Tyler Perry(Photo by Randy Shropshire/Getty Images for Critics Choice Association)
Tyler Perry slammed insurance companies who implemented policy changes ahead of the wildfires that have devastated the greater Los Angeles area.
“Watching a daughter use a garden hose to try and protect her 90-year-old parents’ home because their insurance was canceled was just gut-wrenching to me,” Perry wrote via Instagram on Sunday, January 12.
“Does anyone else find it appalling that insurance companies can take billions of dollars out of communities for years and then, all of a sudden, be allowed to cancel millions of policies for the very people they became rich on?” the filmmaker continued. “People who have paid premiums all of their lives are left with nothing because of pure greed.”
He concluded, “As I am in the process of trying to figure out what steps to take to do all I can to help as many as I can, I am keeping everyone in my prayers.”
According to the Los Angeles Times, State Farm General, the largest home insurer in California, announced in March 2024 it would not be renewing 30,000 home and condominium policies when they expired — 1,600 of which were located in the Pacific Palisades.
Per the Times, insurance company Chubb stopped writing new policies for high-value homes designated to be at high risk for wildfires, while Allstate also stopped writing new policies.
Tens of thousands of people have been displaced by the wildfires that began a path of destruction through Los Angeles the morning of Tuesday, January 7, when high winds sparked fast-moving brush fires through the Pacific Palisades. The fires have since spread to surrounding neighborhoods, including Malibu and the Hollywood Hills.
According to local authorities, the death toll has reached at least 16 people and is expected to rise as search and rescue efforts continue. NBC News reports that the blaze has burned through 37,000 acres and destroyed over 12,000 structures.
Over 150,000 people have been placed under mandatory evacuation orders, including stars like Mark Hamill, Jennie Garth and Mandy Moore. A number of celebrities, however, were not so lucky, as their homes were completely destroyed by the fires, including Paris Hilton, Anna Faris, Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt, Billy Crystal, Mel Gibson and Milo Ventimiglia.
According to AccuWeather, the wildfires could be the costliest in U.S. history, with the total economic loss currently estimated to be between $135 billion and $150 billion as of Thursday, January 9.
Ariana Grande opened up about the emotional process of filming Wicked: For Good, teasing a new song for Glinda as well as a major transformation for the character.
While appearing on Variety’s “Awards Circuit Podcast,” released on Saturday, January 11, Grande, 31, opened up about filming the song “For Good,” the iconic duet between Glinda and Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo). For the uninitiated, the song marks a pivotal moment for the characters in the upcoming Wicked sequel.
“Shooting ‘For Good’ was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced,” Grande shared. “It was such a long and emotional process. I kind of left my body. We filmed it over the course of a week, and it stayed with me. I haven’t even seen the final cut yet because I’m not sure I’m ready to feel all of it again.”
Wicked: For Good will also feature a completely new song for Glinda, which was written by composer Stephen Schwartz for the film.
“It’s a pivotal moment in Glinda’s journey,” Grande reveals. “It shows a side of her we’ve never seen before. In the stage show, this transformation happens offstage. But in the movie, we get to see her make the decision that defines who she is. It’s a privilege to sing this song and be the first Glinda to bring it to life.”
Glinda was originally played by Kristin Chenoweth in Wicked on Broadway. Speaking with Variety, Grande further reflected on her own interpretation of the character, saying, “From the moment it was announced, I realized this role would live with me forever.”
She continued, “It’s an honor, but it also comes with so much weight. I wanted to do it justice. Glinda isn’t just a character to me — she’s a symbol of growth and love, and I wanted to give her everything I had.”
Directed by Jon M. Chu, Wicked is based on the Broadway musical and Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel of the same name. It follows the story of Elphaba, a.k.a. the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda, a.k.a. Glinda the Good Witch, before and during the events of The Wizard of Oz as their relationship develops from rival roommates to best friends, set against the backdrop of societal turmoil in the land of Oz.
Erivo, for her part, also gushed about one of the sequel’s new songs on a December 2024 episode of Variety’s “Award Chatter” podcast.
“I collaborated on one of the new songs, and it’s so special to me,” she said at the time. “When we filmed it, the entire crew was in tears. I hope audiences are ready — it’s a song that speaks to the heart of who Elphaba is.”
