“It was so tough. It was such a hard decision,” Wieber, 29, exclusively told Us Weekly. “Standing there watching everybody do the challenge, I probably went back and forth like 50 times. Like, ‘OK, I’m going to do it. OK, I’m not going to do it. OK, I’m going to do it. OK, I’m not going to do it.’”
Wieber decided to voluntarily withdraw from the competition during the Wednesday, January 15, episode of Special Forces before attempting the submarine submersion task. Wieber explained to Us that she had a negative experience with the beehive task in the first episode, which led her to tread carefully with water moving forward.
“The water just really started freaking me out and I just felt like I was going to panic if I went back in the water,” she said. “Not to mention in a boat where you’re in a cage and all the other elements.”
The Olympian added that she “wanted to say longer,” explaining: “I knew that there were many other challenges that I could have handled and could have crushed it at and been tough enough to do, but the water just was really freaking me out. I was sad to leave, but I felt like it was just a little bit beyond my limit at that time.”
Before her experience on Special Forces, Wieber clarified that she did not have a negative experience with water.
Pete Dadds / FOX
“But at the same time, I’ve never had to do anything in the water beyond swimming with friends in a pool,” she noted. “I really haven’t had any experience in the water. I can swim and kind of do the basic things, but I’ve never been challenged to do that.”
Despite her hesitation about exiting, Wieber can ultimately look back and be confident in her decision.
“I think I made the right decision for me based on how much water was involved, but I really didn’t know what I was in for, nor could I have prepared for it,” she said. “We really didn’t know the challenges ahead of time.”
While Wieber may have had a short stint on the show, she made a lasting impact with her vulnerability. In the second episode, Wieber opened up to the ex-special forces operatives Directing Staff (DS) agents about being a victim of sexual abuse. (Wieber was one of the gymnasts who testified at Larry Nassar’s trial in 2018. Nassar was later convicted and sentenced to 40 to 175 years in prison.)
For Wieber, who considers herself to be “a little bit more stoic and together emotionally,” did not anticipate the emotional component of Special Forces.
“I think the way that it breaks you down physically and mentally, you can’t help it. You just become more vulnerable emotionally, and so when you go into that interrogation room and they’re asking you about sensitive things, it makes sense,” she said, adding that it was “tough” to watch back. “You go into something like that, you think you’re going to be in control the whole time, but when you get that tired and that exhausted, you really can’t control the emotions that are coming out of you.”
Justin Baldonimade several claims about the It Ends With Us premiere and afterparties in his $400 million lawsuit against costar Blake Lively.
Baldoni, 40, filed his lawsuit against Lively, 37, her husband, Ryan Reynolds, and their team of publicists on Thursday, January 16, seeking $400 million in damages. In the court filing obtained by Us, Baldoni included a photo from the It Ends With Us premiere where he and his family (including wife Emily and his parents) posed in the basement of the theater surrounded by containers of popcorn and bottles of soda.
Baldoni claimed in the court documents that he and his camp were initially uninvited from the occasion at Lively’s request, only receiving the green light to attend at the last minute. In the docs, Baldoni alleged that his team were “confined to a makeshift holding area surrounded by concession stand stock, with only fold-out tables and chairs arranged in a square” to minimize interactions with Lively and her guests.
“Surrounded by close friends, family, soda bottles, and a lot of love, the irony of being held in a basement on what was arguably one of the most important nights of Baldoni’s career thus far, was not lost on anyone,” the suit reads.
He also had a separate afterparty with his team, claiming that it was “dry” since the majority of domestic violence incidents involve alcohol. He also claimed that Lively’s gathering, which his production company allegedly paid for, was not and offered a drink titled “Ryle Can Wait.”
“Lively’s disastrous marketing efforts and tone-deaf press interviews and appearances backfired and led to widespread criticism of Lively’s promotional approach to the Film’s highly sensitive focus on domestic violence,” the docs read. “Past videos of Lively resurfaced online — videos that appeared to solidify public perception that Lively was an insensitive ‘mean girl’ who cared more about peddling her products than acknowledging the domestic violence survivor community. Social media commenters quickly pointed out that her tie-in of her alcohol beverages was in particularly poor taste, given the World Health Organization estimates that 55 percent of domestic violence incidents are linked to alcohol. Unbelievably, Lively made this harmful and irresponsible message worse by naming a drink at her premiere afterparty ‘Ryle You Wait.’”
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Lively, for her part, denied Baldoni’s recent legal claims.
““This latest lawsuit from Justin Baldoni, Wayfarer Studios and its associates is another chapter in the abuser playbook. This is an age-old story: A woman speaks up with concrete evidence of sexual harassment and retaliation and the abuser attempts to turn the tables on the victim,” Lively’s lawyers told Us in a statement. “This is what experts call DARVO. Deny. Attack. Reverse Victim Offender. Wayfarer has opted to use the resources of its billionaire co-founder to issue media statements, launch meritless lawsuits, and threaten litigation to overwhelm the public’s ability to understand that what they are doing is retaliation against sexual harassment allegations.”
Lively’s attorneys further alleged that Baldoni’s team was “trying to shift the narrative” by falsely claiming she took over production and alienated him from the rest of the It Ends With Us cast.
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“The evidence will show that the cast and others had their own negative experiences with Mr. Baldoni and Wayfarer,” Lively’s statement continued. “The evidence will also show that Sony asked Ms. Lively to oversee Sony’s cut of the film, which they then selected for distribution and was a resounding success. Their response to sexual harassment allegations: she wanted it, it’s her fault. Their justification for why this happened to her: look what she was wearing. In short, while the victim focuses on the abuse, the abuser focuses on the victim. The strategy of attacking the woman is desperate, it does not refute the evidence in Ms. Lively’s complaint, and it will fail.”
Baldoni’s team has not responded to Lively’s response. Us has reached out for comment.
Earlier this month, leaked audio footage also discussed Baldoni’s reported separate afterparty.
While appearing on the January 7 episode of The Megyn Kelly Show, his lawyer Bryan Freedman played part of an alleged voice message Baldoni sent to his team recalling the events that transpired at the New York City premiere in August 2024.
“On what could have been one of the most beautiful nights of my life career-wise, I literally was sent to the basement with all my friends and family for over an hour because I wasn’t allowed to be seen. She didn’t want me anywhere near her or the rest of the cast,” Baldoni said in the alleged voice message.
Jose Perez/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images;Getty Images
He continued, “So they ushered me off the carpet and sent us down to the basement. We were down there together, my friends and family, the people that love me the most. We start laughing because of the ridiculousness of this whole thing and I realize, like, on a night that was supposed to be so materialistically joyful, I was in the basement with the people that I love the most and we were all joyful and laughing cause none of that s— matters, none of it.”
Baldoni, who also directed the film, noted that they’re not in the movie business “to attend a premiere like that and be celebrated.”
“We’re in this business because we’re artists and we believe in what we do and because we want to create art that touches people’s hearts and souls and can move people,” he said. “And that’s what we did, that’s what you both did. I believe that will follow each of us and the truth will prevail and light and love will win.”
