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Jennifer Garner Shares "Guilt" After Losing a Friend in LA Wildfires
Hoda Kotb's Ups and Downs: Broken Engagement, 'Today' Exit and More
Hoda Kotb has shared many life milestones — both triumphant and difficult — with TV audiences for years.
Kotb notably missed several episodes of the Today show in early 2023. Her cohosts Craig Melvin and Sheinelle Jones announced that March that her absence was due to a “family health matter,” which Kotb later revealed involved her youngest daughter, Hope.
“[Hope] was in the ICU for a few days and in the hospital for a little more than a week,” Kotb shared during a March 2023 episode of Today. “I’m so grateful she’s home. … I was waiting for that day to come. And we are watching her closely. I’m just so happy.”
Kotb, who left Today in January 2025, coparents Hope and her eldest daughter, Haley, with her ex-fiancé, Joel Schiffman, They called it quits after eight years together in January 2022. At the time of Hope’s health scare, a source exclusively told Us Weekly that Schiffman had “been by their side.”
The insider added: “Hoda has dropped everything and focused on being there for her youngest — by her hospital bed — and taking care of anything she could need. Hope is better now and recovering at home.”
Keep scrolling to see Kotb’s ups and downs through the years:
Kristin Cavallari Lowers the Price of Nashville Home: See Inside the House
Kristin Cavallari is still working on the sale of her Nashville home.
The former reality star’s sprawling 6,788 square-foot mansion was first listed at $9.95 million through Tim Thompson of Tim Thompson Premier Realtors in August 2024. The original listing was taken down on Wednesday, January 8, and relisted that same day at a lower price point. (It was originally listed for $11 million in June 2024.)
Following a $1 million price cut, the four-bedroom, five-bathroom house is now listed at $8.9 million. The home, which she purchased for $3 million in 2020, sits on 28 private acres of land and features a barn, guest house and pool.
Cavallari revealed in October 2024 that she had moved into a new Tennessee home with her three kids, son Camden, 12, son Jaxon, 10, and daughter Saylor, 9. (The Laguna Beach alum shares her children with ex-husband Jay Cutler.)
“I am currently sitting in my half-empty kitchen, but actually there’s just boxes stacked everywhere,” she shared on her “Let’s Be Honest” podcast at the time amidst massive floor-to-ceiling windows and a lengthy wooden dining table. “Just moved into my new house a couple days ago.”
While Cavallari hasn’t shared too many details into her new abode, keep scrolling for a look inside the Nashville mansion that’s on the market:
Hairstylist Jen Atkin Asks for Advice on How to Explain L.A. Fires to Kids
Jen Atkin, hairstylist to the stars and owner of OUAI, is one of the hundreds of Los Angeles residents affected by the current onslaught of wildfires.
Over the last several hours, Atkin has used her platform on Instagram to share the aftermath.
On Tuesday, January 7, Atkin evacuated the home she shared with her husband, kids, and dogs. Now, she’s asking for advice.
“I will take any advice you have on how to explain to this kids that we won’t be going home,” Atkin asked her followers.
“My babies beds and blankets and stuffed animals are here,” she said along with a photo of the rubble that was once her home.
Celebs Share How to Help Those Affected by LA Wildfires: Guide to Resources
It’s a conversation so many are having this week amidst the devastation.
According to Ashley Etheridge and Dandelion Family Counseling, it’s important to only “share just enough information.”
“If a child witnesses a fire, or the aftermath of a fire, it can be helpful to only share brief, factual, age-appropriate information,” Etheridge writes. “Children need a way understand scary or confusing news and integrate it into their brains.”
In addition to sharing what is necessary with your children, Etheridge adds that a parent should “validate” their children’s feelings.
“Validating a child’s feelings is always important. This creates safety and connection. You could reflect, ‘Learning news about a fire can be scary. My job as a parent is to keep you safe.’”
It can also be helpful to give your child purpose by helping out those in the community affected by the tragedy, Etheridge writes.
“Sometimes children and individuals can feel powerless after a fire.” By making donations or bringing the fire fighters food and water can help kids “regain some sense of safety and control.”
