Welcome to Money Diaries where we are tackling the ever-present taboo that is money. We’re asking real people how they spend their hard-earned money during a seven-day period — and we’re tracking every last dollar.

This week: A coordinator at a film & TV production company working in entertainment who makes $65,000 per year and spends some of it on flights and accommodation for a destination wedding in Europe after breaking up with a long-term boyfriend.

This Money Diary was written at the start of 2026.

If you’d like to submit your own Money Diary, you can do so via our online form. We pay $150 for each published diary. Apologies but we’re not able to reply to every email. Please note: We are legally unable to publish any diaries that have been written with the use of AI.

Occupation: TV & Film Coordinator
Industry: Entertainment
Age: 26
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Salary: $65,000
Joint Income/Financial Setup: n/a
Assets:
Investment Account: $28,614.41
Investment Account (2): $5,610.45
Robinhood Investment Account: $2,245.98
Roth IRA: $34,174.85
High-Yield Savings Account: $3,785.49
Checking Account: $997.57
Debt: My credit card debt usually floats around $1,500-$2,000.
Paycheck Amount (2x per month): $2,120.61
Pronouns: She/her

Monthly Expenses

Housing Costs: $1,234 (rent). I have two roommates and I have the smallest room, so I pay a little less than they do.
Utilities: My roommates and I split utilities and wifi, and it comes out to roughly $100 each.
Other monthly expenses:
Car Insurance: $210.27
Investment Account Contribution: $258/week. I then transfer $7,000/year from the investment account into my Roth IRA, which is my only retirement contribution (my company doesn’t provide retirement benefits).
Health Insurance: $0 (my company covers it).
Gym Membership: $45
ClassPass Subscription: $55
Phone Bill: $114 (I get this reimbursed through work).
AMC A-List Subscription: $27.99 (working in entertainment in L.A., this feels like a necessity. I see at least two movies per month).
Hulu: $1.99 (I somehow still get the discounted student rate, though I haven’t been a student in many years).
Netflix: $2.66 (my roommates and I have the lowest tier, which is $7.99, and we split it).
Spotify: $0 (I’m on a family plan that my parents pay for).
iCloud Storage: $0.99

Was there an expectation for you to attend higher education? Did you participate in any form of higher education? If yes, how did you pay for it?
Yes. My parents and all four of my grandparents have graduate degrees. My parents never encouraged me to pursue a graduate degree (because of the cost), but it was always assumed that I would attend college. My parents started a 529 plan for me as a baby. With a bit of help from both sets of my grandparents, my parents fully covered my college tuition, my room, and board.

Growing up, what kind of conversations did you have about money? Did your parent(s) educate you about finances?
My parents didn’t talk about money explicitly, but it often came up when discussing other people we knew. My parents would constantly comment on which of their friends were “rich” and which of my friends were “rich.” Until high school, I didn’t understand how privileged I was, because I grew up around people who were even more well-off, and my parents were always struggling to keep up. My parents didn’t directly educate me about personal finance, but they introduced me to their financial advisor, who manages the investment account that my parents started for me as a baby, and my Roth IRA. They also made me an authorized user on their credit card when I was in high school, so that I could start building credit early. However, that ultimately hurt my credit score. My parents accumulated tens of thousands of dollars in credit card debt during a home renovation and I was still an authorized user on the card.

What was your first job and why did you get it?
I babysat frequently, starting when I was 12 — but my first W2 job was when I was 17, and I spent the summer working as a lifeguard. I got the job partly because I thought it sounded like a fun way to spend my summer, but I also wanted to have more spending money. By that age, my parents still covered all of my necessities, but shopping trips and dinners out with friends were usually on me.

Did you worry about money growing up?
I never worried about not having my needs met, but I was very aware that my family existed in a social strata that was hard for my parents to keep up with. I went to public school, but I grew up in a wealthy neighborhood and went to an expensive summer camp, so many of my friends were much wealthier than we were. Money became an insecurity of mine throughout middle school and high school. My house was smaller, my clothes weren’t designer, and we didn’t take fancy vacations. My parents often referenced how expensive college would be, so I worried about that. Looking back, I fully realize that my family is upper-middle-class and I’m extremely privileged, but I didn’t realize it at the time. My parents still often complain about money, but it’s not because they don’t have enough to survive; they just don’t have enough to live the lifestyle they strive for.

Do you worry about money now?
Yes, I worry about money frequently. I have built up a substantial amount in my investment accounts — through a mix of inheritances and my own contributions — but my checking account is usually low. Each month I have to be very calculated about how much of my credit card bill I pay off, so I feel like I live paycheck-to-paycheck (but with a safety net). I can survive on my current income for now (though I’m not sure I could have if I hadn’t started with money from my family), but I want to have a big family, and I have no idea how I’ll ever afford to have kids.

At what age did you become financially responsible for yourself and do you have a financial safety net?
I became mostly financially responsible at 21, when I graduated college, got my first full-time job, and moved to L.A. For a few years, I was still on my parents’ phone plan and health insurance (and I’m still on the family Spotify). I’m now on my company’s insurance, and my company also covers my phone bill (otherwise, I would probably still be on my parents’). I was briefly unemployed a few years ago, and my parents loaned me $1,000, but I paid them back as soon as I could. It’s comforting that my parents can help me out like that if I’m ever in a tough bind. Still, they don’t have enough disposable income to substantially support me, especially because they already support my brother due to his mental illness.

Do you or have you ever received passive or inherited income? If yes, please explain.
In addition to paying for my college education, my parents set up an investment account for me when I was a baby. I’m not sure how much money they contributed, but it had around $15,000 by the time it was turned over to me. Both of my grandfathers have died and each left me $10,000. I used some of that money to pay off my car loan early and put the rest into the investment account, which my parents’ financial advisor still manages for me. I have had to dip into my investment account a few times over the years, such as when I was briefly unemployed and when I was moving, so I’ve probably spent most of my inheritance by now. My grandmother gave me $5,000 for the down payment on my car, which I bought when I was 21. My other grandmother gave me $5,000 this Christmas in an investment account that she set up for me, which is why I have a second investment account.

Day One: Saturday

7:30 a.m. — I broke up with my boyfriend of two and a half years last night, and I’m so wired that I can’t sleep in. Last night was hard, but I know it was the right decision because of some fundamental differences that I can’t get past. I feel oddly calm as I make coffee with my Keurig.

8 a.m. — I told a few friends about the breakup last night, but I text more friends to update them. I call my mom to tell her and she gives me words of encouragement, even though I can tell she’s disappointed. My family loved my ex-boyfriend. I try my dad, but he doesn’t answer. I figure my mom will tell him and my brother.

8:30 a.m. — I go on a walk and call one of my best friends. We talk for about an hour and a half. She makes me feel so much better.