Rumors began swirling of a rift on set when eagle-eyed fans noticed that Baldoni was absent for joint press interviews for the film and did not pose for group photos with cast members at the premiere.
Months after the speculation, The New York Times reported that Lively accused Baldoni of sexual harassment in a lawsuit, which was obtained by Us. (Freedman called Lively’s accusations “completely false, outrageous and intentionally salacious” in a statement to Us.)
The alleged audio mirrored what Baldoni and other plaintiffs claimed in their December 2024 lawsuit, where they sued The New York Times for its coverage of Lively’s accusations. (A spokesperson for The New York Times told Us that the outlet is planning to “vigorously defend against the lawsuit.”)
“The Wayfarer team and their families, including Baldoni and [producer Jamey] Heath, were segregated from the main cast, barred from the exclusive after-party, and forced to organize their own event at additional cost,” the filing reads. “Baldoni’s participation on the red carpet was cut short, and his family and friends were confined to a makeshift holding area in the basement before being escorted into a separate theater after Lively’s departure.”
The lawsuit continues, “Not only had Lively stolen the Film, but she also robbed Baldoni and his team of any genuine opportunity to celebrate their hard work.”
“Everyone is quick to assume the worst things,” Trista, 52, exclusively told Us Weekly while talking about her stint on Special Forces. “I think it’s human nature, honestly. I mean, I didn’t know what happened to the world. I’m like, ‘All of you have lost your minds.’ Sorry, but why the huge hubbub about this?”
After posting a series of cryptic social media posts in May 2024, Ryan, 50, sparked fan concern that he and Trista were on the rocks. After Ryan shared that Trista would not be spending Mother’s Day with their children, son Maxwell, 16, and daughter Blakesley, 15, rumors ramped up that there was trouble in paradise.
In actuality, Trista was away filming Special Forces and could not address the speculation surrounding their romance.
“I had people texting me nonstop, ‘Are you OK? What’s happening? Are you having a nervous breakdown? Did you guys get divorced? Are you having a trial separation? What’s happening?’” Trista recalled. “I’m like, ‘No, no, no, no, no,’ to all of the things. You’ll find out why and it’ll all make sense.”
Despite the drama, Trista said she has one positive takeaway: the outpouring of support for their relationship.
John Parra/Getty Images for Sandals Resorts
“I do have to say it made me feel good that people actually cared,” Trista said. “We’ve been married for 21 years. The show was on a really long time ago, and the fact that people still care was very humbling to me and very sweet, even though it was very chaotic.” (Trista and Ryan got engaged during The Bachelorette season 1 in 2003.)
While acknowledging that Ryan’s previous post was “cryptic,” Trista explained that she thinks the message was fitting given the circumstance.
“If you go back and you read [his post], it’s like, ‘I miss you. I wish I could be there for you,’” Trista said. “It makes total sense. I wish that people wouldn’t jump to conclusions, but at the same time, I feel like it’s just human nature and people are going to do it.”
Trista Sutter.PETE DADDS / FOX
Now, the couple is enjoying watching her compete on Special Forces. (Trista voluntarily withdrew from the competition during the Wednesday, January 15, episode.)
“I think they’re surprised that I did this,” she said, “and that I could get through the things that I got through.”
Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test airs on FOX Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET.
“Forty-two years ago, for reasons beyond my comprehension, David Lynch plucked me out of obscurity to star in his first and last big budget movie. He clearly saw something in me that even I didn’t recognize. I owe my entire career, and life really, to his vision,” MacLachlan, 65, wrote via Instagram on Thursday, January 16. “What I saw in him was an enigmatic and intuitive man with a creative ocean bursting forth inside of him. He was in touch with something the rest of us wish we could get to.”
MacLachlan wrote that his friendship with Lynch “blossomed” on Blue Velvet and Twin Peaks, gushing that he “always found him to be the most authentically alive person I’d ever met.” (Lynch directed both the film and TV show, while MacLachlan starred in them.)
“David was in tune with the universe and his own imagination on a level that seemed to be the best version of human. He was not interested in answers because he understood that questions are the drive that make us who we are. They are our breath,” MacLachlan wrote. “While the world has lost a remarkable artist, I’ve lost a dear friend who imagined a future for me and allowed me to travel in worlds I could never have conceived on my own.”
Alongside the message, MacLachlan shared a series of photos of him and Lynch through the years.
“I can see him now, standing up to greet me in his backyard, with a warm smile and big hug and that Great Plains honk of a voice. We’d talk coffee, the joy of the unexpected, the beauty of the world, and laugh,” he wrote. “His love for me and mine for him came out of the cosmic fate of two people who saw the best things about themselves in each other.”
Courtesy of Kyle Maclachlan/Instagram
MacLachlan continued, “I will miss him more than the limits of my language can tell and my heart can bear. My world is that much fuller because I knew him and that much emptier now that he’s gone. David, I remain forever changed, and forever your Kale. Thank you for everything.”
News broke on Thursday that Lynch died following a battle with emphysema, which he was diagnosed with in 2020 after decades of smoking.
“It is with deep regret that we, his family, announce the passing of the man and the artist, David Lynch,” Lynch’s family wrote in a Facebook post. “We would appreciate some privacy at this time. There’s a big hole in the world now that he’s no longer with us. But, as he would say, ‘Keep your eye on the donut and not on the hole.’ It’s a beautiful day with golden sunshine and blue skies all the way.”
News broke on Thursday, January 16, that Baldoni, 40, his studio and other plaintiffs sued Lively, 37, Reynolds, 48, and her publicist, Leslie Sloane, for $400 million in damages.
In one portion of the 120-page lawsuit, which was obtained by Us Weekly, Baldoni alleged that Lively “continued to break character” in a montage scene and “speak as herself rather than as Lily, which was extremely confusing for Baldoni.”
“Lively apologized for the smell of her spray tan and body makeup. Baldoni responded, ‘It smells good,’ and continued acting, slow dancing as he believed his character would with his partner, which requires some amount of physical touching,” the filing read. (In Lively’s December 2024 lawsuit against Baldoni, she claimed of the same scene, “At one point, he leaned forward and slowly dragged his lips from her ear and down her neck as he said, ‘It smells so good.’ None of this was remotely in character, or based on any dialogue in the script, and nothing needed to be said because, again, there was no sound — Mr. Baldoni was caressing Mr. Lively with his mouth in a way that had nothing to do with their roles. When Ms. Lively later objected to this behavior, Ms. Baldoni’s response was, ‘I’m not even attracted to you.’”)
According to Baldoni, “Lively took them out of character again and began to joke about Baldoni’s nose, which he laughed off and joked in turn, even as Lively joked that he should get plastic surgery,” his lawsuit stated.
The lawsuit included a footnote, which read, “Lively alleges Baldoni inappropriately commented on her physical appearance. It was the other way around.” (The footnote was referring to Lively’s December 2024 lawsuit, where she sued Baldoni for sexual harassment and alleged he body-shamed her on set. Baldoni denied all allegations.)
