Trousers are such a quintessential category of clothing. They can help you feel powerful and sophisticated while giving you a clean finish that works for work or other formal events. Think about it: Who doesn’t look like a boss in a sleek pair of trousers? Moreover, for plus-size bodies, it can be difficult to find options that fit amazingly and don’t cost a fortune — but leave it to Us to help you!
From wide-leg options to edgy dress pants, there is a pair of trousers to shop now that are sure to become your new favorites. We rounded up ten plus-size trousers to shop — read on to see our picks!
3. On and Off: We love this Briggs New York pull on dress pant because they’re easy to take on and off — and they’re so sophisticated — was $33, now just $24!
4. Denim on Denim: For those who want a flat tummy while wearing trousers, these Lee high rise trouser jean will help you do just that — just $37!
On January 11, 1995, a network launched that would become a destination for younger viewers — one that would have them saying “Oh what a night!” five times a week.
In hindsight, The WB as a network was merely a blip in TV history; remaining on the air for just a short 11 years and never scoring a Top-20 show. But that didn’t stop it from leaving its own type of legacy. Although its first original series was a sitcom, The Wayans Bros., the dramas that followed were what skyrocketed the network to its massive levels of success: Buffy, Dawson’s Creek, Felicity, Everwood, One Tree Hill … To see them was to love them.
The big four networks had dabbled in the young adult demographic before — Fox, for example, paved the way with Beverly Hills, 90210 — but The WB was an experiment in dedicating an entire channel to the often-overlooked teenage generation. What spawned were a series of shows that looked different on paper — a girl slaying vampires, a group of teens growing up in a sleepy town, the origin story of the world’s most famous superhero — but remained connected with one timeless and universal throughline: coming of age.
The TV landscape has greatly expanded since The WB said its final goodbyes in 2006, but the network remains a pillar of must-watch programming for young audiences despite the surplus of content available.
Shows like Dawson’s Creek and Buffy the Vampire Slayer came long before technological advancements like cellphones, laptops and social media, but the core of the high school experience still remains the same, with young people just hoping to find comfort in learning they aren’t alone. Thanks to The WB, they can.
(And before you come for Us, this list includes strictly WB programming a.k.a. anything that debuted after 2006 was not up for a spot — for example, Gossip Girl kicked off The CW in 2007.) From Capeside to Sunnydale, check out WB staff faves and where you can stream them:
‘Buffy The Vampire Slayer’
Where to Watch: Hulu
Buffy has it all: iconic villains, quippy dialogue, that catchy musical episode. More important, though, is Buffy Summers’ perseverance. The slayer (Sarah Michelle Gellar) took punches, literal and emotional, from hell’s worst demons and always got back up. She taught me true strength while kicking butt in stylish-yet-affordable boots. – Nicole Massabrook, Associate Editor
‘Angel’
Where to Watch: Hulu
The dark spinoff found Buffy’s vampire ex (David Boreanaz) in Los Angeles facing demons (including his own) and saving souls (including his own). At first I thought this series was a bad idea, but it was to Buffy what Better Call Saul became to Breaking Bad. I loved watching this haunted antihero’s rocky road to redemption. – Matt Sullivan, Writer
‘Gilmore Girls’
Where to Watch: Hulu, Netflix
The mother-daughter duo of Lorelai (Lauren Graham) and Rory (Alexis Bledel) provided the ideal amount of comfort, conflict (people are still fighting over Team Jess and Team Logan) and so many pop culture references that with each rewatch, I deserve a quip I missed. – Sarah Hearon, Digital Deputy Editor
‘What I like About You’
Where to Watch: Rent/Buy on Prime Video
Genius move: casting Amanda Bynes and Jennie Garth as this sitcom’s chaotic — and believable — sister duo. (Second place: casting the oft-shirtless Nick Zano.) The humor-to-heart ratio was perfectly calibrated. – Yana Grebenyuk, Senior Digital TV Writer
‘Dawson’s Creek’
Where to Watch: Hulu, Prime Video
As it ushered in a new era of teen drama, Dawson’s delivered relatable, adolescent angst-filled stories with a side of meta humor in an idyllic small-town package. But I promise, one scene sums up what made the show so brilliant: Joey (Katie Holmes). Pacey (Joshua Jackson). “I remember everything.” – Kat Pettibone, Associate Editor, Film
‘Felicity’
Where to Watch: Hulu
While Dawson’s and Buffy drew viewers in with stories of the both unbearable and euphoric high school experience, Felicity depicted a different coming of age: college. While I was navigating the elementary school halls when the show first premiered in 1998, I was immediately mystified by what life could be like when choices about your future become your own. Felicity (Keri Russell) had a different way about her than other leading ladies. She was awkward and shy and always a little bit lost, which felt relatable and comforting. Yet despite her flaws, she still found herself in a love triangle with Scott Foley and Scott Speedman, which made the idea of higher education even more alluring. Many people condemn the show for making Russell chop all her hair off during the season 2 premiere – causing a massive drop in ratings — but for prepubescent me, I felt empowered to make bold choices for myself when it matters. (And Russell totally rocked that haircut, by the way). – KP
‘Roswell’
Where to Watch: Hulu, Disney+, AppleTV+
Kids today may be familiar with Max, Liz, Maria, Michael and Isabel from The CW’s Roswell: New Mexico, but the legacy all began in 1999 with the OG series. The most romantic story about teenage aliens to ever be told, Roswell expanded The WB’s supernatural universe from vampires on Buffy to something else entirely, playing on what it’s like to be a teenage outcast. The show only lasted for three seasons — with only the first two airing on The WB — but still managed to create some of the most iconic (and underrated) couples in history: soulmates Max (Jason Behr) and Liz (Shiri Appleby), and on and off again Michael (Brendan Fehr) and Maria (Majandra Deflino). If you want to talk about actors with chemistry, just press play on the season 1 episode “Sexual Healing.” – KP
‘Charmed’
Where to Watch: Peacock, Prime Video
Halliwell sisters Prue (Shannen Doherty), Piper (Holly Marie Combs), Phoebe (Alyssa Milano) and Paige (Rose McGowan), epitomized ‘90s cool thanks to their magical powers and killer style. Seeing them vanquish evil with the “power of three” made me want a witch sib ASAP. Plus, their San Francisco pad and P3 nightclub were total #goals. – Johnni Mackie, Senior Digital TV Writer
‘Sabrina the Teenage Witch’
Where to Watch: Disney+, Hulu
Fun Fact: Sabrina the Teenage Witch didn’t originate on The WB. The movie, starring Melissa Joan Hart, aired on Showtime in 1996 before being picked up as a series for part of ABC’s “TGIF” lineup. The WB acquired the show in season 5 after ABC refused to pick the show up for more than one season, hoping to expand its comedy genre.
In a lot of ways, Sabrina grew as I grew. What started as appointment viewing as a kid on “TGIF” alongside Boy Meets World transitioned into my teenage viewing experience alongside Dawson’s and Roswell. Sabrina was effervescent, funny and served as an endless fashion inspo for seven seasons. Just don’t get me started on Josh (David Lascher) and Aaron (Dylan Neal) — Harvey (Nate Richert) and Sabrina remain my OTP to this day! – KP
‘Popular’
Where to Watch: YouTube
If you thought Ryan Murphy’s first foray into the teen dramedy was Glee, you’d be wrong. Popular was his first YA hit, breaking the mold of everything I’d ever seen on The WB before. The tone was satirical and dark, exploring and blurring the line between teenage have and have-nots. Where other shows were earnest and melodramatic, Popular was all camp and comedy, marching to the beat of its own drum — and showing just what Murphy could do. There was body diversity, queer characters and a point of view that couldn’t be denied. This underrated gem deserved so much more than two seasons. – KP
‘Young Americans’
Where to Watch: YouTube
Young Americans only lasted one season but it delivered the same small town angst-ridden vibes as its sister show, Dawson’s Creek, swapping Capeside for New Rawley. The show’s supporting cast was filled with future stars that included Kate Bosworth, Ian Somerhalder and Katherine Moennig, whose character Jacqueling “Jake” Pratt broke the mold by exploring gender identity and sexuality in ways other shows never had. – KP
‘Everwood’
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime
This drama was set in the snowy mountains of Colorado, but Everwood absolutely warmed my heart for four seasons. Even though the show deftly tackled grief and mental health (discussing antidepressants and therapy long before they were commonly discussed), it managed to be an uplifting and hopeful story of families and community coming together to get through their hardest times. – NM
‘Supernatural’
Where to Watch: Netflix, Amazon Prime, Max
I first met Sam (Jared Padelecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles) on The WB, and then spent 14 more seasons with the brothers on The CW. While the fun takes on mythology and classic rock soundtrack certainly make the show memorable, it was really Ackles and Padalecki’s chemistry (OK, and bone structure) as the wayward Winchester sons that allowed Supernatural to carry on for so long — and made me a lifelong member of the SPN fam. – NM
‘Summerland’
Where to Watch: N/A (Come on streaming services, get on it!)
