1
[man narrating]
Celeste was born in America in 1986.
Considering her parents'
background, education,
and socioeconomic status,
being somewhat on
the losing side of Reaganomics,
the name of Latin origin seemed
an especially poetic choice.
It carved her out some
predetermined destination,
a route which to travel by.
And many years before "Celeste"
rolled off the cultural tongue
like a principled anecdote one
senses they were born knowing,
she might not have been
described as all that special
or conspicuously talented.
However, she did possess
that proverbial "something,"
which on occasion captured
the attention of her teachers
and young peers.
Despite what naysayers later
perceived of her ingenuity,
she was actually
a very savvy businesswoman.
In the beginning, she was kind
and full of grace,
and at least she wrote
her own lyrics.
No one could take that
away from her.
She would be 13
going on 14 years old
in the year 2000,
the dawn
of the new millennium.
[gunshots]
[car engine starts]
[footsteps]
[pop music plays on radio]
[vehicle approaching]
[pop music continues, faint]
[objects clatter]
[car horn blares]
[instruments tuning up]
[people chattering]
[woman] Morning.
- [boy] Good morning.
- [woman] Good morning.
- Hello.
- Welcome back.
- Good morning.
- Hi. Happy New Year.
Therese, did you change
your hair?
Uh, my sister cut it.
She's a hairdresser.
Oh. Does she work in town?
I want a cut like that.
Really? Uh, well,
she lives out of state.
She was visiting us
for the holidays,
but I can let you know
when she's back.
Would you mind?
Sometimes you feel like a change.
Sure, I can.
- Hello.
- What's up?
- Good morning.
- [girl] Hi.
- Hi. Welcome back.
- Good morning.
[school bell rings]
Okay.
Welcome back, everybody.
- Did you enjoy the break?
- [several voices] Yes. Yeah.
- Did you enjoy the break?
- [all] Yes.
Well, I received news
from Vice Principal Kane
about our homeroom
computer appeal.
[boy]
What is it?
I want to wait and share it
once everyone's arrived.
We're waiting on, um,
Eric and Elyse.
[boy] Well, they're probably
gonna take a while.
Why is that?
Aidan, let's not start
the year off at odds.
Whatever you're saying to him,
you can save it for after class.
[girl] He's here. I saw
Eric five minutes ago.
- All right, then. We'll wait.
- Are we getting desktops?
- I said we'll wait.
- Excuse me.
Yes?
My name is Cullen Active.
What?
Yes, Cullen, I know.
- [gunshot]
- [students screaming]
[Cullen]
Celeste?
Celeste, go stand in the back
with the others.
Is she breathing?
[Cullen] No.
Celeste,
you need to get up
and step away from the windows,
because in a few minutes
there will be
an explosion.
[girl]
What are you doing?
Why are you doing this?
[students screaming]
Stop! Stop!
I'm standing.
I'll stand.
[students gasping, sobbing]
[Cullen] Now everyone,
please shut up and be quiet.
[screaming]
[Cullen]
Go back inside!
[sirens wailing]
[students screaming]
[Celeste] Cullen?
Cullen, please let us go.
I killed plenty
of people already.
I'm sorry.
I can't do that now.
[Celeste] Please. At least
let everyone else go.
I'll stay here with you.
And what are
we gonna do?
We'll pray together.
[student sobbing]
- Shh. Everything's gonna be...
- [automatic gunfire]
[men chattering]
- [man] Clear.
- [man 2] Adam Seven, clear in the classroom.
[man 3] Clear!
[chatter over police radio]
Adam Seven, be advised...
multiple 80s.
Room 206, second floor.
[sirens wailing]
[sirens continue]
[machine whirring]
[recorded female voice]
Breathe in and hold your breath.
Breathe.
What are
you feeling now?
I feel like
I'm on a boat.
Nausea won't subside?
It's not just that.
I just feel
like I'm spinning.
You think
it's in my head?
No, I don't think
it's in your head at all.
I just don't think it has anything
to do with your spinal injury.
I need to sit.
I'll get your chair.
Just a minute. Come on.
Do you want to try
a few more steps?
Okay. Good.
All right.
[inhales, exhales]
- There you go.
- Where's Dad and Eleanor?
They went to
get us some food.
Some of the other kids
have been complaining
about their ears ringing
from the gun blasts.
I talked to her doctor
about it, and...
Great.
- Hey, Mrs. Howard.
- [woman] Hello, Miss Celeste.
[sobbing]
I'm so sorry
I was sick.
I should've
been there for you.
I'm so grateful
you're alive.
I think I would have died...
or just killed myself.
I don't think
I could've standed it.
[sniffles]
I'm here now, and I am
never going to leave you.
Ever.
My God.
Ellie, I think I've done
something terrible.
[playing note]
- [man sighs]
- What is it?
It says here they found
Cullen's grandparents.
They think that he shot both of
them three weeks before Christmas
and lived with the bodies
over the holiday.
- Ew!
- Dad...
- [woman] Excuse me.
- Stop.
[woman] I'm sorry. There are some news
people here requesting an interview.
[father] Oh, well, don't look at me.
It's up to her.
I don't want anyone
to see me like this.
You look fine.
Can you talk
to them?
Me?
What am
I supposed to say?
I wasn't there.
Just tell them how sorry we
are for everyone that died.
[Dad]
Call Mom.
Are you sure?
[woman] I can take you
to a telephone.
Thanks, babe.
- I think I want to try and sleep for a while.
- Good.
I think I am going to try
and take your mother
out to dinner
or something.
Get her mind
off of things.
Sure you don't need anything
else other than that keyboard?
You know, I have a guitar
in the basement.
Could bring that over,
teach you a little.
Thanks, but...
it's hard for me
to tilt my head down.
So it starts like...
- so, one, two, three.
- [melody plays]
Yeah.
Twice.
[humming melody]
[both humming]
[woman over P.A.]...remain
in critical condition.
Hold them especially
in your prayers.
Please join me now
by turning to the page 13.
[singing hymn, indistinct]
I was informed earlier,
and I guess some of you
are already aware,
of last night's
arson attempt
over at
the Active residence.
Lieutenant Lynne at
the 120th Precinct has asked me
to remind everyone
that that is the site
of an ongoing
investigation,
and its destruction would...
gravely impair their officers'
ability to provide answers
to the community's
many pressing questions.
I would like to add...
ferocious anger
prompted this,
and we cannot have
any more anger
or violence around us
this minute.
I'll go a step further
by asking you all to please
include the perpetrator
of these vicious attacks
in your prayers.
By this way of
healing prayer
and forgiveness,
victims of this tragedy
will be...
released from
their own grief
and rage in the afterlife.
Throughout the night, we'll be
asking New Brighton students
to come up and share
memories and recollections
with us.
Please join me in welcoming
Celeste Montgomery
from Stephanie Dwyer's
eighth-grade class.
Um, I tried to prepare
something to say,
but... I couldn't really put
my feelings into words exactly,
so I thought
I'd do this instead.
Uh, my sister, Ellie,
helped me a lot.
This song is about us,
and... it's for her.
[melodic ballad plays]
Hey
Turn the light on
'Cause I've got no one
To show me the way
Please, I will follow
'Cause you're my last hope
I'll do anything
You say
And
I tried it my way
And I failed to save me
From myself
So
Bind my hands now
Shut my mouth down
I will listen
Listen well
So teach me
Show me all you've got
And in your words
I will be
Wrapped up
Speak to me
You're my last hope
And I will say nothing
And listen to your love
[with Ellie]
And I'm so lucky to be with you
Keeping me from my shadow
Whoa
And though I might
Have been torn to shreds
By the people in my head
I
I let one tear fall
And I crumble like
The Berlin Wall
[narrator] At the advice of a producer,
Celeste would change the lyric
from "I" to "we,"
and shortly thereafter,
the entire country fell in step
with her sentiment.