Gotham/GC Images/Getty Images
Baldoni’s Thursday filing claims that despite Lively alleging the scene was filmed without sound, he was wearing a microphone during the scene — and that the exchange between him and Lively is captured on camera.
“Any suggestion that this scene was filmed in any manner other than pure professionalism by Baldoni is unequivocally countered with actual evidence,” the filing read. “Her allegation of sexual harassment is a documented and knowingly fabricated lie.”
Baldoni referenced Lively’s alleged “derogatory comments” about his appearance later in the lawsuit, claiming that he “has publicly expressed insecurities about and has discussed on an episode of his podcast, ‘Man Enough,’ exploring the topic of body dysmorphia.”
“Lively’s comment about Baldoni’s nose is also captured on camera,” the lawsuit read. “Baldoni, rather than write down a list of grievances against Lively, brushed it off and moved on with the scene.”
After the lawsuit, Baldoni’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, shared in a statement to Us, “This lawsuit is a legal action based on an overwhelming amount of untampered evidence detailing Blake Lively and her team’s duplicitous attempt to destroy Justin Baldoni, his team and their respective companies by disseminating grossly edited, unsubstantiated, new and doctored information to the media.”
The statement continued, “It is clear based on our own all out willingness to provide all complete text messages, emails, video footage and other documentary evidence that was shared between the parties in real time, that this is a battle she will not win and will certainly regret. Blake Lively was either severely misled by her team or intentionally and knowingly misrepresented the truth.”
“Ms. Lively will never again be allowed to continue to exploit actual victims of real harassment solely for her personal reputation gain at the expense of those without power,” the statement read. “Let’s not forget, Ms. Lively and her team attempted to bulldoze reputations and livelihoods for heinously selfish reasons through their own dangerous manipulation of the media before even taking any actual legal action. We know the truth, and now the public does too. Justin and his team have nothing to hide, documents do not lie.”
Us reached out to Lively’s rep, defendant Sloane, for comment.
After rumors began swirling of a rift between Baldoni and Lively on the set of It Ends With Us, The New York Times broke the news that Lively sued Baldoni for sexual harassment. Baldoni denied all accusations against him made in the December 2024 lawsuit.
Baldoni, among 10 plaintiffs, fired back in a lawsuit days later and sued The New York Times $250 million for its coverage of Lively’s accusations. (A spokesperson for the The New York Times told Us at the time that the outlet is planning to “vigorously defend against the lawsuit.”)
Lively filed a lawsuit against Baldoni the same day in a New York federal court which mirrored her earlier claims that had been filed with the California Civil Rights Department.
Justin Baldoni, Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds.Getty Images (3)
In his bombshell new lawsuit,Justin Baldoni claimed one of Blake Lively and husband Ryan Reynolds’ A-list friends got involved in what went down behind-the-scenes on It Ends With Us.
In the 120-page document, which was obtained by Us Weekly on Thursday, January 16, Baldoni, 40, and his studio sued Lively, 37, Reynolds, 48, and her publicist, Leslie Sloane, for $400 million in damages.
In one part of the filing, Baldoni alleged that Lively sent him a draft of the infamous rooftop scene in the film which “dramatically differed” from the original. While Baldoni was “hesitant” about the changes, the lawsuit claimed he “thanked Lively for her passion and diplomatically told her that the scene would likely end up being somewhere between the original version and Lively’s version.”
Lively allegedly did not respond to him and “went silent for multiple days.” She later shared in a text message that Baldoni’s response “of course, didn’t feel great for me. Or [another megacelebrity friend and Ryan Reynolds]. To have my passion praised instead of my specific contribution.”
Lively and Reynolds had allegedly hosted a meeting at their New York City apartment where Baldoni was met with praise by Reynolds and the aforementioned friend for Lively’s version of the scene.
“Hours later, as the meeting was ending, a famous, and famously close, friend of Reynolds and Lively, walked into the room and similarly began praising Lively’s script,” the lawsuit read. “Baldoni understood the subtext: he needed to comply with Lively’s direction for the script.”
Jose Perez/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images
Baldoni allegedly felt obligated to text Lively that he liked the scene and didn’t need Reynolds or the “megacelebrity friend” to “pressure” him. Lively replied that her pal and Reynolds were her “dragons.”
“They [Reynolds and the megacelebrity friend] also know I’m not always good at making sure I’m seen and utilized for fear of threatening egos, or fear of affecting the ease of the process,” Lively allegedly wrote. “They don’t give a shit about that. And because of that, everyone listens to them with immense respect and enthusiasm. So I guess I have to stop worrying about people liking me (‘I don’t know’ emoji) [emphasis added].”
The lawsuit claimed that Baldoni was “not just dealing with Lively,” adding that he was now facing her “dragons.” The paperwork claimed that Reynolds and the friend are “two of the most influential and wealthy celebrities in the world, who were not afraid to make things very difficult for him.”
Following the lawsuit, Baldoni’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, shared in a statement to Us, “This lawsuit is a legal action based on an overwhelming amount of untampered evidence detailing Blake Lively and her team’s duplicitous attempt to destroy Justin Baldoni, his team and their respective companies by disseminating grossly edited, unsubstantiated, new and doctored information to the media.”
The statement continued, “It is clear based on our own all out willingness to provide all complete text messages, emails, video footage and other documentary evidence that was shared between the parties in real time, that this is a battle she will not win and will certainly regret. Blake Lively was either severely misled by her team or intentionally and knowingly misrepresented the truth.”
“Ms. Lively will never again be allowed to continue to exploit actual victims of real harassment solely for her personal reputation gain at the expense of those without power,” the statement read. “Let’s not forget, Ms. Lively and her team attempted to bulldoze reputations and livelihoods for heinously selfish reasons through their own dangerous manipulation of the media before even taking any actual legal action. We know the truth, and now the public does too. Justin and his team have nothing to hide, documents do not lie.”
Us reached out to Lively’s rep, defendant Sloane, for comment.
Rumors began swirling of a feud between Lively and Baldoni on the set of It Ends With Us in August 2024 when the twosome did not appear during press together. At the film’s New York City premiere, Lively claimed that Reynolds actually wrote the aforementioned rooftop scene. After Lively’s admission, screenwriter Christy Hall claimed that she was unaware someone rewrote the script and thought it had been improvised.
Months later, The New York Times broke the news that Lively sued Baldoni for sexual harassment. Baldoni denied all accusations against him made in the December 2024 lawsuit, which was obtained by Us.
Days later, Baldoni was among 10 plaintiffs who sued The New York Times$250 million for its coverage of Lively’s accusation. (A spokesperson for the The New York Times told Us at the time that the outlet is planning to “vigorously defend against the lawsuit.”)
The same day, Lively filed a lawsuit against Baldoni in a New York federal court which mirrored her earlier claims that had been filed with the California Civil Rights Department.
Hours after her procedure, Arnold, 31, took to TikTok on Wednesday, January 15, to clap back at a user who told her she’d “regret” the cosmetic surgery.
