Fans can expect nothing but fun times with Drew Barrymore on the new reboot of the classic game show Hollywood Squares.

“I want to get out and run around! I want to yell at people!” Barrymore, who will sit in the famed center square on the upcoming series, exclusively shares in the latest issue of Us Weekly. “I’ll pull out a hair extension.”

Hollywood Squares originally aired from 1966 to 1980, with previous reboots running from 1986 to 1989 and 1998 to 2004. The show sees contestants play a tic-tac-toe game to win cash and other prizes. The twist? The squares are occupied by celebrities who give answers to questions posed by the contestants. However, the players must determine if the stars’ answers are correct or not.

Following in the hosting footsteps of Peter Marshall, John Davidson and Tom Bergeron is Nate Burleson. “We’re here to tip our hat, pay homage to those who have come before us and take this show into the future,” he tells Us.

Drew Barrymore Says Renewal of Her Talk Show Was a 'Huge Relief'

Joining Barrymore, 49, in the X’s and O’s this season are stars such as Julie Bowen, Tiffany Haddish, RuPaul, Drew Carey, Tyra Banks, Yvette Nicole Brown, Oliver Hudson, Gabriel Iglesias, Jay Leno, Justin Long, Sheryl Underwood and Jimmy O. Yang, to name a few.

Hollywood Squares has been a game show “favorite” of Barrymore’s for several years. “People like to feel like they’re a part of a party,” she tells Us. “I didn’t understand that until E.T. came out [in 1982] and I saw people congregating and having a collective experience. People lie to be together and they want to laugh and be happy, and then when it comes to the game, they want to win and have stakes.”

As for what makes Barrymore and Burleson, 43, giggle the most on set? “Laughing with each other and at each other,” Burleson shares. “That’s why Hollywood Squares has been on for 60 years.”

He continues: “Think about it: You’re at home seeing people you admire cracking jokes. At the same time, you’re yelling at the screen because the contestants don’t know the answer or you’re mad they went up top instead of going down low on their tic-tac-toe strategy. It gives you the chance to [feel] all of these feels.”

Drew Barrymore Says Her Daughters Are Ready for Her to Get Back Into Acting

Both Barrymore and Burleson have busy TV schedules, also serving as the host and cohost of The Drew Barrymore Show and CBS Mornings, respectively. But when it comes to taking time off, Barrymore jokes that her ideal day-off plans are “boring.”

“I’m a single lady with four cats, so I like to be alone with my cats. I enjoy remote controls in one hand, nachos in the other, watching the Food Network,” she tells Us, to which Burleson adds, “Or [watching] a movie you’ve seen 1,000 times. Sometimes you need to watch something you’ve seen already just to relax into it — familiar and cozy, just like this show.”

Until Hollywood Squares premieres on Thursday, January 9, fans can continue to catch Barrymore on her eponymous talk show, which was renewed for a sixth season last year. “I really did not think at certain points that we would ever get here,” she says of returning for the 2025/2026 TV season. “And so, it is such a gift to everyone doing the show because then they know they have some job certainty. We’re not going year-to-year.”

She adds: “This is such a gift and a privilege that I don’t take one thing for granted, and I’m really excited for everyone who works on the show to take a sigh of big relief.”

Hollywood Squares premieres on CBS Thursday, January 9, at 8 p.m. ET and will move to Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET starting Wednesday, January 29.

With reporting by Lanae Brody

Many of the past year’s most critically and commercially successful films are up for the 2025 Golden Globes’ biggest awards.

Nominations for this year’s awards show were announced in December 2024, with the musical thriller Emilia Pérez leading the pack with a total of 10 nominations. The Spanish-speaking French film earned nods for both Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy and Best Motion Picture – Non-English Language, as well as several acting nods for the stars.

Karla Sofìa Gascón made Golden Globes history by becoming the first out trans actor to be nominated for Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy. She is joined in the category by Amy Adams (Nightbitch), Cynthia Erivo (Wicked), Mikey Madison (Anora), Demi Moore (The Substance) and Zendaya (Challengers).

Selena Gomez and Zoe Saldaña, meanwhile, were each nominated in the Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture category alongside Ariana Grande (Wicked), Felicity Jones (The Brutalist), Margaret Qualley (The Substance) and Isabella Rossellini (Conclave).

Celebs Who Scored Simultaneous TV and Movie Golden Globes Nominations

Keep scrolling for a comprehensive breakdown of shows with the most amount of nominations at the 2025 Golden Globes and return on Sunday, January 5, for live updates:

‘Emilia Pérez’: 10 Nominations

Nominations: Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, Best Motion Picture – Non-English Language, Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture (x2), Best Director – Motion Picture, Best Screenplay – Motion Picture, Best Original Score – Motion Picture, Best Original Song – Motion Picture (x2)

‘The Brutalist’: 7 Nominations

Nominations: Best Motion Picture – Drama, Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama, Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture, Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture, Best Director – Motion Picture, Best Screenplay – Motion Picture, Best Original Score – Motion Picture

‘Conclave’: 6 Nominations

Nominations: Best Motion Picture – Drama, Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama, Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture, Best Director – Motion Picture, Best Screenplay – Motion Picture, Best Original Score – Motion Picture

‘The Substance’: 5 Nominations

Nominations: Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture, Best Director – Motion Picture, Best Screenplay – Motion Picture

‘Anora’: 5 Nominations

Nominations: Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture, Best Director – Motion Picture, Best Screenplay – Motion Picture

‘Wicked’: 4 Nominations

Nominations: Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, Cinematic and Box Office Achievement, Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture

‘Challengers’: 4 Nominations

Nominations: Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, Best Original Score – Motion Picture, Best Original Song – Motion Picture

‘The Wild Robot’: 4 Nominations

Nominations: Best Motion Picture – Animated, Cinematic and Box Office Achievement, Best Original Score – Motion Picture, Best Original Song – Motion Picture

‘A Real Pain’: 4 Nominations

Nominations: Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture, Best Screenplay – Motion Picture

‘A Complete Unknown’: 3 Nominations

Nominations: Best Motion Picture – Drama, Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama, Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture

‘Dune: Part Two’: 2 Nominations

Nominations: Best Motion Picture – Drama, Best Original Score – Motion Picture

‘Gladiator II’: 2 Nominations

Nominations: Cinematic and Box Office Achievement, Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture

‘The Last Showgirl’: 2 Nominations

Nominations: Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama, Best Original Song – Motion Picture

‘The Apprentice’: 2 Nominations

Nominations: Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama, Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture

‘Inside Out 2’: 2 Nominations

Nominations: Best Motion Picture – Animated, Cinematic and Box Office Achievement

‘All We Imagine as Light’: 2 Nominations

Nominations: Best Motion Picture – Non-English Language, Best Director – Motion Picture

‘I’m Still Here’: 2 Nominations

Nominations: Best Motion Picture – Non-English Language, Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama

‘Babygirl’: 1 Nomination

Nominations: Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama

‘Maria’: 1 Nomination

Nominations: Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama

‘Lee’: 1 Nomination

Nominations: Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama

‘Queer’: 1 Nomination

Nominations: Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama

‘Sing Sing’: 1 Nomination

Nominations: Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama

‘Nightbitch’: 1 Nomination

Nominations: Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy

‘Heretic’: 1 Nomination

Nominations: Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy

‘Saturday Night’: 1 Nomination

Nominations: Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy

‘Kinds of Kindness’: 1 Nomination

Nominations: Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy

‘Hit Man’: 1 Nomination

Nominations: Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy

‘A Different Man’: 1 Nomination

Nominations: Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy

‘Moana 2’: 1 Nomination

Nominations: Best Motion Picture – Animated

‘Alien: Romulus’: 1 Nomination

Nominations: Cinematic and Box Office Achievement

‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’: 1 Nomination

Nominations: Cinematic and Box Office Achievement

‘Deadpool & Wolverine’: 1 Nomination

Nominations: Cinematic and Box Office Achievement

‘Twisters’: 1 Nomination

Nominations: Cinematic and Box Office Achievement

‘Better Man’: 1 Nomination

Nominations: Best Original Song – Motion Picture

‘Nickel Boys’: 1 Nomination

Nominations: Best Motion Picture – Drama

‘September 5’: 1 Nomination

Nominations: Best Motion Picture – Drama

‘The Room Next Door’: 1 Nomination

Nominations: Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama

‘Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl’: 1 Nomination

Nominations: Best Motion Picture – Animated

‘Flow’: 1 Nomination

Nominations: Best Motion Picture – Animated

‘Memoir of a Snail’: 1 Nomination

Nominations: Best Motion Picture – Animated

‘The Girl With the Needle’: 1 Nomination

Nominations: Best Motion Picture – Non-English Language

‘The Seed of The Sacred Fig’: 1 Nomination

Nominations: Best Motion Picture – Non-English Language

‘Vermiglio’: 1 Nomination

Nominations: Best Motion Picture – Non-English Language

It’s been more than 10 years since Zendaya competed on Dancing With the Stars, but she’s still upset about her season’s final results.