The International Association of Fire Fighters also iterates the importance of keeping as normal a schedule as possible for the kids.
“In chaotic or emotional times, it is critical for your child that you stay consistent with mundane routines, such as pick-up and drop-off schedules and family meals,” the IAFF reports, adding that giving children even more of your time and attention can be helpful as they cope.
“These rituals help convey a sense of normalcy to your child and send the message, ‘Even though this tragedy occurred, I am still here for you and your world is not changing.’”
And the City of Petaluma suggests encouraging kids to talk about what they are feeling.
Celebrities Share Personal Photos of Heartbreaking Los Angeles Wildfires
“Let children talk about the disaster and ask questions as much as they want. Encourage children to describe what they’re feeling. Listen to what they say.”
And it’s important to stay together.
“While you look for housing and assistance, you may want to leave your children with relatives or friends. Instead, keep the family together as much as possible and make children a part of what you are doing to get the family back on its feet,” the City of Petaluma reports.
“Children get anxious, and they’ll worry that their parents won’t return.”
Check the LAFD website for local wildfire alerts and click here for resources on how to help those affected.
David Muir Ditches Jacket Clothespin During Coverage of L.A. Wildfires
David Muir’s tailored wildfire ensemble was apparently short-lived.
Muir, 51, headlined the Thursday, January 9, broadcast of World News Tonight from Los Angeles, where he reported on the ongoing wildfires devastating the city. He wore a flame-retardant yellow jacket over a black T-shirt, leaving the coat unzipped and appearing to omit the now-viral clothespin he previously used to cinch the fabric.
On the Wednesday, January 8, broadcast, Muir had clipped the clothespin to the back of his safety jacket that appeared to make the fabric fit snug.
“Prayers for Los Angeles. We’ll be back out there today,” he wrote via Instagram several hours before Thursday’s programming.
Fans Are Divided Over David Muir Tailoring His Coat For Wildfires Report
While Muir hadn’t addressed the use of the clothespin, fans went wild trying to decide whether he should have omitted it on camera.
“People are losing everything they own, no one cares how you look,” one social media user wrote via X, with another adding, “David Muir is more concerned with his appearance than he is about the fires.”
A third social media user, agreed, chiming in, “California is burning and he doesn’t want his jacket to look baggy on camera. Priorities people!”
Other fans were staunchly on Muir’s side and had his back.
“Y’all leave David Muir and his clothespin fire jacket alone,” an X user wrote. “A little waist snatchin’ ain’t hurt nobody.”
Another added, “Leave david muir ALONEEEEEEEE. He probably just clothes pinned it cuz the wind is insane there. Let him look snacky.”
Celebrities Share Personal Photos of Heartbreaking Los Angeles Wildfires
A string of wind-caused wildfires broke out in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles on Tuesday, January 7, quickly causing mass devastation. Many residents have left the city limits under mandatory or voluntary evacuation orders.
Many celebrities have also been impacted by the wildfires, including Mandy Moore, Paris Hilton, Spencer Pratt and Milo Ventimiglia, who all lost their residences to the blaze.
All the Bravo and ‘Real Housewives’ Connections in ‘The Traitors’ Season 3
Bravo’s biggest stars are ready to take over The Traitors for season 3.
After a new season launched on Peacock on Thursday, January 9, viewers got to see Chanel Ayan, Dolores Catania, Tom Sandoval, Robyn Dixon, Dorinda Medley and Ciara Miller in a whole new environment.
While some prepared to embrace a new experience in a Scotland castle, others were a bit hesitant to find out what the reality show would be about.
“When you go to Rome, you got to do what Romans do. Everybody is basic as f—. I got to be basic too,” Ayan, 46, shared via Instagram on January 3. “Why play fair, when I can play fabulous?”
‘The Traitors’ Season 3 Cast Includes Sandoval, Chrishell and Gabby Windey
Previously, The Traitors has featured Bravo stars like Summer House’s Kyle Cooke and Shahs of Sunset’s Reza Farahan. Season 2 also featured a powerful Bravo alliance made up of Sheree Whitfield, Mercedes “MJ” Javid and Kate Chastain.
