Morgan Stanley plans to launch ETFs tied to the price of Bitcoin and Solana, the first and sixth-largest crypto assets by market capitalisation respectively, according to a Form S-1 filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
This is the first time one of the ten largest US banks by total assets has formally moved to offer crypto ETFs.
An exchange-traded fund (ETF) is a basket of assets that trades on a stock exchange like a share, giving investors easy exposure to an index, sector or commodity without owning it directly.
Many investors favour gaining crypto exposure via ETFs because they are low-cost and convenient. They can also offer greater liquidity while removing the regulatory and logistical complications of holding and safeguarding the underlying assets directly.
However, in the two years since the SEC approved the first US-listed Bitcoin ETF, it has largely been asset managers rather than banks that have launched these products.
BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager, said last December that its Bitcoin ETF suite had become the firm’s top revenue source, with allocations nearing $100 billion (€85bn) and generating more than $245 million (€210mn) in annual fees.
US banks, which have only acted as custodians of client funds until now, seem ready and eager to evolve as providers of crypto services in 2026.
Regulatory push under Trump
The current US administration has been notably favourable towards the crypto asset industry. President Donald Trump’s family launched a crypto platform, World Liberty Financial, just 50 days before the 2024 presidential election.
The company is managed by Trump’s two eldest sons, Donald Jr and Eric Trump, and alongside another firm, Trump Media and Technology Group, it has expanded the US President’s personal crypto ventures.
In parallel to these private interests, the current US administration has made a major regulatory push encouraging Wall Street to fully embrace crypto assets.
In July 2025, Trump signed the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for US Stablecoins Act (GENIUS Act) into law, creating a comprehensive regulatory framework for stablecoins. These are crypto assets designed to maintain a stable value by pegging their worth to a real-world asset, typically a fiat currency such as the US dollar.
That same month, the Crypto Legal Accountability, Registration and Transparency for Investors Act (CLARITY Act) was approved in the US Congress. It is now moving through the US Senate and is expected to pass on 15 January 2026.
The CLARITY Act is a landmark legislation intended to end the long-standing era of “regulation by enforcement” that has weighed on US crypto firms for years.
In September 2025, the SEC also revamped listing rules for new commodities ETFs, including those tied to crypto assets, clearing the way for firms to bring more financial products to market.
The shift helped spur Morgan Stanley to broaden client access to crypto investments in October 2025, and it has now filed with the SEC to offer crypto ETFs directly.
At the start of 2026, Bank of America also began allowing its wealth advisers to recommend crypto allocations in client portfolios, another sign of growing adoption of crypto assets among major US banks.
What this means for the EU
This development in the US banking sector and the crypto industry is not only significant for Wall Street, but also has direct implications for European investors.
US-listed ETFs are typically not available to European retail investors because they do not meet EU requirements under the Undertakings for Collective Investment in Transferable Securities (UCITS) regime.
Morgan Stanley has been expanding its footprint in the European ETF market since entering the space in 2023, and has been building the infrastructure needed to launch EU-compliant versions of these funds.
While Europe has yet to see a UCITS-compliant spot crypto ETF, major platforms such as Coinbase, one of the world’s largest crypto asset exchanges, are partnering with financial institutions, including Morgan Stanley, to enable crypto ETF trading in Europe this year.
Together, they aim to comply not only with UCITS, but also with the EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) rules, which require firms to hold a Crypto-Asset Service Provider (CASP) licence.
Morgan Stanley’s leap indicates that for Wall Street, crypto is no longer a reputational risk to avoid, but a revenue stream they can no longer afford to ignore.
Jeffrey E. Garten is president of Eliot Group Inc., an investment banking firm in New York.
This week, the Senate Finance Committee took up hearings on mergers, takeovers, leveraged buyouts, corporate debt and other assorted sins often blamed on Wall Street.
Next week, the powerful House Ways and Means Committee follows suit, and at least seven other committees seem to be gearing up.
While it brings back memories of past inquisitions of investment bankers, by comparison this show is headed for an unspectacular run.
Only two previous congressional investigations stand out in American history for their far-ranging impact on the behavior of Wall Street and on public opinion. In 1912, Sen. Arsene P. Pujo of Louisiana turned a prolonged spotlight on alleged conspiracies among New York-based financiers to create and control big “money trusts” like U.S. Steel.
Despite its effective muckraking antics, the Pujo committee’s work did not in itself lead to new laws. But sweeping new banking legislation, including the establishment of the Federal Reserve System, followed soon after.
In 1933 the Senate Banking and Currency Committee launched the Pecora hearings–named not for a senator but for Ferdinand Pecora, the legal counsel–which put investment bankers on trial for fraud and other abuses during the booming 1920s. Pecora’s efforts led to milestone legislation that separated commercial lending from investment banking, created new rules for the securities business and set up the Securities and Exchange Commission.
There are, however, great differences between Congress’ past efforts and what will happen now.
Unlike today’s situation, the hearings of 1912 and 1933 were heavily driven by nonelected, firebrand prosecutors with independent political agendas. Pujo had Samuel Untermeyer, one of the country’s top trial lawyers who became wealthy creating mergers and then sought political fortune by tearing them apart. Pecora, a New Deal Democrat, had been a prominent Bull Moose Progressive in New York.
In the Pujo and Pecora eras, the balance of power between Washington and Wall Street was moving toward Pennsylvania Avenue. While in the early 1900s the House of Morgan and a few others single-handedly controlled American finance, by the second decade the government was wising up. Again in the 1920s private markets were running wild, but the Great Crash of ’29 ended all that.
In the late 1980s, however, the markets rule again. A deregulated, global financial casino that sees $200 billion of foreign currency speculation each day has the upper hand over governments. Congress recognizes this and is paranoid about setting off Wall Street’s hair trigger.
In the past, Congress could push for broad policy changes because financial regulations were so primitive. Pujo, for example, had no real authority to compel officials of Kidder, Peabody and other firms to disclose their business records. Before Pecora there were hardly any federal constraints on investment banking.
But today Washington maintains the world’s most elaborate regulatory regime, and hardly anyone advocates wholesale reform. Some measures, such as tax changes, may be required to reduce the attractiveness of financing deals with so much debt. But this will have to be done with great delicacy and, in any event, it is not technically a securities issue.
A common refrain for Pujo and Pecora was the evil of concentration and monopoly on Wall Street. It has always been good populist politics to wail about lack of competition among the investment banks and about the dominance of financiers over the industrial corporations that make goods and create jobs.
But these days the Merrill Lynches, the Shearsons and the Salomons compete ferociously. And few would challenge the need for size and concentration to compete with the Nomuras or the Deutschebanks.
