Djimon Hounsou has dozens of award-winning films and two Oscar nominations under his belt, but the actor says he still struggles financially and is “definitely underpaid.”
In a new interview with CNN published on Friday, January 10, the Beninese-born actor, 60, said he doesn’t feel he has been compensated fairly for his work and still faces systemic racism in the industry.
“I’m still struggling trying to make a living,” Hounsou, who earned Oscar nominations for In America (2002) and Blood Diamond (2006), told Larry Madowo. “I’ve been in this business making films now for over two decades with two Oscar nominations, been in many blockbuster films, and yet, I’m still struggling financially. I’m definitely underpaid.”
Hounsou, whose best-known performances include Ridley Scott’s Gladiator (2000), Steven Spielberg’s Amistad (1997)and The Quiet Place franchise, went on to discuss racism in Hollywood.
“I was nominated for the Golden Globe [for Amistad], but they ignored me for the Oscars, talking about the fact that they thought that I had just came off the boat and off the streets,” Hounsou stated in the CNN interview. “Even though I successfully did that [film], they just didn’t feel like I was an actor for whom they should pay any respect. This conceptual idea of diversity still has a long way to go. Systemic racism don’t change like that anytime soon.”
Hounsou — who shares 15-year-old son Kenzo with ex Kimora Lee Simmons and 2-year-old son Fela with partner Ri’Za — has been open about his career struggles in previous interviews. In a 2023 sit-down with The Guardian, Hounsou said he “felt seriously cheated” after his Blood Diamond costar Leonardo DiCaprio got the best actor nod while he was left in the supporting actor category despite the movie focusing on his character’s journey.
“Today, we talk so much about the Oscars being so white, but I remember there was a time where I had no support at all: no support from my own people, no support from the media, from the industry itself. It felt like: ‘You should be happy that you’ve got nominated,’ and that’s that.”
Djimon HounsouClay Enos/Netflix
He continued: “I’m still struggling to try to make a dollar! I’ve come up in the business with some people who are absolutely well off and have very little of my accolades. So I feel cheated, tremendously cheated, in terms of finances and in terms of the workload as well.”
“I still have to prove why I need to get paid,” he added later in the interview. “They always come at me with a complete low ball: ‘We only have this much for the role, but we love you so much and we really think you can bring so much.’”
In 2025, he’s set to star in Beneath the Storm alongside Phoebe Dynevor and The Zealot with Kodi Smit-McPhee after making appearances in a few DC and Marvel films. Still, Hounsou insisted to The Guardian that studios assumed he “went back” to Africa after Amistad and wasn’t “a true actor.”
“When you hear things like that, you can see that some people’s vision of you, or what you represent, is very limiting,” he said. “But it is what it is. It’s up to me to redeem that.”
Bob the Drag Queen,Chelsea Guglielmino/Getty Images ; John Nacion/Getty Image ; Jeff Spicer/Getty Images
Bob the Drag Queen is aware it was a controversial move to murder two Housewives on The Traitors.
Warning: Spoilers ahead for season 3 of The Traitors.
While recalling his decision with fellow traitors — Danielle Reyes and Carolyn Wiger — to kill The Real Housewives of New York’s Dorinda Medley in episode two, Bob, 38, explained they agreed someone from the Bravo franchise should leave because they “have the strongest numbers.”
“The Survivor people do not like each other. The Housewives are friends,” Bob said on a Friday, January 10, YouTube livestream recapping the first three episodes. “The Survivor people and the Big Brother people have all backstabbed each other, they’ve hurt each other, so they are not buddy-buddy. The Housewives are buddy-buddy, and we do not think they will turn on themselves unless they want to make a point, right?”
Despite Wiger, 38, thinking Medley, 60, could be a “good shield,” Bob (real name Christopher Delmar Caldwell) said they decided to kill the RHONY alum.
“This really pissed people off on the internet,” Bob said of their decision. “I don’t know this woman. I don’t know that she’s this icon on Real Housewives. I don’t know [if] she’s causing a scene. I have no clue who Dorinda is, so I’m like, ‘Girl, kill her.’ I don’t know, let’s pick someone, because they’re all strangers to me.”
Lord Ivar Mountbatten, Chanel Ayan, Bob Harper, Dolores Catania, Wells Adams, Danielle Reyes, Gabby Windey, Jeremy Collins, Dorinda Medley, Tom Sandoval, Chrishell Stause, Tony Vlachos, Bob The Drag Queen, Robyn Dixon, Chanel Ayan, Ciara Miller, Dylan Efron, Carolyn Wiger, Nikki Garcia, Sam AsghariEuan Cherry/Peacock
The next morning, the contestants gathered for breakfast and discovered that Medley was missing. While the group’s reactions were shown on camera, Bob and Reyes, 52, were seen crying — but he insisted his emotions were genuine.
“I was not acting,” Bob said. “It genuinely was sad for someone to go. Her dreams got crushed. Yes, I did it, yes I did it,but it was still sad. … I was never really acting on the show. If I was crying, I really was crying because I was emotional. It was also a crazy time in my life.”
