• "Opus" follows a young journalist who becomes entangled in a famous pop star's devious plot.
• The movie ends with a twist that turns the climax of the film on its head.
• Director Mark Anthony Green spoke to BI about the ending and an unlikely parallel to Luigi Mangione.

The cult of celebrity is at the forefront of "Opus," and the film's director believes there are interesting echoes between his movie's ending and the story of Luigi Mangione, the suspect accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.

The genre-bending A24 movie, which is parts satire, dark comedy, and musical, follows Ariel Ecton (Ayo Edebiri), a scrappy early-career music journalist who gets invited to the exclusive listening party for the comeback album of reclusive '90s pop star Alfred Moretti (John Malkovich).

Ariel's fellow guests, who are more established professionals like the chauvinistic editor at Ariel's Rolling Stone-adjacent magazine, a gossip talk-show host, and a paparazzi photographer, have no idea why Ariel got the invite. The true reason for Ariel's inclusion is revealed in the movie's final moments.

Business Insider spoke to filmmaker Mark Anthony Green about his feature debut, that devastating twist, and why he thinks there are interesting, albeit unplanned, parallels between Moretti and Mangione.

Warning: Major spoilers ahead for the ending of "Opus."

The 'Opus' ending has a twist for Ariel

When we first meet Ariel, she's ready for her big break. It seemingly arrives when Moretti's publicist (Tony Hale) announces the pop star's big return after 30 years in seclusion: "Caesar's Request," his comeback album. Ariel is among the small handful of professionals — most of whom have past beef with Moretti — invited to the singer's Utah compound for the debut event.

Ariel arrives eager and ready to work on a story about Moretti, only to have her editor Stan (Murray Bartlett) insist that she hand over her notes for use in his feature about the album. She's the only one among the group who realizes something weird is afoot when it quickly becomes clear that Moretti is running a cult, complete with dozens of devoted sycophants ("Levelists") in matching outfits hanging onto the aging singer's every word. They value artistic perfection and believe that talent gets one closer to godliness, and therefore only artists should be in charge of the world.

Even as her comrades disappear one by one and Moretti's behavior becomes increasingly freakish, no one takes Ariel's concerns seriously. In the movie's climax, Ariel finally demands to leave. Moretti agrees, but coaxes her and the remaining others to attend a bizarre puppet show ("The Tragedy of Billie," where reporters represented by rotting stuffed rats harass a puppet version of the singer Billie Holiday) before departing.

But letting them go was never the plan. The others are violently killed, and Ariel, the sole survivor of that group, is strapped to a chair and forced to watch the Levelists take part in what appears to be a mass suicide ritual, à la the Jonestown Massacre.

One Levelist, another young Black woman Ariel had spoken to earlier, appears to take pity on her and lets her escape. Ariel returns the next morning with the authorities, who find Moretti playing the piano near the dead bodies of the other listening party attendees. Moretti's followers, who presumably all committed suicide, are nowhere to be found.

Initially, it appears to be a (relatively) happy ending. Yes, a bunch of people were brutally murdered, but Ariel stopped Moretti, and a flash-forward reveals that Ariel wrote a book about the ordeal, catapulting her to the fame and success she desired. The only unanswered question is where the Levelists' bodies went.

Moretti, now jailed for the murders, finally agrees to talk to Ariel as she's in the midst of promoting her book. As she's grilling him about his motive for the murders, he reveals that it was his intention all along to allow her to escape. He knew that the ambitious Ariel would capitalize on the trauma by writing a book, and that's exactly what he wanted her to do: spread the world of the Levelists' message. The Levelists aren't dead at all. In fact, they're just getting started, having disseminated across the globe to keep spreading Moretti's teachings.

In the final moments, Ariel realizes with horror that she's played right into Moretti's hands, but there's nothing she can do about it now — she's in the middle of a press tour.

Green believes there are real-world resonances in 'Opus'

Some of the parallels in "Opus" are clear. Moretti, for example, seems to be an amalgamation of male pop stars like Michael Jackson and David Bowie, whose fashion and varying personas drew fans to them as much as their catchy music. Ariel's overeagerness and mistaken ideas about what's important are in part inspired by Green's own background as a young journalist: "A lot of Ariel's mistakes and things that she did, I did," Green said.

But some of the links are less obvious, like the ways that Moretti's method of furthering his cause may mirror Luigi Mangione's.

Mangione is on trial, charged with killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. (He has pleaded not guilty to the shooting.) Many have come to view the shooting as a statement against the corruption of the healthcare industry, and Mangione has become something of a folk hero as a result.

For the director, the way Mangione catapulted to fame through an alleged high-profile assassination isn't dissimilar to the way his fictional Moretti aimed to spread his message through mayhem, murder, and a resulting book deal.

"If you look at Luigi, if he protested against the insurance company, I wouldn't know his name and you wouldn't know his name," Green said. "And if he punched that guy in the face, I wouldn't know his name and you wouldn't know his name. But he murdered him and he did it in such a unique fashion that he is a global person."

Of course, "Opus" was written long before Thompson was killed. Still, it served as an indicator to Green that the "thesis statement" of the movie — the dangers of tribalism and the cult of celebrity — wasn't off track.

"Some people think he's a hero, some people think he's a villain, and that is just a real-world example of possibly Moretti's approach having success or validity," Green said.

"Opus" is in theaters now.

• Ben Affleck and Matt Damon's relationship goes back decades, when their moms introduced them as kids.
• Affleck told BI at the "The Accountant 2" premiere that he doesn't have many close friends.
• "You don't need a million friends. You need a few," Affleck said.

Ben Affleck and Matt Damon's decadeslong friendship is precious — just ask Affleck.

"It's a beautiful thing," Affleck told reporters at the red carpet premiere of "The Accountant 2" at the SXSW Film & TV Festival Saturday. "You know, I don't have very many — none of us really have very many friends. You don't need a million friends. You need a few. You need good ones."

"I'm really lucky to have had a friend in Matt," he added.

Affleck and Damon's friendship extends back to their childhood, when their moms introduced them as kids in the 1980s. They've come a long way since working as uncredited extras together on the 1989 Kevin Costner movie "Field of Dreams," including winning an Oscar together for writing "Good Will Hunting" in 1998.

It's not just Affleck who's gushed about their friendship. In 2023, Damon reflected on how his bond with Affleck changed after his dad died in 2017, calling his friendship with Affleck one of "the three most significant partnerships" in his life.

In addition to their busy acting careers — Damon can next be seen leading the stacked cast of Christopher Nolan's "The Odyssey," while Affleck returns for "The Accountant 2" in April — both have thriving behind-the-scenes careers as producers.

In 2022, they founded Artists Equity together, and "The Accountant 2" is one of the films they've produced. It's a far cry from their days sharing a bank account and hoping their power wouldn't get turned off.

"It's been very rewarding to create an opportunity for other people, directors and artists, to kind of be able to take responsibility for and manage and have a more creative say in their projects," Affleck said, adding that "The Accountant 2" director Gavin O'Connor had a strong vision for the film. "We wanted to set him up to succeed, and I feel like this movie, frankly, really validates that approach."

"The Accountant 2" is in theaters April 25.

• Jared Padalecki spoke to Business Insider about being part of the final season of "The Boys."
• Padalecki said he'll share scenes with Jensen Ackles, but added, "I don't know what we're doing."
• Padalecki and Ackles previously starred as brothers in "Supernatural," which lasted for 15 seasons.

Jared Padalecki doesn't have many details about his involvement in the fifth and final season of "The Boys," but he's teasing an onscreen reunion with "Supernatural" costar Jensen Ackles.

"I don't know a whole lot about it, which is effing terrifying," Padalecki told Business Insider's Caralynn Matassa on Thursday at the 2025 Texas Film Awards, celebrating 25 years of the Texas Film Hall of Fame.

Social media accounts for "The Boys" recently announced that Padalecki and fellow "Supernatural" star Misha Collins will appear in season five of the show. On Friday, a rep for "The Boys" confirmed to BI that Padalecki and Collins will make guest appearances, sharing scenes with Ackles.

There are no details about how Padalecki's role will fit into "The Boys," but given the show's reputation for pushing boundaries, his character's storyline could go anywhere. At the very least, Padalecki said that he'll have screentime with Ackles, even though he doesn't know what it'll entail just yet.

"Yeah," he said. "I don't know what we're doing. I don't know if we like, bump into each other. I don't know much about it. They're still trying to write and figure out who's gonna be there. But it'll be the end of this month."

It's no coincidence that more "Supernatural" alums have crossed over to Prime Video's hit superhero satire series. "The Boys" showrunner Eric Kripke also created The CW's "Supernatural," which ran for 15 seasons between 2005 and 2020 and starred Ackles and Padalecki as brothers Dean and Sam Winchester, respectively.

Ackles joined "The Boys" as the foul-mouthed, old-school superhero named Soldier Boy during season three and will be returning as a series regular for season five.

Meanwhile, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, who played patriarch John Winchester in "Supernatural," made his "Boys" debut as Joe Kessler during season four. It was inevitable that Padalecki would also appear in "The Boys."

"I know Eric Kripke very well," Padalecki said. "I know 'The Boys' very well. He's like, 'Hey, you wanna come play?' I'm like, 'Yes, I think?'"

Padaleck thanked his wife, Genevieve Padalecki, for giving him the extra push to say yes to "The Boys."

"To give credit to my wife, I was like 'Hey, I think it's gonna be a weird role. I don't know what to do,'" Padalecki recalled. "And she was like, 'You excited about it?' I was like, 'Yeah.' She goes, 'Then do it.' I was like 'OK. You wanna read it first?' She was like, 'No, if you like it, then do it.'"

"Only if you get to be in your birthday suit," Genevieve, who was on the red carpet with him, chimed in.

"I'm sweating now," Jared said. "Literally my text to Eric Kripke was like, 'Hey, if I'm getting naked, just give me like a month's notice to eat broccoli and rice and chicken breasts and all day long just sit there doing push-ups.'"

The actor also knows that his involvement in "The Boys" is exciting for fans, but he still has some nerves about it.

"It's fucking terrifying for me," he said.

• Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick reprise their fan-favorite roles in "Another Simple Favor."
• Their chemistry as Emily Nelson and Stephanie Smothers is as on point as ever as the action moves to Italy.
• Paul Feig's new film levels up the twists and turns from the original 2018 movie.

Blake Lively might have been getting used to mixed receptions online amid her ongoing legal drama with Justin Baldoni, but there was nothing mixed about the crowd's reaction to her new movie, "Another Simple Favor," during its SXSW premiere on Friday night. They loved it.

A packed house (including this reporter) was among the first to see Paul Feig's new film, a sequel to his surprise 2018 hit, the black comedy mystery "A Simple Favor."

Feig mentioned in his intro and repeated in the post-film Q&A that he's historically been wary about making sequels — so many of them are bad! — and wanted to make sure he had a compelling story to tell when revisiting Lively's fashionably fiendish Emily Nelson and her vlogger frenemy Stephanie Smothers (Anna Kendrick).

The Italian murder mystery he delivered (from a script by cowriters Jessica Sharzer and Laeta Kalogridis) is certainly compelling.

"Another Simple Favor" picks up five years after Stephanie got Emily sent to prison for killing her own sister at the end of the first movie. Emily, newly released from prison courtesy of her sexy, rich fiancé (Michele Morrone), crashes a signing for the book Stephanie wrote about her relationship with Emily and the events of the first movie. Emily manipulates Stephanie into coming to Capri to act as her maid of honor, threatening Stephanie with a lawsuit for using her likeness and name in her book without clearance.

