Karla Sofía Gascón came under fire for old social media posts after becoming the Academy Awards’ first openly transgender acting contender

Musician's first Brit award comes shortly after her three Grammy wins

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“Feeling like the luckiest mama celebrating my birthday with my two little angels," the proud mother wrote on Instagram

Jason Kilburn said his daughter's unusual name was "computer-generated" at birth

The former reality star had two tumors removed from her brain earlier this month

In the TLC special, Amber de la Mottes said she was ready for new experiences and preparing to adjust to a new normal after stepping away from the church

Joshua Jackson‘s hit ABC series Doctor Odyssey is raising the stakes thanks to a shark attack — or two — in the midseason premiere.

In Us Weekly‘s exclusive preview of the second half of season 1, Max (Jackson), Avery (Phillipa Soo), Tristan (Sean Teale) and Captain Massey (Don Johnson) are back at it in the high seas.

“This life on the high seas practicing medicine is,” Max says in the clip before Avery interrupts to say “Addictive?” Max, however, has another word on his mind: “Exhilarating.”

Elsewhere in the sneak peek, First Officer Spencer Monroe is seen floating out at sea before he is attacked by a shark. His injury is one of many incidents that take place on The Odyssey — including an attack that puts the entire cruise ship at risk.

A Guide to the Most Star-Studded Celeb Appearances on ABC's 'Doctor Odyssey'

“A great white has taken out our electrical systems,” Captain Massey tells Avery as they are about to prepare for a surgery before the lights go out. “We are dead in the water.”

The medical drama, which debuted in September 2024, introduced viewers to Jackson’s character on his journey to becoming the new onboard doctor of the Odyssey. Doctor Odyssey hasn’t been afraid to push boundaries with themed weeks that range from Singles Week to Plastic Surgery Week to Quackers week.

When Doctor Odyssey returns on March 6, fans are in for a treat with a two-part shark-inspired special, which is then followed up with a Casino Week episode that features the first crossover with Ryan Murphy’s 9-1-1.

“Ryan’s imagination is prolific and bizarre in its ability to hold [space] for the absolutely grotesque and absurd — and then there are his lighter and happier shows. All of that being inside of one man’s imagination is amazing,” Jackson, 46, exclusively told Us ahead of the midseason return. “I will say that for myself, I have wanted to work for Ryan for quite a long time.”

A Comprehensive Guide to Ryan Murphy’s Sprawling Television Universe

Jackson recalled being a fan of Murphy’s work long before joining the cast of Doctor Odyssey.

“One of the things that I love about his shows is the dialogue and how he keeps things moving. The dialogue is always at a pace where it always crackles. It doesn’t get dragged down,” he noted. “This show in particular is on the lighter side of his imagination. So we very much — by intention, throughout this entire season despite the hours being long and my brain definitely going to mush a couple of times — make sure that we keep on reminding each other to have fun with it.”

While reflecting on the stories that are yet to come, Jackson added, “Ryan’s word was sparkle. He said, ‘Make sure that my show sparkles.’ And we have tried to make sure that this show sparkles as much as possible and just hope that the joy that we feel in performing it and doing it all together is what comes across while you’re watching it.”

Doctor Odyssey returns to ABC Thursday, March 6, at 9 p.m. ET.

© Disney/Tina Thorpe; ABC/YouTube

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Amanda Riley may be out of sight and serving time, but the cancer fraudster is more talked-about than ever. After soliciting over $100,000 to cover costs of cancer she did not have, the perky Christian mom from California, now 39, was convicted in 2021 and has since gained national infamy — first with the hit “Scamanda” podcast and then with the four-part ABC/Hulu docuseries of the same name, which wrapped (and broke streaming records) Thursday, February 20. But many burning questions remain about the case, Amanda’s family, her whereabouts and more.

Here, Us Weekly answers the 10 most burning questions about Scamanda — with some help from Charlie Webster, creator of the podcast and producer who also appeared on the docuseries.

1. Where is Riley now and when will she be released from incarceration?

In September 2022, Riley began what was initially a five-year prison sentence at the Federal Medical Center Carswell in Fort Worth, Texas. She was recently moved to a transitional facility in San Pedro, California, with an expected release date in early December of this year, Webster previously told Us.

