Season 7 couple Anny Francisco and Robert Springs announced in April 2022 that their 7-month-old son, Adriel, had died. (Robert, who has five older children from previous relationships, and Anny welcomed daughter Brenda two years before.)
“It is really tough. You just have to lean on each other, put your faith in God’s hands, and there’s going to be a lot of lashing out. You may not understand,” Robert exclusively told Us Weeklyin September 2024. “Going through those obstacles that we went through of losing a child — and like I said, my wife can lash out — but it’s like, ‘Hey, are you going to throw gas to the flame or are you going to just put a blanket over it?’”
He added, “And I’ll just put a blanket over it, try to ease the conversation, just not talk about it, just so that it can die down. You just got to look for brighter days. It’s not going to rain all the time.”
Keep scrolling to revisit the most shocking 90 Day deaths through the years:
Us confirmed in December 2024 that the Before the 90 Days alum died from cardiac arrhythmia and hypertensive cardiovascular disease. Murphey was 66.
“I spoke to him about six weeks ago for a couple of hours and he was hopeful that he still had more time. May he rest in peace,” fellow show alum David Toborowsky wrote via Instagram at the time.
Anny revealed via Instagram that son Adriel’s “heart couldn't take it” after a hospital stay before his death.
“Our hearts are broken for you,” Loren Brovarnik told Anny via Instagram comment. “We cannot imagine what you are going through, but as always, we are here for you!”
The season 2 alum died at the age of 45 after suffering complications from COVID-19.
“He was surrounded by family as he died,” Hatch’s sister, Shannon, told Us in December 2021. “He will be missed by his family and many friends and fans whom he adored.”
Angela’s mother, Glenda, died several days after her wedding to now-ex Michael Ilesanmi in January 2020. The TLC star’s mom had been found unresponsive shortly before Angela and Michael’s wedding day.
“It’s driving me crazy, I wish I could leave tonight, but I can’t,” Angela said in a confessional on 90 Day Fiancé: Happily Ever After?. “And it’s upsetting to me that I can’t go. So, I’m trying to get a plane to get to the States because we don’t know the condition of my mother, and all I know is she can not be there when I get back.”
Is it time to turn this bromance into double dates? As Dylan Efron and Boston Rob’s friendship continues to bring joy to Traitors fans, Efron revealed he hasn’t met fellow Survivor icon Amber Mariano — but is ready to make it happen.
“At this point, Amber and my girlfriend, Courtney, need to get their own trip,” Efron, 33, said with a laugh while speaking to Us Weekly at Wasa’s Camp Crunch on Governors Island in New York City. “We need to get them together ’cause they’re getting pretty jealous of each other.”
As a Survivor fan, Efron was well aware of both Rob and Amber’s love story and gameplay. He bonded with Rob in the castle on season 3 of The Traitors, and the twosome have been meeting up all over the country for events.
“It is pretty hilarious. My girlfriend was saying it the other day. She’s just like, ‘You have the weirdest life.’ If you would’ve told me when I was watching Survivor, ‘I’m gonna meet that guy and be friends,’ she would’ve laughed,” Efron said. “It’s pretty cool.”
Efron and Rob’s latest outing? The premiere of the new Mission: Impossible movie earlier this month.
“I think the best part of Boston Rob is he doesn’t act his age. He can go with the flow. We were just at this Tom Cruise premiere and everyone’s, like, under 30, but he’s there with us hanging out. Everyone loves him. He can kind of be a chameleon and blend into whatever setting he is in,” Efron said. “If you’ve watched Survivor, he really is exactly what you think. And I think a lot of people, when you watch ’em on TV and you meet ’em in real life, they’re different. So when you meet someone that’s exactly what you think they are, it’s refreshing.”
While at that premiere, Dylan also had a chance to talk to Cruise, who he had met with brother Zac Efron a decade prior.
“I was like, ‘I met you with my brother, like, 12 years ago at a pretty small dinner.’ And he was like, ‘Oh, my God. I remember. It was at the Chateau Marmont!'” Dylan recalled. “He remembered my brother and that’s how he probably put it together, but it was pretty cool. He’s the best for a reason. I worked at Warner Bros. and I was so impressed because he would show up through post-production — no actors do that. No actor is coming in once the movie wraps to make sure the movie’s good, and he did that every day. He really cares about it.”
While Dylan had been working behind the scenes on films and with Zac on Netflix’s Down to Earth With Zac Efron, he’s become a star in front of the camera thanks to winning season 3 of TheTraitors. For his next venture, Dylan is very open to the reality TV possibilities.
Dylan Efron and Wasa Camp Crunch.Wasa
“I’m down. I just want something that’s a good experience. That’s why I’ve traveled as much as I have. I’ve always prioritized making experiences that I can look back on the rest of my life and a lot of these shows — like Special Forces, for example. I’m not in the military. I’m never gonna know what it’s like. But if you do that for two weeks, it’s gonna change your life. I am interested in other shows, just whatever it is, I want to learn a new skill and have a blast,” he said.
When the idea of Dancing With the Stars came up, Dylan hinted it could be a possibility, saying, “I don’t dance, so it would be one where I’m learning a new skill!”
In case you missed it, Dylan also made headlines last month for saving two women from drowning on the beach in Miami with Traitors costar Sam Asghari.
“It was pretty weird because when it ended, it was one of those things that no one was recording, no one knew it happened. So I didn’t think anything was gonna come of it and I didn’t expect anything of it. It was just like, I’m a decent swimmer and I saw people out there, so I helped. … Everyone’s like, ‘What can’t he do?’ And I’m like, ‘Guys, it wasn’t that glamorous. people needed help. I swam,'” he told Us, adding that the beachgoers had “no idea” who Dylan or Asghari were.”One woman was very shell-shocked, and I just stayed with her until she caught her breath.”
Dylan is now used to having more eyes on him, which has also helped him find perfect opportunities for brand partnerships — like with Wasa.
“In the past, I couldn’t be as selective, and now I get to be selective with who I’m working with. You can tell when it’s organic — this is everything I love so it makes it much easier to speak on it,” he said, referring to the camp-style retreat, which included a Chopped-style challenge with Wasa Crispbreads (a snack that he eats often in his daily life).
“We had 10 people on our team with a list of ingredients,” he explained. “Our first one was Wasa Crisp Creation Cinnamon, and we put cream cheese, strawberries, blueberries and coconut shreds on it. Second one was savory, so we did Wasa Crisp Creations Sesame & Sea Salt with cottage cheese, cucumber, bagel seasoning and dill, like, our take on a New York bagel.”
Dylan also recorded an ASMR playlist for the brand. “I’m into it now. I wasn’t sure — it was my first time doing ASMR, but it turned out so good with the cracks and the crackles of the cracker,” he said. “Once it was all put together, it was pretty incredible.”
Fans can listen to Dylan’s ad here and buy their own Wasa Crispbreads for their snacking needs now.
“We never chose not to listen to the song. We were actually super excited, very touched and couldn’t wait to hear it,” Tyler, 33, wrote via Instagram on Thursday, May 22. “But, this was all thrown onto us out of nowhere with MTV’s setup. … This was all MTV’s idea since their producers were the only ones that our biological daughter’s parents were willing to speak with about all of this.”
He added, “Their original plan was to have MTV film them and their family, as long as MTV didn’t have them talk about the adoption while filming. MTV didn’t think it made sense, so they compromised behind the scenes with this song idea.”
In Thursday’s episode of Teen Mom: TheNext Chapter, Dr. Drew Pinsky told Tyler and Catelynn, 33, that he had a video of Carly singing from her parents, Brandon and Teresa Davis, who adopted her in 2009. The MTV stars said that they did not want to hear the footage while filming the show.
“[This was] the first time Cate ever heard her sing prior to this, became a very emotionally intense day. So recognizing this and wanting to prepare ourselves, all we asked was to first give us a moment to listen in private,” Tyler added. “That way we could collect/process ourselves a bit, and then we could listen and play it on camera afterwards, like they wanted.”
During Thursday’s episode, MTV alleged that when Catelynn asked for the link to hear the performance in private, Brandon and Teresa denied the request. (Us Weekly has reached out for comment.)
