Movie icon and super spy James Bond seemed to be on another rise to the top of the box office just a few years ago, but things have been almost as quiet as a shot from a Walther PPK with a silencer ever since then. Daniel Craig took on the role in 2006 with Casino Royale and passed the baton with 2021’s No Time to Die in one of the most heart-wrenching endings in Bond’s cinematic history (you cried, just admit it).

The only thing sadder is the reason why we haven’t seen a new Bond movie since then.

The Wall Street Journal reports that Amazon and Barbara Broccoli, the producer who inherited the franchise from her father and film producer Albert “Cubby” Broccoli when he died in 1996, are in the middle of an ugly fight that’s halted production on the next Bond film. Apparently, Barbara doesn’t trust Amazon with her family’s famous film franchise.

How bad is it? Well, here’s a quote from Barbara to some of her friends explaining how she feels about the people who run Amazon’s media empire: “These people are f—ing idiots.” Man, that’s awkward with a capital “awk.”

The stalemate started back in 2021 when Amazon bought MGM for $8.5 billion and thus acquired the rights to distribute Bond films, according to Variety. The deal seemed like a big move for Amazon to weave its way into Hollywood using one of its most storied and rock solid film franchises.

Unfortunately for Amazon, the true power over the James Bond films lies with Broccoli. She supplies the ideas for Bond’s big screen adventures and when they go into production, and Broccoli isn’t keen on working with Amazon anytime soon. The WSJ spoke to 20 people familiar with the feud who say Broccoli feels Amazon isn’t the right place for a Bond movie because its core business is retail and ecommerce.

When Amazon purchased MGM, clinching the rights to the Bond franchise was a key part of the deal’s value. Broccoli and co-producer Michael Wilson had some reservations but were assured they would still retain creative control. COVID lockdowns were already making it hard to jump into the next Bond film production as well. However, things seemed to be smoothing over between the two parties when Amazon also insisted that its next Bond movie No Time to Die would get a theatrical release.

But as soon as the deal closed, Amazon executives started thinking of ways to expand the Bond film franchise to other mediums like a Moneypenny spinoff series for Prime Video or a separate spy film or TV show that took place in the Bond universe. Broccoli refused to let any of these projects go forward. She also took umbrage with Amazon entertainment executive Jennifer Salke’s use of the word “content” to describe new James Bond projects and any ideas Amazon had for Bond were labeled “TBD” in memos. To date, the only Bond property Amazon could get Broccoli to sign off on is a reality series 007: Road to a Million that’s entering its second season.

Broccoli and her family have been part of the Bond movie franchise for almost as long as she lived so she’s fiercely protective of the brand and her father’s cinematic legacy. She’s also started training Wilson’s son Gregg to produce recent installments and possibly prepare him to take over the franchise someday. Even that has led to disagreements over who should play Bond in the next film. That’s assuming we get one and it doesn’t look like that will happen anytime soon.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/james-bond-the-movie-franchise-not-the-spy-may-be-in-deep-jeopardy-211608094.html?src=rss

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© VCG via Getty Images

• Ariana Grande is dating her "Wicked" costar Ethan Slater.
• Slater is a Broadway actor who rose to fame starring as Spongebob in "The Spongebob Musical."
• Here's what to know about Slater, from his notable roles to his relationship with ex-wife Lilly Jay. 

Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater's relationship is facing renewed interest amid the release of "Wicked" and a personal essay published by Lilly Jay, Slater's ex-wife.

In July 2023, multiple outlets including People magazine and TMZ reported that Grande, 31, and her "Wicked" costar Slater, 32, were dating. The reports came days after news broke of Grande's separation from her husband, Dalton Gomez. 

Grande and Slater presumably met through their roles in the two-part film adaptation of the "Wicked" musical. Grande portrays Glinda, the popular girl at Shiz University, and Slater plays Boq, a classmate from Munchinland who has an unrequited crush on her but becomes the love interest of Elphaba's younger sister Nessarose (Marissa Bode).

Here's everything to know about Slater.  

Slater is an actor who rose to fame playing Spongebob on Broadway

For his star turn as the plucky yellow sponge in the 2017 musical adaptation of "Spongebob Squarepants," Slater received several accolades, including a Tony Award nomination and a Drama Desk Award win in 2018. He also starred in the Classic Stage Company's production of "Assassins," which ran until January 2021, and has had roles on shows including "Law & Order: SVU" and "Fosse/Verdon." 

Slater more recently starred in the Broadway revival of "Spamalot," which closed in April after a 24-week run. 

Shortly after news broke of his rumored relationship with Grande, Slater's Instagram page was made private. When viewed by Business Insider before Slater made the account private, the page mostly featured clips from his past and coming projects, as well as a blurry selfie with his then-wife, Jay. 

Slater shares a son with his ex-wife, Lilly Jay

Slater and Jay, a clinical psychologist in perinatal mental health and child development, met in high school and married in 2018. They welcomed their first child together, a son, in August 2022. 

In People's July 2023 report about Grande and Slater's relationship, a source said that Slater and Jay had separated, though they didn't give an exact timeframe for the separation. TMZ reported that Slater filed for divorce from Jay on July 26, 2023.

Jay later addressed Slater's romance with Grande in an interview with Page Six, calling the singer "not a girl's girl" and saying her family was "just collateral damage" in the controversy. 

Grande first sparked her own divorce rumors after she was spotted at a Wimbledon match without her wedding ring or engagement ring on July 16, 2023.

A day after the singer was seen without her rings at Wimbledon, TMZ reported that Grande and Gomez had been separated for several months and were "heading for divorce." The couple had been together since 2020 and married in 2021.

Grande and Gomez simultaneously filed for divorce in September 2023. Their separation date was listed in court documents as February 20, 2023.

Jay recently discussed her and Slater's divorce in an essay for The Cut, published on Thursday. In her essay, Jay avoided directly addressing Slater and Grande's relationship and instead focused on how her highly publicized divorce affected her. She also said that she and Slater continue to co-parent their child. 

"While our partnership has changed, our parenthood has not," Jay wrote. "Both of us fiercely love our son 100% of the time, regardless of how our parenting time is divided. As for me, days with my son are sunny. Days when I can't escape the promotion of a movie associated with the saddest days of my life are darker."

Libby Torres contributed to an earlier version of this story.

Paramount Pictures is hoping to spin-dash to success for a fourth time. The studio has confirmed that it is working on Sonic the Hedgehog 4 and is targeting a theatrical release of spring 2027 for the movie. No details have leaked about the plot, but it's likely that the project will see actors Ben Schwartz and Jim Carrey reprising their roles as Sonic and Dr. Robotnik.

The recent film adaptations of Sega's famous game franchise have become a consistent hit for Paramount. The first film secured the biggest opening weekend in history for a video game movie, only to be dethroned in 2022 by its own sequel. Sonic the Hedgehog 3, which adds Keanu Reeves to the already star-studded cast of the series, releases tomorrow. Variety is currently projecting the third entry to fall short of the financial bar set by Sonic the Hedgehog 2, but anything could happen. The movies have also received a television spin-off on Paramount+ due to air next spring. The show will delve into the backstory of Sonic's echidna ally Knuckles, voiced by Idris Elba.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/sonic-the-hedgehog-4-movie-confirmed-by-paramount-190234137.html?src=rss

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© Paramount Pictures

• Robb Report curated the gift bags for the 82nd annual Golden Globe Awards.
• The selected products and experiences are worth $1 million in total.
• The gift bag includes a private flight and stay in Finland to see the northern lights.

The gift bags offered at the upcoming Golden Globe Awards are, in a word, luxurious.

Hollywood's biggest stars will descend on The Beverly Hilton hotel on January 5, 2025, to attend the 82nd Golden Globes ceremony. Emmy-nominated comedian Nikki Glaser will host the event.

Not every nominee will snag a coveted award that night, but they can at least leave the venue with an impressive swag bag offering 28 products and experiences totaling $1 million. Each celebrity will also walk away with an Atlas Bespoke Weekender Bag.

Lifestyle outlet Robb Report curated this year's selection to encompass a wide breadth of interests, including culinary, beauty, and travel. Robb Report also curated the gift bag for the 2024 Golden Globes, which were valued at $500,000. Robb Report and the Golden Globe Awards are brands under Penske Media Corporation.

Luke Bahrenburg, head of luxury sales at Penske Media Corporation and the president of Robb Report, told the outlet that this year's gift bag is "the pinnacle of luxury."

The gift bag includes more than two dozen offers, but not every participant can take advantage of every offer. Although all 100 participants can opt for a one-night stay in a L'Ermitage Beverly Hills suite worth $1,500, only one can secure a private flight and vacation to Finland to view the northern lights. That trip is valued at $48,000.

The gift bag also advertises a $33,800 five-night vacation and wellness experience at Joali Being in the Maldives. A two-night vacation and whisky experience in Tasmania, Australia, is valued at $4,935.

Other gifts include a $469 LED light therapy face mask and a $2,000 rare bottle of Komos XO tequila. A wine tasting and dinner in Bordeaux, France, cost $272,000.

Representatives for Penske Media Corporation did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

• Every year, celebrities try to capitalize on the holiday season by releasing festive music.
• Singers like Mariah Carey, Ariana Grande, and Michael Bublé managed to perfect the cheesy art form.
• Others, like Taylor Swift, CeeLo Green, and Sia, released forgettable or cringeworthy Christmas albums.

The Christmas album is one of music's most storied and cheesy traditions.

While some celebrities have perfected the seasonal art form — either by reviving old classics or putting their own spin on the festive genre — others would've been better off leaving it alone.

Our six favorite and six least favorite examples are cataloged below, with each batch listed in chronological order.

If you're looking for a holiday gift, Masterclass has something that may catch your attention. As part of a special holiday offer, you can get two MasterClass annual memberships — one for yourself and one to give away as a gift — for the price of one. Memberships start at $120 per year, which lets you watch on one device at a time, $180 grants access to two devices simultaneously and allows for downloads, and a Family membership covers six devices. Your giftee will get the same level of membership you buy for yourself. 

If you have a loved one interested in filmmaking, cooking, business, writing or just generally improving themselves, MasterClass is the ideal gift. A membership includes access to 180 different big name instructors teaching on topics they know a lot about. Classes on offer sound like an A-list roll call: Martin Scorsese and Jodie Foster teach lessons on filmmaking, Mark Cubain lays out his business knowledge, Questlove shows you how to DJ and Margaret Atwood gives a seminar on writing.

Classes range from around two to six hours and are broken up into shorter lessens, usually between 10 and 20 minutes. There are even exercises and community forums to get you actually doing the things the teachers teach. Recently, MasterClass added series as part of its lineup, such as GOAT, which are 20 minute episodes covering a single topic (such as making a grilled cheese or playing pickleball) that feel more like a mini documentary than a lesson. The mobile app also offers series of short, swipeable videos, for a highly polished TikTok feel.