2. Has Riley expressed remorse?

“This is the worst thing I have ever done and the worst mistake I could have made,” she said at her sentencing. “I don’t sleep well at night because this haunts me daily. I can’t even look at myself in the mirror without feeling ashamed, and I am so sorry.”

‘Scamanda’ Amanda Riley, Husband Corey to Divorce: What Did He Know?

Webster, meanwhile, has been speaking to Riley off the record since her sentencing. “She has said to me that she is sorry. She regrets everything she’s done. Every single day … Now she’s in a situation where she has lost everything.” The producer adds that she found Amanda to be genuine. “To me, she’s come across very upset at times, but she’s also conscious that she doesn’t want people to think that she’s acting like a victim.”

3. How did she manage to pull off her scam for so long?

Many listeners and viewers were shocked that so many were duped by Riley’s blog posts and staged photos feigning illness — some of the entries seriously stretching credulity. (For example, Riley claimed that doctors allowed her to self-administer clinical trial chemotherapy drugs at home over the holidays.)

“I don’t think these people were gullible or naive. We don’t question people that have cancer and nor should we,” Webster said. “She showed a miracle. She got cancer, but she was surviving. She’d collapse in church, wet herself in church, had an ambulance take her in church. She stood on stage and offered people hope, which all of us in life need sometimes.”

4. Where is her husband, Corey, and did he know about her fraud?

As the final Scamanda episode revealed, Amanda and husband Corey are now in the process of divorcing, and he recently relocated to Texas. Webster revealed she’s been “contacted by women [Corey] was engaging with, so I think he’s been looking to move on.” As for his connection to his estranged wife’s crimes, Corey, 48, has never been accused or convicted of any crimes. He was, however, by his wife’s side throughout her simulated cancer battles. “[He] said under oath that he went to all of Amanda’s appointments. And they claimed bankruptcy for Amanda’s cancer,” Webster said. “He’s not being convicted, but it’s for all of us to make our own minds up.” Us reached out to Corey for comment.

‘Scamanda’ Producer Reveals What Cancer Fraudster Amanda Riley Told Her From Prison

5. Was Amanda’s mother, Peggy, in on the scam?

Somewhat like Corey, Amanda’s mom, Peggy, stood by her daughter throughout her fake medical ordeal, but she was never accused or convicted of any crime. Webster contacted her but “she didn’t want to be involved,” she said. “We don’t have any official proof of her involvement,” said Webster, who points out that Peggy “went on a cruise” following Amanda’s sentencing. “I do know that Peggy is supporting her daughter through this,” she added, noting that Peggy is helping with childcare for Corey and Amanda’s sons, Carter and Connor.

6. Does Amanda have Munchausen syndrome or another mental illness?

“A lot of people have questioned me on why I didn’t mention Munchausen or mental health in the podcast; it’s mentioned briefly in the documentary,” Webster said. “The reason why I didn’t mention it and why I have been quite persistent on not going down that route is because, one, I feel like it minimizes victims’ experiences, and two, she’s not been diagnosed with anything.”

7. What happened to Jessa, Amanda’s stepdaughter?

On an emotional level, one of Amanda’s hardest-hit victims was arguably Jessa, Corey’s now-grown daughter from his first marriage to Aletta Souza. Jessa first met Amanda as a kind of babysitter and cheerleading coach when her parents were still married (and while Jessa’s elder sister suffered from her own very real battle with cancer). She was then the subject of a bitter custody battle between Corey and Souza, and she eventually had a painful falling out with her stepmother amidst her feigned illness. While Jessa participated in the podcast, she opted out of appearing in the docuseries to “care for her mental health,” Webster said. “The trauma that she suffered has been very difficult … To find out her whole upbringing was a lie? That’s devastating.”

Jessa is now married and “doing really well,” Webster said. “It’s definitely been a process of recovery.”

