In this May episode of Daily Bruin Spotlight, host Reid Sperisen is joined by contributors Izzy Greig and Eleanor Meyers to unpack the latest in arts and entertainment at UCLA and beyond. Izzy shares updates on the undergraduate film showcase, including Ella Rhodes’ punk-vampire short “Hickeys” and recaps highlights from the Cannes Film Festival. Eleanor dives into lifestyle reporting with a feature on Enzo’s Pizzeria, Ocean Vuong’s newest novel “The Emperor of Gladness” and standout looks from the Met Gala. Reid rounds out the episode with music and fine arts coverage, including DJ ST3RR’s rise on the UCLA party circuit and a breakdown of Spring Sing 2025. From film and fashion to food and fiction, this episode celebrates creativity in every form.

Reid Sperisen: It is May and you are listening to Daily Bruin Spotlight by Daily Bruin Arts. This is the Daily Bruin’s Arts podcast. Thanks for joining us for another episode. Today, we’ll be discussing developments across the arts and entertainment scene at UCLA and beyond.

RS: I’m Reid Sperisen, and I’m the music | fine arts editor and the host for today.

Izzy Greig: My name is Izzy Greig. I’m a Podcast contributor and the theater, film and television correspondent today.

Eleanor Meyers: My name is Eleanor Meyers. I’m an Arts contributor and the incoming theater, film and television editor, and I’ll be covering the lifestyle beat today.

RS: Once again, my name is Reid Sperisen. I’m the music | fine arts editor and the music correspondent today. And to get us started, what TV show is everyone binge-watching or revisiting right now?

EM: I’ve been rewatching “Killing Eve.”

RS: What keeps you coming back to “Killing Eve”?

EM: I feel like the character development is so good, and I never know what’s going to happen in the next episode when I finish the one prior.

IG: I’ve been binge-watching “Silicon Valley,” which is really old, but I’m just discovering it and cannot get away.

RS: I’ve been rewatching a lot of “Friends.” “Friends” is my comfort show. Now, let’s go to Izzy for theater, film and television updates. Izzy, what is happening in the world of cinema at UCLA?

IG: The UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television is having their undergraduate showcase June 12. UCLA student Ella Rhodes is debuting her short film “Hickeys” at the festival on June 8. The film follows the main character, Vivian, a runaway, as she navigates the 1980s Los Angeles punk scene while slowly discovering how her new friends are, in fact, vampires. The film is described as a mix between the ’80s punk scene, queer culture and supernaturalism. You can see the film June 8 in Melnitz Hall.

RS: That definitely sounds like a memorable short film. What is happening in the UCLA theater community?

IG: “Schoenberg in Hollywood” finished its four-day run at the Nimoy Theater on May 22. The show premiered in Boston in 2018 and centers around composer and UCLA professor Arnold Schoenberg’s journey leaving Nazi Germany and beginning his music career in Los Angeles.

RS: Definitely an important part of UCLA music history.

IG: Yeah.

RS: What is happening in the broader film industry?

IG: Well, the iconic Cannes Film Festival wrapped up its 12-day programming May 24. The festival featured screenings of upcoming films such as the new “Mission: Impossible” movie and Ari Aster’s new highly anticipated film “EDDINGTON.” Other exciting screenings included actor Kristen Stewart’s directorial debut “The Chronology of Water” and Wes Anderson’s new star-studded film “The Phoenician Scheme.”

RS: Awesome. Thank you so much for that recap, Izzy. Now let’s shift to Eleanor for updates from the lifestyle realm.

EM: The Daily Bruin published a feature on Enzo’s Pizzeria in Westwood, the 25-year-old New York-style pizza joint that relocated to a new location in September 2024. I actually got to write the article, and I was able to interview the owner, Ramin Messian, who bought the restaurant in 2021. He spoke on Enzo’s ability to adjust to mobile food delivery systems over the past few years and how that has helped their business flourish. Situated on 1145 Westwood Blvd., Enzo’s offers a 50% discount to all students who show their IDs and has continued to serve the Westwood and UCLA communities with its Italian-American comfort food since 2000. Employees at Enzo’s were enthusiastic about the work environment at the restaurant, telling me that everyone is supportive and flexible when scheduling because many workers are UCLA students.

RS: Thank you so much for that information, Eleanor. That was a really fun article to read. What’s happening in the world of books?