The actress, 28, famously competed on season 16 of the ABC competition series in 2013. After a season full of high scores, she and her partner, Val Chmerkovskiy, ultimately lost to Kellie Pickler and Derek Hough.

“Listen, I’m still harboring a little animosity about that,” Zendaya told W Magazine in an interview published on Friday, January 3. “I felt that loss. I was only 16 years old, and it was highly stressful.”

Competing on live television every week was something Zendaya told the outlet was “so scary,” adding, “I took it very seriously, which, in retrospect, I wish I didn’t. I wish I’d enjoyed it a little bit more and just was like, ‘Eh, whatever.’ You know what I mean? But I was stressing myself out. I really went through it on that [show].”

'Dancing With the Stars' Winners Through the Years: Photos

Zendaya went on to note that these days, she doesn’t watch DWTS despite being on it. She first made the revelation in an interview on “The Awardist” podcast last year, sharing that she hasn’t tuned in since her season.

“I have not watched Dancing With the Stars since I was on [it],” she said in October 2024. “I didn’t really watch Dancing With the Stars before I was on Dancing With the Stars. I don’t think I was the target demographic. My grandma, like, loves Dancing With the Stars. That’s her bag.”

She continued: “I also think it was a very stressful experience. I was like, ‘I don’t think I’m gonna be watching this anymore.’”

Zendaya’s upset over season 16’s results is something she shares with Chmerkovskiy, 38, who has since gone on to win the mirrorball trophy three times with past partners Rumer Willis, Laurie Hernandez and Xochitl Gomez.

“My biggest heartbreak was on Dancing With the Stars, not winning with Zendaya, honestly. That was a huge heartbreak for me because she was 16,” he told Entertainment Tonight in March 2018. “I wanted this to be such a huge moment for her. She worked so hard, and I really wanted her to lift that trophy and jump-start her career. And she didn’t lift the trophy and I felt heartbroken about that.”

Luckily, as Chmerkovskiy put it, Zendaya’s time on DWTS “jump-started her career.” He added: “That’s when you learn that it’s not necessarily always about winning or losing, it’s really about learning through the process and then using those tools to further yourself down the road.”

Zendaya Doesn't Know 'How Much of a Choice' She Had About Child Stardom

Prior to DWTS, Zendaya was best known for her roles on Disney Channel’s Shake It Up. In the decade since, she has become one of Hollywood’s biggest stars with projects such as The Greatest Showman, Challengers, the Dune series and the Spider-Man franchise.

Back in 2020, Chmerkovskiy took to Instagram to congratulate Zendaya on becoming the youngest actress to win the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for Euphoria (an award she also took home in 2022).

“I always knew you were special. Our season on DWTS, and now your continued success since has brought me [a] ridiculous amount of joy,” he captioned a clip of one of their performances. “I’m so proud of you Z! Youngest ever winner of an Emmy for a leading role. You’re a superstar, and always have been! Love you fam to many more wins in your life.”

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As Justin Baldoni’s legal battle with Blake Lively continues, his attorney Bryan Freedman claims the actor didn’t approach the situation with any ill intent toward his costar.

In an interview with NBC News’ Liz Kreutz on the Friday, January 3, episode of Today, Freedman denied Lively’s claims that Baldoni coordinated a smear against her after the two butted heads on the set of It Ends With Us. “One hundred percent no,” he stated. “Justin Baldoni, from the get-go, said, ‘I don’t want to do anything negative toward her. I don’t want to hurt her.’”

Noting that he and Baldoni, 40, “absolutely” plan to countersue Lively, 37, Freedman also said they “plan to release every single text” between the former costars, claiming that text screenshots shared in Lively’s sexual harassment lawsuit against Baldoni lacked context.

“I’m not asking anyone to not believe anyone,” Freedman said. “I am more than willing to take every single text message that exists out there, lay them out, put them on a website for the world to see, have them see the truth and determine the truth for themselves.”

Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni's Reported 'It Ends With Us' Drama Explained

When asked whether he acknowledges that uncomfortable behavior went down on the It Ends With Us set, Freedman replied: “I think there’s some behavior always that can make people uncomfortable, and I don’t think anybody has the intention to do that. The question, really, in this case is does it rise to the level of sexual harassment?”

Following online speculation that Lively and Baldoni struggled to work together while filming It Ends With Us, Lively accused her former costar of sexual harassment in a lawsuit filed late last month (and first published by The New York Times). Among her claims, Lively accused Baldoni of body-shaming her, attempting to add additional sex scenes into the movie, showing her pornographic images and videos, breaking character and continuing to kiss her while filming and launching a “social manipulation” campaign against her to “destroy” her reputation.

Freedman called the allegations against Baldoni “completely false” in a statement to Us Weekly at the time, claiming that Lively instead threatened to not show up on set and not promote the film if her “multiple demands” were not met.

Baldoni and nine other plaintiffs later filed a $250 million lawsuit against The New York Times on Tuesday, December 31, accusing the outlet of libel and cherry-picking in their reporting of Lively’s lawsuit. In the legal docs, obtained by Us, Baldoni continued to deny Lively’s claims of inappropriate workplace behavior, retorting several of her stories, including the aforementioned claims about pornography on set, working with an intimacy coordinator and more. He also alleged that she “kicked” him out of the editing process for It Ends With Us, despite his role as the movie’s director.

Everything Justin Baldoni Has Said About Working With Blake Lively

A New York Times spokesperson stood by the organization’s reporting in a statement to Us, sharing, “Our story was meticulously and responsibly reported. It was based on a review of thousands of pages of original documents, including the text messages and emails that we quote accurately and at length in the article. Those texts and emails were also the crux of a discrimination claim filed in California by Blake Lively against Justin Baldoni and his associates.”

Lively’s attorney also told Us Baldoni’s NYT lawsuit changed “nothing” about her accusations in her December 20 lawsuit or her federal complaint against Baldoni, publicists Melissa Nathan and Jennifer Abel, and Wayfarer Studios filed on Tuesday.

“I hope that my legal action helps pull back the curtain on these sinister retaliatory tactics to harm people who speak up about misconduct and helps protect others who may be targeted,” Lively shared in a December 21 statement to Us.

© Bryan Bedder/Getty Images; Taylor Hill/WireImage

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Joshua Hall is ready to put his 2024 struggles behind him and start the new year on a fresh note.

“2024 was a tough year but it’s taught me a lot,” Hall, 44, wrote in a Wednesday, January 1, Instagram post marking the new year. “It helped me grow and be stronger than I’ve ever been. Sometimes the tough situations can change you. You end up becoming a different person. A better version of yourself. You learn things about yourself you didn’t know before. It has opened my eyes to many things. Even though it was tough, I know that it taught me many lessons and for that I’m grateful. I always tell myself that God gives his toughest battles to his strongest soldiers.”

In July 2024, news broke that Joshua and wife Christina Hall (née Haack) called it quits after more than two years of marriage. They both filed divorce docs on July 15, with Joshua listing their date of separation as July 8 and Christina, 41, listing their split date as July 7.

Though Joshua did not address the breakup in his post, he noted that 2024 “wasn’t all that bad” thanks to his loved ones. “I realized who is really there for you. These people become your pillars in life. They stand by you,” he explained. “They understand when you need space. They’ve got you even if at this moment in time, you don’t have them. I will forever be grateful for my community who continue to love me, support me and those special ones who came into my life.”

