Finn Cole knows the power of love firsthand — even when it’s tested by extreme circumstances.

“We’ve all, if we’re lucky enough, to have loved in our life,” Cole, 28, exclusively shared with Us Weekly at the film’s New York premiere on Tuesday, February 25. “It really helps in any performance because it affects so many stories.

In Last Breath, Cole plays real-life saturation diver Chris Lemons, who finds himself trapped 300 feet underwater with only minutes of oxygen left. While the film is a high-stakes survival thriller, Cole says it’s the love story at its core that anchors the film.

“I think the relationship between Chris and Morag was more representative of the struggles saturation divers have when they have to leave their families, friends, and people,” Cole explained to Us. “It’s opening up a conversation for anyone that has to work abroad and be away from the ones that they love for long periods of time.”

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He added, “Make sure you’re giving love to the people that are around you because you never know what’s gonna happen.”

Cole stars alongside Woody Harrelson and Simu Liu in the film, which is based on the 2019 documentary of the same name. They play a trio of saturation divers on a routine repair expedition when an unforeseen storm leaves them fighting for survival at the bottom of the North Sea. Cole and Liu, 35, both committed to three months of intensive scuba training to prepare for the shoot.

“My dad was a really keen scuba diver, but before we were born,” Cole shared, explaining that his father was an avid diver before starting a family.

“On holiday one year, he was like, ‘There’s an opportunity to take you diving.’ So we went out with some instructors, and me and my four brothers just became obsessed. We really enjoyed it.”

Last Breath marks a pivotal moment in Cole’s career, following his breakout role as fan-favorite Michael Gray on Peaky Blinders. With a highly anticipated Peaky Blinders movie in the works, Cole admitted he was “absolutely gutted” to miss visiting the set.

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“I was away while they were filming,” Cole said. “I’m so excited to watch it. I’m so proud of that show and all the people involved. They’re absolutely awesome and I can’t wait for the movie. It’s going to be amazing.”

Last Breath is now playing in theaters everywhere.

Devon Sawa would love to work with “sweetheart” Jessica Alba again after costarring in the 1999 horror comedy Idle Hands — but an apology may be in order first.

“You know, Elden [Henson], Seth [Green], myself, Vivica [A. Fox], we had been doing it a minute longer than her,” Sawa, 46, exclusively recalled to Us Weekly of their time on the film. “This was her big movie. We were all goofing. We were all, like, teenagers and we were all goofing around and it was hard to get us to focus but Jessica was like, ‘This is it. I’m doing this thing.’ She was focused. And sure enough, Jessica’s Jessica now!”

Idle Hands followed Sawa’s Anton, a teen slacker who finds out that his right hand has been possessed by a mysterious — and seriously murderous — force. After “accidentally” killing two of his best friends (portrayed by Henseon and Green), Anton has to figure out how to shake the appendage of death before it hurts his neighbor – and crush – Molly, played by Alba.

Sawa told Us that it was clear from the get go that Alba, now 43, was “on a mission” to nail her performance, which wasn’t always easy with Sawa and the other costars’ hijinks. “You could tell that she was on a mission. She was focused and we were all just hard to deal with,” he noted. “But she’s a sweetheart and I haven’t seen her in a very long time and I would love to see her again.”

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While Sawa’s chemistry with Alba was certainly palpable, it was his on screen connection with another ‘90s darling, Christina Ricci, that still has fans going wild all these years later. The twosome were intrinsically linked after starring together 1995’s Casper and Now and Then. Millennials have been wishing and hoping to see a reunion between them ever since.

Sawa, for his part,  is totally down to make that happen. Earlier this year, the actor took to X to agree with a fan who thought he and Ricci should reunite for a romantic comedy. Sawa echoed that sentiment while speaking to Us.

“Obviously if I was gonna do a romantic comedy and Christina wanted to do it with me, I think we would make, like, $50 million in the first weekend,” he explained. “That’s, like, it’s a no brainer.”

Ricci or not, the rom-com genre is definitely something Sawa wants to explore. “I definitely have romance in me and I could get into those Tom Hanks-y rolls from the ‘90s,” he said, before realizing he may have just sent the internet ablaze once again: “Oh god, this is going to be all over the place now!”

Another idea? Bringing him and his fellow Wild America costar Jonathan Taylor Thomas back together by casting Thomas, 43, as the best friend in this hypothetical film starring Sawa and Ricci. When pitched the idea by Us, Sawa couldn’t help but smile while recalling memories with his longtime pal.

“I spoke to him a few years ago and it was so good to hear his voice,” Sawa shared. “He sounds kind of the same, a little older, obviously. But he’s doing well and I love that dude. That was a wonderful experience.”

Sawa and Thomas teamed up for the 1997 family comedy, which starred the duo as brothers (along with Scott Bairstow) who take off on a cross country camping trip in hopes of capturing snapshots of the natural world — and avoiding taking on their family business in small town Arkansas. Sawa remembers the experience of filming fondly, despite the film not being popular in his own household.

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“Even though my kids don’t like the movie, It was a good one to shoot,” he confessed, noting that the cult classic garnered “two thumbs down” from 10-year-old son Hudson and 8-year-old daughter Scarlett, whom he shares with wife Dawni Sahanovitch. “They weren’t buying the men walking around in bear costumes or the puppet snakes,” he told Us. “It didn’t age well.”

Sawa added that his kids haven’t seen a ton of his newer work, either — the Chucky series and his new horror comedy Heart Eyes are too mature for their young eyes — but that’s OK.

“I just wanna keep doing what I love doing,” he told Us. “Like, what would I watch? That’s what I want to do.”

Blake Lively is mourning her “fiercely loyal” and “brave” Gossip Girl costar Michelle Trachtenberg after her death at age 39.

“This is the first day I met Michelle. She was electricity. You knew when she entered a room because the vibration changed,” Lively, 38, wrote via Instagram on Wednesday, February 26, alongside a photo of the duo on set of The CW series. “Everything she did, she did 200%. She laughed the fullest at someone’s joke, she faced authority head on when she felt something was wrong, she cared deeply about her work, she was proud to be a part of this community and industry as painful as it could be sometimes, she was fiercely loyal to her friends and brave for those she loved, she was big and bold and distinctly herself.”

Looking back at her time with Trachtenberg, Lively recalled that her costar would “always” have “yummy caramel smelling lipgloss on because she didn’t just want to sparkle on camera, she liked creating a nice experience for anyone who was in her orbit, even down to the subtle smell of her lipgloss because she cared about the sweet details.”

Lively called Trachtenberg “kind, through and through” before reflecting on facing unexpected loss. “Time passes,” she wrote. “You take for granted that you get the chance to see an old friend. To paraphrase, the real tragedies in life are the ones that blindside you on an idle Tuesday. Hold those you love and have loved dear. The world lost a deeply sensitive and good person in Michelle. May her work and her huge heart be remembered by those who were lucky enough to experience her fire.”

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Lively starred as Serena van der Woodsen on all six seasons of Gossip Girl from 2007 to 2012. Trachtenberg, who had a successful career as a child actor in projects like Ice Princess, Harriet the Spy and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, joined the cast as the deliciously menacing Georgina Sparks midway through the first season and remained a recurring guest star until the series wrapped.

Police sources confirmed to Us Weekly earlier on Wednesday that Trachtenberg was found unconscious inside her New York City apartment. No cause of death has been reported, and the incident is not believed to be suspicious.

Trachtenberg’s representative later addressed the news in a statement, telling Us on Wednesday, “It is with great sadness to confirm that Michelle Trachtenberg has passed away. The family requests privacy for their loss. There are no further details at this time.”

Ryan Reynolds’ Aviation gin may have been a star of wife Blake Lively’s 2018 film A Simple Favor — but don’t expect the brand to make an appearance in the film’s sequel.

“There’s no more Aviation,” director Paul Feig revealed to Entertainment Weekly in an interview published on Tuesday, February 25, before sharing that his own brand, Artingstall Gin, would instead be featured as the replacement. “This movie is all Artingstall’s all the time. I’m very proud of my brand. And actually, our bottle is so beautiful that it fits in. It doesn’t feel like it doesn’t belong. There’s never a shortage of martinis in any of my movies.”

Feig launched Artingstall in 2020, two years after A Simple Favor hit theaters with a scene that featured Lively’s character, Emily, teaching Anna Kendrick’s Stephanie how to make a “real” martini. Emily’s perfect cocktail included a frozen glass, dry vermouth, a twist lemon — squeezed into the glass and dabbed around the rim — and a bottle of Reynolds’ Aviation gin, kept chilled in the freezer.

Shortly after the scene went viral, Feig revealed that he initially had chosen a different gin for the film before Lively suggested Aviation, sharing that it’s a brand Reynolds “really likes.”

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“I wouldn’t have done it if I didn’t like the look of it on the screen, but I really thought the bottle looked fantastic,” Feig told Cosmopolitan at the time. “So I, honestly, didn’t even realize the level of involvement that [Ryan] had in it, but I think it’s great, because it’s a really good gin.”

While Aviation won’t be making a return for Another Simple Favor, Feig has continued to support Lively in other ways. The director has often come to her defense amid her legal battle with former It Ends With Us costar and director Justin Baldoni. (Lively filed a lawsuit against Baldoni in December 2024, citing sexual harassment and retaliation, Baldoni vehemently denied the claims, filing a $400 million countersuit against her and Reynolds for defamation.)

Shortly after Lively’s lawsuit made headlines, Feig took to social media to share his own experience of working with the actress, writing via X, “I’ve now made two movies with Blake and all I can say is she’s one of the most professional, creative, collaborative, talented and kind people I’ve ever worked with.”

The following month, Feig denied the movie was scrapped due to the lawsuit. In February, when an Instagram follower questioned if Another Simple Favor would ultimately be Feig’s cut “or Blake’s cut” — Baldoni has alleged that Lively “took over” It Ends With Us — Feig had no issue setting the record straight.

“It’s my cut,” he replied. “There is no other cut. Blake has been nothing but supportive and a dream to work with. She is the best and an amazing collaborator and I’m her biggest fan.”

'A Simple Favor' Director Paul Feig Responds to Comment About Blake Lively

The pair’s most recent collaboration will be available to stream on Prime Video May 1 after it debuts at SXSW next month. The film follows Emily, newly sprung from jail, as she invites now-mommy-vlogger-turned-private investigator Stephanie to her glamorous nuptials in Capri. While the two frenemies hope for wedding bliss, they quickly find themselves in the midst of murder and betrayal.

