• Beyoncé has confirmed the "Cowboy Carter" tour is happening.
• The singer is going on the road in 2025, but has yet to share dates or when tickets will go on sale.
• Her last tour, the Renaissance World Tour, wrapped in late 2023.

The wait is over, Beyhive — Beyoncé has finally confirmed the "Cowboy Carter" tour is set to go ahead.

The star made the announcement in a pair of social media posts early Sunday morning, nearly a year after the country-inspired record was released.

The first post featured a video of a light-up sign flashing the words: "COWBOY CARTER TOUR."

The second showed an image of Beyoncé alongside a caption that said the tour would take place in 2025.

The tour announcement was preceded by several hints that Beyoncé was gearing up to make a major announcement.

The singer performed songs from "Cowboy Carter" for the first time at the Christmas Day NFL game Halftime show, which was streamed live on Netflix under the title "Beyoncé Bowl."

Following the performance, the singer dropped a now-deleted video that teased an announcement on the date "1.14.25" with the caption, "Look at that horse," referring to the lyric in her song "Sweet Honey Buckiin'."

Fans quickly began to speculate that either a tour announcement or a new album was on its way. But Beyoncé chose to postpone the announcement due to the wildfires that were devastating the Los Angeles area at the time.

Then, on Sunday, Netflix shared a post directing viewers to revisit the "Beyoncé Bowl." An audio-less clip from the performance was captioned: "Tonight seems like the perfect night to rewatch Beyoncé Bowl on Netflix."

Beyoncé's own announcement followed. It's unclear when the singer will release more details regarding the tour, such as dates, locations, and when tickets will go on sale.

The announcement came as the music industry gears up for the Grammy Awards, where Beyoncé is nominated for 11 awards — the most nominations of any artist this year. Among the awards she is in the running for is album of the year, an award the 43-year-old artist has yet to take home.

Fans have speculated online that Beyoncé may share further details about the tour during or after the awards ceremony, depending on how the night goes.

Alternatively, the Super Bowl could offer her another chance to make an announcement. She first teased "Cowboy Carter" in a Verizon commercial during last year's game.

Many believed that Beyoncé was going to announce the "Cowboy Carter" tour in 2024.

However, as fans will know from the documentary concert film "Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé," which chronicled the creative process behind bringing her 2023 world tour to life, a Beyoncé tour is not something that happens overnight.

As the singer revealed in the documentary, the tour was the culmination of four years of planning and dedication.

The "Renaissance" world tour saw Beyoncé perform 56 shows across Europe and North America.

• "Emilia Pérez" star Karla Sofía Gascón has deactivated her X account following backlash over old tweets.
• Fans had highlighted negative tweets that appear to have been posted by Gascón as recently as 2021.
• "I can no longer allow this campaign of hate and misinformation to affect me and my family," Gascón said.

"Emilia Pérez" star Karla Sofía Gascón has deactivated her X account after coming under fire for controversial past social media posts.

The actor, who made history as the first transgender performer to be nominated in the Oscars' best actress category, said in a statement shared with The Hollywood Reporter that she apologized for her "erroneous" past opinions and that she had deactivated her account as she could "no longer allow this campaign of hate and misinformation" to affect her or her family.

"I have been threatened with death, insulted, abused and harassed to the point of exhaustion," she added. "I have a wonderful daughter to protect, whom I love madly and who supports me in everything."

In a separate statement via Netflix, the actor acknowledged the "conversation" around her past posts, adding: "As someone in a marginalized community, I know this suffering all too well and I am deeply sorry to those I have caused pain."

On Thursday, the Canadian journalist Sarah Hagi shared screenshots on X of posts that appeared to have been made by Gascón. Business Insider couldn't verify all the screenshots, and some posts seem to have been deleted.

The screenshots contained disparaging remarks about Muslims and Islam.

The posts were written in Spanish but translated through Google by Hagi. This sparked more social media users to search for and share screenshots of other posts that appear to be from Gascón.

Gascón wrote in other posts, seen by BI, that all religions should be banned. In a post from 2020, the actor referred to the COVID-19 vaccine as "the Chinese vaccine" and said it had a chip inside it.

Variety reported that in a post shared in 2021, Gascón referred to the Oscars ceremony that year as an "Afro-Korean festival" and "ugly, ugly gala." That year Daniel Kaluuya, a Black British actor, and Yuh-jung Youn, a South Korean actor, both won Oscars.

Variety also highlighted another deleted post from 2020 that was shared days after George Floyd's death in which Gascón referred to him as "a drug addict and a hustler."

Representatives for Netflix, Gascón, and the Academy did not respond to requests for comment from BI.

The controversy around Gascón has come after critics of "Emilia Pérez," which won four Golden Globes and received 13 Oscar nominations, voiced their opinions about the film on social media, calling out its problematic portrayal of Mexico and transphobic stereotypes.

Gascón has been one of the film's main defenders.

On Tuesday, the Brazilian publication Folha de S.Paulo published a video interview in which Gascón criticized people who were tearing her down to support Fernanda Torres, one of her competitors for the best actress Oscar.

In response, some sought to have Gascón disqualified from the Oscars, accusing her of breaking an Academy rule prohibiting those involved with a film from sharing public communication that casts a competing movie in a "negative or derogatory light."

Variety reported on Wednesday that Gascón didn't break the rule because she didn't comment on Torres' performance in "I'm Still Here."

• "Sex and the City" star Kristin Davis said a man once "ghosted" her after she lent him $5,000 while they were dating.
• She said she made the "horrible mistake" of lending money to the "out-of-work" actor in the 1990s.
• The "now very successful" actor never paid her back, she said.

Kristin Davis said a "very successful" actor once "ghosted" her after she loaned him $5,000 while they were dating.

The "Sex and the City" star spoke about her experience with guest and former costar Sarah Wynter in a recent episode of her podcast Are You A Charlotte?"

Davis told listeners she made the "horrible mistake" of lending the money to the then "out-of-work" actor in the mid-1990s.

She recalled: "At the time, I had money because I'd been working, and I was at his house, and he had all of these 'your electricity's gonna be turned off' notices that you get when you can't pay your bills. They were all just all over his house."

Davis said the unnamed actor had also "wrecked his motorcycle," which prevented him from attending auditions.

"I was like, 'Can I lend you some money?'" she said. "Horrible mistake. Anyone listening, do not lend anyone money that you are dating. It doesn't end well. It really irked me."

The actor said that the incident occurred sometime before she found fame as Charlotte York on the hugely successful HBO series "Sex and the City," which ran for six seasons between 1998 and 2004 — and around the time she was on "Melrose Place."

Davis said the pair had "a casual thing" but refused to name the actor involved. She added that he had gone on to become "very successful."

She soon came to regret the decision, however, as she said lending the money "changed the dynamic in a horrible way."

She continued: "I probably should have known better. But I just felt like, 'I can help. I should help this guy. He's so talented,' which he is."

"I think it was all of $5,000. So I lent him this money, and then he stops calling. I'm like, 'What the heck?'"

"I just would love some acknowledgment or whatever, which is kind of a fantasy," she added.

But that seemingly wasn't the last time the "And Just Like That" star made the "mistake" of lending a date money.

"I think the next time was the last time," she said.

Davis, who starred in "Cash Out" alongside John Travolta last year, announced her podcast in December.

The show, which debuted on January 13, sees Davis and special guests share "untold stories" and behind-the-scenes tales from "Sex and the City."

• People can't get enough of Timothée Chalamet's unusual marketing campaign for "A Complete Unknown."
• He performed deep-cut Bob Dylan songs on "Saturday Night Live!" and arrived at the London premiere on a rental bike.
• He's nominated for an Oscar and these stunts could help get the attention of the Academy Awards voting panel.

From rocking up to a premiere on a rental bike to performing a medley of Bob Dylan songs on "Saturday Night Live!" Timothée Chalamet has taken an unusual approach to his press tour for his latest movie, "A Complete Unknown."

These unconventional stunts are a smart tactic to break through the noise during a competitive awards season, marketing experts told Business Insider.

If they pay off, they could help clinch Chalamet his first Oscar, making him the youngest best actor winner in Academy Awards history.

Chalamet keeps going viral

In the last few months, Chalamet has gone viral for a number of unexpected side quests while promoting the James Mangold-directed biopic. Before the publicity campaign began in earnest, he showed up to a lookalike contest of himself last October, making him appear "down-to-earth," Katharina Stolley, a marketing lecturer specializing in the creative industries at the University of Birmingham, UK, said.

He kept up the stunts as the film hit theaters in December by surprising people with his "elite ball knowledge" on an ESPN panel, copying an unexpectedly casual and memed outfit of Dylan's at the New York premiere, and arriving to the London red carpet on a bright green e-bike that has become synonymous with young Londoners.

Then there was his circuit of interviews with niche internet celebrities with cult followings: Theo Von, Brittany Broski, and the eccentric journalist Nardwuar, who typically interviews musicians not actors.

Chalamet then used a more traditional promotional tactic this weekend: hosting the sketch comedy show "Saturday Night Live!"

Even then he pushed the envelope, becoming the first actor to host and perform as an episode's musical guest, singing a selection of deep-cut Dylan tracks.

The appearance gave those who have not yet seen "A Complete Unknown" a glimpse of Chalamet's take on Dylan, while "endearing him to a new, wider audience," said Markus Wohlfiel, a senior lecturer in marketing at De Montfort University, UK.

Stolley said that these stunts cultivate a "relatable public image" and "reveal his commitment to staying connected with his audience."

Chalamet is at the center of a clever "guerrilla marketing campaign"

They also amount to, more or less, free publicity. Searchlight Pictures, the Disney-owned production and distribution company behind the film, rolled out a traditional marketing campaign for "A Complete Unknown," including press junkets, as well as advertising in print and in cinemas and on billboards.