‘Scamanda’ Show’s Producer Explains How Amanda Riley Pulled Off Cancer Hoax

8. Could Amanda pull off the same scam today?

Amanda started sharing her faux cancer journey (and fundraising for herself) via personal blog around 2012 — long before TikTok and AI dominated digital and popular culture. “It was the prime moment for her because of the blog phenomenon,” Webster said. “When everybody was writing a blog — mommy blogs, fitness blogs — she really tapped into that, and longer, in-depth content was huge. And Amanda? Whatever she’s done, she is a good storyteller.” In the current era, Webster mused, “I think maybe she’d have been able to do it even more so with TikTok. We’ve seen people scam through TikTok all the time.”

9. What will she do when she’s released?

“I think it’s going to be very, very hard for her,” Webster told Us. “Do we believe in second chances? Do we believe in redemption? Do we believe that people can learn their lessons and change? It’s a case of trying to rebuild her life. Maybe not rebuild, actually — try and build a new life. I don’t think she can rebuild.”

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Alix Earle’s “Hot Mess” podcast has been dropped by Alex Cooper’s Unwell Network, Us Weekly can confirm.

Variety broke the news on Tuesday, February 25, that SiriusXM will no longer sell ads for “Hot Mess” and that the Unwell Network has renounced rights to the podcast.

The news comes amid social media speculation of a falling out between Earle, 24, and Cooper, 30 — and sources tell Us that there is some truth to the rumors.

Most recently, Earle, who rose to stardom on TikTok while a student at the University of Miami, was noticeably absent from Unwell Network’s Super Bowl party earlier this month despite being in New Orleans.

This Is the Real Reason Alix Earle Broke Up With MLB’s Tyler Wade

Earle and Cooper have yet to address an alleged feud. Us reached out to reps for Earle, Cooper and the Unwell Network.

Cooper launched her Unwell Network in August 2023, initially signing Earle and “Pretty Lonesome” host Madeline Argy in an effort to appeal to Gen Z audiences with “unique voices that embrace social challenges and personal insecurities through honest conversation.” (Cooper has since brought on other names, including “Boyfriend Material” host Harry Jowsey and Brianna “Chickenfry” LaPaglia’s ex-BFF Grace O’Malley to host the “Disgraceful” podcast.)

“We live in a world where we are inundated with content, but The Unwell Network will be the source everyone can go to for unique perspectives exploring what’s top-of-mind today for this generation,” Cooper said in a statement at the time, per Variety.

When announcing Unwell Network, Cooper gushed that Earle and Argy “both have a unique presence that captivates an audience, but I love how they approach content in very different ways… I feel honored to be at a place in my career where I can pass along knowledge and advice for a new generation of creators to flourish.”

Why Alex Cooper Was ‘Floored’ By Megan Fox's 'Call Her Daddy' Interview

The Unwell Network is a subsidiary of Tending, the media company Cooper founded with her now-husband, Matt Kaplan, in 2023. Cooper’s “Call Her Daddy” podcast is also produced under the Unwell Network. (After meeting on a Zoom call in 2020, Cooper and Kaplan got engaged in March 2023 and tied the knot the following year.)

Two months after the launch of Unwell Network, Cooper gushed over Earle in an interview with TIME. “She is a beast,” Cooper said at the TIME 100 event in October 2023, per TikTok. “I think people think that she makes it look easy. That girl has a work ethic that I’ve never seen and I’m just so proud of her. I love any help that I can give her. Bow down to her, she’s amazing.”

Former American Idol star Emmy Russell has revealed her anger over being asked to sing one of her grandmother Loretta Lynn‘s country music hits on the ABC show.

“When I saw the song choice, there was immense sadness whenever I saw it because [Lynn] just passed away very recently,'” Russell, 25, recalled in a 2024 interview with “The Thrivalist Podcast with Jamie George” that recently resurfaced.

The former Idol contestant looked back on the “Judges’ Song Contest” episode in April 2024, when Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan each pitched a song for the hopefuls to perform. Russell had to pick between her grandmother’s 1970 classic “Coal Miner’s Daughter,” “Here You Come Again” by Dolly Parton or “Suddenly I See” by KT Tunstall.

In her recent podcast interview, Russell admitted she was “so mad” at the judges for encouraging her to sing her grandmother’s signature song.

