Lala performs her sidekick duties by lounging in her tufted doggie bed alongside Cumming, 59, as he has one-on-one conversations with each cast member on the Peacock reality show, and she looks fabulous doing it, donning sumptuous cloaks and trendy tartans.
It turns out that Lala has a real rags-to-riches tale, with Cumming and husband Grant Shaffer adopting her in February 2016 before she made her debut on The Traitors during season 2.
“When we got her from @socialteesnyc she had just arrived from Costa Rica where she’d been taken off the streets by a kind vet because she was pregnant,” Cumming revealed in a 2022 Instagram post. “After her puppies were born and adopted, nobody wanted Lala (I know!!) until a very lovely American lady took her back to NYC where she was fostered for a week or so by another lovely lady until she found her forever home with me, Jerry and @granteepants. Alas, less than a week later she had to have emergency surgery as a piece of gauze had been left inside her when she was spayed!! But she is a fighter AND a lover and now an internationally renowned and beloved sensation!”
Scroll down to see Lala’s sensational style moments from The Traitors season 3:
Lala previously launched her Hollywood career when she appeared on Alan Cumming’s Edge of Scotland in 2017. Perhaps that's when she started her accessory collection, which seems to rival even Dolores Catania's closet.
Though she was born in Costa Rica and adopted in New York City, Lala is clearly proud to represent her father's Scottish heritage with her fierce tartan frocks.
"Lala, having been a street dog, never had toys. She's not interested in toys at all actually," Cumming told Masterpiece in 2024. "I mean, she'll occasionally chew a blanket or something, but she's not like that at all." Her chill demeanor makes her the perfect Traitors cohost.
The word “Bennifer” might include flashbacks to frosted lip gloss and butterfly clips, but everything comes back in style eventually. Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez got back together nearly 20 years after their romance first took the world by storm.
The pair first connected in 2002 on the set of the ill-fated Gigli. The movie flopped at the box office and among critics, who claimed Affleck and Lopez didn’t have much chemistry.
It was a different story off-screen. Lopez filed for divorce from second husband Cris Judd in June 2002, and she went public with the Good Will Hunting star after. The “Waiting for Tonight” singer had a 6-carat pink diamond ring on her finger by November.
Their wedding was set for September 2003, but they canceled just days before the ceremony due to “excessive media attention” before officially splitting in January 2004.
Nearly two decades after seemingly moving on (with Lopez marrying Marc Anthonyand Affleck starting to seeJennifer Garner in 2004), the exes reunited in spring 2021. Lopez and Affleck finally said “I do” in a Las Vegas ceremony in July 2022.
The two met on the set of Gigli, which sank at the box office while their relationship sizzled. Lopez was married to her second husband, Cris Judd, but Lopez filed for divorce in June 2002 and it was finalized the following year.
Lopez and Affleck were engaged by November 2002. Affleck proposed with a 6-carat pink diamond ring.
The duo even welcomed Dateline's Pat O’Brien into their Vancouver rental home to discuss their relationship, but they wouldn’t say exactly when they fell in love. “You can’t pinpoint it,” Lopez said. “We became friends first. That is the honest to God truth.”
After weeks of paparazzi photos from the set, the "Jenny from the Block" music video premiered on TRL. Affleck costarred and engaged in some heavy PDA with J. Lo.
Just days before they were set to say "I do," Bennifer called off the wedding. They cited "excessive media attention" but remained together.
Lopez believed tabloid attention majorly impacted the relationship. "I think different time, different thing, who knows what could've happened, but there was a genuine love there," she told Jess Cagle.
Affleck said Lopez should have received an Oscar nod for her work in Hustlers. "She should have been nominated. She's the real thing,"he told New York Times reporter Brooks Barnes. "I keep in touch periodically with her and have a lot of respect for her. How awesome is it that she had her biggest hit movie at 50? That's f--king baller."
Less than two weeks after Us confirmed that the former couple had been spending time together again, the duo were spotted vacationing in Big Sky, Montana. "They looked very happy together," an insider told Us of the trip. “It was just the two of them on vacation together. Big Sky is a special place to Ben.”
After sparking romance speculation in April 2021, a source exclusively told Us in May that the exes have “always loved each other” and Lopez’s friends “won’t be surprised if they end up together.” A second source added that the duo had a “heart-to-heart” following their respective splits from Ana de Armas and Alex Rodriguez in 2021, which “reignited a spark between them.”
Days after Us confirmed that Lopez was in California to visit Affleck, the Massachusetts native and the Grammy nominee were spotted hanging out together in Miami. The director was seen walking behind Lopez as the musician smiled during their Florida outing in photos obtained by the Daily Mail in May 2021.
“Jen and Ben are both very happy with each [other] and are excited to see where the relationship goes,” an insider told Us following the duo's Miami getaway. “They are full-on dating and very happy together.”
The lovebirds were making out in Malibu when they attended a birthday dinner for Lopez’s sister at Nobu. In photos obtained by Page Six, the two packed on the PDA as they locked lips and stayed close throughout the night.
The Gigli costars got cozy in the Hamptons while celebrating 4th of July shortly after taking their kids on a fun-filled trip to Universal Studios in Hollywood. Days later, Lopez gushed that she's "never been better" during an interview on Zane Lowe's Apple Music radio show. "It's the best time of my life," she said.
As the duo's relationship continued to heat up, a source told Us that the pair were "fully committed" to starting a future together — and planned "on moving in together very soon." The same month, a second source revealed Affleck and Lopez had been house hunting in Beverly Hills and Bel Air.
"There's been so many times in my life where I have not felt happy, just like anybody else. And I think I'm good at hiding that from the public because I don't feel like that's their burden to carry. I don't put that on them," Lopez said while promoting her single "Cambia El Paso" on Apple Music, adding that she'd felt "really, really good" in recent months. "Everything is just amazing. And I feel great. Everything is beautiful."
The pair were spotted house-hunting in the chic Holmby Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles. One of the homes they looked at was listed at $65 million and included a bowling alley, movie theater, gym and wine cellar. In video footage obtained by TMZ, the duo packed on the PDA while looking at real estate.
The "Dance Again" singer playfully dodged a question about whether she looks "happier" during an interview with Hoda Kotb. She replied she is "always happy when you see me" after the Today host commented on her appearance. When Kotb asked point-blank if she was "happier," Lopez turned the discussion back to her new song with Lin-Manuel Miranda. "The song is out, five years since we’ve done it,” she said on the Today show appearance. “And I believe that that message of loving one another and coming together and love, is never more relevant than it is right now.”
The couple made their subtle debut on Instagram in a video posted by Leah Remini. In the montage, Lopez and Affleck got cozy in a black-and-white photo booth snap.
To celebrate Lopez’s 52nd birthday, the two went to France. They arrived in Nice on a private airplane and headed straight for the sea. They spent time snuggling and kissing on a yacht off the coast of Monaco.
The singer even shared a photo of her and Affleck kissing via Instagram.
After Lopez's daughter joined the couple for dinner at Craig's in Los Angeles, Affleck was spotted supporting his girlfriend on the set of a new project.
Lopez and her teenage twins were joined by Affleck's daughters at Hollywood's Pantages Theater for a performance of Lin-Manuel Miranda's Hamilton.
The duo attended the Venice International Film Festival premiere of Affleck's movie The Last Duel, marking their first red carpet appearance since rekindling their romance earlier in the year. Prior to the event, their last red carpet outing together was for the August 2003 premiere of Gigli.
The duo did some family bonding when took Affleck's daughters, Seraphina and Violet, as well as Lopez's twins, Max and Emme, to an outdoor movie in Los Angeles.
Affleck gushed over his "strong" girlfriend as she was named Adweek's 2021 Brand Visionary. "I am in awe of what Jennifer's effect on the world is. At most, as an artist, I can make movies that move people. Jennifer has inspired a massive group of people to feel they have a seat at the table in this country. That is an effect few people throughout history have had, one I will never know and one I can only stand by and admire with respect," he noted at the time.
The couple spent a romantic night together at a Los Angeles Lakers game, sitting courtside and sharing a few kisses between plays. When the Jumbotron broadcast a video of the happy pair engaged in some light PDA, the crowd cheered.
“This is adorable from The Tender Bar,” the “On My Way” songstress gushed while opening a PR box from the Prime Video movie via Instagram Story. “There’s a great scene in a bowling alley with Ben and the little boy. Ben plays his uncle [and] they’re both amazing in the movie if you haven’t seen it, you should. This is awesome.”
"We were just on the boat! There was no recreation!" Lopez told People. "I was lying down. ... It was a trip I like to take for my birthday, but no, we were not intentionally recreating it. I didn't know there were paparazzi out in the middle of the ocean either!"
The Marry Me star said she and Affleck are trying to keep their relationship private because they remember the publicity circus of their early '00s romance.
"I think what we learned from the last time is that love, when you are lucky enough to find it, is so sacred and special and you have to hold a little bit of that privately and that's what we've learned," Lopez said during an appearance on Today. "But we're very happy, if that's what you wondering about."
Affleck walked the red carpet alongside his girlfriend at the Los Angeles premiere of her romantic comedy Marry Me. Lopez told Entertainment Tonight that the red carpet was a night of work and fun for her.
"It's a great date night. We're super happy," the singer said. "What can I tell you? We're just having a good time."
The Last Duel star directed a special remixed music video of Lopez's “On My Way” single, which was released in conjunction with the Marry Me film.
“I am going to share something very special and personal with you that normally that I would only share with my inner circle,” Lopez wrote via her OnTheJLo newsletter on February 11. “It’s an early Valentine’s Day present from Ben. Watching it made me think about the journey of true love, it’s unexpected twists and turns, and that when it’s real, it actually can last forever. This seriously melted my heart.”
Affleck subtly appeared in Lopez’s “Marry Me” music video. While the actor’s face isn’t shown, eagle-eyed fans spotted his arm and neck in the final shot, cuddling Lopez in bed. In another scene, a portrait of Affleck is visible atop her piano.
Affleck and his son, Samuel, supported Lopez as she accepted the Icon Award at the 2022 iHeartRadio Music Awards. "I want to say thank you to every one of you for believing in me when other people didn't, even when I didn't," the singer gushed during her emotional speech. "Thank you for teaching me who I really am."
Marin, who worked with Lopez on Shotgun Wedding in March 2021, recalled Affleck reaching out to his ex-fiancée when they were filming. “She was just so happy all the time,” Marin told HollywoodLife one year later. “I wish them only good things in life especially if they can make it and do this at the same time.”
They’re engaged! Lopez announced that Affleck popped the question again 18 years after their initial split via her On the JLo newsletter. In a video message sent to her fans, an emotional Lopez showed off her huge, green diamond engagement ring, saying, “You’re perfect.” She also teased the “major announcement” with a video on Twitter on April 8. “So I have a really exciting and special story to share…” the singer told her followers, adding a diamond ring emoji to her Twitter handle.