In a moment that made a few of us in the audience gasp, Andrew Rannells' Darren (a friend of Stephanie's) quips that Steph better just go to Capri — despite the very real danger that Emily is looking for revenge — because "lawsuits are a real killer." (It's unlikely this was a purposeful reference to the Lively-Baldoni drama, given the filming timeline for this movie, but damn!)

The returning cast is as magnetic as ever. Kendrick and Lively's delightful chemistry (in spite of persistent, though unsubstantiated rumors of a real-life feud) returns in full force as the two spar their way through the film. Henry Golding also returns as Sean, their shared ex and the father of Emily's son Nicky. Golding is having a grand ol' time playing Sean as an absolute mess whose life has been imploded by his involvement with these women.

The new additions to the crew fit in perfectly with the campy tone of the movie. Allison Janney is Emily's sketchy Aunt Linda, while Elizabeth Perkins plays Emily's mother Margaret. Perkins takes over for Jean Smart, who played Margaret in the first movie, and the casting switch is addressed in the cheeky fashion you'd expect: Emily remarks that Margaret looks different, and Margaret replies that she's "had some work done."

Alex Newell is another standout. They join the cast as Vicky, Stephanie's opportunistic agent who can hardly contain their glee about all the mayhem that Emily's wedding brings (it is, after all, perfect fodder for a second book).

"Another Simple Favor" has no shortage of twists and turns, culminating in a fully outlandish third act that outdoes the original in almost every regard.

No spoilers — you just need to experience it for yourself to see exactly why Lively told audiences at the Q&A that it was deeply uncomfortable for her to watch herself in the movie surrounded by an audience. It's a worthwhile return to these surprisingly engaging characters, and Lively's performance is electric; you can absolutely tell she means it when she calls Emily her favorite character she's ever played.

The ending also leaves things wide open for another sequel — though I can't imagine how a third film could top the outrageous outfits (there's a hat Lively wears in one scene that looks like it needs its own ZIP code) and insane dialogue in this one.

"Another Simple Favor" will premiere on May 1 on Prime Video.

• "The Traitors" aired its finale and reunion this week.
• "Love Is Blind" also concluded, as did "Paradise."
• Movies like "Heretic" and "Rumours" are now streaming.

Several popular shows aired their finales this week.

The third season of Peacock's breakout (and Emmy-winning) reality competition hit "The Traitors" concluded, with a finale crowning a new set of winners and a reunion treating viewers to a rehashing of all the drama.

"Love Is Blind" also ended this week, wrapping up its eighth season with four weddings.

A few theatrical film releases, including the darkly comedic horror films "Heretic" and "Rumours," are now streaming too.

Here's a complete rundown of all the best movies, shows, and documentaries to stream this weekend, broken down by what kind of entertainment you're looking for.

If you like horror movies, watch "Heretic."

Hugh Grant plays the devious Mr. Reed, a man who ensnares two young Mormon missionaries (Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East) and forces them to entertain his theological debates. The villainous role is unlike anything you've ever seen from Grant, who's in turn terrifying and hilarious in "Heretic."

Streaming on: Max

"Rumours" is another clever blend of horror and comedy.

The 2024 film, about a G7 summit gone extremely wrong, largely flew under the radar last year. In this sharp political satire, leaders of the world's most powerful democratic nations (a fabulous ensemble that includes Cate Blanchett, Alicia Vikander, and Charles Dance) find themselves lost in the woods together, where they have to face bog zombies, a giant brain, and their own general ineptitude.

Streaming on: Paramount+

The finale of "The Traitors" aired this week.

Find out who won season three of "The Traitors," and then check out the reunion episode to hear the cast relive all the drama.

Streaming on: Peacock

The "Love Is Blind" weddings also aired.

Four couples made it to the altar for the "Love Is Blind" season eight weddings, but only one of those four actually said "I do."

On Sunday, tune into the reunion to see if the couple who got married is still together or if anyone reunited after filming.

Streaming on: Netflix

Royal fans can check out Meghan Markle's new docuseries.

Though the reception has been a mixed bag, Netflix has already ordered another season of the series. In the show, Markle channels her inner Martha Stewart, positioning herself for a next chapter as a would-be lifestyle and homemaking expert.

Streaming on: Netflix

Catch up on "Paradise" and check out the finale.

One of 2025's first buzzy new TV shows wrapped up its first season this week. "Paradise" started with a big twist when it premiered in January. The finale resolved one big mystery, revealing who killed President Cal Bradford (James Marsden) but leaves plenty of threads open to pick up in the already ordered second season.

Streaming on: Hulu

For a new comedy, watch "Deli Boys."

"Deli Boys" is one of the funniest new shows in ages. The clever 30-minute comedy follows two Pakistani American brothers, Mir and Raj Dar, who inherit a convenience store chain after their father's unexpected death, only to find out that the family business was actually a front for a criminal enterprise.

Streaming on: Hulu

• All episodes of "Love Is Blind" season eight are available on Netflix.
• The season focuses on five couples who get engaged and two others who don't make it.
• Here's what happened to each of them.

Warning: Major spoilers ahead for "Love Is Blind" season eight.

The penultimate episode of "Love Is Blind" season eight ended with four weddings — but only one marriage.

While the show, which premiered in 2020 is streamer's most popular unscripted show, it hasn't been as less successful at helping people find their perfect match. Only 10 "Love Is Blind" couples are still together from the show's first seven seasons.

Here's what we know about the main couples from season eight.

Dave and Lauren

In the pod stage, Dave connected with multiple women but proposed to Lauren.

However, when they get home and get their phones back, Dave hears from his friends and sister that Lauren has a secret boyfriend. When confronted, Lauren claims she and the unnamed man were hooking up but were never in a real relationship.

Dave struggles to believe Lauren, refuses to let her meet his friends and family, and eventually breaks up with her in episode 11. Later in the episode, they both attend a cast party, and he apologizes to Lauren for letting his "ego" ruin their relationship and hints he might want to rekindle things. Lauren makes clear she has no interest in reuniting.

At the reunion, Dave says he learned a month prior that the unnamed man had been lying about his relationship with Lauren and regrets not defending her more. At the reunion Lauren says Dave is not what she needs in a partner.

Ben and Sara

Ben and Sara faced several trials on their journey to the altar.

Ben is a Christian, and Sara doesn't like his church's views on the LGBTQ+ community. Sara cares about politics, whereas Ben is apathetic.

When they return home, Sara stumbles upon a TikTok where a woman complains about Netflix casting "shitty" men on the Minnesota season of "Love Is Blind." Ben believes the video is about him because he dated the woman but tells Sarah he doesn't remember what he did to her to make her make a video about him.

After some tough conversations, during which Ben says he supports the LGBTQ+ community and offers to educate himself about politics, Sara decides to look past these differences and continue the process with him.

Still, at the altar, Sara says she can't marry him, citing that they're not on the same wavelength. He prompts her to continue dating, but she demurs, saying they'll discuss it later.

At the reunion, Sara criticizes Ben for ditching her after agreeing to visit her while she worked in Nashville. Sara says Ben deleted her from the Find My Friends app after she left Minnesota for Nashville and then sent apology texts that she thought were scripted.

Ben denies this, and says he thought they had broken up before they left and accuses her of ghosting him after he sent the apology. The pair still follow each other on Instagram, but the romantic relationship is over.

Devin and Virginia

Devin finds two candidates for a future partner on the show: Brittany and Virginia. He ultimately concludes he and Brittany are better as friends and picks Virginia.

Devin and Virginia's main disagreement arises when Virginia asks Devin to sign a prenup. Devin is initially nervous about the contract, but he agrees to sign it after speaking to his family and lawyer.

They reach the altar, where Devin says, "I do." Despite both of their families feeling confident about the match, Virginia says no in an emotional moment. She explains that she hasn't had enough time to get deep with Devin, citing his hesitance to talk about his political views and the fact that their sexual relationship isn't quite there yet.

At the reunion, they confirm they are no longer dating but have different views on why things ended. Virginia blames Devin, saying he stopped answering her calls a week after the wedding and told people she ghosted him. Devin denies this and says their conversations were going nowhere, so it made sense to end things.

Taylor and Daniel

Taylor and Daniel build a strong connection in the pods, bonding over their shared family values and love for Christmas. After they engage and meet in person for the first time, Taylor believes Daniel had followed her on Instagram before the filming began and used information from her account to get her to fall in love with him.

Taylor confronts Daniel about this and then is given her phone to confirm her suspicions. She finds no evidence of this, and Daniel is gracious to Taylor despite the accusation. They continue the process, and everything goes remarkably smoothly — Daniel's mom even accompanies Taylor to her wedding dress-shopping appointment.

Unsurprisingly, they both say yes at the altar, becoming the only season eight couple to actually marry and they are still married.

The reunion episode shows a reel of their first year of marriage, and Daniel reveals he got a tattoo of Taylor's eyes on his chest.

Monica and Joey

Monica and Joey had one of the smoothest love journeys early in the season. They were the first pair to get engaged after bonding over their joint love for "The Sound of Music" and their close connection with their families.

The first problem arises when Monica's sister doesn't approve of them getting married so soon and questions whether Joey is genuine.

During their final pre-wedding date, Monica also brings up Joey's lack of physical affection. She worries that he doesn't feel as strongly about her as some of the other men do about their partners and expresses that she's unsure how he really feels about her.

Monica and Joey still continue the journey to the altar, but Monica ultimately opts not to marry Joey, unable to get past her sense that he isn't all in with her. Joey doesn't seem bothered by Monica's decision, agreeing it was too soon. They hug and part cordially after their failed wedding, though Monica cries and tells the cameras that she's sad it turned out this way.

At the reunion, Joey says he couldn't get out of Monica's friend zone because her sister doubted their relationship. Monica says he was just not interested in her and lied about his interaction with Madison, another contestant on the show.

Monica says they dated after the wedding, but that relationship has since ended.

Madison and Alex

No other couple is shown to get engaged in season eight, but the series covers a convoluted love square between Madison, Alex, Mason, and Meg.

In the pods stage, Madison builds connections with both Alex and Mason. Mason also bonds with Meg.

Madison and Alex choose each other, but Mason says he is committed to Madison before she can break things off. Madison tells Meg this information and then dumps Mason.

Mason tells Alex what happened, and Alex gets into an argument with Madison over how she treated him. This leads to Alex also breaking up with Madison.

During the cast party in episode 11, Madison tells Lauren that Alex tried to date her after the pods, suggesting it was because he saw her and realized she was attractive. Madison says that she thinks Alex is a liar now.

She says Alex told her off-camera that he did not actually like Mason despite defending him on the show and told her that Meg was messaging him to get to know him.

Alex and Meg did not get to share their sides of the story during the pod meetup.

At the reunion, Alex and Madison don't say whether they dated after this, but they are not on good terms. In the episode, Alex, Meg, and Mason team up to argue against Madison, with either side accusing the other of lying and manipulation.

Alex denies bad-mouthing Mason, even after Madison pulls up screenshots of messages in which Alex uses a skull emoji and melting emoji when talking about Mason's relationship with Meg.

The argument is cut short by the hosts to move on the show.

Mason and Meg

Mason and Meg initially bond over their love for conspiracy theories before forming a deeper connection. However, Meg doesn't like that she is Mason's second choice in the pods, so she decides to break up with him.

