Larsa Pippen couldn’t help but gush about her new romance with Jeff Coby.

“I think we do very normal things. I think this is the first relationship where we don’t have to go out,” the Real Housewives of Miami star, 50, exclusively told Us Weekly on Monday, May 20, while promoting her partnership with Date.com. “We don’t have to do extravagant things. We just like to do simple things and we make each other happy. It’s been really fun.”

Pippen and Coby, 31, were first linked in March. The couple subtly confirmed their romance in April after they were spotted packing on the PDA in Miami. That same month, Pippen and the international basketball player made their red carpet debut at the Los Angeles premiere for The Accountant 2.

Pippen shared that she and Coby have “so much in common,” which is a big difference compared to her past romances. (Larsa was previously married to Scottie Pippen from 1997 to 2021 and dated Michael Jordan’s son Marcus Jordan from 2022 to 2023.)

Larsa Pippen Confirms She's Dating Basketball Player Jeff Coby With PDA

“I feel like Jeff and I are kind of the same in that way. We both are traditional in a lot of ways,” she explained. “We both love to be around our family, and I feel like in the past I dated guys that weren’t like that, [they] didn’t necessarily care to spend time with their family [or] weren’t as close to their family as I was. So they thought that [it] was weird that I wanted to always be around my parents or my siblings.”

Earlier this month, Coby teased that he and Larsa planned on tying the knot next year. However, Larsa clarified it was “probably a joke.”

“We definitely are serious,” she said. “We love being around each other, and we’re having a good time.”

As far as a potential proposal goes, Larsa isn’t ruling out the idea but is unsure what the future holds.

“I feel like I definitely do enjoy being with him. We have a great relationship and I do love him,” she told Us. “So we’ll see.”

Scottie, Marcus and Jeff are all basketball players, and Larsa is aware that she has a preference for dating athletes.

“I think what I do like about athletes is the discipline,” she told Us. “I feel like most athletes are disciplined when it comes down to their regimen and how they go about their food and how they work out and sleep well.”

Larsa noted that while she’s been “surrounded” by athletes her whole life, it’s not the defining quality she looks for in a partner.

“I feel like if you’re smart and you have goals and ambitions, I like to be motivated,” she said. “I want to surround myself with guys that are motivated.”

Larsa added that she also likes men who are “really kind” and “smart.”

While Larsa is happily taken now, she knows the struggles of dating. That’s why she decided to team up with Date.com to help others find their matches.

Larsa Pippen, Marcus Jordan Expected at ‘Traitors’ Reunion After Split

“I was single in Miami. My girlfriends were single. We started researching dating apps and we couldn’t find the dating app that suited us. I just wanted a dating app that felt safe,” she told Us. “So I helped create Date.com and it is legit the most amazing dating app.”

Date.com is powered by AI and has facial recognition features to help prevent catfishing. When a user makes a profile, they have to take their profile picture directly from the app, so the image cannot be altered. Larsa also loves how the app has communication features.

“I never wanted to give guys my phone number. I wanted to get to know them first and not necessarily give them my number so quickly,” she explained. “But there’s no fast way of getting to know someone and let you hear their voice or see them. And so data.com has voice calling, video calling, and you could send mass text messages.”

The Date.com app is available to download on the Apple App Store and Google Play.

© Steve Granitz/FilmMagic

Savannah Guthrie has some regrets about her interview with Jalen Hurts.

“I just want to say, I did not ask Jalen Hurts if it felt good with the tush push,” the journalist, 53, said on the Tuesday, May 20, episode of Today. “That was a deep fake. I don’t think it actually happened. There was a context.”

Guthrie was referring to her interview with the Philadelphia Eagles quarterback, 26, back in February after the team won Super Bowl LIX. At one point in the conversation, her cohost Carson Daly brought up the tush push — a.k.a. the quarterback sneak — which has become the Eagles’ signature play over the past few years

“It’s as cringey now as it was then. Career lowlight,” Guthrie recalled.

Jason Kelce Has Perfect Response to Comparison of the 'Tush Push' and Giving Birth

Not only did Guthrie and Daly, 51, talk about the tush push with Hurts, but the coanchors also performed a full-on demonstration.

“Jalen, how does it work? I’ll be [Eagles center] Cam Jurgens,” Daly said as Guthrie got behind him to “push.”

Guthrie asked Hurts to “coach” them through the move while Daly asked more logistical questions. Hurts, for his part, sat in the interview chair and politely laughed.

