Jamie Lee Curtis is lending a huge helping hand to all those affected by the ongoing Los Angeles wildfires.
“My family is donating $1 million today to the relief efforts,” the actress, 66, shared in a Thursday, January 9, Instagram post. “We are in contact with Governor [Gavin] Newsom, Mayor [Karen] Bass, and Senator [Adam] Schiff and I will post often about where you can send needed resources to reputable agencies.”
Curtis shared a similar message in the post’s caption, writing: “My husband and I and our children have pledged $1 million from our Family Foundation to start a fund of support for our great city and state and the great people who live and love there.” (Curtis shares daughters Annie, 34, and Ruby, 25, with her husband, Christopher Guest.)
Curtis’ donation comes one day after she got emotional discussing the wildfires during an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. “I’m literally just about to cry,” she said at the beginning of her Wednesday, January 8, interview.
“As you know, where I live is on fire right now. Literally, the entire city of the Pacific Palisades is burning,” she continued. “I flew here last night. I was on the plane, started getting texts and it’s f—ing gnarly, you guys. It’s just a catastrophe in Southern California. Obviously, there have been horrific fires in many places [but] this is literally where I live.”
Curtis noted that “everything” in her community has been destroyed, from the market where she shops to her kids’ schools to her friends’ homes. Having traveled to New York City for her Tonight Show appearance, Curtis revealed she would be traveling back to California the following day.
Apu Gomes/Getty Images
“If you know anybody on the West Coast or not — the American Red Cross, support them. They will come in and help people. Do anything you can, anything in your community to help people,” she told viewers on Wednesday. “Whether you need it or not now, you will need it. Give blood, donate, do whatever you can do, [help] animal shelters.”
As an ambassador for the American Red Cross, Curtis also encouraged people to have emergency kits prepared with items such as prescription medications and glasses, pet food, baby formula and more.
The wildfires began on Tuesday, January 7, and have spread rapidly across the L.A. area by Santa Ana wind gusts. Thousands of people have been forced to evacuate the region, with many losing their homes as a result of the fires, including celebrities such as Paris Hilton, Billy Crystal and Anna Faris.
Jamie Lee Curits during an interview for ‘The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon’ on January 8, 2025.Todd Owyoung/NBC
Curtis informed fans that her own home was “possibly” on fire in a Wednesday Instagram post, but clarified that she and her family were safe. “It is a terrifying situation and I’m grateful to the firefighters and all of the good Samaritans who are helping people get out of the way of the blaze. Neighbors have taken care of neighbors,” she captioned a photo of a home engulfed in flames. “We ALL take everything for granted because we are all living our lives but when it hits your community, it’s particularly shocking. Life on life’s terms. If ever there was [a] need for the use of the phrase MY HAND IN YOURS, it is right now.”
Curtis has continued to share photos and videos of the wildfires’ devastating impact via social media, as well as well-wishes to people who have been impacted. “WE WILL HELP EACH OTHER!” she captioned a snap of flames erupting behind a Sunset Blvd. street sign on Thursday.
Kylie Kelce did not expect to be appearing alongside her husband, Jason Kelce, on his very own late-night talk show.
Kylie, 32, reacted to fan comments about her debut on They Call It Late Night With Jason Kelce on the Thursday, January 9, episode of her “Not Gonna Lie” podcast, one of which read, “Kylie always looks like she has no idea how she got roped into the next thing,’ like, ‘Damn it, I did not want to do this.’” The comment sparked Kylie to begin a new segment on her podcast dubbed “Places Kylie Has No Business Being.”
“Getting ‘roped into’ this is the perfect way to express how I ended up as the announcer for this,” she joked. “My husband asked me to participate, and being the supportive wife that I am, I said yes, hesitantly.”
She went on to note that she “did not know” that a “Kylie’s Korner” poster would be hanging from her commentary box. “I do appreciate that because you guys know how I love to hide in a corner,” she quipped. “Although it’s not really hiding when you have spotlights and a camera on you. So, I might need to discuss that with someone.”
They Call It Late Night premiered on ESPN on Saturday, January 3. During the episode, Kylie hilariously read a disclaimer to young viewers, warning them that “this evening’s program is intended for mature audiences. Young viewers, such as your children, may hear language that is inappropriate for them.”
Kylie and Jason, 37, wed in 2018 and share daughters Wyatt, 5, Ellie, 3, and Bennett, 22 months, and are currently expecting their fourth baby girl.
Jason Kelce/YouTube
On Thursday’s podcast, another fan asked in a comment if Kylie was nervous to make her late-night debut, to which she said she was not. “I do find it [similar] to our wedding day when I was nervous about walking down the aisle because everyone’s eyes were going to be on me, and then the minute I could see Jason, I was like, ‘Oh, I’m fine. I can get down the aisle. I’ll just focus on him,’” she explained.
Kylie said she had a similar feeling watching her husband host the show. “He is the main focus, and all of that, and he’s crushing it, I didn’t need to get nervous,” she stated. “I had very few lines, luckily. Love that for me. And I also did PA in college for men’s lacrosse games, so I had a little bit of experience.”
While Kylie is keeping busy with her podcast and her They Call It Late Night gig, she recently clapped back at online trolls who stated they’re “tired” of her projects. “A while ago, I had talked to my producers, like, ‘Do we do a segment on algorithms and explain to people that if you engage with the content and if you write my name and s—, you’re just going to keep getting me on your timeline?’” she joked on the January 2 episode of “Not Gonna Lie.”
Kylie also reacted to another comment which asked, “Who the f— is Kylie Kelce?” She replied: “I can’t get over the fact that [someone] actually typed this into Twitter when you could have typed this into Google. Also, you typed my name, so you know what you’re going to get? More Kylie Kelce content.”
They Call It Late Night airs Saturdays on ESPN at 1 a.m. ET.
Blake Lively is back online after filing her lawsuit against It Ends With Us costar and director Justin Baldoni.
“To everyone affected by the Los Angeles fires,” Lively, 37, wrote via her Instagram Story on Thursday, January 9, alongside a link to the organization Mutual Aid LA Network’s list of resources for those impacted by the ongoing disaster in California. A follow-up post included a video about the resource list.
Lively’s husband, Ryan Reynolds, also reshared posts about how to help amid the wildfires via his Instagram Story on Thursday and linked to Mutual Aid LA Network’s list, which is continuing to be updated.
The couple, who wed in 2012 and share four children, are among many celebrities who have shared their well-wishes and resources via social media. Lively and Reynolds, 48, did not reveal whether they were personally affected by the fires.
Other stars such as Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt, Diane Warren, Anna Faris, Paris Hilton, Billy Crystal and Melissa Rivershave lost their homes. The fires began to spread on Tuesday, January 7, as a result of Santa Ana wind gusts, causing devastation and forcing thousands to evacuate the area.
Lively’s support for the fire victims marked her return to social media after filing a sexual harassment lawsuit against Baldoni, 40, last month. In docs first obtained by The New York Times, she accused Baldoni of acting inappropriately on the set of It Ends With Us and alleged he attempted to launch a smear campaign against her to “destroy” her career.
Courtesy of Blake Lively/Instagram
In a December 2024 statement to Us, Lively noted, “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.”
Baldoni’s lawyer Bryan Freedman denied the actress’ “outrageous” accusations in a statement of his own, instead alleging that she threatened not to show up on set or promote the film unless certain demands were met. (Lively officially filed a lawsuit against Baldoni, publicists Melissa Nathan and Jennifer Abel, and Wayfarer Studios on December 31, 2024.)
Courtesy of Blake Lively/Instagram
Baldoni, meanwhile, filed a $250 million lawsuit against the Times, further accusing Lively of trying to ban him from an It Ends With Us premiere and kicking him out of the film’s editing process. A spokesperson for the outlet defended their “meticulously and responsibly reported” story in a statement to Us last month.
During a recent interview with NBC News, Freedman insisted that Baldoni never wanted to “hurt” Lively but confirmed that the actor “absolutely” plans to countersue and “release every single text” exchanged between the costars.
Justin BaldoniCindy Ord/Getty Images
Lively’s attorneys denounced the “attacks” from Baldoni and his team in a statement to Us on Monday, January 6, alleging that they “engaged in unlawful, retaliatory astroturfing against Ms. Lively for simply trying to protect herself and others on a film set. And their response to the lawsuit has been to launch more attacks against Ms. Lively since her filing.”
The statement that they “will continue to prosecute her claims in federal court, where the rule of law determines who prevails not hyperbole and threats.” Freedman issued a response one day later, calling out Lively’s “painfully ironic” accusations and reiterating, “We have all the receipts!”
For Mädchen Amick and her family, navigating her son Sly’s bipolar I disorder is a “continuing journey.”
