Adam Driver leaves interview 'because he can't stand listening to himself'

Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver star in Marriage Story 

Many of us can't bear to listen to or watch recordings of ourselves. But when you're the star of some of the year's biggest films, that can get difficult.

Adam Driver walked out of a US radio interview when they played a snippet of him singing in Netflix's acclaimed drama Marriage Story.

The actor left NPR's talk show Fresh Air during a clip of his performance, the show's executive producer said.

The Oscar-nominated American is also in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.

He previously starred in BlacKkKlansman and recently earned praise for The Report, about an investigation into the CIA's "enhanced interrogation techniques" after 9/11.

But despite his success, Driver has previously spoken about his aversion to revisiting his own performances - which was described as a "phobia" in a recent New Yorker profile.

That phobia apparently struck when NPR played a clip of him singing Being Alive - originally from the musical Company - in Marriage Story, according to The Daily Beast.

Executive producer Danny Miller told Variety in a statement: "We don't really understand why he left... We knew from our previous interview with Adam Driver that he does not enjoy listening back to clips of his movies (that isn't unusual, a lot of actors feel that way)."

Driver was in a studio in New York, with host Terry Gross in Philadelphia. Gross suggested he take off his headphones to avoid the pain of listening to the 20-second clip - the same arrangement they used in a 2015 interview.

"But this time around, after the clip concluded we were informed by our engineer in NY that he had walked out of the studio, and then left the building," Miller added. "We still don't understand why Adam Driver chose to leave the interview at that point."

Driver has not yet commented on the exchange.

Five other celebrity interview walk-outs

• Robert Downey Jr accused Channel 4's Krishnan Guru-Murthy of being "a bottom-feeding muckraker" after walking out of a 2015 interview for bringing up his past problems with drugs.
• Coldplay's Chris Martin left an appearance on BBC Radio 4's Front Row in 2008 because he was "not really enjoying this", adding: "I always say stupid things and I think Radio 4 is the place that will most remind me of that." He returned for one final question.
• Front Row had another walkout when Russell Crowe took umbrage with host Mark Lawson's suggestion in 2010 that the actor's accent made Robin Hood sound like "an Irishman who took frequent holidays in Australia".
• Jean Claude Van Damme walked out of a TV interview in Australia in 2017 after saying the questions he was being asked were "boring".
• The PR officer for pop group S Club (formerly 7) halted an interview on late lamented BBC Three showbiz show Liquid News in 2003 after host Claudia Winkleman asked about the amount of money they had made.

Adam Driver and wife Joanne Tucker at the premiere of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

In the 2015 interview, Gross asked Driver why he declined to listen to himself. "I don't want to hear the bad acting that probably was happening during that clip," he replied.

"I've watched myself or listened to myself before, then always hate it. And then wish I could change it, but you can't."

He has also spoken about feeling "like I had to puke" when he was obliged to sit through 2015's Star Wars: The Force Awakens, but hid in a green room during the Cannes premiere of BlacKkKlansman, for which he received an Academy Award nomination for best supporting actor earlier this year.

Star Wars and Cats: What is the first reaction?

The Star Wars crew (L to R): Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Naomi Ackie, Kelly Marie Tran, Anthony Daniels and Oscar Isaac 

Anticipated movies Cats and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker have received their world premieres and early reaction has been quick to drop.

The final film in the epic Star Wars trilogy had its debut screening in Hollywood, while the Cats premiere took place in New York.

One Twitter user described Cats, which stars Idris Elba and Rebel Wilson, as "bewildering... and magical".

Star Wars fans hailed The Rise of Skywalker as "a terrific finale".

Plot details for Star Wars have been kept tightly under wraps but director JJ Abrams has said the trio's characters - Rey, Finn and Poe - will be reunited on-screen, after dividing in 2017's The Last Jedi.

Heading the line-up at the Star Wars premiere were the film's young stars Daisy Ridley, who plays Rey, John Boyega, who is Finn, and Oscar Isaac, who plays Poe.