In episode 11, they arrive at the cast party together, revealing that they are dating now after messaging each other after receiving their phones back.

Mason says at the reunion that they dated a couple of times over the last year but decided to be best friends.

"Love Is Blind" season eight is available to stream on Netflix.

• Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa Hackman, died of natural causes, officials announced Friday.
• The pair had been found dead in their New Mexico home on February 26 under unusual circumstances.
• Hackman died of complications from heart disease about a week after Arakawa Hackman died of hantavirus.

The Santa Fe County chief medical examiner said on Friday that Gene Hackman died of natural causes.

The 95-year-old Oscar-winning actor, his wife, Betsy Arakawa Hackman, and one of their dogs were found dead on February 26 at their New Mexico home. For over a week, it was unclear how they'd each died, though authorities said they'd been dead for quite some time and their deaths were "suspicious enough in nature to require a thorough search and investigation."

The investigation has now concluded. At a Santa Fe County Sheriff press conference on Friday, chief medical examiner Dr. Heather Jarrell said Hackman died of complications from heart disease and Alzheimer's disease.

Arakawa Hackman, who was 65, died of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. Hantavirus is a flu-like disease carried by infected rats, which is rarely passed between humans.

Both deaths were classified as natural.

Pills were previously reported to have been found on-site; Jarrell said they were prescribed thyroid medication and not a matter of concern.

Jarrell said it was unprecedented for her office to comment on deaths but felt it was important in this case to disseminate accurate information and said she had spoken to Hackman's family about the autopsy findings before the conference.

Arakawa Hackman collapsed in a bathroom at the couple's New Mexico residence and succumbed to the virus "pretty quickly" after it had progressed enough that fluid began to fill her lungs, Jarrell said. The medical examiner added that she does not believe Arakwa Hackman was alive for an extended period after she collapsed.

Given Hackman's advanced Alzheimer's disease, Jarrell said it is likely he was home with his deceased wife for over a week before he died. She said it is unclear whether he knew she had died or if he attempted to get help.

"Mr. Hackman showed evidence of advanced Alzheimer's disease — I'm not aware of what his normal daily functioning capability was," Jarrell said in the Friday press conference. "He was in a very poor state of health, and he had significant heart disease, and I think ultimately that is what resulted in his death."

Jarrell said she found no evidence that Hackman was dehydrated but said there was no food in his stomach at the time of his death.

The dog that was found deceased at the Hackman residence had been left in its crate following a recent medical procedure. The results of its necropsy are still pending.

This story is developing. Check back for updates.

• Two "Love Is Blind" season 8 engagements crumbled in the finale over political differences.
• Sara and Ben clashed over religion, while Virginia was turned off by Devin's Republican upbringing.
• The conflicts on the show reflect bigger trends in the political divide between men and women in the US.

There was an unexpected special guest star in the "Love Is Blind" season eight finale: politics.

Friday's season finale, in which the remaining four couples walked down the aisle and decided if they'll officially marry the person they met through a wall, ended with only one pair actually tying the knot.

While it was hardly a surprise that the other three couples couldn't muster the courage to enter a lifelong agreement with someone they met mere months ago, it was surprising that for two of the three couples who broke up, political differences were a major factor in the split.

Talking politics on a dating show might be relatively new for "Love Is Blind," but the breakups of Virginia and Devin and Sara and Ben, both relationships in which a more liberal woman broke up with a conservative-leaning male partner, reflect a larger political shift among young people in America, as young women move to the left while men move increasingly to the right.

'Love Is Blind' couples didn't always talk this explicitly about politics

"Love Is Blind" engagements don't often end explicitly over political differences, usually because relationships that cross the political divide on the show don't tend to get that far in the first place. Couples often bring up politics in the pods, asking their prospective partners who they voted for and how they feel about social issues, but that often results in them weeding out potential partners with differing political views.

The closest we've seen to a breakup over politics was Nancy and Bartise's disagreement over abortion rights in season three, and even then, that wasn't the ultimate factor in their split at the altar.

But for whatever reason — Minnesota is often a swing state, after all — season eight featured more couples willing to date across the aisle, at least for a little while, until the topic tore them apart.

For Sara and Ben, having open conversations about politics and social issues was a priority from the jump. In the pods, they discussed Ben's faith, prompting Sara to ask about his opinions on issues like Black Lives Matter and if he accepts the LGBTQ+ community.

While Ben's answers seemed to quell Sara's anxieties in the moment, it ultimately wasn't enough for Sara to say yes at the altar. Ben's religion and lack of interest in social issues like Black Lives Matter was indicative, to her, of a wider problem she had with him: He's not that interested in things that don't directly involve him. Or, as Sara puts it in her post-breakup interview, he's not curious.

"Equality, religion, the vaccine… I brought up all these things because I think they're all important conversations. Whatever you believe, at least have the conversation," she told the cameras. "There was no curiosity coming from his side. I've always just thought I'd want to be with someone who was more curious — more curious about my brain and how I think about things."

When Ben asked Sara at the altar to consider continuing to date, she demurred. But to the cameras, she seemed to have already made up her mind. It wasn't that they hadn't had enough time to get to know each other, it was that she knew in her heart they simply weren't a good fit.

"People prove who they are. Actions speak louder than words," she told producers.

For Virginia, it wasn't her fiancé Devin's politics that were the concern so much as it was his desire to avoid talking about them. It wasn't until shortly before their wedding day that the pair even broached the topic on-camera, with Virginia prodding a closed-off Devin, who shared only that he'd been raised in a conservative Republican household but largely avoided clarifying his own personal beliefs.

In a post-breakup confessional, a visibly heartbroken Virginia explained that she hadn't had enough time to go deeper into learning about Devin's values because she'd agreed not to press him on topics like politics in order to "protect" him on camera.

"We should be all the way there before we decide to spend the rest of our lives together," she said. But she was firm in her belief that they'd need to hash out their differences before she could commit to a life with him.

"I don't regret my decision," she said.

The growing political divide among young singles is a very real problem in America right now

Beyond being an issue that's relatable to any young person who's dated in an area where the majority of singles have opposing political beliefs to theirs, season eight's breakups over politics reflect larger trends in the current climate.

A 2024 Gallup poll analysis found that young women have become more liberal as the Trump administration threatens their freedoms like reproductive rights, while their male counterparts are increasingly leaning conservative, thanks at least in part to the "manosphere" of popular male podcasters and influencers like Andrew Tate and the rise of online communities espousing anti-feminist or misogynist beliefs.

Polls show that Gen Z in particular is becoming increasingly divided along gender lines when it comes to their ideological opinions. (For the record, Virginia is firmly a millennial, while Ben, Sara, and Devin are all zillennial cuspers.) Female Gen Zers are more likely than males to vote, participate in protests and political movements, and engage in causes generally, surveys have found.

A 2023 Washington Post editorial warned that an increasing ideological polarization among young people that started after Trump was first elected in 2016 could lead to a marriage crisis; in a world where political opinion is becoming central to one's identity, voting for the opposing party is considered a dating dealbreaker to many.

The only way to fix this dilemma, the op-ed argues, is for potential partners to be willing to compromise and engage with people outside their own sociopolitical echo chambers — to be curious about the other person's perspective and be open to changing their mind.

In other words, exactly what Sara said she wanted — and wasn't getting — from Ben.

• Two of Ruby Franke's kids participated in a new docuseries about her.
• The former vlogger was convicted of child abuse and sentenced to up to 30 years in prison.
• Shari Franke says she'll never speak to her mother again; Franke's son Chad still has love for her.

One of the most harrowing parts of "Devil in the Family," Hulu's new docuseries about the downfall of former mommy vlogger Ruby Franke, happens minutes before it ends.

Shari Franke, her eldest daughter, was an internet personality as a child alongside her five younger siblings Chad, Abby, Julie, Russell, and Eve, who were all featured on their mother's popular YouTube channel "8 Passengers." Shari participated in Hulu's series alongside her father, Kevin Franke, and her younger brother, Chad Franke.

In an interview near the end of the third and final episode, Shari reflects on her fractured current relationship with her mother as she watches old footage of herself as a child with her mother.

It's a dark moment for Shari. The now 21-year-old saw her family, presented for years as idyllic and perfect, crumble in the public eye.

Ruby Franke, who started her YouTube channel in 2015, was convicted on four counts of child abuse and sentenced to between four and 30 years in a Salt Lake City, Utah, prison. Before that, she'd become controversial in 2020 over her parenting style, which some viewers called abusive.

The true depth of her crimes was uncovered in 2023, when her younger son, one of the two kids she abused, escaped from the home of Franke's friend and collaborator Jodi Hildebrandt and told authorities he and his sister had been subjected to horrific abuse.

Here's where Ruby Franke's six kids are now, amid their mom's imprisonment.

Ruby Franke's 4 youngest kids are being kept out of the spotlight

Ruby and Kevin Franke's four youngest children are still minors. Though they were prominently featured in their mother's YouTube channel and on her Instagram for years — and even had "official" individual Instagram accounts managed by their parents — their identities were concealed in footage shown in the Hulu docuseries. The kids' faces were blurred out in old videos, and they weren't named.

In legal documentation related to Franke's trial and conviction viewed by Business Insider, the four youngest were also referred to by their first initials. The two youngest kids, "R." (Russell) and "E." (Eve), were 12 and 10 at the time of Franke's arrest and were the ones subjected to physical abuse.

The abuse stemmed from Franke and Hildebrandt's belief that they were possessed by the devil, and that their "deviance" needed to be addressed with harsh punishments. Those punishments, chronicled in Franke's detailed journal about the abuse made public by authorities during the trial, included withholding food for days, making them stand in the hot sun for hours, and having them run shoeless in the Utah desert.

As the docuseries recounts, the two middle sisters, Abby and Julie, did not appear to be physically harmed at the time Franke and Hildebrandt were arrested in August 2023. All four kids were taken into the custody of Utah's Department of Child and Family Services when Franke was arrested; their father, Kevin Franke, alleged in the docuseries that he had been pressured to leave the family home and cut off contact with all his children for over a year by his wife and Hildebrandt.

Kevin Franke's attorney told Today.com in September 2023 that he was "focused on doing what is best for his kids" and was "making an effort to rebuild and bridge these relationships." Kevin filed for divorce that year and has been seeking to regain custody of his four youngest children. It's unclear whether the kids are still in the custody of the state, in Kevin Franke's custody, or elsewhere, as the status of his guardianship case isn't publicly accessible.

As of a June 2024 filing in Kevin Franke's lawsuit against Hildebrandt, viewed by BI, all four kids were residing in separate homes while in the state's custody.

When reached via email, a representative for Utah's DCFS declined to comment further on specifics of the case or the whereabouts of the Franke children "in order to protect the integrity of the necessary working relationships with those we serve, and to respect the privacy of children and families."

Chad Franke still has love for Ruby Franke despite her crimes

Chad Franke is Kevin and Ruby Franke's second-eldest child and eldest son. He and his older sister Shari, who are now both adults, participated in the Hulu docuseries where they opened up about their family's vlogging career and their mother's abuse case.

In the docuseries, Shari and Chad recalled how the two of them were the most popular of the Franke siblings among viewers, remarking that photos with the two of them in the thumbnail tended to perform best on "8 Passengers." Chad in particular became something of an internet celebrity in his own right, and he said he played into the charming goofball character.