But Wohlfiel said Chalamet's stunts have collectively delivered a "clever out-of-the-box guerrilla marketing campaign."

"As everyone is talking about it in the traditional and social media, creating interest in the actor and the movie, they are clearly achieving their objectives with hardly any financial investment," he said of Chalamet and his publicity team.

Carl Jones, a senior lecturer in digital media at the University of Westminster, UK, agreed that Chalamet's stunts are a cost-effective way of getting his name — and, by extension, the movie — out there.

"This type of activity is a free way to get a film talked about in the media. Usually advertising a film costs Hollywood studios millions of dollars, but doing a stunt only costs the price of the stunt," he said.

Better yet, the gambits match the theme of "A Complete Unknown," which covers a controversial period in Dylan's career in the 1960s when he switched from acoustic to electric guitar and took a gamble on a new sound; Chalamet is similarly walking an unorthodox path as a young star.

Chalamet's promotion of 'A Complete Unknown' has a second target — awards voters.

Although the actor lost out on a Golden Globe earlier this month, he is still in the running for a BAFTA, SAG Award, Critics' Choice Award, and the most coveted of all, an Oscar. These awards are chosen by panels of industry insiders and critics whom nominees must impress.

Ashanti Omkar, a film, TV, and culture critic and broadcaster who is a member of the voting body for the BAFTAs, said Chalamet's virality could help keep him on voters' radars.

"Promotions which are memorable can stick in the minds of busy voters who are juggling their full time jobs while also assessing what to vote for," Omkar said. "The stunts here are great for visibility, but it is Timothée's sheer hard work and talent that has gotten him this level of awards buzz for 'A Complete Unknown.'"

• Mel Gibson has said he wants to "fix" the problem of stars leaving Hollywood.
• "A lot of people have left, and I don't blame them," Gibson said in a recent interview.
• He was recently named one of President Donald Trump's "special envoys" to Hollywood.

Mel Gibson has said he wants to help solve the problem of people leaving Hollywood as part of his role as one of President Donald Trump's "special envoys."

Ahead of his inauguration, Trump named Gibson, Sylvester Stallone, and Jon Voight as ambassadors to Hollywood, tasking them with bringing business back to the film industry.

Discussing his new role with Fox News's Sean Hannity on Saturday, Gibson said he was "ready, willing, and able to be of service" to Trump before sharing his thoughts on the trend of Californians ditching the Golden State.

"A lot of people have left, and I don't blame them," Gibson said, adding that many had left for the reasons that Hannity said led him to move out of New York — which included crime, schools, high taxes, and regulations.

"It didn't suit them anymore," Gibson said. "Even people who were liberal, it didn't suit them anymore. But if everybody leaves, what's going to happen?"

The Oscar winner, known for his roles in "Lethal Weapon" and "Braveheart," said that despite the trend, he has chosen to stay in California. Gibson's home was recently destroyed in the Los Angeles wildfires.

The actor, 69, said that going forward California needed to "be competitive" with the rest of the world to keep people from packing their bags.

People "are going somewhere else because it's more cost-effective. There's just a lot of prohibitive regulations and things in the way that I think could be lifted," he said. "But I think it can be fixed."

As Business Insider previously reported, between 2021 and 2022, just over 817,000 people left California — the most of any state in that period.

Actors, executives, and producers are among those to have decided to leave the Golden State in recent years — including Gibson's fellow Hollywood ambassador Stallone.

The "Rocky" actor said in an episode of "The Family Stallone" filmed in 2023 but aired in 2024 that he and his family had "permanently" vacated California and were headed to Florida.

It's not hard to see why Florida is an appealing alternative to California for some. The state has no personal income tax, while corporate income tax is also relatively low.

In the interview with Fox News, Gibson said he would look to focus on tax incentives in his new role, as those offered by California Gov. Gavin Newsom may not be "enough."

"I know Newsom gave some tax incentives, but maybe not enough because it's still not working. There are other things that offset that," he said.

Expanding on the state of the film industry, Gibson said that on one occasion, it had been cheaper for him to fly a whole film crew to Europe, provide accommodation, and shoot for three days than it was to "shoot for one day just down the road."

"There's something wrong there," he said.

• Jesse Eisenberg has criticized top tech leaders for getting involved in politics.
• The actor, who once played Mark Zuckerberg, said tech leaders should focus their money and attention elsewhere.
• Zuckerberg, Elon Musk, and Jeff Bezos were among the tech billionaires who attended Trump's inauguration.

Jesse Eisenberg has said that "tech bros" who have involved themselves in politics would be better off "doing good things for the world."

The actor, who portrayed Mark Zuckerberg in the 2010 film "The Social Network," made the comments during a recent episode of "Real Time With Bill Maher."

Eisenberg was asked by the show's host what he thought of the array of "tech bros" who attended President Donald Trump's inauguration earlier this month.

The actor-director responded: "I look at it from a very specific perspective, which is if you're so rich and powerful, why are you not just spending your days doing good things for the world? So it's hard for me to understand the specifics of what they're doing."

"You know, I married a woman who's like this amazing activist. All she thinks about all day is, 'How can I help the people who are most in need?'" he said of his wife, Anna Strout, who works for a number of nonprofits.

Eisenberg, who directed and starred in the Oscar-nominated film "A Real Pain," continued: "So when I watch these incredibly powerful people, I just think, 'Why are you not spending your day helping people?'"

"Why are you getting mired into this weird stuff — stuff I don't really understand — and taking privacy concerns away, hurting people who are already hurting, marginalized people?"

"I'm just thinking, 'Why are they not spending every day helping people?'" Eisenberg added.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Meta chief Mark Zuckerberg, and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos were among the tech leaders to attend Trump's inauguration.

Musk spent millions of his own money supporting Trump's election bid last year and has since been tapped to lead the new Department of Government Efficiency.

Both Meta and Amazon have also offered their support to Trump, donating $1 million each to his inaugural fund.

Speaking a The New York Times' DealBook Summit last month, Bezos — who has been at odds with Trump in the past — said that he was "actually very optimistic" about another Trump term and that he would like to help Trump with his deregulation plans.

For Zuckerberg's part, he has made a series of sweeping changes at Meta that appear to be remaking the company at least partly in the image of Trump and Musk.

Trump's inauguration also saw Apple CEO Tim Cook, OpenAI's Sam Altman, TikTok exec Shou Zi Chew, and Google boss Sundar Pichai in attendance.

• The time-traveling romance drama "Outlander" is set to finish after season eight.
• The final run will consist of 10 episodes and may finally explain many of the show's mysteries.
• Sam Heughan and Caitríona Balfe will return to wrap up the series.

Warning: This article contains spoilers for "Outlander" season seven.

Jamie (Sam Heughan) and Claire's (Caitríona Balfe) time-traveling escapades are finally coming to an end.

It's been confirmed that the Starz drama "Outlander" has been renewed for an eighth and final season, meaning that audiences have just one more outing with the much-loved couple.

Here's what we know about season eight so far.

Season eight will be the show's final season.

What an incredible journey with an incredible fanbase. #Outlander has officially been renewed for an eighth and final season. pic.twitter.com/mNJ3AZXW2s

— Outlander (@Outlander_STARZ) January 19, 2023

In January 2023, Starz confirmed that the show would return for one final season.

"For nearly a decade, 'Outlander' has won the hearts of audiences worldwide, and we're pleased to bring Claire and Jamie's epic love story to a proper conclusion," said Kathryn Busby, Starz's original programming president, in a statement at the time.

The new season will consist of 10 episodes, which have already been filmed.

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When announcing that production had begun on the show's prequel — "Outlander: Blood of My Blood" — in February 2024, Starz confirmed that the "10-episode eighth season [of Outlander]... will begin production shortly in Scotland."

Balfe and Heughan shared behind-the-scenes glimpses with fans throughout the summer of 2024, including photos from the final episode readthrough.

The two then filmed the very last episode of Outlander in September 2024.

Sam Heughan, Caitríona Balfe, and the rest of the main cast are all expected to return for the final episodes.

"Outlander" wouldn't be "Outlander" without its two main stars, who are set to return for season eight.

The pair, who have also acted as executive producers since season five, play 18th-century Scottish warrior Jamie Fraser and his time-hopping wife Claire Randall Fraser.

The couple's daughter, Brianna MacKenzie (Sophie Skelton), and her husband, Roger MacKenzie (Richard Rankin), will also be back on screen.

Other supporting characters audiences can expect to return include Buck MacKenzie (Diarmaid Murtagh), Young Ian (John Bell), Lord John Grey (David Berry), William Ransom (Charles Vandervaart), Fergus (César Domboy), and Marsali MacKimmie (Lauren Lyle).

Recently introduced characters such as the Hunter siblings, Rachel and Denzell (Izzy Meikle-Small and Joey Phillips), will also likely be back, as well as Fanny Pocock (Florrie May Wilkinson).

The final installment may finally answer questions about the appearance of Jamie's 'ghost' in season one.

Fans have been asking for an explanation about the appearance of Jamie's "ghost" in the pilot episode of the show for years.

It's expected that the final season will finally explain how and why Jamie was able to see Claire in 1945 before she took her life-changing tumble through the standing stones.

However, it's not the only mystery left unsolved.

As revealed in the season seven finale, Jamie and Claire's infant daughter Faith may have survived after all.

The episodes will be based roughly on the events of the ninth "Outlander" novel but will diverge from Diana Gabaldon's planned ending.

While early seasons of the show roughly adapted one book per season, that hasn't been the case in recent years.

The most recent seventh season incorporated elements and storylines from three different "Outlander" installments, "A Breath of Snow and Ashes," "An Echo in the Bone," and "Written in My Own Heart's Blood."

