After Dave Chappelle ‘Punches Down’ in The Dreamer, Trace Lysette Jabs Back
On his new Netflix comedy special, The Dreamer, Dave Chappelle wades into familiar territory, making a handful of cracks about the trans community. He admits that he considered material about “handicapped” people instead, “but they’re not as organized as the gays, and I love punching down,” he jokes about his gleeful violation of one of comedy’s cardinal rules. The blows have been returned by Trace Lysette, among Hollywood’s highest-profile trans stars. The Monica actress went viral on TikTok by throwing shade at Chappelle’s fixation: “At this point, it’s giving client. I don’t know what doll hurt Dave Chappelle, I really don’t, but it’s giving disgruntled client. It’s giving angry trick,” she said, suggesting (in a satirical way) that he was somehow burned by a sex worker. In another clip, Lysette points out some alleged makeup mishaps from certain angles of The Dreamer. When Rambling Reporter caught up with Lysette at the BAFTA Tea, she told us the clips are her way of playing his game. “A lot of people have spoken about his comedy in very heartfelt ways, and it doesn’t seem to change his tune at all, so I thought I’d have a little fun,” she said. “It’s a very serious subject, but sometimes through pain and seriousness, you must find humor, and that sometimes will reach more people. And it did.” She continued: “Like you want to tell jokes, let’s tell jokes, I’ll tell you what we see. But at the same time, I respect everybody’s right to free speech. I wish people understood that sometimes their free speech really affects our quality of life. I don’t think everyone understands how dire it is for the average trans girl that is estranged from her family and maybe doing God knows what to survive. It’s just that’s why stories like Monica are so important because they’re these gems that offer a window into our lives.”
Last of Us Star Gabriel Luna Connects Dots of Kaitlyn Dever’s Casting
HBO’s hit The Last of Us has a few more in its ranks. Ahead of the start of filming for the second season, it was confirmed that Kaitlyn Dever, Young Mazino and Isabela Merced had been cast in the video game adaptation playing Abby, Jesse and Dina, respectively. Hours after the Dever news broke, series star Gabriel Luna walked the red carpet at the rollout of True Detective: North Country (he had a three episode arc on the show’s season two) on the Paramount lot. Rambling Reporter asked him about his new peers and it turns out he was not surprised about Dever landing the “very, very critical role.” As a matter of fact, he suggested it. “Last year, we were at Brazilian Comic-Con and we went to dinner after the event and we all were kind of banding names about, asking each other who should play Abby. Kaitlyn was originally up for the role of Ellie for the first season,” Luna explained of a part that went to Emmy nominee Bella Ramsey. “I’m not saying that I made the decision but I raised my hand and said she would be pretty wonderful as Abby.” Asked why, Luna said he remembers seeing a young Dever starring opposite his friend Molly Ephraim on the Tim Allen sitcom Last Man Standing. “Even on that show, from a very young age, I was impressed and she has really matured into a strong actress with a real toughness to her which I think is required to play Abby. It’s also a character that’s kind of broken and shattered inside, and obviously, whatever’s inside is still flammable and fragile. She embodies all of that, and she’s going to be wonderful. I’m really looking forward to it.” The cast is heading to Vancouver where filming will start in February.
Rory Kennedy on Decision to Denounce Brother RFK Jr.’s Controversial Candidacy
Dark horse presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s decision to run as an independent (and thus as a potential spoiler for Joe Biden) was quickly denounced by members of his family, including Oscar-nominated documentarian Rory Kennedy, who joined her siblings in posting a family statement last year. Buttonholed by the Rambling Reporter ahead of Sundance’s opening night gala, Rory reiterated her love for RFK Jr. and said she “didn’t really want to” put out the statement but said it was important “to let folks know that his views don’t necessarily represent everybody in our family’s, and there’s some of them that are pretty far out there — I wanted to be on record as not being in agreement with both many of [the views] and the campaign.” See full coverage here.
Sundance Newbie Malia Obama “in Great Spirits” as She Hits Filmmaker Q&As, Tao Park City
After making a Sundance debut with the premiere of The Heart, her 18-minute short, former first daughter Malia Obama graced the Jan. 18 Neon party at Sommsation Wine Lounge on Main Street. With security in tow, per an eyewitness, the recent Harvard grad chatted with The White Lotus stars Fred Hechinger and Will Sharpe. Later, she made a pit stop at the Macro Lodge for an open house. On Saturday, she hit up Tao Park City presented by poppi, arriving at the pop-up after 1 a.m. and staying two hours to sip Casamigos and catch a Too Short performance that included “Blow the Whistle.” Per a source, Obama, who also screened her short for local high school students, “seemed to be in great spirits.” See full coverage here.
This story first appeared in the Jan. 26 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. Click here to subscribe.
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