BINGELY STREAMING

THE GIRL BEFORE

Max Original

HBO Max

We've all had those moments when we want to have a clean slate of sorts. When life gets hectic or confusing, it's time to change things up. In The Girl Before, we meet an architect who has a home where in exchange for staying there, you must agree to a series of rules and way of living. We are introduced to 2 women that opt to participate in this contract in different time periods. At times, their lives mirror one another, even when they have never met each other. The connection is the house, the architect/owner and a grieving man.

How much privacy are you willing to give up in order to reduce the chaos and clutter of your life? At what point do you decide that managing your life on your terms of more important then simply giving it away?

In this 4 episode limited series, you see the impact of making decisions and how each choice creates a number of options for better and for worse.

INVENTING ANNA

Netflix Originals

Netflix

Anna Delvey was a NY It Girl heiress on the move and was on the way to create a social club that allowed the elite sect of NYC and artists to come together. Anna worked to get the appropriate funding to ensure that her vision would be everything she thought it could be. She went on a number of meetings, met the right people and even created an inner circle of sorts that kept her finger on the pulse of what was going on.

The only part that was missing was that she was not a rich heiress waiting for her trust fund or for her father not to cut her off. She was a woman filled with ambition ready to move the chess pieces that she needed and left debts and embarrassment to those that connected with her that didn't know her full story.

In Inventing Anna, Shonda Rhimes delves into this story that has been the subject of a number of podcasts to dig deep into the players involved and additional information on this story that continues to evolve.

CLASSIFIED

QCODE

Spotify

When QCODE drops its immersive scripted podcasts, we know we will be intrigued. Their latest, CLASSIFIED, follows Ivan Harris who finds himself at the Ravenholm Institute.

They say that he will remain there until his delusions are gone. He knows that he is an assassin who fell in love with the woman he was supposed to kill. Who's right and how will he find out?

Read the FEB ISSUE #74 of Athleisure Mag and see Bingely Streaming in mag.

IT'S ABOUT THE CHARACTER | REBECCA HENDERSON

We always have a series of shows that we look forward to watching and have placed on our Bingely Streaming list. This month, a number of shows are currently in that group. We caught up with Rebecca Henderson who is currently in Freeform's Single Drunk Female, Netflix's Inventing Anna and the upcoming 2nd season of Russian Doll.

She shared how she came to acting, preparing for her characters, chatted about these shows that are out now, upcoming projects and how she takes time for herself.

ATHLEISURE MAG: You have appeared in a number of shows we enjoy from Westworld, Orange is the New Black, Russian Doll and I am really enjoying seeing you in Single Drunk Female. What was the moment that you realized that you wanted to act and to do it professionally?

REBECCA HENDERSON: Oh my gosh! Nobody has asked me that, that’s such a good question!

AM: Really?

RH: Yeah! It’s so funny. I’m from Canada and I was a synchronized swimmer – it’s a different kind of performance and then I didn’t want to be a swimmer anymore and I was in junior high basically and I took my first drama class and I just loved the people so much and the community of it. I loved how much it taught me about being a teenager and just not knowing anything. I was such an uncomfortable and embarrassed person that it made me feel that we all pretty much feel like that. I never stopped. I went to undergrad for it and I came to NY and I did my Masters degree in Theater at Columbia and that was that!

AM: What’s your process like when you see these projects coming to you. How do you decide on something that you want to do and be attached to?

RH: Basically, I read it and if I like it, then it’s like – let’s go! It’s not that mysterious. If it speaks to me, I go for it generally and I would say that there is something about actors that when we start auditioning for something, you start to fall in love with the thing and you start to really want it which is part of it. So sometimes when I get offered roles that I don’t audition for, I kind of find it more difficult because it’s like, “ok, now I’m here – I hope that they like what I’m going to do.”

AM: Ha it becomes a bit of a grab bag!

RH: Yeah, it’s like, “is that what you wanted – am I fired?” Once I get a part, I tend to read it over and over again. I am obsessed with knowing the lines word perfect forward and backward and I tend to just write, fantasize about it – I think about the voice, the movement, the costumes. The hair always helps. I love to do my hair for parts. Then of course, when you’re there for the day and you’re there with the other actors, that’s when it hopefully comes together.

AM: Once you have immersed yourself in your character, is it difficult for you to step away from that when you’re no longer doing that role?

RH: It depends on the material. I find that if I have worked many days in a row and then suddenly, I have time off, there is a dip more so in my own personal mood. When you’re on all the time and you’re so focused on these long hours and then you’re just like, “ok, what am I going to do today?” I don’t have makeup on, I look weird – so that I find harder. I have done a lot of theater and sometimes I think that when you do theater and you have done it for such a long time and you’re always living for that 8pm current, it can be a little more all-encompassing.

AM: What drew you to Single Drunk Female?

RH: Well, I love the sponsor/sponsee dynamic. I have many friends in recovery, addiction is something that has touched so many of our lives and I thought it was hilarious as someone who is very honest and very straightforward, I think that I would make a good sponsor. I loved the idea of this show that was just this young person – we don’t have that many young female protagonists trying to get sober – we just don’t have that. So I liked that that story was being told.

AM: What did you pull from to become Olivia who is such a great character.

RH: Thank you!

AM: There’s such a bite to her, but at the same time, we see this duality of how she is in her sponsor relationship, and we also see how she is in her own relationship with her wife. You get the sense that when you see people who are dominate in one area of their life, that they have a different personality in other areas of their life and they’re juggling just like everybody else.

RH: Yes, that’s so smart. She’s an alcoholic. She happens to be sober for 10 years, but I think that at work and when she is in her sponsorship role, she really understands what she is talking about and then at home with her wife, there’s another source of energy where it’s like, “I don’t know and are you happy?” She really throws herself into work and working with her sponsees so she could probably stand to spend a little more time with her wife and paying attention to her needs.

AM: The other thing that is really great about this show is that you see all of these different interactions. When we first heard about the show, we knew that it would be about seeing the process of someone who is an alcoholic and their journey to being sober. But then we really get a birds eye view on how it affects the family members and the quirky things that they are trying to deal with. How important is it to show these full 360s of what it is like when someone is part of that community of people?

RH: I think that the show really shows the way that alcohol has brought her to this point. How alcohol isn't going to fix what's currently going on and how she has a lot of repairing to do and that she has to exist in a world without alcohol. So there are so many firsts that she has to make it through. She has to make out first with someone without alcohol, she has to apologize to somebody without alcohol, she has to put herself in all of these awkward situations and attempt to not start drinking again. That’s the way life is and we have a real problem in this country with alcohol. If you go out to dinner and sit down at the table, there are wine glasses already there. I’m glad that this show is in the half hour comedy format where it can go out to the country and it’s a light touch on how we can start talking about these things.

AM: I think it’s also great that with the show being on Freeform which has other programs that are also focused on making its viewers aware of issues – there is a scene in the series where she goes to where her friend is trying on bridal gowns and the glass of champagne is being passed to her and you see her navigating that situation. Prior to COVID, if I was out for a media event and you decided not to drink there was a need to explain why and that you weren’t feeling well or to have a club soda with lime in your hand to give the appearance of a cocktail so that you didn’t have to say anything. So it’s definitely something that people are aware of.

RH: Yes and there’s a lot of pressure around it where people feel like, well if you’re not drinking, where is my drinking buddy? Then you start thinking about your own drinking. I love that scene from the show because she gets that glass and she’s holding that glass way out!

AM: Yeah and eventually she tells someone else to hold the glass.

RH: Yeah, she was very scared. I think that that is a big fear for a lot of alcoholics that they will go to a party and a drink will be put down on the table and it will look like seltzer but it’s actually a vodka.

AM: That juxtaposed against the St. Patrick’s scene where the two sober friends are “playing” a game as they navigate past people who are drinking and heading to various parties. As a viewer, it makes you think about this on another level and even though this season is only 10 episodes, what is your hope if there is another season – what will we see between your character and her wife and how would you like to explore that sponsor/sponsee relationship?

RH: I mean, I was just thinking that I would like to see Olivia’s rock bottom and how she got sober if we did flashbacks. I think that that would be really interesting. Perhaps how she met Stephanie and how they fell in love. I’d love to see them become parents and see how that relationship as a mother/child is sort of mirrored in a way like Carol and Sam’s relationships. Also, what might that bring up for someone who is in recovery? To suddenly have a baby in the house and not be able to sleep. It would be interesting to be able to dig into those tools.

AM: The other part that is interesting to watch with Olivia is the sponsor/sponsee relationship where she operates in two different ways. Sometimes she’s like, look you have to figure things out and have a plan and then there is a compassionate side where she says if you can't be by yourself, come with her and her wife on a weekend trip – even though she was not down for that. This tough love and safety net paradigm is such a powerful relationship to see there.

RH: I mean, I think it goes to a bit of a codependent area where her wife is telling Olivia that Sam has to take care of herself. I think that Olivia really sees herself in Sam and she has a kind of a motherly quality toward her. She really wants her to succeed.

AM: While talking with you about this, I’m really excited that Inventing Anna has dropped and can’t wait to see it.

RH: I’m so excited to and I’m so happy that it’s finally out there!

AM: We’ve listened to so many podcasts about Anna Delvey and since we’re based in NY it’s definitely been making the rounds of conversation. What was it like being apart of this project, being able to work on this Shonda Rhimes production and tell us about who your character is on this show.

RH: I loved, loved, loved working on this show and I also live in NY and we shot in NY. I’m basically obsessed with Shonda Rhimes – meeting her was the highlight of my life! She appeared and was like, “I’m Shonda” and I was like my God! She’s an amazing woman. We started shooting right before the pandemic. It was one of the best projects that I have ever had. There were tons of NY theater people and amazing actors. Julia Garner and Anna Chlumsky are just like unbelievable. I play the prosecutor, A.D.A. Catherine McCaw. I’m obsessed with putting this woman away in prison. I was just saying that I feel like Shonda has successfully just told the first female sociopath story. By the end, you really get it and you understand why people lent her this money and she’s very, very smart. I also like that this series puts forth this idea that if she had been a man, she probably wouldn’t have gone to jail because men on Wall Street do this all the time.

AM: Very true.

RH: Yeah, but she’s in jail and I put her there.

AM: It’s definitely going to be good and there’s such great buzz around it.

Are there other projects that you have going on that we should keep an eye out for?

RH: Yes, in April, Russian Doll season 2 comes out. I’m back in my character Lizzie with blonde hair and I’m very excited for that. I did 2 movies with Sigourney Weaver. One I play her daughter and in the other, I play her friend. One of them is called, Call Jane it was just at Sundance and now it’s at the Berlin Film Festival and The Good House should be coming out soon, it was at TIFF earlier this year and it should be coming out in the next couple of months.