While reflecting on her exit from the show, Medley said she “cried my eyes out.” She told Decider in an interview published Friday, “When I saw that envelope, it was so unexpected. First of all, I think I should have been a traitor. But it was so devastating because unlike the Housewives, where you can sort of go on and you’re in control of what you say, how you say it, what you’re doing … this, you just have no control over.”
Medley shared why she thought the traitors went after the Housewives. “I just think they realized that the Housewives are strong characters. We’re opinionated, and we’re strong,” Medley said. “I think people especially think of me as a strong woman who’s been through a lot of stuff and doesn’t take a lot of bulls—.”
After Wells Adams gets banished from the castle, the traitors’ next move was to kill The Real Housewives of Dubai’s Chanel Ayan. (Boston Rob joined the traitors after their first murder.)
“I know, guys. I know you’re mad at me. Get over it,” Bob told fans on Friday, before explaining his strategy. “Ayan will never get out at the round table. That will never happen, so how are we going to get her out? We have to kill her, right. … I do feel bad that she got murdered but it is what happened.”
The Traitors season 3 airs on Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET on Peacock.
Meghan Markle's focused on helping Angelenos recover from the devastating wildfires in the area ... so much so, that her new Netflix show is being postponed until March. The streaming giant announced the news Sunday ... releasing a statement to…
Gina KirschenheiterJC Olivera/Strike Media via Getty Images
Real Housewives of Orange County star Gina Kirschenheiter is donating her real estate services to those who have been displaced by the wildfires raging through the greater Los Angeles area.
“My favorite part about being a realtor is helping people secure the place where life happens. Thinking about so many people losing that is heartbreaking,” Gina, 40, wrote via Instagram on Sunday, January 12, alongside a video of her and boyfriend Travis Mullen. In the video, the couple explained their plan to help those relocating to Orange County from Los Angeles.
“We’ve been thinking of ways that we could try to help in a meaningful way,” Travis said in the video. “So, The Gated Group, along with our team, has decided we’re going to help anybody that has to relocate because of the fires from L.A. and are choosing to come to Orange County.”
Gina added, “Whether it’s a rental or you need to buy a home in Orange County, the Gated Group will represent you, and 100% of the commission will either be donated directly right back to you, or to any relief fund that is helping to aid anybody and everybody who has been affected by the fires.”
In her caption, Gina also directed her followers to realtor Kyle Whissel, who is offering similar real estate services for those relocating to San Diego from Los Angeles because of the fires.
“And for anyone looking to go down to San Diego, reach out to @kylewhissel …..he has graciously offered to do the same ,” she wrote. “Stay safe, you are in our hearts LA County .”
Tens of thousands of people have been forced to evacuate in the wake of the ongoing wildfires, which have been burning since the morning of Tuesday, January 7. A windstorm sparked fast-moving brush fires through the Pacific Palisades and other Los Angeles neighborhoods, destroying or severely damaging upwards of 12,000 structures.
Hollywood A-listers, such as Paris Hilton, Anna Faris, Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt, Billy Crystal, Mel Gibson and Milo Ventimiglia, have all lost their homes as a result of the historic fires. According to the Los Angeles Times, 150,000 are under mandatory evacuation orders and, as of Sunday, January 12, the death toll has risen to 16 people, per NBC News.
Several celebrities have lent a helping hand since the start of the fires. Jamie Lee Curtis announced on Thursday, January 9, that she would be donating $1 million to relief efforts, while Sharon Stone is working with LA-based store The Coop to gather donations for people who have been displaced.
“This is the moment to reach out to anyone who lives in Los Angeles, who you think might be in some sort of traumatic shock and grief about losing their homes and the devastation of their neighborhoods and communities and offer your hand, home and resources,” Curtis wrote via Instagram on Thursday. “We are going to have to come together,as we may never have done before, in the City of Angels and help each other. AND WE WILL!”
“[My friends and I] were just messing around, so I swiped right,” Kylie, 32, said of coming across her now-husband’s Tinder account during the Sunday, January 12, episode of the “Sunday Sports Club” podcast. “We matched [and] I sent him a pick-up line. I said, ‘I need LifeAlert. I’ve fallen for you and I can’t get up.’”
Jason, 37, apparently was not a fan of Kylie’s opening line.
“He messaged back and was like, ‘No, you got to try harder,’” Kylie recalled to fellow NFL wifeAllison Kuch. “I then messaged, ‘If I told you I work for UPS. Would you let me handle your package?’ He was like, ‘Much better. I like that one a lot better.’ … And here we are, almost four kids later.”
Jason and Kylie matched on the dating app in 2015 during his early tenure as a center with the Philadelphia Eagles. At the time, Kylie was a student at Cabrini University but never realized the extent of Jason’s professional football career until meeting in person. (He retired in 2024 after 14 seasons playing for the Philly team.)
