While many budding musicians got their big breaks on the American Idol stage through the years, a handful lost their lives not long afterward.

Nikki McKibbin, who appeared alongside Kelly Clarkson and Justin Guarini on season 1, died in November 2020 at the age of 42. The Fear Factor alum, who finished in third place on the competition’s debut season in 2002, suffered a brain aneurysm several weeks before her death.

“She would already be gone, but she’s an organ donor and has been kept on life support to make that possible,” McKibbin’s husband, Craig Sadler, wrote via Facebook at the time. “That shouldn’t be a surprise to us. Even at the end she is still giving. She was so loved that I know thousands of you will be grieving with us. There are only a few hours left for me to hold her hand and kiss her forehead.”

McKibbin is not the only American Idol alum who has passed away after their reality TV tenure. Scroll below for more of American Idol’s biggest tragedies through the years:

Former American Idol contestant Doug Kiker has died. He was 32.

“It is with a heavy heart that we have to announce the passing of my brother, Douglas Kiker,” the singer’s sister Angela Evans wrote via Facebook on Wednesday, March 12. “He was sooo loved and will be missed by so many! You’re singing with the angels now Bubba. Please pray for our family as we go [through] this very difficult time.”

Kiker’s sister Donna Kiker Carrillos-Ramirez also issued a statement on his passing.

“Today, I got the call that no one wants to get. We lost an amazing person today. He had the biggest smile and knew how to make you laugh,” Carrillos-Ramirez wrote via Facebook on Wednesday. “I know I didn’t raise him, but I never stopped loving him. My parents did an amazing job with him. Douglas Kiker, you will forever be missed. Fly high. Say hey to grandma.”

'American Idol' Contestants Gone Too Soon: Show Alums Who Died

A cause of death has yet to be revealed.

Kiker rose to fame for his appearance on Idol season 18, where he performed a soulful rendition of Rascal Flatts’ “God Bless This Broken Road.”

“For a man who has no idea what his voice can do, for a man who has no idea what key he’s singing in, for a man who has no idea who the heck he can be, he’s here to do one thing: He’s trying to show his daughter that he’s somebody,” judge Lionel Richie said at the time. “I want us all to let you know, you’re a hell of a man. I want you to come get this ticket. You’re going to Hollywood!”

Kiker, however, was eliminated during the live shows.

The late musician’s siblings have since launched a GoFundMe campaign to help cover funeral expenses.

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“Hi everyone, hope you’re doing well. I’m reaching out because a lot of people have reached out and asked how they could help, as this was completely unexpected,” Evans added in a follow-up Facebook message. “We are completely unprepared and are gonna need a little help getting him home from Denver, Colorado and being able to give the memorial that not only he but anyone deserves.”

She concluded, “Thank you for the continued prayers at this very difficult time, Lord know we have been [through] so much [these] past few years! Douglas Kiker, you will live forever in our hearts. I miss you.”

Kiker is survived by his parents, his sisters and his two children.

Benny Blanco is breaking down the moment that he kissed now-fiancée Selena Gomez for the first time.

“I feel like this exact moment will be etched into my memory forever,” Blanco, 37, wrote via Instagram Story on Thursday, March 13, sharing a black-and-white photo of the pair after one of their first dates. “We were playing ‘We Are Not Really Strangers’ and the card we pulled said, ‘Take a selfie together.”

According to Blanco, Gomez, 32, subsequently laid her head on his chest as he snapped a selfie.

“After we took the photo, I looked at you and could feel ur [sic] heart pounding so hard that I had no other choice but to lean in and kiss you,” Blanco added. “I can tell you for sure that was the best decision I have ever made in my life. I love you.”

Benny Blanco Knew He Was ‘Going to Marry’ Selena Gomez After 1st Date

Gomez reposted Blanco’s upload via her Stories as well, writing, “Love you.”

Gomez, while she worked with the music producer many times before getting together, announced in December 2023 that she and Blanco had been dating for six months. He proposed one year later with a marquise-shaped diamond ring.

“Ever since the ‘Good for You’ days — that was, gosh, so many years ago — that’s the diamond I’ve always dreamed of,” Gomez said in an Interview profile earlier this month before Blanco chimed in to note that he “just tried not to f— up.”

Blanco added, “She showed me designs and I would always throw little hints. I’d be like, ‘Yeah, but if I ever made one, would you want it like this?’ And then she changed her mind halfway through. It used to have huge baguettes on the side and then she was like, ‘I don’t want something that big.’”

Blanco and Gomez spoke to Interview in advance of their joint album, I Said I Love You First, which drops Friday, March 21. The LP even features a nod to their first date.

Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco Collaborate With Their 1st Date Chef

“Our first date was on Sunset Blvd, and it’s also the title of our next song together,” Gomez wrote via Instagram on Tuesday, March 11. “Sunset Blvd out March 14 with @itsbennyblanco.”

Blanco had taken Gomez to the Jitlada Thai restaurant in Los Angeles, where he was quickly besotted with the actress.

“You know when you think you met the right person, you’re like, ‘Oh, my God.’ But it feels so different,” Blanco further noted to Interview. “The second we started hanging out, I was like, ‘This is my wife.’ I was telling my mom, ‘This is the girl I’m going to marry.’ She’s my best friend.”

Liev Schreiber has no time to think about critics believing his 16-year-old child, Kai, only got a gig in Valentino’s latest catwalk show because of nepotism.

“I don’t really have many thoughts for the haters,” Schreiber, 57, told TMZ on Wednesday, March 12. “I’m going to put it like this: What if you were a professional actor and your child decided they wanted to do something in this world? Did they have a choice of what you did?”

The Ray Donovan alum added, “It doesn’t matter, like, that’s her life. She does what she wants with her life and I’m super proud of her. I thought she did an amazing job in the show.”

Kai made their professional modeling debut at Valentino’s presentation during Paris Fashion Week on Sunday, March 9. Kai strutted down the catwalk in a knit snakeskin dress that featured a multicolored feathered neckline. Kai’s ensemble was completed by blue-tinted sunglasses, lace stockings and a floral headwrap.

Naomi Watts’ Teenager Kai Makes Runway Debut: ‘Squealing With Pride’

Schreiber shares Kai with ex Naomi Watts, who watched a livestream of the fashion show via her computer.

“That’s my @maisonvalentino baby!” Watts, 56, gushed via Instagram earlier this week. “I’m squealing with pride. Ilysm @kaischreiberrr .”

