Connect with us

Entertainment

Francois Nars Reveals Celebrity Inspo in New Documentary on September 18, 2023 at 10:31 pm Us Weekly

Published

on

Courtesy of François Nars

Before there was a universally-beloved blush called Orgasm, well before that inky black cult-favorite mascara known as Climax landed on the lashes of It girls, a young Francois Nars frolicked on a beach in Biarritz among breathtaking beauty.

Related: 10 Cult-Favorite Beauty Products Celebrities Swear By

Us Weekly has affiliate partnerships so we may receive compensation for some links to products and services. Stars — they’re just like Us. But let’s not forget that celebs have glam squads and A-list access to premium products. While they’re busy getting luxury treatments at the dermatologist, we’re shopping for makeup at the drugstore. Needless […]

This is just one of many telling, captivating scenes in the new documentary Unknown Beauty: Francois Nars that takes viewers directly inside the mind of the legendary makeup artist, photographer and cinephile.

Advertisement

Related: Go Behind-the-Scenes with Leona Lewis as She Gets Glam for the 2023 Venice amfAR Gala

The Venice Film Festival may not be teeming with stars this year, but the annual amfAR Gala brought the glamour (see every look here). Leona Lewis stunned in scarlet — and she exclusively shared the behind-the-scenes details of her look with Us Weekly.   The 38-year-old singer is a passionate supporter of amfAR and the fight […]

The film, lovingly directed by Lisa Immordino Vreeland, is a non-linear compilation of scenes that dreamily bring to life — and clarity — Nars’ very singular vision as inspired by moments, images, film, art and, above all, strong women including his mother, Claudette, grandmother, iconic models Lauren Hutton, Isabella Rossellini and starlets Catherine Denueve, Josephine Baker, Lauren Bacall and more.

Related: An Epic Pic of Rihanna, Salma Hayek and More Stars in the Bathroom During the 2011 Met Gala

Courtesy of Alexa Chung/Instagram No Met Gala? No problem! Alexa Chung has got you covered with one of the most epic throwback pictures from the big event — captured on a Blackberry, no less! On Thursday, April 16, the British fashionista posted a picture to her Instagram feed that showcases a group of major A-lister […]

Clips of over 50 of the movies that sparked Nars’ curiosity can be seen in the film as well as a peek behind-the-scenes of the high fashion photo shoots he creatively directed. There is a certain vibe to Nars Cosmetics makeup products and this vibe can be felt throughout the film, which is narrated by another muse, Charlotte Rampling.

Advertisement

Related: How Olivia Rodrigo Got Her ‘Fresh and Clean’ Makeup Glow at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards

Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for MTV Olivia Rodrigo was effortlessly elegant at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards thanks to soft glam brought to life by celebrity makeup artist Nina Park. Park used all NARS products on the 20-year-old singer for the Tuesday, September 12, ceremony, creating a natural glow with a subtle winged eye. Park […]

The film just dropped and is available for purchase to download on Apple TV, Amazon and Google Play. But before its release, Us Weekly sat down with Nars to chat about his love for film, his favorite decade and exactly how Orgasm got its name.

 

 

Advertisement

Francois Nars. Courtesy of Fischio Films

Us Weekly: Who was your first major beauty icon?

Francois Nars: My mother, for sure. I had all these beauty icons on the celluloid screen, but she was the first one I could touch, and express myself with makeup. She was the first one, for sure.

 

Advertisement

UW: The ‘70s part of the film is just magical. I could really feel the brand come through.

FN: That was really a fun chapter to create because it was really the time I grew up, I was a teenager at the time. I started watching movies when I was eight years old, but the seventies for me was a wake-up call, an eye-opener to the dream life that I wanted to have and I wanted to get into. That was really a dream world that I wanted so bad. That was my obsession. It became an obsession. So the fashion world, the seventies, really. And in a way, I’m thanking the people in the movie by featuring them. It’s an homage. I honored them and said, “Thank you for being so fabulous.” I don’t know if they really knew how fabulous they were. Did Jerry Hall know she was really that fabulous? Probably she did, especially Jerry.

 

UW: When I think of your products, and the lens through which you see things, it’s that Studio 54 vibe, with bronzer and pops of color — it’s bigger than life, super glamorous, but effortless. What did beauty say in the ‘70s?

Advertisement

FN: The sophistication level was very high in the ‘70s, but there was a lot of freedom. It’s linked, of course, to the Sexual Revolution. In France, we had Brigitte Bardot who did all those scandalous movies at the time. That was the liberation of women.