As for whether Wall Street has the nation’s corporate titans on a leash, who can really say, when the management of so many companies and their investment bankers team up to take over someone else–or, as in the case of R.J.R. Nabisco, when they collaborate to buy management’s very own company from its public shareholders?
During past congressional hearings, the executive branch has not been a wallflower. Pujo could ride on the waves of Teddy Roosevelt’s trust busting and Woodrow Wilson’s crusading idealism. Pecora had Franklin D. Roosevelt and New Deal government activism. While President Bush has been making kinder and gentler noises about reexamining the LBO scene, its hard to envision dramatic departures. Its not just that Bush & Co. are moderates. But in today’s greed-glorifying culture, there is little push from outside the Washington Beltway to clobber the money men.
Finally, Pujo and especially Pecora were reacting to financial debacles, in one case the recurrent turn-of-the-century financial panics and, in the other, the Crash of ’29. With October of ’87 but a footnote in history, and with the Justice Department moving enthusiastically to lock up insider traders, there is today no real lightning rod for outrage.
Merger and LBO mania may be leading to severe problems, to be sure, especially if a recession hits and topples all those debt-laden firms. But Congress has never distinguished itself by locking the barn door early. That didn’t happen in Pujo’s or Pecora’s time, and who would bet that it will do so in ours?
From a design shop in Valencia with “murderous” dolls to a studio in Dublin to the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, our photographers have been everywhere this year. They’ve captured key figures in the worlds of music, film and television in somber moments, moments of levity and everything in between. They share behind-the-scenes anecdotes about the shoots and reveal how they got “the” shot.
Britt Lower, Adam Scott and Dichen Lachman (above)
By Jason Armond in Los Angeles
When I received this assignment, my goal was to create a photo that not only mirrored the show’s dystopian surrealness but also captured the intricate relationship triangle between Britt Lower, Adam Scott and Dichen Lachman’s characters.
Initially, it took a little time for everyone on set to see my vision, but once I shared a test image, everyone understood and was excited to collaborate. The entire shoot lasted around eight minutes, but that brief window was all we needed.
After publication, the images quickly went viral. Many viewers assumed the photos were AI-generated or composited, but every detail was achieved in camera.
At the end of the shoot, someone from Lower’s team accidentally stepped on the mirror, shattering it. Someone joked about bad luck, but thankfully, this superstition did not come true, and a few months later, Lower won the lead actress in a drama series Emmy for her role in “Severance.”
Richard Kind
By Christina House at Sunset Gower Studios in Hollywood
Richard is one of a kind — no pun intended. He was singing and joking with us, telling stories. We were set up outside under the beating sun and he was wearing a vest with a wool coat, so we were trying to work quickly! I always love seeing behind the scenes of how films are made. I decided to pull back and include the lights and my assistant Jonathan’s hands to give it that working set feel.
Cynthia Erivo
By Jason Armond in Los Angeles
Cynthia Erivo’s portrait session took place in a studio near Beverly Hills, where she had recently finished recording her latest album. My initial plan was to photograph her seated beside a vintage piano, but she had a different vision. This is why I always prepare at least three setup options for entertainment portraits. I quickly adapted and moved to my next setup, which featured a striking geometric wooden wall in the studio. As I adjusted the lighting, I noticed her stunning wardrobe with two waist-high slits that revealed her tattoos. At that moment, I understood her preference for standing, as it allowed her to express her style and personality fully. I adjusted the lighting to complement Erivo’s sultry and confident presence. Her choice to stand brought a dynamic quality to the image. The resulting image speaks for itself; Erivo brought the scene to life and needed almost no direction. I simply pressed the camera’s shutter button.
Bella Ramsey
By Bexx Francois at the London in West Hollywood
Rather than chasing an expression, I was interested in stillness and repetition; how a simple gesture could feel amplified when echoed across a frame. I wanted Bella’s profile to be both the anchor and the rhythm of the image. She was immediately open to leaning into something more abstract. It was a real-time compositional gamble, guided by instinct and trust. We made several variations, but it was her side profile that ultimately struck the strongest balance between classic portraiture and interpretation.
Lee Jung-jae and Hwang Dong-hyuk
By Justin Jun Lee at the “Squid Game Experience” in New York
From the moment I walked in, I felt completely immersed in the design of the space. It truly felt like I was stepping onto an actual film set from one of the “Squid Game” challenges. The iconic giant doll Young-hee from the “Red Light, Green Light” game immediately stood out to me. My goal was for the images to carry a sense of tension and intensity that mirrors the tone of the show, and I believe that came through in the mood, expressions and presence of both Lee Jung-jae and Hwang Dong-hyuk.
Yungblud
By Hon Wing Chiu at the Hollywood Palladium
(Hon Wing Chiu / For The Times)
I was limited to photographing only the first three songs at the Hollywood Palladium, so I chose to shoot two songs up close and save the last one for a gamble from the back of the crowd. Most of the time I could barely see past the fans, but I hoped the final song would give me something unexpected.
When Yungblud hit the stage, the whole room exploded. The lights were changing every second, and he never stopped moving — running, jumping, connecting with the crowd like the stage could barely contain him. The fans were screaming, reaching, completely locked into the moment. I captured what I could up front, then switched lenses and waited for one last chance.
During that final song, everything suddenly came together. Yungblud stepped right to the very edge of the stage, almost close enough for the fans to touch him. Their hands shot into the air, trying to reach him, and he threw his arm upward with full force, like he was lifting the whole room with him. For a split second, the lights, the crowd and his energy aligned perfectly. I hit the shutter, hoping I caught it.
It wasn’t the peak of the entire concert, but it was the peak of the moment I was allowed to shoot — and it became the image I had been chasing all night.
Olivia Cooke and Robin Wright
By Jennifer McCord in London
I’d only seen the trailer for “The Girlfriend” at the time of the shoot but knew I wanted something that contained the idea of untrustworthy narrators that seemed to be threaded throughout.
Paul Thomas Anderson
By Christina House at the Aster in Hollywood
I had been made aware that PTA does not love being photographed. I had worked with him once before so I knew he was really nice but a bit camera shy. When he finished up his interview with columnist Glenn Whipp, he came to meet me in the neighboring hotel room where I had a chair positioned next to a window. I shared my idea on framing the image; I was shooting it from the bedroom closet to give some depth and he liked it. We took a few frames, talked about our dogs (his dog is trained to bring him his L.A. Times newspaper every morning) and he apologized for being difficult on his way out, to which I immediately replied that he was the complete opposite of that.