Mark Hamill delights fans at the premiere 

Star Wars veterans Mark Hamill, who plays Luke Skywalker, and Harrison Ford, who plays Han Solo, were also there to bid farewell to the movies that launched their careers in a venue made up as a futuristic hangar filled with life-size X-wing starfighters.

Anthony Daniels, who has played C-3PO in each of the main Star Wars movies, said the event felt "quite bewildering".

"In fact, it's such a big experience that I'm not sure I can quite cope with it. But I do feel proud to be here and proud to be part of it."

The Rise of Skywalker officially concludes the so-called "Skywalker saga" of films begun by George Lucas in 1977.

The film is set one year after its predecessor and, at 141 minutes, will be slightly shorter.

Formal press reviews have been embargoed until Wednesday but social media reaction from those inside the three Hollywood theatres used to hold Monday night's event was broadly positive.

"Epic. All of it," tweeted Erik Davis, managing editor of the Fandango movie website, calling the finale a "wonderful way to end the Skywalker story".

"It's amazing," wrote The Hollywood Reporter's Ryan Parker.

Variety's Adam B Vary tweeted: "There's so much movie in this movie."

"The emotional highs are spectacular, and there are a lot of payoffs (some earned, some not). But some choices feel like an unnecessary course-correct from The Last Jedi and some just plain don't make sense," said Laura Prudom of IGN.

Meanwhile sci-fi writer Jenna Buche de Noel declared she was "blown away".

Meanwhile, at New York's Lincoln Center, Cats stars including Taylor Swift, James Corden, Idris Elba and Rebel Wilson walked the red carpet on Monday night.

The movie is a big-screen version of Andrew Lloyd-Webber's hit stage musical. Formal reviews are embargoed until 19 December.

Elba - who plays the cat Macavity - was more than happy to give Variety some top tips on acting feline, which apparently includes a lot of "nuzzling" and "smelling".

Despite the all-star cast, which includes Dame Judi Dench, reaction to the trailer when it was released earlier this year didn't bode well for the finished film.

But the movie seemed to endear many early viewers, as the first reactions started to roll in on social media.

Broadway star Alan Henry called the movie "spectacular".

Idris Elba learned a lot from playing Macavity 

Variety's Caroline Framke was equally effusive, even if in a rather different way. 

Writer Ben Mekle declared Cats to be "magical".

However Rebecca Rubin, also of Variety, feared for her future slumber after seeing the movie. 

Cats is released in the UK and US on 20 December and fans of the stage version will be eagerly waiting for cinema doors to open, no doubt buoyed by Monday night's intriguing reaction.

The story, which was originally based on TS Eliot's Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats from 1939, is about deciding which of the cats will ascend to the Heaviside Layer - aka cat heaven.

The director said earlier this year that the story had a deeper message too that makes it relevant to human life in 2019.

Taylor Swift as the flirtatious Bombalurina 

"At the centre of this incredibly entertaining, comedic, fantastical musical is a very timely story about the importance for inclusion and redemption," said Tom Hooper, who also adapted another classic musical, Les Miserables, for the big screen in 2012.

As for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker - released on 19 December both here and across the pond - Disney boss Bob Iger told AFP at the premiere that fans would get "some kind of closure, some sense of satisfaction" for their favourite characters.

"Star Wars is probably the most important, most valuable mythology of our time, of the modern time," he said.

"If you just consider the global base of fans that have worshipped this storytelling since 1977, over 40 years... tonight being a culmination of nine films is an incredibly important night."

Tim Richards, CEO of Vue International cinemas in the UK, told BBC News he was expecting "one of the biggest weeks in years for cinema admissions".

"Most of our screens in the UK and Ireland will be playing late night sessions between Wednesday 18th and Thursday 19th, starting at 00:01, with a few cinemas like Manchester Printworks and Westfield London staying open all night for subsequent screenings into Thursday morning," he said regarding Star Wars.

And for Cats, Richards was also anticipating a good turnout: "Tom Hooper's amazing Cats has had huge pre-sales and looks like it will also be a huge hit, replicating its success on stage.

"Overall it looks like it's going to be another record-breaking year for big screen entertainment."

Charlize Theron 'not ashamed' to talk about her mum killing her dad

Charlize Theron says she's "not ashamed" to talk about the moment her mum shot and killed her dad in self-defence.