Audiences can expect to see the eighth season follow the storyline of the most recently published book, "Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone."

But like "Game of Thrones," another much-loved TV drama adapted from a long-running series of books, "Outlander" will likely end its run on television before the final novel is released.

Although Gabaldon has a close working relationship with the showrunners, audiences can expect the "Outlander" novels and "Outlander" television series to have different endings.

It's not the end of "Outlander" as a spinoff is on the way.

However, fans won't have to say goodbye to "Outlander" for good, as a prequel series is coming.

"Outlander: Blood of My Blood" will tell two parallel origin stories: how Jamie's parents came to meet and Claire's parents' war-time romance. It will air in the summer of 2025.

In the 18th-century Scotland storyline, Harriet Slater, best known for her role in "Pennyworth," will play Jamie's mother, Ellen MacKenzie. Actor Jamie Roy will play his father, Brian Fraser.

Claire's parents' story unfolds in World War I-era England. Hermione Corfield will star as Claire's mother, Julia Moriston, while Jeremy Irvine will play her father, Henry Beauchamp.

• Warning: Spoilers ahead for the season seven finale of Starz's "Outlander."
• The season finale of the time-traveling romance drama delivered plenty of twists and turns.
• Here's a recap of where Jamie, Claire, and the rest of the characters ended up.

The season seven finale of the time-traveling romance drama "Outlander" aired on Friday.

Here's where all of the major characters ended up.

Claire was critically injured and made a shocking discovery about her past.

The second half of season seven delivered some truly shocking twists for our favorite time traveler.

Claire (Caitríona Balfe) was confronted with the news that Jamie (Sam Heughan) had died while crossing the Atlantic Ocean, leaving her widowed.

She then hastily married Lord John Grey (David Berry) as a means to stop the English army from arresting and executing her for spying on behalf of the rebels.

It was only after Claire and Lord John consummated their marriage that she learned that Jamie had survived his voyage to America.

As the Revolutionary War continued to wage on around them, Claire found herself at the center of the Battle of Monmouth, where she was critically injured by a stray bullet.

At the close of season seven, Claire had made a full recovery but found herself confronted with something she had previously believed impossible: her and Jamie's first child, a daughter named Faith, had not died in childbirth over 30 years before.

Jamie severed ties with the Continental Army.

Jamie finally returned to his native home in the second half of season seven after many years away.

The reunion with Jamie's sister Jenny (Kristin Atherton) and other members of the Fraser family was cut short when Claire was summoned to Philadelphia to help an ailing member of the Grey family.

Once back on American soil, Jamie found himself called upon by none other than George Washington, who promoted him to brigadier general in the Continental Army.

However, when Claire's life was put on the line, Jamie severed ties with the army, writing his resignation in blood on the back of a shirtless messenger.

Brianna was reunited with Roger and met some other family members.

Brianna's family was torn apart in the second half of "Outlander" season seven thanks to the meddling of her new adversary, Rob Cameron (Chris Fulton).

After being led to believe that Rob had taken her son Jemmy (Matthew Adair) through the stones at Craigh na Dun, Roger (Richard Rankin) followed, leaving Brianna and her youngest child, Mandy (Rosa Morris), to fend for themselves in the 20th century.

Brianna eventually found that Rob had not taken Jemmy to another time period but was holding him hostage in the present day. Thanks to Mandy's psychic-like connection to Jemmy, they eventually found that he'd been taken to a tunnel under Loch Errochty.

After that, Brianna and the two youngsters went through the standing stones at Craigh na Dun themselves, determined to find Roger in the past.

They did so, and Brianna was able to have another sweet family reunion as well, meeting her grandfather, Brian Fraser (Andrew Whipp).

Roger spent most of the season separated from his immediate family.

Roger spent all of the second half of "Outlander" season seven in 1739 after he wound up there while looking for his son.

He and Buck MacKenzie (Diarmaid Murtagh), who also made the trip back, encountered several key characters while there, including a younger version of Buck's parents, Geillis Duncan (Lotte Verbeek) and Dougal MacKenzie (Graham MacTavish).

Roger also came across his own father, Jerry MacKenzie (Nicholas Ralph), whom they discovered had also accidentally traveled to the past while fighting in World War Two. While Jerry wasn't aware of who Roger was, the two shared a sweet moment before Roger sent him back to his own timeline.

By the end of the season, Roger had reunited with his family after they found him at the family's ancestral home of Lallybroch.

Young Ian married for a second time and said goodbye to both his father and his beloved dog.

Young Ian (John Bell) began the second half of season seven in Scotland, where he reunited with his father (Steven Cree), who was dying of consumption.

Following that, Ian returned to America to be with Rachel Hunter (Izzy Meikle-Small), and the two married in a Quaker ceremony. 

In the season finale, Ian received both good and bad news; firstly, he learned that Rachel was pregnant. Not long after, though, he woke up to find that his beloved dog Rollo died of old age in the night.

Lord John survived a brush with death and made it back home.

When his marriage to Claire was annulled following Jamie's return from the dead, Lord John Grey found his life on the line.

After Jamie pretended to take John hostage in a nearby forest to get a group of British soldiers off his tail, the two men came to blows when Jamie learned how close John had gotten to Claire in his absence.

A group of rebel soldiers who happened upon the sparring duo took Lord John away as their own prisoner. 

John managed to escape and was later found by a Continental soldier who set him free.

William discovered the truth about his parentage.

Shaken by the realization that Jamie was his father, William attempted to take his mind off of the truth about his parentage by visiting a brothel.

While there, he met Jane Pocock (Silvia Presente), a sex worker with whom he forged a friendship. 

William paid to spend a night with Jane in order to save her from the lecherous Captain Harkness (Adam Jackson-Smith).

Later on in the season, Jane and her younger sister Fanny (Florrie May Wilkinson) sought out William at the British Army encampment outside of Philadelphia after they fled the brothel.

As Jane explained, Captain Harkness had paid a large sum to take Fanny's virginity. Jane had then done what she thought she had to do to save her sister and killed Captain Harkness.

After Jane was arrested for the crime, William enlisted his father's help to try to rescue her.

Jane met a tragic end.

Jane's time on the show is brief but important.

After initially meeting William at a brothel, Jane crossed paths with him again after she killed a high-ranking British soldier. William agreed to help her and her sister escape to New York.

Before William was able to get them out of Philadelphia safely, Jane was arrested and sentenced to death.

While being held prisoner, William and Jamie ambushed the soldiers guarding her. They burst in to save her, but it was too late. Accepting her fate, Jane had already taken her own life.

This left Fanny without a guardian. With no one else to turn to, William asked Claire and Jamie to take the youngster in, leading to the discovery that Jane and Fanny's mother may have been the couple's presumed-dead daughter, Faith.

In the last moments of the finale, Claire came across Fanny singing a song that she had sweetly sung to her daughter as a baby — a song that no one else, except a time traveler like Claire, would know since it hadn't been written by that point in history.

• TikTok went dark for 170 million US users on Saturday.
• Users took to other corners of the internet to react to the shutdown.
• Internet personality James Charles, who boasted over 40 million followers, called the move "dystopian."

Celebrities, influencers, and business leaders reacted to the shutdown of TikTok in the US after it went dark on Saturday.

The likes of Elon Musk, Mark Cuban, James Charles, and Alix Earle took to other corners of the internet to react to the loss of the hit video-sharing app after it went dark for 170 million US users on Saturday.

Singer Lizzo, who has over 25 million followers on TikTok, headed to Instagram to react to the news.

"In Loving Memory, Takesha 'TikTok' Woods," the post reads.

"They really took her… MY SHAYLA," Lizzo added in the caption, referencing a recent trend on the app.

Internet personality James Charles, who boasted over 40 million followers on TikTok, also posted his reaction to the shutdown on Instagram.

In one video, Charles said: "I can't believe I'm making an Instagram Reel right now because normally when something happens in the world, I go to TikTok."

"I don't know what to do! Oh my god, I've already opened and closed the app probably six times already just to keep getting the same stupid warning message. This is so dystopian!" Charles added in a follow-up video.

Another Instagram émigré was Alix Earle, an influencer who rose to fame on the app in 2022 and who had more than 7 million followers.

Earle posted a video of herself tearfully clutching a glass of wine in bed. "How I'm going to sleep tonight," she wrote over the video. "Thank god for this wine rn."

Key figures from the business world have also weighed in on the situation.

Elon Musk said that he had long been against a ban on TikTok as it "goes against freedom of speech."

"That said, the current situation where TikTok is allowed to operate in America, but X is not allowed to operate in China is unbalanced," he said in a post on X. "Something needs to change."

TikTok's shutdown came after a monthslong legal battle over a ban-or-divest law passed by Congress last year.

TikTok had challenged the law, arguing that it violated the First Amendment rights of TikTok and its creators. But the Supreme Court ruled against the company.

Posting on Bluesky, Mark Cuban said it would be interesting to see how many users moved to the platform from TikTok.

The social media app has seen a surge in users since President-elect Donald Trump was elected in November. In December, the company said it had grown from 3 million users to 25.9 million.

It is currently in the final stages of raising new funding led by Bain Capital Ventures, which would value the company at around $700 million, as Business Insider previously reported.

Prior to the shutdown, Cuban said he hoped TikTok would be "disabled tonight at midnight and all day tomorrow and Monday."

"Which means the biggest story on Monday will be… And the reaction from the newly installed President will be…" he wrote.

Cuban has said he previously tried to invest in TikTok's precursor, Musical.ly, but that the company turned him down.

In an interview with Jules Terpak in December, Cuban said the platform was more enjoyable under its former name and that it had become "more corporate" since it's been known as TikTok.