Christina Hall 'Communicating Better' With Exes Ant and Tarek Amid Divorce

He wrapped up his Instagram update by giving cheers to “2025, a new year, a fresh start, and a chance to write a new book with some new beginnings,” adding, “This WILL be my best year yet … .”

Joshua began dating Christina shortly after her 2021 divorce from Ant Anstead. The two tied the knot in 2022 and went on to star on several HGTV shows together, including Christina on the Coast and Christina in the Country. The duo were set to compete together against Christina’s ex-husband Tarek El Moussa and his wife, Heather Rae El Moussa, on the new series The Flip Off before their split. (A source exclusively confirmed to Us Weekly that Anstead, 45, will film “a portion of the show” as Christina’s partner.)

Joshua shared his new year’s post one day before HGTV dropped a tense sneak peek of him and Christina on The Flip Off. “This is a competition, you gotta pull out all stops. Whatever it takes to win, I’ll do it. Hall’s rule,” he told Christina during a car ride.

After she didn’t respond, he stated: “You’re supposed to say it with me or repeat it or something to show that you’re with me. Remember, you’re a Hall now. Don’t get confused in this competition about what your last name is. You’re rude.”

Why Christina Hall Won't Allow Joshua Hall to Play 'Victim' in Divorce

The clip concluded with Christina informing Tarek, 43, that she and Joshua had “officially split up.”

As the pair’s messy divorce wages on, Christina hired attorney Laura Wasser in hopes of finalizing their split sooner rather than later. “Christina was not happy with the progress or lack thereof,” a source exclusively told Us in November 2024. “[She] decided to go with the best divorce attorney out there to try and wrap this up quickly and fairly.”

After her 2024 Paris Olympics success, Simone Biles may want to end her Olympic gymnastics career while she’s still on top.

In an interview with Sports Illustrated — where she was named 2024 Sportsperson of the Year — published on Thursday, January 2, Biles, 27, said returning for the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Olympics would feel like “life and death” after winning four medals in Paris this past summer.

“Because I’ve accomplished so much, there’s almost nothing left to do rather than to just be snobby and to try again and for what?” she explained. “I’m at a point in my career where I’m humble enough to know when to be done.”

Though Biles did not confirm a firm decision, she told the outlet it would feel “greedy” if she did return to the Games. “Those are the consequences. But that’s also your decision to decide,” she said. “What sacrifices would be made if I go back now? When you’re younger, it’s like, prom, college. Now it’s like, starting a family, being away from my husband [Jonathan Owens]. What’s really worth it?”

Simone Biles Doesn't Want to Hear 'What's Next?' After Olympic Medal Win

Biles took home a total of four medals at the Paris Summer Olympics, which ran from July 2024 to August 2024, bringing her total medal count to 11. (The 2024 Olympics also marked a major return for Biles after she was forced to withdraw from several events at the Tokyo Olympics.)

In addition to helping the U.S. women’s gymnastics team win gold in the women’s team competition, Biles won two individual gold in the women’s all-around and vault events. She also earned a silver in the women’s floor exercise, coming in second to Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade.

Her wins in Paris earned her the honor of the most decorated U.S. gymnast in Olympic history taking the title from former Olympian Shannon Miller.

Having never expected to become the face of U.S. gymnastics, Biles told the outlet she’s not ready to wrestle with the legacy she’ll leave behind. “I don’t think the reality has set in of what I’ve exactly done in the sport,” she noted. “I can see it, and I hear it from people, and I see a glimpse of it, but the full magnitude I don’t think I’ve realized just yet. I don’t think I’ll realize ’til maybe I retire and look back in a couple years like, ‘Damn, she was good.’ Because I can see that, but I do it every day. So, for me, it’s normal.”

Shortly after the Paris Games came to a close, Biles exclusively told Us Weekly what she would change about the Olympic Village in 2028. “We’re elite athletes trying to compete on the biggest stage of our life, the most important meet of our life, and they’re like, ‘Hey, try doing it after you sleep on this cardboard bed,’” she shared in September. “We’re the best athletes in the world, so I feel like for just one or two weeks we deserve the best of the best. You know, we shouldn’t be stressing about sleeping on a cardboard bed.”

Simone Biles on Competing in 2028 Olympics: ‘Can’t I Live?'

She later hinted at a possible retirement in the second half of her Simone Biles Rising Netflix docuseries, which dropped in October 2024. “At this moment in my career, I feel like if I had to process it, it would be bittersweet,” she said of hanging up her leotard after Paris. “I mean, we’ve been longing for this for a while now and now it’s here. It’s gone.”

Noting that she felt “a lot of relief” after competing in Paris, she added: “Now, I’m like, ‘Oh, my God. Like, what happens in life now?’”

Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo were equal partners for Wicked, both in front of and behind the camera.

The actresses opened up about working together to establish equal salaries while filming the two-part movie musical in a joint interview with Variety published on Thursday, January 2. “We went through our contracts together and called each other up,” Grande, 31, shared. “[We were like,] ‘Did you see that? What do you think about that? Let’s get together.’”

Erivo, 37, added: “We both went through it — ‘What number are we doing? How do you feel about that?’ We were really f—ing honest. And that’s really rare. People don’t do that.”

Noting that she and Erivo are “very different,” Grande told the outlet that “her needs [became] my needs” while working on the project. Erivo reiterated her words, stating: “And her needs become mine.”

Ariana Grande Jokes She and Cynthia Erivo Are 'Insufferable' on Press Tour

Shortly after the film’s November 2024 theatrical release, false reports spread online that Grande was paid millions more for her role as Glinda than Erivo for her role as Elphaba.

“Reports of pay disparity between Cynthia and Ariana are completely false and based on internet fodder,” a spokesperson for Universal Pictures told Us Weekly in a statement at the time. “The women received equal pay for their work on Wicked.”

A source close to Grande also told Us that the rumors “started on Reddit” and were “completely not true.”

Director Jon M. Chu praised the women’s equal pay negotiations in Thursday’s Variety interview. “This is a modern production,” he stated. “This is what Hollywood should reflect. These are co-CEOs of ‘Wicked Inc.’”

Based on the Broadway musical and 1995 novel of the same name by Gregory Maguire, Wicked tells the story of Elphaba, a.k.a. the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda, a.k.a. Glinda the Good Witch, before and during the events of The Wizard of Oz. The plot follows the two women as their relationship develops from rival roommates to best friends to unlikely rivals amid the backdrop of societal turmoil in Oz.

Grande and Erivo’s decision to share salaries and contracts comes as no surprise to fans of Wicked — which hit theaters in November 2024 — as the pair share a strong friendship on and off the big screen. The two have even gone viral for getting emotional in several of their press tour interviews.

Cynthia Erivo Shares Tribute to Ariana Grande as 'Wicked' Hits Theaters

“I feel so grateful and proud of how present we’ve been able to be,” Grande told Variety of her and Erivo shedding tears in interviews. “A lot of people have come up to us and been like, ‘How you holding up?’ with a long face. And we’ve just peeked at each other and been like, we’re grateful and floating.”

Erivo went on to add: “We have a good time.”

Wicked is in theaters now and is available to rent and purchase on digital platforms. The sequel, titled Wicked: For Good, will hit theaters on November 21.

Like all movies, certain scenes from Wicked: Part One ended up on the cutting room floor.

Luckily for fans, the film’s deleted scenes are available to watch now that the movie is streaming and available to purchase on several platforms. From a longer version of Fiyero’s (Jonathan Bailey) Shiz University arrival to extended looks at Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) and Glinda’s (Ariana Grande) Emerald City adventures, the cut scenes add even more magic to the musical adaptation.

Director Jon M. Chu explained in a December 2024 interview that while it broke his heart to cut certain scenes, he did so “to serve the bigger grand scheme of what the movie was trying to do, and have a rhythm that could be sustainable.”

Among the bonus clips is an extra scene from Glinda’s fan-favorite musical number, “Popular,” in which she helps Elphaba “get some pep in your step” by jumping on her bed. “I need you to bounce with me, girl,” she hilariously states, to which Elphaba replies: “I’m not really a kind of bouncing person. It’s not a thing I do.”