Fernanda Torres (‘I’m Still Here’)
By Annie Noelker in Los Angeles
I remember her just being so classy, elegant and lovely. Her whole team was so kind and we shot out on the balcony of the hotel room for maybe 10 minutes. It was effortless and such a satisfying collaborative experience.
Adrien Morot, Kathy Tse and M3GAN dolls
By Carlin Stiehl in Valencia
It’s always a treat when you step into the creative world of a mastermind, especially when it comes to the magic behind our favorite films. You might expect that seeing the process up close would spoil the mystique, like a magician revealing their tricks, but in the case of Adrien and Kathy, it only deepened the sense of wonder. The “M3GAN” dolls were so lifelike, and the real sell wasn’t their eyes that draw you in, but the skin. The dolls’ lifelike texture and softness, and the rows of faces on worktables waiting to be painted, created a diabolical scene out of a skin-harvesting, flesh-mask horror film. Yet the insanity was where the true genius hid, because in many ways, I could believe it was real. Hence, the inspiration for the photo: a take on the quintessential family-style portrait — the ones you kind of cringe at when you walk into someone’s home, radiating manufactured happiness. The dolls were like their children so I thought, let’s get the kids together with Mom and Dad and show how beautiful their doted-on children are for our guests.
Saagar Shaikh and Asif Ali
By Bexx Francois on the Disney Studios lot in Burbank
I came in with a loose mood board, a few traditional pose ideas alongside some comedic “scenarios” that had a 50/50 chance of making it to my memory cards. Their Hulu series “Deli Boys” was a comedy after all, maybe they’d be down to lean into play. When Saagar and Asif arrived, I showed them my wish list. Instant cosign. Once we nailed the first “scenario,” pure improv took over, with Asif and Sagaar seamlessly falling into the mock-conflict of their on-screen characters; hence, Asif being hoisted 3 feet in the air. By the time we called wrap, everyone was in tears.
Dan Brown
By Cheryl Senter in Rye Beach, N.H.
Two things: I always follow my gut and never wear pink. A few days before the assignment I had this gut feeling that I wanted a portrait of the bestselling author with a wall of mirrors. The day of the assignment I decided to wear a hot pink shirt I had picked up at a thrift store instead of my black-on-black attire. At Dan’s house I spent an hour with his assistant scoping out a few locations — no wall of mirrors. Before I left I asked Dan if he had a wall of mirrors. Dan smiled and led me to a very tiny circular bathroom that had a tall, curved pocket door made of copper. It was a tight space with the door shut. My pink shirt came in handy. I could easily see if I was in any of the mirrors. At one point Dan looked at me and started laughing as I tried to make myself wafer thin. Then I started laughing. Dan’s assistant waiting outside asked softly, “Is everything OK?”
Penn Badgley
By Matt Seidel in Los Angeles
This was a classic celebrity shoot: Our scheduled 30 minutes collapsed into seven so we had to move fast. I shook Penn’s hand and told him I had two goals: Get the shot and get him back on schedule. There was no time to over-direct so I gave him one piece of character direction and let him run. I didn’t want Joe Goldberg from the TV series “You.” I didn’t want Penn Badgley, sexy serial killer. I wanted the real Penn Badgley saying goodbye, closing a chapter, integrating the shadow of the role and stepping into the light of what’s next.
Spike Lee
By Victoria Will in New York
Nothing says Brooklyn like Spike Lee, so it made sense to photograph him where he is most recognized, in Fort Greene near his well-known office. The relationship between Spike and Brooklyn is longstanding and reciprocal, shaped by history, presence and place. That familiarity was evident as nearly every pedestrian waved or said hello, many greeting him like an old friend. And there wasn’t one person that he did not acknowledge. True class.
Sombr
By Evelyn Freja at Pier 17 in New York
The photo was taken on an empty construction floor of the pier where he had a concert that night. I remember it was a very quick session right before he went on because he had gotten a cold and was trying to save his energy to perform. Despite his health, he (and his entire team) was so kind and gracious, which made the shoot go easy. I decided to light the warehouse with a red light to lend the energy of his music to this shoot and a very moody light for Sombr to reflect the ambience of his songs.
Elle Fanning
By Christina House at the Toronto International Film Festival
I had photographed Elle a few years back. She’s a sweetheart and so good at posing so she doesn’t need a lot of direction. For this particular photo, it was taken at our portrait studio at the Toronto International Film Festival. It’s a fast-paced flow of folks coming in and out for portraits, an organized chaos at times, but you would never know that by the calm on her face. She’s a pro.
Lena Dunham and Megan Stalter
By the Tyler Twins in New York
The playlist was ‘90s (Alanis Morissette, the Cranberries, Jewel), and the vibe was easy and celebratory. Megan and Lena have a genuine chemistry and were both very relaxed in front of the camera. Our shared ties to Ohio made for good conversation. It truly felt like we were shooting friends.
Domhnall Gleeson
Jennifer McCord in Dublin
This was shot in a studio in Dublin (studio shoots for assignments always feel super rare!) with just me, Domhnall and his makeup artist Lucy. We played the latest Fontaines D.C. album and the shoot was super chill and lovely. I’m always appreciative when an actor is up for being collaborative and trying different things — this was one of the last shots we took. The rest of the images feel quite energetic, so it was nice to also get this more intimate-feeling frame at the end.
Karol G
By Bexx Francois in El Segundo
When time with an artist is limited, anxiety threatens to grab the wheel. But once Karol G walked on set, everything went quiet. And delicate. She had such a kindness about her. And an effortless beauty. I was inspired by classic Irving Penn; using walls to guide the eyes toward the center. We used a V-flat as our “set.” Even with a wind blower only 6 feet away throwing gusts of drama in her direction, Karol remained in command of her space and performance. And still connected where and how needed — with piercing intention.
Benson Boone and Brian May
By Allen J. Schaben at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival
Shooting Benson Boone’s trademark leaping acrobatics at his Coachella debut this year gave me the chance to bridge the gap between musical generations. The performance of “Bohemian Rhapsody” was made even more significant by the presence of Queen’s legendary guitarist, Brian May. My challenge was positioning myself to capture the moment while navigating a sea of spectators’ heads, hands, arms and cellphones. I dropped to a low angle to create a fan’s perspective, capture the height of his leap and ensure both artists were in the frame. Then it happened — somewhere between a cymbal crash and a guitar wail. Boone sprinted onto the piano and launched into the air above May, and in a split second, it was over. Moments like this are what make my job rewarding, and this performance by Boone and May will live on as a legendary one in my memory.
Marianne Jean-Baptiste and Mike Leigh (‘Hard Truths’)
By Christina House at Shutters on the Beach in Santa Monica
Marianne and Mike had such lovely chemistry together. They were chatty so I thought I’d give them an action to follow and this is where we landed. This was taken in a hotel boardroom with a seamless backdrop.
