comforting someone who is crying, donating to charity, or acting cooperatively in a competitive game. Calling it 'moral elevation', the study's lead researcher, Assistant Professor Haesung Jung from Texas Tech University said: 'People resonate when they watch someone do something good.' That ripple effect was on display after local content creator Z posted videos of himself handing out cold drinks to workers cleaning up the oil spill under the hot sun. Viewers were so moved, they flooded the comments with offers to help. One wrote: 'Bro, create a Telegram group so we can volunteer to help deliver the food and drinks.' Z did just that. Today, the group has grown to 384 members. In it, he shares daily words of encouragement and mobilises support for various causes, from crowdfunding efforts to volunteer drives. Local handyman company Howdyman, for instance, launched an initiative to provide free repair work for low-income families and used Z's group to rally volunteer support. For interior designer Aaron Teo, 29, a chance encounter took his social media content in a new direction. 'I used to run a bar in the west, and I would always come across this man chilling or having a nap outside a minimart. One day, I decided to strike up a conversation with him,' he says. He found out that Mr Rajah, who is in his 60s, was homeless and had trouble securing a job. He decided to help the man and, with his consent, documented their journey on video. 'My purpose in life is to inspire others to lead a meaningful life through exciting experiences and quality relationships. Hence, I did not think too much about why I wanted to make a video,' he says. In the first video dated in September 2023, Mr Teo spoke to Mr Rajah about the latter's difficulty in finding a job, before taking him to a family service centre and treating him to a meal. Besides introducing him to a career coach who has helped set up a job interview, the designer also took his new friend to get his hair washed and bought him new clothes in a follow-up video. The video ends with an uplifting revelation: Mr Rajah has secured a job and will be starting work the next day. The two clips hit more than 390,000 views each, garnering thousands of likes and hundreds of comments, mostly positive. Viewers also asked how they could help Mr Rajah. The episode taught Mr Teo that many Singaporeans are willing to help those in need. Soon after, an online media publication contacted him asking to feature his story, but he declined. 'I did not want others saying that I was doing this to seek attention for myself.' Mr Teo, whose social media posts previously revolved around his hobbies and work as an interior designer, has about 3,000 followers on TikTok and over 1,400 followers on Instagram. During a recent call, he found out that Mr Rajah is still working and now lives in a rented flat. The two plan to catch up soon. Genuine altruism or performative? Still, not everyone views kindness content through rose-tinted glasses. Kindness influencers have their fair share of detractors, with sceptics accusing them of turning goodwill into self-promotion or worse, outright scams. On the subreddit thread r/unpopularopinions, one user wrote of his disdain for kindness content. 'It feels like the main objective is to create something that can go viral, and the fact that someone received support is just the by-product.' In October 2024, a prawn noodle business in Singapore posted a video which featured a man asking a migrant worker for a dollar to take a bus. After the migrant worker hands over the money, he reveals that he does not need it and hands $100 to the worker and a bowl of prawn noodles. Netizens questioned the motive behind the video. On the online forum Reddit, a user wrote: 'Just because the worker is poor, doesn't mean he would be OK to be put up online, for someone's clout. He didn't ask for the money, though he may have appreciated the gesture.' 'If the guy really had an intention to help, he could have just given the money. Why was there a need to record it. Makes me question the so-called intention,' another user wrote. In September 2024, Radical Kindness' Mr Wee made headlines for challenging American streamer and YouTuber IShowSpeed, popularly known as Speed, to a foot race. In a live stream posted on IShowSpeed's channel, he said he would give $10,000 to a charity of Speed's choice if he lost. He did, and was filmed handing the streamer a thick wad of $50 notes. Criticism came in swiftly. In October 2024, a discussion thread criticising Mr Wee was posted on popular Singapore-centric subreddit group, r/SingaporeRaw with the subject heading, 'Controversy over Radical Kindness'. The author of the thread wrote: 'Personally, I don't think it's genuine kindness. I don't see why he has to announce or flex his kind deeds.' Mr Wee is aware of the criticism surrounding his content online. He concedes that he is not a big fan of Speed, but did the challenge to help market his own platform. However, he maintains he has done nothing wrong and is not a hypocrite. He reckons people fall into three camps when it comes to his channel: those who love what he is doing, those who are neutral but a little sceptical, and finally, those who call him an attention seeker. '(Kindness content) might sometimes appear very self-serving. There's a lot of ego involved, and there are questions if these creators are benefiting from their audience. I want to change the narrative,' he says. Mr Wee claims he does not directly profit from his channel. While he's received about $25,000 to date from sponsors, he says the amount was reinvested into creating content and doing giveaways. The influencer readily admits that the version of himself seen on camera is louder and dialled up. And yes, he gives away large sums of money because it grabs attention. But there's a method behind the madness. 