A few days after her initial engagement announcement, Lopez revealed in another "On the JLo" newsletter that Affleck proposed on April 2 while she was in the bathtub. "Saturday night while at my favorite place on earth (in the bubble bath), my beautiful love got on one knee and proposed," she wrote. "I was taken totally off guard and just looked in his eyes smiling and crying at the same time trying hard to get my head around the fact that after 20 years this was happening all over again, I was quite literally speechless and he said, 'is that a yes?’ I said YES of course that’s a YES."
After Selling Sunset star Emma Hernan mentioned her alleged Raya exchange with Affleck during season 5 of the Netflix series, a rep for the actor told Us that the pair "never met." Hernan later clarified to E!'s Daily Pop that the dating app messages were sent in 2019, though she said on the reality show that it happened "right before" Affleck and Lopez reunited. As the scene raised eyebrows, a source told Us that the fiancés "couldn't be happier," adding, "This isn't affecting their relationship one bit."
While accepting the Generation Award at the 2022 MTV Movie & TV Awards, Lopez concluded her speech with a sweet message for Affleck. "Ben and everybody at home, wait for me to have dinner. I will be home by 7!" she said.
That same month, the performer reflected on the couple's full circle connection. “It’s a beautiful moment,” Lopez told Entertainment Tonight about rekindling her romance with Affleck. "I feel like there’s a lot left for me. So, I’m very excited about it. I do think it’s just halftime."
"Happy Father’s Day to the most caring, loving, affectionate, consistent and selfless Daddy ever," Lopez captioned an Instagram video of affectionate moments between her and Affleck in honor of the holiday.
The social media post also included a voiceover from the Marry Me actress, which said, "This is the best time of my life. I love my career, but nothing is more fulfilling to me than being able to build a family with someone who I love deeply and who is just as dedicated to family and to each other as we can be. And I'm feeling incredibly blessed."
Us confirmed on July 17 that the pair had obtained a marriage license on Saturday, July 16, before their walk down the aisle in Las Vegas. They tied the knot just after midnight at The Little White Chapel, nearly 20 years after their initial engagement.
“They both thought it was a fun and casual way to tie the knot,” an insider exclusively told Us at the time.
The songstress released wedding photos hours after Us confirmed that the couple secretly got married in Las Vegas on July 17. The pair got hitched at The Little White Chapel in Las Vegas.
"We did it. Love is beautiful. Love is kind. And it turns out love is patient. Twenty years patient," Lopez wrote in her "On the JLo" newsletter.
Following their Georgia nuptials, the Maid in Manhattan star performed a new song for her hubby at the reception, complete with backup dancers and singers. The title of the track is unknown, but Lopez crooned the lyrics “can’t get enough” various times while Affleck look on in adoration.
The Marry Me star shared details of the pair’s Georgia wedding festivities in the September edition of her “On the J.Lo” newsletter.
“It had rained at sunset every day that week. Everyone was worried about the heat, the aptly named ‘love bugs,’ the details, would the guests all arrive on time, etc. — not to mention the thunder and lightning that arrived almost on cue each day at the exact time the ceremony was supposed to start that Saturday,” Lopez wrote. “Oh, and all of us caught a stomach bug and were recuperating ‘til late in the week, that, and along with a few other unexpected setbacks, had all the makings of a doozie of a wedding weekend.
Despite the various concerns, the “Let’s Get Loud” singer revealed she “never had a doubt” the wedding would go off without a hitch. The “sun broke free” just minutes before the couple said “I do,” and Lopez referred to it as “one of the most perfect moments” of their lives.
“The sky was clear blue, and distant clouds of pure white held fast in the sky. As the sun set behind the live oaks draped in Spanish moss, a warm breeze swept over the lawn where our closest family and friends sat and, at long-last, I started my walk down the stairs that would become the aisle that would lead me toward the rest of my life. Ahhhhh … it was actually happening,” she gushed about the romantic ceremony.
The New York native also revealed the song that played during the first dance — “The Things We Handed Down” by Marc Cohn — and spoke about serenading her hubby at the reception, which took the Good Will Hunting star’s breath away.
"When he saw me appear at the top of the stairs that moment it both made absolute sense while seeming still impossibly hard to believe, like the best dream, where all you want is never to awaken,” Lopez noted. when I got close enough to see his face, it made the same wonderful sense to me. Some old wounds were healed that day and the weight of the past finally lifted off our shoulders. Full-circle — and not at all the way we planned it. Better.”
The newlyweds looked happy in love as they braved the California heat during the Malibu Chili Cook-Off on Labor Day weekend. Lopez stunned in a flowing white linen dress while Affleck, for his part, donned khaki slacks and a light blue button-down.
An insider told Us that the duo are "still in their honeymoon phase" months after their two weddings. "They are very head over heels for each other," the source said. "Becoming husband and wife hasn't changed their relationship much, except for the fact that it solidified what they had. They're looking at homes to purchase together and hoping to find one they're both happy with. It's been an ongoing process."
After their two honeymoons, the duo are focusing on work and family. "Jen is hard at work filming, and Ben has been taking over daddy duty and helping out with the kids a lot," the insider explained. "She adores the fact that he is such a great father and she can always rely on him. He's been very supportive of her and has visited her on set, which she loves."
The Shotgun Wedding star and Affleck wore coordinating black outfits at the Ralph Lauren Spring 2023 Fashion Experience, their first joint appearance since their wedding.
The Grammy nominee announced her ninth album, This Is Me ... Now, exactly 20 years after the release of 2002's This Is Me ... Then, which featured a tribute to Affleck titled "Dear Ben." When Lopez revealed the new track list via Instagram on November 25, fans noticed another song dedicated to Affleck titled "Dear Ben pt. II."
Lopez revealed during an interview with Apple Music's Zane Lowe that her now-husband inscribed a secret message on her second engagement ring. "Not. Going. Anywhere," she said. "Because that's how he would sign his emails when we started talking again. Like, 'Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere.'"
The songwriter also reflected on losing the "love of my life" after their early 2000s split. "It was so painful after we broke up," she confessed. "Once we called off that wedding 20 years ago, it was the biggest heartbreak of my life. I honestly felt like I was going to die. It sent me on a spiral for the next 18 years where I just couldn't get it right. ... Now, we know. And there [are] no questions and there is no kind of like, 'Well, let's see how this goes.' Like, 'Nope, it's me and you. That's it. All the way, till the end. That's it. It's going to be us.'"
In her "On the JLo" newsletter, Lopez gave fans a glimpse of how she and her husband celebrated their first Christmas as a "blended family" with their children. "I've been hunkering down at home (and loving it) since I wrapped my last movie, just getting ready for the holidays!" she wrote, explaining that her festive season was inspired by her new song "Hummingbird" from her album This Is Me ... Now. "I decided this year that the hummingbird would be a perfect theme. We have blended families, doubled the people, doubled the fun, doubled the love, doubled the presents and tripled the chaos!!"
She went on to describe a new tradition she and Affleck began for their littles ones: a Christmas Taco Tuesday. "This was the first time in a long time we were able to get together with people that we haven't seen in forever," Lopez added. "The party was filled with family, friends, colleagues, and people we've known from over the years. We sang and danced and had the most amazing time!"
The twosome packed on the PDA at the premiere of Lopez’s Shotgun Wedding. While promoting the movie on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, the actress got candid about their Sin City wedding.
“We were planning to get married in August in Savannah, the family was going to be there, everyone’s going to be there, and it was so stressful. … And it kind of all fell apart [when we were supposed to wed in 2004] and this time, I absolutely had a little PTSD and I was like, ‘Is this happening?’” she said. “We were so happy, but I just felt the wedding was so stressful. And one day Ben just said, ‘F—k it, let’s just go to Vegas and get married tonight.’”
After admitting that she’s “learned to embrace” the Bennifer nickname, Lopez explained how her second-round at romance with Affleck inspired her upcoming album.
“I did an album 20 years ago that, obviously, had a song called ‘Dear Ben’ on it that was about the time that me and Ben were together then. I got very inspired when we got back together,” she said of This Is Me Now. “It was kind of like a miracle and something that neither one of us really ever thought would happen and I went into the studio, and I wrote an album in two months.”
Bennifer's appearance at the 2023 Grammys made headlines — but it was Affleck who stole the show with his meme-worthy facial expressions as he appeared unamused throughout the night's performances while Lopez was dancing to every song. Despite Affleck's affect going viral, Lopez wrote via Instagram that she had the "best night" at the 65th annual awards show with "my love, my husband."
Lopez showed off her new infinity tattoo — dedicated to beau — for Valentine’s Day. “Commitment ♾️,” the Marry Me star captioned a series of images via Instagram that included her new ink along with a second piece of body art that seemingly belonged to Affleck. The design included two arrows crossing over each other with the letters “J” and “B.”
In addition to their new tattoos, Lopez shared a few images of the happy couple over the years, including some stills from a boat outing that featured the Argo director grabbing the Shotgun Wedding actress' posterior.
Affleck revealed that Lopez had been encouraging him to be more open amid speculation about his unapproachability. "She thinks that because of experiences that I’ve had, I’ve become very guarded. And she’s right," the Air star told The Hollywood Reporter. "I view these things as land mines, where if you say one wrong thing, your career might be over. She tells me today, 'Relax, be yourself. Have fun. You’re a fun guy who is real and genuine and you just seem so serious.' Do I seem serious? But as in many things, she’s right. And she loves me. She’s looking out for me. She’s trying to help me. So, it’s like, maybe I ought to f–king listen to her."
Lopez posted a video of her and Affleck singing along to Sam Cooke's "(What a) Wonderful World" to celebrate her husband's 51st birthday. "Dear Ben … Happy Birthday. I love you!" she wrote via Instagram.
Lopez dropped her “cinematic odyssey” alongside her ninth studio album, This Is Me … Now. The record served as a sequel to 2002’s This Is Me … Then, which was released during her first go at romance with Affleck. A documentary about the making of the film was also released, titled The Greatest Love Story Never Told.
Affleck made cameos in both movies. While he was overall supportive of the project, also expressed his discomfort in being featured.
“I did really find the beauty and the poetry and the irony in the fact that it’s the greatest love story never told,” he told the camera during the documentary. “If you’re making a record about it, that seems kind of like telling it.”
An insider exclusively told Us that the pair were “having issues in their marriage,” which began when Lopez ramped up "work commitments” in preparation for her tour.
“Jen is very focused on work,” the source explained. “They are on two completely different pages most of the time.”
While the insider noted that Lopez also looked at a home in Los Angeles that she’s saying is intended as an investment property, a second told Us that Affleck started staying at a place in L.A. that is separate from the couple’s usual home.
The second insider also confirmed that despite any issues, the couple had no plans to separate and are working on their relationship.
Lopez canceled her This Is Me … Live Tour later that month in order to take time off “to be with her children, family and close friends,” per an email shared by Live Nation and her fan newsletter.