Engadget has tried out the service and found it to be like a really smart streaming service, where you get to watch masters talk about how they go about their craft. Even if you bought it to mostly learn about filmmaking, for instance, you can also about peripheral elements like comedy from Steve Martin, Kevin Hart and Judd Apataow. 

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/masterclass-subscriptions-are-buy-one-get-one-free-in-this-last-minute-gift-deal-140039669.html?src=rss

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© Masterclass

The current generation of consoles landed in roughly the same week in November 2020. At launch, the PS5 had seven new exclusive games to the Xbox Series’ two. Sony had a better showing too, with the likes of Demon Souls (sure, a remake) and Spider-Man: Miles Morales.

Four years on, the difference between the two consoles remains. We returned to the PlayStation 5 (in its slim iteration) and the Xbox Series X to see how the two approaches have fared. If you’ve been paying attention, you know the conclusion: estimates put PS5 console sales around double the latest Xboxes’.

Microsoft had two consoles, the entry-level Series S and the powerful Series X, while Sony went for largely the same power PS5, but with a disc-less iteration.

Engadget

The Xbox Series X is a solid way to play Microsoft titles, popular third-party games and everything Microsoft has available on Game Pass. But if you had to choose between buying the Series X or PlayStation 5, the latter has better exclusive games, a bigger base of gamers and a better controller. (Editor: Mat’s opinion, there.)

The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered, God of War Ragnarok, Spider-Man 2, and Astro Bot have all been platform exclusives, while long-running series like Final Fantasy appear first on Sony consoles.

The strongest weapon in Xbox’s arsenal, Game Pass, has been neutered over time too. The Game Pass Ultimate plan also feels less, well, ultimate. The company increased the monthly price of its top plan to $20, including day-one access to new titles and a large library of games for Xbox and PC. The new $15 a month Standard plan doesn’t give day-one access but does include a library of hundreds of games.

Things could change, however. Sony is now drip-feeding its games to PC, diminishing the draw of console exclusives, while Microsoft’s game developer spending spree has to bear fruit eventually. Right? Right?!

That might be a discussion for the next wave of consoles.

— Mat Smith

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The biggest tech stories you missed

• Balatro is an almost perfect mobile port

• Google’s NotebookLM Audio Overviews now let you call in with a question

• The Game Awards 2024: The 15 biggest announcements and new trailers including The Witcher 4 and Elden Ring

• The best stocking stuffer gifts under $50

HDMI 2.2 could make its debut at CES next month

Look out for an announcement January 6.

Just in time to make your mid-cycle console seem under-specced, we may see the next HDMI standard, HDMI 2.2, in a matter of weeks. According to an email from the HDMI Forum, a new HDMI specification will be announced on Monday, January 6, in Las Vegas. (Ready for all those huge expensive TVs from Samsung, LG, Sony and the rest.) It’s been seven years since HDMI 2.1 arrived. The new specs will bring higher bandwidth, according to the email. But that’s all we know, for now.

Continue reading.

A US Congressman tried (and failed) to fake his Spotify Wrapped for political gain

You can’t fake your love for the Boss!

A curious-looking post on X from US Rep. Josh Gottheimer got the New Jersey congressman in some mild trouble. Spotted by 9to5Mac, he shared what appeared to be his Spotify Wrapped playlist for the year, with one list consisting of Springsteen’s classic tracks. However, it was filled with formatting mistakes. He’d faked it.

He admitted to NJ Advance Media that he made a fake Spotify Wrapped list but says the tracks on each list are accurate. Gottheimer has since taken the post down and replaced it with a list of his most listened-to Springsteen tracks. He’s trying to save face because he’s in a heated race for New Jersey governor — and you know where Springsteen is a big deal? New Jersey.

Continue reading.

How to use Genmoji to make your own custom emojis

You need an iPhone or iPad with Apple Intelligence.

Apple

Genmoji are custom emojis you can create if you’ve installed the iOS 18.2 or iPadOS 18.2 update. They are the emojis of your imagination, made real with help from Apple Intelligence — you describe what emoji you want to see, like a sad cowboy or an octopus DJ. You’ll need a device compatible with Apple Intelligence. That includes every iPhone 16 model, iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, as well as iPad models with the M1 chip or later, and iPad mini (A17 Pro). Then, well, read on for a confusion-free guide.

Continue reading.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/engadget-newsletter-playstation-vs-xbox-in-2024-121559189.html?src=rss

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© Aaron Souppouris/Engadget

• Modern Christmas songs are gaining popularity alongside classic holiday tracks.
• Artists may be motivated by the seasonal streaming boost for holiday music.
• Our 15 favorites include hits by Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande, Taylor Swift, and Sabrina Carpenter.

Come December, everyone is bound to hear the seasonal staples, from Bing Crosby's "I'll Be Home for Christmas" and Brenda Lee's "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" to Paul McCartney's "Wonderful Christmastime" and, of course, reigning queen of year-end festivities Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas Is You."

But if you're looking to enjoy newer additions to the holiday music canon, look no further.

Many singers are eager to dabble in sleigh bells, stocking-stuffer puns, and Yuletide cheer — and surely the annual streaming boost for holiday favorites is a compelling factor.

Our 15 favorite modern Christmas songs are listed below, in chronological order of release.

• Actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson and director Sam Taylor-Johnson have been married since 2012. 
• They met through the 2009 movie "Nowhere Boy," which starred Aaron and was directed by Sam. 
• They have two daughters together, in addition to two daughters from Sam's previous marriage. 

Actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson, 34, and director Sam Taylor-Johnson, 57, have been together for more than a decade. 

The pair, who have an age difference of 23 years, met through the 2009 film "Nowhere Boy" and have spoken about their long-lasting romance in various interviews. 

Here's a complete timeline of their relationship. 

2008: They meet when Aaron auditions for the role of John Lennon in 'Nowhere Boy,' Sam's feature film debut

Their exact ages at the time of their first meeting remain largely unclear. 

Various publications have said that he was 19 and she was 42 when they made the movie, which was released in 2009. The Hollywood Reporter said that Aaron was 18 at the time. Fans have speculated that she knew the actor when he was younger because she was a family friend, but Business Insider could not verify any of these claims.

The Telegraph UK reported that Sam and Aaron met at the audition in 2008, a year prior to the film's release.

In a 2017 interview with The Sunday Times UK, Sam (née Taylor-Wood) said the couple almost didn't meet because Aaron was only available to audition on a date that she was absent.

Aaron had a limited schedule because he was filming "Kick-Ass." Meanwhile, Sam and her first husband, an art dealer named Jay Jopling, had split after 11 years of marriage and she was moving out of their shared home on the day that Aaron was free. So, Aaron auditioned for the biopic at her house.

"It was so inconvenient," Sam said. "In the end, I was like, 'OK, he'll have to come to my home.' I opened my door to John Lennon. I instantly knew he was the guy."

Sam's divorce from Jopling, with whom she shares daughters Anjelica and Jessie Phoenix, was made public in September 2008. Anjelica Jopling also had a small role in "Nowhere Boy" as a younger version of John Lennon's sister, Julia. 

Sam told The Telegraph UK that she was immediately impressed by how much Aaron prepared for his audition.

"I could see how much research he'd done already just by the way he was standing and the few words he said," she recalled.

Aaron later told Harper's Bazaar that he still remembers how Sam looked at that first audition. 

"I remember it very, very clearly," he said. "I know exactly what she was wearing. This white shirt that she still has, that I love. It definitely changed my life, though not in the way I expected."

Aaron has spoken out about their age gap multiple times. Speaking to The Telegraph UK in 2019, the actor said: "When I met Sam I'd already lived a life far beyond that of most of my contemporaries – I didn't relate to anyone my age. I just feel that we're on the same wavelength."

The stars say that they kept things professional on the set of their movie

IndieWire reported that principal photography for "Nowhere Boy" began in Liverpool, UK on March 8th, 2009. 

"We had this intense connection," Sam told The Sunday Times UK of working with the young actor.

"He was very intense and absolutely mind made-up," she said of how their relationship blossomed. 

The director also told The Telegraph UK that they clicked from the start.

"We were very professional through the entire film," the couple told Harper's Bazaar in 2019. "No funny business at all."

Sam also said that "everyone on set knew" that they had a connection. 

2009: Aaron proposes to Sam after wrapping the film

"As soon as we finished, he told me he was going to marry me," Sam told Harper's Bazaar. "We had never been on a date, or even kissed."

"And a year to the minute after we met, exactly one year to the minute, I got down on one knee and asked her to marry me," Aaron said. 

The actor later reflected on their engagement in an interview with The Telegraph UK, saying: "I knew instantly that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with this person."

He added: "I knew I wanted a family with her, I knew I wanted kids, and a month later she was pregnant with our first child."

Sam and Aaron, then 19, announced their engagement at the UK premiere of "Nowhere Boy" in fall 2009.

November 27, 2009: Sam tells The Guardian that she and Aaron have been living together for a while

"I'm not surprised, I'm happy," she told The Guardian when asked if she was caught off guard by the progression in her relationship with Johnson. "We've been living together for ages... since about March."

Sam also said that Aaron got along well with her kids from her previous marriage and "it all felt strangely natural."

The director said that she and Aaron didn't date while working on "Nowhere Boy," but she felt a strong connection to him.

"I managed to hold off really until almost the end of the film," she said.

Her interviewer, Simon Hattenstone, noted earlier in the story that he visited the set of "Nowhere Boy" back in March and observed Sam and Aaron arm-in-arm, acting "like teenagers in love" and wearing matching jackets that only they had. 

"We weren't even together then," Sam said when Hattenstone mentioned his set visit. "Maybe feelings were there but unacted upon. The thing is, we had quite a psychic link when we were working together. I knew from a flicker of an eyelash what kind of performance I was going to get. I felt that link almost from day one of meeting him."

April 2, 2010: Aaron speaks about fatherhood during an appearance on 'Friday Night With Jonathan Ross'

The interview occurred while Sam was pregnant with the couple's first child. Aaron said that he wasn't nervous because he was already acting as a step-father to Sam's two daughters from her first marriage.

July 2010: Their 1st child together, daughter Wylda Rae, is born 

Sam was 43 and Aaron was 20 at the time of their baby girl's birth. People magazine reported that Wylda was born in London.  

March 4, 2011: Sam directs R.E.M.'s music video for "ÜBerlin," which stars Aaron

The track was from the band's 15th studio album, "Collapse Into Now," released that year. The entire video showed Aaron dancing through the East End of London.  

January 18, 2012: Their 2nd child, daughter Romy Hero, is born 

People magazine reported that their baby was born at home in London. 

"Both mother and daughter are well," a rep said in a statement shared with the publication.

June 21, 2012: The couple gets married and changes their last name to Taylor-Johnson

Aaron, then 22, and Sam, then 45, wed in Somerset, England E! News reported.