“It was truly heartbreaking to have something so special just dangled in front of us, to then have it ripped away like that,” Tyler said. “Navigating an open adoption as a birth parent is so difficult, especially with such a constant, imbalanced power dynamic. Birth parents are always at the mercy of the adopters (which is understandable, since we’re the ones who relinquished our baby to them), but that still doesn’t make it any less hard or painful.”
“It is such a beautiful gift and so meaningful,” he wrote. “We just asked if we could listen to it in private first because it brings a lot of emotions and sadness. For us, it’s so beautiful to listen to her, but it also brings up a lot of feelings.”
Tyler also said that he and his wife were “incredibly sorry” if any of their comments about adoption upset Brandon, Teresa or Carly.
“We will always speak about adoption, share the facts, share adoptees’ great stories and adoptees’ bad stories,” he continued. “We will always speak about adoption, [but] we just won’t speak about our adoption journey moving forward.”
He added, “We’re the adults here and it’s our job to put everything aside for the best interest of Carly, which requires open, honest and transparent communication. So, we hope moving forward, you will participate in that requirement.”
Tyler and Catelynn placed Carly for adoption upon her birth in 2009. While they initially planned to have an open adoption, the 16 and Pregnant alums later claimed that Brandon and Teresa kept pushing back on any involvement. In a March episode, Catelynn also claimed that they were blocked on social media.
“The last time I saw Carly was, like, two years ago,” Catelyn exclusively told Us Weeklyin January. “It’s very hard. At the end of the day, I really just want whatever she wants and whatever that looks like for Carly, that’s all that I want. They basically have closed the adoption on us. That’s hard.”
Brandon and Teresa, meanwhile, have never publicly addressed any drama with Tyler and Catelynn, who also share younger daughters Nova, 10, Vaeda, 6, and Rya, 3.
After taking a step back from acting, Alexis Bledelgave a rare interview in which she reflected on her last role before her hiatus.
Bledel, 43, discussed her time on The Handmaid’s Tale with The Hollywood Reporteron Thursday, May 22, ahead of the show’s series finale, saying, “I was actually offered the role [of Emily] and when I read the pilot script, I immediately said yes. Somehow, [creator] Bruce [Miller] just knew I had Ofglen in me.”
Bledel broke down the difficult story lines written for her character, who faced sexual abuse amid upheaval in Gilead. “It was deeply upsetting to even imagine Emily going through something like that,” she added. “Being captured, powerless, with no say over her body.”
Miller weighed in on how The Handmaid’s Tale explored controversial topics, adding, “Every time I thought Hulu would balk at a controversial story line, they didn’t. It’s a story of a society that’s built on rape. You’re going to show sexual assault because that’s what it’s built on.”
He continued: “I’m trying to minimize what we see and maximize what we feel. You don’t need to be there to see what happened to poor Emily, but when we show the impact, that should be real. So real that you think you saw it.”
Bledel’s insight comes after the actress stepped away from Hollywood. She previously surprised The Handmaid’s Tale viewers when she announced her exit after season 4.
Hulu / Courtesy: Everett Collection
“After much thought, I felt I had to step away from The Handmaid’s Tale at this time,” she told Variety in a 2022 statement. “I am forever grateful to [executive producer] Bruce Miller for writing such truthful and resonant scenes for Emily, and to Hulu, MGM, the cast and crew for their support.”
Despite Bledel’s character no longer being on the show, fans have still wondered whether she could return ahead of the series finale. Miller addressed the possibility during an interview with Us Weekly in April, “I don’t know who that is. … I’m just kidding.”
Miller dodged the question but did hint at some surprises. “There are so many people who I wish came back,” he added. “We’ve had such good luck with our guest stars just as people and how wonderful they are. But I don’t want to blow anything.”
In addition to her rare interview, Bledel recently signed on to narrate the audiobook for the 50th anniversary edition of Natalie Babbitt‘s novel Tuck Everlasting.
“It has been an amazing experience to revisit this world,” Bledel said in a statement earlier this month. “Tuck Everlasting holds a special place in my heart, having played Winnie Foster in the film many years ago. Narrating this beloved story for its 50th anniversary edition is a wonderful journey back into a tale that challenges us to think about what it truly means to live a meaningful life.”
Nicole Kidman said she’s “very close” with her teenage daughters and wants to keep it that way.
The Nine Perfect Strangers star divulged details about her marriage to Keith Urban and relationship with their daughters, Sunday Rose, 16, and Faith Margaret, 14, in an interview with Allure published on Thursday, May 22.
“I do, actually [like who I am as a mother]. Yeah. I’m very close to both my girls,” Kidman, 57, said when asked about parenthood. (Kidman also has two grown children, Isabella, 32, and Connor, 30, from her previous marriage to Tom Cruise.)
“I sit on their beds and discuss the most intimate things; I get to be their guide,” she continued. “If they want to tell me to be quiet, they can. I’m able to apologize to them. I’m able to stand up to them. I very much like the relationship we have. It’s nice to be able to say that.”
Kidman, who said she’d be a teacher if she weren’t an actress, added that she’s perhaps an “over-giver” who will always prioritize her children.
“I grew up with a very strong connection to taking care of my mother and my family and being the oldest child. Put the oxygen mask on yourself first, right? Right. It sounds good in theory, but it doesn’t make sense to me when you have kids. I will do anything in terms of sacrifice. I want them to feel completely loved, completely prioritized.”
(L-R) Keith Urban, Sunday Rose Kidman Urban, Faith Margaret Kidman Urban, Sybella Hawley, and Nicole Kidman attend the 49th AFI Life Achievement Award Gala Tribute Celebrating Nicole Kidman at Dolby Theatre on April 27, 2024 in Hollywood, California.(Photo by Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic)
Kidman was very close with her mother, Janelle Ann Kidman, who died in September 2024 at age 84. The Babygirl star was set to receive the best actress prize at the Venice Film Festival when she received the news of her mom’s death. “I’m in shock and I have to go to my family, but this award is for her,” Kidman said in a statement at the time. “She shaped me, she guided me and she made me. I am beyond grateful that I get to say her name to all of you through Halina [Reijn, Babygirl director]. The collision of life and art is heartbreaking, and my heart is broken.”
She told Allure, “Losing my mother changed every part of me. I spoke to her every second or third day. And because she was on the other side of the world, if I woke up at 5 a.m., I’d get up, I’d walk around the block and I’d talk to her for an hour before the girls got up, before Keith got up. That was the rhythm of my day.”
Kidman said she’s still dealing with the loss.
“I’m so raw with it,” she continued. “I feel embarrassed because I feel like, ‘Oh, you’ve talked about it enough.’ So I have to keep saying to myself, ‘It’s OK. Maybe it’s my sense of what I feel I should be doing.’ I’m trying to be quiet and have it be a more intimate thing with just my friends or my sister. The love was so profound that the loss of it … I’m on the journey of grief, the year of magical thinking.”
Sunglasses can be tricky. You want something that flatters your face, doesn’t slide off your nose, and maybe — just maybe — makes you feel like a million bucks. But when designer shades come with a $500+ price tag and no one can tell unless they’re nose-to-nose with you, it’s fair to ask: is it really worth it? Especially when the internet is full of luxe-looking alternatives that cost less than your usual coffee shop order.
Case in point: Jennifer Lopez recently stepped out in a gilded pair of Bottega Veneta Gold Tone Aviators that scream money. They’re sleek, shiny and retail for around $550. But if you’re not quite ready to drop half a grand on sunglasses, we found a pair on Amazon that mimics the exact vibe for under $20.
Get the Sojos Aviator Sunglasses for just $13 at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate at the date of publication but are subject to change.
While we can all dream about wearing actual Bottega — there’s something even more satisfying about looking like you spent a fortune when you absolutely did not. The Amazon pair features nearly identical oversized, semi-rimless gold frames with gradient lenses and a lightweight metal build. They even come with UV400 protection and solid hinges — so you’re not just getting the look, you’re getting function too.
As for sizing, they’re oversized without feeling cartoonish. And unlike some budget sunglasses that feel like they’ll snap after one toss in your tote, these are surprisingly sturdy. One shopper who owns both the designer pair and the Amazon version said the finish and feel of these are impressively similar — especially for a pair that costs 95% less. Another said they felt expensive and couldn’t believe the price when they put them on.