“It is just straight strength, pushing, driving through your legs,” Hurts explained.

After attempting the demonstration, Guthrie poked fun at Daly.

“Well, your tush, I felt like it was pushable,” Guthrie told Daly before asking Hurts, “Do you have to kind of have the right …?”

Daly interjected to ask what Guthrie meant by that, and she replied, “I don’t know, it just felt good to kind of push you over.”

Guthrie then asked Hurts if it felt “kind of good” for him to be able to exude that strength when he makes the play on the field.

“Eh, no thoughts. Just trying to win the game, that’s all,” Hurts replied.

Why Jalen Hurts Won't Change Phone Wallpaper After 2025 Super Bowl Win

Before his 2024 retirement, Jason Kelce frequently discussed his role in the tush push play as the team’s center. Earlier this year, fellow retired NFL star Ryan Fitzpatrick asked what is harder: giving birth or executing the tush push.

“Oh man, hate to say, but it isn’t even close,” Jason, 37, shared via X in April after welcoming his fourth daughter with wife Kylie Kelce. “I’ll take an entire career of tush pushes over giving birth. F*** that.”

Currently, the NFL is considering banning the move. Owners are meeting this week to decide whether the tush push should be allowed in the game going forward.

© Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images for SiriusXM

Ryan Reynolds wants Justin Baldoni’s team to pay for his legal fees after being accused of defamation.

“Earlier today we moved for sanctions against the lawyers and parties responsible for the utterly frivolous claims brought against Ryan Reynolds,” Reynolds’ legal team said in a statement to Us Weekly on Tuesday, May 20. “Justin Baldoni’s lawyer and his clients filed a preposterous lawsuit falsely claiming that Ryan Reynolds extorted people he had never met, that he allegedly interfered with business relationships that do not exist, and somehow defamed people he never said a word about based on unspecified statements that do not appear anywhere in their 391-paragraph complaint. These are not serious claims—they are a desperate ploy for clickbait headlines that have no place in federal court.”

According to court documents obtained by Us Weekly, Reynolds’ lawyers filed an amended complaint on Tuesday, after Baldoni and his team accused Reynolds of civil extortion, defamation, and tortious interference.

In the new filing, Reynolds’ lawyers filed a motion for sanctions and slammed the allegations, stating that the claims “do not and cannot exist.” Reynolds’s attorneys previously filed to dismiss Baldoni’s lawsuit back in March, however, the lawsuit is still ongoing.

Justin Baldoni Slams Ryan Reynolds for Being Blake Lively's 'Co-Conspirator'

“Mr. Reynolds provided the Rule 11 Plaintiffs and their counsel an opportunity to save face, explaining these claims’ glaring and fundamental defects and urging that they be withdrawn more than 21 days ago,” the docs read. “Unfortunately, the Rule 11 Plaintiffs and their counsel unequivocally refused to do so, offering no response on these defects except to argue that these issues are appropriately resolved by motion to dismiss and may later be supported by discovery. But these claims’ fundamental failings are not about the parties’ dispute as to the legal arguments relating to their claims, or the facts, or even that all of their claims are weak and meritless (which, they are).”

Reynolds’ attorneys accused Baldoni’s team of violating Rule 11, which requires court filings to be made in good faith and are supported by reasonable inquiry into the facts and law.

“The Rule 11 Plaintiffs’ defamation claims against Mr. Reynolds are likewise frivolous,” the filing read. “The Rule 11 Plaintiffs are only able to identify two statements that they can even claim Mr. Reynolds made, but they concede that each of those statements are exclusively about Baldoni.”

Reynolds’ lawyers alleged that Baldoni’s “frivolous claims” against Reynolds were not made by accident. They argued that the court should impose sanctions and suggested that attorneys’ fees be awarded to Reynolds.

Baldoni, 41, and Reynolds’ legal drama began in December 2024 when the Deadpool actor’s wife, Blake Lively, sued Baldoni. Lively, who costarred in It Ends With Us with Baldoni, accused him of sexual harassment and orchestrating a smear campaign against her.

Blake Lively Claims Justin Baldoni Is 'Hell Bent on Trying to Destroy' Her

Baldoni, who also directed the film, denied the allegations and subsequently filed his own lawsuit against Lively, 37, Reynolds and her publicist Leslie Sloane. In the $400 million lawsuit, Baldoni accused the couple of civil extortion, defamation, false light invasion of privacy and more. Lively and Reynolds have denied the allegations.