Luke Bryan Comforts Tearful Ryan Seacrest After Moving 'Idol' Performance

“So on American Idol, I did my grandma’s song. Well, they actually let the judges pick three songs. And the only one I knew was ‘Coal Miner’s Daughter,'” she remembered. “I’m already facing so much, trying to act in courage, and I just remember seeing that and I was so mad. I was like, ‘Ugh.’”

At the time, Russell felt as if singing “Coal Miner’s Daughter” would “add to” complaints from some viewers that she’d only made it through to the Idol live shows because of nepotism.

“It was weird because I still felt that small voice say, ‘I need you to stay, and I need you to show up,’” she remembered. “And I got on the piano and I played ‘Coal Miner’s Daughter’ for the vocal coaches… and it was just how I wanted to play it.”

The singer-songwriter eventually embraced the responsibility of covering “Coal Miner’s Daughter” soon after Lynn died in October 2022.

“I mean, it’s my grandma’s song,” she recalled. “[You] can’t get much closer to the heart than your own blood. I know ‘Coal Miner’s Daughter’ like the back of my hand and so I think I want to do it more of, like, an ode, almost like a way of hugging her. I’m literally just a granddaughter singing this song to her grandma. I need to be proud that I am a granddaughter of Loretta Lynn.”

Who Is Emmy Russell? 5 Things to Know About Loretta Lynn’s Granddaughter

She cited an unlikely inspiration for pushing through her anxiousness, after finding a commonality with Jennifer Lawrence‘s heroic character Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games.

“I looked up [Katniss’s home in] District 12, and District 12 is coal miners,” she revealed, to gasps from the podcast hosts.

Russell earned rave reviews on social media for her stripped-down cover of “Coal Miner’s Daughter” on the April 29, 2024 episode and ultimately made it to Idol‘s Top 5 before being eliminated one week before the finals. Abi Carter won Idol season 22 on May 19, 2024.

Idol has lined up another celebrity relative for its upcoming 23rd season, as Backstreet Boys star Brian Littrell‘s son Baylee Littrell has confirmed he had auditioned for judges Bryan, Richie and Carrie Underwood. Baylee has already released an E.P. of his original music, in addition to performing on Broadway at just 13 years old in the 2016 production of Disaster!.

Idol's Emmy Russell Pregnant, Expecting 1st Baby With Boyfriend Tyler Ward

Elsewhere, Idol is undergoing a shakeup at the judges’ table for season 23, following Perry’s recent departure. Country music legend Underwood is joining Bryan and Richie, after winning American Idol’s fourth season in 2015

American Idol season 23 premieres on Sunday, March 9 at 8p.m. ET on ABC.

Salley Carson might talk about her ex-fiancé on Southern Charm — but she’s no longer communicating with him.

“We do not have any [communication],” Salley, 30, exclusively told Us Weekly on Monday, February 24, while promoting the Bravo series. “He’s blocked.”

Salley went on to reveal that her ex-fiancé, Avery Bucholz, “definitely reached out when he found out I was on the show.”

She recalled Avery being “worried that my whole story line was going to be about him” after joining Southern Charm for season 10, which premiered in December 2024.

Salley noted that her story on the series does “not” revolve around her former fiancé, declaring, “You’re out of my life. You can stay out of it.”

From the moment Salley made her reality TV debut on season 26 of The Bachelor, her ex-fiancé has been a topic of conversation.

Salley was engaged to Avery shortly before leaving to film the ABC series in September 2021. Eagle-eyed fans noticed that in August 2021, Salley was at her bachelorette party in Mexico. The following month, they were broken up and she arrived at the Bachelor Mansion in Los Angeles to try and win Clayton Echard’s heart.

Southern Charm’s Salley Got a Boob Job After Feeling 'Insecure' With Ex

During the January 2022 premiere, Salley met Clayton, 31, before the official limo entrances. She revealed that she called off the engagement due to “lack of trust” and confessed that she wasn’t sure she was ready for The Bachelor. (She filmed the meeting one day before she was supposed to marry Avery.)