As season 3 kicks off, get to know the Bravo stars entering the candle for an unforgettable adventure hosted by Alan Cumming:
Chanel Ayan — ‘The Real Housewives of Dubai’
Before The Real Housewives of Dubai was put on pause after season 2 in November 2024, Ayan brought the fashion, glamour and drama. As she begins The Traitors, the Bravo star admitted this experience will be a whole new ballgame.
“I have no idea what’s going on,” Ayan said via Instagram before the season 3 premiere. “As a model on Housewives, I don’t think so much. Here, I need to activate my brain so I can literally start getting into this game.”
Dolores Catania — ‘The Real Housewives of New Jersey’
If there’s one thing The Real Housewives of New Jersey fans know about Catania, 54, it’s that loyalty is everything. No matter how much drama enters New Jersey, the Bravo star tries to see both sides and keep the peace.
While Catania can lose her temper — never forget her fight with Margaret Josephs about an alleged reunion meeting — the Jersey girl tries to keep it cool, until you cross her.
In August 2024, Catania had the support of Medley, 60, and Ayan at her annual charity softball game in Brooklyn, New York.
Robyn Dixon — ‘The Real Housewives of Potomac’
After eight seasons, Dixon, 45, said goodbye to The Real Housewives of Potomac in April 2024. While some costars questioned the state of her relationship with longtime partner Juan Dixon, nobody could doubt her friendship and bond with costar Gizelle Bryant.
While Dixon has proven to be a loyal friend in Potomac, fans are curious to see if she will continue to be trustworthy or choose to be reasonably shady.
Dorinda Medley — ‘The Real Housewives of New York City’
From 2015 to 2020, Medley did her best to make it nice on The Real Housewives of New York City. While she was put on pause by Andy Cohen, she returned to participate in The Real Housewives: Ultimate Girls Trip and became friends with Catania by playing softball together.
While Medley has been known for her iconic one liners, could her temper make her a threat in the house? Time will tell. Clip!
Ciara Miller — ‘Summer House’
Miller is exchanging weekends in the Hamptons for a new adventure at a Scotland castle. The Bravo star was a nurse who chose to put her career on the back burner to pursue a career in modeling.
In her last season of Summer House, Miller, 29, dealt with heartbreak when she developed feelings — and disappointment — for her costar West Wilson. With the fling in her past, Miller is ready to win the hearts of her Traitors cast — and some big money.
Tom Sandoval — ‘Vanderpump Rules’
As an original cast member of Vanderpump Rules, Sandoval, 42, has faced his fair share of OMG moments. Most recently, he faced the consequences of cheating on his longtime girlfriend Ariana Madix with her close friend and costar Rachel “Raquel” Leviss.
'The Traitors' Season 3 Features Surprise Cameos From 2 Fan Favorites
While the former SUR employee has tried to move on, some of his Traitors peers may not be so willing to forgive and forget.
Miller previously called Sandoval “annoying” when filming Winter House together. “The sound of his voice was annoying,” she shared on an August 2023 episode of the “Viall Files” podcast. “He talked a lot about himself, his business ventures … himself. That was just on an hour-long car ride to the mountain.”
The Traitors season 3 is streaming now on Peacock with new episodes premiering Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET.
The Palisades Fire remains the largest fire ravaging Los Angeles County
Jennifer Lopez Put a Winter Spin on Fall’s Must-Have Coat, and We Found Lookalikes from $13
The duo shared in a candid social media post that they both lost their home…
Khloe Kardashian Slams Alleged Arsonist Amid Los Angeles Fires
Hoda Kotb's Most Memorable and Emotional 'Today' Show Moments
Hoda Kotb’s tenure on the Today show was full of many memorable moments.
The TV personality announced in September 2024 that she would be departing the iconic morning show after 26 years on NBC, 16 years as a Today cohost and seven years as Savannah Guthrie’s co-anchor.
