The cast and crew of Gossip Girl honored their former costar Michelle Trachtenberg following the news of her death at age 39.

“Michelle was one of a kind,” Chace Crawford, who played Nate Archibald, wrote via Instagram on Wednesday, February 26. “I remember her coming on set for the first time and just absolutely owning it. She was a force of nature and just so so unapologetically funny and magnetic.”

The actor, 39, included two selfies with Trachtenberg as well a snap that appeared to show them on the set of Gossip Girl, which aired from 2007 to 2012 on The CW.

Police sources confirmed to Us Weekly earlier on Wednesday that Trachtenberg was found unconscious inside her New York City apartment. No cause of death has been reported, and the incident is not believed to be suspicious.

‘Gossip Girl’ and ‘Buffy’ Star Michelle Trachtenberg Dead at Age 39

Trachtenberg’s representative later addressed the news in a statement, telling Us on Wednesday, “It is with great sadness to confirm that Michelle Trachtenberg has passed away. The family requests privacy for their loss. There are no further details at this time.”

Multiple sources told Us that the Ice Princess actress had a liver transplant prior to her death.

Trachtenberg broke out as a child star in the 1996 film Harriet the Spy, which was based on Louise Fitzhugh’s 1964 novel of the same name. She later appeared in shows including The Adventures of Pete & Pete, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Six Feet Under.

In 2008, she made her debut in season 1 of Gossip Girl as Georgina Sparks, a villainous former friend of Serena van der Woodsen (Blake Lively). Trachtenberg appeared in 28 episodes of the original series and later returned for two episodes of the Max sequel, which debuted in 2021.

In February 2020, Trachtenberg praised her former costars for their post–Gossip Girl achievements and said she’d recently seen Leighton Meester, who played Blair Waldorf.

“Leighton and I actually had dinner not too long ago, and she’s also a mother,” Trachtenberg exclusively told Us at the time. “I think it’s just amazing what they’ve all accomplished.”

‘Gossip Girl’ Cast: Where Are They Now?

She noted that she hadn’t yet seen Penn Badgley’s then-new show You, but she’d heard about the memes joking that Georgina could ruin his character, Joe.

“[It] says that I would be the one to take him down, and I was like, ‘I don’t know what this means,’” she joked. “And then my friends were like, ‘Well … ’ I go to all of my friends for the content to understand what’s cool with the kids these days.”

Keep scrolling for more tributes to Trachtenberg from the Gossip Girl cast and crew:

Chace Crawford

“Michelle was one of a kind,” Crawford wrote via Instagram. “I remember her coming on set for the first time and just absolutely owning it. She was a force of nature and just so so unapologetically funny and magnetic.. remembering those years with a big smile. Just a terrible loss. Love you .”

Ed Westwick

“So sad to hear of the passing of @michelletrachtenberg,” Westwick, 37, wrote via his Instagram Story alongside a throwback photo of Trachtenberg from the series. “Sending prayers.” (The actor played Chuck Bass on the teen drama.)

A Look Back at Michelle Trachtenberg's Relationship With 'Gossip Girl' Cast

Josh Schwartz

The Gossip Girl cocreator, 48, paid tribute to Trachtenberg via his Instagram Story, writing, “RIP Michelle. Thank you for Georgina. You will be missed but not forgotten.”

He also commented on Crawford’s post, writing, “Well said. Love these photos. .”

Kevin Zegers

“What a loss. Michelle was tough and a force,” wrote Zegers, 40, who played Damian Dalgaard, via Instagram. “Just a kid, so sad.”

Joshua Safran

The Gossip Girl writer penned a touching social media tribute for Trachtenberg on Wednesday sharing it was “an honor and joy” to create her character.

“Georgina unlocked something in me in which writing her was the easiest thing I’d done. It was partially the character: devious, delicious, direct — the most fun to write,” he reflected. “But it was also Michelle. She had such a clear voice as an actor. You heard her as you typed.”

Safran continued: “You knew she’d make each line rougher, more real, much funnier — and that made the writing better. She was an inspiration and an icon. There’s many reasons GG1 caught fire when we came back from the strike, but one of the biggest was the intro of her arc. The injection of *her.* Long live Georgina Sparks, and the brilliant woman who gave her the fire. You will be forever missed. Xoxo.”

Blake Lively

“This is the first day I met Michelle. She was electricity. You knew when she entered a room because the vibration changed,” Lively, 38, wrote via Instagram alongside a photo of the duo filming Gossip Girl. “Everything she did, she did 200%. She laughed the fullest at someone’s joke, she faced authority head on when she felt something was wrong, she cared deeply about her work, she was proud to be a part of this community and industry as painful as it could be sometimes, she was fiercely loyal to her friends and brave for those she loved, she was big and bold and distinctly herself.”

Calling her “king through and through,” Lively continued, “Time passes. You take for granted that you get the chance to see an old friend. To paraphrase, the real tragedies in life are the ones that blindside you on an idle Tuesday. Hold those you love and have loved dear. The world lost a deeply sensitive and good person in Michelle. May her work and her huge heart be remembered by those who were lucky enough to experience her fire.”

Taylor Momsen

The actress-turned-rocker took to social media to share her “shock” over Trachtenberg’s death, writing via Instagram, “When I met this girl 15 years ago I knew we’d be friends..she was smart and sassy, bold and sensitive, funny as f— and filled with fire. She was simply awesome. I’ll miss our late night calls that no one should ever hear but us. She was always in my corner and there to support me whether I was right or wrong.”

Momsen then took a moment to address Trachtenberg directly. “I will miss you everyday my love..I think we truly understood each other and I am so grateful to have had a friend like you in my life for so long..You were a true friend to me which is a rarity in this world and I can’t believe I won’t hear your voice again,” she wrote. “I hope you’re f—-ing up heaven for both of us..I love you so much Michelle, my heart is on the floor.”

She concluded the post  — which featured a black and white slideshow of the costars over the years — by sharing that she “needed to honor” her longtime friend, noting that she “deserves more than this.”

“I grieve with all her fans around the world, and my heart is with her family and loved ones,” Momsen added. “I have so much to say, but she’s the only one I’d want to say it to, my love to you all xxt.”

Jessica Szohr 

Szohr, who portrayed Vanessa Abrams on Gossip Girl, remembered Trachtenberg’s on-set energy in an Instagram tribute.

“This amazing woman bursts onto the scene with energy that instantly brings a smile to your face. She’s not only a true professional, but she’s also the perfect antidote to anyone who takes life a bit too seriously,” Szohr wrote on February 26. “Her kindness and outrageous sense of humor create an atmosphere of joy, both on set and beyond. We shared countless laughs during filming, over the phone, and at various events. Her captivating stories are so entertaining that you can’t help but want to hear more! She’s truly one of a kind.”

Gossip Girl alum Ed Westwick paid tribute to former costar Michelle Trachtenberg following her death at age 39.

“So sad to hear of the passing of @michelletrachtenberg,” Westwick, 37, wrote via his Instagram Story on Wednesday, February 26, alongside a throwback photo of Trachtenberg from the series. “Sending prayers.”