Yes, Certain Iconic 'Wicked' Lines Were Cut From the Movie for a Reason

After getting Elphaba to loosen herself up, Glinda demonstrates another version of her iconic hair toss. “You can do toss, toss, leg,” she says while flipping her hair and sticking her leg out. Much like the other methods shown in the film, Elphaba tries to no avail.

Scroll down for everything the Wicked: Part One deleted scenes revealed about the film and teased for part two:

Pfannee and ShenShen’s Origins

In the movie, Bown Yang’s Pfannee and Bronwyn James’ ShenShen were already established as Glinda’s friends upon her arrival at Shiz. However, a deleted scene reveals just how the trio’s friendship came to be.

“[We’re] from Miss Cringeable’s Twirling Academy,” Pfannee states, after which ShenShen asks Glinda if she remembers them.

“Wait, of course,” Glinda says before the three break out their twirling academy moves. “Oh, so good to see you!”

'Wicked: For Good': Everything to Know About Part 2 of the Movie Musical

Glinda proceeds to ask the pair how they are, to which Pfannee hilariously responds: “I’ve been through. I’ve been through.” (The line, improvised by Yang, made the comedian and Grande crack up as they recalled the scene on his “Las Culturistas” podcast.)

Fiyero Gets Scratched

The streaming release’s bonus content featured an extended clip of Fiyero and Elphaba’s adventures rescuing the lion cub. While arguing over where to release the young animal, the cub becomes agitated and scratches Fiyero’s face. Elphaba points out Fiyero’s injury in the original version, though the moment is not shown.

The clip ends with Elphaba placing the clip by a stream to drink, as she does in the theatrical cut.

Friendship Tensions

While Elphaba and Glinda become besties after making amends at the Ozdust Ballroom, a deleted scene of them studying in Madame Morrible’s (Michelle Yeoh) classroom offers insight into how their relationship will be put to the test heading into Wicked: For Good.

“Didn’t expect magic to be so hard,” Glinda states after failing to levitate a coin. Pointing out differences in their upbringings, Elphaba replies: “Maybe it’s harder for you to make magic because things have been kind of easy for you. So you don’t need it.”

Changing the topic, Glinda asks Elphaba why she chose Fiyero to help her rescue the lion cub instead of her. “I would’ve helped you,” she says. “If you needed someone, you could’ve picked me.”

‘Wicked’ Movie Characters vs. the Actors Who Play Them in Real Life: Photos

Sensing Glinda’s upset — and likely trying to hide her true feelings for Fiyero — Elphaba apologizes. “I’m sorry. It was a mistake,” she states. “I won’t leave you behind again.”

The moment leads into the scene in which Elphaba’s invitation to the Emerald City from The Wizard (Jeff Goldblum) arrives at Shiz and previews Elphaba inviting Glinda to join her in Oz.

Boq And Elphaba Call Each Other Out

Two of the movie’s deleted scenes take place at the train station before Elphaba and Glinda journey to the Emerald City. While one sees the return of Elphaba’s father, Governor Thropp (Andy Nyman), and nanny, Dulcibear (voiced by Sharon D. Clarke), the other features a heart-to-heart conversation between Elphaba and Boq (Ethan Slater).

Boq informs her that he still has “hope” Glinda will return his affection, but Elphaba shuts down his hopes by questioning him about his true feelings for her sister, Nessarose (Marissa Bode). “Why can’t you just tell my sister the truth?” she asks. Noting that he doesn’t share Nessarose’s love, he tells Elphaba that he doesn’t want to “hurt her.”

How Do ‘Wicked’ and ‘The Wizard of Oz’ Connect? Us Explains

“I can’t just change my feelings,” he adds before asking Elphaba, “Could you change yours for Fiyero?” After she denies having a crush on Glinda’s boyfriend, Boq retorts: “Oh, I’m sorry. I misunderstood. I thought we were being honest.”

He gets up to join the rest of the train station crowd as Elphaba is left to think about his comments. This moment hints at more to come for Elphaba and Fiyero in part two.

Working ‘Hand in Hand’

In bonus footage of Elphaba and Glinda walking around the Emerald City, Elphaba encounters the same pop-up book about The Wizard she had in the flashbacks of her childhood. Looking forward to the pair’s meeting, she holds the hand of the cutout Wizard, a nod to “The Wizard and I” lyrics, “As we work hand in hand / The Wizard and I.”

The small interaction could also be a hint at Elphaba and the wizard’s connection in the film’s second half, which hits theaters in November 2025. (Spoilers!)

Isla Fisher rang in 2025 with several days of rest and relaxation.

“This has been the most incredible way to spend the new year. 6 days at Buchinger! @buchingerwilhelmi,” the actress, 48, captioned Instagram photos of herself at the Buchinger Wilhelmi rehabilitation center in Überlingen, Germany, on Thursday, January 2. “Therapeutic fasting, integrative medicine, inspiring treatments for the spirit and soul. Every kind of therapy cocooned in warmth & care — the kindest hands. Everything you repress just comes out, all at once.”

In one snap, Fisher looked at ease while posing in a comfy white robe in front of the clinic’s picturesque Lake Constance backdrop. In addition to sharing a sunset pic of the view, Fisher posed with a head-shaped statue on the grounds in her robe and slippers.

In another Instagram post shared on Tuesday, December 31, Fisher wrote that she was “ending 2024 with gratitude” following her split from estranged husband Sacha Baron Cohen. “For my family and old friends who have supported and loved me, to the new friends who have opened their hearts and homes to me and my children and to those who kept shooting me texts to check in,” she wrote over a selfie. “I love you all and I wish you the happiest 2025.”

Isla Fisher Thanks Fans for ‘Support’ Amid Sacha Baron Cohen Split

Fans and celebrities sent the Australian native well wishes in the post’s comments. “Love you so much. No one funnier or smarter in the room!!” Naomi Watts wrote to Fisher. “Can’t wait to see you in the new year for belly laughs .”

Mary Elizabeth Ellis, meanwhile, commented: “I hope to hug you in person this coming year. Sending love.”

Fisher’s visit to the German wellness center comes nearly nine months after she and Cohen, 53, announced their split after 13 years of marriage. “After a long tennis match lasting over twenty years, we are finally putting our racquets down,” the duo captioned an Instagram Story photo of them dressed in tennis attire in April 2024. “In 2023, we jointly filed to end our marriage.”

They continued: “We have always prioritized our privacy, and have been quietly working through this change. We forever share in our devotion and love for our children. We sincerely appreciate your respecting our family’s wish for privacy.” (The pair share three kids, whom they have kept out of the spotlight over the years.)

All the Signs Isla Fisher and Sacha Baron Cohen Were Headed for Divorce

At the time of their announcement, a source exclusively told Us Weekly that Fisher and Cohen had “been living separate lives” since initially calling it quits in 2023 “but wanted to give this space and time for their children to be OK with this before the news came out.” The insider also clarified that their divorce had “nothing to do” with Rebel Wilson’s misconduct allegations against Cohen made in her 2024 memoir, Rebel Rising. (Cohen has denied the allegations.)

A second source told Us that the former spouses “furiously argued” over their work-life balance before ending their relationship.

Back in July 2024, Us confirmed that the exes filed a divorce application in England in September 2023 and stated that their marriage had broken down irretrievably in joint paperwork filed three months later.

A source from the London court exclusively told Us in November 2024 that Fisher filed “for financial remedy proceedings to consider how their finances will be divided” two months prior. The proceedings, however, were “put on pause” as she and Cohen were “going into arbitration to try and resolve the financial matters amicably.”

There were only three people Tom Brady wanted to ring in 2025 with: his kids.

“I couldn’t have imagined a better way to ring in the new year than with the loves of my life,” Brady, 47, captioned new photos with his kids Jack, 17, Benjamin, 15, and Vivian, 12, via Instagram on Wednesday, January 1. “Reflecting on last year and thinking about the year ahead, there’s no better perspective than looking at these three and always trying to be better for them each day, and helping to guide them in whatever way possible.”

The former NFL quarterback welcomed Jack with his ex Bridget Moynahan in 2007. After tying the knot with Gisele Bündchen in February 2009, the pair welcomed their first child, Benjamin, that December. They went on to welcome Vivian in 2012 before eventually ending their marriage in October 2022. Bündchen, 44, is now expecting her first child with boyfriend Joaquim Valente.

