Around the xoNecole offices, we celebrate Black and Brown women in all their glory. We root for us when we're up, or when we're down. We celebrate when we win, and we love to see us shine. So when one of us comes a long with good news, and accolades on accolades, we celebrate with us, and we welcome anyone who wants to come get these celebration vibes too.
That's why when it was announced that Nia DaCosta made history at the box office, you know we had to pull up.
DaCosta is the 31-year-old director of the remake of horror flick Candyman, and she is well on her way to making her mark in the film industry (sidebar: that's the only namedrop ya'll are getting from me in this article because we don't play with that man around here, so keep up).
Anyway, not only did her new film have a crazy opening weekend, she made history in the process, becoming the first Black female director to debut at No. 1 at the U.S. box office. Prior to her, Queen Ava DuVernay had come the closest to taking the top spot, opening at number 2 in 2018 with A Wrinkle in Time.
[Redacted movie title] is an update of the classic 1992 horror film of the same redacted name, opened in theaters nationwide last week, and ended the weekend raking in more than $22 million, which is huge. DaCosta's version places the urban legend in contemporary Chicago and stars Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as lead character, Anthony McCoy, an artist whose career aspirations lead him down the wrong damn path. Whew.
Additionally, now with all the hoopla surrounding her and her great news, it's as good a time as any to get to know the director as she will be around for a long time. So, let's get to know the first Black woman to debut at the box office at #1:
DaCosta is all about putting a message behind her success.
With the premiere of the film was a "social impact initiative," a campaign created to promote conversation around issues explored in the film (such as gentrification), with the hashtag #TellEveryone. The campaign kicked off with screenings hosted by Lupita Nyong'o (who starred in Us) and Savannah and LeBron James hosting additional screenings in Atlanta and L.A. respectively. UCLA professor of Black horror and Afrofuturism interestingly spoke on the importance of her directing the film during a movie-sponsored round table discussion saying:
"Really what was fueling a lot of the fear around him, was fear of Black masculinity, Black men, fear of the urban jungle. I mean, Cabrini-Green itself is a 'monster,' really some of the worst stereotypes around Blackness. So it was very, very important for Nia DaCosta to come and reframe a story about Black trauma through a Black lens, not through the white lens."
These are conversations that the campaign is intended to spark.
Captain Marvel 2 is up next for her to direct.
GiphyOK, so Marvel is known for switching up its directors on its popular franchises like Thor, Iron Man and Captain America, and are now giving the next installment a fresh voice, and her joining the project is Marvel's effort of adding diversity to its films, especially when it comes to the individuals behind the camera. It's another history-making move for the 31-year-old director and screenwriter: The Marvels will make her the first Black woman director to sit at the helm of a Marvel movie.
Moving from horror to action has been a refreshing change in theme, DaCosta tells Entertainment Weekly.
"It's a lot less traumatizing to work on for sure. But this movie also deals with specific, personal, sometimes sad things. But ... it's been nice to work in a different world for sure."
With this film, DaCosta also becomes the youngest filmmaker to direct a Marvel film, beating the record set by Ryan Coogler. Flexxxx.
Sis, clearly has no bounds on how far she can go. We cannot wait to witness her young career evolve. Congrats, queen!
Watch the clip of her and actor Yahya Abdul-Mateen, discussing the film below:
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Featured image by Rachel Murray/Getty Images
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Again, the answer never changes because, if there is one thing that Shellie Reneé Warren is gonna get, it’s 6-8 (sometimes nine) hours of sleep. However, since my chronotype (check out “Ever Wonder What Personality Traits Make Someone A 'Morning Person'?”) means that I like/prefer to write in the wee hours of the morning, sometimes I will sleep for the night for five hours and take a nap in the day. And y’all, that is just fine with me because I am well aware of the fact that napping does everything from give me more energy, heighten my alertness and even make me more creative to decrease stress levels, strengthen immunity, and reduce my chances of experiencing a heart attack or stroke.
My problem is I will oftentimes go “overboard” with my daytime zzz’s. What I mean by that is, in order to get the most out of a nap, they say thatyou shouldn’t sleep for longer than 25 minutes or so; otherwise, you could wake up feeling sluggish (I don’t but…). Also, it can make resting, soundly, at night a bit of a struggle.
So, what are you saying, Shellie? We should get quickies in? Yeah. And it’s funny that the word “quickie” would come up because just like a sex quickie can do wonders for you (and it can — check out “12 Super Solid Reasons To Have A Quickie Every Single Day”), it’s a full-circle moment when I say that something that can improve the quality of your sex life is to have a power nap (a nap that lasts between 10-30 minutes).
