BINGELY STREAMING

THE GODMOTHER

Novel + iHeart Radio

Spotify

We love a good kingpin podcast and in The Godmother, we are transported to the 1930s where Lucky Luciano is one of the most notorious mobsters of his time. He was taken down by a rookie prosecutor. Eunice Carter was one of the first Black women ever to be a prosecutor in America.

With her world and office being centered in the Harlem Renaissance, she navigates the world which is a blend of corruption that is rampant in downtown Manhattan politics along with the nuances of a racial and sexist pre-Civil Rights American social structure and society.

As a pioneer in what would be known as the “trial of the century” that has been previously lost to history.

In this podcast we learn how Eunice, a writer, social worker, mother, teacher, sister, socialite, political candidate, community organizer and previously known pioneer made her mark in this case as well as a far reaching legacy, search for justice and an undeterred ambition.

EXPATS

Amazon Original

Prime Video

In the limited series Expats, we are introduced to those who have taken residency in Hong Kong. On the surface, we see successful men and women at work, home, and at play. We watch as they engage in their surroundings and even enjoy the aesthetics of their wardrobe, homes, and the way they relax!

But throughout the episodes, we see that the goals and ambitions of the women in a multifaceted group are challenged by a series of events that bind as well as fragment them.

This complex web takes place between two friends with increased tension and a young woman who was initially there to assist their lives while becoming a catalyst to a chain of events that will affect all their lives as well as those that are related to them!

What is the balance between blame and accountability and where does forgiveness come into play - at what cost?

Although we hope that there will be a second season of this immersive series, you can watch all episodes in the perfect binge now!

UNTOLD: THE RETREAT

Financial Times

Apple

From the special investigations team at the Financial Times, Untold is a new podcast that we can't wait to see future stories. In Untold: The Retreat, host Madison Marriage looks at the Goenka network which promotes a form of intensive meditation known as Vipassana. Numerous people go on these retreats every year; however, there are those that attend and suffer while there as well as when they have returned. Some have described feeling terror or a break with reality that makes it difficult for them to cope and ultimately, they are no longer the people they were prior to going to the retreat. The investigative team follows the leads to see what is going on in this wellness space.

Read the FEB ISSUE #98 of Athleisure Mag and see BINGELY BOOKS in mag.

IT'S ABOUT THE STORY | MARIA STEN

This month's cover editorial is with actress and writer, Maria Sten. Throughout her career she has used her passion for creativity to navigate her interests whether it was being Miss Denmark 2008 and then representing her country at Miss Universe, working as a model and a dancer until connecting with her passion for storytelling!

For fans of Big Sky, she wrote for this crime genre series that took place in Montana; those who enjoy immersive podcasts, she included her voice work in QCODE's Narcissa; and she's currently in Prime Video's Reacher whose second season is streaming now and we're excited to see that not only is the third season greenlit, but it is already in production, and of course her character, Frances Neagley will be back!

We wanted to find out more about how she got into the industry as a writer and actress, the stories she likes to tell, how she gets inspired, being on Reacher, its success, working on projects she's passionate about, and more.

We also enjoyed our cover shoot with her at il Pellicano and Bijoux Lounge in NoLita which has been on our list to transport us as we navigate the winter weeks ahead.

ATHLEISURE MAG: We have been a fan of yours across the Narcissa podcast, your work as a writer with Big Sky and obviously with Reacher! But before we delve into that, in our research we saw that you were Miss Denmark 2008 and competed at Miss Universe as well, you were a dancer, and a model. What made you want to do that and to ultimately, dig deeper into entertainment as a writer and a producer.

MARIA STEN: You know, that’s a good question. I think that one thing that is true to my life and has always been true is that I have just zero chill. So I just want to do stuff all the time. I want to work, I want to challenge myself all the time and I want to grow. I came to NY when I was 18 to be a dancer and obviously when you come to NY as an immigrant, I did not have papers and I was working very hard to try and build my career and to build sort of a profile for myself so that I was able to get papers, and I was going back to Denmark and then randomly, Miss Denmark opportunity came up and I thought, sure why not? I won and then they said, do you want to go to Vietnam for 1 month and do Miss Universe? I thought, how could I say no to that? I think it was sort of a strange roundabout way as I don’t think that I consider myself to be a pageant girl per se, but it was such an incredible experience and I got to meet these amazing women from all over the world and I do still know a lot of people in that community. So you never know when these once in a lifetime experiences – how they can come about! For me, that was just something that I couldn’t say no to.

Then I think that from then on evolving into a dancer and then music, acting which I had done when I was a teenager and as a child a little bit. I sort of realized that these were the things that I wanted to do for my life. The desire to write came as a necessity to do so as I didn’t really feel that I could really stretch with the opportunities that were offered to me. Black women in the industry, at least at the time, it was more limited what we were offered. It still is in terms of opportunities, but of course, it is better now. I just wanted to write to play in the same roles that my other colleagues were able to play in as well. Then people apparently thought that I should be a writer! So now, I do both!

AM: I love that and to your point about the pageant system. In addition to my role here, as a fashion stylist, I have styled Miss America 2019 as well as Miss Ecuador 2018 ahead of her competing in Miss Universe that year. It is such an interesting world and that network is really amazing because the interest that a lot of the people do are so different. It’s literally that they could be rocket scientists, fashion designers, or other interests. It’s cool to see people that are part of that world!

MS: It’s really interesting and I think of course in America, it overlaps a lot. I’m still in communication with Miss Puerto Rico that was from my year, Ingrid who is also an actress, Meagan Tandy who was Miss California USA who was the year before me, and Miss Iowa from 2007 Dani Reeves is a good friend of mine. Not necessarily because we competed in pageants, but that network and you just find people like you do in any other industry that you connect with and you stay friends with! It’s really incredible. Meeting photographers like Fadil Berisha who is an amazing photographer did my very first headshot in New York when I was 19.

AM: I styled a shoot for an artist that he did the album art for – so talented!