10 a.m. — I eat breakfast: I make a yogurt bowl with granola, banana, almond butter, and honey.

11 a.m. — My roommate, A., invites me to accompany her to a gourmet grocery store to help distract me. The grocery store is bougie and overpriced. I buy pasta, arrabbiata sauce, olives, giardiniera peppers, caviar chips, and a soda. $36.44

12 p.m. — I go home and make lunch. I cook the pasta and eat it with the arrabbiata.

1 p.m. — I go to a Solidcore class. I don’t feel like working out, but I know movement will make me feel better. I pay for the class using credits from my ClassPass membership.

2:30 p.m. — I have a group FaceTime with three of my friends who don’t live in L.A. It’s so nice to talk to them and debrief the breakup more.

4 p.m. — I make another coffee and get ready for a night out with my roommates, A. and G. We have to run an errand and stop by our friend’s house before our 9 p.m. dinner reservation, so we’re leaving the house at 5 p.m.

5 p.m. — A. doesn’t drink, so she kindly offers to drive. A. and I both get our eyebrows threaded at a place on the other side of town, and since our friend lives near there, we figured we’d stop to get our eyebrows done on the way to her house. Threading costs $15 and I leave a $3 tip. $18.00

6:15 p.m. — A., G., and I arrive at our friend O.’s house. She is moving to Chicago, so we’re here to say goodbye. I tell O. about my breakup, and she catches us up on her life. We hang out for two hours before leaving her to finish packing while we go to dinner.

9 p.m. — A. drives us across town again, to a trendy Mexican seafood restaurant. G. has the Red Dining Book, which is a book that includes vouchers for a free entree at several L.A. restaurants, including this one. We split ceviche, wagyu, a tostada, spicy tuna crispy rice, churros, and order some margaritas. We get $30 off through G.’s book. $57.00

11:30 p.m. — We get home and I go right to bed, exhausted. I scroll on my phone for a bit and wonder what my ex is doing.

Daily Total: $111.44

Day Two: Sunday

7:30 a.m. — I wake up early again, still buzzing with some sort of weird energy or adrenaline from the breakup. I make coffee with my Keurig.

8:30 a.m. — My friend, E., is getting married in Europe in a few months. Now that I can no longer split a hotel room with my ex, E. kindly invites me to stay in the house she rented for her bridal party and close friends. The cost is $125 each for the two nights we’ll be staying there, which sounds like a very reasonable rate to me, so I gratefully accept and Venmo E. $125

9 a.m. — My dad returns my call from yesterday and I talk to him about the breakup, even though my mom has already filled him in. I spend the next hour texting more friends and scrolling. I’m so grateful for how much love I’ve received from my friends and family this weekend.

10 a.m. — I go on a run in the park nearby. It feels nice to get some fresh air.

11:30 a.m. — After showering, I doomscroll for a while. I watch footage of ICE agents and of all the protests in Minneapolis. It makes me feel so heavy and helpless. I repost some resources and statements on my Instagram story, but it makes me feel icky and performative. I figure at the very least, I can make it clear where I stand.

12:30 p.m. — I meet E. and our friend M. at the farmers’ market. E. gives me the sweetest breakup care package: a mindless book, eye patches, and candy. I spend way more money than I mean to. I get a latte ($5.90), a bunch of dips and pita chips ($20), and avocados and berries ($21). $46.90

2 p.m. — Back at M.’s apartment, M. and I order wraps for pickup. I pay for both of us, then we drive to pick them up. $35.12

4 p.m. — M. and I get froyo before I head home. The total is $15, but M. pays.

5:30 p.m. — I have a FaceTime date with another group of long-distance friends. It’s so nice to talk to them, and I feel so grateful for how many friends have been supporting me through the breakup. I’m weirdly giddy on FaceTime, and I think it’s kinda weird that I haven’t cried since the actual breakup on Friday.

8 p.m. — The friends I just got off FaceTime with sent me the sweetest care package. It includes bath salts, a bath bomb, soap, a candle, a blanket, fuzzy socks, and a sleep mask. I never take baths, but this inspires me to do so. I take a bath while reading the book E. got me, and it is so lovely. I’m actually feeling very content and so grateful for my friends.

10 p.m. — I realize I never ate dinner because I was still full from the late lunch and froyo. I eat the pita chips and dips I got from the farmers’ market, and make guac.

11:30 p.m. — After scrolling on my phone for a while, I go to bed.

Daily Total: $207.02

Day Three: Monday

7:45 a.m. — I begin my weekday morning routine: I make coffee, listen to the NewsWorthy podcast to catch up on the day’s news, get dressed, and pack myself breakfast and lunch.

8:50 a.m. — I drive to work while listening to a podcast.

9:15 a.m. — At the office, I eat the breakfast I packed: yogurt, granola, and berries.

1 p.m. — Work is pretty slow, so I take a break to eat the lunch I packed (leftover pasta with arrabbiata sauce) and browse flights to Europe for E.’s wedding. I’m mad at myself for waiting so long because the prices have nearly doubled. I make a latte using the Nespresso machine and milk frother at the office, and snack on some SkinnyPop. I may be underpaid, but at least the office pantry is stocked with free snacks.

6:15 p.m. — I finish work and head to the gym. I’m a member of the gym in my office complex, and it annoyingly closes at 7 p.m., so I just get a quick treadmill run/walk in.

7:15 p.m. — On my way home, I stop at Ulta for more bath products. I can’t believe it took a breakup and a subsequent care package for me to rediscover the magic of a relaxing bath. I stock up on bubble bath, a few bath bombs, and a bath powder. I feel guilty for spending so much money, but I justify it with the mantra that self-care is a worthy investment. $37.92

7:30 p.m. — After Ulta, I stop at the grocery store for eggs, bread, cheese, crackers, a tomato, lemons, grapes, yogurt, and deodorant. $58.98

8 p.m. — I make avocado toast with eggs for dinner.

9 p.m. — Today’s bath is even more elevated thanks to my Ulta run. I also bring my laptop into the bathroom and watch a show and snack on the candy E. got me.

10 p.m. — I finally bite the bullet and book flights for E’s wedding ($1,187.43) since it seems unlikely the price will go back down. I’m going to be paying off this credit card bill for a while. I also book a cheap hotel for the third night I’ll be there since I’m staying three nights and the house E. rented is only for two nights. I use credit card points to book the hotel (I use 7,564 of my 62,287 points). It seems quick to fly all the way to Europe for just three nights, but I can’t afford a long vacation given how many weddings and bachelorette parties I have this year. $1,187.43

11 p.m. — I scroll for a while and go to bed around midnight.