Wanna know how the two things correlate? Honestly, it’s no secret that sleep and sex work together to optimize both (check out “6 Fascinating Ways Sex And Sleep Definitely Go Hand In Hand”). Today, though, we’re going to tap into how a nap, specifically, can have you partaking in some of the best sex that you’ve experienced in a minute. I’ll explain.
Naps Reduce Stress
GiphyIf you’re feeling super stressed out right now, you are not alone. There is plenty of data out here that says that most of us are stressed for at least a couple of reasons at a time — and that can impact your sexual health on a few levels. For one thing, it can bring about feelings of depression and/or anxiety. Stress can also throw your hormone levels off (including your cycle) which can weaken your libido. Stress can make you want to put distance between you and your partner (yes, literally).
Stress can also make it challenging to get aroused or to have an orgasm. And just what can help to decrease stress? Taking a nap. Since sleep has a way of helping you to “get off of the clock” and relax a bit, that can lower your stress levels and “reset” your body so that you are calmer — and that, in turn, can do wonders for your sex drive and ultimately your sex life.
Naps Improve Your Mood
GiphyThere is one person in my life, and fairly 80 percent of the time, she’s in a super good mood. Oh, but let that girl go without sleep, and…who is this woman? LOL. There’s research behind why this happens. When a person is sleep-deprived, it messes with their brain chemicals, and that can amplify emotions like anger, restlessness and sadness. In fact, one study revealed that people who had their sleep disrupted throughout the night, they ended up having their positive outlook on life reduced by about 30 percent.
And geeze, who wants to have sex when they’re not feeling very good? Anyway, since serotonin is a neurotransmitter that helps to regulate your moods, your sleep patterns, and your libido and sleep is what helps to keep it in balance — by taking a nap, not only can it help you to feel better, it can also increase your desire for sex (it can also build up your endurance which is also…sexually beneficial).
Naps Increase Your Focus and Concentration
GiphySomething that some of my clients bring up is how, when it comes to having sex, sometimes the flesh is willing while the spirit is weak because, although the desire for intimacy is there, so much is going on that they aren’t able to get still enough to focus on experiencing copulation with their partner. This also tracks because, when you don’t have enough rest, your brain finds itself not working in harmony and that can make it hard to do everything from approaching life with a sense of flexibility to making necessary decisions.
Certain data also reveal that a lack of rest can cause you to have a really poor attention span and not process things in context (the more you know). So, if you really want to get some yet it’s hard for you to focus long enough to make it happen, ask your bae to lie down with you and take a nap. Between the sleep and the snuggling (check out “Fall's Coming: 8 Wonderful Health Benefits Of Cuddling”) — you may wake up with your mind and body totally on the same page. #wink
Naps Can Make You Feel Better About Your Body
GiphyEven if, overall, you feel really good about your body, I think that we all have moments when we feel less attractive than others — and who wants to have sex when they don’t really feel…very sexy? Well, something else that sleep, in general, can do is increase your confidence in your body.
For one thing, if you want to lose a few pounds, sleep can actually make that happen by helping your body metabolize the glucose (sugar) that’s in it so that you can better manage your appetite. Other studies go on to share that since sleep deprivation can impact one’s mental health and emotional stability in a negative way, of course, getting enough rest would increase body positivity.
Shoot, science even goes so far as to say that insomnia can cause people to have an elevated level of dissatisfaction when it comes to their body image. Don’t take their word for it, though. Look in the mirror before a nap. Then look in a mirror after waking up from me. Do you feel better? I’d be surprised if you don’t.
Makes Your Brain Bigger…Which Could Make Your Orgasms Better
GiphyI saved the best for last by design. Now if you’re wondering how in the world a nap can improve (and possibly increase) your orgasms — oh, there is a method to the madness…trust. For starters, the saying that your biggest sex organ is your brain? That isn’t a myth. Long story less long, the brain is what houses your central nervous system and that is what controls how men and women sexually function (yes, literally).
And since the brain also releases feel-good chemicals like dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin during sex and brain activity significantly increases in women during sexual activity (especially right before she orgasms) — well, would it trip you out to know that when you take a nap, your brain actually expands? A bigger brain (that’s healthy) can potentially intensify your sexual experiences (and your climaxes) — and who doesn’t want that to go down?
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Like I said earlier, I never have to be convinced to get a nap in. However, if your sex life has been a bit stagnant lately, you’ve been feeling a little sluggish and you’re not sure what to do — I’m hoping that a nap can get you right.
There’s enough science to prove that it can. All you need to do is give it a shot.
Now where’s your pillow and sleep mask, chile?
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