Jesse McCartney and a young Zac Efron (gap in his teeth and all!) was almost too much for Us to take. Lori Loughlin led the young cast for two seasons as they hit the beaches of the fictional city of Playa Linda, California to surf, navigate teenage angst and troubled classmates. Alexa, play “Beautiful Day” by Steve Plunkett. – SH
‘7th Heaven’
Where to Watch: Paramount+, Amazon Prime
Looking back, there are endless elements to 7th Heaven that make you cringe — and plenty of TikToks dedicated to the most absurd story lines. But at the time, we were all addicted to the Camden family drama. Who could forget Ashlee Simpson’s stint as a janitor? Or that time Lucy (Beverley Mitchell) went into labor in an elevator? This Us staffer will even admit that she wanted to name her first child Savannah after Lucy and Kevin Kinkirk (George Stults). – SH
One Tree Hill
Where to Watch: Hulu
Nothing says early-2000s drama quite like One Tree Hill, which pitted half-brothers Nathan (James Lafferty) and Lucas Scott (Chad Michael Murray) against each other both on and off the basketball court. Throughout the series, the siblings realized that their dad, Dan (Paul Johansson), was the actual worst — and that you probably shouldn’t hook up with the same girls who are also best friends. I’m looking at you, Brooke Davis (Sophia Bush) and Peyton Sawyer (Hilarie Burton Morgan).
Amid all the drama — seriously, think soap opera levels — OTH made me fall in love with high school sports and pine for a love like Nathan and Haley’s (Bethany Joy Lenz). Oh, and yes, I did want to shop at Clothes Over Bros on the regular and hang out at the river court. Who didn’t?
Trust me, even if you don’t like basketball, this series is worth a rewatch. It’s a quintessential WB show packed with angst, love triangles and killer music. — JM
‘Smallville’
Where to Watch: Disney+, Hulu
It’s hard to recall in the era of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but comic books were not always such an inescapable part of pop culture. Back in 2001, there was no Arrowverse (R.I.P.) — there was just Smallville, The WB’s beloved drama about Superman before he was Superman. The show followed a teenage Clark Kent (Tom Welling) as he dealt with crushes, bullies and other vagaries of high school while adjusting to his ever-increasing superpowers. (While he starts the show able to run faster than a speeding bullet, he doesn’t develop heat vision, for example, until season 2.) Some of Smallville’s special effects look dated nearly 25 years later, but the show’s core theme — staying true to yourself in the face of a challenge and/or Lex Luthor — remains timeless. – Eliza Thompson, Senior Movies Editor
Now that we’ll soon be battling the frigidity of winter, commuting to the office — and getting dressed for it — can be an annoying task. But, if you invest in blazers, they can help take the guesswork out of getting dressed on cold, dreary mornings. What’s more, for plus-size bodies, funding blazers that fit well and don’t cost an arm and leg can be daunting — but we’re here to help!
From open-front blazers to cardigan blazer styles, there is a blazer style available to shop now that you will fall head over heels in love with. Nevertheless, we rounded up ten plus-size blazers to shop now — read on to see our picks!
1. Open Vibes: We love this Mfavip open front blazer is great because it’s airy and easy to wear — just $35!
2. Casual Queen: This Kojooin casual blazer works with jeans or trousers — was $42, now just $37!
10. Neutral Vibe: This Halogen oversize one-button blazer is a great addition for the girl who likes to play with proportions — was $160, now just $107!
Although it’s frigid and dreary in winter, that doesn’t mean you can’t still have your flirty, girly moment and opt to wear winter dresses. Whether you’re running errands or hanging out with the girls, the right dress can help you do it all in style during the colder months. What we love most about winter dresses is how easy, simple and warm they can be. What’s more, for plus-size bodies, it can be a bit difficult to find options that fit well and won’t empty your wallet — but we’re here to help!
From sweater dresses to mini dresses, there is a winter dress style that will appeal to your vibe and tastes. We rounded up ten plus-size winter dresses that are super flattering — read on to see our picks!
Almost every A-list fashionista has been spotted in Everlane at some point, including Reese Witherspoon, Katie Holmes, Taylor Swift, Angelina Jolie — we could go on and on. The stalwart brand makes affordable yet durable pieces guaranteed to stay in your wardrobe rotation for years. So, imagine our excitement when we saw Everlane’s post-holiday sale is overflowing with wardrobe essentials that are up to 70% off!
Whether you’re planning a winter vacay, looking for office-worthy staples or need a wardrobe refresh, scroll on for our favorite stylish deals on Everlane bestsellers. Curious about sizing? Check the reviews! Fellow shoppers are always sharing their outfit details. You’ll want to add your favorites to your cart quick — sales this good tend to sell out fast.
15 Best Picks from Everlane’s Post-Holiday Sale
1. Waist-Snatching Bodysuit: Available in three neutral colors, this wardrobe essential is perfect for layering with a cardigan or wearing solo once the sunshine returns — $18 (was $40) at Everlane!
2. Long Quilted Coat: Channel Katie Holmes’ cozy long coat style with this quilted pick that shoppers say is warm without being bulky. Did we mention it’s nearly $150 off? — $59 (was $198) at Everlane!
3. The ’90s Rib Dress: We were tempted to gatekeep this one until we scored our own, but the ultimate throw-on-and-go dress is just over $20 right now. Pair it with a blazer for the office, heels for dinner or flip-flops for the beach — it goes everywhere. Made from organic cotton, the straps are bra-friendly — $23 (was $78) at Everlane!
4. Buttersoft Pants: Whether for work or the weekend, this multi-pocket, barrel-leg chino has shoppers raving about how they “go with everything” — $35 (was $118) at Everlane!
5. Oversized Wool Blazer: Select colors of this cold-weather classic are up to $150 off! Made from recycled materials, this classic jacket style is also eco-conscious, making it a stylish win for you and the planet! — $74 (was $248) at Everlane!
6. Recycled Nylon Crossbody: You’re going to need a new bag for all your new ‘fits. This everyday staple has social media ads saying it “gives you main character energy.” With multiple pockets, two straps for versatile styling and a cool barrel shape, it’s definitely a must-have! — $18 (was $60) at Everlane!
7. Half-Zip Sweatshirt: Cozy and sporty, this fleece top in heather grey is over half off right now. It’s perfect for snow days! — $39 (was $98) at Everlane!
8. Everyday Dress: If you fancy a fit-and-flare silhouette, this everyday dress pairs well with layers in the winter but is warm-weather-ready when you are. One reviewer says, “This dress is perfect from transitioning from a day to night look. Always looking polished but so comfy!” — $29 (was $98) at Everlane!
9. Leather Tote: We literally did a double-take! This gorgeous tote bag looks just like leather and passes for designer! Made with eco-friendly materials, shoppers love the versatile bag for the office and running errands. The stunning brandy shade is nearly $200 off! — $83 (was $275) at Everlane!
10. Stretch-Proof Flare Pant: Whether wearing them to the office or dinner dates, these versatile slacks are made from a supportive stretch fabric and have a modest flare below the knee for pairing with boots or heels — $30 (was $118) at Everlane!
11. Cotton Crewneck: This cutie crewneck sweater features a mix of organic cotton, wool and Alpaca. Plus, it boasts a touch of stretch for peak comfort — $54 (was $98) at Everlane!
12. Bootcut Jean: A slight flare to these stretch jeans makes them super comfortable and figure flattering. Pair them with booties in the winter and sneakers come spring — $38 (was $128) at Everlane!
13. Versatile Tote: Shoppers love this versatile carryall for toting laptops to the office and as a getaway bag on the weekends. With two handles and multiple pockets, this on-trend bag is just the pick to complete your everyday ‘fit — $43 (was $85) at Everlane!
14. Everyday Booties: Need som cutie booties? This sock-like pair has an everyday two-inch heel for elevated comfort and brings all the style points. Choose from black or the prettiest cinnamon latte shade — $53 (was $178) at Everlane!
15. Oversized Anorak Jacket: Last but not least, this long, water-resistant coat keeps you comfortable and dry, no matter the weather — $74 (regularly $248) at Everlane!
When it comes to winter, you can never have too many coats! Furthermore, if you have to commute into the office or you’re constantly running errands, investing in sleek outerwear styles like a peacoat could be a smart move. Peacoats are warm and look sophisticated — a win-win in our book! We found a versatile, snuggly peacoat that we’re sure you’ll want to live in during winter — and you can get it now at Amazon!
This Hooever single-breasted wool peacoat is the perfect outerwear option for the working mom on the go who wants to look super chic — honestly! It features a 90% polyester and 10% wool material composition for a warm, durable option that will last a long time. Also, it has a classic notch lapel collar, a single-breasted aesthetic and two side pockets.
Get the Hooever Single-Breasted Wool Peacoat for $48 (was $60) at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate at time of publication but may be subject to change.
To style this peacoat, you could pair it with trousers, a flowy blouse and heels for a seamless, smooth office outfit. Or, you could rock it with jeans, cute booties and a slouchy sweater for an ensemble that works for formal or informal occasions. Further, it comes in 11 colors — we love the khaki and black variations — and has an XS to XXL size range!