MS: Yes he is and that was because of Miss Universe. I’m definitely grateful for that opportunity and it was only just a springboard for me to stay in the United States, to build my career, and etc. etc.

AM: I was such a huge fan of Big Sky and love that you wrote for this series. What drew you to this show?

MS: I am a huge Western nerd. I have been riding horses since I was 3 years old and I went to the US for the first time when I was 8 and spent a month with my family on a ranch in Arizona and I totally got bit by this Western bug because I grew up riding English and I had no idea that there was this thing that was called the Wild West and that there are these big wide open spaces with nature and cowboys with cool hats and six shooters! So I totally got obsessed with this world and watched all the westerns growing up and I had been wanting to write one for forever. I did write a pilot early on which was a spec of mine which was a period western. So when Big Sky came along, it was kind of an obvious choice for me. It was a Black female lead set in Montana and it’s a crime show and I thought – yes and of course, David E. Kelley (The Undoing, Love and Death, The Lincoln Lawyer) was attached! Generally, I don't do a lot of network television, but when it is David E. Kelley is doing it – that’s the parameters for it – that’s sort of a no-brainer for me.

AM: What do you look for in a project when it comes to you coming on as a writer?

MS: I definitely look for character and world and relationships. That’s definitely what I’m looking for and a lot of my projects are always born out of wanting to play in a world, but also what do I want to do as an actor? What could be interesting for me as an actor and also, what is the lack in the space? If I don’t see it in the space – female villains or Black people in the Western space – all of these things are things that I want to be playing in, but I don’t see – that is always a good incentive for me to start writing in some way, somehow. Definitely looking for things that are unique and have something to say. That is always important to me.

AM: What is your creative process like when you’re writing. It must be so interesting where obviously you’re thinking about the storyline and future seasons or how that character arc grows over a period of time. Where do you start with that?

MS: I definitely start with the pilot and I think about what is the pilot, who are the people that we care about, what is the central relationship, and what is the central theme of the show? Then, once I have a good grip on the pilot, what are we setting up with the world and the relationships with the characters – then I will branch out. I do that sort of organically. Once I’m flushing out the pilot, I’m thinking about when certain information will have to be revealed if you’re thinking about the season as a whole.

AM: Right.

MS: It’s an organic way and I don’t really have a way of going about it. I think that most things come to me in different ways. Sometimes I just know a scene, I know the beginning or the end, sometimes I just know the character and I just want to focus on that character and what interesting situation that I can put them in. Most of my own stories are like misfit families. Family dramas of some kind. So oftentimes, the central relationship will always be some kind of family relationship and how we can dive into these complicated relationships. Flawed characters are what I like to dive into. So that’s usually where it goes.

AM: I’m a huge fan of podcasts, generally true crime. But I really appreciate other genres in the scripted space. QCODE is one that I love with their immersive approach to storytelling and Narcissa was amazing and I loved hearing you in it. What drew you to that?

MS: Thank you!

AM: Oh it was so good!

MS: Yeah, I think that – what was happening at that time? Fun fact, I think at the time, I was home writing on something and I had just broken my wrist snowboarding so I was sort of just stuck at home and they said, “do you want to do this thing from your closet?” and I said yes absolutely because I really wanted to be able to do a project. That was one fun fact and also I think I really just wanted to dive into the character. That character is so interesting and not to give anything away, but playing something like that and the different dynamics that you have to sort of consider in playing a character like that, I thought it was interesting and to also look at AI and what’s to come in our society – I thought that that was interesting. For me, I thought that it was a fascinating dive into audio. I haven’t done a lot of voice work and I would love to. So I thought that it was a good way for me to get started.

AM: Over the holiday I watched the first season of Reacher and then watched the screeners of the 2nd season of Reacher. It's interesting that with as many shows that I watch and love there are always those that I haven’t gotten around to and I know I would love them! In prep for the interview, I wanted to see both seasons and it was so good and so fun to jump into. What was it about this show that you wanted to be involved in this series?

MS: Off the bat, it’s the action! I love the action, I love strong characters, kinetic characters, kinetic stories – Neagley, this word is so overused, but she’s a badass in a lot of ways and she also has this other kind of quirky quality about her. So to me, that was something really interesting to get to play with and to figure out how to make it interesting and grounded at the same time. For sure, to begin with. I knew it was going to be this splashy/action show and then when I got the job and I realized that there was this whole billion dollar book franchise that is behind it – I read all the books that Neagley was in and I got excited because there was so much to dive into and to explore that was about this mysterious woman that I got to play!

AM: Well beyond reading the books and the information that you were given, how else did you prepare to play her?

MS: Definitely kinetically. I was training just sort of on my own physique that we do as actors. Then I did kickboxing which I did when I was younger, shadow boxing, doing drills with a stunt team and then there was a lot of speaking to military veterans that had served – specifically women who had been in the army and the marines. I have a couple of friends that are veterans and so they put me in touch just so that I could understand what that life was like and the real things that you sort of have to endure day in and day out as being deployed and being part of this mahinery that is the US military.

I just love doing research and deep diving with characters so it was a combination of a few things.

AM: Obviously, not to have spoilers or anything, but where do we leave Neagley in Season 1 and where do we pick up with her again as we go into Season 2?

MS: You know, the good thing about the show is that each season is a contained story, right? We do 1 book per season so it feels quite satisfying where when we were in the first season, it was a limited series and if you’re watching the 2nd season, you don’t have to have seen the previous one to enjoy the next one. Of course, I think that you should so that you have an understanding of the character Reacher (Alan Ritchson), who he is and how he moves through the world.

But I think that we leave her and she’s come in to do her duty and to help save her friend. And now, we pick back up with her in Season 2 where there are bigger stakes for her and them because members of their unit have turned up dead. I think that is much more of a personal round and a personal story for all of our main characters this season. I think that the action and the scope of the season is indicative of that in terms of the action and the interplay between the characters and how stark it also is given that we shoot in the winter in Toronto.

