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At 81, Martha Stewart Defies All Odds and Lands First Sports Illustrated Swimsuit CoverAnd It's Amazing
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At 81, Martha Stewart Defies All Odds and Lands First Sports Illustrated Swimsuit CoverAnd It's Amazing

Martha Stewart is back in the headlines, this time for landing the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. At 81 years old, Martha Stewart is the oldest person to be featured on the cover by several decades.Stewart may at first glance appear to be an odd choice for Sports Illustrated - after all, the Swimsuit Edition typically features models and athletes. Stewart is the face and mind behind one of the most successful lifestyle brands in the world. Then, of course, there's her advanced age.But featuring Stewart on the cover is just one of many choices made by Swimsuit Issue editor MJ Day to make the magazine more inclusive - and to expand the popular definition of beautiful.Martha Steward on the cover of Sports Illustrated@marthastewart/InstagramWhen you put it that way, Martha Stewart is suddenly an obvious choice for the Swimsuit Issue. She's found success as a TV personality, businesswoman, and author, and reaches 100 million fans every month through Martha Stewart Living Omnemedia. She's massively popular, which will only bring in more potential readers.Stewart also has previous modeling experience. To pay for her education at Columbia University in the late 1950s, she worked as a professional model for Chanel. Since then she's posed for countless photos for her magazines, books, and promotional materials. She also shares selfies and staged photos of herself with her four million Instagram followers.Stewart chose to shoot the cover, in part, to help change the conversation about older women. Oftentimes, women are overlooked by society after they reach a certain age and are no longer deemed desirable. It's a horrible thing to consider, but it does happen more often than we'd like to think. This hasn't been an issue for Stewart, though, who has continued to work into her eighties and remains a wildly popular lifestyle personality. "Usually I’m motivated by pay,” Stewart said in a behind-the-scenes video released by Sports Illustrated. “But this time, I was motivated by showing people that a woman my age can still look good, feel good, be good.""I want other women, especially women to feel that they could also be on the cover of Sports Illustrated,” Stewart continued. “I don’t think about age very much, but I thought that this is kind of historic."The Story of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit IssueThe first Swimsuit Issue of Sports Illustrated came out in 1964. It was originally published in February, which is a slow month for sports reporting. Then editor Andre Laguerre came up with the idea of a swimsuit issue to help fill space in the magazine during the slower winter months. Laguerre assigned Jule Campbell with the task of travelling to a tropical locale and shooting a model in swimwear. Babette March was the first model to appear on the cover, as well as in a five-page layout in the magazine. Campbell was a fashion reporter who got her start at Glamour and quickly became the editor of the Swimsuit Issue. She opted for "bigger and healthier" models and included the models' names alongside their photos. The Swimsuit Issue quickly became a coveted job in the modeling world, and a media sensation in its own right.Throughout the decades, it has become a supermodel rite of passage to land a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue cover. Models like Cheryl Tiegs, Pauline Porizkova, and Heidi Klum have all been photographed on the cover, with models like Cindy Crawford and Naomi Campbell being featured in layouts in the magazine. Tyra Banks made history in 1997 when she became the first Black woman featured on the cover. RELATED: Martha Stewart's Unlikely Best Friend Snoop Dogg Broke All The RulesIn recent years, athletes have also been selected for the Swimsuit Issue, starting with German tennis player Steffi Graff in 1997. Since then athletes like Serena Williams, Anna Kournikova, and Amanda Beard have all been featured in the magazine. UFC fighter Ronda Roussey became the first athlete on the cover in 2016.From the start, the Swimsuit Issue had its share of detractors. Babette March in the first Swimsuit Issue wore a white bikini that looks quite modest by today's standards but was quite risqué for the time. The 1978 cover, which featured Cheryl Tiegs in a fishnet bathing suit, prompted the most subscription cancellations of any issue of Sports Illustrated.The entire concept of the Swimsuit Issue has also been criticized. Sports fans have expressed that the Swimsuit Issue doesn't have a place in a serious sports publication. Since 2007, subscribers have had the option to skip the Swimsuit Issue.Many feminist groups have also posited that the Swimsuit Issue objectifies its subjects and contributed to the commodification of women's bodies for male consumption. The Swimsuit Issue also retouches its photographs, which many believe promotes unrealistic beauty standards.An inclusive view of beauty in Sports Illustrated Martha & Snoop’s Potluck Dinner Party/ IMDBSwimsuit Issue editor MJ Day got her start at Sports Illustrated over twenty years ago sorting bikinis and has worked her way up the ranks. Since she's taken over the Swimsuit Issue, she's been working to make the magazine more inclusive - and possibly more woke.The 2018 edition of the Swimsuit Issue, produced by an all-female crew, placed the #MeToo movement at the forefront of issue. This choice received backlash by many, who thought the magazine was exploiting the movement for profit.Whether you love the Swimsuit Issue or hate it, there's no denying that, under Day's leadership, there has been more diversity in its cover models. According to Day, 2023's cover models were chosen in part for their outspoken strength."While the industry wavers on its arbitrary notion of beauty, our issue has stayed the course, showcasing the women of today, the women shaping the future," Day said in a recent statement. "This year, we’re featuring an extremely diverse group of women starting with our cover models, who are collectively the most unapologetic women from different walks of life who continue to forge their own paths on their own terms."

SHUT UP! Jamie Lee Curtis Wins First Oscar at 64, Proves ‘Aging Gracefully,’ – Absolutely Magnificent
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SHUT UP! Jamie Lee Curtis Wins First Oscar at 64, Proves ‘Aging Gracefully,’ – Absolutely Magnificent