“The longer the journey gets, it’s interesting [to see] your perspective and how it broadens out more and more, so those moments of challenge become easier to deal with because you can look at it in a bigger picture,” the actress, 54, exclusively shares in the latest issue of Us Weekly. “And so, even though there might be dips of challenge or some destabilization, you look at it over a longer period which has been 13 years now, and you can look at that little graph getting better and better.”
Amick previously opened up about her son’s bipolar I diagnosis in 2023, revealing Sly, now 32, was diagnosed in 2012 while in college. “Things have been going great!” she adds. “He had a bit of a challenge about three months ago when a medication was changed. … He caught it really fast, and they changed that medication immediately and they changed it back to one that was working before, but those little moments like that can be so destabilizing for the entire family, so you all have to be ready and aware and really communicate with each other.”
In addition to maintaining his sobriety, Sly now works as a “certified peer specialist” in California. “He is already becoming that big brother in that treatment center and really making a huge difference in young people’s lives that are going through what he went through but even at an earlier age,” Amick gushes. “He said it’s so meaningful for him because he feels like he’s looking at himself as a young kid. It really is quite a beautiful thing.”
Prior to his recent bout, Sly went through a “destabilization” experience back in 2021. When it comes to preventing him from destabilizing again, Amick tells Us that she, her husband, David Alexis, and daughter, Mina, 31, are always lending Sly a helping hand.
“He really trusts us as a family, so if we see signs that look like, ‘Oh, how [are] you feeling? We’re seeing some concerning signs,’ that he trusts us and listens instead of getting defensive and going, ‘No, no, no, I’m fine,’ because nobody wants to admit they’re sick, right?” she explains. “He really trusts us as a family to point it out sooner than later before he even can notice it himself. And also then beyond that, creating that recovery team for, so he’s really committed to that recovery.”
Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images
Amick also notes that her son “goes to AA meetings really consistently” and is “really committed to communicating with his psychiatric team as well as continuing to search for that good therapist that also helps him put tools in place so he can start checking in with mood regulation.”
After years of ups and downs navigating the mental health care system, Amick and her family formed the foundation Don’t MiND Me, which helps people going through similar experiences and provides scholarships to those who cannot afford the care they need.
“We just celebrated three years in May [2024] with the Don’t MiND Me foundation,” she tells Us. “It’s always been a goal to one day open a treatment center and apply all of our lived experience and a team around us that we’ve really gotten to know and really believe in, and they’ve got a wealth of knowledge and many, many years of experience.”
The organization will hold its 2025 Don’t MiND Me Gala on Saturday, March 8, at the Palm Springs Air Museum. This year’s event will honor Ashley Kolaya, the director of the Mental Health Storytelling Coalition, and Amick’s former Riverdale costar Molly Ringwald.
“[Molly has] been really open about her deep anxieties over these teenage years and becoming famous so quickly and how at times it was crippling and what she would do to find her way through,” Amick shares. “So, when this gala came up this year and thinking about people making a difference, especially between advocacy and people sharing their story, she came to mind. And I thought it would be really wonderful because she’s been so open to that over all these years. So, we were out in New York and visiting, I popped the question, and she said yes!”
Travis Kelce and Kayla Nicole went through several relationship ups and downs before splitting for good in 2022.
The exes dated on and off for five years after Nicole kicked things off by sending him an Instagram DM in 2017. “He had been following me and insta-flirting for a few months,” she previously revealed via her Instagram Story in June 2022.
Despite Kelce “liking” several of her posts, he never sent her a DM, prompting Nicole to make the first move. “Soooo after a little liquid courage and a pep talk from @iqueenb (something along the lines of ‘WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR’) I dm’d him on New Years,” she added.
The two began dating five months after the Kansas City Chiefs player and his Catching Kelce dating show winner, Maya Benberry, called it quits.
Scroll down to look back at Kelce and Nicole’s relationship ups and downs:
2017
The former couple went public with their relationship five months after Kelce’s split from Benberry.
May 2017
Kelce and Nicole attended the wedding of his then-teammate Jeremy Maclin. At the time, Kelce called the fitness guru the “peanut butter to my JELLYTIME” in a since-deleted Instagram post.
July 2018
The pair hit back-to-back awards show red carpets in 2018. Kelce and Nicole ditched the blue tux and silver dress they wore to the 2018 ESPYs for fun, complementary striped outfits at the Kids’ Choice Sports Awards one night later.
Nicole donned a hot pink mini dress while attending The Maxim Big Game Experience at The Fairmont with Kelce, who sported a light blue button-up over a graphic tee.
June 2019
The duo showed off their couple style at the Thom Browne Menswear Spring Summer 2020 show at Paris Fashion Week. Nicole paired a white bodice top with mint green plaid pants. Kelce, for his part, accessorized his white button-down and gray plaid pants with a large gold watch, sunglasses and brown loafers.
Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images
February 2020
Kelce and Nicole took a break from football to sit courtside at a Los Angeles Lakers game.
August 2020
The exes broke up after three years of dating amid rumors of infidelity. “This is fake news … a lie … and not why Kayla and I broke up … take all your hatred somewhere else please,” he wrote in a since-deleted tweet, according to a screenshot captured by TMZ. Both proceeded to wipe each other from their respective social media accounts.
Kelce confirmed he and Nicole were back together during a live video with WNBA star Chiney Ogwumike. “So obviously we’ve got the fam. Mom, dad, brother Jason — big grizzly guy. Then my girlfriend Kayla,” he said in a joint TMZ interview with the Los Angeles Sparks player. “Kayla is definitely on the list. Always got to do it big for Kayla.”
February 2022
The pair attended the 11th Annual NFL Honors together and stepped out for a hockey double date with Patrick and Brittany Mahomes.
Pierre Suu/Getty Images
May 2022
Kelce and Nicole split for good less than two years after their reconciliation. Barstool Sports reported at the time the relationship ended because Kelce forced Nicole to pay for half of everything they did together. Nicole denied the outlet’s claims, calling them garbage and incorrect via X (formerly Twitter). In a since-deleted TikTok video, Nicole said she felt stupid for thinking their longtime romance would end in marriage.
That September, Nicole poked fun at the media attention she received because of the breakup in a hilarious TikTok post. “When I do literally anything at all on this here internet,” she captioned a video of herself using a video filter to look like she was being chased by police.
Kelce addressed the “crazy” rumors that he and Nicole broke up because he was “too cheap” during an interview on “The Pivot Podcast.” He explained: “Don’t buy into that s—t. I would never say that I was supporting [her]. She had a very financially stable life and what she was doing in her career.”
Kelce noted that they each lent each other money once in a while to pay for things such as food. “I mean, we were in a relationship for five years,” he added. “A hundred dollars here and a hundred dollars there wasn’t even thought about.”
“Dear Black girl, they may call you a traitor for falling in love. You’ll hope the ones closest will protect you, but you will quickly find out that people don’t protect what they don’t value,” she said into the camera. “They’ll say you’re too much, too provocative, too boisterous, too outspoken. And in the same breath tell you you’re not enough. Not successful enough, not wholesome enough, maybe not even intelligent enough. They’ll say you deserve the backlash and embarrassment. Because of your blackness, you should have known better. They’ll even try to tie your value to your net worth.”
Nicole continued: “You don’t have to participate in this tumultuous, often one-sided journey. Preserve your heart even when they try to quantify your character and best your boundaries you do not have to engage. You do not have to respond. because there is power in your silence. and you can use that same power to silence the noise and the self-doubt.”
Nicole revealed to People that her mental and physical health suffered after going through a “major breakup and major life change” in 2022, the same year as her and Kelce’s split. Following the breakup, she decided to begin therapy to help improve her mental and physical wellbeing.
“Had I not [gone to therapy], I don’t know how I would be reacting in the moment right now,” she added, seemingly referring to Kelce and Swift’s romance. Nicole noted she wished she could tell her past self to “buckle the f—k up” for 2023, stating, “You thought the worst had already come, but buckle up and take all of the tools right now and put them in your bag because you’re going to need them.”
November 2024
Nicole joined the cast of Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test season 3 and briefly mentioned Kelce in a teaser.
“Going through a public breakup, it’s been overwhelming,” she admitted.
The clip then cut to Nicole talking with her costars, who asked the name of her ex. “Travis Kelce,” she whispered.
Special Forces season 3 premiered on January 8, 2025.
As wildfires continue to spread across the Los Angeles area, several celebrities are taking to social media to share how they have been affected.
“Evacuated and safe with kids, dog and cats. Praying and grateful for the first responders,” Mandy Moore wrote in a Wednesday, January 8, Instagram Story statement. In a follow-up post, she added that her family is “grateful for the kindness of friends that we had a place to land last night.”