She continued, “We’re diving deeper into the consequences of the characters’ choices. The story is richer, and the stakes are higher. It’s not just a continuation; it’s a transformation.”
Wicked is in theaters now and is available to rent and purchase on digital platforms. The sequel, titled Wicked: For Good, will hit theaters on November 21.
Days after experiencing an unspecified health scare that landed him in the hospital, comedian Deon Cole was forced to evacuate his home in Los Angeles due to the ongoing wildfires.
“This day is devastating!!!! Left the hospital earlier, sick af, went home, then had to packed what I could to evacuate,” Cole, 53, wrote via Instagram on Saturday, January 12. “As I drove away I seen the fire rising from behind my house, It’s a nightmare!!! I got the flowers my mom gave me before she passed tho.”
Alongside his caption, Cole had shared a video he’d taken from the car as he drove through his neighborhood, capturing the thick smoke and intense, red glare of the fire as it continued to burn through the Los Angeles neighborhood. “Oh my God, look at this,” the Barbershop star can be heard saying in the video. “It’s right over my house.”
Cole, who celebrated his birthday on Thursday, January 9, had spent the day in the hospital following a health issue. He shared a selfie from his hospital bed via Instagram just two days before he was released and forced to evacuate, but did not provide any additional information regarding his health.
“Thank u all for your birthday well wishes. I sure could use them. Thank you all,” he wrote via Instagram earlier this week.
Deon ColeParas Griffin/Getty Images
Cole is one of tens of thousands of people whose home has been destroyed by the wildfires that began raging through the greater Los Angeles area on Tuesday, January 7.
A windstorm caused brush fires to move quickly through the Pacific Palisades and other Los Angeles neighborhoods — including Malibu and the Hollywood Hills — destroying or severely damaging more than 12,000 structures, and placing over 150,000 people under mandatory evacuation orders.
A number of celebrities have lost their homes due to the historic fires, including Paris Hilton, Anna Faris, Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt, Billy Crystal, Mel Gibson and Milo Ventimiglia. Other stars like Mark Hamill, Jennie Garth and Mandy Moore are among those who were ordered to evacuate.
Hilton, 43, shared a video of what was left of her home via Instagram on Thursday, January 9, which had been completely burned to the ground.
“I’m standing here in what used to be our home and the heartbreak is truly indescribable.,” she wrote. “When I first saw the news, I was in complete shock — I couldn’t process it. But now, standing here and seeing it with my own eyes, it feels like my heart has shattered into a million pieces.”
She continued, “This house wasn’t just a place to live — It was where we dreamed, laughed, and created the most beautiful memories as a family. It was where Phoenix’s little hands made art that I’ll cherish forever, where love and life filled every corner. To see it reduced to ashes… it’s devastating beyond words. (Hilton shares son Phoenix, 2, and daughter London, 12 months, with husband Carter Reum.)
Gina KirschenheiterJC Olivera/Strike Media via Getty Images
Real Housewives of Orange County star Gina Kirschenheiter is donating her real estate services to those who have been displaced by the wildfires raging through the greater Los Angeles area.
“My favorite part about being a realtor is helping people secure the place where life happens. Thinking about so many people losing that is heartbreaking,” Gina, 40, wrote via Instagram on Sunday, January 12, alongside a video of her and boyfriend Travis Mullen. In the video, the couple explained their plan to help those relocating to Orange County from Los Angeles.
“We’ve been thinking of ways that we could try to help in a meaningful way,” Travis said in the video. “So, The Gated Group, along with our team, has decided we’re going to help anybody that has to relocate because of the fires from L.A. and are choosing to come to Orange County.”
Gina added, “Whether it’s a rental or you need to buy a home in Orange County, the Gated Group will represent you, and 100% of the commission will either be donated directly right back to you, or to any relief fund that is helping to aid anybody and everybody who has been affected by the fires.”
In her caption, Gina also directed her followers to realtor Kyle Whissel, who is offering similar real estate services for those relocating to San Diego from Los Angeles because of the fires.
“And for anyone looking to go down to San Diego, reach out to @kylewhissel …..he has graciously offered to do the same ,” she wrote. “Stay safe, you are in our hearts LA County .”