"I liked it better when it was dances and music," Cuban said. "Now it's a business."

The cast of "Saturday Night Live" also tackled the TikTok shutdown in last night's episode.

During the Weekend Update segment, comedians Michael Longfellow and Michael Che addressed the situation while poking fun at criticism the app has faced in the past.

"I feel it is my responsibility to come out here and defend TikTok's right to remain here in these United States," Longfellow said, posing as a typical app user. "It's the first political opinion I've ever had."

TikTok is banking on Trump

At around 10:30 p.m. Eastern Time Saturday, a message began popping up on users' screens: "Sorry, TikTok isn't available right now. A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the U.S. Unfortunately, that means you can't use TikTok for now."

In the message, TikTok also indicated that it was now relying on Trump to save the app.

"We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office. Please stay tuned!" it said.

Trump on Sunday announced that he'd sign an executive order to postpone the ban in order to "make a deal to protect our national security."

Shortly after the president-elect's remarks, TikTok said in a statement to Business Insider it was "in the process of restoring service" to its US users.

"We thank President Trump for providing the necessary clarity and assurance to our service providers that they will face no penalties providing TikTok to over 170 million Americans and allowing over 7 million small businesses to thrive," TikTok said.

It's a major pivot for Trump.

In 2020, Trump unsuccessfully sought to ban TikTok. However, during the 2024 presidential election, he embraced the social media app, which gave his campaign immense reach during a campaign where he was competing with Vice President Kamala Harris for the support of younger Americans.

• "Outlander" may be ending with season eight, but fans can look forward to a new prequel series.
• "Outlander: Blood of My Blood" will focus on the origin stories of Jamie and Claire's parents.
• The 10-episode series will debut in the summer of 2025. Here's everything you need to know.

It was announced in early 2023 that "Outlander" had been renewed for an eighth but final season, putting a pin in Starz's original plan to adapt all of Diana Gabaldon's novels (the last of which has still not yet been written). 

Although that will bring Jamie (Sam Heughan) and Claire's (Caitríona Balfe) time-traveling escapades to a close, audiences will be delighted to learn that a prequel series continuing the story of the Fraser and Beauchamp families is officially in production.

Speculation that Starz was expanding the "Outlander" universe began in 2020 when Deadline reported that the network bosses had encouraged producers Ronald D. Moore and Maril Davis to "to plot a slew of spin-offs, sequels and story extensions."

The prequel series was officially greenlit in 2022, and several months later, it was confirmed that the writers' room had started working on scripts and that the series had been given a name — "Outlander: Blood of My Blood."

A release date for the series has now been given, alongside lots of other details about the series, including who has been cast in the main roles as Jamie and Claire's parents. Keep reading for everything we know about the series so far.

The series will tell two parallel origin stories: how Jamie's parents came to meet and Claire's parents' romance.

Per an official description shared by Starz in February 2023, the series will "center on these two parallel love stories set in two different time periods, with Jamie's parents in the early 18th century Scottish Highlands and Claire's parents in WWI England."

The streamer had previously stated that the prequel would center on Jamie's mother and father, Ellen MacKenzie and Brian Fraser — two characters that audiences know plenty about, mainly through stories told by their son.

An abridged version of Ellen and Brian's love story was detailed by Jamie in season one: the pair eloped together and stayed hidden until Ellen was visibly pregnant with their first child, forcing her family to accept their union.

The decision to include Claire's parents in the show is sure to be a welcome one. Not much is known about Julia Moriston and Henry Beauchamp beyond the fact that they died when Claire was a young girl.

"We're thrilled to be telling the stories of these two couples," said Matthew B. Roberts, showrunner, executive producer and writer on both "Outlander" and "Outlander: Blood of My Blood."

"The origins of their relationships explore universal themes that transcend time periods, and we're so excited for fans to discover and fall in love with these characters and their love stories the way they have with Claire and Jamie."

The four main roles have been cast.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Outlander (@outlander_starz)

 

Harriet Slater, best known for her role in "Pennyworth," will play Jamie's mother, Ellen MacKenzie, in the 18th-century Scotland storyline, alongside Lifetime actor Jamie Roy, who plays his father, Brian Fraser.

As for Claire's parents, whose story unfolds in World War I-era England, Hermoine Corfield, previously seen in "Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation," will play Julia Moriston; "Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again" actor Jeremy Irvine will play her father, Henry Beauchamp.

The two stars have previously worked together, having both starred in the 2016 fantasy romance film "Fallen."

 

The series will be set in two timelines: one in the early 1700s and the other in the early 1900s.

As the showrunner stated, the series will take place in two different time periods.

The story focusing on Brian and Ellen will be set sometime around 1716, some 30 years before Claire travels back in time and meets Jamie. That's when the Great Gathering at Castle Leoch happened — which is where Brian and Ellen met for the first time — according to the "Outlander" books.

That would make our heroine Ellen and her future husband Brian both 25 at the time the series begins, as they were both born in 1681, per details shared in "Dragonfly in Amber." 

The other story about Claire's parents is likely to take place sometime in the 1910s. As fans know from the first book installment, Claire was born in 1918 and was five years old when her parents passed away in 1923. Exact details on when her parents met or how old they were are not known.

 

Diana Gabaldon is involved as a consulting producer — and she's also writing a book about the characters, too.

The author has confirmed that, alongside writing what is expected to be the tenth and final novel in the "Outlander" series, she is also working on several other stories connected to Jamie and Claire, including a prequel novel about Jamie's parents.

The book does not yet have a title, but Gabaldon told the audience at the 2022 Edinburgh International Book Festival that it includes romance and plenty of historical intrigue.

"The story is woven in with the Jacobite Risings – there will be a lot of clan politics and other interesting things," she said, per The Scotsman.

For those who are interested, she has shared several excerpts of the book with her Facebook audience.

As for how the show's producers are working with Gabaldon and her unfinished novel, executive producer Maril Davis told Business Insider in August: "We hope she will share as she goes, but we've kind of been taking the breadcrumbs she's left in her books and expanding on those to build a story."

The author has also shared with TV Insider that she will be writing an episode of the prequel in addition to writing an episode for "Outlander" season eight.

Starz has said the prequel will be 10 episodes.

In a press release from January 2024, Starz announced that "Outlander: Blood of My Blood" had been greenlit for a 10-episode season.

It hasn't been confirmed if that means the series will be a one-off or whether viewers can expect more seasons after "Outlander: Blood of My Blood" airs.

Representatives for Starz did not respond to Business Insider's request for comment.

The title is a nod to the vow Jamie made to Claire on their wedding day.

If you were wondering what "Blood of My Blood" means exactly, it's a phrase that "Outlander" fans know well, as it's part of the Gaelic blood vow that Gabaldon created that Jamie and Claire exchanged on their wedding day.

'"Ye are blood of my blood, and bone of my bone, I give ye my body, that we two might be one. I give ye my spirit, 'til our life shall be done."

 

The series will feature some beloved characters from "Outlander."

But before you get too excited, keep in mind that since the Brian and Ellen timeline part of the prequel will be set nearly three decades before the events of the main series, the same actors won't be playing the roles.

Some characters audiences will be familiar with who will appear in the prequel are younger versions of Murtagh Fitzgibbons Fraser (Rory Alexander), Dougal MacKenzie (Sam Retford), Colum MacKenzie (Séamus McLean Ross), and Ned Gowan (Conor MacNeill). The roles were originated by Duncan LaCroix, Graham McTavish, Gary Lewis and Bill Paterson, respectively.

Red Jacob MacKenzie, the Laird of Clan MacKenzie and father to Ellen and her brothers, will be played by Peter Mullan, while Tony Curran will portray Simon Fraser, also known as Lord Lovat, Brian's father.

A younger version of Jamie Fraser may also appear.

In an interview with Esquire, Sam Heughan said that while he's definitely not in the show, there's a chance a younger version of his character could be.

"All I can tell you is I'm not in it, as Jamie's not in it," he said. "I believe that it's a prequel focusing on Jamie's parents when they were younger, so I guess you might see a young version of him at some point."

If the story of his parents does kick off around 1715 as we suspect, that's six years before Jamie's birth in 1721, meaning that audiences shouldn't expect him to come into the series straightaway. Brian and Ellen had two other children before he was born, after all.

Audiences can expect to see "Outlander: Blood of My Blood" land on screens sometime in the summer of 2025.

In January 2025, Starz announced that the prequel will premiere sometime in summer 2025.

Check out the teaser trailer for "Outlander: Blood of My Blood" below.

 

• Cameron Diaz has said her decadelong retirement from acting was "the best 10 years" of her life.
• Diaz stopped acting in 2014 but recently returned to star in "Back In Action" with Jamie Foxx.
• Diaz isn't the only celebrity to have walked back on the decision to retire.

Cameron Diaz has said the decade she spent in retirement from acting was "the best 10 years" of her life, but she thinks she is now ready to get back into the industry.

Appearing on "The Graham Norton Show," the 52-year-old actor reflected on her decision to take an extended hiatus from her career.

"Oh my God, I loved it. It was the best 10 years of my life," Diaz said. "I was just free to just say, 'I'm a mom, I'm a wife, I'm living my life.'"

She said that stepping back from acting "made sense for my family," and after a while, "people stopped asking" her to take on roles.

"It was so lovely," she added.

However, Diaz, who stars in the new Netflix movie "Back in Action" alongside Jamie Foxx, said she realized that getting to entertain people for a living is a "priviledge" which ultimately led her to unretire.

"I just said to myself, if I just let this go, all of this goodwill, all of this which I got to build over so much time, the passion that I have for entertaining people and making movies, if I don't engage in that again be grateful for it, I would be a fool."