Aaron told London's Evening Standard about the name change: "I just don't see why women need to take the man's name. I wanted to be a part of her just as much as she wanted to be part of me."

January 2015: Sam speaks about the 'stability' of their relationship and gushes about Aaron being an attentive father 

"Being in an amazing relationship, having come out of a difficult one, it felt so good," Sam told The Guardian while promoting "Fifty Shades of Grey," which she was encouraged to direct by Aaron. "And I feel like that stability has enabled me to get on with doing this momentous project."

"The great thing about Aaron is that he's happy not working and being at home with the kids while I work," the director added. "We're actually fighting over it. He's like, 'No no, I like being an at-home dad, doing the cooking and the school runs.'"

April 2015: Aaron says that it was 'important' for him to hyphenate his name after they wed

"It was so important to me," the actor told The Guardian in 2015 of seeing his name written as Taylor-Johnson for the first time in the credits for his 2012 movie "Anna Karenina."

"Actually I wanted it on 'Savages' as well but they told me the posters had already gone out," he added, referring to another of his films released earlier in 2012. "Then they said: 'Look, we hired Aaron Johnson.'"

The "Angus, Thongs, and Perfect Snogging" star told the publication that he fought for his name to be updated in "Anna Karenina" after that experience.

"I said: 'I want it changed! This is important,'" he recalled.

"It felt beautiful," he said of seeing the final product. "It felt right."

January 8, 2017: Aaron gives his wife a shout-out after winning a Golden Globe for his role in Tom Ford's 'Nocturnal Animals'

In his acceptance speech for best supporting actor in a motion picture, the actor said, "I want to thank my wife for being there with me and supporting me through this. Thank you for putting up with me, Jesus, I was not very pleasant in this role. You're my soulmate and I love you very much. I'm blessed. I have four beautiful daughters: Anjelica, Phoenix, Wylda, and Romy, I love you all very much."

February 2017: Aaron says that the public's fixation on their relationship is 'intrusive'

"The attention was intrusive," he told New York Magazine of the early reaction from people.

"But having to deal with that early in my career probably got me to a place where I can more quickly just go, 'Oh, fuck it' instead of wanting to rip someone's head off for asking questions I don't like," he added.

March 2017: Aaron reveals that he has a tattoo of his wife's name on his chest near his heart

The "Avengers: Age of Ultron" star no longer has an Instagram account but when he did, he posted a photo in honor of Sam's 50th birthday with the caption "forever in my  ❤."

The tattoo was also seen in the couple's joint photo shoot for a 2019 Harper's Bazaar feature. 

March 2017: Aaron gushes about fatherhood and feeling 'secure and loved and safe' in his relationship 

"I get more fulfillment from being a father than I do from being an actor," he said in an interview for Mr Porter. "I'm still constantly wanting to give it up." 

The actor also spoke about raising his daughters to be empowered.

"Their mum is one of the strongest, most independent women I know. A role model," he said.

Regarding his marriage, Aaron said, "I don't really analyze our relationship."

"I just know that it works," he continued. "I just feel secure and loved and safe. We have this very deep connection. We're just in sync."

June 2017: Sam says that her husband has an 'old soul' 

"I literally found my soulmate," she told The Sunday Times UK in June 2017. "I feel so blessed: every day I wake up happy."

She also described her and the actor, who she said has an "old soul," as "in such sync."

"We spend every minute of the day together," she said. "My friends call him Benjamin Button because he has — on the outside — such youth, and on the inside, he is so wise and settled. He doesn't like parties. He likes being at home and cooking for the family. He likes walking the dogs. He loves his chickens — he collects the eggs and makes breakfast for everyone."

"He is an amazing man," Sam added. 

The director also said that she's not bothered by their age gap because, "When you're solid with someone in your own love, you don't think about it."

June 2017: Sam comments on their age difference in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter

"If I gave a second thought to other people, I would be the unhappiest person, probably still in a miserable marriage," she said.

She continued: "People like to talk about it. I'm like, 'Yeah, but it works better than my last marriage.' It's lasted longer than a lot of my friends' marriages."

June 13, 2018: Sam posts a tribute to Aaron in honor of his 28th birthday

"HBD to the most incredible husband, father, man @aarontaylorjohnson I ❤️U," she captioned a photo of him that was shared on Instagram. 

June 21, 2019: Sam posts a black-and-white selfie of them for their 7th wedding anniversary

"Seven Years today ❤️" she captioned the Instagram post.

June 29, 2019: They attend Zoë Kravitz and Karl Glusman's wedding in Paris

"To the wedding we go... 🎩 @karlglusman @zoeisabellakravitz," Sam captioned a photo of her and Aaron heading to the event. 

Kravitz and Glusman's wedding was also attended by Jason Momoa (Kravitz's step-father) and her "Big Little Lies" costars. The couple's breakup was revealed in early 2021. 

August 2019: They participate in a joint interview for The Telegraph UK

"We just have that trust when we collaborate — we are not afraid to play," Aaron said of working with his wife. 

Sam said that they "had debates" while co-writing the script for their film "A Million Little Pieces," but Aaron said that they "rarely argue."

The director also called herself "lucky to have such a supportive husband" and said that working together for the film was "a dream come true."

"I really enjoy it," Aaron said. 'There's nothing more empowering than supporting my wife in her passions and ambitions; I've never felt more — what's the opposite of emasculated? Empowered."

Regarding their age gap, the actor also said: "I've never for a second felt a difference in age."

"Sam is far more outgoing and energetic and achieving than I am," he added.

November 2019: The couple says that collaborating on 'A Million Little Pieces' was their greatest decision

"It was the best thing we've ever done," Sam told Harper's Bazaar in their joint interview.

In response, Aaron added: "Even better because we did it together."

In the same interview, the couple said that in the time they've been together, they've "only been apart for maybe two or three days."

James Frey, the controversial author who admitted to fabricating details about his life in his 2003 memoir "A Million Little Pieces," conducted the couple's Harper's Bazaar interview. His book was adapted into a 2019 film of the same name, directed by Sam and starring Aaron as Frey. 

December 4, 2019: The couple appear on 'The Late Late Show With James Corden' and discuss collaborating on 'A Million Little Pieces'

Sam and Aaron also cowrote the screenplay for the movie. When asked about what it was like to direct her husband's sex scene in the film with costar Odessa Young, Sam said: "We wrote it together, so I kind of knew what we were getting into when we were writing it. And then it's another thing when you're filming it."

The director recalled "feeling something" while seeing the actors film the scene, especially because it was shot on Valentine's Day. 

December 2019: They say that after being together for more than 10 years, they aren't concerned with the chatter surrounding their relationship

"We've been together for over a decade now, so I feel like it is less of a conversation for people," Sam told The Daily Beast while discussing "A Million Little Pieces."

She continued, "It doesn't worry me, and it's not something that is difficult to talk about because it's such a positive story, that we're a decade later together and working together and raising a strong family together. That may be a positive message for people out there."

June 21, 2020: Sam posts a black-and-white photo in honor of their 8th anniversary

"8 years later. Happy anniversary ❤️ #aarontaylorjohnson ❤️," she captioned the photo, which showed them sitting together on massive rocks. 

That same day, Sam also posted a photo of him lounging in honor of Father's Day.

October 28, 2020: Aaron stars in musician Rhye's music video for 'Black Rain,' directed by Sam

Aaron danced shirtless by himself for the entirety of the four-minute-long music video. The song was included in Rhye's 2021 studio album "Home."

 

March 2021: It's reported that Sam and Aaron will team up for another film together

According to Deadline, the movie is called "Rothko" and is based on Lee Seldes' novel "The Legacy of Mark Rothko."

The film will also reportedly star Russell Crowe and "Chernobyl" actor Jared Harris.

April 2021: The couple reportedly lists their home in LA for $7.5 million 

The news was reported by Dirt on April 2, 2021.

The reported listing led fans to speculate about the couple's relationship status and suggest that the two stars were headed for a split. But selling a shared home doesn't necessarily mean they're breaking up. The pair could be selling their property to live elsewhere.

May 26, 2021: Sam reacts to Aaron being cast as the Marvel villain Kraven the Hunter in an Sony project

Multiple outlets reported Aaron's casting in late May. In the comics, Sergei Kravinoff/Kraven the Hunter is one of the most skilled game hunters and a popular foe of Spider-Man. The movie is set for release on August 30, 2024.

Sam weighed in on Aaron's role by posting an image of Kraven on Instagram with the caption, "My husband ❤️ #kraventhehunter #aarontaylorjohnson."

 

June 1, 2021: Celebrity tattoo artist Dr. Woo reveals that Sam got her husband's name inked near her collarbone

Dr. Woo posted a photo of Sam's new ink, which is Aaron's name written in cursive.

The artist also tattooed a hummingbird on Aaron's chest, near the tattoo of Sam's name that he got years prior.

"Captured a healed hummingbird on Aaron and added some love ✍🏼 for Sam ✨❤️" he captioned the Instagram post.

June 13, 2021: Sam shares a photo of Aaron in celebration of his 31st birthday

"Happy Birthday mon amour ❤️," she captioned an image of Aaron wearing a white dress shirt and sitting near a window. 

September 10, 2021: Sam documents a breakfast date with her husband

"Breakfast with the beast ❤️" the director captioned a photo posted on Instagram, which showed Aaron with his elbows resting on a table while dining at Animal Restaurant in Los Angeles, California. 

December 25, 2021: Sam posts photos of the couple celebrating Christmas at the beach

The first image, which was turned upside down, showed Aaron with his feet planted along the shoreline and his arms raised above his head. 

In the second photo, Sam leaped while waving her arms in the air. 

June 13, 2022: Sam shares a black-and-white photo of her husband in honor of his 32nd birthday

"Happy Birthday my darling husband ❤️ @aarontaylorjohnson," she captained the image, which showed him flipping into a pool.

June 21, 2022: The couple celebrate their 10th wedding anniversary by renewing their vows

In his Instagram post, Aaron said that the "beautiful day" involved professing their love "in front of our nearest and dearest friends and family."

"It was a celebration of love and joy!" he wrote. "A decade of marriage. It was a magical unforgettable day and the sun did not stop shining on us both.. we are blessed beyond belief. ❤️ Sammy you are my love, my life, my soulmate, my wife, my world!" 

Sam expressed similar sentiments in her post, which featured two photos of the couple kissing at the celebration.

"10 glorious years," she said. "My incredible husband, father to all 4 girls. I love you, I love you, I love you 💕 love conquers all."

July 2022: Sam joins Aaron on the press tour for 'Bullet Train'

Aaron starred as a contract killer with the codename Tangerine in David Leitch's action film.

Sam posed for photos with her husband at the premiere in Paris, France on July 18.

Two days prior, Sam shared a candid black-and-white photo of Aaron with "Bullet Train costars Brad Pitt, Brian Tyree Henry, and Joey King. 