A source told Us that the pair, who continued to sport their wedding rings in public, were selling their shared L.A. home. “Jennifer is distraught. She wants to sell their house off-market to try and get less attention surrounding it,” another insider revealed. “Ben doesn’t care about the negative attention [because] he’s been through this before and it doesn’t faze him.”
The same source also noted that the two had been “discussing divorce” while working to sell their home.
That month, Lopez called Affleck “our hero” in an Instagram Story post for Father’s Day, while Affleck referred to her as “my wife” on an episode of Kevin Hart’s Peacock talk show Hart to Heart.
Amid news of the pair’s marital woes, a source exclusively told Us that Affleck and Lopez were “doing their own thing right now” and were “living separate lives.” However, a second insider noted that there was still a “sliver of hope” for reconciliation.
“They are going through so much individually and as a couple,” a third source shared. “They may take some time to see if this complicated moment can resolve itself and they come back to each other [as] better people.”
A different source later told Us that the couple were hoping to sell their shared home sooner rather than later. “They decided to list the house very recently, within the last week,” the insider explained. “They thought they could sell it off-market but made a game-time decision in order to put more eyes on the property. They are in a rush to sell it. Ben especially wants to be done with the house. He was never happy there.”
Robert Pattinson‘s caped crusader will go back to the Batcave for a sequel to the March 2022 film The Batman.
Warner Bros. confirmed the follow-up film at CinemaCon in late April 2022, just a little less than two months after The Batman hit theaters.
“Thank you all for your tremendous support for The Batman,” Reeves told told the Las Vegas CinemaCon crowd in April 2022 when Warner Bros. announced the movie. “We couldn’t have gotten here without the faith and enthusiasm of all your teams around the world. I’m excited to jump back into this world for the next chapter.”
Pattinson previously said that though he took a long break from franchises after wrapping the five-film Twilight Saga in 2012, he actually hoped to return as the DC Comics superhero and show his growth.
“It was so fun doing it. I’m down to do this for as many times as people want to see it, really,” he told Fandango in February 2022 ahead off the first film’s release. “I’ve talked to Matt about the idea of doing a trilogy. I know it would be wonderful. I really, really enjoyed the process, and it’s such a fun character to play. Yeah, that’d be lovely.”
Find out everything we know so far about Pattinson’s The Batman sequel below:
The Batman Part II was initially set to hit theaters on October 3, 2025, but the film was delayed following the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes in 2023. In March 2024, Warner Bros. announced that a new release date was set for 2026, but by the end of 2024, the date was moved again to October 1, 2027, more than five years after the initial film's debut.
While Pattinson was the only confirmed cast member when the sequel was announced in April 2022, the film left the door open for other stars to return, including Kravitz as Selina Kyle/Catwoman, Jeffrey Wright as Jim Gordon and Andy Serkis as Alfred Pennyworth. Colin Farrell could also return as The Penguin/Oswald Cobblepot, but that will likely depend on what happens to his character in his HBO Max spinoff series.
Matt Reeves will return to helm the second film. The War for the Planet of the Apes filmmaker cowrote the 2022 movie's script with Peter Craig and is expected to help write the follow up.
Even before the sequel was confirmed, plot speculation began. Pattinson revealed he has a personal preference when it comes to adapting comic book arcs.
“I was definitely kind of thinking Court of Owls is probably gonna be in the sequel,” Pattinson told Vanity Fair in March 2022. “It definitely seems like — well, I mean, I am literally just guessing, I just keep saying it.”
The Court of Owls is an organization formed by Gotham’s most wealthy and powerful families, and they are pulling all the strings in Gotham for their own benefit. Considering how the first film explained Gotham’s politics and the power of the wealthy people who shaped the city, it’s easy to see why Pattinson is theorizing that those themes will be explored further.
While Pattinson hopes for a Court of Owls appearance, Reeves said he could envision Mr. Freeze in a sequel.
"In my view, I just feel drawn to finding the grounded version of everything. So to me it would be a challenge in an interesting way to try and figure out how that could happen, even the idea of something like Mr. Freeze, that such a great story, right?" he told Collider in February. "I think there's actually a grounded version of that story, which could be really powerful and could be really great."
The Joker (Barry Keoghan) appeared briefly at the very end of The Batman, and there wasn't even a clear shot of his face. It seemed like the Dark Knight already put him behind bars, but Arkham Asylum is known for mastermind escapees.
Reeves is keeping the title for Pattinson's next outing simple. In January 2023, Gunn and Safran confirmed that the sequel is called The Batman Part II.
While some spend Christmas Day at home around the tree, many people head straight to the movie theater. Luckily, whether you need a family-friendly flick or want to get ahead on your awards season viewings, there are plenty of films to watch in cinemas on December 25.
New Movies in Theaters on Christmas Day 2024
Kid-friendly options were released earlier (more on those later), so the Christmas Day release list largely consists of R-rated flicks starring major A-Listers.
Babygirl(R) – Nicole Kidman plays a businesswoman who seemingly has it all with a husband (Antonio Banderas), two kids at home while she acts as CEO of her tech company. However, she puts everything on the line when she indulges her submissive fantasies and has an affair with her young intern (Harris Dickinson). Kidman scored a Golden Globe nomination for her performance in the erotic thriller.
A Complete Unknown (R) – Timothée Chalamet plays 19-year-old Bob Dylan as he arrives in New York City and begins his meteoric rise to fame. Edward Norton, Elle Fanning and Monica Barbaro also star in this biopic, which is up for three Golden Globes.
Nosferatu (R) – Realtor Thomas Hutter (Nicholas Hoult) is searching for a house for the wealthy Transylvanian Count Orlok (Bill Skarsgård) in this remake of the 1922 short film. Thomas learns that Orlok is a vampire, and he’s taken a liking to Thomas’ wife Ellen (Lily-Rose Depp). Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Emma Corrin and Willem Dafoe also star.
The Fire Inside(PG-13) – This biopic follows professional boxer Claressa “T-Rex” Shields (Ryan Destiny) as she trains for the 2012 Summer Olympics with coach Jason Crutchfield (Brian Tyree Henry). She becomes the first American woman to win an Olympic gold medal in the sport.
The Only New Christmas Movie in Theaters This Year
While some cinemas will bring beloved Christmas classics like Love Actually and The Grinch back to theaters, there is only one new holiday film on the big screen in 2024: Red One. After Santa Claus is kidnapped, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson plays an E.L.F. (Extremely Large and Formidable) operative who joins forces with a bounty hunter and perpetual naughty lister (played by Chris Evans) to track down St. Nick. Lucy Liu, J.K. Simmons, Bonnie Hunt and Kiernan Shipka also star in the flick, which is also available to stream on Prime Video.
There’s no time like Christmas vacation to catch up on your moviegoing — or to see Wicked for the third time. No judgement.
Mufasa: The Lion King (PG) – This prequel follows a young Mufasa as he befriends Taka, who fans better know as Scar. The photorealistic animated film has a star-studded cast that includes Aaron Pierre, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Seth Rogen, Billy Eichner, Tiffany Boone, Blue Ivy Carter and Beyoncé.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3(PG) – Sonic (voiced by Ben Schwartz), Knuckles (voiced by Keanu Reeves) and Tails (voiced by Colleen O’Shaughnessey) reunite to battle Shadow (voiced by Idris Elba) in this threequel. Jim Carrey also returns as Dr. Ivo Robotnik while Krysten Ritter, James Marsden, Shemar Moore and Tika Sumpter round out the live-action cast.
Kraven the Hunter (PG-13) – Aaron Taylor-Johnson stars as Marvel villain Nikolai Kravinoff in this origin story, which explains how his own father sets him on the road to vengeance. Ariana DeBose and Russell Crowe also star.
Queer (R) – Daniel Craig scored a Golden Globe nod for his role as an American veteran who dodges his drug charges by fleeing to Mexico City in the 1950s. He becomes infatuated with a handsome young fellow American (Drew Starkey), who shows the older man what he has been missing. The movie, based on William S. Burroughs‘ 1985 novella, has plenty of Oscar buzz.
Wicked (PG-13) – Let’s hold space for this epic origin story for The Wicked Witch of the West. Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey and Michelle Yeoh star in the blockbuster, which scored four Golden Globe nods and is expected to get more recognition throughout awards season.
Gladiator II (R) – Set 16 years after the death of Maximus in 2000’s Gladiator, the sequel follows Lucius (Paul Mescal), who watched his uncle kill Maximus. After his wife is killed, he is taken as a prisoner of war and forced to enter the Colosseum. He must not only battle his opponents but fight to bring real change to Rome. Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn and Denzel Washington also star.
There’s nothing to keep you warm through the winter like a spicy holiday romance novel.
Meghan Quinn, Ali Hazelwood, Christina Lauren and more of our favorite authors have Christmas-themed books that raise our temperatures faster than a roaring fire. Scroll down for holiday-themed reading recommendations to keep you warm all winter:
Holiday enthusiast Storee Taylor moves in next door to her Grinch-like nemesis, Cole Black, and he decides to enter the town Christmas Kringle contest just to beat her. Somehow, that leads to fake dating, and we all know that’s a straight path to rocking around the Christmas tree and inappropriate use of candy canes (literally). Don’t read this one in public unless you’re a straight-faced, smut-reading pro.
Fable and her boss, Wilder, are the maid of honor and best man at a Christmas destination wedding, but they don’t want anyone to feel bad for them. They do the only reasonable thing — fake date. What starts as a ploy to make her ex jealous quickly turns into something that isn’t just about Fable’s tree getting trimmed. Beware, some of Us are still blushing after reading the new meaning Blakely gave to the word “eggnog.”
This novella centers around a stressed lawyer who goes to her family’s Christmas chalet in France only to find her brother brought home his roommate, who happens to voice her favorite audio erotica. She won’t just hear the bells getting jingled anymore — she’s getting the full sleigh ride experience. Bonus: the duet audiobook by Adam Gold and Evelyn Rose is like an extra Christmas gift.
‘In a Holidaze’ by Christina Lauren
This spicy holiday romance is officially in development at Netflix, which is great news because Christina Lauren (the pen name of Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings) is one of our favorites. Mae is confused and depressed, so she asks the universe to show her what will make her happy — and then she dies. She wakes up after her car crash and repeats her day, thus beginning the Groundhog Day–like cycle that results in Mae figuring out what — and who — she really wants. This one has just a few spicy scenes, so you don’t have to worry about your family glancing over your shoulder while reading.
Prince Nicholas, or “Coal” as his friends call him, is destined to take over for his father as Santa one day. His father suddenly arranges for him to marry Iris, who is the Princess of Easter, Coal’s BFF and his brother’s longtime crush. Hex, the Prince of Halloween, arrives to challenge Coal for Iris’ hand — but these princes get hotter than chestnuts on an open fire when they’re together. Raasch has a unique take on a holiday romance that’s deeper than expected.