While reviewing and fawning over this coat, one Amazon reviewer said, “It’s such good quality and so beautiful! I am 5’7, 148 lbs 34/36DD, and the small size fits me perfectly. I can button it fine. The sleeves are long enough for me, but if you have really long arms, you may want a size up. Pockets are in the perfect location.”
Another reviewer noted, “I purchased three different colors (dark gray, black and tan) of this coat and all three are amazing! They have a heavy feel to them and look much more expensive than they were. I will get a lot of use out of these.”
So, if you’re looking for a versatile, warm coat that will elevate all your cold-weather ensembles, this Amazon-bestselling peacoat can do the job!
See it: Get the Hooever Single-Breasted Wool Peacoat for $48 (was $60) at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate at time of publication but may be subject to change.
Not what you’re looking for? Check out more from Hooever here, and don’t forget to scope out Amazon’s Daily Deals for more great finds!
“My stepdad’s been gone for two years and I’m still getting hate comments,” Weslie, 16, said in a Friday, January 10, Instagram video. “It’s just complicated and for no reason. It’s not just a social media gig; this is literally my life. I’m so sick of getting hate comments and seeing my mom get hate for literally losing the person that she loves and I have siblings. This is their dad — this is who they’re gonna grow up and they’re gonna see all this on social media that’s so hurtful.”
Holker, 36, was married to Boss from 2013 to 2022, when he died by suicide at age 40. In addition to Weslie, they shared son Maddox, 8, and daughter Zaia, 5. (According to Weslie, she was never legally adopted by Boss, though she says he “literally raised” her.)
“I get that my relationship with Stephen seems complicated, but this man raised me my entire life — since I was 1,” Weslie explained. “I have a biological dad [and] I have a relationship with him, but Stephen was the person that raised me. He literally raised me and it’s hurtful to see… so many new stories. It’s so much more complicated and I don’t know how to explain it well.”
She added, “This is my dad, this is not, like, a joke to me. For 13 years, my parents were together, and for 13 years he was the person that I would go to about everything. He’s the person that I would cry to. He would wake me up every morning, we’d get breakfast and he was the person I’d see when he’d get home from work. We lived in the same four walls and now I’m getting hate for him leaving — and I don’t get it. It’s hurtful.”
Holker’s upcoming memoir, set to be released later this year, has made waves amongst Boss’ family and friends. After Peoplepublished an interview with Holker regarding her book, many members of his family slammed the Dancing With the Stars alum for writing about Boss’ alleged addiction struggles and publishing his private journals. Holker, meanwhile, has denounced the accusations and stated that her “only intention” is to raise awareness for those with similar substance abuse and mental health issues. She also says she plans to donate all book proceeds to a nonprofit founded in Boss’ honor.
“I see people saying it’s not my place because I’m not his biological daughter, but he never made me feel like anything besides his daughter — and I think that speaks to who he was,” Weslie said of her decision to speak out in the wake of the online backlash and criticism towards her mother. “Nobody’s sitting up here trying to bash him, like, he was a good person.”
She continued, “I’m still trying to be respectful to everybody. I’m just so over, for instance, his family, everyone’s headlining now — and these are big players in my life and big players in my siblings’ life and my mom’s life. These are all people I’ve grown up with. And to see them now … it’s like, I don’t know. I’m trying to be respectful but it’s complicated because I speak to Stephen’s mom weekly at some point.”
According to Weslie, she would only see Boss’ family “once or twice a year” while he was still alive.
“But, you guys have to understand that it’s because they live in another state and we literally live in another state,” she explained. “It’s not, like, we’re neighbors. It’s not, like, we could just see them whenever we wanted, and now my mom’s constantly making the effort so the kids are a part of their lives. I don’t make the effort, but that’s just how I am.”
Weslie now claims that she feels “disrespected by them” and no longer wants to be in communication.
“They’ve gone on social media saying that ‘Blood’s thicker than water,’ and that’s a direct [hit to] me and my mom,” she alleged. “And if you don’t see me as Stephen’s daughter, that’s cool, take it how you want. I know for a fact that’s never how he saw it, and it’s literally just hurtful. … I’ve slowly started to remove myself from [them] because they don’t make me feel comfortable, and my mom’s the one making the effort and feeling like it’s a need and a necessity to see them because she cares.”
Boss’ family also claimed that Holker made everyone sign a nondisclosure agreement before attending his 2022 funeral service.
“Y’all love to argue about the NDAs,” Weslie explained. “But in one day, we had an open casket, like, viewing for Stephen. We had a funeral, and then we had a week, and my mom asked for NDAs to be signed when we were seeing Stephen’s body because God forbid somebody that went to that took a photo of Stephen and put it on the internet or shared it with somebody else. That’s the type of thing that NDAs are for. It’s not so you can never talk about Stephen.”
Weslie added, “I’m fed up because NDAs are so important, and if you guys don’t agree, that’s cool. I’m grateful for my mom making sure that everybody signed NDAs, and she put up that rule.”
Holker was apparently “lenient” with her NDA request, according to the teenager.
“She understands at the end of the day, like, this is family,” Weslie stated. “So y’all want to disrespect her [while] she’s still nice, she’s still kind, she’s still forgiving, but you have to know, like, even when Stephen was alive people that attended our events, they would have to sign NDAs. But now, just because it’s my mom handing the paper, it’s different and it’s just annoying. Like, for that whole day was supposed to be beautiful, and instead, it was less than that. We were gonna say our goodbyes, and instead, people were yelling at each other and bashing my mom and, like, that’s a day that’s taken away from her — she can’t remember it as being the day that we all wanted to be because his family was making it otherwise.”
Weslie further denounced claims that Holker is “money hungry” or seeking “more fame.”
“That’s not how my mom is. Trust me when I say my mom is good — she doesn’t need [money],” Weslie said. “It’s just disappointing. … My mom’s made her efforts [with his family]. She’s tried for as long as she could, but this is the kind of turning point where it’s like, this stops like, it’s beyond, just like, trying to maintain a relationship now it’s like y’all burn bridges and literally it’s OK.”
Weslie further implored her followers to “leave the family alone.”
“I’m not a person to sit up here and cry. I’m not going to be here and get emotional. But like, y’all could not just leave somebody passing away and leave the family alone?” she said. “Like, Oh my gosh, you guys just have to add to it for what, like, I don’t know, and it’s just it’s disappointing because if all of you say that you held him in such high regard, like, this is not the type of family dynamic we had and whatever y’all want to push on social media, like, I’m gonna grow up seeing it like my siblings are gonna grow up seeing it. Also, they’re gonna have to form their own opinion of who their dad was and we only speak about him in such a beautiful light. I loved him. I have nothing negative to say about him.”
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.
The first season of On Call had Us on the edge of our seats — but where does the Wolf Entertainment police procedural go from here?
On Call, which premiered on Thursday, January 9, centered around veteran training officer Traci Harmon (Troian Bellisario) and her rookie partner Alex Diaz (Brandon Larracuente) as they responded to emergency calls on the streets of Long Beach, California. Their partnership came on the heels of a major loss for Harmon and it took an entire season for her and Diaz to start to trust each other.
The Prime Video series found a way to click restart on the dynamic when Harmon ultimately didn’t recommend that Diaz progress. Instead, she caused him to restart rookie training — with her. Viewers also learned more about Sergeant Lasman (Eriq LaSalle) and Lieutenant Bishop (Lori Loughlin) after initially questioning whether they were friends or foes.
“We want so many different kinds of people — who have many different views about the police — to come to this show. And we want them to take away what they take away,” Bellisario exclusively told Us Weekly. [“Executive producer] Elliot [Wolf] put it really well. He’s like, ‘We want to create a buffet and we want everybody to come to the table and eat together.’ That’s the thing. We’re not going to say, ‘Oh, you have that idea, so you’re not welcome here.’ You have that idea so you won’t like this show.’ You will see people make incredible decisions [on screen]. You’ll see us make mistakes. Nobody is a hero. And these are human beings — they just so happen to be doing this job.”
“At least from my own experience, the show left me with more questions than real answers. I hope that that’s what audiences experience as well,” he noted. “By the end of it, we’re not really trying to paint any narrative. … Hopefully audience members can relate to one of the characters [on the show] in some way, shape or form.”
The cast and creator Tim Walsh answered some burning questions about season 1 — and where the story would go from here:
Where Do Harmon and Diaz Go From Here?
During the season 1 finale, Harmon recommended that Diaz be put on probation, which reunited them as partners. The decision shook up their dynamic — but it is a step in the right direction in the long term.
“Harmon made that choice because first and foremost, she doesn’t want to lose him. She’s starting to feel — there’s nothing romantic between them — but she is like a mama bear and this is her cub. So over the course of season 1, they’ve just grown closer,” Walsh explained to Us. “She did that because in her heart of hearts, she does believe Diaz is not ready to move on because he has a hero complex. She does not want to see him get hurt like Officer Delgado. Her feelings are genuine but it also feels like a mother that does not want to be separated from her child just yet.”
“She cares about him and that’s what makes her different than maybe somebody else that he would’ve been paired with. The fact that after just losing somebody in the very first episode, she chooses to work with Diaz who is a rookie is a testament to her character,” he noted. “Before Diaz steps back into that vehicle at the very end of the episode, I think he has a real question.”
