Supermodel Bella Hadid makes a literally explosive entrance in her first starring role, but whether she can actually act remains a mystery after her character detonates before uttering a single line. The 29-year-old fashion icon headlines Disney+'s new horror thriller The Beauty, directed by Ryan Murphy, which explores a sexually transmitted virus that transforms its victims into paragons of physical perfection.
A Catwalk Turned Carnage
In the opening scene, Hadid plays a supermodel named Ruby, sulking her way down a Paris catwalk in a striking red leather jacket. Overcome by an intense thirst, she violently snatches a water bottle from a front-row attendee before attacking another and descending into a berserk rampage that leaves several paparazzi dead. The chaotic sequence escalates as she steals a motorbike, crashes it, engages in a gunfight at a pavement café, and ultimately explodes, splattering French gendarmes with gore. Press reports have already dubbed the spectacle Catwalk Carnage.
Hadid has previously expressed that acting is a dream of mine, but this visceral, wordless debut offers little insight into her dramatic capabilities. The stylised, striking visuals mirror Hadid's own aesthetic, yet critics are left wondering if she possesses a squeaky, nasal voice akin to a silent film star rendered obsolete by the talkies.
Murphy's Signature Flaws and Viral Pandemic
The Beauty centres on a sexually transmitted virus that instantly bestows gorgeousness upon its hosts, triggering a global pandemic. The narrative follows FBI agents played by Evan Peters and Rebecca Hall, who track the outbreak across Paris and Venice while engaging in frequent sexual encounters with each other and various others. In one scene, Peters gasps, An assistant editor at Vogue combusted in the Conde Nast cafeteria today, highlighting the virus's deadly, explosive consequences.
Jaquel Spivey portrays a lonely, overweight individual who contracts the disease and transforms into the impossibly handsome Jeremy Pope, raising the provocative question of whether a messy death is a worthwhile trade for such beauty. This theme lies at the heart of Murphy's series, though it struggles with his characteristic pacing issues. The show lurches between heart-racing action and tedious exposition, where characters explain the plot so pedantically that viewers might easily multitask on social media.
Behind the Scenes Tensions and Future Appearances
Murphy's relationship with critics appears strained, as one reviewer notes being denied advance screeners for The Beauty after panning his previous Disney series, All's Fair, as the most skin-crawling, toe-twisting, teeth-grinding, gut-squelching shovelful of TV ordure I've ever had dumped on my desk. While The Beauty is deemed superior to that earlier work, it still falls short of high praise, with comparisons to ailments like scabies underscoring its flaws.
Adding to the intrigue, Nicola Peltz, known as Mrs Brooklyn Beckham, is slated to appear in the final episode, part 11, though only three episodes are currently available. Her acting prowess remains untested, with speculation that she might deliver a whiny, high-pitched New Jersey accent reminiscent of Minnie Mouse guest-starring in The Sopranos. As the series unfolds, audiences will discover if these high-profile cast members can transcend their explosive introductions and deliver compelling performances.