Moore — who shares kids Gus, 3, Ozzie, 2, and Lou, 3 months, with her husband, Taylor Goldsmith — continued: “Trying to shield the kids from the immense sadness and worry I feel. Praying for everyone in our beautiful city. So gutted for the destruction and loss. Don’t know if our place made it.”
Santa Ana wind gusts caused fast-burning brush fires to begin on Tuesday, January 7. CNN reported on Wednesday that over 50,000 people were under evacuation orders Tuesday night, with over 30,000 remaining under orders into Wednesday.
Among those evacuated was Mark Hamill, who informed his Instagram followers that he, his wife, Marilou York, and their dog, Trixie, were staying at his daughter Chelsea’s house. “Most horrific fire since ’93 ,” he wrote on Wednesday. “STAY SAFE!”
Scroll down to see how the L.A. wildfires have affected some of Hollywood’s biggest stars:
The Hills alum shared footage of a fire plane working to put out flames via his Instagram on Tuesday, the same day his sister, Stephanie Pratt, confirmed he and his wife, Heidi Montag, had lost their home.
“How horrible for my sweet little nephews to watch their house disappear like this. They must be so scared and confused,” Stephanie, 38, wrote in an Instagram post, referring to the couple’s sons Gunner, 6, and Ryker, 13 months. “I guess the silver lining for me is if my house goes it’s only my stuff- not years of family memories like everyone else in the palisades 🥺. Help me what’s my next move.”
Spencer later shared a security camera snap of one of his son’s rooms via Instagram. “The one positive sign i saw as our house burned down was ours sons bed burned in the shape of a heart,” he wrote. “A sign of how much love was in this house so thankful for all the years.”
“This is the view from my window this morning,” the Schitt’s Creek alum captioned an Instagram Story snap of the wildfires underneath the rising sun on Wednesday. “Heartbroken for my family, my friends and the people of LA affected by these catastrophic fires.”
In addition to sharing a screenshot of a news post about the wildfires via Instagram, the 9-1-1 star posted a pic of trees on fire, which she seemingly took from the window of her car.
“I have no words. Only prayers and holding as much hope as I can for our home and our kids while we watch everything burn,” she captioned the post. “Thank you to every first responder fighting so hard for all of us. Thank you to every friend who reached out and new person I have hugged in tears in the last 24 hours.”
“I have never seen flames from my house like this, ever. This is insanity,” Gad said as he filmed the view out of his home window in a Tuesday Instagram video. “I hope everyone is staying safe tonight. Lots of love. Lots of prayers.”
Alongside the post, he wrote: “I hope everyone is staying safe tonight in the affected fire areas in Los Angeles. My deepest gratitude and appreciation goes out to our brave fire and rescue and police forces who are doing everything in their power to keep the residents of Los Angeles safe right now.”
The TV personality shared several videos of flames erupting near her Malibu home via Instagram on Tuesday. “My home in Malibu has got me through some of the darkest moments in my life. I have loved creating it, embellishing it, building it, caring for it, and protecting it. I’ve cherished every moment I have had with it,” she wrote in the heartfelt message. “As the fire draws closer, I pray for it — I pray for everyone in Los Angeles right now. What an incredibly terrifying moment for my community.”
She went on to encourage fans to “stay in contact with each other,” adding, “Community in times like these is our lifeline. We are all safe but the fire is inching closer to my slice of heaven in Malibu. … I am sad but I am sending all my love to all the first responders and firefighters who are literally giving it all they’ve got to keep us safe!!!”
While the actor and TV host informed fans via Instagram that he and his family were “safe,” their home was lost to the wildfires. “This is what’s left of our beautiful home,” he captioned clips of the aftermath. “Our home where our kids were raised and where they wanted to raise their own someday. Thanks to all who reached out and checked in. Can’t respond to all so wanted to give an update here. Sending so many prayers to everyone being affected by these fires🙏🏼.”
“The view from one of our security cameras,” the actor captioned an X pic of flames nearing his home. Woods gave fans another update on his home via X after safely evacuating, writing, “All the smoke detectors are going off in our house and transmitting to our iPhones. I couldn’t believe our lovely little home in the hills held on this long. It feels like losing a loved one.”
Actor Steve Guttenberg is lending a helping hand as wildfires continue to spread across the Los Angeles area.
The ‘80s icon, 66, crashed a live KTLA 5 news report on Tuesday, January 7, to share an “important announcement” with viewers. “Here on Palisades Drive, if anybody has a car and they leave their car, leave the keys in the car so that we can move your car so that these firetrucks can get up Palisades Drive,” he said on air.
He went on to explain: “What’s happening is people take their keys with them as if they’re in a parking lot. This is not a parking lot. We really need people to move their cars. So, if you leave your car on Palisades Drive, leave the key in there so a guy like me can move your car and get ‘em up there so that these firetrucks can get up there. It’s really, really important.”
While the reporter didn’t recognize Guttenberg at first, he later asked, “You’re an actor?” After Guttenberg, known for movies like Three Men and a Baby and It Takes Two, confirmed he was, the reporter stated: “You look familiar to me now.”
During the interview, Guttenberg noted that he lives in the area but was concerned about friends unable to evacuate their homes. “There are people stuck up there, so we’re trying to clear Palisades Drive,” he said. “There are families up there. There are pets up there. There are people who really need help.”
He reemphasized how it’s “really important for everybody to band together,” adding, “Don’t worry about your personal property. Just get out. Get your loved ones and get out. I have friends up there that can’t get out right now and they’ve been given evacuation orders.”
The interview ended with Guttenberg and the news crew being asked to leave the area by fire officials.
KTLA 5/YouTube
Having gotten his professional acting start in the late ’70s, Guttenberg is well known for his roles in some of the biggest shows and movies of the ‘80s, including Police Academy, Cocoon, Short Circuit and The Bedroom Window. Other notable projects include The Big Green, The Poseidon Adventure, Veronica Mars, Ballers, The Goldbergs and Paper Empire.
Santa Ana wind gusts caused fast-burning brush fires to erupt starting around 10:30 a.m. local time on Tuesday, according to the Los Angeles Times. On Wednesday, January 8, CNN reported that over 50,000 people in L.A. were under evacuation orders and that some residents lost their homes and experienced burn injuries.
Several stars have been affected by the wildfires, with celebs such as Eugene Levy, Mandy Moore, James Wood and Mark Hamill having to evacuate their homes. “The smoke looked pretty black and intense over the Temescal Canyon,” Levy, 78, told the Los Angeles Times on Tuesday. “I couldn’t see any flames but the smoke was very dark.”
Sandra Lee shared footage of the flames getting dangerously close to her Malibu home via Instagram on Tuesday, writing: “As the fire draws closer, I pray for it — I pray for everyone in Los Angeles right now. What an incredibly terrifying moment for my community. As the fire reaches our doorstep, please stay in contact with each other; Community in times like these is our lifeline. We are all safe but the fire is inching closer to my slice of heaven in Malibu.”
She added: “I am sad but I am sending all my love to all the first responders and firefighters who are literally giving it all they’ve got to keep us safe!!!”
Taylor Swift and Travis KelceTheStewartofNY/GC Images
Travis Kelce hinted at how he celebrated the new year after stepping out in the Big Apple with girlfriend Taylor Swift.
The Kansas City Chiefs tight end, 35, noted on the Wednesday, January 8, episode of his “New Heights” podcast that he “didn’t do anything” special to ring in 2025. While Travis said he was “stuck working” on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, Jason Kelce pointed out that his brother did squeeze in a trip to New York City before the end of 2024.
“I did go to New York,” Travis agreed, without mentioning Swift, 35, by name. “I had some delicious food and got to see the big city, which I f—ing absolutely love. Love the big city.”
Travis and the pop star enjoyed back-to-back NYC date nights in the final days of 2024. The couple wore coordinating tan outfits while arriving at a restaurant to hang with Swift’s longtime collaborator Jack Antonoff and his wife, Margaret Qualley, on December 27.
One day later, Travis rocked a matching red jacket and jeans for another dinner date with Swift, who wore an all-black ensemble. She complemented her boyfriend’s look with her classic red lip and strappy Christian Louboutin heels, which feature the brand’s iconic red bottom.
NYC has played a big role in the pair’s romance. One month after confirming their relationship status in September 2023, the two stepped out for multiple date nights in the city following a surprise appearance on Saturday Night Live.
Taylor Swift and Travis KelceXNY/Star Max/GC Images
They continued their trend of NYC outings throughout fall 2024, from grabbing dinner after attending the US Open to coordinating outfits while hanging out with Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds. The couple later took advantage of a break in Travis’ busy football schedule to watch the New York Yankees play the Cleveland Guardians in The Bronx.
