“Showering our girl with love Can’t wait for baby boy Fuda! What a beautiful party. We had so much fun today!!” RHONJ star Danielle Cabral wrote via Instagram on Sunday, January 5, alongside several photos of the mom-to-be from her baby shower.
One snap featured a Real Housewives of New Jersey reunion — Cabral, 39, Margaret Josephs, Melissa Gorga and Jenn Fessler were all smiles as they posed with Fuda, 33, on her special day.
Josephs, 57, wrote in the comments section, “Such a great day all together celebrating our girl ,” while Fessler, 55, commented, “Fabulous day with fabulous women! .” Gorga, 45, for her part, commented on Cabral’s sweet post with a series of blue hearts.
Gorga also shared a series of photos from Fuda’s baby shower via Instagram. “Bonjour baby Fuda,” she captioned her post, which included a video of a performance from Ru Paul’s Drag Race star Crystal Envy. “The most amazing day! Such a perfect way to celebrate our baby boy on the way,” Fuda wrote in the comments.
Courtesy of Melissa Gorga/Instagram
Late last year, Fuda announced that she was expecting a baby boy while at Disney World. She and husband John shared a video via TikTok in November which showed them wearing respective “Mommy” and “Daddy” Disney-themed shirts, posing in front of Magic Kingdom with a blue Mickey Mouse balloon.
“IT’S A BOY,” Fuda wrote in the caption alongside a blue heart emoji. “We are so excited for our little prince coming this winter!” At the time, the announcement received plenty of love from the RHONJ cast.
“Yay! Can’t wait,” Cabral wrote at the time, while Gorga added, “Little baby boy!!! Lets goo!!!!” Fuda announced that she and John were expanding their family on RHONJ during the season 14 episode “Off the Rails,” which aired in August 2024.
The couple tied the knot in 2017 and share 17-year-old son Jaiden — whom Fuda legally adopted in 2023 — and daughters Gianella, 4, and Giuliana, 2, who were both conceived via IVF. The latest addition to their family was also conceived using IVF.
“I just feel so grateful, and I have so much gratitude,” Fuda exclusively told Us Weekly in August after announcing her latest pregnancy. “I feel very blessed and very lucky.”
Courtesy of Melissa Gorga/Instagram
Her choice to undergo IVF again was discussed during season 13 of RHONJ when she told John she wanted to try for another baby.
“The clock is ticking,” Fuda told John during one episode. “I just feel like, four kids, that’s a good number. The time is now. This is, like, a year process. I want to do this and be done.”
After she and John welcomed their second daughter, Fuda opened up about what it was like to balance motherhood while filming the reality TV series. “It was tough. You don’t feel like yourself,” she exclusively told Us in 2022. “You’re uncomfortable. Your body isn’t really yours yet. It was definitely tough. It was mentally very trying, but I feel like I handled it really well.”
However, she gushed about the “amazing support system” she had in her family. “I’m so grateful for that,” Fuda told Us. “Without my parents, my husband, my brother and sister-in-law, I would not be able to have done any of this.”
Influencer Carol Acosta, known online as Killadamente, has died at age 27.
Acosta’s sister Katyan confirmed the influencer’s death via Instagram Story, per the Daily Mail. “I love you sister and I will always love you,” Katyan wrote alongside a photo of her sister — whose Killadamente account boasted over 6 million followers on Instagram — smiling for the camera. “I give thanks to God for giving me a sister like you with your big heart. Rest in peace my sister.”
While unconfirmed reports suggest Acosta choked on her food during a dinner out with her family, a cause of death for Acosta has not been confirmed.
Acosta died on Friday, January 3, according to a GoFundMe page started by her family to cover her funeral costs, which states, “At her young age, [Carol] managed to help thousands of people through her work, but on this occasion we join together and ask for your help to give her a farewell as she deserves.”
The statement continued, “Any contribution, no matter how small, will help cover funeral expenses and support her family and children as they face this unimaginable loss.” The GoFundMe was set up by Acosta’s sister Elizabeth, and it has so far raised almost all of its $26,000 goal.
Courtesy of Killadamente/Instagram
Acosta, who was born in the Dominican Republic, is survived by her two children, Reina and Legend. Katyan shared a link to her sister’s GoFundMe via Instagram Story on Sunday, January 6, alongside another heartfelt message.
“I know that you will always be with me, my sister, my partner and my best friend, sister always,” she wrote. “I love you and I will always love you. If you want to support our family with funeral expenses, click here.”
Acosta was a fashion influencer known for her content geared toward body positivity, fashion and beauty tips, and activism surrounding domestic violence and bullying. Her signature hashtag, “#meamoynomeimporta,” which translates to, “I love myself and I don’t care,” was even highlighted on a billboard in New York City’s Times Square in November 2020. “Thank you God! Dreams do come true Let’s go for more!” she wrote via Instagram at the time.
Acosta’s death comes weeks after the death of influencer Dominique Brown, known for her screenname HellooDomo, who died on December 5, 2024, at an industry event hosted by BoxLunch due to a severe allergic reaction. She was 34.
Courtesy of Killadamente/Instagram
“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 in December. “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.”
Nikki Glaser.(Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/WireImage via Getty Images)
Comedian Nikki Glaser has been open about her journey with sobriety since she stopped drinking alcohol in 2011.
“I drank every single night of my life and it was, like, the only thing I looked forward to in my life,” Glaser said in a December 2024 interview with CBS ahead of her first time hosting the 82nd annual Golden Globe Awards on January 5, 2025.
Glaser has also quit smoking both cigarettes and marijuana and is also in recovery for several eating disorders. “For me, drinking was the worst of all of them,” she continued. “And it’s been kind of whack-a-mole with all of those. But those have never caused me as much pain as drinking did. So, I’m glad that drinking is just not an option.”
The Someday You’ll Die comedian has been sober for over a decade. Keep scrolling to see some of Glaser’s most candid quotes about getting sober — and staying that way:
October 2019
Glaser quit drinking on December 9, 2011 — at least, that’s what she said while appearing on the “Joe Rogan Experience” podcast in 2019. During the interview, the comedian recounted waking up with one of the worst hangovers of her life after only drinking two beers the night prior.
“I was at a point in my life where it was like, this has got to stop, because my hangovers were getting so ridiculous and debilitating for a whole day. I would black out from like, two drinks,” she recalled.
“I woke up the next morning and I was just the sickest I’ve ever been,” she continued. “So I was like in the shower, in the fetal position, thinking, ‘This is how I should feel if I’m dying. I really don’t want to feel this bad unless I am on my way out. So, I’m not doing this anymore.’ And I read a book and I was done.”
Glaser credited her sobriety to Allen Carr’s book The Easy Way to Stop Drinking.
Nikki Glaser.(Photo by PG/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images via Getty Images)
October 2021
Glaser opened up about her history with disordered eating and smoking marijuana on an episode of “Mayim Bialik’s Breakdown” podcast.
“I quit drinking 10 years ago, then I was bulimic, then I had to quit doing bulimia because I was getting mouth acne that I just couldn’t stand,” she explained. “So then I started starving, exercising, exercising, bulimia, then smoking a ton of pot.”
Glaser noted then that she was thinking of putting down the pot for good as well. “Recently I just got to the point with pot where I was like, ‘It’s affecting my vocal cords, it smells, I’m burning holes in everything, it’s illegal in many places that I go to,’” she said. “I can’t be smoking weed all day long. … I’m committed to not doing it again and kind of putting it down in the same way I did with alcohol.”