 

UW: Then there was the ‘90s, the models were bigger than life, too. Cindy, Christy, Naomi…

FN: I’m glad because I arrived at the right moment. I had just started at the end of the seventies, but then I came into the ‘90s and the supermodels were born. The word supermodel, I guess they always say it was created because of Cindy, Christy and Linda. It’s not really true, because in the seventies, Jerry Hall was a supermodel already. Lauren Hutton was a supermodel. I think the money came along with the term ‘supermodel.’  Before, they were not willing to pay that much but in the ‘90s, they started making millions and millions of dollars.

Advertisement

 

UW: Who do you think are the big models of right now? Are there any young actresses you want to work with?

FN: There’s nobody that will compare to the stars of the Golden Age of Hollywood. No, nobody. It’s a different thing today. They’re great actors, they’re very good-looking people, but it’s a whole different bargain, so we can’t compare. Today the models I love, usually are all the models that I work with in the campaign for Nars, you know? I think they’re amazing. We, I’m very selective, so I usually always pick people that, first of all, I fall in love visually. That I love their face. And hopefully the personality goes with it. That’s important.

 

Advertisement

UW: So, what does it mean to be a star today? How has stardom changed?

FN: It’s a totally different thing. It’s a different world, a different planet. I think, what it means to be a star today, I guess we should ask people like Tom Cruise or Nicole Kidman. I think, to me, a great star is the one that takes risk. No matter what. Yesterday, today, tomorrow, if you don’t take any risk, I don’t consider you a great actor or an actor at all.

 

UW: One last question. We have to talk about Orgasm.

Advertisement

FN: Nothing inspired me specifically. It’s funny because everybody wants the magic secret. How did you create that name? What happened was, the blushes had names of emotions and one was called Passion. I always think in America, and in a lot of places in the world, sex sells. I think people love sexy images. Everybody wants to be sexy in their own way. It can be in an androgynous way, it can be a very feminine way. There are many ways, but everybody wants to feel sexy. So I feel like giving names, sexy names. And definitely Orgasm was a very good, sexy name, word. But I never limited it to the sex part. I felt like, “Oh, Orgasm is a great name for an ‘orgasm for life’.” And you can have an orgasm by having a great dinner, meeting friends, looking at the sunset, you know, you elevate it to a different level. But again, to create the product, I felt it was very spontaneous. You can’t explain how you create some stuff. It just happens. I picked this peach color, I picked this pink. Threw some shimmer on it and I don’t know, it felt like, “Okay, feels like Orgasm.” I don’t know why. And then it got picked up by the rest of the world and everybody fell in love with the name.

Courtesy of François Nars Before there was a universally-beloved blush called Orgasm, well before that inky black cult-favorite mascara known as Climax landed on the lashes of It girls, a young Francois Nars frolicked on a beach in Biarritz among breathtaking beauty. This is just one of many telling, captivating scenes in the new documentary 

​   Us Weekly Read More 

Advertisement
Continue Reading
Advertisement
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Entertainment

Kim and Kanye’s Daughter North West Faces Criticism Over Her Tattoos

Published

on

North West, the 12-year-old daughter of Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, is under the spotlight once again — this time for showing off a collection of tattoos that set social media on fire. In recent photos and videos circulating online, North was seen with several arm designs, including tributes to her parents and fashion-inspired symbols. While fans were quick to admire her bold style, not everyone was impressed.

Critics argue that the tattoos — even though they appear to be temporary — are another example of celebrity children being pushed into adult trends too early. Comments flooded social media platforms, with some users saying Kim allows North too much freedom, while others defended the reality star’s parenting approach, praising her for letting her daughter explore creativity and self-expression.

“Kids should be kids,” one commenter wrote, reflecting a broader sentiment among parents online. Meanwhile, supporters pointed out that North comes from one of the most fashion-forward families in the world and that experimenting with style is part of her upbringing.

Kim Kardashian has not directly addressed the controversy, but she has often spoken about encouraging her children to express themselves authentically. North, already known for her viral TikTok appearances and fashion collaborations, seems unfazed by the criticism.

At just 12, North West continues to blur the lines between youth culture and celebrity identity — reminding the public that in the Kardashian–West household, individuality isn’t just allowed, it’s celebrated.

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Entertainment

Jennifer Lopez’s Ex Fires Back: “You Are the Problem”

Published

on

Ojani Noa Accuses J.Lo of Cheating After “Never Been Loved” Comments

Jennifer Lopez is once again at the center of a media storm — but this time, it’s her first husband, Ojani Noa, turning up the heat. Following Lopez’s recent Howard Stern Show interview, in which she claimed she has “never been truly loved” by any of her exes, Noa has publicly accused the superstar of cheating and playing the victim.