‘Under the Mistletoe Collection’ by Ali Hazelwood, Tessa Bailey, Olivia Dade, Alexandria Bellefleur and Alexis Daria
Amazon knows what you’ve been reading, but unlike Santa, they’re more than happy to help you stay on the naughty list. The novellas in this collection (each under two hours) are all very sexy, but perhaps the best is the one that made us wait the longest for the spice, Cruel Winter With You by Ali Hazelwood. The novella follows two former childhood friends, Jamie and Marc, who get snowed in together over the holidays and finally have to face their feelings. Hazelwood is a spicy romance queen, and her fans will be delighted to find her trademark banter, tension and passion waiting for them under the tree.
Zendaya and Tom Holland have kept their romance relatively private, but fans know that the two have a long history.
The actors met while working on Spider-Man: Homecoming in 2016 and dating rumors quickly followed. However, there wasn’t a direct confirmation of their relationship until July 2021, when they were spotted packing on the PDA in Holland’s car in Los Angeles.
Shortly after the relationship — which had been rumored for years — was confirmed, an insider exclusively told Us Weekly that the Marvel stars’ friendship created a strong foundation for their romantic relationship.
“Zendaya and Tom started off as really great friends and stayed that way for a long while before things turned romantic,” the source revealed, adding they “work really well together because he makes her laugh and she really helps guide him through the world of celebrity.”
Spider-Man: Homecoming started filming in June 2016, though Zendaya was officially cast three months prior. The pair met some time during this period with Zendaya making her first appearance on Holland's Instagram in July 2016.
Tom called Zendaya his "mate" as they graced the front of The Hollywood Reporter together, marking the Brit's first-ever cover shoot.
"Over the moon with my first cover. So grateful that I got to share it with the one and only @zendaya," he captioned the photo at the time. "Thanks mate for helping me out 👊🏻."
Lip Sync Battle aired the now-iconic episode featuring Holland and Zendaya. The California girl serenaded her British beau with Erykah Badu's "Tyrone" and Bruno Mars' "24K Magic." Holland performed Nelly's "Ride Wit Me," but fans might not remember those as well as the final song.
The Onward star's "Singin' in the Rain"/"Umbrella" mashup went on to become a classic viral hit as the episode highlighted their playful friendship.
Spider-Man: Homecoming hits theaters, showing Zendaya as a cool loner named Michelle while Holland's Peter Parker becomes Spider-Man. By the end of the film, Michelle tells Peter that her friends call her "MJ," which Spidey fans know means they're love interests.
Romance rumors swirled around the duo, but the "Rewrite the Stars" singer denied the speculation. "It happens all the time, and of course we expected it," she told Entertainment Tonight in August 2017. "I mean, it comes with the territory. It comes with the job, so it’s all good."
She told Variety that month that the Billy Elliot star was "literally one of my best friends.”
Holland and Zendaya enjoyed dinner in New York City with her parents, mom Claire Stoermer and dad Kazembe Ajamu Coleman. “Tom has met Zendaya’s family and they love him,” a source exclusively told Us at the time. “They are still seeing each other. It’s been about a year.”
Zendaya spotted kissing Euphoria costar Jacob Elordi in New York City in February 2020, but he was confirmed to be dating Kaia Gerber seven months later. Meanwhile, Holland was linked to Olivia Bolton from 2019 until they split in April 2020.
Holland sparked relationship rumors with Nadia Parkes after posting a snap via Instagram in July 2020. The former couple reportedly moved in together during the pandemic.
Holland accidentally gave Zendaya's Instagram handle a cheeky placement in a social media upload, which sparked romance rumors again.
“You mean, because I tagged Zendaya over my groin in an Instagram post?” Holland quipped to British GQ when asked about relationship speculation.
“That was so funny; it was obviously a mistake," he explained. "But in all seriousness, it is also incredibly frustrating. It’s very nerve-racking. It means that if you are dating someone, you have to be really conscious of their feelings, because if something does happen between the two of you, it’s not just happening between the two of you, it’s happening in front of the entire world. And it can be very complicated. It’s one of the things I worry about most, of all the things in my career.”
After the PDA photos went public, the Malcolm & Marie star and Holland went to their friend Josh Florez’s wedding together in Simi Valley, California. Photos and videos appeared on social media showing the couple enjoying themselves while dancing and chatting with other guests.
The Spider-Man: No Way Home trailer was released — and fans saw the couple sharing some sweet moments. It looks like Peter and MJ are closer than ever, so the Tomdaya fans will likely be in for a treat.
Holland was in England while Zendaya celebrated her 25th birthday in California, but he shared a sweet tribute for her to wake up to. “My MJ, have the happiest of birthdays. Gimme a call when your [sic] up xxx,” he captioned a mirror selfie they took on the set of a Spider-Man film.
Five hours after Holland's initial post, his girlfriend commented, "Calling now♥️."
Holland shared his support for Zendaya's new film, Dune, by sharing a photo of her on the red carpet at the London premiere. He simply captioned the black and white snap, "Dune 😍." Zendaya liked the Instagram photo and commented with a pleading eyes emoji.
The Uncharted star paid tribute to his girlfriend via Instagram after she received the honor of Fashion Icon at the 2021 CFDA Awards. “Naaa stop it 😍,” he wrote. “An incredible achievement for the most incredible person.” The Dune actress shared her beau’s GQ cover via Instagram Story on November 17 alongside a heart eyes emoji.
Later that month, while he didn't mention his flame by name, Holland told Total Film he felt “very happy and in love,” explaining that he prefers to keep his private life out of the spotlight. He even hinted that he's considered a future outside of Hollywood.
"I might go and be a carpenter for two years, and take a big break, and come back,” he told the magazine. “Or I might not come back. I might go away and get married and have kids, and just disappear for the rest of my life.”
While discussing their joint Spider-Man: No Way Home film, the Disney Channel alum revealed what it was like filming the project’s action stunts together despite their height differences.
“There’s a particular stunt where Spider-Man swings us on top of a bridge and he places me there [before] we eventually jump off of, so he’s supposed to gently rest MJ on the bridge and walk away,” Zendaya explained during an appearance on the Graham Norton Show. “Because of our height difference, I would land before him [and] my feet obviously hit the ground before he does.”
Holland, for his part, chimed in before the pair demonstrated their stuntwork: “So Zendaya would land, and I'm the superhero, I'm supposed to look cool. And I would land and my feet would swing from underneath me and then she would catch me.”
The two briefly held hands as they shared a smile during a London photocall for Spider-Man: No Way Home on Sunday, December 5.
During an interview with the Associated Press, Holland referred to Zendaya as "beautiful" while he reflected on the way her "companionship" helped him on his fame journey.
“Like two friends coming together, like, experiencing this world, going through the same problems at the same time, having a shoulder to cry on,” he shared while promoting their joint Marvel project. “It has been a huge thing for the pair of us and with Jacob [Batalon] as well. We really are a family. And you know, becoming famous at the age of 19, but this is a different kind of famous. There’s not a corner of the world that Spider-Man hasn’t touched so it’s a lot to take in so it’s really nice for me to have a family to share that with.”
An insider exclusively told Us that the pair "are in the best place they could be right now" after going public with their relationship — a move that "made them even more strong and confident in their relationship."
The source added, "They are still in the new love phase and want to spend every moment together, which works out great because they’ve been doing so much shooting, traveling and press together. He adores her and she thinks he is so smart and funny. They seem to be in it for the long haul together, all their friends love them together."
Holland and Zendaya’s Christmas plans don’t include cooking a meal together. Both told Heart radio that they believe they would make the better holiday meal than the other. Zendaya admitted that they are a “bit controlling” in the kitchen, which is why they can never work together on a dish.“I like to do it my way,” the Smallfoot actress said. “He likes to do it his way so it’s better if just one of us does it.”Holland noted that his lady love has a rather dangerous streak when it comes to chopping onions. “Every time she cooks, [she] comes millimeters from not chopping her fingers off, [but] her hand off,” he joked.
As they wrapped up the Spider-Man: No Way Home press tour, Zendaya shared a message to her superhero sweetheart one day before the movie hit theaters.
“My Spider-Man, I’m so proud of you,” she wrote via Instagram alongside a throwback photo of her beau in a Spider-Man costume. “Some things never change and good thing ♥️.”
“He keeps talking about it. Maybe we can get him in the background of a shot eventually, but he definitely came by [to the set],” the KC Undercover alum told Access Hollywood after her beau previously expressed his desire to appear in an upcoming episode of her acclaimed HBO series. "Listen, we need all the support we can get this season."
After the interviewer shared a throwback pic of Holland, Zendaya gushed, "I know, that face."
The duo were spotted holding hands in New York City while heading to a screening for Holland's movie Uncharted. Zendaya later shared a Boomerang of her movie ticket via her Instagram Story. "Woop woop," she wrote.
The Uncharted star and his girlfriend attended a New York Rangers hockey game on February 17, both wearing a personalized jersey with each other’s name.
“Yours is just really good,” Holland gushed about his girlfriend’s first Spider-Man: Homecoming audition in a March 2022 YouTube video with costar Jacob Batalon.
"I think it's great to have that support and love around you, because you need that," the actress gushed to Entertainment Tonight while attending a For Your Consideration event for Euphoria. "This isn't an easy job, so it's good to have that to free you up from it every now and then."
When asked about Holland's rumored cameo on her HBO series, Zendaya teased, "Who knows? The world may never know."
Holland couldn't hide his approval of his girlfriend's cover shoot for Vogue Italia. After the Emmy winner shared snaps from the portfolio via Instagram, the Marvel star replied in the comments with three heart eyes emojis.
Holland stayed in NYC to continue work on the Crowded Room while Zendaya rocked the Emmys with her mom. After she won Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series — her second honor for Euphoria — she told E! News that her “boyfriend” was the first person she texted.
An insider exclusively told Us that the two were "serious and permanent" ahead of the holidays. “They’re both in settling-down mode and are absolutely planning for a real future together," the source added at the time.
Zendaya made her red carpet return for the 2023 NAACP Image Awards and stunned in two vintage dresses. The Dune: Part 2 actress posted a photo of her green and black grown via Instagram after the ceremony, and Holland responded to his girlfriend’s look with three heart-eye emojis.
Zendaya showed Holland some love on his 27th birthday, sharing a picture of him on vacation with her Instagram followers. The Emmy winner added a heart eyes emojis on the snap, which was a solo shot of the English actor standing on a rock as the sunset behind him.
Zendaya stressed that she wants her relationship to be low-key — but she can't live in hiding. “Parts of my life, I accept, are going to be public,” she told Elle in a cover story. “I can’t not be a person and live my life and love the person I love. But also, I do have control over what I choose to share. It’s about protecting the peace and letting things be your own but also not being afraid to exist. You can’t hide. That’s not fun, either. I am navigating it more than ever now.”
Holland picked an adorable photo of Zendaya to celebrate her 27th birthday. “My birthday girl 😍,” he wrote via his Instagram Story alongside a snap of the actress giving a thumbs up in snorkeling gear complete with goggles.
In a subsequent story, he shared a photo captured from behind of Zendaya walking their dogs with her hair flying out behind her. Holland added three heart eye emojis to the picture.
