Vanity Fair's 2016 Hollywood Issue Cover - A Close Look
Monday, February 1, 2016 at 7:30PM 
Someone's been paying attention to every single media firestorm in Hollywood this past year from ageism to equal pay to diversity. Gracing this year's cover of Vanity Fair's Hollywood Issue is political showbiz icon Jane Fonda (2 Oscars), the inspirational crusading awesomeness of Viola Davis (1 phantom Oscar -- well, everyone knows she deserved it!), "the world is round people" diva Cate Blanchett (2 Oscars), and equal-pay-demander Jennifer Lawrence (1 Oscar).
VF's "Hollywood Issue" tradition is one of the key attractions in the showbiz circus of Oscar season. Though the covers aren't tied thematically to the Oscars they usually include current nominees. The primary form is a "predict the future superstars" covers in which they lean into the young in-demand crop who are having good years. The less common form is a survey of A listers and legends and a few people that scream "now" and that's the type we got this year. And girl, it's a beauty.
The only real gripe is that even when the media is actually trying to express diversity (presumably to "help" Hollywood though the media, including this Vanity Fair cover tradition, has its own problems in that arena) they are still thinking in binaries of black and white. Why not include an Asian or Latina actress or let Ellen Page have a place on the cover again since she's still headlining films and working hard to stay in the game after coming out?
Let's take a closer look after the jump...
But we got what we got (and look how savvy/calculated) they were about spreading the women of color out so there's one for each third of the foldout and they aren't just hiding in the last fold out like in years past -sorry about it Angela! )
Of the thirteen leading ladies, we've got two bonafide legends (Jane Fonda and Diane Keaton), two elder titans (Charlotte Rampling and Helen Mirren), two current superstars (Cate Blanchett, Jennifer Lawrence), four ascending starlets (Brie Larson, Alicia Vikander, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, and Saoirse Ronan)... and here's where it gets pointed and fabulous: two acclaimed actors who should be A list film stars and are quite famous and beloved but Hollywood is just not giving them leading film roles (two time Oscar nominee Viola Davis and Oscar winner Lupita Nyong'o).
Oh...and Rachel Weisz, who doesn't fit any of these categories but is placed dead center once you do the whole fold out of the cover. Hi Rachel!
Clockwise from left:
• Jane Fonda... (78 yrs old, 7 Oscar noms/2 Oscars, 4 Emmy Noms/1 Emmy, 6 Bafta noms/2 Baftas, 2 Tony nominations)
She probably just missed an 8th Oscar nom for Youth and is back to acting work in full force (stage/tv/film) after a looooong initially self-imposed draught. Now someone give her a role good enough to win her a third Oscar!
• Cate Blanchett... (46 yrs old, 7 Oscar noms/2 Oscars, 7 Bafta noms/3 Baftas)
Current goddess of the universe. And Carol
• Viola Davis ... (50 yrs old, 2 Oscar nominations, 1 Emmy, 3 Tony noms/2 Tonys)
It looks like Fences is finally happening and will be a theatrical release for Paramount. But let's not stop there. She should be lined up for a leading film role on every damn HTGAWM hiatus. Viola deserves her own Carol and so maybe she's pitching one right here with...
• Jennifer Lawrence... (25 yrs old, 4 Oscar nominations/1 Oscar, 2 Bafta noms/1 Bafta)
Hollywood's Reigning Princess for the forseeable future
Clockwise from top left:
• Charlotte Rampling (69 yrs old, 1 Oscar nomination, 1 Emmy nomination)
Though this famed British beauty and European movie icon (4 César nominations, 1 Honorary César) has been largely ignored in America of late and always by the Academy, that changed with her total brilliance in 45 Years
• Rachel Weisz (45 yrs old, 1 Oscar, 1 Bafta nomination)
She's yet to find another Constant Gardener (The Oscar) or even another The Deep Blue Sea (Golden Globe nod). Will one of her new films restore some of her star lustre?
• Lupita Nyong'o (32 yrs old, 1 Oscar, 2 Bafta nominations)
If she were white she would have as many films lined up as Margot Robbie or Jessica Chastain after their breakout parts. It's maddening that she's only doing mocap and voice work (Star Wars / The Jungle Book) but we're finally getting her beautiful face onscreen again with the chess drama Queen of Katwe. In the meantime she's hitting Broadway with her acclaimed turn in the Off Broadway play Eclipsed.