Jamie Lee Curtis proves that age is but a number by winning her very first Oscar for best supporting actress for the film Everything Everywhere All At Once. The Halloween survivor has over 45 years in the business. But while nominated for past Oscars, at the age of 64, this is the first time the star will be taking home an award.When her name was announced, Curtis looked shocked, mouthing, "Shut up!" before accepting her well-deserved award. Curtis speaks openly on the challenges of 'aging gracefully' in an industry that promotes youth. But hey, what does it matter when you can proudly claim roles and awards into your 60s when the usual cutoff age is 35? Curtis is a powerhouse who eschews Hollywood norms and forges her own path, be it acting, writing, or living her life as she sees fit. You'd be hard-pressed to find someone who disliked Jamie Lee Curtis. The actress-turned-inventor-turned-author-turned-actress-again has managed, through her kindness, creativity, and can-do attitude, to win over just about everybody.This is especially impressive as the years have gone by. Hollywood is notoriously hard on actresses as they age - roles start to dry up, and the pressure to remain youthful-looking is crushing.So how has smile-lined, gray-haired Jamie Lee Curtis managed to not only survive, but thrive in Hollywood after decades in the industry? Let's take a look.Jamie Lee Curtis’s Start as the Ultimate Scream QueenHalloween Ends/IMDB Jamie Lee Curtis was born into a showbiz family. Her father was the popular actor Tony Curtis, though according to Curtis he wasn't very involved in her upbringing. She was raised in Southern California by her mother, actress Janet Leigh, and her stepfather.Though Curtis did enroll in college, she eventually dropped out to try and make it as an actress. Her breakout role was that of Laurie Strode in 1978's Halloween, which turned out to be a very successful film franchise, and one in which Curtis would reprise her role many times over.RELATED: Jamie Lee Curtis and Christopher Guest’s Advice For A Successful Relationship Is Just Two Simple WordsCurtis spent the next several years pigeonholed in the horror genre, often playing the part of the infamous final girl - a character that is often the sole survivor in a slasher film. Her films in the early 1980's received mixed reviews by critics and audiences.Curtis became so associated with horror movies that film critic Roger Ebert went so far as to say in his review of 1980's Terror Train, "Curtis is to the current horror film glut what Christopher Lee was to the last one-or Boris Karloff was in the 1930s." As such, Curtis earned the pop culture title of "Scream Queen."But Curtis had more to offer, as she would show directors and audiences later in the decade.How Jamie Lee Curtis Became an Award-Winning ActressBy the mid-1980's, Curtis was looking to expand her career beyond the horror genre. In 1984 she starred alongside Dan Aykroyd and Eddie Murphy in Trading Places. She played a tough, no-nonsense prostitute who takes in Dan Aykroyd's character for a price. The film was a far cry from her usual fare, and won her a British Academy Film Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role.She would be celebrated again later in the decade for her performance in 1989's A Fish Called Wanda. Her starring performance would earn her nominations for a British Academy Film Award, a Golden Globe, and an American Comedy Award.Other standout roles over the years include 1990's Blue Steel, 1994's True Lies, and 2003's Freaky Friday, proving that this Scream Queen could hold her own across genres.Jamie Lee Curtis’s Other Creative PursuitsNot only can Curtis hold her own in the horror, action, and comedy genres, she's also a successful writer. Curtis is the author of thirteen children's books, starting with When I Was Little: A Four-Year Old's Memoir of Her Youth in 1993. Her most recent book, Me, Myselfie & I: A Cautionary Tale, came out in 2018.Curtis also wrote for the Huffington Post from 2011 to 2017. She created her first podcast, Letters from Camp, in 2020. Her second series, Good Friend with Jamie Lee Curtis, came out in 2021.Curtis also held a patent for an invention. In 1987, she designed a diaper that could hold baby wipes, though she never allowed the invention to be marketed.How Jamie Lee Curtis Stands Up for What She Believes InPerfect/IMDBCurtis has always been staunchly outspoken about the causes she believes in, using her wealth and social status to further good causes. One example of this is her continued support of the Jewish community. Though not a practicing Jew herself, Curtis does have Jewish ancestry. Her father, Tony Curtis, was the son of Jewish Hungarian immigrants. Budapest, Hungary is home to the largest synagogue in Europe - The Great Synagogue, which unfortunately suffered some damage during World War II. In the 1990's, Curtis and her father helped finance repairs for The Great Synagogue, as well as for the synagogue in her family's ancestral hometown of Mátészalka, where her ancestors worshipped.RELATED: How Jamie Lee Curtis's Enduring Career Defied All Odds - And One Piece of Advise She Has for WomenMore recently, Curtis has been outspoken in her condemnation of Kanye West's anti-Semitic remarks on Twitter.Curtis is also in the business of helping and supporting women and children, both in Hollywood and beyond. She recently made headlines for her support of Everything Everywhere All At Once co-star Michelle Yeoh at the Golden Globes. In the photo from the night that's gone viral, Curtis is cheering as though her team just won the superbowl.Curtis also famously took a shining to co-star Lindsay Lohan during the filming of Freaky Friday, and has kept in touch with her in the intervening years. Both actresses have expressed their interest in making a sequel movie.Curtis uses her fame to bring attention to the Children Affected by AIDS Foundation, and hosts their annual "Dream Halloween" event. She's also involved with the Children's Hospital Los Angeles.How Jamie Lee Curtis Aged Gracefully in HollywoodHistory of Horror/IMDBAs mentioned above, the pressure placed on women in entertainment to retain their girlish good looks is immense. Plastic surgery is a very common response to that pressure. And who can blame actresses for taking this route? While Hollywood has plenty of roles for aging actors - think of silver fox Richard Gere or action star Tom Cruise - there aren't currently many roles for aging actresses. Plastic surgery has become increasingly normalized in the past couple of decades, and it's unnervingly common to see actresses north of forty suddenly appear with smoother, stretched faces.Curtis herself has succumbed to that same pressure, having tried Botox and liposuction in previous decades. She's expressed regret for these procedures though, citing them as the cause of a Vicodin addiction. (She's been sober for 23 years.)KEEP READING: Jamie Lee Curtis Bravely Reveals Decade-Long Struggle With Opioid Addiction, Shows That Even the Mega Successful Have Painful SecretsSince then, Curtis has opted for an au naturel approach to her looks. She's embraced her gray hair and even appeared in photo shoots without makeup. That isn't to say that she eschews glamour - she made recent headlines for her gorgeous Golden Globes outfit, and has sparked controversy by appearing in February's issue of British Vogue in a cut-out Tom Ford dress.But beyond her age positivity, Jamie Lee Curtis has retained a youthful joy for life. After receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Venice Film Festival in 2021, Curtis said she still felt like "this 14-year-old person just beginning their life. That’s how I wake up every day with that sort of joy and purpose."That joy and purpose comes across in her work, and it's contagious. We can only hope that she's paving the way for younger actresses to age gracefully throughout their careers too.