When asked who from the Dune cast has the best “rizz,” Zendaya chose to go off script and give a sweet shoutout to her boyfriend, instead.
“I don’t know. Rizz is short for charisma, right? Everybody’s kind of got their own,” Zendaya told Buzzfeed. “I think someone who has beautiful charisma, not on the Dune cast, but personally works for me, is Mr. Tom Holland.”
She noted that the twosome are different in their personalities, which works for their relationship. “I’m more shy and kind of quiet,” she explained. “So it takes a bit more to pull me out of my shell. But he’s great at just talking to people, getting to know people. He’s just naturally very good at that. I’ve definitely had to pull it out of me a little bit. He’s got that natural gift.”
While Zendaya clearly sees Holland’s swag, he doesn’t necessarily agree. The actor said someone has to fall in love with him for his charm to work. “Probably making a movie with each other — it definitely helps when the characters are falling in love with one another,” he told Buzzfeed in June 2023. “You can sort of blur the lines a little bit.”
Holland added that he has “no need” for charisma since finding Zendaya. “I’m happy and in love,” he said. “I have no rizz whatsoever. I have limited rizz.”
Less than two weeks before Christmas, Holland revealed on “The Dish” podcast that he was excited to spend the holidays with “my girlfriend’s family.”
“I think what we’d like to start doing, rather than spending it with each family each year, is bring the families together,” Holland said. “That’s what I think we want to do next time, 'cause we’re both actors, we’re both terrible at organizing things, so it hasn’t happened yet.”
When Chris Carmack isn’t making Us swoon as Link on Grey’s Anatomy, he’s making us laugh on TikTok alongside wife Erin Slaver — and honesty is key when it comes to working together.
“I would say make it safe and comfortable to be able to shoot down each other’s ideas,” Carmack, 43, exclusively told Us Weekly while promoting his partnership with Autotrader. “It takes way too much time and emotional energy to coddle each other every time there’s something that you don’t think is funny or you don’t think is good, and it can still prick a little bit from time to time. But if you want to be productive, if you want to get things done, you have to be able to say, ‘No, I’m not feeling it.'”
However, Carmack emphasized that collaborating with his wife on their hilarious TikTok sketches is a back-and-forth.
“That doesn’t mean somebody can’t go to bat for it and say, ‘No, no, no, I think you are wrong because of such and such,’ and put up a fight. That’s fine,” he said. “But always be willing to accept that your idea isn’t as funny as you thought it was. And always be able to accept a rebuttal that your judgment was wrong. Just be wrong all the time. Be willing to be wrong.”
The former Nashville actor, who married Slaver in 2018, admitted that he’s usually the party who is wrong — especially when it comes to bringing up his early career. One of their most popular videos (with over 27 million views), shows Slaver making “accidental eye contact” with Carmack’s teen headshots while another (with over 20 million views) shows Slaver watching her husband on The O.C., the show that launched his career in 2003.
“Erin gets excited about doing those because usually what happens is we find an old artifact and that is the beginning of Erin [saying], ‘We’ve got to use this,’ and we do. And it’s a lot of fun. Sometimes we come across several artifacts and she wants to do a bunch in a row, and I’m like, ‘Let’s just pump the brakes,’” he admitted to Us. “I don’t want to make it all about my modeling days — but she wins almost all the time.”
He doesn’t mind too much, though, adding, “Who doesn’t get a good laugh at looking back at themselves when they were younger?”
While many of their bits on social media are scripted, Carmack and Slaver worked hard to make sure their pranks for their Autotrader campaign were completely authentic.
“We were excited to partner with Autotrader and especially when we collaborated on the idea of an anti-surprise prank campaign because my wife and I have been watching couples pull pranks on each other on social media for a long time and dying to do it,” Carmack told Us. “This gave us the opportunity to smash each other with shaving cream-filled balloons and scare each other with spiders and smash each other’s face with saran wrap and all in good fun.”
In their video, fans can see their genuine surprised reactions because the pair didn’t know when each prank was coming or what it would involve.
“I told Erin I wanted it to be as real and authentic as possible, and she agreed and it was so stressful,” he admitted. “It was so stressful setting up a prank in your house to catch your spouse. There were a couple times where we got discovered or discovered each other and had to bail on the prank, but eventually we were able to pull it off. I would say it took about a week to get all of those pranks.”
Carmack confessed he waited about 30 minutes outside with daughter Kai, 8, to capture Slaver unknowingly walking through a doorway that they had covered in plastic wrap. “It was very stressful and it took a lot of work, but it was a lot of fun and got some good belly laughs out of it,” he added.
The couple, who also share 2-year-old daughter Cielle, knew that Autotrader’s anti-surprise campaign was the perfect fit — and not just because it gave them a reason to be silly.
“When we got approached by Autotrader as a partnership, we thought this would be great because I have been perusing Autotrader myself to look at replacing my 11-year-old vehicle,” Carmack explained. “I always buy used vehicles because I appreciate the value of used vehicles. And their private seller exchange offers a very safe and easy way to make that transaction. … I’m not going to have to go to some back alley with an envelope of cash and make a sketchy transaction. They handle the titling and they verify the buyers and sellers and they handle the payment digitally. So it’s easy and it’s safe.”
It’s not a bird or a plane — it’s the Superman trailer.
The first teaser for director James Gunn‘s new iteration of the beloved comic book character dropped on Thursday, December 19. Twisters star David Corenswet takes on the cape as Superman (a.k.a. Clark Kent) while The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel alum Rachel Brosnahan portrays his coworker-turned-true-love, Lois Lane.
Opening on a shot of an injured Superman crashing into the Arctic, he whistles to summon his superdog, Krypto, to “take me home.” The adorable pup follows his instructions by biting onto his cape to drag him to safety.
The trailer is packed with first looks at the star-studded cast, including Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor, who is spotted scheming in his LuthorCorp tower and holding a gun. Heroes such as Nathan Fillion’s Green Lantern, Isabela Merced’s Hawkgirl and Edi Gathegi’s Mister Terrific make appearances alongside Superman in a Stagg Industries building.
Anthony Carrigan looks unrecognizable as Metamorpho, while Superman is shown in what looks like the Fortress of Solitude cradling a robot.
The trailer doesn’t offer many hints about the movie’s plot but features glimpses at several jaw-dropping action sequences. However, a shot of a bystander throwing a can at Superman’s head hints that this universe’s citizens aren’t as accepting of the Man of Steel.
The preview ends with a sweet shot of Superman and Lois sharing a kiss — while levitating — before the titular hero shoots up into the sky.
Before filming wrapped, Brosnahan, 34, talked about the legacy of Lois Lane while speaking exclusively to Us Weekly.
“I have big shoes to fill,” Brosnahan admitted to Us in July. “But this Superman is being made with a lot of love and everybody is excited about the responsibility of carrying on this iconic tradition and being a part of this canon. And so, I look to those who came before, I’m in awe of them and so I’m excited to be able to take the torch.”
She follows Amy Adams, who last appeared as the intrepid reporter in Zack Snyder’s Justice League (2021).
“It’s been an incredible experience,” Brosnahan continued. “I’ve met extraordinary artists. It’s been exciting to watch James Gunn at the helm of this project. He sets the tone. He comes to work every day so excited to be there and it comes from the top. David Corenswet and Nick [Hoult] and the rest of the cast and I are learning from him, and we’re having a blast.”
Nicholas Hoult
Alongside the Emmy winner is Corenswet, 31, who takes over for Henry Cavill. Cavill, 41, announced he’d no longer play Superman in December 2022 after nearly 10 years in the role. Gunn, 58, has assured audiences that the actor is perfect for the role.
“Honestly, from the bottom of my heart, David Corenswet is going to freak everyone out with how great he is,” Gunn told The Hollywood Reporter in November. “He is one of the best actors I’ve ever worked with, and he can do everything. The man is incredible.”
Nathan Fillion
Gunn, who is also running DC Studios alongside Peter Safran, has stated that he wanted to start fresh and tell a Superman story unlike any of the stories that have previously hit the big screen.
“I don’t think we’ve ever seen the big science-fiction, silver-age Superman aspects that we have in our movie,” Gunn said on the “Happy Sad Confused” podcast earlier this month. “And we’ve never seen this specific part of Superman’s life.”
He added that this version of Superman’s arch nemesis is more fearsome. “I don’t think we’ve ever seen the Lex that Nick is. Nick is imposing. You go, ‘Oh, f—, poor Superman,'” Gunn teased. “That’s the thing that we never see — not in film, sometimes in the comics. … You see now where Lex is not the person you want to have against you.”
Ali Wong, Emma Stone, Billie Eilish.Getty Images (3)
Awards season is upon us, and Us Weekly is saving the date for the Oscars, Grammys and all the major 2025 ceremonies.
First up are the Golden Globes and Critics Choice Awards in January, which share many nominees including Angelina Jolie (Maria), Demi Moore (The Substance), Timothée Chalamet (A Complete Unknown) and Cynthia Erivo (Wicked). Emilia Pérez, starring Zoe Saldaña and Selena Gomez, is among the most-nominated films at both awards shows, scoring 10 nominations at the Globes and another 10 at the Critics Choice Awards.
That’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to awards season. The SAG Awards, Oscars and more will honor films while the Grammy Awards will bring together music’s biggest names. See the dates, hosts and nominations details for the biggest 2025 awards shows below:
January 5: Golden Globe Awards
Ayo Edebiri accepts award for Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Series Musical or Comedy for ‘The Bear’ at the 81st Golden Globe Awards, 2024.Rich Polk/Golden Globes 2024/Golden Globes 2024 via Getty Images
Days before the Critics Choice Awards were set to take place on January 12, the ceremony was postponed to January 26 due to the ongoing fires in Los Angeles. “This unfolding tragedy has already had a profound impact on our community. All our thoughts and prayers are with those battling the devastating fires and with all who have been affected,” CEO Joey Berlin noted in a statement.
February 2: Grammy Awards
Taylor Swift accepts the Album Of The Year award for “Midnights” onstage during the 66th GRAMMY Awards.Kevin Winter/Getty Images for The Recording Academy
Very few bosses encourage employees to appear drunk, but actors have a unique gig. So it makes sense that Us Weekly reader Lori from Houston had to Ask Us: “Is it difficult for actors to play intoxicated characters and make it come off as believable?”
Viewers watching inebriated escapades unfold onscreen (think: Friends’ Ross and Rachel’s booze-filled night in Las Vegas) may think a believable good buzz is effortless to pull off. But for Rivals star Aidan Turner, whose Declan O’Hara gets sloshed in episode 5 of the Hulu drama, playing drunk proved to be a challenge.
“Our director, Elliot Hegarty, was saying, ‘You got to do more. You are on a seven, and I need a nine,’ and I said, ‘I can’t!’” Turner, 41, exclusively told Us. Eventually, Turner turned his performance up to an 11 — and he was surprised by the results. “I was like, ‘This is crazy. It’s never going to work.'”