Kevin admitted in an interview for the docuseries that he was living vicariously through preteen Chad, who was much cooler and more confident than he ever was, and said he and his wife exploited that for monetary gain. At its peak, Kevin said they were making over $100,000 a month in YouTube revenue.

As a teen, Chad started to act out, culminating in his expulsion from school. At that point, the Frankes brought in Jodi Hildebrandt, a therapist referred by a family friend, to help keep Chad in line. He was sent to the Anasazi Foundation Wilderness Therapy Program, a troubled teen program.

In the docuseries, Chad said he didn't mind working with Hildebrandt at first, as she mostly focused on trying to get him to be more spiritual. He even grew to love her, despite her encouragement of Kevin and Ruby Franke's harsh punishments. It was Chad's revelation in a 2020 YouTube video that he'd had his room taken away and was made to sleep on a bean bag chair in the basement for seven months that kickstarted the backlash against the Franke family and precipitated their downfall.

Chad was ultimately kicked out of the family home by Franke and Hildebrandt, who'd moved in with them, when he was 17 for admitting to watching pornography in the house. He went to live in an apartment nearby and didn't have contact with his parents or siblings for a year. He recalled in the docuseries finding out about his mother's arrest when someone at his lifeguarding job saw it on the news and told him.

Initially, Chad still believed that his punishment and his siblings' treatment were appropriate and that Hildebrandt and Franke had been acting as "God's chosen people." It was only after his father finally realized they'd both been lied to and told Chad that he realized the extent of the abuse.

In the docuseries, Chad said it was "heartbreaking" seeing his mother on trial. He admitted that his feelings about her are complicated, though he believes she belongs in prison — at least for now.

"I miss a mother figure. I miss how she was when I was very young. But I think what she's going through is deserved," he said. "I don't think she should get out, at least until the kids, all the kids, turn 18 years old. But that doesn't mean I don't have love for her."

Chad now works as a real estate agent in Utah. He's also started his own influencing career, growing his personal following on Instagram and TikTok, where he posts videos with his girlfriend.

Shari Franke says she'll never speak to Ruby Franke again and is lobbying against family vlogging

In the docuseries, Shari and Chad recalled how their mother grew her following by forcing all the kids to constantly create content for the channel, which began when Shari was a preteen. Shari managed to break away before the situation deteriorated, leaving the family home to attend Brigham Young University in 2020; Shari says Franke kicked her out of her room two weeks before she left for college in order to move Hildebrandt in.

She recalled being immediately suspicious of Hildebrandt and found negative reviews of her online that said she'd destroyed other families and even had her license revoked. Shari told her mother, but Franke didn't listen. Ultimately, Franke cut Shari off after Shari refused to stop contacting her father Kevin and brother Chad from college.

In the docuseries, Shari and a family friend who was her former teacher recalled going to the Franke home to confront Franke, who was unmoved even as Shari cried and begged Franke not to cut her off. From that point, Shari didn't have contact with her family, but neighbors would keep her updated on the situation with her siblings amid their father's absence.

In 2022, they alerted Shari that Franke appeared to be gone for hours at a time, leaving the younger kids home alone. Shari placed a call to the Springville Police Station in September 2022 asking for a welfare check; a case opened by the DCFS was eventually closed because according to documentation previously viewed by BI, there was no evidence of wrongdoing.

Shari addressed cutting ties with her family on a podcast in 2023, months before Franke's arrest, saying that they'd left her "spiritually drained." When Franke and Hildebrandt were arrested that August, Shari reacted to the news on Instagram, sharing a photo of a police car with the word: "Finally."

"Today has been a big day," Shari said in another post. "Me and my family are so glad justice is being served. We've been trying to tell the police and CPS for years about this, and so glad they finally decided to step up."

She also appealed to her followers and former "8 Passengers" fans to help her crowdsource "questionable or concerning" video evidence against Franke and ConneXions, the controversial group started by Hildebrandt that Franke had joined, shortly after the arrest.

Today, Shari is an outspoken critic of family vlogging, testifying at an October 2024 Utah Senate committee hearing in favor of laws to protect child influencers. In her speech, she called herself a "victim of family vlogging" and said "there is no such thing as a moral or ethical family vlogger."

"If I could go back and do it all again, I'd rather have an empty bank account now and not have my childhood plastered all over the internet," Shari said. "No amount of money I received has made what I've experienced worth it."

She also published a memoir, "The House of My Mother," in January ahead of the Hulu docuseries, about her family life with Franke.

"Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke" is streaming on Hulu.

• "Anora" director Sean Baker made history at the Oscars on Sunday.
• He won each of his four nominations, including the biggest prize of the night, best picture.
• The indie filmmaker previously told BI he doesn't try to make his films more palatable to studios.

If you didn't know Sean Baker's name before Sunday night, you definitely do now.

The director made history at the 97th Academy Awards on Sunday, becoming the first filmmaker to win four Oscars in one night for the same film. (Walt Disney won four Oscars in 1953, but for four separate films; Bong Joon Ho won four in 2020 for "Parasite," but one was for best international feature, which is technically awarded to the country, not the filmmaker.)

"Anora," a dramedy about a young stripper who impulsively marries the son of a Russian oligarch, snagged Baker statues for best director, best original screenplay, best editing, and best picture. The film's lead, Mikey Madison, also picked up a surprise win, beating out frontrunner Demi Moore in the best actress category.

Though Baker was relatively unknown to the general public until now, the buzzy indie filmmaker didn't come out of nowhere. I spoke to Baker in October, months before "Anora" would sweep the Oscars, about his body of work and the state of moviemaking.

Sean Baker's movies are critically acclaimed, but were largely ignored by major awards bodies before 'Anora'

After graduating from New York University's filmmaking program in 1998, the New Jersey-born Baker quickly found his niche by focusing on marginalized communities. Half of his features, including "Anora," are specifically about sex workers.

But making his work more palatable and marketable to a wider audience was never on the agenda.

"I was always shooting myself in my foot. I was always doing something that would make my film probably not accessible to the mainstream," Baker said, citing his inclusion of an unsimulated sex scene in 2012's "Starlet," a movie about porn stars, as an example.

Before "Anora," Baker's most successful film in terms of awards recognition was "The Florida Project," his 2017 slice-of-life drama about a 6-year-old girl and her unemployed single mom living out of a budget motel in Kissimmee, Florida, just outside Walt Disney World. As with "Anora" and most of his movies, Baker pulled quadruple duty, directing, writing, producing, and editing.

Though largely regarded as Baker's best work to date, outside of awards from critics' organizations, Baker didn't earn any statuettes for it — only star Willem Dafoe clinched an Oscar nomination for his supporting role as the motel's owner.

Given his track record with flying under the radar, Baker told BI last fall that he was stunned that "Anora" had broken through to mainstream acclaim.

"I thought it was going to be extremely divisive, quite honestly," he said.

Baker is an outspoken supporter of independent film and theatrical releases

Baker made four speeches at the Oscars, thanking his team, his cast, the film's distributor Neon, his fellow producers (including his wife, Samantha Quan), and the sex workers who have opened up their world to him over the years. He also took the opportunity during his best director win to zoom out and give an impassioned plea to support the theatrical experience.

"Watching a film in the theater with an audience is an experience. We can laugh together, cry together, and, in a time in which the world can feel very divided, this is more important than ever," Baker said, adding that the experience is "under threat" with theaters, particularly independently owned ones, closing down at unprecedented rates.

"If we don't reverse this trend, we'll be losing a vital part of our culture," he said.

Amid ever-shrinking theatrical release windows, Baker implored filmmakers to keep making films with the big screen experience in mind and asked distributors to focus on theatrical releases.

It's something he also touched on during his wins at both the Directors and Producers Guild Awards in February, where he asked his fellow filmmakers to demand 90-day windows for their films to play in theaters. (IndieWire reported that in 2024, the average theatrical window was a mere 32 days across 85 wide-released movies, dropping off over 13% from the previous year.)

Baker has openly criticized Hollywood's risk-averse tendency to bet on blockbusters and IP-driven films over original dramas. That criticism hasn't always come across well, as when Baker told the Associated Press last year that he missed "mature films for adults" that didn't have explosions or superheroes or weren't genre films.

Some took his lament to be a dig at superhero movies and horror films. Baker clarified his stance to BI and bemoaned coming across as "snotty" in that soundbite.

"I didn't in any way mean to be slamming those films. I actually love action films — it's why I went to NYU, to make the next 'Die Hard' or 'RoboCop,'" he told BI. "What I was trying to say is I wish studios were still making other films."

Baker pointed out that it makes sense why studios prioritize those films, knowing that they'll perform better financially. "Genre films essentially are the films that are keeping theaters alive, and therefore I cherish them, and I am so happy they're there," he said. "But I just would love more variety — dramas and dramedies and just everyday human stories."

He maintained that these explosion-less films are just as cinematic, and just as important to see on the big screen surrounded by a crowd of fellow film lovers. "Anora" was Baker's proof of concept: "I want 'Anora' to be something that is better in a theater with a crowd on the big screen."

That "Anora" has been embraced in this way is a huge win for indie filmmaking, one that should serve as a clue to studios that these movies are worth the marketing effort — it's the director's most financially successful film to date, netting over $40 million worldwide on a $6 million budget.

"I'm just trying to make the best film possible," Baker told BI. "When something is too commercial, there's a reason why. It's often watered down in order to reach the widest audience possible. And therefore, it is not as perhaps provocative or edgy, because it needs to be pretty vanilla to reach everybody."

The 97th Academy Awards may have been a fairytale ending for Baker as a filmmaker, but perhaps it will also be the fairy godmother the indies need.

Closing out his acceptance speech for best picture, Baker put it plainly.

"I want to thank the Academy for recognizing a truly independent film. This film was made on the blood, sweat, and tears of incredible indie artists. And long live independent film."

• Several actors were left out of the 2025 Oscars In Memoriam segment.
• Fans are particularly upset that Michelle Trachtenberg and Tony Todd were snubbed.
• People are always left out because of limited space and who chooses the In Memoriam list.

It's that time of year again — time to be mad about the people left off of the In Memoriam segment at the Oscars.

Without fail, the annual montage that pays tribute to Hollywood's fallen courts controversy. As only a few minutes of the hourslong ceremony, there are always names missing from the list; it's simply impossible to include everyone with a film credit who has died.

This year was no exception, and viewers were particularly angry about a few of them. Most noteworthy was the omission of Michelle Trachtenberg. The 39-year-old "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" star, who had her breakout film role as a child actor in "Harriet the Spy," died on Wednesday.

While you might think the recency of her death simply means the In Memoriam editors didn't have time to add her, that's not the case. Gene Hackman, whose death was announced after Trachtenberg's, was prominently featured in the closing moments of the montage and spotlighted in the introduction by his friend and costar Morgan Freeman.

Several other noteworthy actors were excluded from this year's In Memoriam, including "Candyman" actor Tony Todd, "Beverly Hills 90210" and "Heathers" star Shannen Doherty, "Titanic" and "Lord of the Rings" star Bernard Hill, and "Black Christmas" and the 1968 "Romeo and Juliet" star Olivia Hussey.

How the Academy decides who gets into the In Memoriam segment

There's no simple formula for determining whether someone makes it into the Oscars In Memoriam tribute. The montage includes a mix of on-screen talent, writers and directors, and below-the-line folks, meaning there's no shortage of potential honorees to choose from.