The pro dancer lip-synced to the viral audio, “Girl, don’t do it, it’s not worth it. I’m not going to do it, girl, I was just thinking about it. I’m not going to do it.” At the end of the clip, Arnold mouthed, “I did it,” while opening up her shirt to reveal her bandages after the operation.
“New have entered the chat and zero regrets here ,” Arnold captioned the upload. In response, James, 33, commented, “LMAOO!! Congrats Linds .”
One month before undergoing the procedure, Arnold announced that she planned to get a breast augmentation and lift, calling it her “Christmas present.” Arnold said in a December 2024 TikTok, “It’s something I’m very excited about. I know there’s mixed opinions on this type of thing, and so I get it. … If it’s not for you, it’s not for you.”
Arnold, who has yet to return to DWTS since her season with James, explained that she and her husband “are not done having babies” but were not in a rush. “I just decided I didn’t want to wait,” she said in a separate TikTok. “Obviously, [I] know there are chances I’d maybe need to get a lift later on in life or whatever, but I just don’t want to wait anymore. … We’re just putting [family planning] on pause a bit longer.”
Arnold and James formed a friendship after being partnered together on DWTS season 30, where they were eliminated on Disney Villains night. In July 2024, James and his then-girlfriend, Rachael Kirkconnell, visited Arnold and her family in Utah. (Arnold is mom to daughters Sage, 4, and June, 20 months, whom she shares with husband Sam Cusick.) Arnold gushed in a TikTok at the time that James and Kirkconnell were their “favorite guests.”
Rachael Kirkconnell and Matt JamesManny Hernandez/Wireimage/Getty Images
Months following the trip, James announced he and Kirkconnell called it quits. “Father God, give Rachael and I strength to mend our broken hearts. Give us a peace about this decision to end our relationship that transcends worldly understanding,” James wrote via Instagram on Thursday, January 16, alongside a photo of him and Kirkconnell on The Bachelor season 25.
“For Jessica, he is not what she needs,” a source exclusively tells Us Weekly of former NFL player Johnson, 45. “It’s just not working and hasn’t for a while.”
The insider adds that Johnson is a “great dad” to his and Simpson’s three children: Maxwell, 12, Ace, 11, and Birdie, 5. “She has the best kids and they are healthy and love is there,” the source says.
Although Simpson, 44, is “happy and healthy,” the insider adds that her relationship with Johnson had been on the rocks.
“She isn’t going to worry about [what he is doing] and is doing her thing too,” the source says. “She has her own mind, money, and family support for whatever happens.”
After months of speculation surrounding her relationship status with Johnson, Simpson revealed earlier this week that the pair called it quits after 10 years of marriage.
“Eric and I have been living separately navigating a painful situation in our marriage,” Simpson said in a statement to Us on Monday, January 13. “Our children come first, and we are focusing on what is best for them. We are grateful for all of the love and support that has been coming our way, and appreciate privacy right now as we work through this as a family.”
Simpson sparked split rumors in November 2024 when she teased her new music and called her comeback “personal,” writing via Instagram that “it’s an apology to myself for putting up with everything I did not deserve .”
After Jessica’s sister, Ashlee Simpson, went on to slam split speculation when asked by TMZ later that month, Johnson was spotted without his wedding ring.
Amid the rumors, a separate source exclusively told Us that Jessica and Johnson were “living separately.” A third insider added that they were “trying to figure out a separation without disrupting their kids’ lives as much as possible.”
A fourth source called Jessica “heartbroken” over the marital woes. The insider added, “[It was] not an easy decision for her.”
Following the split, Us confirmed that Simpson’s house is currently for sale at an asking price of $17.9 million. The new price is over $4 million less than her original $22 million price point. After purchasing the property in 2013 from Ozzy and SharonOsbourne for $11.5 million, Simpson put it up for sale in September 2023. Simpson took it off the market in August 2024, but relisted the home on Saturday, January 11.
The real estate listing was reactivated days after wildfires spread across the Los Angeles area, forcing tens of thousands to evacuate. Simpson seemingly shared that she and her family left their home. “We stayed as long as we could ,” she wrote via her Instagram Story on January 9.
Nick Viall and his wife, Natalie Joy, are shedding light on why they have opted not to address past speculation that she was unfaithful.
“Having River, you realize what’s important in life, [and it’s] protecting our family,” Joy, 26, told Bustle in an interview published on Thursday, January 16, referring to the couple’s 23-month-old daughter. “That’s why we don’t give oxygen to any rumors about us. Then it’s going to be a headline.”
Joy explained that their daughter may see the theories one day. “She’s like, ‘Wait. What happened?’” Joy said of their little one’s hypothetical reaction. “And it’s like, none of it matters. We know what the truth is. We know what happens in our lives.”
Rumors began swirling on Reddit in May 2024 that Joy cheated on Viall, 44, around the time the couple got engaged. (Viall popped the question to Joy in January 2023 after more than two years of dating.)
The speculation ramped up when Harry Jowsey referenced the theories in an Instagram comment as a way to clap back at Viall for discussing his appearance on Netflix’s Perfect Match on the “Viall Files” podcast.
“He can’t keep my dick out of his mouth ,” Jowsey, 27, wrote in June 2024. “50 year old man gossiping about people in their 20s dating, he should be more focused on his wife cheating on him and repairing that then worrying about me .”
Anna Webber/Getty Images for Prime Video
While not addressing the speculation directly, Viall discussed “rumors” during an appearance on the “Lady Gang” podcast that month.
“I’m aware of a ton of rumors about me. And I know that I’m unaware of 90 percent more because I don’t read it,” he said. “I don’t read my own press. I don’t read my comments. I’m not on Reddit — I actively stay off of it. And I’m just unaware of things that people say.”
During the more recent Bustle interview, the former Bachelor reflected on the criticism of their romance and shared that he previously did not embrace the pair’s 18-year age gap.
“When we first started dating, I was very self-conscious about the age gap,” Viall told Bustle. “But I didn’t want to be so self-conscious about it that I didn’t let [our relationship] happen.”
Courtesy of Natalie Joy Viall/Instagram
Viall explained that he believes people should protect their own “energy” above everything else in life.
“When people say to me that I’m [hated], it hurts my feelings. … But I have the ability to not go down a rabbit hole and try to justify myself to someone I’ve never met,” Viall said. “That’s really helped us, you know? [Especially] as new parents — what’s the best use of our energy?”
Danny Keough and Lisa Marie PresleyPaul Harris/Getty Images
The late Lisa Marie Presley and ex-husband Danny Keough’s whirlwind romance continued to make headlines years after their split.
After first meeting in 1985, Presley and Keough exchanged vows in October 1988. The couple welcomed daughter Riley Keough and son Benjamin Keough in 1989 and 1992, respectively. (Benjamin died by suicide at age 27 in July 2020.)
“Their life was very simple,” Riley said of her parents during a January 2025 episode of the “Call Her Daddy” podcast. “Not with the press and the craziness. But in terms of at home, she didn’t have ten million assistants. She didn’t need all of that. And I think that changed.”
