Oscar Wilde’s Sole Grandchild Investigates a Family Scandal

Plus: Hollywood's Sexiest Real Estate

View in browser | Update preferences SUBSCRIBE FOR FULL ACCESS There's little I find more intoxicating than a scandal—the shocks and aftershocks of wrongdoing, sure, but also the tales and exaggerations that crop up to contain them, and the interpersonal divisions that are so often stirred along the way. All of this was true of Irish literary titan Oscar Wilde's story. And now, 130 years after the transgression that warped Wilde's literary reputation, Vanity Fair writer-at-large James Reginato spoke with his only grandchild, Merlin Holland, who has written about, as actor Rupert Everett phrased it, "the ricochet effect of the atom bomb of the Oscar Wilde scandal" on his family in the book After Oscar: The Legacy of a Scandal. And as a palate cleanser after that sober story of the sins of one father—you might want to read about a sillier set of daddy issues. Plus, Los Angeles native Lorraine Nicholson gives a brief history of some of Hollywood's most sought-after real estate. More tomorrow… ADRIENNE GREEN, EXECUTIVE EDITOR Unpacking the "Atom Bomb" of the Oscar Wilde Scandal BY JAMES REGINATO As Merlin Holland investigated the details of Oscar Wilde's tragic last years and charted the dramatic swings in his literary reputation in the century following his death, his book became a family memoir as much as a scholarly biography. Combing through letters, diaries, and photos (many not published before), he eventually came to terms with his grandfather's complicated legacy. READ MORE More Great Reads FILM The Rise of Cinema's Sad, Searching Stoner Dad BY SAVANNAH WALSH As 2025 draws to a close, another onscreen male archetype is trending: the sad stoner dad—always a step behind, perpetually paranoid, but perhaps more attuned to his inner life than the average American male. READ MORE NEW MEDIA Megan Thee Stallion and a Gossip Ecosystem on Trial BY DAN ADLER The rapper's lawsuit against Milagro Gramz highlighted a vitriolic strain of online commentary—and as it reached a jury that found in Megan's favor, offered a window into the frictions between legal journalists and a growing class of courthouse livestreamers. READ MORE FILM Behind the Scenes With Margaret Qualley and A$AP Rocky BY SAVANNAH WALSH "There's really no place like home," cover star A$AP Rocky tells VF of his starring in a new short film in his hometown. Plus, an exclusive first look at the project. READ MORE From the Magazine A Brief History of Hollywood's Sexiest, Prettiest, and Most Over-the-Top Homes BY LORRAINE NICHOLSON Los Angeles is replete with landmark real estate, from triumphs of design by Richard Neutra, John Lautner, and John Elgin Woolf to less name-brand mega-mansions. Yet across time, movie stars, moguls, and other powers that be have all called the same power addresses home. If these hedges could talk… READ MORE Trending Stories 24 Hours in Le Bal From tiaras and TikTok to haute couture and slim cigarettes to waltz and the Spice Girls, the most promising young royals—from Europe and Hollywood—present themselves to society. The 25 Best Shows on Netflix to Watch This Month Oh, the weather outside is frightful, but the options on Netflix are so delightful! From comedy classics to underseen dramatic gems, your next binge is waiting. MORE FROM VANITY FAIR POLITICS BUSINESS HOLLYWOOD STYLE ROYALS CELEBRITY This e-mail was sent to you by VANITY FAIR. To ensure delivery to your inbox (not bulk or junk folders), please add our e-mail address, vanityfair@newsletter.vf.com, to your address book. View our Privacy Policy Unsubscribe Copyright © Condé Nast 2025. One World Trade Center, New York, NY 10007. All rights reserved.