It was not her grief;
it was theirs.
No longer merely
her experience,
they reclaimed it
as their own.
Over the course
of the following year,
The song would become
an anthem for the nation.
Simply put, it was a hit.
[recorded pop music plays]
[Celeste]
I, I, I, I
I, I, I, I
I, I, I, I
I, I, I, I
Devil may try
To kill your game
So let him try
I missed my train
Got stuck outside in the rain
Let it go tonight
And I don't got nothing
In my band, but
Hell, that's all right
I was used to loving
Never not in pain
That's my sweet life
I, I, I
Want to touch your sky
[music stops]
Sorry. I'm getting thrown off
from hearing my own voice.
You want me to
pull that out?
If you can do that, thanks.
- No problem.
- [man] Do you like it when I go
- to the C before the refrain?
- No, not...
- I thought that was D, sorry.
- That is a D right over there.
- [playing bass note]
- [Celeste] Oh.
Celeste,
let's take five.
Meet me in the hall.
[man] You okay in there,
or are you in over your head?
- No, I'm good.
- You trust me?
Do you trust me?
Yeah.
- Yeah?
- Yeah.
That's good, 'cause I've
been doing this a long time,
and I can understand
if it's little overwhelming,
but you have to trust
the process.
The process works. That's why
you and your parents chose me
to guide you
through this...
strange and unpredictable
new process.
So I want you to remember what I
told you at your parents' place
the first time we met.
You got to shut your eyes and pretend
like you're in your bedroom.
You're just dancing in your bedroom,
and no one's looking at you,
and you ain't got
a care in the world, okay?
Okay.
You got to tell me
if I'm not making any sense,
'cause you got your head screwed on so
straight half the time I forget you're a kid.
Don't worry yourself too much about the
technical stuff, 'cause I'm telling you,
these people are not here to
listen to that fuckin' bass player
riff like he's
Jaco Pastorius, hmm?
- Okay.
- This is your show, okay?
Remember that.
Run it. Okay?
- You ready to get back into it?
- Yeah.
- Good.
- But can you do me a favor?
- Yeah.
- Can you watch your language around Ellie?
It really bothers her
when people swear.
Yeah, so I'm sorry.
I-I, uh...
I-I didn't realize
I was swearing at you.
I wasn't thinking.
I'm sorry. Okay.
[producer] So I just quickly
cut something together
for the first
and the last verse,
and it actually seems like
it's working really well.
We might be over-thinking it.
In the first verse, though, there's a
little crack or a hiccup or something
in your delivery of
"'Cause I missed the train."
So maybe we should just
take it from there?
Great.
I'll nail that.
Then we can get started
on "Body Talk."
I'm sorry,
what section is that?
It's the next track.
Okay. Yeah.
Let's get a head start
on tomorrow.
[recorded music plays]
[manager]
Okay, here we go.
I'm sorry I'm late.
Thank you for waiting.
Have you girls
been enjoying your stay?
Yeah.
The hotel's very nice.
Yeah. It's great.
So, what's next?
She beat me to the punch.
Well, a few things.
First, I've been meaning
to ask you if you, uh,
have any background
in dance,
or if your injury
- prevents you from...
- I used to take ballet.
And no.
I just have to
be careful.
That's great.
Internally we've been discussing
a few upcoming events,
performances we'd like
to pitch you for,
and we'd love to set you up
with a choreographer.
What kind of appearances?
In-store performances,
things like that.
It's a great way
to introduce
your live experience
to the public
and a great way for you to
get your feet wet in turn.
Uh, Celeste,
we really love
what you do here,
but after everything
you've been through,
I just think it's necessary to
be really straight with you
and let you know
that there is
no guarantee that
these new tracks will work.
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey.
She's 14 years old.
You don't need to talk that way to her.
Talk to me that way, not her.
Let me finish, please.
it would be unconscionable
for me to
not make a young person
like yourself fully cognizant
of the reality
of the situation.
You've given us
a great demo,
and we are going to
pitch it hard,
but... the rest
is out of our hands.
It's fine.
If it works, great.
If not,
that's okay too.
[woman]
Well, that's great.
On to the fun stuff then.
This is what we had in mind
in terms of artwork
for the EP that we'll be
sending to the stations.
- What do you think?
- I like it.
It's peach.
We can change
the color.
Just for now,
try and focus more
on the feeling of the layout.
- I like it.
- I like it too.
Great. They know
what they like.
That's great. We love it.
The lyric inside of the font
gives it precedence,
the advent of a new voice
being announced.
But the most important thing to us
is that you feel well-represented.
I feel well-represented.
As your representative, I'd like
to express how highly unusual
and inappropriate
that woman's conduct was.
I had no idea
she was gonna sit down
and give you a list of reasons that
she's not to be held accountable
if she fails at her job.
These salespeople are mostly the same.
Five minutes into a meeting
you know they couldn't sell
a lifejacket to Natalie Wood.
She was just telling me
not to get my hopes up.
Of course you should
get your hopes up.
Come on.
So, from here,
pulling through five,
walking six, seven,
and down eight.
Uh-huh, good.
So to do that slide,
and you want to think
of actually lifting up
as you're going down,
okay?
You'll get more length on the slide.
Let me see it.
- Good. You okay?
- Yeah, I'm good.
- You sure?
- I'm fine.
- We can take a break if you need.
- No, no, I'm okay.
Okay. I'm gonna put the disc on,
and let's go from the top.
[exhales sharply]
[pop music plays]
I, I, I, I
I, I, I, I
- [instructor] Finding the beat.
- I, I, I, I
Ready?
Step right, left.
Good.
Grapevine.
Going forward.
And going down.
Good, okay.
When the chorus comes in,
try to sing along
with the track,
to see how that feels,
okay?
And just focus
on breathing,
because you want to have enough
air to get through the track.
Okay? Ready?
Five, six, seven, eight.
Keep going.
Good. Step.
Low.
And hit.
Good.
And right. Left.
Walk.
Up.
Good.
That feel okay?
- Yeah.
- Good, good.
[music stops]
[voices on TV,
music playing on headphones]
[man on TV] Is this what
you wanted to see? Huh?
Is this what
you wanted to see?
[man 2]
They came into our house...
[continues, indistinct]
[man 3] The government
called it Operation Reunion,
a delicate mission
carried out
with military precision.
No one was
seriously injured.
What if you get
really big?
First of all,
I don't think that's
even happening.
And second,
even if it did,
it's not like I wouldn't
come home all the time.
Really think I'm gonna be
able to get in anywhere?
Totally.
You look like
you're 22.
No way.
You do.
"Excuse me, sir.
Have you met
my baby sister?
She's so sexy,
isn't she?"
Shut up.
It's true.
You're the pretty one,
and you sing
better than me.
I know. And I'm bigger
than you too.
Stop! Stop!
Sorry.
Hurts my back.
[knock at door]
- I'm not dressed.
- Okay.
Got a call from the label,
from that P.R... bitch.
- You want to hear about it?
- Is it bad?
- You gonna let me in?
- Ellie's getting dressed.
- They shopped it around to radio.
- And what?
And you did it. She says "Alive" and
"Hologram" tested in the mid-90s.
What about
the other ones?
They did fine, I think, but
you got two, for Christ sake.
You needed exactly one
to work.
You don't seem excited.