The actress was 15 when her alcoholic dad shot through the door of the room where she was hiding with her mum.

"None of those bullets ever hit us, which is just a miracle. But in self-defence, she ended the threat," she told NPR.

She added: "The more we talk about these things, the more we realise we are not alone in any of it."

Charlize grew up on on a farm near Johannesburg in South Africa with her mum Gerda and dad Charles.

She described her dad as a "very sick man" and said living with an alcoholic was a "pretty hopeless situation".

Charlize Theron and her mum Gerda were at the Oscars together in February 

"The day-to-day unpredictability of living with an addict is the thing that you sit with and have kind of embedded in your body for the rest of your life, more than just this one event of what happened one night," she said.

Speaking about what happened, she said her dad was so drunk he "shouldn't have been able to walk when he came into the house with a gun".

"My mom and I were in my bedroom leaning against the door, because he was trying to push through the door.

"So both of us were leaning against the door from the inside to have him not be able to push through.

"He took a step back and just shot through the door three times. None of those bullets ever hit us, which is just a miracle. But in self-defence, she ended the threat."

Charlize says the violence she experienced within her family is something that she shares with a lot of people.

"I'm not ashamed to talk about it, because I do think that the more we talk about these things, the more we realise we are not alone in any of it.

"I think, for me, it's just always been that this story really is about growing up with addicts and what that does to a person."

Nicole Kidman and Margot Robbie star alongside Charlize Theron in Bombshell 

The Oscar-winner also spoke about the time a film director inappropriately touched her after inviting her to audition at his home.

She said she was the one who apologised to him before leaving - something that made her angry with herself.

"I put a lot of blame on myself... that I didn't say all the right things, and that I didn't tell him to take a hike, and that I didn't do all of those things that we so want to believe we'll do in those situations."

The subject of sexual harassment is one that she tackles in her latest film Bombshell - in which she plays a real TV presenter called Megyn Kelly.

It tells the story of when women who worked for US broadcaster Fox News came forward to accuse the then-CEO and chairman Roger Ailes of sexual harassment.

She said the film explores the "grey area of sexual harassment" and is something she's come across.

"It's not always physical assault. It's not always rape," she says.

"There's a psychological damage that happens for women in the everyday casualness of language, touch or threat of losing your job.

"Those are things I've definitely encountered." 

Anna Karina: French New Wave cinema legend dies aged 79

Anna Karina rose to prominence as Jean-Luc Godard's muse 

Anna Karina, an icon of French New Wave cinema, has died at the age of 79.

The Danish-French actress died in a hospital in Paris after living with cancer, her agent told AFP news agency.

French culture minister Franck Riester tweeted in tribute: "Today, French cinema has been orphaned. It has lost one of its legends."

Karina rose to prominence as the muse of her director ex-husband Jean-Luc Godard in the 1960s.

She got her big break as a teenager, soon after moving to Paris from her native Denmark - apparently when Godard spotted her walking down the Champs-Elysees.

He wanted to cast her in his first and most famous film Breathless, Karina recalled years later, but she turned him down because the role required nudity.

Anna Karina and Jean-Luc Godard got married in March 1961 

After a few months he offered her another role, cementing their fruitful working relationship and her place in cinematic history.

In 1961, she and Godard got married - and just months later, Karina won best actress at the Berlin Film Festival for Godard's A Woman is a Woman.

Although they divorced just four years later, their relationship became almost as iconic as the films they made together.

Karina on the set of Godard's film Pierrot le Fou in July 1965 

"It was really a great love story, but very tiring in a way for a young girl because he would go away a lot," Karina told Vogue in 2016.

"He would say he was going to buy some cigarettes and he would come back three weeks later."

After their divorce, she continued to have a long and prosperous career, working with filmmakers Jacques Rivette, Luchino Visconti and Tony Richardson.

In the early 1970s she worked behind the camera too, directing Vivre Ensemble, a film about a turbulent romance between a history teacher and a free-spirited young woman that ends in domestic violence and drug abuse.