Larracuente continued: “The question that runs through his mind is, ‘Can I trust this person?’ He finally realizes, ‘Holy s—, this entire time she’s cared about me. Everything she’s done has just been to protect me and I see it now.'”
Meanwhile for Bellisario, the point of the twist was showing how much Harmon still has left to teach.
“Any good teacher knows when they haven’t done their job — and that’s actually not a failing on Diaz’s part. He takes it as his own failing. But actually Harmon sees it as a shortcoming on her part. She didn’t do enough or she didn’t set him up and she still has more work to do,” she told Us. “She obviously believes in him. She cares deeply and she wants to see him through into his career.”
Could Things Turn Romantic Between Harmon and Diaz?
There were no hints that Harmon and Diaz could become a couple in the future — but what is the plan behind the scenes?
“The romantic thing complicates it and lends itself to maybe a little bit more predictability. Whereas here we don’t have to fall into any of those traps or tropes,” Walsh teased to Us. “They can just be literally two coworkers. They are two coworkers who are bound by the idea that they have to look out for each other and have to survive this next shift. I think adding a romance would just complicate it more. The other way allows us to be more free and deepen the two characters.”
Who Is a Dream Guest Star?
Notable guest stars in season 1 included Chicago Fire‘sMonica Raymund, Ryan Dorsey and Bart Johnson. Walsh named Kurt Russell as his dream cameo in the future, joking, “If I could get Kurt Russell in this, I could die very, very happy.”
Will Other Characters Take the Lead in Season 2?
Despite On Call largely staying focused on Diaz and Harmon, there is room to expand — starting with LaSalle and Loughlin’s characters.
“They are firmly a big part of it,” Walsh confirmed. “The short of it is 100 percent. We’ve [already] been cooking on season 2 and ideas and what it’s going to be about [while we wait for an official renewal].”
“We certainly have some runway to see more of the two of us. The interesting thing is all of us fitting in together. How do all these characters come together?” she noted. “They focus a lot on Harmon and Diaz on screen but I think our approach is like, ‘What’s the total picture look like for all of us as characters?’ … There’s so much to explore. But we’re in good hands with good writers so hopefully we’ll move forward.”
La Salle praised On Call for not making Lasman and Bishop “one dimensional,” adding, “By the time you get to the end of this season, there’s some dynamics that have truly changed. That is a great way to set up some great storytelling — should we be so fortunate to get additional seasons.”
He continued: “Lori and I have been just talking and we are interested as actors to see if there’s more interaction between the two of us. We are in sync on a lot of things but we also want to see what we are not in sync on? How do they really feel about each other?”
Could There Be One Chicago Crossovers — Or a Spinoff of ‘On Call’?
Before cocreating On Call with Elliot Wolf, Walsh worked on Chicago P.D. but that doesn’t mean the universes will intersect.
“I do not want to do a crossover with any of the existing shows. I do believe we are in our own universe and they’re in their own universe,” he told Us. “However, expanding our universe into other first responders, we’re all very game to doing that. There are paramedics in Long Beach. It depends on how well we can get the message out for people to watch the show.”
Do you ever feel like your face could use a pick-me-up? We get it. Over the years, our skin can show signs of aging, like wrinkles and fine lines, and honestly, that can take a toll on our mental state. Investing in a facial tool, i.e., a Gua Sha-centric option, could help you repair your skin for a youthful glow. Eva Mendes, known for starring in Hitch and Training Day, is known for her sleek style and stunning beauty. We found her favorite jade Gua Sha facial tool that will help you revitalize your skin — and you can get it for $6 at Amazon!
In an interview with E! Entertainment, Mendes said that everybody should have this Gua Sha tool in their skincare repertoire because the benefits are plentiful — and we couldn’t agree more!
This Rena Chris Gua Sha facial tool is an easy way to elevate your skin and help you get radiant, vibrant skin without much work — seriously! The tool uses 100% natural jade stone from Brazil for durability and tranquility. Further, the benefit of Gua Sha is to promote blood circulation, reduce puffiness, sculpt the jawline, nourish the skin and relieve tension. Honestly, what more could you ask for?
Get the Rena Chris Gua Sha Facial Tool for $6 (was $7) at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate at time of publication but may be subject to change.
To use this tool, all you do is take the split part of the tool and run it along your jawline, forehead, neck and other areas where fine lines and wrinkles occur — accompanied by massage oils or lotions. It’s really that simple!
While reviewing and raving over this facial tool, one reviewer said, “I like how it feels. It feels smooth and glides through my skin smoothly. It helped reduce puffiness and sculpt the jawline.
Another reviewer noted, “I had no idea how much I needed this. I love that it’s always cool to the touch & is fantastic at helping my face lotion absorb into my skin instead of sitting on top & looking oily. I use an herbalist-formulated face moisturizer without all the crazy chemicals to make it absorb quickly, so this tool has been everything — it changes the game.”
Furthermore, taking care of skin and helping it look youthful and refreshed can be a whole separate job — but it doesn’t have to be. If you’re looking for an easy way to elevate your skincare routine, this Eva Mendes-approved Gua Sha facial tool can help!
See it: Get the Rena Chris Gua Sha Facial Tool for $6 (was $7) at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate at time of publication but may be subject to change.
Not what you’re looking for? Check out more from Rena Chris here, and don’t forget to scope out Amazon’s Daily Deals for more great finds!
Although we’re already experiencing and feeling cold winter days, there’s still time to snag a great deal on a durable jacket. Whether heading into the office or running errands for the fam, the truth is that you need a variety of coats and jackets to help you have a product day. Fleece jackets are perfect for busy days when you don’t want too many layers while adding a little style to your outfits. We found a sleek full-zip Columbia jacket that we’re sure you’ll love — and you can get it now at Amazon!
This Columbia Benton Springs full zip jacket is a seamless option that will keep you nice and snuggly no matter what. It features a 100% polyester material and it’s a simple option that’s versatile enough for anything. Also, it has a full zip design, and it’s super lightweight.
To style this jacket, you could pair it with jeans, a sweater and cute ankle booties for a functional, toasty winter look. Or, you could rock it with sweatpants, a slouchy sweatshirt and slippers for a cozy ensemble that works for lazy days indoors or busy days of running errands. Further, it comes in 123 color options and has an XS P to 3XL size range!
While reviewing and gushing over this jacket, an Amazon reviewer said, “This was a gift, and I love my Columbia jacket! The material is thick enough to keep me warm while also not making me uncomfortable moving in. It is a great jacket to dress up or down. I enjoy Columbia products, and I feel like this jacket will get much use in the months and years ahead!”
One more reviewer noted, “I absolutely adore this jacket! I practically wore my grey one to death last winter. When a friend borrowed it, she never returned it, so I was able to snag a new black one for this winter. Both colors are fantastic, and the sizes run a bit small. The medium weight is perfect – it feels sturdy and well-made, and it’s incredibly soft, like wearing a cozy throw blanket.”
Furthermore, it’s officially wintertime, and it’s imperative you have a slew of jackets that can help you meet different weather and style needs. So, if you’re looking for a new warm one to add to your rotation, this Amazon-bestselling Columbia jacket could do the trick!
Peacock’s The Traitors has way more rules — and production secrets — than some fans may realize.
Inspired by Dutch series De Verraders, The Traitors brings together reality TV stars from different franchises — including Survivor, Big Brother, Real Housewives and more — as they compete in a mafia-style game for up to $250,000. The series premiered in 2023 but has already gone through multiple changes.
“My first idea was to do it on a ship in Australia,” creator Marc Pos recalled to Variety in January 2023. “And if somebody had to be out of the game, he or she had to jump into the water and swim to an island, but then I thought it would be too difficult to produce.”
“The host is not there very much, and has to be careful not to manipulate the game, influence viewers, or spark doubts within the minds of contestants who are in their bubble,” Pos continued. “But when they’re there, they have to be kind of a friendly yet intimidating figure.”
Despite The Traitorsrelying on a shroud of mystery, cast and crew have spoken out about the rules and behind-the-scenes secrets fans aren’t privy to. Keep scrolling for a guide to all the surprising revelations — and perhaps helpful answers to some burning The Traitors questions:
What the Cast Members Know About Each Other
Casting director Deena Katz confirmed that contestants don’t know who else is on the show until they arrive in Scotland, telling Time in January 2024, “You don’t want them to be able to research each other or talk to each other or form alliances before.”
Season 2 star Sandra Diaz-Twine, meanwhile, explained on the “Reality After Show” podcast at the time that every player was later provided with photos and information on their fellow contestants to help them narrow down who could be a Traitor.
Taking a Personality Test
During a podcast appearance in January 2024, Mercedes “MJ” Javid recalled taking a 600-question psych evaluation. Executive producer Mike Cotton elaborated to Variety that same month how the tests allow the crew to “see attributes that might make someone a good liar or particularly deceptive.”
“It’s an interesting process. It’s a big group thing,” he explained. “We actually don’t know who the Traitors are until that pick, where Alan walks around and taps them on the shoulder. We watch how they interact when they arrive at the castle. Alan does these chats with them, sitting down and asking them if they’d like to be a Traitor and why. That has a really big bearing on it, as does Alan’s opinion.”