“His profile bio on Tinder [said] that he wanted to cuddle and have intimate conversations about having babies and it was sarcastic but ended up being very ironic,” Kylie quipped. “But then, we continued messaging and it was, like, playful, get to know you [conversations] and after a little while I kept thinking to myself that his photos looked familiar.”
Kylie and her friends had tried to look up Jason online using “all the information [they] had,” which led them straight to the Eagles.
“My friends and I, of course, were like, ‘It’s a catfish,’” the “Not Gonna Lie” podcast host recalled. “So, when he said, ‘You should meet us at this bar,’ my one friend who’s like my ride-or-die friend … she was like, ‘We have to go because if it’s him, it’s hilarious [and] if it’s not him, it’s even funnier.”
Kylie met up with Jason at a local bar in Philly hours after his team holiday party. As he’s previously mentioned on his and brother Travis Kelce‘s “New Heights” podcast multiple times, he fell asleep on the bar top within 45 minutes. His then-teammate Beau Allen was enlisted to “fireman-carry” him home.
Jason ultimately apologized to Kylie for his inebriation, asking for a second chance at a first impression that, ultimately, went much smoother. Per Kylie, they seamlessly talked for three hours — and kept talking during subsequent dates.
“The year that I was an R.A. [at Cabrini] … he would come to campus and, like, he stayed over in my dorm more than once,” Kylie recalled. “I would have people in class two days later say, ‘Oh, so-and-so was talking about how they were walking to their 8 a.m. and [saw] Jason Kelce just walking across campus to go to his truck.’ I was like, ‘This man must really love me because why the hell else would he be on [campus].’”
Jason and Kylie eventually got married in 2018, one year before welcoming daughter Wyatt. Daughters Ellie and Bennett followed in 2021 and 2023, respectively, and they are currently expecting another baby girl in 2025.
Zayn Malik almost missed his chance at fame. On the morning of his audition for The X Factor UK in 2010, he felt so nervous that he decided not to go — that is, until his mother, Tricia, basically dragged him out of bed and helped change his mind. The rest, as they say, was history.
In the middle of the competition, creator and judge Simon Cowell grouped Malik with Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Liam Payne and Louis Tomlinson to form a boy band named One Direction. The fivesome went on to conquer the world, releasing four albums together in the same number of years and performing at historic stadiums across North America, Europe and beyond.
Malik abruptly left the group in 2015 in the middle of one of their On the Road Again tour. He explained to fans that there was not a rift between the members, but he simply wanted time away from the spotlight.
“We went from theaters to arenas to stadiums — there was never any sort of bridge between. Just boom, boom, boom,” he told British Vogue in 2018. “I guess that kind of progression to any mind — but especially when you’re 17, 18 — it kind of affects you a little bit. People take it different ways — especially when there are five different personalities. The relationships had broken apart.”
Malik has since become a solo artist, releasing three feature-length albums.
Scroll down to see photos of the entertainer through the years, from his childhood to present day:
Malik grew up in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England, with three sisters, Doniya, Waliyha and Safaa. He was raised on R&B, hip-hop and reggae music and took performing arts classes in school.
Malik auditioned for The X Factor UK at the age of 17 in 2010 by singing Mario’s “Let Me Love You.” He made it to the next round but was eventually eliminated.
Cowell still believed in Malik and put him in a group with Styles, Horan, Payne and Tomlinson. One Direction went on to finish in third place and subsequently signed a major record deal.
One Direction released their debut album, Up All Night, in November 2011. It was one of the bestselling albums in the U.S. and the U.K. that year, thanks to the hits “What Makes You Beautiful” and “One Thing.” The supporting tour traveled across Europe, Australia, New Zealand and North America.
The boy band’s second album, Take Me Home, came out in November 2012, and it was another instant bestseller. They promoted the record and its singles, including “Live Like We’re Young” and “Little Things,” on a world tour with twice the number of shows as their previous trek. Their first concert film, One Direction: This Is Us, premiered in August 2013.
One Direction dropped their third album, Midnight Memories, in November 2013, and became the first group in U.S. history to debut at No. 1 with their first three releases. The album featured the hits “Best Song Ever,” “Story of My Life” and “You & I.” The guys embarked on their first stadium tour the following year, and later released their second concert film, One Direction: Where We Are.
Malik exited One Direction in March 2015, just one month into their On the Road Again tour. The rest of the band continued the tour and released their fifth album, Made in the A.M., later that year.
“My life with One Direction has been more than I could ever have imagined. But, after five years, I feel like it is now the right time for me to leave the band,” Malik said in a statement on Facebook at the time. “I’d like to apologize to the fans if I’ve let anyone down, but I have to do what feels right in my heart. I am leaving because I want to be a normal 22-year-old who is able to relax and have some private time out of the spotlight. I know I have four friends for life in Louis, Liam, Harry and Niall. I know they will continue to be the best band in the world.”
Malik suffered another setback in August 2015 when news broke that his two-year engagement to Little Mix member Perrie Edwards had ended. “He just wanted to move on and start over in all ways,” a source told Us Weekly at the time.