Police sources confirmed to Us Weekly earlier on Wednesday that Trachtenberg was found unconscious inside her New York City apartment, located in Midtown West. The incident is not believed to be suspicious. No cause of death has been reported. (The New York Post was the first to break the news.)

Trachtenberg began her career as a child star in the 1996 movie Harriet the Spy, which also starred Rosie O’Donnell and Eartha Kitt. She went on to join the cast of Buffy the Vampire Slayer as Sarah Michelle Gellar’s sister, Dawn.

‘Gossip Girl’ and ‘Buffy’ Star Michelle Trachtenberg Dead at Age 39

In 2008, she made her first appearance on Gossip Girl as Georgina Sparks, a former friend of Serena van der Woodsen (Blake Lively) who loved scheming. After starring in 28 episodes of the original CW show, Trachtenberg went on to reprise the role in two episodes of Max’s short-lived sequel series, also titled Gossip Girl, in 2022.

While Georgina was usually the villain on Gossip Girl, Trachtenberg said she liked to find the good side of the character.

“I think with every evil character, there’s some moments of deception, but there has to be some redeemable qualities there,” she told Seventeen in 2009. “You’re going to have to decide, as an audience, if those redeemable qualities are just a big trick to get everyone to love her. Then you’ve got to tune in to see if she pulls the wool over everyone’s eyes!”

Michelle Trachtenberg Through the Years: Her Life and Career in Photos

She went on to say that playing Georgina was “easy” because Gossip Girl’s writers did such a great job crafting her deceptions.

“It’s actually kind of easy because the words that they write are so fantastic,” she explained. “It’s kind of easy to be evil when you’re saying evil things. It’s definitely a lot more fun than playing the good girl. I love the reaction you get. I never understood why some actors don’t want to play villains or evil characters.”

When Georgina returned to the sequel series, creator Joshua Safran said that Trachtenberg pitched her own comeback.

‘Gossip Girl’ Cast: Where Are They Now?

“I definitely knew that I wanted Georgina back from pretty much the day after I pitched the show. Michelle actually started DMing about it during the season 1 writers room,” Safran told Deadline in December 2022. “She was like, ‘I want to come back.’ And I was like, ‘I really want you to as well but I actually don’t think season 1 is the right place,’ because I wanted everybody to be really set up so that she could come in and sort of destroy them.”

ASAP Rocky’s lawyer Joe Tacopina had a strong message for critics who thought Rihanna shouldn’t have brought her kids to court earlier this month.

“One day Rihanna brought the babies to court, and people were thinking it was a ploy,” Tacopina said during a Monday, February 24, interview with Charlamagne Tha God on The Breakfast Club. “Like, some sort of maneuver to get the jury to feel sympathy. The jury’s not feeling sympathy, they know he has a wife and kids.”

As the attorney noted, however, the day Rihanna brought the kids to court — February 13 — was the day that jury deliberations were supposed to begin. If Rocky, 36, had been found guilty, he could have gone directly to jail after the verdict.

“It was more because it was the last day of the trial — we were summing up, doing summations — and the judge said we’re going to go right into jury deliberations after that. At least, that was the plan, it didn’t work out that way,” Tacopina explained. “She brought them to court because that could have been the last time he’d seen his kids for a decade or more that day. That’s why she brought them. The prosecutor made a big deal of it in his summation, which I thought was a fatal mistake, quite frankly.”

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Rihanna, 37, and Rocky, who went public with their romance in 2021, share sons RZA, 2, and Riot, 18 months. When she brought the boys to court earlier this month, she was photographed carrying RZA in her arms while another person held Riot.

Rocky was on trial for two felony counts of assault with a semiautomatic weapon. The charges stemmed from a 2021 incident involving his friend ASAP Relli. If found guilty, the “Peso” rapper could have faced up to 24 years in prison.

Rocky was found not guilty on February 18 after the jury deliberated for three hours. While RZA and Riot weren’t present in court that day, Rihanna was, and after the verdict was read, Rocky leaped into her arms. “Thank y’all for saving my life,” he told the jurors.

Rihanna soon shared her reaction to the verdict via Instagram, writing, “The glory belongs to God and God alone! Thankful, humbled by his mercy!”

In his interview on Monday, Tacopina said that he could have been involved in another high-profile trial, claiming that he was asked to “take a look” at the case against Sean “Diddy” Combs. The mogul, 55, was arrested in September 2024 and charged with racketeering, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution. He pleaded not guilty to all charges and is currently in jail awaiting trial.

Rihanna Claps Back When Asked How ASAP Rocky Feels After Not Guilty Verdict

Tacopina, however, turned down the case because of his connection to Jay-Z and his company Roc Nation.

“I represent Roc Nation; a lot of people in Roc I’m very close with,” the attorney claimed. “Jay is amazing. … That’s sort of family to me, and I don’t think they see eye-to-eye with P. Diddy.”

When Charlamagne, 46, asked Tacopina to further explain the alleged distance between Diddy and Jay-Z, 55, the lawyer claimed that they weren’t close.

“Everyone wants a picture with P. Diddy, at one time or another when they went to a party. But when things got real, years and years ago … ” he said, trailing off.

Dwayne Johnson and his family are mourning the loss of their beloved dog, Hobbs.

The actor, 52, announced the heartbreaking news via Instagram on Tuesday, February 25, alongside a carousel of photos and videos of the late pooch.

“RIP Hobbs,” Johnson began. “I’ve been numb over this loss, but we’re so grateful for every ounce of pure love he gave our entire family and we’re so grateful he didn’t suffer long as he quietly and bravely left in the night.”

The former wrestler went on to explain why he chose the song “What’s Going on in Your World” by George Strait to soundtrack the post.

“Lately, there’s been a lot that’s too big to talk about. Lonesome, lonely, heard it’s all the same,” he wrote. “One of my favorite songs felt appropriate here, as I wonder what’s going on his new world, because I know what it’s like in mine. Not sure how spirits work but come back and visit every once in a while so we can get in trouble and laugh again. .”

Hobbs was a well-known figure to Johnson’s fans, who tracked his whereabouts via the actor’s social media pages over the years. The Moana star adopted the French bulldog as a puppy in 2015 along with Brutus, another Frenchie pup. Shortly after taking them home, Johnson famously had to rescue Brutus from drowning after he fell in the pool. (Brutus died later that year after ingesting a toxic mushroom.)

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In 2019, Johnson cast Hobbs — who was named after his Fast & Furious character — in his Fast & Furious spinoff movie, Hobbs & Shaw.

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A post shared by Dwayne Johnson (@therock)

“As producer of @hobbsandshaw, I thought it was the right thing to do to actually cast my French bulldog in our movie. Nepotism shmepotism ,” he joked via Instagram at the time. “Three years ago we brought puppy Hobbs and his baby brother, Brutus home to become our ohana. Sadly, we lost puppy Brutus a few months later. Broke our hearts, but this little beast Hobbs goes on to live his best life daily and I’m quite proud of his performance in our movie.”