Cotton continued: “It’s almost like a job interview to be a Traitor, and we take all of that into account and decide just before the pick who that should be. We want to make sure we’ve got an interesting mix of characters that will bring their own unique skill set to it.”
Arie Luyendyk, who appeared on the first season, exclusively told Us Weekly in January 2023 about doing “a swim test,” adding, “[It was] to see if we were capable of completing the mission.”
It wasn’t until season 2 that players were able to present their case to Alan about whether they wanted to be a Traitor or Faithful. While viewers at home know who the Traitors are (and how many have been tapped), season 1 star Cirie Fields revealed that other contestants are kept in the dark about crucial details.
“We knew that there could potentially be three to five Traitors in the game,” Cirie told E! News in January 2023 . “That was explained to us from the very beginning.”
The Drink Limit
According to season 2 star Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu, the endless drinks seen on screen actually come with strict guidelines.
“You can only drink one drink a night anyway, it was quite restricted,” she told Entertainment Weekly in January 2024. “I remember everyone needed a drink from that round table, it was really intense.”
The Filming Schedule
Arie recalled not getting more than six hours of sleep a night. “It takes probably an hour for your brain to kind of shut off,” he told Us in February 2023. “You’re there for so long and it’s one of those things where we probably started at 8 or earlier and we probably were up till about 12 to 2 in the morning, depending on if you’re the Traitor or not, because the Traitors had to do their thing after the whole day was finished.”
In addition to filming long hours, the costars also give away their phones and any other forms of communication.
Taking Up Residence in the Castle
The hit competition series takes place at the stunning and regal Ardross Castle — but do they actually live there while filming? In short, no.
“How glamorous — you come to Scotland, and you stay in the Inverness Airport hotel,” Alan quipped to The Daily Beast in January 2023 about the actual accommodations offered to the contestants.
Alan, meanwhile, has a large changing room which he sometimes used as a place to take naps during production. But ultimately, even he isn’t able to stay at the castle overnight.
“You’re not supposed to talk about the game when the mics aren’t ready or the cameras aren’t on,” Dan Gheesling from season 2 told Business Insider in February 2024. “Because if we say something that’s important and it’s not on camera, they can’t use it on the show.”
After seeing the response to season 1, producers decided to offer players more room in the castle, including the kitchen and an outdoor terrace, in addition to the library, the billiards room, the bar and the roundtable room.
“We’ve got two new spaces this year,” a producer told Parade in December 2023. “We’re calling one the scullery [basically a kitchen], and then outside there’s a tiny little area that’s called the folley which is a little stone-covered area. It’s brilliant. You can get two or three people sneaking out there, and you get these brilliant conversations.”
Catching a Chill in the Castle
Several players — including season 1 star Cody Calafiore — have mentioned how cold the castle is. “If they did get the heat working, it would probably be a little bit better,” Cody joked to Reality Blurred in January 2023.
Restrictions on Self-Promotion
Just because everyone on The Traitors is a star on a reality show doesn’t mean they can promote their brands. Shereé Whitfield from season 2 told People in February 2024 that she was not allowed to wear clothes from her own brand — SHE by Shereé — while on camera.
“They said I could not!” she said about the contract guideline. “You can’t wear your brand.”
“They’re checking on you at all times,” MJ said on the “Just Sayin'” podcast in December 2023. “They’re so cheerful and professional. I felt taken care of at all times.” Meanwhile in a separate interview, Ekin-Su said she once cried “overwhelming tears” to a welfare team member.
Security Guards Keep Players in Line
“It’s a massive military operation each night to get the Faithful to bed in individual rooms and get the Traitors back out to have their meeting,” creator Cotton told Variety in January 2024 about attempting to preserve the “secrecy of the Traitors.”
Kate Chastain, who appeared on three seasons of The Traitors in various capacities, told Vanity Fair in January 2023 about how security guards were alway around to prevent players from leaving their hotel rooms.
“Once it was clear that I was not getting the big bucks at the end, I was ready to go home because they ran a very tight ship. There were security guards making sure you never left your room. And we had long days, from breakfast to challenge to banishment,” she details. “By the time you got to your bed, you just wanted to go to sleep and sleep for eight hours because I knew it would be the big day the next day. The food in the highlands of Scotland is nothing to write home about, but it was good enough. I really missed martinis. I really missed a little bit of freedom after a while.”
“It got really intense, you know, a lot of crying, a lot of pointing fingers, a lot of below-the-belt stuff that they didn’t show on TV,” Arie told Us in 2023. “I feel like they kind of kept it pretty chill on TV, but I felt like it was in real life a lot more intense. … I think if it got a little too raw or a little too mean, they just omitted it, you know? They kept it more about the game.”
Allowing Couples Into the Competition
Larsa Pippen and Marcus Jordan were the first couple to compete on the show when they joined season 2. (They’ve since split.) But just because they were dating doesn’t mean they were treated like a package deal by production, which meant they had to sleep in separate rooms and were not allowed to communicate with each other.
“Marcus asked me for a nail file, and I put it in a paper bag — and they go through everything, you’re not supposed to send anything back and forth — but he wanted a nail file and I was like, ‘I’m just going to send him a nail file,” she recalled to People. “And then I was like, ‘Oh, there’s a banana. He said he wanted a banana.’ So I [write] ‘I love you’ on the banana and send it to him with the nail file.”
From split pants and broken straps to showing more skin than initially anticipated, stars have had their fair share of cringe-worthy wardrobe malfunctions. And most of the time, it’s all going down in the public eye.
Whether something is snapping on live television or the wind caused a mishap en route to an event, everyone from Lindsay Lohan to Nicki Minajhas found themselves faced with a clothing crisis — but most are able to handle the debacle with ease.
Take Miley Cyrus for example. The singer kicked off 2022 with her NBC New Year’s special. And while her show was going off without a hitch, things took a turn just before midnight.
While in the middle of her “Party in the USA” performance, the strap on her top snapped right off. Rather than stop singing and scuttle off stage, she tossed her shirt aside, covered up her breasts with her arm and strut backstage to change into a blazer.
She even joked about the incident after the fact, taking to Instagram to share a picture of her outfit in its glory. “Get a good look at the top that didn’t stay on very long …” she jokingly captioned her post.
More recently, Justin Timberlake found himself in a fashion faux pas while performing in Nashville, Tennessee, during his Forget Tomorrow World Tour in December 2024. As he strapped into a harness in preparation for his stage to tilt over the audience, fans noticed the safety measure outlined his bulge and the malfunction went viral.
Timberlake later corrected the incident by wearing a noticeably longer shirt during that section of his show.
Keep scrolling to see the most embarrassing celebrity wardrobe malfunctions of all time.
Let’s face it: Every woman needs a bonnet in her haircare repertoire. Whether you are a hard sleeper or just like protecting your hair at all costs, a satin bonnet can help make sure your hair stays together no matter what. We found a simple, nifty satin bonnet that will become your new favorite nighttime staple — and you can get it for $13 now at Amazon!
This Yanibest double-layer satin bonnet is perfect for the girl who’s a rough sleeper but needs to maintain her tresses while she tosses and turns. It features a high-quality long filament satin fabric that’s luxurious and super soft, and it has double-layer protection to keep your sheets clean night after night. Also, it has an adjustable elastic band because we all know we don’t have the same head size, and it comes with a cute satin scrunchie — obsessed.
Get the YANIBEST Double Layer Satin Bonnet for $13 (was $15) at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate at time of publication but may be subject to change.
What we love most about this bonnet is how effective it is and how easy it is to wear. Further, we’re head over heels for all of this set’s 15 color options!
While reviewing and raving over this bonnet, one Amazon reviewer said, “I have very long thick hair and got this to help reduce tangles at night. It fits well and has adjustable elastic inside so I can get a good fit. I like that it is reversible and came with a free satin scrunchie too. It has beautiful packaging and it seems well made. I might get a second as a backup because the price is good and I’m very pleased with this.”
Another reviewer noted, “Before I got this sleep bonnet, I was doing research on better hair care, and I saw a recommendation for a hair bonnet, so I decided to give one a try. I am so glad that I got this one! It is beautiful, and I could feel the difference in my hair after a few days. Thank you!”
So, if you’re looking for an easy way to manage your hair while you sleep, this Amazon-bestselling satin bonnet could help!
Get the YANIBEST Double Layer Satin Bonnet for $13 (was $15) at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate at time of publication but may be subject to change.
Not what you’re looking for? Check out more from Yanibest here, and don’t forget to scope out Amazon’s Daily Deals for more great finds!
For those who started the 2025 by setting their Goodreads goal for the year, Us Weekly has a treat for you.
There are tons of books set to be released this year — in both the fiction and memoir genres — but a few stand out among the rest. Emily Henry is constantly cranking out new books, and this year is no different. Her newest, titled Great Big Beautiful Life, is set to be published in April, just in time for those summer romances.
“What I can tell you about the book is it feels like a spiritual heir to Beach Read, but it’s different,” Henry teased to Us Weekly exclusively last year. “It feels like my first real departure, but it is still both a love story and a romance.”