Daily Total: $1,284.33

Day Four: Tuesday

7:45 a.m. — I wake up feeling weird because I had a dream about running into my ex’s family. He somehow still hasn’t appeared in any of my dreams, though. I make coffee and get ready for the day while listening to the NewsWorthy. My friends and I plan to see Wuthering Heights when it comes out in a few weeks. We reserve tickets, but mine is covered by my AMC A-list subscription.

9:15 a.m. — I get into the office and eat Cheerios from the office pantry for breakfast.

10 a.m. — Our staff meeting goes by quickly. My coworkers and I have a friendly, jokey relationship, which makes the workday so much smoother.

1 p.m. — I eat the leftover pasta that I brought for lunch. I make an iced latte in the Nespresso and drink it while I go on a quick walk. I text E. and M., and we make plans to see Hamnet this weekend. My ticket is covered by my AMC A-list subscription, but I also buy tickets for E. and M. They’re on sale, so it’s $28.78 for both. E. venmos me $14 for hers, but M. doesn’t. I know I could nudge her and she totally would, but I feel petty making a fuss over such a small amount, so I just eat it. M. and I have a relationship where we often just pick up the tab for each other, so I don’t mind. I call my grandma and tell her about the breakup. She’s disappointed, and I know it’s because she really wanted me to get married soon. $14.78

3 p.m. — We meet with an author about adapting her book into a TV series. We have a productive meeting, brainstorming what we can change about the book to make it compelling for TV. I love this part of my job.

6:30 p.m. — I leave work and listen to the NYT Modern Love podcast on my drive home.

7 p.m. — I make avocado toast with eggs for dinner, and snack on crackers with hummus from the farmers’ market.

9 p.m. — I finally finish Season 1 of The Pitt and have the urge to text my ex about it. He’s the one who convinced me to watch it, and I used to text him my thoughts as I watched. I resist the temptation. We haven’t texted since our breakup.

11:30 p.m. — I scroll for way longer than I should before finally getting to bed.

Daily Total: $14.78

Day Five: Wednesday

8 a.m. — I wake up late. I make my coffee and get ready quickly.

9:15 a.m. — At the office, I eat the breakfast I packed: yogurt, granola, and berries.

1 p.m. — I eat the lunch I packed (more leftover pasta, pita chips, and hummus from the farmers’ market) and make a latte in the Nespresso machine. A and I plan to go to SoulCycle together this weekend. I book the class using ClassPass, but I’m a few credits short, so I pay $6 to buy two more credits. $6

2 p.m. — I don’t have any meetings this afternoon, so I spend the afternoon reading incoming script submissions. I feel so lucky that reading scripts and analyzing stories is a huge part of my job. That being said, the tradeoff is that my salary is a quarter that of my friends who went into finance, consulting, and law (I went to an Ivy League college, so many of them did).

4 p.m. — I have been meaning to email my parents’ financial advisor to set up a meeting about my financial goals, and I finally do. I think I need to reduce my weekly $258 contribution to my investment account, because I need the money for my never-ending day-to-day expenses. I also want to make sure she transferred $7,000 from my investment account to my Roth IRA, as that’s my annual contribution to my retirement account.

7:30 p.m. — I go to a drop-in adult gymnastics class that costs $20. I’ve never been a high-level gymnast, but I dabbled in it growing up and it’s so fun to get back into it. I try to go to a class at least once a week. $20

9 p.m. — I make avocado toast with eggs for dinner, then eat ice cream that G. bought me after the breakup. I watch TV, mindlessly scroll, and then read a little before bed.

Daily Total: $26

Day Six: Thursday

7 a.m. — I wake up from a dream that my ex and his whole family unfollowed me on Instagram. I feel weirdly panicked by the thought, even though I know logically that would be a totally fair thing to do. I check my followers and confirm that he, his mom, his siblings, and his cousins all still follow me.

7:30 a.m. — Since I woke up earlier than usual this morning, I actually make breakfast at home: eggs, toast, and coffee before heading into work.

10:30 a.m. — I already need another coffee, so I make a latte with the Nespresso.

1 p.m. — I eat the somewhat pathetic lunch I packed: crackers, hummus, olives, and grapes.

2:30 p.m. — We have an in-person pitch meeting, which is always fun, since most of our meetings are over Zoom. The team comes to our office to pitch us their TV series, but unfortunately, we ultimately pass. The entertainment business is tough right now, so if a concept isn’t unique and splashy, it’s nearly impossible to get it off the ground. The studios we sell to also care a lot about the “package,” so if there’s not meaningful talent (i.e., writer, director, actors) attached, it’s even harder.

6:15 p.m. — I leave the office to head to work drinks, but I stop for a few more groceries on the way. I tried a new brand of deodorant when I bought some on Monday (because it was cheaper), but I hate it. So, I buy a two-pack of my usual deodorant, as well as more avocados, lemons, and almond milk for my coffee. $18.53

7 p.m. — I meet an agent for work drinks. I find a parking spot at a meter ($4, but I can expense it since it’s for work). Coincidentally, he asked to meet at the restaurant where I had my first date with my ex. This is a bit triggering, but luckily, we’re seated in a different section. He orders a glass of red wine, and I order a glass of white. He says he’s going to get food because he’s starving, and I decide to follow his lead. We both order a salad, his with chicken, mine with steak. I tell him what types of projects my company is looking for, and he pitches a few of his clients to me and gives me strategy advice on a few of our projects. When the bill comes ($110.93 after tip), I offer to pay because I can expense it (hence why I ordered steak), and he accepts. $114.93 (expensed)

Daily Total: $18.53

Day Seven: Friday

8 a.m. — I sleep in because I work from home on Fridays. I make coffee and go on a quick walk before starting work.

11 a.m. — After a morning of back-to-back meetings, I take a break to make a late breakfast of avocado toast and eggs.

1:30 p.m. — I throw in a load of laundry (we have an in-unit washer/dryer, which is so helpful) and then go on a quick lunchtime walk.

3:30 p.m. — I make some pasta with sautéed tomatoes and onions for a late lunch.

6:30 p.m. — I wrap up work and do a 30-minute at-home yoga class I find on YouTube. I’m still sore from Wednesday’s gymnastics class, so I need the stretch.

7:30 p.m. — I was supposed to do a movie night with a friend, but she had to cancel. So, I take an edible and take yet another relaxing bath. I’m so grateful for my friends’ care package unintentionally reigniting my love of baths. It’s such a nice way to unwind at the end of the week.

10 p.m. — I watch TV, then get to sleep early.