Well, you don't seem
very excited either.
I'm thrilled. Just didn't
come as much of a surprise.
A & R is sending through
a list of their acts
they think you can open for
in the spring.
- I can't believe it.
- Listen, I'm sending you home for a week or two.
I want you to rest up,
'cause guess what?
I'm taking you to Stockholm
after the break.
- Really?
- It's in Europe.
- I know.
- They want enough tracks for an album.
I want you working with this guy.
The best.
You'll know his stuff
when you hear it.
He's written everything.
Hits.
I told him, make space for you.
He said okay if we come to him.
- [Celeste] Oh.
- So whatever you got... half-written,
ideas, whatever you got...
let's go lay it down.
[Celeste]
You hear that, Ellie?
See? I told you
you'd get really big.
[narrator] Following a short
visit home with their parents,
Celeste's manager had
the girls' passports expedited,
and the three of them
set flight for an unfamiliar
if not particularly exotic
foreign city,
where they would go on to have
many uniquely first experiences.
Stockholm was home
to what business scholars
and economic geographers call
an industry cluster,
an agglomeration of talent,
business infrastructure,
and competing firms
all swirling around
one industry in one place.
In the 1940s, church leaders
and cultural conservatives
rallied together around
a solemn mission:
to safeguard the country's youth
against the degenerate music
that was being piped in
from America.
To combat this threat, municipal schools
of music spread across the country,
offering morally uplifting
instruction in classical music.
One thing would eventually
to another.
Born at the height
of this morally uplifting boom
at the close
of the second war,
Swedish producer Tor Erik
Romstad was initially skeptical
but grew increasingly fond
of the inseparable sisters.
And though he considered
himself a beat-up old atheist
that had been phoning it in for
some time in the pop music game,
he found the girls'
kind-hearted devotion to God,
music, and most importantly,
one another,
to be altogether inspiring.
Over the course of five weeks,
he would turn out
some of his career's most
addictive hooks and melodies.
So far oblivious to the
impending deluge of notoriety
these tracks would
soon afford her,
Celeste primarily enjoyed
getting
all this one-on-one time
with Eleanor.
They never could've dreamed
they would one day
casually travel
to Europe together,
unsupervised and unattended.
On weekends,
Eleanor enjoyed
playing the role of the big
sister by taking Celeste around
to the nearby bars
and local dance clubs.
Before the massacre
at New Brighton,
Eleanor might never have dared to
share these more disgraceful aspects
of her recreational appetites
with her young sibling.
But considering all the
suffering Celeste had endured,
she was surely
old enough now to engage
in the more pleasurable parts
of adulthood also.
Celeste felt alive,
creative, and autonomous,
in command
of her own destiny.
- [vomiting]
- [cell phone ringing]
Baby,
he's calling again.
We're gonna miss
our flight.
It's so early.
Tell him I don't think
I can get on a plane.
[manager]
I don't believe this shit.
[Celeste] I'm sorry.
I'm really sorry.
- [Ellie] No, I'm sorry.
- [manager] No, don't say you're sorry.
Just don't do it.
It's the same old shit with
all you kids over and over.
Your parents trusted me.
I take that seriously.
Are you smiling?
Are you smiling?
Don't smile at me.
It's just that you're funny.
Don't yell at me.
I'll stop yelling
when you wipe
that condescending beam
off your face.
Guess what?
Since you two both
decided to completely fuck off
and do whatever you please,
with zero consideration for what a
terrible position you put me in...
morally, ethically,
legally...
from now on,
I veto your request,
and will swear and fuckin'
curse as much as I please.
'Cause guess what?
I'm not buying
this innocent little girl
shit you two are selling.
Fine. It's a deal.
Just stop yelling.
I'm obviously
not yelling.
You have 12 hours to lie knocked out
on a plane and get your act together.
And what?
Think about what I've done?
I called your room
10 times.
What happens in 12 hours?
- Going to L.A. to make a video.
- What?
[heavy rock music plays]
[crowd cheering]
[song ends]
[people chattering]
Did you enjoy
the show?
- What?
- Did you like the show?
Oh, sorry.
I actually just got here.
He's your manager?
How did you guys
connect?
He saw me sing on TV.
Oh, I'm Celeste.
Can I get you a drink,
Celeste?
No, I'm good, thanks.
I have to work
early tomorrow.
I'm making a video.
Are you in it?
Well, I hope so.
It's a video
for a song I made.
Well, what kind of music
do you make?
- I'm embarrassed to say.
- Why?
I don't want you
to make fun of me.
I'm not gonna
make fun of you.
Pop music.
Ah, I love pop music.
- No you don't.
- Of course I do. Who doesn't love pop music?
What are you doing? Let's go back.
I want you to meet somebody.
- I know your brother.
- Yeah, we've met around.
Yeah. Celeste.
Are you all right?
I've taken a load
of pills before the set
'cause I was nervous,
and I think
I need some new stuff
to counteract
the old stuff.
Do you have any drugs
in the room?
Only painkillers.
Oh. Okay.
I have to go back downstairs
and get a new key.
I think I grabbed
my sister's.
[Celeste's pop music plays]
That is nice.
I love this shit.
[chuckles]
Yeah.
[chuckling]
This is brilliant. This is, like,
the best song I've ever heard.
Shut up.
You left out
a drop and crawl.
I'm not doing that.
You do it.
Fine. I will.
Get off my stage.
Stop. Oh, God.
Stop! Stop!
You make
the same sort of music
the boy who attacked me
used to listen to.
Does that remind you
of him?
It did, just this moment.
I hope that doesn't
upset you too much.
It doesn't.
I think when you meet someone who's going
to become an important figure in your life,
that... it forces us
to look back at the past
so we can get on
with the future, is all.
In my defense,
maybe it was the thing that
pushed that kid over the edge,
or... maybe it was
the only thing
that could've saved him and
all those other poor kids.
Anyhow, I'm glad I'm
already important to you.
I don't like to
think about it
or talk about it.
Why would you?
I mean,
what is there
to talk about?
That's what I love
about pop music.
I don't want people to
have to think too hard.
I just want them
to feel good.
Ever since it happened,
I have the same dream
every night.
Tell me.
In my dream, I'm speeding
through a tunnel
that doesn't seem to end.
I'm late to meet someone
at the other side.
And every time I turn
these wide bends in the road,
I drive past a body,
but I don't stop for it.
Dead body?
Not exactly,
but...
lifeless.
After a while,
I realize that they're
these doubles of me,
like clones,
that I've tried to send
down the tunnel in my place.
But they never made it
to the other side.
They're never the same age.
They're always laid out
in different configurations.
Makes sense.
Does it?
Sure.
I mean,
you almost died.
So...
now it's easy to imagine
yourself dead at any age.
I don't think that's
what it's about, because...
in my dream,
I know that I will never die.
What's at the end
of the tunnel?
I always wake up
before I get there.
But I'm so frightened,
because...
I'm going somewhere
where no one can find me
and no one knows my name.
[electronic beep]
- Wake up!
- [Celeste moans]
What are you doing
in here?
You got to wake up.
We have to call Mom and Dad.
Where's the remote?
A plane crashed into
a building in New York.
[man] And playback.
[electronic music plays]
Oh
Oh, pretend and lie
There is
Smoke and fire
You are the great desire
I wish you'd disappear
Now I've seen enough
Of your dirty
Lo-o-o-o-ove
Yes, I have seen
Enou-ou-ou-ou-ou-ough
Of your dirty love
Now I get you up
I just want you gone
I need to be alone
You're dirty magic
You've broken my heart
With your black art
- [man] Cue the set?