As for whether her return to acting is permanent, Diaz said: "This is maybe the beginning, maybe I'll tiptoe in, maybe I'll go gung-ho, we'll see. It's here and I'm really grateful for it."

Per her IMDb page, she has two upcoming projects: She will return to voice Princess Fiona in "Shrek 5" and will also star in a new Jonah Hill-helmed film titled "Outcome."

A representative for Diaz did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider, which was sent outside regular working hours.

Diaz isn't the first actor to have walked back on the decision to retire.

Jim Carrey, 63, announced in 2022 that he was retiring from acting after "Sonic the Hedgehog 2." But he returned to work last year, reprising his role in the third film.

Speaking to the Associated Press, Carrey said: "I came back to this universe because, first of all, I get to play a genius, which is a bit of a stretch. And I just, I bought a lot of stuff, and I need the money, frankly."

Diaz became one of Hollywood's biggest stars after making her debut opposite Carrey in the superhero comedy film "The Mask."

The film went on to become one of the top 10 highest-grossing films of 1994, making more than $350 million at the worldwide box office.

Over the next few years, Diaz landed more and more roles, starring in the likes of "There's Something About Mary," "Charlie's Angels," and "The Holiday."

Discussing how she spent the time since her last starring role in 2014's "Annie" remake, Diaz told the "Still Watching Netflix" YouTube channel that she had focused on raising her kids.

"That was what I was putting most of my focus on if I was doing anything other than just sort of being a mom and living my day-to-day," Diaz said. "And that was pretty much it. I'm just trying to stay alive, just like every other mother. I'm just trying to keep it going."

Diaz married Benji Madden of the rock band Good Charlotte in 2015. They welcomed their daughter, Raddix, in 2019 and their son, Cardinal, in 2024.

• "Conclave" leads the 2025 BAFTA Film Awards nominations with 12 nods.
• "Emilia Pérez" received 11 nominations while "The Brutalist" got nine nods.
• All three are nominated for best film, along with "Anora" and "A Complete Unknown."

The nominations for the 2025 BAFTA Film Awards have been announced, as the road to this year's Academy Awards heats up.

"Conclave," Edward Berger's papal drama starring Ralph Fiennes, received the most nominations, making it the one to beat at this year's BAFTA awards, which are set to take place at London's Royal Festival Hall on February 16.

"Conclave" is in the running for 12 awards — one more than Jacques Audiard's musical "Emilia Pérez," which recently took home four Golden Globe awards.

Meanwhile, Brady Corbet's critically acclaimed "The Brutalist" received nine nods. The three films will compete for best film alongside James Mangold's Bob Dylan biopic "A Complete Unknown" and Sean Baker's sex worker drama "Anora."

Here's the complete list of 2025 BAFTA nominations.

Best film

"Anora"

"The Brutalist"

"A Complete Unknown"

"Conclave"

"Emilia Pérez"

Leading actor

Adrien Brody, "The Brutalist"

Timothée Chalamet, "A Complete Unknown"

Colman Domingo, "Sing Sing"

Ralph Fiennes, "Conclave"

Hugh Grant, "Heretic"

Sebastian Stan, "The Apprentice"

Leading actress

Cynthia Erivo, "Wicked"

Karla Sofía Gascón, "Emilia Pérez"

Marianne Jean-Baptiste, "Hard Truths"

Mikey Madison, "Anora"

Demi Moore, "The Substance"

Saoirse Ronan, "The Outrun"

Supporting actor

Clarence Maclin, "Sing Sing"

Edward Norton, "A Complete Unknown"

Guy Pearce, "The Brutalist"

Jeremy Strong, "The Apprentice"

Kieran Culkin, "A Real Pain"

Yura Borisov, "Anora"

Supporting actress

Ariana Grande, "Wicked"

Felicity Jones, "The Brutalist"

Isabella Rossellini, "Conclave"

Jamie Lee Curtis, "The Last Showgirl"

Selena Gomez, "Emilia Pérez"

Zoe Saldaña, "Emilia Pérez"

Best director

Sean Baker, "Anora"

Brady Corbet, "The Brutalist"

Edward Berger, "Conclave"

Denis Villeneuve, "Dune: Part Two"

Jacques Audiard, "Emilia Pérez"

Coralie Fargeat, "The Substance"

Outstanding British film

"Bird"

"Blitz"

"Conclave"

"Gladiator II"

"Hard Truths"

"Kneecap"

"Lee"

"Love Lies Bleeding"

"The Outrun"

"Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl"

Original screenplay

"Anora"

"The Brutalist"

"Kneecap"

"A Real Pain"

"The Substance"

Adapted screenplay

"A Complete Unknown"

"Conclave"

"Emilia Pérez"

"Nickel Boys"

"Sing Sing"

Outstanding debut by a British writer, director or producer

"Hoard"

"Kneecap"

"Monkey Man"

"Santosh"

"Sister Midnight"

Film not in the English language

"All We Imagine as Light"

"Emilia Pérez"

"I'm Still Here (Ainda Estou Aqui)"

"Kneecap"

"The Seed of the Sacred Fig"

Animated film

"Flow"

"Inside Out 2"

"Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl"

"The Wild Robot"

Documentary

"Black Box Diaries"

"Daughters"

"No Other Land"

"Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story"

"Will & Harper"

Original score

"The Brutalist"

"Conclave"

"Emilia Pérez"

"Nosferatu"

"The Wild Robot"

Casting

"Anora"

"The Apprentice"

"A Complete Unknown"

"Conclave"

"Kneecap"

Editing

"Anora"

"Conclave"

"Dune: Part Two"

"Emilia Pérez"

"Kneecap"

Cinematography

"The Brutalist"

"Conclave"

"Dune: Part Two"

"Emilia Pérez"

"Nosferatu"

Special visual effects

"Better Man"

"Dune: Part Two"

"Gladiator II"

"Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes"

"Wicked"

Costume design

"Blitz"

"A Complete Unknown"

"Conclave"

"Nosferatu"

"Wicked"

Sound

"Blitz"

"Dune: Part Two"

"Gladiator II"

"The Substance"

"Wicked"

Makeup and hair

"Dune: Part Two"

"Emilia Pérez"

"Nosferatu"

"The Substance"

"Wicked"

Production design

"The Brutalist"

"Conclave"

"Dune: Part Two"

"Nosferatu"

"Wicked"

British short film

"The Flowers Stand Silently, Witnessing"

"Marion"

"Milk"

"Rock, Paper, Scissors"

"Stomach Bug"

British short animation

"Adiós"

"Mog's Christmas"

"Wander to Wonder"

EE rising star award

Marisa Abela

Jharrel Jerome

David Jonsson

Mikey Madison

Nabhaan Rizwan

• A luxury Pacific Palisades mansion once featured in "Succession" has been destroyed by the LA fires, the Daily Mail reported.
• The San Onofre estate was purchased by tech CEO Austin Russell in 2021 for $83 million, per Realtor.com
• The Palisades Fire has now burned through more than 23,000 acres.

A luxury Pacific Palisades mansion once featured in the television drama "Succession" has been destroyed by the wildfires ravaging the Los Angeles area, the Daily Mail reported.

Photos published by the Mail seemingly show the house reduced to charred beams and rubble.

The mansion was purchased by the founder and CEO of the lidar manufacturer Luminar Technologies, Austin Russell, for $83 million in 2021, per Realtor.com.

The 20,000-square-foot house, known as the San Onofre estate, featured six bedrooms and 18 bathrooms and had been available to rent for $450,000 a month.

The house had previously featured in the season four premiere of the Emmy Award-winning HBO series "Succession" in 2023.

A representative for Russell did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider, which was sent outside regular working hours.

The Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades area north of Santa Monica is one of a number of blazes raging through the Los Angeles area this week.

The Palisades Fire has burned through over 23,000 acres and is 11% contained as of Sunday, according to Cal Fire.

The blaze, which began on Tuesday, has so far damaged or destroyed over 5,000 structures.

The Pacific Palisades area is home to a number of celebrities, many of whom have now lost their homes to the fire. Those affected include Paris Hilton, Billy Crystal, and Milo Ventimiglia.

The Palisades Charter High School — used as a set for movies like "Carrie" and 2003's "Freaky Friday" — has also been damaged in the fires.

Meanwhile, a Spanish Colonial revival mansion in Altadena that was featured in "Hacks" and the Marvel series "Runaways" was destroyed in the Eaton Fire, per The Hollywood Reporter.

Other Los Angeles landmarks related to the industry have also been lost, including the Will Rogers Ranch house.

The LA County Medical Examiner has reported 16 deaths related to the wildfires so far, with five linked to the Palisades Fire.

• Brooke Shields said a doctor once gave her a "bonus" vaginal rejuvenation without her consent.
• She wrote about the experience in her new book, "Brooke Shields is Not Allowed to Get Old."
• "This man surgically altered my body without my consent," she wrote.

Brooke Shields has said that a surgeon once performed a vaginal rejuvenation procedure on her without her consent.

In an excerpt published by People from her forthcoming autobiography, "Brooke Shields Is Not Allowed to Get Old," the model and actor said that she elected to undergo a labia reduction surgery eight years after the birth of her youngest daughter.

But she said that following the procedure, the male doctor who had performed the surgery told her he had thrown in a "bonus" rejuvenation, also known as vaginal tightening.

"I was horrified, but also at a loss," Shields wrote. "I didn't want to sue this man — or maybe I did want to, but I didn't feel I could — because I didn't particularly want talk of my lady parts, once again, on the front page of every paper."

Shields, 59, said that it was on the advice of her female gynecologist that she had decided to have the surgery, as she had been experiencing discomfort and pain since high school.

But Shields said that when she woke up from the operation, the surgeon told her that he had gone further: "I was in there for four hours, and you know what I did? I tightened you up a little bit! Gave you a little rejuvenation!"