AM: When you’re not in the mix of planning projects, how do you take time for yourself – do you have a workout regimen, do you like shopping? What does Rebecca do?

RH: Well my wife works in the industry as well and is currently making a Star Wars series (Editor's Note: Leslye Headland is an executive producer, showrunner and writer for Disney+'s The Acolyte). I love being a wife and I really love taking care of her. People who really work at a high level in this business really need help. Maybe it sounds silly to say, but I really love cooking meals, making sure she has what she needs!

I do love walking and I spend a lot of time talking with my friends that are also a bunch of actors and we process all of our stuff together. I love shopping and everything that you said I love!

IG @therebeccahenderson

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | Freeform/Single Drunk Female

Read the FEB ISSUE #74 of Athleisure Mag and see IT’S ABOUT THE CHARACTER | Rebecca Henderson in mag.

BINGELY STREAMING

BEANIE MANIA

Max Original

HBO Max

Many of us remember when Beanie Babies became the most collectible item. Out of nowhere, these stuffed animals known as Beanies were found in a number of gift shops and stores in your town. Growing up, you even knew that your parents or other elders were collecting them.

Beanie Mania goes behind this craze to share how the company came into existence, how it grew slowly and how a group of Midwestern women began driving value and interest to this toy and how it became something where people felt that they literally would become millionaires.

We learn about how the company with a handful of employees went from having a product, to giving it life with the poems, names of the Beanies and having a non-traditional distribution.

Ultimately, greed, undervaluing employees and additional issues began to be the undoing of the millionaire dreams that many had. It also looks at how there is a resurgence of these toys and interests as younger generations have been gifted the toys.

OZARK S4 PART I

Netflix Originals

Netflix

We've been waiting to see how it all comes to an end on Ozark and this month, Part 1 of the final season of this show dropped with the first 7 episodes and the remaining 7 will drop later this year. We catch up with with Marty (Jason Bateman) and Wendy (Laura Linney) Byrd as they continue to utilize their accountant work with the drug cartels in order to gain political influence in the Midwest.

With this goal in mind, the entire family is focused on being able to leave the Ozarks and to move back to Chicago to get back to life. Unfortunately, there continues to be twists and turns as enemies and frenemies wind up dead, former work associates find themselves dragged into bigger problems and new acquaintances prove to be harder to work with than ever.

With the goal firmly ahead of them, we know that ultimately, the tag line for this season is, "no one makes it out alive."

WILD THINGS

Apple Original

Spotify

We all remember the entertainment tragedy that took place at Siegfried and Roy's show. When one of the stage tigers carried Roy offstage, it led to the final show. Wild Things goes behind what took place to talk about the entertainers and what else was involved.

Read the JAN ISSUE #73 of Athleisure Mag and see Bingely Streaming in mag.

ACTING CHOSE ME WITH CURTISS COOK

This month, our DEC ISSUE #72 is covered by Curtiss Cook who has appeared in a number of films that we enjoy including Shutter Island, Netflix's Roxanne Roxanne, and West Side Story to name a few. In addition to commanding the big screen and his work on stage, he has been in countless TV shows as well. He brings a dynamic force to his characters in Netflix's House of Cards and Manifest, NBC's Chicago Med, FX Mayans M.C. and Showtime's The Chi.

We talk with Curtiss about how he got into acting and how he approaches his characters. We also talk about the recent film West Side Story and we're keeping our fingers crossed that we will continue to see him as Douda in the critically acclaimed series The Chi and what led him to this role. We also talk about work behind the camera as well as his work in the upcoming QCODE podcast, The Burned Photo.

ATHLEISURE MAG: What was the moment when you realized that you wanted to be an actor?

CURTISS COOK: You know I don’t know if I can put an exact time on it, but what I can tell you is—I don’t feel like I chose acting, I feel as if it chose me. NO one in my family acted or performed for a living or even casually, so I didn’t have any direct role models, but once I found it, that freedom of being another person and being able to say things I wanted to but couldn’t, learning things about myself and the world… I never looked back!

AM: You have been in so many TV series from The Sopranos, The Bold Type, House of Cards, Mayans M.C., The Chi, as well as movies such as Shutter Island and been on Broadway for The Lion King and Miss Saigon. What are you looking for when you’re reading a character or the script overall in terms of deciding whether you want to be in it?

CC: Hmmm good question… It changes from project to project. Sometimes it may be, “Have I done this kind of role before?” and if I had, “Is there something I can improve upon?” Sometimes it’s, “Does this person move the story forward? If not, is there space for me to make that happen? Or, is this something I NEVER THOUGHT I could pull off?” Yes! So, let’s go for it. And then, it could be as simple as, “Do I like this person (character)? No? Why not? Let’s see if I can have empathy for him.”

AM: Is your approach to the work different depending on whether it’s on TV, a movie or on the stage?

CC: No, it’s pretty much the same. It’s just the time I get to prep for the character and how long I get to live with him that differs.

AM: We’ve seen you in a number of roles and always enjoy when we see you are attached to the project as there is a poise and bold quality that you bring to your work. What is the process that you go into when it comes to becoming the character that you will play?

CC: Well, thank you for the compliment! That really means a lot to me. I take what I do seriously knowing that it’s not serious… Finding the joy in what I do is important to me. This is not just what I do, it’s who I am. It’s a part of me—a HUGE part of me—So, I go all in and the devil is in the details.

AM: Do you find that when you’re finished playing a character that there’s a process in releasing him and is it harder when you’re in a series since you will have to pick him back up again?

CC: The short answer is yes. I definitely have to decompress when work is done. I’m getting better on the time it takes, but I make sure I take it.

AM: West Side Story is an iconic musical and this musical film adaption directed by Steven Spielberg has been very anticipated. You play Abe, a new character – which was created by Steven specifically for you – how did this come about and what did you draw from to bring him to life?

CC: Well, the character was created for someone like me, an addition to a classic that was needed and necessary. So, Mr. Spielberg and Mr. Kushner did that. I just so happen to be the one who got the gift of breathing life into Abe and hearing one of the greats say, “If Curtiss wants it, he can have it.” It means and meant the world to me.

AM: What was it like being part of this production?

CC: Nothing short of amazing!!!

AM: Being from the Midwest originally, I’m always intrigued about shows that focus on Chicago so when The Chi came out, I was hooked from the first show and I love how they showcase the lives of those that live in the community that spans a number of economical, aspirational and inspirational layers. When you came on as Douda, you bring such a dichotomy to the show. How did you get connected with this series and how would you describe your character?

CC: Once again, thank you! I auditioned—I self-taped actually. At the time, I was doing two other series and I thought there’s no way I’ll get three series at the same time and low in behold!!!

Douda is a complicated man like most of us are, that’s one of the beauties of this character. Just when you think you have him figured out, you don’t… and not because he's fooling you, but because he has so much to offer, so many layers, and he has a plan for himself and his community. Nothing is going to stop him from seeing that plan come to fruition.

AM: It feels like Douda continues to share new layers to him which we saw in Season 4 - how much influence do you have in shaping him and giving insights into how he will be portrayed?

CC: None really. I wait for the pages and try my damnedest not to mess it up. I just stay open, willing and adventurous. I get to act for a living... how glorious is that...

Mannnnn, this is all I’ve ever wanted to do and I get to do it on this level with this character on this show on this network and with these people. I HIT THE LOTTO!!!

AM: The Chi was renewed for a 5th season, are you getting ready to film and is there anything you can tell us about the upcoming season or are looking forward to?

CC: Well, I just hope Douda comes back. You saw what happened at the end of the season right? I just hope we get to see him again.

AM: You have worked with phenomenal people from Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg and Lena Waithe to name a few. You were the Executive Producer of Counselor and A Black Man Acting. Do you see yourself doing more projects behind the camera?

CC: Yes, I will and there’s something happening now. So, yes keep a look out for it.

AM: We love that in the past few months there have been phenomenal immersive podcasts that have top talent telling scripted stories. I think that QCODE does this in such an amazing way and am a fan of their shows regardless of the topic. You lent your talents to The Burned Photo which was a podcast that I enjoyed listening to and I can’t wait until the second season. Why did you want to be apart of this and what was it like creating it?

CC: Wow yeah, I had never done that before and I was curious to see if I could and how it would work. And let me tell you… it was WORK. Wait until you hear the second season! Boy-oh-boy, get ready.

AM: Do you have any upcoming projects that you can share with us that we should keep an eye out for?

CC: A great movie written and directed by Charles Murray with an amazing cast. Hopefully you’ll hear about a release date soon!

AM: When you’re not on set, it seems like you spend a fair amount of time at the gym. What are 3 things that you like to do when you’re working out?

CC: Yea, health is pretty important to me. My favorite work out is boxing, then I’ll do a little free weights, then end everything with core.

AM: How do you take personal time for yourself?

CC: I don’t know if I do… I need to get better at that.

IG @CurtissCook

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | FRONT + BACK COVER, PG 16 -19 James Washington | PG 20 - 25 Evgeny Milkovich | PG 26 - 29 SHOWTIME/Parrish Lewis | PG 30 - 31 SHOWTIME/Elizabeth Sisson |

Read the DEC ISSUE #72 of Athleisure Mag and see Acting Chose Me with Curtiss Cook in mag.

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THE HARDER THEY FALL

Netflix Originals

Netflix

The Harder They Fall is a fictional film that is based on real cowboys, lawmen, and outlaws of the 19th-century American West with principals being a member of an all Black cast.

We follow Nat Love (Jonathan Majors) who is intent on getting revenge for the death of his parents when he was young. This outlaw connects with his crew to take down his mortal enemy, Rufus Buck (Idris Elba) a ruthless crime boss who was just released from prison.

Throughout the film, we look at the interactions between the Nat Love Gang, the Rufus Buck Gang and the US Marshal Bass Reeves. These historical black figures have goals that keep them on their mission. Nat's focus is to kill Rufus for his wrongdoings as well as to steal from bandits which keeps him on Bas Reeves' radar. Buck stays focused on protecting Redwood, a safe haven for Black settlers.

Ultimately, we'll see who has left standing with so much at stake.

THE CURSE OF VON DUTCH: A BRAND TO DIE FOR

Hulu Documentary

Hulu

The Curse of Von Dutch: A Brand to Die For looks at the rise and fall of one of the most iconic brands to jump on a trend that dominated the 2000's. We're introduced to a series of characters from gangsters, Venice Beach surfers, European garmentos, Hollywood star power and more that attempt to gain control of Von Dutch.

We see as the brand begins from one that is obscure to one of the most recognized global labels. In a decade, the brand oscillates between backstabbers, greed and even bloodshed. Everyone that was involved with this brand is forever changed - even the scope of pop culture!

