The Emmy nominations were just released, and when I saw The Penguin on the list, my heart did a happy dance. “Of course it’s nominated!” I thought. “That sweet film Lessons with Penguin was such a cozy, tender surprise.”
Cue the record scratch.
Turns out… The Penguin I was thinking of is a completely different creature. While Lessons with Penguin is a gentle, heartwarming journey with a literal penguin helping a boy navigate grief (and captured my imagination for a moment of Glass Veil™ charm serenity), The Penguin on HBO is a gritty, Gotham-set crime drama spun from the world of Batman.
Naturally, I needed to see watch the HBO show to see the differences for myself. I now understand why Cristin Milioti is nominated as Lead Actress in Limited Series for her role in The Penguin.
Two penguins. Two moods. Very different charm energies.
For Lessons with Penguin film, I'd paired these charms:
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Penguin charm – obvious and adorable
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Cherry blossom – for fleeting beauty and healing
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Feather – to symbolize hope, messages, and the quiet
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Clear quartz bead – to reflect the icy yet tender environment of the story
This set was about softness, subtle guidance, and restorative energy.
Now, for HBO’s The Penguin starring Colin Farrell, the mood shifts entirely. Here’s my updated Glass Veil™ charm curation:
- A coin - after all, that is the point of the entire show - power, corruption, and Gotham’s underground deals
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Chess piece – for the strategic, layered moves of mob power plays
- A blood red rose - carved out of garnet - beauty meets decay — ideal for the noir tone
- Playing cards represent games of power, fate, strategy
This isn’t a cocktail hour with soft jazz—it’s late-night in the city, velvet-gloved power, and double-crossed drinks. And yet, both deserve their own form of grace.
So yes—both Penguins were worth celebrating, just not the same way.
Glass Veil™ can shift with mood, meaning, and story. It’s why I love making these charm sets not just beautiful, but intentional.
Cheers to Emmy surprises, cinematic misfires, and finding beauty in every mix-up.