"He acted as if he'd done me a favor," she wrote. "But I had never asked to be 'tightened' or 'rejuvenated' (translation: given a younger vagina). I felt numb."

"This man surgically altered my body without my consent," she continued. "The sheer gall of it enraged me. The fact that the most intimate parts of my body had been a public focal point for so long ... it was enough already."

Shields has spoken candidly in recent years about her experience of being sexualized and objectified from a young age following her breakout performance playing a child prostitute in the film "Pretty Baby" at age 11. Her 2023 documentary of the same name explored the media's treatment of her throughout her career.

Shields said that while she was outraged by her treatment during the procedure, she "never took action against this doctor" or spoke to him about it, as she questioned herself and wondered "if he was right" that she should feel lucky.

Shields also said that it took her a while to discuss what had happened with her husband, Chris Henchy, adding that "he was nearly as angry as I was."

"Had I been happy with the results of the procedure, I still would have been angry that he did it without my consent. But as it turns out, I wasn't happy with the results, and haven't been since," she went on.

Shields added that while she was "embarrassed" to share her story, she felt it was important to "bring up the uncomfortable but very real issues" if people were to change the way they approach the topic of women's health.

"Shame is no longer an option," she wrote.

• Maria Shriver opened up about a parenting trick she learned from her mother.
• She said she taught her children to stand up whenever she entered a room, something they still do to this day.
• Shriver said the women in her family were "big on manners," something she wanted to pass down.

Maria Shriver has opened up about a parenting trick she learned from her late mother, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, and why she believes it instilled good manners in her children.

Appearing on a recent episode of the TODAY podcast "Making Space with Hoda Kotb," Shriver, 69, said that she taught her children to stand up "out of respect" whenever she entered a room — something she said they still do to this day.

"I make them stand up," Shriver said. "I used to make them. Now they just do stand up."

Shriver, who is the niece of former President John F. Kennedy, shares daughters Katherine, 35, and Christina, 33, and sons Patrick, 31, and Christopher, 27, with ex-husband Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Shriver said the rule didn't just apply when she entered a room.

"I wanted my kids to, when I walked in the room, or their dad walked in the room, or you would walk in the room, that they stand up out of respect," she said.

Shriver also encouraged her children's friends to do the same when they visited their home: "When their friends would come over, I'd be like, ahem."

She continued: "I didn't want to walk in the room, and they'd be sitting looking at a phone or watching the game. I'd be like, 'I'm here. Here we are, and here I am. And look me in the eye, say hello, thank me for coming, write me a thank you note if I take you somewhere.'"

"Even though my kids moaned and groaned about it, they now say it was a good thing," she added.

Shriver said the rule is something her mother — who died in 2009 — also enforced when she was growing up.

She added that both her mother and her grandmother, Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy, were "big on manners."

Another etiquette rule she learned from her elders was bringing interesting topics of conversation to the dinner table, she went on.

"When we went to the dinner table, everybody had to have something to bring to the table to talk about, to converse about. My mother would be like, 'What's your opinion of the gospel? What's your opinion of what the president said today?'" she said.

"You could be 10, 11, 19, 20, but you had to step up."

Shriver said that at the heart of her parenting style was the idea that her children were "four distinct individuals" who knew they were valued and "a priority in a public family."

She added that she wanted to "guard their privacy" and to "make sure they were not part of political pamphlets" or "used as props."

Shriver's approach to parenting and her emphasis on teaching her children manners aligns with the authoritative parenting style, which is typified by setting rules and high standards.

As Business Insider previously reported, experts say authoritative parenting can help children develop responsibility and emotional regulation.

"This style encourages children to take responsibility for their own actions and make decisions that are appropriate for their age and development," Kalley Hartman, a marriage and family therapist and clinical director of Ocean Recovery, told BI in 2023.

• Florence Pugh said certain film roles have left her "broken for a long while afterwards."
• Pugh said she felt like she had "abused" herself while taking on roles like "Midsommar."
• She added that she's had to learn to protect herself as an actor over the years.

Florence Pugh has said she "can't do" certain movie roles again because they have left her feeling "broken."

Appearing on the Reign with Josh Smith podcast last week, the Oscar-nominated star said that she learned the hard way about the importance of setting emotional boundaries while working on the 2019 horror film "Midsommar."

"Protecting myself is something I've had to learn how to do," Pugh said.

"There's been some roles, and I've given too much, and I've been broken for a long while afterwards," she added. "Like when I did 'Midsommar,' I definitely felt like I abused myself in the places that I got myself to go."

The movie, which propelled the British actor to global stardom, saw Pugh play a woman named Dani who, having experienced a family tragedy, travels to a remote Swedish village with her boyfriend (Jack Reynor) to participate in a mystical summer festival. The couple's relationship deteriorates throughout the film as the idyllic weekend reveals increasingly violent and bizarre customs.

Despite pushing herself to a dark place, Pugh said she wouldn't change things now as throwing herself into a role is part of her process.

"I look at that performance and I'm really proud of what I did, and I'm proud of what came out of me. I don't regret it," she said.

"I don't think I'd be able to do this without going all the way and putting myself in all of those characters that I've played," she continued. "There's always a piece of me, and there's always a moment at the end of filming where I, like, protect and defend those characters to the very end, even if they've done God-awful things. I think that's only natural when you're in someone for so long."

She added: "There's definitely things that you have to respect about yourself."

"The nature of figuring these things out is you need to go, 'Alright, well, I can't do that again because that was too much.'"

Pugh also recently opened up about what it's like to be a young woman in Hollywood, describing the experience as "exhausting."

While promoting her latest movie, "We Live in Time," the 29-year-old actor told The Times of London that female movie stars face being called divas if they don't follow stereotypes.

"There are fine lines women have to stay within," she said.

"I remember godawful headlines about how Keira Knightley isn't thin anymore, or watching women getting torn apart despite being talented and beautiful," she continued. "The only thing people want to talk about is some useless crap about how they look. And so I didn't care to abide by those rules."

• "Elvis" actor Austin Butler, 33, and model Kaia Gerber, 23, were romantically linked in late 2021.
• The couple have now reportedly parted ways.
• Here's a complete timeline of Butler and Gerber's relationship.

December 19, 2021: Austin Butler and Kaia Gerber were first spotted spending time together.

According to Us Weekly, Austin Butler and Kaia Gerber attended a yoga class in Los Angeles on December 19, 2021. In photos obtained by Daily Mail, the "Zoey 101" star and the model can be seen talking together while walking on a sidewalk before driving away in Gerber's car. 

Three days later, the two were photographed packing their suitcases into a car before heading to the Los Angeles airport, per E! News.

The 23-year-old, whose own exes include Pete Davidson and Jacob Elordi, is the daughter of 1980s supermodel icon Cindy Crawford and business mogul Rande Gerber.

 

February 14, 2022: The two spent their first Valentine's Day together.

Butler and Gerber celebrated their first Valentine's Day together in London, England.

In photos obtained by Just Jared, the two were seen bundled up in coats as they enjoyed coffee and snacks in the UK capital.

 

 

March 24, 2022: Austin Butler and Kaia Gerber made their first official outing together.

Three months into their relationship, Butler and Gerber attended W Magazine's annual pre-Oscars Best Performances party together.

They were seen walking hand-in-hand into the party at Gigi's in Hollywood. The Instagram account for the outlet shared a photo of the two that showed Butler planting a kiss on Gerber's cheek and referred to the actor as Gerber's "boyfriend" in the caption.

 

May 2, 2022: They made their red carpet debut as a couple at the Met Gala.

The young lovers opted to walk the red carpet separately as Butler officially attended the event with Elvis Presley's widow, Priscilla Presley, according to People.

However, they later joined together and posed for photographers when they reached the top of the Metropolitan Museum of Art staircase.

 

May 25, 2022: Butler and Gerber kiss on the red carpet following the premiere of "Elvis" at Cannes.

Gerber joined Butler at the 75th annual Cannes Film Festival where his new movie, "Elvis," premiered. Again, they walked the red carpet separately but were photographed holding each other's faces and kissing. 

 

July 28, 2022: Gerber appears in Butler's Elvis-inspired photoshoot.

Gerber — or part of her, at least — appeared in Butler's photo shoot for V Magazine's VMAN 49's fall-winter 2022 issue. In two photos that show Butler with his back toward the camera and dressed in an Elvis Presley-esque outfit, Gerber's arms can be seen draped around his neck. 

Although her face and body were hidden from the camera, Gerber's "I know" wrist tattoo can be seen in both shots.

 

January 10, 2023: Gerber and Butler are seen kissing backstage at the Golden Globes.

Butler won his first Golden Globe Award for his portrayal of the King of Rock n' Roll and was caught on camera sharing a kiss with Gerber backstage after giving his acceptance speech to the audience.

March 12, 2023: Gerber and Butler also attended the Vanity Fair Oscars party together.

Butler missed his opportunity to win his first Oscar after the best actor award went to Brendan Fraser. While Gerber was nowhere to be seen on the red carpet for the main event, she supported her boyfriend afterward at the Vanity Fair Oscars party.

March 30, 2023: Gerber and Butler volunteer together at a children's hospital in LA.

On March 30, the official Instagram account for Children's Hospital L.A. shared that Butler and Gerber had visited the patients there during their Make March Matter campaign. In some of the photographs and videos, Butler can be seen teaching the children how to play the guitar.

August 2023: Gerber and Butler are spotted attending Taylor Swift's Eras Tour in LA.

Taylor Swift's 2023 Eras Tour was attended by several celebrities, especially at the LA concerts.

Numerous videos shared on social media showed Butler and Gerber attending one of Swift's concerts at LA's SoFi Stadium.