HAILEYWOOD

iHeart Originals

iHeart Radio

We've all had that moment when we visited a destination or even saw it online and thought that we would want to live there and in theory, bring all of our favorites to this town to make it our own. In Haileywood, hosted by Noble Blood's Dana Schwartz, she talks about the true story of Bruce Willis' quest to buy an Idaho town.

In this podcast, we connect with the Die Hard and 90's movie icon and we learn about the era and how celebrity was being produced beyond the screen. We also learn that Bruce was not one who enjoyed the media's eye on him and how he yearned to have a private life and how he thought he could do this in one of the smallest towns in Idaho.

Read the NOV ISSUE #71 of Athleisure Mag and see Bingely Streaming in mag.

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CLICKBAIT

Netflix Originals

Netflix

In the first episode of Netflix Original's Clickbait, we are introduced to Nick Brewer (Adrian Grenier), who on the surface is a good husband, father and family man. He loves his job, is respected by his peers and students and has friends who adore him. In the same episode, we see that there not everything is as it seems as we know he has a bit of a temper and his family - mainly his sister has a bit of bumps that pop up.

When Nick comes up missing, we get an intense look into those that he is connected with to see how their relationships really are and if they were involved in what happened to him. We also see how in an age of connectivity, it can distort reality and what people will do to maintain their images and the idealized life that they would like to lead.

ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING

Hulu Original

Hulu

We love a good true crime podcast and we're not going to lie, when a crime takes place, we do think about all the factors that are involved and how we or our favorite podcast hosts would solve it. Hulu's newest series takes all the tropes that we love about true crime podcasts with a murder that takes place in the UWS' Arconia and 3 of its residents played by Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez decide to find out who killed Tim Kono and to make a podcast out of it called, Only Murders in the Building.

We see how the characters are connected to one another as well as previous crimes, we learn how they make the podcast and the bumps that go along the way with production and of course, we're getting closer to solving the mystery itself. For those that have been enjoying this season, get ready as Season 2 has already been greenlit!

MURDAUGH MURDERS

FITS News

Spotify

Mandy Matney is a journalist for FITS News who brings her brand of small town journalism to an intricate case that has gained national momentum in the Murdaugh Murders podcast. She tells the story of an affluent and influential legal family for a century that is tied to a number of deaths and scandals that have taken place within the Murdaugh family as well as adjacent to it over the past few years.

She gives us insight into a family that has been involved in Hampton County, South Carolina. From the family impacting business that has come into the area, to embezzlements, she continues to report how all of these occurrences have come together to shape the news cycle that is still evolving with this family through her podcast.

Read the SEP ISSUE #69 of Athleisure Mag and see Bingely Streaming in mag.

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AFTER SHOCK

Nomadic Engine, Salmira Productions + iHeartRadio

iHeartRadio

This month, we've been enjoying After Shock on iHeartRadio which looks at an earthquake that takes place in LA and how people are disconnected as well as finding new living dynamics as they try to continue living after the largest recorded disaster! Sarah Wayne Callies (The Walking Dead) is the creator, director, producer and stars in this scripted podcast which is also executive produced by Jeffrey Dean Morgan (The Walking Dead) and David Harbour (Stranger Things). All 3, in addition to more actors interact as they meet preppers, indegenous activists, a utopian cult on the island and more. Even though they survived the initial effects of the after shock, there are unexplained deaths that take place that they can't explain and it seems like there is something much larger at play than just the earthquake itself. The all star cast also includes: Tati Gabrielle (The 100), Janel Parrish (Pretty Little Liars), Russell Hornsby (Black Mafia Family), Rockmond Dunbar (9-1-1), Tovah Feldshuh (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend), Bethany Joy Lenz (One Tree Hill), Michael O’Neill (Council of Dads), Austin Amelio (The Walking Dead) and EJ Bonilla (Colony).

BAKE SQUAD

Netflix Originals

Netflix

We love a baking competition! Bake Squad is hosted by the founder Milk Bar, Christina Tosi whose cakes and cookies are always a treat. This show brings creativity, competitions and over the top dessert designs. Each episode has 4 bakers tasked to make a cake with the specifications of the client in 7 hours. Only one will be chosen from what they create to add to the person's special day!

The 4 bakers you'll get to know each episode who has participated in a number of baking projects for celebs includes: Maya-Camille Broussard - "the flavor fanatic" founder of Justice of the Pies, Ashley Holt - "queen of cakes" founder of Sugar Monster Sweets, Christophe Rull - "pastry illusionist" a pastry chef, and Gonzo Jimenez - "champion of chocolate" co-owner of Miette et Chocolat.

LOUD: THE HISTORY OF REGGAETON

Spotify Original

Spotify

When you think about Reggaeton, you think that it started with Daddy Yankee in Puerto Rico; however, it started about 10 years prior in Panama as it's a blend of reggae + dance hall in Spanish. In LOUD, an original podcast, each Wed. our host, Ivy Queen, a respected voice in reggaeton dives into the history of the sound that started on Panamanian buses to the shores of Puerto Rico to the vibrant streets of New York City.

We learn how she got into the industry as well as how in Panama, Black artists and descendants of West Indian canal workers who became the pioneers of reggae en español such as Renato emerged.

This podcast investigates the historical, cultural and racial contexts of this while tracking its Black roots in Panama and Puerto Rico as well as its mainstage presence as a global phenomenon today!

Read the AUG ISSUE #68 of Athleisure Mag and see Bingely Streaming in mag.

FOR THE COMMUNITY WITH NICK SAGAR

This month, our cover story features Nick Sagar, we chat about his career with the premiere of his show Run the World on STARZ which airs this month. We talk about how he got into the industry and a number of his creative talents from martial arts, breakdancing and soccer. He also shares how he approaches his craft and picks projects that allow him to showcase his varied abilities. We also talk about the power of family and how it not only cultivates him but allows him to stay grounded. In addition, we talk about the importance of giving back and using your platform to help those that were key to his success.

ATHLEISURE MAG: We’ve been a fan of a number of the shows that you have been in over the years and we’ve been waiting for months for STARZ’s Run the World to premiere this month. Before we get into your career, in prep for this interview, we saw that you grew up as a breakdancer and that you also loved playing soccer which is quite interesting especially since that really hits the ethos of our intersectionality! What do you love about these creative outlets and do you still enjoy doing them?

NICK SAGAR: You know what? Growing up, my parents were very keen on being focused to push us to try whatever sports that we showed an interest in. They would support us and growing up in London, naturally, soccer – or football as we call it, was a natural thing. Me and my brother, we were just obsessed with it. It would be all day everyday. If we couldn’t play in the garden, we would ball up socks in the house and we used to drive my mom mad!

But it was just that we slept, ate and drank, football! Dad used to play so it was easily passed down and we did that! I mean, probably my first 16 years of my life – I got up to playing semi-professional, but as you get a bit older, sometimes the motivation moves you and I wanted to try something different. And that’s what segued into breakdancing. But what I loved about both of them was that soccer had the team aspect as well as being able to improve on your individual skills, it was a team sport. You got to be able to be with your friends and every game was different. You know, I was thinking about it earlier – playing that sport, you’re forced to be present. Whatever was going on outside of that becomes irrelevant when you start playing and training. Being present and in the moment is really that gift of life. Not worrying about the past or the future, I think that bundled with all that stuff, I think that’s why I enjoyed it so much.

And breakdancing came because my older brother is 10 years older than me and he would show me stuff! Sometimes it was stuff I wasn’t meant to see – haha! But it would be all the stuff from his era like DJing, hip-hop and breakdancing. He showed me a video when I was a kid and that was it! I fell in love with it and then from about 12 to about 17, I kind of stalled back on football and focused on breakdancing. And again, once you were training and doing the moves, that was all that mattered and you were present!

AM: So when did you realize that you wanted to be an actor and to follow that path?

NS: It’s funny. It’s like what I was saying earlier about my parents, pushing us to do many things. In school, we always had these drama classes and weekend classes in the local theater where I grew up and I just gravitated towards it. I did a lot of performances and showcases and I just found it that was something fun to do. A lot of my friends were allowed to play out in the neighborhood and my dad was kind of strict – he didn’t really let us out until about 12 or 13. So up until then, it was all social activities and acting classes and theater and that type of stuff. We always had an enjoyment for it and we would recreate stuff we saw on TV. The family, we were huge movie buffs so it was always kind of there, I just never knew it was a career path until I got older and I decided to give it a go.

AM: When you get a project that comes your way, what are you looking for when it comes to you ultimately deciding to accept that role?

NS: Um, it depends you know? Variety – I like the people involved – that’s a huge thing. But I do like variety. If I did something before, I will try to do something that’s not too similar straight after. I like to switch it up. One of the things that I fell in love with acting is that it’s the ability to play so many different roles and to be able to walk in so many different shoes. It’s amazing in real life that some of those things transfer and you get to play into these people’s different walks of life. Being a huge movie buff from love and romance movies, comedies and dramas, thrillers, horrors – I just want to do a bit of them all! For me, it’s more the role, the script, the people involved – but I do like variety.

AM: Well, a number of our readers and ourselves included, we loved you in USA’s Queen of the South, Tyler Perry’s Have and Have Nots, Freeform’s Shadow Hunters – what is your process like when you’re preparing for your roles? To your point, they are so different. Do you have a set way that you go about it?

NS: Kind of! It varies for different roles. My main thing is to read the script several times over first. The second or third time, things usually start popping out as opposed to when you read it for the first time. Then I begin to delve into the world of the character. I look at what the director and the producer wanted originally in the audition and I try to take that into the character breakdown and then I use a lot of my imagination to create the rest because, I kind of trained in both using my own life’s circumstances and imagination and they both work for different types of roles. I like to use at the end of the day, imagination more because that’s why I got into it – to create. It’s kind of like an escape from your own life – not like I’m trying to run from my own life. Sometimes, we can get so pinned down in our own lives and concerned about our own things that sometimes don’t matter. The beautiful thing about acting – especially when using your imagination, you get to create this whole new world and you get to live in it!

AM: You just completed filming the third installment of Netflix’s The Princess Switch which has become quite the obsession and the talk around the team at Athleisure Mag as well. What can you tell us about it and when is it slated to drop?

NS: Well definitely expect a lot more switching shenanigans for sure!

AM: Ha – that show is crazy! It’s like wait, that’s Vanessa Hudgens again!

NS: Yeah, Vanessa is terrific. She really had to carry the lion share of all of the switching that she’s doing. I mean, in this new one, there’s even more shenanigans and the gang is back together. I don’t want to give away too much, but it’s a little different and it’s new things that arise. I’m trying not to give away too much, but it’s pretty fun!