August to December 2022: The couple share photos and videos from their globe-trotting adventures and home life

In August, Sam posted a video of a high-energy Aaron doing flips in what appeared to be their backyard. 

"He just ate a huge bowl of pasta and did this 10 times, it was only pesto…" Sam captioned the Instagram post. 

Later that month, Aaron shared a photo of the couple with the caption, "From Japan to Carnival." 

In September, they both posted a photo that was taken by one of their kids. 

"When your 10 yr old takes the best picture," Sam wrote on Instagram. 

Aaron and Sam shared additional photos on Instagram, one of which was taken in France. 

Then in December, they coupled up to explore the Galleria Lorcan O'Neill, a contemporary art museum in Rome, Italy. 

March 4, 2023: Aaron celebrates Sam's birthday by posting a trio of photos of the couple

"When you're lucky enough to find someone as mad as you… 💕 I love you 💕 Happy Birthday Baby 🎈@samtaylorjohnson 🎈" Aaron captioned the Instagram post.

June 13, 2023: On his 33rd birthday, Sam calls Aaron the 'sweetest husband and incredible father' 

"Happy Birthday dear heart ♥️ You're the sweetest husband and incredible Father to all our girls. We love you ♥️" Sam captioned a black-and-white photo of the actor, shared in honor of his birthday. 

June 19, 2023: Sam shares her support and excitement for Aaron's starring role in the 'Spider-Man' spin-off movie, 'Kraven the Hunter'

Sam posted the official poster for "Kraven the Hunter" on her Instagram with the caption, "Kraving my Hunter."

August 14, 2023: Aaron speaks about his relationship with Sam, fatherhood, and their family's life in the countryside in a cover story for Esquire 

In Esquire's September cover story, the star said that he turned down big acting opportunities after the births of his two daughters. 

"I wanted, purely, to be with my babies," he said. "I didn't want to be taken away from them. I battled with what that would be like."

Aaron also said that mundane activities, like "getting my kids ready in the mornings, taking them to school" are the kinds of activities that he finds the most fulfillment in. 

Esquire reported that Aaron and Sam bought a farmhouse in Somerset, England, in 2010 but didn't relocate there full-time until 2022 after selling their LA home. In his interview, Aaron gushed about having animals on their property, like pigs, and spoke about harvesting honey from bees on their property. 

As for his relationship with Sam, the actor said that it's inaccurate to say that their dynamic works because of their creative collaborations. 

"I think we're really great at collaborating. But that's not why I fell in love with her," Aaron said, adding that he knew he would be a young dad before they even met. 

"I was going to have a big family," he said. "I knew I was going to be a young father. I knew I was going to have many kids."

September 6, 2023: Sam shares a series of photos documenting the couple's summer adventures 

Amid a summer of shocking celebrity breakups, from Joe Manganiello and Sofia Vergara to Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner, the director proved that she and Aaron are stronger than ever. 

"Summer romance," Sam captioned her post on Instagram, which included several images of the couple together. 

March 4, 2024: Aaron celebrates Sam's 57th birthday with an Instagram post

Happy Birthday my darling @samtaylorjohnson," Aaron captioned a black-and-white image taken by photographer Alexi Lubomirski. "You're an exceptional woman, there's really no one I know quite like you. You are the most wonderful doting mother and beautiful role model to our 4 daughters. A gorgeous loving wife, you are my love, my soulmate and I'm always blown away by you. Your so cool. I couldn't be more proud and excited for this year ahead for you."

March 20, 2024: Aaron tells Rolling Stone UK that the fixation on him and Sam's age gap is 'bizarre'

Aaron told the publication that his life has always moved quickly and progressed at a faster rate than others.

"What you gotta realize is that what most people were doing in their 20s, I was doing when I was 13," he said.  

"You're doing something too quickly for someone else? I don't understand that," he continued. "What speed are you supposed to enjoy life at? It's bizarre to me."

Elsewhere in the interview, Aaron gushed about his wife and her Amy Winehouse biopic, "Back to Black."

"Sam is actually a great filmmaker and a wonderful storyteller," he said. "People will think there's sort of a bias to me saying it, but I think when they see 'Back to Black,' everyone's going to realize how fantastic a filmmaker she is."

April 8, 2024: Aaron supports Sam at the world premiere of her film 'Back to Black'

The biopic stars Marisa Abela as Amy Winehouse and Jack O'Connell as Blake Fielder-Civil, Amy's ex-husband.

April 2024: Sam talks about the 'uncomfortable' attention on her and Aaron's age gap 

"There are times where it's uncomfortable," Sam told The Hollywood Reporter of the scrutiny. "Most of the time we zone it out and stay pretty private. We tend to retreat. Kids and school runs keep you pretty grounded."

In a separate interview with The Guardian, the "Back to Black" director spoke about her relationship and said that their age difference isn't noticeable to the couple. 

"We're a bit of an anomaly, but it's that thing: after 14 years you just think, surely by now it doesn't really matter?" she said. 

Sam also said that she doesn't pay attention to hateful comments online or go out of her way to avoid social media because "it doesn't mean anything."

"It is just people upset with their own sadness; with misgivings about their own life," she said.

She also said that her children don't take on rude comments directed at the pair.

"They see two loving, happy parents, so it doesn't really register," Sam said. "They just think people are a bit mean, or mad."

In the same interview, Sam talked about the family enjoying their farm life since moving back to the UK. 

"I'll turn to Aaron and say, 'Should we get another dog?,' and he'll look at me for a minute and go, 'Yuh.' He always says yes to any mad thing I suggest. That's why we've got 14 animals," she said. 

May 17, 2024: Sam tells Time magazine that people were initially skeptical about how long her and Aaron's relationship would last 

Sam told Time that she's aware of the interest in their marriage, but her day-to-day with her husband is spent with their family, so she doesn't think about it. The director also said that she doesn't read anything in the press, whether it's about reviews or her personal life. 

"The thing is I live my life fairly fearlessly," she said. "I literally leap into every challenge with excitement. And I think if I read and took note of any of that I wouldn't be doing the amazing things I think I'm doing. I wouldn't make this film. I wouldn't have been in this amazing relationship for nearly 15 years."

"Everyone at the beginning said, 'It's a terrible idea, it's not gonna work,' and then you're like 15 years down the road and have raised four kids and you're like, 'Really?'" Sam added.

The filmmaker also said that she and Aaron don't look at each other through the lens of their age gap. 

"It's just a connection of souls and hearts and our life is our life where we're just moving through it in a gorgeous loving way," Sam said. "When people make films, or talk about it or question it or dissect it, it is so strange to me. When people fall in love, they fall in love."

She also said that she knows "nothing" regarding the rumors of Aaron being cast as the next Bond, but she'd "be so happy for him if that happens" and would want to direct the film. 

June 13, 2024: Sam shares a series of photos for Aaron's 34th birthday

"Happy Birthday my love ♥️," she captioned the Instagram post. 

July 14, 2023: The couple attend Wimbledon together 

Sam and Aaron attended the men's singles final, in which Carlos Alcaraz defeated Novak Djokovic in straight sets. Sam posted photos and videos on Instagram, showing her and Aaron in their color-coordinated white and off-white attire. 

September 24: Aaron posts images from his and Sam's getaway 

In the photos shared on Instagram, Aaron was seen smoking a cigarette, doing a handstand, and posing with Sam near a coastline.

December 2, 2024: Sam accompanies Aaron to the world premiere of 'Nosferatu' in Berlin

Robert Eggers directed and wrote the screenplay for "Nosferatu," which stars Bill Skarsgård as the grotesque Count Orlock and Lily-Rose Depp as the protagonist Ellen Hutter. Aaron plays a supporting role in the film as Friedrich Harding, a friend of Ellen's husband, Thomas Hutter (Nicholas Hoult).

December 10, 2024: Sam and her 2 eldest daughters join Aaron for the world premiere of 'Kraven the Hunter' in New York

Aaron and the cast and crew of "Kraven the Hunter" posed for photos at the film's red-carpet premiere at AMC Lincoln Square. Sam and her daughters from her first marriage, Angelica Jopling, 27, and Jessie Phoenix Jopling, 18, also posed with Aaron. The event marked the Joplings' red carpet debut. 

There are some things you just don’t do in certain parts of the US. You don’t use inferior salsa during a cattle drive in Texas. You don’t eat pizza with a knife and fork in New York City. You don’t yell “Belichick is a big, fat cheater!” in a crowded Boston bar (even if it happens to be true).

And if you’re in New Jersey or just America in general, you NEVER take the holy name of Bruce Springsteen in vain in ANY manner. So it’s bewildering why one New Jersey representative would even think about faking his listening habits when it comes to The Boss.

9to5Mac spotted a curious looking post on X from US Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ). The congressman shared what appeared to be his Spotify Wrapped playlist for the year, with one list consisting of Springsteen’s classic tracks like “Glory Days” and “Thunder Road” and the other filled with tracks from various hip hop stars. He tried to cement his esteem for Springsteen in his post by saying his “first ever concert was at Meadowlands to see The Boss!” Well, it didn’t take long for the internet and anyone who’s ever used Spotify to figure out that he faked the whole list just to kiss up to his constituents.

Gottheimer’s list included such glaring mistakes as inconsistent font sizes, improper spacing between the albums on his lists and the fact that both lists were titled “Your top songs” even though one only had Springsteen albums. He didn’t even use the same font type or size for all of his track and album entries.

So how did Gottheimer handle this musical faux pas with the press? He dug in his heels on his Springsteen tracks and blamed his two kids for the rest. He admitted to NJ Advance Media that he made a fake Spotify Wrapped list but says the tracks on each list are accurate because he shares an account with his children because that’s easier than going back in time and setting up a family plan.

“This would be my Spotify Wrapped if I didn’t share my account with my 12 and 15-year old kids,” Gottheimer told the outlet. “While it’s Springsteen all day for me — don’t get me wrong, I still love listening to Taylor Swift!”

Gottheimer has since taken the post down and replaced it with a list of his most listened to Springsteen tracks. He’s trying to save face because he’s in a heated race for governor and if you want a solid shot at moving into New Jersey’s governor mansion, then you need to make your love for The Boss known far and wide across the Garden State. If Gottheimer is also going for the “Dad who makes his kids cringe at their music choices” vote, then he’s a lock.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/a-us-congressman-tried-and-failed-to-fake-his-spotify-wrapped-for-political-gain-205516508.html?src=rss

©

© Gottheimer.house.gov

• The RIAA gives diamond certifications to songs that have gone platinum 10 times.
• "Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)" and "Halo" by Beyoncé are the most recent songs to receive the award.
• Listen to the complete playlist on Business Insider's Spotify.

The official diamond award was unveiled by the Recording Industry Association of America in 1999. In the years since then, it has been bestowed sparingly — only if a song has moved at least 10 million equivalent units by combining sales and streaming numbers.