Naimal Khawar is Pakistan's most Googled person for 2019

2019 is coming to an end and Google has their recap out.

The search engine released their top 10s for every field - which YouTube also picked up for their unappealing rewind. And Pakistan's list is not surprising at all.

The top 10 searches were dominated by cricket but the number one googled person for the year turned out to be Naimal Khawar.

The former actor got married to fellow "former" actor Hamza Ali Abbasi in August and their nikkah ceremony became the talk of the town. Naimal's dress itself was discussed in great length, and her overall look for both the nikkah - where she did the makeup herself - and reception made the rounds on social media for weeks to follow.

Also, the couple is pretty adorable and people couldn't help swooning over them. So, we get it.

Pakistan's top 10 Google searches for people also include Waheed Murad, Alizeh Shah, Adnan Sami and Sara Ali Khan.

The Rise of Skywalker is almost here and Star Wars trolls are lurking in the shadows

When Disney bought Lucasfilm for more than $4 billion in 2012, there were lofty expectations of reviving Star Wars in spectacular hyper-speed fashion with a new trilogy that continued the story of Luke Skywalker and other beloved characters.

The space saga has been a smart investment, starting with Star Wars: The Force Awakens, which in 2015 became the fastest movie to reach $1 billion. Despite the financial success, there’s been a dark side — fierce criticism of the new trilogy amplified by social media.

Some fans have attacked the story lines, which have shifted away from Skywalker toward a new generation of characters. The new films are more inclusive and feature a diverse cast and a focus on a female protagonist, Daisy Ridley’s Rey, leading to volleys of racist and sexist remarks directed at the franchise’s newest stars.

With Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker opening in theaters Dec 20, director J.J. Abrams expects more backlash. Especially since the new film — which he calls the “aftermath of Luke Skywalker and his sister Princess Leia” — is the final installment of a nine-part movie series that began 42 years ago.

“There are some people who, in this age of outrage, need to be vitriolic and hurtful, and that’s not right,” said Abrams, who returns after directing The Force Awakens. He co-wrote and directed Rise of Skywalker after handing over the reins to Rian Johnson for 2017′s The Last Jedi, a blockbuster that received mostly positive reviews from movie critics but remains divisive among hardcore fans.

Several thousand fans signed a petition for Disney to remake The Last Jedi, which showed Luke Skywalker as a surly recluse disillusioned with his powers. Even Mark Hamill, who played Skywalker in five films, said it was tough for him to comprehend the story’s arc and see his character’s idealism fade. Johnson has said he received death threats from online trolls.

Abrams is a longtime Star Wars fan and understands fans are passionate. But he draws the line when comments attempt to demoralise the film’s cast or production, which he says is a cultural issue, not a Star Wars one.

“That in no way is a Star Wars phenomenon,” Abrams told The Associated Press. “That is a cultural phenomenon. If you’re not in the right political party, you’re against us. If you’re not doing exactly what they want, then you’re an abomination. It’s sort of par for the course in everything right now.”

Abrams said Rise of Skywalker is no way an apology for the previous film. The director said he’s not worried about potential backlash or feeling any pressure heading into the release.

“If you’re being crushed by a car and an elephant stands on the car, it’s irrelevant,” he said. “Like, it doesn’t matter. There’s a point at which the insanity of what it means to be working on a ‘Star Wars’ movie blinds you. Anything past that threshold is just additional light, noise and weight. I know it’s a lot. But you have to embrace and accept the responsibility that you’ve got. You want people to laugh and cry. That emotion can’t come if you’re constantly looking over your shoulder of what the studio might feel or the logistics or what the fans are saying. All you can do is the best job you can.”

Rise of Skywalker faces galactic expectations. The filmmakers have promised it will be the conclusion of the Skywalker saga, a lineage that traces from Darth Vader through his grandson, the powerful Dark Side enforcer Kylo Ren.

The Force Awakens marked the first time the original trilogy’s characters, Han Solo, Luke Skywalker and his sister Leia, would return to the big screen, though the focus has now shifted to new characters.

Ridley said she doesn’t feel the weight of expectations mostly because she’s not on social media. However, she said she intends to shut her cellphone off when the film premieres.