AM: We assumed that’s what you were going to say – not too many spoilers to share!

NS: Haha this one is keeping it the same, but showing something a bit new for the third one. It comes around Thanksgiving of this year.

AM: We love podcasts and your character, Officer Ramirez in QCODE’s Borrasca, an audio fiction thriller was really good.

NS: Oh thank you!

AM: QCODE’s immersive approach to sound in their podcasts and stories are really well produced. How was it to prepare for that medium as opposed to when you’re doing something for film and TV?

NS: No I don’t think it changes it. It wasn’t something that I had done before, but I actually really enjoyed it because with film and TV, obviously you have to worry about your look and appearance. It becomes an aspect because of the camera and having so many people in this huge unit because it’s on TV. The beauty of doing the podcast and just being in the recording studios is that it’s just you and your fellow actors and you’re less worried about your appearance and it’s focused on the internal work and it’s just funny that it ties into what you asked earlier about preparing for a role – the internal work is really where you plant the seed and then water it and let it grow from the internal and that becomes the role. Something about the podcast is that you don’t have to worry about any exteriors so you’re just watering that seed and enjoying the moment of being. You can get really lost in it and it’s really funny, I always wanted to do things like voiceovers and animation – doing that made me realize that, “man I would love to just turn up in sweats and voice Bugs Bunny for a couple of weeks.”

AM: This month, Run the World premieres. What can you say about the show and about your character, Anderson Louis?

NS: I’m really excited about this one. I really am and I think that this show is definitely needed and is coming at the right time. I don’t think that there is anything quite like it at the minute. You know, it’s 4 strong Black women who are running the world. They’re living in NYC which is a wonderful place and it covers the trials and the tribulations of their life and running their own world which is career, relationships, community and how they navigate it. The beauty of it is that I think that people are really going to resonate with it just because we haven’t seen something like this – 4 strong Black leads and they’re crushing it. I do love all forms of drama and I just think that a lot of it has been focused on a lot of struggle up until now. So now it’s nice to see thriving love, healthy love, forms of toxic love – just life in general at this day and age and what it’s like for this generation. This generation right now, we’re all trying to balance our careers, love life, friendships, our community and still growing as a person. I think that this is really grounded in that and credit to the creators Leigh Davenport and Yvette Lee Bowser because they are just phenomenal and I’m really really excited about this.

Anderson, I’m interested to see how people take on him. I don’t want to give away too much, but he is Ella’s (Andrea Bordeaux) – at the star, he is her ex-boyfriend and he’s trying to navigate winning her back. They have been on and off for a very long time. They know each other so well and they have a deep deep connection. I think that the beauty about it is that I think that this generation – we’re trying to navigate love lives and careers. We want to grow and have something outside of our love which drives us. Often, the struggle comes with balance, especially with two people who work very different careers. We get to see a little bit of that with some of the stuff that goes on in the first season without giving away too much!

AM: As someone who is a Black Co-Founder of Athleisure Mag and seeing that show, thinking of a lot of my other girlfriends who are also killing it whether they are running their own businesses or just running massive departments, it’s so exciting – especially in this time, to see something like that that is so beautifully done. I was just drawn to it from the first 30 seconds of seeing the teasers for the past 7 months. So what drew you when you read that script to saying that without a doubt, you wanted to be in this?

NS: I just read the breakdown. I read the pilot and I was like, this is so so needed. Like I said, I am a fan of all forms of media, film, TV, drama and I just felt like this was needed. Something that shows a different point of view and something that is prevalent. Like you said yourself, there are people living this lifestyle and it hasn’t been represented as much as we would like. I think that we need more stuff like this to showcase what is possible and what is going on now. To bring in some fun, laughter, tears and love – it’s got an incredible mix of everything and I’m not just saying this – the 4 ladies are fantastic. I remember doing Zoom read throughs because we had to navigate the whole shooting due to what was going on last year, but I remember reading on Zoom and watching them. Zoom is really hard because you’re not in the room and you can’t really pick up the energy and I remember cracking up – these ladies have it down. They are hilarious and so talented and yeah, when we got to watch the season, I was like, “this is incredible” and I’m excited for the journey.

AM: Definitely looking forward to this! In terms of entertainment, do you ever think about other areas that you want to tackle in terms of behind the camera?

NS: Yeah – absolutely. I love all things film, television. I studied media in both school and college. I went to university because I figured – I mean, I didn’t last very long because I picked the wrong courses – but I figured that I would go behind the camera to get in front of it. It worked out the other way around, but I do think that maybe one day in the future, being able to direct, produce and to dabble into creating some of my own stuff. So I’d really love to be able to get into that absolutely in the future.

AM: Are there other projects that you’re working on or shows that you’re able to share with us that we should keep an eye out for?

NS: At the minute, just the Run the World season. I’m taking a lot great meetings and opportunities, so I’m just waiting to hear back on a few of those. I’m kind of in a position right now, where I am incredibly fortunate and grateful that for the past 5 years, I have been able to work on some amazing projects. At the moment, I’m kind of looking for something more where I can really delve in and use some of those skills that I have been training on. Especially here with some martial arts, with Shadow Hunters, I was able to do some things there, but I would love to do something that’s action based which would be so fun!

AM: You’re a certified fitness trainer, but how did you get into doing martial arts and why was that something that you wanted to be able to have within your routine?

NS: It’s a combination of things. You know as I said, my parents – my mom pushed us into karate. Like many things I did as a kid, we got really far and then I quit. But when I moved to Los Angeles at 21, my dad came with me and I was always interested – when I grew up, I was very close to my dad’s uncle’s older brother and we’d watch all the Kung Fu movies with Bruce Lee – they were constantly playing in the house and me and my older brother were constantly beating each other up to re-enact our favorite movies and we would drive our mom mad. When we moved, my dad pointed at this studio which was Taekwondo and he said that I should start there in case I got into any kind of action stuff. I went in, met my master and I just fell in love with it straight away. Once I started with that, I just kept going which was nice too! The audition process can be so stressful and you just dwell on it all the time, that gave me something that I could focus energy on that I could take on. I could take it as I wanted. I didn’t have to rely on someone to give me a job. If I wanted to train, I could go do it and that really gave me a wonderful balance. After studying and getting my black belt, I’ve kind of branched out into studying Muay Thai and Jiu Jitsu. It’s just fun for me. I’m not trying to compete or anything.

AM: Was just going to ask that.

NS: Well, I’ve done small competitions in Taekwondo and maybe I’d mess around sparring in Muay Thai and maybe I’d try a competition one time but for me, mainly it’s for movies. I grew up watching Bruce and Jackie Chan and I know they were real fighters! Mine is just for the movie and TV outlet.

AM: What’s a typical workout session like for you? Do you have go-to moves that you would like to put in your routines – what is that like?

NS: It’s kind of varied. I like to wake up and see how I feel. I usually take 1 day off a week. I’d go to a gym which would be more weight training because I was really into that in college. Then the following day would be martial arts, but I really like to mix it up and keep throwing in different things – something I saw on Instagram or YouTube and I’d say, “that’s kind of cool – I want to try that.” Because you can run the risk of your workouts being stale so I just like to flip and alternate. So I do the gym and then martial arts the next day and then maybe – I used to when things were a bit more open, I’d do football or soccer and I was getting into rock climbing – I’m just a fan of sports in general! Growing up, I liked tennis, swimming – just fun physical activities.

AM: When you’re taking time for yourself and relaxing from your schedules, what would we find you doing?

NS: Good question – that varies too! I mean, mostly, I love movies and TV. I’m always catching up on new shows and new films. I have an excuse to enjoy it because you never know, I might get an opportunity in that – so I watch that. Other than that, I love spending time with my friends and family. I have a lot of friends and family that are back home so FaceTime and Zoom calls – watching stuff together. Just hanging out with people that I love! I think that the business is wonderful and I enjoy it, but I try not to make it the be all and end all of everything of my life. I try to make sure that family, friends, community and just other things go on as well. I love what I do, but it can be a bit consuming if you give it too much energy. I’m likely to have good people around me that give me that balance and keep me in check! I’m a huge fan of meditation, reading books and that just really helps me as well.

AM: You know, over the last year, the most insane year yet to navigate – a pandemic, fighting for social justice, the election – just all these different things and now with the vaccines being here and various forms of reopening’s that are happening, what are you looking forward to doing this year in terms of coming back into life?

NS: Just human connection! Being able to be around others. I know it’s always been something that was very important to me and I’m sure it is to many other people as well. Being able to freely be around family and friends and enjoying those moments. If anything this year that it has made me personally realize is how vital that is to us and as people sharing that experience. How much connection and communication is so huge and important – it’s a wonderful and beautiful thing. I’m just looking forward to seeing people with smiles on their face and doing what they love!

AM: You grew up in London and you also currently live in LA, what are your 3 favorite places you like to eat at in each city?

NS: Oooo that’s a good question! In London, it’s going to be my mama’s house!

AM: There we go!

NS: In LA, it’s going to be my aunties house! No joke! I like – I mean, I have to control myself sometimes. I have been known to dabble into fast food – in the past – I’m getting better at it. But growing up, especially in London, my friends who read this will laugh. There’s a place called Dixy Chicken – kind of like a Popeye’s Chicken sandwich – I’m talking about in the past though haha –

AM: Right, you’re just qualifying this answer haha –

NS: Yeah, it don’t qualify, it don’t qualify but you know, any Jamaican or Guyanese in any of those cities, that’s my go-to. But mainly, it would be mom's and aunt's because there’s nothing like home-cooked food when it is cooked with love.

AM: Your dad was a bespoke tailor and that you’re thinking about reinventing his suit line. Can you tell me about that?

NS: You know, these are some amazing questions – fantastic!

AM: It’s what we do!

NS: No it’s really good. Yeah, my dad. I have a funny story about him – he wouldn’t find it funny. But, he never got the support that he needed for his artistry and he was very much into fashion and sports. Very similar to us as children. So that’s why I think he pushed us so much. He had a factory where he used to create women’s leather and clothes in the late 80’s and 90’s. Then he had a market store which was big back in the 90’s and I think there was a crash back then, but I don’t really remember. He was always into fashion, creating and that stuff. It wasn’t until 2005 or 2006 that he had gone back to creating men’s suits which was based out of Hong Kong and he really does make great pieces, I’m not just saying it – but so much so that I wore his stuff to the Ill Manors movie that I did years ago. He fitted me, my brother and a friend and it looks amazing and I wore some stuff to Queen of the South as well from the line. He believed in me so I’m in the position now where I need these types of things and I have to say, "hey dad, I believe in you" and repay the favor. He just has really good talent. We have to wear so much of this stuff so why not keep it in the family? We’re working on it and getting it back out there, creating pieces again and hopefully in the future, our line will be something that is recognized by many.