Tens of thousands of people have been forced to evacuate in the wake of the ongoing wildfires, which have been burning since the morning of Tuesday, January 7. A windstorm sparked fast-moving brush fires through the Pacific Palisades and other Los Angeles neighborhoods, destroying or severely damaging upwards of 12,000 structures.
Hollywood A-listers, such as Paris Hilton, Anna Faris, Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt, Billy Crystal, Mel Gibson and Milo Ventimiglia, have all lost their homes as a result of the historic fires. According to the Los Angeles Times, 150,000 are under mandatory evacuation orders and, as of Sunday, January 12, the death toll has risen to 16 people, per NBC News.
Several celebrities have lent a helping hand since the start of the fires. Jamie Lee Curtis announced on Thursday, January 9, that she would be donating $1 million to relief efforts, while Sharon Stone is working with LA-based store The Coop to gather donations for people who have been displaced.
“This is the moment to reach out to anyone who lives in Los Angeles, who you think might be in some sort of traumatic shock and grief about losing their homes and the devastation of their neighborhoods and communities and offer your hand, home and resources,” Curtis wrote via Instagram on Thursday. “We are going to have to come together,as we may never have done before, in the City of Angels and help each other. AND WE WILL!”
Matthew Stafford, Kelly Stafford.(Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Kelly Stafford took an unfortunate trip to the hospital with her kids after traveling with her husband Matthew Stafford ahead of the Rams-Vikings playoff game.
“Last night was long,” Kelly, 35, wrote via Instagram Story on Saturday, January 11, alongside a photo of two of her young children asleep in a hospital bed. “Back in beds and sleeping, everyone except Hunter. Feels like she drank a Celsius.”
In another post, she shared a photo via Instagram Story of Matthew, 36, quarterback for the Los Angeles Rams, and their daughters. “Before that tho, they were all smiles getting to go with daddy on his work trip,” she wrote.
Last week, Kelly revealed she and two of her daughters had come down with a serious illness. “I can’t think straight,” Kelly said on the Tuesday, January 7, episode of her “Morning After” podcast. “I currently believe I have the flu. Two of my daughters have the flu.”
Kelly and Matthew share four daughters: twins Sawyer and Chandler, 7, Hunter, 6, and Tyler, 4. Kelly did not share why exactly the kids were taken to the hospital, or if they will be in attendance at the Rams vs. Vikings playoff game.
Instagram/Courtesy of Kelly Stafford
The family had traveled to watch Matthew practice ahead of the Rams’ playoff game against the Minnesota Vikings in Glendale, Arizona, scheduled for Monday, January 13. The Rams home playoff game was relocated from Los Angeles to Glendale due to the wildfires raging through southern California.
Kelly’s hospital trip came after she offered to rent charter buses for season ticket holders in Los Angeles to travel to Glendale for the game.
In a press conference held on Thursday, January 9, Matthew addressed the devastation caused by the wildfires and the impact the natural disaster has had on his community.
“It’s a tough thing to watch on the news, to be around, to see,” he told reporters. “Driving around seeing all that, it’s just really sad to see what’s going on. Obviously, a bunch of people [are] doing everything they possibly can to try and get things under control and get people back to normal as quickly as possible.”
Matthew continued, “Every time we suit up, we’re the Los Angeles Rams. We play for the people in this community. The people in this community support us. This week will be another example of that, obviously. Hopefully a great escape for people who have been going through a lot of tough times.”
The Rams-Vikings Wild Card playoff game will kick off from Glendale, Arizona’s State Farm Stadium on Monday, January 13 at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Check the LAFD website for local wildfire alerts and click here for resources on how to help those affected.
Jason and Kylie KelceCourtesy of Kylie Kelce/Instagram
Kylie Kelce offered some insight into her and husband Jason Kelce’s decision to stick with gender-neutral names for baby No. 4.
“Going on the 4th [child], it’s like a disaster [picking a name],” Kylie, 32, said during the Thursday, January 9, episode of her “Not Gonna Lie” podcast, while discussing potential names for her and Jason’s fourth child — another girl. “You’ve already used them all up, all bets are off.”
Kylie and Jason, 37 — who have been married since 2018 — announced in November 2024 that they were expecting their fourth daughter. The pair previously welcomed daughters Wyatt in 2019, Elliotte in 2021, and Bennett in 2023.