“I just turned 60, and it was such a monumental moment for me when I turned 60 years old because I started thinking about that decade, like, what does that decade mean? What does it hold? What’s it gonna have for me?” she shared on the show at the time. “And I realized that it was time for me to turn the page at 60 and to try something new.”
Kotb went on to explain that her daughters Haley and Hope, whom she shares with ex-fiancé Joel Schiffman, played a large part in her decision to depart Today. “I had my kiddos late in life, and I was thinking they deserve a bigger piece of my time, the pie that I have,” she explained. “I feel like we only have a finite amount of time. And so, with all that being said, this is the hardest thing in the world.”
'Today' Show Hosts React to Hoda Kotb's Surprising Exit
Prior to her final episode in January 2025, Kotb revealed on The Kelly Clarkson Show that she was developing a “wellness app and company that will involve retreats and a podcast and all kinds of things that we can get together, do things that I love.” She added: “It’s not like going to Mexico with your girls, which is fun, but this is something that when you leave, you’ll go like, ‘Oh my gosh, I feel transformed. I feel different.’”
Scroll down to take a look back at some of Kotb’s biggest — and most tear-jerking — Today show moments:
Becoming a Mom
Kotb cried while announcing she had adopted her eldest daughter, Haley, via a call-in on a February 2017 episode of Today. She broke the news by sharing a sweet photo of herself holding her then-newborn with her on-air cohosts.
“She is the love of my life,” Kotb happily told her colleagues over the phone. Her announcement prompted tearful reactions from Jenna Bush Hager and Kathie Lee Gifford.
“My mom who’s here with me … [she] goes, ‘Hello, miss Haley. We’ve waiting so long for you.’” Kotb stated.
Hoda Kotb and Ex Joel Schiffman Celebrate Daughter Haley's 8th Birthday
Anniversaries and Reunions
While on maternity leave, Kotb celebrated her 9th anniversary cohosting Today’s fourth hour with Gifford in April 2017. “I want to say something to you, Kath, on our ninth anniversary, that my life has changed so profoundly since I met you. Profoundly,” she told Gidfford while calling into the show to commemorate the occasion. “I told you this before, but I cannot believe the path my life took after our lives intersected, so for every single day of the nine years, I love you.”
Kotb’s words made Gifford tear up. She quipped: “I think she said, ‘I love you.’ I hope that’s what she said.”
Kotb, for her part, also got dewey-eyed on air during her first episode back from maternity leave that same month. “I don’t think I’ve ever been this happy,” she said before grabbing a box of tissues.
Making History
Kotb took over as Guthrie’s Today coanchor in January 2018 after Matt Lauer was fired following sexual harassment allegations made against him. The promotion was a historic decision as she and Guthrie became the first female co-anchor duo in Today history.
“This has to be the most popular decision NBC News has ever made, and I am so thrilled,” Guthrie said during their first episode together. She added: “Hoda, you are a partner and a friend and a sister, and I am so happy to be doing this.”
Kotb replied: “Well, there’s no one I’d rather be sitting next to in 2018 than you.”
A Guide to the 'Today' Show Hosts' Families: Meet Their Kids and Spouses
Mother of 2
Similar to her first baby announcement, Kotb called into Today in April 2019 to reveal she adopted her daughter Hope. Just like the first time, Bush Hager burst into happy tears along with more of the Today crew.
“In your life, you think that maybe you’ve gotten what you deserve, but man, I’m so happy she’s here,” Kotb gushed, noting that Haley was “digging” being a big sister.
“Joel and I were standing there when they hand you the baby, and it’s the closest thing to a live birth, I think, you’ll ever see,” she added. “But in that moment, I was like, ‘Oh, my God! My heart just grew ten times. It’s amazing!’ Anyway, I just can’t believe it’s happening, y’all.”
Willie Geist followed up Kotb’s heartfelt words by joking, “I’ve been giving out Kleenex, but I think I’m gonna need a mop.”
Put a Ring on It
Kotb continued her trend of sharing major life moments on Today by announcing she and Schiffman were engaged during a November 2019 episode of the show. “A friend of mine, a friend of ours asked me to let you guys in on a secret,” she stated. “I’ll give you her initials. Her initials are Hoda Kotb and she’s engaged.”