Schreiber also celebrated Kai’s PFW debut via social media.

“Ladies and gentlemen the one, the only, the indomitable @kaischreiberr,” Schreiber wrote on Monday, March 10.

In addition to Kai, Schreiber and Watts share 17-year-old son Sasha. The two actors were together from 2005 until their 2016 breakup.

“Over the past few months, we’ve come to the conclusion that the best way forward for us as a family is to separate as a couple. It is with great love, respect and friendship in our hearts that we look forward to raising our children together and exploring this new phase of our relationship,” Schreiber and Watts told Us Weekly in a joint statement at the time. “While we appreciate your curiosity and support, we ask the press to be mindful of our children and respect their right to privacy.”

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Since then, Schreiber and Watts have remained committed to coparenting Sasha and Kai.

“It’s always hard, you know? You build a life with someone and things change. And I think the way that we’ve looked at it is that we’ll always be partners and that’s what kind of keeps us together and keeps us amicable,” Schreiber said on Sunday Today With Willie Geist in January 2018. “But I think we’re more than that, I think we also genuinely really care about each other.”

He added at the time: “It’s important to support each other, you know? It’s really important. I was making some jokes this morning at breakfast about Mommy with the [kids], and their eyes light up when I talk about her. You can see how important it is to them that their parents care about each other and that no matter what happens, you continue to try and do that.”

Schreiber and Watts have each moved on with spouses Taylor Neisen and Billy Crudup, respectively.

Long before Eiza González became a household name in Hollywood, she was a child actor on Mexico’s version of Sesame Street.

“I was on Sesame Street for a blink of an eye because I got kicked out,” González, 35, said on the Tuesday, March 11, episode of The Kelly Clarkson Show. “It was my first ‘getting fired’ moment.”

While speaking with guest host Brooke Shields, González revealed the probable reason that she was dismissed from Plaza Sésamo.

“I was a hyperactive child and I also liked to rile up people. Like, I was a complete menace,” González quipped. “I made sure to rile up the entire kid team of children. I convinced them to break into the office and they had a mock-up of the entire set, and we were jumping on it and we broke it.”

Eiza Gonzalez Recalls Being Told She Was ‘Too Pretty’ for a Role

She continued, “It was me and I got completely fired from my first job because I was a complete menace. My mom said, ‘You can’t do this for a living. You are just so naughty.’”

As González grew up, she “somehow” found her way back to acting.

“I wiggled my way in,” she joked.

Later on in her career, González’s looks would often impact her chances at booking roles.

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“I remember being [told for] so many projects, ‘She’s too pretty for the role. She’s too hot for the role,’” she told InStyle in March 2024. “Then I’d just be like, ‘What is Margot Robbie? She’s the hottest, most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen in my life!’ … I was like, ‘Do I shave my head? Do I make myself less attractive? Do I make myself more attractive? Do I not dress super-hot or do I dress super-hot or do I cover myself all the time?’”

González further noted that she faced “a lot of” similar struggles growing up.

“I went through a lot of trouble with my body, with my curves, with my look,” González admitted at the time. “It was really tough.”

González has since been able to overcome the naysayers, recently landing the role of astronaut Ria in the upcoming horror movie Ash.

“It’s a psychological thriller [and] it’s a really fun movie,” she said on Tuesday. “I’m in it with Aaron Paul, who’s incredible and so talented in this movie. I’m so honored to be sharing this movie with him. It’s an independent film, guys. It means a lot if people can go support it. It’s a little movie that we did in a back lot in a warehouse in New Zealand from no money with a lot of love and a lot of passion.”

Luann de Lesseps was rooting for her former The Real Housewives of New York City costar Dorinda Medley on The Traitors — and wanted to cheer her on in person.

“I loved D on Traitors. We spoke while she was there,” de Lesseps, 59, exclusively told Us Weekly on Tuesday, March 11, at the grand opening of Planet Hollywood in New York City. “You know why [I called her]? Because I was with Tilda Swinton on a train going to Scotland.”

Medley, 60, chimed in, telling Us, “She wanted me to come visit. I’m like, ‘It’s not that sort of situation.’”

Medley participated in season 3 of the Peacock competition show, which was filmed at a Scottish castle and aired earlier this month. (Four Faithfuls — Gabby Windey, Dylan Efron, Dolores Catania and Ivar Mountbatten — ultimately won and split the cash prize.)

RHONY’s Luann de Lesseps Posed With Tilda Swinton Backstage at Cabaret Show

De Lesseps’ hopeful plans, however, were thwarted.

“Well, you didn’t even answer because your phone was confiscated,” de Lesseps recalled. “So Tilda Swinton goes, ‘How’s Dorinda, darling? I heard she’s doing Traitors.’ We tried to call you from the train.”

De Lesseps met Swinton, 64, after one of her Marry, F, Kill cabaret shows across the pond when the acclaimed actress invited her to spend the night at her residence in Scotland.

“She came to my show at the Coco Club. It’s a pretty swanky club in London,” de Lesseps previously told Us in October 2024. “She came to me and she said, ‘Oh, my darling, you spread so much joy, I love to watch you perform, but you must be exhausted after six shows in a row. And you know, I would love for you to come and have a visit. I’d like to take care of you and cook for you and welcome you to my humble abode.’”

The Bravo alum, of course, accepted the invitation and set off to spend a night at Swinton’s property.

[Spoiler] Cried Their ‘Eyes Out’ After Being Murdered 1st on ‘Traitors’

“She’s the most eccentric person I’ve met,” de Lesseps said at the time. “[I have] a lot of eccentric people in my life, you know, living in Europe for so long, but [she’s] the most eccentric woman I’ve ever met. The family actually dates back to 800. And the humble abode is a castle on 300 acres.”

Medley, meanwhile, was the first contestant “murdered” on The Traitors season 3.

“Traitors was fast and furious for me. I made my impact,” Medley quipped on Tuesday. “[I was] heartbroken because, first of all, I had the most iconic outfits that I planned for months. You know, I love my outfits, and I had studied every strategy known to man. I just was excited. You have to get prepared mentally to do it. So, you block out that time and you go in there not knowing what to expect but hoping [to make it far].”

Since de Lesseps returned stateside, she was finally able to catch up with Medley after all sorts of global travels and cabaret concerts. Together, the two RHONY alums hit up the grand opening of Planet Hollywood’s new location in Times Square.