While Butler went to the concert incognito, wearing a face mask and a cap, Gerber was not shy about being at the event and even received friendship bracelets from fans.

August 17, 2023: Gerber and Austin celebrate the actor's 32nd birthday together.

According to People, Butler and Gerber were spotted on August 17 spending time together in LA and going to lunch, presumably to mark Butler's 32nd birthday.

October 2023: Butler supported Gerber during Paris Fashion Week.

According to People, the "Bikeriders" actor watched on as Gerber opened the Valentino Womenswear Spring/Summer 2024 show during Paris Fashion Week.

October 27, 2023: The couple attended a Halloween party dressed as Andy Warhol and Edie Sedgwick.

The couple attended a party put on by Casamigos, the tequila brand her father Rande Gerber cofounded with George Clooney and Mike Meldman.

January 7, 2025: Reports emerged that Butler and Gerber had split up.

On January 7, TMZ reported that the couple had split up after around three years of dating, citing unnamed sources with direct knowledge of the situation.

People later said a source had confirmed the news.

Neither outlet shared the reason behind Butler and Gerber's reported decision to part ways, although TMZ said that the relationship had ended around the end of 2024.

• Wildfires in Los Angeles raged through the star-studded Pacific Palisades neighborhood.
• Paris Hilton, Miles Teller, and Anthony Hopkins were among the celebrities who lost their homes.
• The average house price in the northern LA area is around $4.5 million.

The biggest of the wildfires in Los Angeles has been burning the Pacific Palisades neighborhood for over a week, razing one of the nation's most prosperous neighborhoods.

Stars including Paris Hilton, Milo Ventimiglia, Billy Crystal, Mel Gibson, Miles Teller, and Anthony Hopkins, have lost their homes.

The area, between Santa Monica and Malibu in northern Los Angeles, is home to some of the country's most expensive real estate. The average house price is about $4.5 million, according to Realtor.com data.

Much of it has been on fire since January 7, when a small blaze in the neighborhood exploded to engulf many thousands of acres, prompting evacuation orders for tens of thousands.

As of Tuesday evening the Palisades Fire had burned some 24,000 acres. It was 18% contained, according to Cal Fire.

Bella Hadid said her childhood home was destroyed

Bella Hadid posted a photo on her Instagram story on January 10 showing her childhood Malibu home in flames.

She wrote: "Thanks to everyone reaching out. The memories we made in this house, the love my mama put into building it, the family times, the stories, the friends, the love. I will miss you 3903 carbon canyon rd."

The house was originally owned by Yolanda Hadid, the model's mother, and was featured in "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills." People reported that it was sold for $19.5 million in 2015.

Milo Ventimiglia of 'Heroes' watched his home burn down on security cameras

Milo Ventimiglia, known for starring in "This is Us" and "Heroes," watched his home in Malibu burn via security cameras with Jarah Ventimiglia, his wife, who is nine months pregnant.

Speaking near his home on January 9, he described watching his house burn down to CBS: "I think there's a kind of shock moment where you're going, 'Oh, this is real, and this is happening.' And then, at a certain point, we just turned it off. What good is it to continue watching? We kind of accepted the loss."

Bryan Greenberg confirmed on Instagram that he and Jamie Chung, his wife, lost their house

Actors Bryan Greenberg and Jamie Chung, who are married, confirmed on January 9 that their home had burned down but that their family was safe.

Greenberg shared a photo of the wreckage on his Instagram story, writing: "It was all a dream. Thankfully the family is safe. Thank you to all of the firefighters risking their lives. Stay safe out there."

Mel Gibson said his house burned down while he was away recording 'The Joe Rogan Experience'

Mel Gibson told NewsNation on January 9, that he learned about the fires in his Malibu neighborhood while recording an episode of "The Joe Rogan Experience" in Texas.

He said: "I was doing the Rogan podcast, and kind of ill at ease while we were talking, because I knew my neighborhood was on fire, so I thought, I wonder if my place is still there. But when I got home, sure enough, it wasn't there."

Gibson added: "Obviously, it's kind of devastating. It's emotional. You live there for a long time, and you had all your stuff. "

Paris Hilton said she 'built precious memories' at her destroyed Malibu home

On January 8, Paris Hilton shared on Instagram that she was "heartbroken beyond words" to learn that her Malibu home had been destroyed in the fire.

"Sitting with my family, watching the news, and seeing our home in Malibu burn to the ground on live TV is something no one should ever have to experience," Hilton wrote. Although the loss felt "overwhelming," she said she was grateful that her family and pets were safe.

Hilton returned to her home on January 9 and posted a video of the wreckage on Instagram.

In the caption, she said: "The heartbreak is truly indescribable."

Miles Teller and his wife evacuated before the flames consumed their property

Miles Teller, a star of "Top Gun: Maverick," also lost his home. His wife, Keleigh Teller, shared on Instagram on January 10 that the couple's Pacific Palisades home was destroyed.

Alongside a series of photos — one showing the remains of their home — she wrote: "I wish I grabbed my wedding dress."

"Wish I did a lot different but it doesn't matter, stay safe, get out," she added.

The home of Jennifer Grey, the 'Dirty Dancing' star 'burnt to the ground'

Stella Gregg, Jennifer Grey's daughter, told followers on her Instagram Story on January 8 that her mother's home "burnt to the ground," but confirmed that the actor and her dog were safe.

On January 10, Gregg posted: "Was lucky enough to call Samoa my home for a bit. Thank you mama for making it what it was and allowing me to make such beautiful memories there. Home isn't walls and frames. Home is family. Stay safe. Hug your loved ones. Don't be afraid to ask for help."

Joan Rivers's daughter says she saved her mom's Emmy

Melissa Rivers, the daughter of late actor and comedian Joan Rivers, said her home burned down in an Instagram post on January 8.

"My family and I have safely evacuated, and we are deeply grateful to be unharmed," she wrote. Rivers also shared more details about her evacuation in an interview with CNN, and urged others to be prepared.

"To be 100% honest, I grabbed my mom's Emmy, a photo of my dad, and a drawing that my mother had done of me and my son," she said.

Billy Crystal's home, where he'd lived with his family for 46 years, was burned to the ground

"We raised our children and grandchildren here. Every inch of our house was filled with love. Beautiful memories that can't be taken away. We are heartbroken of course but with the love of our children and friends we will get through this," Crystal said in a statement to Business Insider.

"The Pacific Palisades is a resilient community of amazing people and we know in time it will rise again. It is our home," he said.

Beyoncé's mom, Tina Knowles, said her Malibu bungalow was destroyed in the fires

Tina Knowles said in a post on Instagram that her coastal Malibu bungalow had been burned down in one of the blazes.

"It was my favorite place, my sanctuary, my sacred Happy Place. Now it is gone," she wrote.

Knowles, who is also mom to singer Solange Knowles, went on to thank the "brave men and women in our fire department who risked their lives in dangerous conditions."

"This could have been so much worse without the dedication of the disaster workers and first responders," she added.

Cary Elwes said he and his family evacuated the area safely, but said their house was destroyed

On January 8, "The Princess Bride" actor wrote: "Sadly we did lose our home but we are grateful to have survived this truly devastating fire."

Ricki Lake said that she escaped from her house with her dog and 'not much else'

Ricki Lake, the star of the original "Hairspray" movie and her self-titled talk show, wrote in an Instagram post on January 8 that her "dream home" overlooking Malibu was "gone."

In the caption, Lake said she and her husband escaped from the house with Dolly, their dog, "and not much else."

Mark Hamill evacuated his home, which survived

The "Star Wars" actor Mark Hamill evacuated, too.

He said on Instagram that he had left his Malibu home on January 7 with his wife, Marilou, and their dog, Trixie. He described it as the "most horrific fire since '93."

On January 12, he thanked Instagram followers for their concern and said that his home "amazingly" survived.

Jamie Lee Curtis said 'many' friends lost their homes

On January 8, "Halloween" actor Jamie Lee Curtis appeared on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" and said, holding back tears: "Where I live is on fire right now."

She added: "It's just a catastrophe in Southern California. Obviously, there have been horrific fires in many places. This is literally where I live. Everything — the market I shop in, the schools my kids go to, friends.

"Many, many, many, many, many friends now have lost their homes."

Kate Beckinsale wrote in an Instagram post on January 8 that "the whole of the Palisades being destroyed is unthinkably horrific.

"My daughter and I lived there for most of her childhood and most of her childhood is gone."

Haley Joel Osment thanked those who 'helped as we lose our home'

On January 9, the actor Haley Joel Osment shared that he had lost his home to the Eaton fire in Altadena.

Osment is best known for childhood performances in movies like "The Sixth Sense" and "A.I. Artificial Intelligence."

Writing on Instagram, he said: "My heart would be so full every time I drove home - it was such a special place - I loved living there - our forest and our mountains and our homes - all gone."

R&B singer Jhené Aiko said she lost her home and all her possessions

Aiko shared photos of her home on fire in a now-deleted Instagram post. In a separate Instagram post, she said she wanted to "let suffering be a gift, an act of compassion."

"Me and my children's home is gone, burned to the ground with all of our things inside" Aiko wrote on Instagram. "Lord have mercy. Thankful we still have each other. Starting from scratch. My heart is heavy."

Beloved Hollywood stars like Anthony Hopkins, John Goodman, and Jeff Bridges also lost their homes

Photos obtained by People showed actors John Goodman, Anna Faris, and Anthony Hopkins lost their homes due to the fires.

On January 11, Hopkins appeared to confirm the reports on Instagram. He wrote: "As we all struggle to heal from the devastation of the fires, it's important we remember that the only thing we take with us is the love we give."