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He added, “Plus, he dropped a steaming 3 curler right in the middle of the set The biggest star the Fast & Furious franchise has ever seen and one bad ass sumbitch.”

Last year, Johnson brought Hobbs with him for his GQ cover story photo shoot, and the pooch appeared alongside him in some of the snaps.

Kylie Jenner is paying tribute to her late hairstylist and friend Jesus Guerrero.

The Kardashians star, 27, will pay for Guerrero’s funeral expenses, according to a Monday, February 24, report from People. “As upset as she feels, she knows it’s so much worse for his family,” a source told the outlet. “She doesn’t want them to stress about money. She’s taking care of expenses, including those associated with his funeral.”

“Kylie is completely heartbroken,” an insider told Us Weekly of Jenner’s reaction to Jesus’ passing. “Jesus was her No. 1 hairstylist, and they were best friends.”

Jesus’ family announced his death on Saturday, February 22, when his sister Gris Guerrero set up a GoFundMe page following his passing.

“My name is Gris, Jesus’s younger sister,” Gris wrote in the description. “It is with a heavy heart that we let the world know that Jesus Guerrero has gone to heaven. He is a son, a brother, an uncle, an artist, a friend, and so much more.”

Gris went on to say that Jesus’ death came “suddenly and unexpectedly” and noted the family is working through the logistics of bringing him home to Houston, Texas, from Los Angeles. The page has raised $96,000 after setting a goal of $60,000.

Jesus, who was 34, worked as a hairstylist for Jenner as well as her sister Kim Kardashian and other celebrities including Jennifer Lopez and Katy Perry. A cause of death has not been revealed.

Jennifer Lopez Pays an Emotional Tribute to Late Hairstylist Jesus Guerrero

“Our glam fam means the world to us. We work together, vacation and celebrate our lives together!” Kardashian, 44, wrote via her Instagram Story on Monday in tribute to Jesus, sharing a photo of the hair pro alongside the Kardashian-Jenner family and other glam team members. “Our great respect for the art of hair and [makeup] has led us to meeting some of the kindest souls and make some of our bestest friends. So when one of our glam family members passes away all of our souls are crushed.”

The Skims cofounder continued, “My heart breaks for Kylie and everyone who loved Jesus the way we all did. I’m praying for his family, his loved ones and the whole beauty community who feels this deep loss of one of the most talented and kindest to ever do it!”

Jessica Alba Shares Tribute to Late Celebrity Hairstylist Jesus Guerrero

Khloé Kardashian later reposted her sister’s tribute to Jesus and added, “I couldn’t find the words this weekend, but this is exactly how we all feel. We become a family with our glam teams, and we share so much of our lives with them.”

Jesus recently styled Jenner’s hair for the 2025 Golden Globes last month, which she attended with boyfriend Timothée Chalamet.

© Getty Images; Inset: Courtesy of Jesus Guerrero/Instagram

Alexandra Kay has seen a lot in her decade-plus in the music industry, but nothing has compared to the scene backstage at a Jelly Roll concert.

“Within a matter of minutes, I was passing Morgan Wallen, Snoop Dogg, Kelsea Ballerini, Ernest — was that the night [Jon] Bon Jovi was there?” Kay, 33, exclusively told Us Weekly. “Everybody was there!”

Kay opened for Jelly Roll, 40, on his Beautifully Broken Tour last year and had a blast, but this year she’s the headliner, having kicked off her Cupid’s a Cowgirl Tour on Sunday, February 23.

“There was a part of me that had been at it for so long that I didn’t know that I’d ever get to put on a show like this,” she told Us of the new tour, which winds down in St. Louis in June. “So I am so grateful and I cannot wait for everybody to see it. We’re gonna be playing four new songs from the record.”

The tour is named after her newest single, “Cupid’s a Cowgirl,” which dropped Friday, February 21. Kay said the song came out of a writing session where she was thinking about how to make something more “fun and happy” than her last album, which was largely about her divorce. (She split from her ex-husband in 2022.)

“I was in a really happy place and still am,” she recalled. “I think that was my first time going in and feeling confident that I wanna move forward and I wanna put All I’ve Ever Known, my divorce record, behind me. Everybody kind of comes in with the same kind of concepts for you when you release a divorce record. … And it was my first time kind of being like, ‘You know, I really wanna move away from that.’”

She succeeded, because “Cupid’s a Cowgirl” is a raucous take on the single life that begins with the lines, “She’s got a pistol in her pocket / Outlaw in her blood / Peekin’ out from that Stetson / Yeah, she’s lookin’ for a stud.”

“We were jumping on couches, screaming, having fun,” Kay told Us of writing the track. “I think we disturbed every other [session] happening in [the studio] that day, and I’m totally fine with that.”

“Cupid’s a Cowgirl” is out now. Before hitting the road on her Cupid’s a Cowgirl Tour, Kay shared more behind-the-scenes secrets of life on the road:

Jelly Roll Looks Back on His Most Memorable Moments With Exclusive Photos

Pre-Show Ritual

I have a nebulizer, so I’m always warming up my vocal cords. I drink, like, 10 bottles of water before I perform, so I have to get those in throughout the day. I just warm up. I usually go live [on social media] while I’m doing my makeup so I can talk to everybody and tell ’em about where we’re going next. And usually people in the crowd that are waiting for me to come out are like, “When are you coming out?”

Other than that I have more of a post-show ritual, I think, which is just eat. I wait till I get off stage and then I stuff my face. I would say pre-show, I’m having a protein drink. And then post-show, I’m usually eating chicken wings. I know that sounds crazy, but every time that they’re like, “What do you want for after-show food?” I’m like, “Just find a place that’s got chicken wings.” And that’s usually what I’m eating.

Ideal Afterparty

My ideal afterparty is to take a shower immediately after the show, get into my bunk, open my book on my Kindle, maybe crochet a little bit, rewatch all of my [Instagram] Stories from the show and then get some sleep. That’s my ideal night. Especially when I was on tour with Jelly Roll, I didn’t have many of those because they have real afterparties constantly — a lot, a lot of fun. But I’m like a grandma at heart.

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Her Craziest Tour Experience

Probably being backstage when I opened up for Jelly at Bridgestone Arena [in Nashville], because within a matter of minutes I was passing Morgan Wallen, Snoop Dogg, Kelsea Ballerini, Ernest — was that the night [Jon] Bon Jovi was there? I’m not kidding, Bert Kreischer, every comedian you could ever think of, Jeffree Star, everybody was there. And it was just like, “This is the craziest experience to have all of these people in one place.” But that’s just Jelly. Everybody loves him, you know? So you never know who you’re gonna run into.

How She Calms Her Nerves

I pray — every single time. It does not matter if it is three people or if it is an arena. I get nervous every single time, but I like that. I think that means I still care and I still love this so much and want it to be great for the fans that are out there. When you stop getting nervous, it’s a little bit of a sign that you’re kind of getting numb to it. And I’m far from that, so I’m still happy about those nerves.