Daily Total: $0

The Breakdown

Conclusion:
I’m happy with myself for only eating out and ordering in during the weekend (other than my work dinner, which was expensed, so who cares), but tracking my meals made me realize how repetitive and uninventive I am with my cooking. I do enjoy cooking, but I rarely have the energy to make a real, home-cooked meal. I’m definitely still recovering from the sticker shock of my flights for E.’s wedding, but there’s nothing I can really do about it. Sure, I could have (and probably should have) booked my flights earlier, but part of me is glad that I didn’t because I would have felt horrible if my ex and I had booked flights together and then broken up. At the very least, I’m glad that I didn’t give in to the temptation of extending my stay for a longer trip in Europe, because as fun as that would be, I don’t have the budget for it.

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The first step to getting your financial life in order is tracking what you spend — to try on your own, check out our guide to managing your money every day. For more Money Diaries, click here.

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Content warning: This article discusses the TV series Off Campus and sexual assault in a way that may be distressing to some readers.

Spoilers ahead. Much like the rest of the world, I’m fresh off binging Off Campus, the hockey romance show filled with such yearning, it feels like falling in love for the first time all over again. My friends told me to watch the new Prime Video series because it’s a hot, smutty, girly show that would have me giggling and kicking my feet. And they weren’t wrong — the sexual tension between not only main characters Hannah Wells (Ella Bright) and Garrett Graham (Belmont Cameli), but also Allie Hayes (Mika Abdalla) and Dean Di Laurentis (Stephen Kalyn) is palpable. So when Hannah tells Graham she was sexually assaulted in high school, I was caught off guard.

In Episode 4, “The Breakup,” Hannah asks Garrett to help her orgasm. She says she’s going to tell him “something really heavy, and [he’s] gonna want to dwell on it, but [he] shouldn’t”, then continues to explain to him how she was drugged and raped in high school. You see his expression shift into shock before she stresses that she doesn’t want it to become a big thing. “I’m not fragile. I don’t need your pity. I don’t need you to be my therapist,” she emphasizes.

As someone who has experienced sexual assault, my breath subconsciously hitches, and my body tenses up when I watch scenes that discuss SA. I don’t like to be reminded of what I went through. My heart was racing while I waited for Garrett’s reaction. As he sat there, listening, before finally saying: “Okay, I’ll do it… You’re my friend, and you need me.”

I felt my body melt in relief. What followed was that scene. It might single-handedly be the hottest moment in TV history: when Hannah and Garrett touch themselves in front of each other. But before that, Hannah was struggling to stay present while she and Garrett were making out on his bed. And while she was determined to continue, Garrett stopped them. He was gentle with her. He was kind. He would do anything and everything in that moment to make sure she felt safe, without letting the fact that she experienced sexual assault take over their intimacy. And I’d never seen anything like that before on screen.

When they’re masturbating in front of each other, and Garrett sees Hannah going inside her head, he says one of my favorite quotes throughout the whole show: “Stay here. Stay with me”. Yes, it’s hot and steamy, but it’s more than a swoon-worthy line. Garrett doesn’t just say it to Hannah; it’s a message to the one in three women who will experience sexual assault. And in that moment, I finally felt seen.

I’d never seen anything like that before on screen.

Alyssa Forato on how Off Campus handles Sexual Assault

The main thing that made Off Campus far easier to watch than other shows that also share themes of sexual assault is its lack of detail surrounding the actual event. Yes, Hannah says she was raped, and there are flashbacks to the guy from her high school who assaulted her. But she never relives the worst night of her life on screen and, in turn, doesn’t force the viewer to relive their own experience either. This is where other shows and films get it majorly wrong.

Like Off Campus, when I watched Luckiest Girl Alive, I had no idea there would be themes of sexual assault. I thought it was a go-getter film about an aspiring editor at a New York magazine who had to face her past. Little did I know that it entailed an extremely graphic scene of Ani Fanelli (Mila Kunis) being gang-raped by a group of boys from the same high school. It led me to an anxiety attack: hyperventilating, not wanting to watch, but feeling completely frozen in place. The remote was next to me, but I couldn’t skip the scene. My mind was too busy replaying what had happened to me.

Off Campus also made sure Hannah’s sexual assault didn’t define her. While it contributes to her writer’s block, she doesn’t like drinking at parties and struggles to trust men in sexual situations, the key difference between this show and others is that the writers didn’t make it her entire personality.

She never relives the worst night of her life on screen and, in turn, doesn’t force the viewer to relive their own experience either.

Alyssa Forato on Hannah’s Sexual Assault depiction in Off Campus

For series creator and showrunner Louisa Levy, it was important never to show the trauma-causing events on screen. “We talk about it, but we never show it because we don’t want to give power to those moments,” she told Refinery29 in an interview. “I think being able to tell a story of someone who has dealt with sexual assault and can still have a romance and a healthy sex life is so important.” This doesn’t mean it’s a fluffy depiction of a victim, because Hannah’s healing isn’t linear. She has good days, but she also has bad days. We watch how triggers affect Hannah, with overwhelming anxiety taking over.

But when it comes to the many other shows that depict sexual assault, the victim is exclusively that: a victim. It’s her entire identity. She’s helpless, ruined, and distraught until the perfect person comes along and saves them from the trauma she’s drowning in. Suddenly, they’re okay. They’ve been saved. But for a lot of us, it doesn’t happen like that. It’s never a straight line to healing, and a lot of us never fully heal. And Off Campus doesn’t try to hide that.

If you have experienced sexual violence and need crisis support, call 800.656.HOPE or text HOPE to 64673. If it is an emergency, call 911.

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Au revoir! Emily in Paris is wrapping up with Season 6. We’ve seen Emily Cooper (Lily Collins) take Paris, Rome and Venice by storm, and the wannabe fashionista will be travelling through Greece and Monaco for her last bow. Whether you love the show or just love to hate it, there’s no denying Emily in Paris has had a cultural impact. While the timeline of Emily in Paris is an absolute mess, and her fashion sense is… interesting, Emily in Paris Season 6 is still poised to be one of Netflix’s most-watched shows.

Below, we’ve rounded up everything we know about Emily in Paris Season 6, including the plot, release date and more.

When will Emily in Paris Season 6 be released?

Emily in Paris fans can rejoice, because it’s not long until the final season drops. While we don’t have a confirmed release date, Netflix announced that Emily in Paris Season 6 will officially premiere in late 2026.

Is Emily in Paris Season 6 the final season?

Yes, Emily in Paris Season 6 is the final season. Lily Collins shared a video on Instagram, which confirmed it would be her last time stepping into the shoes of Emily. “After six unforgettable years of playing Emily Cooper, I’m here to share that this upcoming sixth season will be our final. Season 6 will bring you everything you love about the show and serve as the final chapter in Emily’s adventure of a lifetime,” she said. “Our entire cast and crew are pouring our hearts into making this a fantastic farewell season.”

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What happened at the end of Emily in Paris Season 5?