Mariska Hargitay
By Victoria Will in New York
I’ve had the good fortune of photographing Mariska Hargitay many times over the years, which brings a level of trust and collaboration. She gives both generously. On this occasion, she was as she always is: grounded, confident and present, with an easy sense of humor.
Wesley Schultz and Jeremiah Fraites of the Lumineers
By Robert Gauthier at the Sunset Marquis in West Hollywood
The Lumineers was a memorable shoot for me. To make this photo I crawled into a thicket of ferns at the Sunset Marquis Hotel. As I crouched behind a rippling fountain, stretching and contorting my body to attain the correct angle, I began to wonder, “Do the Lumineers think I’m some kind of a lunatic?”
Luis Guzmán, Jenna Ortega and Catherine Zeta-Jones
By Jennifer McCord in London
I’m such a big fan of “Wednesday” as a show and of all three of these actors, so this was truly a joy. As always with these assignments, we had limited time but thankfully we were shooting at the wonderful Raffles in London and Luis, Catherine and Jenna were so wonderful.
Mark Hoppus of Blink-182
By Robert Gauthier in Los Angeles
Mark Hoppus’ home is a photographer’s dream. A Midcentury Modern with interesting angles, surfaces, colors and light. He was patient and willing to pose wherever I found inspiration. We settled on a few places, including beneath a skylight that streamed natural light into a hallway. It’s a simple image. One might say it was just another one of all the small things.
Stephen Graham
By Sophia Spring in London
This was shot in a little makeshift studio I set up in a boardroom at Netflix HQ in London. We were capturing these portraits of Stephen ahead of the release of “Adolescence.” At the time all I knew about the show was the vague story outline of Stephen’s character as the father of a boy arrested for murder, and so I was keen that the portraits channel the visceral and complex tone of the show. After a quick hello I explained to Stephen what I was after, and for the next 20 minutes he proved why he is the world-class actor we know him as — he brought such an intensity and commitment to our short shoot. I was thrilled to see his well-deserved Emmy win a few months later.
True Whitaker
By Christina House at the London Hotel in West Hollywood
True is a warm and friendly human. She greeted me and my assistant with a hug. I could tell she was feeling a little under the weather that day but she didn’t ask for any special treatment, and kindly and happily took direction. It was a pleasure to meet the “I Love LA” star. I used window light to keep a soft yet moody feel.
Jessie Murph
By Annie Noelker in Los Angeles
We shot Jessie at NeueHouse Venice Beach (rest in peace) and there was this skylight in the backroom, where the sun cast this magnificent glow. The time of day was just perfect and oh so lucky. I had Jessie stand in the glow and look up, with just a little reflector under her chin and we captured this beautiful, still moment of reflection and calm before the insane year the singer-songwriter has had.
Danielle Brooks
By Bexx Francois in Los Angeles
I had just flown in from New York, where only days earlier I was sitting in a movie theater with my nephews, ages 6 and 11, watching “Minecraft” and enjoying their faces light up from the screen. In 2022, I saw Danielle Brooks in the Broadway revival of “The Piano Lesson,” a performance that had me on my feet in applause. And now my nephews were being introduced to her talent in a different context. When the assignment to photograph the actress landed in my inbox soon after, it was an instant yes. Unbeknownst to her, I was quietly geeking out behind the camera. I wanted to capture her in the same bliss she gave my nephews in that theater together.
Laverne Cox and George Wallace
By the Tyler Twins in New York
Laverne Cox arrived fully prepared in vintage Thierry Mugler. We bonded over a shared love of fashion history; she’s an expert! George Wallace, her onscreen father in the Prime Video comedy “Clean Slate,” brought a warmth that was easy to capture. Their father-daughter dynamic unfolded naturally, with Laverne playfully striking poses around him.
Tonatiuh
By Christina House at Hollenbeck Park in Los Angeles
This was a meaningful place for him since he grew up in the area. He seemed at ease and I sensed it felt good to return to a place he called home during what I can imagine is a very busy and surreal time for him — promoting the movie “Kiss of the Spider Woman” with Jennifer Lopez. Grounding yourself is so important. There’s a pond at the center of the park. We headed in that direction and made a few frames with this beautiful, natural sunlight. He mentioned that the scar on the left side of his face is not something he is ashamed of so he was comfortable being photographed on that side.
Laurence Fishburne
By Jason Armond in Los Angeles
When I photographed Laurence Fishburne for his role in the spy thriller “The Amateur,” I approached the session with a storyteller’s mindset. Even in my celebrity portraiture, I aim to capture a narrative. For this shoot, I chose dramatic lighting to reflect the suspenseful tone of the film. Fishburne had recently suffered a broken toe, so he needed to remain seated throughout most of the session. What could have been a limitation became a creative opportunity. I concentrated on close-up portraits, letting Fishburne’s intense expressions and moments of exuberant laughter bring the images to life.
Fujii Kaze
By Jason Armond in El Segundo
During awards season, I photograph many celebrities each week, which challenges me to find new and creative approaches for every session. For me, the key to transforming the ordinary into something extraordinary is always staying open to inspiration wherever it appears. My shoot with J-pop star Fujii Kaze at the L.A. Times offices embodied this idea. On my way to the studio, I noticed a stack of black chairs in the hallway and instantly recognized their potential. Those unassuming chairs became the backdrop for a striking, environmental portrait. Following my instincts allowed me to create something truly unique.
Michael Koman and Greg Daniels
By Jason Armond in El Segundo
When I was assigned to photograph Michael Koman and Greg Daniels, the creators of “The Paper,” I knew I wanted the images to capture the quirkiness of their show. Early on, I decided to build a set entirely out of newspapers. Since our shoot was at the L.A. Times offices, I gathered piles of old papers and envisioned Michael and Greg in a flurry of pages, an energetic and playful nod to their show’s spirit. The idea worked beautifully.
After the session, I led Koman and Daniels on a brief tour of the newsroom. Daniels eagerly asked about every detail of the newsroom’s daily operations and how each area was used. His sincere curiosity stood out, revealing his dedication to his craft.
Before Koman and Daniels left, I jokingly offered my services as a show consultant. I have yet to receive a callback, so for now, I am more than happy to continue my work at the L.A. Times.
Billy Crudup
By Bexx Francois in Los Angeles
We arrived at the Netflix offices and started making our way to our shoot location. Out the corner of my eye, I noticed this teddy bear chair in one of the waiting rooms we were passing by. Its design was charismatic and made me smile. I instantly requested it be brought to set. We tried one to two traditional chairs in its stead before committing to its playfulness. If it made us smile during test shots, hopefully it would do the same once “Jay Kelly” star Billy Crudup arrived on set. And indeed, it did. We spent the most time joking and capturing candid moments with Billy comfortably leaning into that furry hug. It produced one of my favorite photos from our time together.