May 2022
In an interview with the “Addiction Talk” podcast hosted by American Addiction Centers, Glaser observed that “no one wants to inconvenience everyone in their life” while talking about a therapist of hers who had a stutter. He told her other people would get frustrated while he was talking that he could not just “spit it out.”
“I really felt a lot of empathy from him and he said, ‘Why don’t you look at your illness as like The Exorcist? That girl that gets possessed by the devil? Why don’t you think of it like that? Like a little voice. That voice that says, don’t eat, you need to exercise. You’re not allowed to have this many calories. Acknowledge the voice, but it’s not you. Be separate from your thoughts,’” she explained, adding, “And that was the first step for me of a long journey. I mean, that was 20 years ago at the very beginning of my recovery. But that was actually the essence of, ‘It’s not my fault. I’m not a bad person. I am not a weak person. I’m not, I’m just doing my best.’”
Glaser went on to say that “what really freed me was that you’re not choosing this, no one would choose to be an addict.”
“I’m always doing my best, and sometimes that looks really messy,” she said. “But if I was able to be better, I would. I can’t. And I think once I forgave myself for the things that seemed under my control and I let go and I stopped trying to control things that truly were never my fault to begin with, I was able to be free of it.”
(Photo by Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for SiriusXM)
“I can dance now without it, I can have sex without it,” she said. “Like, I used to drink because I was nervous to be around people — I don’t need that anymore. I don’t have social anxiety in that way.”
She added that after giving up alcohol her “eating disorders cranked up,” but she noted it was “a better thing to be abusing at the time than alcohol.” She said, “Alcohol was like, I was going to get a DUI, which was going to financially destroy me and, potentially, physically destroy me or others.”
March 2023
“I was just at a point where I was drinking every night,” the comedian told Triad City Beat, adding that often young comedians “get paid in booze” when they’re just starting out.
“Then I started to see the hangovers. I quit because I had just gotten a pilot and it was my first big shot and you can’t make a show sleeping until 4 p.m. every day,” she said. “I saw all the comics that got the most work done weren’t drinking; the most successful ones didn’t drink. It wasn’t a fix-all for me, but I think it was the greatest decision I ever made for me.”
(Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for iHeartRadio)
July 2024
Glaser further praised Carr’s book, The Easy Way to Stop Drinking, on an episode of the “Plan Bri Uncut” podcast.
“You’re brainwashed to think you need to drink to be fun or to have a good time,” Glaser explained. “That’s what you think, but it’s not true. He pretty much disproves it and by the end of it you’re like, ‘Oh, wait, I guess every reason I had to drink doesn’t really make sense anymore.’”
She added, “Your life definitely changes. You pick up other things, you know, but nothing as detrimental as drinking, at least for me, have I picked up yet.”
Scheduled presenter Aubrey Plaza did not attend the 2025 Golden Globes.
Plaza was absent following the death of her husband, Jeff Baena. While she was not present at the Sunday awards show, love was sent her way when The Brutalist director Brady Corbetmentioned the couple in his acceptance speech.
Plaza, 40, was announced as one of over 40 presenters for the 82nd annual Golden Globe Awards on Thursday, January 2. The show will air live from Los Angeles’ Beverly Hilton Hotel.
One day after Plaza was announced as a presenter, her husband Jeff Baenawas found dead in their Los Angeles residence on Friday, January 3. Us Weekly later confirmed the indie screenwriter died by suicide. He was 47.
At the time of writing, Plaza is still listed as a presenter for the Golden Globes. Us reached out to Plaza’s reps for comment regarding her attendance but did not hear back.
Plaza has not yet publicly addressed her husband’s passing. The pair, who kept their relationship mostly private, began dating in 2011 and were together for nearly a decade before tying the knot in 2020.
“A lot of things happened during COVID for me. Yes, we got married. Big deal,” Plaza said of her and Baena’s nuptials during a December 2021 appearance on the Ellen Degeneres Show. “We got a little bored one night. We got married and I’ll tell you how: Onehourmarriage.com. That’s real, look it up.”
The Agatha All Along alum added, “I created a very quick love altar in our yard. Facts of our love, little stones, smoke, fire. Things of that nature. Then the man from Alhambra showed up in a Hawaiian shirt with a briefcase [to perform the ceremony]. … I can’t remember a lot of it, it was fuzzy. But I’m pretty sure it’s legal.”
While Baena and Plaza each had their own solo careers, they had several opportunities to work together on numerous projects such as Life After Beth, The Little Hours and Spin Me Round.
“My first movie was a big learning experience on all fronts, and so working with her was a benefit because we have a shorthand and a close relationship,” Baena said of his wife in an August 2022 interview with Newsweek.
“As I’ve made more and more stuff, I’ve come to appreciate everything that she brings,” the late filmmaker continued. “She’s insanely talented and so smart and obviously really good at producing. And she’s writing. There are very few people who can wear as many hats as her, as elegantly as she does.”
At the time, Baena further gushed over his wife, saying “everything she does is amazing,” adding, “Generally people point her out in whatever project she’s in as being the best part.”
He concluded, “She’s, like, insanely talented and I’m very lucky to have her in my life.”
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.
Jack SchlossbergRon Sachs - CNP for NY Post / MEGA
Jack Schlossberg has continued to troll Justin Baldonion social media amid the actor’s legal battle with It Ends With Us costar Blake Lively.
“Justice for Justin !!! All our communications are privileged by the attorney-client relationship, a protection which only the client may wave,” Schlossberg, 31, wrote via Instagram on Sunday, January 5. “I AM BOUND AND GAGGED by Mr Baldoni until he releases me.”
Alongside his caption was a screenshot of a news article covering the response from Baldoni’s real lawyer with regards to Schlossberg’s online trolling.
Earlier this week, the writer and grandson of former President John F. Kennedy claimed he had taken Baldoni, 40, on as a client.
“I agreed to take on JUSTIN BALDONI as a client. Why? FAIRNESS,” he wrote via X on Thursday, January 2. “EVERYONE is entitled to a FAIR TRIAL and ZEALOUS DEFENSE. Justin has NOTHING to hide, Justice will be his revenge. After BOSTON MASSACRE, John Adams represented the British at trial. Same s—, different day.”
Justin BaldoniDia Dipasupil/Getty Images
Schlossberg, who graduated from Harvard Law School and passed the bar exam in 2023, added, “My personal feelings about Justin Baldoni are irrelevant. Justin is my client, I’m his lawyer. even the most heinous individuals have the right to counsel for their defense. I am not a hero. I’m just doing my job.”
While Schlossberg was — and continues to be — joking, both fans and certain members of the media believed his initial claims, with some outlets even publishing stories claiming the Vogue political correspondent was Baldoni’s actual lawyer.
Baldoni’s real lawyer, Bryan Freedman, told the Daily Mail Schlossberg’s stunt was “ridiculous,” clarifying, “Nobody on my team has spoken to him.”
Currently, Baldoni is suing The New York Times for $250 million, accusing the publication of libel and false light invasion of privacy for its coverage of Lively, 37, and her allegations of sexual harassment against the director.
Freedman shared in an interview with NBC News on Thursday that he also has plans to sue Lively on Baldoni’s behalf. “We plan to release every single text message between the two of them,” Freedman said at the time. “We want the truth to be out there. We want the documents to be out there. We want people to make their determination based on receipts.”
Baldoni filed his lawsuit against the Times on December 31, 2024. That same day, Lively filed a lawsuit of her own against Baldoni, his publicists Melissa Nathan and Jennifer Abel, and Baldoni’s Wayfarer production company, for sexual harassment, retaliation, breach of contract, infliction of emotional distress, invasion of privacy and lost wages.