Malik released his debut solo album, Mind of Mine, in March 2016 to critical acclaim. It included the hit single “Pillowtalk.” He was scheduled to perform in London and Dubai to promote the disc but canceled all performances due to anxiety. He never went on tour in support of the album.
Malik published his self-titled autobiography in November 2016, in which he reflected upon his time in One Direction, his decision to quit the band, his relationship with Edwards and his battle with anorexia.
Malik and Hadid announced their breakup on Twitter in March 2018 after more than two years together. “Gigi and I had an incredibly meaningful, loving and fun relationship and I have a huge amount of respect and adoration for Gigi as a woman and a friend,” he wrote at the time. The couple got back together weeks later, only to call it quits a second time in January 2019.
Malik released his sophomore solo album, Icarus Falls, in December 2018. It received positive reviews but was not as commercially successful as Mind of Mine. Malik released a string of singles from the album, including “Let Me,” “Too Much” featuring Timbaland and “No Candle No Light” featuring Nicki Minaj.
Malik released a cover of “A Whole New World” with Zhavia Ward for the Aladdin soundtrack in May 2019. He has otherwise laid low in the music industry.
Four months after Malik and Hadid got back together, Us confirmed that they were expecting their first child. “Gigi always wanted to start a family with Zayn,” a source revealed.
Malik welcomed his first child with Hadid in September 2020. To announce the exciting news, the singer shared a sweet pic of their daughter grabbing onto his finger. “To try [to] put into words how I am feeling right now would be an impossible task,” he captioned the post. “The love I feel for this tiny human is beyond my understanding. Grateful to know her, proud to call her mine, and thankful for the life we will have together.”
The English crooner teased his return to music in January 2021 with a song called “Vibez,” which will be a part of his third studio album, Nobody Is Listening.
Malik allegedly got into an altercation with a family member of his longtime girlfriend. Shortly after the news made headlines in October, he issued a statement via Twitter.
"As you all know I am a private person and I very much want to create a safe and private space for my daughter to grow up in," Malik wrote at the time. "A place where private family matters aren't thrown on the world stage for all to poke and pick apart. In an effort to protect that space for her, I agreed to not contest claims arising from an argument I had with a family member of my partner's who entered our home while my partner was away several weeks ago. ... I am hopeful though for healing for all involved with the harsh words shared and more importantly I remain vigilant to protect Khai and give her the privacy she deserves.”
He later denied “striking” Yolanda Hadid while speaking with TMZ, telling the outlet, “For the sake of my daughter I decline to give any further details and I hope that Yolanda will reconsider her false allegations and move towards healing these family issues in private."
The following month, the "Nobody Is Listening" singer debuted a much shorter haircut with buzzed sides, one reminiscent of his time in One Direction. ("2014 vibes," one fan commented on the Instagram post.) He also ditched the beard, opting for some stubble instead.
The British singer took fans by surprise by uploading footage of himself singing two of One Direction's biggest hits — "You & I" and "Night Changes" — years after his exit from the band. The Instagram clips were sharing in June and August, respectively, and instantly sparked rumors of a possible 1D reunion.
Malik released his fourth studio album, Room Under the Stairs, which draws inspiration from country and folk. “I was pretty much on my farm having a glass of whiskey and listening to a bit of [Chris] Stapleton by the fire with my dog, playing guitar,” he told Nylon of the record. “I’m proud of it. I think it shows a certain level of intellect, to be a bit ahead of the curve. People need to know I didn’t jump on the bandwagon.”
On the song “Shoot at Will,” Malik seemingly referenced his daughter, Khai, and ex Hadid in the lyrics, “When I look at her, all I see is you / When you look at her, do you see me too?”
Before they became household names, Julia Stiles, Kerry Washington and more stars danced for their lives in 2001’s Save the Last Dance.
The teen drama follows Sara Johnson (Stiles), a promising young ballerina who has her heart set on attending the prestigious Juilliard School in New York City. After her big audition goes wrong and her mother dies unexpectedly, Sara gives up ballet and moves to the Southside of Chicago to live with her father (Terry Kinney). While there, she’s introduced to hip-hop and begins to broaden her dance horizons with the help of Georgetown University-bound Derek Reynolds (Sean Patrick Thomas).
Save the Last Dance quickly became a hit, grossing more than $130 million worldwide and spawning a straight-to-DVD sequel, which debuted in 2006. Though Stiles didn’t return for the second film, she wasn’t completely out of her comfort zone when pulling off the intricate choreography. Looking back on Save the Last Dance in 2014, Stiles told Us Weeklythat her moves at Bogey Lowenstein’s party in 10 Things I Hate About You helped her stay on beat in the dance flick.
“That’s how I got the job in Save the Last Dance, by the way, I think it was from that scene,” she joked at the time. “That’s what I was told.”
Despite having some prior dance experience, Stiles still worked hard to earn her spot and didn’t want to use a stunt double for her more complex scenes. Just 19 when the film was released, the actress felt like she “had to constantly prove [herself] as a dancer” on set.