The author noted that it was a “really emotional” experience writing Great Big Beautiful Life. “It really gripped me in a way that I hadn’t been gripped in a while,” she added.
While Us is waiting for Henry’s release date with bated breath, there are many books we’re looking forward to reading in 2025. Keep scrolling for 12 of 2025’s highly anticipated releases:
‘Onyx Storm’ by Rebecca Yarros
The third book in The Empyrean presumably starts where the last one left off, with dragon riders Violet and Xaden (who, spoiler alert, turned into a venin) figuring out their next steps after saving Basgiath War College.
Onyx Storm will be released on January 21.
‘Deep End’ by Ali Hazelwood
Another Hazelwood romance? Yes, please. The Love Hypothesis author is set to introduce Scarlett Vandermeer, a platform diver in her junior year of college, who is thrown into a sudden romantic arrangement with swim captain Lukas Blomqvist.
Deep End will be released on February 4.
‘I’ll Have What She’s Having’ by Chelsea Handler
The comedian is back at it again with another book, set to be released on her 50th birthday. Handler has a new batch of vulnerable (and hilarious) essays for fans that span the years from childhood to adulthood.
I’ll Have What She’s Having will be released on February 25.
‘Sunrise on the Reaping’ by Suzanne Collins
Collins is back with another prequel to The Hunger Games series. This time around, fans of the books will be getting to hear Haymitch Abernathy’s story.
Sunrise on the Reaping will be released on March 18.
‘Elphie: A Wicked Childhood’ by Gregory Maguire
Just as the Wicked hype will be dying down, Maguire is bringing Elphaba’s story before Shiz University to life.
Elphie: A Wicked Childhood will be released on March 25.
For the perfect love story, look no further than Jimenez’s latest novel. Say You’ll Remember Me tells the story of Xavier Rush (who just might be the perfect guy) and his perfect date with Samantha.
Say You’ll Remember Me will be released on April 1.
‘Great Big Beautiful Life’ by Emily Henry
Two writers, one story. Both Alice Scott and Hayden Anderson are looking to write the biography of the mysterious Margaret Ives — and no one has seen her in years. Margaret invites both authors for a trial period before picking the one who will tell her story.
Great Big Beautiful Life will be released on April 22.
‘Matriarch’ by Tina Knowles
Beyoncé’s mom has all the tea, and here’s to hoping she’ll spill it. Knowles is set to tell her story, starting off from growing up in 1950s Galveston, Texas, to what it was like raising a superstar.
Matriarch will be released on April 22.
‘One Golden Summer’ by Carley Fortune
There’s nothing better than reading a Fortune book by a body of water (we assume that’s how Meghan Markle read her last book, which she has since optioned to adapt), so just get ready. Alice is a photographer who snapped a photo of Charlie Florek when they were just teens — but now he’s all grown up.
One Golden Summer will be released on May 6.
‘Atmosphere’ by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Reid’s novels (which include Daisy Jones & The Six and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo) transport readers to different worlds and this one is sure to be no different. Taking place during the 1980s Space Shuttle program, this story follows Joan Goodwin and her battle to go to space.
Atmosphere will be released on June 3.
‘Nice Girls Don’t Win’ by Parvati Shallow
Reality TV fanatics, get ready because Shallow will be sharing her Suvivor story from the start and reveal how she became a powerful woman.
Nice Girls Don’t Win will be released on July 8.
‘Cher: The Memoir — Part 2’
If the second part of Cher’s memoir is anything like the first, Us is ready. The songstress will likely kick this book off right where the last one ended and more insane stories are sure to be told.
Cher: The Memoir — Part 2 will be released on November 19.
“It is with great sadness that I have to announce the death of my beautiful son @Rorysykes to the Malibu fires yesterday. I’m totally heartbroken,” Rory’s mother, author Shelley Sykes, wrote via X on Thursday, January 9. “[He was a] British-born Australian living in America, a wonderful son, a gift born on mine and his grandma’s birthday 29 July 92.”
Rory, who was best known for his childhood role on England’s Kiddy Kapers series, lived in Los Angeles and worked as a humanitarian, author and motivation speaker. According to Shelley, 62, he “had his own cottage” on their family’s 17-acre Mount Malibu estate.
Shelley further noted in her X tribute that Rory’s house “burnt down” on Wednesday, January 8, in the wildfires.
“I couldn’t put out the cinders on his roof with a hose because the water was switched off by @LVMWD Las Virgenes Municipal Water,” Shelley claimed. “Even the 50 brave firefighters had no water all day! He will be incredibly missed by [his] mama, his pet peacocks Edgee & Mickie and all his online fans around the world!”
A string of wind-induced wildfires broke out on Tuesday, January 7, devastating buildings across the Pacific Palisades neighborhood in Los Angeles. In addition, many locals left the city limits following mandatory or voluntary evacuation orders.
“He said ‘Mum, leave me’ and no mum could leave their kid. I’ve got a broken arm, I couldn’t lift him, I couldn’t move him,” Shelley told local Australian outlet 10 News, noting she drove to a local fire station for assistance. “When the fire department brought me back, his cottage was burnt to the ground.”
Many celebrities lost their homes to the blaze, like Rory’s self-contained house on his family estate. Per the author’s social media obituary, Rory’s cottage was “decked out with all the latest Apple gadgets” that were also lost in the fire.
“[Rory] was the founder with me of @happycharity a true humanitarian. He saw himself as the number one fan of @Apple & @tim_cook and most importantly an avid @RuneScape gamer,” Shelley continued in her X statement, adding that her son was “born blind with cerebral palsy and had difficulty walking.”
She continued, “He overcame so much with surgeries and therapies to regain his sight & to be able to learn to walk. Despite the pain, he still enthused about traveling the world with me from Africa to Antarctica.”
Rory had also overcome his disabilities to have a career as an author and motivational speaker.
“@rorysykes was a sought-after inspirational speaker for @TonyRobbins when he was only 8 years old,” Shelley added. “@CallumsCure book first published by @simonschuster in Australia was about his courage.”
Zendaya and Tom Holland were sure to discuss having children before their recent engagement.
“Tom really wants to have a family, and [he] and Zendaya are on the same page about having kids and wanting to start a family together,” a source exclusively told Us Weekly. The insight comes after Us confirmed on Monday, January 6, that the couple had gotten engaged.
Noting that “Tom is absolutely in love with her,” the insider said that Holland, 28, is “very focused on building a family and his career.” The source continued: “Tom is [a] very old-school English guy in the way that he wants to have a family and have kids relatively young.”
Both actors come from big broods, as Tom is the eldest of his parents Dominic and Nikki Holland’s four sons — including twins Harry and Sam, 25, and Paddy, 20. Zendaya, 28, is the only child of her divorced parents, Kazembe Ajamu Coleman and Claire Stoermer, but has five older siblings from her father’s previous relationship.
Tom opened up about his future fatherhood plans in an interview with Men’s Health earlier this month, revealing he plans to put a pause on acting once he becomes a dad. “When I have kids, you will not see me in movies anymore,” he shared. “Golf and dad. And I will just disappear off the face of the earth.”
News of the couple’s engagement broke one day after Zendaya flashed a diamond ring at the 2025 Golden Globes on Sunday, January 5. “Zendaya tried to keep it a secret but was very excited to show off her ring,” the same source exclusively told Us on Monday. “She didn’t think people would notice but didn’t care either way.”
According to the insider, Tom decided the holidays were “the best time to propose in a very low-key way,” as Zendaya “didn’t want anything over the top.” The source added: “Tom wanted to propose because he feels he is at the right time in his life and feels ready to settle down. They had many conversations over the years, but there was never any pressure. Zendaya is giddy and excited. She knew it might have been coming but never put pressure on it.”
Tom’s father, Dominic Holland, 57, confirmed the engagement news in a Friday, January 10, blog post via his Patreon account, revealing that Tom purchased Zendaya’s ring himself, had “everything planned out” and “had spoken with her father and gained permission to propose to his daughter.”
The Spider-Man costars first sparked romance rumors in 2017, though Zendaya went on to date her Euphoria costar Jacob Elordi from 2019 to 2020. She and Tom rekindled things not long after and their relationship status was confirmed after being spotted kissing in a car in July 2021.
“These two are the real deal,” a separate source exclusively told Us in July 2024. “They started as besties, and that’s [why] their relationship is rock solid … Their families are all in. [They] think they’re perfect together.”
Zendaya put her engagement ring on display while attending a screening of her film Challengers on Monday, using the dazzler to accessorize her black leather blazer and matching tulle skirt. She completed the look with a ponytail hairstyle and bangs as well as a pair of diamond stud earrings.
Jinger Duggar has been honest about the challenges of growing up in the TLC spotlight — and of breaking free from the conservative teachings of her childhood.
Jinger is one of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar’s 19 children who were raised as followers of the Institute in Basic Life Principles, a fundamentalist organization founded by the controversial leader Bill Gothard. Fans watched along as Jinger and her siblings navigated their daily lives on 19 Kids and Counting, which ran from 2008 to 2015, and the spinoff Counting On, which aired from 2015 to 2021.