Crucially, an artist or label must also request certification through an application process, which can lead to a delay in updated sales figures.

Keep reading for the RIAA's complete list of diamond-certified songs, in chronological order of certification date.

• The RIAA gives diamond certifications to songs that have gone platinum 10 times.
• More than 150 songs have been certified diamond and 33 artists have multiple songs on the list.
• Post Malone has the most with nine, followed by Rihanna and The Weeknd with seven apiece.

The official diamond award was unveiled by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in 1999. In the years since, it has been bestowed sparingly — if a song has moved at least 10 million equivalent units by combining sales and streaming numbers, and if an artist or label requests certification.

Over 150 songs have been certified diamond and 33 artists have multiple songs on the list. They're all listed below.

The expensive tech gets all the attention — thousand-dollar phones and $500 tablets. But the supporting players, the cables and batteries and chargers that make those devices work properly, are just as important. Right now for Black Friday, many of those smaller gadgets are on sale for less than $50 even after the day has passed. And there are even some standalone devices like earbuds and smart speakers that fall well below the threshold.

We’ve tested scads of these smaller, less expensive tech for Engadget buying guides, including the best power banks, iPad accessories, smart plugs and microSD cards. Here, we’ve gathered up all the Black Friday tech deals under $50 that you can still get on gadgets we recommend.

Black Friday tech deals under $20

Amazon

• Amazon Echo Pop (2023) for $18 ($22 off): Amazon’s smallest Echo will fit in any room in your home, so Alexa can add things to your shopping list, set a timer, or answer questions (like “What’s a bomb cyclone?” or “Who is Penelope Cruz married to?”) from anywhere.

• Anker Nano Charger 30W USB-C for $13 ($7 off): This compact 30-watt wall charger is smaller than others of its wattage and can speedily juice up an iPhone or Android handset. Anker is one of Engadget’s most recommended accessory brands and this is the model we picked for our fast charger guide. Get the same deal at Anker with an auto-applied code.

• Anker Nano power bank with built-in USB-C connector for $16 ($4 off): It’s the size of an old-timey lipstick case but packs enough juice (and its own USB-C plug) to get a dying smartphone back in service with at least a half charge. It’s one of the winners in our guide to power banks. Also direct from Anker with an auto-applied code.

• Halo: The Master Chief Collection for $10 ($30 off): As part of the Xbox Black Friday sale, you can save up to 55 percent on titles (some titles are going as low as $5). A number of our top picks for the best Xbox games are included in the sale, including this Halo collection, Death Stranding: Director’s Cut, Street Fighter 6 and Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred. And if you’re looking for more deals on game titles, check out Jeff Dunn’s Black Friday gaming roundup.

• Glocusent Tri-head clip-on book light for $16 ($4 off): Glocusent’s book light can stand on a desk or clip to a book and casts a wide swath of light across the widest of pages. It’s a pick in our book lovers gift guide.

• Beshon European travel plug adapter (two-pack) for $13 ($6 off with Prime): If you’re planning any trips abroad, take one of these, as Engadget’s Valentina Palladino recommends in our gifts for travelers guide. They come in versions made for Ireland, China and Japan, too.

• Elden Ring (PS4,PS5, Xbox) for $20 ($40 off): One of our favorite games is down to the best price we’ve tracked. It feels impressively handmade despite its epic scale that feels big but never superfluous. Also at Amazon.

• Amazon Smart Plug for $13 ($12 off): If you rely on Alexa as your smart home assistant, this is an affordable and reliable way to control your lamps, fans and Christmas lights. It was one of the more reliable and fuss-free plugs I tested.

• Anker Nano II 713 Charger (45W) for $20 ($20 off): This 45-watt charger has a single USB-C port and will let you take advantage of the faster charging speeds newer devices offer (just make sure you have an equally robust cable). It’s one of the picks in our iPad accessories guide. Also at Anker with an auto-applied code.

• Chipolo ONE for $20 ($5 off): Our favorite Bluetooth tracker overall is loud, compact and readily tells you when you’ve left your keys (or whatever else you attach them to) behind. If you’re looking for a finding network to locate things you’ve lost out in the wild, this isn’t the one to get, but for everyday locating misplaced keys in the house, this is great. 

• Belkin Apple AirTag secure holder for $15 ($5 off): AirTags are great, and we recommend them for iPhone users, but they have no built-in method for attaching them. This is one of the gizmos we recommend in our guide to secure the tag to your luggage and more. Also at Amazon.

• Elevation Lab TagVault (2 Pack) for $16 ($4 off with Prime): Another recommendation from our guide, Elevation Labs fabric mount is ideal for sticking an AirTag inside your coat, backpack or anything else you want to track. Also at Elevation Lab without Prime.

• PopSockets Phone Grip for $15 ($15 off): You can save 50 percent on the Pop Socket we recommend in our guide to iPhone accessories. Many other PopSockets are on sale directly from PopSocket for Black Friday.

• J-Tech Digital Ergonomic Mouse for $17 ($8 off): The best budget ergo mouse has a vertical grip that’s a little wider than others of its ilk, which we found to be more comfortable. There are RGB lights, which can be fun. But which can also be turned off.

• WAVLINK USB-C hub for $13 ($13 off): The budget pick in our guide to USB-C hubs has an HDMI port, three USB connections (two type-A and one type-C) plus a generous 10-inch cable to give you more options when plugging into your laptop or tablet.

• Anker USB-C 240W Bio-Braided cable for $12 ($5 off): A fast charger won’t do much if the cable isn’t rated to handle the wattage. This 240W Anker cable is pulled from our list of the best iPhone accessories and will charge those devices (or any other rechargeable item with a USB-C port) as quickly as the brick and device will allow.

• Peak Design Packable Tote for $16 ($4 off): We recommend this handy bag in our gift guide for travelers. We like that it zips shut, is water resistant and has a padded shoulder/hand strap. Plus it packs into itself and takes up just a little more room than a deck of cards.

The Best Black Friday subscription deals under $50

Max / Engadget

• Disney+ Hulu bundle (one-year) for $36 ($96 off): This Disney+ Black Friday deal gets you the ad-supported tiers of both Disney+ and Hulu (known as the Duo Basic bundle) for only $3 per month for one year. It's one of the best streaming deals of the seasons since it gives you the ability to catch up on all those classic Disney holiday movies, and the thousands of episodes of TV that Hulu has.

• Max subscription for $18 (6-month) ($42 off): You can get six months of Max with Ads for $2.99 monthly instead of the usual $9.99. The subscription will automatically renew at that rate each month until the end of the promo period, when it'll automatically renew for the full $10. New and returning subscribers are eligible through Max.com, Roku, Apple and other streaming ecosystems, but is only open to new subscribers via Amazon Fire TV.

• Paramount+ Showtime (two months) for $6 ($20 off): New and former subscribers can get two months of Paramount+ Essential (with ads, usually $8 monthly) or Paramount+ with Showtime (ad-free, usually $13 monthly) for just $3 per month. It's one of our favorite streaming services and the best place to watch as much Star Trek as you want. As with all subscriptions, remember the standard pricing will auto-renew after two months.

• Peacock (one year) for $20 for ($75 off): New and returning subscribers can get a full year of Peacock for just $20. It's also one of our favorite streamings services and has some excellent shows like Mrs. Davis, Poker Face and Killing It. Note this is the ad-supported tier, it is only available through Peacock's website and will auto renew after the year is up. 

• Audible Premium Plus (3-month) for $1 ($29 off): If you don’t currently subscribe to Audible you can get three months of the audiobook service's Premium Plus plan for $1. The service is usually $15 per month after a 30-day free trial. Premium Plus gives you access to the Audible Plus library, and lets you keep one title from a curated selection of audiobooks each month.

• Amazon Kindle Unlimited for $0 for one month ($12 off): Amazon's ebook subscription service gives you access to a selected catalog of thousands titles for unlimited reading as well as some Audible audiobooks and magazines. Prime members can get two months for only $5.

• Headspace annual plan for $35 ($35 off): Our top pick for the best meditation app has tons of courses that address specific anxieties and worries, a good in-app search engine that makes it easy to find the right meditation you need, and additional yoga routines, podcasts and music sessions to try out.  

Black Friday tech deals under $30

Photo by Amy Skorheim / Engadget

• Amazon Echo Dot (5th gen) for $23 ($27 off): The Dot is Amazon’s most popular Echo speaker, delivering Alexa’s helpful assistance in a softball-sized package that puts out surprisingly decent sound. We named it the best smart speaker under $50. It also has an internal sensor that can tell you the temp in the room and trigger connected thermostat functions. You can also get it with a free smart bulb for the same price. 

• Amazon Echo Dot Kids for $28 ($32 off): The kids version is basically the same smart speaker but comes in a cute dragon or own skin and includes a year’s subscription to Amazon Kids+.

• Samsung Galaxy SmartTag2 for $21 ($9 off): If you have a Samsung smartphone, this is the tracker we recommend. The finding network isn’t as vast as Apple’s, but in our tests, the accuracy was good and the physical design is one of the best of its kind.

• Loop Experience 2 ear plugs for $28 ($7 off): Engadget’s Billy Steele reviewed the Loop Switch 2 earbuds at a concert and was impressed by what he heard (and didn’t hear). While the Switch model has three settings, these plugs just offer one level of noise dampening — and the “Experience” setting is the one Billy liked best.

• Roku Streaming Stick 4K for $29 ($21 off): On our list of the best streaming devices we named the Roku Streaming Stick 4K the best pick for those wanting an ocean of free and live content. By combining Roku’s own free channels with content from other FAST apps this simple stick turns any screen into a portal to a near-infinite amount of movies and shows that you won’t pay a dime for. Also at Target and direct from Roku for $1 more.

• Anker Soundcore 2 Portable Bluetooth Speaker for $28 ($12 off): Anker’s Soundcore brand proves the accessory brand can make some excellent electronics and we named a number of Soundcore audio devices to our buying guides. This is one of the smaller and more affordable models from Anker and it’s currently back to one of its lowest prices yet.

• Anker Nano 3-in-1 10K portable charger for $30 ($15 off): A top pick in our best power banks guide, this 10K brick has a built-in USB-C cable so you don't need to remember to bring one with you, plus it has an extra USB-C port for charging other devices. Also at Anker within an auto-applied code.

• HyperX Cloud Stinger 2 gaming headset for $30 ($20 off): Though we ultimately recommend getting an external mic along with your wired headphones if you need to chat while playing, the Cloud Stinger 2 is our pick for a budget gaming headset. Also at Best Buy and direct from Hyper.

Photo by Amy Skorheim / Engadget

• Kasa Smart Plug Mini 15A (4-pack) for $30 ($20 off): Our favorite smart plug overall connects to all the major smart home platforms, including from Apple, Google and Amazon. It’s perfectly simple to set up, stays connected and makes it easy to make your lights do what you want them to. Also at B&H Photo.

