'Beginners,' released in 2010, is one of those romantic comedy-drama films which will have you laughing most of the way along, but then reduce you to tears when you least expect it. It tells the story of a man who lives most of his life in the closet, going so far as to get married and have children, only to finally accept his sexuality towards the very end of his life. Christopher Plummer is in the lead role as Hal and gave a performance which netted him the 'Best Supporting Actor' award at the 2011 Oscars. Ewan McGregor, who we've seen on this list already, also gives a star turn as Hal's son in the lead role.
The movie is played for laughs but comes with a heavy dose of truth; it's the work of writer and director Mike Mills, whose own father came out at the age of 75 after the death of his mother. Plummer is mesmerizing on screen, and utterly deserving of all the acclaim that came with the part.
Chefs made their way into celebrity land a while ago. But how many celebrities that weren’t trained as professional cooks are actually whizzes in the kitchen? Here are several that come to mind.
Actress Julia Roberts is confident about her cooking skills. “I’m quite a good cook,” she told E! News. “I’m like a closet home ec teacher…I can really cook anything.” Roberts has said she often cooks fish for herself and her kids. And speaking of her three children, “They think that I’m a good cook,” Roberts told People. “They actually told me that I should open a restaurant.” She also relishes cooking for the holidays, particularly shredded Brussel sprouts. Roberts hasn’t published a cookbook, but we did find recipes attributed to her for peach crisp and banana hemp muffins. Or you can make the same summer salad the actress supposedly eats.
Chrissy Teigen started off as a supermodel. Then her love of cooking filtered into her professional life too. At this point, she’s created recipes for a limited Blue Apron release and also just launched her own home and cooking line at Target named “Cravings,” after the two cookbooks she’s released. Teigen describes cooking as “a time of peace” for herself. So maybe peace out to her tuna melt sandwich or the fried chicken wings that are a favorite of her husband, John Legend.
Lady Gaga, whose real name is Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, comes from a cooking Italian family. Her father started his own restaurant in New York and also published a cookbook. And apparently, Lady Gaga has inherited the family’s cooking genes. Her Instagram account occasionally features photos of her culinary activities. Sure, sometimes it’s topless cooking. But other times it’s more poignant like in the post she shared about her bringing food to the family of her dear friend who passed away. Want to try a Gaga/Germanotta family favorite? Check out her recipe for whole wheat pasta with a sweet fennel sauce.