Scroll down to learn where the cast of Save the Last Dance is now:
The New Yorker made a big splash as Kat Stratford in 1999’s 10 Things I Hate About You two years before Save the Last Dance. She later starred alongside Matt Damon in the Bourne series from 2002 to 2016 and appeared in critically acclaimed flicks such as 2003’s Mona Lisa Smile and 2012’s Silver Linings Playbook. In January 2016, she announced her engagement to Preston J. Cook, who worked behind-the-scenes on her 2015 film Blackway. They exchanged vows in September 2017 and welcomed son Strummer two months later.
In November 2021, Stiles debuted her second pregnancy at the premiere of The Humans. Stiles and Cook welcomed their second child, Arlo, in January 2022.
Apart from Save the Last Dance, Thomas is best known for playing Detective Temple Page on CBS’ The District from 2000 to 2004. The Delaware native also starred in Barbershop and Halloween: Resurrection, both of which were released in 2002. He met his wife, Aonika Laurent, at a party thrown by Barbershop director Tim Story before they tied the knot in April 2006. The couple share two children: Lola and Luc.
The Bronx native garnered widespread praise for her starring role as Olivia Pope in ABC’s Scandal, which aired from 2012 to 2018. The performance earned her two Emmy nominations for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series and one Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a Television Drama. Other acclaimed credits include Django Unchained (2012), American Son (2019) and Little Fires Everywhere (2020). She shares two children — Isabelle and Caleb — with husband Nnamdi Asomugha and is a vocal advocate for LGBTQ rights and women’s empowerment.
Washington published a memoir, titled Thicker Than Water, in 2023.
Kinney is best recognized for his role as Emerald City creator Tim McManus on HBO’s Oz, which aired from 1997 to 2003. Other notable TV credits include The Good Wife, Elementary and Fargo. In 2019, he appeared in Netflix’s Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile alongside Zac Efron, who played serial killer Ted Bundy. Kinney was married to Elizabeth Perkins from 1984 to 1988 and to Kathryn Erbe from 1993 to 2005. He shares daughter Maeve (born 1995) and son Carson (born 2003) with Erbe.
Best known for performing with ‘80s rap group Onyx, Starr (born Fred Lee Scruggs, Jr.) has appeared in episodes of Law & Order, Moesha, The Wire and CSI: NY. He also performed the theme song for Save the Last Dance with Jill Scott. The New York City native shares two kids with wife Korina Longin, who he married in 2007.
The Los Angeles native — who happens to be Tina Knowles’ former stepdaughter — has a lengthy list of guest spots under her belt. Lawson is known for performances in Saved by the Bell: The New Class, Goode Behavior, Pretty Little Liars and The Vampire Diaries.
Following Save the Last Dance, the Michigan-born actress appeared in a string of thrillers, including 2005’s Under the City and 2007’s Witches’ Night. Her last known credit is 2009’s Into Temptation.
After starring in the 2001 dance film, Green nabbed supporting roles in 2002’s Barbershop and 2008’s Of Boys and Men. He has also made appearances on popular series such as Criminal Minds, Everybody Hates Chris and The Soul Man.
Whitt had small roles in Training Day (2001), The Hurricane (1999) and has also made brief appearances on Law & Order, Cold Case and NCIS: Los Angeles. More recently, he’s done voice work on Netflix’s animated series The Last Kids on Earth, which debuted in 2019.
“Our baby girl is here, healthy & beautiful,” Malik wrote via X at the time. “To try put into words how i am feeling right now would be an impossible task.”
Hadid and Malik’s romance started in a very traditional way in November 2015. “I just asked her [out]. It was pretty straight-up,” he recalled on SiriusXM’s The Morning Mash Up in December 2016. “A gentleman never tells the full details! But, yeah, we met and we spoke, and we went on a date.”
Hadid and Malik broke up for the first time in June 2016, but they were back together within a matter of days. From that point forward, their romance was full steam ahead — at least for a few years. The pair called it quits for the second time in March 2018, but once again, the breakup didn’t last very long. They reunited a month later, only to go their separate ways one last time in January 2019.
Us broke the news in January 2020 that the lovebirds were back together again after “trying to make it work” for several months. They welcomed Khai nine months later, but multiple sources confirmed to Us in October 2021 that the pair split once again.
Scroll down for a look back at Malik and Hadid’s romance.
Us exclusively reported in November 2015 that Hadid moved on with Malik after her split from Joe Jonas. “He thinks she’s so hot,” a source told Us at the time. “He takes interest in her shoots and videos she does. He thinks she’s sweet too. She talks about her mom a lot and her family, and he likes that.”
After they made out in his “Pillowtalk” music video, Malik confirmed on Zach Sang & the Gang in January 2016 that Hadid was his girlfriend. “[We] had a lot of fun on set,” he said.
Malik joked about having a Fifty Shades of Grey-style sex life with Hadid on The Morning Mash Up in December 2016, telling the radio show’s hosts, “I like that!”