So, how does the list get curated? As it turns out, the executive producers of the awards show aren't the ones who have that task. According to The Hollywood Reporter, it's the job of a secret executive committee which is composed of members from all 19 of the Academy's branches.

Michael Schulman, an Academy Awards expert who wrote the book "Oscar Wars," told THR that the composition of the committee is also a reason why a recognizable actor like Shannen Doherty may have been passed over in favor of a less commonly known cinematographer. Being prominent specifically in film (not TV or another medium) is also a factor, albeit a very subjective one.

A source close to the Academy told THR that people who have won Oscars or a Governors Award have priority, then those who have won the Academy's Scientific and Technical Awards. Nominees for those awards are in the next tier for consideration.

• Conan O'Brien hosted the Oscars on Sunday.
• It was the comedian's first time hosting the Academy Awards.
• In his monologue, he made fun of best actress nominee Karla Sofía Gascón, who was in the audience.

Hosting the Oscars is a famously difficult gig. But Conan O'Brien didn't play it safe in his 2025 Oscars monologue, bringing up one of the biggest controversies of awards season: "Emilia Pérez" star Karla Sofía Gascón's old social media posts.

O'Brien set up the joke by saying that the titular character in "Anora," one of the Oscar-nominated films, uses the F-word "479 times" in the movie. "That's three more than the record set by Karla Sofía Gascón's publicist," the comedian said.

The audience responded with shocked laughter before O'Brien pointed out that Gascón, who was nominated for best actress for her role in "Emilia Pérez," was present in the audience. Gascón was a good sport, laughing along as the camera cut to her.

"And Karla, if you are gonna tweet about the Oscars, remember my name is Jimmy Kimmel," O'Brien joked, referencing the four-time Oscars host.

Gascón faced backlash when old tweets re-emerged on X (formerly Twitter) in late January after she suggested fans of another best actress Oscar competitor, "I'm Still Here" star Fernanda Torres, were attempting to tear her down. The posts contained offensive remarks about everything from Muslims and George Floyd to Miley Cyrus.

Gascón apologized for her "erroneous" past opinions and deleted her X account. After posting several statements defending herself on Instagram and speaking out in an interview about the controversy, she largely stepped out of the spotlight during the remainder of awards season, keeping a low profile until Oscar night.

Conan O'Brien's Oscars monologue also poked fun at 'The Substance,' Timothée Chalamet's yellow suit, and AI

The 97th Academy Awards started off with a movie montage in tribute to Los Angeles after the devastating wildfires, followed by a trio of musical numbers: first, "Wicked" star Ariana Grande sang "Over the Rainbow," then her costar Cynthia Erivo performed "Home" from "The Wiz." Then the two transitioned into "Defying Gravity" from their hit movie musical.

After the performances, O'Brien finally showed up — emerging from Demi Moore's split-open back in a pre-taped skit spoofing her film "The Substance." He joked that he lost his car keys back in Moore's inert body.

In the monologue after the Gascón joke, O'Brien went on to assure the audience that no AI was used in the making of the Oscars, a subtle jab at the controversies "The Brutalist" and "Emilia Pérez" faced for their use of the technology. He also poked fun at the long runtime of "The Brutalist," saying "I didn't want it to end, and luckily, it didn't."

O'Brien next turned his attention to Timothée Chalamet, who was nominated for playing Bob Dylan in the biopic "A Complete Unknown." Chalamet, who was seated in the audience next to his girlfriend Kylie Jenner, turned up to the awards show in a butter yellow leather suit. O'Brien complimented the look and joked that the hue assured that the actor wouldn't be getting hit by any cars.

O'Brien packed in no shortage of jokes during the monologue, vowing that he wouldn't waste any time and cause the ceremony (which famously almost always runs late) to go past its scheduled end time. He then ended by launching into a brief musical number of his own, with lyrics that were all about not wasting our time.

During the song, O'Brien threw it to the sand worm from "Dune 2" playing "Chopsticks" on the piano — and who could possibly argue that was a waste of time?

Watch the full monologue below.

Stream the 97th Academy Awards live on Hulu.

• Find out how to watch the Oscars this weekend.
• New shows like "Running Point" and "Toxic Town" also premiered.
• Hulu's new Ruby Franke docuseries dives deep into the harrowing case.

Hollywood's biggest night is this weekend.

The Oscars are airing on Sunday, which will bring one of the messiest awards seasons in recent memory to a close.

Over on the TV front, there are new Netflix shows like "Toxic Town" and "Running Point" out this week, as well as the season premiere of "Survivor."

Some of 2024's best movies, like "Nickel Boys," "Strange Darling," and "September 5," are now streaming too.

Here's a complete rundown of all the best movies, shows, and documentaries to stream this weekend, broken down by what kind of entertainment you're looking for.

For an emotional drama, watch "Nickel Boys."

RaMell Ross' historical drama, based on Colson Whitehead's book of the same name, was one of 2024's most underrated films. It's about two young Black boys in 1960s Florida who are sent to an abusive reform school.

The performances are astounding — particularly Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor as the devoted grandmother of one of the boys, Elwood — and Ross' unique first-person POV shooting style is incredibly effective.

Streaming on: MGM+

If you like sports comedies, try "Running Point."

Kate Hudson plays a basketball heiress loosely based on LA Lakers owner Jeanie Buss in "Running Point," a new comedy from Mindy Kaling.

Streaming on: Netflix

True crime fans should check out "Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke."

A new three-part docuseries shines a light on the disturbing story of Ruby Franke, the former mom vlogger who was convicted of abusing her children alongside Jodi Hildebrandt, a therapist she'd hired to help her son.

Be forewarned: This story isn't for the faint of heart. The series includes firsthand accounts, video footage, and interviews with two of Franke's kids and her estranged husband,

Streaming on: Hulu

Christopher Reeve fans will love "Will Reeve: Finding My Father."

The beloved "Superman" actor's youngest son retraces his dad's steps in this new ABC special. Will Reeves, now an ABC News correspondent, visits the places his father did while working on a nature documentary — Christopher Reeve's final project before the riding accident that left him paralyzed.

Streaming on: Hulu

For a fictionalized true story drama, watch "Toxic Town."

The true crime drama "Toxic Town" tells the story of children in a British town who were born with disabilities after being poisoned by unchecked toxic waste from steelworks. "Doctor Who" star Jodie Whittaker plays Susan McIntyre, a real mother who fought for justice for her son Connor, who'd been born with limb differences.

Streaming on: Netflix

Horror fans should see "Strange Darling."

If you haven't already seen this one, stop what you're doing and go stream it ASAP.

"Strange Darling" is an inventive and well-acted thriller from JT Mollner, starring Willa Fitzgerald and Kyle Gallner as two people in a cat-and-mouse game that isn't at all what it initially appears. It wasn't just one of the best horror movies of 2024; it was one of my favorite movies last year, period.

Streaming on: Paramount+

The Academy Awards air this weekend.

This Sunday, Conan O'Brien will host the 97th Academy Awards. We'll find out whether "Anora" star Mikey Madison will clinch a best actress win over "The Substance" star Demi Moore, and whether "Emilia Perez" might still get best picture despite its controversies.

Streaming on: Hulu

"Survivor" is back for a new season.

The long-running competition series premiered its 48th (!) season this week. Catch the new episode of "Survivor" on streaming if you missed it airing on CBS.

Streaming on: Paramount+

For a thriller based on a true story, watch "September 5."

"September 5" focuses on the Munich massacre of 1972 during that year's Summer Olympics, and specifically the ABC Sports news team that covered the incident.

Streaming on: Paramount+

"The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim" is an anime fantasy film based on J. R. R. Tolkien's characters.

This "Lord of the Rings" prequel is set hundreds of years before the events of the Peter Jackson film trilogy and the "Hobbit" movies. It tells the story of legendary Rohan king Helm Hammerhand, voiced by "Succession" star Brian Cox.

Streaming on: Max

• "8 Passengers" mom vlogger Ruby Franke is the subject of a new Hulu docuseries.
• The former influencer was convicted of abusing her children and sentenced to prison.
• Here's what to know about her case, where she is now, and what happened to her marriage and kids.

The darkest side of family vlogging is at the heart of Hulu's new docuseries "Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke."

The three-part series focuses on Ruby Franke, who created the popular, now defunct "8 Passengers" YouTube channel. Franke posted videos with her husband, Kevin Franke, and their six children, Shari, Chad, Abby, Julie, Russell, and Eve, and became wildly successful as a mom influencer.

However, the public turned on Franke over revelations about her parenting style, with many of her followers calling Franke's form of "discipline" abusive. But Franke doubled down rather than apologizing and trying to win back her fans.

Ultimately, she and Jodi Hildebrandt, a therapist she'd hired to work with her family, were convicted of abusing Franke's children and sentenced to prison.

The new docuseries features firsthand accounts from Kevin Franke and the two oldest Franke children.

Here's what to know about the case and where Ruby Franke is now.

Who is Ruby Franke? The once-beloved mom vlogger became controversial for her parenting methods

Franke lived with her family in Springville, Utah, where they were members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, also known as the Mormon church. As Kevin Franke recalls in interviews for the new Hulu series, the two first met in August 2000 and were married by December 28.

By 2015, the couple had six children and Franke had started a YouTube channel chronicling their lives. She called it "8 Passengers" — a reference to the family of 8 traveling through life — and posted videos showing interactions between her kids, cooking for her family, and homeschooling her oldest son, Chad.

The Franke family's first popular video was of one of their kids climbing out of her crib, but soon vlogging became a big income source for them. At its peak, Kevin Franke said in the docuseries, they were bringing in over $100,000 a month just from YouTube revenue.

The idyllic family life presented on Franke's page was incongruous with reality, and cracks began to show in 2020, when Chad said in a video — shown in the docuseries — that he was made to sleep on a beanbag in the basement for seven months as punishment. Amid backlash, Franke removed the video. In an interview at the time, Ruby and Kevin Franke defended their actions and pushed back on child abuse accusations.

The family recounts in the docuseries that around the same time, Chad had been expelled from school. The Frankes brought in a therapist, Jodi Hildebrandt, who a family friend recommended to help Chad.

Hildebrandt's harsh methods appeared to work, and Chad said in the docuseries that he straightened out under her care. From then on, Hildebrandt became entangled with the family: "I learned to love her and trust her," Chad said in the series.

At the same time, Franke's punishments became more extreme. In the docuseries, Chad Franke says his mother would spank and whip him with a belt. In a separate interview, Franke's oldest daughter Shari recalled helping Chad clean blood off the walls after one particularly brutal beating.

As Franke's family recalls in the docuseries, she believed it was her religious calling to help parents save their children and ensure they go to heaven. She and her husband got involved in ConneXions, Hildebrandt's business, and Franke ultimately became a counselor there and Hildebrandt's second in command.

Franke pivoted away from the "8 Passengers" account, which is now defunct, and created a new Instagram and podcast called "Moms of Truth" with Hildebrandt. In it, the two shared parenting "wisdom" and espoused the value of harsh punishments. In one video shown in the docuseries, Franke admitted she "loves principles more than my children."

Ruby and Kevin Franke's relationship began to deteriorate as she grew closer with Hildebrandt, with Kevin alleging that he was asked to leave the family home at the same time a then 17-year-old Chad was kicked out for viewing pornography. Shari, then a college student living at Brigham Young University, also said in the docuseries that she was cut off by her mother and told not to contact anyone in the family.