“I resisted doing sequels to any of my movies,” Feig told EW on Tuesday of his decision to return to the franchise. “But I love these characters so much that I thought, ‘Well, there’s more fun to be had with them.’ But that meant taking them out of their comfort zone.”

Jane Fonda gave a powerful speech while accepting the Life Achievement Award at the 2025 Screen Actors Guild Awards.

Fonda, 87, took the stage at the Sunday, February 23, event, held at Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall in Los Angeles, after being presented with the honor by Julia Louis-Dreyfus.

“Wow. This means the world to me. I’m going to talk loud. Thank you SAG-AFTRA. And your enthusiasm makes this seem like a twilight of my life and more like a, ‘Go girl kick ass!’ Which is good because I’m not done,” the actress, who donned a custom Armani gown and Pomellato Jewelry, began her speech to roaring applause. “I have had a really weird career — totally, not as my agents there at that table will tell you, totally unstrategic. I retired for a few years and then I came back at 65, which is not usual, and then I made one of my most successful movies in my 80s and probably in my 90s I’ll be doing my own stunts in an action movie. Have you ever heard the phrase, ‘It’s OK to be a late bloomer as long as you don’t miss the flower show’? I’m a late bloomer. This is the flower show.”

She continued, “I love acting. We get to open people’s minds to new ideas, take them beyond what they understand of the world and help them laugh when things are tough, like now. And for a woman like me, who grew up in the ‘40s and ‘50s when women weren’t supposed to have opinions and get angry, acting gave me a chance to play angry women with opinions — which you know is a bit of a stretch for me. I’m a big believer in unions. They have our backs, they bring us into community and they give us power. Community means power. And this is really important right now when worker’s power is being attacked and community is being weakened. But SAG-AFTRA is different from most other unions because us, the workers, the actors, we don’t manufacture anything tangible. What we create is empathy. Our job is to understand another human being so profoundly that we can touch their souls. We know why they do what they do, we know their joy and their pain.”

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Fonda then briefly was interrupted by an announcer over the loudspeakers, to which she replied, “And I can conjure up voices!”

She then concluded her speech by sharing more of what it means to have “empathy” as an actor, telling the crowd, “We have to drill deep, we have to know for example if a young woman is cutting, or she’s a sex worker, there’s a good chance that as a young girl she was sexual abused or incested. … And I’m sure many of you guys have played bullies and misogynists and you can pretty much know that, probably, that their father bullied them and called them weak, called them losers or pussies. And while you may hate the behavior of your character, you have to understand and empathize with the traumatized person you’re playing, right? … Make no mistake, empathy is not weak or woke. And by the way, woke just means you give a damn about other people.”

Earlier this month, Fonda released a statement expressing her gratitude about being recognized for the prestigious award.

“I am deeply honored and humbled to be this year’s recipient of the SAG Life Achievement Award,” the 9 to 5 star said in response to the announcement.”SAG-AFTRA works tirelessly to protect the working actor and to ensure that union members are being treated equitably in all areas, and I am proud to be a member as we continue to work to protect generations of performers to come.”

SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) president Fran Drescher also addressed the decision to honor Fonda, labeling her a pioneer of the entertainment industry.

“Jane Fonda is a trailblazer and an extraordinary talent — a dynamic force who has shaped the landscape of entertainment, advocacy and culture with unwavering passion,” Drescher shared in a statement. “We honor Jane not only for her artistic brilliance but for the profound legacy of activism and empowerment she has created.”

Fonda’s career has spanned over six decades, making the SAG honor well-deserved and adding to her long list of accolades that includes two Oscars, an Emmy, seven Golden Globes and two BAFTA Awards. Her talents have spanned various mediums, including TV (HBO’s The Newsroom and Netflix’s Grace and Frankie) and film (1968’s Barbarella, 1969’s They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?, 1978’s Coming Home and 1980’s 9 to 5).

Beyond her artistic achievements, Fonda has been a vocal advocate for social causes such as gender equality, environmental justice and civil rights since the 1960s, In 1984, she cofounded the Hollywood Women’s Political Committee and in 2005 established the Women’s Media Center. She later launched the Jane Fonda Climate PAC in 2022 to combat the climate crisis and has been arrested multiple times in the name of peaceful protest and social justice.

In 2022, she celebrated her 85th birthday by raising $1 million for her nonprofit, the Georgia Campaign for Adolescent Power & Potential, which is focused on teen pregnancy and adolescent health.

During an April 2018 interview with the Harvard Business Review, Fonda opened up about her decision to pursue acting and shared how motherhood pivoted her career into the nonprofit sector. (The actress welcomed daughter Vanessa with first husband Roger Vadim and son Troy with ex-husband Tom Hayden. The exes also share daughter Mary Luana Williams, whom they adopted in the 1980s.)

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“I became an actress because I didn’t know what else to do! I was fired as a secretary; Lee Strasberg [the acting coach] told me I was talented; and I had to earn a living,” she explained. “That was the way I thought about it: It was a job. The activism wasn’t until I was 30. There was a lot going on in the world and I was pregnant, which makes a woman like a sponge, very open to what’s going on around her. It was around that time that I began to realize that I wanted to change my life and participate in trying to end the war. I lived in France, I was married to Roger Vadim, I had a young daughter, and I left it all and went to America to become an activist.”

For Jay Ellis, building on screen chemistry with Running Point costar Kate Hudson was nothing short of a slam dunk.

“Kate, first of all, she’s such an easy person to be around,” Ellis, 43, exclusively told Us Weekly while promoting his Creative Spirit Challenge for Aspiring Filmmakers with Rabbit Hole Distillery. “She’s funny, she’s kind, she’s a bit of a smart ass. You get all sides of her at the same time. Also, she’s, like, walking around singing all the time. She’s serenading you with this mermaid-like voice. It’s beautiful.”

The duo play colleagues on the sports drama, which premieres on Netflix on Thursday, September 27. Ellis portrays Jay Brown, the head coach of fictitious NBA team the Los Angeles Waves. Hudson, meanwhile, plays Isla Gordon: a former party girl who finds herself thrown into the role of team President when her older brother Cam (Justin Theroux) heads to rehab to tend to his drug addiction. Together, they are tasked with proving that the Waves have a “winning roster” with the hodge-podge group of players they’ve assembled.

Ellis said that while he had no “expectation” going into working with Hudson, he knew the pair would have multiple scenes together — and was happy to discover how well they gelled as actors.

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“There’s just some people you just click with. I feel fortunate to have worked with someone like Kate,” he continued. “I feel like acting is constantly giving gifts to somebody. I’m giving you a gift and then you’re reacting to it, and then you’re giving me a gift and we’re going back and forth. And I think when you’re locked in, it’s magic and you create something that hopefully people really feel and relate to…. And that was working with Kate.”

While starring alongside Hudson was clearly a high point of getting to work on the series, Ellis was also excited to bring a big part of himself to the role — other than his first name — by using his expertise. While attending Concordia University in Portland, Oregon, the actor was a member of the basketball team, graduated Suma Cum Laude and served as student body president.

“It’s crazy that I got to bring this much of my personal life to a role every single day. It was kind of wild,” Ellis told Us at the Running Point premiere in Los Angeles earlier this month. “It definitely took me back to that time, which was a lot of fun obviously. It was great. I thought about my teammates. I thought about injuries, guys who had gotten hurt. I thought about my own selfishness or my ambition of wanting to be the best player on my team. I thought of all of those things and how that relates.”

Ellis added that there were differences from his own basketball career, too, which made for an “interesting experience.” He told Us: “I’m a coach on the show, having to talk to these younger players. And [my character is] only also a year or two removed from playing [himself].”

That competitive spirit that Running Point entices, Ellis said, also felt relatable. “I find myself constantly wanting to best the last thing or push a little bit further,” he explained of his own competitive nature, which he says he directs mostly at himself. “That could be from a workout to a role to my next take, to be honest with you, when I’m on set. Part of that I think just lives in me innately. And I think another part of it has just been kind of conditioned through sports.”

Perhaps Ellis’ love of competition will lend itself useful when serving as a mentor to an up-and-coming filmmaker for his Creative Spirit Challenge with Rabbit Hole Distillery. The partnership features an exclusive contest for aspiring filmmakers and the launch of a limited-edition distillery series whiskey release.

“I’ve said this before and I’ll say it until I can no longer say it: the filmmakers of tomorrow are making short films today,” Ellis said of his decision to partner with Rabbit Hole “They’re making their first projects today. And I think if we are not finding a way to support emerging artists, then we’re only hurting ourselves in the long run. … So I think any opportunity we have to get out there and help folks get their start and be able to tell their story and from their point of view is something that we should be doing as artists.”

Ellis added that he particularly enjoys working with companies like Rabbit Hole because of how much they “support the arts” and “realize the importance of storytelling in our culture at large.”

This year, Rabbit Hole is showing that unwavering support by teaming up with Ellis to invite emerging filmmakers to enter the Creative Spirits Challenge by submitting a video sharing their story and why they deserve to win. The grand prize winner will receive a professional-grade Canon camera and a one-on-one mentoring session with Ellis, while three runners-up will also receive professional-grade Canon cameras. A collaborative whiskey release will follow in spring 2025.

Ellis is hyped to lead an emerging creative, but just hopes the lucky winner is ready to get down to business.

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“There’s a whole syllabus for these guys. They’re gonna fall asleep. I’m gonna, slap the ruler and wake ’em up, and we’re gonna go through it again. There’ll be a pop quiz,” he joked. “ You know, I think there’s so many things that go into being able to make a career doing this. Obviously there’s passion, there’s creativity, there’s point of view in your own storytelling, [but] there’s [also] the marketing aspect of it, there’s the self-confidence aspect of it, there’s the craftsmanship of writing, the craftsmanship of filmmaking, the craftsmanship of being able to talk to actors and direct while also knowing lighting and camera lenses and all of those things. So I really hope that if I am not able to give them everything that they’re looking for in terms of questions or guidance or advice. I want to be able to point them in a direction.”

For Ellis, knowledge is power. “I really believe in information and I really believe that no one person has the answer,” he told Us, before adding with a laugh, “I just really hope that whoever this poor, poor winner is, I really just hope that they walk away with understanding their story matters. And that we want their films in the world.”

Running Point premieres on Netflix Thursday, February 27.

Shep Rose’s ex-girlfriend Sienna Evans is firing back after feeling like she’s been made out to be a “villian’ on season 10 of Southern Charm.