- [man 2] Set.
- [man 1] And playback.
- [pop music plays]
[singing indistinctly]
[narrator]
Haunted by the ephemeral image
of her sister and manager's
nocturnal encounter,
wrestling feelings
of betrayal and exclusion,
Celeste's loss of innocence
curiously mirrored
that of the nation.
From that day forth,
the girls' paths diverged,
and the two sisters
were forcefully pushed towards
opposing severities
of their characters.
One for the money,
two for the show,
three to get ready,
and four we go.
[man 1] Cut. Good.
[people chattering, exclaiming]
[speaks in foreign language]
[foreign language]
- [automatic gunfire]
- [men shouting]
[people screaming]
[automatic gunfire]
[narrator]
In the year 2017,
Celeste would be
31 years old,
prisoner of a gaudy
and unlivable present,
which had reached
an extreme of its cycle,
and there was no imagining
what new forms
it, or she, may assume.
Where are you going?
[woman] For a smoke.
She's with makeup.
- Is she dressed?
- Hair wanted her.
Round tables
start at 1:00.
That's not on me.
40 minutes late.
Hey, how's she look?
Tired.
You look beautiful.
I think it's enough of a
statement with the brows.
I think we should stop
fussing with them now.
How we doing in here?
[woman]
20 minutes.
Good. Celeste,
I need to speak with you
before we start today.
- What is it?
- It's better in private.
Toni doesn't care.
What is it?
There's, uh...
There's been a shooting...
they think it's terrorism...
in a beach town
called Brac in Croatia.
- Do we know someone who got hurt?
- No, no, no.
Of course not.
No, no, no. Don't worry.
We don't have much information,
but 14 people are dead,
- and, uh, more are injured...
- Hey.
No one is gonna think we are insensitive for
playing a gig halfway around the world.
It's not that.
Okay, well, who did it?
Far as I know,
nobody's claimed responsibility.
- Uh...
- Let me finish.
- Okay.
- The shooters
were all wearing masks
from our "Hologram" video.
- What?
- They came out in masks
and started shooting people
at a beach resort.
We don't know
if it was organized
or just a one-off thing.
How similar?
That's as much as I know.
You're gonna get a lot of questions about
it today. I want you to be prepared.
- Can we call off the press?
- Probably not without calling off tonight too.
Josie says it'd be bad
to avoid it anyway.
Okay.
People are going to be
on your side.
We just got to face it head-on
and, you know,
be astute in our response.
I'm making arrangements to hold a
press conference downstairs at 4:00.
- A press conference?
- Yeah.
- Are you kidding me?
- It'll take five minutes.
I called Josie, I told her
I want her here with us
to prepare a statement now.
Has anyone heard from Albertine?
My phone's dead.
Albertine is in the
restaurant having lunch.
I'm taking you to
see them right now.
Is she mad at me?
Why would she be mad at you?
She's excited to be here.
I pushed roundtables
until after press assembly.
That allows us time for a few
more details to pour in.
But the gist I have so far is,
it might all be a coincidence.
- What do you mean, a coincidence?
- I don't know.
They stopped at a costume store
and picked up the first disguise
or whatever you want to
call it that they saw.
But the article SRK sent over
purports that the gunmen
were exploiting your image
and body of work as a symbol
of moral corruption in the
West or something lunatic.
- Ah, great.
- Given your history,
I think we should try and view
this as an opportunity to speak
to some of your most important
beliefs and positions.
[woman] I don't know about that.
In all likelihood,
her history is the reason
they decided to target her.
Now, from the outset,
you have to make it clear
that the reason that you are not
canceling tonight or any upcoming dates
is because there isn't enough
information yet to justify canceling.
- [manager] Right.
- Keep it focused
on your outpour of love
and mourning for the victims
and victims of violence
all over the world.
Nobody would blame you,
but don't say anything rash.
I don't want anyone to misconstrue
what you're really trying to say.
- Everyone out there will feel for you.
- Yeah.
Just speak
from the heart.
I feel like
I'm gonna throw up.
No, it's just my meds.
My spine feels like daggers.
I'll get the masseuse to swing
by straight after the show.
- Hello.
- I'm gonna greet everyone
and get us set up and meet you
back down here in an hour.
- Are they in the restaurant?
- Yeah, I'll call... There they are.
Ah.
There you are!
Why didn't you guys
come up to the green room?
Hey, Mom.
Hi, baby.
Hey, Ellie.
Oh, you look tired.
Want to come up to my room
and take a nap?
- No, I'm really hungry.
- Okay.
She wouldn't eat anything
I ordered for her down here.
I don't blame you.
I had room service
for breakfast. It's awful.
- No, it's not that. I get carsick.
- She gets carsick.
Ah. Okay. Well, did you
have any fun at all?
- I showed her around our hometown.
- Hey. How are you?
- Things are the same in our world.
- It's good to see you, kiddo.
How's Grandma and Grandpa?
Grandma wants to change
their tickets to tomorrow.
Why? I mean, it's practically
across the street from them.
Okay, I'll call her.
- How'd it go?
- What?
- The conference.
- Oh.
I know. Let's not talk
about it now.
What's wrong?
None of your business. Grownup problems.
Don't worry about it.
Hey, baby, you want to
get some lunch with me?
Can I take Alby for
a quick solo girls' lunch?
Of course,
but I need you back by 4:00
so we can get ready
for the show.
- All right.
- She has to be back by 3:30.
Thank you, Ellie.
Can you stick around the hotel, please?
I got to go upstairs...
- I got to get out of here...
- Fine! Take security.
I don't need a babysitter.
I'm gonna walk Alby down the street.
Yeah, down the street.
Please be back by 3:30.
All right. You take a nap.
I'll bring her back after lunch.
- What do you want to eat?
- Mm, I don't know.
What do you mean, you don't know?
Of course you know.
I hate talking to kids
these days.
They always say they "don't know" about
everything. Are you depressed or what?
No.
Listen, I'm just teasing. I'm just
trying to get you to relax around me.
I am relaxed.
I'm just uncomfortable
because there are so many
people looking at us.
Listen, there's gonna be paparazzis
outside 'cause everyone knows we're here.
- You want to go out the back?
- No.
I'll just walk
ahead of you.
[paparazzi shouting,
cameras clicking]
[man]
Celeste? Celeste!
Hey, man,
please don't follow me.
What are your feelings
on today's attack?
Listen, I'm going to lunch.
I'll be back in 45 minutes.
You can take as many pictures
of me as you want then, okay?
Thank you. Jeez!
- Hey, slow down.
- I hate those people.
Everybody hates those people.
Don't even worry about it.
You should've let them
take a picture of you.
- You look so beautiful today.
- No, I don't.
I haven't washed my hair,
and I barely have any makeup on.
You want me to give you
some of mine?
I woke up looking like
a pterodactyl today.
That's the thanks you get
for giving the gift of life.
No good deed
goes unpunished.
You know, the little babies, they just
suck the lifeblood right out of you.
Shut up.
You look great, Mom.
Thank Christ for that.
Better off than some of
these other girls I meet.
- Like who?
- Not telling.
- Why? What's wrong with them?
- Nothing, really. It's just, you know,
when I flip through these magazines,
I see these girls I know,
and half the time, I've seen them
naked in a dressing room or whatever,
so I know where they have an ugly birthmark
or where they got their tail cut off.
- Who has a tail?
- Don't look so excited. I'm not telling you.
I mean, I wouldn't want someone to
spread that kind of personal stuff
around about me,
you know?
This place isn't bad.