At the time, Travis joked that he “didn’t do nothing” during the Chiefs’ bye week in a hilarious video shared via the team’s TikTok page.
The pair may have plenty more date nights in their future, as former NFL star Adam “Pacman” Jones predicted the duo will tie the knot in 2025. “I’m thinking this year they are going to get married, or after football,” he claimed in a Friday, January 3, interview with The Mirror. “Of course, they are going to be together.”
Taylor Swift and Travis KelceGotham/GC Images
A source exclusively told Us Weekly in December 2024, however, that Travis and Swift aren’t in any rush to say “I do” any time soon. “Taylor does feel like Travis is The One, but jumping in is not her style,” the insider explained. “That’s just not how she does [things]. Marriage is a big deal, and she wants [it to be] forever.”
The source added: “Taylor and Travis are eager to spend quality time together because [that’s when] the little nuances about someone’s personality and habits come into play. They will learn so much about each other.”
After previously shutting down breakup rumors, Craig Conover is addressing his and Paige DeSorbo’s split for the first time.
“Hey everyone, what’s up. Oh, I figured it’s finally time to check in with everyone. Sorry about the delay, this has all been very, very unexpected to say the least. But I guess I gotta start living again, whatever that looks like. Whatever my new normal looks like — I have to start,” Conover, 35, said via his Instagram Story on Tuesday, January 7. “‘Gratitude will get you through this, with time comes clarity’ – all of the advice, I’m trying to listen to.”
He continued, “But, yeah. [It happened] right before the holidays. I was very shocked. And it’s OK. It takes two people to be in a relationship and you can’t control other people, you can only control how you react to it. Remember to be kind to Paige and me and yourselves and all of that good stuff.”
Conover said he’s “still processing everything,” which he called “normal.” He added, “[It’s] a 3-year relationship, it’s your best friend who you talk to all day everyday, and then they’re just gone. So, you know, one day I’ll be able to talk more on it.”
Conover thanked fans for their “kind messages” amid the split. “It’s just life. I have to take my own advice … that no one is ever not better off after a breakup,” he continued. “But I guess now I gotta practice what I preach and believe it and truly have faith in God that everything happens for a reason. But I love you all and I’ll see everyone on my travels this January. We got a lot coming up.”
DeSorbo, 32, revealed that she and Conover had called it quits after three years of dating on the Monday, December 30, episode of her and Hannah Berner’s “Giggly Squad” podcast. “Craig and I have decided to no longer be together,” she told listeners. “I love him, I think he loves me. I think we will remain friends. No one did anything. It wasn’t a bad thing. I think we both were just being really mature and saying what we want and what we didn’t want, and I think that’s extremely powerful to be able to voice how you’re feeling in real-time and what you want for your future.”
Noting that she has changed “a lot” in recent years, DeSorbo stated that she has “so much love and respect” for Conover despite their split. “I think he is one of the best people I’ve met in my entire life. I will remain the biggest fan for him and want the best for him, and he truly will get the best, because he is the best,” she gushed. “But, with that said, I think it is the right decision for both of us.”
Conover previously shut down rumors that he and DeSorbo had separated before the holidays. “I don’t know where that came from, because we’re together, like, every week,” he told E! News in an interview published on December 9. “So, no, Paige and I are not broken up. We’re still together.”
Sara Jaye/Getty Images for Panera)
The exes met while filming season 1 of Winter House in 2021 and made their relationship public at Bravo stars Kyle Cooke and Amanda Batula’s wedding that September. Throughout their relationship, the pair continued to appear on Summer House and the spinoff Winter House. The two also learned to balance a long-distance relationship, as DeSorbo lives in New York City and Conover resides in Charleston, South Carolina, where his reality series Southern Charm is filmed.
On Monday’s podcast, DeSorbo denied speculation that Bravo requested she wait to announce the breakup. “In terms of people saying, ‘Oh, Paige was told to wait until Southern Charm came out or Summer House came out.’ No one can tell me what to do,” she clarified. “The network has power, but they don’t have that much power. … That is not a real thing. Rumors of us breaking up months ago was also not a real thing.”
She also used the breakup announcement to set the record straight on other rumors that surrounded her and Conover’s relationship. “Our first rumor was that we were in a PR relationship. So we’ve been with these rumors our whole relationship and we didn’t really give it a second thought,” she explained. “But I didn’t want [my listeners] to think I was leaving them out of the loop or something. Not at all.”
Addressing breakup rumors specifically, she continued: “Any time those rumors were happening, we were still together. When we did break up, obviously, I didn’t run to social media and I didn’t run to the podcast. We both gave each other a little time to deal with it on our own in private with our family and friends.”
Several celebrities seemingly have Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager to thank for their recent engagements.
While chatting about Zendaya and Tom Holland’s engagement news on the Tuesday, January 7, episode of Today With Hoda & Jenna, the cohosts recalled how they previously predicted the couple would be taking the next big step in their relationship.
“Do you remember when Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco were dating? We said they were gonna get engaged? And guess what they did,” Kotb, 60, stated. Her comments were followed up by a clip of herself and Bush Hager, 43, reacting to Gomez, 32, and Blanco’s December 2024 engagement on the show.
“So, now it’s time for Zendaya and Tom,” Bush Hager said in the replayed clip, while Kotb noted, “It’s probably all happening, and we’ll re-run this clip.”
As the women predicted last month, news broke on Monday, January 6, that Zendaya and Holland, both 28, got engaged over the holidays after several years of dating. One day prior, Zendaya sparked engagement rumors by sporting a diamond ring on that finger on her left hand at the 2025 Golden Globes.
“Tom figured the holidays were the best time to propose in a very low-key way,” a source exclusively told Us Weekly on Monday. “She didn’t want anything over the top.”
Benny Blanco, Selena Gomez, Tom Holland and Zendaya.Getty Images (2)
The insider went on to add that the duo both felt like the timing was right, sharing, “They had many conversations over the years, but there was never any pressure. Zendaya is giddy and excited. She knew it might have been coming but never put pressure on it.”
On Tuesday’s Hoda & Jenna episode, Kotb and Bush Hager went on to list the reasons why they suspected the couple’s engagement was imminent, citing how Zendaya and Holland wore matching maroon outfits while grabbing dinner in New York City in October 2024. It was during that outing that Holland went viral for protecting Zendaya from aggressive paparazzi.
However, the telling sign for Kotb and Bush Hager was Holland revealing he was spending the holidays in the U.S. with Zendaya’s family on a December 2024 episode of “The Dish from Waitrose” podcast. During the interview, he also mentioned that he and the actress want to bring their families together during future holiday celebrations.
With two correct celebrity engagement guesses under their belt, Kotb and Bush Hager wrapped up the discussion by sharing their “final prediction”as a hosting duo. (Kotb will depart Today after nearly 30 years working at NBC on Friday, January 10.)
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce.TheStewartofNY/GC Images
“Travis Kelce [and] Taylor Swift. It’s happening,” they announced in unison.
Similar to Zendaya and Holland, Kotb and Bush Hager noted how the NFL tight end and pop star also coordinate outfits, make public appearances together and have introduced their families to each other, in addition to being supportive of each other’s careers.
“Can we re-run this clip even if I’m not here when it happens?” Kotb asked, to which Bush Hager replied, “We’re not gonna erase you from the show entirely!”
Another source exclusively told Us last month that Swift and Kelce, who started dating in 2023, aren’t in a rush to get engaged. “Taylor does feel like Travis is The One, but jumping in is not her style,” they explained. “That’s just not how she does [things]. Marriage is a big deal, and she wants [it to be] forever.”
Meredith Vieira and late husband Richard Cohen were each other’s biggest supporters throughout their decades-long marriage.
Cohen had already been battling multiple sclerosis for 10 years when he met Vieira in 1982 after being diagnosed with the chronic neurological disorder when he was 25 years old. “I dropped a coffeepot for no reason. I fell off a curb for no reason. I noticed a little numbness in my leg,” he told Yahoo Lifestyle in March 2019. “It hit my eyesight fairly quickly, but other than that, I was very active physically and I thought I was really beating it. I was living in denial.”
Despite his health struggles, Cohen and Vieira fell in love and went on to welcome three kids. “It’s one of those clubs you don’t wanna join, but when you’re part of it, you realize there are amazing people who are within that community,” Vieira said of her husband during a September 2019 appearance on The View. “And I really do believe that when you’re given, that’s the card you’re dealt, you deal with it. And he’s amazing.”
The pair were married for 38 years when Cohen died at age 76 in December 2024. Hoda Kotb announced the news on Today in January 2025, revealing that Cohen was “surrounded by his family and love” at the time of his death.