The current Miss Bahamas World, 26, took to social media on Wednesday, February 19, to address how she’s been portrayed on the Bravo series and to shut down the claim that she tried to date Rose’s costar Whitney Sudler-Smith before sparking a romance with him.

“I’m going to dispel all the mistruths and tell my side of the story because I feel like everyone has had the opportunity to say what happened and how they feel and their point of view but I haven’t had the luxury or courtesy to explain my point of view, which I think is very important,” Evans said in TikTok video, adding that there “have been a lot of mistruths and, to be quite honest, a lot of lies. And I kind of think it’s time for me to talk about it.”

Evans and Rose were first linked in early 2024 and dated long-distance for the duration of their relationship before calling it quits that fall. The pair’s ups and downs have been documented on season 10 of Southern Charm, with Evans’ motive for dating Rose being called into question by some of the cast who noted her grandmother was a big fan of the show. (Evans claimed during a season 10 episode that her grandmother is “like, the president of the Southern Charm fan club.”)

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Evans, however, slammed those claims on Wednesday, clarifying how her romance with Rose came to be.

“Shep and I did meet on Raya and at the time, his profile, it just made him seem like a southern boy who liked to fish,” she said in a subsequent TikTok clip. “And he messaged me and he was like, ‘Oh you’re from the Bahamas? I always go to the Bahamas, I love the Bahamas.’ And I was like, ‘Oh, he’s cute,’ or whatever, and that’s how we met. And then he followed me on Instagram and we started talking on Instagram and that’s kind of how things started.”

Evans also addressed rumors that she had reached out to Sudler-Smith, 56, on the dating app first before connecting with Rose, calling it “super off the wall.” She alleged it was Sudler-Smith who “direct requested” her first.

“So on a dating app, you have your regular connections that you can either connect or reject. He wasn’t even a connection of mine, he direct requested me and said, “Hi, how are you?” and I answered, “I’m good, how are you?” she claimed. “That is the extent of the communication that I had with Whitney, first of all.”

Evans added that when she did eventually make it up to Charleston — where Southern Charm is filmed — to spend time with Rose, she “did not recognize” Sudler-Smith “or even remember that we had matched,” crediting him looking different in his online photos.

“It was Shep that had said, ‘Oh, Whitney says that he matched with you on Raya,’ and then I looked on my messages and I was like, ‘Oh, he’s a catfish. He looks nothing like this in real life,’” she said. “So yea, that is how we met and that is first, me dispelling this whole thing about me reaching out to Whitney to be on the show or whatever. That is totally untrue.”

In a separate video, Evans shared a comment from a follower asking for “proof [receipts] timelines on the Whitney stuff,” and showed the alleged DM between them from March 2023. “So, I’m not a liar,” she added. “I would not lie about that and I wouldn’t have brought it up because, like I said, when I saw him I did not recognize him because he was a total catfish and it didn’t even register because we didn’t even have a conversation.”

She captioned the video, “Here’s my proof,” adding hashtags for Southern Charm, Bravo and her and Rose’s names.

In a final TikTok video, Evans said she initially “declined” Rose’s invitation to visit him in South Carolina, and that the duo agreed that they would maybe meet one day “somewhere in the world” as they are both “big fans of travel.” She also alleged that at this point in time, she was unaware that Rose and Sudler-Smith knew each other, or that they were on Southern Charm.

While it’s unclear when the pair eventually did agree to meet up, Evans did visit Charleston during the filming of season 10 before Rose and the rest of the cast headed to the Bahamas. Their arrival, which aired during the episode 10 on February 12, showed Evans failing to show up and greet Rose at the airport, instead choosing to meet up with him later at the hotel.

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“This is my life, and this is my soul or whatever you wanna call it. And I was just like, ‘You’re playing games here. Like, I should be driving this bus,’” Rose explained while looking back at the encounter during Southern Charm’s After Show. “I’m not trying to rock the boat. I understand that there’s trouble in paradise — no pun intended — but I got quite angry about it.”

Rose noted that he was particularly upset because to him, the then-couple were on track for a serious relationship. “She was supposed to come with my whole family to Italy, and we were gonna go see Coldplay in Milan and then go meet my family in Positano,” he said. “Is that not a relationship? I mean, who does that? Who makes that plan?”

New episodes of Southern Charm air on Bravo Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET.

JoAnna Garcia Swisher can totally relate to all of Us obsessing over the new season of her Netflix series, Sweet Magnolias.

“I feel like I can work Outlander into almost any conversation that I ever have had,” Swisher, 45, exclusively shares in the latest issue of Us Weekly. “But I have not finished it because I’m, like, pacing myself. I have a few episodes left of the series.”

Swisher is such a fan of the sci-fi romance — which aired its seventh season last month — that she’s constructed a way to ensure the show lasts for her even after the eighth and final season wraps up sometime this year.

“What I’ve done is I’ve started to go back to season 1 and I’m rewatching season 1 and I’m gonna hold on to the last few episodes of their last season up until the premiere of the prequel,” she explained. “So I don’t feel the sadness of loss.”

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Outlander, which premiered on Starz in 2014, follows Claire (Caitriona Balfe), a World War II nurse who travels back in time to 18th century Scotland and meets her true love, Jamie (Sam Heughan). Their epic love story is anything but boring, spanning across multiple decades, continents and wars.

An exact premiere date for the final season has yet to be announced, but the show’s prequel series, Outlander: Blood of My Blood, debuts this year and will follow the romances between Julia Moriston (Hermione Corfield) and Henry Beauchamp (Jeremy Irvine), and Ellen MacKenzie (Harriet Slater) and Brian Fraser (Jamie Roy).

While it looks like Swisher will have plenty of Outlander content to queue up, the rest of Us are reeling over season 4 of Sweet Magnolias, which premiered on February 6 and quickly shot up to No. 1 on Netflix’s Top TV Shows in the U.S. While a fifth season has yet to be confirmed (fingers crossed!), Swisher is just grateful fans are having as much fun watching the show as she does making it.

“I think [this is] my favorite season, so it’s been so nice to hear people that have seen it react that way,” she tells Us. “Inevitably there’s so many nerves that happen when you’re so proud of something and then you get down to the wire and you’re like, ‘Wait, I hope people like it!’ So it makes me feel really good.”

Keep scrolling for everything Swisher is currently obsessed with:

‘Back in Action’

“My girlfriend Cameron Diaz just came out with a new movie, Back in Action with Jamie Foxx, and I just am in awe of her just generally, but the fact that she just can kick ass and be so cool and gorgeous and do it on her own terms, it’s so amazing and it’s just a fun watch,” Swisher tells Us, noting that Diaz, 52, is “meant” to be a movie star.

“I know that she’s got a lot of other things [going on],” she clarifies. “But I’m like, ‘The people have spoken!’”

‘The Three Lives of Cate Kay’

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A post shared by Kate Fagan (@katefagan3)

Swisher says her lifestyle digital and social media platform, The Happy Place, is currently featuring Kate Fagan’s latest novel, which is “so good.” (The story follows a woman who creates a fictional persona named Cate Kay to hide her true identity after an incident in her hometown.)

“You could crack open this person’s brain and look inside and I love that. Experiencing some traumatic things and how she reacted to it and how she channeled it, it’s sort of like, ‘OK, this happened and I took a hard right turn and then this happened and I took a hard left turn,’” Swisher says. “But then there’s this mystery surrounding who she is and there’s books and movie stars. … It’s just, like, really cool. And there’s really great romance in it too.”

Kelsea Ballerini

JoAnna and her two daughters — Emerson Jay, 11, and Sailor Stevie, 8, whom she shares with husband Nick Swisher — currently can’t get enough of the country star’s tunes.

“My kids and me are just out of control,” she tells Us, sharing her plans to attend Ballerini’s Patterns tour. “She’s coming to Tampa, we’re going to the show. We’re doing a massive girls night. I’m taking my girlfriends and my and their daughters and we are going to live it up. I love her so much. She is what I’m blasting right now.”

JoAnna Garcia Swisher Was 'Brutally' Embarrassed When Meeting Celeb Crushes

A Holy Trinity of TV

In addition to her Outlander obsession, Swisher has a couple other TV shows on the docket. “I love Lioness,” she tells Us. “That’s such a great show and I just finished the second season. … I’m about to start Landman, also.”

There are endless romantic films to dive into every Valentine’s Day if you’re in love — but what do you turn on if you’re nursing a massive heartbreak?

Being single is great — but if you’ve just been dumped (or even done the dumping yourself), you might not be in the mood to watch two people who are destined to find each other fall in love for two hours. If that’s where you’re at, the right flick can feel like it’s hard to find. That’s why after experiencing her own breakup, Someone Great director Jennifer Kaytin Robinson wanted to make a different kind of rom-com — one where the objective at the end isn’t about getting the guy … it’s about getting over him, instead.

“I was dumped in my early 20s, and while this movie has nothing to do with that relationship, out of that experience I wanted to make a deconstructed rom-com that’s way more com than rom and that is really about women holding each other up and a woman choosing herself,” Robinson told Entertainment Weekly in 2019. “I pitched it forever as (500) Day of Summer meets Drunk History.”

Robinson noted that female-centered films often force the singleton in question to “blow up her whole life just to put it back together,” but that’s not always how real life works.

Romantic Comedies That Were Inspired by Shakespearean Works

“No, you get f—ed up for a day, and you do some weird stuff, and then your life continues,” she explained. “Women can be messy and all over the place, but that doesn’t mean they’re quitting their jobs. Why can’t we be messy and also fine?”

From stories about finding strength in friendship, to fantasies about revenge or learning how to get your groove back, keep scrolling for the best movies to watch this Valentine’s Day if you’ve just gone through a breakup:

‘How Stella Got Her Groove Back’

Sometimes enough unlucky-in-love experiences start to weigh on you by a certain age, and losing confidence you once had can feel unavoidable. That’s exactly the right time to press play on this Angela Bassett-led classic about a woman who finds herself after diving into a whirlwind romance with a younger man (played by Taye Diggs) while on vacation in Jamaica. How Stella Got Her Groove Back will remind you there’s no timetable for life (or love), romance comes in many different forms and, most importantly, you’re sexy no matter how old you are.

‘Under the Tuscan Sun’

Diane Lane stars in this second-chance-at-happiness story about how life can be even better after you discover the truth about your cheating spouse. After her best friend Patti (Sandra Oh) encourages her to take a tour of Italy, Frances (Lane) impulsively purchases a rural Tuscan villa and finds that starting her life anew can bring a fresh perspective of happiness she never realized — and a handsome stranger named Marcelle (Raoul Bova). No matter what stage of life you are in, the lesson remains the same: it’s never too late to start again.