So if you’ve been eyeing J.Lo’s Bottegas but your bank account says “be serious,” this is your sign. Rich girl look on a recession budget? We love to see it!
Jessi Ngatikaura broke her silence on Marciano Brunette claiming on The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives that they had an affair amid her marriage to husband Jordan Ngatikaura.
“That was definitely a hard watch. We are continuing filming, so you guys will see this story unfold,” Jessi, 32, told Bustle in an interview published on Thursday, May 22. “I would say that viewers can look forward to me being very vulnerable and going behind the curtain of my real life and marriage.”
Jessi noted that, hopefully, being candid about her situation in the next season would “help a lot of women” going through something similar, adding, “Because of the show, I can’t say much about it. But relationships are really hard, and people make mistakes.”
After watching Marciano’s scene with Layla Taylor, Jessi clarified that there was more to the story.
“I will say that it’s not what he made it sound [like]. What he said was not accurate. I wish I could speak now,” she said before agreeing with the interviewer that Marciano’s claims were hard to believe. “Honestly, yeah, he’s a piece of s***.”
During season 2, Jessi denied anonymous fan rumors that she was “publicly” making out with Marciano, 31, at TomTom. Marciano, for his part, sat down with Layla, 23, to discuss what happened after they all filmed two episodes of Vanderpump Villa together.
Despite previously hinting that something happened with him and Mormon Wives’ Demi Engemann — who is married to Bret Engemann — Marciano switched his story on screen.
“It is not even just about Demi. It’s a rumor — that wasn’t a rumor,” he hinted before elaborating on how the blind about him and Jessi at TomTom was true. “One thing led to another. Oh, more than [us making out].”
Marciano claimed he had sex with Jessi — and it wasn’t a one-time arrangement, adding, “We have tried meeting up [to continue the affair]. Jordan doesn’t know the truth about how extensive it was. It was not just a one-time hookup thing. It was not some one-night stand.”
Jessi told Bustle on Thursday that Jordan “wasn’t happy” with Marciano’s claims, which they have denied.
“We knew about it before the show came out, but it’s different when you hear about something versus actually seeing it,” she said. “I’m pretty sure he wanted to beat his ass. But I think it’s going to open up a bigger conversation about marriage and relationship dynamics and how hard it can be.”
Earlier this month, Jessi offered an update on her marriage on the Tuesday, May 20, episode of “The Viall Files” podcast, saying, “I will say that reality TV is hard on any relationship, whether it’s a friendship or a marriage. We’ve been through a lot and now it’s going to be public.”
Jessi acknowledged that she wasn’t currently wearing her wedding ring. “We’re trying our best — but things are a little tricky right now,” she hinted about her and Jordan “working through things” at the moment. “I’m excited to hopefully someday share more about that. But right now it’s just real life and it’s hard.”
The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives is currently streaming on Hulu.
The New York Knicks’ stunning collapse in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals sent shockwaves to all corners of the city — including the sex trafficking trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs.
When Judge Arun Subramanian sent the trial jury home on Thursday, May 22, ahead of the long Memorial Day holiday weekend, he listed some potential activities for the jurors to avoid hearing information about the case during their time away from the courthouse.
“Go on a bike ride, watch the Knicks avenge their Game 1 loss,” Subramanian suggested.
Subramanian insisted that jurors are not allowed to look up any information about the case, read any news coverage or talk to anyone involved “in any way shape or form.”
“If anyone breaks these rules, let me know. It’s not tattling,” Subramanian said, before correcting himself and saying, “It is tattling.”
Steve Granitz/WireImage
The Knicks blew a 14-point lead with just over three minutes to play in a 138-135 overtime loss against the Indiana Pacers in Game 1 on Wednesday, May 21.
New York and Indiana return to Madison Square Garden for Game 2 of the best-of-seven series on Friday, May 23, before the series shifts to Indianapolis for Game 3 on Sunday, May 25. The Knicks are hoping for their first NBA Finals berth since 1999.
Diddy was arrested in September 2024 and charged with sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy and transportation to engage in prostitution. He pleaded not guilty to all charges and has denied all of the allegations against him.
“We are disappointed with the decision to pursue what we believe is an unjust prosecution of Mr. Combs by the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” Diddy’s attorney Marc Agnifilo said in a statement at the time. “He is an imperfect person, but he is not a criminal. To his credit Mr. Combs has been nothing but cooperative with this investigation and he voluntarily relocated to New York last week in anticipation of these charges. Please reserve your judgment until you have all the facts. These are the acts of an innocent man with nothing to hide, and he looks forward to clearing his name in court.”
Since his arrest, Diddy has been held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. His four requests for bail were denied by Judge Subramanian.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 for confidential support. If you or someone you know is a human trafficking victim, contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.
Thunderbolts* is a big enough critical and commercial hit for some superhero fans to exclaim that “Marvel is back!” and better than ever.
But while the Disney-owned superhero factory has produced its fair share of stinkers in the past several years (sorry, Captain America: Brave New World), there’s one post-Endgame movie that’s never gotten its due.
When it was released in November 2023, The Marvels was a misunderstood box office bomb that should have gotten a lot more love and support than it did. Now that it’s 2025, it’s time to reconsider its status as one of the MCU’s biggest disappointments. Here’s why I love it now more than ever, and why you should watch it right now.
It’s a Worthy Follow-Up to 3 of the MCU’s Best Projects
One of the biggest complaints about the MCU these days is that it requires too much homework. With so many interconnected movies and shows, it can be overwhelming to keep up. That’s a fair point — but for comic book fans, that complexity is part of the fun. (It’s hard to read any comic without seeing a note to reference another issue or series.)
Some viewers felt that the MCU’s Disney+ series didn’t do enough to connect to the films — or worse, that the films ignored the shows entirely. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, for example, repeated Wanda Maximoff’s emotional arc from WandaVision without adding any new insights.
The Marvels, on the other hand, is a rare exception. It builds directly on WandaVision, Ms. Marvel and Captain Marvel — three of the MCU’s most creatively successful projects. If you loved WandaVision and were disappointed by how Doctor Strange handled Wanda’s story, The Marvels is a much stronger follow-up. It features Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris), whose grief at losing her mother in WandaVision helped her empathize with Wanda’s pain.
Ms. Marvel, the YA series that debuted after WandaVision, is one of the MCU’s most fun, energetic and emotionally intelligent entries thanks to newcomer Iman Vellani. And Captain Marvel introduced us to Brie Larson’s Carol Danvers, a key player in the battle against Thanos in Avengers: Endgame.
The Marvels feels like a treat for fans who’ve followed the whole story. These three projects — WandaVision, Captain Marvel and Ms. Marvel — delivered some of the MCU’s best performances and stories. If you’re the kind of fan who enjoys the interconnected nature of the MCU, don’t let the poor box office numbers stop you from giving this one a shot.
The Cast Is Electric — Especially Iman Vellani
Vellani, who plays Kamala Khan/Ms. Marvel, is a huge comic book nerd herself — she famously dressed up as Ms. Marvel for Halloween long before being cast in the role herself. Since joining the MCU, she’s also become a comic book writer, penning issues of the Ms. Marvel comics when she’s not acting. In other words, she’s a fan, and that breathless enthusiasm is just delightful to watch on screen. She infuses so much fun and energy into the movie that it’s practically impossible not to have fun with her.
The Marvels rests on the chemistry that Vellani has with Larson’s character, Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel, and Parris’ Dr. Monica Rambeau. (Rambeau’s lack of a superhero name is a fun running bit throughout the film.) The three women bring that chemistry by the barrelful, and it’s amped up by the unique premise of their characters’ relationships and powers.
The Premise Provides Great Opportunities for Action and Humor
Due to a series of complicated events, Carol, Monica and Kamala’s superpowers all become entangled, causing them to physically swap places when they use their abilities at the same time. The Marvels uses this premise to great effect.
When they initially start switching places, it provides great comic relief, with each female ending up confused and startled by each switch. But as they get to know each other better, they’re able to use this newfound connection to power their attacks, leading to some pretty great and surprising action sequences.
