Vanity Fair’s Hollywood Portfolio involves swans, Idris Elba & Benedict Cumberbatch

Vanity Fair’s annual Hollywood Portfolio is here and it is… well, here. I’m not going to say it’s good or exciting, because it’s none of those things. The best I can say is that it’s not as bad as it could have been. Vanity Fair chooses to highlight particular actors every year, not always based on awards but on who had some kind of breakout. This year’s cover subjects include: Nicole Kidman, Benedict Cumberbatch, Kristen Stewart, Penelope Cruz, Idris Elba, Simu Liu, Andrew Garfield and Michaela Jae Rodriguez. You can see the whole Hollywood Portfolio here.

Unlike previous years, I don’t think VF is doing a cover with all of their subjects together, although there is one photo – which was likely Photoshopped – like that in the portfolio. No, VF issued individual covers and individual cover interviews with their portfolio subjects. It’s something W Magazine does – a bunch of different covers with individual interviews. I don’t mind it, but I kind of miss the old way. I’ll do some break-away posts for some of the interesting interviews (I’m not wading through all of that right now and trying to cull quotes!!).

Favorite cover? Idris Elba’s cover, I think. My least favorite is Kristen Stewart’s. Benedict’s is crazy!! They made him get in a bath with swans.

Covers courtesy of Vanity Fair.

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26 Responses to “Vanity Fair’s Hollywood Portfolio involves swans, Idris Elba & Benedict Cumberbatch”

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  1. RoSco says:

    I really like Simu Liu’s cover. It’s giving elegant flamingo in a good way.

  2. Mei says:

    I’m sorry but what in heaven’s name is that Nicole Kidman cover about?? Yikess

    • missmerry97 says:

      I don’t know if I’ve ever seen her with her belly bared like that, at least not for a long time! and Kristin Stewarts cover looks photoshopped to hell!

    • booboocita says:

      You just want to take her aside and murmur, “Sweetie, you’re aging. This is not a bad thing. Try to do it gracefully. You can’t be an ingenue forever.”

      • CC says:

        It makes me think of Cate Blanchett’s recent look at the Goya awards – she looked gorgeous and bared some midriff, but didn’t look like she was auditioning for a cheerleader movie on Lifetime. She’s only 2 years younger than Kidman.

    • Krista says:

      Yeah, I mean, wear what you want to wear, but Britney Spears “Baby One More Time” is not a look that anyone can pull off. They could have dressed her more….elegantly…and still made her look cool.

    • SarahCS says:

      Did they get into Paris Hiltons wardrobe?

      • Boomboom says:

        It looks like she’s auditioning for a redo of that playboy mansion show? Such an odd choice and I’m really surprised that she went with it…

  3. Normades says:

    Simu and Idris’ covers ffw. Kristen and Nicole, oh dear no…

  4. Zadie says:

    That’s Nicole Kidman⁉️

  5. souperkay says:

    Well kudos to Nicole for introducing me to the concept of boob slack bra tops.

  6. lucy2 says:

    What in the photoshopped hell…?
    Idris’ the only one I like. Benedict’s and Nicole’s are really awful.

  7. North of Boston says:

    Hmm

    I think Vanity Fair’s art director has lost the plot. This isn’t interesting or intriguing or conjuring any particular narrative. It’s just 10 different ways of awkward/odd with some random distracting elements.

    Simu’s is fine, I guess.

    But the others range from WTF to oof to oh, honey, nah. (With bonus sadness for the tiger) And NONE of that is down to the actors in the photos.

  8. Byzant says:

    What on earth is with the Nicole Kidman – look im a sexy 16 year old look and Benedict’s is daft.

    Love the others tho

  9. MissKitten(is my cats name) says:

    Least favorite cover is DEFINITELY Nicole Kidman

  10. Melissa says:

    God forbid we take a picture of a woman that isn’t over sexualized.

    • CC says:

      Swans are mean as hell. For Cumberbatch’s sake, I hope that was photoshopped.

    • North of Boston says:

      “God forbid we take a picture of a woman that isn’t over sexualized.”
      This +1000

      And also, yes to the swans being mean thing.

      (aside: it’s one of the reasons Mute Swans are so awful as an invasive species in US. They attack and bully any native duck, goose species out of whatever place they land. They are not peaceful coexisters)

    • Granger says:

      I gotta admit, I’m disappointed in Nicole. I thought she was smarter than that. I’m so naive.

  11. OriginalLeigh says:

    I’m truly shocked that Nicole Kidman approved that cover…

  12. Colby says:

    Omg. 😦

    Nicole’s cover. Cringe.

    She looks good, but whoever styled her shoot did an awful job.

  13. Mabs A'Mabbin says:

    Crikey.

  14. Kirsten says:

    I do not understand any of what’s happening.