Arts

Arts

Zoe Saldana’s historic Oscar win comes with complicated questions

By Ryan Fairfield | March 11

At this year’s Academy Awards, Zoe Saldaña made history as the first Dominican-American to win an Oscar forthe most negatively talked about film of this year’s award cycle, “Emilia Pérez.” Despite much controversy surrounding the film — criticism about its representation of trans people, Mexico and more—Saldaña’s performance has been lauded,evident by her awards season sweep winning the Critic’s Choice, BAFTA, Golden Globe, SAG Award and ultimately the Oscar. Harper’s Bazaar called her “a revelation,” The New York Times called her “El Mal” performance “the film’s highlight” and “so potent”and the Los Angeles Times praised her saying,“it’s easy to believe Saldaña could be the most versatile screen actor around.”

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Columns

Adventures of an A-Lister: The ‘Queen of the Ring’ enters the mat

By Odessa Gaines | March 11

What do you know about women’s wrestling? Personally, if you asked me this I would have to simply answer: nothing. Nothing but the story of Mildred “Millie” Burke (Emily Bett Rickards), professional women’s wrestler. Millie, born in a small Midwestern town to a single mother, opens the door of the male-dominated sport to women after taking the championship and becoming the first woman athlete to become a millionaire.

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Arts

‘Mickey 17’ explores the human horrors of colonization, corruption and cloning

By Odessa Gaines | March 10

What does it feel like to die? Haven’t you ever wondered?

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Columns

Confessions of a College Shopaholic: Where I find style inspiration

By Ryan Fairfield | March 10

No one’s style is truly original. Whether conscious or subconscious, we as consumers constantly draw inspiration from the world around us, and fashion is no different. As I’ve grown up and worked on developing my style, I’ve realized that personal style isn’t about reinventing the wheel and being 100% original — it’s about finding pieces and influences that reflect who you are or who you want to be. Over the years, I’ve drawn from a variety of sources, from celebrities to designers. Perhaps sharing my inspirations will help you.

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Columns

Coffee With Creatives: Tim Leong conquers the silver screen

By Ava Dettling | March 7

If you watched the Oscars this weekend, you may have noticed that someone was missing. This someone chose to hang back this year, letting the others hold the spotlight for once. It’s only fair, for filmmaker and Tufts alum Tim Leong (LA’22) would have swept it.

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Arts

Video essayists you should watch: Li Speaks

By Basil Hand | March 7

As Generation Z gets older, things from our childhoods start to become nostalgic. However, unlike some of the other generations, a lot of nostalgia for Gen Z exists on an entirely new medium: the internet and mobile devices. Online spaces like Club Penguin or Wizard101 are relics of the past and apps you had on your iPod Touch probably don’t exist anymore. There is a rich trove of defunct apps and games from the late 2000s and 2010s, yet no one talks about them. No one except for today’sYoutuber: Li Speaks. 

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Arts

‘Cabaret’ is a powerful reflection and a call to action in today’s political landscape

By Fiona Hinrichsen | March 6

“Cabaret” has been performed and reimagined time and time again, uncovering new meanings as societal contexts evolve. Today, under the direction of Professor Barbara Wallace Grossman, this iconic musical takes on new urgency amidst the backdrop of President Donald Trump’s return to power, inviting audiences to reflect on its poignant relevance in our turbulent political landscape.

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Columns

Trunks Full of Treasures: Past On Vintage brings thrifting to Tufts campus

By Fiona Hinrichsen | March 6

Thomas Gradente, founder of Past On Vintage, has been a highlight among students at Tufts University for nearly 15 years, bringing incredible vintage finds and vinyl records to campus. He has hosted several pop-up shops this past falland most recently held a pop-up in the Mayer Campus Center on Feb. 11. In addition to his pop-ups at Tufts, Gradente has organized events at Connecticut College, Wesleyan University, the University of Hartford and Trinity College.

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Arts

Center Stage: Tufts Tap Ensemble

By Nate Hall | March 5

Tufts is home to more than a dozen dance groups, many of which are entirely run, choreographed and performed by students. Amid a crowded dance scene, it can be hard for groups to carve out a niche and set themselves apart from the rest of the pack.

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Arts

Back on the charts: Bruno Mars’ unexpected collaborations are taking over

By Dominic Matos | March 4

Bruno Mars is back in the spotlight. Of course, he never fully disappeared, living atop his colossal success and sprinkling his presence here and there in ads and song features. Still, he hit a peak of fame and then fell back for a few years. Let’s go back to the beginning.

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Columns

Confessions of A Shopaholic: Miranda Priestly was correct

By Ryan Fairfield | March 4

As fall 2025 collections make their way down the runway, I’m reminded of one of the most iconic film monologues of all time —Miranda Priestly’s “cerulean monologue” from“The Devil Wears Prada.” If you’re unfamiliar,Miranda, editor-in-chief of Runway Magazine (inspired by Vogue and Anna Wintour), explains to her assistant the trickle-down effect of the fashion industry, emphasizing that no one is “exempt” from its influence.