“This is going to be fun,” de Lesseps gushed to Us of the party.

With reporting by Christina Garibaldi

Kylie Kelce is still all-in on her quest to add a pet cat to her and husband Jason Kelce’s family.

“I am in a great debate with my husband about getting a cat,” Kylie, 32, told guest Kat Dennings on the Thursday, March 13, episode of her “Not Gonna Lie” podcast. “Our oldest daughter, just the other day, told Dad, ‘We’re going to buy a cat.’ He was like, ‘Kylie, did you tell her we’re going to buy a cat?’ I was like, ‘I swear, I did not. It wasn’t me.’”

Kylie then joked that she subsequently asked 5-year-old Wyatt if she “wanted to go to the ASPCA” to rescue a kitten. (In addition to Wyatt, Kylie and Jason, 37, share daughters Ellie, 3, and Bennett, 2, and are currently expecting another little girl.)

“That’s where we always got our cats from [growing up],” Kylie said. “My husband has told our daughters that cats are poisonous. He is desperate to not have a cat, which is hilarious … [because] he grew up with a cat, Flash, who he was forever impressed by [when] she would catch birds mid-air in the backyard and it blew his mind.”

Jason Kelce Is Still Trying to Crush Wife Kylie Kelce’s Cat Dreams: 'Not Gonna Happen'

Kylie has been vocal about her desire to adopt a cat — she and Jason already share a dog named Baloo — since 2023. At the time, she asked her brother-in-law, Travis Kelce, on the sibling’s “New Heights” podcast for help since he “might like cats now.” (Travis, 35, is dating Taylor Swift, who is famously a cat lover and has three pet felines of her own.)

Jason, however, has frequently shut down Kylie’s requests to add another four-legged companion to their household.

Dennings, who has her own squad of pet cats, further offered Kylie some advice to get the retired NFL center to change his mind.

“Everyone wants a kitten; they’re so cute,” Dennings, 38, said. “They’re only kittens for a very short time and then they’re cats. So, you might be better off with your husband [if] you take him in to maybe meet a cat who’s a little older, who’s already feisty and he might toss a couple things, watch that cat fly for it and he’ll fall in love.”

Jason Kelce Jokes About His Kids Meeting 'Auntie TayTay's Cats'

Dennings’ advice was “very helpful” to Kylie, who also has a backup plan in mind.

“One day I’m just going to take our kids to the local rescue and I’m going to pick out a cat and then I’m going to bring the cat home,” the pregnant podcaster teased. “I’m gonna full-commit [and adopt], then I’m going to make sure it’s a day or two where he’s not home, traveling.”

Kylie added, “At that point, the girls will be like, ‘This is the best thing ever, [and] they’ll get to bond with the cat, they’ll get to experience all the love and all of it — or just watch the cat if the cat is not a cuddly cat. By the time he returns, you can’t be the worst person ever and send the cat back.”

According to Kylie, if Jason tries to return the pet, he’ll “have four little girls looking at him like, ‘Dad, it’s our cat.’”

“I feel like this makes a lot of sense,” Kylie concluded. “[Kat,] I really appreciate your support through this.”

A judge has ruled whether to grant Blake Lively a stronger protective order amid her lawsuit against It Ends With Us costar Justin Baldoni.

According to court documents obtained by Us Weekly on Thursday, March 13, Judge Lewis Liman approved Lively’s protective order in part, rejecting some of Wayfarer’s requests.

“Today, the Court rejected the Wayfarer Parties’ objections and entered the protections needed to ensure the free flow of discovery material without any risk of witness intimidation or harm to any individual’s security,” a spokesperson for Lively told Us in a statement. “With this order in place, Ms. Lively will move forward in the discovery process to obtain even more of the evidence that will prove her claims in Court.”

The court chose to “enter a protective order with a modified Attorneys’ Eyes Only provision,” meaning that certain documents would only be allowed to go between the clients’ attorneys and not be seen my said client unless ruled upon by a judge.

Blake Lively Says She Got 'Violent' Messages Amid Justin Baldoni Lawsuit

Baldoni’s attorneys also responded to the latest ruling. “We are fully in agreement with the Court’s decision to provide a narrow scope of protections to categories such as private mental health records and personal security measures that have never been of interest to us,” lawyer Bryan Freedman told Us in a statement on Thursday. “As opposed to Ms. Lively’s exceedingly over broad demand for documents for a 2 [and a half] year period of time which the court rightly quashed.”

That statement continued: “We remain focused on the necessary communications that will directly contradict Ms. Lively’s unfounded accusations. We will oppose any efforts by Ms. Lively and her team to hamper our clients’ ability to defend against her attacks by incorrectly categorizing important information as ‘trade secrets,’ especially considering there were no issues in providing these communications willingly to The New York Times.”

News broke last month that Lively, 37, and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, sought a stronger protective order than the standard one they were initially granted when she and Baldoni, 41, each first filed their respective lawsuits.

Blake Lively Slams Justin Baldoni's 'Disrespect' for Harassment Victims

“As detailed in Ms. Lively’s Amended Complaint, Ms. Lively, her family, other members of the cast, various fact witnesses, and individuals that have spoken out publicly in support of Ms. Lively have received violent, profane, sexist, and threatening communications,” a February letter from Lively and Reynolds, 48, read, noting Lively was seeking “additional protections.”

Lively had named Baldoni in a December 2024 lawsuit, alleging that he sexually harassed her and fostered a “hostile work environment” on the set of that year’s It Ends With Us. Lively amended her complaint in February, detailing the alleged “emotional impact” she faced including the multiple, violent social media messages she received.

Baldoni vehemently and frequently denied Lively’s claims, also filing a $400 million defamation lawsuit against Lively and Reynolds. The married couple, meanwhile, denounced his accusations.

Lively and Baldoni’s legal teams both met with the judge on March 6 to discuss the proposed protective order.

We want to stop the public publication of this information, in the case, during discovery. The rules try and prevent the burden to be on the third parties,” the actress’ lawyer said during Thursday’s hearing. “We should not make the dozens of third parties run to the court for protection. We are supposed to reduce the burden on third parties. He should drop the third-party subpoena against the security firm that protects Lively and Reynolds.”

Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni's Trial May Be Moved Up, Judge Warns at 1st Hearing

The lawyer further made a case for protecting Lively’s private correspondence with other “high-profile individuals.”

