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Today — 19 May 2025Entertainment News

‘American Idol’ Runner-Up John Foster Reacts to Season 23 Loss

19 May 2025 at 05:48

American Idol season 23 runner-up John Foster is feeling some type of way after his loss.

“Man, what a true blessing to share this Idol stage with so many incredible heroes, both new faces and legends,” the 18-year-old singer shared via Instagram on Sunday, May 18. “I’m beyond thankful, and I can’t wait to keep making music for y’all as long as the good Lord lets me. Thank you from the bottom of my heart — times a million.”

Foster was up against Breanna Nix and Jamal Roberts during Sunday’s finale, performing Toby Keith’s “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue” and Randy Travis’ “Deeper than the Holler” alongside judge Luke Bryan. Foster also performed “We Are the Champions” with the remaining two finalists.

The Louisiana native had impressed the judges during season 23 auditions with his version of “Goodbye Time” by Conway Twitty, which got him a golden ticket into the competition.

American Idol's Season Finale Is Almost Here: Who Made the Top 3?

Bryan, 48, and fellow judge Carrie Underwood both took to X after his March audition and praised the up-and-coming star.

“I absolutely love John Foster!!! He looks and sounds like a 90s Country superstar!!!” Underwood, 42, shared on social media at the time. “AND we all know that was the PRIME era of Country! I can’t wait to see what he does and what America thinks.”

John Foster Reacts to American Idol Loss
Disney/Christopher Willard

Underwood also speculated that Foster might take home the American Idol crown during an episode that aired earlier this month.

“I felt like I had this diamond in the rough standing right in front of me,” Underwood said during the show’s May 12 episode. “I had to do a little convincing on my fellow judges, but I love that you’re standing here right now, proving me right. And I’m going to tell you right now, if you ain’t real careful, you might just win this whole thing.”

Judge Lionel Richie shared a similar sentiment, praising Foster’s vocal abilities.

“I am totally in love with the timbre of your voice,” he said at the time. “I call it ‘instant identity.’ I know that’s you on your first note. That’s what makes an artist. The difference between a singer and a stylist is, I know your voice in three notes.”

A Look Back at Carrie Underwood's 'American Idol' Winning Season

Despite praise from the judges, Foster came in second during Sunday’s finale. When Roberts, 27, was crowned the winner, the two singers had a sweet moment on the stage with Foster offering congratulatory pats on the back.

Foster might have lost the competition, but he previously spoke about feeling like a winner no matter what happens.

“I’ve been saying since I won the golden ticket that I feel like I’ve won,” Foster said during a recent interview with a local Louisiana outlet. “To think that I’ve continued to progress, all the way up to the top three, is amazing.”

© Disney/Stewart Cook

'The Handmaid's Tale' Series Finale Will Have an 'Honest Conclusion'

19 May 2025 at 05:30

The Handmaid’s Tale is coming to an end after six seasons — and the series finale won’t sugarcoat the story.

During an exclusive interview with Us Weekly, coshowrunners Yahlin Chang and Eric Tuchman teased the final two episodes of the show.

“I think we can expect an honest conclusion to the story. We keep using the word honest because we try our best to be realistic,” Tuchman noted. “What would happen in real life — and what we hope people take away — is this feeling of hopefulness and resilience that June and many of the other characters have demonstrated and will demonstrate in the last couple of episodes.”

With June (Elisabeth Moss) finally leading the resistance, viewers should expect genuine twists and turns, with Tuchman adding, “When you’re up against an oppressive regime and when your rights are stripped away, you just never stop fighting. You keep going. Hopefully people will draw some optimism and feel empowered by what plays out.”

Everything ‘The Handmaid's Tale’ Cast Said About the Show Ending 

Chang, meanwhile, specifically praised the ninth episode of the season.

“It is really the most epic episode of the entire series. It’s incredibly satisfying because we’ve teased even in the marketing that the revolution is here,” she explained. “You really get that in episode 9 and it comes to the forefront. It is so emotional and amazing.”

After wrapping the series, Chang told Us she found herself rewatching that specific episode as a way to “pump myself up.”

The Handmaid's Tale Stages Deadly Revolution
Disney/Steve Wilkie

” It is really like a tour de force. We wanted audience members to be jumping out of their seats and so excited, so happy and to feel so good,” she added. “It’s amazing. Our fans are amazing that they have stuck with us through a lot of bad moments. So they, more than anyone, deserve some feel good moments. That really gets delivered in episode 9.”

Based on Margaret Atwood’s novel of the same name, The Handmaid’s Tale takes place in a dystopian future where low fertility rates have resulted in women being forcefully assigned to men for the sole purpose of bearing children. In addition to Moss, Samira Wiley, Yvonne Strahovski, Madeline Brewer, Ann Dowd, O-T Fagbenle, Max Minghella and Amanda Brugel have led the cast since the show’s premiere.

'The Handmaid's Tale' Cast: See the Hulu Show's Stars Then and Now

Executive producer Warren Littlefield also called the show’s finale “really satisfying,” sharing with Us in April, “Living in the world of Gilead for our audience is sometimes a tough journey. But I think their patience will be rewarded because this final year is ordinary women doing extraordinary things. The revolution is here and they’re highly effective. There’s joy. Is there still a Gilead? Yeah. But we celebrate what they accomplish and I think it’ll be very satisfying for the audience.”

Viewers, however, shouldn’t expect to get all their questions answered.

“We are going to begin a journey right away with The Testaments. That is still a world that has Gilead. But it’s a completely different point of view,” he teased. “We will satisfy and really deliver triumphantly for our audience who’s been with us through six seasons of The Handmaid’s Tale. They will want and be curious to see more and see where The Testaments goes.”

The Handmaid’s Tale airs Tuesdays on Hulu.

© Disney/Steve Wilkie

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