Lucky Charm

I usually have a cross somewhere on me. And if not, I have one tattooed on my wrist, so God is always with me everywhere. I also play with my boyfriend [Rocko Beall]. He’s my [musical director] and my guitar player. So I guess I could say I have my lucky charm on stage with me every night.

Mickey Guyton's Pre-Show Ritual Involves a Prayer and a Shot of Tequila

Favorite Song to Perform Live

“Everleave,” which is strange to say, because it is my most emotional song and everybody gets really emotional in the crowd. But there is just something that happens when I play that song. There’s a universal healing that happens in the room, and you can hear a pin drop every single time. It heals me a little bit more every time. I’m in a much better place than I was when I went through my divorce, but singing it, I have a different respect for it. I’m not hurting myself when I sing it anymore, but I’m tapping back into those emotions and that place in order to try to make people that are currently going through it understand that I went through it too and I made it out on the other side.

Most Embarrassing Moment

I had an embarrassing moment on [the Jelly Roll tour] in which he last-minute asked me to sing a song, and I went up there and botched it because I came in at the wrong part. Jelly’s favorite thing is to keep you on your toes. Last minute, he’ll come in and be like, “Hey, AK, we’re not gonna do ‘Friends in Low Places’ tonight. You’re gonna do this one. OK, we’ll see you in 30.” I’m like, “Yeah, OK, never sang that in my life.” So, that was a little embarrassing. That one’s on the internet somewhere if somebody wants to find it!

Most Cherished Souvenir

I always get a magnet from everywhere we go, especially when we were on our European tour last year. And now, Rocko and I … we’ll sneak away and do something, just the two of us, and our newest thing is seeing Broadway shows or Off-Broadway shows ’cause we’re both theater nerds. We love it, so we try to see a show everywhere we go. And so not only now do I have my collection of magnets from Germany and Holland and everywhere we played, I also have a collection of magnets from all the shows we’ve seen when we’re on tour. So I’m gonna need to get a bigger fridge!

Nikki Glaser is one of the biggest Taylor Swift fans in Hollywood, but she doesn’t plan on saying “hi” to her hero if they see each other at an event.

Glaser, 40, recently saw Swift, 35, at the 2025 Grammys on February 2, but she didn’t even think about greeting the pop star.

“Everyone wants a piece. I will never be the one to be like, ‘Excuse me,’ ever,” the comedian explained on the Monday, February 24, episode of Dax Shepard’s “Armchair Expert” podcast. “It’s almost rude what I do when I’m in the same room as Taylor Swift, because I won’t even look her way. It will take [her tapping me on the shoulder].”

Glaser said that her friends have encouraged her to speak to Swift, but she has no interest in connecting that way.

Nikki Glaser Spent Nearly $100K on Taylor Swift 'Eras Tour' Tickets

“There’s no way that she’s dying for that on a night like this where everyone’s doing it,” she said. “And of course she would be so nice. I know exactly how it would go down. But I don’t wanna take someone’s energy away [when] I require their energy to be put into making great music. I don’t want her to make a less great song because she had to be like, ‘Nice to meet you,’ and like, hold me as I’m crying.”

Glaser has been very vocal about her Swift fandom, revealing last year that she spent nearly $100,000 to see The Eras Tour a total of 22 times.

“I want to be clear that we’re including travel expenses, hotels, and me also flying and putting up everyone that I would invite to go with me, plus tickets, plus merch,” she explained in a December 2024 interview with People, noting it was “all well worth it” and she “would’ve paid even more.”

Nikki Glaser’s Biggest Swiftie Moments: 'Eras Tour' Concerts, More

The Golden Globes host added that she justified her spending based on the fact that she doesn’t have kids — something she said wasn’t the “easiest decision” to make.

“There was a part of me that was like, ‘I would like kids,’ but it just doesn’t fit in my life. And so, in order for me to make myself feel better about the decision, I did look up how much it cost to raise a kid,” she explained. “And so, once I saw that number, I thought, ‘It’s no problem for me to spend this on Taylor Swift.’ People spend that much on their kids playing hockey for five years, so it’s OK.”

She added, “No one ever shames anyone for having kids and says, ‘Oh, what a waste of money. Oh, you’re flaunting your wealth.’ But for some reason, when I go to 22 Taylor Swift shows, it’s like, ‘You’re so privileged. How dare you spend that money.’”

'Huge Swiftie' Nikki Glaser Saw 5 'Eras Tour' Shows in 10 Days

During the podcast on Monday, Glaser reiterated one of the reasons why she loves and respects Swift so much: her work ethic.

“Taylor had something to prove. Even showing up on the scene coming out as a country artist and then making it into pop music,” the stand-up said. “She definitely is inspired by people doubting her. … The difference between great and good is just hard work.”

Jane Fonda comes from a family of actors, but she quickly made a name for herself and became an icon in her own right.

Born in 1937 to Frances Ford Seymour and movie legend Henry Fonda, Jane became interested in acting as a teen after starring alongside her dad in a charity performance in Nebraska. After dropping out of Vassar College, she moved to Paris to study art, then returned to the U.S. and began studying acting in earnest with method pioneer Lee Strasberg.

Jane made her film debut in 1960’s Tall Story and earned her first Oscar nomination in 1970 for her work in They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? before winning two years later for her turn as call girl Bree Daniels in Klute.

After vocally opposing the Vietnam War, she traveled to Hanoi in 1972 to witness the damage herself. During her visit, she was photographed sitting on top of an anti-aircraft gun, leading to speculation that she condoned Vietnamese soldiers shooting down American planes. Critics, meanwhile, began calling her “Hanoi Jane.” The Emmy winner later said she would “regret” the picture until her “dying day,” but she has remained a vocal antiwar activist, speaking out against the Iraq War in 2005.

In her later years, Jane became known for her activism as much as her screen work. The Tony Award nominee moved to Washington, D.C. in 2019 so she could more easily stage protests about the climate crisis in front of the U.S. Capitol. She was arrested multiple times, with one image of her raising her hands in triumph while sticking her tongue out going viral.

Keep scrolling for a look back at Jane’s life in pictures:

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Ashley Tisdale saw the meme comparing her High School Musical character to Taylor Swift — and she stands by the analogy.

“She’s an icon,” Tisdale, 39, exclusively told Us Weekly of Swift, 35, while promoting her partnership with Willow. “I mean, both are icons.”

Tisdale played overachiever Sharpay Evans in all three High School Musical films as well as the spinoff Sharpay’s Fabulous Adventure. During the Super Bowl earlier this month, an image of Swift standing up in her suite and looking disappointed went viral, with some fans comparing it to the moment in the first HSM movie when Sharpay sings, “This is not what I want. This is not what I planned.” (Swift was at the big game to support her boyfriend, Travis Kelce, whose Kansas City Chiefs lost 40-22.)

After the meme went viral, Tisdale reposted via her Instagram Story with the caption, “Icons being icons.”

While she appreciates the comparison to Swift, Tisdale is also happy that Sharpay has remained such a cultural touchstone after all these years.