AM: The final episode of the second season I was like, this is so exciting where everything ends. We know that it has already been greenlit for the 3rd season and we know that we will continue to see you. Do you know anything about the 3rd season that you’re able to share with us or what would you like to see if you were able to be in the Writer’s Room?

MS: I may or may not know things that I may or may not be able to talk about! So we can leave it at that ha ha! Of course, we will see Reacher do cool things in Season 3 and if Nealey shows up to lend him a hand again – hopefully that will be exciting for the fans as well as it has been in the other seasons. I think that the liberty of doing a book per season, we can dive into new stories as we adapt them for screen. The showrunners and the powers that be can fit it into what they feel is right for the TV version. So a lot more action of course, but the story changes in terms of scope, in terms of world, and I think that it will be interesting to see what comes next.

AM: Are there any upcoming projects that you have that we should keep an eye out for?

MS: I’m currently working on a few things on the writing side. I just finished a pilot which is a modern Western set in Wyoming where I also live. Right now, I also have 2 features in development, but they are in very early stages, but that’s what I plan to be working on for the writing side this year.

AM: When you’re not working on a project or in the throws of a project, how do you take time for yourself?

MS: I travel a lot. I love to go to different countries exploring different cultures. I specifically go to Mexico a lot, I go to Southern Africa a lot, I spend a lot of time on horseback in the bush in Southern Africa. There’s just nothing better than seeing wildlife from horseback. For me, it’s a great way to of course get inspired, reset, and step away from the hustle and bustle of our industry and just to have some stillness and to be off of our phones and to reconnect with nature.

IG @mariasten

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | PG 38 - 45 + 45 Prime Video/Reacher | PG 42 9LIST STORI3S + PG 118 NEW YEAR N3W YOU Image Courtesy Maria Sten |

Our shoot with Maria Sten took place on Mulberry street in NoLita at il Pellicano and Bijoux Lounge. Following the credits from this photoshoot, we delve into into this restaurant as well as the lounge so that you can plan your next night out in an epic way!

IT'S ABOUT THE STORY COVER EDITORIAL | TEAM CREDITS

PHOTOGRAPHER Paul Farkas | FASHION STYLIST Kimmie Smith | MUA Rebecca Restrepo | HAIR STYLIST Corey Tuttle |

IG @pvfarkas

@shes.kimmie

@rebeccarestrepo

@coreytuttlehair

IT'S ABOUT THE STORY COVER EDITORIAL | CREDITS

LOUNGE LOOK PG 16-19 | BUCK MASON Molasses Lounge Wool Shirt + Pants |

FITNESS LOOK BACK COVER + PG 20 - 25 | COSMOLLE Air Wear Long Sleeve + High Waisted Legging Set | ATHLEISUREVERSE Varsity Jacket | NEW BALANCE 550 Sneakers |

OUT + ABOUT LOOK PG 26 - 29 | GREY BANDIT Adriana Coat | LNA CLOTHING Essential Cotton Kaden V Neck | MAVI Wide Leg Pant | ABBOTT LYON Curb Chain Necklace | SEQUIN JEWELRY Marleigh Evil Eye Charm Necklace | NAGICIA Braided Ring | SMARTGLASS JEWELRY Cube Gold Ring in Aqua and Antique Clear |

NIGHT OUT LOOK FRONT COVER PG 30 - 35 | FORE Dress | ALEX SOLDIER Silver Drop Earrings with White Topaz | LAGOS Caviar Beaded Ring, Black Caviar Silver Station Ceramic Caviar Beaded Bracelet, Black Caviar Single Station Ceramic Diamond Bracelet, Signature Caviar Silver Caviar Bracelet | STEVE MADDEN Evelyn |

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS

PAUL SHOT WITH | CANON Mark IV and Canon Lenses - 24-70, 70-200 + 50 1.2 | SIRUI Dragon Series Bendable RGB Panel Lights set of 2 of B25R*2 + DJ280 |

ATHLEISURE MAG: It was such a pleasure to have our cover shoot with Prime Video's Reacher star, Maria Sten. Tell me about the backgrounds of the co-owners of this restaurant from previous restaurants etc.

IL PELLICANO: Owner, Massimo Tabacco's journey from Rome to New York City in the mid-eighties led him to work in several esteemed Manhattan restaurants like Tre Merli, Azzurro Ciaobella, Coffee Shop, and Paper Moon Milano. In the early '90s, he opened Gilda near Saks 5th Avenue, where he forged a lasting friendship with Kyky Conille, who became a significant part of his citywide ventures. Kyky Conille is known for nightclubs in NYC like Provocateur, PM, the original Bijoux, and Lily Pond in the Hamptons. The restaurant is located above Kyky Conille and Dimitri Hyacinthe’s new club, Bijoux Lounge, which has become one of NYC’s hottest going out spots. Il Pellicano and Bijoux will be working together to deliver elevated dining upstairs and a late-night menu down for Bijoux’s patrons’ downstairs.

AM: When did il Pellicano launch and can you give us some background on the restaurant as I know you have a sister restaurant in CT.

IP: Popular, Fairfield, Connecticut Italian restaurant, il Pellicano, is opened its first NYC outpost. Known for their infusion of old classics with a modern twist, Il Pellicano will stand apart from the other traditional Italian restaurants on its block. Il Pellicano is located at 149 Mulberry, and encompasses a 50-seat dining room, a 40-seat front patio and 30-seat back garden. Owners Massimo Tabacco and Kyky Conilleofficially opened its doors to the public on Friday, January 12th.

AM: What is the importance of the Pelican?

IP: The Pelican (Il Pellicano) is a small hotel in Poro Ercole, Italy where Massimo (owner) used to ride to with his friends with motorcycles from Rome. Amazing ride on the coast of Tuscany, so it always had a sentimental meaning to him.

AM: Tell us about the design aesthetic of the restaurant and the meaning behind the name.

IP: The design is sleek and modern with green booths and gold light fixtures. The walls are filled with framed photos of Pelicans – drawing from the name.