“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 said in a statement to Us Weekly on December 21, after she filed a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department regarding similar allegations.
Bad Bunny, Kendall JennerPeter White/Getty Images ; Taylor Hill/FilmMagic
Bad Bunny admitted that the songs on his latest album are not necessarily about specific people he has dated — but they could be.
“I have written songs inspired by people that people don’t have a f—ing clue who they are,” Bad Bunny (real name Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio), 30, said in an interview with Time published on Sunday, January 5. “The meaning of the song can vary in many things, like the absence of a person who is no longer with you, or a love. But it can be many other things too, that are no longer there.”
In particular, the album’s titular song “DtMF” deals with feelings of regret over a relationship, while also trying to make peace with its ending. (The title of Bad Bunny’s latest album, Debí Tirar Más Fotos, translates to I Should Have Taken More Photos.) Many fans of the Puerto Rican singer have assumed the break up song is about his recent ex, model and reality television star Kendall Jenner.
Bad Bunny and Jenner, 28, were first romantically linked in February 2023 when they were spotted on a date in Beverly Hills. The pair later attended the Met Gala in May that same year. Until their split in December 2023 after less than a year of dating, the pair largely kept their romance out of the public eye.
“I know something is going to come out,” he told Rolling Stone at the time. “I know [people are] going to say something. People know everything about me, so what’s left for me to protect? My private life, my personal life.”
While the couple later wound up cozying up for a June 2024 date night in Paris, a source exclusively confirmed to Us Weekly in September that Jenner “decided she wanted space” and the pair were no longer an item.
“They’re still friendly but have taken a step back and aren’t dating,” the source exclusively told Us at the time.
A separate source previously told Us that Jenner was not interested in another serious relationship, saying, “She wants to stay single for now. Kendall isn’t ready to be tied down at the moment and is enjoying this era.”
While his latest album explores aspects of romantic love, Bad Bunny told Time that Debí Tirar is also a tribute to his home island of Puerto Rico.
“At times you are perhaps a little nostalgic, a little sentimental… But at the same time, you are enjoying other things: playing dominoes with grandparents or with the family,” he said. “Since we are also in Puerto Rico, we are at home, we are with the group: That is a reason to be happy, to be content.”
Joe Alwyn insists he has long moved on from ex Taylor Swift — now he just wants the rest of the world to do the same.
“That’s something for other people to do,” Alwyn, 33, said of his previous relationship with the pop star in an interview with The Guardian published on Sunday, January 5. “We’re talking about something that’s a while ago now in my life. So that’s for other people. That’s what I feel.”
The actor shared that in his relationship with the 35-year-old singer he often “tried to focus on controlling what I can control” in regards to her level of fame surpassing his own.
“Right from the beginning, I tried to focus on the things that are meaningful for me: friends, family, work, of course,” he continued. “So noise outside of that, I think I’ve done what lots of people who find themselves in the public eye do, which is just try and ignore it. If you don’t, and if you let all of that other stuff in, and if it starts to affect you and your behaviour, you’re living from the outside in. And then you’re pretty f—ed.”
He added: “I have great family and friends and real things in my life; those are the things that kept me tethered to the ground. So I don’t know how else to say it, it’s… just in a different room.”
Taylor Swift and Joe AlwynGOR/GC Images
The Brutalist star has two writing credits on Swift’s album Folklore, and three on her album Evermore — which was created during the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns — under the pseudonym William Bowery.
“Lockdown was a whole host of surprises and that was pretty special,” Alwyn told the Guardian. “That was not something I would have foreseen.”
Alwyn and Swift dated for six years before Us Weekly confirmed their split in April 2023. It’s understood by Swifties and casual Swift listeners alike that their breakup was a major inspiration behind the singer/songwriter’s 2024 album The Tortured Poets Department.
“I would hope that anyone and everyone can empathize and understand the difficulties that come with the end of a long, loving, fully committed relationship of over six and a half years,” Alwyn said of the public scrutiny surrounding their breakup in a June 2024 interview with The Sunday Times. “That is a hard thing to navigate. What is unusual and abnormal in this situation is that, one week later, it’s suddenly in the public domain and the outside world is able to weigh in.”
At the time, Alwyn added, “You have something very real suddenly thrown into a very unreal space: tabloids, social media, press, where it is then dissected, speculated on, pulled out of shape beyond recognition. And the truth is, to that last point, there is always going to be a gap between what is known and what is said. I have made my peace with that.”
He continued, “As everyone knows, we together — both of us, mutually — decided to keep the more private details of our relationship private. It was never something to commodify and I see no reason to change that now.”
Since their breakup, Swift has moved on with boyfriend Travis Kelce, tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs, whom she has been romantically linked to since July 2023.
Steve Burton and Michelle Lundstrom.(Photo by Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images)
General Hospital star Steve Burton and girlfriend Michelle Lundstrom are engaged.
“Engaged 1/3/25. ,” Burton, 54, wrote via Instagram on Saturday, January 4, alongside a slideshow of sweet photos of the couple from their engagement. One snap captured the moment where Burton got down one one knee and popped the question.
Burton’s caption continued, “Jeremiah 29:11. ‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’”
Well-wishers flooded the comments section to congratulate the happy couple, including Burton’s General Hospital costars.
“Steve and Michelle, I wish you both a long, loving, and fruitful life together! Congratulations!” wrote costar Rick Hearst, while fellow cast member Finola Hughes gushed, “Congratulations! I wish you both all the happiness in the future, you are a wonderful couple! Congratulations, Michelle!”
Burton was previously married to Sheree Gustin from 1999 to 2022, with whom he shares three children: daughters Makena and Brooklyn and son Jack.
Burton’s last marriage made headlines in May 2022 when it was revealed that he and Gustin, 46, had split after 23 years of marriage, and she was expecting a baby with another man. (The pair had legally separated in March that year.)
“I wanted to clear something up. Sheree and I are separated. She recently announced that she’s expecting her 4th child. The child is not mine,” the General Hospital star wrote online at the time. “We are still coparenting our three beautiful kids. We would appreciate privacy at this time. Much luv, Steve.”
Gustin went on to welcome her fourth child, daughter Izabella, in February 2023 and the father’s identity has been kept private. (She gave birth to baby No. 5, daughter Addy, in February 2024.)
As for Burton, the soap opera star confirmed his and Lundstrom’s relationship to the Daily Drama in May 2024, but it wasn’t until the following months that the pair made their red carpet debut at the Daytime Emmy Awards last June.
“Our first red carpet together. It was a dream of a night from beginning to end,” Lundstrom wrote via Instagram in June, as she gushed over the night out with her partner. “Thank you for all the beautiful, kind comments & messages. I’m truly grateful .”
At the time, Burton’s General Hospital costar Kirsten Storms wrote in the comments, “You are so cute together, this photo is almost hard to look at. .”
Gretchen Mol.(Photo by VALERIE MACON / AFP via Getty Images)
Gretchen Mol is opening up about her life after being the “It Girl” of the ‘90s.
“There’s always new fresh faces in Hollywood,” Mol, 52, told People in an interview published on Saturday, January 4. “It’s a constant wheel that turns over. And it is a youth-loving business — that’s a reality there, but that’s okay.
Mol is perhaps best known for her role as Gillian in HBO’s Boardwalk Empire, but she has also starred in films such as Rounders, The Notorious Bettie Page, 3:10 to Yuma and Manchester by the Sea.
“I think getting older as an actor actually frees you up. You have more wisdom, more moments where you’ve been both up and down, and the stakes aren’t so high,” Mol told the outlet. “Your jobs become more about the fun and process of creating, rather than what people are going to think about the result or say about you.”