Ruby Franke's arrest, child abuse conviction, and sentencing

In the docuseries, Franke's neighbors recall becoming concerned about the welfare of her four youngest kids after Kevin left the home, alleging the Franke kids were left alone for hours at a time. They shared their concerns with Shari Franke, who called the Springville Police Station in September 2022 to request a welfare check on her siblings, Business Insider previously reported.

A case was opened with the state's Department of Children and Family Services, but it was eventually closed when they couldn't find any witnesses of physical abuse.

The situation finally came to a head in August 2023, over a year after Franke had asked Kevin and Chad to leave their home and cut off Shari.

According to a witness statement shared by the Santa Clara-Ivins Police Department, on August 30, Franke's youngest son escaped Hildebrandt's home in St. George, Utah, about four hours from the Frankes' Springville home. He asked a neighbor to take him to the police station. The boy was emaciated and had duct tape around his ankles.

The boy — whose name, along with the names of the other Franke minor children, was concealed to protect his privacy — said that his youngest sister was also at Hildebrandt's house but that he hadn't seen her in person for over a month.

Police recovered the girl from Hildebrandt's home and found the other two children at the home of Franke's friends near the family's Springville house. They also recovered a detailed journal Franke had kept in which she recounted the abuse. In the journal, Franke wrote about her belief that her two youngest children were possessed by the deviil and the methods she and Hildebrandt had undertaken to correct their "deviant" behavior, including starving the kids under the guise of "fasting," making them stand in the hot sun barefoot for hours, and having them run in the desert.

Both Franke and Hildebrandt were arrested on aggravated child abuse charges that day, according to Washington County Jail booking documents.

Per a press release from the Washington County Attorney's Office, both women were charged with six counts of aggravated child abuse each on September 1, 2023. In December, they each pleaded guilty to four counts as part of a plea agreement. They were sentenced in February 2024 to serve four consecutive sentences of between one and 15 years each — a total sentence of at least four years, but as many as 30 years, with the precise length of the term to be determined by the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole.

The Board didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

In a statement at her sentencing, Franke acknowledged harming her kids, calling the officers who had rescued them "angels." She also pointed the finger at Hildebrandt, saying she had been "led to believe that this world is an evil place."

"My charges are just, they offer safety to my family, accountability to the public, and they did show mercy to me," she said.

Franke is incarcerated at the Utah State Correctional Facility in Salt Lake City, according to the Utah Department of Corrections. She is scheduled for a hearing with the parole board in December 2026.

In January 2025, a former ConneXions client who attended couples therapy with Hildebrandt sued her, Franke, and ConneXions for fraud and racketeering. The suit, viewed by BI, claims that Franke, Hildebrandt, and other ConneXions employees, both "known and unknown," manipulated "vulnerable individuals" like the plaintiff into paying exorbitant fees for their "fraudulent services." The complaint demands monetary relief for damages.

In the latest filing, on February 28, the judge granted the motion to extend the defendants' time to file an answer to the complaint. Hildebrandt, Franke, and ConneXions now have until March 19, 2025, to respond to the complaint.

The lawyer representing Hildebrandt, Franke, and ConneXions didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

Ruby Franke's husband filed for divorce and has been fighting to regain custody of their 4 youngest kids

Kevin filed for divorce from his wife in November 2023; as of February 2025, he told People it is not yet finalized.

The couple's two oldest kids, Chad and Shari, are adults and living on their own. The four youngest Franke children are minors and have been in DCFS custody in Utah since Franke was arrested in August 2023. Kevin's lawyer, Randy Kester, told People that as of April 2024, they were still in the custody of the state but that he had been fighting to get them back.

As of February 2025, it's unclear whether the younger kids are still in DCFS custody, living with their father, or living elsewhere. A representative for Utah's DCFS said via email that the department "affirms law enforcement reports of our involvement in the Franke case." They declined to comment further on specifics of the case or the whereabouts of the Franke children "in order to protect the integrity of the necessary working relationships with those we serve, and to respect the privacy of children and families."

Kester, Kevin's attorney, didn't immediately reply to a request for comment regarding the status of the custody case.

In her statement during her sentencing, Franke called Kevin the love of her life and called the ending of their marriage a "tragedy."

Franke also addressed her children directly.

"To my babies; my six little chicks — you are a part of me," she said. "I was so disoriented that I believed dark was light and right was wrong. I would do anything in this world for you. My willingness to sacrifice all for you was masterfully manipulated into something very ugly. I took from you all that was soft, and safe, and good."

How Ruby Franke's parents and siblings reacted

Two of Franke's sisters, Julie Deru and Bonnie Hoellein, are also vloggers. In September 2023, each shared videos saying that they were not aware of her actions. They recalled how, in 2020, Franke abruptly cut off her family when she started working with Hildebrandt.

KUTV reported that Franke's parents and brother said in statements to the court at her February sentencing hearing that she had radically changed after employing Hildebrandt to help Chad and referred to her as "brainwashed." Her parents wrote that they'd only had "brief communications" with Franke the last several years.

"She was delusional. She was so deeply brainwashed we could not recognize her," they wrote. They also asked the judge to show Franke mercy in sentencing and expressed their hope that she would repair her relationships with her kids.

Franke and Hildebrandt's lawyers didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

"Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke" is streaming on Hulu.

• Oscar nominee Mikey Madison says getting cast in "Anora" marked a turning point in her life.
• Madison and Baker spoke to BI about how she landed the title role playing the feisty sex worker.
• Baker also recalled what it was like to be on set for Madison's infamous scream during the home invasion scene.

To an outsider, Mikey Madison's ascendance to Hollywood It Girl might seem sudden. But for the 25-year-old actor, the road to mainstream acclaim and an Oscar nomination has felt like a long, slow climb.

"It's funny, I have to say it doesn't feel rapid at all," Madison told Business Insider. "I mean, I've been acting for almost 10 years now, and at times it's been so incredibly slow."

Before her Oscar-nominated leading role in Sean Baker's "Anora," Madison had a small but dedicated fanbase, thanks to her breakthrough role playing Pamela Adlon's eldest daughter in the FX series "Better Things" and scene-stealing appearances as a Manson follower in Quentin Tarantino's "Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood" and a particularly sassy Ghostface in the 2022 "Scream" sequel.

Playing the titular sex worker in "Anora" catapulted Madison — and Baker, a longtime indie darling virtually unrecognized on the awards circuit prior to this year — into the mainstream conversation.

When BI spoke to Madison in October, just before the film's theatrical release, the actor was coming to terms with the fact that the project she had deeply immersed herself in would now be released for public consumption.

"I was very in my character's mindset. I wasn't necessarily thinking from an audience's perspective of this is going to possibly be in movie theaters and things like that," Madison said. "I was just focused on telling the story. And I'm glad that I was, because I wouldn't have wanted to have that in my head."

Madison's laser focus on her craft is part of what compelled Baker to cast her in his movie. The filmmaker was so captivated by Madison after seeing her in "Scream" that he immediately met with her, pitched her his general idea for "Anora," and then offered to write the part for her if she agreed to do it.

"I didn't have a word on paper yet. I started writing after she accepted," Baker told BI.

"He's told me he liked how I scream," Madison recalled of her initial conversations with Baker. "I think also it was just an intensity that he was interested in."

For Madison, saying yes, even without a script, was a no-brainer — she'd long admired Baker's work and counts "Tangerine" as one of her favorite films. She was particularly attracted to Baker's penchant for bringing morally grey characters to life in vivid color.

"Those are the characters that I love to play: Nobody is just good. Nobody is just bad. It's somewhere in between," Madison said.

"I've dreamed of working with a filmmaker like Sean for my entire career as an actress," she added.

Indeed, Anora is a deeply complex character, one who's frequently inscrutable even in the film's Rorschach test of an ending. One of Madison's biggest scenes, and the crux of the film, is a home invasion sequence in which Anora is restrained and held captive by the handlers of her new husband Vanya, the wayward son of a Russian oligarch, after they arrive to bust up the pair's ill-fated marriage.

The scene, shot in real time, involved many hours of Madison emitting an ear-piercing scream.

"That scream was bone-chilling, and it echoed throughout the entire mansion. And you had members of the crew working in other places of the house, and they didn't know what was going on," Baker told BI. "And to tell you the truth, it was actually quite disturbing for a lot of people. They had to cover their ears after a while, because it was so intense."

"I think she told me after maybe a few hours, 'I'm going to lose my voice if I keep going on like this,'" he said.

That quite literally full-throated commitment to the role, which also required twerking and shadowing real sex workers to learn the ins and outs of stripping, has paid off. Madison was nominated by most of the major awards organizations for her work in "Anora," winning the lead actress category in several of them, including the BAFTAs and the Independent Spirit Awards.

Most Oscar season pundits anticipate the trophy on Hollywood's biggest night will go to either Madison or Demi Moore for "The Substance." But whether she wins or loses, Madison knows that the movie — and Baker — have changed her life forever.

"'Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood' was my sort of introduction into the film world. It reminded me of why I wanted to be an actress," Madison said. "But I do feel that Sean seeing me and seeing any potential, or whatever it was that he saw, and giving me this opportunity to play a character like Anora — I think that that's been a huge turning point in my life."

• Michelle Trachtenberg was found dead on Wednesday morning. She was 39.
• She began her acting career as a child star and is best known for "Buffy" and "Harriet the Spy."
• Trachtenberg's famous friends and former costars paid tribute to the actor.

After Michelle Trachtenberg's death on Wednesday morning, celebrities and fans are paying tribute.

The NYPD told Business Insider that Trachtenberg had been found dead in a luxury apartment in Manhattan near Central Park. No cause of death has been given, and authorities said they're not treating the death as suspicious.

Trachtenberg, who began acting in commercials at age 3, had a decadeslong career in Hollywood, appearing in memorable films like "Harriet the Spy" and "EuroTrip" and TV series like "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Gossip Girl."

As the news of her death spread, her famous friends and former costars shared their reactions and heartfelt messages online.

Sarah Michelle Gellar referenced "Buffy" in a tribute to Trachtenberg.

Trachtenberg joined "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" as Buffy's sister, Dawn Summers, in season five. Her former on-screen sister Sarah Michelle Gellar, with whom she remained close, paid tribute to Trachtenberg in a touching post that paraphrased Buffy's famous speech to Dawn from the show's emotional fifth season finale.

"'Michelle, listen to me. Listen. I love you. I will always love you. The hardest thing in this world, is to live in it. I will be brave. I will live… for you,'" Gellar wrote.

Rosie O'Donnell said she wished she could've helped Trachtenberg.

In a statement to Us Weekly, Rosie O'Donnell, who played the beloved nanny of Trachtenberg's character in her 1996 film debut "Harriet the Spy," called the younger actor's death "heartbreaking."

"I loved her very much. She struggled the last few years. I wish I could have helped," O'Donnell told the publication.

Alyson Hannigan said her thoughts are with Trachtenberg's family and friends.

Alyson Hannigan, who played Willow Rosenberg in "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," shared a series of photos of herself and Trachtenberg on Instagram.

"I am deeply saddened by the news of Michelle's passing. She brought a loving energy to the set of Buffy. My thoughts are with Michelle's family and friends," Hannigan wrote in her caption.

Emma Caulfield shared a throwback photo of herself and Trachtenberg.

"I'm so sorry your bright light died so young," Emma Caufield, who played Anya on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," wrote in her Instagram story caption. "Our Buffy family lost a little sister today... Rest in peace lovely Mish Mish. You were loved."