Well, it's nice to sit
with somebody
who doesn't have their face
buried in a phone.
Me and Ellie don't do
phones at the table.
That's cool.
You should listen to her.
I do listen to her.
But if she's so cool, then why
do you hate having her around?
I don't hate having her around.
I just wanted some alone time with you.
You act like you hate her.
That's an ugly thing to say.
Don't say that.
Not saying you actually hate her.
Just saying you act like it.
Look, sometimes
I got a short fuse
because I don't get
a lot of sleep
and I've got a lot of stuff
on my plate.
There's no money
in music anymore.
It's all branded content
or virtual reality, reality TV.
I mean, I do a voice for a video
game character, for Christ sakes,
and I make more money in an afternoon
than I do all year on tour.
Then why do you leave us
and go on tour for so long?
I got a lot of people to pay...
more people than you can imagine.
It's a full-time job.
It's like I'm connected
to the whole world all the time, and
I can hear everyone in my head.
I thought we were talking
about Aunt Ellie.
What do you want
to talk about?
- Is she okay?
- She's upset you don't ever try and see her.
She told you that?
That really pisses me off
that she's bringing our problems
into my relationship
with you.
That has nothing to do with you.
You got that? Nothing.
What problems
do you have with her?
You have everything
she ever wanted.
That's ridiculous!
- I'm serious.
- Oh, God.
When we went to visit Grandpa,
he even showed us a video
of Aunt Ellie singing and dancing
when you guys were little.
Hey, what can I say,
you know?
Your Aunt Ellie
has too many scruples,
and sometimes life
just isn't that fair.
Especially not nowadays.
Now people will try
and sell you anything...
a TV monitor that plain as day
looks like shit,
but they tout it as "ultra mega
triple hi-def" whatever.
Their business model
relies on
their customer's
unshakable stupidity.
And deep down,
we probably sense that...
their intimate knowledge
of our commitment
to the lowest common
denominator.
It's the official
manifestation
of the increasingly
important urge
to break with every living thing that
has some connection to the past.
- What?
- When we weren't paying attention,
everyone got together
and they voted
that traditions of the past
are ugly.
The past reeks too much
of ugly old people and death.
So Mama's got to stay fresh.
- Okay.
- You know, I'm pretty sure
that every year my videos
keep getting worse and worse,
but they're doing
better and better.
They showed me this perfume
thing we shot last year
where I'm unfurling from a digital
rose petal like Thumbelina,
and I thought
it would ruin me,
but here I am,
opening for 30,000.
Mom, what are you even
talking about?
I'm letting you in on a little secret
because I love you, that's what.
It doesn't matter anymore
if you're Michelangelo
or if you're Mikey and Angelo
from New Brighton.
And Aunt Ellie
never found her angle.
And then she decided to go get
jealous of my good fortune.
She made
her own choices.
And let me tell you,
she could never do
what I do
day in and day out.
But luckily, she gets to
go home to you every night,
and she doesn't have any
real-world responsibilities
'cause I finance
her entire life.
- Quiet.
- Don't tell me to be quiet.
No, I don't mean it
like that.
- [pop music plays]
- Isn't that your song?
Yeah, I'm sorry.
I'll go ask them to turn it off.
Excuse me. Would you mind
turning off the music, please?
I'm about to order lunch,
I'm trying to talk to my kid.
I just keep hearing
my voice in the head.
Yeah, sorry. My manager
told me to put it on.
Okay.
Could you bring me a drink
and maybe a soda for her?
- What do you want?
- Oh, a glass of white wine.
Whatever you have
that isn't gross.
And if you could put it in a
plastic cup or something.
- Sure.
- Okay.
I'm sorry to
rag on Aunt Ellie.
I know she's doing her best.
It's just, I'm having a shit day,
and I'm taking it out on her.
Better her than me.
I never
take it out on you.
Okay.
I don't, do I?
Ah, God!
Well, if I do,
I don't mean to.
I'm sor...
[sighs]
I'm sorry.
[sniffles]
You know,
sometimes you just...
you think it can't get
any worse, and then you just...
you get diagnosed
with fucking cancer.
What?
Mom, are you sick?
I don't mean literally.
I just...
You know, sometimes you just
get kicked while you're down.
- Oh, God, I shouldn't do this in front of you.
- It's fine.
No, it's not. I would
slap me across the face
if I was sitting
across from me right now.
- Really, it's fine.
- Dan left me.
Yeah, I know.
I read about it.
You know?
Aunt Ellie's not supposed to
let you read that gossip shit.
She can't control
everything I do like a watchdog.
You know what? I wanted to tell you.
I keep feeling like
big moments get stolen
away from me.
Mom, it's fine.
I don't care
about that guy.
I thought you loved Dan.
Yeah, he was fine.
I was just nice to him
because he was nice to you.
[waitress]
Here we are.
Do you guys know what
you want to order yet?
You know, we could use a couple
more minutes with the menu.
I'll just have
the pasta with marinara.
Do you want me to put that in,
or do you want me to wait?
That's okay. You can just bring her.
I don't need anything.
You just bring her pasta.
Why did he leave you?
- Who said he left me?
- You did.
Well, he didn't.
We left each other.
Because when you love
something, you give it away.
Is he seeing
someone else?
- Is that what you read?
- Yeah.
Said he started dating
some rich girl.
I don't know.
That's not what he told me.
But I bet
it's just a fling.
I mean, I've had flings I wouldn't
want anyone to judge my character by.
- [man] Drinks okay?
- Yeah, thanks.
I'm the manager here, so if you
need anything, let me know.
Will do, thanks.
[manager] Um, hey, do you mind if
I get a quick picture with you?
Now is not
the best time.
It's not for public use
or anything.
- It'll just take a minute.
- Is this what you want a picture with?
I'm trying to talk
to my daughter.
I'm sorry, you don't have to
use that tone with me.
I think I asked you
very nicely.
You don't have to be so upset.
It's just a picture.
- Are you fucking serious, man?
- Please don't use that language.
How dare you,
motherfucker?
Alison, can you call
the police?
Who the fuck
do you think you are?
I could ask you
the same question.
I can smell the alcohol
on your breath, by the way.
Are you trying to embarrass me
in front of my daughter?
I didn't even know
you had a daughter.
I just came up to be friendly,
and you started yelling at me.
Now I'm asking you to leave the restaurant,
or I'm going to call the cops.
[Alby]
Let's just go.
You should be ashamed
of yourself, prick.
[Celeste]
Oh, Jesus.
You know what?
Let's go down this way
so we don't have to deal with
all those shitheads out front.
Look, I'm really sorry
I lost my cool on that guy.
He was asking for it,
but I don't want to talk about it.
Baby, you're all
shook up.
Look, that kind of thing
doesn't happen all the time,
but sometimes it does,
and I got to protect myself.
I said I don't want
to talk about it.
But baby, we got to
talk about it,
'cause if we don't,
it just hangs in the air.
I'm worried about you.
You're worried
about me?
You don't need to worry about me.
I'm solid.
I worry about you. Baby, that's my job...
to worry about you.
- You're skinnier than I am!
- Oh, come on.
That's 'cause I'm in great
shape 'cause I go out
dancing my ass off
every night.
Come on, baby.
You're breaking my heart.
Listen,
what that guy said before
about me having alcohol
on my breath,
that was a terrible thing
to imply in front of you.
And instead of just ignoring
the elephant in the room,
let's talk about it
head-on.
I ordered a glass of wine
from them in a plastic cup
'cause I need to let go of some
tension I'm having about tonight,
and I didn't want you to think
there was anything to worry about.
