Netflix’s Avatar

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The mystery has been revealed, Future Party. Despite rampant speculation that actor Timothée Chalamet is moonlighting as rising British rapper EsDeeKid, the two are, in fact, entirely different people. That revelation may disappoint some of the internet’s most online denizens, but they can take comfort in the way Chalamet cleared things up — by dropping a surprise collab with the elusive artist on Instagram. The real shocker, though? “Timmy Tim,” as he calls himself, actually has bars.

Netflix is acquiring the Estonian avatar-creation platform Ready Player Me, so subscribers can customize their own digital personas for use in the streamer’s games.

The Big Picture: One of the streaming industry’s next big ambitions is to inject platforms with a metaverse-like quality. Disney is already ahead of the curve thanks to its deals with Epic Games and OpenAI. Now, Netflix is looking to close the gap with an acquisition that could even outpace the Mouse House in turning static user profiles into active characters.

Behind The Personas: One day, your avatar could scroll Netflix for you.

Last Level: Netflix has been seriously overhauling its game division over the past 18 months, installing former Epic Games exec Alain Tascan at the helm. Under his leadership, the company has been transitioning from mobile-first, licensed games made by outside studios to in-house development — with a focus on party games, narrative experiences, kids games, and “mainstream” AAA titles (think Red Dead Redemption and a new FIFA) designed to feel native to the TV app.

While it’s still unclear which titles will get avatar-creation tools first, weaving them into Mario Party–style party games feels like a sure bet.

Coming Soon: As Netflix builds out interactive tools across its entertainment categories, giving users the ability to create customizable avatars could gamify every aspect of the app experience.

Sure, you feed your pets, take them for walks… but do you truly know their health (and what they need to thrive)?

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Products designed to enhance a wearer’s health and wellness appear to be the next evolution of sports and performance attire.

Why It Comforts: Health and wellness have taken over what we eat, what we drink, and even how we spend our Friday nights… so it was only a matter of time before people would want innovation in what they wear. It’s simply another option to optimize ourselves endlessly.

Between The Threads: Clothes that help you physically are so last year. Now, people want clothes that help them physiologically, per The WSJ.

Checkout: So, does any of this stuff actually work? In short, it’s TBD. In the case of Nike, the company says its shoes “ground the wearer.” Its chief science officer, Matthew Nurse, has said test wearers showed heightened alpha-wave activity after just 15 minutes — a state associated with increased “focus, visualization, meditation, and presence.” That said, Nike won’t release the studies until next year, once peer reviews are finished… so it’ll take a beat before customers can ask for the receipts.

The Future: Like any clothing, some pieces can look great on certain people and fall flat on others. Health and wellness activewear may introduce a new paradigm — clothes that feel incredible on some bodies and awful on others. Brands are going to need to extend their return policies.

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69% of you voted All of the above (emotionally impactful, original, relatable, well-told, etc.) in Friday’s poll: What makes a story memorable to you?

“While all of the above is true, most people can see through even the best-told stories if they aren’t authentic or their intentions aren’t genuine.”

“It’s all about the storyteller. A great raconteur can make anything sound fascinating. Originality and how we connect are also part of the equation.”

“If you can’t relate to or identify with a story, it’s just a pile of words.”

“I like good character development and twisty plotlines as well.”

Let’s keep the conversation going. Join our Poll Of The Day newsletter, so your opinions can shine. Discover how your views line up with your peers’, check out cool insights, and have some fun. It’s data with personality.

🔫  After spending a billion dollars on the rights to James Bond, Amazon has licensed some of the franchise’s top titles to Netflix.

📺 Sony is acquiring a 41% stake in the Peanuts cartoon franchise for $457 million — bringing Sony’s ownership up to a total of 80%.

🎄 For the first time in five years, Wham!’s “Last Christmas” has overtaken Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” at the top of the charts during the holiday season.

👕 Alaïa designer Pieter Mulier is expected to be named the next creative director of Versace.

💰 Activist investor Elliott Management has taken a billion-dollar stake in Lululemon and is looking to push forward a CEO candidate.

🍔 DoorDash is rolling out a new restaurant-reservation feature called… you guessed it… Reservations.

🏆 The inaugural TikTok Awards have named Keith Lee the Creator of the Year.

🖐️ Instagram is looking to limit users to five hashtags per post.

😂 The White House is trying to figure out how a finance-related livestream from YouTuber Matt Farley took over the White House’s website.