The August Digest
I’m kind of a busybody. It maybe (definitely) stems from the actor in me, but I’m always desperate to know what people are reading, watching, listening to - any kind of creative consumption is up for grabs (and what that reveals about the person consuming it). I want to know everyone’s holy trinity: favorite book, film, television show. My camera roll is filled with screenshots of Instagram book recommendations, and I live for the New York Times’ annual book list. Tell me the last film that left you speechless, the book you can’t stop thinking about, the TV show you’re so hopelessly in love with that you want to crawl inside the screen and live there forever.
I’m an insatiable vulture for inhaling as many art form variations as possible. There’s a scene in Gilmore Girls, which I can’t find the direct quote for and would butcher otherwise, where Rory has a meltdown about not being able to read all the books in the world in one lifetime. Teenaged me never related to anything more.
So, in order to meld all of this into something that might be worthwhile, here’s a highlight reel from my August collection.
(And here’s a reminder, more to myself than anyone else, that it’s also a good thing to enjoy media that has nothing to do with acting or “the work." Read the silly romance novel, watch the cheesy TV show or movie that’s not Oscar bait. Sprinkle in a little more joy whenever possible - and when you’re excited about it, the high-brow stuff is sustaining, too.)
THE BOOKS
Hits, Flops, and Other Illusions: My Fortysomething Years in Hollywood by Ed Zwick
I know I just wrote that whole spiel about making sure you consume fun content that’s not industry-related, but legendary director Ed Zwick’s memoir about his creative journey is spectacular. With star-studded anecdotes in spades, Zwick is brutally honestly about the highs and lows of career longevity in this industry - and is the first to admit when something didn’t work creatively. A definite joy for both industry creatives and fans of his work (Glory, Legends of the Fall, and The Last Samurai, to name a few), Zwick’s memoir is refreshingly candid for such a titan.
This Summer Will Be Different by Carley Fortune
A delicious summer beach read, through and through, and my favorite of Fortune’s books thus far. The mouth-watering food, panoramic vistas, and enviable lifestyle had me wanting to pack up my life and move to Prince Edward Island indefinitely to eat my body weight in PEI oysters. Lucy and Felix’s story is heart-wrenching, comforting, and sparkling all at once. This book was like the perfect piece of saltwater taffy on my summer reading list.
THE WATCHLIST
Bleeding Love, dir. Emma Westenberg (2023)
If you asked me to name my top five favorite actors, ever, Ewan McGregor would be on there with no hesitation (I was a Star Wars kid, okay?). Bleeding Love had been on my list since its release, and I was finally able to watch it on a recent flight - and then had to pretend I wasn’t ugly crying, lest I scare the stranger sitting next to me. Ewan’s daughter, Clara McGregor, is making really cool, interesting choices with her production company Deux Dames; I can’t wait to see what they do next.
Twisters, dir. Lee Isaac Chung (2024)
I mean… do I need to explain this one? You can pry my AMC A-List membership out of my cold, rigor mortis hands. Heartbreak feels good in a place like this.
Billy The Kid, Season Two (MGM+)
One thing you should know about me: I’m obsessed with period Westerns. They’re all over my vision board, favorites lists, and the visual pitch deck of my casting edge and career aspirations I’ve sent out to managers, agents, and casting directors alike. The second half of Billy The Kid Season Two, delayed due to the strikes last year, finally came out and God, I am begging someone to put me in a Western. Let me ride a horse and shoot a revolver and give me a kick-ass pair of boots and a hat, I am pleading. Will give you my hypothetical first-born son, Rumplestiltskin-style. Tom Blyth and Daniel Webber are absolutely magnetic.
THE RECOMMENDS
Libby is a free app that allows you to download e-books and audiobooks with your local library card. With the amount of books I go through, I don’t have to storage space or money to buy hard copies every single time - borrowing e-books to my Kindle enables my reading addiction even more (for FREE!). I also rip through audiobooks like nobody’s business, thanks to Los Angeles traffic, and they have audio versions of almost every book you can think of.
Tip: If you struggle with audiobooks, try listening to memoirs that are read by the writer (I like actor memoirs) - the storytelling is so much more engaging because they actually experienced their stories.
Same library rules apply to Libby rentals: 21 day rental, and you may have to place a hold on popular titles.
I’ve been especially focused on curbing my added sugar intake - I’m not a big sweets gal (give me a plate of cheese), but those sneaky added sugars will get you. I’ve been on a NutPods kick recently for something to make my morning decaf a little more fun. Dairy and sugar-free and so many flavors to choose from!
If I could have a Root Beer-flavored Olipop every single day of my life and still be able to afford basic living expenses and acting classes, I would. The amount of pure joy I feel when I pour one over ice with my dinner should be used in a case study. And I’m not even a regular soda drinker. Anyone have an inside track to the Olipop PR list?
The best gluten-free pancakes I’ve ever had.