Mol’s career has slowed down since she was dubbed the quintessential “It Girl” by Vanity Fair in 1998. She moved from New York City to the Berkshires during the COVID-19 pandemic, choosing to stay there with husband Tod Williams to raise their two teenage children: 17-year-old son Ptolemy and 14-year-old daughter Winter.
(Photo by Jon Kopaloff/WireImage via Getty Images)
“We still go to the city when we need to, but the kids go to school locally,” Mol told People. “It’s such a small, lovely community that we found here. Most people, I know what they do for a living, they know what I do. And it’s just nice to be with them, to know everyone’s names. It’s just really good people.”
According to Mol, her kids are less than interested in her past career accomplishments. “Vanity Fair, in particular, meant something in a way that if I tried to explain to my kids, they’d just be like, ‘What?’” she explained.
Mol is currently starring in Ed Burns’ upcoming movie, Millers in Marriage, which follows an aging, once-cool rock star navigating her second act as she deals with a failing marriage.
“It’s conversations I have with friends,” she said of the script, which she found relatable with regards to a phase of life where your children don’t demand as much of your attention as they once did.
“I was fortunate that I kept working while raising kids, but my priorities shifted,” Mol continued. “But now I have more time to think about those endeavors I always wanted to do.”
A cause of death for Aubrey Plaza’s husband, director Jeff Baena, has been revealed.
According to medical examiner records reviewed by Us Weekly, Baena’s official cause of death is listed as suicide. The same medical records revealed that an exam was conducted and his body can be released to the family. At the time of publication, the case status is still listed as “open” despite a cause of death being determined.
No additional causes or significant conditions regarding Baena’s passing were listed.
Baena died on Friday, January 3, at the age of 47, according to the same medical examiner records also viewed by Us. Up until now, the circumstances surrounding his death were unknown.
Baena is survived by Plaza, 40, who has not yet publicly addressed her husband’s passing. Us has reached out for comment.
Baena and Plaza first started dating in 2011 and officially tied the knot in 2020 after a decade together. The pair kept their relationship largely private, but Plaza opened up about her and Baena’s nuptials during a December 2021 appearance on the Ellen Degeneres Show.
“A lot of things happened during COVID for me. Yes, we got married. Big deal,” Plaza recalled at the time. “We got a little bored one night. We got married and I’ll tell you how: Onehourmarriage.com. That’s real, look it up.”
The Agatha All Along alum shared at the time that she and her husband had wed at home during lockdown.
“I created a very quick love altar in our yard. Facts of our love, little stones, smoke, fire. Things of that nature,” she continued at the time. “Then the man from Alhambra showed up in a Hawaiian shirt with a briefcase [to perform the ceremony]. … I can’t remember a lot of it, it was fuzzy. But I’m pretty sure it’s legal.”
While both Baena and Plaza each had their own successful solo careers, they were able to work together on numerous projects, including Life After Beth, The Little Hours and Spin Me Round.
“She’s awesome. I’d be working with her if she wasn’t my wife, but luckily she is my wife,” Baena told Reel Talker of working potentially with his wife in August 2022. “The opportunity to do something creative [together] where we’re both fulfilled — how rare is that?”
Months before Baena’s death, Plaza had briefly discussed her marriage during a September 2024 appearance on the Howard Stern Show. “I would stay away [from dating actors],” she quipped at the time. “I’m married to a writer/director. I’ve never, like, really dated an actor [or] been with an actor for a long time.”
She added, “I think about that and I think, like, ‘Oh, God, I don’t want to be with myself’ or, ‘I don’t want to do that.’ But then, sometimes, I see there are so many actor couples and you’re, like, ‘Wow, look at them. They must really laugh it up.’”
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.
In an interview with Clayton Sandell published via Substack on Wednesday, January 1, Lloyd, 35, shared that he was “pretty good, considering these 20 years of time that have come to an end.” He revealed in late 2024 that he was currently living in a rehabilitation center after completing an 18-month stay at an inpatient mental health facility in Southern California.
Lloyd shared that, along with schizophrenia, he had been diagnosed with anosognosia. According to the Cleveland Clinic, anosognosia is a neurological condition that causes someone’s brain not to recognize their health conditions, often causing patients to avoid or resist treatment.
“I can now accept taking on continued treatment, and therapy, and my meds. Everyone’s been very supportive,” Lloyd shared, describing how he feels while taking his medication. “I don’t have the time for feeling volatile. It is very much a cushion.”
Lloyd was only 8 years old when he was cast as a young Anakin Skywalker in Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace. According to the former actor, his experience with Star Wars has been positive overall.
Jake LloydGilbert Carrasquillo/FilmMagic
“The experience I’ve had with the fans is immediately therapeutic,” he shared. “Right now, it’s still therapeutic. It’s helpful for people and healthy. It isn’t something I’d shy away from.”
He added that he still has fond memories of his time making the Phantom Menace. “I really do appreciate the time that’s been taken on us,” Jake said. “I’m very appreciative.”
Jake’s mother, Lisa Lloyd, told Sandell, “Jake’s actually getting so much better than he was. It’s a big relief for me and the rest of his family. We’re all just thrilled that he’s doing as well as he is, and that he’s working really hard at it. We appreciate that.”
Jake was diagnosed with schizophrenia in 2016 after a 10-month stint in jail. Early in 2024, Lisa had opened up about Jake’s mental health struggles and revealed that he had been admitted to a mental health rehabilitation facility in March 2023 after suffering a psychotic break.
“Jake started having some trouble in high school,” Lisa explained in March 2024, recalling the first time she noticed a change in Jake’s personality. “He started talking about ‘realities.’ He didn’t know if he was in this reality, or a different reality. I didn’t really know exactly what to say to that.”
After he was admitted to the inpatient program, Lisa shared that Jake was “doing much better than [she] expected.” She shared, “He is relating to people better and becoming a little bit more social, which is really nice. It’s kind of like having more of the old Jake back, because he has always been incredibly social until he became schizophrenic.”
Speaking with Sandell in 2024, Jake shared that he loves all of the new Star Wars media that has been released in recent years, including the new Star Wars: Ahsoka series on Disney+.
Ariana Grande thanked two special “friends” while accepting her first major award of the year.
“Thank you guys so much,” the 31-year-old Wicked star told the crowd at the 2025 Palm Springs International Film Festival on Friday, January 3, where she was presented with the rising star award by The White Lotus star Jennifer Coolidge.
“You don’t know how much it means to me,” Grande continued. “I’ve been performing since I was a child, so I never thought at the age of 31 I would be hearing the words ‘rising star’ again, so I wanted to start by thanking my two friends: Botox and Juvederm.”
Grande’s quip was met with laughter from the audience as she added, “I thought I’d be hearing ‘slightly withering star’ or ‘drooping star’ by now, so thank you.”
In September 2023, Grande revealed to Vogue that she had botox and “a ton” of lip filler through the years, but had stopped using both in 2018.
“Being exposed to so many voices at a young age, and especially when people have things to say about your appearance at a young age, it’s really hard to know what’s worth hearing or not,” she explained at the time. “When you’re 17, you don’t really know that yet.”
In her speech on Friday, Grande also thanked Wicked director and “fearless leader” Jon M. Chu, as well as her costar and “brilliant sister” Cynthia Erivo, who portrayed Elphaba to Grande’s Glinda in the 2024 movie musical. She went on to say that comedy was her first love, even before she became a pop star.