“There is a significant chance of irreparable harm if marginal conversations with high-profile individuals with no relevance to the case were to fall into the wrong hands,” Lively’s attorney claimed.

Freedman, a lawyer for Baldoni, denied the allegations in his own statement before the judge.

“These are matters of ‘for attorney’s eyes only’ restrictions,” he said on March 6. “This is a case where no one has any intention of harming Ms. Lively in any way. She detailed the sexual harassment claims and put that out there. My clients have been adjudicated as guilty right when this was filed. My client has a right to fight back and to defend himself. We want to agree to the protective order and place the burden on the party, who wants greater protection, to go to court and be transparent.”

Jennifer Garner and boyfriend John Miller’s relationship is “solid,” a source exclusively tells Us Weekly.

“He doesn’t get jealous and understands Jennifer prioritizing her kids,” the insider tells Us of Garner’s focus on her three children with ex-husband Ben Affleck. “[John] sleeps over at her home often. The way he talks about her is the same. There are no whispers of a status change in their relationship.”

Garner, 52, and Miller, 47, started dating in 2018, shortly after the actress finalized her divorce from Affleck, 52. While Garner and Miller briefly split two years later, they ultimately reconciled in May 2021.

Garner and Affleck, meanwhile, have remained committed to coparenting children Violet, 19, Seraphina, 16, and Samuel, 13.

Jennifer Garner's Boyfriend Unbothered by Her Spending Time With Ben Affleck

“Jennifer has a soft spot for Ben because he is the father of her kids,” a second source tells Us. “She will always be there for him, but there is nothing romantic going on.”

Speculation swirled in February that Affleck was keen to reunite with Garner after they were spotted bonding on multiple occasions in the subsequent months after his divorce from Jennifer Lopez. (Affleck and Lopez, 55, settled their divorce in January after two years of marriage.)

A third source previously told Us earlier in March that the speculation was “ridiculous,” and Affleck’s priorities remain on his family and his career.

After Affleck previously split from Garner in 2015, they’ve remained cordial coparents to their three kids.

“I didn’t marry the big, fat movie star. I married him and I would go back and remake that decision. I ran down the beach to him and I would again. You can’t have three babies and so much of what we had,” the Alias alum told Vanity Fair in 2016. “He’s the most brilliant person in any room, the most charismatic, the most generous. He’s just a complicated guy. I always say, ‘When his sun shines on you, you feel it.’ But when the sun is shining elsewhere, it’s cold. He can cast quite a shadow. … It’s not Ben’s job to make me happy. The main thing is these kids — and we’re completely inline with what we hope for them.”

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Seven years later, Affleck publicly echoed Garner’s sentiments.

“We loved each other. We care about each other,” Affleck told The Hollywood Reporter in a March 2023 profile. “We have respect for each other.”

That June, Garner addressed Affleck’s role in their kids’ lives in a Father’s Day tribute.

“Shout out to BGA — no one loves their kids like you love ours,” she gushed via Instagram in June 2023. “Happy Father’s Day, Ben.”

With reporting by Andrea Simpson

Before Ariana Madix even heard late last year that Vanderpump Rules season 12 would feature a rebooted cast, she was ready to walk away from the franchise.

“I don’t think I was ever going to go back to Vanderpump Rules. That’s the first time I’ve ever said that publicly, but I was never going to,” Ariana, 39, told People in an interview published on Thursday, March 13. “It just didn’t feel right. Not in any sort of rude way, not in a professional, ‘We don’t need this,’ not in a ‘I’m too good for this’ [way,] but it just didn’t feel right.”

She continued, “If I did go back, I wouldn’t have been able to do the job that would make a good show. And so it just wasn’t going to make sense, the story didn’t make sense.”

Ariana further cited her mental health as one of the reasons she decided to walk away after season 11, which aired in 2024.

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“I was never really made for reality TV. I don’t think I’ve ever been what makes ‘a good reality star,’” she told the outlet. “I think in some ways that’s what has made me a good reality star. But that being said, I think that a lot of times I got in my head.”

Ariana added, “I’ve also learned that maybe that’s not the best setting for me, and it’s not a setting that really allows me to be myself. And when you’re not being yourself, you get yourself into situations where you’re saying or doing things that you don’t really back or believe in.”

News broke in November 2024 that the next season of VPR would feature an all-new class of “close-knit SUR-vers” at Lisa Vanderpump’s Hollywood eatery. Per a press release from Bravo, the cast is “as complicatedly involved with one another as their iconic predecessors.”

In addition to Ariana, last season’s cast included Lala Kent, James Kennedy, Scheana Shay, Katie Maloney, Tom Schwartz and Tom Sandoval. (Ariana and Sandoval, 42, split during season 10 after he infamously had an affair with show alum Rachel “Raquel” Leviss.)

Why Ariana Madix Is 'Relieved' About 'Vanderpump Rules' Season 12 Shakeup

While Bravo has not revealed a premiere date or the casting lineup, Vanderpump, 64, is certain that the newbies will deliver plenty of drama.

“When you have a restaurant, especially in Hollywood, with a revolving door of beautiful people who are all kind of normally rather large personalities because they come to Hollywood for a reason, it’s always complicated,” Vanderpump exclusively told Us Weekly last month. “I am sure it’s gonna be very different with these young little minxes when they get to work, but we shall see.”

She added, “I got some very interesting characters for sure, but SUR has been around a long time, and as I say, it’s a show we could have shot 12 months of the year.”

The Bachelorette producers were allegedly deciding on the next lead before the show’s break, according to former Bachelor star Nick Viall.

“I know one of the people they were seriously looking at [and] it would have been awesome,” Viall, 44, claimed on the Thursday, March 13, episode of his “The Viall Files” podcast. “We’re not going to tell you … but it would have been awesome. It would have been amazing.”

According to Viall, the potential lead was “from an older season” of The Bachelor.

“When I found out, I was really disappointed they decided not to move forward with it,” he said.

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As Grant Ellis’ season of The Bachelor winds down, news broke in February that a new season of The Bachelorette will not air this year. A reason for the hiatus, as well as a return date, has not been confirmed.

Even if The Bachelorette would continue later in 2025, a leading lady has not been formally revealed. That hasn’t stopped the rumor mill from speculating about a potential decision.

“I was shocked because I heard they picked the lead,” former Bachelorette Rachel Recchia alleged on the “Almost Famous” podcast in February. “I heard the lead was decided and it made sense to me who they picked. Again, rumors. I saw this on Instagram. Normally, I feel like we hear stuff on the inside. I didn’t hear anything [about the pause].”