James Marsters shared a heartfelt message about Trachtenberg.

James Marsters, who played Spike in "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," worked closely with Trachtenberg from the time she joined the series as a teen in 2000.

"My heart is heavy today. We have lost a beautiful soul. Michelle was fiercely intelligent, howlingly funny, and a very talented person," the actor wrote on Instagram. "She died much too young, and leaves behind scores of people who knew and loved her."

"My heart goes out to her family who are good people, and are suffering the greatest loss anyone could bear. I hope everyone can give them space to heal in this most difficult time. Godspeed Michelle. You are missed," Marsters added.

David Boreanaz sent prayers to Trachtenberg's family.

David Boreanaz played the vampire Angel, Buffy Summers's longtime love interest, on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." He was a series regular on the first three seasons of the show before departing for his own spinoff.

Michelle Branch shared a photo of Trachtenberg with broken heart emojis.

Michelle Branch was a musical guest star on the sixth season of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer."

Blake Lively posted a lengthy tribute to Trachtenberg.

Blake Lively, who played Serena van der Woodsen in The CW teen drama "Gossip Girl," shared a photo of herself and Trachtenberg from the show on her Instagram story. Trachtenberg played fan-favorite antagonist Georgina Sparks in the show.

"This was the first day I met Michelle. She was electricity. You knew when she entered a room because the vibration changed. Everything she did, she did 200%," Lively wrote in her caption.

The "It Ends With Us" actor also recounted how Trachtenberg would always have "yummy caramel smelling lip gloss" 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 then called Trachtenberg "a kind person, through and through."

"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," Lively wrote.

Ed Westwick shared a photo of Trachtenberg as her "Gossip Girl" character.

Ed Westwick played reformed bad boy Chuck Bass throughout all six seasons of "Gossip Girl."

"So sad to hear of the passing of @MichelleTrachtenberg," he wrote in his Instagram story. "Sending prayers."

Chace Crawford shared photos of himself and Trachtenberg over the years.

Chace Crawford played Nate Archibald on "Gossip Girl."

"Michelle was one of a kind. I remember her coming on set for the first time and just absolutely owning it. She was a force of nature and just so so unapologetically funny and magnetic.. remembering those years with a big smile. Just a terrible loss. Love you," Crawford wrote in his Instagram caption.

Shawn Ashmore called Trachtenberg an incredible person.

Shawn Ashmore and Trachtenberg dated in the 2000s. In his post about her death, he called it an "incredible loss."

"Incredibly sad to hear about Michelle's passing. She was an incredible person and I will always remember the years we spent together fondly," he wrote. "She was loving, quirky and would never pass up a law and order SVU marathon:) My condolences to her mother Lana and sister Irene!"

Kim Cattrall shared a throwback photo of her and Trachtenberg.

Kim Cattrall and Trachtenberg acted together in the movie "Ice Princess" in 2005.

"Rest in peace sweet Michelle 💔" Cattrall captioned the post.

Mara Wilson mourned the loss of her childhood friend.

Fellow child star Mara Wilson posted a photo of Trachtenberg on her Instagram story.

"My heart is breaking for my childhood friend. Your memory will be a blessing Michelle," Wilson wrote in her caption.

Christy Carlson Romano said she and Trachtenberg "grew up in NY audition rooms" together.

"My heart aches for Michelle Trachtenberg. We grew up in NY audition rooms together and our moms were friends. We reconnected in LA during our messy young Hollywood era. It was like no time passed. Her sassiness always made me laugh," Christy Carlson Romano wrote on her Instagram story.

The actor said she "wished" they had stayed in touch.

"I never got to tell her that years before we reconnected I wrote and recorded this song for her movie 'Ice Princess.' It never made the cut, but every time I thought of her it would go through my mind and now it will forever. Rest in peace," she wrote.

Kate Beckinsale said her heart "aches" for Trachtenberg's mother.

Kate Beckinsale posted an old paparazzi photo of herself and Trachtenberg on her Instagram story.

"What a terrible shock and loss, my god. My heart aches for your mama. Fly safe little bird," Beckinsale wrote in her caption.

• Michelle Trachtenberg has died, an NYPD spokesperson confirmed to Business Insider.
• The 39-year-old actor was known for roles in "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Gossip Girl."
• She made her film debut as a child actor in 1996, playing the title role in "Harriet the Spy."

Michelle Trachtenberg has died at age 39.

A spokesperson for the New York Police Department told Business Insider that Trachtenberg was found dead at One Columbus Place, a luxury high-rise apartment complex near Central Park in Manhattan. Police had responded to a 911 call at about 8:01 a.m. and found Trachtenberg unconscious and unresponsive. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

The New York Post and ABC earlier reported the news, citing police sources.

According to the authorities, the death is not being treated as suspicious. A cause of death hasn't been determined.

A representative for Trachtenberg didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

The former child actor was best known for her roles in "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," "Harriet the Spy," and "Gossip Girl."

Born on October 11, 1985, Trachtenberg began her career as a child actor at age 3. She started off in commercials, with her first on-screen appearance in an ad for Wisk detergent.

After bit parts in the second season of "Law & Order" and "Clarissa Explains It All," Trachtenberg landed her first regular role as Nona F. Mecklenberg in the second season of "The Adventures of Pete & Pete," appearing on the show from 1994 to 1996. She also appeared on the soap opera "All My Children."

Trachtenberg's breakthrough came when she was cast as the title character in "Harriet the Spy," which marked her feature film debut. Her performance as the titular 11-year-old aspiring sleuth won Trachtenberg a Young Artist Award for best leading performance in a feature film.

As a young teen, Trachtenberg returned to the small screen with "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," in which she played Dawn Summers, the younger sister of the title character played by Sarah Michelle Gellar.

Trachtenberg's character was introduced in the show's fifth season and quickly became a pivotal part of the teen supernatural drama, earning her a Teen Choice Award nomination for choice TV sidekick in 2001 and maintaining a main role through the series finale in 2003. For many fans, Dawn Summers remains the role for which they know Trachtenberg best.

However, her time on the popular show was not without its difficulty.

In 2021, Trachtenberg said there had been a rule that series creator Joss Whedon wasn't allowed to be in a room alone with her. She made the claim, which Whedon later denied in a New York Magazine interview, amid reports of Whedon's alleged history of abusive on-set behavior from other former "Buffy" stars like Charisma Carpenter.

Trachtenberg remained close with several of her "Buffy" costars, including her former on-screen sister, Gellar. In January, she posted a throwback photo of herself with Gellar in honor of Woman Crush Wednesday. "Slay all day! Always loved this twinning photo of us!" she captioned the picture.

After "Buffy" concluded, Trachtenberg continued to appear on TV and in film throughout the 2000s, with recurring roles in the series "Six Feet Under," "Weeds," and "Robot Chicken" and memorable appearances in movies like "Ice Princess," "EuroTrip," and "17 Again."

In 2008, Trachtenberg landed her second career-defining role, as conniving rich girl Georgina Sparks in The CW series "Gossip Girl."

Trachtenberg's Georgina appeared in a recurring capacity through each of the series' six seasons, quickly becoming a fan-favorite as she battled for supremacy against Leighton Meester's Blair Waldorf.

The actor called Georgina, which earned her another Teen Choice Award nomination for choice TV villain in 2012, one of her favorite roles and relished playing a villain. "It's definitely a lot more fun than playing the good girl. I love the reaction you get. I never understood why some actors don't want to play villains or evil characters," she told Seventeen magazine in 2009.

In 2022 and 2023, she returned as Georgina in the second season of the "Gossip Girl" sequel series on Max. It was her last credited on-screen appearance.

Additional reporting by Natalie Musumeci.

• "The Monkey" is about a cursed wind-up monkey toy that causes someone to die whenever it's played.
• The movie from filmmaker Osgood Perkins is based on a Stephen King story of the same name.
• It's markedly different from the original story, with a much larger scale and more chaotic ending.

If you read Stephen King's 1980 short story "The Monkey" and went into Osgood Perkins' new movie "The Monkey" expecting basically the same thing, I have some bad news for you.

Perkins' absurdist horror-comedy actually takes very little from King's original work, beyond the lead characters' names and the conceit of a cursed monkey toy reappearing in two adult brothers' lives to once again cause chaos decades after they threw it into a dry well.

The thin connection makes sense: The filmmaker, who also wrote and directed 2024 breakout horror hit "Longlegs," told Business Insider that he read the story a few times before setting out to write his script and then didn't refer back to it again.

Instead, Perkins has made the story his own, adding multiple thematic layers to tell a story about fatherhood and generational trauma.

That ethos is laid out from the very first moments of the movie, when our hero Hal says in a voiceover: "I don't know if every father passes some secret horror to his kids, but mine did."

Here's what happens in "The Monkey," including how it ends, how it's different from the original story, and what that pale horseman represents.

'The Monkey' is part 'Final Destination,' part parable about fatherhood

"The Monkey" is jam-packed with gory (and increasingly outlandish) death scenes, as every time the monkey is wound up and bangs its drum, another person dies.

The catch, in the lore of both the short story and the film, is that the person who winds up the monkey can't be its victim. But that person also can't control the monkey and instruct it on who to kill. It's completely random — "like life," as the inscription on the monkey's box reads when Hal and Bill Shelburn (both played here by "The White Lotus" star Theo James) find it.

The monkey once belonged to the twins' absent father (Adam Scott in a very brief, funny cameo), a pilot who brought it home from his travels before ditching his family for good. In short order, we see the monkey kill the shopkeeper their dad desperately tried to return the toy to, Bill and Hal's babysitter, and their mother, Lois (Tatiana Maslany).

Hal is secretly responsible for their mother's death, having wound up the monkey once he had a sense of its power in an attempt to have it kill Bill, who had been bullying him at school.

The first third of the movie focuses on Bill and Hal's upbringing and early traumas, including the death of their Uncle Chip (played by Perkins himself) in a freak wild-horse stampede on a camping trip after he and their aunt Ida have taken custody of the orphaned boys. Chip's death finally prompts the brothers to drop the monkey down into a dry well to escape it — a gambit that seemingly works, at least until the point where the film picks up 25 years later.

In the present, an adult Hal works at a grocery store and has no relationship with Bill. Hal also has no relationship with his son Petey, opting to stay far away from the teenager, seeing him only once a year, in order to spare him the same type of trauma he experienced.

Just in time for Hal and Petey's annual visit, Bill calls Hal to inform him that Aunt Ida died in a freak accident (it involves fire, a bucket, and a mailbox), which means the monkey has finally returned. Hal road-trips to Ida's house with a clueless Petey, convinced by Bill to find the monkey to make sure it doesn't fall into the wrong hands. All the while, the monkey continues to kill; a realtor selling Ida's house informs Hal that another local in town has died every day since Ida's death in a variety of ridiculous manners, including a lawnmower accident and a cobra attack on a golf course. (The realtor herself promptly gets killed by shotgun blast after one falls from the closet in Ida's house and discharges.)

Hal soon discovers the monkey's current handler is none other than Bill, who secretly knew Hal was responsible for their mom's death and had plotted for years to find the monkey again and use it to take revenge on his brother. The film then switches to Bill's point of view, rewinding back to the moment the boys threw the monkey down the well. Bill started getting signs of the monkey's reemergence in 2016 — the year of the monkey — and employed a local kid named Ricky to find it for him.