“Being able to play Glinda the Good was not only the honor of my life but it felt like a homecoming,” Grande continued. “For those of you who don’t know, I started out in stand-up comedy. My first professional gig was in our living room in Boca Raton, Fla., [to entertain] my grandparents. I was 4 years old and my mom gave me $5.”
She continued, “I learned early on that laughter was one of our greatest escapes and I remember the infectious impact that it had, not only on the people in my life, but how it fed me in return. And the past 10 years when I was really focused on music I really missed that feeling. So it really does feel like the beginning of a new chapter.”
The Grammy winner has also been nominated for a Golden Globe and a Critics Choice Award for her role as Galinda, aka Glinda the Good, in Wicked: Part One.
“In Wicked, Ariana Grande’s portrayal of Glinda elevates her to new heights with a powerful acting performance that beautifully combines her outstanding musical talent, brilliant characterization and impeccable comedic timing,” Palm Springs Film Festival chairman Nachhattar Singh Chandi said in a statement regarding the singer/actress’s honor.
“Ariana is an iconic global performer, who has seamlessly transitioned to film in her first major starring role, proving herself to be a multifaceted and undeniable talent,” Chandi continued. “This role is certain to be the beginning of the many accolades she will garner throughout her acting career. It is our great honor to recognize Ariana Grande with the Rising Star Award.”
Nicole Kidman delivered an emotional tribute to her late mom Janelle Ann Kidman as she accepted the international star award at the 2025 Palm Springs International Film Festival.
Nicole, 57, accepted the award for her role in Babygirl on Friday, January 3, which was presented to her by Jamie Lee Curtis. In her speech, Kidman thanked Babygirl director Halina Reijn and dedicated the award to her late mother, whom she said she was “still grieving.”
“Thank you for giving me the chance to say, ‘This is for my mom,'” Nicole said in her tearful acceptance speech. “My whole career has been for my mom and my dad, who are not here now. I’m still going to keep working and giving to the world because I love what I do and I love you all, and I’m so grateful for the privilege to be a part of the film community.”
She added, “I’m sorry that I’m crying, I didn’t want to do that. But I feel my mom right now, so this is for you.”
Janelle died in September 2024 at age 84. Nicole had left the Venice Film Festival early on September 7 to return to Australia upon learning of her mother’s passing. At the time, the Big Little Lies alum had been awarded the best actress prize at the film festival for Babygirl. Reijn later read a statement at the festival on Nicole’s behalf confirming the death of her mother.
Nicole KidmanPresley Ann/Getty Images
“Today I arrived in Venice to find out shortly after, that my beautiful, brave mother Janelle Ann Kidman has just passed,” Reijn, 38, read of Nicole’s statement at the time. “I am in shock and I have to go to my family, but this award is for her, she shaped me, she guided me and she made me.”
The statement continued, “I am beyond grateful that I get to say her name to all of you through Halina, the collision of life and art is heart-breaking, and my heart is broken.”
Janelle is survived by daughters Nicole and Antonia, 54.
Janelle’s cause of death was not made public. “The family is heartbroken and asks for privacy at this time,” a spokesperson for Nicole told Us Weekly at the time.
Nicole and Antonia thanked friends and fans for their well wishes in a joint statement shared via Instagram on September 12.
“My sister and I along with our family want to thank you for the outpouring of love and kindness we have felt this week,” their statement read. “Every message we have received from those who loved and admired our Mother has meant more to us than we will ever be able to express. Thank you from our whole family for respecting our privacy as we take care of each other ”
Lively, 37, will sit out the annual awards ceremony on Sunday, January 5, amid her ongoing legal battle with her It Ends With Us costar and director Justin Baldoni. But it’s not just Lively missing the event — her husband Reynolds, 48, and his Deadpool & Wolverine costar Jackman won’t be attending the Golden Globes this year either.
“Ryan and Hugh were not confirmed to attend and the decision has nothing to do with [sic] legal battle,” a source confirmed to Us Weekly.
According to Deadline, Lively, Reynolds and Jackman made their decisions not to attend the awards ceremony on Sunday well before the It Ends With Us legal battle, and their respective absences from the ceremony are not related to the ongoing scandal.
It’s likely there won’t be any mention of It Ends With Us at the awards show this weekend, either. Comedian Nikki Glaser, who has been tapped to host this year’s Golden Globes, has already made it clear that she won’t be making any jokes about the “hot-button” Lively-Baldoni issue on Sunday.
“I think the Blake Lively–Justin Baldoni thing is such a hot-button thing right now that even a mere mention of it will seem like I could be on the wrong side of things, even though I would never be,” Glaser, 40, told Yahoo! Entertainment on Thursday, January 2. “I also don’t want to give his name any [weight].”
Justin BaldoniFrazer Harrison/Getty Images
She added, “I’m mad I even know his name, to be honest with you, so I don’t need to say it anymore.”
Lively filed a lawsuit against Baldoni, 40, in December 2024, accusing him of sexual harassment and fostering a “hostile work environment” on the set of It Ends With Us, a film adaptation of author Colleen Hoover’s novel about domestic violence. (In addition to Baldoni, Lively is also suing publicists Melissa Nathan and Jennifer Abel, as well as Wayfarer Studios.)
The actress’s complaint claimed Baldoni had caused her “severe emotional distress” and had orchestrated an alleged “social manipulation” campaign to damage her reputation.
“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 told Us Weekly in a December 21 statement.
Baldoni has denied Lively’s accusations and filed a $250 million lawsuit against The New York Times for libel and false light invasion of privacy, and is reportedly planning a separate lawsuit against Lively as well.
“We plan to release every single text message between the two of them. We want the truth to be out there,” Baldoni’s lawyer Bryan Freedman told NBC News on Thursday. “We want the documents to be out there. We want people to make their determination based on receipts.”
American Idol alum Steven James is not impressed with Katy Perry’s new single — and he’s not holding back his critique.
In a now-viral video posted via TikTok earlier this week, James shared his reaction to one of Perry’s newest songs, “OK.” Released on December 20 as part of 1432, the deluxe version of her recent album, 143, “OK” is one of four extra tracks included on the new edition.
“This can’t be the same person who eliminated me on American Idol 5 years ago,” James wrote over the video, which showed him listening to the song in his car, wincing at the lyrics and side-eyeing the camera.
Fans flooded to the comments section to share their own opinions on the track, with one person writing, “It’s giving the Arthur theme song ,” in reference to the children’s cartoon. James responded to this comment with a skull emoji.
James’ criticism of the former American Idol judge comes just a few months after Perry, 39, received backlash for collaborating with disgraced producer Dr. Luke on “Woman’s World,” one of the songs from 143.
“I understand that it started a lot of conversations,” she said on the September 4 episode of the “Call Her Daddy” podcast. “He was one of many collaborators that I collaborated with.”
“The reality is, it comes from me,” Perry explained. “The truth is, I wrote these songs from my experience of my whole life going through this metamorphosis, and he was one of the people to help facilitate all that — one of the writers, one of the producers.”
Perry further stated that in “Woman’s World,” which was released as a single in July, she is speaking “about feeling so empowered now as a mother, as a woman, giving birth, creating life, creating another set of organs, a brain, a heart.”
She added, “I created a whole-ass heart, and I did it, and I’m still doing it. I’m still a matriarch, and feeling really grounded in that, that’s where I’m speaking from.”
As for her work on American Idol, Perry made her exit from the series earlier this year after seven seasons as a judge. She made her final appearance during the season 22 finale on May 19. The singer-songwriter, known for hits like “I Kissed a Girl,” “Roar,” and “Teenage Dream,” joined the competition series in 2018 with fellow judges Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan. She announced her departure from the show in February while appearing on Jimmy Kimmel Live!