Following their split, Lisa Marie moved on with Michael Jackson. The twosome secretly tied the knot less than three weeks after her divorce from Danny was finalized. (After her divorce from Jackson in 1996, Lisa Marie was married to Nicolas Cage from 2002 to 2004 and to Michael Lockwood from 2006 to 2021. Lisa Marie and Lockwood welcomed twins Harper and Finley in 2008.)
Keep scrolling to read Lisa Marie and Danny’s relationship timeline:
1985
Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic/Getty Images
The couple first crossed paths.
October 1988
Lisa Marie and Danny tied the knot.
1989
The pair welcomed their first child, daughter Riley.
Lisa Marie and Danny added son Benjamin to their family.
1994
CHRIS DELMAS/AFP via Getty Images
The twosome called it quits.
2003
Following their split, Lisa Marie and Danny remained close. “The smartest thing I’ve ever done is have children with this man because I knew this is the one man I could be connected to for the rest of my life,” Lisa Marie said during a 2003 interview with Rolling Stone.
2005
Lisa Marie told People in 2005 that her relationship with Danny was “like brother and sister.”
“Ultimately this is a good message to send out to people: You don’t have to put your crap on your kids even if you are not together. You can still be civilized,” she said at the time. “I knew at the age that I had the kids with him that Danny was someone I could be connected with for the rest of my life. I knew he would be a good father.”
In Lisa Marie’s memoir, published posthumously, she revealed that she regretted getting an abortion during her relationship with Danny.
“I’d never gotten pregnant with any other person, which is fascinating because I’d been equally as sloppy, not using birth control or whatever,” Lisa Marie wrote. “With Danny it happened the first time, and then it happened again when we got back together.”
Lisa Marie recalled not knowing about her first pregnancy for four months. She went to the hospital after experiencing “horrible pains.” According to Lisa Marie, doctors initially thought it was her appendix. “They had rushed me into surgery,” she wrote. “When I came around, they told me I’d had an ectopic pregnancy.”
With her second pregnancy, Lisa Marie and Danny “didn’t know what to do” so she had an abortion. She wrote, “It was the stupidest thing I’ve ever done in my whole life. I was devastated. I did it and we both cried. We were both destroyed and not long after that we fell apart and broke up. I couldn’t live with myself.”
The pair ultimately reconciled. “I planned and I plotted and I schemed,” Lisa Marie wrote, noting that she knew “exactly” when she was ovulating and went to visit Danny. “I remember getting back on the ship hoping I’d f—ing done it.”
Lisa Marie admitted she “didn’t really mean” to trap Danny, while Riley wrote in her portion of the book that her mom “absolutely meant to trap my dad.” (Riley finished From Here to the Great Unknown following Lisa Marie’s death at age 54 in January 2023.)
Both Lisa Marie and Riley claimed there were “multiple attempts” from Priscilla to stop Danny from being a part of their lives. “It felt like me and Danny against everybody,” Lisa Marie recalled.
2025
Riley shared details of her dynamics with her parents during an episode of the “Call Her Daddy” podcast. “There were just not a lot of boundaries. It was very, like, everyone knew everything about everybody. If I was breaking up with a boyfriend, she was involved,” Riley said of her mom. “Everyone, my brother, my dad. We’re very enmeshed, I think.”
“Yeah, she wasn’t super proud of me,” Adams, 40, told Entertainment Weekly in an interview published on Tuesday, January 14. “I mean, there’s vows that we said for better or worse, so she can’t divorce me over this. She was bummed, I think.”
Adams, who wed the Modern Family alum in 2022, explained that he asked for Hyland’s thoughts after she watched the show one morning.
“I’m like, ‘What did you think?’ And she was like, ‘Yeah, you don’t look that bad.’ I’m like, ‘It’s that bad, isn’t it?’” he said. “I think she thought that I would win. I thought that I would win, and then I didn’t. So here we are.”
Adams was the first contestant to be banished during season 3 of The Traitors, which premiered on Thursday, January 9. After steering during the dragon boat mission, Adams was singled out by The Real Housewives of the Potomac’s Robyn Dixon for appearing “uncomfortable” after the traitors were chosen.
Before his exit, Adams said he interacted with Dixon “so much.” He explained, “That’s why it was so hurtful. There are times when you’re not filming because you’re in a car going somewhere or whatever, or there’s times when you’re just not filming and you’re chitchatting about life and stuff. She was one of those people that I was around all the time. And so when she called me out, I was actually hurt. I was like, ‘I know about your family, we’ve talked about your podcast. I know all this stuff, and you’re saying that I’m acting different.’”
Euan Cherry/Peacock
While reflecting on being eliminated from the show, Adams said he has an idea about why people suspected him of being a traitor. (Host Alan Cumming chose Bob the Drag Queen, Danielle Reyes and Carolyn Wiger to be traitors. Rob “Boston Rob” Mariano joined the crew after they murdered The Real Housewives of New York City’s Dorinda Medley.)
“I’ve done over 150 episodes of reality TV — and when cameras aren’t rolling, I’m saving my energy,” Adams explained. “When I was on the radio, I wouldn’t be cracking jokes unless the mic was on and I was doing the show. So, I think that’s what people saw was, I would turn on when the cameras were on because I knew we were making this show. And then when I wasn’t [on camera], I would be like, ‘I’m going to chill and hang out.’”
Adams noted that his behavior was different from that of the Housewives. (Dixon, Medley, The Real Housewives of Dubai’s Chanel Ayan and The Real Housewives of New Jersey’s Dolores Catania were all cast on season 3.)
“With the Housewives, the one thing I noticed is that they are constantly like that. I remember being like, ‘It’s got to be exhausting to be you,’” he said. “You’re always yelling at people and going crazy. You got to chill out, man. Your blood pressure must be off the Richter scale. When they said, ‘I think that you’re acting different,’ it was just, ‘No, I’m not going to tell the joke that I think would be funny for TV when the cameras aren’t rolling.’”
The Traitors season 3 airs on Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET on Peacock.
Travis Kelce and Patrick MahomesGrant Halverson/Getty Images
Patrick Mahomes has all eyes on the prize — and Travis Kelce — as the Kansas City Chiefs gear up for the playoffs.
Mahomes, 29, said during a Tuesday, January 14, press conference that he has big hopes for Kelce, 35, when the Chiefs play against the Houston Texans on Saturday, January 18.
“I think the greats step up in the playoffs,” the quarterback said. “It’s just higher intensity and the best players and the best leaders step up and make the best plays. He’s done that and so I expect the same from him going into this playoffs.”
Mahomes noted that the tight end’s mentality when he steps onto the football field “resonates with the entire team” and “gets everybody to play their best football.” Mahomes added, “And that’s what it takes in order to win championships.”
Kelce rested during Week 18 when the Chiefs faced off against the Denver Broncos, listed as inactive alongside other starters for the January 5 game. The team had already secured home field advantage and a first round bye in the NFL playoffs.