The news came as a major shock to her cohosts, who cheered and jumped out of their seats and gave Kotb congratulatory hugs. “You’ve got two built-in flower girls,” Al Roker quipped, to which Bush Hager responded, “Who? Savannah and me?”
Getting Serious
During a March 2020 episode of Today, Kotb got choked up after Drew Brees announced he would be making a $5 million donation to help Louisiana COVID-19 efforts. The pair share a special connection to New Orleans, as Brees formerly played for the city’s NFL team the Saints and Kotb got her career started at one of the city’s local news stations.
“I’m sorry,” she said while attempting to fight back tears after the interview. Guthrie comforted her cohost by stating, “I know, it’s a lot. Hoda, I’m so sorry, hun. Take a moment.” Guthrie then offered to read Kotb’s tease for the episode’s next segment.
Hoda Kotb and Ex Joel Schiffman's Relationship Timeline
End of a Romance
Bush Hager was by Kotb’s side as she revealed that she and Schiffman had ended their engagement during a January 2022 episode of Today With Hoda & Jenna. “We decided that we are better as friends and parents than we are as an engaged couple, so we decided we are going to start this new year on our new path as loving parents to our adorably delightful children and as friends,” she revealed at the time.
“They say sometimes, relationships are meant to be there for a reason, for a season or for a lifetime, and I feel like ours was meant to be there for a season,” she said, adding that she was “struggling” with how to announce the news.
Bush Hager supported her cohost by stating, “Watching you sit right here strong, I can’t think of anybody stronger.”
Kotb wrapped up the discussion by noting: “[Joel is] a great guy. He’s a very kind and loving person, and I feel privileged to have spent eight years with him.”
Hope’s Health Scare
Kotb was noticeably absent from several episodes of Today in early 2023 after her daughter Hope experienced a health scare. Upon returning to the show that March, Kotb revealed that Hope had been “in the ICU for a few days and in the hospital for a little more than a week.”
She added: “I’m so grateful she’s home. … I was waiting for that day to come. And we are watching her closely. I’m just so happy.”
Everything Today's Hoda Kotb Has Said About Dating, Breakups and More
Personal Life Ups and Downs
Kotb got emotional while talking about going “through a divorce and breast cancer simultaneously” during an October 2023 episode of Hoda & Jenna. Kotb fought breast cancer in 2007, around the same time she and her ex-husband, Burzis Kanga, had called it quits. (The exes were married from 2005 to 2008.)
“I remembered in that time barely functioning, and I was thinking to myself, ‘Is this it? Is this how it goes?’” she shared at the time. “I was thinking about some of my lowest moments during that time what was contributing to all of it was I was in horrible health, and I didn’t care about that piece of it, and you don’t realize how bad it gets and then you’re compounding it, your health gets worse, because you’re not well, and [it] went on and on.”
Celebrating Partnerships
Kotb gushed about her friendship with Bush Hager while celebrating their 5th anniversary as Hoda & Jenna cohosts in April 2024. “We started off as colleagues/friends. We didn’t really know each other. Over the five years, there’s such a deep understanding of the other’s soul and purpose, we have traveled down these roads together,” she shared. “A lot of times, friendships don’t grow. They are: you talk about the old days. Not ours.”
She also thanked Bush Hager for leading her “down a path because of people who you know in your life and people who are, kind of, healers who’ve helped heal me. And, I mean, it’s all meant to be. This is all meant to be.”
Getting Sentimental
Hoda got choked up while reminiscing on her father, Abdel Kader Kotb, on what would have been his 91st birthday, particularly about how he would be as a grandfather today. “I was actually thinking about him with the girls,” she told Bush Hager on a May 2024 episode of Hoda & Jenna. Bush Hager finished Hoda’s thought by noting her father would be “so, so proud” of her and her daughters.