‘The Marvels’ Allows Itself to be Silly
A woman dances with a man in ‘The Marvels.’Marvel Studios
MCU movies have always had a great sense of humor about them, which is what often separates them from their more dour DC counterparts. But as the studio started churning out more and more movies, the quippy dialogue from square-jawed heroes started to feel formulaic, taking some of the “oomph” out of the jokes.
The Marvels takes that comedic sensibility and ups the ante, embracing the chaotic and campy origins of Marvel’s “cosmic” characters and allowing silliness into the story. There’s a planet that only communicates via song and a sequence in which a ship’s crew is devoured by ravenous kittens. It’s outrageous, but the characters know it’s outrageous. That’s what makes it fun!
The Marvels isn’t weighed down by self-importance like other superhero movies, but the emotional stakes still feel very real because of the performances of the three leads. It’s fun to watch, but it also provides some surprisingly deep characterization for its heroines that isn’t really present in other movies in the genre.
Don’t Listen to the Haters — ‘The Marvels’ Is Actually Tons of Fun
Like so many female-led properties to come out of the MCU, The Marvels was review-bombed by people criticizing it as “woke” before it even hit theaters. Unfortunately, there are toxic corners of the Marvel fan base that are determined to tear down movies led by women, especially women of color, at every turn. But now that it’s available on Disney+, why not decide for yourself?
I’m not saying that The Marvels is the best movie in the MCU. The film is flawed, with a mediocre villain and a rushed narrative that keep it from being great. But if you saw it when it first came out and had super high expectations of how it would connect to the future of the MCU, give it a second look and try to appreciate it for what it is. The Marvels is a fun, campy movie with a great cast that tells an epic, out-of-this-world story. I had a great time watching it then and now, and I hope you do, too.
Love Is Blindis a unique reality show for several reasons — but the Netflix series has rules just like other dating experiments.
The series follows couples who get engaged after communicating via soundproof pods and never seeing each other’s faces.
“We didn’t want any sound to bleed through any other pods. We basically had a small speaker in the front wall, and you would hear the other person who was in the other pod. [There are] no producers in there, there’s nobody else,” creator Chris Coelen told Variety in 2020. “It’s just you and the other person. That’s it.”
Coelen later emphasized during a 2022 Varietyinterview that the producers “do a lot of diligence” during the casting process, but don’t try to influence contestants once the cameras are rolling.
“”We don’t have any control over what happens. We don’t try to exert or sway over any of the participants,” he said. “We won’t ever tell them what to say, what to do, how to think, how to feel. This is entirely documenting their real journey.”
Keep scrolling to see the rules behind Love Is Blind:
Coelen told Variety in April 2023 that producers usually decide whether the bride or groom will speak first at the ceremony.
“We put our finger into the wind and see which way it’s blowing. This documentation of their experience is a moment in their life. The choice that they make at the altar is for the rest of their life, either way. We don’t want to influence their decision at all,” he told the outlet. “I go see them on the day of their wedding and I don’t even ask them what they’re going to say. I do not want to know.”
The TV producer added: “We want it to be real. I always tell them, ‘From a cynical producer’s point of view, I literally do not care [what their answer is]. If we have delivered the audience a very compelling journey, then let’s lean into the authenticity of that. But for you, you live with that forever.’ The only thing that matters to me is that each person makes the right decision for themselves.”
While Love Is Blind season 4 was set in Seattle, several of its participants lived a couple of hours away. (Kwame Appiah and Chelsea Griffin, for their part, notably clashed over whether or not the groom would leave Portland to join his soon-to-be wife in Seattle once they got married.)
“We always try to make the pool of potential participants as broad as we possibly can make it. So you’re in a specific region like Seattle and we felt, in casting, Portland is only around a two-hour drive,” Coelen told Variety in 2023. “We felt that it was helpful to open up that aperture of casting to be able to include people from as far away as Portland. It felt reasonable to us that if you fell in love and you were within a two-hour radius driving, you can make that work if you want it to. … I think the reason to do that was just to open up the pool of potential participants as wide as we possibly could.”
Coelen told Bustle in 2020 that the initial dates are similar to “speed-dating,” noting that they spent seven to 10 minutes together. However, as the connections deepen, “They get to pick the people they want to spend more time with. They make the decisions themselves. … Over time they'll spend many hours together multiple times per day.”
During an interview with Refinery29, season 1 contestant Cameron Hamilton added, “The dates were organized for us [at the beginning] and we would rate at the end of the day who we liked the most and the least. [The producers] would then use those rankings to figure out dates for the subsequent days. As the days went on, the length of the dates went longer but the number of people you saw got shorter.”
Toward the end of the 10 days, there isn't a strict time limit regarding the pods.
Cameron is still married to Lauren Speed, whom he met on the dating show.
Coelen revealed in a February 2024 Netflix Tudum article that the pod portion of the experiment is 10 days.
“They talk about the deepest things in every possible way about every conceivable subject. They’re trying to identify every single thing that might be important to talk about before they choose to marry someone,” he says. “After the fact, people have said they know — not just the person they’re engaged to, but multiple people — better than they’ve ever known anyone else. Better than they know their parents. Their siblings. It’s insane. They really do fall in love.”
While there are 40-50 people in the original cast, the majority of the experiment ends up being 20-25 people after initial connections are made.
Filming for season 1 was a total of 38 days, meaning the couples are together for 28 days outside of the pods.
“The first four days we filmed on average I'd say 18 to 20 hours. We slept in trailers and they were correctional facility beds. The design was to just strip us down from our comfort level,” season 1 contestant Kenny Barnes told Refinery29.
However, for season 2, they upgraded the contestants to hotel rooms, with producers leading them to and from the pods.
While Lauren compared the living arrangements from season 1 to a sorority, Jessica noted she did a lot of journaling, explaining, “I wanted to remember things because every day is like a month in there and so much can change.”
The stars also confirmed that they can request food and drink items to have during the experiment, but they cannot have their phones or internet access.
The couples can get engaged at any point during the 10 days — and the show provides the ring. “If they want to propose and want to have a ring to give, we provide—up to a certain level—a ring for them to do that with,” Coelen told Variety. “If they choose to do that, we actually give choices. There are, like, 10 or 12 different styles and colors. It’s up to them, they don’t have to. There’s no pressure to do that.”
The female contestants and the male contestants each have teams of producers, but according to Coelen, producers don’t interrupt the couples in the pods.
“They’d help facilitate needs for people, so it would feel like dating. For example, if someone said, ‘I love Italian food and I’d love to have an Italian dinner with my date.’ We would get some lasagna and arrange that,” he said. “Obviously they can’t eat it together but they could say, 'Oh, this lasagna’s really cheesy,' or whatever. If they want to draw pictures together, whatever they wanted to do, we really wanted them to feel like it’s their own thing.”
Season 2's Sal Perez told E! News in February 2022 that cast members are given “talking points” if they need them.
"There were kind of topics for the day," Kyle Abrams from the same season added while talking to the outlet. ”It was good if there was a lull in conversation, you just refer to the little notebook and you can drum up conversation."
Season 5 star Izzy Zapata opened up about one of the suggested topics during an October 2023 appearance on Nick Viall’s “Viall Files” podcast.
“Through the process, [producers] give us guidance on what to talk about, like, one day will be finances, one day will be, like, values [and] families and one day there’s sex,” he explained, noting that “sex day” was the most fun. “It’s a time to get to know one another in terms of kinks, lights on [or] lights off. … Some of the girls are curious, I will say, [but] we’d have a little bit of help [from producers] along the way.”
Netflix only covers the “basics” for the weddings, with a rep for the streaming service noting, “But because these are their real weddings, it’s up to them as to how to spend their money.”
The creator also told Women’s Health: “If they wanted to spend their own money, or try to enhance it within reason, we would certainly allow that. We would never put any constraints on them unless it was something we couldn’t accommodate within the show. That was really up to them.”
Throughout the season, the stars are strictly shown drinking from gold wine glasses and cups. According to the creator, it’s strictly a style preference.
“It’s something I like. When you turn on the show, you know it’s our show,” he said. “It’s a very authentic, really true following of these people’s journeys, but I like the fact that we have this sort of connective tissue with that in a really light way, it’s fun.”