Scroll down to look back at Vieira and Cohen’s sweet love story:
1982
Shane Gritzinger/FilmMagic
In March 2019, Vieira told Yahoo Lifestyle that she and Cohen “went toe-to-toe” from the start of their relationship, saying, “I thought two things: ‘What a jerk,’ and then my second thought was, ‘I’m going to marry this guy.’”
Cohen noted that he informed his future wife of his MS diagnosis on their second date. “I sort of learned the hard way to get it on the table,” he stated, noting that Vieira “didn’t blink” at the revelation.
1986
Robin Platzer/FilmMagic
The couple said “I do” four years after they met.
1989
Cohen and Vieira became parents with the birth of their eldest child, son Benjamin.
1991
They pair welcomed their second child, son Gabriel.
1993
Their family continued to grow with the birth of their daughter, Lily.
May 2011
Stephen Shugerman/Getty Images
Vieira announced her decision to leave her hosting role on NBC’s Today in order to spend more time with her family. “I was extremely torn because I love it here,” she said in a press conference at the time. “But I had personal issues that were weighing on me and I felt that I really needed to examine them closely and make a decision based on them.”
She added: “I went back and forth and back and forth. It was really at the last minute that I had to go with my gut, and I know that it’s the right thing, but it doesn’t make it any easier.”
December 2011
Anderson/YouTube
“I think that it’s important to ask for help when you need help, that you have friends that care about you,” Vieira said when asked to share advice for families dealing with MS on an episode of Anderson Live. “In the beginning, I thought, ‘Boy, is that putting a burden on other people?’ But that’s what friends are for, literally. And I’m never shy if we need any kind of help, and I think it’s great for the kids to be able to talk to people, as well.”
She continued: “And maintaining a sense of humor. I mean, I think that’s what’s kept us going through a lot of this. As best you can, just to always look at the bright side when you can find it.”
Cohen chimed in to add: “I think we’ve learned that illness is a family affair, and they have a lot at stake in this, also, and need nurturing and need help getting through it. And it really works best when you do it as a unit because you support each other.”
Vieira took to social media to reveal that her husband was hospitalized with a “blood clot in his leg that had partially gone to his lungs.”
In a follow-up tweet, she thanked fans for their “kind thoughts and prayers” and joked that “Richard is feeling better and already flirting with the nurses!” (Cohen previously battled colon cancer in 1999 and 2000.)
May 2018
TODAY/YouTube
“For Richard to write a book, he’s legally blind and he only has the use of one hand. So, imagine somebody, every day, about 6 a.m. till about 8 p.m. at night, face pressed to the computer, typing with one hand,” Vieira said on Today while discussing Cohen writing his fourth book, Chasing Hope. “And I would say, ‘Why don’t you just talk into a mic, and it will all get transcribed?’ And Richard was very clear to point out, ‘That’s not how I write. That’s not how I create.’ So, that’s why when I said last night I respect him, I admire him — and we do as a family — but I’m in awe of him.”
September 2019
“We definitely allow each other to vent,” Vieira told People of how she and Cohen handled tough times. “That’s part of the deal. Certainly he’s allowed to vent, because he’s got chronic illness. But I am too. Because there are days I can’t stand it and the limitations it puts on the entire family. It’s good to say it. But we don’t dwell.”
She continued: “You can think, ‘Why us?’ but then it’s like, ‘Why not us?’ So many people are dealing with stuff and it puts it into perspective. … Richard is a very funny person, and I have a good sense of humor, so that’s sort of our thing.”
News broke that Cohen died on Christmas Eve in December 2024. Kotb explained on Today that the couple’s kids reunited around Thanksgiving because “they were concerned they were gonna lose him early.” Instead, they got to spend a “glorious month” with Cohen before his death.
Savannah Guthrie noted that Vieira was in “really good spirits” before praising her for being “a beautiful and devoted wife” to Cohen. “And he adored Meredith,” she said. “They were, like, the most fun, entertaining, irreverent, cool couple you could hang out with.”
Ashton Kutcher and his 8-year-old son, Dimitri don’t just look alike — they also share a love of wrestling.
In a rare public outing together, the father-son duo stepped out to watch the WWE’s Monday Night Raw at the Intuit Dome on Monday, January 6, in Inglewood, California. The pair smiled as they cheered on the athletes together. (Kutcher, 46, shares Dimitri and daughter Wyatt, 10, with his wife, Mila Kunis.)
Kutcher kept things chill, sporting a University of Iowa Hawkeyes T-shirt and baseball hat, which Dimitri matched with his own Hawkeyes jersey and a black hoodie. (Kutcher hails from the midwestern state.)
Kutcher and Dimitri aren’t the only members of their family who are sports fans. Back in May 2024, Kutcher and Kunis, 41, made a rare public appearance with both of their kids to watch WNBA star Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever take on the Los Angeles Sparks.
After the Fever defeated the Sparks with a score of 78-73, the couple brought their kids onto the court to snap a pic with Clark, 22. In social media footage from the sporting event, Kunis was seen wiping away tears from Wyatt’s face as she got emotional after meeting the basketball superstar.
Kutcher and Kunis — who met starring together on the sitcom That ‘70s Show — welcomed Wyatt one year before they tied the knot in July 2015. Their family continued to grow with the birth of Dimitri in November 2016.
Ashton Kutcher with son Dimitri.WWE/Getty Images
Both the basketball game and wrestling match marked some of the first public appearances the couple have made with their children after choosing to stay mostly out of the public eye over the years. However, both Kutcher and Kunis have gushed about their family of four in interviews.
“We’re very goofy parents when it comes to our children, but that doesn’t [mean we] have a skill,” Kunis shared on a March 2020 episode of the “Teach Me Something New” podcast. “I think that’s just [us] being idiots. We’re very comfortable with ourselves acting a fool at home, but maybe that comes from the idea of being comfortable in your own body, and in your own skin, and in your mind and not having a fear of making a fool of yourself.”
Kutcher went on to add: “Sometimes try to read our daughter’s books in the characters’ voices, and she’s like, ‘Dad, can you just use your real voice?’ I’ll do Peppa Pig with an English accent. And then [the dad], the whole thing. And she’s like, ‘Dad, just do your regular voice.’”
Last year, Kutcher told the “Throwbacks” podcast that “toxic masculinity” impacted his parenting style. “My son, I’m always like, ‘Yeah, let’s go for it.’ Like, yesterday we’re popping wheelies on a bicycle in the driveway or it’s like, ‘See if you can jump down four stairs.’ [With] my daughter I just want to protect her,” he explained in September 2024. “When my son cries, I’m like, ‘All right, what did we learn? Let’s move on.’ But when my daughter cries, my heart is out of my body and I can’t put it back in.”
He continued: “But I also notice the same thing with my wife, like, she’s very strict on our daughter and, like, a gushball with our son. I think we balance each other in that way.”
“Tom figured the holidays were the best time to propose in a very low-key way,” a source exclusively told Us Weekly shortly after news of the couple’s engagement broke on Monday, January 6. “She didn’t want anything over the top.”
One day before Us confirmed the pair’s relationship milestone, Zendaya, 28, sparked engagement rumors on the 2025 Golden Globes red carpet by sporting a diamond ring on her left hand. According to the insider, “Zendaya tried to keep it a secret but was very excited to show off her ring. She didn’t think people would notice but didn’t care either way.”
The source went on to note that both felt the timing was right. “Tom wanted to propose because he feels he is at the right time in his life and feels ready to settle down.” the insider said. “They had many conversations over the years, but there was never any pressure. Zendaya is giddy and excited. She knew it might have been coming but never put pressure on it.”
Holland, 28, previously shared that he was spending the holidays with Zendaya’s family in the U.S. during a December 2024 episode of “The Dish from Waitrose” podcast. “Where we’ll be is a secret. … I’ll know where we’re going [but fans won’t],” he said without spoiling his proposal plans.
Tom Holland and Zendaya.Robert Marquardt/Getty Images for Sony Pictures
Bringing their families together for the holidays is something he and Zendaya want to start doing going forward. “That’s what I think we want to do next time, ‘cause we’re both actors; We’re both terrible at organizing things, so it hasn’t happened yet,” he explained.
Holland and Zendaya first sparked romance rumors in 2017, the same year they costarred in their first film together, Spider-Man: Homecoming. The couple eventually took a break and Zendaya briefly dated her Euphoria costar Jacob Elordi from 2019 to 2020 before she and Holland got back together. Their romance was confirmed in July 2021 after being spotted kissing in a car. They made their red carpet debut as a couple that November at the premiere of Spider-Man: No Way Home.
Ricky Vigil M / Justin E Palmer/GC Images
Another source exclusively told Us in July 2024 that the duo’s relationship was “the real deal,” noting, “They started as besties, and that’s [why] their relationship is rock solid. … They’re each other’s biggest supporters. They ‘get’ each other.”