I’m very grateful to my parents. When they say it takes a village to raise a child, it’s very true! My aunties, my uncles, the neighborhood we grew up in, the teachers – there have been some fantastic people that have been in and out of my house. My family, they’re still there and are able to recognize things from when we were growing up. So I can say, I enjoyed this then, there’s no reason why I can’t enjoy it as an adult. That really gave me a great foundation. I had friends that were super talented, but they didn’t have those outlets or the ability to explore those opportunities. So when they got older, when you’re looking for something new or you want to try, they didn’t know that these things were in their realm. So I was lucky to have martial arts, or fashion or movies or whatever it may be. I’m very fortunate for my parents and the way that they brought us up. So grateful – shout out to moms and dads and uncles and aunties – and grandmas and grandpas.

AM: Even the faux ones that you call Uncle So and So, but you don’t know where they came from, but they were always there!

NS: Yeah yeah for real – so true! Some of my uncles I mean, Uncle Leroy, he loved martial arts and he was always pushing that. Uncle Harry was just a jokester. My Auntie – so many of them. Just wonderful, lucky and very grateful!

IG @NickDSagar

PHOTOS COURTESY | PG 16 - 25 Tina Turbow | PG 26 - 31 STARZ/Run the World

Read the May Issue #65 of Athleisure Mag and see For the Community with Nick Sagar in mag.

BINGELY STREAMING

HALSTON

Netflix Limited Series

Netflix

When it comes to American Fashion Icons, Halston exemplifies his ability to understand a woman's body, being a trailblazer in including Black models within his show to reflect diversity, and pushing licensing as it pertained to categories in fashion and outside of it. In Netflix's Limited Series, they talk about the rise and fall of Halston delving into his early beginnings as a boy growing up in Indiana, becoming a fashion darling who was known as a hatmaker with a studio in Bergdorf Goodman with a clientele that included Jackie Kennedy and ultimately, taking on the apparel world.

This is illustrated as we see him in the 60's to the days of Studio54 as well as the beginning of the AIDS epidemic. We meet his muses, go behind the scenes of the iconic and historic The Battle of Versailles Fashion Show and we learn about the positive and negative experiences of business decisions that Halston made as he took on investors to support his brand and how he lost control due to this involvement.

HERE COMES THE BREAK

Double Elvis Productions x Def Jam Recordings

iHeart Radio

Fans of Double Elvis Productions (Disgraceland, 27 Club, Blood on the Tracks: The Phil Spector Story) know that he delves into the history of some of the biggest names in music from entertainers and producers. In this network's latest podcast, Here Comes the Break, this audio drama follows Ruben who is navigating school and is dealing with anxiety and mental health; however, a new passion emerges when he creates a podcast that shares up and coming artists. We hear him navigate creating his podcast, working with a team and balancing his life. As he goes to shows and interviews them, his persona becomes larger than life.

Although this is a scripted show, you get real interviews from up-and-coming artists on Def Jam as well as hearing their latest songs.

P!NK ALL I KNOW SO FAR

Amazon Original Movie

Amazon Prime Video

This month, P!NK All I Know So Far an Amazon Original Movie drops. Since her debut in 2000, Pink has released 8 studio albums and sold over 60 million albums. In this music documentary follows pop superstar P!nk on her Beautiful Trauma Tour as she balances her hectic schedule as a performer, being a boss, as well as being a mom and a wife. We get an all-access pass to a mix of footage that takes us with her on the road, behind-the-scenes interviews and personal material. This tour included 156 shows across 18 countries. The tour sold 3 million tickets worldwide and is the 10th highest-grossing tour in Billboard's Boxscore's history - the biggest tour for a women in over a decade.

In many respects, this film, which is directed by "The Greatest Showman's" Michael Gracey, is endearing and revealing and can be seen as a love letter to her family and her fans.

Read the May Issue #65 of Athleisure Mag and see Bingely Streaming in mag.

KEEPING IT FUN WITH VANESSA LACHEY

We caught up with one of our faves, Vanessa Lachey who got her start competing in pageants, being a host on MTV's TRL as well as a number of TV hosting jobs. She also appeared on CBS' The Bold and The Beautiful, FOX's BH90210, and recently, FOX's Call Me Kat. We talked with her to find out how she fell in love with the entertainment industry, Netflix's Love is Blind which she hosts with her husband and 98 Degrees band member, Nick Lachey and what she's working on at the moment!

ATHLEISURE MAG: We’ve been fans of yours since you were on the pageant circuit and of course seeing you as a host on TRL, when did you realize that you wanted to be in the entertainment industry and what drew you to it?

VANESSA LACHEY: I have always loved entertaining my family and friends. I liked making people laugh, and honestly with my dad being in the Air Force and me moving around a lot, being silly and outgoing was my way to make friends and also a coping mechanism for when I was sad or uncomfortable. The pageant was a dare when I was in high school. More of a push my boyfriend's dad who thought if I won his son would appreciate me more. What ended up happening was I realized I only knew how to be ME. I was so nervous and I thought I never stood a chance, but once I won, by being me, I realized how special and unique we all are and can be, as long as we stay true to ourselves. When I started hosting I combined two things I LOVED and knew, music and my outgoing personality. It was such a fun fit and my most favorite job! I owe a lot to both of those experiences and what they did for me personally and professionally.

AM: You've been in so many different great shows, what are the things that you look for when you're considering participating in them?

VL: Honestly, the number one thing I think about is how will the affect my family. Both with my schedule and time away from my kids and time away from my kids and time away from my husband. Next I look at the role and if it's fun, would I enjoy it and how can I make it “mine." For hosting I always want to be a part of something fun and entertaining, but love when I also get to be a part of something bigger and moving or inspirational.

AM: It feels like last year we consumed a lot more programming than normal due to lockdowns etc and we got sucked into Love is Blind. I loved the concept behind it and thought that you and Nick as hosts was such a great addition! What drew you to being involved and how was it for you and your husband to do this together?

VL: This was such a fun project to work on together. We actually hadn’t work together much previously – we’d done a few pageant hosting gigs together but that was it – so it was kind of an experiment to see what our working dynamic might be like. What drew us to it was actually the similarity between the show and how Nick and I first started dating. When we first got together he was living in LA and me in NY, so we communicated mostly over text or the phone for the longest time, really only seeing each other when one of us had work in the other’s city. Obviously we had already seen each other when we started dating, but we loved the concept of this show where people meet and fall in love without relying on physical attraction or having the burden of outside distractions. None of us knew what they outcome would be, so it was a wonderful surprise to see the couples and love that resulted from season one!

AM: Will you be coming back for the next season and can you share anything for fans of the show?

VL: Yes! We are so excited to be starting filming for season two AND three in the next few weeks! Season 2 will be in Chicago and season 3 in Dallas. I can’t share too much, but I can promise you won’t have to wait too long before you get to see it all unfold.

AM: Tell us about your new role as Tara Barnett in Call Me Kat and why you wanted to be on this fun show?

VL: Yes – Tara is such a fun character to play and I really enjoy the sit-com space. I’m also a big fan of Mayim Bialik’s and working together and playing best friends has been such a joy. This was one of the first times a job approached me about a role they thought I’d be a fit for, and I feel so incredibly lucky to be working during an otherwise really difficult time.

AM: I know you haven't been on this show although you could be in an upcoming season, but last year many fans of the Masked Singer kept thinking that the Snow Owls were you and Nick when it was actually Clint Black and Lisa Hartman Black! Would you ever consider being on this show and what would your costume be?

VL: It’s so funny seeing all the speculation around Nick and this show! We enjoy watching at home and even the kids love analyzing the contestants people think sound like him. I think I will leave the singing to Nick, but it certainly would be fun!

AM: In addition to playing roles in various shows and competing on Dancing with the Stars, you have hosted a number of great shows from TRL, Top Chef Junior, hosting various Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants, you will be hosting a virtual awards show called Total Wireless Awards. Can you tell us more about this show and who is being honored?

VL: Yes! I’m so excited to be a part of a program that is so positive – I think we can all use more positivity after the past year. The Total Wireless Awards are featuring five amazing real-life individuals who have really done amazing for themselves, their families or their communities during a really challenging year.

We’ve got a single mom who is working so hard in order to give her three kids the best education possible, all while going to school herself. A high school student named Danny Goldberg who was inspired by his ER physician dad to find ways to help his community during lockdown and started Zoomers to Boomers – an organization that is now active in more than 30 cities across the globe! And a goofy, comedian dad who started making fun TikTok videos with his kindergarten aged-daughter to help make virtual learning more fun.

All of these amazing stories were made possible by virtual connection – something that Total Wireless offers at such an affordable price – plans start at just $25 a month with no-contract required. We’ll be releasing the five stories on Total Wireless’s Instagram page on March 16th and are asking folks to go vote for their favorite story. Then in a few weeks, I’ll be announcing the “fan favorite” winner and sitting down with them to reveal their grand prize!

AM: Are there upcoming projects that we should keep an eye out for that you can tell us about?

VL: I’ll be starting production for Netflix’s Love is Blind Season 2 & 3 and so excited for what’s ahead.

IG @VanessaLachey

PHOTO COURTESY | Vanessa Lachey

Read the Mar Issue #63 of Athleisure Mag and see Keeping it Fun with Vanessa Lachey in mag.

BINGELY STREAMING

THE ONE

Netflix Original Series

Netflix

Although many are waiting for a greenlight for Season 2, the first season of this limited series dropped this month. We're introduced to CEO of The One, Rebecca Webb who is a woman in tech who is known for creating a company that allows you to find your perfect match through DNA data. The idea of finding your perfect someone seems possible especially since users and potential matches see the perfect life that she has.

As expected, not everything is as it seems. Throughout the series, we will learn how she was able to build her company, more about the matches as well as what dark secrets she has been hiding.

ATLAS OBSCURA

Atlas Obscura + Witness Docs

Apple Podcasts

For those that have enjoyed reading Atlas Obscura, you can now listen to their podcast in partnership with Witness Docs. Each episode explores destinations and topics that you may not be aware of, while finding the beauty and nuances of them. Some areas are across the world and others may be much closer to home.

While many of us have yet to act upon our wanderlust, it certainly gives you ideas to add to your bucketlist. Co-Founder and host, Dylan Thuras takes listeners on his journey with new episodes that drop Mon - Thurs and are less than 30 minutes each.

Dylan also has interviews of those who are connected to these places and can share the history so that they can create insight into what makes this such a covetable place or topic.

IN PLAIN SIGHT: LADY BIRD JOHNSON

ABC Audio

Spotify

We enjoy a podcast that has figures that are able to share their story in their own words. In Plain Sight: Lady Bird Johnson, we hear first hand from Lady Bird and see how she had a powerful role in his presidency.

