27th Annual Vanity Fair Hollywood Issue Features Diverse Cast Of Actors

We’re not going to lie, we like Vanity Fair a whole lot better with Radhika Jones as EIC.

Source: Maurizio Cattelan and Pierpaolo Ferrari / Vanity Fair

Vanity Fair released the cover image for their 27th annual Hollywood issue — and we were pleased to find some of our absolute favorites on the cover. The main cover features Michael B. Jordan, Zendaya, Charlize Theron and Sacha Baron Cohen, while the full image also includes Spike Lee, Lakeith Stanfield, Maya Rudolph, Akwafina, Dan Levy and Michaela Coel. The image was created by renowned artists Maurizio Cattelan and Pierpaolo Ferrari, who directed (from Costa Rica!) ten photo shoots across four continents, using modern techniques that allowed VF to minimize on-set personnel and maximize COVID-19 protocol. Beautiful cover isn’t it? The issue is on newsstands March 2.

Check out choice excerpts from Vanity Fair below:

Spike Lee summing up the past year

“It was a f*cked-up year, 2020,” says Spike Lee. “Just a f*cked-up year in bold letters with exclamation points: F*CKED UP!!!”

…on the most challenging part of filming Da 5 Bloods in Thailand

“The heat. The jungle. And also it was at that time of the year the Thai farmers burn their land, so we had the worst air pollution in the world while we were shooting. That sh*t was hard as a motherfu**er. Hard A.F. A.F., that’s for ‘as fu**.’ Nah, this was a challenging movie, but we knew that going in. We were going to a jungle. Snakes and sh*t. I mean, here’s my mentality: We’re making a war movie. We’re going to war. Nothing easy about a war.”

We love that Spike Lee was included! We can’t recall a whole lot of directors who have been on the cover of this particular issue but Spike is a true Hollywood giant and should be recognized for his work.

Michael B. Jordan on shift away from traditional studio rollout to streaming services

“Great material can live anywhere,” Jordan says. “It’s really about the audience and how they want to consume it. And that’s not really for me to decide.”

….on his forthcoming role in Denzel Washington’s ‘Journal for Jordan’

Next up, Denzel Washington is directing [Jordan] in Journal for Jordan, about the death of a real-life Army sergeant who had been writing advice for his infant son. “We first sat down after Fruitvale Station,” says Jordan, “but I wanted to have more life experiences, so that I can actually breathe into this character.”

…on losing Chadwick Boseman

“Our relationship was a very personal one and had a lot of great moments—some that I couldn’t fully appreciate and fully understand until now. I wish I had more time to have our relationship evolve, and grow, and become closer and stronger. We got a concentrated dose of Chadwick. He did more in his 43 years of life than most people have done in a lifetime. And he was here for the time he was supposed to be here, and he had his impact, and his legacy. That was clear with the abundance of love that he has gotten from people all over the world. There are generations of kids coming up that look to him. It’s incredible. And losing him was…Yeah, man, it hurt. It hurt a lot. That’s probably what made me cry the most this year.”

Chadwick Boseman’s death is one that affected us all deeply but we can only imagine how difficult it’s been for Michael B. Jordan after the bonding experience we know they had on ‘Black Panther.’ We also really appreciate how he’s mature enough to own his emotions and talk about how Boseman’s death made him cry.

We really really love the artwork they did for Michael B. Jordan too — his and Michaela Coel’s were our favorites from the issue. Speaking of which, hit the flip for more images and excerpts from the magazine.

Michaela Coel on how her fan run-ins have changed during the pandemic

“I’ve had moments of getting slightly teary with a stranger on the street and sort of wishing you could hug,” says Coel. “But you can’t hug. So we sort of just do this thing where we put our fingers where they almost touch. It’s quite cute.”

We just read that in her accent! Michaela is a genius and we’re glad that she’s being recognized. “I May Destroy You” dealt with some really complicated, deeply traumatic issues but it was so well done. Kudos for her doing things her way too!

LaKeith Stanfield on the opportunity for the industry to grow

The upheaval of the past many months—and the undeniable wreckage that the new administration in Washington has begun addressing—does present a chance for growth. “It’s an opportunity for people, when you start to critically analyze those things,” says Stanfeld. “Like, what kind of world do we want to live in? We can start re-creating it now. Sometimes the hard battles are the things that are worth it.”

…on the panic attack he experienced on the set of Judas and the Judas and the Black Messiah

“I ran out the trailer, saying, ‘I can’t! I don’t know if I’m doing the right thing even by playing this person,’ ” says the actor. But Stanfield knew the movie’s message was urgent: “There’s a lot of people rising up against things that they find oppressive. What side of the fence do you find yourself on?”

Sheesh. We knew Lakeith struggled with that role but didn’t realize he had a breakdown like that on set. We hope he’s able to make peace with it but we know it’s likely people will associate him with his character for a long time to come. Prayers up.

We love the hair we did for Maya Rudolph’s shoot! Kind of reminds us of the Queen in “Bridgerton”.

Maya Rudolph on her return to Saturday Night Live

“I’m now an elder,” says Maya Rudolph of her return to Saturday Night Live to play Vice President Kamala Harris. “I’m now one of the elder women in the tribe, imparting wisdom.” The actor, producer, and writer’s homecoming has brought laughter and insight to a bonkers political landscape. “I remember when Trump hosted for the first time for The “Apprentice,” and we, as a cast, were like, ‘Fu**. This sucks. I don’t want to be here for this.’ ”

Hilarious. That’s so dope that she remembers that experience. Then again that’s how you know it had to be REALLY bad.

P.S. We love the hair we did for Maya Rudolph’s shoot! Kind of reminds us of the Queen in “Bridgerton”.

For more from their Hollywood issue visit Vanity Fair