According to the 29-year-old Bachelor Nation alum, the show picked a lead “two months ago.”

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“They knew who it was going to be. … I heard a name,” Recchia added. “I heard from someone who usually knows, normally it’s a good source, but I don’t know.”

Speculation has also swirled that Maria Georgas, a fan-favorite from Joey Graziadei’s season 28, had been tapped to take over the mantle. Viall, meanwhile, denied on Thursday that the woman in consideration was Georgas, 30.

Georgas previously claimed that she turned down the role of Bachelorette before Jenn Tran headlined the latest season.

“I was offered the role. It was mine until I said it wasn’t,” Georgas claimed on the “Call Her Daddy” podcast in May 2024. “It became very overwhelming to the point where I had to decline. It was set in stone. I was in it. When everyone around me was so supportive of me being in this position and everyone wanted this for me, I took a second. I’m like, ‘Why am I not happy? Why am I not excited about this?’”

She has not publicly addressed the speculation about joining the franchise again.

Love Is Blind star Ben Mezzenga is sharing his side of his breakup drama with ex-fiancée Sara Carton — with “receipts.”

“Sara had just told me a few days before [we had dinner] that she was gonna be in Nashville for the whole summer,” Ben, 28, said in a Wednesday, March 12, TikTok video. “I was pretty much figuring out if I wanted to do long distance with the fragile state our relationship was in after filming.”

Sara, 29, and Ben got engaged sight unseen during Love Is Blind season 8, which was filmed in Minneapolis in spring 2024 and aired on Netflix last month. Sara ultimately called off the engagement at the altar, citing fundamental political and religious differences.

After accepting Sara’s decision, Ben asked whether she wanted to continue dating. The nurse merely said, “We’ll see,” later claiming at the tell-all reunion that they did briefly date. According to Sara, Ben made plans to join her in Nashville for the remainder of her travel nursing contract before allegedly backing out at the last minute.

Love Is Blind's Sara Explains Why She Broke Up With Ben at Their Wedding

In his candid TikTok video, Ben addressed Sara “ripping into” his alleged behavior during the Sunday, March 9, reunion and denied her claims.

“I had thought coming into the reunion that Sara and I were on good terms. The reason I thought that was because we had very little to no contact for the entire time she was in Nashville,” Ben said on Wednesday. “She did text me in October for my birthday and then she moved back in December. We’d run into each other a few times at bars with just pleasant conversations. I wasn’t prepared for her to address this situation at the reunion.”

According to Ben, he “thought [they] were broken up” at a time when Sara believed they were still dating.

“The issue is the fact that I reached out to [Sara and she] ghosted me,” he claimed. “I reached out the Saturday that she moved to Nashville when I took her off ‘Find My Friends’ [and] apologizing for doing that, as well as the next day because I knew she was still upset.”

To further illustrate his point — Ben captioned his upload “Inside info, timeline and receipts from the final episode, reunion and everything over the last year” — the developer shared screenshots of the former couple’s alleged text messages.

“‘Made me sad, but it’s OK. I feel really good now being back. I’m just telling you, so you know where I’m at,’” Ben read aloud. “In this case, she still thinks we’re together, but the responses don’t seem like we’re together. Then it goes on [and I say], ‘I’m sorry, I know I should’ve handled that better.’”

Love Is Blind’s Sara Breaks Down Ben’s TikTok Drama: What You Didn't See

After Ben’s text pointed out that he was “trying to figure out” how to heal his broken heart, Ben revealed how Sara allegedly responded.

“And it goes on, ‘As a team effort to keep out respect for one another and continue to be on good terms,’” Ben read her alleged message. “Do you say to ‘be on good terms’ if you’re still dating someone? I don’t think so.”

Ben then sent two more follow-up apologies to Sara in April 2024 and May 2024, respectively.

“She thumbed up [my message], which I guess was enough of a reply for her and I felt bad and I was thinking about it the whole day, so I texted her another apology,” he said. “This was the text that she had ‘no weight to the words.”

Ben’s April 7, 2024, message said, “I want to apologize for just removing location stuff out of the blue, and not calling you on your drive to Nash. I do care about you a lot and I guess I am just wanting to protect my heart. I cried a lot yesterday morning and today, and I know there are things I should’ve done better yesterday. I am just trying to do my best with respecting you and stay on good terms and still care for my own feelings.”

Sara apparently didn’t respond, but Ben wrote back on May 28, 2024.

“Hey Sara, you have been on my mind and since we kinda stopped talking in a weird situation, I wanted to see if you had time for a FaceTime this week,” he wrote. “It would be good to see how you are doing.”

According to Ben, he was “so confused” that Sara thought during this entire period that they were still a couple.

Sara, meanwhile, addressed the Nashville of it all during her Thursday, March 13, appearance on the “Viall Files” podcast.

“I was just hopeful that we would progress just us two,” Sara explained. “We did decide a week after the weekend that he was going to come with me to Nashville. … The day that I left for Nashville, I just felt kind of dropped. I was confused because we had such detailed agreements, but ultimately, when he removed me from ‘Find My Friends,’ that’s when I had the most clarity of, ‘OK, this is actually who Ben is and what the situation is.’ Like I felt pretty duped.”

Love Is Blind is currently streaming on Netflix.

The two surviving dogs of Gene Hackman and wife Betsy Arakawa tried to assist the law enforcement investigation into their deaths, authorities confirmed.

While local members of the Sante Fe sheriff’s department searched the couple’s home during a welfare check, they noticed one dog running up to them. According to Chief Brian Moya, the canine kept barking and ran in a different direction.

“They realized [the dog] was trying to say, ‘Hey, come over here! Come over here!’” Moya recalled to USA Today in an interview published on Tuesday, March 11.

The dog — Hackman and Arakawa owned three, one of which died alongside the pair — led the first responders to the corner of a mudroom where Hackman’s body was found unconscious on the floor. Per Moya, the Oscar-winning actor had blackened hands and showed other signs of decomposition. A door was ajar nearby, seemingly allowing the dogs entry between the house and the backyard.

Gene Hackman’s 2 Surviving Dogs Are Safe With Santa Fe Authorities

News broke late last month that Hackman and Arakawa had been found dead inside their Santa Fe, New Mexico, house. They were 95 and 65, respectively.