Much of these recordings which comes from her audio diaries have never been heard. We are introduced to her in the hours following the assasination of JFK. We hear her concern as the presidency transitions to the Johnson Administration. She shares her thoughts on historical actions that took place, how she navigated the politics and polarization of her era to become one of the most influential members in the administration. Hearing about her efforts puts her in a new light that many have not understood.

Read the 64th Issue of Athleisure Mag and see Bingely Streaming in mag.

A PASSION REALIZED WITH JASON OPPENHEIM

Since the launch of Netflix's Selling Sunset, we have enjoyed being able to get the scoop on the real estate market especially within one of the top agencies in The Oppenheim Group this docuseries. We have enjoyed seeing this team booking listings, holding open houses, celebs they work with and the drama that comes along. This month, our cover is luxury real estate brokerage owner, attorney, contractor and developer - Jason Oppenheim. We took some time to talk to the Selling Sunset star to find out how he transitioned from being a corporate lawyer and eventually to working in real estate. He talks with us about his firm, his team, the successful show, which has just been greenlit for a fourth and fifth season, as well as the importance of philanthropy and making it a team effort.

ATHLEISURE MAG: Prior to being in real estate, you were a corporate lawyer, what was the moment that you realized that you wanted to work in the real estate industry as I know that your great-great grandfather Jacob Stern, started his firm in the 1800s and was instrumental in creating a number of deals in the early development of LA?

JASON OPPENHEIM: That’s difficult. I left my law firm not knowing what I wanted to do and not having anything lined up. I went and traveled the world for 3 years after I quit my law firm. So I really wasn’t working for years after that. Even when I got back into the United States, I wasn’t sure that I wanted to get into real estate. I knew that it was a passion of mine and I gave it a shot. But I definitely wouldn’t say that I knew before I left law that I wanted to do real estate.

AM: Why did you decide to ultimately launch your own firm that you’re president and founder of?

JO: I was at Coldwell Banker for many years and getting experience and I was working on a team of two women. They taught me a lot and I actually really liked that team, but I didn’t enjoy working at such a large brokerage at Coldwell Banker. So that was kind of the impetuous of me leaving and just starting my own firm. I think that I had just developed enough of a client base that I felt comfortable and I had always wanted to be an entrepreneur and had always wanted to do my own thing. But I had to create that confidence and make sure that I had enough of a book of business to be able to do that.

AM: We have had a number of people that we have interviewed who began as lawyers and have transitioned into other careers, as well as our co-founder that has done the same. What skills from practicing law have also carried over to what you do within your industry now?

JO: Yeah I think that being a lawyer is probably one of the most applicable professions so I think that there are a lot of things that helped me as a lawyer that have been applied to me being in real estate. I think that creative thinking and critical thinking have been two of the most important things that I took. Being an advocate for your client is something that I understood and of course, just your legal acumen. So much of practicing real estate requires that the more understanding that you have of the law, documents, contracts etc. – I think that the better you will be as a real estate agent. I don’t think that there is probably more of a relevant profession for a real estate agent than as a lawyer!

AM: In terms of location and your territory, what areas do you guys cover?

JO: Oh all over Los Angeles really. Certainly, we are the most prolific agents in the Sunset Strip and Hollywood Hills. We also do a ton in Beverly Hills and we’re opening up a new office in Orange County and we’re getting a lot of new listings down there. I would really say all of Southern California.

AM: In terms of you opening another location, what is the process and/or criteria that you look for when it comes to making that commitment? I know in watching the show, there was talk and hope from some of the agents in terms of opening up in Miami?

JO: Well, it’s a very slow process. I mean I’ve been thinking for many years about opening a second office and I was very reticent to do so until I was certain about a lot of different factors. One of them is that there is a healthy luxury market, another one is great office space, another is that I am able to recruit top agents, another is that it’s a place that I love and enjoy – you know I have to be passionate about it and I’m not going to open up an office in an area that I wouldn’t want to live in myself! I’m probably going to buy a second home in Newport Beach. And also location! It needs to be far enough from LA where it makes sense. You want to expand when you’re doing this. Orange County by far, I thought was an important area that I wasn’t in. I think that there are others like The Valley, Miami, New York, but I thought that hands down, this was the best place for a second office.

AM: Before getting into the show, what is a typical day like for you and how involved are you with the agents that work with you?

JO: I mean a typical day. I’m up – usually, my dogs wake me up because they want to be fed maybe around 7am. I take my dogs to coffee every morning so I take them to a coffee shop, usually a different coffee shop for about half an hour. I go through emails and take things slow on my own. Then I come into the office and basically just work and catch up with my staff and go through emails. I go through showings that I have, meet with clients and a lot of it is on the phone. Sometimes I have interviews but a ton of phone calls – I mean dozens and dozens of phone calls. I don’t even know how many, but it is a lot.

AM: When it comes to onboarding your agents, what are you looking for to represent The Oppenheim Group?

JO: You know, an intelligent, thoughtful, sophisticated person. Experience is preferred but it is less important to me then I think raw intelligence and general ambition. Someone that I get along with.

These are people that I will be out with for lunch or at a listing appointment and it’s important to me that I get along with them and that they get along with everyone else! You know, it’s just about being with good people! I mean I really wouldn’t take an agent, no matter how successful they are, that he or she just wasn’t a good person!

AM: On the show we see some serious open houses that have had some fun themes that your team has put together that remind me of editor events that we can’t wait to get back to – what have been some of the favorite ones that your firm has been part of?

JO: I think that I always like a first open house because I think that is very exciting! So the first open house for a new great listing is pretty exciting. I do have to say that generally, my favorite open houses tend to be my favorite listings. Obviously, my favorite open houses tend to be those that I would want to stay at even if it wasn’t an open house - sexy view, tall ceilings, open floor plan and all the stuff that just kind of makes it more fun. More importantly, I would say, it’s the first one because for me it’s about meeting clients, meeting buyers and it’s also about price point. I like open houses at an attainable price point in the area. Sure it’s fun to sit at a $10 million dollar open house, but I would prefer to sit at a $3 or $4 million open house because I am going to meet more people.

AM: This past year has definitely made a lot of our workflows change in many ways, what did you do to navigate these times and how do you feel the market has been for you?

JO: You know, we’ve done all right. We had a decent year despite the pandemic. The luxury market is not only fine even thoughout the pandemic, but it is extremely well right now. I think that we were extremely fortunate and I think that our clients were extremely fortunate and that they have recovered from this. I wouldn’t say that there is any long-term impact at all.

AM: How did the concept of the show, Selling Sunset come about and ultimately, what are the takeaways that you want to know about this show when they are watching it?

JO: You know, we had been approached by different producers and agents for quite some time and both my brother and I were rather reticent to move forward on a show. But when Adam DiVello (Editor’s Note: Adam is formerly a Senior Production and Development Executive at MTV where he developed Laguna Beach. He left the network and launched Done and Done Productions and created as well as executive produced its successful spinoff, The Hills and The City. He is producing Selling Sunset.) reached out to us, we thought about it a bit more and we took a team meeting and I think he had a bit more influence with us and we started to slowly come around. We wanted Netflix, but we weren’t sure if we would get Netflix so we were excited about that!

In terms of what they would take away from it, you know what I would say? I would simply say, that they should just enjoy and watch the show! There’s so much about television now more than ever, just being able to sit down – for me, I like to sit down with my dogs and just sit down for a couple of hours and just destress and have fun! In many ways, I hope that that would be enough for me! I would hope that when people come up to me that they just say that they enjoyed the show, it makes them happy, it’s fun to watch, they enjoy looking at the real estate and that’s enough for me! If they come out of it with more of an understanding for real estate or a passion for it that would be great. I always think that real estate is such a great opportunity for investors and people generally. So if I can get people to be excited about that whether that means they join the profession and become real estate agents or they want to do it as an investment, I think that either one of those would be great simply for the show.

AM: How did you decide who would be on the show?

JO: I didn’t really decide. Obviously, it would be people at my brokerage but it was more of a production decision than anything else.

AM: As a fan of the show, when you and your team are in the office, we’re always thinking about how close you are together. Is it ever distracting when you’re all in there together between doing calls, maintaining business etc?

JO: Well I do step out sometimes to make phone calls from time to time as everyone will! I do like the idea of an open office, but there are certainly negative effects to having such an open office.

AM: Recently, you were greenlit for a 4th and 5th season. How long do you film each season and how are you able to juggle the demands of your business while integrating the show into it?

JO: It’s not terrible for me. The filming requirements aren’t as demanding for me as they are for some of the other women so I manage ok. But you know, it’s certainly a balancing act and we just work really hard. So we end up just having to work more hours in the day to be honest. That’s ok because we all love what we do and we are all capable of doing that.

AM: You’re getting ready to film the next season and for avid viewers, there was a lot going on! Can you share what a general idea of when this will air?

JO: Well we haven’t started filming yet so there isn’t anything that I can tell you about that!

AM: Alright then. We’ll just have to stay tuned!

What have you learned about yourself in filming this show?

JO: You know, one of my biggest concerns was since I’m a private person, I was concerned about people coming up to me. But I think that what may be a surprise to most is how much I enjoy kind of just having the ability to make people be happy and to smile. Just to enjoy watching people smile is really enjoyable for me. I love when a young person comes up to the window and takes a photo of me and they’re just happy! You can kind of tell that you made their day happier and that feels great! That was one of the things that I wasn’t expecting as much.

AM: Clearly you’re very fit, what are your workout routines that you like to do to stay in shape?

JO: Just the gym and that’s it. I wish that I had something more exciting to say. I mean, I workout less than what people think. I workout for less than 30 minutes and I get teased sometimes on how little I workout, but I don’t do it for so long. I go to Monarch Athletic Club or Equinox.

AM: Do you have certain routines that you like to do?

JO: I like to do everything.

AM: How do you take time for yourself?

JO: Oftentimes, ironically enough, I sit down and watch Netflix you know? Because I really enjoy it. Most days, I’m at home watching TV with my dogs and it makes me pretty happy. I like to go out to dinner with my friends, but most of the time, I like to sit, watch a game, sit down with my dogs with some frozen yogurt and watch Netflix.

AM: One of the things we enjoyed watching in the show was how much philanthropy is very important to you and you get your office involved as well. What organizations do you like to give of your time and/or donate to?

JO: Yeah that episode that you saw on Selling Sunset is the one that I love giving to – Food on Foot. I like to not only spend my time when I can, but more importantly, I like to be charitable with some of the income that I have as I think that they do a really, really good job. I think that we’re going to be on Celebrity Family Feud soon and we have chosen that charity so hopefully we’ll win some money on Celebrity Family Feud.