The actress learned when she signed on to play in The Force Awakens that she needed to find ways to block out the noise. Ridley said it helped that she didn’t know much about Star Wars before joining the franchise.

“I wasn’t questioning all of these small things that mega fans pick up,” said Ridley, whose character was criticised for being unrealistically perfect. Some also questioned why Rey was able to obtain Jedi-like abilities much quicker than Luke Skywalker.

“I think if I had, I would’ve never gotten through the day,” she said. “I had not thought about people comparing me to anyone, then suddenly they are. I guess Rey’s story is similar to Luke’s, but that part never computed. ... Social media does good things. It spreads the word. But I do think in general that people are so quick to be super cruel.”

While Ridley avoided social media, her cast mate Kelly Marie Tran — who made her debut in The Last Jedi as Rose Tico — deleted her Instagram photos after some took aim at her performance, her physical appearance and made racial comments about her. She was the first Asian woman to play a leading role in a Star Wars film.

After she removed her posts, Tran published an essay in The New York Times about the racism she endured online. Tran said the essay was hard to write, but one of the “best things she created.”

“I don’t think you know what to expect,” said Tran, who admitted she didn’t know much about Star Wars before joining the franchise.

Now, Tran is well aware and told the AP she tries not ”to read things or let things into my ether that are not positive.″

“What surprised me is just the depth of which people are passionate about this thing,” she said. “But I just remind myself to protect myself creatively. Do things that feel good.”

Actor John Boyega said he’ll miss cashing in those Star Wars checks and sometimes verbally sparing with fans online. He’s known for speaking his mind on Twitter.

“Sometimes you ignore, sometimes you verbally say something,” said Boyega, who plays Resistance fighter Finn and was among the first cast members to be criticised when a trailer revealed his character was a black Stormtrooper.

“Things can be quite rude,” Boyega said. “But I’m from southeast London. If you give me a spike here, I’ll give you a spike back. You take what you give. That’s my rule. But apart from that, it’s normal. You want them to continue that dialogue, because that’s the original origin of their passion.”

Priyanka Chopra says she 'never was and never will be pro-war'

Remember when Priyanka Chopra tweeted "Jai Hind! #IndianArmedForces" back when tensions were at an all-time high between India and Pakistan and subsequently got called out for being a warmonger?

In her latest interview with Daily Beast, Chopra addressed landing in hot waters for her controversial tweet and comments that followed at a conference in Los Angeles.

"I feel like this is not an opportune moment to talk about it. Second of all, it was unfortunate what happened, and third of all, I never have, never was, and never will be pro-war and that is in my statements itself. My work for all of these years is a testament to that, and I don’t feel I need to keep regurgitating it."

Except you do imply that you're pro-war if you say "war is not something I'm really fond of BUT I am patriotic so I'm sorry if I hurt sentiments of people who do love me and have loved me...Well, we all walk that middle ground." Um, no. There are no ifs and buts when it comes to war nor is there any middle ground; she must've known how her words would be construed.

That said, it seems like the actor finally understands the influence she wields and the responsibility it entails.

"I feel that influence is an extremely important power, and it has a lot of responsibility that comes with it. It doesn’t have the responsibility that heads of states might have, because obviously we are not lawmakers or we cannot change those things, but we can influence, and I have always hoped to be able to use my influence in terms of philanthropy, and creativity in the arts, and to be able to, if I have opinions as a citizen, be able to speak about my opinions, and be able to give people perspective that they might not have seen because of my travels.”

Here's hoping she's more careful with her words next time.

Rod Stewart becomes oldest male artist to top UK album chart

Sir Rod Stewart has become the oldest male solo artist to have a number one album in the UK.

The British singer's 10th chart topper You're In My Heart was released on 22 November.

But it rose to the top spot this week in a close race - with a difference of just 750 in sales between Sir Rod, Robbie Williams and The Who.

Sir Rod, who is 74 years and 11 months old, has taken the accolade from American singer Paul Simon.

He beat Simon by three months, the Official Charts Company said.

But Sir Rod has a way to go to beat the oldest female to top the album charts. Dame Vera Lynn scored a number one in 2014 when she was 97 with the collection Vera Lynn: National Treasure.