“I’m so grateful for the experiences, blessings, family, friends, and everyone else who has impacted me along the way,” Brady’s New Year’s caption continued. “I’m so blessed to have joy and gratitude in my life. No year ever goes exactly the way we want, but when I think about 2024, I could not have imagined anything better. So many new experiences that I got to share with amazing people, especially the three beautiful angels in these photos.”

Tom Brady Says Daughter Vivian 'Lights Up My Life' in Birthday Note

He concluded his post by wishing his fans “a happy [and] healthy 2025,” adding, “And as I tell so many of my loved ones, ‘the best is yet to come!’.”

Fans pointed out the kids’ strong resemblance to their famous parents in the post’s comments, with one fan writing, “Boys look like dad and daughter looks like mom.” Another user joked that Jack “looks like Tom Brady more than Tom Brady does.”

2024 was a jam-packed year for Brady, from sparking dating rumors with Isabella Settanni and Brooks Nader after his brief romance with Irina Shayk to making his TV broadcasting debut with Fox Sports in September.

He also went viral for being the subject of his very own Netflix roast special, during which celebrities such as Nikki Glaser, Ben Affleck and Kim Kardashian took digs at his personal life and professional career.

Following the special, Brady noted that he wasn’t thrilled when jokes were aimed at his family.

“I didn’t like the way they affected my kids,” he said on a May episode of the “Pivot Podcast.” He added: “It’s the hardest part about … like, the bittersweet aspect of when you do something that you think is one way and then all of a sudden you realize, ‘I wouldn’t do that again because of the way that it affected actually the people that I care about the most in the world.’”

Brady shared several special moments with his kids throughout 2024, including posting photos of himself and his children via Instagram for his 46th birthday in August and taking his sons to see Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour in October.

Tom Brady Says His Kids 'Outshine' the Sun in Sweet Hall of Fame Speech

“There’s definitely some challenges and there’s a lot of blessings,” he exclusively told Us Weekly in June 2024. “And I think just us as parents, we’re just trying to help them navigate a little bit. There’s a lot of cool things, a lot of things that are maybe a little tricky, but you just got to deal with it all in the best way you can.”

Brady noted that keeping his kids grounded and “giving them perspective all the time is really important.”

He continued: “They’re kids, so we’re all human. We’re all going through stuff, so they’re going through their own set of unique experiences and you just try to give them the right perspective on the things that you’ve experienced and that you can correlate to their life.”

John Travolta started 2025 with his kids by his side.

The actor, 70, shared a new photo of himself with daughter Ella, 24, and son Ben, 14, via Instagram on Wednesday, January 1. “Happy new year from the Travolta family,” he captioned the family photo.

In the snap, the trio smiled for the camera while posing behind a snowy forest backdrop. While Travolta and Ella sported winter coats and scarves, Ben braved the cold in a navy T-shirt.

“Omg your son is growing like a weed and I love that he’s like a typical teenager always in short sleeves even when it’s cold out lol,” one fan commented on the post. Several other users returned the holiday wishes, with one fan writing, “Beautiful family! And you sir, are as handsome as ever Wishing you peace.”

John Travolta Shares Sweet Mother’s Day Tribute to Late Wife Kelly Preston

Another user pointed out the kids’ strong resemblance to their father, stating, “Strong genes lol they both have your face.”

Ella shared more glimpses into her family’s holiday celebrations via her own Instagram. “Merry Christmas everyone, so much love to you all,” she captioned a December 26 slideshow featuring pics of their festive Christmas tree and homemade sweet treats.

While the group opted for a chill holiday this year, they previously celebrated Christmas by going skiing together in December 2023. “Wishing everyone a merry Christmas, from our family to yours,” Ella captioned an Instagram pic of herself, her father and her brother at a ski resort, which Travolta also shared on his profile.

At the time, they followed up the winter sports activity by dressing up for a fancy New Year’s Celebration. “Happy New Year!! Thank you for always being there for us! Love John Ella and Ben!” Travolta wrote alongside an Instagram montage of New Year’s pics and video, which included a clip of Ella dancing in front of a grand Christmas tree in a little black dress.

Travolta’s late wife, Kelly Preston, died of breast cancer at age 57 in July 2020. In addition to Ella and Jack, the couple, who wed in 1991, also shared son Jett, who died at age 16 in 2009 after experiencing a seizure on a family vacation in the Bahamas.

Earlier this year, Ella paid tribute to Preston in the song “Little Bird” off her debut EP, Colors of Love. “[My mother’s death has] definitely been something that I had wanted to communicate and had been thinking about, obviously, for many years,” she shared during a November 8 appearance on the third hour of Today. “I think it’s different for each person, going through loss. But for me, personally, it was just this pure message that I wanted to give to my mom.”

John Travolta Skis with Kids Ella and Benjamin on Christmas

The song’s music video featured home videos of herself and Preston with their family from over the years. “There was a lot of crying, but they were happy tears,” Ella said of gathering the footage for the video. “And I wanted it to be a celebration, too, of her life ‘cause it’s all those best, most happy moments. And that’s how I remember her.”

The EP was a family affair, as Travolta served as a producer on the project. “I love working with my dad. If I could always do it, I would,” Ella gushed. “He’s amazing and he’s so protective because he’s been in the movie industry and the music industry forever, so he knows how to protect me, in that sense.”

Sam Asghari is beginning 2025 on a romantic note.

The actor, 30, went Instagram official with his girlfriend, Brooke Irvine, on Wednesday, January 1. “Happy New Year to All ,” he captioned a slideshow of photos of the two of them cuddled up, laying together on a palm tree at the beach in one snap and embracing each other at a party in another.

The couple seemingly celebrated the holiday together, as Asghari placed his hand around Irvine’s waist at what looked like a New Year’s Eve party in a Wednesday Instagram Story post. “Happy new year to everyone ,” he wrote alongside the sweet snap.

A source confirmed the pair’s romance to Us Weekly last month, shortly after they were spotted together in West Hollywood in November 2024. The insider noted that the relationship began a few months prior and that Asghari took some time for himself following his divorce from ex-wife Britney Spears.

Britany Spears Finalizes Sam Asghari Divorce on 43rd Birthday

Prior to beginning his new romance, Asghari exclusively told Us that he was putting his focus on his career instead of his love life. “It deserves that type of work ethic, and watching my sisters do such an amazing thing at pursuing their dreams makes me inspired,” he explained in July 2024. “Watching them work 100 percent makes me realize it’s going to take 100-and-something percent to reach my goals.”

He added: “My goals are always the opposite of my personality,” he said. “That’s gonna require a lot of time, so I’m not really focusing on [dating] at the moment.”

Asghari’s relationship with Irvine marks his first since calling it quits with Spears, 43, after one year of marriage in August 2023. In his divorce filing, Asghari cited irreconcilable differences as the reason for their split and listed their date of separation as July 28, 2023.

Every Time Britney Spears’ Ex Sam Asghari Had Her Back

“After 6 years of love and commitment to each other my wife and I have decided to end our journey together,” he wrote in an Instagram Story statement at the time. “We will hold onto the love and respect we have for each other and I wish her the best always.”

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A post shared by Sam Asghari (@samasghari)

In an August 2023 Instagram post of her own, Spears wrote that she “couldn’t take the pain anymore” in their marriage. “I will be as strong as I can and do my best!!! And I’m actually doing pretty damn good!!!” the pop star added.

The exes settled the terms of their split in May 2024 and officially finalized their divorce on Spear’s 43rd birthday last month.

While Asghari seemingly spent the holidays with his girlfriend, Spears reunited with her youngest son, Jayden, 18, on Christmas. “Best Christmas of my life!!! I haven’t seen my boys in 2 years!!!” she captioned a December 25 Instagram video of herself with her son. “Tears of joy and literally in shock everyday [sic] koo koo crazy so in love and blessed!!! I’m speechless thank you Jesus!!!” (She shares Jayden and son Preston, 19, with her ex-husband Kevin Federline.)