AM: For #TRIBEGOALS, we like to ask those that are trailblazers in their industry, who are 3 people that you are inspired by that got you to where you are today whether you know them in person or follow them from afar.

JO: I like Albert Einstein definitely as someone that I look up to. I’d say that I was very lucky to have in both of my professions in real estate and in law – I was able to work with very successful people that earned my respect and were able to teach me about leadership, experience and professionalism. The woman that I worked under when I was at Coldwell Banker, her name is Joyce Rey. She is still an icon in real estate and she taught me a lot. Then when I was a lawyer, Daniel Petrocelli is one of the leading attorneys in the country as well, just as Joyce is one of the leading women in real estate. So I guess, I was just really lucky in my professions in law and in real estate to work with someone like Joyce Rey and Dan Petrocelli. I think that they had such an influence on me in terms of my professional life.

IG @JasonOppenheim

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS

| PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | FRONT COVER, PG 22 + 23 Benjo Arwas | BACK COVER, PG 16, 18, 21, 24, 27 - 32 Rochelle Brodin |

Hear luxury real estate owner/broker, contractor, developer at The Oppenheim Group and Netflix's Selling Sunset star, Jason Oppenheim on an upcoming episode of our show, #TRIBEGOALS - which is a part of Athleisure Studio, our multimedia companion podcast network! Subscribe to be notified when the episode drops. Listen on iHeartRadio, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts or wherever you enjoy your podcasts.

Read the Mar Issue #63 of Athleisure Mag and see A Passion Realized with Jason Oppenheim in mag.

BINGELY STREAMING

BEHIND HER EYES

Netflix Original Series

Netflix

Last holiday, we all heard how there will be at least 1 new movie or series brought to Netflix. Since we're all navigating being at home and staying entertained, we suggest this very bingeable show that is based on the book of the same name.

Behind Her Eyes is a psychological thriller that takes dreaming, love triangles and the sins of the past to new levels. We're introduced to 3 main characters whose lives are intertwined in a way that even they don't completely understand. This limited series is filled with twists and turns and is definitely worth paying attention to so that you don't miss the clues.

FLACK

Amazon

We all have a celebrity that we enjoy catching up with as we scroll through our social feeds. It's interesting to see what they're up to. FLACK looks at the world of celebrity through the lens of PR and specifically, Crisis Management. We follow Robyn, an American who works at a British firm who ensure that their clients navigate their messy lives. In each episode of the first season, we seethe firm spring into action at each disaster that comes their way.

In addition to watching how they're able to keep their clients from completely spinning out of control, we see that their lives are just as messy and complicated as the ones that they are trying to take care of.

The balancing act of celebrities misbehaving and juggling their own lives make this an easy sea-son to watch while we wait for the 2nd season to come to the platform later this year.

WELCOME TO YOUR FANTASY

Pineapple Street + Gimlet Media

Spotify

Chippendales is part of our pop culture lexicon. Whether you have attended a show or not, you're familiar with this male revue that took the industry by storm. Welcome to Your Fantasy is a podcast that explores the origins of this well known show, how it took elements from the Playboy Bunnies and how they were able to create and tweak a show that resonated with viewers. This is only part of the story as episodes peel back the layers of the founders, greed, treachery and ultimately a murder! First hand accounts by the dancers and others who worked for this show share how it all went down and where things began to take a turn.

Read the Feb Issue #62 of Athleisure Mag and see Bingely Streaming in mag.

BINGELY STREAMING

HISTORY OF SWEAR WORDS

Netflix Comedy

Netflix

Hosted by Nicolas Cage, Netflix Comedy presents a History of Swear Words. In each of its 6 episodes, a swear word is covered and provides its historical evolution from when it started, how it was adopted and how it has progressed over time. Nicolas provides anicdotes from the comfort of a stately library. In addition, a number of major comedians weigh in on the use of the word and how it gained popularity or whether it's as bad as it is perceived to be. They also have etymologists and others who study language that provide their insight as well.

In each episode, you hear a lot of facts that allows you to see the word in a new light in terms of its adoption through time and culturally. We wonder if they will continue to have a history of other kinds of words since the 6 big ones have already been covered!

EVIL BY DESIGN

CBC Podcast

Apple Podcast

In the past few years the inexcusable acts by Harvey Weinstein, Jeffrey Epstein, Bill Cosby and more have been brought to light. Their well known exploits were whispered about in their respective and adjacent industries are in full display. Adding to this list is fast fashion mogul, Peter Nygard (known as Canada's Jeffrey Ep-stein) who is allegedly accused of rape, sexual assault and human trafficking that has spanned across 4 decades, 4 countries and more than 80 women that are said to have been involved. In Evil By Design, CBC Podcast's Timothy Sawa brings his investigative journalism of 20+ years to focus on the women and men who were victimized, the systems that failed them and how he was able to do this for so long.

BUSINESS MOVERS

Wondery

Spotify

Fans of Business Wars and Business Wars Daily which focuses on 2 businesses that are competing with one another in a designated space, have a new show to add to their list. Hosted by Lindsay Graham (not the Senator), Business Movers looks at successful businesses and the story that took place to get to their success. The stories look at their early beginnings and how they took leaps of faith to be where they are now! This includes epic moves filled with bold decisions, highs and lows and the unknown. In addition to having a greater understanding of the business and how it has grown beyond its vision, it's also a peek into the innovators as an individual.

This series kicked off with its initial episodes that involve Walt Disney. We learn about Walt, his upbringing, building his company which included his successful movies as well as his biggest gamble, the creation of Disneyland and Walt Disney World. We also learn how he began to focus on his dream of living beyond him by setting up his brother Roy to take the reigns.

We can't wait for additional episodes which will also look at mishaps from successful companies such as the colossal failure of New Coke.

Read the Jan Issue #61 of Athleisure Mag and see Bingely Streaming in mag.

STOLEN MOMENTS WITH NIECY NASH

We have been fans of Niecy Nash for a number of years. Whether it was when we first saw her hosting one of our favorite shows, Clean House on The Style Network, her comedic talents in Reno 911! or her dramatic roles such as Netflix's When They See Us or FX on Hulu's Mrs. America - Niecy always steals the show with her dynamic personality and ability to absorb her role. Like many, we're fans of TNT's Claws where she plays Desna Simms who roles with some of the baddest manicurists who create nail art along with navigating the underworld of Palmetto, FL. Throughout the show, we have seen her rocking dazzling styles in front of the camera and bringing us into the world of nail artistry as well as showing usher directorial chops behind the camera! With the final and fourth season airing in 2021, we caught up with her in New Orleans where they are currently filming. She shares the importance of Christmas, the 2021 Staycation that we have all endured and upcoming storytelling projects.

ATHLEISURE MAG: What was the moment that you realized that you wanted to work in the entertainment industry?

NIECY NASH: I was 5 years old and I was watching TV with my grandmother and I saw the most gorgeous Black woman that I had ever seen in my little 5 years of living. I said, “Grandmama, who is that?” and she said, “Baby, that’s Lola Falana.”I said, “Ooo,” and I felt that in that moment, that was definitely stamped on my canvas of my imagination and I was like, that’s what I want to do – that right there.

AM: You know, you’re involved in so many projects and you’re constantly on the move, why is the holiday season so important to you?

NN: The holiday season is so important because there is so much connective tissue there. There’s so much time and space to bring families together. But because we have all been in this mandatory 2020 Staycation when we have had to stay in the house, it has really become about curating moments and memories in the best way that we can given the circumstances.

AM: What are ways that we can curate those memories as we continue into the holiday season since we are spending so much time at home.

NN: Girl, I’m glad you asked! I want to tell so many people what I have stumbled upon and that’s HP Printables. I just got married and I was able to through HP, create my own holiday card they offer free crafts and activities. I thought this was so interesting because we can’t go out. I can stay in and involve my family and to have fun. So I found the most gorgeous tulle skirt, all the way down to the floor. Guess where I went when I wore it?

AM: Where?

NN: To my sofa girl! I went to the sofa, laid out and took a picture. I made it into a holiday card! It was absolutely gorgeous! I have to tell everybody about this because it is something that you can do with your whole family. We were able to change and do different looks as well as wearing our pajamas. It was so much fun!

AM: Are there other things that this printer can also do?

NN: Well, girl, you’ve got some good questions today! Here’s the other thing that I love about it. It’s the fact that HP has a subscription program called InstantInk meaning that if you’re in the middle of a crafting project, or your children are using it or if you have an important task that you’re working on – you will never run out of ink. This is because the print-er will let it be known and like magic, the ink will pull up to your house so you don’t have to worry about that! I feel like they are really thinking about families because in this time that we are in right now, the fact that you have services that are free is good, the fact that they’re accommodating families so we’re not making extra trips – that’s good. And listen, here’s the uptick. It’s so easy that you can let the kids sit down and do the crafting and you can go take a much needed break, if you know what I’m saying! That’s the most important part.

AM: How do you take time for yourself especially during the holiday season when itis so busy?

NN: You know, I have what you call “stolen moments.” It may not be where you can sit down and have an entire hour, but you can curate maybe 10 or 15 minutes here and 10 to 15 minutes there to do those things that make you feel restored and renewed. Whether that’s a little book on tape, making a phone call to a loved one, going into the bathroom and closing your door to pluck your eyebrows and put on your favorite song. You just have to find stolen moments.

AM: We have enjoyed seeing you on a number of TV shows and movies over the past couple of decades. Being able to see you on screen and representing Black women is something that inspires so many people with the ability to see ourselves. We know that right now you’re filming the final season of TNT’s Claws and although you can’t tell us too many details, what can you say about this show and what can you tell us about projects that we should keep our eye out for?

NN: I’m filming Claws right now and we’re in our fourth and final season. So with big promises to our fans of the show, they will leave completely satiated with our show. They will not be disappointed!

In addition to that, in 2021, right at the top,I am doing a project for ABC that Jay-Z is producing called Women of the Movement and we’re going to be telling the Emmett Till story. That’s going to be great story-telling!

IG @NiecyNash1

PHOTOS COURTESY | Niecy Nash

Hear Niecy Nash on our show, Bungalow SK - which is a part of Athleisure Studio, our multimedia companion podcast network! Subscribe to be notified when the episode drops. Listen on iHeartRadio, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts or wherever you enjoy your podcasts.

Read the Dec Issue #60 of Athleisure Mag and see Stolen Moments with Niecy Nash in mag.