AM: Who is the Executive Chef at il Pelicano on Mulberry St and can you provide information on their background and kitchens that they have worked in?

IP: Chef Saul Media is the executive chef at Il Pellicano on Mulberry Street. Chef Media’s heritage of Puebla Mexico is where the kitchen was his earliest classroom thanks to his grandmother and aunts. In his early twenties he embarked his journey to NYC, Connecticut, West Coast and then back to the East Coast making a mark in the world of culinary arts. With Chef Media’s first few years in the trenches starting as a dishwasher, then a line cool and then eventually cooking in renowned establishments including Gibsons Italia in Chicago, The Mark by Jean-Georges in New York, G’ios Italian and Cena’s restaurant in Tampa Bay, and the iconic steakhouse, The Forge, in Miami, among others.

AM: For those who are coming for lunch, tell us about 3 appetizers that we should try when dining with family or friends?

IP: Olive Oil Flight – three select styles of monini single harvest olive oil served with fresh baked herb focaccia

Caesar Salad – romaine arugula, croutons, parmigiano Reggiano, Caesar dressing

Heirloom Tomato Caprese – bocconcini mozzarella, basil oil, balsamic pearls, parmesan gel

AM: What are 3 main dishes that you suggest that we should have when we're coming in for lunch with family and friends?

IP: Chicken Milanese - arugula, tomato, cucumber, onion meyer lemon vinaigrette

Cacio E Pepe – Bucatini, Pecorino, Cracked Black Pepper

Tuscan Steak Sandwich – Shaved steak, cubanelle pepper, raclette cheese, carmalized onion

AM: What are 3 cocktails or wines that would be great to pair with our meal?

IP: Super Tuscan, Promis by Gaja, ITALY

Sancerre, Moulin Camus, ITALY

Barreled Negroni – Gin, Campari, Antica & Barrel aged in House

AM: For dinner, what are 3 dishes that you suggest to begin our meal?

IP: Forgmaggi e Salumi – rotating selection of curated meats and cheeses and house made accompaniments.

Carpaccio Di Polpo – thinly sliced octopus, roasted eggplant and tomato musarda, sherry glaze

Suppli di Riso Funghi – roman rice rice ball stuffed with mozzarella, parm, truffle dust, pistachio cream

AM: What are 3 dishes that we should have our eye on?

IP: Carbonara fettuccine - parmiggiano reggiano, guanciale and cracked pepper

Tartufo Al Funghi - pappardelle, wild mushroom blend, white truffle, pecorino romano

Pork Chop Scarpariello - cherry peppers, onions, white balsamic, crispy potatoes

AM: What are 3 sides that we should have with them?

IP: Rainbow Carrots, Mushroom Blend, and Asparagus.

AM: What are 3 cocktails that we should have in mind?

IP: Olive Oil Martini - tito’s fat washed with monini olive oil, cocchi bianco, brine, castelvetrano

Durazno Verde - tequila, ancho reyes, peach, lime, poblano ice, tajin

Amari & Aperitivo - a custom cocktail experience: select the bitter and the bartenders do the rest!

AM: What are there 3 dessert options that you suggest?

IP: The Almond Cake, The Smoked Burrata with Dried Figs, Infused in Truffle Honey, and the Chocolate Budino.

AM: As we navigate the winter and look towards the spring, are there any events that we should know about?

IP: Weekend truffle party brunches and a new truffle menu launching.

In Athleisure Mag's DEC ISSUE #96, Bijoux Lounge was featured in Athleisure List. We wanted to share a bit more about this hot spot!

As temperatures drop below freezing, venturing out for a night in NYC has become dreadful. The struggle of searching for a spot to stow away your bulky winter coat, spending ungodly amounts to Uber two blocks or enduring long club lines is very real. What if we told you there was a way to enjoy an entire night out without ever leaving a single location? In the past year, it has become increasingly common to bars/clubs or vice versa allowing you to complete the night out within the confines of one building. Il Pellicano & Bijoux Lounge is NYC’s newest restaurant and bar combination. Nightlife maven Lionel “Kyky” Conille, a pioneer and renowned for his NYC nightclubs like Provocateur, PM, the original Bijoux, and Lily Pond in the Hamptons, quietly marked his return to the scene with the opening of Bijoux Lounge at the end of 2023. This speakeasy-style, moody red-lit club has already hosted notable events, including the 21st birthday celebration of "Summer I Turned Pretty" star Lola Tung and Society Management's model-filled holiday party. Above the bar, Bijoux owner Conille and longtime friend Massimo Tabacco unveiled Il Pellicano a few weeks ago. The menu promises a seamless fusion of timeless and contemporary Italian flavors, echoing some of the beloved dishes from Il Pellicano's Connecticut location. Collaborating seamlessly, Bijoux and Il Pellicano are set to provide a can't miss elevated dining experience upstairs and a late-night menu downstairs.

IG @ilpellicanonewyork

@bijouxnyc

Read the JAN ISSUE #97 of Athleisure Mag and see IT’S ABOUT THE STORY | Maria Sten in mag.

NEW YEAR, N3W YOU

Read the JAN ISSUE #97 of Athleisure Mag and see NEW YEAR, N3W YOU in mag.

BINGELY STREAMING

LEAVE THE WORLD BEHIND

Netflix Original

Netflix

We have all seen a number of shifts that have taken place in the last few years; however, Leave The World Behind looks at what

happens when regardless of your social status, you find yourself in a situation where a cyber attack not only makes us disconnected, but even nature and the natural order of things gets disrupted. How do we interact with one another, and how do we navigate when the rules that we know and follow no longer exists.

REACHER

Amazon Original

Prime Video

Reacher is back with Season Two as we follow Jack Reacher (Alan Ritchson), a veteran military police officer who ultimately wants to explore the country that he fought for. To that end, he wants to travel around the country with few things that tie him down; however, he finds himself in a number of situations that require him to have to fight to survive. If you have yet to watch the first season, now is a great time to catch up before delving into the 2nd season.