Emily and Marcello broke up after she felt a pull to head back to Paris, and of course, her ex Gabriel (Lucas Bravo) heard about it through the grapevine. Gabriel invited Emily on a romantic holiday in Greece, where the cast is currently filming. Emily in Paris Season 5 also finished with Mindy’s (Ashley Park) engagement to Nicolas de Léon (Paul Forman), but she’s feeling sparks with Alfie (Lucien Laviscount), who doesn’t think she should go through with it.

What is the plot of Emily in Paris Season 6?

Emily in Paris Season 6 appears to take place immediately after Season 5 ended, with Lily Collins confirming she is currently filming in Greece. We can expect her storyline with Gabriel to be resolved, along with the Mindy, Paul, and Alfie love triangle.

Who is in the cast of Emily in Paris Season 6?

Netflix hasn’t released the official cast of Emily in Paris Season 6 yet, but it’s likely all of our favorites will be returning. This includes Lily Collins, Ashley Park, Lucas Bravo, Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu, Thalia Besson, Lucien Laviscount, Samuel Arnold, Bruno Gouery, Paul Forman and William Abadie.

The one cast member who will likely not show up for the final season is Camille Razat, who played Camille. Prior to Emily in Paris Season 5, she shared on Instagram she had made the decision to leave the hit show. “After an incredible journey, I’ve made the decision to step away from Emily in Paris. It has been a truly wonderful experience, one filled with growth, creativity, and unforgettable memories,” she said at the time.

Is there a trailer for Emily in Paris Season 6?

Not yet, as the cast are currently filming. As soon as we have more details, we’ll update this article.

Emily in Paris Season 6 will hit Netflix in 2026.

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R29 babes, welcome to the first full week of Gemini Season! The energy’s lighter, faster, more social, and a little more mentally chaotic than what we got used to during Taurus Season. As the week begins, the Moon moves through Libra, making this a powerful time to set intentions connected to last week’s Taurus New Moon. We have until the 27th to work with that energy, and the combination of Libra Moon charm and Gemini Season curiosity encourages all zodiac signs to step outside their comfort zones. Just remember that Mars is now in Taurus, so the goal is not to do everything at once… Focus on the two or three intentions that would genuinely change your life if you committed to them consistently over the next six months. That’s enough.

Then by the evening of the 28th, the Moon enters Scorpio, and the atmosphere shifts inward. As May comes to an end and we move closer to the Sag Full Moon on the 31st, there’s a growing awareness of how much has changed in just the past month. Think back to the beginning of May (when we had the Scorpio Full Moon) and who you were emotionally then. This week’s Scorpio Moon helps you recognize what you’ve outgrown, while the Sagittarius Full Moon approaching in the distance starts whispering that it may be time to leave behind versions of your life that no longer fit. Even if you don’t fully know where you’re headed yet, you can feel that you’re ready to move.

Read your horoscopes for your Sun and Rising signs for the most in-depth forecast.

Aries Sun & Rising:

Aries, the week begins with the moon in Libra moving through your relationship sector, so even if you’ve been deeply focused on yourself lately, other people suddenly matter again. Romantic dynamics, friendships, collaborations, unresolved conversations… all of it comes into focus pretty quickly. You may notice where you’ve been avoiding honesty just to keep things smooth, or where someone else has been doing the same with you. The key this week is not feeding unnecessary drama just because emotions are heightened. Get clear on what you actually want from the people in your life and what no longer feels aligned.

Then by the evening of the 28th, the moon enters Scorpio and the mood shifts deeper. Your attention turns toward money, emotional security, intimacy, and the bigger question of how you want to build stability moving forward. There’s a strong awareness that the year is nearly halfway done, and you may find yourself reassessing priorities around finances, savings, investments, debt, or even who you’re choosing to merge energy with emotionally and materially. The Scorpio Moon asks uncomfortable but important questions, and answering them honestly is what prepares you for the Sag Full Moon energy already building in the background. By the time that full moon peaks on the 31st in your expansion sector, you’re far more ready to move forward boldly because you’ve already done the deeper emotional and practical recalibration first.

Taurus Sun & Rising:

Taurus, the week begins with the moon in Libra moving through your health, wellness, and routine sector, so your attention naturally turns toward balance. Not the aesthetic version of balance we often see on IG, but the real version: sleep, stress levels, what your body’s been trying to communicate while your mind stayed busy elsewhere. You may feel more motivated to clean up your routines, organize your time better, or simply stop saying yes to things that leave you emotionally drained afterward. Small adjustments matter a lot right now. This is also a good moment to ask yourself whether your current habits are actually supporting the version of your life you say you want.

Then by the evening of the 28th, the moon enters Scorpio and moves through your relationship sector, bringing things full circle emotionally. Conversations, tensions, or revelations that began around the Scorpio Full Moon earlier this month may resurface now with more clarity attached to them. You’re seeing people differently, but you’re also seeing yourself differently within your connections. Some Tauruses may finally clear the air with someone, while others may quietly realize a relationship dynamic has shifted permanently. And all of this is preparing you for the Sagittarius Full Moon building at the end of the week in your depth and transformation sector. This full moon asks for courage… the kind that comes from stepping outside your comfort zone emotionally instead of trying to control every possible outcome before you move.

Gemini Sun & Rising:

Gemini, the week begins with the moon in Libra moving through your creativity, romance, and inner child sector, and it may feel hard to stay emotionally detached from what’s pulling at your heart right now. You’ll feel more flirtatious, expressive, or nostalgic for versions of yourself that felt freer and less weighed down by responsibility. This is great energy for creating, dating, laughing more, and reconnecting with hobbies you abandoned because life got too serious for a minute.

Then by the evening of the 28th, the moon enters Scorpio and your focus shifts toward your physical and mental well-being. Think back to the Scorpio Full Moon on May 1st and what it revealed about your habits, stress levels, routines, or emotional burnout. You’ve reached another checkpoint. Some Geminis may realize they’ve genuinely grown and become more intentional about caring for themselves. Others may notice they slipped back into overstimulation, doom scrolling at 2 a.m., or skipping rest because the mind keeps racing. The Scorpio Moon is here to show you what your body and nervous system are actually responding to.

And meanwhile, the Sag Full Moon building in the background starts bringing relationship themes to the surface. By the 31st, partnerships, dating dynamics, friendships, or even situationships may reach a moment of truth. The energy at the end of the month pushes you toward relationships that feel expansive instead of emotionally confusing.

Cancer Sun & Rising:

Cancer, full moon weeks always hit differently for you because you’re ruled by the moon itself, and this one’s no exception. As the week begins, the moon moves through Libra and your home and emotional foundation sector, so you may feel more sensitive to your environment, your family dynamics, and whether your nervous system actually feels at peace where you are. You’re craving harmony, comfort, softness… not performative busyness. This is a beautiful time to slow down enough to ask yourself what “home” emotionally means to you right now. Some Cancers may feel called to rest more, reconnect with family, redecorate their space, or simply stop emotionally carrying things that don’t belong to them anymore.