The show is designed to have the couples make their final decision at the altar. Coelen told E! News that the cast members “certainly could choose to do whatever they wanted to do” when it comes to skipping the wedding day. Jessica Batten from season 1, however, claimed to EW that she wasn’t allowed to quit during season 1.
“I definitely had a conversation about leaving and I wasn’t able to do that,” she said. “My dog got sick too, and almost died during the show. I had so much other stuff going on."
When contestants enter the pods, their cell phones are confiscated for the duration of the 10-day experiment.
“We took away their devices so there wouldn't be distractions,” Coelen, the executive producer, said in a 2020 interview.
Unless a Love Is Blind groom brings an heirloom ring from home, the show will provide a diamond to all of the engaged couples.
“Whatever they choose, we pay for. Whatever we pay for, they keep, regardless of engagement ending,” a spokesperson for Kinetic Content told PS in 2024.
Coelen, for his part, previously told Entertainment Tonight in 2020, that each man got a choice of rings.
“Since they were in the facility and weren't able to go out into the "real world" at that point, they couldn't have been able to go [to a shop],” he said. “We wouldn't have allowed them to at that point. It's obviously such a gigantic moment in people's lives that we wanted it to be as authentic to them as it possibly could be. “
While the couples get to plan their individual weddings, they luckily don’t have to fit the entire bill.
“My team is designing five weddings, and they’re back-to-back-to-back-to-back,” event stylist Slomique Hawrylo told Tudum in 2023. “It’s one wedding on a Monday, one wedding on a Tuesday. There’s literally not a breather. I’m doing five weddings in five days. So do I sleep? No.”
Hawrylo adheres to a budget for all of the weddings, only billing the couples if “there are particular things they really want that I wouldn’t know how to get.”
To account for the budgets covered by LiB, all weddings are intimate in size and are only slated to have room for 80 to 100 guests.
Season 8 couple Taylor Haag and Daniel Hastings revealed on the “Daria & Toni Unwrapped” podcast in 2025 that each pair spends a certain amount of time together each day during the pod experiment.
“As the days go on, the amount of dates goes down and the length of each date goes up,” Daniel said on the May 2025 podcast episode. “At first, you have 16 dates that are 10 minutes, and then, as the days go on, you narrow it down and eventually, you’re at three dates. Each one [lasts] two or three hours. I think the longest date we had was four and a half hours, so you spend a lot of time together.”
Taylor, meanwhile, noted that she never knew who would be on the other side of the wall before she entered the pod.
While some stars, like season 1’s Damian Powers, were scouted via dating apps, Daniel from season 8 actually applied himself.
“I never really watched the show. I knew what it was and I knew the concept behind it, but I had never really thought about it,” Daniel recalled on the “Daria & Toni Unwrapped” episode. “They sent, like, an 80-page application. I’m like, ‘Screw this. I’m not taking the time to do this.’ And then I did, for whatever reason.”
As long as we have to carry phones, keys, snacks and emergency lip balm(s), tote bags will stay in rotation. Yes, totes are functional — and sometimes they’re the accessory that completes an outfit. Case in point: Hailey Bieber was recently spotted in Beverly Hills channeling peak “rich mom running errands” energy with a sleek, structured black tote from The Row. While it rings in at a steep $1,950, we found a lookalike on Amazon that’s way more affordable.
Featuring a minimal appearance and roomy interior, this $29 version from Amazon nails the same quiet luxury vibe — without the four-figure commitment. It’s made of soft, high-quality vegan leather, which gives it that supple, slouchy look of Hailey’s Large to Go tote. Plus, the black color option and sleek profile make it an instant classic that works with pretty much anything you already own.
What makes this lookalike even better? The 13.7-inch x 15-inch design fits all the essentials, including a 14-inch laptop. Additionally, it features an easy-access interior pocket for small items like your phone or earbuds. And the detachable crossbody strap lets you switch up how you wear it — something most designer bags can’t say at that price.
One shopper wrote, “This tote bag is perfect for my needs! I got it to carry my laptop to work, and it’s been fantastic. The vegan leather is incredibly soft and feels high-quality.” Another added, “The straps are also quite soft, so it’s comfortable on your shoulders.” They mention that although the bag doesn’t have an interior lining, the soft texture prevents any scratching.
If you’ve been eyeing Hailey’s aesthetic but don’t have a spare thousand lying around, this is the kind of under-$30 find that brings designer energy to your everyday looks. Consider it your new go-to for hauling around everything.
There will be more coming out about Jessi Ngatikaura and husband Jordan Ngatikaura‘s current marriage issues after Marciano Brunette claimed he had an affair with her on The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.
During an exclusive interview with Us Weekly, Layla Taylor, Whitney Leavitt and Miranda McWhorter weighed in on how Marciano’s allegations about meeting up with Jessi, 32, despite her being married to Jordan, 34, will unfold on screen.
“I was just shocked [when he told me], honestly. I feel like I came in with the intention of figuring out what more happened with Demi and him,” Layla, 24, recalled. “And it was completely shifted to Jessi.”
“I feel like it wasn’t even in that moment who I believed,” she continued. “I was just taken back and honestly I didn’t really know how to react and take in all the information I just listened to.”
According to Whitney, the cast is “filming right now,” which means there will be answers sooner rather than later. Layla, meanwhile, weighed in on Jessi hinting that her marriage to Jordan has been going through some issues — but not because of Marciano.
Hulu/Disney/ Courtesy Everett Collection
“For her, definitely we’ll find out what’s true and what’s not true. Either way, it’s what’s meant to be will be and what’s meant to happen in their marriage will happen,” Layla noted. “I think for Jessi’s mental health, it’s definitely hard and it’s hard to have the public’s perception of her at this moment.”
Layla pointed out that the audience doesn’t have the full story yet. “She is having [fan] feedback but the full story hasn’t even come out yet,” she concluded. “So I think she’s hanging in there, but Jessi’s really, really tough. We’re all here for her and we all love her and we’re supporting her.”
During season 2 of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, it was Demi Engemann who was first accused of getting too close to Marciano while filming Vanderpump Villa despite being married to Bret Engemann.
Demi denied being unfaithful and Marciano sat down to clarify the rumors, which is when Marciano made separate claims about his relationship with Jessi. Jessi offered an update on her marriage when asked about the claims on the Tuesday, May 20, episode of “The Viall Files” podcast.
“I will say that reality TV is hard on any relationship, whether it’s a friendship or a marriage,” Jessi revealed. “We’ve been through a lot and now it’s going to be public.”
Jessi was also asked about not wearing a wedding ring, to which she noted that her and Jordan are “working through things,” adding, “We’re trying our best — but things are a little tricky right now. I’m excited to hopefully someday share more about that. But right now it’s just real life and it’s hard.”
The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives is currently streaming on Hulu.
“With profound sadness, we share this morning that Uche Ojeh, the husband of our dear friend and Today cohost Sheinelle Jones, has passed away after a courageous battle with an aggressive form of brain cancer called glioblastoma,” Savannah Guthrie said during the show’s Friday, May 23, broadcast. “There are no words for the pain that we feel for Sheinelle and their three young children. Uche was an incredible person. We all loved him.”
She added, “We just want to say [to] the Ojeh family, we are with you. We love you. You are our family and we are just sending all of our love to you right now.”
In addition to Jones, Ojeh, who was 45, is survived by their son Kayin, 15, and twins Clara and Uche, 12.
Sheinelle Jones Pretended to Be a College Tour Guide to Meet Uche Ojeh
During Jones’ first year at Northwestern University in Chicago, she met Ojeh when he was visiting the campus during his last year of high school.
“I was a fake tour guide … I was just walking to class,” Jones joked to Northwestern’s alumni magazine in 2024. “[I was like, ‘Are you guys lost?’ I told him I would take him around because he was cute. I was like, ‘This is the Black House. … This is the Plex [Foster-Walker Complex], and if you need real tidbits, I’m probably not the one.’”
Ojeh ultimately opted to attend Northwestern, too, studying computer science and economics. He graduated in 2001, later returning to the school to propose to Jones. They got married in 2007.