In the viral Instagram post that has now spread across major outlets like TMZ and New York Post, Noa didn’t hold back.

“Stop putting us down. Stop putting me down with your victim card,” he wrote. “The problem is not us. Not me. The problem is you. You’re the one who couldn’t keep it in your pants.”

“You Chose Fame and Lies Over Love”

Noa and Lopez were married briefly from 1997 to 1998, before her rise to Hollywood superstardom. In his explosive statement, he accused her of being unfaithful during their marriage, claiming she prioritized fame over their relationship.

“You have been loved a few times. You’ve been married four times. And have had countless relationships in between,” Noa continued. “You decided to lie, to cheat on me. You begged me to keep the marriage intact to avoid bad press.”

Noa described himself as “faithful, honest, and loving,” saying he uprooted his life and career to support Lopez at the beginning of her entertainment journey. “I left my family, my friends, everything behind for you,” he wrote, “but once fame came calling, you left me behind.”​

Lopez Silent Amid Growing Backlash

As of now, Jennifer Lopez has not publicly responded to Noa’s allegations. During her Howard Stern interview, the singer and actress claimed her former partners “weren’t capable” of loving her, saying, “It’s not that I’m not lovable… it’s that they’re not capable.”

Advertisement

Her remarks were widely interpreted as referencing all of her ex-husbands — including Marc Anthony, Cris Judd, and Ben Affleck — but it was Noa who reacted first and most forcefully. His comments have ignited widespread debate online, with many questioning whether Lopez’s honesty came at the expense of others’ reputations.

Public Response and Media Fallout

The online reaction has been intense, with social media users split between defending Lopez’s right to share her truth and blasting her for allegedly rewriting history. Meanwhile, entertainment analysts note that the controversy adds to an increasingly turbulent year for the singer, following canceled tours, underperforming films, and ongoing scrutiny over her marriage to Affleck.

This latest backlash has also reignited conversations about Lopez’s highly publicized romantic history. As tabloids and fans speculate whether more exes might respond, the situation underscores an old truth in celebrity culture — that every candid confession comes with consequences.

For now, Jennifer Lopez remains silent. But in the court of public opinion, the debate about who’s really at fault in her love story is only just beginning.

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Entertainment

Selling Your Soul in Hollywood: The Hidden Cost of Fame

Published

on

By all appearances, Hollywood is a dream factory — a place where charisma, talent, and luck collide to create stars. But behind the camera lights and red carpets lies a conversation few inside the industry speak openly about: the spiritual and moral price of ambition.

For actor Omar Gooding, the idea of “selling your soul” in Hollywood isn’t a metaphor — it’s a moral process that begins with tiny compromises. In an October 2025 interview, Gooding explained that no one in Hollywood makes a literal deal with the devil. Instead, it’s the quiet yeses, the moments when comfort overrides conviction, that mark the beginning of the trade. “They don’t say, ‘Take this or you’ll never make it,’” he said. “They just put it in front of you. You choose.”

Those choices, he argues, create a pattern. Once you show that you’ll accept something you once resisted, the industry notices. “Hollywood knows who it can get away with what,” Gooding said. “One thing always leads to another.” The phrase “selling your soul,” in this context, means losing your say — doing what you’re told rather than what you believe in.

That moral tension has long shadowed the arts. Comedians like Dave Chappelle, who famously walked away from millions to preserve his creative integrity, often serve as examples of where conviction and career collide. In resurfaced interviews, Chappelle hinted that he felt manipulated and silenced by powerful figures who sought control of his narrative, warning that “they’re trying to convince me I’m insane.”

This isn’t just about conspiracy — it’s about agency. Hollywood runs on perception. Performers are rewarded for being agreeable, moldable, entertaining. Those who question the machine or refuse the script risk exile, while those who conform are elevated — sometimes beyond what they can handle.

We see the ‘collections’ all the time,” Gooding explained. “When the bill comes due, you can tell. They made that deal long ago.”

But the story doesn’t end in darkness. Gooding also emphasizes that in today’s entertainment landscape, artists have more control than ever. With streaming, social media, and creator‑driven platforms, performers don’t have to “play the game” to be seen. Independent creators can build their own stages, speak their own truths, and reach millions without trading authenticity for access.

Still, the temptation remains — recognition, validation, quick success. And every generation of artists must answer the same question: What are you willing to do for fame?

Advertisement

As Gooding put it, “You just make the best choices you can. Because once it’s gone — your name, your peace, your soul — there’s no buying it back.”

Continue Reading

Trending