Sir Rod said: "A new government and a new number one for Sir Rod. Thank you once again to my legions of fans who I will never take for granted.

"Bless you all and a Merry Christmas. Well done Robbie, well done Boris, no hard feelings Pete Townshend!"

• Rod Stewart reveals his epic model railway city
• Robbie Williams equals Elvis's UK chart record
• Sir Rod Stewart on indyref, Celtic... and model trains

Sir Rod's latest release is an orchestral album which features new versions of some of his classic tracks, including Sailing and I Don't Want to Talk About It.

Produced with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the re-imagining of his greatest hits knocked Williams's The Christmas Present out of the top spot to number two.

The Who's Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend were in line to top the charts at the halfway point this week, but their new album Who ended up at number three.

At number four was Michael Ball and Alfie Boe's album Back Together, with Lewis Capaldi's Divinely Uninspired To A Hellish Extent at number five.

Meanwhile, Australian singer-songwriter Tones and I secured another record as Dance Monkey topped the singles chart for an 11th consecutive week, making it the longest-running number one single by a female artist in the UK. 

Why women are fighting back against hair oppression

Woman with Afro-texture hairstyle

Recent efforts to ban hair discrimination have amplified the struggle for women of colour and their natural hair, particularly in the workplace.

Last week, Senator Cory Booker proposed the first bill in history to ban hair discrimination at the federal level.

The CROWN Act (Creating a Respectful and Open Workplace for Natural hair) was first introduced in California, making it the first state to pass a law that makes this form of discrimination illegal. This move was followed by the State of New York, and New Jersey became the latest state to pass this legislation.

"Implicit and explicit biases against natural hair are deeply ingrained in workplace norms and society at large. This is a violation of our civil rights, and it happens every day for black people across the country," said Senator Booker.

While many incidents of discrimination in schools and the workplace have recently surfaced on the news and on social media, this deep-rooted issue has unfortunately been a common reality for many black men and women.

How are women of colour discriminated against?

A recent study by soap brand Dove found that a black woman is 80% more likely than a white woman to change her natural hair to meet social norms or expectations at work.

Tameka Amado, a young African American woman in Boston, says she has changed her hair "plenty of times" for work and school.

"When I was on the competitive cheerleading team, I was never allowed to wear my hair in its natural state. My coach made sure our hair was up and straight.

• US set for first state ban on hair discrimination
• Empowering black women to embrace their natural hair

The repeated ironing of her hair caused it to start falling out in a her junior year, she says.

"For centuries our hair has been attacked. It's uncomfortable to know you have no control of how your hair grows, the only thing you can control is how you wear it and how you protect it, and to not have that freedom is discrimination. It only happens with us."

Laws like those proposed by Senator Booker give her hope, she says.

"It's long overdue. Policing our hair is just another systematic oppression," she says. "There is an entire industry that has become successful on the backs of hair discrimination. Chemical treatments like relaxers, hair extensions, wigs, were all created because this disgust for our hair texture."

Tameka Amado gets her hair straightened by teammates for high school cheerleading squad

Ms Amado's struggle between embracing her natural roots and being more susceptible to criticism and disfranchisement is a continuous battle.

"I want black women to enjoy their hair and whatever hair they choose to have but there will always be some kind of critique."

What are hairstylists saying?

Salon owner Wanda Henderson breaks down natural hair as "the state in which hair is not chemically treated to alter afro-texture hair" and includes many different styles.

"Natural hair is so wonderful to work with. The thicker it is, the stronger it is, and the longer it grows. It's stylish, more convenient and healthier."

Henderson promotes natural styles in her shop in Washington DC. She explains that taking the hair from its natural state is not healthy, and there can be long-term consequences.

"I've been doing hair over 40 years, and we did a lot of relaxers back in the 70s, 80s and 90s and with that came a lot of breakage, balding, and shedding when you apply chemicals to black hair and you don't keep it up."

Henderson says that many of her clients have experienced some sort of discrimination against their hair, but recent efforts and discussion have had a ripple effect.