Brock Purdy: From Mr. Irrelevant to 49ers Quarterback—A Lesson In True Belief 
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Brock Purdy: From Mr. Irrelevant to 49ers Quarterback—A Lesson In True Belief 

It's not every day that the understudy ends up the star of the show, but that's exactly what's happened during this NFL season. Through a series of accidents Brock Purdy, also known as last year's Mr. Irrelevant, has been launched from the third string of the 49ers to their starting quarterback.RELATED: Patriots Player Rescues 71-Year-Old Woman From Vicious AssaultPeople understandably wondered how the 23-year-old would handle his new position on the team, and whether he could perform under pressure. Here's how Brock Purdy went from the 262nd 2022 draft pick to one of the most talked-about athletes in the NFL, all while never doubting himself. Who Is Mr. Irrelevant?@brock.purdy13/InstagramPut simply, "Mr. Irrelevant" is the last college player chosen for the NFL draft each year. In 2022, there were 262 new players drafted into the NFL, Brock Purdy was the 262nd pick, making him the most recent Mr. Irrelevant.The slightly cruel nickname was coined in connection to Irrelevant Week in 1976. Retired NFL receiver Paul Salata, who announced the last draft choice for decades, founded Irrelevant Week. Each year, Mr. Irrelevant is invited to Salata's hometown, Newport Beach, California, for a week. RELATED: 8 Months Ago, He Was A 39-Year-Old DoorDash Driver – Today, He’s A Pro GolferMr. Irrelevant and his family are then treated to a gauntlet of events, such as a regatta, a trip to Disneyland, and a roast. Purdy in particular went sailing and surfing, watched a baseball game, and went on a pub crawl with fans. Irrelevant Week serves as a way to celebrate the player, give the player and his team some publicity, and to raise money for charity.Irrelevant Week comes with enough perks that in 1979, two teams vied for the last pick of the draft. The Los Angeles Rams passed up the second-to-last pick, hoping that the Pittsburgh Steelers would take their place. The Steelers also passed, hoping the Rams would pick. Once they were forced to make their draft picks (the Steelers got the coveted last choice), Salata's Rule was put in place. Now, teams can't pass up their place in draft picks.Typically, Mr. Irrelevant goes on to slowly prove himself over the first few years of his career. No Mr. Irrelevant has risen in the ranks and proved his mettle as quickly as Brock Purdy.Brock Purdy's Early Football CareerPrior to being drafted by the San Francisco 49ers, Brock Purdy had a successful career as a quarterback at the high school and college levels. He attended Perry High School in Gilbert, Arizona, where he was the quarterback of the football team starting in his sophomore year. His younger brother, Chubba, would follow in his footsteps, also becoming a quarterback for Perry High School until he was accepted at Florida State University. His sister Whitney was also a college athlete, playing softball.RELATED: Teen Runner Sacrifices Chances Of Qualifying To Help Carry Competitor Across Finish LineIn 2018, he enrolled at Iowa State University. Purdy started playing on the Iowa State football team as the third string quarterback, behind quarterbacks Kyle Kempt and Zeb Noland. He quickly moved up the ranks when Kempt suffered an injury and Noland failed to perform. All in all, in his freshman year he started eight games for the Iowa State Cyclones.From there, Purdy was the starting quarterback for the team, starting all thirteen games in his sophomore year. In his junior and senior years, Purdy and running back Breece Hall (who now plays for the New York Jets) led the team to record-breaking victories. By graduation, Purdy held 32 school records.Brock Purdy Was Drafted Last and Finished First@brock.purdy13/InstagramDespite his long record of stellar performance, somebody had to be drafted last, and in 2022, it was Brock Purdy. He had a good track record at Iowa State, but many were concerned with his strength and mobility, as well as his height - at 6'1'' he's a few inches shorter than most NFL quarterbacks.Purdy had a good attitude about taking on the name Mr. Irrelevant, saying to NBC Sports, "I didn't care which round or which pick I was, or if I was undrafted. I just wanted to prove to myself that I can play at this level, and I got an opportunity to play for the 49ers, so I'm very thankful."RELATED: NFL Star Inspires Boys Beyond the Football Field, Teaches Us to Use Our Gifts to Help OthersOnce again, Purdy was the third string quarterback, this time behind established quarterbacks Trey Lance and Jimmy Garropolo. In week two of the season, in their game against the Seattle Seahawks, Lance injured his ankle. Garropolo was now starting quarterback, and in October 2022 in their game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Purdy got his first chance to play in the fourth quarter. Then, in their game against the Miami Dolphins, Garropolo hurt his foot. Purdy had to take over mid-game, and was soon after announced as the starting quarterback for the 49ers for the rest of the season.Brock Purdy Doesn't Let Them Get Him Down@brock.purdy13/InstagramIt's quite remarkable to see a 23-year-old in his first professional season lead an NFL team - let alone lead it well - but Brock Purdy is rising to the challenge. Most notably, he led the 49ers to victory against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, making Purdy the only quarterback in his NFL career start to beat Tom Brady.Apparently when Purdy started the season, there weren't high expectations placed on him. He was advised by previous 49ers quarterback Joe Montana to trust in his team and "just [...] be the mailman - give the ball to the guys that can run."RELATED:Roger Federer’s Best Quotes and Most Inspirational MomentsBut according to his teammates, Purdy has taken this opportunity to prove himself and isn't buckling under the pressure. "Being with him in the huddle, he's poised, calm and extremely confident. He's exactly what you would want in a quarterback. No moment is too big for him, and he makes corrections quickly," says 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey.Since Purdy was named the starting quarterback of the team, the 49ers have averaged more points and have continued on an eleven-game winning streak. How Purdy will continue to lead the San Francisco 49ers is yet to be seen. But one thing's for sure: he's risen above his moniker and, in the NFL at least, has become more than relevant.Brock Purdy is the perfect example of never giving up on your dreams and having the utmost belief in yourself. Originally chosen as a last pick, Purdy could have let that rating define him. Instead, he was thankful he could play at all and worked harder than before. Even a little draft couldn't keep him down. So how does he keep it together? " I’m a faith-based guy, so that’s how I stay grounded. I don’t look at football like it’s literally everything. It’s do or die or anything like that....It’s a game and it’s my job for sure and I take it very seriously, but at the end of the day, I know that I’m not defined by the wins or losses as a person."KEEP READING: Gisele Bündchen's Feelings on Tom Brady's Return to Football Reveal the Challenges That Come with a 13-Year Marriage

Diane Kruger Never Wanted Children -But At 43 One "Star" Changed Her Entire Life
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Diane Kruger Never Wanted Children -But At 43 One "Star" Changed Her Entire Life