'I enjoy telling stories, and media is an amplifier. If I can reach one million people through one video, why would I not do it? I want to inspire more creators to give back,' he says. Ultimately, Mr Wee believes that the positive impact of filming acts of kindness far outweighs the drawbacks. He is confident in his ability to craft content that remains true to his values. 'I think the issue comes in when you lie to your audience about your intentions. I have always been very open about my intentions. I want the influence, I want the attention, because it allows me to expand my media presence and give back more,' he says. Mr Wee has started three more platforms under the 'Radical' brand: Radical Riches, a business media channel; Radical Homes, a furniture retailer that does home makeovers; and Radical Edge, a content training and consulting business. Some of the gifts that Mr Kevin Wee received from his beneficiaries. ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI Z agrees the lack of accountability and transparency surrounding influencers who run crowdfunding efforts can be a thorny issue. In September 2024, he sprang to action after coming across a news article about a Bukit Merah flat fire that left a family with two young children in crisis. The comments were flooded with people asking how to help. 'I just decided to step in, because I don't know who else can be more accountable, since I somewhat have a platform and maybe a following, I believe some people trust me,' he says. A TikTok viewer, who had some information regarding the family, entrusted Z with the address of the family's temporary housing, and Z went over to visit them. He then launched a fund-raising campaign via his platform, sharing his personal PayNow QR code for donations. Within just two days, the campaign raised over $4,000, a testament to the power of stepping in when it matters most, he says. After his crowdfunding effort was reported by media outlet Mothership, he read comments asking 'how can we know you are legitimate?' and netizens warning that Z might be running a scam account. 'It is not surprising, every part of this digital philanthropy will always have some negativity involved, but I know clearly what I am doing, and I just wanted to take the initiative to help out a family, and that is all that matters,' he says. A week later, more than $30,000 had been raised. To maintain transparency, Z compiled a detailed spreadsheet of the donations that were transferred to his personal bank account, and even shared a screen recording of the document and filmed himself handing the money directly to the family's patriarch. 'I did my best to be as transparent as I could,' he says. But what Z did not anticipate was the wave of online backlash the family would face after going public with their situation. They expressed their thanks, but conveyed this issue to him via social service officers, asking that he end the campaign. Z obliged, but the experience gave him pause. 'These are some ripple effects of digital philanthropy,' he muses. 'We may have the best intentions, but there are blind spots we don't always see. Helping isn't always sunshine and rainbows, especially for those on the receiving end.' One beneficiary's take Rina (not her full name) was scrolling through social media when she stumbled upon a post by Mr Wee on Dec 30, 2023: He was giving away $10,000 to 10 people, chosen at random from those who left a comment. The single mother, now 34, did not think twice. With five children between the ages of five and 13 – two of whom have special needs – every little bit helps. 'I just tried my luck. I said: 'I'm a single mother, have five kids and hope I have a chance to win,'' says the account assistant. Before landing her current full-time job in 2022, she had been unemployed for four years. To provide for her family, she occasionally relies on food rations from local charities. 'My salary alone, to be honest, is not enough to cover all the expenses. So that's why I have to continue searching, to see if there are any resources. I cannot always rely on social services because there are limits to how much they can help. If I see giveaways, I would be willing to try,' she says. She did not expect much from Mr Wee, but to her surprise, she was chosen as one of the recipients. He told her he would ask her a few questions on camera and asked her to prepare her answers. When she told him that some of the questions made her uncomfortable, Mr Wee replaced them with others. On the day of the shoot, Rina brought along one of her children. Mr Wee filmed a short video of him giving her the $1,000 and asking her about her life. 'There was nothing I felt pressured to answer, which I really appreciated,' Rina says. Still, she admits she was nervous in the days leading up to the video's release on Jan 19, 2024. It was her first time sharing such personal parts of her life on camera and with the public. 