The Chiefs clinched the No. 1 seed in the AFC on December 25, 2024, after winning against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Cooper Neill/Getty Images
“I thought it was a full-team performance. Defense stepped up, offense stepped up [and] everyone had their imprint on the game,” Mahomes told reporters after the game. “I told my pregnant wife [Brittany Mahomes] I was going to get the No. 1 seed, so we can have the baby.” (The couple, who wed in 2022, welcomed daughter Golden Ray on January 12. They also share daughter Sterling, 3, and son Bronze, 2.)
When speaking with reporters on January 1, head coach Andy Reid said he wasn’t “worried” about benching the starters.
“I’ve been through that before, so I’m not worried about all that,” Reid, 66, explained at the time. “It gives the other guys an opportunity here to grow and you can use everybody.”
Reid added the “primary thing is to make sure that we stay sharp in all areas through this game and for the upcoming weeks.”
“We want to stay sharp mentally and physically and then that’s our responsibility to do that and how we manage the time,” he said. “I make sure I do that practice-wise and the guys go out, players and coaches, and work on that.”
The Chiefs are set to take on the Houston Texans on Saturday, January 18.
Joan Vassos and Chock Chapple.Jesse Grant/Getty Images for iHeartRadio
Former Golden Bachelorette Joan Vassos and her fiancé, Chock Chapple, are still narrowing down a date for their upcoming nuptials.
When asked by a user during an Instagram Story Q&A when the couple were planning to tie the knot, Chock, 61, replied, “We get asked all the time.”
“Somebody today at lunch said, ’[20]25?’” Chock recalled on Tuesday, January 14. “And I said, ‘Maybe at the end of [20]25 or [20]26.’”
Chock said that he and Joan, 62, are continuing to get “closer” while “having a lot of fun together just getting to know each other.” He added, “So it’s time well spent.”
Chock popped the question to Joan during the season 1 finale of The Golden Bachelorette, which aired in November 2024. After the couple celebrated their engagement, Joan and Chock exclusively told Us Weekly that they weren’t walking down the aisle anytime soon — unlike former Golden Bachelor Gerry Turner and his ex-wife, Theresa Nist.
Disney/Gilles Mingasson
“You’re absolutely not going to see a TV wedding in three months. I loved that ending for Gerry and Theresa,” Joan told Us. “The reason we’re not having a wedding in three months has nothing to do with Gerry and Theresa. I just don’t want to have another thing I have to plan right now. When we come together for a wedding, which could be a TV wedding, might not be, it won’t be in three months. I just don’t want to have another thing to plan right now. We are loving being together, and I want to take the time for us to get to know each other’s families and friends.”
For now, Joan and Chock planned to find a new residence in New York City — a location that is near their East Coast based kids. (Joan shared four kids with late husband John Vassos, while Chock welcomed two children with ex-wife Heather.)
“This first year, obviously, we have to kind of figure out life. Chock has a business in Kansas. I have kids and grandkids and Maryland. I’m not leaving Maryland, but he does have obligations in Kansas,” Joan told Us. “We know that we’re gonna spend time in Maryland and in Kansas, but then we have this really fun plan because both of us have always dreamed — and we’re finally at this weird stage in life for making this dream come true — that we live in a big city, and, specifically, we’ve always wanted to live in New York. So Chock surprised me and said, ‘I want us to go find a place.’”
TikTok star Deborah Finckdied at age 57 after battling a rare form of cancer.
The Nanny 911 alum’s daughter Katerina announced her death on social media. (Katerina is one of Finck’s six children, whom she had in three sets of twins.)
“To my mommy, my best friend, my sunshine — thank you for everything you’ve done for me,” Katerina wrote via Instagram on Tuesday, January 14. “You were the most beautiful mother and the best mommy anyone could ever ask for. You taught me strength, courage, bravery, and what it means to truly love and never give up. You believed in me, stood by me, and showed me the meaning of unconditional love.”
She continued, “You will always be remembered, never replaced. You were the sunshine of my life, and every time I see a sunflower, I will know you are here with me. .”
Alongside the message, Katerina shared a carousel of photos featuring her and Finck through the years. “Thank you to everyone who loved my mommy and showed her kindness. Your support means the world to us,” she wrote.
Katerina noted that fans could donate to the Ronald McDonald House in Finck’s honor and in lieu of sending flowers. “I love you, mommy, forever and always. ,” Katerina concluded.
Deborah, who was married to Paul Finck, was diagnosed with a rare soft tissue cancer called leiomyosarcoma five years ago. Following Deborah’s death, Paul shared a tribute for his late wife.
Courtesy of Deborah Finck/Instagram
“Today, my heart is shattered as I share the news that my beloved wife, Deborah, has passed away. After a brave and relentless five-year battle with cancer, she left this world peacefully, surrounded by love,” he wrote via Instagram on Tuesday. “Deborah was my partner in every sense of the word—my confidant, my rock, the love of my life, and my eternal soul mate. Together, we built a life filled with love, laughter, and countless memories I will cherish forever.”
Paul noted that “one of Deborah’s greatest gifts” was her “incredible devotion” as a mother to their six children: Amanda, Alexandra, Stephen, Katerina, David and Daniel.
“She poured her heart and soul into raising them, instilling in them her values of kindness, integrity, and resilience,” Paul wrote. “She was their greatest cheerleader, their guiding light, and their constant source of unconditional love. Her impact on their lives is immeasurable, and her legacy will live on through them.”
Paul continued, “Deborah’s strength was extraordinary, her courage boundless, and her love unconditional. She brought light into every room she entered and touched the lives of everyone she met with her warmth, compassion, and unwavering grace.”
Paul noted that his “world feels emptier without her,” but added that he knows “Deborah’s spirit will forever live on in the lives of those she touched.” He added, “She gave so much of herself to this world, leaving behind a legacy of love, selflessness, and the most beautiful family I could ever hope for.”
Paul shared a throwback snap of him and Deborah smiling as they embraced beside a Christmas tree.
“Deborah, my love, you were my everything, and losing you is a pain I cannot put into words. But I will carry you with me in every step I take, every decision I make, and every moment I live,” he wrote. “Rest now, my love. Your battle is over, and you are free. Until we meet again, you will always be in my heart.”
Paul signed the message, “With all my love, Always and Forever.”
Before her death, Deborah publicly shared videos she made saying goodbye to Paul and their kids. In December 2024, she gushed over her husband and thanked him for their marriage.
“My husband always tucks me in bed at night,” she said via TikTok. “Even before I got sick, it was a thing where he stayed up late nights working, and he would always tuck me in bed and kiss me. But I was just brushing my teeth, and he was hugging me while I was brushing my teeth, and he said to me, ‘I just want to hug you forever.'”
Eric Johnson, Keri D’AngeloAmy Graves/WireImage/Getty Images;Courtesy of Keri D'Angelo Cohen/Instagram
Eric Johnson and Keri D’Angelo’s love story came to an end the year before he met his estranged wife, Jessica Simpson.
Johnson and D’Angelo tied the knot in 2005. After four years of marriage, the pair separated in 2009. Johnson and D’Angelo finalized their divorce a year later.