Spears gushed about her son in another Instagram post on Tuesday, December 31, writing, “He came back and he feels older and smarter than me!!! He’s a man and I cry everyday [sic] of my life because of the miracle and genius he is!!! When he plays the whole earth shakes!!!”

Andy Cohen and Anderson Cooper’s latest CNN New Year’s Eve broadcast came with many memorable moments, but Diplo’s surprise revelation takes the cake.

“I’m so curious, what’s the most conventional place that you’ve done LSD?” Cohen, 56, asked the DJ, 46, in a clip from the Tuesday, December 31, broadcast shared via social media. Diplo, who was video chatting live from Los Angeles, giggled before admitting: “Right now. I did some on the helicopter on the way here. … I’m not even lying.”

His nonchalant response caused Cohen and Cooper, 57, to erupt into shocked laughter. Cooper, for his part, was laughing so hard he couldn’t even speak. “Oh, my God! Hold on, hold on, hold on,” Cohen quipped. “Please tell me — you’re tripping right now?”

Diplo simply replied, “Yeah.” According to The Hollywood Reporter, he went on to explain that he was on a “light trip” after “microdosing” but possibly “macrodosed” earlier that day.

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After gathering his composure, Cooper went on to joke: “I wish I was Diplo. I gotta say, I just think he has a fun, cool lifestyle. Can you imagine his lifestyle? ‘I’m Diplo. I do things.’”

Cohen then asked whether Cooper would follow the musician on Instagram after the broadcast. “I’m absolutely going to start. I mean … I feel bad about my own boring life compared to Diplo’s,” Cooper replied. “He’s got helicopters and he’s like doing things. He did, like, four shots while we were talking. … And he’s going to play. How does he work? How does anybody do anything? I’ve had four shots. I just want to go to sleep.”

Earlier on Tuesday, Diplo shared an Instagram Story clip of himself flying over L.A. in a helicopter. He later performed a handful of shows at the Avalon Hollywood nightclub in California.

Back in March 2023, Diplo revealed that he ran the L.A. Marathon while on LSD, having added drops of the substance into a water bottle the night before the big race. He finished with a time of three hours and 35 minutes.

Andy Cohen and Anderson Cooper Return to Ripping Shots on CNN NYE Special

“I do a lot of LSD, but I’m not tripping and looking at the stars going ‘Whaaa?’ I microdose it, maybe a little more,” he told Esquire in May 2023. “I was nervous before the race because 14 miles was the most I had ever ran. But woke up kind of late, put it in my water and drank it on the way to Dodger Stadium. It was maybe half of a tab of acid.”

He attributed his performance to using LSD but noted he “wouldn’t recommend anyone else do it.” He explained: “I wanted to experiment. It made the time go by fast, and the worst thing about running is how boring it is. It’s boring as hell.”

Diplo also told the outlet that he used LSD to “ween” himself off alcohol. “I also don’t like to smoke weed. But I do eat less food than I used to,” he said of his diet. “I still eat bread and meat, dairy. Those are things that don’t affect my body too much. I stay away from sugar. I try to do the basic things, but I do work out an hour or two hours a day, five days a week, if I can. I feel normal when I sweat.”

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Meghan Markle is kicking off 2025 by beginning a new chapter on social media.

On Wednesday, January 1, the Duchess of Sussex, 43, launched her very own Instagram account under the username @meghan to connect with fans around the world and share updates on her latest projects.

For her debut post — which was filmed by her husband, Prince Harry, near the pair’s home in Montecito, California — Markle ran along a cloudy beach before stopping to write “2025” in the sand.

Meghan’s return to Instagram comes nearly five years after the final post on her and Harry’s joint page, @sussexroyal, was shared. “As we can all feel, the world at this moment seems extraordinarily fragile. Yet we are confident that every human being has the potential and opportunity to make a difference—as seen now across the globe, in our families, our communities and those on the front line—together we can lift each other up to realize the fullness of that promise,” they wrote in March 2020, referring to the Covid crisis.

Meghan Markle Returns to Instagram After 5 Years, Launches New Business

Bringing up “the many issues that have presented themselves as a result of this pandemic,” Harry, 40, and Meghan noted that they were “focusing this new chapter to understand how we can best contribute.”

They continued: “While you may not see us here, the work continues. Thank you to this community — for the support, the inspiration and the shared commitment to the good in the world. We look forward to reconnecting with you soon. You’ve been great! Until then, please take good care of yourselves, and of one another.

Meghan previously deactivated her personal social media accounts in January 2018, shortly after her November 2017 engagement to Harry. Shortly before the @sussexroyal account went inactive, she and Harry announced their plans to step back from their senior roles as working royals and become financially independent from the royal family. They have since moved to U.S. with their son, Prince Archie, 5, and daughter Princess Lilibet, 3.

“I enjoy living [in the U.S.] and bringing my kids up here, it’s a part of my life that I never thought I was going to live and it feels as though it’s the life that my mom [Princess Diana] wanted for me,” Harry told Andrew Sorokin at The New York Times’ DealBook Summit on December 4.

Before launching her new personal account, Meghan returned to Instagram in March 2024 with a page for her lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard. “By Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex. Established 2024,” the account’s bio reads. The only posts on the account were uploaded to form the brand’s logo on its photo grid.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Launch New Sussex Website After Royal Exit

Meghan previously expressed that she “worries” about raising her kids in a social media-heavy world. “Everyone now is affected by the online world and social media. Some more than others,” she stated during a panel at the Project Healthy Minds’ World Mental Health Day Festival in October 2023. “We all just want to feel safe. In that so much of it can come down to, if someone is looking for something, please don’t feed them the thing that they’re not looking for that is going to harm them.”

Harry agreed with his wife at the event, adding, “I think for us, for myself and my wife, with kids growing up in the digital age, for us the priority here is to turn pain into purpose.”

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Hoda Kotb is ready to start a new chapter after saying goodbye to NBC’s Today.

The TV personality announced on September 26 that she was departing the morning show after nearly 30 years working for the network. “I just turned 60, and it was such a monumental moment for me when I turned 60 years old because I started thinking about that decade, like, what does that decade mean? What does it hold? What’s it gonna have for me?” she tearfully announced on-air. “And I realized that it was time for me to turn the page at 60 and to try something new.”

At the time, Kotb also noted that her role as a mother influenced her decision. “I had my kiddos late in life, and I was thinking they deserve a bigger piece of my time, the pie that I have,” she explained. “I feel like we only have a finite amount of time. And so, with all that being said, this is the hardest thing in the world.” (Kotb shares her daughters, Haley and Hope, with ex-fiancé Joel Schiffman.)

Kotb will wrap up her run on Today with a special “Hoda-bration” episode on January 10, after which Craig Melvin will take over her role as Savannah Guthrie’s coanchor. Jenna Bush Hager will continue to cohost the fourth hour with a rotating panel of guest hosts until a permanent replacement is picked.

'Today' Show Hosts React to Hoda Kotb's Surprising Exit

Today alums such as Katie Couric and Tamron Hall have gone on to host their own TV shows or move on to other series, as Deborah Norville did with Inside Edition. While Kotb has not announced any official upcoming projects, she has teased that the next era of her career could take place both on and off the small screen.

Scroll down to see what Kotb has said about her post-Today show plans:

Does Hoda Kotb Have Another Job Lined Up After ‘Today’?

Kotb has yet to announce whether she will take on another TV gig after her Today exit.

Will Hoda Kotb Remain on NBC After ‘Today’?

Kotb noted that she would be staying in the “NBC family” for her next career steps during her exit announcement but did not elaborate on the extent of her future with the network.

Will Hoda Kotb Venture Outside of TV After ‘Today’?

On the October 25 episode of Today With Hoda & Jenna, Kotb revealed that she plans to dive into the world of wellness after bidding farewell to Today.

“I don’t know if you’ve ever had a yearning, a calling, a desire, and you can’t quit it, even if you try, because working at NBC is safer. … But sometimes, you know there’s something else that you want to try in your life,” she explained. “And I have been so turned on by the wellness space because I realized what was happening to me. I tried different things and I noticed my body was calmer. I was getting sick less. I was feeling better. I was a better parent, a better friend, a better sister, a better daughter. And I thought, all these tiny things I was doing day after day were helping to change me inside.”