“It’s pretty incredible to play a character where … people are still seeing images of people now in the present day and thinking of her,” she told Us. “It’s not Gabrielle they’re posting, it’s not Troy — it’s Sharpay. She’s an icon. It’s unreal. It’s so amazing.”

While Tisdale has great memories of being a Disney star, she’s less enthusiastic about the prospect of her own kids following in her footsteps. The actress shares daughters Jupiter, 3, and Emerson, 5 months, with husband Christopher French.

Ashley Tisdale on Why Her Daughter Thought Costar Zac Efron Was Her Dad

“I personally wouldn’t have them go into the business,” she told Us. “Obviously, when they’re older and if they want to decide to do something, for sure, I would support them. But I come from a different place where I’ve been in the business since I was 3 and [have] been working since I was 3. For me, the most important thing for my kids is for them to have a real childhood. … Working [as a kid], it’s not an easy thing to do. The biggest thing is for them to just have a normal life, and if they wanna do it when they’re older and can handle that, then I would support them.”

Tisdale has been nesting with French, 43, since welcoming Emerson last September. The Carol’s Second Act alum said she had a “better experience” postpartum than she did the first time around, thanks in part to the way Willow’s wearable breast pumps eased the breast-feeding journey.

“I had such a hard time with Jupiter and breast-feeding,” Tisdale told Us. “But the second time with Emerson, she latched right away, and I’ve really been able to have that experience, which I’m really grateful for. It’s one of those things where I love having a second child, because my first experience was [when] I had postpartum depression and I went through a lot.”

Ashley Tisdale and Christopher French’s Relationship Timeline

While Tisdale is happy she’s having an easier time breast-feeding Emerson, she soon realized that the process was going to take up a lot of her time — which is where Willow has been a lifesaver.

“To be able to have the breast-feeding journey with Emerson was really exciting — and then came work, and I was like, ‘Oh, my God, how am I supposed to do this?’” she recalled. “When you’re breast-feeding a newborn, you feel very much like you’re just in the rocking chair the entire time. Willow really gave me that optimism to be like, ‘Oh, I can leave and I don’t have to be here at all times, every hour, and I can have a life again, and I can do these things.’ And now I have this support system and it’s been really great.”

With reporting by Amanda Williams

Yellowstone cocreator Taylor Sheridan is committed to the cowboy lifestyle, and his latest venture is perfect for late nights in the bunkhouse.

Sheridan, 54, and his Four Sixes Ranch recently collaborated with spirits company Sazerac to create the first spirits to carry the ranch’s name: Four Sixes Whiskey and Four Sixes Vodka. (Eagle-eyed viewers may have noticed the vodka making a cameo in episode 10 of Yellowstone’s fifth season.)

The whiskey is billed as having tasting notes of caramel, oak, vanilla and fruit with “a hint of toasted marshmallow,” while the vodka is distilled seven times. Sheridan, who also created the Yellowstone prequel series 1883 and 1923, hand-selected the spirits himself to represent the “artistry that is essential to a life lived [on] horseback.”

In the latest edition of We Tried It, Us Weekly Deputy Editor Sarah Hearon and Music Editor Eliza Thompson taste-tested both Four Sixes Whiskey and Four Sixes Vodka to see whether they would hold up to ranch life — or at least a 1923 marathon before season 2 returns.

Sarah and Eliza both agreed that the vodka lives up to the brand slogan of “ranch-tested, cowboy-approved,” with a clear finish that would mix well in a martini.

The whiskey, however, is the true star of the line. “This is for right after you finish some roping and barrel racing,” Sarah said. “Really smooth.”

A Guide to 'Yellowstone' and Its Many Spinoffs

While it’s not technically a bourbon, it does have some sweetness in the finish. “It almost tastes a little bit like an Irish whiskey — but not so harsh,” Eliza noted.

As for who in the Yellowstone universe is drinking Four Sixes Whiskey and Four Sixes Vodka, Sarah and Eliza had some theories. Beth Dutton would likely be willing to replace her traditional Tito’s order with Four Sixes, while her husband, Rip Wheeler, would stick to whiskey. And Jimmy, who actually works at the Four Sixes? He’d say he was shooting whiskey, but his fellow ranch hands know he’s a vodka cran girl through and through.

Four Sixes Whiskey and Four Sixes Vodka is currently available at retailers in Texas, Oklahoma and Nevada. The spirits will be released nationwide later this year.

Season 2 of 1923 premieres on Paramount+ Sunday, February 23.

© Trae Patton/Paramount+

Jessica Simpson is finally making her return to the world of music with her first new single in nearly 15 years.

The singer, 44, dropped “Use My Heart Against Me” on Friday, February 21, after weeks of teasing new music via social media.

“Music makes you un-become to become, and through this process my soul has been pulled to the very place it belongs,” Simpson wrote via Instagram alongside the single’s cover art. “To the girl I was, I love you. To the woman I am, I am proud of you. To the woman I am becoming, I am excited for you….lets do this…it’s GO TIME.”

Cowritten with Natalie Hemby of The Highwomen, Ashley Ray and Joe Ginsberg, “Use My Heart Against Me” has a more bluesy feel than any of Simpson’s past music. The lyrics, meanwhile, have a country flavor with lines like, “Double down like I’m a whiskey / Drink me in until you’re tipsy.”

Jessica Simpson Says Ex Eric Johnson Supported Her Making New Music

Simpson also announced a two-part EP titled Nashville Canyon. The first part will drop Friday, March 21, while the second part will arrive in early summer.

“I’ve lived through the hardest parts of life, and music is what has brought me back,” she said in a press release. “Nashville Canyon is for anyone who’s ever been told who they are or how they should live their life. It’s about finding your true voice and the courage to be exactly who you are. … This music is mine to share, and it’s not just about me — it’s about everyone who’s ever felt lost or overlooked. I want to remind them that they’re not alone.”

Earlier this year, Simpson announced that she and her husband, Eric Johnson, had called it quits after 10 years of marriage. “Eric and I have been living separately navigating a painful situation in our marriage,” she told Us Weekly in a statement on January 13. “Our children come first, and we are focusing on what is best for them. We are grateful for all of the love and support that has been coming our way, and appreciate privacy right now as we work through this as a family.”

Jessica Simpson Reveals Where She Stands With Ex Eric Johnson After Split

The estranged couple, who tied the knot in 2014, share three kids: daughters Maxwell, 12, and Birdie, 5, and son Ace, 11.

After becoming a mom, Simpson took a step back from the music industry and focused on her fashion line and her family. Her last album, Happy Christmas, arrived in 2010. In 2021, she released a cover of “Particles” by Nothing But Thieves, but her last original single was 2010’s “My Only Wish” from Happy Christmas.

In an interview published earlier this week, Simpson said Johnson, 45, supported her return to music.

“It is a gift,” she told The Cut in conversation with her sister, Ashlee Simpson, on Thursday, February 20. “Eric supported that gift. My kids supported that gift.”

This post contains spoilers for The Masked Singer season 13, episode 2.

The Masked Singer’s Fuzzy Peas, now revealed as Oscar De La Hoya, pulled off a rare feat — stumping all four of the show’s panelists.