• 'My hair is symbol of pride'

"We get a lot of people now who want no chemicals, they just want all natural. We've gotten a large increase of that." She largely attributed this to more attention to incidents, legislation, and a push for black men and women to embrace their natural beauty.

The struggle between natural hair and acceptance transcends class and the corporate America realm. Current national anti-discrimination laws don't mention hair. This has caused many black men and women to attempt to push back against this form of discrimination on their own in schools, workplaces, and even Hollywood. 

copyright Gregg DeGuire/Getty Images

Actress Gabrielle Union made headlines recently because she says she was fired as a judge on NBC's hit reality show America's Got Talent because the hairstyles she wore were considered "too black" for the show.

NBC responded by saying saying they remained "committed to ensuring a respectful workplace for all employees" and take questions about workplace culture seriously.

Many other celebrities have also spoken out about their own experiences with their natural hair in the industry and the daily pressures they face.

How did we get here?

The policing of black hair dates back to slavery in the US.

Black women have always adapted in attempts to be accepted in society. When Africans were first enslaved and brought to the US, many of their heads were shaved to prevent the spread of lice but also erase their culture and identity as a form of assimilation. This stigma continued through the years. 

Woman putting in hair relaxer to straighten hair

The invention of products like hair relaxers, chemical treatment and hot-combs were used to straighten Afro-texture hair, in order to mimic Eurocentric hair.

In fact, many jobs and public spaces didn't accept hairstyles mainly worn by black people. And in several cases that ended up in court, rulings were made in favour of employers. Dress codes would not mention race but would ban hairstyles mainly worn by black people in the workplace.

Until 2017, women in the military were restricted from wearing natural hairstyles including "twists, dreadlocks Afros and braids" because they were labelled "unkempt". Those who did not follow these guidelines were forced to cut their hair or wear wigs.

But this year, things have started to change. specifically, as individual states like California, New York and New Jersey have brought more attention to this issue.

Alongside this legal progress, the conversation on the subject has widened, amplified on social media.

"My black hair has defined me because systematic oppression has allowed that," says Ms Amado.

"My hair is empowering and through all the relaxers, flat irons, weaves, and braids, my hair tells a story. It's going to continue telling these stories through every kink and curl." 

From trips to Winter Wonderland to mistletoe kisses, the Christmas season can feel like it's all about relationships.

If you're single, a constant stream of Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas Is You" on top of an Instagram feed full of beanie-wearing, mulled-wine-sipping couples is enough to leave you feeling like an unwanted present.

But, to use Emma Watson's phrase, many people are happy to be "self-partnered" this December.

As relationship expert Jo Barnett says: "Christmas is not the time to stress about finding a partner."

Instead, Jo's advice is to "embrace the position you're in now, because this time next year you may be in a relationship".

'I'm scared of ice-skating'

"Dating at Christmas is expensive and there are so many other things going on."

Daniel Barry is happily single. And he's not alone - Radio 1 Newsbeat spoke to several people who are rejecting being part of a cosy couple.

Daniel says he's quit online dating for "fear of going on dates over Christmas".

"I'm going for the opposite of being loved-up at Christmas. I'm deliberately being single.

"I came off dating apps in November when people were still trying to match with me, so I'm refusing to match them."

Although he jokes: "I don't think they're going to be that gutted!"

The 27-year-old from Belfast is actively avoiding classic festive dates.

"Christmas markets are expensive and I'm terrified of ice skating. I don't want to make a fool of myself while getting to know someone. I'm also scared of getting a finger chopped off!"

'It's nice to be selfish'

Hannah Domney's been in a relationship for the past four years but split with her boyfriend in the summer.

This is the first festive season in years when she feels she can travel.

"I'm gonna beat being the miserable, lonely girl this Christmas and do everything I can to have fun."

The 25-year-old hairdresser says she's swapping a cold, family Christmas in Hull for Mexico.

"I'm flying to Tulum on Christmas Eve and I'm going to be spending the day on a beach with one of my best friends.

"I've been gunning to get away at Christmas for quite a while and this is the first year I've got a real reason to not be at home."

As opposed to feeling lonely during December, Hannah's looking forward to January.