“We’re doing a little crossover action, I feel like we have to lean a little bit towards those sort of gender-neutral names for our fourth,” Kylie explained. “Because we have Wyatt, Elliotte, Bennett — so if we do a full commit to a girly name at this point, it would not sit well with the other three, I think? Eventually they’ll be like, ‘Why why did they get a cute girly name?’”
Kylie also gushed over her oldest daughter, Wyatt, who is excited to become a big sister for the third time.
“I will say that, my oldest [Wyatt], she’s 5 now — the way she’s getting excited for this next baby is very sweet to watch,” Kylie shared. “She’s very much in that phase of like, ‘I can get diapers, I can fill up my own water bottle, I can do these things independently,’ and so to see her get so excited about getting another baby and her having the opportunity to help is very exciting to watch.”
Kylie previously discussed potential names for the newest Kelce girl on her podcast, responding to queries from fans about whether or not she and Jason already had a name picked out.
“First of all, love the confidence, but even if I did have a name picked out, I’d probably keep that one in the family,” she said in a December 2024 episode. “What I will say: We don’t have a name picked out, so you’re not missing out on anything. And I have seen a number of the suggestions come through in the comments section so I appreciate that.”
As for Jason, the retired NFL star is more than happy to continue his reign as the ultimate girl dad, telling E! News last year, “I got it pretty easy, I’m not gonna lie.”
He continued, “There’s another girl, so the clothes are all going to be hand-me-downs or already bought. The crib is already situated. So, we’re pretty set. Kylie is definitely preparing more than I am because she’s actually growing a human being.”
Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum Camille Grammer is recalling the 2018 Woolsey Fire that destroyed her house as the Pacific Palisades fire continues to rage through the greater Los Angeles area.
Grammar, 56, spoke to People on Saturday, January 11, about the 2018 fire that burned more than 96,000 acres and destroyed 1,643 structures, including the reality star’s Malibu home — one of many homes destroyed at the time due to a lack of water access. A similar situation is currently developing as, according to the LA Times, fire hydrants across the Pacific Palisades are running dry.
“That’s what happened to my house, and during the Woolsey fire, when the firefighters got to the house, it went to the hydrant and there wasn’t enough water pressure. So then they couldn’t save the house,” Grammer told People, recalling her conversation with the fire chief at the time. “He said, ‘I’m sorry. There’s nothing we can do. We just don’t have water pressure.’ And they were very frustrated, and apologized, and they did the best they could.”
Grammer further shared that, when fire fighters discovered that there wouldn’t be enough water to extinguish the flames, the first responders began pulling her belongings out of the home in an effort to save as much as possible.
“I didn’t ask for that,” she said. “They just did it themselves, which was really nice, because there’s just, there was just no water pressure to save the house.”
She continued, “I haven’t really been able to sleep well, I keep thinking of my friends that have lost homes. My heart is broken over the loss of communities and lives. It’s awful. But again, you never know if the winds kick up again and what direction they turn. It’s, you know, a wait-and-see game.”
Janisse Quiñones, chief executive and chief engineer of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, told the LA Times that all water storage tanks in the Pacific Palisades had dried up due to “tremendous demand” in the area.
“We pushed the system to the extreme,” he told the outlet on Wednesday, January 8. “Four times the normal demand was seen for 15 hours straight, which lowered our water pressure.”
As for Grammer, the RHOBH alum further praised the city’s “amazing” firefighters as they continued to fight the blazes. “They put their lives on the line all the time to save people and communities and homes, and they’re trying their best under these awful conditions,” she told People on Saturday.
“It’s really important in times like these, when the neighbors come together and communities come together to help each other out,” she added.
Since she has experience losing everything to a fire, Grammer also shared some crucial advice to people who are now going through the same thing.
“For me, because I’ve gone through it, life is more important than your home,” she said. “If you’re safe, it’s your life, it’s your health, it’s being safe and sound with your family and your loved ones. Because you can replace material objects, you can rebuild a home or find a new place to live, but a life — you can’t replace a life.”
Spencer Pratt is asking his TikTok followers to help him raise money after losing his home to the catastrophic wildfires raging through the greater Los Angeles area.