The NFL alum moved on with Simpson — he popped the question in 2010 after six months of dating. “He knocked on my dreamy cottage door (sigh), I let him in and never let him leave,” Simpson wrote via Instagram in 2020, noting that she “fell head over slippers in love” on that day.
Before walking down the aisle, the couple welcomed daughter Maxwell in 2012 and son Ace in 2013. They went on to tie the knot in 2014, welcoming daughter Birdie in 2019.
Simpson announced in 2025 that she and Johnson had parted ways. “Eric and I have been living separately navigating a painful situation in our marriage,” she said in a statement to Us Weekly. “Our children come first, and we are focusing on what is best for them. We are grateful for all of the love and support that has been coming our way, and appreciate privacy right now as we work through this as a family.”
Scroll down to see their relationship timeline:
2005
Johnson and D’Angelo exchanged vows in Napa, California, per the Daily Mail.
2009
The twosome separated in 2009 after four years of marriage.
2010
Eric Johnson and Jessica SimpsonAmanda Edwards/Getty Images
Johnson and D’Angelo divorced in January 2010, finalizing their split that October, per the Daily Mail.
Johnson met Simpson when he was still legally married to D’Angelo. He popped the question to Simpson in 2010.
2011
The pair’s split made headlines in 2011 when a friend of D’Angelo claimed Johnson was unfaithful, telling Star magazine that he was a “two-timing cheat.”
“He was still having sex with Keri after he started seeing Jessica,” the friend alleged, per the Daily Mail. “She needs to think twice before marrying him. He’s already cheated on her once — he’ll most likely do it again.” Simpson’s rep denied the allegations at the time, per the Daily Mail.
Julia Stiles is singing the praises of her 10 Things I Hate About You costar Heath Ledger years after his untimely death.
“He was amazing,” Stiles, 43, exclusively told E! News in an interview published on Tuesday, January 14. “He was such a bright light.”
While Stiles gushed that she and all of her costars had “such a good time and were close on that set” of the 1998 film, she recalled there being something different about Ledger’s interactions. “He just walked into the room and lit it up,” she said.
Stiles, who’s first-ever starring role was in the beloved romantic comedy, said Ledger “was very kind and generous to me.”
“Which you know, when you’re an actress in your first leading role in a big studio movie, you need to feel comfortable with the other person,” Stiles said. “And he was very generous that way.”
Stiles and Ledger played high school love interests in the film, which also starredJoseph Gordon-Levitt (Cameron James), Gabrielle Union (Chastity), Allison Janney (Ms. Perky), David Krumholtz (Michael Eckman), Larisa Oleynik (Bianca Stratford), Andrew Keegan (Joey Donner) and Susan May Pratt (Mandella).
Cover Images
Ledger died at age 28 in 2008 following an accidental drug overdose. The toxicology report released at the time showed that Ledger died from “acute intoxication by the combined effects of oxycodone, hydrocodone, diazepam, temazepam, alprazolam and doxylamine.”
While recalling filming with Ledger, Stiles said her character Kat Strafford’s paintball date with Heath’s Patrick Verona was “really, really fun.” Stiles also noted that the scene where Kat read her poem out loud in class elicited an emotional reaction.
“The scene where I read the poem, I did not expect to start crying or tearing up or choking up, whatever,” Stiles recalled. “But it just happened because the movie was coming to an end, the production was coming to an end. And I think I was just so moved by the whole experience.”
In the years following the release of 10 Things I Hate About You, Stiles revealed to Us Weekly in 2019 that her memories from the movie are slipping away.
“I have so many great memories from that movie that are fading because it has been 20 years,” Stiles said. “But it was just such a special time where we were all so excited.”
She added, “It was my first big job and I really loved that part because I hadn’t seen the character of a teenage girl so feisty before and that just felt really refreshing and I was really, really happy to be a part of it.”
“René, we can’t believe you’ve been gone nine years already,” Dion, 56, wrote via Instagram on Tuesday, January 14. “Not a day goes by that we don’t feel your presence, RC, Eddy, Nelson and I.”
Alongside her message, Dion shared a rare photo of her and their three kids: René-Charles, 23, and twins Eddy and Nelson, 14. The family smiled as they sat on an outdoor couch and posed in all-white attire.
“You were my greatest champion, my partner, and the one who always saw the best in me,” Dion concluded. “I honor you and you are forever missed mon amour…. We love you. — Celine xx…”
Dion and Angélil met in 1980 when she was 12 years old and he was married to Anne Renée, with whom he shared son Jean-Pierre and daughter Anne-Marie. The pair divorced in 1985. (He also shared son Patrick with first wife Denyse Duquette.)
Angélil went on to manage Dion’s career, and their relationship turned romantic in 1988. After keeping their relationship out of the spotlight until 1993, the couple tied the knot the following year. Angélil continued to manage Dion’s career until his retirement in 2014 after his diagnosis with throat cancer.
Angélil died at age 73 in 2016. “He will be remembered as a gentle man, generous and kind, an unprecedented visionary, a modern Pygmalion, a renaissance man,” Dion said in a statement shared via social media at the time. “All who had the privilege of knowing him and of working closely with him, whether personally or professionally, salute a leader and a man of great intelligence and wisdom.”
Dion, who publicly revealed her diagnosis with stiff-person syndrome in 2022, has continued to honor her late husband through the years and shared an emotional Instagram post to commemorate the fifth anniversary of his death.
“There’s not one day that we don’t think about you,” she wrote in 2021. “We’re reaching out to you now more than ever, to guide us, protect us, and continue to watch over us. And we pray that you’ll shine your love on the entire world, to all those at this very moment, who are facing incredibly difficult times. You are in our hearts and in our lives forever.”
In December 2024, Dion remembered Angélil on what would have been their 30th wedding anniversary. “You still fill our hearts, every day. You are everything for us. We miss you so much,” Dion captioned an Instagram post. “Happy 30th anniversary, mon amour!”
“One summer after my freshman year in college, I was just looking for work, and my mom said, ‘Well, you can be a process server for me,’” Schwimmer, 58, recalled on the Tuesday, January 14, episode of The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. “My mom was a divorce lawyer. I was the guy who would pop out of the bushes and serve you divorce papers.”
The Friends star, who was 18 at the time, joked that he felt like James Bond because he would get “tipped off” as to where people may be so he could serve them the papers.
“Once, oh man, thank goodness I’ve never run into him since, but I served Rod Stewart,” Schwimmer shared. “I don’t even know if he knows. I don’t think he knows.”
After Schwimmer’s admission, host Stephen Colbert quipped, “He knows now.” Colbert, 60, added, “Change your locks, man. He’s vengeful.”
Colbert joked that Stewart, 80, was going to come out on stage, before adding, “Wow, that is fantastic. You could theoretically run into Rod Stewart sometime and now he knows to punch you.”
While Schwimmer did not reveal who Stewart was married to at the time, the rocker and his first wife, Alana Stewart, divorced in 1984. Schwimmer would have been 18 years old that year. (Before their split, Rod and Alana, now 79, welcomed daughter Kimberly and son Sean in 1979 and 1980, respectively.)