Uche Ojeh Worked as a Consultant
According to Ojeh’s LinkedIn page, he served as a Managing Partner for UAO Consulting. He previously worked for IBM and Accenture.
Uche Ojeh Was a Proud Dad
Courtesy of Sheinelle Jones/Instagram
Jones and Ojeh shared three children. In a tribute on Today, cohost Craig Melvin reflected on watching his late friend as a parent.
“One thing he always talked about — he talked about those kids. He loved those kids more than anything else in this world, and was just so proud,” Melvin said. “He was that dad who was on the sidelines at every soccer game. He was at all the concerts, the recitals. He was that guy, and they had such a beautiful love story.”
Jones congratulated her husband for running his first triathlon race.
“I think it’s so important to celebrate the wins of the people you love — this weekend it was all about ‘The Uche’s,’” Jones wrote via Instagram in October 2023. “My youngest son’s soccer team took first in their tournament. Meanwhile dad a.k.a. big Uche — conquered a triathlon. It’s something he’s always wanted to do …. and he trained really hard for it. I’ve watched both of them, day in and day out, running and kicking balls all over the place. It all paid off.”
She continued, “The rest of us in the house (me, Kayin & Clara) are super proud of them.”
Uche Ojeh Battled an ‘Aggressive’ Form of Glioblastoma
Five months after Jones took a sabbatical from her Today duties following an undisclosed family matter, her colleagues revealed in May 2025 that Ojeh died at age 45.
According to the Mayo Clinic, glioblastoma starts when cancerous cells grow in the brain or spinal cord. It can spread quickly, destroying healthy tissue in the process.
If you thought single life was tough for Carrie Bradshaw and friends in the early aughts, today’s dating landscape is more Sex(less) in the City than ever.
The most current Census reports that only about half of Americans are married, with about 75 percent of young adults being single.
“A boy who’s nice that breathes / I swear he’s nowhere to be seen,” Sabrina Carpenter sings on “Slim Pickins”: if one of the hottest and most successful pop stars of today can’t find a viable match, how are we expected to?!
“For many people, whether they are celebrities or not, dating can feel complex,” Moe Ari Brown, Hinge’s Love and Connection Expert, told Us Weekly. “We’re trying to stay hopeful while carrying the weight of our past — the heartbreaks we’ve lived through, the disappointments we haven’t fully named… They don’t just disappear when we match with someone new.”
Brown suggests prioritizing authenticity in a dating profile, as well as focusing on quality over quantity. (No, dating is not a “numbers game” like the common mythology will have you believe.)
“A positive mindset in dating isn’t just a bonus; it’s a practice,” Brown said. “It helps quiet the noise of self-doubt and makes space for your authenticity to lead. When you believe in your worth, you show up with more intention, joy and capacity to cocreate the kind of connection you truly want.”
Not everyone wants to be in a relationship, though. Take Jenna Ortega, for example, who has opted to focus on her career instead: “Maybe I am too obsessed with my work, but the idea of relationships stresses me out,” she told Elle in 2023.
But at the end of the day, to love and be loved is a basic human need, and Us has broken down the sexiest single stars in different categories across the media. To swipe or not to swipe — that is the question:
Interests: Coffee (preferably espresso), platform heels, vintage cars, movies about pregnant teens, sex jokes
What We Can Learn From Their Exes: Chemistry isn’t everything: Physical attraction was more than evident in Carpenter and Barry Keoghan’s relationship (see her “Please Please Please” music video). Yet despite their “Bed Chem,” the pair couldn’t make it work long-term, ultimately ending things last December.
Interests: Local coffee shops, tequila, tattoos, TikTok, city views, cake by the ocean
What We Can Learn From Their Exes: Decide where you want to live before saying “I do”: Location was a big factor in Jonas’ split from Sophie Turner, especially after the duo welcomed two daughters. “It felt as if my life was on pause until I returned to England,” Turner told Harper’s Bazaar following their divorce, which was finalized in 2024.
Interests: Nicki Minaj, Chowder, pole dancing, hot pink, Y2k fashion, cowboy hats
What We Can Learn From Their Exes: The Grammy winner said that every ex he wrote songs about on his 2021 debut studio album, Montero, attended its release party, proving it’s entirely possible to remain on good terms post-breakup!
Bad BunnyFrazer Harrison/Getty Images for Coachella
Age: 31
Height: 5’11”
Zodiac Sign: Pisces
Interests: Fashion, horses, wrestling, Adidas sneakers, activism, Latin music
What We Can Learn From Their Exes: Trust your first instinct: Following his December 2023 breakup with Kendall Jenner, the rapper was spotted getting cozy with the model again in 2024 before ending things… again. Just goes to show that second chances may not always be a good idea.
Michael B. Jordan in ‘Sinners’Courtesy of Everett Collection
Age: 38
Height: 6’0”
Zodiac Sign: Aquarius
Interests: Boxing, anime, the New York Giants, long night drives, sea moss drinks
What We Can Learn From Their Exes: Timing is everything: “I’m so work focused. I would want somebody to fit in the flow of my life,” Jordan told GQ about the status of his love life after parting ways with Lori Harvey. “I think the person that’s going to be right for me lines up with the timing with who she is as a person [and] where I’m at in my life.”
Interests: BBQ, UT Austin football, dogs, shotgunning beer, aviation
What We Can Learn From Their Exes: Long distance doesn’t always work: Powell has been booked and busy as one of Hollywood’s most coveted leading men, and being overseas (in Australia for Anyone But You, for example) for months on end was a contributing factor to his 2023 breakup from model Gigi Paris.
Interests: Celeb impressions, music, haircare, comedy, writing, fashion, memes
What We Can Learn From Their Exes: Know when to leave: Palmer requested a restraining order against ex (and the father of her 2-year-old son, Leo) Darius Jackson in 2023, claiming instances of violence took place during their romance. While Palmer says they now peacefully coparent, she maintains that “walking away is the only way.”
What We Can Learn From Their Exes: When people show you who they are, believe them: Kardashian forgave Tristan Thompson after he was caught with another woman in 2018 — only for him to continue to cheat, even while they were expecting baby No. 2. They split for good in 2021.
What We Can Learn From Their Exes: Age gaps don’t always work: The Montana Boyz member made headlines when he hooked up with The Hills alum Kristin Cavallari in 2023. Following their split, the 38-year-old mom of three admitted that even though Estes was “the best boyfriend” she’d had, “I just know long-term he needs to experience life.”
What We Can Learn From Their Exes: Don’t make dating your day job: The content creator takes celebs out for fast food on her YouTube show, Chicken Shop Date, and while Andrew Garfield isn’t an actual ex, her professional life may have prevented them from becoming an item IRL. “Do you think this has f—ed up the fact that we could actually have gone on a date at some point, maybe?” the actor once asked her on the series.
What We Can Learn From Their Exes: Look out for yourself: “I do what’s best for me, that’s it,” Reese said on Instagram Live of her split from college basketball player Cam’Ron Fletcher after a year of dating. “Don’t attach me to no man. That’s all I’mma say.” Sometimes, maintaining your independence has to be your No. 1 priority!
Sheinelle Jones broke her silence after the death of her husband, Uche Ojeh.
After her Today cohosts Savannah Guthrie, Craig Melvin, Al Roker, Carson Daly, Dylan Dreyer and Jenna Bush Hagerannounced Ojeh’s death on Friday, May 23, during the NBC morning show, Jones, 47, took to Instagram to share a clip from the live broadcast.
“Thank you, for all of your love and support,” she wrote alongside a video of her coworkers honoring Ojeh, who died at age 45, of an aggressive brain cancer.
Jones has not appeared on the Today show since December 2024. She previously addressed her absence but did not specify why — or when — she would be back on the air.
“Hi everybody … I sincerely appreciate all of you who have reached out while I’ve been absent from the show,” she wrote via Instagram in January. “I want to share with you that I’m taking time to deal with a family health matter.”
Jones, who shared kids Kayin, 15, Clara and Uche, both 12, with Ojeh, thanked the viewers who expressed their concern about her whereabouts, adding, “It’s not lost on me how lucky I am to have not only the support of my Today show family, but to also have all of you. Your kindness means so much to me. I’ll see you soon.”