“It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our father, Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy. He was loved and admired by millions around the world for his brilliant acting career, but to us, he was always just Dad and Grandpa,” Hackman’s daughters and granddaughter told Us Weekly in a statement. “We will miss him sorely and are devastated by the loss.”

Hackman and Arakawa are survived by his children, Christopher, Elizabeth and Leslie, whom the actor shared with late ex-wife Faye Maltese, and granddaughter Anna.

A medical examiner later confirmed that Hackman died due to hypertensive atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease with Alzheimer’s disease as a significant contributing factor. Arakawa, for her part, died as a result of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome.

Gene Hackman's Dog Did Not Die of Hantavirus, May Have Starved to Death

After Hackman and Arakawa’s bodies were discovered, surviving dogs Bear and Nikita were taken to a local pet shelter. (Their dog, Zinna, also died last month while locked in a crate inside the pair’s home.)

“She was devoted to those dogs,” Gruda Veterinary Hospital owner Robert Gruda recalled to USA Today. “She was consistent, predictable. We knew something was wrong when she didn’t pick up the food on time.”

Arakawa had taken Zinna, Bear and Nikita to Gruda Veterinary Hospital for years.

“She was an excellent dog owner, excellent caretaker to those dogs,” Gruda recalled. “She really doted on them.”

According to Gruda, his staff last saw Arakawa in late January when she picked up Zinna after a “major” operation.

“She was friendly, dutiful,” Gruda remembered. “That’s how we make a living, with owners [who] care for their animals and see us consistently.”

Love Is Blind personality Sara Carton is responding to rampant speculation that she has been dating costar Joey Leveille since their respective breakups.

“I’ve seen this a few times online in the past 24 hours,” Sara, 29, said on the Thursday, March 13, episode of “The Viall Files” podcast. “Well, to be clear, me and Joey are not dating.”

Sara and Joey, 36, were both participants on season 8 of Love Is Blind, which was filmed in Minneapolis in spring 2024 and aired on Netflix last month. They each found love sight unseen with Ben Mezzenga and Monica Danus, respectively. After whirlwind engagements, both couples broke up at the altar.

“There was a love square between me, Monica, Ben and Joey. We were all talking to each other until the second to last day in the pods,” Sara recalled on Thursday. “Of course, naturally in that circumstance, you do connect with people. I feel like me and Joey did establish a really great friendship.”

Love Is Blind's Sara Doesn't Think Ben Was Honest With Her About Religion

According to Sara, she “didn’t really talk” to Joey further until “five months” post-production.

“[Joey] and five other people visited me in Nashville and we called ourselves the ‘Yee-Haw Crew,’ like, it’s such a good time,” Sara said. “We grew really, really close with each other just because of the support for each other, knowing what we’ve all been through and being able to be there for one another. It’s been super important to me.”

She continued, “This whole situation, I’ve felt very close with Joey. I’m fond of our relationship, but I [also] feel very well-supported by all those involved. I’m just very grateful that I’ve met him, but, yeah, we definitely have a friendship. We’re definitely not dating.”

As to whether a potential romance could eventually unfold between the two pals, Sara played coy.

‘Love Is Blind’ Season 8 Reunion: Biggest Takeaways From the 5 Couples

“I don’t know what the future will hold,” Sara teased. “But, I do know for right now, I definitely have no capacity to even think about a relationship.”

In addition to her friendship with Joey, the nurse has been able to lean on her family while navigating her broken engagement. (In the end, Sara called off her nuptials to Ben over fundamental political and religious differences.)

“I couldn’t have done it without them. And also my brother, my mom and stepdad, they were my rocks. I cannot state how much I appreciate them for being there for me,” Sara exclusively told Us Weekly ahead of the March 9 finale. “[My sister], Lisa, and [her partner], Kelsie, they’re very rational people and that helps me keep grounded. Sometimes I’m, like, all about the fantasies and being spontaneous and having fun and they helped me a lot, especially with this scenario putting it all in context.”

She added, “They helped me feel OK that it may not be my person and that’s OK — even though I so badly wanted it to be my person and have this beautiful thing work for me.”

Love Is Blind is currently streaming on Netflix.

Kim Kardashian and Jonathan Cheban (also known as Foodgod) are still fast friends, despite any online speculation.

“People post me in things and people say that Kim and I aren’t friends anymore and it’s so funny to watch this stuff ‘cause we are friends and we talk all the time,” Cheban, 51, exclusively told Us Weekly at the grand opening of Planet Hollywood in New York City on Tuesday, March 11. “I see all these things that pop up and that’s how I know if I’m on [episodes of The Kardashians] or not.”

While Cheban admitted that he doesn’t always keep up with Kardashian’s Hulu docuseries, they are “absolutely” still close pals.

“We’re going to be friends forever — and it’s fun,” Cheban said. “I mean, she’s got so many kids and so many things to do and I’m all the way on this coast, so it’s like, yeah, we don’t see each other as much, but we talk all the time and anything happens that I feel like we should discuss, we just send it right away.”

Meet Kim Kardashian's Inner Circle: From Childhood BFFs to Celeb Pals

Kardashian, 44, lives in Los Angeles with her and ex-husband Kanye West’s four children. Cheban, meanwhile, resides on the East Coast and travels “all the time” between the likes of Italy, California and more. Most recently, he relocated to New York City, where he attended the opening of Planet Hollywood in Times Square.

“This is pretty iconic,” he gushed on Tuesday. “Not only is the weather amazing, I mean, this is such a major thing to happen in New York [and] for a New York comeback. I’m moving back to New York after five years. I’m so excited to be here, this is awesome.”

Ahead of the event, Cheban was especially hopeful that the Planet Hollywood menu would feature one specific offering.

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“Well, hopefully, there’s the usual [and] hopefully they made a smash burger because [it’s] 2025. I don’t want the old burgers,” he quipped. “I want some new stuff. And if they didn’t, I’m going to find [CEO] Robert Earl and I’m going to tell him.”

Cheban is famously a major foodie, who has chronicled his global dietary adventures on both his Discovery+ series, Foodgod, and via social media.

“I feel like my Instagram and my TikTok is bigger than pretty much every show,” Cheban told Us. “You get a million [or] 2 million views and that is a TV show. And you kind of control it because when you do a TV show, it takes a very long time [that] people don’t know. By the time you film it [and] by the time it comes out and by the time it airs, you spent a year and a half doing it and then it ends really fast so you better know what you’re doing.”