Then by the evening of the 28th, the moon enters fellow Water sign Scorpio and intensifies everything emotionally, creatively, and romantically. You may feel more passionate, reflective, or aware of what your heart genuinely wants versus what you’ve been settling for out of habit. Think back to the Scorpio Full Moon on May 1st and what it revealed around love, joy, creativity, or inner child healing. Now there’s a deeper understanding forming around those themes. And as we approach the Sag Full Moon on the 31st in your wellness sector, there’s also a strong realization that your emotional life and your physical well-being are directly connected. The more honest you are about what drains you versus what energizes you, the easier it becomes to move into June feeling lighter, clearer, and far more emotionally aligned.

Leo Sun & Rising:

Leo, the week begins with the moon in Libra moving through your communication sector, so you may find yourself finally saying something you’ve been sitting on, reconnecting with people you’ve missed, or realizing how much your tone and delivery affect the outcome of situations. There’s also a social, flirty energy that makes it easier to connect with others naturally. You don’t have to force your presence this week… people are already paying attention. The key is making sure you’re actually listening too, instead of mentally preparing your next response while someone else is talking.

Then by the evening of the 28th, the moon enters Scorpio and shifts your focus inward toward home, family, and emotional roots. Something about the end of May feels more reflective for you. You may think back to what the Scorpio Full Moon at the start of May revealed about your emotional needs, your boundaries, or the ways you’ve been carrying stress privately while still trying to show up strongly for everyone else. And as we approach the Sag Full Moon on the 31st in your creativity and pleasure sector, you’ll sense a growing desire to feel alive again instead of just responsible. Some Leos may feel inspired to travel, date, create, flirt, perform, or finally reconnect with a version of themselves that had gotten buried underneath obligations. This week’s full moon energy is reminding you that joy is productive too.

Virgo Sun & Rising:

Virgo, the week begins with the moon in Libra moving through your money and self-worth sector, so your attention naturally goes toward stability, values, and the question of what’s actually worth your energy right now. You may feel more selective with your time, more aware of your spending habits, or simply less interested in pouring effort into situations that don’t feel reciprocal. There’s also a desire for beauty and balance: buying yourself flowers, reorganizing your space, investing in things that make daily life feel softer instead of purely functional. The emotional tone of the week starts grounded, but it’s also quietly asking you to recognize your own value without needing constant external validation to prove it.

Then by the evening of the 28th, the moon enters Scorpio and your mind gets louder, deeper, and more reflective. Conversations can suddenly carry hidden layers, memories resurface unexpectedly, and you may find yourself thinking back to what the Scorpio Full Moon on May 1st revealed about your communication patterns or mental health. There’s a growing awareness of how much your thoughts shape your reality. And as we build up toward the Sag Full Moon in your home sector, something inside you starts craving more freedom, honesty, and emotional spaciousness. This is the week some Virgos may realize they’ve outgrown a certain version of home, family expectations, or even the role they’ve been playing for others.

Libra Sun & Rising:

Libra, the week begins with the moon in your sign, so naturally you’re feeling everything a little more personally. Your attention turns toward yourself, your appearance, your emotions, your needs, and whether you’ve actually been honoring them lately instead of constantly adjusting around everyone else’s comfort. There’s also a strong desire to reconnect with beauty, romance, pleasure, and the parts of life that make you feel like yourself again. You may feel more magnetic socially this week too, but the real lesson is noticing who allows you to stay authentic versus who subtly pressures you to become more palatable.

Then by the evening of the 28th, the moon enters Scorpio and your focus shifts toward money, security, and self-worth in a deeper way. Think back to the Scorpio Full Moon that kicked off the month and what it revealed about your relationship with stability, abundance, or feeling emotionally safe. Now there’s another layer of awareness arriving. Some Libras may realize they’ve been undervaluing themselves financially or emotionally. Others may recognize how much fear around scarcity has shaped certain decisions. And as we approach the Sag Full Moon on the 31st, your voice becomes part of your liberation. Conversations that once felt intimidating suddenly feel necessary. Speaking honestly, asking clearly for what you want, saying the thing instead of endlessly rehearsing it in your head… that’s where the energy starts opening up for you as May comes to an end.

Scorpio Sun & Rising:

Scorpio, the week begins with the moon in Libra moving through your solitude and healing sector, so you may feel quieter than usual, more observant, and not at all interested in explaining yourself to people. There’s a strong need for emotional space at the beginning of the week, especially if May has already felt socially overwhelming or mentally loud. You’re processing a lot beneath the surface, even if nobody around you fully realizes it. Rest matters right now, as does being fiercely protective of your privacy matters. Pay attention to what your intuition keeps trying to show you when everything finally gets quiet enough to hear it.

Then by the evening of the 28th, the moon enters your sign, and suddenly the emotional volume turns all the way up. You’re revisiting themes that first surfaced during the Scorpio Full Moon on May 1st, but this time with more self-awareness attached to them. You may notice how much you’ve changed emotionally in just a few weeks, especially around identity, boundaries, relationships, and the version of yourself you no longer want to abandon just to keep the peace. And as we build up to the Sag Full Moon on the 31st, taking place in your money and self-worth sector, you’ll sense a growing desire to move toward a life that feels freer, richer, and more aligned with your actual values instead of survival mode. The emotional honesty of this week’s Scorpio Moon clears the path for that full moon expansion to happen.

Sagittarius Sun & Rising:

Sagittarius, the week begins with the moon in Libra moving through your friendship and community sector, so your social life feels emotionally charged in a way that’s actually kind of refreshing for you. You may reconnect with people you’ve missed, realize who genuinely inspires you, or suddenly feel less interested in one-sided dynamics that leave you emotionally drained afterward. There’s something hopeful about the beginning of this week, especially when your plans for the future start feeling possible again instead of abstract.

Then by the evening of the 28th, the moon enters Scorpio and your energy turns inward before your annual full moon arrives on the 31st. You may feel more reflective, more emotional, maybe even a little nostalgic as the month comes to an end. Think back to the Scorpio Full Moon earlier this month and what it revealed about your mental health, spiritual life, exhaustion levels, or the emotional patterns you’ve been carrying privately. Now there’s a deeper understanding settling in. And as the Sag Full Moon builds in your sign at the week, you can feel yourself preparing to leave something behind emotionally. The full moon energy is asking you to stop shrinking yourself to fit situations you’ve already outgrown.