After stepping away from the world of reality TV, Jinger began to form her own ideas about faith with the help of her husband, Jeremy Vuolo, whom she married in 2016. “I’m grateful for my childhood. It was not perfect … but at the end of the day, I’m grateful for my parents,” Jinger said on the “Unplanned” podcast in June 2024. “I love them, we have differences, everything’s not perfect between us, but I think that at the end of the day, I love them and I know that they know that.”
Jinger previously opened up about her upbringing in her books The Hope We Hold and Becoming Free Indeed, detailing the quirks of her religious background and the different perspectives she has now. Her latest memoir, People Pleaser, which debuts in January 2025, will delve deeper into the “not-so-healthy path” she was on.
“I realized I was a people-pleaser from the time I was a teen. … There [is] people-pleasing that shows up in everybody’s life, every single day and I think that’s why now is the time to write this book,” she said on the “Jinger & Jeremy” podcast in September 2024. “It’s such a problem and it will always be a problem.”
Scroll down for Jinger’s candid commentary on her unconventional upbringing:
Love Notes From Prison
Being part of a recognizable family came with a few surprises. “Guys would write from prison for my sisters. It was crazy,” Jinger said on the “Dinner Party With Jeremy Fall” podcast in July 2021. “We constantly had letters coming in the mail and it was like, ‘Oh, who is it for this time? Oh, it’s for Jana, oh, it’s for Jessa.‘ … It was mind blowing just to think that somebody thought they would walk right into your life and marry you, like, they were already basically proposing in their letters.”
Jinger added that some of the inmates might have believed the proposals were “legit,” saying, “I can understand how somebody would think, ‘Oh, I know you so well because I watched you from a child grow up,’ so they think that there’s a relationship there when there’s not. It’s like, a one-sided thing.”
‘Cult-Like’ Faith
Jinger exclusively told Us in January 2023 that she “definitely” recognized that her religious upbringing “was cult-like in many ways,” adding, “It was built on fear, manipulation, control and superstition, so all those things combined in how hard it is for kids to leave or adults to leave — anyone, really. … Once you hear the teachings, you’re not supposed to depart from those.”
In an interview with People that same month, Jinger said that she was often “crippled with anxiety” growing up due to the “fear and superstition” encouraged by Gothard’s “harmful” teachings. “I was terrified of the outside world,” she admitted. “The teaching I grew up under was harmful, it was damaging, and there are lasting effects.”
Bond With Her Sisters
In her 2023 book, Becoming Free Indeed, Jinger revealed that out of all nine of her sisters, she feels most connected to Jessa. “She is my closest sibling in age, only 13 months older than me. She is fifth and I am sixth of 19 Duggar kids,” Jinger wrote. “Growing up, Jessa and I were together all the time. Though all the Duggar girls shared the same room, I often felt like I was roommates with only Jessa. Our beds were next to each other for my entire childhood.”
Jinger and her siblings were first featured on TV in 2004 before 19 Kids and Counting premiered in 2008. “I look at those years and I’m really grateful for the opportunities that I was able to have,” she exclusively told Us in January 2023 while reflecting on growing up in the spotlight. “Like, we traveled the world, things that we wouldn’t have been able to do as a large family. At the same time, I can say I saw, also, those challenges [that came with it].”
At the time, Jinger explained that she and Vuolo “talked about” whether they wanted to raise their own children in the public eye. (The couple welcomed daughters Felicity and Evangeline in 2018 and 2020, revealing in 2024 that baby No. 3 is on the way.)
“I spent most of my life on TV. … That was my childhood,” she told Us. “Like, that was all I knew. I played with the boom mics and all of that, but [my kids are] just so not used to it. So it’s kind of interesting to see.”
The Family Rules
Fans have long been fascinated with the Duggar family’s strict expectations for their children under the IBLP teachings. “I thought I had to wear only skirts and dresses to please God. Music with drums, places I went or the wrong friendships could all bring harm,” Jinger told People in January 2023.
During an appearance on the “Unplanned” podcast the following year, Jinger admitted that many of the “man-made” rules “don’t make sense,” like not being allowed to wear T-shirts. “If you have a normal shirt, you’re allowed to roll up your sleeves,” she explained. “But you can’t buy a T-shirt that has the sleeves already off.”
There were also guidelines put in place for courtship, with dates requiring a chaperone. “You know, you can’t kiss before you’re married, you can’t hold hands … [but] I don’t see that in the word of God,” Jinger told Us in January 2023, revealing how she plans to approach the topic with her own children. “I don’t think that courtship is a word that we’re gonna use with them at all because I don’t think that that’s the only way to find a spouse — or the best way — at all.”
Living With 18 Siblings
Jinger admitted on “Unplanned” in June 2024 that she was “afraid” of the pressures to have “as many [kids] as possible” before she became a parent. She recalled having to take care of two of her own siblings when she was younger.
“I think that parents should take care of their kids. If you have them, you should take care of them. Kids can help out, learn responsibility in other ways, but maybe not in the motherly aspects of what moms or dads should be doing,” she said. “You have all these imbalances of kids raising kids. I think that I saw that a lot in the system and I think that that is unhealthy.”
Jinger also remembered the IBLP teachings impacting her family’s life in unexpected ways. “We would never do organized sports because we were afraid of influences around us,” she said. “And so we would do a family sport in the community … and we would all play that together. … Looking back, I’m like, ‘Oh, I wish I would’ve had maybe more opportunities to explore what I was really interested in in that way.’”
Not Enough Food
During an August 2024 episode of the “Jinger & Jeremy” podcast, Jinger spoke candidly about growing up with 18 siblings. “I remember a few times when we were very young some of my siblings would take their food, take their plate of food — get ready for this, it’s disgusting — in the bathroom,” she recalled. “They would carry it and put it on the bathroom counter, my mom would be like, ‘Don’t do that.’ They’re like, ‘They’re going to eat it.’”
Jinger added, “That’s literally what they thought, ‘I’m not going to be able to eat my food because somebody’s going to take it and we might not have enough food for seconds today.’”
Season 5 of Miss Scarlet is all about change, but newbie Tom Durant-Pritchard is just like Us rooting for Eliza Scarlet to find her happily ever after.
“We all need love, do you know what I mean?” Durant-Pritchard, 37, exclusively told Us Weekly while playing coy as to whether his character, the new Scotland Yard Inspector Alexander Blake, will be a new love interest for private investigator Eliza (Kate Phillips).
The actor is replacing Stuart Martin’s Inspector William Wellington a.k.a. The Duke in the upcoming season of the PBS Masterpiece Mystery show, which premieres on Sunday, January 12. (The early streaming release began on December 8, 2024, on the PBS App and the PBS Masterpiece Prime Video Channel.)
Unlike William, who was in love with Eliza for years before taking a job in New York City at the end of season 4, Blake doesn’t like private investigators. That aversion to Eliza’s profession, however, might be short-lived, according to Durant-Pritchard.
“Blake doesn’t want any PIs working with Scotland Yard, but there’s that classic thing with Miss Scarlet is you can’t deny that she’s very good at her job,” he told Us. “And Blake is a sensible man and comes to appreciate the fact that as much as he doesn’t want Ms. Scarlet to get involved in any of the cases, she’s kind of too good to ignore.”
He teased, “So begrudgingly he has to allow her to take part.”
While the two butt heads right out the gate — during the premiere they cross paths on a tricky case involving stolen goods — Durant-Pritchard explained they have a few things in common that could bond them.
“He’s gone through his own heartbreak that is different to Miss Scarlet,” the season 5 star shared. “But they find each other at a time when they’re in their company. They need each other in a way.”
Durant-Pritchard noted that there’s a “reluctance” to Blake and Eliza “getting on” when he first comes to town but that changes as the seasons progresses.
“You see a sort of friendship building. There is something between them as much as they both don’t want it to happen,” he teased. “There’s a relationship building.”
Durant-Pritchard explained that even though Eliza wants to have a clean break from William — fans will see how the two formally part ways during the season 5 premiere — healing from heartbreak “is never that simple.”
The English actor revealed that Eliza’s feelings from season 4 will “feed into what happens in season 5.” When it comes to how she will connect with Blake and weasel her way into more cases, Durant-Pritchard said it will come down to proving herself at work.
“There are some great cases that are quite big that require quite a lot of mental strength,” he shared. “And the bond that Blake and Ms. Scarlet have to form to solve those cases, kind of allow the past to stay in the past and they have to start building their own relationship and future between them.”
Durant-Pritchard remained somewhat coy about whether Blake and Eliza’s dynamic will become romantic — but he didn’t rule it out completely.
“You can expect two, single people in a state of heartbreak, going about their business to the best of their ability,” he told Us. “And as much as they don’t want to spend time with one another as the season progresses, they end up having to spend more and more time together and get to know each other better and better as time goes on.”
While Blake and Eliza start off on a rocky foot, Durant-Pritchard had an easy time getting along with the show’s leading lady.
“Kate is a fantastic actor, and she’s a great person. It’s very easy to just hang out and have that,” he gushed about Phillips, 35. “I’ve come from a background of doing my fair share of comedies, and we share a love of comedy [and] rom-coms, all the work of Hugh Grant over the years.”