Hoda Kotb's Ups and Downs: Broken Engagement, 'Today' Exit and More
60th Birthday Celebrations
The Today cast and crew commemorated Hoda’s milestone birthday with a special dedicated to her, during which Guthrie surprised Kotb by bringing back the subjects of some of her most memorable human interest stories over the years. The guests greeted her with hugs and bouquets of flowers, causing her to cry.
She shed many more tears during her birthday episode of Hoda & Jenna after Bush Hager presented Hoda with a painting of her and her daughters created by former President George W. Bush. “It’s too much,” a speechless Hoda managed to get out while admitting the homemade gift.
Starting a New Chapter
“Hoda, we love you so much, and when you look around and you see these tears, they’re love. You are so loved. And honestly, I don’t think any of us can imagine — we don’t want to imagine this place without you,” Guthrie told Hoda after she announced her exit from the series in September 2024. “So, it’s complicated ‘cause we love you so much and we don’t want you to ever go. But also, I just want to say I am so proud of my friend.”
Guthrie went on to praise Hoda for having “guts” to “leave at the top of their game, to leave something that’s wonderful, that you love, where it’s easy and comfortable and beautiful and fun and say, ‘But I dream even bigger for myself.’”
Bush Hager kept the waterworks flowing later that day on Hoda & Jenna, telling her cohost: “You’re who I come to when I’m feeling joyful, when I’m feeling unsure. You are who I come to and you believed in me first. We have a lot of bosses and I love them, but this lady, on October 28, 2013 — I looked it up — said, ‘Hey, wanna come sit next to me? There’s room.’”
Kotb cheered Bush Hager up by telling her it’s “your turn” to shine, adding, “And whoever sits in this seat, whoever sits in this seat, is going to have the easiest job in the world ‘cause they’re sitting next to you.”
Time to Say Goodbye
Several of Kotb’s celebrity friends gathered together to celebrate Kotb’s final episode of Today in January 2025, including Gifford, Jimmy Fallon, Gayle King, Simone Biles and Maria Shriver. While Bush Hager shared her own heartfelt tribute to Kotb on their last Hoda & Jenna episode, Kotb read a “love letter” she wrote to the fans and those who have joined her on her Today journey.
“I’ve become who I am on this hour of this show, and you were there with me every step of the way,” she said in an emotional video package. “So, as I sit here today in my final moments on this final day in this chapter of my career, I want to say thank you from the bottom of my very full heart for the ride of a lifetime. I love you.”
Kotb’s daughters and dozens of Today cast and crew members stood by her side during her final send-off, during which she thanked Hoda & Jenna’s executive producer, Talia Parkinson-Jones. “You’ve loved me and Jenna since the very beginning, the day you started, and I just want to say thank you,” she gushed.
In her final moments on Today, a clip was shown of Kotb and her daughters riding away from 30 Rock in her minivan, which had cans and a “Just Repotted” sign attached to the back.
12 Oversized Scarves that Make the Ultimate Fashion Statement
‘Tis the season to bundle up. Old Man Winter continues to rage on with massive snowstorms in cities like Atlanta and Dallas. The chilly temps are the perfect time to showcase your personality with the help of cold-weather accessories, like oversized scarves.
23 Winter Accessories That Seriously Look Designer — Gloves, Scarves and More on Sale
Most of Us like to bundle up with classic outerwear styles that we can wear again and again. Oversized scarves are a fun way to add a pop of personality to your look no matter what your winter coat looks like. We’ve rounded up everything from bestselling styles that shoppers can’t get enough of to trendy ones that come in viral shades. Get ready to bundle up in style with our cozy oversized scarf picks below!
1. Our Absolute Favorite: More than 900 shoppers snagged this chocolatey brown infinity scarf in the past month, proving just how popular it is!
2. We Also Love: Looking for a style from a celeb-loved brand? A-listers ranging from Goldie Hawn to Kylie Jenner have been spotted in Kurt Geiger. The brand’s Yarn Dye Rainbow Fringe Scarf is an effortless way to nail the viral trend and stay warm at the same time!