The choice to become a parent is a difficult one for many women, often requiring mothers to make sacrifices in their personal and professional lives. This is especially true for high-achieving women, whose careers are still on the rise during the typical "child-bearing" years.RELATED: Meet Elon Musk’s Children: His Odd But Uplifting Reason for Having 10 KidsDiane Kruger was child-free during her twenty and thirties, leading her to believe that she just wasn't destined to be a mother. Since becoming a parent in her forties, she's reported that she couldn't have guessed that her life would go in this unexpected yet wonderful direction.How Diane Kruger Got Her Start in HollywoodDiane Kruger in Troy (2004)With a face like hers, it's hardly surprising that Diane Kruger got her start in modeling in Europe. She grew up in the small German town of Algermissen, where she walked her pet rabbit on a leash and was ostracized by her peers for studying ballet. It was an early dream of Kruger's to one day become a ballerina, but she was forced to change her goals following a knee injury. While still in her teens in 1993, Kruger turned to modeling, participating in the Elite Model Look: an international modeling event in which aspiring models compete to represent their home countries. Kruger represented Germany, then headed to Paris to start her modeling career in earnest.RELATED: Betty White Revealed Why She Never Had Kids – And It’s an Important Lesson for EveryoneDespite not speaking French before arriving, her time in Paris was extremely successful. She quickly landed the cover of Vogue Paris and was in print campaigns for fashion houses like Yves Saint Laurent, Chanel, Giorgio Armani, and Christian Dior. She developed a working relationship with Chanel's creative director, Karl Lagerfeld, and would go on to be an ambassador for the brand. Kruger would find success in print and on the runway, but she aspired to more. In her early twenties, she decided to try acting. She got her big break playing Helen of Troy in 2004's Troy, starring Brad Pitt. Three thousand other actresses auditioned for the role."I mean, Helen of Troy obviously was based on the way I looked," Kruger told Tatler. "But I don’t think they could have given it to any model, right? They wouldn’t have given it to me if I didn’t have at least a little bit of talent."Troy was famously lambasted critics, which prompted Kruger to focus on European cinema for a while. She's been known to perform in an impressive three languages: English, French, and her native German. She eventually returned to Hollywood, most notably in the role of Bridget Von Hammersmark in Quentin Tarantino's Inglorious Basterds. Diane Kruger's Complicated Relationship with MotherhoodDian Kruger in The 355 (2022)Throughout her early career, Kruger didn't want to start a family. After all, having children is very demanding, particularly on mothers. And oftentimes, the period of life in which women are expected to have children - in their twenties and thirties - is the same period of life in which women are still establishing their careers. With such a demanding yet successful career requiring travel and working long hours, who can blame Kruger for not wanting kids yet?"I didn't want children for a long time. I really liked my life the way it was," Kruger told Tatler.During this time, Kruger also didn't have a stable long-term relationship. Her marriage to French director Guillaume Canet ended in divorce after five years, and her relationship with Joshua Jackson led to a huge influx of attention from the paparazzi and the relationship ended in her late thirties. RELATED: How Fergie Redefines Motherhood by Challenging All Expectations For Older WomenBy her forties, Kruger had made peace with the fact that she would probably remain child-free."In my late thirties, I was starting to think about it but I wasn’t in a place in my relationship at the time – or whatever – where that was going to be a possibility and so I had kind of given up hope and I thought it was just too late. And I was OK with that."Of course, that all changed at the age of 43, when she had a baby girl named Nova (“Nova in Latin means new beginning, and a nova star keeps changing and is reborn.") with fiancé Norman Reedus.How Diane Kruger Balances Family Life and a Demanding CareerCourtesy @dianekrugerBoth Kruger and Reedus continue to have demanding careers. Reedus is on The Walking Dead and acts in other projects on the side; Kruger continues to appear on the big and small screen. What's changed is that she's become more discerning about the roles she accepts since she has a toddler in tow.Kruger felt like an outsider throughout much of her childhood. She had an odd name ("Diane" being unusual in Germany) and odd interests (the aforementioned ballet and pet bunny). On top of this, Kruger couldn't invite other kids over to her house because of her father's alcoholism. RELATED: Why Diane Keaton Never Married but Chose to Raise Two Children Alone at 50Because of her upbringing, Kruger works hard to make sure Nova feels a sense of belonging wherever she goes - which, given her parents' jobs, is all over the world."We teach [Nova] that she is at home in the world, that we have friends all over the world [and] that we really don’t have to miss people because we’re just going to go for a little bit and then come back," Kruger told Tatler. "We’re very lucky to have homes in different places."Kruger and Reedus are incredibly protective of Nova. They have never publicly shared photos that show their daughter's face and until fairly recently, had even kept her name a secret.Nova is enrolled in the Montessori school system, so wherever she travels, she's put in school.What’s Next for Diane KrugerDiane Kruger and Josh Hartnett in Wicker Park (2004)Kruger continues to be in high demand, apparently reading ten to fifteen scripts per week. She's been cast as Marlene Dietrich in a new miniseries about the famous German actress and is an executive producer on the project.RELATED: Elton John and David Furnish Prove the Secret to Surviving Marriage, Children and Life under a MicroscopeKruger also uses her fame to bring attention to important issues: gun control in the United States, and the pay gap between actors and actresses in the industry. And, of course, she's continuing on the new path of motherhood."The arrival of Nova has changed my life – our lives – in the best possible way. It’s just amazing that you thought you were one thing but you’re meant to do something completely different."Kruger sets the example that life doesn't have to be dictated by age. Thoughts, passions, and goals can easily change from day to day, hour to hour or even decade to decade. We don't have to be locked into who we were at any set point of our life. Wonderful changes can come about at the wildest of times. KEEP READING: How Diane Kruger Learned To Make The Right Relationship Decisions - Not the Easy Ones

How Brendan Fraser Helped Dwayne Johnson Land His First Role - Yes, Nice Guys Can Finish First 
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How Brendan Fraser Helped Dwayne Johnson Land His First Role - Yes, Nice Guys Can Finish First 