Capricorn Sun & Rising:

Capricorn, the week begins with the moon in Libra moving through your career and public image sector, so you’re especially aware of how you’re being perceived and where your energy is going professionally. You’re thinking carefully about what kind of legacy you actually want to build and whether your current pace feels sustainable. The Libra Moon is also a reminder that charm and softness can take you just as far as control and efficiency. People respond differently when they feel emotionally safe around you instead of intimidated by your competence.

Then by the evening of the 28th, the moon enters Scorpio and your focus shifts toward friendships, community, and the future you’re building alongside other people. Themes from the Scorpio Full Moon from the start of this month may resurface now with more clarity attached to them, especially around who genuinely supports your growth versus who only feels comfortable with older versions of you. And as the Sag Full Moon lights up the skies on May 31st in your solitude and healing sector, you’ll sense a growing need to step back from constant output and reconnect with yourself privately. Some Capricorns may suddenly crave silence, rest, spiritual grounding, or simply a break from carrying everyone else’s expectations. The end of May feels less about pushing forward and more about quietly preparing for a major emotional reset.

Aquarius Sun & Rising:

Aquarius, the week begins with the moon in fellow Air sign Libra moving through your expansion sector, and your mind is everywhere in the best way. You may feel pulled toward travel plans, random philosophical conversations, new ideas, or the sudden realization that your life needs to get bigger somehow. Even small shifts help, so try taking a different route home, reading something outside your usual interests, or talking to someone whose perspective surprises you. Your nervous system needs movement and novelty this week.

Then by the evening of the 28th, the moon enters Scorpio and your attention turns toward your career, reputation, and long-term direction in a much deeper way. Think back to the Scorpio Full Moon earlier this month and what it revealed about ambition, visibility, or your relationship with success. Now there’s another layer unfolding. Some Aquarians may realize they’ve been chasing goals that no longer feel emotionally aligned, while others may finally recognize how much they’ve grown professionally in a very short amount of time. And as the Sag Full Moon takes place on Sunday the 31st in your friendship and community sector, there’s a strong sense that your future is connected to the people you choose to surround yourself with next. The end of May feels expansive socially, but only if you stop pretending you can evolve while staying emotionally attached to spaces that no longer reflect who you’re becoming.

Pisces Sun & Rising:

Pisces, the week begins with the moon in Libra moving through your depth and intimacy sector, so emotions feel layered, nuanced, and impossible to fake your way through. You’re especially aware of energy exchange right now: who leaves you feeling emotionally nourished, who drains you, who says they care but disappears the second vulnerability enters the conversation. There’s also a stronger focus on money, debts, savings, shared responsibilities, and the emotional weight attached to security. You may find yourself wanting deeper honesty from people instead of vague reassurance that goes nowhere.

Then by the evening of the 28th, the moon enters fellow Water sign Scorpio and something inside you starts opening back up again. Think back to the Scorpio Full Moon at the start of the month and what it revealed about your beliefs, future vision, spirituality, or the parts of your life that had grown too small for who you’re becoming. Now there’s a clearer emotional understanding settling in around those themes. And as the Sag Full Moon strikes on the 31st in your career and public image sector, you can feel momentum gathering professionally and personally at the same time. Many Pisces may suddenly feel ready to take a leap, share their work more publicly, or finally stop downplaying their ambition to make other people comfortable. The end of May wants expansion from you, but the kind rooted in self-belief rather than escapism.

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In college, I worked at a Hollister. Yes, that Hollister; the heavily airbrushed fantasy brand of Southern California adolescence that combined peak aspirational mall culture with a playlist of ‘00s surf-rock remixes, suffocating scents, and proximity to a very specific kind of teenage cool. Picture posters of laidback beach bonfires, the myth of effortless West Coast (and Western) beauty standards, and sun-drenched exclusivity. My manager used to openly chastise me and my fellow desperate-for-approval-and-extra-shifts colleagues for not wearing the latest denim mini, layered tanks, or “SoCal, so low” jeans. One day, she berated me in front of the rest of the staff for wearing “last season’s lace cami like a loser.” So, during my next shift when she wasn’t looking, I boosted one. It was my revenge for the psychological warfare of existing as a Black girl within a retail era obsessed with centering whiteness, upholding social hierarchies among the few employees of color, and the pressure to pour what little money we earned back into the problematic company. Boosting was a retail worker’s quiet rebellion — and all of these memories hit me like the cologne we had to spritz around the store every 15 minutes like clockwork when I was watching Boots Riley’s I Love Boosters, a movie about what happens when oppressed retail employees turn to shoplifting for survival. 

I Love Boosters is many things: absurdist comedy, magical realist drama, action heist adventure, and searing anti-capitalist satire. It’s funny, bright, weird and so fun. But at its core, it’s a Robin-Hood tale of a group of young women (the Velvet Gang) who boost from a chain of high-end retailers in Oakland called Metro Designers and sell the goods for less back to their community. When I got to sit down with the gang, played by Keke Palmer (Corvette), Naomi Ackie (Sade), Taylour Paige (Mariah), and later additions Poppy Liu (Jianhu), and Eiza González (Violeta), I told them how triggering the movie was as a former retail worker and when I asked what advice they had for current employees dealing with a bad boss (Will Poulter plays a tyrannical store manager with hilarious precision) and low pay, they were quick to give advice to the girls presently going through it. 

The thing about fashion is that it’s a microcosm of something bigger… [From] how many people it exploits … to how much it costs.. to who’s making it and what the conditions are like for them.

naomi ackie

“Get some arch support, you’re on your feet a little too long,” Paige offered, for practicality. “Hydrate,” Ackie chimed in. “For the girlies who aren’t seen on the floor, we see you too,” Liu said, referring to her days working in the back room at Rag & Bone folding jeans while  González nodded along in solidarity. And Palmer gave the last word of advice: “Get your next job lined up.”

The five actresses’ distinct personalities were on display during our sitdown in Los Angeles, and on screen, they are uniquely electric. Palmer’s Corvette is the ringleader of the gang, grounded its antics with a genuine obsession with Metro Designers’ CEO, Christie Smith, a deliciously villainous Demi Moore. Corvette is a designer herself and her love of fashion is what drives her boosting business. That, and necessity. Sade and Mariah are her ride or dies, tagging along for the mess and the felonies with unwavering loyalty. Jianhu and Violeta join the gang with their own motivations. Jianhu is a Chinese factory worker whose entire family has been exploited by the conditions in Metro Designers’ facilities. And Violeta works in the store long before Sade, Mariah, and Corvette show up, toiling away for pennies as the company skims off her paycheck. Fed up, Violeta leads her colleagues in an attempt to unionize. Each woman represents how fashion and capitalism can pillage from cultures (the Black women the system rips off, the Chinese factory workers, and the front-of-house employees, which are nearly 20% Latine in the U.S. and are overrepresented in the lowest-paying, front-line roles) and prey on consumers. 