3. Fuzzy Find: Love soft fuzzy fabric? This Urban Outfitters Scarf features a fringe trim and a lively color pattern!
4. Night Out: Heading to a festive occasion? This oversized shawl looks amazing layered over evening gowns!
5. Trending Topic: This Topshop Sydney Plaid Scarf has an assortment of brown shades, including one that looks just like Pantone’s 2025 color of the year mocha mousse!
6. Colorful Cutie: This vibrant scarf features so many colors that you’ll be able to wear it with just about everything in your closet!
7. All About Oversize: This Alo Merino Wool Scarf puts the over in oversized. Made from buttery soft fabric, this lightweight scarf comes in a versatile black shade that you can style with so many outfits!
8. Sophisticated Style: If you ask Us, cashmere is one of the best fabrics to wear in the winter. This sophisticated scarf earned Amazon’s ‘Customer’s Usually Keep’ badge proving just how much shoppers love it!
9. Flirty Fringe: This cozy Old Navy Fringed Scarf comes in six fun shades!
10. Bestseller: This shopper-loved scarf has a cool pattern and is so oversized it looks like a blanket!
11. Massive Markdown: This J. Crew Brushed Woven Scarf delivers rich mom vibes and it’s on sale starting at just $26!
12. Last but Not Least: You’ve got to be seen in this gorgeous green scarf. It’s made from luxurious wool fabric that’s sure to protect against winter’s chilly weather!
17 Rich-Looking Sneakers to Wear Through the Airport — Michael Kors, Nike and More
Us Weekly has affiliate partnerships. We receive compensation when you click on a link and make a purchase. Learn more!
Tom Holland Asked Zendaya's Dad for Permission to Propose
Tom Holland’s dad, Dominic Holland, is giving insight on his son’s recent engagement to Zendaya.
“The big news this week is a good example of just such an opportunity for me — are they/aren’t they engaged? Zendaya wearing a ring and Tom nowhere to be seen adding to the intrigue,” Dominic, 57, wrote in a Friday, January 10, blog post via his Patreon account. “The engagement has now been confirmed and why I am writing about it here but without adding anything new and juicy like a date, venue, guest list …”
On his Patreon page, Dominic, who is an author and comedian, usually shares unseen blogs, snippets from his books, podcasts that sometimes features members of his family. But in the recent post, he wanted to highlight the news of Tom and Zendaya’s relationship milestone.
Dominic confessed that while he’s been “showered with parenthood praise” over the years, he joked that it’s more of a “fluke” how great Tom and his other kids turned out. (In addition to Tom, Dominic is also the father of Paddy Holland, Harry Holland and Sam Holland.)
Tom Holland's 'Low-Key' Proposal Was Exactly What Zendaya Wanted: Source
However, Dominic teased that Tom’s plan to pop the question to Zendaya, 28, was thoroughly thought out.
“And this I can demonstrate now by contrasting the different approaches of father and son to proposing marriage.Tom, as you know by now was very incredibly well prepared,” Dominic continued. “He had purchased a ring. He had spoken with her father and gained permission to propose to his daughter.”
While Tom, 38, had “everything planned out” from the location to his speech, Dominic confessed that his proposal to wife Nikki Holland was not done in a similar fashion.
“I on the other hand was woefully ill-prepared, almost as though I wasn’t taking it seriously,” he said. “I do fret that their combined stardom will amplify their spotlight and the commensurate demands on them and yet they continually confound me by handling everything with aplomb.”
While Dominic acknowledged that his son and Zendaya’s relationship is in the public eye, he has no doubts that the couple will achieve a lifetime of happiness.
“And even though show-business is a messy place for relationships and particularly so for famous couples as they crash and burn in public and are too numerous to mention,” he continued. “With us an example, with Nikki helming this family and my ‘wisdom’ on tap and a study in getting things mostly wrong and yet somehow right at the same time, I am completely confident they will make a successful union.”
Tom Holland Shared Fatherhood Plans Just Before Zendaya Engagement
Us Weekly confirmed that Tom and Zendaya were engaged after the actress was spotted rocking a diamond on her ring finger while attending the 2025 Golden Globes Awards.
“Tom figured the holidays were the best time to propose in a very low-key way,” a source exclusively told Us shortly after news of Tom and Zendaya’s engagement broke on Monday, January 6. “She didn’t want anything over the top.”