Lively and Baldoni have yet to come to a resolution in their legal drama. A trial is scheduled for March 9, 2026.

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Harvey Weinstein will speak out in a new on-camera interview with Candace Owens about the allegations made against him.

“I did not commit these crimes. I swear that before God and the people watching now and on my family,” Weinstein, 73, said in the interview’s trailer, which dropped on Owens’ YouTube channel on Monday, May 19.

Weinstein spoke to Owens, 36, via a video call conducted during a prison visitation. Weinstein held up a black phone to converse with the podcaster. This will mark his first on-camera interview in eight years.

The clip showed Weinstein not holding back about the allegations made against him from various celebrities including Gwyneth Paltrow, Ashley Judd and more. (In 2017, Weinstein was accused of harassment, abuse and rape by multiple women, which sparked the Me Too movement. Weinstein has denied “any non consensual sex.”)

Harvey Weinstein Clarifies His Justin Baldoni Comments: 'Not Taking Sides' 

“It’s a complete fabrication about my relationship with Gwyneth,” Weinstein claimed in the teaser. “I didn’t put my hands on her. I didn’t touch her. I definitely made a pass … Ashley Judd’s claims are ridiculous.”

In 2017, Paltrow, now 52, came forward and claimed that she was harassed by Weinstein when she was 22. The Oscar winner alleged that Weinstein invited her to his hotel suite for a meeting and suggested they give one another massages in the bedroom.

That same year, Judd also claimed that she was invited by Weinstein for a meeting that ended up taking place in his hotel room, alleging that Weinstein asked her to come into the bathroom to watch him take a shower and suggested they give each other a massage.

Monday’s trailer also showed Weinstein addressing the claims made against him by Rose McGowan. (The actress received a $100,000 settlement from Weinstein following an alleged sexual assault in 1997 where she claimed Weinstein pushed her into a bathroom, pulled her clothes off and performed oral sex on her while he pleasured himself.)

“I settled with Rose McGowan, I gave her $100,000,” he said, before the trailer showed him saying: “Don’t tell my wife, don’t get me into trouble. It’s all conflated, and it’s all led to the idea that I’m going to be the one they persecute.”

The clip then cut to an emotional Weinstein who fought back tears.

“They broke me,” he said. “They broke me in half.”

Weinstein has continued to maintain his innocence since being behind bars and has offered to take a lie detector test to prove that he’s telling the truth.

“I’ve asked to have lie detectors brought into the prison,” Weinstein said in the trailer. “I know they’re not admissible, but I want the world to know.”

While Weinstein has been turned away from Hollywood amid the scandal, the disgraced producer claimed that he does have a group of supporters in his corner who are afraid to come to his defense publicly.

“The people who support me are scared to talk,” he claimed. “They are frightened to death that they’re going to be canceled.”

Harvey Weinstein Appears in Court in Wheelchair as Judge Confirms Retrial

Owens shared that her interview with Weinstein is now available for her paid subscribers to watch on her website. The full video will drop for the public on her YouTube page Tuesday, May 20.

After being accused in 2017, Weinstein was found guilty of rape and sexual assault charges in 2020 in New York. He was sentenced to 23 years in prison. Two years later, Weinstein went to trial for misconduct claims in California. He was found guilty and sentenced to 16 additional years in jail.

In April 2024, the New York Court of Appeals overturned Weinstein’s New York rape convictions because of “egregious errors” of procedure and a retrial was ordered. Weinstein remained behind bars due to his California conviction. His retrial in New York began in April.

If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).

© Curtis Means-Pool/Getty Images

Former President Joe Biden and his family have endured several tragedies over the years.

Biden married his first wife, Neilia Hunter, in 1966. The couple shared two sons, Joseph “Beau” Biden III and Hunter Biden, and a daughter, Naomi “Amy” Biden.

Weeks after Joe was elected to the Senate in 1972, Neilia and their three kids were involved in a car accident. Beau and Hunter survived the crash but Neilia and Amy tragically died.

Years after mourning his wife and daughter, Joe met Jill Biden. The couple wed in 1975 and welcomed daughter Ashley Biden in 1981.

Throughout his struggles, Joe remained a dedicated public servant. He served as a Senator from 1973 to 2009 before becoming Barack Obama’s vice president. In 2020, Joe was elected as the 46th president of the United States.

Joe initially was going to run for a second term. However, in July 2024, Joe withdrew from the election after he received concerns from the public about his age and health. (Joe was 81 years old at the time.)