The Poldark alum said the key to creating a believable performance was trusting his director. “When I look back at that scene, I do have mixed feelings because it is so very, very drunk,” Turner said. “I think because as a person [in real life], I don’t get that obliterated or that crazily drunk, so it always felt very big to me. But I suppose, tonally, it fits in the show and you have to trust your director at that stage. He or she will give you what you want and will guide you through it.”
Generally, Turner considers a solid drunken performance to be a rather impressive feat. “There’s lots of great drunk performances. I like subtle drunk,” the Irish actor explained.
When he isn’t asked to turn his performance up to 11, Turner believes the key to playing drunk is for the actor to appear like they want to be sober.
“It’s almost like any drunk person you meet — they’re trying not to be drunk,” he noted. “You are trying to sort of straighten yourself up. You are trying not to slur and are trying to correct yourself. So that’s the moment there. You’re not leaning into the drunk, you’re kind of trying to lean away from it. So, in performances where I see that happen — where you can really see the [actor] actually working to not [be] drunk — I always find that [performance to be] the most interesting to watch.”
If you have a burning entertainment question for our team of experts, email us at [email protected].
“If you can’t take a punch in this business, you’re in trouble,” Reynolds, 48, said when The Hollywood Reporter asked if Stewart’s criticism hurt his feelings in a feature published on Friday, December 13. “But why would people ever assume the way they see you on camera is how you’re going to be in real life? Right? You’re just a person. But I do it, too. I’m a fan of people and I love certain people’s work, and I’m thinking when I meet them, I want to see little glimpses of that.”
He emphasized that there are no hard feelings nor does he think the lifestyle mogul meant to be malicious. “I don’t think what happened was designed to hurt anyone,” the Deadpool actor added. “That was just an incredibly valid observation that someone made. Lots of people would say I’m very serious if they met me. I can’t imagine entering any room in which I don’t intimately know the people, where I suddenly kind of turn on and perform.”
Stewart, 83, appeared as a guest on Bilt Rewards’ Rent Free game show last month and was asked which celebrities she thought Bilt members named as “the most fun to hang out with.” She was surprised to hear Reynolds made the cut.
“He’s probably on the list just ‘cause he covers himself up in his movies and you don’t see his face — Ryan Reynolds, is he one of those?” Stewart said. “And you want to know something? He’s not so funny in real life. No, he’s not so funny. He’s very serious.”
She added, “He’s a good actor. He can act funny, but he isn’t funny. Maybe he can get to be funny again.”
Stewart said she was “going to get in trouble” since the actor is one of her neighbors.
After her comments went viral, Reynolds quickly issued a playful response via X: “I’d disagree with her. But I tried that once. The woman is unexpectedly spry. She really closed the gap after a mile or so,” he wrote.
During his conversation with THR one month later, Reynolds explained that when he isn’t in the spotlight, he’s not as gregarious as one might expect.
“I’ve always been one to be very quiet, and part of that is anxiety I’ve carried with me since I was a kid,” he said. “And at times it’s very normal for anyone and everyone to experience anxiety. Some people’s anxiety, and I include mine, has a tendency to go down a slippery slope that needs to be managed to some degree. I grew up with a man, my father, Jim Reynolds, who would not say a word about anything that touched on vulnerability. But yes, I’ve always been much more shy around people that I don’t know unless I’m stepping out on a stage.”
Reynolds has been open about his mental health and explained that his own struggles help him be a good father.
“I think [anxiety] makes it better because your focus is less on yourself and more on your kids,” Reynolds told Deadpool & Wolverine costar Hugh Jackman during a joint People interview published in May.
“I love that I’ve had anxiety,” he shared. “Because when I see my kids experiencing some of that, which is probably genetic, I know how to address it in a way that is compassionate [and] that actually allows them to feel seen. I know that I can’t just fix it. And I can communicate all that stuff to them and with them. I’m always grateful for it.”
“I think that would be confusing if we did, to be honest,” the Ginny Weasley actress, 33, exclusively told Us Weekly when asked if she wanted to join the new cast or make a cameo appearance. “I mean, if they did maybe another story, but I think to be back at the same time as Ginny that would be — we might have some meta moments there, you know?”
Still, Wright — who played Ginny Weasley in all eight films — will be cheering on the new cast from the sidelines. “All of us only looked after those roles for 10 years of our lives, and I’m excited for what’s next for that character,” shared with Us while at the New York City Back to Hogwarts event. “There’s a million ways to interpret all the characters. So I’m excited.”
Wright also hopes that Ginny might get a few more scenes in the new adaptation, which intends to dedicate an eight-episode season to each of the seven Harry Potter books. “I also hope that more of the books can be in the films,” Wright said. “There’s so much for so many characters that couldn’t be in the story ’cause films can only be so long. So I’m hoping that [the TV show] can be more detailed, and I’m just excited for those people to have fun with those roles.”
The original films continue to inspire fans in all kinds of ways — even via delicious recipes. Wizards of Baking is a Food Network competition series featuring nine teams of pastry chefs and cake artists who compete in various baking tasks. Wright joins the first season as a guest judge for the penultimate episode on Thursday, December 12.
“I feel like it’s very creative. These contestants, who are professional people, have these incredible, elaborate designs that they bake and come to life and it’s just a real celebration of the world of Harry Potter,” she told Us.
Competitors must bake confections that taste delicious and offer enchanting elements fit for a Hogwarts feast. The six-episode season, hosted by James and Oliver Phelps (who played Fred and George Weasley), was filmed over the summer at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden, which still houses some of the original Potter sets. The episodes take place on the sets of Platform 9 3/4, Gringotts, Diagon Alley and more. The winning team will take home the Wizards of Baking Cup and will have the opportunity to appear in a new Harry Potter cookbook.
Chefs Carla Hall and Jozef Youssef judge the series along with several guests from the films, including Wright, Warwick Davis (who played Professor Flitwick) and Evanna Lynch (who portrayed Luna Lovegood).
“It’s [hosted by] my lovely brothers, James and Oliver Phelps,” Wright told Us. “They do such a brilliant job of presenting a show and really like just taking us back to the magic of the series. And we filmed on the actual sets, which I think people are gonna love because to return to them and see them in more detail is so cool.”
She continued: “It was fun. I love to cook and I love to eat sweet things. I got to judge and eat food and be back on the sets and be back with my friends. I’m really looking forward to it coming out.”
The England native first got a taste of baking competitions in 2016 when she competed on a celebrity edition of The Great British Bake Off, which she says made her realize how hard the bakers work.
“I was on the other side; I was actually baking,” she noted. “It prepared me for understanding how nerve wracking it is. Having all those cameras on you while you’re doing high-stress work is a lot. I only filmed for two days and I was tired. These people who stay on a whole season of a baking show, it’s a lot of physical work.”
Wright judged the fifth episode of Wizards of Baking, filmed on the set of Dumbledore’s Office, where the four-tier showstoppers must appear to be transforming from one thing to another.
While her own at-home bakes aren’t quite as intricate, Wright loves to be in the kitchen. She often cooks at home for 1-year-old son Elio, whom she shares with husband Andrew Lococo.
“I like to bake or cook lots of things. Obviously, now I have my son to cook for and I’m like, ‘Oh my gosh.’ I mean, I live in California, so we have amazing vegetables and fruit all the time,” Wright explained. “When it comes to cakes — and I love cookies and muffins and loaves — I always like to heavily flavor my stuff, like spice it, fruit it. I like making my own jams. I try and stick on the healthier side of the spectrum. Less sugar, alternative sugars … you can get everything at the grocery store when it comes to more fun flavors, healthier things. So I try and do that, especially with my son.”
After so many hours marathoning Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, viewers eventually start to wonder: How do actors convincingly play corpses? And do they get breaks to breathe?
Luckily, Ask Us is here to find the answer. It turns out it’s not easy to control twitching eyelids, a tiny breath or even, in a tight closeup, a pulsing vein, which is why some actors specialize.
While giving Us a set tour for NBC’s St. Denis Medical, cast member Mekki Leeper recalled speaking to one such cadaver king: “The actor told me he auditions for corpses all the time and always books it.”
The pro has a foolproof strategy for determining when to breathe. “He holds his breath for as long as he can and listens to the scene over and over,” Leeper explained. “When a main character speaks, he knows that person is going to be on camera. That’s when he quickly takes a breath.”
Though it takes skill, lots of folks seem to have a death wish. Mariska Hargitay told Seth Meyers that stars are always petitioning her for a Law & Order: SVU guest spot — as a lifeless body.
“All the famous people, you know what they want? To be a dead body,” she said during an October interview. “It’s so weird.”
Meyers however, didn’t think it was so weird. He revealed that he was among the celebs who had asked to play dead on the NBC show.
“I wanted to be a dead body. During the 2007-2008 writers strike, I met all these Law & Order writers, and I was like, ‘I wanna do a cameo, but I just wanna be a dead body,'” Meyers recalled. “And they were like, ‘Oh my God, we’d love to have you on the show.’ But I was like, ‘OK, but I’m a dead person.’
His agent sent over a script, but Meyers was disappointed to find that he would have lines to memorize. “I was like, ‘I don’t want lines, I just wanna be a dead person in the park.’”
Hargitay revealed the same thing happened with another A-lister recently.
“This just happened to me with a big supermodel … I found out that she loved my show. So I said, ‘Oh my gosh!’ I went to the writers, I said, ‘Can she be on the show?’ And she said she wanted to be a dead body, but then I said, ‘No, no, we have this great part for you,'” Hargitay recalled. “I call her back, I said, ‘Listen we got it. We’re gonna get you on the show.’ She goes, ‘Oh no! No, no, no, no, no, I wanna be a dead body.’”
She quipped, “It happens all the time! Why don’t these famous people want lines?”
The 2025 Golden Globes will kick off awards season in style.
The Globes honors both achievements in movies and on television. The night allows all of our favorite TV and movie stars to brush elbows while honoring the best performances of the year.
In 2024, Oppenheimer was the big winner, walking away with five trophies, including the coveted Best Motion Picture — Drama. However, Taylor Swift was all anyone could talk about. From her whispering to Selena Gomez being endlessly meme’d to Jo Koy‘s joke falling flat with the Swifties to Emma Stonejokingly insulting her, most of Us forgot that she actually lost.
Swift’s Eras Tour concert film was nominated in the Cinematic and Box Office Achievement category, but Barbie took home the trophy. Still, her green sequin dress was one of the red carpet highlights.
So who will fans be talking about endlessly this year? Scroll down for everything we know so far about the 2025 Golden Globes:
How to Watch the 2025 Golden Globe Nominations
The nominees will be revealed on Monday, December 9, on CBSNews.com/GoldenGlobes and the CBS News Mobile App at 8:15 a.m. ET. Ten exclusive categories will be revealed beginning live at 8:30 a.m. ET on CBS Mornings.
Who Is Hosting the 2025 Golden Globe Nominations?