• Alicia Vikander (27 yrs old, 1 Oscar nomination, 3 Bafta nominations)
The new 'it' girl is from Sweden and versatile with genre (sci-fi, drama, period piece... can she do comedy). She's holding her face up here because she's got to be exhausted at this point given her workload in 2015.
• Brie Larson (26 yrs old, 1 Oscar nominations, 2 Bafta nominations)
We knew her brilliant work in Short Term 12 would change things and it did. Thank god she lost the role in that sucky Terminator reboot because think what we and she might have missed out on while filming that. Would we have even had Room?
Clockwise from top left:
• Gugu Mbatha-Raw (32 yrs old, 1 Bafta nomination)
She was 2014's exciting breakout (Beyond the Lights/Belle) but 2015 was kind of a wash. We thought her role in Concussion would be good but even in her big Supportive Wife moment the director shot her mostly with her back to the camera (sigh). But she's got a few films on the way so cross your fingers. We'll also get to see her musical theater training put to work in Disney's Beauty and the Beast (alas not as Beauty)
• Dame Helen Mirren (70 yrs old, 4 Oscar noms/1 Oscar, 11 Emmy noms/4 Emmys, 3 Tony noms/1 Tony, 11 Bafta noms/5 Baftas)
Likely just missed her 5th Oscar nod for Trumbo this year but she's always working so it probably won't be too far off.
• Diane Keaton (70 yrs old, 4 Oscar noms/1 Oscar, 1 Emmy nomination, 1 Tony nomination, 3 Bafta noms / 1 Bafta)
Annie Hall herself is doing a voice for Finding Dory but most of her tiny pictures lately haven't broken out of super limited release. Does she have another Something's Gotta Give mainstream hit in her? And also if she is trying to remain invisible under layers and layers of clothing, why is she letting Annie Liebovitz photograph her?
• Saoirse Ronan (21 yrs old, 2 Oscar nominations, 3 Bafta nominations)
About to hit Broadway in The Crucible. Will she add a Tony nomination to her resume as the hysterical vengeful Abigail? And here's a brain-twister: Would she be the frontrunner for the Oscar for Brooklyn if Brie hadn't happened this year... or do you think Oscar would have looked elsewhere given her youth? There's only one Oscar winner who won at 21 (Marlee Matlin) and she didn't seem as young as Saoirse does now back then.
How would you rate this cover on a scale of 1-10 and who would you remove to include your favorite missing actress? Isn't it odd that 3 of them are heading to Broadway this season? Maybe they'll all be in the Tony mix?
Reader Comments (63)
I like the diverse subjects but I hate the photo. Looks fake and awkward. Was there no natural setting for a group photo. I also have to echo that continued complaints about Viola losing to Streep 4 years ago are tiresome. You can line up all the people who have lost from here to the moon.
Someone at Vanity Fair doesn't like Jennifer Lawrence (and I don't blame them). That shot of her on the cover is awful, and I'm sick of seeing her everywhere.
Would have liked to see Mya Taylor and Bel Powley.
What about Latina or Asian actresses, if you want to round out the bases? I am really not liking this photo.
Jane Fonda is posed in a classic latter day "Kate Hepburn" type of pose, hand on chin, neck covered up, hair catching the light. She knows how to make the most of these group shots.
I love Diane Keaton, but Sigourney Weaver and Susan Sarandon are way more active in the film biz these days. As for the rest of them - the choices are un-objectionable, but not that interesting.
What Vanity Fair needs is someone like Grace Coddington who would know how to make them look more interesting. Studio shoot with black clothes against a grey background is really LAME in terms of art direction. Oh well, sometimes the best stuff is on the inside of these issues anyway...
In my fantasy they are dressed for the Celebratory Ball Marking the Death of the Great White Hollywood Patriarch.
Thoughts:
- Was Diane Keaton photoshopped in? She looks terribly out of place, not just in her fashion sense.
- Did all the A/B list actresses between the ages of 32 and 45 fall off the face of the planet?