EM: Well, Ocean Vuong just released his newest book, “The Emperor of Gladness” on May 13, which is a follow-up to his 2019 novel “On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous.” As my colleague, Davis Hoffman, wrote in his review, the piece spans over 400 pages – which is nearly twice as long as its predecessor – and is set in the atmospheric fictional town of East Gladness, Connecticut.

He deemed Vuong’s work an example of bold narration, writing that it is intensely self-reflexive by means of unrestrained prose. Hoffman rated the novel 4.5 paws out of 5 and celebrated its impressive ability to tackle the question: What if true love supersedes misery?

RS: Thank you for that summary of the lifestyle beat, Eleanor. Now, I’m going to jump into the updates from the music | fine arts landscape. My colleague Julia Divers wrote a feature article on student DJ Eszter Chappell. Chappell is a first-year business economics student who performs as DJ ST3RR and has performed at fraternity and sorority events in Westwood, as well as venues such as the Canary in Santa Monica. Also, May 16 was Spring Sing at the Los Angeles Tennis Center. After last year’s event was moved online, there were 12 competing acts plus skits throughout the event from comedy troupe Company. The event was hosted by the Student Alumni Association. The judging panel included several actors, actresses, singers, songwriters, dancers and choreographers, including “Dance Moms” reality television star Abby Lee Miller, “Dancing with the Stars” professional Sasha Farber, “Jessie” actor Kevin Chamberlin, actor Nolan Gould, actress Rachael Leigh Cook, and alumni such as singer-songwriter Mad Tsai and drummer and alumnus Ryan Dusick who was the drummer for Maroon 5. In the end, student singer-songwriter Ella Gibson emerged victorious and won the award for Best Overall Act, and the Bruin Choice Award, voted by the audience, went to dance group ACA All Day. The ACA All Day performance included songs such as “Alter Ego” by Doechii and JT, and “Boogie Wonderland” by Earth, Wind & Fire and The Emotions. Gibson performed her original song “Patch.” Also, the Best Company Sketch went to a tango skit.

RS: And now for our penultimate discussion segment, Izzy and Eleanor, what is your favorite Met Gala look or handful of looks of all time, and why do those particular ensembles stand out to you?

IG: I can only really think of one look – when you ask that – that really came to mind, and that would be Zendaya’s Joan of Arc look, which was for the “Heavenly Bodies” theme. That just has always really stuck with me. I think for the rest of the outfits we saw for “Heavenly Bodies,” a lot of people just went with religious imagery, but she was one of the only people that picked this religious figure that literally was a heavenly body. Joan of Arc is a saint, and so that always stuck with me. So I’d have to go with that.

EM: Yeah, absolutely. I think Zendaya is always showing up with fantastic looks, but especially that one.

IG: Yeah, especially doing a Versace chainmail look. It’s very, very original. I think it was a really cool, out-of-the-box kind of outfit.

EM: Yeah, I would agree. I was thinking that this year I really liked Teyana Taylor’s. I know that she wore an outfit designed by Ruth E. Carter, and it was really cool. It had all sorts of nice layering, and I really liked the hat too. I think it was really bold, but it made perfect sense with the theme.

IG: And I think Ruth E. Carter also did the costume design for “Sinners,” which I think was also kind of relevant to the theme. So it was cool seeing that kind of connection. “Sinners” had such good costumes.

EM: Yeah, absolutely.

IG: It was really cool.

RS: I really loved this year’s Met Gala theme spotlighting Black dandyism. I would have to jump back a decade though to 2015 for both of my top two all-time looks when the theme was “China: Through the Looking Glass.” I have to go with Rihanna in Guo Pei – just the opulence of her yellow train is burned into my memory. But my favorite Met Gala look of all time – I may be slightly biased as a BeyHive fan – but Beyoncé in her Givenchy dress. I think the way that this look was styled was such a statement-making piece. I think it was very empowering in this transient place in her career between her eponymous fifth album and then “Lemonade” coming out the next year. I really liked the small detail with the high ponytail and the beading throughout the look because I think it gives it this really luxurious flair.

IG: Yeah, and Beyoncé is such a fashion icon. Can I give a special shoutout to Jared Leto’s 2023 cat costume? I just feel like it was so brave to wear that to the Met Gala, and I think that deserves a shoutout.

RS: That’s a wrap for this third episode of the Daily Bruin’s Arts podcast. Thank you, Izzy and Eleanor, for contributing your reporting today.

IG and EM: Thanks for having us.

RS: Thank you again for joining us for this episode of Daily Bruin Spotlight. Tune in soon for the next edition of this arts podcast.