Following their engagement news, Tom and Zendaya got matching tattoos of each other’s initials.
Why Noah Wyle Was ‘Not Sorry’ to See Planned 'ER' Revival Get Scrapped
Noah Wyle is “not sorry” about playing a new doctor on The Pitt instead of reprising his role as John Carter in a now-scrapped ER revival.
After The Pitt premiered on Thursday, January 9, Wyle, 53, was asked about how plans to bring back ER ultimately turned into an entirely new show instead.
“That calls into question all the various chronologies of this and all the different sorts of iterations. You’re absolutely right, the intentionality was born in 2020 during the pandemic,” Wyle told TVLine on Thursday. “The idea was to take a look at what was happening to the people that were on the front lines, and also take a look at the population that was getting sick and dying, and seeing how there appeared to be two different health care systems in our country — those for people who have money and insurance, and those who don’t.”
The similarities between The Pitt and ER were there for a reason.
ER's Noah Wyle Returns to Medical Dramas With ‘The Pitt’: Everything to Know
“Those were all issues we tried to talk about back in the ’90s, when 22 million Americans were going without health insurance and using emergency rooms as their primary source of health care. All of these themes were really significant to us then, and they have remained significant to us,” Wyle, who played John Carter on the long-running series, noted. “Then it just became, ‘Is the old IP [intellectual property] the easiest and most advantageous delivery system?’ It seemed to be the one that people were most excited about trying, but it wasn’t really the point of the exercise.”
Despite there being an interest in ER being revived, Wyle was more excited about doing a new take on the subject, adding, “The more we went down that road, the more the point got obscured in the reunion aspect, the retread aspect and the reboot aspect. So I was not sorry when we were sort of forced to pivot and figure out how to tell the story in a new way.”
Wyle continued: “In a lot of ways, [not reviving ER] unburdened us from narrative limitations that we would have had to adhere to, and pay homage to.”
ER, which aired from 1994 to 2009, followed the inner life of an emergency room in a fictionalized version of Chicago’s real Cook County Hospital. Wyle starred alongside George Clooney, Julianna Marguiles, Anthony Edwards, Eriq La Salle and Sherry Stringfield (and later John Stamos, Mekhi Pfifer and Linda Cardellini, among others).
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More than a decade after ER ended, Wyle has returned as the star and executive producer of a new medical series on Max. The Pitt is described by the streaming service as “a realistic examination of the challenges facing healthcare workers in today’s America as seen through the lens of the frontline heroes working in a modern-day hospital in Pittsburgh.”
The Pitt highlights the highs — and lows — of the job while making the 15 episodes showcase 15 hours of one shift.
“[Fellow EP] John [Wells], Max and Warner Brothers were on board to try to make use of this new platform of streaming, to see whether or not we could tell the story in a visually more arresting way than we did back in the ’90s,” Wyle explained. “It is a more photorealistic way than we were ever able to do, and in a more organic, performance-based way. Because you’re no longer to standards and practices and language [barriers], you really can paint with all the colors on the palette. The question isn’t ‘What can you show?’ Instead it is, ‘What should you show, in discretion and taste?'”
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Wyle found it “really gratifying” getting to bring a new medical drama to life.
“I wanted it to feel like what it used to feel like — and what it hadn’t felt like for a long time. Could we make it feel that way again? John and [creator] R. Scott [Gemmill] were on board for that because they, too, have been looking for that feeling that we all [last] had 15 years ago, when we did this the first time,” he continued. “The work felt good, and we had a good time, and we liked each other while we did it, and everybody was respectful. It was inclusive, and it was groundbreaking. And we wanted to see if lightning could strike twice — and, in some ways, it already has.”
In addition to The Pitt, Thursday also marked the premiere of Wyle’s former costar La Salle’s Prime Video series On Call. Wyle was asked about the coincidence by TVLine, to which he replied, “No [I didn’t know], but what can I say? The ’90s are back.”
New episodes of The Pitt stream Thursdays on Max.