Actors Mindy Kaling and Morris Chestnut will present the nominees for the 27 award categories. Kaling is currently an executive producer on Max’s Sex Lives of College Girls while Chestnut stars in the new CBS procedural Watson, which debuts on January 26.
Who Will Host the 2025 Golden Globes?
Nikki Glaserwill host the 82nd annual Golden Globes. Since it’s her first time hosting the event, she turned to three-time host Ricky Gervais for advice.
“He said, ‘Be yourself. Do what you did at the roast and employ whatever method you used there. And don’t forget that you’re not one of them. You’re not a movie star, you’re not a TV star. You’re at the Globes, you’re the host and you’re a comedian and that’s your job,’” she told GoldenGlobes.com in early December. “That was really refreshing to hear.”
Who Will Present at the 2025 Golden Globes?
CBS announced the presenters for the award show, which includes Andrew Garfield, Anthony Mackie, Anthony Ramos, Anya Taylor-Joy, Ariana DeBose, Aubrey Plaza, Auliʻi Cravalho, Awkwafina, Brandi Carlile, Catherine O’Hara, Colin Farrell and Colman Domingo. There will also be appearances from Demi Moore, Dwayne Johnson, Édgar Ramírez, Elton John, Gal Gadot, Glenn Close, Jeff Goldblum, Jennifer Coolidge, Kaley Cuoco, Kate Hudson, Kathy Bates, Ke Huy Quan, Kerry Washington, Margaret Qualley, Melissa McCarthy, Michael Keaton, Michelle Yeoh, Miles Teller, Mindy Kaling, Morris Chestnut and Nate Bargatze.
Nicolas Cage, Rachel Brosnahan, Rob McElhenney, Salma Hayek Pinault, Sarah Paulson, Seth Rogen, Sharon Stone, Vin Diesel, Viola Davis and Zoë Kravitz make up the rest of the presenters.
When Are the 2025 Golden Globes?
The Golden Globes will air live from Beverly Hills, California, on Sunday, January 5, at 8 p.m. ET.
How to Watch the 2025 Golden Globes
The 82nd annual Golden Globes will be broadcast live on CBS. Those who prefer streaming can do so on Paramount+.
Who Will Be Honored at the 2025 Golden Globes?
While most nominees will have to wait until the night of to learn if they won, two honorees know they’ll be hitting the stage. Viola Davis is the 2025 Cecil B. DeMille Award winner while Ted Danson is the Carol Burnett Award winner for 2025. They will first be honored at a gala dinner on Friday, January 3, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel before they each get a segment in the January 5 show.
UPDATE: 12/7/24, 5:20 p.m. ET — “We are devastated by the passing of Dominique Brown, a beloved member of the BoxLunch Collective, who suffered a medical emergency at an event hosted by BoxLunch Thursday in Los Angeles,” BoxLunch told Us Weekly in a statement. “Our hearts go out to her family and friends, and we will do everything we can to support them and the members of the BoxLunch Collective and our team during this painful time.”
A source tells Us that 911 was called immediately and the company had previously communicated allergies of guests to the venue. BoxLunch is offering grief counseling for both staffers and the BoxLunch Collective (the group of influencers they work with regularly, of which Brown was a member). The company is conducting an independent investigation into the incident.
Original story:
Influencer Dominique Brown died on Thursday, December 5 at an industry event due to a severe allergic reaction. She was 34.
News of Brown’s death spread after a BoxLunch event where attendees say she reportedly died after unknowingly consuming food to which she was allergic. The event was hosted by BoxLunch, and multiple social mediainfluencers statedvia X that event hosts were informed of Brown’s allergy.
Us Weekly has reached out to BoxLunch for comment. Brown, a California resident, was a Disney-inspired influencer under the screen name HellooDomo. She cocreated BlackGirlDisney in 2018 with Mia Von after noticing a lack of representation in the Disney influencer space, creating a welcoming community for women of color who love the brand’s films and theme parks.
Dominique Brown
Her brother took to the comments of her final Instagram post to thank her fans. “Hi everyone, this is @pramos313 – Dominique’s brother,” he wrote on Friday, December 6. “I wanted to take a a moment to say thank you to her social media fam for showing her so much love and light. Disney did bring her joy, but it was unparalleled that she found a community who loved her and Disney as much as she did. I will miss my sister and best friend and that infectious smile she always had. Thank you, truly, from the bottom of my heart. .”
Several Disney influencers mourned Brown in the replies to her last video with many praising her warm, friendly nature and her efforts to create a safe and supportive community.
“The kindest most genuine person in this community …we will miss you Domo,” Tatiana Kelley, who posts as Dapper on the Daily, wrote. “Thank you for touching our lives with your joy & wit & for being so incredibly welcoming to us all.”
Katy Lane, A.K.A. Main St Muse, commented, “I’m so happy I got to hug you last week. Your positivity and passion for life will always inspire me you were and will continue to be the good in the world Dom.”
Andrea Pugh Kelley shared several tributes via Instagram Story, writing, in part, “My girl built this community and inspired so many others. And I will never let anyone forget that.”
“Kicks at the Castle,” a Disney sneaker podcast, shared a tribute as well, saying it was Brown’s “warmth and joy that truly stole the show.”
“Our hearts go out to her family and especially to our brother Zay,” the tribute read. “The love and joy the two of you shared was nothing short of a Disney fairytale—a story of style, happiness, and inspiration for all who knew you.”
Isaiah Campbell, who is a member of Kicks at the Castle, replied, “ I love you all so much thank you for all the kind words and support this is gonna be such a tuff road for me but I’m happy I have a community to back me every step of the way we love you Dominique .”
On his Instagram story, he showed several photos of himself and Brown in each other’s arms with the caption, “I will always love you Dominique Brown. Thank you for the time I got to spend with you and the joy you gave me and others.”
Smollett, 38, recalled the helpful advice while she interviewed her The Order costar Jude Law for Us Weekly‘s inaugural In Conversation feature. She asked Law, 51, if he leans into the rehearsal process prior to the start of a project, and the actor admitted that he doesn’t want to be overly prepared before a scene.
“I love rehearsals, but then you gotta also know — I mean, I trained in theater, so for me, rehearsals are vital,” Law explained. “But the difference with rehearsing for film is you’ve gotta know when to go, ‘Right, that’s enough.'”
Smollett shared, “I’ve had that experience where I’ve over-rehearsed. … I was doing a film [where I got] to set and you go, ‘I got lost and I got nothing.’ And I was called out, I was called out for it. It was Great Debaters, Denzel Washington was our director.”
Law asked her what it was like to have Washington address her when she was 19 years old on the set of the 2007 drama —one of her first major film roles as an adult. “It was amazing. It was like a masterclass,” Smollett said. “It was a big debate scene. It was the first debate we had shot. The film’s all about debate. We’d gone to debate camp. He had us in rehearsals, debating each other.”
Smollett had all the confidence in the world when she got to set that day, but she quickly realized that she didn’t have the spark she needed. “In my head I’m like, ‘I’m gonna crush this, man. I’m gonna kill this scene.’ I get there and I was stale. I was over-rehearsed, and he knew it. He came to me and he said, ‘You over-rehearsed.’ And I was like, ‘I know. I got nothing. What do I do?’ And he said, ‘It’s OK, we’re gonna shoot everyone else and we’ll shoot you last and by then you’ll loosen up.’ And by then, I wasn’t loose, man. I wasn’t.”
With Washington’s advice seemingly not working, Smollett started to get concerned. “I was freaking out. … They do like this special shot around me and everything [and] I still know I’m not in the pocket,” she recalled.
Jude Law and Jurnee Smollett for Us Weekly’s In Conversation.
Washington came up to her again with another piece of advice. “This is why actors who are directors sometimes are the best,” she explained. “He simply says, ‘If you’re gonna ask a question, get an answer,’ and walked away. It opened my head up.”
Smollett went on to explain that in the film her character was tasked with “debating whether or not people of color should be able to attend certain universities.”
“[My character] wanted to be a lawyer, so I would have to be able to have access to certain universities,” she continued. “It was personal. … [I was] fighting for your life. That’s how high the stakes are, is what I realized in him saying, ‘Get an answer.'”
Law said, “And it just clicks.”
“And it clicked,” she confirmed. “And the take that’s in the film now, I get emotional, [because it’s] the freaking take after he whispered that in my ear.”
The duo noted that The Order director Justin Kurzel was similarly intuitive. “I was thinking of Justin when you talked about that — even though he is not an actor, he had an insight,” Law said. “One of my favorite things apart from the work I did with him was watching him work with other people. Just such a natural understanding and [he] knew when to be warm and generous.”
Kindness and generosity were needed behind the scenes of the film, which follows Law and Smollett as FBI agents who go after a white supremacist group with plans to overthrow the government.
In a new Gilmore Girls-themed commercial, Kirk (Sean Gunn) walks through the town square (right past a town troubadour) and enters the diner with a special delivery for Luke (Scott Patterson). As he exits, Lorelai (Lauren Graham) enters and says, “Coffee, coffee, coffee please!”
“Coming right up,” Luke says as he puts a blue Walmart box in front of her. Luke opens the package and it turns out to be a gift for Lorelai: a Keurig coffee maker.
“Luke, you shouldn’t have,” Lorelai exclaims.
He quips, “I had to — you’re drinking me out of business.”
The duo go outside and smile at the snow, which fans know is Lorelai’s favorite. “With top brands they’ll love from Walmart, give the gift that shows you get them,” Lorelai says in a voiceover.
The retailer brought Luke and Lorelai back together for the first time since 2016 “to celebrate love, friendship and the holidays,” per a press release.
Scott Patterson as Luke Danes and Lauren Graham as Lorelai Gilmore in ‘Gilmore Girls’
Fans watched the couple fall in love when Gilmore Girls originally aired on The WB (and later The CW) for seven seasons from 2000 to 2007. They married in the 2016 Netflix revival series, Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life, which ended with Luke and Lorelai finally getting married. (Fans will notice the wedding band on his left hand in the new ad!)
Other easter eggs include the familiar music of Sam Phillips (who sings the iconic “la la” melody) and the town troubadour playing guitar on the bench. Fans can also expect another spot for the campaign in which Lorelai gifts Luke a backup baseball hat, just in case something happens to his signature one.
Walmart’s holiday campaign, designed to help customers “give the gifts that show you get them,” also includes ads featuring Crazy Rich Asians, SpongeBob SquarePants and Love Jones.
While no new episodes of Gilmore Girls have aired since 2016, much of the cast has said they’d happily reunite again over the years. Patterson even pitched some ideas when he spoke to Us Weekly in 2021.
“[Rory] has the baby,” the actor said while noting that he doesn’t know who the father of Rory’s baby is. “If it’s Logan [Matt Czuchry] or whatever, then, you know, he flips out and goes away. History repeats itself a la Christopher [David Sutcliffe] and Lorelai. And then she goes off to pursue a huge opportunity in Europe for her writing and dumps the baby in our lap. And we get to raise the kid a little bit while she’s off pursuing that and she comes back.”