‘Legally Blonde’

What revenge is sweeter than getting into the same law school as your ex, becoming besties with his new girlfriend and graduating valedictorian? Legally Blonde is the perfect watch for anyone who needs a little inspiration from Elle Woods (Reese Witherspoon) on the art of picking yourself up, dusting yourself off and showing them what they’re missing — all while doing it in style. What, like it’s hard?

‘Someone Great’

Sometimes before you get to the moving on part of heartbreak, you have to revel in the sadness for a little while — and there’s no movie better for that than Someone Great. Based on writer and director Jennifer Kaytin Robinson’s real-life breakup, Gina Rodriguez stars as a 20-something reeling over the end of her biggest romance. To help her let go, she and her two best friends (Brittany Snow and DeWanda Wise) head out in New York City for one epic night before she moves across the country to San Francisco. Change is hard, and scary, but it’s also poignantly beautiful. Someone Great will remind you of just that.

‘John Tucker Must Die’

Sometimes, it’s best to take the high road. Other times, you just need to serve someone a taste of their own medicine. We can’t always play out those fantasies in real life, but that’s where John Tucker Must Die comes in. Watch Sophia Bush, Ashanti and Arielle Kebbel recruit Brittany Snow to get back at their cheating, three-timing, slimy ex-boyfriend (Jesse Metcalfe). John Tucker manages to bring a whole new meaning to the term “scumbag,” but there’s more here to the story than just revenge on your loser ex — the film reminds you that not all men are trash, you just have to look out for the right ones (thanks, Penn Badgley).

‘First Wives Club’

There’s no better cure for getting over a breakup than spending some time with your friends. And if they’re also going through the post-split blues, even better! Goldie Hawn, Diane Keaton and Bette Midler star in this flawless ‘90s comedy about three former college girlfriends who reunite after the death of their classmate. All divorced, they navigate the next chapter of their lives full of more adventure, laughter and love than ever. Alexa, play “You Don’t Own Me’ by Lesley Gore.

‘My Best Friend’s Wedding’

Sometimes you need to be reminded that what you’re going through is a universal experience, and My Best Friend’s Wedding is perfect for that. One of the only romantic comedies where the girl doesn’t get the guy in the end, this rom-com is proof that things don’t always work out in your favor, and that’s OK. Plus, Julianne (Julia Roberts) spends the entire movie chasing after her best friend, Michael (Dermott Mulroney), and he still chooses someone else. Whatever text you sent post breakup can’t be that bad. And if Julia Roberts can get dumped? Trust Us, you’re not the problem.

‘Magic Mike’

Listen, this one is thinly veiled, but whatever, no shame! Sometimes you need to watch a bunch of half-naked hot men gyrate on stage to remind yourself there’s more fish in the sea — especially when those men are Channing Tatum, Matthew McConaughey, Matt Bomer and Joe Manganiello. So press play, and enjoy this story about a group of guys who headline an all-male revue in hopes of making better lives for themselves.  (If women are your preference, may we suggest Hustlers?)

Us Ranks Julia Roberts’ Top 10 Rom-Coms: ‘Notting Hill’ and More

‘Heart Eyes’

When in the beginning stages of a heartbreak, sometimes seeing other people in love can really grind your gears. You’re happy for them, but ugh, love is gross! If seeing couples packing on the PDA this Valentine’s Day is turning your stomach, try out Heart Eyes, a horror-comedy that follows a serial killer with a vendetta for the annual holiday of romance — and takes it out by brutally murdering anyone happily in love. It’s bloody, it’s funny and if nothing else, it will get your mind off how much being dumped sucks.

Valentine’s Day is upon Us — and Lucien Laviscount is sharing why his new film This Time Next Year is the perfect watch on the annual day of love.

“It’s two people who have to find each other,” Laviscount, 32, told Us Weekly exclusively. “And I think that no matter what anyone’s going through in the relationship, there’s always room for each other to grow and to allow each other to grow. I think anyone that watches will come away with a smile on their face.”

Laviscount plays Quinn in the romantic comedy — which is based on the novel by Sophie Cousens and now available on The Roku Channel — a 20-something business titan caring for his mentally ill mother (Golda Rosheuvel). He runs into the endearingly-awkward Minnie (Sophie Cookson) on New Year’s Eve. The pair quickly realize they were born one minute apart at the same hospital and strike up a friendship. But as their bond grows deeper, they are forced to reevaluate if they were meant to be more than just platonic.

While Laviscount — who is well-versed in the rom-com world after coming off of three seasons of Emily in Paris — is one of the undeniable standouts of the project, the actor believes the magic also lies in director Nick Moore, the man who edited two of his “favorite classics,” Love Actually and Notting Hill.

Lucien Laviscount Admires How 'Emily in Paris' Brings 'Light and Love'

“He’s an OG in my eyes,” Laviscount gushed. “I think that’s what people forget so much of the movie is in the edit. Whatever happens on the dance floor, happens on the dance floor. But on that cutting table, that’s when a movie really comes to life. So being able to work with Nick on this, and him just knowing exactly what he wanted and where it was gonna go was incredible.”

Laviscount said he’d “never worked” with a director who had such a clear vision before. The backdrop, it turns out, wasn’t too shabby, either. “We shot the majority of it in Rome,” he explained. “Rome for London, which was kind of crazy in itself, but beautiful.”

This Time Next Year has all the puzzle pieces to draw in any rom-com lover, but what stood out for Laviscount was how complex Quinn was as a character. There’s much more to his life than showing up as the main character’s love interest.

“The process for me was really getting to the root of [Quinn’s] relationship with his mom as much as anything,” he told Us. “And his drive with work, his passiveness on finding what matters in life and of being able to share his life with someone and have someone that can share the weight with him.”

There’s a lot to love about Quinn and Minnie — who’s last name is Cooper, like the car — as well, diving deep into the idea of serendipity and believing two people are fated to collide at just the right time.

“It’s just beautifully done within the script and within the book as well, how they find each other,” Laviscount said. “They literally bump into each other. He opens the toilet door. It’s really interesting. I think a lot of movies play out in the sense of, ‘This is just love at first sight.’ These [two] are really dealing with their own problems and they’ve got a lot of housekeeping to figure out before they can allow each other to fully be in each other’s lives.”

But did starring in Netflix’s romantic fantasy Emily in Paris as one of the titular character’s love interests help him prepare for the role of Quinn?

“I think it helped me get the offer. I’ll tell you that,” Laviscount said with a laugh. “I think that definitely helped.”

‘Emily in Paris’ Lucien Laviscount Talks Season 4's Love Triangle Fallout

But as for who they are at their core, Aflie and Quinn couldn’t be more different. “I approached [Quinn] differently,” Laviscount continued. “This kind of character, he’s dealing with a lot of stuff at home, with his mother. He’s been her carer for a long time, and he has put himself second to a lot of things. As opposed to Alfie who just left the country and ran off with a girl that broke his heart.”

There’s one more difference: “I got the girl on this [movie], which is great.”

This Time Next Year is available to watch on The Roku Channel now.

Director Michael Morris didn’t have to worry about Renée Zellweger rediscovering her role as Bridget Jones in Mad About the Boy — she was back in character before he even called action.

“It is absolutely true to say that she walks in as Bridget and there’s something really profoundly affecting about that,” Morris, 51, exclusively shared with Us Weekly. “Because we all expected Renee to come [to set]. … That is not what happens. Bridget comes in, and there’s a massive difference in the way that she walks, the way that she sits, the way that she leans. It’s Bridget.”

Morris — who called Zellweger a “wonderful, warm human being” and “really magnificent actress” — said that everyone working on the movie, from the “makeup team” to the “craft service team,” had an “out of body experience” watching the Oscar-winner mosey around set as her rom-com counterpart.

“Like, ‘I’m talking to Bridget Jones behind the scenes of the set of Bridget Jones, what? My head is exploding! This is so weird,’” he recalled thinking. “It honestly felt like that. So from the very start, Bridget was there and it just makes everything better. Because it means you can just get into it.”

Renee Zellweger Is Back as Bridget Jones in Poster for 4th Movie

Zellweger settling back into Bridget with ease makes sense — she’s already nailed the role in the three previous films based on Helen Fielding’s ‘90s newspaper serial: 2001’s Bridget Jones’s Diary, 2004’s, Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason and 2016’s Bridget Jones’s Baby. Now, the lovable on-and-off singleton is back and ready to make Us laugh, cry, blush and inhale our ice cream (and wine) as we reunite with her following the death of great love Mark Darcy (Colin Firth).

While Mad About the Boy introduces Bridget as a widowed mom of two dipping her toe back in the dating pool — Mark has been dead for four years by the time the movie begins — the beloved character can be felt from start to finish. Morris told Us he was well aware of how important the character is to fans, and wanted to ensure that Firth’s brief cameo landed just right.

“It was one of the most emotional moments of the filming, seeing Renée and Colin together and knowing how brief their time was going to be on set,” he shared, noting that the set designers placed “real pictures” of the duo throughout Bridget’s home to make the loss feel more authentic. It was a touch that Firth himself appreciated.

“Unlike most movies, they’re real pictures, because they grew up together doing these films. So there’s all these real moments,” Morris recalled. “And [Colin] walked through the set on the way to where we needed him and he just said, ‘The movie you’re making, I felt like a memory because I’m not in this house, but I’m sort of passing through it for this scene.’ And it was just gorgeous.”

Feeling the “absence” and “loss” of Mark was inevitable — “The audience has a 24-year relationship with Colin Firth as Mark Darcy,” Morris reminded Us. The director also had the added challenge of building a new world for Bridget that could help the character begin her next chapter.

“She’s never lived in this house, she’s never had children, she’s never been in this moment,” he said. “It’s reinventing. That was something we had to do because that’s the story that we’re telling.”

One advantage Morris had in his corner? Being a genuine long-time fan of the franchise, which he said helped him feel seen as he navigated his own young adult life.

“I remember in 2001 seeing the first film — just going to the movies and seeing it, and I was in my 20s probably, when it came out, around the same age as Bridget trying to make my own way, figuring out what I was gonna do, how I was gonna do it,” he said. “And so with all these sort of fabulous men that were in that first film with Colin and Hugh [Grant] and James Faulkner and everybody else, I leaned toward Bridget. That’s who my stand-in was.”