At the time, the insider noted that Holland and Zendaya’s families were “all in” on their romance. “[They] think they’re perfect together.”
In an interview with Men’s Health earlier this month, Holland revealed that he one day plans to step back from acting after starting a family. “When I have kids, you will not see me in movies anymore,” he revealed. “Golf and dad. And I will just disappear off the face of the earth.”
When asked why he wasn’t making any awards season red carpet appearances with his now-fiancée, Holland told the outlet: “Because it’s not my moment, it’s her moment, and if we go together, it’s about us.”
Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey will return for more post-apocalyptic adventures on the upcoming second season of HBO’s The Last of Us.
Based on the 2013 video game of the same name, the series follows Joel (Pascal), a grizzled survivor tasked with transporting Ellie (Ramsey) across the country, 20 years after a zombie-like fungus, cordyceps, wiped out much of civilization. As they continue on their journey, the unlikely duo form a surrogate father-daughter bond along the way.
Upon the show’s premiere in January 2023, the series — cocreated by Craig Mazin and the game’s writer and creative director, Neil Druckmann — was renewed for season 2 after only two of the season’s nine episodes had aired.
The second season is expected to follow the plot of the video game’s 2020 sequel, The Last of Us Part II, which picks up a few years after the original story. Though the show hasn’t been picked up for a third installment, Mazin previously teased that the series’ team may need more than one more season to properly portray Part II’s events.
“The amount of remaining story would take us more than a season to tell. But definitely, I don’t see this as something that runs on and on and on,” he told Collider in January 2023. “We don’t have that ambition. Our ambition is to tell the story that exists, as best as we can, in a different medium.”
Scroll below to find out everything we know about The Last of Us season 2:
HBO previewed the streaming slate for 2025 in August 2024, giving The Last of Us fans a first look at the new episodes. “I saved her,” Pascal as Joel says to the camera with tears in his eyes, delivering an iconic line from the video game series.
The network revealed in January 2025 that the show will premiere in April.
HBO released a teaser trailer in September 2024 to celebrate The Last of Us day. O’Hara can be seen sitting face-to-face with Pascal, asking if he wants to “start.”
The two-minute clip teased what fans can expect to see in the show — including a first look at some of the new characters. Plus, it seems more Clickers will be bringing the drama.
“You can’t heal something unless you’re brave enough to say it outloud. Say the thing you’re afraid to say,” O’Hara’s voiceover could be heard saying. “What did you do?”
Season 2 is expected to be inspired by the events of the video game's sequel, The Last of Us Part II. Without spoiling what lies in store, the story picks up with Joel and Ellie several years after the original game's events. In addition to working through struggles in their relationship, a major event sets Ellie on a dangerous journey for revenge.
As for whether the show will “deviate” from The Last of Us Part II’s story, Pascal told Deadline in January 2024, “I think that they’re always gonna find ways to build on the incredible source material that they have and surprise us with how they can use that material in a different format, like a television show.”
Pascal and Ramsey are set to return as Joel and Ellie, respectively, along with Gabriel Luna as Joel’s brother, Tommy, and Rutina Wesley as Tommy’s wife, Maria.
Having previously teased the show could carry over into a third season, Mazin told The Hollywood Reporter in August 2023 that he could see the series running for four seasons total.
“Some seasons, because of the story we’re telling, will need fewer episodes and some will need more. The best news is the audience wants more,” he shared. “We will not indulge a desire for more simply to make them happier when they hear how many episodes are announced. And if they don’t like how many episodes are in a season because they want more, well, OK.”
He continued: “But when all is said and done, I think the wisdom of how we lay it out will hopefully be clear. I don’t know if any season will actually have the same amount of episodes. But, whatever, the number’s not important. What’s important is when they get to the end of the season, they’re like, 'That was a good season.'”
HBO confirmed Dever was cast in the second season in January 2024 as Abby. Video game players will know the name well. The network describes Abby as a "skilled soldier whose black-and-white view of the world is challenged as she seeks vengeance for those who loved."
The Schitt’s Creek alum was announced as a season 2 guest star in February 2024. Her character was not revealed at the time, leaving fans questioning who O’Hara could be playing. It is possible her role could be a new character created for the show, similar to the way that Melanie Lynskey’s season 1 character, revolutionary leader Kathleen, did not appear in the video game.
One day before her casting announcement, O’Hara revealed she was in talks to join the series during an appearance on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen. She also shared that one of her two sons works as a set dresser on the HBO series. O’Hara shares kids Matthew and Luke with her husband, Bo Welch.
It was announced in May 2024 that Jeffrey Wright will reprise his role as Isaac from The Last of Us Part II video game in season 2 of the series. Per Variety, the character is described as “the quietly powerful leader of a large militia group who sought liberty but instead has become mired in an endless war against a surprisingly resourceful enemy.”
Not long after Dever was cast as Abby, HBO announced that Young Mazino and Isabela Merced would be joining The Last of Us season 2 as Jesse and Dina, respectively. Dina, in particular, plays a major role as Ellie’s love interest.
Ramsey shared their excitement over Merced’s casting via their Instagram Story in January 2024, writing, “We’re gonna take over the world. @isabelamerced.”
The following month, HBO announced the addition of Danny Ramirez, Ariela Barer, Tati Gabrielle and Spencer Lord to the cast. Ramirez will play Manny, a loyal soldier whose sunny outlook belies a fear that he’ll let his friends down, while Barer will portray Mel, a young doctor committed to saving lives amid war and tribalism. Gabrielle will be Nora, a military medic struggling to come to terms with her past, and Lord joins as Owen, a gentle soul in a warrior’s body who’s fighting an enemy he refuses to hate.
The TV personality, 43, teased what fans can expect from the revamped version of Today With Hoda & Jenna, retitled Today With Jenna & Friends, in an interview with Variety published on Monday, January 6. The new series will debut the week after Kotb’s final episode on the NBC morning show on Friday, January 10.
Noting that she is “involved” in picking Kotb’s permanent successor, she clarified the process isn’t something she and the show’s crew are rushing. “Chill out,” she quipped. “I feel like our audience deserves the time to get to know a ton of different people, [a] ton of different backgrounds. We’re hoping to pull up the chairs to all different types of people.”
For now, Bush Hager will cohost Jenna & Friends with a rotating lineup of celebrity guest hosts. For her first week as the show’s main host, Bush Hager will be joined by the likes of Taraji P. Henson, Eva Longoria and Keke Palmer.
“I think there will be some surprises for sure,” she added. “And so, it’s like when we know, I think we’ll know.”
Jenna & Friends executive producer Talia Parkinson-Jones mirrored Bush Hager’s comments, telling the outlet that the show doesn’t want to “replicate” Bush Hager and Kotb’s onscreen dynamic. “We’re in this new version of the show, and it’s really Jenna’s dating,” she explained. “We get a chance to meet different people, and we’ll fall in love one day, but until then we’re just having a really good time.”
Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush HagerNathan Congleton/NBC
NBC News executive vice president Libby Leist added: “This is the part of the Today morning where you’re the most honest and raw and personal. You hear everything from Hoda and Jenna, and I think that’s what the audience has come to expect. They really love when our talent shares the personal, shares advice and themes you may not always see in more of the news programs.”
This week won’t mark the last time Today fans see Kotb, 60, pop up on the show, as the outlet notes she will occasionally make appearances on Today and other NBC programming, as well as continue to host her “Making Space” podcast.
At the time of her interview, Bush Hager was filming a brand-new intro for Jenna & Friends. According to the outlet, the new theme will feature footage of Bush Hager walking through a nearby New York City park, exiting a donut shop and walking into Today’s NBC studio through a revolving door.
The intro is reportedly reminiscent of The Mary Tyler Moore Show’s opening credits, which famously showed the actress as a working woman in the big city. “We didn’t mean for that to happen, but we’re not mad at it,” Bush Hager said of the unintentional reference.”
Bush Hager joined Today as an on-air contributor in 2009 and took over Kathie Lee Gifford’s spot as Kotb’s fourth hour cohost in 2019. Kotb announced her Today departure in September 2024, citing turning 60 and being a mother to her young daughters, Haley, 7, and Hope, 5, as the main reasons behind her decision. Craig Melvin will follow in Kotb’s footsteps as Savannah Guthrie’s coanchor.
Following Kotb’s final episode on Friday, January 10, Today With Hoda & Jenna will be revamped into Today With Jenna & Friends. The new show will see Bush Hager, 43, cohost alongside a rotating panel of celebrity guest hosts until Kotb’s official replacement is selected.