It's hard to remember a time when Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson wasn't one of the biggest names in Hollywood. He is, after all, a surprisingly versatile performer, able to carry comedies, action films, and even a Disney musical adventure. Younger fans may not even be aware that he was a wrestler in the WWE - despite the fact that he continued wrestling until 2019.RELATED: Dwayne ‘the Rock’ Johnson Turns Down People’s Choice Award – What He Does Next Is UnexpectedThe jump from sports to acting is a difficult one, with many aspiring performers being known for only a handful of campy performances. It's no surprise that Johnson faced an uphill battle performing in his first film role as the Scorpion King in The Mummy Returns. Fellow The Mummy Returns alum Brendan Fraser also faced an uphill battle during this year's comeback performance in Darren Aronofsky's The Whale. Following its release in the film festival circuit, Johnson recalled Fraser's support during a pivotal moment in his acting career and voiced his own well wishes for Fraser in this upcoming awards season.How Dwayne Johnson Became 'The Rock'Dwayne Johnson has been in the public eye long enough that there are generations of his fans who don't remember his career as one of the most successful wrestlers in the WWE. But only die-hard fans will know that Johnson's athletic career actually started with high school football.Before joining Freedom High School's football and wrestling teams, Johnson had a hard time as a teen. Johnson said he was often involved in petty crime and fights during this time. It was a football coach in the eleventh grade who motivated him to turn his life around. He soon became one of the strongest players on both the wrestling and football teams. It wasn't long before NCAA Division 1 college football programs began to take notice.RELATED: Dwayne Johnson's Most Inspiration Quotes about Success for When You Hit Rock BottomThe University of Miami offered Johnson an athletic scholarship, which he accepted, vying to be eventually drafted in the NHL. But it just wasn't meant to be; he spent most of his college football career in the shadow of more prominent players and was overlooked in the 1995 NFL Draft. He did sign with Calgary Stampeders, in the CFL, but was quickly cut from the team.With his football career struggling to take off, Johnson turned to his other talent: wrestling. He had an in - his father, professional wrestler Rocky Johnson. With his father's help he landed a wrestling contract within a year of graduating college. He found great success performing as a charming trash-talker during the WWE's Attitude Era. Throughout his wrestling career, from which he only officially retired in 2019, he was a ten-time world champion.How Brendan Fraser Helped Dwayne Johnson Get His Acting BreakFans of the WWE already knew Johnson was a charismatic performer by the time he acted in 2001's The Mummy Returns as the antagonistic Scorpion King. Many athletes have tried to make the jump from sports to acting, with varying levels of success. As Johnson recounts it, Brendan Fraser's support behind the scenes helped him nab the role.At the time, Fraser was at the height of his career as an actor. He was reprising his most successful role as Rick O'Connell from 1999's The Mummy and, according to Johnson, he held a lot of sway in the making of the sequel.RELATED: Why John Legend and Chrissy Teigen’s Relationship Offers An Incredible Lesson in Trust and Support"The Mummy Returns, that was Brendan's movie. He had to okay it," Johnson told MTV News. "He had no idea. We had never met. We had never even spoken on the phone. And the word that I got from our director Stephen Sommers was, 'Brendan loves this idea and is so happy you're in the movie.""I'd just come from WWE. I had no acting experience except in the WWE. I had never been on a movie set before ever and, all of a sudden, I'm in the middle of the Sahara Desert making The Mummy Returns," Johnson recalled. "And I get that kind of nod of acceptance from the star of the movie, it really meant a lot to me. So many years later, I never forgot it."Johnson's performance in The Mummy Returns led to him starring in the prequel The Scorpion King. His acting career has only gone uphill from there.Dwayne Johnson's Support of Brendan Fraser's ComebackBrendan Fraser in The Whale (2022)Fraser recently recalled that, despite voicing his support for Johnson, the two didn't actually meet during the filming of The Mummy Returns. Johnson only performed in a prologue to the film - the rest of the Scorpion King's appearance in the film was made possible through CGI."The first time I met him was at the reception after The Mummy Returns," Fraser told Variety. We hadn't met in person before then, actually, although we were fighting onscreen. But every time I 'worked with him' he was just a piece of tape on a stick. So it was nice to go, 'Hey, man. How are ya? We finally meet!'RELATED: Andy Samberg Supports Terry Crews, Calls Him a ‘Miracle’ for Speaking Out on Assault and Shows Power of EncouragementSince then, Johnson has become one of Hollywood's most successful and popular actors, while Fraser has struggled in his professional and personal life. But Fraser has been making a tremendous comeback, receiving standing ovations and awards nominations for his starring role in Darren Aronofsky's The Whale. It's given Fraser's career the boost it needed, and given Johnson a chance to pay back his early supporter.Sharing a video of the ten-minute standing ovation Fraser received at the Venice Film Festival, Johnson tweeted, "Man this makes me so happy to see this beautiful ovation for Brendan. He supported me coming into his Mummy Returns franchise for my first ever role, which kicked off my Hollywood career. Rooting for all your success brother and congrats to my bud Darren Aronofsky." Brendan Fraser Proves Being the Nice Guy Pays OffJohnson went a step further in an interview with MTV News for Black Adam, saying, "I want him to go all the way, man. I wanna see him on that Oscar stage, and hold that sucker up, and deliver, I'm sure, what will be an amazing speech."It remains unknown whether or not Fraser will receive an Oscar nod for The Whale, but he seems to have a good chance, having already received other awards and nominations. Fraser has heard Johnson's support, saying that it "was really nice of him," in an interview with Variety.It can be easy to forget that others need our help and support, especially when we're busy with our own careers. Support can come in all forms. To look outside of ourselves and lend a helping hand to someone starting out or attempting to make a leap into a new profession is one of the nicest and most appreciated acts one can do. KEEP READING: Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson's Inspirational Message To His Fans

Catherine Zeta-Jones' Has It All - But After 22-Years of Marriage She's in “Thankful Mode’ For One Simple Reason
Celebrities

Catherine Zeta-Jones' Has It All - But After 22-Years of Marriage She's in “Thankful Mode’ For One Simple Reason