With reporting by Christina Garibaldi

While Margaret Josephs would “love to” return for another season of The Real Housewives of New Jersey, she can make peace with a different outcome.

“Do I feel sad we’re not filming? It’s a welcome break, I’m not going to lie,” Margaret, 57, exclusively told Us Weekly at the grand opening of Planet Hollywood in New York City on Tuesday, March 11. “It’s relaxing. It’s fun, but, of course, I’d love to go back.”

Margaret has been a staple on RHONJ since 2017’s season 8. She last appeared on the show’s season 14 in 2024 alongside Teresa Giudice, Melissa Gorga, Jennifer Aydin, Dolores Catania, Jackie Goldschneider, Jennifer Fessler, Danielle Cabral and Rachel Fuda. Us Weekly confirmed in February that there has been no definitive casting news regarding season 15.

According to Margaret, the perfect cast lineup would consist of “my friends and some new people thrown in.”

Inside What’s Going on With ‘RHONJ’ Season 15 Casting

“I love everybody to work and have a successful career. I think some friendships have gone past where they belong. And you know what? If it’s not me, then that’s fine too,” she added on Tuesday. “I have a beautiful life.”

When asked further how she would feel about a potential season 15 exclusion, Margaret said, “If that’s what the Bravo Gods want, that’s fine for me. I’ve had a great ride.”

Margaret has also stayed “very close” to costars Melissa, 45, Dolores, 54, Rachel, 33, Jennifer Fessler, 57, and Danielle, 39. Jennifer Fessler and Danielle, for their parts, also stepped out at the Planet Hollywood opening on Tuesday and gave Us their takes on the RHONJ break.

“I miss the fun of it; the little glimpse of fun that was there. It’s always fun to shoot,” Danielle told Us in a separate interview on Tuesday. “But, I hope the dynamics change. I hope I get something better to work with!”

According to Danielle, she would want everyone to return for season 15 “except for three.”

'RHONJ' Stars Share Their Honest Thoughts About the Show's Future

“We’re Jersey girls. We could play and have a little fun, but let’s not go for the jugular,” Danielle said, without naming which Housewives should be on the chopping block if she had a say.

Jennifer Fessler, meanwhile, revealed to Us on the red carpet that she would “only go back as a friend.”

“Yes, I would go back, honey,” Jennifer Fessler quipped. “I’d go back as the person who does craft services.”

Jennifer Fessler further teased how the group’s dynamics have shifted since “that insane, ridiculous [and] over-the-top finale.”

“I think things have gone as you would’ve expected after that,” she stated. “I mean, I think things were pretty clear, right? I don’t think anyone expected Margaret and Theresa to mend fences — certainly not Melissa and Theresa. I don’t think Danielle and Jen [Aydin] were destined to be friends. I think that was sort of written in the cards and the start.”

With reporting by Christina Garibaldi

As Prince William greeted locals outside England’s Aspray Arena, he was stunned to see one resident with bright red locks.

“Look at your hair! It’s fantastic,” William, 42, jokingly quipped on Tuesday, March 11, during a walkabout, per social media footage. “I wish I had hair like that, amazing!”

According to William, he “has the Charles.” (The Prince of Wales is the eldest son of King Charles III and his late ex-wife, Princess Diana.)

William visited an FA Referee Training Course at Aspray, which is the home of Sporting Khalsa FC in Willenhall, England. The visit was part of the prince’s duties as patron of the Football Association to highlight its “Reflective and Representative” campaign to recruit more individuals of color as referees.

Prince William Weaves In Hair Loss Joke While Discussing Earthshot Prize

William, who debuted a scruffy goatee in summer 2024, has long been a good sport when it comes to his receding hairline.

“I don’t know if you guys have heard about the Earthshot Prize, but it’s an initiative I started about two years ago now, but it’s been about four years in the making,” he quipped in a July 2023 YouTube video. “I had hair when it started.”

Several months earlier, William’s brother, Prince Harry, made a pointed dig at his sibling’s hairline in his Spare memoir. Harry, 40, wrote about William’s “alarming baldness” and quipped that his resemblance to Diana was “fading with time.”

“In some ways he was my mirror, in some ways he was my opposite,” Harry wrote in the book published January 2023. “My beloved brother, my archnemesis, how had that happened?”

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Harry later defended writing about Williams’ hair loss.

“I don’t see it as cutting at all,” Harry said in a 60 Minutes sit-down. “My brother and I love each other. I love him deeply. None of anything I’ve written, anything that I’ve included is ever intended to hurt my family.”

William and Harry have been estranged since the Duke of Sussex and his wife, Meghan Markle, stepped down from their duties as senior working royals in 2020. William, meanwhile, has not publicly addressed the alleged falling-out or Spare accusations.

Paul “PK” Kemsley has found it difficult to watch episodes of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills surrounding his separation from wife Dorit Kemsley.

“It’s a super tough situation. The reality is it’s kind of reality, but it’s not reality,” PK, 57, exclusively told Us Weekly at the grand opening of New York City’s Planet Hollywood on Tuesday, March 11. “It gets mixed up. It gets edited. We say things, they don’t come out exactly as they were said. If you missed the sentence before, it changes the meaning, but we’re navigating it.”

He added, “Listen, we have to own the fact we did it. So this is our world and yeah, we’re OK.”

Dorit, 48, and PK announced in May 2024 that they were taking time apart after nine years of marriage. At the time, they still planned to amicably coparent son Jagger, 11, and daughter Phoenix, 9. While neither Dorit nor PK have yet to formally file for divorce, their breakup has remained a staple of conversation throughout RHOBH season 14.

Dorit Kemsley Says 'Things Don't Stay Amicable' With PK on 'RHOBH'

“It’s tough because we’re [now] relieving what was 10 months ago,” he said on Tuesday. “It’s tough, but we’re getting through it.”

According to PK, he and Dorit go through both “good places” and “bad places.”

“We’re going through what every couple goes through,” he said, “It’s not easy, but it’s not horrible either. She’s still Dorit [and] is still fabulous. She’s very chic!”

While Dorit is a main cast member on RHOBH, PK last appeared on a season 14 episode to meet up with Mauricio Umansky  — who himself is separated from fellow Housewife Kyle Richards — for lunch. Despite the brief cameo, PK isn’t looking to make another appearance this season.

