British-Indian-Pakistani actress and activist Jameela Jamil has added another feather to her cap. The Good Place (2016) actress has been credited as the director of the music video for her boyfriend British singer James Blake’s latest single “Famous Last Words” from his new album, Friends That Break Your Heart.
Shortly after the video’s release, Jamil took to social media to reveal that she was initially hesitant to announce her association with the music video, saying that the “internet is so much harsher on women.”
“Because the internet is so much harsher on women, we held back on saying I directed James’ last video. But now that people like the video on its own I can say that I loved dreaming up this idea and then directing it, with my friend Chris, and an amazing crew for James Blake,” she wrote on Twitter.
Blake promptly responded to the tweet and wrote, “You killed it.”
Aside from directing the music video, Jamil also helped produce the song.
She has a number of writing credits on Blake’s fifth studio album. Shortly after the album’s release, Jamil took to social media to slam critics questioning her production credits. “A lot of mostly women insisting I could not possibly have actually worked on my boyfriend’s music, and that he must have just credited me to be nice,” tweeted Jamil in response to the social media critics.
“I was a DJ for eight years and studied music for six years before that. You are part of the problem of why women don’t pursue producing,” she added.
She followed up her statement on Instagram, writing: “An additional hilarious side to this misogyny is that they only don’t believe in my musical input when they love the songs. If they don’t like a song then suddenly, I CAN produce and it’s all my fault, and I produced the whole thing alone!”
Meanwhile, Jameela Jamil next will be seen in the Disney+ series She-Hulk, which is based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name.
The actress defended her claim that acting demands more than desk jobs in a recent interview.
She said office workers can "chill out" during work hours, unlike film stars.
Fans and working professionals called her comments privileged and out of touch.
The backlash started after her appearance on Amazon Prime's Two Much with Kajol & Twinkle.
Critics pointed out the financial gap and support systems actors have compared to regular employees.
Kajol probably didn't expect this reaction when she sat down with Twinkle Khanna on Two Much. But her comments about actors working harder than people with 9-to-5 jobs have blown up, and not in a good way.
Fans slam Kajol after she says actors work harder than regular employees sparking online outrage Getty Images
The comments that started it all
Kajol was speaking out about her earlier comments on Two Much with Kajol & Twinkle on Amazon Prime, where she said actors work harder than most people. This time she was explaining why she thinks that.
She told The Hollywood Reporter India that her days are full of shoots, events, and very early flights. One day involved waking at 5 AM to catch a flight to Jaipur for a 3 PM event.
But it was her take on regular jobs that got people talking. She claimed desk workers don't need to be "100% present" and can take breaks, "chill out," and relax while working. She kept coming back to the unending scrutiny actors face like the feeling of always being watched or something as simple as how you cross your legs or who's snapping a picture in the background becomes a constant calculation. You have to be switched on, she insisted, all the time.
The internet, frankly, was having none of it. YouTube and Reddit exploded with responses. "For the kind of remuneration actors are paid, they shouldn't have a problem working 12 hours a day for 4 days a week," one user wrote. Another pointed out that films typically take 3-4 months to shoot, while regular jobs run year-round.
The responses got more pointed. "Vanity mein naps or massages bhi toh hum lete hain," a Reddit user commented, referencing the comfort of vanity vans. Someone else joked: "If you work poorly, you get fired. If you act poorly, you get a Filmfare award."
The bluntest response yet? "Respectfully, Kajol, shut up."
Nobody denies acting is demanding. Long hours, public pressure, and constant judgement are very real. But comparing it to regular employment ignores some major differences.
Most people work 12 months a year with two weeks' holiday if they're lucky. They don't have spot boys fetching drinks or vanity vans for rest breaks. One netizen nailed it: "A working parent's schedule is continuous, every single day, with no wrap-up party or off-season."
Online erupts as Kajol defends claim that acting demands more than everyday 9-to-5 workGetty Images
There's also the money. While her fee for a single film is probably more than most people earn in a year, she says that doesn’t make the work easy. Still, it does provide a comfort that regular employees don’t have. Kajol has not yet replied to the backlash.
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