Ricky found it at Ida's estate sale after her death and brought it to Bill, who wound it up repeatedly to lure Hal to him. Bill's goal is to get Petey to keep turning the key until the monkey kills Hal, so that Petey will be responsible for Hal's death the way Hal was responsible for their mother's.

'The Monkey' ending (and the Pale Rider), explained

The original Stephen King tale ends with Hal and his young son, Petey (who's only 9, not a teenager, in the story), narrowly surviving their mission to sink the cursed monkey in a lake. There's far less bloodshed (except for the hundreds of dead fish the waterlogged monkey claims as its victims), and it ends on a relatively happy note. The monkey is defeated! They're rid of it! Not too many people died!

The ending of the movie is in some ways similar — Hal and Petey both still live — but focuses more on the adversarial dynamic between Hal and Bill. One of the key changes Perkins made to the story was making Hal and Bill twins, and not just brothers as they were in the story, and also making Bill the villain who's coming after Hal for revenge.

In the movie, Ricky, who brought Bill the monkey, wears his own deadbeat dad's police uniform to take Hal and Petey at gunpoint to Bill's hideout, an abandoned hotel he's fitted with more deadly "Home Alone"-style booby traps. Ricky, who's become obsessed with the monkey because it reminds him of his absent father, forces Petey to go into the hotel to find the monkey and bring it back to him.

Unfortunately for Ricky, Bill finds Petey first and prompts him to wind up the monkey, which kills Ricky (via a swarm of wasps down the throat) next. Hal then enters the hotel and Bill becomes furious when he realizes the monkey once again didn't kill his brother. He attempts to force the monkey to drum without winding the key, which causes the monkey to go berserk, drumming uncontrollably and setting off a series of disasters around town — a plane with skydivers crashes into a nearby church, with skydiving newlyweds falling through the ceiling of Bill's hideout.

Inside Bill's hotel, he, Hal, and Petey are still unharmed. Hal and Bill finally hash out their differences and reconcile — only for the monkey to suddenly drum once more and set off a chain reaction that ends up cannonballing Lois' bowling ball into Bill's head, crushing his skull.

With Bill now dead, a not-overly-perturbed Hal and Petey leave town in their car, passing by all of the dead or dying people affected by the monkey's rampage. They resolve to keep the monkey with them, to ensure the key isn't turned again by anyone: "We keep it close. We accept that it's ours and hold on tight," Hal tells Petey.

As they wait at an intersection, a ghostly man on a pale horse passes by and gives them a knowing nod. Perkins confirmed to BI that the Pale Rider is a representation of death and how death is depicted as the fourth and final of the four horsemen of the apocalypse in the bible's Book of Revelation.

Perkins expected the studio and producers to push back on his inclusion of the Pale Rider, thinking that the general audience wouldn't get such a literary reference. But instead, he was pleasantly surprised.

"Conversely, everybody was like, that's a weird thing we got to put in that people are going to either get or not get," Perkins said.

"And in any case, it's visual and it's sort of poetic and magical," he added. "And I just kind of felt like by the time we got to that point in the movie, it's so patently kind of surreal and absurd, I might as well really press the button."

The ending of "The Monkey" is surprisingly hopeful, with Hal suggesting to Petey that they go dancing — something that his mother Lois loved to do with Bill and Hall when they were kids. It's a far cry from the far more bleak ending of "Longlegs," but Perkins knows exactly what he wants audiences to feel when the credits roll on "The Monkey."

"I think it's the same thing that everybody's supposed to feel when they walk away from any horror movie," he says, "which is, 'Look at me, I'm still alive!'"

"The Monkey" is in theaters now.

• FBI agent Loretta Bush participated in Netflix's new docuseries "American Murder: Gabby Petito."
• Bush's appearance on the docuseries went viral when she got visibly choked up talking about her job.
• Viewers, and particularly lesbian viewers, were immediately captivated by Bush. Here's what to know.

Netflix's latest true-crime docuseries "American Murder: Gabby Petito" digs deeper into the story of the 22-year-old aspiring travel influencer who was killed by her fiancé, Brian Laundrie, while on a cross-country road trip in 2021.

As the many true crime fans who have long followed the Petito case know, it's a bleak and upsetting story. But viewers have already found light in the darkest of places: by thirsting after FBI agent Loretta Bush, who was featured in the doc.

Bush works out of the bureau's Tampa division, which covers 18 counties in central and southwest Florida, including where Petito and Laundrie lived with Laundrie's parents in North Port, Florida. She appears toward the end of the second episode of the three-part series, at the point when Petito's 2021 disappearance in Wyoming became a federal investigation.

The first shot of Bush instantly establishes that she's, quite frankly, cool as hell: She strides across the screen wearing black sunglasses with her badge on her hip and tattooed arms visible. The first words out of her mouth are about how she takes her job in law enforcement very seriously and how important it is to her to get closure for victims' families.

If the dozens of thirsty TikTok videos and hundreds of comments on them are any indication, it was love at first sight for many viewers. Bush is the subject of fancam edits set to Ethel Cain's "Crush" and Usher's "Hey Daddy (Daddy's Home)," where commenters are talking about getting lost in her blue eyes and how they hope she doesn't end up getting fired by Elon Musk and DOGE.

"I felt so bad falling in love with Loretta while watching this sad documentary but OH MY GAWD 🥵 😍," one commenter wrote.

There's a whole subgenre of self-identified straight women who joke that they're now questioning their sexuality because of their attraction to Bush.

Some are also campaigning for Bush to get her own Netflix show. About what? Anything, really; her newfound legion of fans just wants to see more of her.

It's not all about physical attraction. Many of the comments also reference a moment near the end of the docuseries in which Bush gets visibly choked up talking about her work on missing persons cases and how many of them remain unsolved despite the outsized attention to Petito's case in particular.

"This story is unique, but I will tell you that there are so many other people out there missing and they are important too. My work is important. Victims' lives are important," Bush says in her final appearance in the docuseries.

Bush herself doesn't appear to have publicly available social media profiles, at least not any that her dedicated fans have been able to track down.

Several commenters on TikTok have identified themselves as friends of Bush's in real life. They say that Bush isn't on social media but that she's aware of her newfound viral fame and they've been sharing all the videos with her. They also said that Bush is married. (Netflix declined Business Insider's requests for comment for more information on Bush.)

Another person who knows about Bush's TikTok fame agrees that she's a gem: Petito's father, Joe Petito.

"I told her that she is a TikTok sensation. 😎😎😎 She really is such an amazing person. We love her," Joe Petito commented on a video about Bush.

• "Love Is Blind" season eight features singles from the Twin Cities area.
• Mason and Meg shared a connection in the pods but didn't get engaged on the show.
• A new teaser for the rest of the season shows they may have gotten back together.

Warning: Major spoilers ahead for the first nine episodes of "Love Is Blind" season eight.

"Love Is Blind" is a Netflix series that has resulted in at least a few marriages — but not everyone meets their beloved.

The show's eighth season features singles from the Twin Cities area, bringing the franchise back to the heartland of the United States. Since it first launched in 2020, Netflix has spun off "Love Is Blind" into multiple international franchises and a key part of its unscripted series business.

This season, five couples make it out of the pods and on to their engagement trip. In a twist, a few couples from the pods — including 33-year-old cinematographer Mason and 31-year-old oncology nurse Meg — decide not to get engaged. At the beginning of episode six, the two seemingly split up.

Because they didn't get engaged, Meg and Mason don't feature in the three new episodes that aired this week, which focused on the couples' getaway and meeting each others' families back home. However, the new teaser at the end of episode nine shows that they'll be back this season, and heavily hints that their relationship may not have ended for good.

Mason's multiple connections affect his relationship with Meg

Mason and Meg hit it off on their first date in the pods. Mason, however, has another connection with 28-year-old artist Madison, who in turn is also dating 29-year-old commercial real estate broker Alex in the pods.

In episode two, Mason continues to bond with both Meg and Madison. In that episode, Meg learns about Mason's connection with Madison and starts to worry about their connection. Meanwhile, in episode three, Madison continues to bond with Alex — and without naming names, Mason essentially tells Alex that Madison is his top pick, not Meg.

Things start to come to a head later in that episode when Madison and Mason talk about the fact that they're both dating other people. During that date, Madison tells him that Meg is focused solely on Mason.

On their following date in episode four, Mason tells Madison that he's committed to her. She asks if he feels like she put an ultimatum on him, which he denies, and then thanks him for telling her. Later, outside the pods, Madison says that Mason is her number two. On a date with Alex later in the episode, Madison says that she intends to pursue a relationship with him. In episode five, she breaks up with Mason.

Later, in episode five, Mason tells Meg that he "validated Madison," but it ultimately "did not feel right."

"I clearly said it to the wrong person," he says.

Meg, however, is skeptical and asks Mason if he's now choosing her by default because Madison dumped him for Alex. In response, he tells her that she was always his first choice.

Their date continues in episode six. Mason reiterates his feelings, but Meg says that she won't be able to shake the doubt that he chose her because Madison became unavailable. She ends her relationship with Mason amicably, wishing him well.

"I feel a lot of regret," Mason says in a confessional. "I should never have validated Madison over Meg, and that's something that I'm gonna have to live with."

Ultimately, Madison and Alex don't get engaged in the pods either, after having a disagreement over Madison's breakup with Mason.

Meg and Mason don't appear to follow each other on Instagram

As of the season eight premiere, Meg and Mason don't seem to follow each other on Instagram. Mason also doesn't appear to follow Madison or Alex. Meg doesn't appear to follow Madison, nor vice versa.

Both Meg and Mason have posted about the new season on social media. Mason even poked fun at getting dumped by Madison over a plate of pancakes.

Despite not getting engaged, Mason and Meg's time on the show doesn't appear to be over. In a teaser for the next batch of episodes shown at the end of episode nine, Meg and Mason reunite with other participants in a pod squad meet-up — and crucially, they seem to arrive together.

"The second I got my phone, I was like, 'How's Mason?'" Meg recounts.

"He's a huge liar," Madison, now with bright pink hair, emotionally says. It's unclear if she's replying directly to Meg in the context of that conversation, or referring to someone else since she doesn't say Mason's name.

They're also not divulging anything about their current relationship status in interviews with press, though what they have said doesn't rule out a reunion.

When reflecting on the love triangle and her "Love Is Blind" experience, Meg told Glamour that she's "very happy with how life has transpired since the show ended."

Mason, for his part, told Vulture that Meg was "the clear person" for him and that he knew all along the two were "super, super compatible." He even compared their romance to the movie "Moulin Rouge," calling their relationship "the perfect love story that should have been, but ends in tragedy."

Dramatic? A bit. But it's also very much the kind of thing a guy who was still trying to make amends to his current girlfriend for his treatment of her might say.

Meg also seems to be (maybe inadvertently) dropping some unsubtle hints on social media. Most tellingly, she liked (and then unliked) a comment on one of her posts where someone said they wanted Meg and Mason to be the "Zack and Bliss" of this season.

Zack and Bliss are the fan-favorite season four couple who got engaged post-pods after Zach initially proposed to another contestant instead of her. They ultimately married in the season finale, and went on to have a child together.

At this point, it's impossible to tell for certain whether Meg and Mason got back together outside the pods. We'll just need to tune into the next batch of episodes and hear them explain what happened during the pod meetup.

The first nine episodes of "Love Is Blind" season eight are now streaming on Netflix.