- Love seeing Rampling surrounded by black actresses. ::ahem::
- Doesn't look like: Lawrence, Davis; doesn't flatter: Ronan.
- Best-dressed: Blanchett, Fonda, Nyong'o, Raw; worst-dressed: Lawrence (what is with that strap?), Larson, Keaton.
- How did Weisz get in the center position?
- Nice collection of dames, though.
- Most likely to succeed (at everything): Vikander.
Grade: B-
I give Brie props for dirty on the ground realness, but many of the other subjects (JLaw, Helen Mirren, look beat). No comment on Dianne Keaton (why?), and I agree with LadyEdith. I also thought it was Diahann Carroll, not Viola Davis, on the front.
Aesthetically, was this shot at Sears? That backdrop IS heinous.
Replace Rachel Weisz with Mo'Nique, and then I'm okay with this.
They lined up all the bet actress nominees, but supp actress-wise; whr's Winslet? McAdams? & Jennifer Jason Leigh?? & to tink they rem Cate, but totally forgot abt Mara!! Lol
Mirren look soooooo furious in this pic, muz b still fuming abt the Oscar snub! lol
someone at vanity fair wanted to meet daniel craig...
Who farted?
Looking forward to our own Jessica Chastain's comment.
I'd replace Rampling with Lily Tomlin, Lawrence with [pick one from below] and Weisz with Helena Bonham Carter (although even with her and Davis, there would be still be no one between 50 and 69 years old in that photo).
[IMDb is telling me that there are only eight Oscar-nominated actresses born between 1972 and 1982: Jessica Chastain, Natalie Portman, Kate Winslet, Angelina Jolie, Amy Adams, Penélope Cruz, Michelle Williams and Samantha Morton.]
Remove Weisz put Oscar winner: God, of course I mean last year winner, it's been a while since someone mentioned her glorious victory.
p.s. par- good one
@ Jono:
Keaton, obviously. Look at how they're angled away from her and her look of amusement.
American white supremacy oppresses black people. It marginalizes everyone else. Some things like life and death will forever remain binary. Everything can't become nonconforming to suit the gay baby Panda crusaders.
Viola Davis has a BAFTA nomination. Please include it.
What about Queen Latifah instead of Rachel Weisz? She has Bessie and The Wiz to feel very triumphant about and would add some body diversity to this mix.
Latifah could retire right now and die A-List. Hers is an irrepressible, transcendent stardom.
Is Jenniffer Lawrence thumping her lady paw? She's a constantly horny cat with all those nude pictures on her iPhone. They offered me the cover Paul (top center), but I said no to make room for older actresses or ones just starting out who may need the exposure.
Why not include an Asian or Latina actress or let Ellen Page have a place on the cover again since she's still headlining films and working hard to stay in the game after coming out?
Somewhat depressingly, I couldn't think of any notable Asian actress of the moment who could plausibly be included in this grouping (unless you're going to raid the ranks of primarily-TV stars).
The reason it looks so fake is because it is.They are all Photoshopped in. I doubt any of these women were at the same shoot together and if they were none of those pictures were used.
Cate looks gorgeous as always and Diane looks like she wandered off the street.
Rachel Weisz is a waste of spot. Why not Jessica Chastain? She is the star from The Martian.
Hayden: Look, I'd love to be delusional and pretend Latifah was ever really A-List, but even at her peak (02-08, if you're feeling generous, but probably 02-06), she was mid B-List. Right now? Unless the right "revival" opportunity comes, she's kind of a D-lister. Why? Ice Age and supporting roles in Christian junk. Do I need to say more? A C lister (like Jennifer Garner right now) would get starring roles in that Christian junk and a B lister would get actual decent offers.
But Nathaniel, you haven't even mentioned the most important part of this cover shoot - CATE BLANCHETT DOING THE SPLITS!!!!
https://youtu.be/iNkqL37okmo
Don't knock Rachel Weisz out. she's a very active actress and is currently working on 6 films according to IMDB! The lobster comes out this year and I cannot wait. I like that she's trying to pair herself with auteurs as any smart actress should.