The home actor Jeff Bridges shared with his family in Malibu was also lost, the Associated Press reported.

TMZ meanwhile published footage of Adam Brody and Leighton Meester's home in flames, as well as a photo of Anna Faris' home in ashes.

"The Hills" stars Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt also had their house burned down.

"I'm so sad our house is gone. I wish I could have gone back and got more," Montag said as she broke down crying in a video she posted on TikTok on January 8.

The songwriter Diane Warren, a 15-time Oscar nominee who has worked with stars like Beyoncé and Taylor Swift, shared on Instagram that her beach house of nearly 30 years was likely gone.

"It looks like it was lost in the fire last nite. There's a rainbow shining on it which I'm taking as a sign of hope for all creatures who have been affected by this tragedy," Warren wrote.

Meanwhile, Eugene Levy said he got stuck while trying to leave his neighborhood on January 7.

"The smoke looked pretty black and intense over Temescal Canyon," Levy told The Los Angeles Times. "I couldn't see any flames but the smoke was very dark."

According to photos obtained by People, the "Schitt's Creek" star's home was almost completely leveled by the following day, with only a stone chimney and a charred row of hedges left standing.

Chet Hanks, the son of actors Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson, wrote in an Instagram story on January 7: "The neighborhood I grew up in is burning to the ground rn. Pray for the Palisades."

Joshua Jackson, Britney Spears, and Mandy Moore all spoke out about the devastation of losing their homes

"Dawson's Creek" star Joshua Jackson's Topanga Canyon home also burned down in the blaze.

"First and most importantly, all the people closest to me affected by the fire are ok. My daughter, my family, my neighbors all made it out safely," Jackson said in a statement to BI. "Sadly my beautiful home did not survive the fires. But today, I feel incredibly lucky to be surrounded by the people I love."

Britney Spears told her Instagram followers on January 9 that she had evacuated her home.

The singer said that she had left her home in LA and was "driving 4 hours to a hotel."

She added that she had been unable to charge her phone "the past two days" as she had no electricity.

Actor and singer Mandy Moore said in an Instagram story posted on January 7 that she was also among the residents ordered to evacuate. By January 8, the singer said in a follow-up story that she was unsure if her home "made it."

She wrote in an Instagram post: "My children's school is gone. Our favorite restaurants, leveled. So many friends and loved ones have lost everything too."

Greg Wells, the music producer on the "Wicked" movie, told Variety on January 12 that he had a "state-of-the-art" studio in his home that was destroyed in the fire.

He said: "I just have to remind myself, it's really down to the people and to the ideas, and none of that stuff makes a song better. So I'm not gonna let it define me."

• MrBeast — real name Jimmy Donaldson — has announced his engagement to his girlfriend.
• He proposed to gaming streamer Thea Booysen, 27, on Christmas Day.
• The pair have been dating since 2022. Booysen has defended Donaldson during recent controversies.

MrBeast has found his MrsBeast.

The world's most popular YouTuber — real name Jimmy Donaldson — has announced his engagement to his girlfriend Thea Booysen.

In an Instagram post on New Year's Day, the 26-year-old shared images of his proposal, writing: "Ya boy did a thing."

A carousel of photos shows Donaldson, dressed in a Christmas sweater, down on one knee, as well as a close-up of Booysen with her new ring.

With over 341 million YouTube subscribers, MrBeast has become a household name in recent years.

But Booysen — a fellow YouTuber with almost 40,000 subscribers on her channel TheaBeasty — may be less familiar. Here's what we know about her and the proposal.

Donaldson and Booysen first met in 2022

According to People, the pair crossed paths for the first time in 2022 while Donaldson was visiting Booysen's home country of South Africa.

A mutual friend had invited Booysen along to dinner with Donaldson, and it seems the pair quickly hit it off, with Donaldson saying they "vibed instantly."

"When I met him, I was quite surprised how down-to-earth he was, and also how intelligent he was," Booysen told People, adding that she was "surprised to see that he's actually a nice guy."

Donaldson added: "I knew within the first few minutes of meeting that I wanted the chance to date her. Thankfully, she also felt a strong connection."

Booysen is a gamer and internet personality, as well as a published author

Like Donaldson, Booysen, 27, is also a content creator.

She typically posts gaming playthrough videos of action role-playing games like "The Witcher" and "League of Legends," going by the online moniker "TheaBeasty."

Booysen also has another YouTube account titled More Than Human, where she posts videos on psychology. She announced in November that she had graduated from the University of Edinburgh with a Master's degree in Human Cognitive Neuropsychology.

Booysen also launched her debut young adult fiction novel, "The Marked Children," in August 2022.

Donaldson and Booysen's relationship began online

After Donaldson's trip to South Africa ended, he reportedly began speaking to Booysen online.

What began with an inquiry about the book she was writing turned into a three-hour phone call, People reported.

Following that, Donaldson returned to South Africa, and the two "started dating the moment he arrived," per Booysen.

"I fell in love with his brain. To me [that's] everything — your brain, your drive, your discipline, your character, that's everything to me," she said.

Speaking on the "Wide Awake Podcast" in 2022, Booysen said that she eventually decided to apply for a US visa to visit Donaldson in Greenville, North Carolina, where the YouTuber is based.

The couple made their first public appearance at the Kids' Choice Awards in 2022, where Donaldson was awarded a prize for "Favorite Male Creator."

Booysen later shared a picture of herself with Donaldson at the event on Instagram, calling it an "amazing night."

Booysen defended Donaldson during recent controversies

Donaldson became embroiled in a string of controversies last year.

In August 2024, The New York Times reported on safety concerns surrounding the production of his Prime Video show, "Beast Games."

Clips of Donaldson using insensitive language also resurfaced online, and he separately cut ties with an employee who was accused of sending inappropriate messages to a minor.

Booysen stood by Donaldson's side amid the uproar.

Indy100 reported that Booysen responded to a comment on one of her YouTube videos that told her to "get away from the Beast as soon as you can," writing: "I appreciate the message. There is so much that is not being said, I wish I could talk more about the situation. Half the things that are said are not true. I wouldn't be with him if they were. It is so important to me to be a good person."

The pair are planning on a destination wedding

Speaking to People, Donaldson said that he planned a "really private and intimate" proposal.

"My friends thought I would want to propose in a very public way, like some sort of spectacle at the Super Bowl or somewhere else really big like that, but I knew that I wanted it to be the opposite," he said.

Donaldson proposed to Booysen on Christmas Day while the pair were at home surrounded by family.

"My family flew out from South Africa for Christmas and we were going to do Christmas in our house so both families were here. We were opening presents, and then for the very last present he asked me to close my eyes because it was a surprise," Booysen said.

The couple are now considering an island wedding "far away from just about everybody," she continued. "We're not going to try and have a big, extravagant wedding. It's going to be nice, but it's certainly going to be intimate [with] close family and friends."

• Netflix's hit drama "Virgin River" released its latest batch of episodes in December 2024.
• The streamer announced in October that a seventh season had been greenlit.
• Here's what we know about season seven of the show.

Warning: Spoilers ahead for the season six finale of "Virgin River."

The latest season of Netflix's romantic drama "Virgin River" saw nurse practitioner Melinda Monroe (Alexandra Breckenridge) and restaurateur Jack Sheridan (Martin Henderson) finally walk down the aisle together.

It was a long time coming for the couple, who have faced no end of ups and downs since their meet-cute in the show's first season.

Elsewhere, Lizzie (Sarah Dugdale) and Denny (Kai Bradbury) prepared for the arrival of their baby, while Hope (Annette O'Toole) and Doc (Tim Matheson) faced a new threat.

The new episodes also used flashbacks to introduce viewers to younger versions of Mel's parents, Sarah (Jessica Rothe) and Everett (Callum Kerr), giving a glimpse at how their own love story unfolded. The characters are set to be the focus of an upcoming spinoff series.

As for what's next for Mel, Jack, and the rest of the residents of the fictional Northern Californian town, keep reading for everything we know so far about season seven.

'Virgin River' was renewed for season 7 before season 6 aired

The cast of "Virgin River" announced the show's renewal on the series' official Instagram in October.

"Good news, Virgin River is confirmed to come back for Season 7! More love, drama, and small-town charm coming your way. You're very welcome," the caption read.

The series is now Netflix's longest-running original scripted series. The comedy dramas "Orange Is the New Black" and "Grace and Frankie," both ran for seven seasons before ending in 2019 and 2022, respectively.

'Virgin River' season 7 will explore Jack and Mel's 'honeymoon phase'

Speaking to Netflix fan site Tudum, showrunner Patrick Sean Smith teased what fans could expect from the coming season.

"I think we've only just begun to see Mel and Jack function as a married couple, which is exciting," he said, adding that season seven would likely "explore the honeymoon phase for them as they're building their lives on the farm, which can come with its own obstacles."

For those wondering whether those obstacles may include splitting the couple up again, Smith said that wasn't on the cards.

"I can't imagine creating a scenario where you think Mel and Jack are going to break up," he said. "It forces you to dig a little bit deeper into, well, what other issues can they have in their relationship? Especially when you want to keep it through the romance lens. I think Alex and Martin play all of those [moments so well], it's just resting on emotional stakes as opposed to will they, won't they."

There is no release date for season 7 just yet

With season six released earlier this month, it's unlikely that fans will see season seven drop on Netflix any time soon.

In fact, season seven hasn't even begun filming yet. The cast and crew are scheduled to return to set in British Columbia in the Spring of 2025, Smith said, per Deadline.

The show may go on

Netflix hasn't officially confirmed an eighth season, but Smith said that there were "no plans" for the show to end anytime soon.

"No plans to wrap up the series anytime soon, and as long as people keep coming back for it, we're proud and happy to keep telling these stories," he told Deadline in December.