“Whoever sits in this seat is going to have the easiest job in the world ‘cause they’re sitting next to you,” Kotb, 60, said on a September 2024 episode of Hoda & Jenna after announcing her Today exit. “I mean, the only thing they have to do is not laugh so hard they pee their pants. That’s it. They just have to hang on. You are this bright light, you always have been, and it’s your turn.”
At the time, Bush Hager replied: “If I’m bright, it’s because I’m sitting in your glow.”
Kotb helped Bush Hager announce her first lineup of guest hosts during her final week of Today, describing her first three picks as “heavy-hitter, homerun [and] wow” on the Monday, January 6, episode of Hoda & Jenna.
After hearing the brand-new Jenna & Friends theme song, Kotb tearfully told her TV partner: “I was picturing you and how proud I’m gonna be of you walking right here from that wall to this desk with that song. It’s gonna be awesome. It’s gonna be amazing.”
Scroll down to see which celebs will be sitting next to Bush Hager on Today With Jenna & Friends:
Taraji P. Henson
Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images
Hosting dates: The week of January 13
Eva Longoria
Arnold Jerocki/Getty Images
Hosting dates: The week of January 13
Keke Palmer
Cindy Ord/Getty Images
Hosting dates: The week of January 13
Scarlett Johansson
Monica Schipper/Getty Images for David Yurman
Hosting dates: Tuesday, January 21 through Friday, January 24
Hoda Kotb is saying goodbye to Today with a week full of fun and heartfelt festivities.
The stars of the NBC morning show kicked off Kotb’s “Hoda-bration” on Monday, January 6, to mark her final week of episodes. “We’re gonna celebrate you, which is gonna be easy. It’s gonna be really easy,” Jenna Bush Hager said on Today With Hoda & Jenna before joking that she couldn’t even “hold my emotions for one minute.”
Kotb announced in September 2024 that she was leaving Today after nearly 30 years working at NBC, citing her 60th birthday and role as mom to daughters Haley, 7, and Hope, 5, as the main reasons behind 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. I feel like we only have a finite amount of time,” she explained on air at the time. “And so, with all that being said, this is the hardest thing in the world.”
Kotb’s week-long “Hoda-bration” will conclude with a special episode of Hoda & Jenna filmed in front of a live studio audience on Friday, January 10. “There will be big surprises, lots of surprises that Hoda won’t even know about,” Bush Hager, 43, teased on a December 2024 episode of the series.
Following Friday’s episode, Bush Hager will continue to cohost the morning show’s fourth hour as Today With Jenna & Friends. She will be joined by a series of rotating guest hosts until a permanent replacement is picked. Craig Melvin, meanwhile, will take over Kotb’s role as Savannah Guthrie’s coanchor.
Before her official farewell, scroll down to see the biggest moments from Kotb’s final Today episodes:
A Sorority Surprise
TODAY
The marching band from Kotb’s alma mater, Virginia Tech, performed at 30 Rockefeller Plaza on Monday’s second hour of Today. After Kotb shared a hug with the school’s mascot, HokieBird, Guthrie surprised her colleague with 70 of her Tri Delta sorority sisters.
“They called us two weeks ago, and they said, ‘Can you get a few Tri Deltas?’” one of the sisters stated. “[Everybody] rallied, came from all over the country because we love you.”
A shocked Kotb hugged several members, including the woman who was her “little sister” in the group. “You guys, I was the pledge trainer for this sorority. It meant the absolute world to me,” she gushed. “I can’t believe you guys came. I’m shocked!”
Kotb went on to tell her sisters they had to hang out after the show. “Everybody’s at my house! Let’s go!” she exclaimed. “We gotta go out today. We have to. We’re making it happen.”
Heartfelt Home Décor
TODAY
On Monday’s episode Hoda & Jenna, Bush Hager gave Kotb a personalized gift from one of her favorite authors, Charlie Mackesy, who wrote The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse. Mackesy captioned a painting of the book’s titular characters with the message: “Hoda, every step you take is a victory. Love Charles.”
Kotb got emotional as she accepted the present. “First of all, I love him so much. His book has been life-changing for so many people, including me,” she gushed. “In fact, I actually have a framed, just a sketch, in my office, of just a sketch from his book. I can’t believe he did that.”
Bush Hager continued the fun by playing a special video message sent by Mackesy, 62. “I’m in the rain in London to say I’m wishing you all the luck in the world and all the blessings, and I hope your next step is fun,” he stated in the clip. “You’ve given so much and give so much and I hope you love what you’re gonna do next. And every single step you take is a victory, and thank you for including me on your journey with the book. I’m so grateful to you, always will be so grateful. Thank you, Hoda.”
A Long-Lasting Memory
TODAY
During her interview on Monday’s Hoda & Jenna episode, actress and comedian Michelle Buteau recalled how Kotb showed her kindness during the early days of her career.
“You won’t remember this, but about 23 years ago, I was editing local news, WNBC overnights. … And it was off of the overnight [shift], you were coming in [for] the morning, and nobody said hi to me. They just gave me tape to edit,” she recalled. “Not only did you say hi to me, you looked in my eyes, through my soul and said, ‘How is your day?’ And I was like, ‘I don’t even know.’ And you’re like, ‘I get it.’
She continued: “And you won’t remember, but I remembered because I’m like, ‘Wow, that’s who I want to be. That’s how I want to make people feel: seen.’ No matter what they do, no matter what title they have, you look at somebody and you say, ‘How are you?’’ And you mean it. And so, that’s how I lead my show and my projects, and it’s the only way to live. So, thank you so much.”
The story made both Buteau, 47, and Kotb tear up. “Why did I wear lashes?” Buteau quipped.
An Emotional Reunion
TODAY
On January 7, Guthrie reunited Kotb with the family of Erin Ludwig, who died of breast cancer in 2017. Ludwig was highlighted in one of Kotb’s “Pink Power” stories, which focused on breast cancer awareness. After first meeting Erin’s husband, Jason, and daughters, Savannah and Aubrey, in 2016, Kotb visited the family for a second time shortly after Erin’s passing and presented the young girls with teddy bears.
Six years later, Kotb cried when Savannah and Aubrey appeared on Today with Jason and brought nearly identical stuffed animals as gifts for Kotb’s daughters, Haley and Hope. The Today cohost embraced both of the girls for lengthy hugs, while Jason presented her with a bouquet of lilies — Erin’s favorite flower.
“We would not miss this for the world. When we first got the call that we were asked to come back, I sat with the girls, we talked, and without a doubt we all decided we wanted to come back and be here for you, Hoda,” Jason gushed. “You have touched our lives in ways you have no idea, and we’re just a small percentage of the people whose lives you’ve touched over your career.”
The interview ended on a sweet note when Aubrey gifted friendship bracelets to both Kotb and Guthrie.
Found Families
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Kotb enjoyed another reunion with former guests on the January 7 episode of Hoda & Jenna. She previously profiled Christina Wong and Dean Kahn about their adoption journey and, while having the couple on the show, broke the news that they had been matched with a baby girl.
The couple introduced Kotb and Bush Hager to their daughter Jacqueline on Hoda & Jenna in celebration of Kotb’s final week on Today. “It’s been amazing,” Kahn said of the pair’s new life as parents. “I mean, she’s been everything we hoped for and more. It’s just so surreal. You think perfect’s not possible, and then it happens.”
Kotb and Bush Hager surprised the couple with a gift basket full of baby clothes, children’s books and Hoda & Jenna mugs. “And if she ever gets in trouble, that can all be sold on eBay,” Bush Hager joked.
Fan Art Favorites
TODAY
Upon stepping out onto the Today Plaza to greet fans on January 8, Kotb’s cohosts surprised her by decorating the show’s barricades with posters fans brought for Kotb over the past month. “We created this beautiful collage, miss Hoda Kotb, because behind all of these signs, someone who loves Hoda Kotb handcrafted them and then carried them from all over the country, and they’ve been doing it for weeks now,” Melvin shared.
He went on to praise Kotb’s kindness toward Today viewers, stating: “Hoda’s always here. [She’s the] first one out of the door to say hello to the folks here on the plaza. And through all of the changing seasons, one thing has been constant — it’s Hoda Kotb.”
A tearful Kotb noted that the gesture meant “everything to her” and said she was surprised they kept so many posters. “I was thinking the other day, I was like, ‘I wish I had some of those to keep and to take home with me,’” she quipped.
A Sweet and Sour Gift
TODAY
During the final installment of their “Can Hoda & Jenna Hack It?” segment, Kotb and Bush Hager tried one last lemon-related hack by placing a spray bottle nozzle into a lemon to easily get the juice. “I love a lemon hack,” Kotb stated on the January 8 episode of Hoda & Jenna.
