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The Wild True Story Behind Zola’s Viral 148-Tweet Thread (And How to Read It)

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the cast of zola at pizza hut x legion m lounge park city, utah


The new A24 film Zola has earned its flurry of feverish coverage in part due to the stars attached at its helm: Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom actress Taylour Paige and Under the Silver Lake‘s Riley Keough, as well as director Janicza Bravo and screenwriter Jeremy O. Harris, of Slave Play. But the biggest catalyst for the Zola hype is its unorthodox origin story. The film is the first to be based entirely off a series of a tweets, which themselves were based on a true story, originally posted in 2015 by a woman named A’Ziah King, also known as Zola.

If you’re new to Twitter, or if you happen to have a fleeting memory re: the mid-2010s, you might fail to grasp the extent to which King’s 148-tweet thread went viral. Hashtagged #TheStory, the stripper saga—in which King, 19 at the time, was lured to Florida for a weekend of exotic dancing, only to be roped into something far more nebulous (and dangerous)—trended around the globe. Filmmakers and celebrities (including Keough herself) read it in one sitting. A Rolling Stone profile of King, from which the film drew much of its plot, describes how “Zola Halloween costumes, Zola feminist think pieces, [and] Zola comics” proliferated in the aftermath. For a few moments, it was as if the entire internet belonged to one woman.

“I made people who probably wouldn’t want to hear a sex trafficking story want to be a part of it,” King told David Kushner of Rolling Stone, “because it was entertaining.”

In #TheStory, King described how she met Jessica Rae Swiatkowski (renamed Stefani and played by Keough in the film) while waiting tables at a Hooters in Detroit. They swapped stories about dancing, and their friendship-at-first-sight chemistry lit a fuse that convinced Zola Jess was worth trusting, even if the young dancer seemed a bit…much. A few days later, when Jessica texted Zola and invited her down to Florida to stir up an adventure and make some extra cash dancing, Zola agreed without many reservations. That weekend, they motored down to Tampa with Jessica’s boyfriend, the stumbling, pitiful Jarrett (renamed Derrek and played by Nicholas Braun in Zola), and a man named “Z,” eventually identified as Rudy (Colman Domingo, who goes by “X” in the film).

The supposed adventure wasn’t much of a trip at first. When dingy motel rooms and a less-than-lucrative evening dancing at spots like the Tampa Gold Club didn’t present a substantial payoff, Zola didn’t let it concern her. But when Rudy was revealed to be Jessica’s pimp, she finally felt her internal alarm go off. She hadn’t agreed to prostitution, and wouldn’t have signed up for the weekend excursion if she’d known it’d be asked of her. Plus, Rudy had posted a picture of her to Backpage—a classified ads site often used for sex work—without her permission. Furious and increasingly freaked out, she told Jessica she was done, but Jess burst into tears, begging Zola not to leave her alone in Tampa. Zola couldn’t tell how much of Jessica’s plea was manipulation and how much stemmed from genuine fear, but she stayed, worried that if she left it would spell trouble for both Jessica and herself.

King with the cast of Zola in 2020.

Presley AnnGetty Images

Turns out, she had good reason to be concerned. As Vulture‘s Allison Davis wrote in her June 2021 profile of King, #TheStory “started in a rosy flush of friendship, turned into a wild, careering two-day nightmare, and ended (maybe) with a gunfight.” The film depicts an (albeit dramatized) version of the raucous weekend that captivated so many in short spurts of 140 characters. Zola presents itself as its own artsy acid trip, a rose-colored Florida funhouse experience set to the rapid-fire tune of incoming tweets (and, eventually, gunshots), injected with just enough chill to make you shiver. But nothing quite comes close to the story as Zola herself tells it.

In the immediate wake of the thread captivating Twitter, some accused the epic of being mostly or entirely fictitious. But both Rolling Stone and the Washington Post were able to verify many details of Zola’s account, adding not only credibility but an awed urgency to the young woman’s tale. And the story didn’t end with King herself—others were caught up in Jessica and Rudy’s scheme as well, including Jessica Lynn Forgie and Breeonna Pellow, as the Post reported. Although Zola claimed in her thread that Rudy/Z was arrested for murder, he actually ended up being charged on six counts, including sexual assault, battery, and trafficking.

Today, Zola lives with her mother in Atlanta, where she writes and records music, and hopes to write more for the movies or in books, mining her own experiences for content again. She certainly has the talent; As Keough told ELLE.com, “I was totally riveted by [Zola’s] storytelling, just like everybody else.”

The original tweet thread was deleted from King’s Twitter account, but it’s been reposted for posterity on Imgur. You can read the full saga here, or you can purchase the thread in the form of a coffee-table book, as put together by A24 ahead of the film’s release, titled, fittingly, The Story.

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Jennifer Lopez Joined Ben Affleck In L.A. With Kids For Thanksgiving

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Jennifer Lopez Joined Ben Affleck In L.A. With Kids For Thanksgiving


On Wednesday night, Jennifer Lopez arrived in Los Angeles with her 13-year-old twins Max and Emme. The family was likely there to join Lopez’s boyfriend, Ben Affleck, for the Thanksgiving holiday. Lopez recently returned from the much colder climate of British Columbia, Canada, where she was filming her latest project, The Mother.