This month, streaming now, the second season finds him receiving a message that members of his former unit are being murdered and he must connect with former team members to find out what happened to them.

As they delve into what happened, they continue to unearth more questions - who set them up and who is the one that will die?

MY FUGITIVE DAD

Smoke Screen, The Binge + Sony Music

Spotify

We've been fans of Smoke Screen that focuses on those who are con artists, cult leaders, and those who are complex characters that bend the rules to navigate their lives. This season in My Fugitive Dad, we learn about a father and dad who have a close relationship where she felt that she knew everything about him. But it wasn't until she was 38, that she realized her dad wasn't who he thought he was.

She learns that her father's favorite movie, Thomas Crown Affair was the inspiration behind a robbery that he did in Cleveland and then he he spent half a century in a quiet New England town. His secrets unearth a number of other secrets in his life, his family's as well as other family's.

With his daughter seeking answers on how he got away with his crimes, US Marshal's looking for him, and finding out how he started over - this season has a number of twists and turns!

Read the DEC ISSUE #96 of Athleisure Mag and see BINGELY STREAMING in mag.

WHO DO WE WANT TO BE? | THE PERIPHERAL

We love epic sci-fi shows and we were able to get screeners on Prime Video's The Peripheral which takes us on a journey between moments in time and the impact on how changes affect our humanity and it is out now. We talked with some of the cast and filmmakers of this show to dig into how this project came together.

We wanted to know how the actors approached acting and navigating these worlds that we are introduced to as we go between different time periods. They also talked about what they want the takeaway to be for viewers. JJ Feild, T'Nia Miller and Gary Carr talk about what it was to be part of this cast and a realistic look into a future that gives us pause on who we want to be.

We talked with filmmakers, Jonathan Nolan, Lisa Joy and Vincenzo Natali who we have enjoyed in Westworld as well as other projects. They talk about how they worked with William Gibson's book to create the immersive show.

ATHLEISURE MAG: We’re so excited to talk to you as we watched all 6 of the screeners from this 8 episode series and we can’t wait to see the remaining episodes! We’re fans of your work. What drew you guys to want to be part of this project and to tackle the themes that are involved?

JJ FEILD: Well, they are layered on and they are not 2 dimensional. They represent these huge power struggles maybe villainous, maybe they are trying to save the world, but underneath, they’re just humans and they are trying to find order in all of this chaos.

T’NIA MILLER: Yeah and they’re challenging roles, aren’t they? I mean, the writing is intense and it doesn’t appear so when you watch it. But to get those roles, you ask yourself, how do I bring these elements to the surface because there are these huge weighted parts. On a personal level as an actor, it's a great challenge!

LISA JOY: Well, Vincenzo, the director, which I have been a fan of and have idolized his work as I had the chance to work with him in Westworld brought me this book by his buddy, Bill Gibson! So, if you’re a fan girl like me and someone says, “my buddy is Bill Gibson,” it’s like Sir William Gibson is that who you are talking about? Vincenzo was like, “I don’t know maybe you would like to work on this with us.” I was like yes, of course.

I didn’t even need to read it, there was Vincenzo and Gibson and then I read it and I was so blown away as I always am by Gibson’s keen understanding of the future which is now basically the present of our world, but I also wanted it in a way that not a lot of science fiction makes me feel, it really took me back to when I was a girl growing up in NJ. You know, the idea of, “am I ever going to have a boyfriend, what am I going to do with my life and how do I make a difference,” and right now especially in this moment where we’re kind of on the cusp of something. The environment is changing, we’ve just come through this pandemic and I think that so many of us are thinking who am I meant to be? Like, the future seems so overwhelming. How am I meant to interact with it? Can I make a difference? Does my life matter? All of these existential questions that we’re really having to confront now as society and as individuals much more heavily than we used to. We’ve lived through lucky times before the last couple of years and we’re realizing that now! To see characters like Flynne and Burton and their family and of course Will from the future grappling with these same issues was almost reassuring to me because I liked them so much and they were dealing with this shit too! So maybe there’s hope.

VINCENZO NATALI: I have a long storied history in trying to adapt Gibson’s work and failing. So when this one finally got into the hands of Lisa and Jonathan Nolan, I thought that this might actually come to fruition and of course, it has in the best possible way. I mist say that I was very keen to see if we could bring Gibson’s vision to the screen in a way that does justice to him and in a way that I don’t think that has been done in the past. Because he really gives a picture of the future that I think is believable. Whether it’s going to be or not, I don’t know but I believe it because it feels very much so rooted in the present and as Lisa was saying, very much rooted in a perspective of the street. Just regular people and how they would contend with an alternate world. Honestly, there’s a million reasons and one of them is that I just want to build that future. I want to see what it looks like and I want to be part of the conception of it. It was like being a kid in the candy store really!

GARY CARR: I think for me, the first thing was having the opportunity to work with Jonathan, Lisa, Athena – I have been a massive fan of theirs since forever. Jonathan in particular as well!

AM: Same!

JONATHAN NOLAN: Thank you! I’m blushing!

GC: That is the case so for me, it was such an honor to be part of this. I was so grateful for that and I get to sit here and talk about this now. Also the story itself, I loved the novel and it was the first time that I had ever read anything from William Gibson! I was like, “wow, I’m so late,” this guy is amazing. Then again, with what Scott and the team did with the script, I thought that it was so solid. There were so many highs and so many positive things. There were so many things that I found to be attractive about the project. I also loved the character and I have never played a character like this before. I found it challenging but I was looking forward to that challenge. All of the themes that the series explores - all the topics, I just thought that they were perfect and it's so right to be discussing this right now.

JN: First and foremost, William Gibson. Vincenzo Natali our director, came to us with the project, came to us with the book and I had grown up reading Gibson’s books and spent years shamelessly ripping off his ideas and putting them into our own movies and shows. So it felt like there was a debt of honor there, but then I read the book and it was brilliant.