Though the pair were not able to recreate the social media hack, Bush Hager ended the segment on a high note by gifting Kotb a lemon tree to plant at her new home. “That was super nice! Oh, my gosh!” Kotb exclaimed.
Happily Ever After
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Kotb teared up watching a video package of all the proposals and weddings she’s helped out with and officiated over the years on Today’s January 9 episode. The footage highlighted one couple in particular, Mindy Shore and Ben Hebert, whom Kotb helped get engaged on the Today Plaza and later wed live on air in the same spot in September 2023.
As a special surprise, the couple traveled back to NYC to celebrate Kotb’s final episodes on the show. Mindy called their Today show wedding “the most special thing that could have ever happened to me,” especially having lost her mother last month. “It felt so serendipitous to have you be a part of our special day knowing all of the memories that I have with my mom coming here,” Mindy shared. “It just meant so much to me that you’re a part of our lives now.”
Kotb gave Mindy a hug after she was gifted an ornament featuring the pair’s wedding flowers. “We’re just so happy for you,” Mindy added. “People don’t know, but when you’re out here on the plaza and they cut to commercial, you are out there talking to people, giving them your heart. You are just so welcoming and I’m just so honored that we got to be a part of your story. And I’m so happy for you in this next chapter with your girls.”
Perfect Match
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While chatting with Kotb and Bush Hager on the January 9 episode of Hoda & Jenna, Garten recalled a prior Today appearance before Kotb officially replaced Matt Lauer as Guthrie’s coanchor.
“I remember before you were cohost with Savannah, it was one of the first days they were trying to figure out what to do, and they sent you and Savannah into a cooking segment with me,” Garten stated. “And I thought that was really kind of unusual ‘cause usually, it was just one person. And the two of you were on fire. And I remember cooking and thinking, ‘Oh, they’re testing them together!’”
She added: “From the moment you two were together, it was just extraordinary.”
Garten went on to share the advice she shared with Kotb about her next chapter. “I said that you don’t have to figure out where you’re gonna be in a year or two. Just figure out what you want to do tomorrow,” she stated.
The actress, 77, was censored during the awards ceremony on Sunday, January 5, while presenting the winner for Best Motion Picture – Drama. “One of my most treasured possessions is a letter that Katharine Hepburn wrote to me, in which she described what we all do as, ‘This terrible profession. This terrifying profession. And let’s face it, this delicious way to spend your life,’” she began her speech.
As she continued, the broadcast briefly cut its audio feed. Footage of Close’s complete speech — profanity and all — was later uploaded via the Golden Globes YouTube channel.
“We are so f—ing blessed and lucky, blessed and lucky to be together in this room,” she gushed. “Let’s get to the reason why we’re here.”
Close proceeded to present the prestigious award to the cast and crew of the historical drama The Brutalist. The film took home a total of three wins on Sunday, including Best Director – Motion Picture for Brady Corbet and Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama for Adrien Brody. Emilia Pérez scored the most wins of any nominated film on Sunday with a total of four.
Close, for her part, was not nominated at this year’s Golden Globes. Her most recent nod came in 2021 for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture in Hillbilly Elegy. She has earned three Golden Globe trophies over the years for her performances in projects such as The Lion in Winter, Damages and The Wife.
Stewart Cook/CBS
Just as Close quoted a letter she received in her presentation speech, she looked like a letter on the red carpet in a black Balmain dress with sequined embroidery reminiscent of handwritten notes. She completed her look with matching black opera gloves, black heels and a small clutch.
Close posed with several celebrities inside the event, including Viola Davis and Elton John. She even had an Air Force One reunion with Harrison Ford by sitting next to the actor during the show. She famously portrayed the vice president to Ford’s President James Marshall in the 1997 action thriller.
Close also hilariously crashed one of Glen Powell’s red carpet interviews as Entertainment Tonight’s Nischelle Turner and Kevin Frazier were interviewing the pair at the same time. “I’m so honored. You’re the ultimate Glenn,” Powell, who was nominated for Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy for his role in Hit Man, gushed to the actress who shares his name. “I kinda thought about this for a long time. This is great.”
Before going back to her own individual interview, Close told Powell, “Wonderful to meet you. Congratulations.”
She went on to reflect on her decades-long Hollywood career, telling ET, “I feel very blessed. I’m going into my 51st year [of] being a working actress. So, it’s all about resilience and belief and learning and humility.”
Kieran Culkin and his wife, Jazz Charton, have been by each other’s sides for more than a decade.
The Succession star and the London native met at a New York City bar in 2012. Culkin recalled his hilarious first conversation with his future wife in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. “I said, ‘I’m Kieran. You have an English accent. What’s your name?’” he shared in October 2021. “She said, ‘I’m Jazz.’ I said, ‘J-A-Z-Z, like the music?’ And she said, ‘Yeah.’ And I said, ‘Well, that’s f—ing stupid.’”
His humor worked the trick, and the two tied the knot a year later.Culkin and Charton welcomed their first child in September 2019. Their second baby arrived in August 2021 — the same year Kieran’s brother Macaulay Culkin and fiancée Brenda Song became parents.
Scroll below to relive Kieran and Charton’s sweetest relationship moments:
The couple first met at a bar in New York City while Charton was working in the music department of an advertising company. "I said, ‘I’m Kieran. You have an English accent. What’s your name?’” Kieran told The Hollywood Reporter of their meet cute. "She said, ‘Jazz.’ I said, ‘J-A-Z-Z, like the music?’ And she said, ‘Yeah.’ And I said, ‘Well, that’s f--king stupid.’”
The two tied the knot while on a road trip together in Iowa. A month after their low-key nuptials, Charton shared a pic of their matching pillows that read "Mrs. Culkin" and "Mr. Culkin" via Instagram.
The Home Alone star called his wife the "most beautiful girl" in an interview with iNews, adding, “When someone is as beautiful as my wife, you just want to be close to that.”
He went on to share more details about their first meeting. Noticing that Charton was with another guy at the bar where he introduces himself, the actor shared, “I asked if he was her boyfriend and when she said no, I asked if I could be her boyfriend. We’ve been together ever since."
Six years after saying "I do," the duo announced they were expecting their first child. "My favourite surprise so far," Charton captioned a sonogram pic via Instagram. "We had no idea how much we wanted this until it happened. We’re excited/terrified/ecstatic/unprepared but we cannot wait to meet our little unexpected creation in September."
"And just like that our little Kinsey Sioux (‘Zissou’) is home," Charton captioned an Instagram pic of herself holding her and the Scott Pilgrim vs. the World star's newborn daughter. "After 25 hours of laboring at home, we arrived at the hospital too late for any pain meds as I was already dilated and ready to push (if I ever do this again I want ALL THE DRUGS, all of them!) and she was out within the hour during a full moon on Friday the 13th. Of course our daughter was born on Friday the 13th."
She continued: "This is me 4 days postpartum - I live in sexy surgical mesh underwear that’s keeping a world of pain in check, my boobs are engorged, I burst blood vessels In my face from pushing, my big pregnant belly that I loved so much deflated to a mere paunch but it’s all so worth it. I’ve never been more in love and we’ve never felt more complete."
The proud parents revealed that they welcomed their son, Wilder Wolf, a month after he was born in August 2021. "One month with our perfect little man 8.17.21," Charton captioned a slideshow of Instagram pics with her baby.
Two months after becoming a father of two, the Paper Man star revealed that he and his wife didn't have a name picked out for their son until seven weeks after Wilder Wolf was born.
“We had a dry-erase board, and we just went over every name we’d thought of," he said on an episode of The Ellen DeGeneres Show. "We were like, ‘Let’s focus on girl names because we like these,’ and we narrowed it down to two names we really liked. We agreed it was going to be one of those two names if it’s a girl, and if it’s a boy, we’re screwed. And we had a boy. And spent seven weeks arguing about names.”
Charton showed her support for her husband's first-time Saturday Night Live hosting gig via Instagram. "Proud would be an understatement," she captioned a pic from his SNL photo shoot. "So lucky to see this impressive man achieve his dreams - even while our kids deprive me of sleep and just general quality of life. Going to the after party was a mistake."
"9 years," Charton captioned a sweet photo of herself and Kieran kissing at their wedding via Instagram in honor of their almost 10-year anniversary.
The pair looked more in love than ever while walking the red carpet at the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards. While posing for photographers, Culkin playfully bit his wife’s shoulder while Charton burst into laughter.
Culkin and Charton rocked the Met Gala carpet in New York City on May 6. The duo were the perfect picture of romance in complementary outfits, with Culkin sporting an oil painting-inspired suit by KidSuper and Charton donning a floor-length yellow gown featuring a thigh-high slit.
“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.
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.”
Sonja Flemming/CBS
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.”
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.”
Sonja Flemming/CBS
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.
