Gossip Guru

Guola, your Gossip Guru here with the latest. Has the frost melted for the ‘Ice Queen?’ Rumors of Sol III stadium shows for her next tour, fresh romance, and sparks in front of the holodrones hold the answer.

Things are heating up in more ways than one for the anikuran super-star singer, and now actress from Tavril IV, the ‘Ice Queen of Trance,’ Siala. Her affinity for all things human has worked well for her so far, with sixteen of her twenty-one hits being reworked human songs from antiquity, the latest being Never Gonna Give You Up.

The big question will be how her love for all things human translates to holostories. The new holo is based on another ancient human work: a two-dimensional action-romance moving picture called The Bodyguard. Not only is it the first holo for Siala, it’s the first time a human has had a leading role in any holo from the major studios on Tavril III. Back to that in a moment.

According to sources in the studio, Siala had insisted on a human director but backed off when the producers threatened to pull funding. The studio picked powerhouse director Firaal Oreionok to helm the project. Engaging in a bit of subterfuge with Siala, Firaal invited human director Sylvia Spall as “Assistant Director,” a title in name only. Firaal quietly let Sylvia take the helm and hid it from the studio until the holo was sealed in crystal. We’ve been told that Firaal officially changed his credit to Assistant Director and promoted Sylvia’s name to the fore.

So, dear reader, you may be wondering about the human in the leading role. If you’ve seen any of the human holos by Sylvia Spall, you’ve seen him. The action-hero, human heartthrob, Kellen Cashman. While it’s not unusual for him to play in a holo of this sort — or any Spall holo — it is unusual that it isn’t a human holo … or is it?

There’s been a lot of talk among the trade that The Bodyguard is nothing but human encroachment on the Tavril III holo industry. The other side of that argument, however, is that the human holo industry is the largest in the known galaxy, and what all others are based on, including Tavril III. Sure, one of the main characters is human (played by Cashman) but he’s the only human in the cast.

Then there’s the question of Siala’s adoption of human music, fashion, and now holo. Some notable anikurans have called her actions cultural appropriation, but we haven’t yet found a single human who agrees with that assessment. She’s been known to always include humans in her music holos, her touring bands, and has always acknowledged where her songs — and now this holostory — come from.

When we asked her about those claims, she said, “I don’t care what others think about it. I never said that the human songs were mine, just that I love them and wanted to share them in a way others could connect without detracting from the value of the original works. If you like my version, check out the originals, they’re so much better than I could ever do. I’ve got all three feet on the ground, I’m centered and know where I’m going.”

While there have long been rumors about a secretive relationship between Sylvia Spall and Kellen Cashman, there’s another place that Siala’s life is heating up. Anyone who doubted the couple’s repeated claims that they are friends and nothing more, has a new reason to believe them. After holography wrapped on The Bodyguard, Kellen has been seen out with Siala, all over the Northeast Entertainment District on Tavril IV. You heard that right, Siala has been out in public nearly every rotation since the wrap party.

They’ve not only been spotted out and about together but returning to her home every evening. She recently requested a long-stay visa for Sol III, home of Kellen, where it’s been said that a construction crew has started a new low-grav wing on his mansion, complete with anikuran-style stairs and furniture.

When asked about working with Siala, Kellen described her as, “…talented, intelligent, funny, one the best people I’ve ever met. The Siala you see on stage or in interviews is the real deal. There’s no put-on or pretense, she goes at the world soul first. I understand why she’s so private, it can be daunting to be so genuinely raw.” He declined to comment on their personal relationship, but it seems obvious to this humble writer that they are at the least very friendly, and more than a little amorous.

“How will it work out between an anikuran and a human?” is a question that this poor, beleaguered writer has been subjected to too many times now. To those with doubts I ask first, is a human a person? Assuming you, dear reader, are intelligent enough to realize that, yes, humans are as much people as anikurans, what precludes any two people from loving each other? Are you so shallow — you in the editor’s room, you know who you are — as to think different species can’t connect on a true, emotional level?

For the last word on that, though, I would turn to the remarks, and the possible slip, Siala made to Holo Trade Insider, released just after the end of principal holography: “Kel is amazing. He just radiates this warmth and natural charisma. He’s a consummate professional and made my own time in front of the holodrones so rewarding and such a learning experience.

“I have to say I love … would love to work with him on any other project. It feels like my life is divided into two parts: the part before Bodyguard and now. And now I feel like I am living my life fully. There may be more to announce in the near future, but we’re playing our cards close to the chest right now.”

For those who may not be up on human sayings, ‘playing our cards close to the chest’ means they are keeping something secret until the time is right to let it out. Just what could that secret be?

I have a guess, dear reader. With Cashman known as being a bit of a loner and Siala being downright elusive offstage, their current behavior is far outside the norm for both. Kellen was scheduled to return to Sol III with the rest of the crew, but instead has extended his stay on Tavril IV “indefinitely” with Siala’s home listed as his current residence. This is the same home, remember, that even her closest friends have only seen during the rare lunches she hosts.

Add to that, the low-gravity additions to his home on Sol III, expected to be completed in the near future, and rumors of Siala’s next tour of the Sol system to begin and end with stops on Sol III at stadiums with the capability of setting up low-gravity stages, it looks like the couple are making things long term.

Has Kellen Cashman warmed the Ice Queen’s heart? I think he has, and I wish them all the happiness in the galaxy moving forward.

Until next cycle, dear reader, I’ve been your Gossip Guru, Guola.