Rita Ora covers the April issue of InStyle UK in an Asian-inspired spread with lots of fabulous prints and relevant architecture lurking in the background. She’s promoting her role as Christian Grey’s sister in 50 Shades. Rita’s hustled plenty for this film, which seems unfair since she only snagged less than a minute of screentime. Critics called her out on the “blink and you’ll miss it” role, and Rita grew indignant. She’s already signed on for two sequels and promises her role will grow more substantial. If I were Rita, I’d be thrilled to skip out on this mess. She can still include the film in her repertoire, and Rita has a firm supporter in Harvey Weinstein. She may be set for the next few years no matter what. Here are some InStyle excerpts:
Her career setbacks:“I’ve been told ‘no’ so many times in my career. It doesn’t mean it’s over … I can remember every single ‘no’ I’ve been told in my life. They do not leave my brain. But they build you up.”
On snagging the 50 Shades role: “I said I’d love to involved as I was such a fan of the book. And then Sam said, ‘Well, why don’t you audition?’ And I said, ‘Sure … I’ve got a few song ideas, I could send them over…’ and she said, ‘No, why don’t you audition for the movie?’ And I was like, ‘What?, I’ve done a bit of acting, but honestly didn’t expect to be put into that role. I thought, what have I got to lose? I auditioned like everybody else — there were a lot of other people in the frame. I didn’t get any special treatment. I perfected my American accent, one thing led to another, and I got it.”
She rejected The Voice: “I said no straight away. I love the show but I wanted to focus on my second album. And then I spoke to will.I.am and he said “Listen, if you don’t do it, I won’t do it.'”
[From InStyle UK]
I’ve said this before — Rita’s musical appeal evades my sensibilities, but her unparallelled hustle works wonders. She plays a good game, which may only have temporary results, but it’s still an admirable haul. I don’t think anyone can judge her acting prowess by four lines in 50 Shades, but we’ll see how she fares in the coming years. At this point, producers could slip anyone into the cast slots and make it work.
FYI, here’s Rita in a silly blue fur coat in London last weekend. Rita attended the same event as Kim Kardashian, they both wore the same pink latex dress. No wonder Rita kept her coat on outside the venue.
Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet, WENN & Marcin Tyszka/InStyle UK
I have no opinion on her because she’s practically a nobody, but that top of the orange outfit is AMAZING!
To me, her first album was good. I don’t think she’ll ever be able to top that. I think she’s missed her mark seeing that it’s taking ages for her and her people to put out another album. It’s like she’s lost, she’s more of a socialite than a singer right now.
I love it when 24 yr olds tell us how hard they’ve worked to get where they are.
This girl is the personification of the phrase “nothing special.”
Soo it’s impossible for a 24 year old to have worked hard? I’m 24 and am halfway through med school – I’d say I worked damn hard to get here and am working harder than ever currently.
Old person condescension is pathetic. Just because you’ve worked longer doesn’t mean you’ve worked harder.
You know I meant 24 yr old pop stars / celebrities. Now get off my lawn
Lol. “Old person condescension.” So rude. Apparently you haven’t had time to work on your persecution complex, anger management, sense of humor or manners. You’ll be a great doctor.
GNAT, wow you know me so well. No persecution complex here – I was simply defending my age group since we get shit on left and right on this site (eg “THIS generation blah blah blah”). And how can you possibly gauge my anger levels or manners from an online forum? You take the internet a little too seriously 😉
There was also nothing humorous about the post, so that’s irrelevant.
I think you’re being oversensitive about the word “old” — if you take that adjective as an insult, oh well. Yes, old people can be extremely condescending. They think their age should automatically earn them respect. I presume you are one of those people.
Because you know me so well! As you would say.
Your comment was rude, abrasive and unnecessarily harsh. You took a very innocuous comment personally and used it as an excuse to brag and attack. You called the poster “pathetic,” and we all know you meant the word “old” as an insult. I can tell as much as I want to know about you from your short post. I think you take yourself a little too seriously.
The difference is I made a presumption based on your comments while you made ridiculous extrapolations extending far beyond mine.
In your opinion the original comment may have been innocuous, but I found it insulting. I was not bragging at all, but rather giving an example of how a 24 yr old could work hard, as the original poster had deemed that prospect laughable.
I didn’t call Dr. M pathetic, but rather said that CONDESCENSION is pathetic (which it is). I don’t consider “old” to be an insult, but if you do, then sorry.