"My old boss always used to say, 'everybody breaks up before Christmas so they don't have the stress of families and presents, it's in the new year that everyone feels the romance' - so I'm living for that!"

She's also looking forward to putting herself first.

"When you're in a relationship, you have to think about your partner's presents and making their family feel loved too - it's nice to be selfish."

'I'm buying myself a ring'

Nicky Murphy is relieved he doesn't have to juggle two families.

The 33-year-old tells Newsbeat: "When I've been in relationships, my boyfriends tended to live in separate countries. At Christmas, I always leave London to go home to Ireland, so it can be difficult splitting your time.

"I'm really close to my mam and nanny and I'm aware they're getting older, so Christmas with them will always take priority over a relationship."

Nicky's also excited about planning a stress-free start to 2020.

"Being single means there's less pressure on New Year's Eve. In previous relationships, I've been expected to do what my partner wanted to do with his friends as opposed to what I would like to do."

And it's not as if he'll be missing out on gifts.

"I always buy myself the present I'd buy for a boyfriend.

"I've had my eye on a ring for a while - I was feeling guilty about spending a few hundred quid on myself but coming up to Christmas, I feel I can buy it!"

'This season's gonna get extra festive'

Some people can't think of anything worse than the office Christmas party, but it's one of the things Jyoty Singh is looking forward to the most this December.

The London-based DJ, 28, tells Newsbeat: "I've done some Black Friday shopping and there are some spicy Christmas dresses in my basket."

For the past three Christmases, Jyoty has had a boyfriend but this year she's single and looking forward to flirting.

"This season is gonna get extra festive because at all these parties I can wander around looking like a little Christmas present, ready to be unwrapped this year."

She's also happy to be saving money.

"Now I'm not dating I get out of buying my partner presents and buying over-priced mulled wine at Christmas markets. I'd rather have a few drinks at home with my girlfriends".

Although Jyoty is Sikh and doesn't celebrate Christmas, she "loves the season and the spirit".

"On Christmas Day, I can easily put on a festive film like Love Actually and it doesn't make me sad because I'm such a romantic.

"I just think 'how cute'. While I know that people out there are experiencing that love right now, I know I'll experience it in the future."

It's something Hannah agrees with.

"I've never experienced a Christmas film-style romance in real life, so the fantasy feeling of it still makes me feel warm inside."

Daniel, on the other hand, is just happy to have some peace and quiet.

"I'm smug. I can happily watch Love Actually on my own and not have anyone bothering me."

New Year, new lover?

Dating coach Jo Barnett, who is single herself, says anyone who isn't feeling so positive about their single status should forget December dates and wait till the new year.

"January is a fantastic time to meet someone.

"It's a fresh start and a lot of people will be excited. Towards the end of the year people are tired and, sadly, a lot of people become single at Christmas, so there are more options in the new year."

Jo thinks the best way to meet a partner is to "get out".

"There are so many dating apps, but I recommend going to speed dating nights and parties - meet people face to face."

But if online dating is more your thing, she says "choose one or two apps and be patient, it doesn't happen straight away".

So, it seems it's single bells (sorry) all the way... until January at least.

Brazilian man arrested for impersonating mum in driving test

A 43-year-old man has been arrested in northern Brazil for dressing up as his mother to take her driving test.

When Heitor Schiave's 60-year-old mother, Maria, failed her test three times, the mechanic decided to step in.

Wearing a floral blouse and sporting painted nails, make-up and a wig, he drove around Nova Mutum Paraná and his plan appeared to be paying off as .

But suspicions were soon raised that the woman in the driving seat was not the woman on "her" ID.

• Cat 'arrested' for break-in at Brazilian prison

"He tried to be as natural as possible. He wore lots of make-up with his nails nicely done and [wore] women's jewellery," instructor Aline Mendonça told G1.

The police were called and he was arrested at the driving school for fraud and misuse of someone's identity.

"He's already confessed. He confessed that he wasn't the woman in question but the son, her son who was trying to pass as his mum so that she would be able to pass this practical driving test," the instructor added.

Mr Schiave reportedly said that his mother did not know of the plan.