The runway star shared a black-and-white video of her shirtless beau via Instagram in January 2018, revealing that he got her eyes tattooed on his chest.
Hadid and Malik announced their second split in March 2018. He tweeted that they “had an incredibly meaningful, loving and fun relationship,” while she wrote that she wanted “nothing but the best for him and will continue to support him as a friend that I have immense respect and love for.”
An eyewitness told Us exclusively in April 2018 that the musician kissed Hadid “on the cheek” during a “lovey-dovey” walk to his NYC apartment, sparking reunion rumors once again. However, he later told GQ, “We don’t need to put a label on it, make it something for people’s expectations. … I’m really thankful that I met her.”
The duo ended their relationship again in January 2019. A source told Us at the time that Hadid “tried hard to make it work,” but Malik had “a lot of his own issues that she couldn’t help him get through.”
After their longest break to date, an insider told Us exclusively in January 2020 that the couple “got back together” and were going “slow and steady” with their rekindled relationship.
Hadid posted a rare selfie with Malik via Instagram in July 2020. “Baby daddy,” she captioned the photo, which showed the parents-to-be sharing a passionate kiss.
“Gigi and Zayn are so great for each other and balance each other out,” a source exclusively told Us at the time. “Her pregnancy has brought them even closer together as a couple.”
Earlier that month, the model showed off her bare baby bump for the first time during an Instagram Live. “Everyone’s like, ‘Oh, you didn’t look pregnant in your jumpsuit on your last Live.’ That’s because this way [facing front] I’m gonna look normally how I look in this [outfit],” she explained. “The reason I said it’s a different story is, like, there’s my belly, y’all. Like, it’s there. From the front, it’s different, you know what I mean?” She added: “I’m just taking my time with sharing my pregnancy, and you guys will see it when you see it. Right now I just want to experience it, and I just don’t wanna worry about waking up every day during my pregnancy and worry about having to look cute or post something.”
“Our baby girl is here, healthy & beautiful,” Malik announced via Twitter in September 2020 alongside a photo of his hand holding his newborn daughter's fingers. “To try put into words how i am feeling right now would be an impossible task. The love i feel for this tiny human is beyond my understanding. Grateful to know her, proud to call her mine, & thankful for the life we will have together x.”
The new mom later wrote via Instagram, “Our girl joined us earth-side this weekend and she’s already changed our world. So in love.”
“Gigi and Zayn are loving parenthood and can’t get enough of their little girl,” an insider exclusively told Us in October 2020. “Things are going really swimmingly between them and they’re both so happy. Gigi is so excited to be a new mom and has been appreciating every moment.”
Several months after her arrival, the couple confirmed their daughter’s name is Khai. While Hadid updated her Instagram bio to read, “Khai’s mom,” Malik secretly had his baby girl’s name tattooed on his wrist for months.
Malik’s “To Begin Again” collaborator, Ingrid Michaelson, sparked speculation that the twosome secretly wed when she referred to him as “married” on her Patreon live stream.
Michaelson later apologized via Instagram Stories: “I mentioned that he was married, and he’s not married. As far as I know, he’s not married. It was a mistake.”
Hadid shared a glimpse at the birthday present her beau gave her for her 26th birthday on April 23, 2021.
“WOW @zayn 💘,” she wrote via her Instagram Story along with a photo of a magnificent floral bouquet in shades of pink, orange and yellow.
Hadid and Malik held hands in New York City at the supermodel’s 26th birthday party, which included a grilled cheese food truck and cheese-shaped cake.
The former boy band star feels right at home with Hadid's family — but the transition took some time. "At first he was like, 'How do I get a word in edgewise?'" she told Harper's Bazaar in July 2021. "But now he is very comfortable. He speaks his mind. When he's in the middle of a family thing and everyone's like, 'Zayn, whose side are you on?' ... He's charming."
Shortly after reports surfaced that the model’s mom, Yolanda Hadid, wanted to file a police report after an alleged incident with the “PillowTalk” crooner, Malik defended himself via Twitter on October 28.
"As you all know I am a private person and I very much want to create a safe and private space for my daughter to grow up in," the former One Direction member wrote at the time. "A place where private family matters aren't thrown on the world stage for all to poke and pick apart. In an effort to protect that space for her, I agreed to not contest claims arising from an argument I had with a family member of my partner's who entered our home while my partner was away several weeks ago."
Malik continued, "This was and still should be a private matter but it seems for now there is divisiveness and despite my efforts to restore us to a peaceful family environment that will allow for me to coparent my daughter in a manner in which she deserves, this has been 'leaked' to the press. I am hopeful though for healing for all involved with the harsh words shared and more importantly I remain vigilant to protect Khai and give her the privacy she deserves.”
The musician later denied “striking” the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum while speaking with TMZ, telling the outlet, “For the sake of my daughter I decline to give any further details and I hope that Yolanda will reconsider her false allegations and move towards healing these family issues in private."