It’s also one of his books that is the closest to the bone of William in terms of his childhood in West Virginia. You can feel the reality of that world – of Flynne’s world and then when you step through the looking glass, and you meet Gary’s character and you meet Wilf – you feel the reality of his universe. So the two worlds were both so beautifully textured and lived in that it was impossible to say no.

AM: How did you prepare to play these roles?

JM: It’s all about the page, isn’t it? The book is not very different from the plot, but is very different in its style as the book is abstract and esoteric in its text. But then they turned it – Jonathan, Lisa and Scott into a story where we care about the characters a lot whether they’re in Clanton, NC or London or wherever - we care about them and that’s a great achievement of this series. You take something that can be frightening or cold or futuristic – they’re humans. They’re trying to find their way in that world.

AM: That’s great and the styling of the characters with the power shoulders that yours has T’Nia and the vests that yours wears JJ. Just these little aesthetics that also have a powerful look to them is another great layer.

TM: Often when you get a script and you have to do a lot of prep, you have to find yourself and it’s generally because it’s not terribly well written. The story might be great, but it's not well written. This is very different from that, it was serving the words on the page and then also trying to understand the bloody book because it was very confusing! For us, I mean for me, I mean you were confused too right?

JF: Of course! Once you start seeing it, you were like “oh yeah!”

TM: I didn’t understand it we shot it in May of last year and then we did pick ups and I was like, “oh, I get that now!” It was during pick ups where it locked in!

JF: It was like, oh that’s what a stub is!

TM: I kept hearing this word stub, stub, stub. What is stub? Now I get it!

AM: Do you find it difficult to take something that obviously has source material and to make the show its own while still being tethered to the root of the book that it came from?

LJ: I think that one of the things that makes it easier is my respect for Gibson is so true and so deeply rooted that I think that all of ours is. I also think that it is reciprocated. He knows that we really respect his source material and his brilliance. He knows that we really want to make the best show possible, but every time – film, TV – it’s a collaborative media. There’s no one person that owns it. It’s a beautiful thing that it’s made truly by a group of people together you know?

Scott Smith, his writers, the actors bring new angles – there are new characters in this and there are new beats and new moments and at the same time, it feels so Gibsonian and it really tries to honor the brilliant book that he made and I think that honestly and deeply, all of us nerding out together in this way and trying to make this universe, it’s been a wonderful collaboration.

VN: I want to mention Scott Smith because he had the very challenging task to adapt the book and it doesn’t adapt directly into a narrative format. If Mr. Gibson was adapting it himself, I'm sure he would change it and I know he would. But he is very open to that kind of thing and I think that Scott cracked the code which is an intensely difficult thing to do and I want to be able to give a pat to him!

AM: We love the story and we love the visual texture that is in it. What do you want people to walk away with in seeing this series?

TM: Obviously we want them to be left with wanting more, but to also take pause and to think about where we’re headed. What kind of world we’re heading to and what it looks like for ourselves and how as a global community we have a responsibility towards each other. I hope that it gives people cause to pause and really think.

JF: I think that great sci-fi writing works as a warning on where we are and where we could be by projecting an image of ourselves into the future. We get to learn and as ourselves, “is this where we want to end up?”

TM: Yes Science Fiction – Science Fact. Let’s not go there. Let’s please not go there!

JN: Several years of Prime Video subscriptions!

AM: Yes, please!

JN: I don’t know Gary, what do you think?

GC: Nothing deep. I just want people to be able to enjoy it. Enjoy what’s being presented to them on all different levels from the themes, the aesthetics and a lot to what Jonathan said, a lot of amazing talented people have worked on this project to bring it to life. I think that it’s great high quality work and great TV. I love it and I just want people to enjoy it. Obviously, people are going to have questions about life and the world as well as the future. But I just want people to be entertained and moved as well as all of that good stuff.

IG @theperipheralpv

@tniamiller

@jjfeildtheofficial

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PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | Prime Video/The Peripheral

Read the OCT ISSUE #82 of Athleisure Mag and see WHO DO WE WANT TO BE? | The Peripheral in mag.

THE POWER OF RELATIONSHIPS | BETTY WHO + ELAN GALE

We love reality shows and a number of our readers enjoy The Bachelor/The Bachelorette and even tweet along with us during each episode. We love seeing the social interaction, the dates, experiences and more. Prior to the pandemic, reality shows that focused on relationships went to the next level with an array of social experiments from Love is Blind, The Circle, The Ultimatum and more. These shows break new ground and really allow us to analyze how we interact with another.

On June 24th, The One That Got Away hits Prime Video. It allows people to look at their past to see if someone at that time could be a great fit for them. We caught up with singer/songwriter, Betty Who who is the host of this show. We talk about how she got attached and what we can expect. We also talk with Elan Gale who serves as the showrunner and executive producer delves into the intricacies of relationships with us.

ATHLEISURE MAG: It was such a great show to watch as who doesn’t love how we continue to explore social experiments when it comes to dating? What drew you to this show to want to be part of it?

BETTY WHO: I am such a fan of reality dating shows and it actually started with The Bachelor! I wasn’t really a fan of this and being in this sort of world. Then I got the chance to perform on The Bachelorette in Becca’s season. I was shooting it and I was thinking, “this is crazy – this world and this whole thing.” So I got super into The Bachelor and The Bachelorette and that’s how it introduced me to the world and now I feel like I’m a connoisseur and I’m all about it now! So when this conversation sort of started, someone came to me and asked if this would be something that I would be interested in. I was like, “guys, I don’t want to oversell it but, I would crush this job!” I think that this is a very powerful combination for me. I feel very lucky and yet very perplexed as to why they booked me, but I did what I could and I think that I showed up and showed out I think!

AM: I think that it’s such an amazing fit because in watching you, we’re used to the formats of The Bachelor and The Bachelorette where the host is interacting with the primary person and the people competing. In this situation, we have 6 people that are exploring themselves, you coming in and connecting with them and being able to interact with them when they’re broken down in the experience of it all! There are some intense moments and being able to see you in that way, what was your takeaway in watching all of this?