Thursday was Thanksgiving, a time when families get together to chow down and reflect on what they're grateful for in life. Celebrities and laypeople alike are taking to social media to express their gratitude this holiday season - including an emotional post from Wednesday cast member Catherine Zeta-Jones.RELATED: Adam Sandler Insists “Nobody Wants to Hear About My Secret to Marriage,” But He Is Dead WrongAt 53, Catherine Zeta-Jones maintains the most glamorous woman in Hollywood crown with little effort. Her Instagram post this Thursday was an inside look into the Zeta-Jones-Douglas home, and a reminder that even celebrities who seem to have it all value the priceless things in life.Catherine Zeta-Jones Stars As Morticia Adams in Tim Burton's WednesdayCatherine Zeta-Jones and Luis Guzmán in Wednesday (2022) Morticia Addams has been an iconic character since her earliest iteration in Charles Addams's comic series. She's been interpreted since. in live action and animated adaptations, by talented actresses like Carolyn Jones, Angelica Houston and Charlize Theron. Now Catherine Zeta-Jones is putting her own spin on everyone's favourite gothic matriarch.Some fans were surprised at Wednesday's casting of Gomez and Morticia Addams. In this version of the story, Gomez is played by Luis Guzmán - a wonderful actor who perhaps doesn't look like the Gomez Addams in most people's minds, and is certainly an odd choice visually to play opposite Zeta-Jones.RELATED: The Simple Secrets to Felicity Huffman and William H. Macy’s 25-Year “Fairytale Marriage”This was intentional on the part of director Tim Burton. In the original comics, Gomez and Morticia are a contrasting pair. Morticia is very tall and slender, while Gomez is shorter with an almost piggish face. Many versions of the Addams Family have opted to ignore this, making Gomez more suave-looking to balance Morticia. Raul Julia's performance opposite Angelica Houston in the 1990s is an example of this. Burton wanted to capture that original mismatched feeling in the casting, accentuating how odd of a couple Gomez and Morticia really are."We were going back to the drawings in the sense that they're a beautifully mismatched couple who are in love," Burton explained. "That's what I loved about it. They're such a striking, mismatched pair."It's also refreshing to see Gomez played by a Latino actor, which isn't always the case.What Catherine Zeta-Jones Is Thankful for This ThanksgivingBeyond her career success, Zeta-Jones has a lot to be thankful for this holiday season. The actress took to her @catherinezetajones Instagram to reflect on all of the good things in her life - things that we can all relate to.In her post, which included photos of her family, Zeta-Jones wrote, "Happy Thanksgiving to Americans near and far. With work commitments this year we are not in turkey mode, but in serious thankful mode for the blessings of health, happiness and family. Love to you all.RELATED: Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward’s 50-Year Marriage Was Based on Four Words – Two You Wouldn’t SuspectIt isn't surprising that Zeta-Jones is grateful for health, happiness and family. Her marriage to Michael Douglas hasn't always been a smooth one. Douglas has also battled cancer in the past, so it's good to hear that everyone is healthy.Catherine Zeta-Jones’s 22-Year Marriage to Michael DouglasMichael Douglas's interest in Catherine Zeta-Jones first started when he saw her in 1998's The Mask of Zorro. Douglas was a bit too intense during their first date, going so far as to say that he would be the father of her children. This caused Zeta-Jones to end the date.But, as Zeta-Jones would concede in a People interview, he was right. By November 2000, they were married with a son. The wedding took place at the Plaza Hotel in New York City and included a star-studded guestlist, with Tom Hanks, Whoopi Goldberg, and Brad Pitt in attendance among others. In 2003, they had their second child, a daughter.RELATED: Kaley Cuoco Has Sworn off Marriage for Good – Why That’s a Great ThingIn 2010, Douglas as a tumour on his tongue and was diagnosed with throat cancer. He underwent chemotherapy and radiation to treat it. Zeta-Jones said the hardest part of Douglas's battle wit cancer was seeing her usually-energetic husband become perpetually tired. Luckily, by 2011, he was cancer-free.The couple separated in 2013, citing the stresses of Douglas's cancer and Zeta-Jones's bipolar II disorder as causes for the split. Within the year they were attending events together again, and by 2015 Douglas was telling interviewers that they were "back stronger than ever."Learning From Catherine Zeta-Jones This ThanksgivingWe can all learn from Zeta-Jones's Instagram post this week. From the outside, at least, Zeta-Jones seems to be living a glitzy life. She's a movie star, married to another movie star, who attends glamorous events and can afford property in New York City. RELATED: Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick’s Advice to a Lasting Marriage Is One Very Simple ‘Secret’In a highly competitive industry, she's managed to rise to the top and become a household name. She plays iconic characters like Morticia Addams and Chicago's Velma Kelly. By our society's standards, she's an extremely successful and talented woman.And yet when she listed all the things she's grateful for this year, she didn't mention her career or her success. Perhaps this was in an attempt to avoid looking braggy, but it's probably deeper than that.At the end of the day, Zeta-Jones suffers from bipolar disorder, has a husband who has survived cancer and is a mother of two accomplished and happy children. When the camera stops rolling and the makeup comes off, what really matters? "Health, happiness and family."KEEP READING: Brendan Fraser Steps Out With New Girlfriend – Proves It’s Never Too Late to Bounce Back in Life and Love

What Drew Barrymore’s Surprising Post-Divorce Celibacy Can Teach Us About Love
Celebrities