Morris recognized that if he could feel seen by Bridget, women certainly would, too. “I didn’t [even] have half of the real touch points with Bridget that so many women have,” he noted. “And God knows society was not asking me to chronicle my weight in my diary like it was asking women to do.”

That’s partly why Morris feels Bridget Jones — even 24 years after the first film hit theaters — still resonates so deeply today. In the so-called golden age of “superhero and horror movies,” romantic comedies find their focus on “real people” and “real life.”

“We can have the really shiny and possibly perfect version of rom-coms where everyone looks gorgeous and they live on, you know, a tropical island with Louis Vuitton suitcases. That’s one version of a rom-com,” he explained. “But then there’s another version of a rom-com that reflects us more, and the messiness of it all, and the kind of the real life rom-com in a way, which is more Bridget.”

Renee Zellweger and Hugh Grant’s Timeless ‘Bridget Jones’ Premiere Style

Morris himself has plenty of experience with every genre across the board. After getting his start with the family drama Brothers & Sisters, he moved on to shows like 13 Reasons Why and Better Call Saul. That range, Morris said, only helped him when it came to joining the Bridget Jones family.

“If you’re going to do comedy, I feel like you want to include elements that are not comedic, on the face,” he told Us. “It’s a little bit like when you’re cooking. You do salt, you do a little bit of sweet, a little bit of acid, you need to have a full flavor. And I think the really exciting thing about rom-coms, [is] actually when you take it apart, it isn’t a clear genre.”

Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy is streaming on Peacock.

Casper became an instant after its 1995 debut — and it still resonates as a spooky Halloween staple.

Based on the Harvey Comics character of the same name, Casper starred Bill Pullman as James Harvey, a spirit specialist who moves to a haunted mansion in Maine with his daughter Kat (Christina Ricci) after the death of his wife.

As the father-daughter duo quickly realize they’re sharing their space with four ghosts —  Casper (voiced by Malachi Pearson and played in his human form by Devon Sawa) and his three uncles. While Casper quickly falls in love with Kat, their budding relationship runs into complications thanks to his troublemaking relatives — who are willing to do whatever it takes to make sure the house stays theirs.

While Casper became a cult classic and shot Ricci to stardom, the Yellowjackets actress, who was 13 when the film premiered, looks back on her performance with disdain.

“If you actually watch Casper, I’m terrible,” the Sleepy Hollow star said during an appearance on the “WTF With Marc Maron” podcast in August 2022. “People get so upset when I say that. And I’m like, ‘No, it’s a wonderful movie. It’s a childhood treasure. But I am terrible in it.'”

Keep scrolling to see where the cast of Casper is now:

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When it comes to Annie and Ty finally getting together on Sweet Magnolias, Anneliese Judge is echoing her character’s sentiments — literally.

“Annie has a line [in episode 1 where she says], ‘About damn time.’ That’s how I feel about it,” Judge, 23, exclusively told Us Weekly with a laugh while discussing season 4 of the Netflix hit. “Our writers are such masters of romance that they knew the exact moment to give it to us that was gonna be the most fulfilling and just at the right time. It’s been such a cool experience. It’s so exciting. I can’t wait to see the fan reaction. I think it’s gonna catch them so off guard.”

After years of back and forth, childhood BFFs Annie (Judge) and Ty (Carson Rowland) admitted their love for one another at a Halloween party in the first episode of the show’s fourth season, which premiered on Thursday, February 6. While many fans worried that season 4 would bring more “will they or won’t they” guessing, the coupling came quickly — with a passionate kiss in a dark room interrupted only by Ty’s younger siblings  — leaving an entire 10 episodes of the pair to settle into their blossoming new romance.

But while Ty and Annie spent the season settling into their new dynamic, Judge told Us that she and Rowland were able to navigate the change seamlessly as actors, much in thanks to their real-life friendship.

Sweet Magnolias’ Carson Rowland Breaks Down Ty and Annie’s 'Slow Burn'

“Carson and I are really good friends, and I think that helped a lot,” Judge said. “It was just fun artistically to explore this different side of our characters and I really appreciated that trust that we had in each other to do the characters justice.

Judge confessed that she and Rowland are both “big fans” of the couple — known to loving fans as TyAnnie — and were dedicated to making sure they did the story “justice” after so much “build up.” At the end of the day, Judge is confident they did just that.

“I feel really proud of this season for a lot of reasons,” she said, “but especially for the ways that we were able to handle that [relationship] and how quickly [it all] happened.”

The twosome were in new-couple bliss for a few episodes before Ty left on tour with his band in the back half of the season. And although Annie was nothing but supportive of her boyfriend’s passions, she struggled with saying goodbye. For Judge, it was about showcasing Annie’s growth from her first relationship with Jackson (Sam Ashby), and learning that things can’t always be “sunshine and rainbows.”

“You just have to continue to show up for the people that you love,” she explained, pointing to the moment Annie breaks down in tears after Ty tells her he’s leaving town. “That moment particularly, it was really important to her to be supportive in the way that she would’ve wanted him to be for her. Because she has big dreams of going to photography school. She doesn’t know where she’s gonna end up. … It wouldn’t be right for her to not support this person she loves and then expect that in return.”

“Annie has grown to be such a compassionate, empathetic, kind person,” she continued. “Not that she wasn’t that before, but she’s really grown into that, and we really see that from her more [this season]. So I think that in that moment it was intentional and she wanted to be supportive, but it mirrors that scene in season one where it’s like, ‘Did I just get this thing that I wanted and now it’s like gonna be taken away from me?’”

Those doubts only continued to grow as the season progressed and Annie learned she’d been accepted to her dream school in California. Despite being Ty’s biggest cheerleader with his music, he was less than enthused to learn of Annie’s plans. The season finale revealed his hopes that she would join him on tour in Europe instead, an offer she ultimately declined.

“I don’t even think it was a thought in her mind that college was going be an issue for them,” she said. “Like, she went and watched his band and watched [new drummer] Roxanne audition and she said, ‘You know, it’s not my band. I’m just so happy to be here.’  I think she’s such a rock and so supportive of everyone around her. So I truly feel like it came as a shock to her — and to me — that it was a question that he wouldn’t be the same way to her.”

Judge admitted that Ty and Annie’s conflict feels like what typical “teenage relationships” can be at times, pointing out that Ty clearly wasn’t “malicious” in his intentions. However, Annie’s choice is something that Judge stands by.

“I was so proud of her. To stand up for herself and to stand her ground,” she told Us, crediting Annie’s Mini Magnolia comrades CeCe (Harlan Drum) and Lily (Artemis), and mom, Dana Sue (Brooke Elliott), for helping her find her inner voice. “I don’t know if she would’ve done that without her girlfriend behind her or that relationship with her mom being as strong and great as it was. All these people [were] encouraging her throughout the season to follow her dreams. I don’t know if she would’ve had the courage to say, ‘I’m gonna do this. This is something I really want,’ and I just have to go after it.”

Season 4 featured an entirely new version of Annie in a multitude of ways, with the first time jump of the series — more than a full year since the events of season 3 came to a close — allowing Judge to portray a more evolved, mature version of the character; one who has settled into her friendships before entering her senior year of high school.

“There’s such a real sense of joy and relief in that for her. And I think she’s challenged in a lot of new ways, because these friendships push her to think outside of herself and open up in ways she hasn’t before,” Judge told Us. “So I just went into it really free and really open to that experience.”

The evolution felt in Annie helped Judge reflect on her own life and being in her early 20s, as well, with the actress telling Us, “I’m still kind of going through [what Annie goes through] in a lot of ways. So it’s been really special and I feel connected to heron such a different, more intimate level.”

Annie may be clear on what she wants for her future, but the question remains: what happens now? Ty is setting sail for a tour in Europe, and Annie is on her way to California. While Judge agreed the couple should be able to make it work — couldn’t she join him in the summer and then he could go visit her in the fall after finishing out the tour, Us asked? — the answers lie in a potential season 5, which has yet to be greenlit by Netflix.

“I don’t know [if they’ll make it work]. I don’t know. Of course, I hope so,” Judge said, adding,, “I’m gonna be really interested to see if we’re renewed for another season. .. The cliffhanger, it’s there for me [too]. I feel like I’m right alongside the viewers. Like, ‘Oh my gosh, I don’t know what’s gonna happen!’ IWe’ll have to see.”

For now, Judge is just keeping her “fingers crossed’ that another season is on its way — and promised that she would reprise the role for as long as Netflix and showrunner Sheryl J. Anderson will let her.

More Margarita Nights Incoming: ‘Sweet Magnolias’ Renewed for Season 4

“This has been the honor of a lifetime,” she said. “And as long as I can work on this show with these incredible people, I’m so thrilled to do so.”

As she awaits the news on season 5, Judge is leaning into other endeavors. She has hopes of starring in a feature film — feeling inspired by her time at Sundance Film Festival — and is busy running her online book club, Who to Judge?,  a community focused on discovering new stories and perspectives at your own pace. Their latest novel is Sheryl Woods’ first Sweet Magnolias book, Stealing Home, and Judge hopes to deliver some exciting content for fans with author interviews, castmember cameos and more.

“[Harlan and Artemis], the Mini Mags are going to help me out with a couple really fun videos, Judge told Us of the book club’s February plans. “And we’re gonna have a really cool month filled with Sweet Magnolias and some recipes from the cookbook. I’m excited for the girls to help me make it just really fun and really special.”

Sweet Magnolias is currently available to stream on Netflix.

Kanye West is addressing his shocking 2025 Grammys red carpet appearance with wife Bianca Censori.

“Ask me how it was to beat the Grammys,” West, 47, told photographers before heading into a recording studio on Tuesday, February 4, alongside Censori, 30, per TMZ. “We beat the Grammys.”

Much like his red carpet appearance earlier this week, West was dressed in all black for the day out, rocking dark denim jeans, a black hoodie and matching coat. Censori, meanwhile, opted for a casual look that featured a white zip-up jacket, fitted leggings and silver pumps. She completed the outfit by pulling her hair back in a large claw clip. The couple both opted for a pair of black sunglasses.

Tuesday marks West and Censori’s first public outing since walking the Grammys red carpet at the Crypto.com Arena on Sunday, February 2, where Censori dramatically removed her black fur coat to reveal a completely sheer dress that left her naked. West, for his part, kept it simple in a black T-shirt and slacks.