“I think this probably will be my last show, my last season for Idol,” she said. “I mean, I love Idol so much. It’s connected me with, like, the heart of America, but I feel like I need to go out and feel that pulse to my own beat, you what I’m saying?”
“I love the show so much,” she added. “But I wanna go and see the world and maybe bring new music. Maybe I’ll come back if they’ll have me one day.”
Celebrities are just like Us, and they read faerie smut, too.
Former football player JJ Watt nearly broke the internet when he revealed he was reading Sarah J. Maas’ steamy romantasy series, A Court of Thorns and Roses, which has taken the internet (specifically BookTok) and the fantasy genre by storm.
First published in 2015, the first book in Maas’s sweeping epic romance follows Feyre Archeron, who for years has struggled to keep her family alive in the magicless human realms of Prythian. However, when Feyre unknowingly kills the sentry of a powerful High Fae named Tamlin, she is transported to a world of magic, faeries and violence where she must fight not only to save her family but her entire realm.
Watt isn’t the only celebrity who has been drawn in by the magic of Prythian and its High Lords: singer-songwriter Maren Morris, actress Megan Fox and playwright Lin-Manuel Miranda, among others, have all checked the first book (at least) off of their TBR list.
Maas has so far published five novels in the series, with the fifth book, 2021’s A Court of Silver Flames, serving as the first installment not told from Feyre’s perspective but instead from the POV of her ruthless older sister, Nesta. Maas confirmed in 2023 that a sixth ACOTAR book was in the works, though she revealed no further information about the plot. (She is also the author of the best-selling Throne of Glass and Crescent City series.)
“I am working on the next ACOTAR novel,” Maas shared during “Live Talks Los Angeles” in September last year. “I’m drafting it, and that is all I will say.”
A Court of Thorns and Rosestelevision series is in the works at Hulu as well, Us Weekly confirmed in February, though casting choices and a potential release date have not been revealed. Ronald D. Moore revealed in July 2024 that he is no longer the showrunner after moving to Sony. (Hulu is owned by Disney.)
Keep scrolling to see all the stars who’ve entered Prythian:
Cooper started ACOTAR because she needed a distraction with everything going on in the world.
“I f—ing hate everything going on in the world and I’m like, ‘What could distract me? What could take away this emotional hangover?’” Cooper shared in a TikTok video in November 2024 before holding up her copy of the popular fantasy novel. “Best decision. I never thought this book would be for me. I’m more of a romance girlie.”
Cooper noted that she “didn’t know” if she’d be into fantasy novels, but she was pleasantly surprised with how much she liked it.
“I know I’m late to the game, but I’m just telling you, if you need something to distract you, read bitch. Specifically, read this,” she gushed.
Chloe Burrows
The Love Island alum told The News Movement in October 2024 that she had just finished the series. “It has altered my brain chemistry. Everyone should read it, it’s so good!” she said.
The Olympian has read every Maas book, and BookTok quickly determined which Bat Boy would be the best boyfriend for Maher.
“So recently, people were pairing me with Cassian, so I’m going to cast myself as Nesta — and also, I would like to makeout with Cassian,” Maher told Access Hollywood in October 2024. “You know what? I have three sisters, we can all play [the Archeron sisters].”
She even suggested Dancing With the Stars partner Alan Bersten could play The Suriel.
Yung Gravy
Yung Gravy
The rapper has found that Sarah J. Maas fans love hearing his deep voice read the spicy scenes, and he even read some passages on stage at concerts. In an August 2024 TikTok, he picked up A Court of Wings and Ruin, introducing his video by saying, “My fellas with toxic masculinity, it’s time to get out of here. Everybody else, it’s time to get steamy.”
Hannah Dodd
“Help, I’m in love with a fictional character,” the Bridgerton actress captioned a July 2024 Instagram Story. “Hannah Fey Katie Dodd is what I will respond to now.”
JJ Watt
J.J. Watt
Watt shared that he had picked up the first book in the ongoing ACOTAR series in April on his wife Kealia Ohai Watt’s recommendation. “Kealia swears by it,” he wrote via X at the time. “I have no idea what I’m getting myself into.”
As a first-time ACOTAR reader, Watt was initially rooting for love interest Tamlin when he started the series, even expressing his desire to play the High Lord of the Spring Court in a live-action adaptation. However, he was encouraged by fans to keep reading before he decided on any favorite characters, as the book series is full of twists, turns and betrayals.
“Finished the first book, started the second. Sucks to suck Amarantha,” Watt wrote via X in April, referring to the first book’s Big Bad. “(although if she’s so magical, how did she not know Rhys helped during 2nd challenge?)” By the time he finished the first book, Watt shared that he didn’t know who he should be rooting for: Tamlin and his best friend and emissary Lucien, or Rhysand, High Lord of the Night Court.
Maren Morris
Maren Morris
Morris shared a photo of herself reading A Court of Thorns and Roses via Instagram in a May photo dump. “A week of horny songs and fiction,” she captioned the post.
In a video, she held up A Court of Mist and Fury, the second novel in the series, and gave a shout-out to a fan-favorite scene: “To those who gave me a heads up about Chapter 55, thank you.”
Lin-Manuel Miranda
The Hamilton scribe checked the entire ACOTAR series — which currently consists of five books — off of his summer reading list in 2023.
Jordan Fisher
Fisher, for his part, has read more than one series from Maas, including her first-ever fantasy series, Throne of Glass, published in 2012, three years before ACOTAR’s release. In a video shared via TikTok in April, Fisher shared that he was in the last “hundred pages” of Queen of Shadows, the fourth book in the Throne of Glass series.
“It’s at this point in every Sarah J. Maas book, the last hundred pages, every single Sarah J. Maas book,” the former Disney Channel star said, exasperated. “She don’t give a s—t about you or your family or your feelings, how it affects you at work. She don’t give a s—t.”
The Vampire Diaries alum took to TikTok in March 2024 to post about her experience with the series, sharing a video with the overlaid text, “Me to the fictional book character who didn’t return by feelings,” set to the trending sound from Love Is Blind: “When you see and realize what you missed out on, you are going to choke.”
While Holt didn’t say how far into the series she was, she did ask in her caption, “What does Feyre have that I don’t?” She’ll have to ask Rhys, the High Lord of the Night Court, about that one.
In the comment section of an August 2024 TikTok, Holt shared that her fancast for “the perfect” Rhysand would be Olympic swimmer Thomas Ceccon.
Megan Fox
Fox talked fantasy during her March 2024 episode on the “Call Her Daddy” podcast when asked by host Alex Cooper how she likes to unwind at the end of the day.
“I usually stay by the fire and I like to read,” Fox shared. “I read a lot of metaphysical books, but right now I’m reading whatever that new, like, adult version of Twilight book that’s out. It’s like an erotic faerie book.”
When she confirmed that the name of the series was, in fact, A Court of Thorns and Roses, Fox noted that she was “loving it” so far, though she hadn’t yet “gotten to the horny part” of the story.
“But I know that I’m gonna get there because I know that he has, like, the ability to bind her energetically with magic,” she noted, “and I’m already, like, I’m here for that.”
Hayden Panettiere
A behind-the-scenes pic shared via Be Real showed Panettiere reading ACOTAR in 2022 while on the set of Scream VI.
Margot Robbie
Robbie gushed over her love for all of author Maas’ books during a September 2024 interview with Harper’s Bazaar. (It’s important to note that Robbie and Maas were spotted getting coffee together in February 2024.)