What Drew Barrymore’s Surprising Post-Divorce Celibacy Can Teach Us About Love

Drew Barrymore recently opened up about her current love life - or lack thereof. The Charlie's Angels star revealed that she's been celibate since divorcing the father of her children in 2016. In the October 16 blog post, she detailed the thought process behind her decision. RELATED: Kaley Cuoco Has Sworn off Marriage for Good – Why That’s a Great ThingThis is the first time Barrymore has chosen to be intentionally single and to focus on herself - a decision, it seems, that is only doing her good.Drew Barrymore's Early Life and Career Drew Barrymore comes from an acting family. Her godfather is none other than Steven Spielberg and one of her godmothers is Sophia Loren. Her background, combined with her natural charm, made it almost inevitable that she would find success in the acting industry.She landed her first acting gig at eleven months old - a dog food commercial - but had her first breakout role as Gertie in 1982's E.T.: The Extraterrestrial. Barrymore was only seven years old when the film came out. She would continue to act throughout her life, wracking up award nominations and positive reviews.RELATED: Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick’s Advice to a Lasting Marriage Is One Very Simple ‘Secret’The Drew Barrymore Show host is only 47, but she's lived a lot of life in that time. She's been very vocal about her early life as a child star and her precocious proclivity for partying, drinking, and using drugs. Her party-girl lifestyle as a young girl received a lot of press attention, and by the age of thirteen, she was sent to rehab for the first time. She ended up back in rehab the next year following a suicide attempt. By age fifteen, she was legally emancipated.Drew Barrymore's Search for LoveIn 1991, at the age of sixteen, Barrymore was engaged for the first time, to Leland Hayward III. The couple would break up a few months into their engagement.At the age of seventeen, Barrymore announced her second engagement - this time to actor Jamie Walters. The couple did a nude photoshoot for Interview magazine to mark the occasion; they would go on to break up the next year. Reflecting on her early experiences with love and dating on her blog, Barrymore writes, "At nearly 48 I have very different feelings about intimacy than I did growing up. I did not have role model parents and I engaged with people in grown up ways since a tender age! I was looking for companionship! validation! excitement! pleasure! hedonism! fun! And adventures!!"RELATED: Drew Barrymore's Reaction to Being Cheated On Will Empower YouBarrymore seems to have been a serial monogamist from her late teens until 2016. Her first marriage was in 1994 to bar owner Jeremy Thomas. The marriage lasted for two months, at which point Barrymore filed for divorce. Her second marriage, to Tom Green in 2001, was also quite short - Green would file for divorce by the end of the year.Barrymore continued to date through the early 2000's, only marrying again in 2012. She and husband Will Kopelman have two daughters together: Olive, born in 2012, and Frankie, born in 2014. But this marriage wasn't meant to last either. Barrymore officially filed for divorced in July of 2016; the divorce was finalized one month later. Since then... nothing. For the first time since her adolescence, Barrymore has been single (and, as she put it, celibate) for just over six years. In that time, Barrymore has been working on herself and her assumptions about love - and what she's figured out could be a lesson to the rest of us.Drew Barrymore's Recent Lessons on LoveAs mentioned above, in her youth Barrymore used romantic relationships to fill a lot of holes in her life. Most notably, she used them to find validation and fun in her life. But these things can be found elsewhere - as Barrymore is learning, they can even be found in the self."I am lucky enough to have my cup runneth over in the love department: I have my two daughters, and for the first time ever in my life, I’m actually including self-love, too," Barrymore wrote in her blog post.RELATED: Kaley Cuoco Shows Us the Emotional Reality of Finding Love After DivorceShe also expressed a bit of regret for the way she was raised and how she approached sex and love as a young woman. "I wish I had been taught by my mother or my father or my friends that there is age appropriateness business and that there is a way to become a classy young woman! There are things that are fun but also boundaries that can lead to tremendous self-respect. When you are selective and you look at sex as an expression of love and not love itself…well, I’m so glad to be here now in my life."For the first time, Barrymore isn't focused on a romantic relationship. Instead, she's working on self-growth and being the best mom she can be. It's a good look on her, and will no doubt lead her to new heights of self-growth and healing.The main lessons learned are that sex can be an expression of love, not love itself, and that love comes from many places in this life. These are nuggets of wisdom that we can all get behind.KEEP READING: Why Drew Barrymore's Raw Revelation About Divorce Shaming Will Empower You

Snoop Dogg Has Launched an Educational YouTube Channel for Kids - It Might Leave You Speechless
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Snoop Dogg Has Launched an Educational YouTube Channel for Kids - It Might Leave You Speechless

Snoop Dogg has always been an out-of-the-box thinker. The rapper has never been afraid to undertake interesting new projects, including acting, collaborating with Martha Stewart, and releasing his own cereal. RELATED: The Truth Behind Snoop Dogg and David Beckham’s Unlikely FriendshipHe's also known for giving back to the community; he's the founder of the Snoop Youth Football League and now he's co-created an educational program for young kids.Snoop Dogg’s New YouTube Channel for KidsThe new YouTube series, called, Doggyland: Kids Songs & Nursery Rhymes, is aimed at toddlers and preschoolers. The show aims to teach kids important lessons - everything from letters and numbers to the importance of diversity and inclusion. The show uses rapping, nursery rhymes, and TikTok-esque dance choreography to engage kids and encourage them to get up and move to the music.The 3D-animated show stars Snoop Dogg at Bow Wizzle, a mentor figure who teaches the rest of the cast life lessons. Each character has their own distinct look, shape, and color scheme to help celebrate diversity. All of the characters, unsurprisingly, are dogs. I’ve always wanted to create a kid-friendly series that lets kids be kids and is truly representative of the culture with everything from the music to the characters," Snoop Dogg explained in a recent press release. Snoop Dogg also explained the importance of creating the series for YouTube and YouTube Kids. "As a father, grandfather and longtime youth football coach, it's always been important to me to build positive and educational environments for all children," Snoop Dogg said. "We wanted to bring our show to YouTube and YouTube Kids which provides free access to everyone, so all the kids can enjoy it."RELATED: How to Start a Successful YouTube Channel in this Day and AgeSnoop Dogg is collaborating with Emmy nominee Claude Brooks on the project. "When I started to build my team, it was only right to partner with Claude, who created the iconic series, Hip Hop Harry, which built the blueprint to diverse kids programming, and October London, a talented singer and writer.""Snoop and I are excited to make an animated children's show that's musically based and promotes social, emotional and cognitive learning in an innovative way that both kids and parents alike will be learning together," said Claude Brooks in the press release. "I'm a father of a 7yr old daughter and one of the things we are most proud of is having age appropriate songs about 'Being Different', 'Not Being A Bully', 'Good Manners' and one of my personal favorites, 'Affirmations,'" Brooks continued. "These kinds of songs will hopefully lead to meaningful conversations and help everyone be the best they can be."How Snoop Dogg Is Using His Fame to Give Back Snoop Dogg has made a habit over the years of giving back to the community and creating opportunities for young people. The Snoop Youth Football League was founded in 2005 with the goal of creating space for inner-city kids to play football and cheer. Since then, some of the kids involved in the SYFL have even gone on to the NFL.RELATED: Martha Stewart’s Unlikely Best Friend Snoop Dogg Broke All the RulesIn his acceptance speech after receiving his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, after thanking everyone who helped him succeed, Snoop Dogg thanks himself - in part for "always being a giver, and trying to give more than I receive." He's used his musical talent and his fame to try and improve the lives of children in the U.S. and beyond. Through his example, we can all learn something: to use whatever gifts we have to make the world just a little bit better.KEEP READING: The Truth Behind Snoop Dogg and David Beckham's Unlikely Friendship

Chris Evans Reacted to Captain America’s Virginity Reveal - Why Is It Such a Big Deal?
Pop Culture

Chris Evans Reacted to Captain America’s Virginity Reveal - Why Is It Such a Big Deal?