Hoda Kotb's Most Memorable and Emotional 'Today' Show Moments

Kotb continued: “What I want to do is I want to live in wellness. I want to work in that space. I want to start things. I’ve got things that are percolating inside that I’m gonna, hopefully, have fully formed soon.”

How Will Hoda Kotb Spend Her Free Time After ‘Today’?

In addition to pursuing wellness, Kotb has continuously gushed about looking forward to more time with her kids after leaving Today. Since moving outside of New York City earlier this year, Kotb has gushed about experiencing suburban milestones such as walking her kids to school, taking them trick-or-treating and hosting holidays in her new home.

“I’m so excited because to have stockings hung in a place that you know will be the place where they’re gonna be hanging for years — we just, for the first time, decided where the tree was gonna go, and we know from this day on, this is where it’s gonna go — all these cool things,” she said on the December 24 episode of Hoda & Jenna ahead of celebrating Christmas with her girls, her mom, Sameha, her sister, Hala, and Schiffman. “We decked our house out, like, all those kinds of neat things.”

Tina Knowles is getting candid about her social media use after her account “liked” a post about her son-in-law Jay-Z’s rape allegation.

“You know how many times I’ve ‘liked’ something that was negative about my own children?” Knowles, 70, quipped on the Tuesday, December 31, episode of “The Run-Through With Vogue” podcast. “Because if I’m busy and I’m going through the thing, I’m like, ‘Oh, there’s Beyoncé with so-and-so. I ‘like’ that.’ And then the fans come back and say, ‘Miss Tina, please erase that because you’re ‘liking’ some negative post.’”

She went on to joke: “I mean, that’s what happens to 70-year-olds on social media. It’s true. I’m always screwing up.”

Tina, a.k.a. the mother of Beyoncé and Solange Knowles, made headlines earlier this month when she seemingly “liked” an Instagram post about Jay-Z’s legal drama. Shortly thereafter, she claimed her account was hacked, writing via Instagram, “As you all know I do not play about my family. So if you see something uncharacteristic of me. Just know that is not me!”

Inside Tina and Solange Knowles' Reactions to Jay-Z Allegations: Sources

On Tuesday’s podcast, Tina revealed she uses her phone’s voice-to-text feature when leaving comments on Instagram. However, her strong Southern accent often causes the application to incorrectly guess her words.

“I know that it doesn’t understand what I’m saying, and it’s got crazy stuff,” she said. Mentioning Jay-Z, 55, she added: “My son-in-law, Jay, will say, ‘Listen, if you’re gonna read somebody, at least spell your words right. Don’t misspell your words, Ma. You can’t do that. Take your time and go over and spellcheck your stuff!’ And I’m like, ‘I don’t have time for that!’”

Tina noted that she “used” to get social media help from her eldest granddaughter, Blue Ivy, 12. “Every once in a while, I’ll get a call from Blue, and she’ll say, ‘Grandma, that’s really whack what you just did. That’s really whack. You should delete that,’” she shared before revealing she no longer takes Blue Ivy’s advice. “I’m like, ‘Girl, I’m on to the next thing.’ And all of the comments [from fans] are like, ‘There you go again, Miss Tina. Be more careful!’ They help me out.”

Though Tina did not specifically address the allegations against Jay-Z on Tuesday, the self-described “protector of my kids” said she will always use her social platforms to stand up for her family. (Beyoncé, 43, and Jay-Z also share twins, Rumi and Sir, 7.)

“I love it and I love what it can do for people, but the downside is that someone can just make up something and say anything they feel like saying and put it on there,” she explained. “And, you know, my kids are always like, ‘Mama, just ignore that.’ But at some point, it gets to the point where I’m just like, ‘I’m sorry, this is enough. It’s enough.’ ‘Cause imagine being a mother and somebody’s lying on your kid. It’s hard to watch.”

What Tina Knowles Has Said About Son-in-Law Jay-Z Over the Years

Jay-Z (real name Shawn Carter) and Sean “Diddy” Combs were accused of raping a 13-year-old girl at a 2000 MTV Video Music Awards afterparty in a lawsuit originally filed in October and refiled on December 8 to add Jay-Z. Jay-Z has vehemently denied the allegations and filed to dismiss the lawsuit on December 9.

A judge later ruled that the victim, referred to in court docs as Jane Doe, can remain anonymous in court. Jay-Z’s lawyer Alex Spiro claimed in paperwork filed on Monday, December 30, that the victim’s claims are too old to pursue.

The lawsuit is one of several filed against Diddy, 55, in recent months. The rapper, who has denied all claims against him, is currently awaiting trial behind bars after being arrested and charged with sex trafficking and racketeering in September.

Kristen Bell is ending the year by lending a helpful hand to people in need.

The actress, 44, recently teamed up with social media personality Tommy Marcus, better known as Quentin Quarantino, to donate thousands of dollars to people struggling to pay their medical bills. In DM screenshots shared by Marcus via Instagram on Monday, December 30, Marcus reached out to Bell about helping him raise funds for one health-related GoFundMe page per day.

Bell was game for the idea and subsequently fulfilled the remainder of one GoFundMe page’s fundraising goal. “We need to do more things like this, the world needs it ,” she wrote in one DM.

In another message, Bell asked, “How can I give 100,000 to people who need it for medical bills? I want to make sure we do it in the best way how do we do it??”

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Marcus responded by suggesting that for every fundraiser he posts on his page, Bell can “close it out” once it reaches its halfway goal. “For example, the next one needs around $50k raised, so once it hits $25k from followers, you donate $25k and we move on to the next one?” he asked.

An excited Bell replied, “YES!! TOMMY LETS DO IT!”

According to one GoFundMe page shared on Marcus’ profile, Bell donated $20,932 to help a third grader named Mia fight leukemia, helping the fundraiser surpass its $50,000 goal. Bell helped another page reach its fundraising target, donating $24,182 to a man named Murilo also battling leukemia.

Thanks to Bell’s help, Marcus said his page’s most recent fundraising campaign “has the chance to be some of the most important and impactful work we’ve ever done.” He wrote in the Instagram post’s caption: “The more you can donate, share, like, comment, do anything you can to make this into a movement — the better chance it has to become a huge thing, have other generous high-profile people like Kristen get involved, and overall, be a movement that we create to save and change so many lives.”

Marcus continued to gush about Bell in a Monday Instagram Story, writing, “Thank you @kristenanniebell for listening to my idea, deciding to be the catalyst to help these [people] get to where they need to be, and for helping us start this movement.”

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Bell, for her part, shared links to Mia and Murilo’s GoFundMe pages via her Instagram Story on Monday.

Bell’s generous donations come shortly after she rang in the holidays with her husband, Dax Shepard, and their daughters, Lincoln, 11, and Delta, 10. In addition to visiting the festive Descanso Gardens botanical garden in La Cañada Flintridge, California, Bell drew inspiration from The Wizard of Oz and Wicked for her family’s Christmas tree.

She shared a snap of her creation via Instagram on Wednesday, December 25, which she captioned with pink and green heart emojis. In addition to the Yellow Brick Road and the Wicked Witch of the East’s legs poking out from under the tree skirt, the tree was decorated with pink and green ornaments and topped with Glinda and Elphaba–inspired angels.

Chevy Chase had some choice words about the Saturday Night Live origin movie, Saturday Night.

Director Jason Reitman shared Chase’s reaction to the film on a recent episode of Dana Carvey and David Spade’s “Fly on the Wall” podcast. Setting the scene for the story, Carvey, 69, quipped: “Chevy loves to say the thing you’re not supposed to say, to the extreme, where it can go wherever it wants to go.”

Reitman, 47, began by noting he’s known Chase, 81, “my entire life” and grew up as friends of his kids. “So, Chevy comes in to watch the movie, and he’s there with [his wife] Jayni and they watch the film,” he explains. “And he’s in the group, and he comes up to me after and he pats me on the shoulder and goes, ‘Well, you should be embarrassed.’”

The comment prompted laughter from both Carvey and Spade, 60, the latter of whom stated: “What an exact Chevy thing. You couldn’t even write it better. How funny.”

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Carvey, meanwhile, added: “He knows that’s funny, like, ‘OK, that’s the roughest thing you could say to a director in that moment.’”