Everything We Learned About Dorit and PK's Divorce in 'RHOBH' Premiere

“I am done with reality,” PK proclaimed on Tuesday, teasing that he won’t make additional cameos on the Bravo hit. “I’m done. I’ve gotta go back to work.”

While the British real estate developer is no longer interested in appearing on RHOBH episodes, he’s not barring Dorit — or the kids — from their own reality TV future.

“I’ll support Dorit wherever I can,” PK stressed, further noting that Jagger and Phoenix are “doing good.”

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“They’re happy,” PK told Us. “We’re working together with the kids. We took them to Disney and we celebrate the birthdays together, so that’s all good.”

In between coparenting duties, PK stepped out to support Planet Hollywood’s CEO, Robert Earl, at the grand opening of the Times Square location.

“Robert is a very dear friend of mine [and] Jagger’s godfather,” PK gushed. “We’re excited to be here. It’s such a legacy brand, isn’t it? … I didn’t even know him when it first came out, [but] I met Robert about 20 years ago and we’ve become super close. I’m absolutely delighted to be here.”

With reporting by Christina Garibaldi

Alec Baldwin and his wife, Hilaria Baldwin, didn’t go into filming their eponymous TLC docuseries with many expectations.

“I think we didn’t think it through very much, which I look back now and I’m thinking ‘What were we thinking?’ But at the same time, I’m so glad that we didn’t because it is so raw and it is so true and it was a very vulnerable time,” Hilaria, 41, exclusively told Us Weekly at the grand opening of Planet Hollywood in Times Square on Tuesday, March 111. “It’s interesting to look back and even though it’s not that long ago, it really was a diary of how we were coping and moving forward.”

She added, “I’m very grateful that we did it and we were so lucky with the people that we did it with and I don’t say that lightly.”

Alec, 66, and Hilaria costarred with their seven young children — the 30 Rock alum also shares eldest daughter Ireland with ex-wife Kim Basinger — in TLC’s The Baldwins, which showcases the married couple’s family dynamics. Filming began shortly after Alec’s Rust fatal shooting scandal. (Alec fired a prop gun in 2021 that ultimately killed the film’s director of photography. He was indicted and charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter, which were dismissed at trial.)

Inside Alec Baldwin and Wife Hilaria’s Decision to Do a Reality Show

“We’re so lucky because Sarah Reddy helped tell our story,” Hilaria told Us on Tuesday. “Howard Lee really, really is the one that believed in us and saw this. Just to be heard and seen and speak is such a special thing.”

Alec, meanwhile, joked to Us that he “didn’t make any decisions” during season 1.

“I didn’t have any input at all,” the actor quipped. “My wife and Sarah just shoved me around all day long for months.”

Alec also weighed on the possibility that filming The Baldwins could have impacted their marriage.

“Well, we’re always going to get a response [like] that [when doing] reality TV, among other things,” Alec said. “I hosted game shows and did Match Game for a while and that was all to put money in our foundation, to get to charity, and you’re always looking for alternative forums to do that with. And so, we did that and when you do things like this, people are always like, ‘Oh, this is another silly thing you’re doing.’ I really don’t care. We had fun.”

According to Hilaria, she and the kids also enjoyed the production.

Alec and Hilaria Baldwin Share Why They Wanted Their Own Reality Show

“We had so much fun and, like, the kids had fun,” the yoga instructor said. “It was such a good experience.”

While The Baldwins season 1 is currently airing on TLC, Hilaria teased that more episodes could be coming down the pipeline.

“We’ll see,” Hilaria hinted, before Alec chimed in to add that “she’ll be back.”

Alec and Hilaria took a break from filming and parenting alike to attend the grand opening party of Planet Hollywood in New York City.

“Well, I went to the opening of the original Planet Hollywood,” Alec recalled. “This was the beginning, I think, of that kind of movie star, celebrity-centered club restaurant. It was more like music and things like that — House of Blues eventually — but Danny Akroyd and those guys and these things were a huge success. And then, they kind of petered out. They’re reopening again, which is a great idea.”

Hilaria, for her part, was only “6 years old” when the eatery originally launched.

“But look at this!” she gushed. “This is such an iconic place. It really is, and we’re in the heart of New York, so it’s such a fun thing to be part of.”

With reporting by Christina Garibaldi

Mexican influencer Valeria Mireles has died. She was 20.

“Valeria was more than a rodeo queen; she was an ambassador of cowboy culture, an inspiration to many young women,” the Mexican Rodeo Federation wrote in a Monday, March 10, statement via Facebook. “Her smile lit up every arena, and her passion for rodeo was contagious. Although her passing leaves a void, her legacy will live on in our hearts and in the memory of rodeo.”

The statement added, “We send our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones during this difficult time. Her light and talent will leave an indelible mark on our hearts.”

Local news outlet N+ further reported that Mireles died following a fatal car accident in the northeastern state of Nuevo León.

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Mireles’ uncle David González Morton confirmed the social media star’s passing in a Facebook statement the next day.

“[My] niece Ana Valeria Mireles Villarreal, you will always live in our hearts,” González Morton wrote on Tuesday, March 11. We will miss you dearly.”

Mireles had earned the nicknames “Mexico Rodeo Queen” and “Miss Rodeo” for her frequent social media uploads of her cowgirl lifestyle. She also competed in barrel racing and participated in beauty pageants.

“OK … my little cowgirl I lack words to describe how much your departure hurts us; you leave a huge void,” Mireles’ friend Cindy wrote in a social media tribute earlier this week. I’m grateful that God allowed me to grow up with you and share so many good times, so many laughs and anecdotes that I will always carry with me.”

Celebrity Deaths of 2025: Stars We've Lost This Year

She continued, “I will carry you in my memory and in my heart with that smiling, sweet face. Wherever you went, you lit up the room with your stage presence and your light. And it’s not a goodbye, but a see you later because in every sunset, in every joy, and every breeze, I will feel you! Your legacy will live on FOREVER. We gained another angel, and heaven couldn’t be more lucky to have you. We’re gonna miss you, little cowgirl!”

In a follow-up post, Cindy noted that Mireles was “forever in our hearts.”

Mireles last posted on Instagram on March 7, sharing a carousel of professionally taken images. Several of her followers have since expressed their condolences in the comments section.

“I can’t believe it, this news left me in shock. Rest in peace, Valeria,” one user wrote.

Another added, “I am very sorry for your loss and I pray to God to give them the strength necessary to endure such great pain. RIP.”