Marvel's She Hulk: Attorney at Law made waves beginning with its Disney+ premiere's running gag about the likelihood of Captain America's virginity. Yes, title character Jennifer Walters is absolutely fixated with the question of whether Steve Rogers ever had sex.RELATED: She-Hulk's Sexual Liberation Is Crucial for Marvel and Disney+The joke builds to a payoff that expands our knowledge of Captain America, and adds another detail to Marvel Cinematic Universe. But all of this (humorous) fuss about virginity raises the question: Why is it a big deal if Captain America is a virgin?The Question of Captain America's Virginity Predates She-HulkCaptain America: The First AvengerThe conversation surrounding Captain America's virginity is hardly a new one. Fans have wondered since the 2011 release of Captain America: The First Avenger whether Steve Rogers ever had the time, or chance, to dance the horizontal mambo. Actor Chris Evans himself even speculated on the subject as far back as 2014, during the production of Avengers: Age of Ultron."He's probably a virgin," he told Entertainment Weekly. "He's probably a virgin! I don’t know when it would've happened."RELATED: She-Hulk's Review-Bombing Exposes One Crucial Detail About Marvel Shows - And It Might Make You AngryWhen the writer noted that Captain America could have been presented with an opportunity during a USO tour, Evans conceded, "He was on tour. Maybe, that's true. Maybe one of those [dancing] girls blew his mind. He's probably just a good guy. He was probably holding out for Peggy Carter and he's probably a little more old-fashioned in that sense."However, She-Hulk protagonist Jennifer Walters (Tatiana Maslany), isn't so convinced. In a flashback in the premiere episode, she needles her cousin, Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo) for information about his Avengers teammate's sex life.“Steve Rogers did not have a girlfriend before he went into the service,” Jennifer observes. "So he becomes Captain America, and from that moment on he's a symbol of America. He is rushed to the front lines, he becomes a war hero, then he is frozen in ice. Based on everything you've told me, after he gets unfrozen, he goes from world-threatening disaster to world-threatening disaster. That's when he's not a fugitive from the law. So it seems like he was pretty, pretty busy … Obviously, Captain America was a virgin!"Bruce is clearly uncomfortable with the topic of Captain America's virginity, as anyone might be while discussing a colleague's bedroom activity (or lack thereof). However, he finally gives Jennifer a straight episode by the end of the episode: "Steve Rogers is not a virgin. He lost his virginity to a girl in 1943 on the USO tour.""I knew it! Captain America fuc—!" Jennifer cheers, only to be interrupted mid-sentence.Chris Evans Reacts to Captain America's Virginity RevelationTatiana Maslany as Jennifer Walters and Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner in She-Hulk: Attorney at LawIt might seem like an odd choice for the Disney+ series to showcase speculation about Captain America's virginity. But She-Hulk showrunner Jessica Gao revealed there originally was going to be a lot of more of it in the series."It used to just be a running joke, that it’s going to be a lifelong obsession for Jen, that this is the one thing that keeps her awake at night,” she told Entertainment Tonight. “It actually used to be in the show a lot more, where in every episode there would be some little reminder, like you’d see that her search history was this, and she was always in asides talking to other characters where everybody’s reaction was like, ‘She’s talking about this again.'"RELATED: How Marvel's Most Inspirational Captain America Quotes Can Help You Save the WorldEvans reacted to the new revelation by tweeting three laugh-crying faces and a zipped-lip emoji. Mark Ruffalo responded with his own tweet: "Sorry bro. It was under extreme duress."Apparently, Evans wasn't informed the information was going to be revealed. As Ruffalo explained to Entertainment Weekly, "I laughed my ass off. I’m like, ‘Does someone need to talk to Captain America about this?’ I haven’t. I was afraid he was going to have it cut. Too late now, buddy. The cat’s out of the bag."The entire gag was, no doubt, a way to lampshade something fans have been wondering for years. But it also raises an important question: What's with our culture's outdated obsession with virginity?What Is Virginity, Anyway?Greek goddess Artemis, often described as a virgin goddessVirginity as a concept is pretty messy. It goes as far back as ancient Greece, where virgin simply meant an unmarried female-presenting person or goddess. In its classical definition, a woman didn't need to be chaste to be a virgin, and a man couldn't be a virgin at all.RELATED: Marvel’s Most Inspirational Spider-Man Quotes that Give Power to Your ResponsibilityThe typical modern definition of a virgin is a person, of any gender, who has never had sexual intercourse. But what counts as sex? For heterosexual couples, anything short of penetrative sex isn't likely to be consider "real" sex. But in queer culture, a whole variety of activities fall under the umbrella of sex. So, two people could engage in the same activities, and one could be considered a virgin and the other not, depending on their identity and who they're with. A person's virginity, then, is in the eye of the beholder, which is just plain weird.Virginity in Pop Culture, From Hocus Pocus to TwilightOmri Katz as Max Dennison in Hocus PocusThere's a gross double-standard when it comes to virginity. Female-presenting people are still celebrated -- even fetishized -- for remaining virginal. Our culture has idealized the idea of the "pure" woman who saves herself for Mr. Right. (Never mind that many women are not interested in finding the "right" man, or any man at all.) We see this everywhere, from franchises like Twilight and Fifty Shades of Grey all the way to young women, in the real world, successfully auctioning off their virginity to the highest bidder. It seems like our culture hasn't evolved past the archaic obsession with female purity.RELATED: Twilight's Relationships Were Way More Toxic Than You RememberMeanwhile, there's pressure for male-presenting people to be experienced in bed from a young age. It's reached the point that being a male virgin past a certain point in adolescence is often viewed as embarrassing or shameful. Movies like The 40-Year-Old Virgin make laughing at male virgins the main event. But the object of ridicule doesn't have to have even reached adulthood. Disney fans will remember Hocus Pocus, in which the 15-year-old protagonist's virginity is not just a plot point, it's a running joke. It could be argued that Jennifer Walters speculating about Captain America's virginity is somewhat subversive. After all, it's a female character obsessing over a man's sexuality, and not the other way around. And making the franchise's symbol of masculinity relatively chaste is a refreshing departure. But so what if She-Hulk revealed that Captain America had been a virgin? Virginity is hardly the symbol of inexperience and naivety that our culture makes it out to be. It simply means that someone hasn't slept with anyone yet. Making Steve Rogers a virgin would have sent powerful messages about male sexuality: that it's OK to wait, that manliness is not defined by the notches in one's bedpost, and that inexperience in one aspect of life doesn't equate to inexperience in others. KEEP READING: Marvel Movies Teach a Difficult Lesson About Modern Manhood