Cyndi Lauper
By Larsen&Talbert at Jack Studios in New York
From the very beginning, it felt more like a collaboration than an assignment.
Once we knew what she’d be wearing, we gathered around the rolls of seamless paper together, weighing color options like painters choosing a palette. Blue immediately stood out. We agreed, started setting up and everything was moving smoothly — until a few minutes later when Cyndi Lauper came running back into the room.
“We can’t do blue!” she said, laughing. “My hair is blue today.”
She was absolutely right.
Without hesitation, we pivoted to our second choice: orange. Against her blue hair and bold, pink doll-head suit, the orange backdrop crackled with energy — it was perfect.
Some subjects need a lot of coaxing and direction. Not Cyndi. She knows exactly how to move, how to hold a pose and how to communicate with a camera. She doesn’t wait to be told what to do — she gives you something. Our job was simply to stay sharp and ready, capturing whatever magic she sent our way.
It was effortless, intuitive and joyful — the kind of shoot that reminds you why collaboration matters, and why icons become icons in the first place.
Jinkx Monsoon and BenDeLaCreme
By Dutch Doscher at Blonde Studios in New York
When I got the assignment, I was immediately excited and had this image in my head of placing them inside a colorful candy cane circus. I had no idea how I was going to pull that off until Broderson Backdrops came through with the perfect 25-by-25-foot backdrop. I showed the idea to their publicist and got an immediate, enthusiastic yes. From there, the gold outfits came into focus and everything started to click.
They were incredibly easygoing and completely comfortable playing to the camera. You can sometimes wonder if a duo like that is more of a work relationship, but once you’re in the room with them, it’s clear it’s a deep friendship. That connection made the shoot feel effortless, and I think that’s what ultimately comes through in the photograph.
WASHINGTON — As the increasingly troubled economy emerges as the trump issue of the 2008 political season, senior congressional Republicans said Wednesday they would put aside demands to make President Bush’s tax cuts permanent if that was what it took to get quick action on a stimulus package.
Democrats, meantime, signaled they too would consider compromises in the interest of fast action, such as reining in some social spending they might otherwise push for and accepting inclusion of business tax incentives in the bill.
“I think there is a way to come to an agreement,” House Minority Leader John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) said in an interview. “Not having an agreement is a lose-lose.”
The White House has not addressed the issue in detail, but Bush, who has been traveling in the Middle East, is scheduled to hold a conference call today with congressional leaders. To avoid a veto, they hope to get his nod in advance on the outlines of a plan that would probably include a $500 rebate check for taxpayers, extended unemployment benefits for the jobless, and incentives for businesses to expand and create jobs.
The president also has invited congressional leaders to the White House for a meeting Tuesday. And Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke is expected to add his voice to the support for stimulus when he testifies on the Hill today.
The sudden unanimity on the need for action, standing in sharp contrast with the ideological deadlock and partisan jockeying that have characterized Washington for more than a year, reflects a confluence of developments that threaten trouble for both parties.
On the political front, exit polls in Michigan’s GOP presidential primary Tuesday showed that economic anxiety outstripped all other issues on voters’ minds. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney won in Michigan after setting aside conservative orthodoxy and vowing to play a highly active role as president to set the nation on the road to prosperity.
With presidential tests looming in Nevada, South Carolina, Florida and other states where economic distress is evident, candidates in both parties have ratcheted up their expressions of concern and rushed out their own stimulus proposals.
A stream of unwelcome economic data has added to politicians’ sense of urgency. The Labor Department announced Wednesday that consumer prices rose 4.1% last year — the fastest in 17 years — led by soaring gasoline costs and higher prices at the supermarket. Average wages, meantime, recorded a slight drop when adjusted for inflation. Earlier this month, the department reported unemployment had hit 5%, the highest rate in two years.
Economists consider the dual ills of rising inflation and rising unemployment to be the worst situation policymakers can face, because the cure for one — increasing fiscal spending or the money supply to spur job growth — can stimulate further price increases.
A member of the GOP rank-and-file, Rep. Lee Terry of Nebraska, expressed the feelings of both parties when he said: “People expect us to act.” If Democrats and Republicans can get together, he said, it will “let people know we can do something here.”
Perhaps the most striking illustration of how much these developments were changing the atmosphere on Capitol Hill was the readiness of Republicans to step back from their long insistence that Congress make the Bush tax cuts permanent. Such tax cuts have been central to GOP economic policy for more than two decades.
Now Republican leaders say they are ready to put off action.
“It’s impossible for me to believe that [permanent tax cuts] would be part of the agreement, as much as I would like to see that happen,” Boehner said.
Republican leaders met privately with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) on Wednesday to discuss stimulus ideas — a meeting Boehner described as his first policy get-together with her since Democrats won control of Congress in November 2006.
While yielding on the Bush cuts, Republicans said they would insist that Democrats not include new taxes as part of the package and that they try to hold the reins on some social welfare spending.
House Minority Whip Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), who attended the meeting with Pelosi, revealed no details of the talks but said he and Boehner had “made clear that Republicans are interested in working toward an agreement on a short-term stimulus package.”
“But we were equally clear that hard-working middle-class families must not be burdened with new taxes or wasteful spending if any such plan has a chance of becoming law,” he said.
Democrats say they are mindful that the president wields a veto pen and that their Senate majority is thin. If they want to avoid the kind of extended tug-of-war they had with Bush over Iraq war funding last year, Democrats will have to get him and his Republican allies on board in advance.
“This will need an unusual level of bipartisanism,” said Jim Manley, staff director for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.).
Some Republicans acknowledged that the emerging shape of the stimulus legislation made it more likely that the president — who mentions the issue at every opportunity — would not get his tax cuts extended before he left office.
“If they don’t get it in the stimulus package, they are not likely to get the Bush tax extension this year,” said Bill Frenzel, a former Republican congressman from Minnesota and longtime member of the House Budget Committee who is now a guest scholar at the centrist Brookings Institution.
For their part, Democrats indicated that they were likely to set aside “pay-go” standards under which they have pledged to offset any new spending with revenue increases or cuts elsewhere. Keeping the economy growing and stemming job losses are higher priorities in the short term than worsening the federal budget deficit, they indicated.
There is “a growing consensus that this is not the time for pay-go, because you want to inject money into the economy,” said Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.), chairman of Congress’ joint economic committee.