It’s a truth universally acknowledged that Kelly Clarkson does not have any bad Kellyoke covers, so it’s fair to say that choosing her best cover songs from The Kelly Clarkson Show is an impossible task. However, Us Weekly has a few favorites that certainly outrank the others.
Clarkson cemented her place as a pop powerhouse on November 30, 2004, with the release of her sophomore album, Breakaway. The album, which included “Since U Been Gone,” “Behind These Hazel Eyes” and “Because of You,” leaned more toward rock after her R&B–influenced debut, Thankful. The creative turn proved that Clarkson can handle almost any genre, something that has only been made clearer since she launched The Kelly Clarkson Show.
She introduced the Kellyoke segment in the very first episode, which premiered in September 2019, and in the five years since, America has been reminded exactly why she was voted their first Idol.
To make this impossible task easier, some ground rules had to be set. Her collaborations with original artists (like Pink and Jelly Roll) are excluded because it’s impossible to compete when the original performer is involved. Also, an artist can only appear once on the list — simply because this writer needed to narrow down the choices.
With that said, these are Us Weekly‘s top Kellyoke performances:
1. ‘Happier Than Ever’ by Billie Eilish
Clarkson covered Eilish’s hit in September 2021, just two months after the album of the same title dropped. It also happened to be about three months after Clarkson’s divorce from Brandon Blackstock was confirmed, and Clarkson’s visceral performance made viewers feel that she could relate to the song. It went viral and became a favorite, landing on Clarkson’s Kellyoke EP the following year.
2. ‘Sad But True’ by Metallica
Just when you think that surely there’s a song Clarkson can’t cover, she goes and covers Metallica (after guest Isla Fisher suggested the idea during an interview). Major props to her band Y’All for being able to handle any genre just as easily as Clarkson.
3. ‘My Kink Is Karma’ by Chappell Roan
Remember the “artist can only appear on this list once” rule? That’s Roan’s fault. Clarkson covered “Coffee” and “Good Luck, Babe!” (featuring Miranda Lambert) first, and she even dropped “Pink Pony Club” during the writing of this very list. However, it’s “My Kink Is Karma” that has Us hitting replay every single time.
4. ‘Cryin’ by Aerosmith
Clarkson has always been vocal about her love for Aerosmith, and this cover makes it clear that she’s been preparing to cover Steven Tyler for her whole life.
Cooke’s 1962 hit isn’t an obvious choice for Clarkson’s daytime talk show, but per usual, she brings the right amount of soul and high notes to make this cover perfect.
6. ‘Before He Cheats’ by Carrie Underwood
We love to see one American Idol pay tribute to another, and Clarkson did just that with this energetic cover of Underwood’s biggest hit.
7. ‘Black Hole Sun’ by Soundgarden
This Kellyoke cover of the 1994 hit by Chris Cornell‘s iconic grunge band proves that Clarkson is not just a pop star but a rock goddess.
Don’t try to put Clarkson in a box, because this rock goddess can also be a disco diva. Clarkson’s take on the 1983 bop had Us breaking out our leg warmers.
9. ‘Come Together’ by The Beatles
Clarkson and her band Y’All didn’t have to go this hard on a Beatles song that’s been covered endlessly through the years — but they did, and we thank them for their service.
10. ‘9 to 5’ by Dolly Parton
This was the opening of Clarkson’s first-ever episode, making it the first-ever Kellyoke segment. It was when most of Us learned that Clarkson would be covering our favorite songs every weekday and clearly established that Clarkson wasn’t going to phone it in but instead give every performance her all.
Though the contestants on Great British Bake Off change every season, fans can rest easy knowing that Prue Leith isn’t planning her retirement just yet.
“Look, it can’t be long term. I’ll be 85 in February,” Leith told Us Weekly while promoting her latest cookbook, Life’s Too Short to Stuff a Mushroom. “Long term is not something I have any chance of seeing, but if you’re asking me am I planning to retire, no I’m not. I love doing it. And as long as they’ll have me, I will want to do it.”
After this year’s finale of the Great British Baking Show (as it is titled in the U.S.), which debuted Friday, November 29 on Netflix, Leith has eight full seasons under her belt as a judge. Despite spending nearly a decade in the tent, she hasn’t lost her enthusiasm for the job, but she has made some adjustments to make her work life easier.
“I know I’m not as physically agile as I was eight years ago. For example, I asked them to put in a ramp [during the 2023 season] because I’d had a bad leg,” Leith explained. “They put a little ramp for me to get onto the stage so I thought that ramp was really good, and we didn’t have it last year, so I think I’ll ask them for it next year.”
An injury isn’t going to send Leith home, but she’s hoping that her loved ones will let her know when she should hang up her Bake Off apron. “Obviously, I’m gonna have to retire sometime soon because I can’t, and I wouldn’t be able to, do it forever. But I want to get out before I’m pushed,” Leith shared. “But it’s going to be up to my husband and my best friends to tell me when, ‘Look, it’s enough. We can’t have you hobbling onto the stage.’ You know?”
She also noted her Baking Show predecessor Mary Berry is still going strong. “Well, Mary Berry’s not retired and she’s five years older than me. So she’ll be 90 next year and she’s working for the BBC pretty solidly,” Leith said with a laugh. “So there’s hope for us yet!”
Leith says when considering her future, it helps that she still loves her job. “I love it. Who wouldn’t like it? I mean … most television is really hard work. You have to write a script, learn a script, rehearse, rehearse again, do things over and over again,” she explained. “You are on stage all the time, [and] when you’re not on stage you are learning for the next bit. I don’t have to rehearse anything. I don’t have to learn anything. I don’t have to write anything. I have to walk onto this set, eat cake, say what I think, walk off, get paid. I mean, is that not the best job in television?”
The show also gives her plenty of time to write her beloved cookbooks — her latest volume is full of recipes for people who don’t have a ton of time. Life’s Too Short to Stuff a Mushroom, which was released by Carnival (an imprint of Quarto Publishing) in October, focuses on sophisticated recipes that aren’t overly complicated.
The cover of ‘Life’s Too Short To Stuff a Mushroom’ by Prue Leith.
“When you say to somebody that a book is full of cheats and shortcuts, they think it means that you’re going to suggest going to the supermarket, buying a ready meal and then tarting it up with a bit of tomato salad or something. But I don’t mean that at all,” Leith promised. “I’m still really keen on people cooking, but making it so that it’s simple to do. And also, what stops a lot of people [from] cooking is the fact that they’ve never learned the basics of how to chop an onion and how to get the stone out of an avocado.”
Leith went on to say that certain terms, like how to “sweat the onion,” are often lost on novice chefs or at-home cooks, which can be another cooking turn-off.
“I want to make all that very clear,” she added. “But not in a too teach-y way.”
She also made sure to make cooking the various recipes highlighted in her latest book easy for visual learners with the addition of more than 25 instructional videos.
“I’ve used a lot of QR codes so that people can actually see me chopping an onion or getting the stone out of an avocado,” she said. “And instead of having to read some long, complicated instructions, which make you lose the will to live before you’ve ever got getting the onion out, [instead] you could see, ‘Oh, well, that’s quite easy.'”
Life’s Too Short to Stuff a Mushroom is available now wherever books are sold. All episodes of Great British Baking Show Collection 12 are available on Netflix.
Nearly 25 years after the Party of Five series finale, several stars are still in touch, including Jennifer Love Hewittand Lacey Chabert, who are hoping for an onscreen reunion soon.
“We are looking to do something together, maybe play sisters,” Hewitt, 45, exclusively told Us Weekly while promoting her partnership with Ferrero Rocher’s Add Your Golden Touch campaign. “Send us all the ideas. We’re looking!”
Party of Five, which aired from 1994 to 2000 on Fox, followed a family of siblings as they dealt with the aftermath of their parents’ sudden death. Hewitt played Sarah Reeves, the girlfriend of Scott Wolf‘s character Bailey Salinger, while Chabert, now 42, portrayed Claudia, the youngest Salinger sibling. The stars still keep in touch, with Chabert even playing Wolf’s sister in last year’s A Merry Scottish Christmas on Hallmark.
When Hewitt spoke to Us last month, she mentioned that she’d be happy to reboot the beloved family drama. “Yeah, sure. That show was amazing,” she said of a possible Party of Five revival. “I loved it. I adore Scott. I mean, [my character] Sarah Reeves is the best. Iconic, and that was such a cool show. I mean, I was only supposed to be on that show for nine episodes, and then it turned into years of my life. I would do it in a heartbeat.”
Lacey Chabert and Jennifer Love Hewitt
For now, though, she’s just happy to be entering the holiday movie scene — and Chabert (who has starred in countless Christmas movies) is just as excited for her. Hewitt gushed about Chabert’s support after Lifetime dropped the trailer for The Holiday Junkie, which the 9-1-1 star directed, produced, cowrote and stars in.
“She was very sweet when the trailer dropped for the movie,” Hewitt told Us during her Ferrero Rocher promotion. “She sent me a message, and she was like, ‘Oh my God, why am I crying?! You’re in the Christmas space.’ And I was like, ‘I know! And I just watched Hot Frosty!’ So we were sending each other lots of Christmas girl love.”
Hewitt loves the holidays, which is part of why she partnered with Ferrero Rocher on their latest campaign to help people bring their hosting game to the next level with accessible tutorials and fun prizes.
“I am partnering with Ferrero Rocher to Add a Golden Touch this holiday season. It’s a partnership that I was really excited about, very honored to be asked,” Hewitt shared. “I’m a fan of the brand from my childhood and growing up … and I just think it’s such a wonderful way to add magic to any holiday season.”
In addition to an online hub featuring decorating tips, style guides and do-it-yourself tutorials, Hewitt is sharing her own holiday tips. She told Us that minimizing stress is key when it comes to being the hostess with the mostess.
Jennifer Love Hewitt
“I think trying to manage stress levels is a big one. Because while it’s natural to get stressed — obviously I do — when you get too stressed, you take yourself out of the enjoyment of it and out of the magical feeling, which is one of the reasons why I feel like Ferrero Rocher is such a staple,” she explained. “You can go to any local grocery store and pick them up. You’re not waiting on shipping. You’re not worried about whether you’re going to make it back home in time to get it on the table and have it look perfect. Everyone gets excited about it. The pyramid is a showstopper. It’s gold, it’s yummy, it’s beautiful.”
A major plus is that the chocolate hazelnut treats are so versatile. “We’ve been playing around in my house with all the things you can do with Ferrero Rocher,” the actress, who shares three kids with husband Brian Hallisay, told Us. “We’ve been doing cookies crumbling in popcorn, doing all the things to make adult versions, kid versions.”
Fans who really want to impress their guests can enter the Add Your Golden Touch Sweepstakes for a chance to win a 96-piece Ferrero Rocher pyramid for their upcoming holiday party.
Reporting by Christina Garibaldi and Kat Pettibone