Multiple sources confirmed to Us that the pair called it quits after "having problems for a while." According to one insider, "[Zayn] continues to be very much involved in Khai's life. He and Gigi still care deeply for each other."
Following the highly publicized drama, “Gigi and Zayn are getting along just fine,” an insider told Us, noting that their utmost concern is keeping things private for Khai's sake. “They’ve been in each other’s lives in some way or another for the past few weeks.”
Their coparenting relationship is "amicable," the source said. “There is no custody battle going on right now — they’re just trying to work things out as coparents.”
For his part, Malik is trying to prove that he is a “responsible father" to Khai.
Hadid gave a nod to Malik when sharing a photo of the Peppa Pig birthday cake the duo got for daughter Khai on her 2nd birthday. "Our angel girl turned 2 today," the model wrote in an Instagram Story where she tagged her ex-boyfriend and Carlo's Bake Shop, a.k.a. the store that serves as the setting for Cake Boss.
In an interview with London's Sunday Times, Hadid said she works when Khai is with Zayn. “You have a long life alongside this person,” she said of coparenting. "That she can be with both parents makes me very happy."
After being spotted with Selena Gomez in New York City, a source exclusively told Us that “Gigi has no problem whatsoever with Zayn dating. As long as he is happy and stable and continues to be a good coparent to [their daughter] Khai, she’s fine with whoever he goes out with.”
In a candid interview on Zach Sang Show, Malik confessed he had fully moved on from Hadid and questioned if he’d ever been in love before.
“I don’t know if I’ve actually truly been in love at this point,” he said at the time.
Leslie Charleson -- a well-known soap opera star -- has died ... according to an announcement posted to the official "General Hospital" Instagram account. Frank Valentini -- an executive producer on the long-running soap -- wrote the statement ...…
“Well, actually, I just interviewed with him and he is my very first costar on Saved by the Bell, Mario Lopez,” Richards, 53, told Entertainment Weekly in an interview published on Saturday, January 11.
Richards revealed that she had a conversation with Lopez, 51, about him appearing on Special Forces. “And I asked him, ‘When are you going to do it?’” she said. “He would do awesome on it. He’d make it to the end, I’m sure.”
The pair appeared alongside each other during a 1991 episode of Saved by the Bell, where Cynthia (Richards) attempts to meet A.C. Slater (Lopez). (The series, which aired for four seasons from 1989 to 1993, followed a group of teens — including Lopez — navigating the highs and lows of high school.)
While appearing on Special Forces, Richards attempted to jump from a speeding boat to a speeding helicopter and jumped off a bridge before claiming she hurt her back. (She also later revealed she ruptured her breast implants.) As the contestants participated in a punishing Navy SEAL exercise known as surf immersion in the second episode, Richards initially asked to sit out. She ultimately went on to take off her armband, signaling her withdrawal from the competition.
Despite her early exit from the series, Richards said that she’s “very proud” of herself. “I had the guts to jump off a bridge and that I jumped off. I was so happy. Even though I couldn’t climb in that helicopter, I was very happy,” she told the outlet. “I was able to at least grab on and hang from there. I never in a million years thought I could do that.”
PETE DADDS / FOX
Richards was also the first contestant on the show to get vulnerable about her past, revealing that she has frozen in certain situations because she is “completely overcome by fear.” Richards shared during a conversation with the staff that the first time she experienced a “freeze” like that was at age 15.
“I noticed a man following me. He came up from behind me, put his hand around my mouth, grabbed my vagina and started dragging me,” she said. “And I froze, like, I couldn’t even scream for help.”
Before sharing her story on Special Forces, she had previously only told husband Aaron Phypers about the incident. “It’s so scary to have that situation, you know, [at] that age and be so vulnerable,” she continued. “And I have three daughters, and I want them to be able to never go through that. And also, if something, God forbid, happen to be strong enough.”
While recalling Richards’ candidness, Directing Staff instructor Billy Billingham said in a joint interview with fellow soldier Rudy Reyes gave insight into why contestants share their stories.
“Before we do the mirror room, even [if it’s only been 12 hours], you’ve already put through a phase of deprivation,” he said at Us Weekly’s NYC studio on Thursday, January 9. “When you’re tired, you’re hungry, you don’t care anymore. You’re more open. Now there’s something about that, what we call the mirror room. I don’t know why it is — and we are not psychologists and we have no idea what that story’s gonna be right out of that person’s mouth.”
Special Forces: The World’s Toughest Test airs on Fox Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
After the audience voted to save other artists, Gray, 57, who was Toad in the Hole in the show, performed against Bear. The judges ultimately chose to save Bear, sending Gray home — and leading her to walk off the stage.
Gray later returned in the Saturday, January 11, episode to unveil her identity and was interviewed by host Joel Dommett. After the episode aired, Dommett, 39, shared a clip of his conversation with Gray. “Lol,” he captioned his Instagram post.