But I swear on my life
I had nothing to drink
before that today, okay?
It's nothing
to worry about.
[narrator] In 2011, Celeste
had drunk herself blind...
or more precisely,
blind in one eye.
She'd waited to tell a physician
about the trouble she'd been having,
too embarrassed to explain
that while touring
the less inhabited,
and therefore less inhibited
parts of the southern
United States,
she had damaged
the optic nerve in her left eye
by ingesting various forms
of methanol during a stint
of binge-drinking
household cleaning products
across three state lines.
Shortly thereafter,
once back at home,
she found herself at the center
of a very public dispute
as the result
of a traffic collision
and one unlucky pedestrian's
crushed left leg and pelvis.
Adding insult to injury,
Celeste accosted
the pedestrian
in a string of uncharacteristic
racial slurs.
The victim of this short-lived
episode in her life
saw an opportunity
and seized it.
That golden ticket came
in the form
of a nearly 13-million-dollar
settlement,
all just another flame
in the crowd
of what Celeste perceived
as a decade-long witch hunt.
What is it, baby?
Is something else on your mind?
It's nothing.
Stop it.
What is it?
[narrator] Albertine
had lost her virginity
the weekend prior to leaving
for this first unveiling
of Celeste's 6th studio
recording, Vox Lux,
and yearned to share the galvanizing
details with her mother.
She had made herself sick with
anticipation every day since
or sense of failure
it might inspire in Celeste,
had always spoken
severely of young men,
even warning of them
more than mixing
uppers with downers,
for example.
If all went according to plan,
the news might just
strike up a long-misplaced
maternal instinct,
and Celeste would be forced
to act as her confidant.
[knock at door]
That was fast.
Where's Albertine?
Oh, she's up in my room
taking a pregnancy test,
'cause apparently you're so
fucking incompetent
you let her get fucked
by some hick from town.
- She's pregnant?
- Unless she inherited my bad luck, probably not.
But I wanted her to feel the
unease of waiting for that result,
because a parent,
or a legal guardian,
disciplines their kid,
they don't just hang out.
I'm sorry.
I had no idea.
You fucked up. Twice.
- I know you're mad but...
- How could I be so stupid?
You know?
You did so badly by me, why would
I expect you to do right by her?
I knew she was seeing a guy,
but it...
it didn't seem physical,
I swear.
You a retard?
No.
'Cause sometimes your jaw
slacks in a certain way,
where you look like
life's just happening to you.
You look like
a retard.
Please don't say that
about me.
Only crazy people get aggravated
when you call them crazy.
So you must really
be retarded.
- I don't understand how you can hate me so much.
- Oh, I hate you?
Is that the kind of garbage
you've been putting in her head?
'Cause she told me all the shit
you've been putting on her shoulders.
You ungrateful sow.
I have a press conference
and two hours of roundtables,
but I swear to God, Ellie,
if my daughter
comes back to me pregnant
with some cross-eyed Guido's
kitten litter
or Hepatitis Z, I will
throw you off that balcony.
[exclaims] After everything
I've done for you both!
[sobs]
After everything
you've done for us?
Good job.
You've done it.
Done what?
You've hurt me.
Embarrassed me.
I have dedicated my whole life
to "Celeste,"
and I'll continue
to do so,
but if you threaten me
ever again,
I'll remind the world
that I raised her child
and that I write her songs.
Touch.
but today, that's a stock
I wouldn't buy into.
You can say
whatever you'd want.
In this day and age,
who'd care?
[pop music plays
on loudspeaker]
[foreign language]
- [automatic gunfire]
- [people screaming]
[gunfire, screaming continue]
[man on recording]
In this meditation,
we're going to play with
the idea of motivation.
- Work can sometimes feel a bit flat.
- [woman] Celeste?
- [recording continues]
- Hey, Is she awake?
[whispering]
Celeste?
Thank you.
Hey. Hello again.
Have a great show.
Have a great show.
How are we doing
in here?
How we doing?
Can you believe it?
Hmm? What's that?
Everyone we used to answer
to works for us now.
[chuckles]
Josie...
She cares about you.
You used to call her
a bitch.
- You look amazing.
- What?
Keep it simple.
You're gonna do great.
Celeste, I just want to quickly
introduce you to Yanmei,
our opener tonight,
before she heads out
- to Staten Island for sound check.
- [Celeste] Welcome.
We are so glad
to have you.
[translator, Yanmei
speaking Japanese]
[translator] To share a
stage with you, to me,
is an incredible honor
and truly a dream come true.
That's real nice
of you to say,
but, really,
the pleasure's mine.
They showed me your stuff,
and I said, "We got to get that girl."
[Japanese]
Then I am even more touched
by your invitation.
We won't keep you.
She has a rehearsal at the venue.
[Celeste]
Hope you dig my hometown.
[translator]
Excuse me?
Have fun in Staten Island.
I have an outpouring
of love
for victims of today's
unthinkable event
and for victims
of violence everywhere,
and I am deeply saddened
to be associated
with such an obscene
and unnecessary tragedy.
It's-It's a weird world
we live in,
and I guess,
no matter how much you try
to ignore all these things
that are really happening,
sometimes they just
find a way to creep in.
- [reporters all speaking]
- Jennifer Durst, WYNN New York.
Why do you think
they chose you?
Do you assume there's some
connection to New Brighton?
I don't know, I mean, I know
about as much as you right now,
and, um...
[clears throat]
you know, since no one's
coming forward
and saying,
"Hey, we did this,"
I'd prefer
not to speculate.
But if they did choose
this disguise on purpose,
I-I guess that it's because
they don't like that I'm a woman
or maybe they don't like
that I'm a successful woman.
Maybe they don't like that
I had a kid when I was a kid.
Maybe they think I'm a floozy.
But maybe you guys think that too.
I mean, the way
I've chosen to live my life
goes against some people's
views about things.
[Durst] Are there any links
between you and Central Europe?
Not really.
Not that I know of.
I've never
played a show there,
so I don't really know.
- [man] Next question.
- [Durst] I just have one more.
Are you and the band still going
forward with the show tonight?
[Celeste] Well, there's not
really enough information yet
to justify canceling.
and my dad always says,
"Never postpone joy,"
so, yeah,
I'll play if they let me.
[man] Next question.
There, at the back.
Afternoon, Meredith Desh,
covering Greater Northeast.
to the perpetrators
of today's attack?
Yeah.
I'd like to tell them
that when I was a little girl,
I used to believe
in God too.
And if they ever come
to their senses,
and they want something new
to believe in,
they can believe in me.
'Cause I'm the new faith,
and I'm not afraid of them.
Hell, I'd even like to extend
an invite to my show tonight.
Josie, can you make sure to put
"cowards in masks" on the guest list.
[Desh] I'm sorry, but can you
explain what you mean exactly?
[narrator] Celeste had
been led here by example,
making loose proclamations
akin to those
made en vogue
by the government officials
and public representatives
of her era.
She was frightened
and wanted to hide,
but before leaving the stage,
she would tangentially exclaim,
"I got more number-one hits
than an AK-47's
standard 30-round
magazine."
I don't know.
I was just making... a quip.
Do you actually believe the
weird shit you said up there?
They wanted a show,
I gave 'em a show.
All right, this place
is swarming with press.
Can I kindly ask you both to keep your
mouths shut until we're finished?
- Fine by me.
- Let me handle it.
Go smoke a cigarette
or something.
- [clears throat]
- Hello, everybody.
- [people] Hello.
You have ten minutes.
As we currently have
no new information
concerning what's happening
across the Atlantic,
I'd ask you to keep your questions
to tonight's performance
and the new album
as much as possible.