Ahead of his unmasking on the Wednesday, February 19, episode of the Fox competition series, De La Hoya, 52, didn’t come to the minds of Jenny McCarthy, Rita Ora, Ken Jeong or Robin Thicke. Instead, the group guessed a variety of other celebrities, including Antonio Banderas and John Leguizamo.

“When they were throwing out these names, I was like, ‘OK, wait, are they getting close? Are they getting warmer or colder?’” De La Hoya exclusively recalled to Us Weekly. “When they said Antonio Banderas, I was like, ‘Oh, wait a second.’ … I believe they mentioned the Oscars or something. It’s like, ‘Hello, I’m right here! Just guess Oscar!’”

There was a big hint in Fuzzy Peas’ first clue package that the judges didn’t seem to pick up on, which noted he’s “known for [his] hits, some of them Grammy-nominated.” The “hits” in question are on one level a reference to his storied boxing career, but De La Hoya also earned a Grammy nod in 2001 for his one and only album.

“Music is in my blood,” he told Us. “My mother was a professional singer. So when they asked me, of course I was like, ‘Yes, please sign me up. This is gonna be a lot of fun.’”

'The Masked Singer' Winners Through the Years: Where Are They Now?

De La Hoya previously appeared on The Masked Dancer in 2021, finishing in fourth place. After his reveal, he says The Masked Singer was harder, even though he came in with some singing experience.

“With dancing, you can have a choreographer and they can teach you a few moves, and you can get by, right? But with singing, it’s your voice,” he explained. “You’re pitching your voice and you can practice, but I wasn’t born to sing. I was born to fight. So I was more nervous doing The Masked Singer because it was out of my element.”

Despite those initial nerves, he felt right at home once he got on stage, in part because the experience reminded him of the way he approached boxing matches earlier in his career.

'The Masked Singer' Shares 1st Look at Season 13 Contestants

“It’s funny because when I’m in the locker room, getting ready to step out into the ring in front of 20,000 people, you’re prepared,” he told Us. “Once the first bell rings, it’s like, no pressure. You’re focused. So when I was backstage putting on my Fuzzy Peas, you’re nervous, you’re petrified. But once you’re on stage, it’s like, ‘OK, boom, lights on. Let’s go. Let’s perform.’ And that’s what made it fun. You’re nervous, but once that switch goes off you’re just having a blast.”

While De La Hoya doesn’t think he’ll be releasing another album anytime soon, he may put his Fuzzy Peas chops to work at the local karaoke bar.

“I’ll go in front of anybody, I don’t care. Let’s go,” he said, noting that his go-to song is the first one performed on the show, “La Bamba” by Ritchie Valens. “Boxing literally kind of prepared me for the stage of The Masked Singer in a way, because when I went out there behind the mask, I felt I was in my element.”

The Masked Singer airs on Fox Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET.

The Masked Singer’s lucky season 13 kicked off with a bang last week and a major reveal, but there are still plenty of clues to come — and Us Weekly has another sneak peek at a few of them.

Ahead of the Wednesday, February 19, episode, Us caught Group A contestant Fuzzy Peas hamming it up in Hollywood outside a couple of locations that could be big hints about the identity of this swashbuckling legume.

In these exclusive snaps, Fuzzy Peas was spotted near Los Angeles boxing studio Madcity Boxing, which left Us wondering if he has a past in the ring. Longtime Masked Singer fans, however, know that it could be a red herring — especially because the gym happens to sit next to Musichead Gallery. Could that name be a reference to a real-life career as a singer?

Inquiring sleuths will have to keep watching to uncover the truth, but for now, keep scrolling for more clues about Fuzzy Peas:

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© FOX

Cassie’s family is about to get a little bigger.

The singer, 38, announced on Wednesday, February 19, that she is expecting her third baby with her husband, Alex Fine. She confirmed the news via Instagram with a photo carousel that showed her posing with Fine, 31, and their two daughters.

“ #3,” Cassie, whose full name is Casandra Ventura, captioned the post.

Fine also reposted the same snaps via his own account with the message, “Best gift I could ask for.”

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A post shared by Casandra Fine (@cassie)

Cassie and Fine, who tied the knot in 2021, became parents in 2019 with the arrival of daughter Frankie, now 5. Their second daughter, Sunny, now 3, was born in 2021.

Last year, Cassie gushed over Fine’s parenting skills in a Father’s Day post that included a video of him pushing their girls in a double stroller with their dog. “There is just no one like you,” she wrote via Instagram in June 2024. “I love you @alexfine44 Happy Father’s Day!!”

Cassie and Husband Alex Fine's Relationship Timeline

Cassie’s latest pregnancy announcement post was soon full of congratulatory messages from her followers. “This literally gave me chills,” wrote one fan. “I have never been happier for someone I have never personally met. Congrats to you guys! May you continue to receive all the happiness your heart and soul not only desires, but all that you deserve!”

Another Instagram user added,” Living the life you deserve, congrats on your growing family! We adore you Cassie and we admire your strength. Blessings.”

Before marrying Fine, Cassie dated Sean “Diddy” Combs off and on from 2007 to 2018. In November 2023, she filed a lawsuit against her ex, now 55, accusing him of abuse and rape throughout their relationship. The suit was settled one day later, but multiple alleged victims have since spoken out against Diddy. He has denied all the allegations.

In May 2024, CNN released a video of hotel security camera footage from 2016 that showed Diddy striking Cassie and knocking her to the ground before kicking her and dragging her down the hallway. Diddy subsequently apologized for his “inexcusable behavior” in a social media video, saying, “It’s difficult to reflect on the darkest times in your life, sometimes you gotta do that. I was f—ed up. I mean, I hit rock bottom but I make no excuses.”

Singer Cassie Through the Years: From 'Me & U' to Motherhood

Days later, Cassie thanked fans for their support in a statement shared via Instagram, writing, “The outpouring of love has created a place for my younger self to settle and feel safe now, but this is only the beginning. Domestic Violence is THE issue. It broke me down to someone I never thought I would become. With a lot of hard work, I am better today, but I will always be recovering from my past.”

She added, “Thank you to everyone that has taken the time to take this matter seriously. My only ask is that EVERYONE open your heart to believing victims the first time. It takes a lot of heart to tell the truth out of a situation that you were powerless in.”

Diddy is currently in jail awaiting trial following his September 2024 arrest on charges of racketeering, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution. He has denied all the allegations against him and pleaded not guilty to all charges.

If you or someone you know are experiencing domestic violence, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 for confidential support.

Backstreet Boys to family men! Nick Carter, Howie Dorough, Brian Littrell, AJ McLean and Kevin Richardson have all become dads since they became boy band stars — and they love to share updates their little ones.

Littrell was the first member of the band to become a father, welcoming son Baylee with wife Leighanne Littrell in November 2002. Baylee has since become a singer himself, performing on Broadway and releasing an album called 770 Country in 2019.