• TP-Link AC1200 Wi-Fi Extender (RE315) for $23 ($27 off): This is our pick for the best budget Wi-Fi extender. It's easy to set up and offers good performance for the price. Just keep in mind it has smaller (1,500 square-foot) coverage and no support for Wi-Fi 6e. 

• EarFun Free 2S wireless earbuds for $25 ($15 off): These don’t sound as sharp as other budget earbuds we recommend and there’s no noise cancellation or transparency mode, but if you need a pair of earbuds under $50 (or under $30 now) these are decently comfortable with a sound that’s a bit richer than others in its price range.

• Amazon Echo Buds for $25 ($25 off): Our favorite budget earbuds with an open ear design are made by Amazon. They don’t go all the way in your ear so you’ll hear more of what’s going on around you. The sound is decently separated, though we recommend tweaking the EQ in the Alexa app to bring down the treble a touch.

• Anker USB-C Hub 341 for $25 ($10 off): Anker’s seven-port hub lets you use a range of extras with your tablet, which is why we named it one of the best accessories for an iPad. In addition to extra USB connections, you also get a microSD and standard SD card slots.

• Logitech Signature M650 wireless mouse for $30 ($5 off): This portable mouse is great for anyone who changes locations when they work because it connects quickly and easily slips in a pack. It’s one of the gifts we recommend in our stocking stuffer guide. Also at Staples and direct from Logitech.

• Baseus 30W Magnetic Power Bank for $25 ($20 off): An honorable mention in our battery guide, this small Baseus bank delivers a fast charge either wirelessly for MagSafe compatible iPhones or via the attached USB-C cable.

• Betrayal at The House on The Hill board game for $30 ($26 off): This one made the list in our board game gift guide as a good pick for horror fans. Three to six players explore a haunted mansion, working together until one player reveals themselves as the traitor. It comes with 50 scenarios to keep you entertained evening after evening.

• Mysterium board game for $35 ($20 off): Our own Valentina Palladino recommends this game to anyone who loves a good mystery. It takes Clue to the next level and is best played with friends and family on a dark and stormy night. 

• Settlers of Catan board game for $25 ($19 off): It's hard to find anyone into board games who hasn't yet played Catan, but this trading and settling game is a classic for a reason. Get it and prepare for some lively sheep bartering.    

Black Friday tech deals under $40

Photo by Amy Skorheim / Engadget

• Xbox Wireless Controller for $40 ($20 off): We’ve seen this deal before, but it’s a decent discount on a necessary accessory. The brighter colors are $45, but if you're happy with the standard-issue black or white, you'll save the most. Also at Best Buy and Target.

• Anker 525 charging station for $36 ($30 off): This is one of the handy items that makes working from home easier, as we recommend in our WFH gift guide. It offers four USB ports up front (both Type-A and Type-C) and three extra AC plugs in the back. 

• Blink Mini 2 (two-pack) for $35 ($35 off): The newest Blink Mini wired security camera came out earlier this year and it supports 1080p video recordings, a wider field of view than the previous model and improved low-light performance. It may be wired, but you can use it outside with the $10 weather-resistant adapter.

• JBL Go 4 for $40 ($10 off): JBL’s smallest portable speaker has up to seven hours of battery life on a charge, has an IP67 waterproof rating and has a tiny built-in carry strap so you can bring it wherever you go. Also at JBL and Best Buy.

• Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max for $33 ($27 off): Amazon's most powerful dongle supports 4K streaming with Dolby Vision, Wi-Fi 6E and live picture-in-picture mode so you can see security camera feeds directly on your TV as you're watching a show or movie. In addition to being a solid streamer, it also makes a good retro gaming device.

• Anker 633 Magnetic Battery for $40 ($15 off): Choose from a MagSafe option or the 20W Power Delivery port via a USB-C cable (which charges things faster). The handy kickstand means you can look at your phone while it charges and that port lets you charge non-MagSafe devices too.

• Blink Outdoor 4 (2023) $38 ($52 off): Amazon’s latest outdoor Blink camera works well (and only) with Alexa, letting you check on your surroundings using the app or a compatible display (like an Echo Show or a Fire TV.

• Final Fantasy VII Rebirth for $40 ($30 off): Engadget’s Mat Smith gave this title a favorable review earlier this year. It helps if you’ve played its predecessor and it’s absolutely stuffed with things to do. This is a new low for the PS5 exclusive.

• Govee Smart LED Light Bars for $35 ($15 off): We like Govee’s playful smart lights and recommend the brand in our guide to smart bulbs. These light bars made the list in our stocking stuffer gift guide thanks to their versatility (they can stand up, lay flat or be mounted) and there’s no end to the multiple colors and sequences you can program.

• Razer Basilisk V3 ergonomic gaming mouse for $40 ($30 off): This is the gaming option in our guide to the best ergonomic mice. It’s super light and glides across multiple surfaces. The buttons are customizable and the thumb rest is comfortable. Also at Amazon.

• UGREEN Revodok Pro 109 USB-C hub for $38 ($16 off): The top pick in our buying guide to USB-C hubs has a good array of ports, the ability to support two 4K monitors, and a nice long host cable so you can easily arrange it on your desk.

• Moft Tripod iPhone Wallet for $40 ($10 off with Prime): Moft's origami-inspired accessories tend to be clever and surprisingly useful. This one is no different, combining a single-card wallet with a dual-height stand. I was impressed with the sturdiness of the stand in such a thin package. If you don't need to carry a single card, the wallet-less version is $32 right now.

• The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom for $40 ($30 off): Nintendo announced its Black Friday deals early, but they didn’t go live until November 25. The big callout here is Tears of the Kingdom. We found the game to be an absolute delight as it builds on all of the concepts and story introduced in Breath of the Wild. 

• Keychron C3 Pro mechanical keyboard for $33 at Amazon ($25 off, Prime only): Here’s a decent mechanical keyboard that’s surprisingly affordable. The C3 Pro is the budget pick in our keyboard buying guide. We found the keycaps a bit slick, but its typing feel and sound are still levels above the membrane boards you usually find in this price range.  

• Sony SRS-XB100 wireless Bluetooth speaker for $38 ($20 off): We named this compact speaker in our guide to holiday gifts under $100. It delivers impressive bass for its size, has an IP67 rating, making it dust- and waterproof, and goes for 16 hours on a charge.

Black Friday tech deals under $50

Amazon

• JBL Clip 5 for $49.95 ($30 off): JBL makes a good number of the winners in our guide to the best Bluetooth speakers. We didn’t review this one formally for our guide, but it’s one of the more affordable models the brand makes and the clip plus dunkable water resistance makes it easy to bring JBL’s signature dynamic range just about anywhere. Also at Walmart.

• Twelve South AirFly Pro for $44 ($11 off): Some in-flight screens let you connect your AirPods via Bluetooth. Some don’t. TwelveSouth’s handy gadget will help if you get stuck in the latter situation. It plugs into the 3.5mm jack and sends the audio to your earbuds wirelessly. Of course it’ll also work when you’re on the ground too. We recommend it in our gifts for dad’s guide.

• Ring pan and tilt security camera for $50 ($30 off): This security camera joined the Ring lineup only a few months ago, and this is the best price we've seen on it. It's part of a larger Ring sale that discounts home security gear by up to 50 percent (though many of those deals hit above the $50 mark).

• Amazon Echo Show 5 (2023) for $45 ($45 off): The newest Echo Show 5 made our list of the best smart displays because it doubles as a “stellar alarm clock” with the auto-dimming screen, tap-to-snooze feature and a sunrise alarm. Plus the tiny, five-inch screen is perfect for a nightstand. Also, oddly, at Best Buy.

• Amazon Echo Spot (2024) $45 ($35 off): The mini display just shows simple data like the time, weather or song that’s playing while the other half of the circle plays music. It’s an updated version of a model Amazon discontinued a couple of years ago and now it’s back.

• Elecom Nestout power bank 15,000mAh for $48 ($12 off): For outdoor charging, this is one of the few portable batteries that can handle a dunk in water (as long as you’ve remembered to screw on the port covers). We recommend it in our guide and particularly like the handy accessories like a tripod stand and light that you can buy to go on it. Also at Nestout for $1 more.

• 8BitDo Ultimate Bluetooth Controller for $48 at Amazon ($12 off, Prime only): Engadget’s Jeff Dunn raved about this wireless gamepad for Switch and PC, calling it comfortable with durable Hall effect joysticks that should avoid the “drift” sensation that plagues many modern controllers. Also at Best Buy.

• Soundcore by Anker Space A40 wireless earbuds for $45 ($35 off): Our top budget wireless earbuds are just $5 shy of their all time low. They have outstanding active noise cancellation for the price and offer a warm and pleasant default sound.

• Ultimate Ears Mini Roll for $50 ($30 off): This less-than-a-pound sound maker came out at the same time as the Everboom and is the smallest speaker in UE’s lineup. It’s IP67 rated to be dust- and waterproof and can crank out 85 decibels of volume — impressive for something so small. Also at Amazon and B&H Photo.

• Tribit StormBox Micro 2 for $45 ($38 off with coupon): This is the smallest speaker in our guide and it can go with you anywhere with the built-in strap. It pumps out impressive volume for its size and can go for 12 hours on a charge. The audio isn’t the highest fidelity, but this is more about bringing the vibes than emitting flawless musical clarity. Also directly from Tribit (see price in cart).

• Anker PowerConf C200 2K webcam for $48 ($12 off): The budget pick in our buying guide to webcams is back down to a low it’s hit a few times before. We like the excellent video clarity and easy set up and customization. Also at Anker with a coupon code.

• Thermacell Mosquito Repeller for $43 ($8 off): The mosquitos may be gone for the winter, but we all know they'll be back next year. This is one of the few mosquito-repelling products we recommend, so grab one now for a less irritating summer next year. 

• Lego Star Wars: A New Hope Boarding The Tantive IV for $44 (20 percent off): This set recreates the scene in which Darth Vader and his Stormtroopers battled the Rebels, and it includes seven Star Wars minifigures. Also at Target. 

Expired Black Friday deals

• Ransom Notes board game for $28 ($7 off): Engadget’s Karissa Bell recommends this party board game in our gift guide thanks to its hilarity-inspiring appeal. It forces players to communicate complex concepts using a given number of word magnet tiles.

• OtterBox Performance Fast Charge Power Bank 20,000 mAh for $32 ($23 off): This is the larger-capacity model of the mid-range battery we recommend in our guide to power banks. Not only does it look cool, it’s durable and charges up a phone quickly through either the USB-C or USB-A port.

Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/derek-copy-v3-the-70-best-black-friday-tech-deals-you-can-still-get-under-50-020236576.html?src=rss

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© Amazon/JBL/Anker/Engadget

• Céline Dion and her late husband, René Angélil, had three children together.
• Dion's eldest son, René-Charles Angélil, is 23 and pursuing a career in music.
• The singer also has 14-year-old fraternal twin boys named Nelson and Eddy.