In a video shared via TikTok on Friday, January 10, Pratt, 41, asked his followers to watch and like a previous video shared to his account, which featured the song “What It Feels Like” by Aly & AJ.
“I’ll get up to $1,100 from TikTok if it’s one of the top 10 most liked TikToks with that song, so more likely $200 it says, but it can go up to $1,100,” he explained in the video. “So, if you’re bored, please go like that last video. It’s a great song actually and Aly & AJ wear Pratt Daddy Crystals — my friend Amber goes to all their shows and gives them all crystals so it’s kind of an authentic promo since they wear my crystals. I also want to get that $1,100.”
In a subsequent video, Pratt also asked his followers to add wife Heidi Montagon Spotify and other streaming platforms.
However, Pratt’s request for assistance via social media received some backlash.
“Some demonic monster just wrote on my IG and tagged me, ‘Of course Spencer’s gonna milk his burned down house for every dollar it’s worth.’ Duh. Duh. That’s right. Let me figure out every dollar I can get,” Pratt said in a video addressing the backlash, shared via TikTok on Friday.
“How do you people not have brains? Are you just the stupidest living creatures?” he continued. “Of course I’m trying to get money to pay for my life with my family because our house and all of our possessions burned down. And if I can do it on social media, which I’ve been making the only money I’ve made for years now continuously, showing my journey of our house burning down and all of our possessions, do you not think I’m going to keep milking it for every dollar?”
Pratt concluded, “I’d rather have my house and no social media, let me tell you that much. I’d rather have everything in my house and delete all these stupid apps. I would much rather that. So, yes, I will continue ‘milking’ our misery on social media.”
He also advised fans on how not to help him and Montag, 38, which included watching The Hills, on which both Pratt and Montag starred in the 2000s.
“Pretty much I’d rather you watch anything in the world but The Hills. Do not give that show a single dollar, or that narrator a single brain cell listening to her voice,” he said in a video shared via TikTok, referring to Lauren Conrad. “No, there’s no residuals. So, pretty much, I’d rather have you watch paint dry, tag me in [you] staring at a wall — that would help my life more. Do not waste your energy watching The Hills thinking that helps our lives.”
Pratt and Montag have been married since 2008. The Hills alums lost their house to the Pacific Palisades wildfires, which first broke out on Tuesday, January 7. By the time their house burned down, the couple had already evacuated with their three children: sons Gunner, 6, and Ryker, 13 months.
In a video shared by Montag via TikTok on Thursday, January 9, the couple revealed the few items that remained of their house after the fire, all contained to a single plastic bag.
“The Hummingbird pot — with some nectar cooked into it,” Pratt says in the video, along with “one [rubber] snake from the backyard, one crystal from the backyard, [another] crystal from the backyard, Ryker’s shovel from the backyard and broken pieces.”
When the couple packed their home to evacuate, they were obviously not able to take all of their belongings. In another social media video, Montag explained that “the craziest thing about packing for a fire [is] your brain just freaks out.”
She added, “It’s so overwhelming packing up a house. I mean, I only have two pairs of jeans, two shirts. I got so much more clothes for the kids. I’m like, ‘Why didn’t I grab more?’ Thankfully, I grabbed anything and that’s such a blessing and the main thing is that we’re safe.”
Despite their hardship, Pratt did provide fans with an uplifting update, thanking them for their support after wife Heidi Montag’s album, “Superficial,” jumped the iTunes Store charts following his social media requests help.
“God. Bless. All of you. Number 15 in the iTunes Store. This is a freakin’ miracle,” Pratt said via an Instagram post on Saturday, January 11. “If we get this to number one it’s official — Heidi is a pop superstar legend. She’s going in the history books. She’s already in my history books, obviously.”
Pratt went on to say that Montag’s album climbing the iTunes Store charts is “maybe the best thing I could have ever dreamed about… besides still having my house and all of my possessions.”
“But don’t worry, we’re on our way to being rich and famous and I won’t forget about you when I’m rich and famous,” he continued. “I’ll be the most grateful rich celebrity you have ever supported in your lies. Love you all, thank you so much.”
Check the LAFD website for local wildfire alerts and click here for resources on how to help those affected.
“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.”