BW: I think that I really appreciated the opportunity to have conversations with those contestants in that moment. I think that as someone in my personal life, I really want to be warm and a safe space for my friends. I want to provide that warm energy with people and that’s something that I also like to do on stage as an entertainer. You want to create that safe space where people want to be able to come in and enjoy themselves. It was a new way for me to stretch my muscle in that way as it was 1-on-1, but still in this very highly curated environment where it’s still fundamentally about entertainment for us. I love to have a job, I love to entertain and I love to have all of these incredibly talented and creative people who know so much more about how to make a reality television show because what do I know? They’re like, do this and I’m like, ok this is such a fun adventure and I was in good hands! I think that that is a huge part of my enjoyment and experience on the show being such a positive one. I give that all to the people who sort of held my hand along the way. I feel very lucky.

AM: I saw the initial 6 episodes via the screener ahead of the launch on Jun 24th and I can’t wait to see the remaining 4! I really want to know as every episode I was transfixed!

BW: I’m so glad that you’re hooked! This is exciting!

AM: I am so hooked. As a reality junkie – I love this format.

BW: Oh, so you’re our target demo! So if you’re loving it, this is good news!

AM: For sure! At first when I heard the concept about the portal I was a little confused about it. But then I started watching it and getting how you guys delved into picking people from there past. Although at one point, I was like, wait they literally just got the guy that followed her on Instagram? I’d be mad too. To see you reasoning with her and asking her to go back one more time because there was a better person, was pretty funny.

BW: Um yeah, we’re definitely a little bit shady! But I think that that is my favorite part! I was watching to do some prep before I hosted a television show. I was looking at getting a lay of the land. I saw all of these hosts that did different things and I was watching Nick and Vanessa from Love is Blind.

AM: Love that show!

BW: I love that show and I was checking everybody out and I know that this isn’t a dating show, but I think that Jeff Probst – how shady Jeff Probst is on Survivor is one of my favorite things about the show! The way that he says, “so and so, I see you’re still having a tough time over there.” He is not afraid to stir shit up and I think that that’s especially amazing. I pray for a season 2 so that I can get even more. I just wanted to be nice the first time around and to have everyone like me as I was totally a fish out of water. But now that I know what’s going on, I’m ready to start some stuff up – you heard it here first!

If you have enjoyed watching The Bachelor/ette, Elan Gale executive produced both of these shows for a decade. A few years ago while we were tweeting along with others about these shows during a season, we noticed Elan talking about the episodes and providing insights.

With the launch of TOTGA, we talk about the power of relationships, what makes a good show and the impact of our interactions.

ATHLEISURE MAG: As long time watchers of The Bachelor/The Bachelorette, it’s amazing to chat with you and we love interacting with you on Twitter to hear your thoughts. Before we get into The One That Got Away, what is it about relationships that you love delving into as this is something that has been a large part of your career in creating these shows?

ELAN GALE: Great question! I think that the honest answer is that I have always felt that my relationships are the greatest things in my life. I have a hard time focusing on anything else if I’m being really honest. I always found that I only know what I know. I am only around the people that I am around, I only have relations with people that are in my life and generally from where I’m from because that’s where we are and that’s how we meet. Relationship shows have always given me an opportunity to just watch other people interact with each other and watch them build bonds that hopefully are life changing. It doesn’t necessarily mean that the relationship has to be permanent. I think that that is something that often we put too much emphasis on because almost all of our relationships are impermanent and it doesn’t mean that it’s not important or that it doesn’t change us or make us grow.

So watching people focus on things that are non-linear like relationships which are probably the most important aspects of their lives as well – I think it’s really interesting and it’s a window into how we interact with each other. I think that people are really interesting! I like watching them do whatever the hell they want to do!

AM: So what do you find to be the secret sauce in terms of putting that into TV as a medium? What are the dynamics that make a good show about relationships?

EG: I think that more than anything, we’re looking for people who are effusive. Anyone could be a good TV dating contestant really. What’s hard is finding people who want to explore their emotions in real time. When something happens to me, I process it. I take some time and I’m pretty shy about how I interact with my own emotional life. I would go so far as to say, almost a little cowardly in the way that a lot of people who come on this show aren’t. There’s an incredible bravery in being able to say that I am going to go through all of these intense emotions, but I’m also going to allow people into that and to let them into my world. So finding people who have specific points of few, strong emotions, strong desires, but simultaneously willing to be able to get it wrong because that’s what we usually do. We almost always get it wrong until we get it right! But it doesn’t mean that those are the most compelling relationships either!

Looking at relationships that are raw and based on feelings rather than logistics, I think that TV shows do a really good job of removing the logistics from relationships. I think that’s also one of the things that people find the most jarring about them. It doesn’t feel real to me because the logistics are taken away. But I have found personally, and maybe this is just me, I have found that when I am falling in love, when I’m in a relationship and when I am with people that I feel are important parts of my life – logistics do kind of take a back seat. If we’re going to continue to claim that relationships are the most serious driving force in our lives, then putting logistics to the side is probably a good idea. You can probably figure that out later. The weird magic of love and whatever is the stuff that you can’t do later and you can’t figure that out thoughtfully over time – I don’t think.

AM: I don’t think so either! What brought you to want to be part of this project. I watched the screeners and I’m obsessed, the fact that all of the screeners weren’t available at once made me mad because I’m so invested and I want to know what happens!

EG: I’m so glad you liked it. Thank you for watching!

AM: It was a great watch. I took a Sun and just let the storytelling unfold!

EG: That makes me so happy! Honestly, these 6 people just went for it. This is a terrifying show. You don’t know who is coming through that portal and who you are letting into your life. That is such a bravery that they had to step into this – I don’t have it! That’s part of what was so exciting to me. I have a similar relationship that I think that most of the people in the audience had – I wish I could do that to have the tenacity and the openness!

AM: I could never!