The fact that you think you know someone’s entire demeanor and personality from a few internet comments is very telling. Talk about taking things too seriously, eh?
Ok, Jay. Here’s what I hope for you – that you use your life and obvious talents well, and grow as person to the point where you can laugh at yourself as well as others. The difference between us is that I was once your age and also thought I knew everything. Now, I’m well beyond that, and I know how very much we all have to learn and grow. Trust me, when you’re my age, you’ll look back on your 24 year old self and groan at your self importance. We all do. And when you reach that point, I’ll probably be dead, but I’ll be somewhere feeling proud of you happy for you. Have a great life.
There’s that old person condescension again 😉
I laugh at myself and others pretty often, when it’s warranted. There’s nothing humorous happening here. I’m sure I am self important at times, and I’m sure I will look back and shake my head. This is not one of those times.
Have a good one, truly 🙂
I don’t really get how Jay’s comment is any different or more ill-mannered, self-important, or offensive than the original comment. And yes, I’m part of the same generation as him or her (22).
Being an entertainer of any type is not as hard a job as something like construction work or being a lawyer, but I don’t doubt that they have to work in terms of time, energy, commitment, putting stuff together, and getting themselves out there, even though they’re usually not doing everything themselves.
#teamjay
When you think all the good names are taken, you have a negative mindset for sure.
Age is nothing but a number and cannot be helped. Nobody chose to be born at the time they were. There are hardworkers of every age.
GNAT does not have a negative mindset.
This is why I hate my age group…
People in their 20s are just immature kids mostly, no denying it.
I think adulthood and maturity set in around 30 for most people.
At least I hope so…
GNAT is known for those kind of replies. Don’t pay attention!
@jay that’s not what Dr.M was saying. It’s like if your 24 and you have a lot of success, like Rita Ora, it’s not that you haven’t worked hard. Plenty of 24 year olds are hard workers. I teach at a university and see it for myself.?its just that 24 is very young to be very successful. So to imply that you’ve been climbing the ladder for years and years and everybody has stood in your way is a little bit of an eye roll situation. Old person condescension is annoying but so is young person hubris, everybody’s got their issues.
That may not have been what Dr. M meant, but that’s exactly what he/she said. It irks me when older people look down on younger people, and that’s what that post sounded like. I agree that implying you’ve been working your ass off for SO long when you’re only 24 is annoying, but again, that’s not what was originally stated. I’m not a mind reader.
Haven’t you got some studying to do, lectures to go to, rather than hanging around bitching at ‘old’ people seeing as you are so hard working?
I didn’t know study breaks were so frowned upon. Also wasn’t aware that having an opinion that differs from the older crowd that clearly dominates this forum is considered “bitching.”
Its your tone…not the opinion behind it. Refreshing the page every few minutes so you can amp up your indignant stance with constant responses isn’t taking a study break….go on see if you can just walk away and study!!
Your inability to just see that none of the comments here have been some sort of crusade against youth shows a certain stubbornness and yes condescension that ive seen time and time again in the medical profession from Doctors and Consultants – maybe you could use this time in your ‘study break(sss)’ to improve your bedside manner?
@misstee:
LOL stop, I think a student is allowed to post some comments in her own time (hardly takes up her day) when so many (hardworking older) people here (and other sites) read gossip at work and waste time when they’re supposed to be productive and focused.
This is why there are friggin policies for internet use because so many people rather read gossip instead of doing work so your comment is really pointless.
And I totally agree with her, not that it matters….
I love it when young people talk about old people as though they will never be one. With her defensive personality and ability to think she knows better, she will be a perfect doctor. Which is why I see nurse practitioners whenever I can.
I’m aware I will be one. And when I am one, I’ll be careful not to condescend and patronize people based on age. I’m not defensive, just stating my opinion like everyone else.
I’m the first to admit many doctors have God complexes and think they know everything. I am absolutely not one of those people. If you think nurse practitioners are much different…….. LOL. But keep making ridiculous assumptions with very limited information.
Honey you havent even worked properly in a Hospital or GP surgery yet how in hell do you think your limited study environment gives you the ‘expert’ position on Nurses?
By the way – its been recently proven that Doctors have one of the highest concentrations of sociopaths and psychopaths by profession…;D
Hey now! Don’t paint all of us doctors with the same brush!!!! Some of us “old” doctors are pretty nice.