Following Chase’s review, Reitman said he tried to “balance” the meaning of the actor’s words. “I know, ‘Alright, I’m getting a Chevy Chase moment that’s 1,000 percent only for me right now. And from a comedy point-of-view, that’s really pure and that’s kind of cool,’” he stated. “But also, I just spent, like, two years of my life recreating this moment and trying to capture Chevy perfectly, and also, even in the ego, find the humanity and give him a moment to be loved — no, none of that s— played. He’s not talking about that stuff.”

Spade, for his part, was also unsure how much of Chase’s comment was comedy and how much was truthful. “It’s a funny thing to say, but then, you gotta look at the meter and go, ‘What percentage was real? Was it all a joke, or was there a little bit he’s not happy [with]?’” he said. “But you just don’t know and he leaves, and you go, ‘Well, he saw it.’”

Saturday Night, which hit theaters in October, follows the cast and crew of SNL in the hilarious and hectic 90 minutes leading up to the show’s first broadcast in October 1975. Cory Michael Smith plays a young version of Chase in the film alongside Kaia Gerber as Chase’s then-girlfriend Jacqueline Carlin.

Gabriel Labelle recently scored a 2025 Golden Globes nomination for his performance as the show’s creator, Lorne Michaels. The cast also includes Lamorne Morris as Garrett Morris, Dylan O’Brien as Dan Aykroyd, Matt Wood as John Belushi, Ella Hunt as Gilda Radner, Emily Fairn as Laraine Newman, Kim Matula as Jane Curtin, Rachel Sennott as Rosie Shuster and Cooper Hoffman as Dick Ebersol.

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Reitman shared his story shortly after fellow director Chris Columbus told Vanity Fair that he dropped out of working on 1989’s National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation after a meeting with Chase.

“I talked about how I saw the movie, how I wanted to make the movie. He didn’t say anything,” Columbus told the outlet in an interview published on December 23. “I went through about a half hour of talking. He didn’t say a word. … Forty minutes into the meeting, he says, ‘Wait a second. You’re the director?’ And I said, ‘Yeah … I’m directing the film.’ … He said, ‘Oh, I thought you were a drummer.’”

He continued: “I left the dinner and I thought, ‘There’s no way I can make a movie with this guy. First of all, he’s not engaged. He’s treating me like s—. I don’t need this. I’d rather not work again. I’d rather write.’”

Gina Kirschenheiter will kick off 2025 by celebrating a major milestone.

“January marks three 3 years for me not drinking,” The Real Housewives of Orange County star, 40, wrote in a Sunday, December 29, Instagram video message. “People are always asking what I did to look so good. I don’t talk about it much but as they say, a picture is worth a thousand words.”

Looking to share “something for anyone who’s ‘sober curious,’” Kirschenheiter showed off her sobriety body transformation by sharing several photos from before and after she stopped drinking. “2025 seems like a great time to effect positive change ,” her message concluded.

Kirschenheiter smiled for the camera in both her before and after photos. In addition to transforming her body during her sobriety journey, the Bravo star also notably ditched her long, blonde locks for a stylish bob.

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In the post’s caption, she added: “If you’re thinking about it … do it … #itsamazing on this side .” She reshared the clip via her Instagram Story and wished fans a “Happy new year.”

Kirschenheiter received love from fans and her fellow celebrities in the comments, with her RHOC costar Emily Simpson writing, “Glowing and growing proud of you xo.”

Vanderpump Rules’ Scheana Shay commented, “Hell ya girl! So proud of you! You’ve never looked better! ,” while Bachelor Nation’s Susie Evans wrote, “This is amazing. I literally couldn’t stop staring at your gorgeous skin and face during our interview! You were always beautiful but wow you are glowing these days!!”

Kirschenheiter exclusively opened up to Us Weekly about her upcoming sobriety milestone last month. “Honestly, the biggest tip and trick and lifestyle change for me is coming up on three years sober, three years not drinking,” she shared at Simpson’s RHOC reunion watch party on November 14. “That is the most incredible change and shift and edit I’ve ever made to my life. I fully recommend it to everyone.”

The TV personality noted that she “feels good” about her decision to quit drinking and said that lots of “positivity” has come into her life since she decided to go sober. “I would love to share that with other people and just say, ‘Look, if you’re thinking about stopping drinking, do it. It will literally change your life for the better in every way,’” she said.

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Kirschenheiter, who first announced that she stopped drinking in 2021, continued: “Turns out when you stop poisoning yourself, good things happen. Honestly, the biggest thing that it did was it made me have to deal with some of the stuff that I think I was avoiding. Then it was just the pure toxicity of what I was putting into my body that was a huge edit shift, and then processing out all that trauma that I was trying to avoid. The combination of the two things has just been life-changing for me.”

In another Instagram post earlier this month, Kirschenheiter shared her list of “things I have learned” over the past year. “Everything happens for a reason. Life is for living. Consistency will make you win. Time heals,” she wrote over clips of herself, her boyfriend, Travis Mullen, and the couple’s kids. “Thank you 2024!!!” (Kirschenheiter and Mullen each share three children with their respective exes.)

Today’s Hoda Kotb is ending 2024 at The Happiest Place on Earth.

While in California to host the 2024 Rose Parade, Kotb, 60, enjoyed a magical day at Disneyland with her two daughters, Haley, 7, and Hope, 5. “Oh what fun!” she captioned Instagram pics from their fun outing on Sunday, December 29.

Kotb and her girls — whom she coparents with ex Joel Schiffman — posed for sweet family photos in front of the theme park’s grand Christmas tree and Sleeping Beauty Castle, the latter of which was decked out in lights and fake snow for the holidays. The Today host kept things comfy in a white puffer jacket, sneakers and a black-and-white “Love” T-shirt, while Hope sported a pair of sparkly Mickey Mouse ears. Haley, for her part, rocked a pink sweatshirt featuring NBC’s peacock logo.

The family of three and two friends were led around the park by a Disneyland VIP tour guide. In addition to taking a group selfie, Kotb also snapped adorable pics of Haley and Hope posing with princesses such as Ariel and Cinderella.

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Kotb’s Disneyland trip comes amid her week-long absence from the Today show. She and several of her colleagues took a break from the NBC morning series to celebrate the holidays with family and friends. Kotb, Savannah Guthrie, Al Roker, Craig Melvin, Carson Daly, Sheinelle Jones and Jenna Bush Hager were all missing from the show’s Monday, December 30, episode, while the third and fourth hours were prerecorded.

Before saying goodbye to the Today show on January 10, Kotb will team up with Roker, 70, to cohost the 2024 Rose Bowl. The annual event, which takes place in Pasadena, California, will air live on NBC and Peacock from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. ET on Wednesday, January 1.

Similar to Kotb, Roker spent some quality time with his son Nick, 22, in California ahead of this year’s parade. “It’s not a visit to #pasadena to cohost the @rose_parade unless we stop to visit @mijaresrestaurant1920 and @rlene_mijares_delang,” the TV personality captioned Instagram pics with his son, wife Deborah Roberts and restaurateur R-lene Mijares de Lang. “We missed see[ing] the restaurant doyenne, Miss Alice and her baby boy, @taquito_tom.”

Today’s Hoda Kotb Spends Christmas With Ex-Fiance Joel Schiffman and Kids

While Kotb and her girls will be spending New Year’s in California, they recently celebrated their first Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas in their new suburban home. Kotb announced in March that she and her kids were moving outside of New York City.

Schiffman, 66, joined his ex for her Christmas celebrations earlier this month. “For us, our Christmas isn’t huge ‘cause it’s me, my kids, my mom [Sameha], my sister [Hala], Joel,” Kotb shared on the Tuesday, December 24, episode of Today With Hoda & Jenna. “We get together. That’s the group, and it’s kind of just a cozy Christmas. So, we’ll put out cookies tonight for Santa and the carrots. He always seems to like the cookies more.”

Kotb later shared several snaps of her family’s matching holiday pajamas via Instagram, which they kept on all day long. “Time stamp 5:55 dinner a la joel,” she captioned a Wednesday, December 25, Instagram selfie with her loved ones at the dinner table. “Still in Christmas jammies.”