'I was very worried that people would talk negatively about me and judge me as a single mother raising five children when the video was released,' she says. However, her fears were unfounded. 'Some people commented that they also have special needs kids and that it was good for Kevin to help us out,' she says. Opening up about your struggles and asking for help publicly can feel like a blow to one's pride, Rina says. But she also believes that when there are no other options, one should not reject help just to save face. She has also seen the critical comments floating online about Mr Wee. But having experienced his kindness first hand, she stands by him. 'I could tell he was genuinely trying to understand what I was going through,' she says. 'From the very first time we met, he asked thoughtful questions – not just for content, but to really see what kind of help I needed.' Help came when she was at rock bottom In September 2024 , Sarah (not her real name), 38, hit rock bottom. After years of not paying the utility bills for her family's two-room rental flat, there was an outstanding amount of more than $3,000. She was told that if the sum was not settled, the power supply to her flat would be cut off within a week. Her ex-husband had walked out on the family more than five years ago, leaving her to raise five children aged nine to 16. As she suffers from depression, she has been medically unfit to work for the past eight years. To support her family, she relies on family, friends and government subsidies. 'Whatever help that I get is just enough to get by the month,' says Sarah. 'Most of it goes to feeding my kids.' After coming across Z's fund-raiser for the family whose flat was destroyed in a fire, she decided to ask him for help. Z replied within a day. After learning about her financial situation on the phone, he shared her story on his Instagram page. 'I am quite private so I don't really share a lot of things. He actually took all the details needed to make the post. Although I did not want to share my photo, he said he needed it to run the fund-raising campaign. I asked him to blur our faces in the photo, which he did,' says Sarah, adding that she saw his post and was happy with how Z did not exaggerate her family's situation. His post was captioned: 'She is really stressed and overwhelmed with the current situation. Hope we are able to do what we can to help her start anew by clearing the debt... She has agreed for me to collect on her behalf. Please reference 'Sarah'.' He promised that all proceeds would go to the family, and that he would post updates, including the financial accounts. Within a few days, he raised more than $9,000 for her family. Throughout the process, he showed her receipts and screenshots of the donations that had come in during the campaign. With the funds, Sarah paid the outstanding utility bills, cleared a debt owed to a family member, stocked up on essentials to last through the year, and took her children to a rare meal out. 'He's very young, I can see that, but I can tell he is very honest. He's got a lot of experience, through the way he talks, and he understands my situation and he is very sincere about it,' she says, adding that she is grateful for all that he has done for her. They are still in touch, chatting occasionally via TikTok direct messages. Charity is not just a handout Even after running two successful crowdfunding drives, Mr Wee doubts the model's long-term viability. He's seen TikTokers overseas skim 4 to 8 per cent off donations to pay themselves. 'So technically, I can go with that model, but I don't think Singaporeans will be as receptive about that,' he says. 'When you see someone who is helpless, you can't help but feel like you want to empower them. I believe charity is not just a handout, it's a responsibility to empower,' says Mr Wee. Besides providing the people he helps with resources, he connects them with others who can help them, like social workers. 'It's about helping them, in a personal capacity, to stand on their own feet.' In a space where trust is everything, both Mr Wee and Z tread carefully, balancing heart with accountability. They know that in Singapore, good intentions alone are not enough. Transparency matters. So does impact. But at the core of it all is a simple truth: When help is given with sincerity, and received with dignity, even a digital platform can become a lifeline. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
Straits Times
2 days ago
- Straits Times
Wrexham to face Southampton in their first second-tier game for 43 years
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - League One - Wrexham v Charlton Athletic - SToK Racecourse, Wrexham, Britain - April 26, 2025 Actors and Wrexham owners Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds celebrate with the trophy after being promoted to the Championship Action Images via Reuters/Craig Brough/File Photo REUTERS Wrexham to face Southampton in their first second-tier game for 43 years Wrexham's quest to reach the Premier League next year will begin with an away trip to Southampton on August 9 after the English Football League fixtures were released on Thursday. The North Wales club, co-owned by Canadian actor Ryan Reynolds and fellow Hollywood A-lister American Rob McElhenney, will play their first English second-tier game for 43 years. Reynolds said it had felt like an "impossible dream" to get the club to the Premier League, but after three successive promotions they are now just one league away. Wrexham's popularity has sky-rocketed on both sides of the Atlantic due to the North American owners and the smash hit "Welcome to Wrexham" documentary. Their first home match will be against West Bromwich Albion. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Vogue Singapore