Despite the new urgency, both parties see opportunities to score partisan points on the economy.
Democrats, including Schumer, say that to stimulate the economy, it makes the most sense to give money to people who need it the most and will spend it right away. For example, they favor extending unemployment benefits in hard-hit areas.
But Republicans, wary of expanding government entitlements even temporarily, favor tax incentives to businesses to help them create more jobs.
Conservatives angered over Democrats’ opposition to previous tax-cut proposals noted that new spending enlarges the federal deficit just the same as new tax cuts, which Democrats long have opposed.
“The Democrats have been preaching, ‘We can’t do anything to increase the deficit.’ Now it appears they’ve kind of thrown that by the wayside,” said Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas), leader of a group of House conservatives.
To get the Republican support they need to pass a bill, Democrats may need to give greater weight to tax incentives and less weight to social welfare spending than they might otherwise want.
Schumer said such compromises would be better than delay, in large part because economists say a stimulus package has to be enacted fast or it will have little effect.
“If this isn’t done in the first quarter — finished, signed, sealed and delivered and already going into effect — it may be too late,” he said.
Neither party looks forward to running for election in the fall with the economy in the dumps, but the prospect may be especially unwelcome for congressional Republicans.
“Bad economic times almost certainly work against the party of the president,” said Thomas Mann of the Brookings Institution, who studies the relationship between Congress and the White House. “For Bush to block it would make a drubbing only more likely for the Republican candidate for president.”
Fed Chairman Bernanke visited Pelosi in her office Monday to discuss a need for economic stimulus; he signaled last week that the central bank was increasingly worried about an economic downturn. Some analysts said his remarks suggest the Fed is going to make a bold, three-quarters-of-a-point interest rate cut at its next meeting on Jan. 30.
As a design writer, I feel lucky to get to peek inside some of Los Angeles’ most iconic homes.
This year, I visited many places, from Midcentury Modern landmarks by Edward Fickett and Raphael Soriano to humble apartments filled with Facebook Marketplace finds.
The rooms that stayed with me long after I left were not always the most luxurious or expensively furnished. Instead, they were the ones that made me smile and left a lasting impression of the person who lives there.
Here are the 14 rooms that resonated with me this year and the people who live in them who inspired me even more.
A colorful, sun-drenched kitchen in Mount Washington that connects to nature
(Mariah Tauger / For The Times)
Priced out of much of Los Angeles, architect Lindsay Sheron and her husband Daniel bought a vacant hillside lot in Mount Washington and proceeded to design and build their own home. Working over a three-year period, the couple served as general contractors and did much of the work themselves. The kitchen is a standout, featuring bright green custom kitchen cabinets painted Raw Tomatillo by Farrow & Ball, which add vitality to the single-wall layout. A custom metal hood by Practice Fabrication, powder-coated the color of a Pixie tangerine, adds a sense of fun.
“I wanted our house to feel really warm and bring nature inside,” says Lindsay, referring to the Western hemlock tongue and groove planks that she and Daniel installed on the walls and ceilings. “Wood does the heavy lifting in accomplishing that.”
In Hollywood, a stunning living room that’s filled with second-hand furnishings
(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)
Caitlin Villarreal felt giddy the first time she stepped inside the Whitley Heights rental, a storied 1926 Mediterranean-style penthouse with towering ceilings, hand-carved wooden beams and a pair of arched bookcases alongside an oversize fireplace.
“It had good energy,” Villarreal said of the 1,500-square-foot apartment she rents in a historic neighborhood where Rudolph Valentino, Charlie Chaplin and Bette Davis once lived. “It’s iconic just by standing tall year after year. It has floor-to-ceiling Old Hollywood windows that blow open unexpectedly just like in the movies. It doesn’t feel like a rental. It feels like a forever home.”
A Midcentury Modern dining room in Studio City that Raphael Soriano would approve of
(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)
Architect Linda Brettler’s list of things she loves about her Raphael Soriano-designed home is long, even though the all-aluminum structure, which was designated a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument in 1997, was in desperate need of updating when she purchased it in 2021. “I like doing projects like this where I get to have my own hand and feel, but I’m still honoring what was here,” Brettler says. “I’m trying to create an idealized version of what the house would look like now.” In the dining room, a reproduction of a Millard Sheets painting, rendered by Cal Poly Pomona students on Tyvek, is mounted on a cork-lined wall. Above the painting, she has mounted a projector screen for movie nights and video games.
A modern West Hollywood living room decorated with pets in mind
(Kit Karzen / For The Times)
“My original inspiration was to match the furniture to the kitties so I don’t see their cat hair,” anesthesiologist Jeffrey Hamilton says of the West Hollywood condo he shares with his boyfriend David Poli, his cats Romulus and Remus and Poli’s Husky mix, Janeway. “The cats very much informed the color scheme. I find them so handsome; it felt like having matching furniture was practical.”
In the living room, Hamilton chose a camel-colored Curvo sofa in velvet by Goop for CB2, which he found on Facebook Marketplace. Similarly, the accompanying swivel chairs from HD Buttercup and the barstool seats in the kitchen are upholstered in Bengal and Husky-durable textiles that camouflage their rescues pet hair.
“Jeffrey likes to say that everything in his apartment is a rescue, including me,” says Poli jokingly.
A surprising Silver Lake kitchen that doubles as a retro video store
(Juliana Yamada / Los Angeles Times)
Chris Rose fondly remembers the days when he worked at the independent video store I Luv Video in Austin, Texas.
Now an L.A.-based writer, director and producer, Rose, 41, recalls the Austin store’s eclectic assortment of cult oddities and world cinema.
Although he can no longer visit the video store, Rose doesn’t have to go far to rent these days, as he has brought a similar yet distinctive collection to the kitchen of his one-bedroom bungalow in Silver Lake.
Two college friends transform a Glassell Park living room (and garage) into an art-filled escape
(Juliana Yamada / Los Angeles Times)
Antonio Adriano Puleo didn’t intend to renovate his traditional 1946 bungalow, but after consulting with architectural designer Ben Warwas, who told him he could transform the house into a “forever home,” the artist changed his plans.
“The living room wasn’t big enough, and it featured a huge red brick fireplace that had doors on either side of it, leading to the backyard,” said Warwas.
The living room of the main house is now open and airy, with custom cabinets and millwork by James Melinat that showcase the artwork Puleo made himself and the pieces he has collected for more than 30 years. The living room’s fireplace is gone, but the wooden mantle remains atop a console behind the sofa, graced with a series of colorful ceramic planters by Ashley Campbell and Brian Porray of Happy Hour Ceramics.
“Little tweaks totally transformed the house,” Warwas said.