Okay. Thank you.
Um, well,
on that note,
can you tell us what audiences
can expect from the new album?
- Sci-fi anthems.
- Hmm.
The concept with this one
was to create an experience
as relentless and addictive
as possible.
Fantastic.
Um, so...
I know we were just asked not
talk about today's attack,
but, um,
I can't help but let it
- contextualize my next question.
- Okay.
Okay.
Uh, you know,
it just got me thinking,
do you feel
that there has been
a shift in the culture
where nihilist radical
groups like this are
increasingly keen
on being perceived
as superstars
themselves?
I mean, who cares?
I was hesitant to even make
a statement today,
because all these ultra-violent
thugs want is to make headlines.
I mean, if everyone stopped
paying attention to them,
they'd cease to exist.
So would people like me,
I guess,
But that's the only link I can
really think of between me and them.
I couldn't just ignore the casualties,
though. It makes me sick.
Okay.
I guess, uh, from
the public's perspective,
this has been a, I guess,
emotional few years
for you,
bizarre events today
very much included.
Can you shed any light
on the significance
of these upcoming arena
performances for you personally?
You're kicking things off
in your hometown.
This is a culmination
of my life's work so far.
You know, we worked on it for two years
before bringing it to the public.
Why two years?
Well, the year
before that,
I was under a lot of stress
after my accident.
And it's an expensive show
to put on.
I wanted to make sure all the
best people became available.
I wanted all
my best dancers back.
With the decision to kick
things off in New Brighton.
you must have considered
the event like a homecoming
resurgence since the accident
and the arrest
- for, uh, causing serious injury by dangerous driving?
- "Injury,"
not "serious injury."
And I never stopped making music, so
I don't consider it a resurgence.
I just wanted a place to channel
all that anxiety and suffering
into something tangible,
something positive.
Mm-hmm. Then can you shed any light on
why that case was abruptly dropped?
I see what you're doing.
[chuckles]
Well, you brought it up.
I'm not going to say "abruptly"
anything, okay?
Listen, there are
three classifications
of gunshot wounds
to the spine.
I'm type three, which means
that the bullet is lodged
in my inter-vertebral
disc space.
Now, type-three injuries
are further subdivided into,
a) spinal injury without
perforation of abdominal viscera;
and b) spinal lesions with
perforation of abdominal organs.
Now, thankfully,
I'm type A,
but it's no secret that
I'm on meds for my injury,
and I never should've been behind
the wheel of a car that night.
- Josie?
- I didn't mean to upset you by that.
I used to be treated
like I was a hero,
and then they start talking about
me like I'm trailer trash.
But that's what
this show is about.
- It's about rebirth.
- Time's up!
And have you at all been
in contact with the victim?
You know I can't
talk about that.
I thought we were talking
about it just now, am I wrong?
Do you not think it's an insensitive
time to be bringing this up?
- Oh, come on.
- You and I, Tony, we are through.
- You know what? You should...
- I'm doing my job, Josie. That's it.
...write about those innocent people
instead of trying to tear down
a good person
and an artist.
That's not what I'm trying to do.
I'm sorry that you misunderstood.
I'm standing everything down
until after the show.
I want you to go to your
room and get some rest.
Some rest, okay?
- Okay.
- I'm serious.
What floor
are you on?
One floor up.
Uh, room 910.
Do you have my key?
- No.
- Ah, fuck.
Get your hands off her.
I came up here,
she was crying by herself.
She needed a hug.
Go downstairs,
get ready for the show.
Come on.
Don't do that.
Look, I hope you didn't take
that thing I gave you earlier.
I overreacted.
What you want me do, you want me
to scream it from the rooftops?
I'm not ready
for you to grow up.
Okay?
You're my little girl.
You forgive me?
Okay, uh...
Give these to Aunt Ellie.
- What's this for?
- It's for everything.
Take them down,
I'll meet you guys in the lobby,
and, uh, we'll head over
together, all right?
Baby, I love you.
You too.
[door opens, shuts]
- So why aren't you downstairs?
- Ah, Jesus Christ!
I almost forgot
you were there.
What happened?
Josie called off
the rest of the day.
- What?
- Yeah, some guy came after me about Joel Hedlund.
I didn't have the mental capacity
or the balls to take him on.
Oh, good. I'll go
talk her off a roof.
No, please.
Please, please, stay here.
What was she saying
to you just now?
Hmm? Nothing, really.
Oh, come on.
You're my best spy.
She doesn't talk
to me.
I don't know.
She's got this, uh,
mock trial thing
at school.
They got invited to
a competition in Lake Tahoe,
- so she must be pretty good at it.
- Okay.
Well, that explains
the Perry Mason routine.
I got cross-examined
over lunch.
Did she mention
anything else of note?
Asked if I could arrange
for her to see it.
All right. Okay.
Not what I was
expecting you to say.
How'd you respond?
I told her,
you know,
he's a messed-up guy
with problems.
It was probably a bad idea.
[exhales sharply]
Good.
Good.
You got any of that stuff
left over from last night?
Is that a good idea
right now?
I'm done yammering
for the day.
Come on.
Tonight's second nature.
Got to get out of my head.
You know that.
I'm getting myself all worked up
from over-thinking everything.
I keep picturing
all those people screaming
and running
all over the sand.
Look, we'll just do
what we have left.
We won't call for more
until after the show.
You can fuck me
for a little while we're high.
[clicks tongue]
[chuckles]
I'm scared.
Nothing to be
scared about, kiddo.
Nothing.
[exhales sharply]
Celeste, come on.
Everybody's downstairs.
[groans]
[groans]
[both chuckle]
- Stop the car.
- [manager] No, no, no, no. No. We're running late.
- Just pull over for two minutes.
- [Josie] What is it?
I just... I just need to do
something for two minutes.
Will you stop
the fucking car, please?
[manager]
Stop the car!
[Celeste]
Come on!
Get down with me.
What are you doing?
Let's just have a moment
of silence together.
Let's shut our eyes
and hold everyone who's suffering
right now in our hearts.
[traffic noise]
Can I help you, miss?
- Nobody calls me that.
- Give her some space.
- [fans clamoring]
- I got you.
- You got her?
- Yeah.
- Are there cameras down there?
- Not that I know of.
- Tell your team if anyone is caught photographing her...
- No photos!
- ...they are fucking fired!
- We'll fire their fucking asses.
What can we get you?
Mmm...
I'm very thirsty.
Get her some water
and something to eat.
- Okay, what would she like?
- Uh, anything with sugar.
- Soda.
- Where's Albertine?
- She's behind you.
- Will you take her and get her something to drink?
We're not going anywhere.
I'm right here.
[man] Oh, I was just coming
up to introduce myself.
- I'm stepping in for O'Malley tonight.
- Who's O'Malley?
- Now is not a great time.
- Oh, I'm sorry. I can come by your dressing room later.
[Josie] I need you to call this!
She can't go on.
Celeste, stop
with the histrionics.
- Yeah, I know. I know.
- Okay? Get it together.
I know. We've been here
every day for a week.
Let go of me!
Let go of me!
Everyone thinks
I'm some kind of idiot!
- No one thinks you're an idiot.
- Just shut up!
- Stop being a spoiled brat.
- Don't call me a brat.
- Stop being a spoiled fucking brat.
- Don't call me a fucking brat!
You shut up. Shut up and
stop being a spoiled brat.
- [man] Right this way, guys.
- [manager] Thank you.
- Spoiled brat.
- Don't you ever
fucking call me
a spoiled brat!