EG: For me, I have done so many dating shows where strangers meet strangers. There is such an interesting dynamic there and I love those kind of shows. I love watching those shows, but secretly probably the show that I am most addicted to is 90 Day Fiance. What I love about this show is that by the time you meet these people, they really have complex relationships. You have to peel it back like an onion as a viewer. So this – all the things that I love about dating shows, people meeting for the first time and adding this layer of complexity where you get to watch people who they were, previous iterations of themselves and for me, I really wanted to approach this show differently from any other show. I wanted to treat it like sci-fi. I wanted the portal to be like a real-time machine and if I’m being honest, this might sound really crazy – for me the show took more inspiration from Rick & Morty than any other dating show I have worked on in the past. Looking at this like one tiny sliver of the multiverse where you can suddenly live a life that you have never lived for a short amount of time and see what that life may have been like. Yeah, if those relationships can go back into the real world, maybe they do – I don’t know. But if they do, that’s really interesting and beautiful, but more importantly, this slice of life, this time and this place where nothing really exists is interesting. In the first episode, Jeff meets someone who he hasn't seen in 15 years. They were 2 people and now they're 2 different people just like everyone else is. Getting to watch them date for the first time, but also being able to come to terms with how they’ve changed and to see that through the eyes of someone that’s dating them, it’s really one of the most transformative processes for me as a viewer. At the end of the day, that’s what I am. Getting to watch them and these things that were happening and to be able to watch them and to really see them going through it! The thing that I am most excited about is that no one was focused on results. Everyone got a happy ending but it doesn’t mean that it’s the one that audiences were expecting. I think that we’re set up to believe that dating shows end like this. And maybe they don’t have to. Maybe dating is enough. Maybe moments with people and experiences that you share, looking inward on yourself through the eyes of someone who knew you back then – maybe that’s enough. I think it is and I think that that’s what makes the show so different.

AM: That’s so true. I think that when you look to The Bachelor/ette where you have a designated person that is available although in the upcoming Bachelorette there are 2 – but you have the designated person and then you have this whole group of people who are another dynamic. The idea that you have a couple of people for a certain person and how they interact with the separate house and the main house, that’s something because they’re also bringing in their own versions of the person that they know. That’s a whole other sociological study right there!

EG: I think you made a really good point. One thing that I think that this show does really nicely is that it plays up the dynamic friendships that the leads have with each other and of course with the arrivals as well. They’re going through this incredible process together and it’s something that no one else has ever been through before. The bonds are permanent and we don’t just revel in the rivalries on the show. Someone goes out on a date 2 days ago and their friends are hoping and wishing and praying that they come home happy and had a good time. Again, it’s all about building that universe. We talked about this on set. We called our location Lacuna. You never see it on camera – it’s just something that we talked about internally.

Lacuna is an unwritten piece of a story or a missing page in a book. We just kind of tried to build an environment where whatever story that person had been living, it was paused for a moment. They were encouraged to write a new story in this period of time and they go off into the world. Maybe it folds nicely into what you already have or maybe it doesn’t but it’s going to be interesting and it’s going to be messy. That’s what I love so much about the show too! Life is a fucking messy, disaster 90% of the time! Acting as if things are linear, perfect and meant to be – maybe they are, but there is also something about embracing chaos. I think dating is chaotic and I think that that is also what makes it fun. I’ve never gone on a first date and went, “it’s remarkably average and I can’t wait to do it again.”

AM: How did you go about finding the arrivals? There were those like the person from the confirmation, another who went to school together and then you had the one who just followed the lead on Instagram?

EG: Honestly, it was the most complicated process that I have ever been part of. Primarily, the way that our casting team did it was talking to family and friends of the individuals and trying to figure out people who they would be interested in. The leads also gave lists of people that they thought about, wondered about or were curious about. So there was some kind of dynamic combination of people that their mom or sister might have thought was perfect for them, a best friend or if they were close to their ex – someone that they thought that they knew. It could also come from someone from their very very long list or someone who was fascinated by them on their social media and felt more connected than maybe they actually were.

I think it also points out the way that we all create our own histories. We all tell our own stories or what part of our lives are important or not. I think that in a lot of the cases of the leads that they may have been more impactful on the lives of others than they realized. That’s really empowering for a lot of people where something that you said, or something that you did or a look you gave someone – even if it wasn’t meant in a romantic way, it stuck with them and made you important enough to go through a whole casting process, get on a plane, go to LA and then just walk through a portal to see someone. You had to have meant something to someone to fill them with a feeling and that’s a great place to start a relationship. Even if it doesn’t go somewhere because everyone can feel that a question that has haunted them, can be answered in a way that everything else is guessing. It’s fun to have a moment in life where you get to answer the many questions where I don’t know about you, but I’m haunted and plagued and live in a state of permanent regret! If I could go somewhere – can you imagine knowing what the sliding door version of your life is or lesser so the Butterfly Effect of Ashton Kutcher version? It’s a good movie, underrated – fun!

AM: Like you said, in watching this show, removing the dating/romantic aspect – you think about the coffee cart guy you see everyday on the corner and during the pandemic, you didn’t have it and you felt that there was a hole. The concept of relationships and interactions and what it means to you and the other person is an interesting dynamic.

What do you want people to walk away with in watching this. Should we all be digging into our past to find our relationships to figure our shit out?

EG: It’s such a good question! I’m not confident that the takeaway should be that we should go back into your past to find your future. I don’t think that’s the answer. I do think that the takeaway should be, that if you are actively looking for love, you should leave no stone unturned. I think that most people will not find their future from their past. A lot of people might. But if you’re curious about something and you have been looking for this long, maybe you don’t need a portal to do. Maybe you do and I’m glad that these people did, but these days you can pick up a phone. You can send an email and ask a question and it will probably lead nowhere because most things in life do. It might lead you somewhere really magical and you might find the one that got away and that would be pretty fucking cool.

IG @bettywho

@theyearofelan

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDIT | Prime Video

Read the JUN ISSUE #78 of Athleisure Mag and see THE POWER OF RELATIONSHIPS | Betty Who + Elan Gale in mag.