J. Lo touched down in her private jet wearing a teddy fur coat from Coach’s Autumn/Winter 2019 collection, and a pair of Ugg boots. Classic airplane outfit, celebrity style. Lopez and Affleck originally dated in 2002 and broke up in 2004. Their romance was rekindled earlier this year, soon after Lopez ended her relationship with baseball player Alex Rodriguez. The new couple went official in July, while celebrating Lopez’s 52nd birthday abroad.

Affleck’s most recent relationship with Ana de Armas ended in January after about a year together. He had divorced ex-wife Jennifer Garner in 2015 after being married for almost a decade. Garner and Affleck had three daughters, Violet, Seraphina, and Sam.

Before traveling back to the U.S., Lopez posted a story to Instagram Reels about how grateful she was to be headed home.

“Hey everybody, it’s my last day here shooting on The Mother out in Smithers in the snow, it’s been beautiful, but tonight I’m on my way home,” she said, as she walked through the wild landscape in a black coat and beanie.

“I’m so excited for Thanksgiving! I hope everybody has an amazing weekend with their families and their loved ones, there’s so much to be grateful for this year. I’m on my way!”

This is the first major holiday of the year since Lopez and Affleck reunited, so it’s likely to be a big one for both families.

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Everlane’s Black Friday Sale is Packed With Winter Essentials

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This is not a drill: Everlane just kicked off its Black Friday sale. Now through Monday, November 29, the direct-to-consumer brand is offering 20 to 40% off its cozy sweaters, minimalist activewear, and popular jeans. If you’re not super familiar with Everlane, let me spell it out for you: this is a big deal.

The e-tailer might be known for making sustainable, ethically made clothes and accessories at a fair, affordable price, but Everlane rarely has sales beyond its Choose What You Pay section. So, if you want to stock up on cute basics for less, now’s your time to shop.

And, in true Everlane fashion, the brand is taking this opportunity to give back. Everlane is partnering with Rodale Institute and help U.S. farmers transition their farmland to regenerative organic—and donating $15 per order to the cause. A great sale that gives back? I’m sold.

But, hurry! These deals are going to sell out fast, so you won’t want to waste any time filling your e-cart.

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1

The Cloud Turtleneck

$150 $105 (30% off)

Sweater weather is officially here, so why not pick up a few fresh layers? This turtleneck is the S’s: snuggly, stylish, and on sale. 

2

The Authentic Stretch High-Rise Skinny Jeans

everlane

$78 $58 (25% off)

Looking for a great pair of jeans, minus the markup? Everlane’s classic skinny style is not only super stretchy, but it’ll look good with everything from chunky sweaters to silky blouses.

3

The ReNew Teddy Slippers

everlane

$65 $39 (40% off)

Why limit the shearling trend to the upper half of your body? These plush slippers will give even your most worn-in sweats a stylish edge.

4

The Chunky Cardigan

everlane

$110 $77 (30% off)

Sure, this may not be the cardigan Taylor Swift was talking about. But, with an exaggerated collar and ribbed finish, this style would definitely score top marks from the singer herself. 

5

The Canvas Utility Boots

everlane

$115 $59 (40% off)

Brave the cold weather in style with Everlane’s chic boots. The canvas uppers and thick sole make these an ideal, all-weather option.

6

The Lofty-Knit Henley

everlane

$150 $105 (30% off)

Made with a nubby blend of merino wool, alpaca, and recycled nylon, this henley is perfect for a cozy night in, yet stylish enough to wear in public.

7

The Perform Bike Shorts

everlane

$45 $22 (51% off)

No, you can never have too many stretchy pants. Everlane’s bike shorts ooze major Lady Di vibes — for under $25, no less.

8

The ReLeather Court Sneakers

everlane

$110 $66 (40% off)

Made with recycled leather, these refresh sneakers will serve up major curb appeal — and Mother Nature’s seal of approval. 

9

The Field Dress

everlane

$100 $60 (40% off)

Found: a fun, flouncy frock you can wear year-round. For a wintry take, pair with opaque tights and your favorite chunky boots.

10

The Cozy-Stretch Wide-Leg Sweatpants

everlane

$150 $75 (50% off)

With a straight-legged silhouette and wool material, it’s safe to say these are the chicest sweatpants we’ve ever seen. To sweeten an already enticing offer, this pair is half off.

11

The Organic Cotton Flannel Popover

$80 $56 (30% off)

Everlane reimagined the traditional flannel with a cropped silhouette, voluminous sleeves, and a slew of minimalist colors.

12

The Studio Bag

everlane

$275 $192 (30% off)

Large enough to fit all your essentials, but not too big that it’ll weigh you down, Everlane’s Studio Bag is the perfect everyday purse.

13

The ReNew Long Liner

everlane

$158 $118 (25% off)

House Stark was right: winter really is coming. Made with recycled materials, this liner is a great layering piece that’s considerably chicer than the yesteryear’s Michelin Man-worthy parkas.

14

The Felted Merino Beanie

everlane

$50 $30 (40% off)

All set on clothes? Pick up this cheery beanie, which is 40% off its original price.

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29 Winter Fragrances That Exude Main Character Energy

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29 Winter Fragrances That Exude Main Character Energy



29 Winter Fragrances That Exude Main Character Energy

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