Dommett went on to recall the events during an appearance on BBC Radio 2. “This is why The Masked Singer is so good, it doesn’t matter if you’re a good singer or if you’re not, the show doesn’t sit in either camp,” Dommett said during the Sunday, January 12, episode, per the Daily Mail. “The case with Macy is she is a legend, she has a recognisable voice and she might as well go because we all know it is her, and they put the other person through because we still don’t know who they are.”
Dommett claimed that it’s a “win-win situation” if a contestant is eliminated early because they “get the same money and [they] don’t have to do anything else.”
“You can’t be vexed when you’re dressed as a toad. In my professional career — I love Macy, she is incredible, great voice —- but I have never witnessed anything more funny than a 6ft toad storming off,” he said. “It’s the funniest thing I’ve ever seen in my life.”
Prior to Gray’s stint on the UK version of the series, she previously competed on the US show in 2023. During the season 10 finale, Gray — who was the Sea Queen — called herself a “seasoned performer” but noted that The Masked Singer was difficult due to her costume. “It’s hot in there!” she quipped.
Macy GrayThe Masked Singer/Youtube
The Grammy-winning vocalist previously told Us Weekly that she has struggled with her self-confidence. “I have to step out of myself,” Gray said in September 2023. “I literally put on a cape and transform into the person that is brave and confident enough to get up there.”
While Gray prepares for a show, she told Us she takes a moment to reflect and “transform into the person that is brave and confident” before hitting the stage. Gray gushed to Us that “nothing is better than performing.”
Naomi Wattswas 36 when she experienced a turn in her acting career after receiving an Oscar nomination for 21 Grams in 2004. She was also in menopause.
“I’d been warned ever since I started acting that calling attention to your age — when that age was not 23 or younger — would be career suicide. I was told I would never work again if I admitted to being menopausal, or even perimenopausal. Hollywood’s lovely term for such women was ‘unf—able,’” Watts, now 56, writes in an excerpt from her new book, Dare I Say It: Everything I Wish I’d Known About Menopause, published by The Sunday Times on Friday, January 10.
The King Kong star goes on to explain that she got her start in Hollywood later than she had originally planned, and was trying to have a baby with her then-partner Liev Schreiber when doctors told her she had entered early menopause.
“I almost fell off the examination table,” she writes in the book, out January 21. “‘What do you mean?’ I said, gasping for air. ‘Close to menopause? That’s for grandmothers. I’m not even a mother yet. And, by the way, that’s what I’m here for, to become a mother. Take it back!’ I was trying to joke, but really I was begging him to make it not be true. I was so scared that this would be the end of my dream to bear children.”
Watts and ex Schreiber, 57, eventually welcomed children Sasha, 17, and Kai, 16, but the news of her early onset menopause affected the actress — both physically and mentally — for years.
“As I sat there stunned and full of self-recrimination, I remembered that my mother had once mentioned she’d hit menopause at 45 — but 45 still felt very far away from 36. And, frankly, I didn’t even really know what menopause meant — except very likely the conclusion of my acting career, which got under way far later than most,” she says. “When I’d hit my early thirties, people had started telling me that the time would soon come when I wouldn’t be able to play a leading lady any more. Was this the end that had been foretold?”
Watts has since starred in acclaimed films such as The Impossible (2012) and Birdman (2014) and booked notable roles in TV series like Gyspy (2017), The Watcher (2022) and Feud: Capote vs. The Swans (2024). But she insists it’s likely due to actresses finding the drive to stand up for themselves in an industry that has historically and notoriously demonized or excluded older women.
Naomi WattsCover Images
“I’ve come to realise that we women can assert ourselves. I’ve also come to believe that there is nothing sexier than a woman who knows what she wants,” Watts writes in her book. “All good relationships at work and at home — and at the doctor’s office — require communication.”
Now, she’s a spokeswoman for older actresses who also fear menopause will halt their careers. “I was craving information on menopause, and certainly no one in Hollywood was breathing a word about it,” she writes. “We were all behaving as if between the seductress years and the grandmother roles, women just… I don’t know, vanished?”
She continues: “I’ve always shied away from jumping on the soapbox. But the menopause conversation requires us to get honest, loud and, dare I say it, even a little unladylike,” she says. “One of the funniest things that’s happened as a result: random celebrities now text me regularly to tell me they’re in menopause. It’s like I’m behind the confessional window or I’m Hollywood’s agony aunt. But I enjoy it.”
Watts founded her company, Stripes Beauty, in October 2022 “to address various practical needs of women my age” — including being intimate. She opens up about how her budding relationship with now husband Billy Crudup changed her perspective on aging and sex in her book.
“I was able to share with him honestly what I was experiencing even though it didn’t match with what I thought was appropriate for a sexy new girlfriend,” Watts writes, admitting she and Crudup, 56, discussed her hormone patches and the “grey hairs on [his] balls.”
“He was compassionate, not squeamish or awkward,” Watts shares of her Gypsy costar, whom she married in 2023. “That was a great gift. My hormone patches never got in the way of sex again.”
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,” she wrote. “Stay safe, you are in our hearts LA County 
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