“I’m beyond obsessed. She’s the coolest. You know she’s in her 30s? She’s also a genius. We’ve become friends,” Robbie said of the author, noting that she’s read all of Maas’ books “a million times over.”
Sharna Burgess and Brian Austin Green
Burgess shared a video of herself reading A Court of Silver Flames in November 2024. The social media caption revealed that she got Green to start the series as well.
“I’ve convinced Bri to read the ACOTAR series and I AM HERE FOR IT!” she wrote.
Jordin Sparks
The singer is totally on board with the book series as well, sharing that she “highly” recommends it to her fans.
“I just finished ACOTAR by Sarah J. Maas and I’m reeling…REELING!!! It’s been a long time since a book series has left me unable to put it down and wanting more,” she captioned an X post in November 2024. “There’s still so much to be written!”
Ali Fedotowsky
The former Bachelorette star gushed over the book via Instagram Stories in December 2024.
“My goodness where do I even start with this book. This is the third book in the series. The first book was really good. The second book was great! And oh my gosh this third book had me floored!” she wrote, in part, while holding up A Court of Wings and Ruin. “This author does such a beautiful job of making you fall in. Love with her characters and their relationship dynamics.”
Taylor and Brittany, who is married to Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, sparked a friendship during the 2023-2024 football season after the pop icon started dating Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.
“They have a really genuine friendship and love hanging out at the games together and cheering on their men,” a source exclusively told Us Weekly in January. “Brittany loves that Taylor is dating Travis, and she’s so supportive of their relationship. They have a very similar sense of humor and are always cracking jokes and laughing.”
Both women have become known in their own right for their game day outfits, with Brittany often showing up to Chiefs games in stunning personalized garments. Earlier this year, the pair wore matching puffer coats made out of Patrick and Kelce’s jerseys for a Chiefs vs. the San Francisco 49ers game.
“Twinning & Winning ,” Brittany captioned an Instagram pic of the twosome from their private suite.
Whether they’re at a Chiefs game or out for a night on the town, the pair will always be dressed to impress. Here’s every time Brittany and Taylor were twinning in 2024:
January 2024
Brittany Mahomes and Taylor Swift
Swift, Mahomes and Lyndsay Bell were spotted leaving Spago in Los Angeles in January. While Lyndsay, wife of former Chiefs tight end Blake Bell, wore a cream-colored sweater dress, Swift and Mahomes coordinated with each other in all black outfits.
Channeling her Reputation era, Swift rocked a long-sleeved black mini dress and knee-high boots — accessorized with her signature red lip — while Mahomes looked chic in a black sweater tucked into a matching Gucci skirt.
January 2024
Lyndsay Bell, Taylor Swift and Brittany Mahomes.
Swift and Mahomes wore matching custom puffer jackets made from Patrick and Kelce’s jerseys for the Chiefs’ AFC Wild Card game against the 49ers in January. The jackets were made by 49ers player Kyle Juszczyk’s wife, Kristin Juszczyk.
They each wore black pants and matching boots along with their personalized coats.
February 2024
Sometimes friends can be style twins when they’re not together. In February, Brittany was spotted on vacation in Mexico for a friend’s bachelorette party, where she wore the same shimmering mini dress from Area that Swift had sported on her cover for TIME’s Person of the Year in December 2023.
June 2024
It was reported that Brittany had started working with a key member of Swift’s style team, Venetia Kidd, who has worked with the pop star’s longtime stylist Joseph Cassell Falconer for the past six years. As a duo, Falconer and Kidd collaborated on several of Swift’s outfits for her Eras Tour, from the glittering bodysuits to the black-and-white outfits featured on the album covers for The Tortured Poets Department.
September 2024
Swift attended the Chiefs vs Cincinnati Bengals game at Arrowhead Stadium on September 15, wearing an oversized red-and-white shirt paired with thigh-high black boots. One week later, Brittany channeled her friend’s game day style with knee length red cowboy boots and an oversized Chiefs shirt.
October 2024
Taylor Swift, Brittany Mahomes and Lyndsay Bell.
It was the return of the puffer jackets in October when Swift and Brittany (pregnant with baby No. 3) posed in their matching outfits with Lyndsay — who was showing off her own adorable baby bump — while cheering on the Chiefs.
In the photo, Taylor and Brittany donned their custom Chiefs puffers as they posed on either side of a smiling Bell and cradled her baby bump. Along with their jackets, the duo wore their blonde tresses down, matching each other with white hats and black bottoms.
Blake Lively’s sexual harassment lawsuit against It Ends With Us costar Justin Baldoniclaims he admitted to not “always” asking for consent before engaging in sex with past partners.
The lawsuit, which was obtained by Us Weekly on Saturday, December 21, alleges that both Baldoni, who also directed the film, and producer Jamey Heath had “discussed their personal sexual experiences and previous porn addiction” with her “and tried to pressure [Lively] to reveal details about her intimate life.”
The documents describe a “car ride with [Lively], her assistant and driver” during production wherein Baldoni allegedly claimed to Lively “that he had been sexually abused by a former girlfriend” which “caused him to reexamine his past.” (Baldoni, 40, spoke about experiencing sexual trauma in a previous relationship on an episode of Elizabeth Day’s “How to Fail” podcast earlier this month.)
According to the documents, Baldoni then claimed, “Did I always ask for consent? No. Did I always listen when they said no? No,” adding, “This was an example of how we all have things from which we can learn and grow.”
Lively claimed that when Baldoni “exited the car, [her] driver immediately remarked that he did not want Ms. Lively to be alone with Mr. Baldoni going forward.”
Lively filed her sexual harassment complaint against Baldoni on Friday, December 20, alleging that he had created a “hostile work environment” on the set of It Ends With Us, causing the actress “severe emotional distress.” She also accused Baldoni and his team of orchestrating a smear campaign against her to damage her reputation.
Justin Baldoni
The legal filing states that a meeting was held during production in January to address Lively’s claims against Baldoni. Her demands for the meeting included “no more showing nude videos or images of women to Blake, no more mention of Baldoni’s alleged previous ‘pornography addiction,’ no more discussions about sexual conquests in front of Blake and others, no further mentions of cast and crew’s genitalia, no more inquiries about Blake’s weight, and no further mention of Blake’s dead father.”
Court documents also claim that unwanted kissing had been improvised by Baldoni in scenes between his and Lively’s respective characters.
“Mr. Baldoni improvised physical intimacy that had not been rehearsed, choreographed, or discussed with Ms. Lively, with no intimacy coordinator involved,” the docs state. “For instance, Mr. Baldoni discreetly bit and sucked on Ms. Lively’s lower lip during a scene in which he improvised numerous kisses on each take. Mr. Baldoni insisted on shooting the full scene over and over again, well beyond what would have been required on an ordinary set, and without advance notice or consent.”
The suit also claims that Lively was not the only cast member to complain about Baldoni’s behavior, noting the “concerns she raised were not only for herself, but for the other female cast and crew, some of whom had also spoken up.”
The lawsuit reads: “As result of Mr. Baldoni’s behavior, on May 29, 2023, another cast member lodged a sexual harassment complaint about Mr. Baldoni’s ‘gross’ and ‘unwanted comment[s]’ towards her and others.” In the docs, Lively alleged that “another actress made a complaint about Mr. Baldoni’s comments on her appearance.”
“Mr. Baldoni expressly acknowledged her concerns in writing, stating he would ‘adjust accordingly,’” the docs continue. “Yet on June 8, 2023, that actress informed Ms. Lively that ‘outside of anything in a scene, I actually cannot talk to Justin at all.’ Mr. Baldoni later expressed suspicion regarding Ms. Lively’s friendship with this actress, as if they were colluding against him.”