4 days ago
- Vogue Singapore
See the most dramatic beauty looks in The Buccaneers Season 2
It's the modern regency romp for the ages. The further into the future we go, the more we can't help but feel nostalgic for an era bygone—especially when it's got some flavourful bits of contemporary energy to it. In recent years, a big slice of popular television has consisted of some juicy historical fiction, and The Buccaneers is no stranger to the avid period drama audience. Especially since the Apple TV+ regency drama—created by Katherine Jakeaways and loosely based on the novel by Edith Wharton—has brought its own feminist flair to the classic period flick ever since it first released in 2023. As much as it's a searing romance, The Buccaneers is also one written for the girls; informed by its female friendships, maternal figures and the telling strength of sisterhood. So there's only joy to be had, with the arrival of its second season this June. Right off the bat, Season 2 picks up right where the first season left us off: Nan's wedding day. Nan (Kristine Froseth) has chosen to walk down the aisle and marry the Duke of Tintagel, Theo (Guy Remmers), despite knowing that her heart really belongs to Guy (Matthew Broome)—but she'll do it all over again if it means saving her sister Jinny (Imogen Waterhouse). The first episode alone is chockfull of dramatic revelations, from Theo's mother, the Dowager Duchess's involvement to truth bombs surrounding the identity of Nell, played by hotly-anticipated newcomer Leighton Meester. To enact these moments to full effect, a theatrical array of hair and make-up looks command the screen; each one carefully conceived to perfection by hair and make-up designer Jenny Rhodes Mclean, be it to signal a fresh season for a character or send a powerful message out into the world. Out of the first episode's breathtaking beauty looks, we simply must discuss Nan's pièce de résistance : where she paints the town red with a crimson train, bold buns, and a final smear of scarlet on her lips. As Conchita says it best, it's a look that's 'changing the conversation'—and we can only expect more from Nan and the rest of the show's radiant cast as the show builds in anticipation. Peruse the most striking beauty looks from The Buccaneers Season 2 so far. Courtesy of Apple TV+ 1 / 7 The mask of a blushing bride Tiara adorned, Nan is crowned the Duchess of Tintagel. Despite the reality of the situation, Nan carries on with poise. Luminous skin, cheeks flushed in pink and a wispy updo that keeps her wits about her—the latter a stark contrast to when she freely wore her hair down throughout most of the first season. Courtesy of Apple TV+ 2 / 7 The black swan If there's one character with a growth arc on the way, it's Aubri Ibrag's Lizzy. Compared to the beachy, nonchalant waves she wears in Season 1, Lizzy is a picture of womanly elegance—as if the girl in the first season has been shed. With hair swept back, glowing skin and a glittering black tiara in tow, she wears her trauma and secrets with newfound sophistication; embracing them, instead of rejecting her shame. Courtesy of Apple TV+ 3 / 7 Spiral attraction This moment feels all the more poignant, as Nan sends her mother, Patti St. George, off on her first day as the new duchess. With eyes of adoration, she looks at her mother, who wears her striking auburn hair in a head of cascading spiral curls. Courtesy of Apple TV+ 4 / 7 Feathered honour The second season also welcomes the progression of its most prominent queer relationship between Mabel Elmsworth (Josie Totah) and Honoria Marable (Mia Threapleton). Whilst they may have left their days of girlhood behind them, the former continues to reject the traditional updo and wears her curls neat but swept up in a more contemporary fashion—accented with a black feathered hairpiece for the sake of an occasion. Courtesy of Apple TV+ 5 / 7 The higher we go Alisha Boe's Conchita too, must evolve amid trying times for her and her husband, Lord Richard Marable. To keep up appearances, she sculpts her mane upwards, whilst her lips are painted with a sheen of plum. Courtesy of Apple TV+ 6 / 7 Hatted poise Newcomer Leighton Meester is introduced as Nell, Patti's long-estranged sister. And she's an absolute gem on screen—long, fluttering lashes, a softly-pinked pout and matted curls kept underneath a jewel-toned hat. Courtesy of Apple TV+ 7 / 7 Paint the town red She's the Duchess—and she's not letting anyone write the narrative for her. To make the headlines and steer the conversation away from the real whereabouts of her sister, Nan decides to step out in a regal scarlet gown and dramatic space buns worn low—whilst her royal tiara is crushed and worn in reverse. But it's the divine match of her scarlet lip that takes the cake (courtesy of Mac Cosmetics, according to Mclean) and births Nan anew.