Céline Dion is a five-time Grammy winner, a global icon, and a proud mother.

The "My Heart Will Go On" singer has three children with her late husband, René Angélil, who died of throat cancer in 2016.

"What makes me most proud is to be a mother," Dion told Extra in 2017. "To be honest, they're remarkable. They are helping me. I am helping them — it's mutual," she added.

Here's everything you need to know about Dion's three kids.

René-Charles Angélil, 23, is the eldest child.

Dion gave birth to René-Charles in Florida on January 25, 2001, and the couple named him after his father. As the famous singer's first child, he was automatically in the spotlight.

During an appearance on James Corden's "Carpool Karaoke" segment in 2019, Dion recalled the media frenzy when she gave birth.

She saw her doctor on TV announcing the birth of her child right after delivery. "And I'm saying to myself, 'My baby is on television, and I didn't even hold him yet,'" she said.

At his father's funeral in 2016, 14-year-old René-Charles gave a touching speech. A few months later, the teen surprised Dion by presenting her with the Icon Award at the 2016 Billboard Music Awards.

In 2018, René-Charles started releasing rap and R&B music under the stage name Big Tip.

When René-Charles released his first EP in 2021 under the name RC Angélil, his mother posted on X, then Twitter, "I'm so proud of my son. My love for him is so strong, and it touches me deeply that one of his passions is also one of mine."

At the 2024 Grammys in February, René-Charles escorted Dion onstage as she presented the award for album of the year to Taylor Swift. Mother and son also posed with Swift backstage.

Dion's fraternal twins, Nelson and Eddy, are 14 years old.

In a 2010 episode of "The Oprah Winfrey Show," Dion talked about the difficulties she had becoming pregnant again. She underwent several rounds of in vitro fertilization and had a miscarriage.

"We tried four times to have a child," she said. "We're still trying. We're on the fifth try. And I tell you, if five is my lucky number, this fifth try has got to come in."

Dion gave birth to Nelson and Eddy via C-section in Florida on October 23, 2010. Their names were inspired by former South African President Nelson Mandela and the French songwriter Eddy Marnay, who worked on several of Dion's albums.

"They have very different personalities, but both of them love to wake up first thing in the morning and go to their closet and decide what they will wear," she said of her twins in a 2013 interview with the Daily Mail.

All three of Dion's kids continue to be supportive of their mom on and off the stage.

Back in 2019, they joined her onstage during the final night of her Las Vegas residency. In 2023, the family attended a hockey game together. The outing marked Dion's first major public appearance since sharing in 2022 that she was diagnosed with stiff person syndrome.

Recently, she's had to explain to her sons how to deal with an emergency related to her illness because she may not be able to speak. "As a mother, first of all, talk to your kids. Let them know that you will not die," she told TODAY's Hoda Kotb in June.

This story was originally published on February 5, 2024, and updated on December 12, 2024.

• Selena Gomez is engaged to Benny Blanco after a year and a half of dating.
• Gomez shared pictures of the engagement ring on Instagram on December 11.
• The two musicians have collaborated on several songs, starting in 2015 with Gomez's album "Revival."

Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco first collaborated on a song together in 2015. Nine years later, they are engaged.

The news comes a year and a half after Gomez and Blanco began dating and a year after they went public as a couple. The newly-engaged musicians have shared a lot of digital PDA since telling fans they were romantically involved.

Here's a detailed timeline of their relationship.

October 9, 2015: Gomez releases 'Revival,' which includes two collaborations with Blanco

Blanco has built a reputation as a sought-after pop producer, helping to create mega-hits like Kesha's 2009 breakthrough "Tik Tok" and Katy Perry's "Teenage Dream" in 2010.

In 2015, he was credited on two songs in Gomez's second solo album "Revival." The songs, "Same Old Love" and "Kill Em With Kindness," were both released as singles.

Gomez and Blanco are credited as cowriters on "Kill Em With Kindness," which she has described as "lyrically my favorite song" from "Revival."

At the time of the album's release, Gomez was still heavily associated with her on-and-off boyfriend Justin Bieber, though she was actively trying to change that narrative.

February 28, 2019: Blanco releases 'I Can't Get Enough' featuring Gomez, Tainy, and J Balvin

Blanco began making his own music in 2018. The following year, he released "I Can't Get Enough" as a stand-alone single.

The song features Gomez, who sings the lead vocal in English, and J Balvin, who sings his verse in Spanish. It was coproduced by Tainy. All four artists appear together in the music video.

Blanco promoted the song on Instagram, sharing several photos of himself cuddling with Gomez on set.

"Benny has a cool way of bringing people together, even in the weirdest ways," Gomez said in behind-the-scenes footage from the video shoot.

October 26, 2020: Blanco seems to throw shade at Gomez while promoting a new song with her ex-boyfriend

Blanco started working with Bieber in 2009 and told Variety the two musicians were like "brothers." The pair worked together on hits like "Eenie Meenie," "Love Yourself," and "Cold Water."

In a 2020 interview with Zach Sang, Blanco discussed his close friendship with Bieber after he cowrote and coproduced "Lonely," the second single from Bieber's sixth album, "Justice."

"Justin's not one of those cookie-cutter pop artists," Blanco said. "Like you know, they're like, 'This is my new single and here's my makeup line.' And he's like, Justin's like, 'Yo. I have a pimple and I have anxiety today.' He's always been upfront about that stuff."

Gomez had unveiled her own makeup line, Rare Beauty, earlier that year. Fans were quick to interpret the comment as a thinly veiled insult.

At the time, representatives for Blanco did not respond to Business Insider's request for comment, nor did he publicly address the backlash.

August 25, 2023: Gomez releases 'Single Soon,' coproduced by Blanco

Gomez and Blanco teamed up again for "Single Soon," released as a standalone song.

In the music video, Gomez pays homage to Carrie Bradshaw and celebrates a boyfriend-free lifestyle.

Earlier that summer, Gomez posted a TikTok shouting her status as single to a group of football players. "I'm single, I'm just a little high maintenance," the singer said in the video.

December 2023: Gomez and Blanco become Instagram official

In late 2023, fans began to speculate that Gomez and Blanco were dating.

Gomez confirmed her romance with Blanco in her Instagram story on December 7, 2023. She shared a photo of the couple cuddling and a photo of herself wearing the letter "B" on her left ring finger.

When fan accounts picked up the news, some reacted with disappointment or concern — mostly due to Blanco's perceived insult from 2020, as well as his enduring friendship with Bieber, whom Gomez accused of emotional abuse.

Gomez replied to several negative comments on Instagram, defending Blanco and describing him as "the best thing that's ever happened to me." Although it's unclear when their relationship turned romantic, Gomez implied they'd been dating for six months.

She also addressed a critic who alluded to Blanco's "cookie-cutter" comment, saying Blanco is "still better than anyone I've ever been with."

Throughout the month, Gomez continued to post photos with Blanco on Instagram. She shared another black-and-white shot of the couple cuddling on December 12, 2023, and a photo of him kissing her cheek on December 30, 2023.

Blanco even made it onto Gomez's Instagram grid that month; he appears twice in a slideshow she posted with the caption, "New York, my favorite moments w you this week."

January 3, 2024: The couple has their first public outing at a basketball game

Blanco and Gomez sat courtside at Crypto.com Arena to watch the Los Angeles Lakers take on the Miami Heat.

That same day, Blanco shared two snaps of Gomez in his Instagram story.

"She seems to be really feeling herself at the moment," a source close to Gomez told People. "Maybe that's Benny or maybe that's just where she's at personally and professionally."

"Everyone is so happy that she's happy," the source added.

January 7, 2024: Gomez brings Blanco as her date to the Golden Globes

Gomez attended the 2024 Golden Globes as a nominee; she earned a nod for best performance by a female actor in a TV series, musical or comedy, for "Only Murders in the Building."

Although they didn't walk the red carpet together, Gomez and Blanco weren't shy about PDA inside the event.

Gomez shared several photos with Blanco from the event on Instagram.

March 8, 2024: Gomez shares birthday Instagram tribute for Blanco

Gomez posted in her Instagram feed celebrating Blanco's 36th birthday, sharing a roundup of pictures with the caption: "Happy birthday baby! Your emotional endurance, positive disposition, unbelievable talent (that blows me away), undeniable humor and loving, kind heart absolutely kill me. I love you @itsbennyblanco."

May 24, 2024: Blanco says he didn't realize he was on a date with Gomez on their first date

Appearing on an episode of SiriusXM's "The Howard Stern Show," Blanco said he didn't realize his relationship with Gomez had turned romantic during their first date.

"She was like, 'Hey, you want to hang out,' and I was like, 'Yeah,' we go and we hang out," he said. "I remember sitting there, and she's like, 'Well, I would have worn something different for this date, and I was like, 'What? We're on a date?'"

Blanco said they continued hanging out and described Gomez as his "best friend."

In the interview, Blanco said he wanted to marry Gomez but hadn't planned anything yet. He also said his next goal was to have children.

July 22, 2024: Blanco shares tribute for Gomez's 32nd birthday

In the Instagram post, Blanco reshared the photo from the music video of his 2019 song "I Can't Get Enough" and shared a new photo of Gomez holding a white teddy bear.

"I used to play a teddy bear in ur music video and now i get to b urs in real life… happy bday bb ! i love u!" he captioned the post aluding to the music video for their collaboration back in 2019.

Gomez commented on the post: "I love you 🧸."

September 9, 2024: Gomez reacts to Blanco's comments about marriage and shares she can't have kids

During Gomez's Vanity Fair cover interview in September 2024, she was asked about Blanco's wishes to get married.

"He can't lie. After the interview, I was dying laughing. Like, 'Anything else you wanted to put out there?'" She said, adding later that neither she nor Blanco are in a rush to get married.

Later in the interview, Gomez said she plans to start a family by 35 but that she can't carry a child and would want to adopt.

"I haven't ever said this, but I unfortunately can't carry my own children," Gomez said. "I have a lot of medical issues that would put my life and the baby's in jeopardy. That was something I had to grieve for a while."

She added she's "in a much better place" about the situation."At the end of the day, I don't care. It'll be mine. It'll be my baby," she said.

November 20, 2024: Gomez says she shares so much about Blanco on social media because she sees a future with him

When asked about why she has been very public about her relationship with Blanco, Gomez told The Hollywood Reporter: "I guess this is the safest I've ever felt in one, and I see a future with this person. And when you put a little bit out there, people are not as hungry to hunt you down."

Gomez was asked about Blanco again during an interview with CBS Sunday on November 30, but this time about her thoughts on Blanco's inclusion in 2024's People's Sexiest Man Alive issue.

"That's my man," Gomez said.