“The thing about fashion is that it’s a microcosm of something bigger,” Ackie said. “Because of how material and commerce travel around the world. And how many people it exploits through the cost of making something to how much it costs someone right at the end to then who’s making it and what the conditions are like for them to work in and the carbon imprint it takes.” According to Ackie, exploitation is just one aspect of the issue. It’s also about how culturally, we’ve been sold the idea that our identity is directly tied to the brands we put on our bodies.  “But also, fashion is about selling a lifestyle, and you dress how you want to be,” Ackie continued. “So we as consumers have this idea that if I buy this skirt, I’m going to be a different woman. If I can wear those Manolo Blahniks or if I can get that Prada bag, somehow that’s going to do something for me.”

“And some of that is true. It is true that you can be a young dude from Compton and then become Tyler The Creator,” Palmer countered. “That’s the whole dapper thing, and Dapper Dan. People do actually look at you differently and treat you differently and perceive you differently depending on what you wear in fashion. It kind of works and it’s also a problem” 

It’s in those intersecting, and sometimes conflicting, ideas — how fashion is an expression of ourselves and also a tool of systemic oppression — where I Love Boosters shines. The contradictions are the point. The bright, fantastical world that director Riley, cinematographer Natasha Braier, and costume designer Shirley Kurata, created acts as a magical backdrop to the bleak messaging. Sometimes, art can do all of the above — be a bold reimagining of the past, a snapshot of the chaos of the present, and a hopeful portrait of the future.

People do actually look at you differently and treat you differently and perceive you differently depending on what you wear in fashion. It kind of works and it’s also a problem.

keke palmer

The Daily Beast didn’t love I Love Boosters and called it “akin to a child’s finger-painting portrait of Che Guevara” (derogatory), but to me, that’s a perfect description of the movie’s strengths. Sure, it’s a bit sloppy and feels like an unfinished thought at times, but the push for a more socialist society in the midst of a system so ingrained in our lives isn’t tidy or perfect. Maybe it is closer to a surrealist sketch of a figure of revolution than an accurate depiction of real life. So what? I’d rather watch a funny takedown of the unfair conditions we’ve been forced to work under that oozes with childlike wonder and unhinged subplots (LaKeith Stanfield’s entire ‘Guy With A Pinky Ring’ character makes me question and love whatever is wrong with Boots Riley) than another unoriginal blockbuster made to prop up the same society structures I Love Boosters critiques. 

“Fashion can also be used to rebel against the system,” González said in our conversation. “Whatever you want to say, whether that is cutting all your hair off or putting whatever clothes you want on, it’s a real expression of self.” Paige agreed: “That’s what hip-hop is, that’s what punk is.” That’s also what film can be. Movies like this one, with a clear message that uplifts the marginalized as its heroes and eviscerates the uber-rich as the villains they are, can act as a gateway to larger conversations. Ultimately, I think that’s a great thing. 

At the L.A. premiere of I Love Boosters, I asked the cast and other stars walking the red carpet to name the most annoying thing about capitalism. Their answers were funny, irreverent, and real. Liu launched into a 3-minute long diatribe about all the ways in which capitalism harms us all while Bob The Drag Queen told us not to worry since we’re in late-stage capitalism and it will all be over soon anyway. 

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This compilation has over 600,000 views and 1,300 comments. There are the positive ones, about how refreshing it is to see a question of substance being asked on a red carpet (“Celebrities critiquing capitalism is an asset not a liability” one commenter said) and others that think it’s hypocritical for people with money to comment on a system they benefit from (“asking rich people this just pissed me off” another wrote). Once again, it’s in the dichotomy of these responses that makes what Boots Riley does in his work so important. First of all, most of the people I spoke to don’t have the kind of money people think they do (visibility does not equal wealth) and furthermore, it’s going to take people at every class level to reject the system before we can dismantle it. 

In a soundbite that didn’t make the final edit, Stanfield cited the I Love Boosters promotional push to give audiences free gas. On May 12, Palmer and Stanfield hosted a gas giveaway at the Shell gas station on West Pico Boulevard where they took turns at the pump while drivers drove away with full tanks and movie swag. The exorbitant price of gas is just one of the many real ways in which capitalism continues to create divides. What Boots Riley’s anti-capitalist fever dream understands is that in 2026, survival itself has become aestheticized: debt has a look, burnout has a uniform, and class anxiety arrives dressed head-to-toe in designer labels bought on Klarna. What makes the film sting isn’t simply its satire of wealth, but the way it positions fashion as both aspiration and ammunition. The Velvet Gang aren’t stealing clothes because they’re shallow, they’re reclaiming access to beauty in a world where luxury has become a gatekeeping mechanism. That tension — between consumption and resistance — is where I Love Boosters finds its smartest ideas. Riley understands that fashion has long functioned as a language for marginalized communities: a way to signal joy, status, rebellion, and solidarity all at once. The film’s maximalist costumes decorate the story and underpin its thesis.

As corporations borrow the language of activism while union-busting behind the scenes, Riley offers a messy, loud, honest vision of resistance. The film argues that wanting beautiful things under capitalism isn’t necessarily a moral failure; the real failure is a system that rations dignity through price tags.

“Theft is not outside of capitalism; it’s what capitalism was built on – and not even, like, metaphorically,” Riley said in an interview with The Guardian. “The bourgeoisie was no different in that they stole land, stole minerals, stole labor. But that theft is thought of as legal.”

Riley is making me feel a lot better about boosting tank tops from Hollister. But he’s not wrong. Theft and capitalism go together like Keke Palmer and viral memes. Where there is one, you will find the other. In I Love Boosters, fashion is political and the enemy is capitalism itself, not just Demi Moore in a blonde wig. A pair of platform boots or an oversized faux-fur coat can carry the same symbolic weight as a protest sign, particularly when worn by the women capitalism usually renders invisible except as consumers. And I think it’s OK if that message comes from people who may be considered as “doing well” under this system. We were all sold a dream that doesn’t exist.

I was a middle class suburban kid who would have been fine if I was fired from my job shilling “So Cal, so low” jeans at the mall. I was also a worker being paid minimum wage, facing microaggressions and forced to dress the part or pack it up. When Hollister’s parent company, Abercrombie & Fitch was facing lawsuits for discrimination, they promoted me and my other colleagues of color to be the front-of-house greeters. We smiled, said the taglines, and made the company feel better about its blatant racism and exploitation. I Love Boosters is for retail workers who never got to express their rage, for the boosters just trying to make a buck, and for everyone whose lives have been made worse by billionaires just getting richer by the day. Actors are actually some of the best people to critique capitalism because, as I Love Boosters never forgets, survival, especially for working-class women of color, has always required performance as much as perseverance.

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