Don't you ever!
I am sick of everybody
treating me like
I'm not a person!
- [shouting]
- [manager] Get it together.
Get your shit together.
Do not come in here
and indulge this unhealthy
behavior, Ellie!
- Close your eyes.
- [wailing]
- [Ellie] Get out of here.
- Can you hear me? Can you hear me?
I said, get out!
Close your eyes
and pretend
- you're the only one in the room.
- Hey. Hey. Hey.
Do you want me
to call this off?
You're dancing in your room.
What did you say?
[Celeste gasping]
Move.
[kissing]
Everybody's is talking about me like
I'm not right in front of them.
I'm right in front of them...
[sobbing]
He's a car salesman.
Don't worry about him.
Hey.
They showed me these
promos we shot today.
I looked so bad.
- What are you talking about?
- So bad!
No, don't look
at me like that.
- Listen to me.
- Okay.
Listen to me.
So they told me
the camera we were using
was gonna be great.
I looked so ugly.
I looked so ugly!
[sobbing]
And it made me
want to die!
No. You're not
gonna die.
I just want to be
queen for them,
and sometimes I don't
feel like a queen at all.
Sometimes...
I'm just so ugly
underneath all this.
If they only knew.
I'm so grateful
you're alive.
I'm here.
They can be so mean!
So mean!
That's because
they've never done anything
they're proud of, honey.
Right!
You're right!
You're not here for them.
You're here for your fans.
And tonight will be the
greatest night of their lives.
The public will be
at your feet again.
In just a few minutes,
this nightmare you've been living
will all be over,
and it will have all
been worth it.
Let me help you
get dressed.
[crowd cheering]
[man] Two minutes.
Two minutes, guys!
- [woman] All right, two-minute warning!
- [man 2] Watch your step, miss.
Coming through!
[man 3] Clear those cables.
They're coming in.
[man 2] Excuse me.
Coming through.
[people speaking indistinctly]
- Excuse me.
- Excuse us.
Watch your step here.
- Stage team, take your places.
- Excuse us.
- Places, please.
- Clear. Clear out of the way. Thank you.
- [woman] Quick, over here.
- You look amazing.
Are you ready?
My daughter's
out there tonight.
Got to make this
amazing for her.
All right.
Let's get started.
All right, everybody
gather round Cel.
[whooping, cheering]
[man] Okay, I just
want to say thank you
for this beautiful group
of talented people.
I want to take a minute
to reflect on the last year
and this crew,
who are like family.
None of this would be
possible without you.
- [cheering, whooping]
- Then let's give our girl some love!
- [woman] Who's the baddest bitch in the room?
- [all] You are!
- Who's the sickest band on the planet?
- [all] We are!
- [man] Who makes this possible?
- We do!
- Are we gonna be good?
- No!
- Are we gonna be great?
- No!
- Are we gonna be amazing?
- No!
Then what are
we gonna be?
- [all] Phenomenal!
- Yeah! Phenomenal!
[all chanting] Phenomenal! Phenomenal!
Phenomenal! Phenomenal!
[man] Come on! Take it higher
and higher and higher
and higher and higher
and higher and higher!
- Phenomenal, break!
- [all cheering]
[crowd cheering]
[man]
Five, four, three,
two...
[Celeste] Tonight,
we're gonna bring it back
to where it all began.
You want to travel back
in time with me?
Tonight is all for you.
That's right, bitches.
My little angels.
This is the
new New Testament.
and tonight
is all for you.
[crowd cheering]
[pop music fanfare plays]
- [pulsing pop beat]
- [singing, indistinct]
? I cannot get out?
? Where they go
I cannot follow?
[continues, indistinct]
I, I, I, I
I-I, I, I, I, I
I, I, I, I
I-I, I, I, I, I
No, I don't need no
Fourth of July
I'm celebrate every night
Every night
And I don't need no
No chemicals
I'm incredible
I provide my own fuel
Yeah, I got all my friends
And we roll together
We're so alive
Yeah, I got a sixth sense
On where the party's headed
Oh, every night
We're alive
[continues, indistinct]
'Cause I'm a firecracker
[continues, indistinct]
I'll be your firecracker
And watch the sparks fly
Tonight, tonight
Be your firecracker
Let's throw it down tonight
Throw it down tonight
I, I, I, I
[crowd cheering]
Come on now, boy, I want
To see some sweat and tears
Throw it down, boy, I want
To see your sweat and tears
I want to see some
Sweat and tears
I want to see
Some sweat and tears
I see you
Don't buckle today
Use your muscles, baby
You're the competition New way
You've got guts
Just for getting on us
Using all that you've got
You know what position
You play
I want to see you put your
Heart where your mouth is
I want to see you give it up
For this world
I wanna squeeze you and give
You all the love you need
Listen to me cheer, baby
I want to see
Your sweat and tears
Ain't nothing to fear, baby
Come on now, boy, I want
To see some sweat and tears
Throw it down, boy, I want
To see your sweat and tears
I want to see some
Sweat and tears
- [crowd cheering]
- [Celeste laughs]
I hear all you angels.
30,000 of my little angels.
So tell me,
how many of you have ever had
a boy break your heart?
And how many of you have cried
yourselves to sleep at night
because somebody called you
an ugly name?
Fat?
Hideous?
Slut?
Well, guess what?
People have been
trying to take me down
for years,
but I won't stay down.
[crowd cheering]
[crowd chanting]
Celeste! Celeste! Celeste! Celeste!
[chanting continues]
- [pop music plays]
- I'm a private girl
In a public world
I'm a private girl
Now here the fun begins
Don't need to sing of
What we got ourselves in
Maybe we'll sneak around
When the plane hits The ground
They point the lens
And we're running
You know I'm a private girl
I don't need to tell
The world
So I'm sticking to
"We're just friends
We're just friends"
I'm sticking to
You see
I'm a private girl
My secrets are hidden
[music fades]
[no audible singing]
[narrator]
Late one night at the hospital,
following that fateful morning
at New Brighton,
Celeste made a maddening claim
that only her sister
had ever sensed to be true.
She recounted
a story to Eleanor
that went something
like this:
Shortly after her classmate
pulled the trigger
and sent her to the place
between life and death,
a place that she was only able
to describe to Eleanor
as a rush of color,
She had met the devil
and made a deal with him
in exchange for her life.
He whispered her melodies,
and she returned with a mission
to bring great change
to the next century.
He said,
"Shut your eyes
and repeat after me:
One for the money,
two for the show.
On three we get ready,
And on four...
come with me.
I knew I would've been
Torn to shreds
But all the people
In my head
Dropped to the bed
I got up instead
Oh, oh
I was barely alive
Stuck in my head
I had nothing left
No, you brought me alive
I'm kissed, I'm licked
Gonna need a fix
Oh, oh
I'm so glad your mine
Your laws that shock
They start from the top
Oh, oh
I'm so satisfied
You are my music
You are my heartbeat
Truly
And when we do it, do it
I know I will
Get through it
I come alive
I hit that line
Until you let me
Feel me
Check the EKG
My heart's
Like a house beat
Now feel the heat
From my heartbeat
Yeah, yeah
When I'm in your arms
We come alive
We have lots of time
Yeah, yeah
We are shooting stars
Oh, I see electricity
Yeah, yeah
Makes me want to move
Without your love
I'd be up above
Yeah, yeah
Stay right here with you
You are my music
You are my heartbeat
Truly
And when we do it, do it
I know I will
Get through it
I come alive
I hit that line
Until you let me
Feel me
Check my EKG
My heart's
Like a house beat
[music continues]
[song ends]