A fabulous wet bar in a West Hollywood apartment that’s perfect for parties
(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)
Growing up in a small town outside of Cleveland, Tyler Piña was fascinated by Los Angeles and the glamour of Hollywood.
“My dad grew up out here, and it’s where my parents met,” says the 33-year-old screenwriter. “I remember looking at old Polaroids of them in the ‘80s and seeing how much fun they had.”
His attraction to Los Angeles, however, was more than just nostalgia. “I was mesmerized by the landscapes and architecture,” he says.
Looking back, he can’t believe he realized his dream of moving to Los Angeles from San Francisco in 2018 and eventually renting a Midcentury Modern penthouse by Edward Fickett steps from the Sunset Strip.
“A Midcentury Modern penthouse on Sunset Boulevard in the heart of West Hollywood, with a bar in the living room? I mean, does it get more iconic? I am, in no way, cool enough to live here,” says Piña.
A bedroom in Beachwood Canyon is transformed into an art-filled office (and occasional guest room)
(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
When Natalie Babcock and Samuel Gibson found a listing for a sunny apartment in Beachwood Canyon five years ago, they immediately fell for the two bedroom’s charming built-in bookshelves, faux fireplace, hardwood floors and formal dining room. Practical amenities such as an in-unit laundry and a garage, which are often elusive in Los Angeles rentals, didn’t hurt.
Today, however, the couple says they are most impressed by the sense of belonging they have found in the community just outside their 1928 Spanish fourplex. Here, where tourists and brides in wedding gowns often pose for photographs in the middle of the street in an effort to capture the Hollywood sign in the background, Babcock and Gibson have become part of a larger family. “Everyone knows our dogs’ names,” says Babcock.
The couple’s taste is vibrant, and the colorful interiors reflect their sense of fun and love of design. They painted one wall in Gibson’s office a dramatic Kelly green, which makes the white-trimmed windows and his extensive art collection pop.
“Art is one thing that I am always happy to spend money on,” Gibson says.
A treasures-filled living room in Eagle Rock that’s a colorful showstopper
(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)
Isa Beniston and Scotty Zaletel are romantics. Not just in their love for each other, which they are as vocal about three years in as budding high school crushes, but also in the way they describe the contents of their 412-square-foot one-bedroom apartment. They can recall the season they discovered each treasure — from fruit-shaped throw pillows to more than 30 animal portraits — and the cross streets of the flea markets from which they bought them. They gush about the time they’ve spent together in fabric stores and flooring supply shops as if they were dimly lighted restaurants primed for date night.
“We both just love stuff,” the two said in near-unison.
A tricked-out garage/ADU in Venice that serves as an office, gym and family hub
(Luke Johnson / Los Angeles Times)
“They’re fun,” architect Aejie Rhyu says of the creative couple Will Burroughs and Frith Dabkowski, as she walked by the undulating two-story ADU she helped them realize.
Rhyu’s assessment helps to explain the joy that permeates the family compound, from the pink Los Angeles Toile wallpaper in the bedroom (humorously adorned with illustrations of L.A.’s beloved mountain lion P-22, the La Brea Tar Pits and Grauman’s Chinese Theatre) to the tricked-out garage on the first floor, which includes overhead bike storage, an espresso maker, a mini-fridge and a large flat-screen TV that allows Sydney-born Burroughs to watch Formula One car races and cricket games at 4 a.m. when his family is asleep.
Burroughs even installed a subwoofer speaker beneath the sofa to give the garage the feel of a movie theater during family movie nights. “Jack went flying off the couch when we watched ‘Top Gun,’ ” he said of their son, laughing.
A serene guest room in Mid-Wilshire that’s a light-filled studio for a textile artist
(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)
After living in her two-bedroom apartment in Los Feliz for more than a decade, Debra Weiss encountered a problem experienced by many renters in Los Angeles: She was evicted.
When her son-in-law spotted a charming two-bedroom apartment near the Los Angeles County Museum of Art on Zillow, her initial reaction was, “I want this,” Weiss said of the fourplex.
The rental had high ceilings, oak floors, ample sunlight, an appealing fireplace, a garage and a washer and dryer.
In the guest room, a wall hanging composed of three separate weavings in a gingham check pattern is embroidered with a series of characters she based on her 5-year-old granddaughter’s drawings. “It’s about people coming together in chaos and supporting each other,” Weiss said.
Even though the process of having to move was stressful, Weiss is happy with her new home and neighborhood. “I take the Metro bus everywhere and hardly ever drive,” she said. “Everything worked out perfectly.”
A ’70s-inspired speakeasy/lounge in Highland Park that’s hidden behind a bookcase
(Carianne Older / For The Times)
Standing beneath a glittering tiered chandelier in her pink “cloffice,” designer Dani Dazey shares the essence of her colorful style: “From the wallpaper to the artwork, my home is a reflection of me right now,” she explains. “It’s a personal and hip twist on traditional design.”
Rather than embrace rustic farmhouse style or minimalist Midcentury Modern design as is often the case in Los Angeles, Dazey has taken the Highland Park home she shares with husband Phillip Butler and given it an over-the-top maximalist spin.
The speakeasy lounge, accessible through a hidden door sliding bookcase, is a ‘70s-inspired sanctuary with a modular sofa, curtains and wallpaper in the same floral pattern.
Their home is proof, that our homes should make us happy by reflecting who we are. In Dazey’s case, that translates to bold color, lush textures and retro vibes.
A memento-filled living room in Long Beach is an ode to ‘the people we love’
(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
A sense of fun permeates the rooms of Cecilia and Abraham Beltran’s colorful one-bedroom Midcentury apartment in Long Beach.
“We both have a deep passion for Midcentury design and color,” Cecilia shares.
The Beltrans’ apartment encapsulates their design sensibility and “above all, the people we love,” Cecilia says. There’s bold, Midcentury Modern-inspired furniture the couple found on Craigslist, tongue-in-cheek smiling pillows and the “Hole to Another Universe” wall decal by Blik, which can be removed when they move. Peppered throughout the space are mementos from their travels, such as the limited-edition art print “La Famille” purchased on a trip to London in 2023.
Ultimately, Cecilia says, she wants the apartment “to feel like us. I think we pulled it off.”
In Reseda, an apartment where every antique tells a story
(Stephen Ross Goldstein / For The Times)
When Evelyn Bauer, 97, downsized from her four-bedroom home in Sherman Oaks to an apartment in Reseda in 2014, the longtime collector and antiques dealer was forced to relinquish many of her personal belongings.
“Collecting is my passion, my addiction, and I’m so happy to be afflicted with it,” says Bauer, whose two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment at an independent living facility for seniors is filled with furnishings and decorative arts from her 65 years as a collector.