BINGELY STREAMING

MA RAINEY'S BLACK BOTTOM

Netflix Originals

Netflix

Netflix Originals brings the story of the Mother of the Blues, Ma Rainey, to showcase how she trailblazed in the industry. Based on the play written by August Wilson. The film where Viola Davis stars as Ma Rainey as well as Chad Boseman's final film as Levee Green, the band's trumpeter. The film tackles artistic control, commercial exploitation, and racism in various forms from systematic to violent.

Most of the scenes take place in a recording studio in Chicago in 1927 where the band shares stories that lets you know about their journey, the lies, truths and how their decisions led them to where they ended up.

FROM NOW

QCode

Apple Podcast

We've been fans of QCode's podcast for awhile now so when we heard that Richard Madden (Bodyguard) and Brian Cox (HBO's Succession) would be starring in this scripted sci-fi podcast, we made sure to add this to our list. The first episode introduces us to the USS Hope a spaceship that vanished for 35 years and then came back to earth. The lone survivor leaves the carrier and is the same age as when he left! His brother, voiced by Cox and is his twin and has a one-on-one meeting with them.

The meeting allows them to reconcile and although it was a pleasant exchange, it turn a bit dark as they uncover information that can threaten their relationship from sibling rivalry, family loyalty, technological advances, the future of space exploration, climate change, human adaptation and how we process time individually.

CATFISH

Wondery + MTV

Spotify

We enjoy seeing Catfish where Nev Schulman brings interested parties together to find out if they are who they say they are, if they are compatible to stay together or if they have other issues that they need to figure out. Nev has also shown us how we can go about protecting our digital spaces and interactions so that we can safeguard ourselves from those that may not have our best interests as heart. If you've enjoyed seeing the movie that started it all and the weekly TV show, you can now listen to some of the most shocking episodes on this podcast.

MTV partnered with Wondery to take some of the best episodes from the TV show and to make it an auditory experience as we navigate those being catfished. As this show just began, we love that Max is in these episodes. In listening to the first few episodes, you can hear the best of the actual show as well as voiceovers to connect portions of the episode in terms of describing the person that they are working with so that you have a full picture on what's taking place.

Read the Athleisure Mag Dec Issue #60 and see Bingely Streaming in mag.

BINGELY STREAMING

BLOOD ON THE TRACKS

iHeartRadio

Spotify

We've been a fan of Jake Brennan since we heard his first podcast episode of DISGRACELAND which looks at some of music's biggest stars and the unfortunate choices that they made during their music career. In Blood on The Tracks, Jake looks at musical genius Phil Spector who was also a murderer. The story is told by Jake as well as the point of views of fictionalized voices of Debbie Harry, Lenny Bruce, Ike Turner just to name a few. Thus party true crime x historical fiction x spoken word lo-fi beat noir that illustrates the story by that that have shared what they knew about him.

Each episode shares a number of his musical accolades with notable acts while takyou through his life moments from his personal relationship to the unraveling that began his downfall.

AWAY

Netflix Originals

Netflix

We meet Emma Green (Hilary Swank), who is a Commander who will be manning the first Mission to Mars. We also meet her husband Matt Logan (Josh Charles) who is a former astronaut turned NASA engineer who will be at Mission Control for this inaugural mission. He is left to stay on Earth in this job while taking care of their child. Of course, things become complicated when something goes wrong in the process.

This mishap that takes place allows the viewer to see the intersectionality that exists between people especially those that are on the mission versus those that exist on work. Away looks at how these issues are dealt with as opposed to the mission themselves.

Away looks at the impact of what happens when missteps are made and how we go about repairing them. With the launch of this first season this month, we're all looking forward to Netflix's take on exploration to new frontiers as well as re-examinging known and unknown terrains within our friend and family structures. How do we build this infrastructure, how fragile are they and what do we to ensure that we can maintain them.

THE BARON OF BOTOX

Imperative Entertainment

Apple Podcast

This podcast brings additional insight into the 2 decade career of Dr. Fredric Brandt who was known as a trusted and elite dermatologist that administered botox treatments that were ahead of its time to magazine editors, Manhattan elites, Miami socialites and even being Madonna's personal skincare consultant.

His clients loved him and every magazine profiled him. But behind the facade of making his clients look their best selves and an impressive empire, he became addicted to his work. Many believed that he saw Martin Short's character in the Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and felt that is was loosely based on him and could have led him to taking his own life.

Host Justine Harman delves into the man and examines a number of issues that existed below the surface regardless of the industry and clients that embraced him.

Read the Sept Issue #57 of Athleisure Mag and see Bingely Streaming in mag.

BINGELY STREAMING

MILLION DOLLAR BEACH HOUSE

Netflix Originals

Netflix

We can't get enough of reality shows in general and when it comes to those that are focused on real estate, sign us up! When you're finished bingeing watching Selling Sunset, make sure that you check out Netflix's newest show that focuses on Nest Seeker International's agents as they sell homes in the Hamptons. As is the case with this formula, we'll be introduced to an array of personalities of realtors and brokers that are taking on a hot destination, watching how they do their business, how they stay ahead of the competition and how they work together as an agency as well as individually! In addition, we can transfer our wanderlust through them and be transported to new locales. Of course, we're definitely waiting to see what kinds of drama they will get into as well!

I MAY DESTROY YOU

HBO

HBO + HBO MAX

We meet Arabella Essiedu (Michaela Cole) and her friends in London living their best lives. Arabella is a Twitter star turned author working on writing her 2nd anticipated book while in the throws of procastination and serious writer's block, with her best friend Terry Pratchard (Weruche Opia) who is a struggling actor and her other best gay male friend Kwame (Paapa Essiedu). We follow Arabella as we focus on her finishing her book. She takes a trip to Italy and meets a man who calls her out on her vices, when she is back home, she opts to take another break to go out and is sexually assaulted; however, she spends the remainder of the season putting together the details, dealing with her stages of grief, what it means to be a victim and getting her power back.

In the midst of her focus on herself, she also learns how her interactions as well as being present with her friends shift as well. Ultimately, she realizes that after a year since the incident, she has to get her life together and she can't do it alone. This powerful and emotional series just completed so it's worth doing a proper binge.

EVEN THE RICH: THE HOUSE OF VERSACE

Wondery

Spotify + Wondery+

Even the Rich delves into some of the richest families, couples and systems and shows that although they have wealth, access and lives that are on another level, they also deal with the same issues of loss, betrayal and ambition. This season has included a number of stories that are covered within a few episodes from the Royal family, The Murdochs, Gettys, Beyoncé & Jay-Z and they are currently delving into The House of Versace. Within each story, there is a primary focus such as how Gianni's siblings Donatella and Santo's initial involvement within the the family business shifted over time - especially after his death.

This conversational pop culture podcast is hosted by Brooke Siffrinn and Aricia Skidmore- Williams and is filled with anecdotes, stories from and behind the headlines as well as their own insight into what took place.

Read the Aug Issue of Athleisure Mag #56 and see Bingely Streaming in mag,

BINGELY STREAMING

SELLING SUNSET

Netflix

Netflix Originals

Much like wanderlust, we have a thing for watching people sell homes and the teams that work together (sometimes they work against one another). As we continue to stay at home, we're all looking for shows to watch. Selling Sunset takes us to LA and surrounding communities as this small but successful real estate firm makes their sales goals, increases their sales and takes on new opportunities.

We also see how they are managing their personal lives and even pushing themselves in terms of what it means to be in the real estate industry. The cast keeps your attention as well as the eyedropping homes that they share throughout the season. If you've yet to catch the first season, start there and continue onto the second season which launched last month.

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IT WAS SIMPLE: THE BETTY BRODERICK MURDERS

LA Times

Spotify

We enjoy True Crime and if you enjoyed Dirty John, a podcast created by LA Times in partnership with Wondery as well as its TV series of the same name that aired on BRAVO, you will enjoy It Was Simple The Betty Broderick Murders which was also created by the LA Times. It follows the love story and ultimately gruesome and tragic end to Betty and Dan Broderick. This podcast shares the facts behind this murder which you can also see in Dirty John: Betty The Betty Broderick Story which is currently airing on the USA Network. If you need more of a fix, you can also listen to LA Time's 3 episode Dirty John: Betty podcast.

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LOOKING FOR LATOYA THE PODCAST

HBO

Spotify

If you enjoyed the 4th season of HBO's Insecure, you know that everyone on the show kept talking about or watching Looking for Latoya. Viewers saw a number of scenes about this True Crime show. Although we didn't find out what happened to Latoya, after the season ended, they dropped a mini podcast that you can catch on your preferred platforms.

We learn more about the host of the show, how she became affiliated with this case and we do learn about what happened to Latoya. With only 3 episodes, it's worth listening for a few chuckles. We're hoping that they do more of these show in show concepts in future seasons of Insecure as a number of celebs (as seen in the show) lend their voices to this podcast.

Read the June Issue of #54 of Athleisure Mag and see Bingely Streaming in mag.

BINGELY STREAMING

HOLLYWOOD

Netflix

Netflix Originals

Ryan Murphy's Hollywood takes place during the Golden Age in a Post WWII era with a cast of characters that are making efforts to make their dreams come true as they navigate the culture around them. We are introduced to actors, filmmakers and writers who are focused on rising to the top in the film industry no matter what the cost is.

As we follow each character's journey, we learn more about the industry from the power that happens in the rooms where decision are made, the challenges that take place and biases that are still apart of the mechanisms that exist in this industry to this day. The show makes a case for what would have happened if these systemic had been erradicated. To this day, what took place during the Golden Age are still being navigated in the current day.

SELENA A STAR DIES IN TEXAS

Vault Studios

Spotify

This six-part series chronicles the life and legacy of Selena Quintanilla-Pérez. The podcast details the senseless murder to this Tejano star who was quickly becoming a crossover artist after enjoying a meteoric rise to to fame by the hands of a superfan that broke the hearts of millions of her fans.

Throughout the podcast, listeners are privy to rare and never before heard audio that details various components of her murder as well as those that weighed in on what was going on during the star's life. We also learn about those that were involved in her daily life and how they impacted a number of events that took place.

WIND OF CHANGE

Crooked Media

Spotify

What would you say if a popular song by a heavy metal West German band known as the Scorpions was released after the fall of Berlin Wall and the collapse of the Soviet Union? The power ballad "Wind of Change" became the essence to a peaceful revolution that was sweeping across Europe. This song also became the biggest rock single ever and many fans felt that this song also ended the Cold War!

Many decades later, NewYorker writer and host of Wind of Change Podcast, Patrick Radden Keefe and Pineapple Street and Crooked Media heard a rumor that this song wasn't written by this band and was actually created by the CIA!

Patrick looks to find the truth by interviewing former operatives, rockers and more from Ohio, Moscow and Kiev! This show focuses on spies, propaganda and government secrets in this eight-part series.

Read the May Issue of Athleisure Mag and see Bingely Streaming in mag.