Bennett Raglin/Getty Images for NAACP LDF
During Friday’s broadcast, Jones’ cohosts shared their own tributes for Ojeh.
“There are no words for the pain that we feel for Sheinelle and their three young children,” Guthrie, 53, said. “Uche was an incredible person. We all loved him. … We just want to say Sheinelle, Kayin, Uche and Clara and the Ojeh family: we are with you, we love you. You are our family and we’re just sending all of our love to you right now.”
Guthrie noted that Ojeh was a “perfect match” for Jones. “A man who’s joyful spirit and quiet strength complemented Sheinelle in every way. Uche was the kind of person who brought life, warm and joy to every room,” she added. “Family, friends, and his deep and abiding faith were always his true north.”
Guthrie continued: “He was an enthusiastic soccer player, sang in his church choir and was devoted to his Nigerian heritage, instilling in their children a deep connection to his cultural roots. Today with heavy hearts we celebrate his life. Devoted husband, loving father and a man whose generosity of spirit touched all who knew him.”
Melvin, 46, meanwhile, highlighted Ojeh’s love for his family, saying, “He loved those kids more than anything else in this world, and was just so proud. He was that dad that was on the sideline of every soccer game. He was at all of the concerts and the recitals. He was that guy.”
“With profound sadness, we share this morning that Uche Ojeh, the husband of our dear friend and Today cohost Sheinelle Jones has passed away after a courageous battle with an aggressive form of brain cancer called glioblastoma,” Savannah Guthrie shared during the show’s Friday, May 23, episode. “There are no words for the pain that we feel for Sheinelle and their three young children. Uche was an incredible person. We all loved him.”
Jones, 47, shared her son Kayin, 15, and twins Clara and Uche, 12, with Ojeh. The third hour of Today cohost had been absent from the morning show since December 2024 after announcing via Instagram that she was “taking time to deal with a family health matter.”
“We just want to say Sheinelle, Kayin, little Uche and Clara, the Ojeh family, we are with you. We love you. You are our family, and we are just sending all of our love to you right now,” Guthrie, 53, added.
Guthrie noted that her coanchor, Craig Melvin, was “really good friends” with Ojeh. Melvin, 46, went on to recall having conversations about life while playing golf together last fall. “One thing he always talked about, he talked about those kids. He loved those kids more than anything else in this world,” Melvin shared. “[He] was just so proud. He was that dad that was on the sideline at every soccer game, he was at all the concerts and recitals. He was that guy.”
Though Al Roker called Ojeh a “private guy,” he also described him as “wickedly funny.” He added, “He would say things that kind of caught you off guard, but wasn’t braggadocious or anything. He was a very humble man.”
Courtesy of Sheinelle Jones/Instagram
Guthrie went on to share that both Jones and Ojeh were “so strong” through his health battle, while Dylan Dreyer said her colleague was “always smiling” through difficult times thanks to the love of family and friends.
Jenna Bush Hager added that Jones “found the grace in the grief,” and that she and the rest of the Today hosts have been “completely” inspired by her over the past few months.
“What has been remarkable, also, is watching the way with which she has dealt with this, dealing with a husband who’s battling cancer and three young children that she’s had [take care of] by herself for a while now,” Melvin praised. “And every time you would talk to her, she would still find a way to laugh about something.”
Carson Daly recalled being 5 years old when his own father died of cancer and how his “faith in God” helped both him and Jones work through loss. “They have such good faith.”
Guthrie wrapped up the on-air tributes by stating, “Uche had a beautiful, deep, abiding faith every single day of this fight, and you could see it in his eyes. He was an extraordinary person. We love him and we love you, Sheinelle.”
Jones met her husband when she took him on a tour of Northwestern University in the late ‘90s. They dated for eight years before Ojeh popped the question on their alma mater’s campus. They tied the knot in Philadelphia in September 2007 and welcomed Kayin two years later, followed by Uche and Clara in 2012.
Jones broke her silence by reposting her colleagues’ on-air tributes via Instagram on Friday, writing, “Thank you, for all of your love and support .”
Joe Jonas opened up about diving back into the dating scene after he and ex-wife Sophie Turnersettled their divorce.
“I was seeing somebody at the time, and I was kind of having this idea of dating again. It was really scary and intimidating,” Jonas, 35, said during a Wednesday, May 22, TalkShopLive stream, while discussing writing his new song “Only Love” from his latest solo record, Music for People Who Believe in Love.
He added, “Love takes different shapes and forms, and I was rediscovering what that was.”
According to Jonas, the person he was dating — whom he has not publicly identified — tried to soothe his concerns.
“I was like, ‘Well, when you put it that way,’ [and] so, we wrote a song about it,” the singer added. “Like, it was not a big deal, but it was a big deal to me, and a big deal to them, too. But it’s OK to take a leap of faith and just try again and put yourself out there.”
Jonas was married to Game of Thrones alum Turner, 29, from 2019 to 2023. They finalized their divorce one year later in September 2024, ultimately agreeing to split custody of daughters Willa, 4, and Delphine, 2, after a messy legal battle about primary residencies. (The kids have dual citizenship in the United States and Turner’s native England.)
Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images for Vanity Fair)
“After a productive and successful mediation, we have agreed that the children will spend time equally in loving homes in both the U.S. and the U.K.,” the now-exes told Us Weekly in a joint statement at the time. “We look forward to being great coparents.”
While Jonas has since remained quiet about the divorce and custody battle, Turner called the situation “incredibly sad” in a Harper’s Bazaar cover story published in late 2024.
“We had a beautiful relationship, and it was hard,” she recalled. “I’m so happy to be back. It felt as if my life was on pause until I returned to England. I just never really feel like myself when I’m not in London, with my friends and family. I was away for so long — six years — and it was when my friends were getting engaged, and when I got pregnant. I went for dinner with someone the other day, and she said, ‘I never got to touch your belly.’ We didn’t have those key experiences with each other.”
Turner had lived with Jonas in the U.S. states of California and Florida, respectively, during their marriage. She returned to her native England upon their separation.
Griffin Matthews delivered a scene-stealing performance as Teddy Lockwood in You‘s final season — but his inspiration for the fan-favorite character came from an unexpected place.
“The first thing that I did when I got the job is I made a Pinterest board and it was all ASAP Rocky. I saw ASAP Rocky in a Gucci ad and I was like, ‘Here is what’s so interesting, this guy is Harlem on the top and Gucci on the bottom,'” Matthews, 42, recalled during an exclusive interview with Us Weekly. “I loved that image of this Black man in New York City who is part of this billionaire, white and half British family.”
Matthews was intrigued by the way Teddy offered “a different version of reality,” noting, “I wanted to try to play him not as a good guy. I talked so much with the showrunners about how I didn’t want Teddy to just be a good guy. I wanted him to be authentic and I wanted the audience to not know if he was a good guy.”
You, which originally debuted on Lifetime in 2018, introduced Penn Badgley as a serial killer whose obsession for a girl grew to terrifying heights. Based on books by Caroline Kepnes, the series found larger success after it moved to Netflix for its sophomore season. Since then, each season introduced a new love interest for Joe — and new characters — that didn’t always survive.
“I knew the show and I didn’t know if I was going to live or die when I signed on. I had no idea from episode to episode. I just said to the showrunners, ‘Please just don’t kill me first please.’ But I wanted to create a world in which there was a question around Teddy that we didn’t know what his motives were and we didn’t know where he would land,” Matthews told Us. “Since we never knew from week to week who was going to live and who was going to die, you are doing your best work to try to create a world in which not only do you not know but the audience does not know. That’s the best part of shooting a show like this.”
Clifton Prescod/Netflix
Another great part of joining You? The fact that Matthews was already a big fan of the show before auditioning for the role of Joe’s (Badgley) snarky yet loyal brother-in-law.
“This is the first show I’ve ever done where I was a massive fan. I had seen every single episode of every single season before I auditioned and when I did my screen test with Charlotte [Ritchie], who played my sister. We were on a Zoom and I was so afraid of her,” the actor quipped. “Because of who she is on the show, I didn’t know if she was going to be cold to me. Of course, Charlotte ended up being so lovely and we chatted and had a great audition.”