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Arts

English or Spanish? Comparing ‘Culpa Mía’ and its newly released English remake, ‘My Fault: London’

By Raffaella Vogt | February 27

This past year, the film industry has seen a plethora of book-to-film adaptations, with new spins on beloved tales succeeding on streaming and in the box office. In 2017, Argentine author Mercedes Ron released her first of three Wattpad-to-print stories, “Culpa Mía.” The book follows a teenage girl named Noah, who is moving in with her mother’s new billionaire husband and son. An outsider to this world of wealth and luxury, Noah struggles to adjust to her new lifestyle and her new stepbrother, who is equally as annoyed at their new circumstances. Over the course of the story, wild events such as drag racing, fist fights, romance and car chases ensue, putting Noah and Nick through the paces of their friendship and their developing attraction to each other.

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Arts

Read, Write and Be Merry: ‘Once There Were Wolves’ by Charlotte McConaghy

By Merry Jiao | February 27

Okay, so here’s some background on this book of choice. Two years ago, I was coming off the high of finally getting back into reading books (shocking, I know, considering the reputation I’ve gained since then). I had just finished reading “Where the Crawdads Sing” by Delia Owens. It was the only ‘mainstream’ book I had read in a while, so it was the only thing to go off of when the librarian asked me what type of book I was interested in reading.

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Arts

2025 Oscars predictions: Who will win in all 23 categories

By Nate Hall | February 26

Ahead of the 97th Academy Awards on Sunday, it’s time to predict who will take home Hollywood’s biggest prizes to close out an exciting – and often unpredictable – awards season. Take a look at this year’s nominees, and then read on to see the Daily’s predictions in all 23 categories.

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Arts

The origins of the Daily’s Arts section

By Sophie Herron | February 25

Whether it’s listening to a song that matches your mood perfectly, watching a favorite TV show after a bad day or exploring a new art exhibition with friends, we engage with and seek out art on a daily basis. It is no wonder then,that The Tufts Daily has included some form of the Arts section since its creation. Despite being just four pages long, thefirst volume of the Daily, published on Feb. 25, 1980, included two arts articles and referenced the arts throughout.Instead of reviews, analyses or detailed recommendations, as is typical for current Arts articles, the original two focused on encouraging Tufts students to engage with local art by describing art happening in the area and why students should care.

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Arts

Andy Milk returns to Medford with his suburban dad trio, Campsite

By Maya Godard | February 25

In the mid-1990s, Andy Milk (A’97) was playing at Delta Upsilon with his student band Johnny Wishbone, writing album reviews and creating a website column for the Daily. Today, nearly 30 years later and following the diagnosis of a life-threatening heart condition, he is making his return to Medford on tour with his Long Island-based trio, Campsite.

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Arts

What makes the Arts section special?

By Odessa Gaines | February 25

Since the very beginning,The Tufts Daily has acknowledged the importance and significance of engaging with the arts.Now, 45 years later,it is just as important to recognize how art and art appreciation does more than allow for Saturday movie nights and predictions for the awards season. The arts allow for social and political commentary to be delivered in a digestible and emotionally relevant manner. And as the Arts section, we make it our duty to deliver this commentary with every issue we release.

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Arts

‘The Grove’ bears the fruits, burdens of family

By Spring LaRose | February 24

Here in “The Grove,” language takes on a deeper shade of reality. Words are lived and breathed on the stage of theCalderwood Pavilion more fully than they ever can be in the waking world. There is a cacophony of English and Ibibio, with each tongue insisting upon itself. Shadow becomes substance, and substance slips into the sublime.

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Arts

‘The Odyssey’ reimagines the stories we tell at the American Repertory Theater

By Nate Hall and Odessa Gaines | February 24

A touchstone of Greek mythology, “The Odyssey” is one of the most widely read pieces of literature today. More than 2,000 years after its creation, the story is still being imagined in new ways, including a stage adaptation from playwright Kate Hamill, which had its world premiere at the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge earlier this month. A contemporary version of Homer’s classic epic, “The Odyssey” succeeds with some bold creative choices and a dynamic cast.

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Columns

Confessions of a Shopaholic: Never be ashamed of merch

By Ryan Fairfield | February 24

A Taylor Swift Eras Tour tee. A Loewe ‘I Told Ya’ tee from “Challengers.” Multiple Glossier hoodies. A Sabrina Carpenter hoodie that says “You act like a bitch” — a reference to her song “Feather.” A 1975 tee. An A24 “Babygirl” tee — a recent pickup. All of these are pieces of merch I have collected over the years that are consistently in my outfit rotation.

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