BTS of Kanye West and Bianca Censori’s 2025 Grammys Red Carpet Moment

Although reports initially surfaced that the duo had been kicked out of the event because of the controversial wardrobe choice, a source later confirmed to Us Weekly that they had “left on their own accord.”

“He is a master of publicity stunts,” the insider told Us. “He knows how to stay in the game.” The insider pointed out that West “knows what to do” when it comes to his vision. “He’s a master. He directs the ship and makes sure everyone knows that.”

“He was credentialed and invited to the red carpet. He went to make an appearance and get attention because that is what he does and he left to go to his after-party,” the source continued. “He was not kicked out. He went to make a statement and to get everyone buzzing and talking. And then go to his after party. He had no intention of staying at the Grammys.”

West’s song “Carnival” from his album Vultures 1 was nominated for Best Rap Song this year, a category he ultimately lost to Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us.”  During an interview on Tuesday, Grammys executive producer Raj Kapoor told People that West and Censori were never offered seats inside the arena to begin with, noting that the rapper’s category was “definitely in [the] Pre-Tel” portion of the ceremony, which takes place at the Peacock Theater ahead of the televised portion of the evening.

“They didn’t have a nomination on the show and Kanye wasn’t presenting. He was not performing either, which is mostly what those seats are,” the producer explained, adding that his team knows “each person who’s coming because every table is numbered. Our director has to know where those artists are for award categories.”

Kanye West and Wife Bianca Left Grammys on Their Own After Wild Entrance

After departing Sunday’s event, West and Censori still made a night of it, as the couple packed on the PDA at a Grammys after-party where the model changed into a second look, rocking a barely-there mesh bodysuit.

West and Censori and Censori began dating in January 2023, just two months after the music mogul and Kim Kardashian — who share kids North, 11, Saint, 8, Chicago, 6, and Psalm, 5 — finalized their divorce following six years of marriage. The same month West and Censori went public with their romance, Us confirmed the duo previously held “a small marriage ceremony.”

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Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively’s It Ends With Us sex scenes allegedly underwent some major changes from the page to the screen.

Baldoni, 41, and Lively, 37, have found themselves in a messy legal feud since costarring as Ryle Kincaid and Lily Bloom, respectively, in the romance drama. Rumors of a feud between the duo first swirled in July 2024 when they promoted and attended the film’s premiere separately. Lively later sued Baldoni and his production company, Wayfarer Studios, for alleged sexual harassment and an attempt to launch a “smear campaign against her.” She also accused Baldoni of adding gratuitous nudity and unwanted kissing scenes to the movie, revealing that she crafted a 17-point “return to set condition” document mid-filming that demanded “no more adding of sex scenes, oral sex or on camera climaxing by BL outside the scope of the script BL approved when signing onto the project.”

Baldoni — who also directed the film — has denied the allegations and counter sued the Gossip Girl alum for $400 million. While the pair are set for trial in March 2026, Baldoni’s legal team has continued to attempt to prove his innocence by releasing alleged footage from filming and creating a website with an alleged timeline of events from the time of filming. (At a February hearing between their legal teams, a judge warned that the website was likely to be stricken from the record, noting, “You can’t just attach a factual narrative” to a complaint.”)

The site, which consists of 168 pages of what Baldoni claims to be text messages, emails, notes and more include the director’s alleged interactions with the movie’s intimacy coordinator and coproducer Jamey Heath about his plans for every sex scene in  the film.

Blake Lively Versus Justin Baldoni's Version of 'It Ends With Us'

So how did the intimacy plan allegedly change from what Baldoni claims was his initial conception to what fans saw on screen? Keep scrolling to find out:

‘1st Love Scene’

On the page: According to Baldoni’s email to Heath and the intimacy coordinator, Ryle and Lily’s first time having sex was planned to be “passionate, sexy” and “choreographed in a way that shows a glimpse into their power dynamic.”

“She’s in charge and then he takes over,” Baldoni wrote. “Two strong personalities coming together as one.”

As for what body parts would be shown, Baldoni claims he wrote that viewers should see “two naked bodies in various positions but only flattering ones Blake is comfortable with.” The director allegedly noted that how it was choreographed was “her choice,” either “her on top” or “him on top,” but all should be “sensual and beautiful.” There was, he claims, to be “no nipple.”

“I imagine side boob, and outline of butt in close ups (if she is comfortable). I am fine showing my butt (female gaze),” he continued via the documents/website/etc. “There will be pelvis movement but no orgasm. No oral sex. Hands should be able to grope various body parts.”

Baldoni also had an alleged concept for “implied oral sex,” noting that if Lively was “comfortable,” the scene would show “Ryle kissing her belly then leaving frame for a moment then staying on her face.”

He claims he added, “I think that’s something women would like to see but also fine not doing it as I know oral sex was something off limits.”

On the screen: The two have their first near-sex scene after leaving a party together, where Lily straddles Ryle and the pair makeout before she tells him she doesn’t “want to have sex” because she doesn’t “do casual.” A few scenes later — after the pair have been dating — they sleep together at Ryle’s apartment. The scene occurs during a montage, with Ryle’s shirt open and pants unbuckled. Lily is fully clothed in a dress. As Ryle lays Lily on the bed, his hand slowly goes up her thigh before the camera drifts to the skyline. Sex is implied, but not shown.

‘Morning Sex That Doesn’t Happen’

On the page: Baldoni claims he originally hoped to include a morning scene of “sex that doesn’t happen,” which would include “no nudity” but “tops would be off” with “kissing around” their bodies. He allegedly described the moment as “more about sensuality than sex” and explained it would be right before when the “frittata happens,” referencing the scene where Ryle first hits Lily after burning breakfast.

On the screen: In the final cut, Lily wakes up to Ryle already cooking for her. The pair flirt and kiss and discuss the heart tattoo on her clavicle before the frittata burns and the abuse occurs.

‘Onesie Makeout’

On the page: Baldoni claims he initially had a concept that would include Ryle and Lily “making out in onesies” while drunk, which he claimed would be “less about seeing bodies and sex, more about onesies coming off.” He allegedly noted that he was “fine if Blake wants to just take mine off and we make it playful.”

On the screen: There are two scenes involving onesies in the film, one where only Ryle is wearing the costume and he and Lily share their first kiss in the  middle of the street. Later, the pair both don their respective onesies, but they are only seen drinking at a bar with friends.

‘Vegas’

On the page: Baldoni allegedly conceptualized a sex scene for Ryle and Lily in Vegas that was about “friendship” after they’ve tied the knot. “This scene is about friendship. It’s a consumption of their marriage and their relationship,” he claims he wrote, noting it should be “funny, silly, playful.”

Breaking Down Blake Lively’s Accusations Against Justin Baldoni

“The goal is to choreograph in a way that keeps Blake’s clothes on as much as possible,” he allegedly continued via the documents, adding that there would be “sex with pelvis movement in positions that work with keeping her dress on.” He claims he suggested that “maybe the top of [her] dress slides down and we see some bare back,” and that the “dress would be hiked up so may see outline of butt (hard for me to imagine without seeing frame of how dress moves).” Baldoni also allegedly wrote that there would be “hands groping,” noting, “I am OK showing rear as I don’t know any other way to make love in an Elvis costume. No nipple. No orgasm. Fun, intimate, innocent.”

On the screen: No version of the scene exists in the film, but Baldoni claimed on his website that “due to illness in Lively’s family, the Vegas shoot scheduled for May 8, 2023, was canceled.”

‘Are You Happy?’

On the page: N/A

On the screen: The pair have a makeout scene after Lily, as she cooks dinner, asks Ryle if he’s “happy” and Ryle apologizes for attacking Atlas (Brandon Sklenar) a few scenes prior. The couple say it’s a “really big problem” they love each other before moving to the bedroom where they stand up against a window and kiss and laugh. Ryle is shirtless, while Lily is wearing a bra.

Lukas Gage is determined to keep the people on their toes — both on and off the big screen.

The actor, 29, stars in new AI-horror comedy Companion as Patrick, one of six friends gathering at a remote lake house to enjoy a weekend away. What is meant to be a quaint few days of board games and drinking quickly turns into a bloodbath when controlling Josh (Jack Quaid) reveals to his robot girlfriend, Iris (Sophie Thatcher), that she’s not human. Gage, meanwhile, is merely one half of a doting couple with Harvey Guillén’s Eli, both of whom — seemingly innocently — find themselves caught in the middle of the madness.

The premise seems simple enough, but the team that delivered Barbarian isn’t keen to deliver a one-note story for viewers, and what unfolds instead is an unexpected and emotionally gripping tale of love, abuse and, yes, the dangers of AI advancement.

While Gage made his breakthrough in the industry on YA dramas like Tagged, Veronica Mars and Euphoria, he’s recently transitioned himself into more mature roles in twisted psychological thrillers like Companion, making appearances in shows like White Lotus and You, and in 2024’s bone chillingly frightful Smile 2. And while Gage is happy to be dubbed a modern day “Scream King” as his career continues to blossom, it’s more about finding projects that feel elevated — and clearly have something to say.

'Companion' Movie Holds 1st Los Angeles Premiere Since Wildfires

“I think, consciously, I gravitate toward scripts or filmmakers and writers that I think are doing great work,” he exclusively shares in the latest issue of Us Weekly. “It doesn’t really necessarily matter what genre … It just depends on the story we’re telling.”

Gage admits, however, that he’s had a “sick, twisted little mind” ever since he was young, making zombie movies in the basement with his friends — and feels tonally darker projects might just be his “inherent calling.” That won’t stop him, however, from jumping at the chance to appear in one of this year’s highly-anticipated blockbuster romances, People We Meet on Vacation.

While Gage’s range is certainly impressive — not many can play a Cat King on Netflix’s Dead Boy Detectives just to jump into the role of a budding bouncer in Jake Gyllenhaal’s Roadhouse remake — he’s made his mark off screen, as well, willing to speak his mind, whether that’s about his love life, the state of the industry or something else entirely.

Here, Gage talks to Us about his new film, becoming an emerging Scream King and what it means to be a “little unhinged” in Hollywood (warning, MAJOR spoilers ahead!):

Us: Companion really keeps you on the edge of your seat. It is full of twists and turns. Are you the type of person yourself who likes to read the last page first or do you like the surprise of it all?

Lukas Gage: Oh hell no. I definitely [want the] surprise of it all. If anyone ruins the end of a movie to me, they’re dead to me. No spoilers ever. I need to go in blind, always.

Us: Spoiler alert — your character is one of those major twists! How did the reveal Patrick is a robot play into how you played him?