Matthews admitted it was “so weird” to be on set after watching the show. “It was a very surreal experience to join,” he added. “It was maybe one of my greatest career accomplishments for sure.”
“I didn’t want to go in the cage because I knew that if I went in the cage I was not coming out. But there was a day that we went and shot the promo and we had to all get in the cage and it was fantastic. It is actually scary to go inside the cage,” Matthews revealed to Us. “The best way to — as an actor — to be scared is to actually be scared. When I shot the scene where Joe was trying to kill me, I was actually afraid I didn’t have to pretend like I was terrified. So getting into the cage and getting into a scuffle with Joe a.k.a Pen was thrilling. I want to do it again.”
Assiah Alcázar
Badgley’s performance as Joe might have been spooky, but Matthews couldn’t be more grateful for the bond he formed with his costar. “Turns out Penn is completely different. Funny enough, Penn is a dad [with wife Domino Kirke]. I’m a dad [with husband Matt Gould],” he explained. “So in our downtime, we spent a lot of time talking about our kids and showing pictures. I went to Penn’s house for lunch and met his kids and his family. Also Penn in between takes was meditating in his trailer. So I was like, ‘Who is this guy?'”
Matthews continued: “What is amazing about his performance is Penn is bringing a very particular humanity to Joe Goldberg. That is also why that character is so successful because Penn himself is focused on humanity. He was able to really bring Joe to life because he found a way to make us fall in love with Joe and hate Joe simultaneously. That is so hard as an actor but he never judged the character. He was always just trying to find the truth. It was exciting to watch on set — but even more exciting to see it on screen.”
While speaking to Us, it was clear that Matthews put just as much work into bringing Teddy to life.
“We had many, many calls with our showrunners. Charlotte and I spent a lot of time off screen together. The showrunners gave me a lot of freedom to make sure that Teddy felt authentic. I had the space to say, ‘I think in this particular scenario, a Black person in 2024 is going to say it like this,'” he recalled. “We had to tackle race and culture and privilege. I wanted people who looked like me to see the show and recognize themselves on screen. So I was so lucky that our showrunners were so open to conversations.”
Netflix
Matthews pointed to Teddy’s appearance as a good example, adding, “We did an entire conversation about hair. I spent more time in the hair chair than any of the women on our show: four hours. We were just going hours and hours a day trying to craft a look because Teddy starts with an afro and then as the season progresses, he finally makes it to the end. I wanted him to look the way that he would look in Harlem — but now he’s the CEO.”
There were also conversations about Teddy’s personal life.
“I’ve played many gay men on television and I’ve never had a Black boyfriend or husband. So when I found out that Teddy had a husband and a son, I said ‘It might be interesting if we cast another Black actor and maybe a Black child. Because it will say something about who Teddy is when he’s not inside of this particular world. It will tell the viewer that Teddy is completely outside of this culture, that he’s a fish out of water when he’s in that office,'” he explained. “I give the showrunners a lot of credit because they really heard some of the ideas that I had and implemented them in really, really special and beautiful ways.”
Today personality Sheinelle Jones and husband Uche Ojeh were married for 17 years before he died in May 2025 at the age of 45.
“With profound sadness, we share this morning that Uche Ojeh, the husband of our friend and Today cohost Sheinelle Jones, has passed away after a courageous battle with an aggressive form of brain cancer called glioblastoma,” Savannah Guthriesaid on the May 23, 2025, broadcast. “There are no words for the pain we feel for Sheinelle and their three young children. Uche was an incredible person. We all loved him.”
She continued, “We want to take a moment to tell you more about the remarkable man who was Sheinelle’s perfect partner in life.”
Jones andOjeh’s romance began at Northwestern University when she gave him a campus tour. They started dating soon after, and were together for eight years before Ojeh proposed on campus.
September 2007
Jones andOjeh tied the knot in her hometown of Philadelphia.
August 2009
The couple became parents for the first time, welcoming son Kayin.
July 2012
Twins Clara and Uche completed the family three years later.
“They say it’s one of the best days of your life. It transcends running. And every time you feel like you can’t run anymore, there’s somebody cheering your name,” Jones recalled on Today. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience. If there’s anybody listening to me, and you’ve ever wanted to challenge yourself and step out of your comfort zone, do it.”
After she crossed the finish line in just over four hours, Jones celebrated with Ojeh and their kids.
“I had my kids’ initials on my arm, my husband’s initials, and it said ‘just do it,’” she added. “They are my reason why.”
One month earlier, Jones was equally proud of Ojeh for completing his first triathlon race.
“I think it’s so important to celebrate the wins of the people you love — this weekend it was all about ‘The Uche’s,’” she wrote via Instagram in October 2023. “My youngest son’s soccer team took first in their tournament … meanwhile, dad AKA big Uche — conquered a triathlon. It’s something he’s always wanted to do …. and he trained really hard for it. I’ve watched both of them — day in and day out … running and kicking balls all over the place. It all paid off. The rest of us in the house are super proud of them.”
February 2024
Jones teased her lifelong “crush” on Ojeh in a sweet birthday tribute.
“I’ve had a crush on you since I was 19 … and I still do. ,” she wrote via Instagram.
Jones revealed via Instagram that she planned to take a hiatus from Today amid a “family health matter.” She did not clarify further details.
“It’s not lost on me how lucky I am to have, not only the support of my Today Show family, but also to have all of you,” she wrote. “Your kindness means so much to me. I’ll see you soon.”
May 2025
After announcing Ojeh’s death, Jones’ Today colleagues offered their condolences.
“One thing he always talked about — he talked about those kids,” Craig Melvin recalled. “He loved those kids more than anything else in this world, and was just so proud. He was that dad that was on the sideline at every soccer game. He was at all the concerts, the recitals. He was that guy, and they had such a beautiful love story.”
Jones reposted the Today segment to her Instagram, writing, “Thank you for all of your love and support. .”
Brooks Nader and her three sisters have “never compared” themselves to the Kardashians, but they have worked together.
“We do love the Kardashians. I mean, we’re all sisters,” Brooks, 28, exclusively told Us Weekly at the Sports Illustrated Swim Launch Party on May 15, referring to her sisters Mary HollandNader, Grace Ann Nader and Sarah Jane Nader.
“We got the chance to actually meet and film with them and have a little crossover moment,” Brooks shared. She didn’t reveal if the crossover will feature Kourtney Kardashian, Kim Kardashian and Khloé Kardashian or a combination, but called the siblings “amazing and incredible people.”
While some fans have compared the two sister squads, Brooks told Us they are “so different” from one another.
Brooks Nader attends the launch of the 2025 Issue of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit at Hard Rock Hotel New York on May 15, 2025 in New York City.Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit
“We’re from Louisiana, we’re not from this world of Hollywood,” she explained, calling the Kardashians “the blueprint” and sisters “who did it right.”
The Sports Illustrated model added that the Kardashians are “all so kind” but reiterated that she and her sisters have their own story to tell.
“We grew up from very humble beginnings,” Brooks said. “We just had this dream; we all shared the same dream, and we moved to New York City and we’re just chasing that.”
Us exclusively revealed in April that Brooks was teaming up with her siblings to shoot a reality show for Hulu. “The sisters all just got a place together and the show is full steam ahead,” a source exclusively said at the time, noting, “The Nader sisters have a really unique dynamic that producers love.”
Kris Jenner, Kendall Jenner, Kylie Jenner, and Kim Kardashian.Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Business of Fashion
All four of the Nader sisters are pursuing a career in modeling, but Mary Holland also works in finance. Brooks, for her part, began modeling for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit in 2019 after winning a Swim Search.
Brooks has continued to gain fame with every issue, and her 2023 cover shot her to superstardom. The following year, Brooks competed on season 33 of Dancing With the Stars.
Throughout her career rise, Brooks’ sisters have been by her side cheering her on and often join her on shoots. According to Brooks, all their shenanigans will be front and center when their show premieres.
“You can expect everything to be laid out there. There’s chaos, there’s drama, there’s boys, there’s girls, there’s everything you can imagine under the sun,” Brooks teased to Us earlier this month. “And just like, four girls from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, living in the big city in SoHo, all under the same roof — what can go wrong? There’s bound to be chaos.”
Love Thy Nader is coming to Hulu and Freeform this summer.