In a statement to Us, Baldoni’s lawyer Bryan Freedman addressed Lively’s “completely false, outrageous and intentionally salacious” allegations, claiming she filed the lawsuit to “fix her negative reputation” and “rehash a narrative” about the film’s production.
Lively, for her part, has received support from several people involved with the movie since her complaint was filed, including It Ends With Us author Colleen Hoover, who voiced her support for the actress in a lengthy statement on social media, praising Lively for her “ability to refuse to sit down and ‘be buried.’” (Lively starred in the film adaptation of Hoover’s book as Lily Bloom opposite Baldoni’s Ryle, Lily’s abusive husband.)
“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,” she said in a statement to The New York Times on Saturday. The actress also denied spreading negative information about Baldoni.
UPDATE 12/23 – 6:00pm EST: Vital Voices, the organization behind the Vital Voices Solidarity Awards, has chosen to rescind an award recently given to It Ends With Us director Justin Baldoni amid his ongoing legal battle with Blake Lively.
“The Voices of Solidarity Award honors remarkable men who have shown courage and compassion in advocating on behalf of women and girls,” a statement shared via Instagram on Monday, December 23, read. “On December 9, 2024, we recognized Justin Baldoni with this award. On Saturday, December 21, we learned through news reports about a lawsuit brought by Blake Lively against Mr. Baldoni, his publicists, and others that is disturbing and alleges abhorrent conduct. The communications among Mr. Baldoni and his publicists in the lawsuit — and the PR effort they indicate — are, alone, contrary to the values of Vital Voices and the spirit of the Award.”
Vital Voices confirmed in the statement they had “notified Mr. Baldoni that we have rescinded this award.”
Original story below:
Hasan Minhaj honored Justin Baldonias an ally for women’s rights just one week before news broke of Blake Lively’s lawsuit against the It Ends With Us director.
It seems a moment between two men congratulating each other on being allies to women hasn’t aged well. Earlier this month, Baldoni, 40, was honored by Minhaj, 39, at the 2024 Vital Voices Solidarity Awards which, according to the official website, is an “awards program that honors remarkable men who have shown courage and compassion in advocating on behalf of women and girls worldwide.”
Following the event, which was hosted on December 9 by non-profit Vital Voices, Baldoni wrote via Instagram that he was “deeply honored and humbled” to receive the 2024 Vital Voices Solidarity Award “presented by my soul brother [Minhaj].”
Minhaj starred in It Ends With Us as Marshall alongside Baldoni and Lively, 37.
“Thank you, brother, for using your brilliant mind to be of service by challenging us all and making us laugh at the same time. No one does it better,” Baldoni’s post continued. “Thank you for being a true friend and always showing up — but most importantly, when the cameras aren’t rolling.”
Baldoni, who also hosts a podcast called “Man Enough” about modern masculinity and gender roles, went on to write that it was “hard to accept an award when it’s so evident that there is still so much more work to do.”
“My hope is that we can teach our boys, while they are still young, that vulnerability is strength, sensitivity is a super power, and empathy makes them powerful,” he continued. “That they should love and embrace their masculinity — that being a boy and a man is amazing and nothing to apologize for. And to value all the beautiful and complicated parts of them that make them human. I believe with all my heart that once our boys learn to be safe spaces for themselves, our world will finally be a safe space for everyone.”
On Friday, December 20, one week after Baldoni accepted this award, Lively filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against him with allegations that he had created a “hostile work environment” on the It Ends With Us set and caused the actress “severe emotional distress.”
Per the lawsuit, which was obtained by Us Weekly after it was reported by TMZ and The New York Times, a meeting was held during the film’s production in January to address Lively’s claims against her costar.
Hasan Minhaj, Beena Patel Minhaj, Emily Baldoni and Justin Baldoni
Lively’s demands for the meeting included “no more showing nude videos or images of women to Blake, no more mention of Baldoni’s alleged previous ‘pornography addiction,’ no more discussions about sexual conquests in front of Blake and others, no further mentions of cast and crew’s genitalia, no more inquiries about Blake’s weight, and no further mention of Blake’s dead father.”
In a statement to Us, Baldoni’s lawyer Bryan Freedman addressed Lively’s “completely false, outrageous and intentionally salacious” allegations, claiming she filed the lawsuit to “fix her negative reputation” and “rehash a narrative” about the film’s production. He alleged Lively made “multiple demands and threats,” which included “threatening to not show up to set, threatening to not promote the film, ultimately leading to its demise during release, if her demands were not met.”
Additionally, the lawsuit claimed that Baldoni and his team had orchestrated a smear campaign against Lively to damage her reputation. Earlier this year, the actress was the subject of a social media firestorm surrounding the promotion for It Ends With Us, when it was reported that she and Baldoni had clashed on set.
“There were two camps on the film — team Blake and team Justin,” a source exclusively told Us in August. “This creative struggle set the tone for the negative experience behind the scenes and grew into them not speaking anymore.”
Minhaj, for his part, was asked about this alleged feud in a September with Esquire, saying he “can’t speak to other people’s experience” on set, noting that “everybody was very professional and cool to me.”
He added, “It was lovely and everybody was lovely, and it is just as disillusioning for me, because I’m like, ‘What happened? Wait, what’s going on?’”
In a statement to The New York Times on Saturday, Lively — who has received support from several stars, including It Ends With Us author Colleen Hoover and producer Alex Saks— said, “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.” She denied spreading negative information about Baldoni.
Justin Baldoni allegedly claimed to It Ends With Us costar Blake Livelythat he could speak to the dead — including her late father.
Lively, 37, filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against Baldoni, 40, on Friday, December 20, which included allegations against him such as creating a “hostile work environment” and causing the actress “severe emotional distress” on the set of It Ends With Us.
Lively’s complaint alleged that Baldoni had “engaged in other behaviors that were shocking and emotionally distressing,” which included “[claiming] he could speak to the dead, and on several occasions told [Lively] that he had spoken to her dead father.” The complaint described it as “off putting and violative” for Baldoni to allegedly “claim a personal relationship with [Lively’s] recently deceased father.”
Lively’s father, actor Ernie Lively, passed away in June 2021 at the age of 74.
Along with Blake, Ernie and wife Elaine Lively shared children Lori, Jason, Robyn and Eric. After news of Blake’s lawsuit against Baldoni broke, Robyn, 52, took to social media to show support for her sister.
“FINALLY justice for my sister @blakelively,” Robyn wrote via Instagram Story on Saturday, December 21.
According to Blake’s complaint, a meeting was held in January 2024 during the production of It Ends With Us to address the actress’ against her costar. Per the lawsuit, Blake’s demands for the meeting included “no more showing nude videos or images of women to Blake, no more mention of Baldoni’s alleged previous ‘pornography addiction,’ no more discussions about sexual conquests in front of Blake and others, no further mentions of cast and crew’s genitalia, no more inquiries about Blake’s weight, and no further mention of Blake’s dead father.”
Bryan Freedman, Baldoni’s lawyer, addressed Blake’s “completely false, outrageous and intentionally salacious” allegations in a statement to Us Weekly, claiming the actress filed the lawsuit to “fix her negative reputation” and “rehash a narrative” regarding the production of the film.
He alleged Lively made “multiple demands and threats” during the film’s production, which included “threatening to not show up to set, threatening to not promote the film, ultimately leading to its demise during release, if her demands were not met.”
In a statement to The New York Times on Saturday, Lively said, “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.”
The actress denied spreading negative information about Baldoni.