Gage: I think at the end of the day, he didn’t change his intentions. His motivation stayed the same, robot or not. I think that’s what’s kind of beautiful about this movie is some of these artificial intelligence robots or companions are more heartfelt and more full of humanity than the actual humans in the script.

Us: What research and prep goes into sort of finding that balance of bringing such a complex character like Patrick to life?

Gage: I tried to kind of go in blind and not have too many judgments. There’s a lot of things right now about Chat GPT and AI and all these actual sex bots, so I wanted to go in with no judgment, no preconceived ideas. I was really inspired by Alex Garland’s film Ex Machina as, like, something that I found did a really good balance of giving it heart and humanity. I wanted to treat him with the same respect that I would treat any character. The only thing I was playing with was modifying his programming when it gets messed with when they turn up the intelligence or the aggression and variations of that. But I didn’t want to treat him or judge him any different than I would any other person. At heart, I think that his feelings are genuine. I loved that the character was completely real.

Us: You’ve also spoken a lot about how wardrobe helps you bring characters to life. How did that work when stepping into Patrick’s shoes?

Gage: You did your research! No, I know it’s a silly thing, but I have a cologne for every single character that I step into. And I worked with Sasha Grossman, the makeup artist in the movie, and we picked out all the tattoos together because [Patrick] has a full sleeve of tattoos, and with Patrick having a culinary background, he tattoos that [for] like his favorite dishes and little symbolisms for the movie. Like, there’s a little wine cork in there. There’s all these little intricacies of the character that are nods to, to things that just brought me to him. And I really fought hard to have an apron in the movie. No one wanted it. They said, “It’s too on the nose.” And I said, “It’s perfect. He has to have an apron, and he has to have these tattoos, and he has to smell like Tom Ford Leather.”

Us: This film does invoke more empathy and sympathy for the robots than it does for the humans. What do you hope viewers walk away with from this film?

Gage: I think that’s a really good question. I think that there’s really a blurred line between humanity and humans and AI. There’s positive and negatives to both. I didn’t want to judge it. I didn’t want to say that all AI and all technology is horrible and going to ruin the world. I think that the way that we use it and the way that we treat it with respect and don’t abuse it is important. If anything, [Companion] can remind humans to be a little bit more human and have a little bit more empathy and love for one another. That’s my hope for this movie. But also, I just want people to go in and have a good time. … It’s a fun ride and it’s an escape from some of the crazy going on right now.

Us: The film also has a lot to say about toxic relationships and empowerment.

Gage: Yeah, I don’t wanna give too much away, but I hope that we learn from the toxic masculine character [in this film] to not try to control anyone and not try to replicate those dynamics in a relationship.

Us: Jack Quaid plays a great villain.

Gage: He really, really does.

Us: After filming something like this, do you feel more nervous about the AI advances we’re making so rapidly? Or less?

Gage: I mean, listen, I am scared s—less of it. I think we are going down a really slippery slope of how we’re abusing it. I don’t agree with using AI for actors or for writers and using that technology to take away anyone’s creativity or work. I think that if we can use it in a positive platform to help people and do good things with it, there could be great stuff with it. But let’s be very cautious with that and not get too crazy with it. Because it scares me!

Us: You broke into the industry doing a lot of YA, but you’ve lately gravitated toward more horror and psychological thrillers. Has that been a conscious decision?

Gage: Maybe a little bit of both. I think consciously I gravitate toward scripts or filmmakers and writers that I think are doing great work. It doesn’t really necessarily matter what genre, but I will say growing up, I loved horror films. I grew up obsessed with them and watching them all. I would stay home from school and just watch horror movies all day long. So I had a sick twisted little mind and I would make zombie films with the kids in my neighborhood and at camp. So I do think that’s more of my inherent calling. We’ll call it being a Scream King. But all genres are great. It just depends on the story we’re telling.

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Us: Everything you do has something to say, and you are one of the few new actors who are known for their big personalities — in a good way! Do you feel like this has overall helped you hindered you in Hollywood?

Gage: Probably both, honestly. I think as an actor it’s important to have a mystery [and not expose so much] to the world [so] they can get lost in your characters. But I also think there’s a level of authenticity and honesty that I want to share with the world that I think maybe has changed over time. I’m a bit of a loud mouth and I’ve probably revealed a lot more than most people, but I don’t want to hide. The section where public and private intersect is a weird strange line that I always navigate. I just think that maybe people take themselves a little too seriously now. They go so far with the mystery that they’re not willing to share anything with the world. And I would rather maybe overshare and have to make up for it later. That’s just who I am. I tried to repress some things and tried to hide some things [but] ultimately, it just came out. I’m a little unhinged!

Justin Baldoni may be in a messy ongoing legal battle after the release of his summer blockbuster, It Ends With Us — but his first film of 2025, The Senior, is waiting in the wings.

While Baldoni won’t appear in the sports drama, which is set to release on March 7, he does serve as a producer alongside his independent production company, Wayfarer Studios, and Allen Media Group’s Freestyle Releasing.

The film, which is based on a true story, follows former college football player Mike Flynt (played by Michael Chiklis) as he discovers he has a second chance at his dream after being kicked off his team 35 years earlier.

“We’re honored to partner with Freestyle to bring Mike Flynt’s inspiring story to audiences nationwide,” Wayfarer’s President of Production, Andrew Calof, said in a November 2024 statement. “With Michael Chiklis leading an incredible cast, Rod Lurie’s direction, and the remarkable work of Mark Ciardi, the team at Ten Acre Films, and our partners at Unity Entertainment, we’re excited to share this powerful message about never giving up on your dreams.”

What's Justin Baldoni Doing Next After 'It Ends With Us' Drama?

The Senior’s release comes less than six months after It Ends With Us — which Baldoni produced, directed and starred in — hit theaters and instantly made waves for the contention between Baldoni and his costar Blake Lively.

After rumors of a rift between the duo began following the movie’s Los Angeles premiere — where Baldoni did not appear alongside the rest of the cast — Lively filed a lawsuit in December 2024 against Baldoni accusing him and Wayfarer Studios of sexual harassment, creating a hostile work environment and launching an alleged smear campaign against her. Baldoni, for his part, denied all the allegations, and filed a $400 million countersuit against Lively, her husband, Ryan Reynolds, and Lively’s publicist Leslie Sloan. The actor cited civil extortion, defamation, false light invasion of privacy and more for his reasoning behind the suit. (A trial date is currently set for March 9, 2026.)

As the It Ends With Us battle ages on, keep scrolling for everything to know about Baldoni’s next project, The Senior:

When Is ‘The Senior’ Coming Out?

The Senior’s theatrical release is set for Friday, March 7.

What Is ‘The Senior’ About?

Based on a true story, The Senior follows Mike Flynt (Chiklis), a man searching for a second chance after being kicked off his college football team 35 years prior. When the now 59-year-old learns he has one year left of eligibility to return to his old school and earn his degree — plus try out for his former team — he jumps at the chance to redeem his past and prove that it’s never too late to tackle your dreams.

What Has Been Cast in ‘The Senior’?

In addition to Chiklis in the main role, the film stars Mary Stuart Masterson, Brandon Flynn, James Badge Dale, and Rob Corddry.

Is Justin Baldoni Directing ‘The Senior’?

While Baldoni and Wayfarer studios serve as producers, the film is directed by Rod Lurie (The Contender) with a script by Robert Eisele (The Great Debaters).

 

Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid is just as enchanted by Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift’s romance as everybody else.

Swift has cheered on Kelce and the Chiefs at several NFL games since launching her relationship with the tight end in September 2023. The stars’ close friends and family — and even the NFL itself — have gushed over their romance, and Reid is no exception.

The coach joked in a September 2023 press conference that he was the one who set Kelce up with Swift, sharing that he had “met” her previously. He later revealed that he knew the singer from his days as a coach for the Philadelphia Eagles — the Swift family’s longtime favorite football team. (Travis’ brother, Jason Kelce, formerly played as a center for Eagles).

In November 2023, Reid shared that he is just happy the pair found each other. “I’m glad he’s found somebody he likes and she’s found somebody she likes,” he said during an interview with KSHB, Kansas City’s NBC affiliate. “That’s a good thing.”

The Kansas City Chiefs Organization's Best Quotes About Taylor Swift  

He even showed Swift some love by sharing a hug with the pop star after the Chiefs won the 2025 AFC Championship.

Keep scrolling for everything Travis’ coach has said about his romance with Swift:

Enchanted to Meet Her

Reid revealed he and Swift had crossed paths before she sparked a romance with Travis.

“You know what, I’ve met her before,” he said during a September 2023 post-game press conference and joked that he “set them up” before walking away from the podium.

Nice to Have a Friend

Reid revealed in October 2023 that he knew Swift from his days coaching the Philadelphia Eagles.

“I knew her from Philadelphia. Her dad was a big NFL fan,” Reid shared during an interview on Donovan McNabb’s “The Five Spot” podcast on OutKick. “So, I had met her when she was real young, and her dad.”

While Reid clarified that he was previously joking about “setting Kelce up” with the Grammy winner, he noted that she’s a “good girl” who is “into” the sport. “We’re glad she’s here,” he said.

All She Has to Do Is Stay

“She can stay around all she wants,” Reid said of Swift in footage shared via social media after the Chiefs defeated the Los Angeles Chargers in October 2023, adding that Travis keeps “getting better with time.”

How Hollywood Is Reacting to Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s Relationship

Seeing Sparks Fly

“I’m just glad he’s found somebody he likes and she’s found somebody she likes,” Reid said during a November 2023 interview with KHSB, Kansas City’s NBC affiliate. “That’s a good thing.”

No ‘Problem’ at All

After reiterating that he met Swift while coaching the Philadelphia Eagles in the early 2000s, Reid joked during a January 2024 episode of SiriusXM’s Let’s Go! With Tom Brady, Larry Fitzgerald and Jim Gray that Travis wasn’t exactly jazzed to hear about his long history with his girlfriend’s family.

“That was the last thing Trav wanted to hear, that I knew her before him,” he recalled, laughing. “She told him, ‘I know your coach.’ And he went, ‘Oh, God, come on!’”

Reid added that Swift is a “good girl,” noting that there has been zero distraction from Travis since their relationship began. “Trav’s handled it right, she’s handled it right and we just move forward. So it hasn’t been a problem at all,” he said.

A Girl In ‘Love’

Reid can see that Swift and Kelce are a good match and that she hasn’t distracted the football star from the game.