Step inside her living room, and the vast collection of antiques feels like entering the former Encino Antique Center, where she was once the proprietor during the 1990s. Each item has a story, a memory and a unique charm that she cherishes.
The Ford Mustang was built in Detroit, introduced to the world in New York and, according to a new exhibit on the border of downtown and Boyle Heights, romanticized by Los Angeles.
Part advertisement, part history lesson and part playground, “American Icon: A Mustang Immersive Experience” uses theme park-inspired trappings to celebrate a work of mechanical artistry. The car — first introduced in 1964 at the New York World’s Fair as a sporty, compact coup with just a little bit of an edge — is given a hero’s treatment. Inside the warehouse-like Ace Mission Studios, “American Icon” tracks the Mustang’s evolution from the suburban garage to the race track, and uses projections and a 4D theater experience to transform what could have been a showroom experience into something built more for a video game.
With installations focused on the fabled, traffic-free, open road “freedom” that car manufacturers like to so often tout, there’s something quaintly old fashioned here. The Mustang is presented as a car for young couples on the go, optimistically envisioning an America when home and car ownership were a given.
Visitors watch an immersive 4D short film.
(Ronaldo Bolanos/Los Angeles Times)
The seats inside a 4D theater vibrate and feature water and scent effects.
(Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times)
In that sense, it’s a car enthusiast’s fantasy. But can it inspire a new generation of car dreamers, especially at a time when some data indicates younger audiences may be holding off on a car purchase?
While no cars are for sale at “American Icon” — there is an assortment of specially branded Mustang merch, however, much of it nostalgically focused on 1964 — such an immersive endeavor makes sense, says researcher Jason Jordhamo, a marketing director for Polk Automotive Solutions from S&P Global Mobility. Enticing audiences today, he says, involves a more personal touch than a big TV ad spend or a sponsorship deal.
“It’s less time in the dealership,” Jordhamo says of reaching younger consumers, especially Gen Z. “Those traditional things have to be let go of.”
Jordhamo notes that new vehicle registration among those aged 18-34 has dipped about 2% in recent years. Anecdotally, he cites a multitude of factors, ranging from growing environmental consciousness — hybrids and electric vehicles are big with the age bracket — to the ease of rideshare, especially in major cities.
But there are other causes for concern. “There’s a lot of things that are challenging in that space,” Jordhamo says. “One is affordability, which is huge. The cost for purchasing a vehicle — the monthly costs — have gone up 30% since the beginning of this decade. And the average loan payment nationally has been over $750 all calendar year.”
With the “Pick Your Pony” interactive feature, guests can listen to different Mustang engine sounds.
(Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times)
Immersive experiences, which typically denote either some level of participation on the part of the guest or attempt to envelope the attendee in all-encompassing imagery, are common in Hollywood and often seen as a way of reaching a younger consumer weaned on interactive entertainment. They’ve been utilized heavily by studios such as Netflix for pop-ups themed to “Arcane,” “Squid Game” and more, but brands and personalities as varied as the Catholic Church, McDonald’s and even Mariah Carey have gotten in on the experiential action. Car companies, too, have dabbled, be it partnering with video game franchises such as “Gran Turismo” or “Rocket League” or, as Ford already does, offering real-life experiences such as off-roading in a Bronco at various U.S. locales.
“It’s more than just steel and rubber,” says Ford’s communications director Mike Levine when asked why Mustang was pegged for such an experience. “Mustang’s impact on America should be appreciated like an art exhibit.”
Seated before a crisply, powdered blue 1965 Mustang on a turntable, the exhibit’s first major room comes alive to simulate movement as the surrounding four walls use projections to place us on idealized versions of Venice Beach and Route 66. The glimmering rhythm of Martha and the Vandellas’ “Nowhere to Run” sets the tone as visions of cruise culture innocence aim to make us feel as if we’re on a ride through Southern California. All that’s missing to complete the mood is someone to deliver us a milkshake.
Several generations of Mustangs are projected behind a real vehicle.
(Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times)
Share via
Levine says Los Angeles rather than Detroit was chosen as the first of a planned many stops for “American Icon” in part due to the city’s iconography, pointing to historic drives such as Pacific Coast and Angeles Crest highways as scenic backdrops for our car-focused culture. While experiential marketing is all the buzz in recent years, Levine says this is the first installation of its kind for Ford.
“So far, so good,” said Enzo Sanchez, 22, when asked on a recent weekday if he was enjoying “American Icon,” which culminates in a 4D theater experience that serves as a mini motion simulator. Expect to get splashed with a drop of water as the smell of burning rubber fills the room. The mini film — about five minutes — has Mustang drivers saving a post-apocalyptic world from a rogue AI. “Terminator,” but if Mustangs came to the rescue.
Sanchez, named after famed racer and entrepreneur Enzo Ferrari, comes from a car enthusiast family. His father pointed to a wall dedicated to appearances of the Mustang in popular culture, and singled out a framed portrait of Johnny Mathis’ LP “Those Were the Days,” which features the automobile, and said he would have to track down a copy.
“It just transports you,” Sanchez says of his love of the Mustang, adding that he first became aware of “American Icon” on a recent trip to mid-Wilshire’s Petersen Automotive Museum, which helped curate the exhibition. Sanchez noticed one of its famed 1967 Mustangs, the so-called “Eleanor” from “Gone in 60 Seconds,” was absent, and when Sanchez inquired as to its whereabouts, he was told that it would be popping up at “American Icon.” The vehicle shares space with Mustangs from “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” “Kick-Ass” and “Transformers” at the exhibition.
“American Icon: A Mustang Immersive Experience”
The Mustang, says Ford’s Levine, has been among the most popular movie vehicles, adding that “Gone in 60 Seconds” showcases the car as much as it does the city of Los Angeles. He, too, has seen the headlines that proclaim Gen Z is shifting away from car ownership. For now, he says, he isn’t concerned.
“I heard the same thing about millennials, who weren’t going to buy cars,” he says. “As a parent of two Gen Z children, they love cars. Their friends have cars. They want something they can enjoy.”
A rotating platform and video projections make a Ford Mustang look like it’s driving on a road.
(Ronaldo Bolanos/Los Angeles Times)
And as Ford bets on with “American Icon,” they want something they can experience.
“This is a different way to reach a Gen Z customer that is very much looking for or has seen engaging content online,” he says. “And when you come in to do that experience, it’s really every sense. When you do the 4D ride, it is every sense. You smell. You feel it. You hear it. You see it. And when you’re immersed on that level, you put the phone down.”
And that, of course, is an essential rule to enjoying the road.