And like Nathaniel said: We got what we got. I respect each one of these actresses and some to the point of obsession. But the point is that they made the effort. I personally would have loved to see Rinko Kukuchi included and Jennifer Lopez (why not? She's been a box office draw before) and a little Ellen Page wouldn't hurt. But also, they didn't include women that are large (or thick? what is the PC term for when that are curvier?) and there are many other groups that aren't represented in film (native americans, little people, people with disabilities, trans, etc) but I'm more than ok to see what they've done here. And i love Diane Keaton doing her thing as she's been always been her own entity.
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I'll stick up for Weisz; Putting her out of the whole ensemble in the middle is a little odd (New it girl Alicia Vikander IS right next to her) but she was marvelous in The Lobster and she won her Oscar for a tremendous performance. On that note, was The Lobster even eligible this year?
@ Anne Bolis & Sean C - Penelope Cruz? Rinko Kikuchi? They seem like feasible candidates, even if it is difficult to think of really anyone else. Still, Diane Keaton really wasn't up to much this year, why not one of them? Kikuchi at least had Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter.
I almost wish Keaton was more in the center of the ensemble. Not THE center, but she looks so out of place stylistically and compositionally it might look less weird if it didn't look like the photographer was trying to edge her out of the actual shot, if not make it easier for the viewer at home to take a pair of scissors to her and only lose Helen Mirren's hand.
So sad that there is no Asian actress even in the conversation , Asian cinema is full of great stars. I wish Zhāng Zǐyí was still 'relevant' I miss those days
Queen Latifah was never quite A-list but she's certainly not D-list.
It does feel one note, or two, but I guess we have to be grateful for progress. Ever since those actress round tables started, the ones that Meryl and I avoid, you see the need to try too hard.
I love it but I can't help but be negative and think Viola is there because of DIVERSITY and the shit that they would get if it was only a bunch of white girls. It's not that she's not worthy but basically 90% of the women there were attached to a movie with Oscar buzz or even got nominations. I can't explain Rachel and Diane is there because of legacy and she brings up the average ages of the ladies involved.
She stands out in that way because she hasn't really done any films this year (because of her TV series, yes, but still and she's basically the only one of them in the TV world at the moment).
I love her and appreciate her like crazy but I think that this is the problem with the DIVERSITY issue in that black people get pushed front and center not because of their merit but because "hey, look guys, we made an effort here, don't attack us." Maybe I'm just being a downer but I just don't like this semi affirmative action DIVERSITY craze that's going on lately since that Oscar kerfuffle.
This diversity thing is seriously getting out of hand, if we wanted diversity , heres how you get diversity, hollywood is an amalgam of actresses from different contionents and a spectrum of colur, do it that way, give someone a boost- add the gorgeous mya taylor from tangerine, the unsinkable sarah paulson, bad ass charlize theron over lupita nyongo who lets face it is doing more shoots than movies that help her career, rachel weisz or helen mirren. How about a woman who is fearlessly funny - amy schumer ,melissa mccarthy, even wiig? We can do without keaton..That is a diverse cover, not this. This is as contrived as it can get. How diverse would that be - it shows women if different sexualities, sizes, genres, age group, descent and countries over this cover which is trying to be politically correct rather than Hollywood.
The cover and choice of actresses is ok but a TV star version would be more representative of US demographics, and would include all shapes and sizes. Plus, given the ridiculous release dates and awards season timing, like most of America, I've only seen about 5 of the new movies these ladies are representing.
Sad to not see Melissa McCarthy, Lily Tomlin, or Rose Byrne because they've had such stellar years too.
Asian representative? Zhao Tao (her sublime performance in Mountains may Depart)...she also won the David di Donatello award fro Best Actress for her Italian outfit - Shun Li and the Poet.
Maybe the magazine is equating television acting as top tier? We know dome of these are there due to their agent. And I love Viola but Murder She Wrote is not going to stand up in even two weeks.
Diversity? All gorgeous and slim. But I suppose it's one step at a time...
@Derrick
Viola Davis is at the forefront of this whole thing of diversity in Hollywood. She has articulated the very specific struggle of being a dark-skinned black woman in mid-life who wants to play actual characters---complex and not cliche and stereotype. She's making history by having the career she has now. She's fighting for film relevancy and she will certainly be formidable when everyone sees her work in the screen adaptation of Fences. Her inclusion is mandatory. The same goes for Nyong'o and her struggle to be something more than a beauty icon for the fashion industry. She can act and she wants to. Hopefully her Broadway stint will bring her Tony recognition.