Salley decided to leave before the rest of the women arrived, eliminating herself from The Bachelor. She gave the franchise another shot in October 2022 during a short-lived stint on season 8 of Bachelor in Paradise.

During her time on BiP, Genevieve Parisi questioned Salley for seeing her ex-fiancé prior to showing up in Mexico. Salley explained at the time that she worked with Avery and wanted to have a “conversation with him out of respect” before she left for the show.

Salley made her Bravo debut during season 2 of Southern Hospitality, which aired in 2024. She appeared on two episodes of the Southern Charm spinoff before moving over to the flagship series for season 10.

During the January 30 episode of Southern Charm, Salley revealed that she was planning to get her breast implants taken out. She said that she got a boob job “when I was with my ex-fiancé” partly because she “thought that was what he liked.”

Bachelor's Salley Carson Reacts to Joe's 'Southern Hospitality' Kiss Freak Out

“It’s not like my ex-fiancé told me, ‘Your boobs aren’t good enough.’ Or anything like that. He never did,” Salley told the cameras. “But the girls he was giving attention to had bigger breasts and didn’t look like I looked.”

She confessed that the situation “somewhat made me insecure” at the time, and after regaining her confidence she wanted them out.

“I am happy that I opened up about it, and I think it’s good for other women to hear that,” Salley told Us of the vulnerable moment. “I think that there’s a lot of women out there that struggle with insecurities and maybe boyfriends or fiancés or husbands that make them feel insecure.”

Salley said she spoke her “truth” during that episode and has since successfully had her breast implants removed.

“I feel better for it,” she said, noting, “I just was very much not myself when I got them in the first place.”

Southern Charm's Leva Previews Taylor's Feud With Newbie Salley

She recalled making the decision to get the removal after getting back on her feet following her broken engagement. “One day after I kind of found my independence again and my career was going great, and I just bought a house in Charleston, and I just was like, ‘These are not me anymore,’” Salley continued. “I just felt confident in my own body and just wanted to take him out.”

Now that she’s happier with her body and overall life, Salley told Us she is done with her ex-fiancé — and doesn’t plan on ever looking in the rearview

“There’s just not a world that I would film a reality TV show with my ex-fiancé,” she said with a laugh. “Literally never. I would definitely remove myself from that situation.”

Southern Charm airs on Bravo Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET.

With reporting by Christina Garibaldi

© Charles Sykes/Bravo

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Just like Us, Fran Drescher was thrilled to see Sabrina Carpenter wearing outfits inspired by her 1990s sitcom, The Nanny.

Drescher, 67, opened up about the singer channeling her character, Fran Fine, during a December 2024 appearance on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, while chatting with Netflix at the 2025 SAG Awards on Sunday, February 23.

When asked if she had seen the photos of Carpenter, 25, rocking a Susan by Night for Lilie Robin mini dress adorned with leopard print lapels, Drescher gushed, “Of course I’m aware of it!” She continued, “I’m very honored and flattered,” noting she was a fan of Carpenter’s. “I think it’s great for the brand. It says a lot about her. I think she’s totally cool.” Drescher added: “She’s very retro in many ways, and the fact that she’s picked up on The Nanny, and The Nanny’s style is kudos to her. I’m extremely flattered.”

When Carpenter rocked the Fran-inspired getup, she glammed it up with Calzedonia sheer black tights, a Thom Browne case bag and platform black heels.

Fran Drescher Looks Straight Out of 'The Nanny' at the WIF Honors

Drescher, meanwhile, wore the exact outfit in the first season of The Nanny, she styled it with a voluminous half-up coif and a vibrant red lip.

@nickycbell

#SabrinaCarpenter is #FranDrescher approved!!!! #TheNanny @Netflix @Screen Actors Guild Awards #Netflix #SagAwards

♬ original sound – Nicky Campbell

Carpenter again channeled Drescher at the 2025 Grammys, when she talked about her career in a video before performing. In the clip, she wore a sparkling blue-and-white striped 1997 Hervé Léger gown, which Fran wore on season 3 of the show.