In May 2025, news broke that Joe was diagnosed with prostate cancer.

Keep scrolling to see the tragedies that Joe and his family have endured over the years:

Neilia Hunter and Naomi Biden’s Deaths

In December 1972, Neilia, Amy, Beau and Hunter were involved in a car accident while Christmas shopping. The Biden family’s station wagon was hit by a tractor-trailer after Neilia accidentally drove into the path of the oncoming vehicle.

Neilia, Amy, Beau and Hunter were pulled from the wreckage and rushed to Wilmington General Hospital. Neilia and Amy were pronounced dead on arrival. They were 30 and 13 months, respectively.

Biden’s sons survived the accident but sustained injuries. Beau had a broken leg while Hunter had a fractured skull.

“The pain … seemed unbearable in the beginning, and it took me a long time to heal, but I did survive the punishing ordeal,” Joe wrote of the tragedy in his 2017 memoir, Promise Me, Dad. “I made it through, with a lot of support, and reconstructed my life and my family.”

Joe Biden’s Brain Surgeries

In 1988, Joe began to suffer from severe neck pain, which was caused by a leaking intracranial berry aneurysm. While recovering from surgery, Joe suffered from a pulmonary embolism. The procedures and recovery kept Joe away from the Senate for seven months.

Beau Biden’s Cancer Battle and Death

In 2013, Beau was diagnosed with glioblastoma multiforme, which is a type of cancer that starts as a growth of cells in the brain or spinal cord, per Mayo Clinic. Beau underwent surgery to remove a lesion. He also completed radiation and chemotherapy treatments.

Two years after his diagnosis, Beau died following a recurrence of brain cancer. He was 46.

Hunter Biden’s Substance Abuse Struggles

Hunter shared in his 2021 memoir, Beautiful Things, that he battled addiction throughout his adult life. He shared that his struggles started with alcohol when he was a teen before turning to crack cocaine. Hunter explained that he believed his struggle stemmed from losing his mother and sister.

“There were also times, I have to admit, when I felt as if no one else could understand my pain. It seemed narcissistic even to contemplate. Yet that didn’t make it feel any less true,” he penned. “Believing that your pain is exceptional doesn’t lessen anyone else’s. Pain is our universal condition. People can go through life without finding love, but no one lives long without experiencing real hurt. It can connect us or isolate us.”

Hunter has sought treatment for his addiction struggles and faced several legal issues.

Joe Biden’s Withdrawal From the 2024 Election

In July 2024, Joe announced that he was withdrawing from the 2024 presidential election after the public raised concerns about his age and health following a debate against Donald Trump.

“It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your President. And while it has been my intention to seek reelection, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term,” he wrote in a letter shared via X.

Joe subsequently endorsed his vice president, Kamala Harris, to run in his place. Harris ultimately lost to Trump.

Joe Biden’s Cancer Diagnosis

Months after leaving the White House, Joe was diagnosed with an “aggressive” form of prostate cancer.

“Last week, President Joe Biden was seen for a new finding of a prostate nodule after experiencing increasing urinary symptoms,” read a May 2025 statement from Biden’s personal office to CNN. “On Friday, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer, characterized by a Gleason score of 9 (Grade Group 5) with metastasis to the bone.”

The statement added that Joe and his family were “reviewing treatment options with his physicians.”

After news broke about his condition, Joe took to social media to break his silence.

“Cancer touches us all,” he captioned a May 2025 Instagram post. “Like so many of you, Jill and I have learned that we are strongest in the broken places. Thank you for lifting us up with love and support.”

© Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

My 600-lb Life star Latonya Pottain has died at the age of 40, Us Weekly can confirm.

Pottain died on Saturday, May 17, at a hospital in Shreveport, Louisiana, according to the Natchitoches Parish Coroner’s Office. TMZ, who was first to break the news reported that Pottain’s preliminary autopsy found that she died from congestive heart failure.

A final autopsy report has yet to be completed.

Pottain’s brother told TMZ that family members visited the reality star at her home prior to her death. He claimed she had difficulty breathing and did not look well. The family received a call from a nurse later who told them Pottain called an ambulance. She was taken to the hospital due to cardiac arrest.

‘My 600-Lb. Life’ Tragedies

Pottain was best known for appearing on My 600-lb Life season 11, which aired in February 2023. During her time on the TLC series, Pottain embarked on a weight loss journey ahead of her wedding to her husband, Duane. However, Pottain struggled to lose weight as she didn’t want to stop eating certain foods.