Durant-Pritchard revealed that he and Phillips connected over their love of movies and spent a lot of time getting to know each other’s ticks. (Durant-Pritchard picked Four Weddings and a Funeral and “all the Bridget Jones’s” as his favorite rom-coms.)
“We spoke, I think, every day from about 8 in the morning til 7 at night, and we spent every second together,” he recalled. “We just got on so well that it was just very easy on set.”
As fans gear up for new dynamics in season 5 of Miss Scarlet, Durant-Pritchard gave Us his vision for season 6 — assuming Blake sticks around.
“I would like to see how his relationship with Ms. Scarlet progresses through time,” he said, hinting that he too is team Eliza finding love. “To see if they can maintain a kind of working relationship and then anything else that happens is a boon, I guess.”
Season 5 of Miss Scarlet premieres on Masterpiece Mystery on PBS Sunday, January 12, at 8 p.m. ET.
Lala performs her sidekick duties by lounging in her tufted doggie bed alongside Cumming, 59, as he has one-on-one conversations with each cast member on the Peacock reality show, and she looks fabulous doing it, donning sumptuous cloaks and trendy tartans.
It turns out that Lala has a real rags-to-riches tale, with Cumming and husband Grant Shaffer adopting her in February 2016 before she made her debut on The Traitors during season 2.
“When we got her from @socialteesnyc she had just arrived from Costa Rica where she’d been taken off the streets by a kind vet because she was pregnant,” Cumming revealed in a 2022 Instagram post. “After her puppies were born and adopted, nobody wanted Lala (I know!!) until a very lovely American lady took her back to NYC where she was fostered for a week or so by another lovely lady until she found her forever home with me, Jerry and @granteepants. Alas, less than a week later she had to have emergency surgery as a piece of gauze had been left inside her when she was spayed!! But she is a fighter AND a lover and now an internationally renowned and beloved sensation!”
Scroll down to see Lala’s sensational style moments from The Traitors season 3:
Renée Zellweger’s blink-and-you-missed-it marriage to country singer Kenny Chesneywas so short-lived that even the actress herself sometimes forgets it ever happened — but at the time, it was one of the biggest celebrity dramas around. Twenty years on, let’s look back at what really became of Renée ‘n’ Kenny…
How it Began
It was at NBC’s Concert of Hope (a tsunami aid telethon) in January 2005 that Zellweger, now 55, and Chesney, now 56, first met — but this was no chance encounter. The Bridget Jones actress had already planned to pass a note to the country star after admiring him from afar. Chesney, meanwhile, had cited her as one of his top celebrity crushes in a 2002 interview with The Tennessean, saying “Here’s a country girl who’s still down to earth. You never see her coming, then — wham! — there she is. And that makes her really, really sexy. Plus she seems like the kind of girl who could fit in and be at home anywhere.” His 1999 song, “You Had Me From Hello,” was also rumored to have been inspired by seeing the actress utter a nearly-identical line in 1996’s Jerry Maguire.
The story, as told by entertainment expert and former People magazine Editor-in-Chief Jess Cagle, goes that after the telethon, where Chesney was performing and Zellweger was answering phones, he approached her and said “I hear you are trying to pass me a note — don’t let the principal find out!” and the pair promptly started getting to know each other.
“They had each other from hello,” said Cagle at the time. “At that point, they exchanged numbers and emails and started this sort of long-distance relationship that became a real romantic thing.”
The first public hint of a romance between the pair came in April, when Zellweger unexpectedly appeared on stage with Chesney at his show in Jacksonville, Florida, presenting him with a margarita and kissing him on the cheek.
How Long it Lasted
This is the part that got everybody talking.
After less than four months of dating, the couple got married in May 2005 in an intimate ceremony at Chesney’s private estate on St.John in the U.S Virgin Islands. Zellweger wore a Carolina Herrera gown and was walked down the aisle by her father, with 35 close friends and family members in attendance.
It all seemed dreamy, but after less than four months, Zellweger filed for an annulment, citing “fraud” as the reason for the split.
How it Ended
When news of the shocking breakup went public, there was fierce speculation about what “fraud” might mean, even leading to intrusive speculation about Chesney’s sexuality (which he later addressed head-on).
Zellweger released a statement to clear things up, saying she wanted to “clarify that the term ‘fraud’ as listed in the documentation is simply legal language and not a reflection of Kenny’s character.” She added: “I would personally be very grateful for your support in refraining from drawing derogatory, hurtful, sensationalized or untrue conclusions and greatly appreciate your understanding that we hope to experience this transition as privately as possible.”
Chesney responded to Zellweger’s statement with his own words. “This is an incredibly sad time,” he said. “I just hope everyone can respect the privacy that I know Renée has already asked for.”
But still the gossip rumbled on, forcing the couple to issue yet another statement — this one, together, and via their reps. They said: “The miscommunication of the objective of their marriage at the start is the only reason for this annulment. Renée and Kenny value and respect each other and are saddened that their different objectives prevent the success of this marriage.”
Both stars mostly laid low in the immediate aftermath but in November 2005, two months after the annulment, Chesney was complimentary towards his ex in an interview on The View. “She and I fell in love like a couple of schoolkids,” he said. “I’m glad to know that can happen, that that exists and we still really care about each other. It would’ve been a bad thing if I hadn’t met her. She’s wonderful. I don’t want to sit here and go: ‘Poor me.’ I am totally blessed, and I’m grateful for it.”
What They Say Now
Now that more time has passed since the brief, some might say doomed marriage, both parties have felt more able to speak about what really went down.
“I think people need to live their lives the way they want to, but I’m pretty confident in the fact that I love girls,” said Chesney in a 2009 Playboy interview. “I’ve got a long line of girls who could testify that I am not gay. In order for us to get an annulment, the legal papers could claim either physical abuse, which wasn’t true, or three or four other things that also weren’t true. The best thing we could put in there was fraud. So I said, ‘All right, do it. Whatever’.”
In a 2010 interview, he gave a few more details — and it sounded like he simply wasn’t ready for marriage. “I look at my life as a box,” he said. “So everything that I put in — learn how to play guitar, put that in the box. The friends I made. I put that in the box, and my career grew. That box grew into this wonderful house… And you protect everything and all the relationships and all the people that helped you build that house. “It was out of the box. [Renée’s] a sweet soul, no doubt about it, but I just wasn’t ready…. This is the first time I’ve actually talked about it, but that’s what happened.”
In another Playboy interview, in 2015, Chesney was even more reflective about the turn of events, and the impact on his life. “Nothing positive at all in my life came from it, I can tell you that,” he said. “I didn’t have any clue as to what true marriage meant. I was so used to committing to one thing — music — and then I had to totally commit to a second thing, marriage. I didn’t know how. It was a scary moment for me. I had never really had any kind of attention from the paparazzi. It went from zero to the complete other end of the spectrum. I’d go to a concert and there would be helicopters circling, trying to get a picture of me and her together. I thought it would be like that all the time. I just totally panicked. I did the only thing I knew to do: I ran. I pushed her away, in every way possible—to the point where I just didn’t want to be married to her anymore. It’s that simple. I still struggle with it. Was it the right thing to do or not? I still think about her every day. Every day I wonder if she’s okay. I mean, you don’t just fall out of love with somebody.”
More recently, in a 2023 interview with Billboard, Chesney talked about how his experience with Zellweger had made him conduct his life more privately. “One of the reasons I’m so private is when my life started to change and people started caring at a different level, the only thing I could keep to myself was the intimate details of my life,” he said. “What is interesting is we were playing stadiums already, and after that … I didn’t have social anxiety before that, then you add our success and then you add that to your life and you have a little bit of social anxiety. And now, dealing with the way the world is today and how social everything is, and how information is transferred — yeah, you’d have to be crazy to want to be a celebrity today.”
Zellweger has also spoken about the tumultuous period of her life, and said in a 2016 interview with The Advocate that the speculation about Chesney’s sexuality really upset her. “It made me sad that somehow people were using that as a way to be cruel and calling someone gay as a pejorative, which has fateful consequences,” she said. “Of course, there’s the bigger-picture problem of why anyone had to make up a story at all. I’m an old-fashioned gal who doesn’t feel it’s appropriate to hang out your laundry on the lawn. I feel you devalue yourself as a human being when you share very personal things with a bajillion strangers who are making fun of you. I just don’t see that there’s any dignity in that.”
Zellweger added that she often forgot the marriage had ever happened, saying “It’s a pretty big thing to forget, isn’t it?”
Key Relationship Takeaways
Looking back, it seems like these two just got carried away with the romance and passion of falling in love after admiring each other from afar — but forgot to actually figure out if they were compatible. Both in their mid thirties at the time, getting married probably felt like the obvious thing to do.
Two decades later, both are in long-term relationships — just not with each other. Chesney has been dating model and dancer Mary Nolan since 2012 — and their relationship is extremely private — while Zellweger has been with British TV star and motor specialist Ant Anstead since 2021. Interestingly, though, neither party has ever married again; did those disastrous few months put them both off for life?