Sabrina Carpenter’s Sexy Style Through the Years

After Carpenter heard Drescher praising her Nanny-inspired looks, she shared the clip via her Instagram Story on Tuesday, February 25. “I adore you,” she captioned the post, tagging Drescher’s account. “.”

The Nanny ran for six strong seasons from 1993 to 1999.

Boy Meets World alum Maitland Ward opened up about her recent reunion with former costar Danielle Fishel, which resulted in a tense exchange on the latter’s podcast. Ward told TooFab that she was “surprised by the whole situation,” adding, “It just felt uneasy to have people that you called friends — especially in the past, I thought Danielle was my friend — I can see that she did not like me, and she has harbored not liking me through the years, but it’s sad to me too.” Ward, 48, appeared on “Pod Meets World” earlier this week, and the conversation took a turn after she claimed Fishel unfriended her on Facebook. Fishel, 43, denied the social media maneuver as the twosome proceeded to hash out their past feud. In her new interview, Ward compared Fishel to the iconic Mean Girls character Regina George, confessing that she “wasn’t expecting such a jarring shift” in their discussion. Keep reading for more top stories and exclusive interviews:

• In an exclusive Us Weekly cover story, Bachelor Grant Ellis opened up about choosing between his final two contestants and the “pressure” that comes with being a Black lead.
• Jenna Elfman exclusively filled Us in on her experience working with Tim Allen on ABC’s Shifting Gears, revealing, “He grants me total freedom.”
• Love Is Blind season 8 star Sara Carton gave Us a behind-the-scenes look at the TikTok drama throwing a wrench in her relationship with fiancé Ben Mezzenga.
• A new Peacock special explores Matthew Perry’s time on Friends, his battle with addiction and more nearly two years after his death.

Sign up to get daily news via email and follow Us on Instagram or Facebook for more news, exclusive interviews and intel, red carpet dispatches and beyond.

The couple met on the set of 'Wicked' before their relationship was confirmed in July 2023

It’s been two weeks, and we’re still processing just how iconic the deluxe version of Sabrina Carpenter’s Grammy-winning Short n’ Sweet album is. Although she’s a “Busy Woman,” Carpenter pays attention to the little things. So much of her pop stardom is thanks to the intentionality of her persona and all the details it entails: the pinup-inspired outfits, the bouncy hair, the clever lyrics, the slapstick comedy and the makeup. Especially the makeup.

There’s been plenty of online discourse surrounding the defining aspect of the singer’s full beat. Some argue it’s the color — and quantity — of her blush. Others say it’s her natural-looking, sun-kissed glow. Or, perhaps, it’s her pouty, overlined lips. I like this last theory.

Unlike her bestie Taylor Swift, Carpenter doesn’t have a signature lip color, so she always keeps us guessing. Unless, of course, she outright shows or tells us the brand and shade, which is the case with the Prada Moisturizing Lip Balm featured in her now-legendary “Please, Please, Please”  music video.

In the campy scene during which she’s bailed out of jail, Carpenter glides on the Prada Lip Balm in Astral Pink. Much like the music video itself, the balm went completely viral, selling out multiple times. Thankfully, it’s back!

Sabrina Carpenter Says This 'Beautiful' Lip Gloss Is in Her Everyday Makeup Bag

Don’t be put off by its blue hue upon first glance. The color-changing product adapts to the pH of your lips to elicit a rosy pink hue that enhances your natural lip color and accentuates your skin tone. Even better, it’s infused with jojoba oil to keeps lips hydrated for up to 24 hours and delivers a buttery-smooth application.

The starlet’s endorsement is enough to sell us, and thousands of shoppers also praise the lip balm. “The color feels so special and unique to me,” one Sephora shopper shares. “Mine comes out as a really sheer light pink. The applicator is very sturdy. It’s my go-to makeup  I rarely wear anything but when I do, I want to make sure I am wearing only the best.”

In the words of the “Espresso” singer herself: Is it that sweet? I guess so! Hurry and add the moisturizing lip balm to your cart before it sells out (again).

Get the Prada Balm Astral Pink for $50 at Nordstrom!

9 Celeb-Approved Lip Products for the Perfect Pout

© Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images