“It hasn’t been a distraction, so there haven’t been any distractions,” Read said during a February 2024 radio interview on SiriusXM NFL Radio. “She’s a good girl and she loves the game and obviously loves Kelce, so I’m happy for both of them.”

Every Time Taylor Swift Attended an NFL Game to Cheer for Travis Kelce

Pop-Tart Queen

Reid gushed over Swift’s culinary skills during a March 2024 appearance on the The Rich Eisen Show. “She makes a mean Pop-Tart, homemade Pop-Tart,” he revealed. “She just doesn’t share it with me, she shares with all the linemen. I’m telling her, ‘You gotta give a little to the coach.’”

Reid teased that Swift is “smart” because she purposely gave the linemen the goodies since they protect Kelce on the field. After eating the Pop-Tarts, his players told him, “Taylor Swift, she owns the world now. She’s in.”

Despite not getting his hands on the treats, Reid noted that Swift is a “really good cook” and a “great girl.” He also confirmed that Swift and Kelce have “a great relationship.”

Travis’ New Job

“When [Travis] goes to her concerts, she’s a star,” Reid told The Athletic’s “Scoop City” podcast in July 2024 before joking, “And he can be hanging out there and be the support or the waterboy, so he can do that. … He can handle it. I think there’s a great escape for him.”

No Distractions

Reid subtly addressed Swift while weighing in on rumors that her and Travis’ relationship was affecting his performance at the start of the 2024-2025 NFL season. “I know people are saying that he’s old or that he has distractions, but defenses don’t think that,” he told Fox News in September 2024. “Travis is fine. He just keeps being Trav. He works his tail off. He hasn’t lost a step. He’s not distracted.”

University of Nebraska football superfan Jack Hoffman, who famously ran for a touchdown during a 2013 Cornhuskers’ game, has died after a 14-year battle with brain cancer.

“It is with heavy hearts that we share the news of the passing of Jack Hoffman,” the Team Jack Foundation confirmed in a Wednesday, January 15, statement via Facebook. “Jack passed away after a long battle with brain cancer, a journey that inspired countless lives and left a legacy of hope, strength, and resilience. Jack Hoffman, you will always be our hero.”

Hoffman passed away at his home in Atkinson, Nebraska. According to the Team Jack website, pathology results after a tumor resection surgery in summer 2024 revealed that his tumor had advanced to a high-grade glioma. He was 19 years old.

After being diagnosed with brain cancer in 2011, Jack formed a bond with Huskers running back Rex Burkhead after his father, Andy Hoffman, reached out to the star player. Two years later, the Nebraska coaching staff invited him to run a play during the fourth quarter of a spring game. Rocking a miniature No. 22 Burkhead jersey, Hoffman — who was 7 years old at the time — took a handoff from Taylor Martinez and ran 69 yards into the end zone of Memorial Stadium to the cheers of 60,000 people.

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A video of the game, which became known as “The Run,” garnered millions of views on YouTube, and weeks later, Jack accompanied Burkhead to visit Barack Obama in the Oval Office. In July 2013, he was awarded ESPN’s ESPY Award for “Best Moment in Sports.”

Jack’s moment in the spotlight helped his parents launch their foundation, which has since raised more than $14 million to aid pediatric brain cancer research. (Andy died from glioblastoma multiforme, an aggressive form of brain cancer, in 2021 at age 42.)

Love you buddy. Tell Jesus we say hello. https://t.co/ipiVTZbZGe

— Rex Burkhead (@RBrex34) January 15, 2025

“Jack Hoffman embodied what it means to be a Husker every day through his courage, fight, and inspiration,” the official social media account for the Nebraska Cornhuskers wrote via X on Wednesday. “We are heartbroken by his loss and send all our love to the Hoffman family.”

Burkhead — who is now a player for the NFL’s Houston Texans — also sent his condolences via X, writing, “Love you buddy. Tell Jesus we say hello.”

Despite his diagnosis, Jack played on his own high school football team as a lineman before becoming a freshman at the University of Nebraska-Kearney in 2024, studying political science. The school released a statement on Wednesday calling the teen a “valued member of our Loper community,” revealing that Jack made the Dean’s list this past semester.

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“Jack was widely admired across Nebraska and beyond for his courageous spirit and dedication to raising awareness about childhood cancer through the Team Jack Foundation,” the school’s statement read. “We extend our heartfelt condolences to Jack’s family, friends and all those whose lives he touched. His connection to the UNK community was meaningful, and his impact will not be forgotten. We are grateful for the time he shared with us.”

In a 2020 interview with ESPN, Jack reflected on “The Run,” revealing he didn’t realize the moment would be a big deal. He recalled not knowing where the endzone was and remembered the words of wisdom his father shared that he carried with him years later: “If you don’t know it, just run until you hit the fence.”

Jack is survived by his mother, Bri Hoffman, and two sisters.

Danielle Fishel grew up in the spotlight as a child actor on Boy Meets World, and her experience on the show taught her exactly what to do — and what to avoid — when it comes to directing young stars like the ones on Wizards Beyond Waverly Place.

“One thing I try to pivot away from that we did a lot on Boy Meets World [is] super fast paced dialogue,” Fishel, 43, exclusively told Us Weekly while discussing her role as director on Wizards Beyond Waverly Place’s inaugural season. “There were a lot of scenes where the people talking to each other were rapid firing things. And depending on what’s being said, that timing could increase the funny, but it also gives the idea that no one’s really listening to the other person.”

Fishel noted that being a good actor is “all about listening to your scene partner” and “letting what they’ve said affect you in some way”— something she feels didn’t always occur on her hit ‘90s sitcom. Now, it’s something she tries to “shy away from” when helming her own episodes.

“I want my actors to feel like they’re living in a reality,” she explained. “Even if that reality involves magic, it is the reality for their character. And so I try to ground people as much as possible.”

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Fishel made a name for herself by starring as beloved character Topanga Lawrence on all seven seasons of Boy Meets World, which ran from 1993 to 2000. While growing up on the ABC series inevitably taught her the “donts” of making successful TV, it also helped her discover the “dos.”

“I definitely try to incorporate some movement. It can be kind of difficult in a show where you’ve got a lot of characters in one set and everyone has to talk to each other,” she said, adding that “finding natural and organic places for people to cross and move” also presents a challenge.

“And one of the things I think we did pretty well on Boy Meets World were the crosses our actors made felt organic,” she continued “They didn’t feel like, ‘Well, why did they just do that?’”

Fishel preps for incorporating movement by blocking episodes in her “mind” ahead of shooting before walking her cast through the paces. In the end, however, she says that an actor is always the “expert” in their character — and she is open to feedback, always.

“If something I’m telling you to do doesn’t feel good for you or doesn’t feel natural for you, I want you to tell me and let’s come up with something else,” she told Us. “You make a suggestion, ‘Let’s try it. This is a safe space and let’s just find the best way to do it.’ And it’s worked very well for me thus far.”

That open communication is something that carries over when approaching any of the younger cast members on her set, especially when it involves giving notes. Fishel understands all too well the feeling of “all eyes” being on her, and doesn’t want that sensation to seep into the actors she’s directing.

“I think one of the really important things is having conversations with each kid, and not in front of everybody,” she explained. “When you’re rehearsing you’re on a set and everyone is standing around — there are crew members, the parents of the children are there, or their guardians; whoever’s there watching them that day. And when you are giving notes and you’re trying to make a scene better, sometimes it can feel like, ‘Everybody’s eyes are on me and I was just given a note.’ And I never want them to think that if I’ve given them a note, it’s that I’m correcting something they’ve done.”

Fishel added that there is “no right or wrong” approach to acting, just “different approaches” about what to try and what risks to take. “And so when I can tell that an actor is maybe feeling a little insecure or needs a bit of a pep talk for whatever reason,” she told Us, “I will ask the parent or guardian and that actor to step aside where nobody can really see us and just have a one-on-one conversation where [I say], ‘Tell me what’s going on for you.’”

Fishel’s directing career kicked off in 2014 with the BMW revival series, Girl Meets World. While she reprised her role as Topanga for the Disney series, she also stepped behind the camera for the first time. It’s there she realized that her “maternal instincts” were strong — stars Rowan Blanchard and Sabrina Carpenter felt “very much like my kids,” she told Us — but it wasn’t until she became a mother herself that her approach to directing changed entirely. (Fishel shares sons Adler, 5, and Keaton, 3, with husband Jensen Karp.)

“I know from seeing my own kids and seeing their vulnerabilities that every kid, even when they are the star of their own TV show, is dealing with their own insecurities and is having self-doubt,” she shared. “And if I can just come in and be a person who encourages them and makes them feel like, one, they learn something throughout the week or [two], possibly have a better understanding of what they do or why they do it and that they had a good time and would like to do it again, then I feel like I’ve succeeded in my job.”

Fishel has since directed countless episodes of popular TV series’ like Raven’s Home, Sydney to the Max and Lopez vs. Lopez. Her debut on Wizards Beyond Waverly Place — a revival of the hit from the early 2000s — airs on Disney Channel this month. The episode, titled “Potions Eleven” follows teen wizard Billie (Janice LeAnn Brown) as she enters mentor Justin Russo’s (David Henry) mind to figure out what really happened to get him fired from being a professor at WizTech years earlier.

The plot line carries over from the OG series’ finale — which starred Henry alongside Selena Gomez, who also reprises her role as Alex Russo — and unveils a secret fans have been curious about since the show’s pilot. That pressure was not lost on Fishel.

Danielle Fishel Doubled ‘Boy Meets World’ Salary — But Was Still Underpaid

“The biggest challenge was just overcoming my own fear that I was gonna let anybody down,” she explained, noting that the Wizards franchise is “so special” and “so meaningful” to fans. “The unicorn incident is a big [story] — it’s a big episode — and having it be in my hands was a little nerve wracking.”

Luckily, everyone on set made Fishel feel “comfortable” — especially fellow former child actor Henry, 35, who is also a producer on the series.

“David Henry is so amazing, and the minute I got on set with him I saw what he was capable of doing, both with the, like, more heartfelt, vulnerable moments and the over-the-top wacky physical comedy. He can really do it all,” she gushed. “And so once I got in there and I saw what this entire cast was capable of, I was like, ‘Oh, there’s no failing here. There’s only success.’”

New episodes of Wizards Beyond Waverly Place air on Disney Channel Fridays at 8 p.m. ET.

© MICHAEL TRAN/AFP via Getty Images

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