“I’m just elated. I’m so proud of him,” Brian told HollywoodLife in June 2021 of his son’s musical talents. “He’s super inspiring to watch as he writes and he does music and performs and all of that stuff. He’s a great guitar player. He can play his little butt off. It’s great to watch.”

Baylee, for his part, said that watching his dad on tour partly inspired his own career in music. When he was a toddler, Baylee joined BSB on the road for their Never Gone tour, which ran from 2005 to 2006. “I can’t tell you how monumental it’s been to grow up and see my dad’s work, and not many people get to experience that,” he said in the same interview. “So, to see it and try and attempt it myself, it’s kind of mind-blowing, honestly.”

Littrell’s cousin Richardson was the next Boy to become a dad with the arrival of son Mason in July 2007. The Kentucky native had left the group one year earlier, so when he rejoined the band permanently in 2012, Mason was shocked to find out what his dad did for a living.

“He didn’t know his father was famous,” Littrell joked during an August 2013 interview with Larry King.

Richardson noted that having kids made it harder to go on tour for months at a time, but said that fatherhood has also helped inspire him to give music his all. “It motivates you to work harder,” he told the late CNN host. “You wanna provide for your family, you wanna set a good example.”

In June 2022, the band surprised fans when they brought most of their brood on stage for a performance at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. The kids joined their dads for a rendition of “No Place” from their 2019 album DNA. “It’s about family,” Richardson told the crowd of the song. “These are our babies. Everybody in here, we all grew up together. Y’all have families, we have families. Thank you all for being a part of the Backstreet family going on 29 years, almost 30 years.”

AJ McLean and his wife, Rochelle, share two daughters, Elliott, born in 2012, and Lyric, born in 2017. In March 2023, Us Weekly confirmed that AJ and Rochelle were calling it quits after 11 years of marriage to work on themselves. They noted in their joint statement that they hoped the split was temporary.

Keep scrolling for a guide to all of the Backstreet Boys’ kids.

© Courtesy of Nick Carter/Instagram; Courtesy of Howie Dorough/Instagram; Courtesy of Kevin Richardson/Instagram; Courtesy of Brian Littrell/Instagram

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© Courtesy of Brian Littrell/Instagram

© Courtesy of Rochelle DeAnna Mclean/Instagram

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Steve Schirripa is best known for starring in gritty crime dramas, but every once in a while he likes to relax the same way Us does: with a Hallmark movie.

The Blue Bloods alum, 67, is excited to make his Hallmark Channel debut in Sisterhood, Inc., which debuts Saturday, February 22.

“I never did a Hallmark movie,” Schirripa exclusively told Us Weekly while discussing his partnership with Freshpet. “It was, believe it or not, a bucket list thing. How many guys could go from The Sopranos to Hallmark? But I made the jump and I was very happy and I had a wonderful time.”

The actor, who played Detective Anthony Abetemarco on Blue Bloods and Bobby Baccala on The Sopranos, said that the family-friendly vibe of Hallmark was a nice change of pace after years of working on heavier projects.

Relive the ‘Blue Bloods’ Cast’s Sweetest Moment On and Off Camera

“I really had a good time, I hope to do more,” he explained. “It was very nice, no arguing, no killing, no nothing. Even on Blue Bloods, which I loved, I must have killed four or five people. I killed more people as a cop than I did as a mobster.”

Schirripa went on to note that he’s “watched my share” of Hallmark movies. “It’s just a nice vibe,” he added. “Sometimes you’re not in a great mood, you don’t want to watch anything heavy. If I want to watch bad stuff, I put the news on. Sometimes you just want to watch something nice.”

Fans of Schirripa know that he’s a softie at heart despite his TV mobster past, frequently posing on social media with his dachshund, Willie (who also has his own Instagram account).

‘The Sopranos’ Cast: Where Are They Now?

“We make people happy, and that’s what I like,” he told Us. “He makes me happy. He’s like our son. We have two grown daughters that are out of the house. Our kids think we’re nuts. I say, ‘Willie’s your brother. Be nice.’”

Schirripa’s partnership with Freshpet came about after the actor had already been feeding Willie the natural dog food for two years. When the brand approached him about starring in a commercial, he didn’t hesitate to say yes — but Willie’s fans were quick to notice that the dachshund doesn’t appear in the ad.

“Willie was on set and he gave his approval. We had professional dogs,” Schirripa explained. “He chose to sit this one out. But he did make his TV debut on Blue Bloods. He was in an episode of Blue Bloods this past season, the last season, so that was good. … He left [the ad] to the big boys, you know what I mean?”

The ad also offered some novelty for Schirripa, who got to play the mob boss for once rather than the loyal capo.

“My character on The Sopranos was this soft guy, sensitive guy, and here I was a tough guy,” he told Us. “And it’s funny, but I got a text from David Chase, the creator of The Sopranos, who said, ‘I didn’t know you could play a tough guy,’ which was really a compliment.”

Schirripa and Willie’s next collaboration will come in May when they team up to host Sopranos Night with Minor League Baseball’s Somerset Patriots — 1,000 lucky guests will receive a Schirripa bobblehead that also features Willie.

As Schirripa correctly put it: “That’s a collector’s item!”

Sisterhood, Inc. premieres on Hallmark Channel Saturday, February 22, at 8 p.m. ET.

© Us Weekly

Exes Emma Roberts and Garrett Hedlund kept a relatively low profile while they were dating, especially after the arrival of their son, Rhodes.

The couple were first linked in March 2019, nearly one year before Us Weekly confirmed that they were expecting their first baby. Rhodes was born in December 2020.

“It’s not something you’ll always feel like you’re getting right, but you will get better every day,” Roberts told Violet Grey in March 2021 about motherhood. “When in doubt, just love your child and yourself.”

The twosome, who split in January 2022, had designated Hedlund’s Country Strong costar Tim McGraw as Rhodes’ godfather.

“He’s somebody that I admire and respect, not only as an amazing father and an amazing husband [but as an] amazing musician and amazing actor,” Hedlund said during a Kelly Clarkson Show appearance in February 2021. “I’ve known him for a long time.”

Keep scrolling to see Roberts and Hedlund’s sweetest family moments:

© Courtesy of Emma Roberts/Instagram

© Courtesy of Emma Roberts/Instagram

© Courtesy of Emma Roberts/Instagram

© Courtesy of Emma Roberts/Instagram

© Courtesy of Emma Roberts/Instagram

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© Courtesy of Emma Roberts/Instagram

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© Courtesy of Emma Roberts/Instagram

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© Courtesy Garrett Hedlund/Instagram

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© Courtesy of Garrett Hedlund/Instagram

© Courtesy of Emma Roberts/Instagram

© Courtesy of Garrett Hedlund/Instagram

Sabrina Carpenter teamed up with Dolly Parton for a country-tinged take on “Please Please Please” — complete with a new music video that seemingly references Carpenter’s ex Barry Keoghan.

Carpenter, 25, enlisted Parton, 79, for the duet, released on Friday, February 14, a.k.a. Valentine’s Day, as part of the Short n’ Sweet deluxe edition. The new video seems to be a direct sequel to last year’s original, which famously starred Keoghan, 32, as Carpenter’s love interest. (The duo were dating in real life at the time but split in December 2024 after nearly one year together.)