December 11, 2024: Gomez and Blanco get engaged

Gomez announced that she and Blanco are engaged on Instagram on Wednesday evening. She marked the engagement with a slideshow of pictures showing the ring and captioned the post: "Forever begins now…"

Blanco commented: "hey wait… that's my wife."

Fellow stars congratulated Gomez on the post, including Gomez's close friend Taylor Swift, who wrote, "Yes I will be the flower girl."

The Academy Awards ceremony is streaming live for the very first time in its 97-year history. The Oscars will stream on Hulu at the same time as it airs on traditional network TV via ABC. The ceremony starts on March 2 at 7PM ET, though there’s a live red carpet show that kicks off a half hour before that.

It’s very strange that it took this long but, whatever, I’ll take it. I don’t even have regular TV, so Hulu will be the only way I’ll be able to watch the telecast live, aside from picking up a shady stream somewhere. It’s likely the same for many of you reading this.

To that end, the Hulu stream could lead to a serious uptick in ratings, with some industry experts saying that the telecast will hit 30 million live viewers. The Oscars haven’t gotten that many eyeballs since 2017 when Moonlight famously snatched victory from the jaws of La La Land defeat. The 2024 ceremony drew 21.5 million viewers, but this was a huge uptick from the COVID years.

This year’s broadcast is being hosted by the king of hot wings himself, Conan O’Brien. The awards nominees won’t be announced until January 17 and there are plenty of flicks that could end up in the top spot. These include Wicked, The Brutalist, Anora and I Saw the TV Glow, among many others.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/the-oscars-will-stream-live-for-the-very-first-time-on-hulu-191638415.html?src=rss

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© Robert Gauthier via Getty Images

"If Shakespeare lived today, what would he write about?" Philipp Stollenmayer asked the audience during this week's Day of the Devs 2024: Game Awards stream. According to Stollenmayer, Shakespeare would write about the invention of the peanut butter and jelly sandwich from the perspective of a rebellious strawberry and a disillusioned peanut. Also, it would be a musical. Oh, and it would take the form of an interactive scrapbook with kids as the main voice actors. Obviously.

PBJ — The Musical is the latest mobile game from Stollenmayer's studio, Kamibox, and it offers an utterly unique approach to interactive play. PBJ is a side-scrolling narrative adventure built out of real-life paper collages, with images cut from vintage cookbooks and stitched together via stop-motion. The vibe is modern Monty Python mixed with Julia Child, plus a dash of theater nerdery for balance.

In PBJ, players can push, pull and drag everything to transform the story, which involves adorable, food-based interpretations of Shakespeare quotes and lots of singing. On the musical side of things, Britain's Got Talent semi-finalist Lorraine Bowen writes and performs all the songs in PBJ, and everything seems to have her signature upbeat, oddball feel. There are also unlockable remixes in each of the 10 stages.

Mixing mediums is kind of Stollenmayer's thing: He's a papercraft artist who turned to game design, and many of his projects blend the two disciplines in some way. Under Kamibox, he's made the mobile games Sometimes You Die, Bacon — The Game, Song of Bloom and two dozen other titles, and he's picked up an Apple Design Award, nominations at the Independent Games Festival and other accolades since founding the studio in 2012.

PBJ is due out in early 2025, and it's heading to iPhone and iPad.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pbj--the-musical-is-a-coming-of-age-game-with-shakespearean-sandwiches-175413688.html?src=rss

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© Kamibox

Blue Prince has been making the rounds at physical and virtual conventions like EGX, Gamescom and the PC Gaming Show, and it’s already high on the puzzle community’s figurative list of most anticipated titles for 2025. It was just featured in the Day of the Devs showcase before The Game Awards, one of its highest-profile debuts yet. So, if you’re getting excited about Blue Prince for the first time, hello and welcome to the club. There are snacks in the parlor — but in order to eat them, first you’ll have to build the parlor.

In Blue Prince, you are the literal architect of your own future. It’s 1993 and you’ve inherited the expansive estate of Mount Holly from your uncle, but the bequest comes with a catch. There are 45 rooms in the manor, and you have to find the mysterious 46th room in order to collect your inheritance. If you don’t discover the impossible space, you lose everything. It’s not just a matter of exploring a mazelike mansion, either: The estate changes shape every day and the layout of its rooms is up to you.

Dogubomb

Every time you approach a door, you get to select what lies behind it from three options, which include areas like a den, dining room, kitchen, billiards room, patio, bedroom, cathedral, pool, and observatory, to name just a few. Connecting the doorways of these spaces in logical ways is crucial to progression, as it seems you’ll have to touch every available square on your blueprints (get it?) to unlock the 46th room. Each area comes with its own riddle, item dump or unique function that resets at dawn. Entering a room costs one step and you’ll start each day with just 50 steps, so strategizing is key, especially considering all the backtracking you’ll likely do.

The demo, which is live on Steam right now, gives you four days to explore Mount Holly and it’s a solid introduction to the game’s House of Leaves loop. The entryway has three doors, and you start by choosing one and manifesting the room beyond. Bedrooms grant you two steps every time you enter; the storage room offers keys, gems and coins; the cathedral costs one coin per entry; a meal is served in the dining hall only after reaching rank eight; the parlor has a three-box puzzle that changes every day; the observatory’s telescope triggers a specific event based on the constellation in view; the coat check can hold an item for a future run — and so on. 

Dogubomb

You’ll find objects like a sledgehammer, keycard, magnifying glass, compass, metal detector and shovel in various places, and you can carry these around to help solve puzzles in adjoining spaces. The billiards room is one of my favorites because it has a straightforward but satisfying dartboard riddle, and I can feel in my bones that there are oodles of secrets and room types that I haven’t discovered.

The environments of Blue Prince are dotted with symbols, paintings and statues that I’m sure will be relevant in later mysteries, and the game’s art style and execution welcomes close scrutiny. It inhabits a cel-shaded 3D world with hand-drawn touches and heavy blue shadows, where interactable objects can truly stand out. Each room is crisply rendered, even down to the fine details. Using the magnifying glass to zoom in on the signature at the bottom of a letter, for instance, doesn’t uncover jagged edges in the ink. Blue Prince is supremely compelling to look at and it has smooth, intuitive first-person controls — excellent traits for an exploration game.

Dogubomb

The puzzles come in a variety of difficulty levels and mechanical flavors, from deduction riddles and engineering logic to esoteric math problems, and that’s just what’s included in the four-day demo. Pieces of lore scattered around the estate lay the foundation for a broader family mystery, and much like the mechanics of the game itself, the narrative tension builds smoothly throughout the early stages. There’s more to uncover here than spare rooms and heirlooms.

Blue Prince feels like a build-your-own escape room wrapped up in a strategy game and tied together with home-renovation sim twine. Even though it supports a broad mix of unrelated concepts, Blue Prince feels a lot like home. And it will be, once I find that 46th room.

Blue Prince is due to hit Steam in spring 2025. It’s developed by Los Angeles film and game studio Dogubomb and published by Raw Fury.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/blue-prince-preview-build-your-own-escape-room-and-then-live-there-173816152.html?src=rss

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© Dogubomb

• Jamie Foxx pokes fun at Sean "Diddy" Combs in his new comedy special, "What Had Happened Was."
• "The internet said that Puffy tried to kill me," he says. "I know what you're thinking. 'Did he?'"
• "Hell naw," Foxx continues. "I left them parties early. I was out by 9."

In his new comedy special, Jamie Foxx makes time amid emotional revelations about his recent health scare and spot-on celebrity impressions to poke fun at Sean "Diddy" Combs, who's awaiting trial in jail on three felony charges including sex trafficking.

In the opening minutes of "What Had Happened Was," which premiered Tuesday on Netflix, Foxx jokes about the conspiracy theories that surrounded his 2023 hospitalization and subsequent withdrawal from the public eye. (These included theories that he was secretly dead and others that he'd been cloned.)

In the special, Foxx reveals that he suffered a stroke while he was filming a Netflix movie in Atlanta.

"Atlanta saved my life. The internet was trying to kill me, though. The internet said that Puffy tried to kill me," Foxx says, referring to the stage name Combs used in the '90s. "That's what the internet was saying. I know what you're thinking. 'Did he?'"

Foxx waits a beat for laughter and then assures the crowd that he's not connected to Combs' legal troubles.

"Hell naw, n****. I left them parties early. I was out by 9," Foxx says. "'Something don't look right, n****. It's slippery in here, n****."

Throughout his career as a rapper and founder of Bad Boy Records, Combs was famous for throwing lavish events with star-studded guest lists, including annual white parties in the Hamptons.

Back in 2018, Foxx told Stephen Colbert that he "started hanging out with Puff back in the day" and he would "watch him throw parties." Foxx also joked that Combs showed up to one of his own parties with the FBI in tow.

"Puff was always sort of dangerous," Foxx said, "so he had all kinds of people following him."

In recent months, Combs has been sued by multiple people for sexual assault and rape, many of whom alleged they were attacked at these parties. Other celebrities have been named as co-defendants in various lawsuits, most recently Jay-Z.

Both Combs and Jay-Z have denied all allegations.

In September, Combs was arrested and indicted on racketeering and sex-trafficking charges by federal prosecutors in Manhattan.

Prosecutors allege Combs orchestrated sexual performances called "Freak Offs," described in his indictment as "elaborate and produced sex performances that Combs arranged, directed, masturbated during, and often electronically recorded."

Combs has pleaded not guilty to the indictment, and his lawyers have said he will fight the charges at a trial scheduled to begin May 5.

There's been no suggestion from prosecutors that other celebrities will be charged in the case, though US Attorney Damian Williams said in response to a question from Business Insider that "nothing is off the table."

Later in the comedy special, Foxx discusses his post-stroke recovery and brushes with death, telling the audience that he didn't walk toward the clichéd light — but he did see a tunnel.

"It was hot in that tunnel. I thought, shit, have I gone to the wrong place?" he jokes. "I looked at the end of the tunnel and I thought I saw the devil saying, 'Come on.' Or was that Puffy?"

He then cracks a joke about the March raids on Combs' Florida and California mansions, during which law enforcement said they seized "various Freak Off supplies" that included narcotics and more than 1,000 bottles of baby oil and lubricant.

"If that was Puffy he had a flaming bottle of Johnson and… no, I'm just kidding," Foxx said.

A rep for Combs did not immediately respond to BI's request for comment.

• The "Mufasa: The Lion King" premiere was hosted in Hollywood on Monday night.
• Celebrities like Beyoncé looked stunning on the red carpet in designer outfits.
• Others like Heidi Klum could have arguably made better fashion choices for the event.

The holidays might be on the horizon, but Hollywood is celebrating a different occasion: the upcoming release of "Mufasa: The Lion King."

Stars gathered at the Dolby Theatre on Monday night for the movie's red-carpet premiere, and many wore themed gowns and suits.

While some celebrities like Beyoncé stunned in their ensembles, others missed the mark.

Here are the best and worst looks of the night.