Miranda July and Margaret Qualley Make Out on Instagram and We’re so There for It
We love a good soap opera, and Miranda July‘s Instagram has been delivering in spades. In the latest installment, July and Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood actress Margaret Qualley seal themselves to each other and make out. Sound intriguing? Read on.
The drama started a few weeks back when July posted a FaceTime call between her and Qualley. In the video, a teary-eyed Qualley tries to persuade July to meet up with her by performing a seductive dance, telling July how much she misses her, and showing off a cut she has on her foot (no, not the naked foot!). July resists, using her family as an excuse. The implication from this conversation is that Qualley and July had an affair, but it had ended, presumably, before Qualley began filming Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood.
The next chapter in the saga finds July dedicating a post to Qualley. In it, July writes, “I’m sorry I hung up on you @margaretqualley,” and performs a sexy dance to the Kinks’ “I Go to Sleep.” July obscures the video by putting a water bottle in front of the camera. Qualley sees the video and posts in the comments, “This cut right to my soul.” They exchange some messages, and Qualley reveals she’s in Los Angeles. July draws their Instagram convo to a close by saying, “calling u now.”
It’s unclear what transpired on the call between July and Qualley. They lead us to believe they established “rules,” because a week later, Qualley posts a longing message to July on Instagram with a note, “I don’t know if I’m breaking “the rules” @mirandajuly. But, oh well?” She records the message at some Hollywood Foreign Press party, which we assume was the Golden Globe Ambassadors event. Qualley tells July she wants to marry her, even though July is married to someone else (that someone else in real life is director Mike Mills).
Jaden Smith then somehow inserts himself in the drama. He sees Qualley’s wedding proposal post and directs a message to July in the comments that he might be able to help the star-crossed lovers. After some messaging back and forth, July and Smith FaceTime. Smith suggests that July and Qualley seal their love with a Hazion Circle ceremony. He describes it as being an alternative to a marriage ceremony. The idea intrigues July.
In their next communication, Qualley is down to do the circle ceremony, but it will have to wait. She texts July that she is off to Paris.
Two days later, the pair has another text message conversation where Qualley sends videos of herself dancing in a club with Rashida Jones. July tries to stay on the topic of the ceremony, but Qualley isn’t responsive. It’s heartbreaking to watch. Has Qualley lost interest? Is she just toying with July’s emotions?
July and Qualley’s next FaceTime call, which Qualley posts just two days later, is even more heart-rending for fans that want this love story to have a happy ending. Qualley is at the airport about to board a plane to London while July is at home. July wants to practice what they are going to say for the Hazion Circle ceremony. Qualley responds that she isn’t sure if she needs the circle anymore. What?!! Qualley then says her phone is about to die. It’s a regular cliffhanger.
Next, July seeks help from singer-songwriter Sharon Van Etten. She wants to continue planning for the Hazion Circle ceremony, even if Qualley is acting like a character out of Invasion of the Body Snatchers. July asks Van Etten to write a song for the ceremony. Van Etten and July get to work.
July’s next Instagram post is a text conversation with Qualley. She sends her the Hazion Circle song. We see that July is nervous and isn’t sure what to say. She types and deletes and types and deletes.
After the last few exchanges, we had all but given up hope that Qualley and July would actually get together, but then came last night’s post. They perform the Hazion Circle ceremony to Smith’s specifications with Van Etten’s song playing in the background. It culminates with a make-out session. Ah, we’re a sucker for a good love story. The Hazion Circle ceremony itself is a little awkward, it involves a lot of repetition of phrases along with a circle of pennies, a metal basin, and a ribbon.
Evan Rachel Wood, Richard Jenkins and Debra Winger appear in KAJILLIONAIRE by Miranda July, an official selection of the Premieres program at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Matt Kennedy.
In the middle of all this Instagram drama, the Sundance Film Festival announced that July’s new film Kajillionaire will premiere at the festival next month. And no, it doesn’t star Qualley. The film is described as the story of low-stakes grifters who “invite a chipper young woman into their insular clan, only to have their entire world turned upside down.” The cast includes Evan Rachel Wood, Gina Rodriguez, Richard Jenkins, and Debra Winger.
July also shared details of a new retrospective book she has coming out in April 2020, Miranda July. It covers all her work to date and includes commentary by Carrie Brownstein, David Byrne, Spike Jonze, Sheila Heti, and Hans Ulrich Obrist. The book is being published by Prestel and is available for pre-order now via the Penguin Random House website.
Qualley has her own stuff going on as awards season is heating up. Tarantino’s film is right there in the thick of it. (Her mom is so proud.)
As for the love story, below you’ll find a selection of posts from the July-Qualley saga. To view more, visit July’s Instagram here and Qualley’s Instagram here.
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Just when I think it’s just over, she calls. I’m begging you, @margaretqualley.
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Images from Miranda July’s Instagram