In the new clip, Parton and Carpenter are out for a drive in a pickup truck, but it soon becomes clear that this isn’t your average jaunt — they’ve got a big bag of cash in the back and a shovel. When they hear a police siren somewhere behind them, they start to get nervous, but the cruiser passes without incident.

At the end of the video, viewers learn why they were so nervous: they’ve also got a body back there, and he’s wearing the same outfit that Keoghan was in the original “Please Please Please” visual. His head is covered by a burlap sack, muffling his cries, and while he’s got enough energy left to kick his chained-up feet, that shovel hints he may not be long for the aboveground world.

The first “Please Please Please” video ended with Carpenter tying up Keoghan, whose character failed to live up to her pleas in the lyrics: “I heard that you’re an actor, so act like a stand-up guy / Whatever devil’s inside you, don’t let him out tonight.”

 

Carpenter hasn’t publicly addressed her split from Keoghan, but she’s been very vocal about her collaboration with Parton.

“Dolly and me singing in a pickup truck!!!!!! I am so honored to have one of my biggest idols on a song that means so much to me,” the newly minted Grammy winner wrote via Instagram on Friday. “Love you forever @dollyparton.”

Barry Keoghan and Sabrina Carpenter’s Relationship Timeline

In a behind-the-scenes video Parton shared via Instagram, the two singers shared a hug and marveled at their similarly petite heights. “Turns out, two things can be short and sweet ,” Parton quipped in the caption.

The country legend also joked that she’d have to make “Please Please Please” a little bit more PG-13 for her audience. (In the final version of the duet, the line “Don’t embarrass me, motherf—er” becomes “Don’t embarrass me like the others.”)

“You and your dirty words,” Parton teased Carpenter. “I can’t say those words!”

Short n’ Sweet (Deluxe) is out now.

Who is that? That’s always the big question on The Masked Singer, but Us Weekly has an exclusive sneak peek of three season 13 costumes — and a few early clues.

Ahead of the Wednesday, February 12, premiere, Us caught new contestants Bat, Yorkie and Honey Pot gallivanting around Los Angeles. Fans will have to wait and see who’s under the masks, but there are some big hints in these snaps.

In one image, Bat and Yorkie duke it out in the alley behind SUR, a landmark-worthy location that Vanderpump Rules fans know as well as their own homes. Could one of these mystery masks be someone like former SURver Katie Maloney, or perhaps Lisa Vanderpump herself?

Then there’s Honey Pot, who was snapped hanging out at the legendary comedy club Laugh Factory. Could this be an iconic comedian like Eddie Murphy, who performed there in the early days of his career?

Answers will be revealed in the coming weeks, but in the meantime, keep scrolling for more clues about Bat, Yorkie and Honey Pot:

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The final book in Brynne Weaver’s mega popular Ruinous Love trilogy is out now, but the author hasn’t ruled out the possibility of revisiting the world of the Kane brothers in the future.

“I never say no to anything,” Weaver exclusively told Us Weekly ahead of the Tuesday, February 11, release of Scythe & Sparrow. “In some cases I think their stories are wrapped up, but in others I could see a spinoff novella or something like that. I definitely left the door open to exploring that in the future.”

Scythe & Sparrow wraps up the dark romance trilogy that began with 2023’s Butcher & Blackbird and last year’s Leather & Lark. The novel’s main characters, Fionn Kane and Rose Evans, made cameo appearances in the first two books, but Scythe & Sparrow finally reveals how they met — and gives readers a deeper understanding of what helped mold the Kane brothers.

Like the first two Ruinous Love books, Scythe & Sparrow features plenty of murder, but the difference here is that Rose is not exactly a criminal mastermind on par with her counterparts Sloane and Lark.

“I felt like when I was writing the first book that she was a little bit chaotic, and I thought it would be a fun, different kind of take on this serial killer theme that I was doing if she just wasn’t very good at it,” Weaver told Us of Rose. “She really tries hard, she puts her whole self into it. It just doesn’t always pan out the way that she hoped.” 

Fionn, meanwhile, isn’t quite as hypermasculine as his siblings, Rowan and Lachlan — he works out a lot, but he’s also part of a crocheting club.

“With his two older brothers, they’ve played a significant role in really getting him to have this sort of perfect life,” Weaver explained. “He’s tried really hard to exceed expectations. He’s also brokenhearted, so he’s run away to Nebraska. He’s kind of been hiding a little bit. So I wanted to give him the chance to really come out of his shell, and Rose was the perfect opportunity to have that happen for him.”

Highly Anticipated Book Releases of 2025: Taylor Jenkins Reid and More

While Rose and Fionn aren’t quite as adept at hiding the (not metaphorical) bodies as other Ruinous Love characters, they’re not lacking in the chemistry department — and the book boasts plenty of those steamy scenes that Weaver’s fans have come to expect. Some authors find it difficult to choreograph those moments on the page or plot out elaborate fights, but Weaver’s biggest challenges lie elsewhere.

“Those are always my two favorite things to write,” the author said of scenes involving sex or violence. “Sometimes it’s more of the interconnection between those scenes where you’re exploring the more heavy emotional topics, and I want to get those right. So, it takes a lot more thinking time to process those chapters, but the murder scenes and the spicy scenes are, like, no problem.”

As fans finally get their hands on Scythe & Sparrow, Weaver is looking forward to the next chapter in her writing career — she’s already handed in the manuscript for the first book in a new series and is currently hard at work on the second. She can’t share any further details, but hinted that eagle-eyed Scythe & Sparrow readers might find a clue about what’s next.

These Celebs Love 'A Court of Thorns and Roses': Famous 'ACOTAR' Fans

“I can’t really give too much away, but there is maybe a little bit of a window into what might be coming at the end of this book,” she teased. “So it is another dark rom-com series but also a bit more thriller-y.”

She’s also participating in the development of Butcher & Blackbird for the big screen. No casting announcements have been made, but Weaver is feeling good about where things are going.

“Sometimes you’re having these conversations with producers or in this case the director as well and thinking like, ‘Oh, I’m talking to this director’ — that’s a little bit wild to get your head around at first,” she told Us. “It’s rolling along pretty quickly. We have a screenwriter now and she’s already been working on the script. We’ve got a few people in play, not actors yet, but a few other key people who are starting to get involved now, and I’ve been really brought into all the steps of the process which has been wonderful. I really want to see where they take it and how they interpret it, but I’m getting to have my say as well, so for me it’s a perfect balance.”

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She also has a couple ideas about who could play Rowan and Sloane.

“I have a few that I could see doing it,” she said. “I think Nicholas Hoult could potentially play a really good Rowan, but I think it’s very much dependent on the chemistry between the leads. I love Amber Midthunder, who was in Prey, which is another favorite movie. I thought she was fantastic, but I really think it comes down to that chemistry aspect. So, I guess we’ll see when we get there.”

Scythe & Sparrow is out now.

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