Following his split from Alana, Rod went on to tie the knot with Rachel Hunter in 1990. Rod and Rachel, 55, welcomed daughter Renee and son Liam in 1992 and 1994, respectively. The pair split in 1999, finalizing their divorce in 2006.
Rod moved on with his current wife, Penny Lancaster, in 2007. The couple welcomed sons Alastair and Aiden in 2005 and 2011, respectively. (Rod is also dad to Sarah, whom he welcomed in 1963 with ex-girlfriend Susannah Boffey and Ruby, whom he welcomed in 1987 with ex-girlfriend Kelly Emberg.)
Rod previously credited Lancaster, 53, for bringing his children together. “For some of the kids when she first came into my life, they obviously thought, ‘Oh, money grabber,’” Rod said during an appearance on U.K. talk show Lorraine in 2016. “But she’s won them over entirely now. She’s a great girl.”
David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images for The Birley Clubs
Rod gushed that he appreciates parenthood more than ever “in old age,” adding, “I’ve got a hockey player, I’ve got a musician, I’ve got a ballet dancer, a jazz dancer and they are all pursuing wonderful careers. Extremely proud of them.”
Schwimmer, for his part, split from wife Zoë Buckman in 2017 after seven years of marriage. They share a 13-year-old daughter, Cleo.
“•Golden Raye Mahomes• 1/12/25,” the pair wrote in a joint Instagram post on Monday, January 13, alongside a black-and-white picture of the newborn’s feet.
The upload was quickly filled with congratulatory messages from fans and loved ones, with some celebs also subtly supporting the pair. Patrick’s Kansas City Chiefs teammate Travis Kelce’s girlfriend, Taylor Swift, sent her well-wishes by dropping a “like” on the post.
Ahead of the little one’s arrival, Patrick got candid about his thoughts on whether he and Brittany would continue to expand their family. (Patrick and Brittany, who wed in 2022, are also parents to daughter Sterling, 3, and son Bronze, 2.)
“I’m done, I’ll say that,” he told reporters at a Chiefs training camp press conference in July 2024. “I said three and I’m done.”
Scroll down to see who congratulated Brittany and Patrick:
Taylor Swift
Gareth Cattermole/TAS24/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management
The pop star hit the “like” button on the post.
The Chiefs
The NFL team sent their congratulations to the quarterback’s family. “Congratulations Patrick and Brittany! Welcome to Chiefs Kingdom, Golden ,” the official Chiefs Instagram account wrote in the comments section.
Jackson Mahomes
Patrick’s brother gushed over Golden’s arrival in the comments section, writing, “Uncle jack loves her so much already .” Jackson also took to his Instagram Story to repost the snap, which he set to Swift’s “Daylight.”
“Today was awesome getting to meet you sweet Golden! Can’t wait for the memories to come! You have the BEST PARENTS EVER!” he wrote, tagging Patrick and Brittany. “And best uncle.”
Travis and Jason Kelce
Christian Petersen/Getty Images
The official page for Travis and Jason’s “New Heights” podcast sent a message in the comments section of the upload. “Congratulations ,” the account wrote.
Caitlin Clark
Clark, a longtime fan of the Chiefs, wrote in the comments section of the post, “Congrats .”
Kristin Juszczyk
Kristin, the wife of San Francisco 49er’s Kyle Juszczyk, wrote in the comments section of the upload, “Congratulations!!! So incredibly excited for your family!”
The Hunt Family
The owners of the Chiefs took to the comments section of the post to share their congratulations. “Rejoicing with you! So thankful she arrived easily and you’re both thriving!,” Clark Hunt’s wife, Tavia Hunt, wrote, while daughter Gracie Hunt added, “Congratulations! .”
The Kansas City Current
The official Instagram account for the women’s soccer team, which Brittany co-owns, sent their well-wishes, writing, “Congratulations to you both .” The account also reposted the snap to their Instagram, writing, “The Mahomes are in their Golden era.” The KC Current captioned the post, “Congratulations to our co-owners @brittanylynne & @patrickmahomes on their baby girl .”
Union Station Kansas City
The Union Station Kansas City kept up with their tradition of honoring the Mahomes’ children.
“It’s a three-peat! Congratulations, Brittany and Patrick!” the official Instagram account wrote. “After celebratory lightings in February 2021 for baby Sterling and November 2022 for Patrick ‘Bronze’ Lavon, tonight Union Station is bathed in gold as we join the KC community in congratulating @brittanylynne and @patrickmahomes on the arrival of their third child, Golden Raye Mahomes.”
After several of Boss’ loved ones made the claim, TMZ obtained the document on Monday, January 13, reporting that family members are financially blocked from “collecting any money from a memoir about their relationship and his death.” According to the outlet, Boss’ family and others who signed the paperwork agreed to give Holker any money they received from press opportunities and books about him.
A source exclusively told Us Weekly that when Boss was alive, he “asked his family to sign his NDAs, when there were things involving his kids, like birthdays, which is commonplace for celebrities to do.”
The insider added that 100 percent of the proceeds from Holker’s upcoming memoir, This Far: My Story of Love, Loss, and Embracing the Light, are going to mental health charities. “She is making no money off this book,” the source claimed. (Holker previously shared that she planned to give the profits from the book to the foundation she set up in Boss’ memory.)
In an excerpt from Holker’s memoir obtained by Us, the dancer wrote that there was “conflict” over how Boss’ body would be displayed at the service. Holker, 36, claimed his family “insisted” on an open casket because of an African American tradition.
Holker ultimately agreed that a “small group” of people could view the open casket before it was closed for the rest of the wake. However, Holker didn’t want there to be any photographs taken during the casket viewing, which she thought would be an “obvious” choice.
“I couldn’t risk any photo getting leaked to the press or splashed across social media platforms and becoming the lasting image that people would have of him. My children absolutely, positively could not stumble upon such a photograph at some later date,” she wrote. “At the advice of my lawyers, I insisted that everybody who viewed the open casket sign a nondisclosure agreement to protect Stephen’s privacy, a requirement that exasperated his family. ‘If we have to sign NDAs,’ they said, ‘then everybody has to sign NDAs.’ ‘No problem,’ I replied.”
Boss died by suicide at age 40 in December 2022. More than two years later, Holker received backlash from fans, fellow So You Think You Can Dance alums and Boss’ family for sharing personal details about his life in her upcoming memoir. Holker’s eldest daughter defended her earlier this month — and explained why the NDAs were necessary at Boss’ service.
VALERIE MACON/AFP via Getty Images
“Y’all love to argue about the NDAs,” Weslie, 16, said in a Friday, January 10, Instagram video. (Weslie is Holker’s daughter from a previous relationship. Holker and Boss shared son Maddox, 8, and daughter Zaia, 5.)
She continued, “But in one day, we had an open casket viewing for Stephen. We had a funeral, and then we had a week, and my mom asked for NDAs to be signed when we were seeing Stephen’s body because God forbid somebody that went to that took a photo of Stephen and put it on the internet or shared it with somebody else. That’s the type of thing that NDAs are for. It’s not so you can never talk about Stephen.”
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