There’s nothing in Jay’s comment that implies that they’re a sociopath or psychopath, and there was nothing illogical or unreasonable in what was said. One person made a generalization about a group of people, she pointed out and disagreed with that generalization and added a sort of turnabout is fair play generalization of her own, and other people followed up with their own generalizations . The “you’re crazy and need to take a break/focus on your studies/go away” argument because of her disagreement is a lazy and hypocritical argument, as we’re all here on a gossip site expressing our opinions- it doesn’t make us unproductive, and you’re every bit as condescending and defensive as you’re accusing her of being.
And no, disagreeing with an older person and criticizing something they’ve said does not equal thinking one knows everything.
Her role might get slightly larger in the other Fifty Shades films…but not much. Although the Cullen vamps get plenty of page time in the Twilight books, in the movies they average about three lines per film. I’m sure this will be the same.
She’s…such a fan of the books…say no more.
My thoughts exactly.
I question her taste since she’s such a “fan of the book”…that’s all I have to say on the subject.
I strongly agree with jay . Dr.M made a generalization of 24 year olds . I’m 23 and honestly I got bothered because its a sarcastic put down. who are you to assess how hard someone works. the hard work police? .. I come from Africa where we have real issues of unemployment among the youth. its all based on the same stereotypes … we are too young to really know what hard work Is
just like jay I’m in school.. finance school .. I wake up at 5 every day .. I dont go to bed till 11 coz school , n a side hustle for my CV because my employers Dont care if I just graduated summa cum laude they want experience n here in Kenya its always 5 years experience .
at the same time I’m trying to figure my life out .. what I do after college .. I’d really want to change the plight of gender issues in my country and it sickens me that I Dont know how to go about it to really effect change like Mandela or martin Luther king. so I’m drawing up ways to do that
I’m gonna say something I once told my mum .. its a lot harder for the youth today .. what with the mark zuckerbergs getting their entrepreneurial success at 23 it definitely puts pressure on us and we discuss it and for most of us if you haven’t made it by 27 n I mean well paying job , good car , a home , a purpose .. its mind blowingly stressful!
I know I have a lot more work to do and a longer way to go .. it doesn’t mean all the hard work I’ve put in to get to the best schools , the best internships means nothing . it’s actually what let’s me know that I can take on more ..I can go further . its all about respect .. despite my age respect my hustle as I do yours. because we were all young hardworking people and someone gave us an opportunity despite our age ..let’s do the same for the generations to come and not condescend them otherwise we end up with an inflated crime rate …. and here in Kenya we know too well how jobless youth can be a major headache to an entire nation.
It’s alright guys, I was talking about the Rita oras of the world. Best of luck with your studies!
And don’t forget about your old (geriatric) friend Dr toboggan when you’re rich and successful
I think it was pretty obvious you were talking about the celeb world and I’m in my twenties, for what it’s worth.
I could never warm up to this girl no matter what she does..
Me Neither… she is so subpar to me , her voice does nothing for me and her fashions are a massive OOF
Why did they photoshop/makeup her into being pale white? That’s clearly not her skin color. It’s bad enough magazines and fashion entities are squeamish to use non pale white models, but then they go and lighten even already light-skinned celebrity women whose skin color is known. And the idea that this was just in keeping with the “Asian” theme doesn’t sit well with me either. 🙁
What pisses me off about Rita is she actually has talent. She can really sing. But everything about her image is just so unoriginal and generic and so evidently a carbon copy of what every other hip pop star nowadays does. I think she should’ve gone the Adele route and stick to low-key ballads. Playing it simple would’ve made her stand out. I’m telling you – she could. She really CAN sing.
So true and the first time I realized how good of a voice she had was when she was singing someone else’s song. To me her music is crap that doesn’t showcase her talent.
This is weird, but I always thought Rita was black…? I haven’t read the books, so maybe Christian has a black sister, or maybe Rita is not black? Or maybe I’m just an a$$hole…? Who knows!
I always thought that too.
Rita is not black. She is Eastern European, but she has strong Mediterranean roots, hence her olive skin tone. I looked it up because I thought she was part black as well.
lol at fashion icon on the cover! more like trash icon, she always looks cheap and trashy.
yeah if i remember well her character has more to do in the third book or so. Didn´t she get kidnapped and Ana saves her? It was so stupid.