Wow, my Queen Latifah comment was provocative. I was obviously being hyperbolic...I prefaced "A-List" by saying she'd qualify if she never worked again in her life. If you think that was meant as a realistic assessment of her career (or anyone's, for that matter) you need to lighten the hell up.
I literally have no time for people who can't join a "YAS QUEEN!" chorus of goodwill for Queen Latifah, of all people.
Most of all, it's ugly to use my comment to knock her down four pegs ("D-List"? Seriously?) just because she's not rolling around in a meadow of accolades and opportunity—which seems to be a theme in this comment section, unfortunately. Especially when she's doing such a commendable job of creating opportunity for herself.
But no, I'm sorry, RACHEL WEISZ is available so forget Bessie and The Wiz.
@Hayden W
Remind everyone Latifah is doing the best out of everyone associated with the movie Chicago.
Oh please gurgle, this is less Norma Rae and more Revlon. It's about magazine sales. Merit has nothing to do with Photoshop photography subjects in retail.
Julianne Moore should have bene there too...
OH MY GOD THIS IS PERFECTION PLUS THERE IS CHARLOTTE RAMPLING TOO!
Okay, on a less hysterical note:
Why is Viola Davis there? I love her, but it's obvious that the cover is about the movies of previous year, as indicated by the youtube video where these ladies tell us what they want their legacy to be, Viola is the only one cited for TV, which is just weird and out of place.
Diversity is not only black and white, so if you wanted to go for TV too, why not include, for instance, Priyanka Chopra?
They put two actresses from Youth, but not Rooney for Carol?
Also did Diane Keaton make any movie this year? Bizarrely enough, Alicia is also in none of the videos uploaded so far.
The centerfold is the best though.
VF stopped doing those "predict the future superstars" covers after the one in 2000 that anointed people like Mena Suvari, Chris Klein, and Sarah Wynter.
I'm wondering what the Rachel Weisz animosity is about on here...her performance in Youth was well received if not as showy as Fonda. It might make the center but it is a fold out. Definitely one of my favorites and looks to have a very busy 2016
Beautiful cover - but I disagree with the comment that Viola Davis deserved the Oscar more than Meryl Streep.
Meryl was MAGNIFICENT playing one of the most despised women in history. AND of course there was a heavy 'it's time' factor - considering she lost Oscars that she should have won earlier.
Viola WILL win an Oscar in the future. She is just too damn good not to.
Love the cover...it's gorgeous. I particularly love the looks of Jennifer Lawrence, Viola Davis, Jane Fonda, Cate Blanchett and the kookiness of Diane Keaton.
However, Brie Larsen and Alicia Vikander look too much alike here...eh, both are kind of bland to me.
I do love this issue!.
Bette -- the list of people who were too damn good not to win Oscars... and then actually didn't win oscars is VERY VERY long :(
I like to imagine Dame Maggie's face behind these ladies, looking at them with amused superiority.
Btw, Viola will probably win for the Kushner movie.
This cover isn't helping with me with my declining taste for Jennifer Lawrence. I get why she's there,but she doesn't always have to be front and center. I would've rather seen Saoirse in her place or any other WOC.
Why not include Ellen page like the author said? Or Mya Taylor?
It's a "nice" cover but uninspiring. Jane and Charlotte look great everybody else seems very posed and uncomfortable. LOVE that the under-used Rachel Weisz is there. One thing I don't understand is that if they were going to let Diane Keaton dress up as Charlie Chaplin why they then shunted her over to the side. It throws off the balance of the picture. I know the look is a signature of hers but there's really no reason she couldn't have foregone it and dressed in a more harmonious outfit.
Weisz is really good in THE LOBSTER and thought she was the best thing about YOUTH (and I didn't even care for either of those films) so I'm fine with her being there.
I like the spread of names, but gosh so many of them look constipated or annoyed or uncomfortable. Diane Keaton looking like a spirit from another plain of existence, JLaw looking like she's discreetly trying to dislodge something from her throat, Alicia Vikander doing her worst "I saw Tyra do this on Top Model" impression, and Gugu looking mortifies about something.