While meeting with Dr. Younan Nowzaradan, also known as Dr. Now, on the show, he told Pottain that she had actually gained weight in recent weeks.

While Pottain did not qualify for bariatric surgery, she did continue to make strides in her health journey. One month after appearing on My 600-lb Life, Pottain gave an update on her progress.

‘My 600-Lb. Life’ Stars: Where Are They Now?

“I’m back with my trainer, I’m dieting and my weight is going down,” Pottain said in a March 2023 interview with the Shreveport Times. “I’m also moving to be closer to my family so I can get my weight down and get my surgery.”

In addition to working on herself, Pottain was also working on her goal to open a shelter for at-risk girls.

“All my life I have taken care of young girls and helped support them, getting them through school, helping them with their kids and just encourage them and be there for them,” she explained. “There’s so many young girls that have lost both of their parents, going through what I went through as a teenager and not having anywhere to go. Some of them don’t feel loved at home and my group home will offer them that love and support, help them go to school, when they graduate, help them find an apartment, help them with their college applications. You know, just like a family.”

© Courtesy of Latonya Pottain/Instagram

Sean “Diddy” Combs and Misa Hylton welcomed one child before calling it quits decades ago.

Diddy connected with Hylton in the early 1990s as they were at the start of their respective careers. Diddy started off as an intern at Uptown Records while Hylton was a budding stylist.

As the pair began to make a name for themselves in the industry, Hylton became pregnant with her and Diddy’s first child. In 1993, they welcomed son Justin Combs. Shortly after Justin’s arrival, Diddy and Hylton split.

After their breakup, Diddy moved on with Kim Porter, with whom he shared son Christian Combs and twins D’Lila and Jessie. (Diddy also adopted Porter’s son Quincy Taylor Brown. Porter died in 2018.) Diddy also shares daughter Chance Combs with ex Sarah Chapman and daughter Love Combs with ex Dana Tran.

Diddy’s Family Guide: Meet His 7 Children, Their Mothers and More

Hylton, for her part, was married to JoJo Brim from 1995 to 1999. They share son Niko and daughter Madison.

While Hylton and Diddy began their families with other partners, the exes remained coparented Justin for years.

Keep scrolling to relive their relationship timeline:

1990s

“We were dating at the time and he had just went from intern to A&R,” Hylton told BET in March 2023. “He had a new position at Uptown Records and he was in charge of putting together the album musically but also for their look.”

Hylton shared that she worked with Diddy as his assistant after she finished her school day. Diddy returned the favor by giving Hylton her first solo project: styling Jodeci for his “Gotta Love” music video. She opted to put the musician in streetwear and changed how R&B musicians would style their looks in the future.

1993

The twosome welcomed Justin in December 1993. During a 2017 appearance on “The Premium Pete Show” podcast, Hylton shared that she and Diddy broke up shortly after Justin’s arrival because the music mogul wasn’t ready to settle down as his career was starting to take off.

2010

The exes reunited to celebrate Justin’s 16th birthday. Diddy organized a star-studded bash in New York City for the occasion. The trio posed for a family picture on the red carpet.

2019

Hylton attended Diddy’s 50th birthday celebration in Los Angeles.

June 2023

The fashion designer raised eyebrows after she posted a series of cryptic posts after Justin was arrested for a DUI. (Justin was booked with a misdemeanor and released on a $5,000 bond.)

“I’m not protecting no one anymore, just my son ,” she wrote via her Instagram Story at the time. “The statement ‘a fish rots from the head down’ means that, in addition to being a major contributing factor in a family or organization’s success, leadership is also the root cause of its failure and demise. The Truth shall set you free.”

March 2024

When Diddy’s homes were raided by homeland security, Justin and brother Christian were present for the investigation at their family’s Los Angeles home. Hylton spoke out against law enforcement and claimed they executed “overzealous and overtly militarized force.”

“[The force] used against my sons Justin and Christian is deplorable. If these were the sons of a non-Black celebrity, they would not have been handled with the same aggression,” she wrote via Instagram alongside footage from the incident. “The attempt to humiliate and terrorize these innocent young BLACK MEN is despicable!”

May 2024

As Diddy’s legal troubles continued, a video of Diddy assaulting then-girlfriend Casandra “Cassie” Ventura in 2016 surfaced. Hylton voiced her support for Cassie at the time.

“I am heartbroken that Cassie must relive the horror of her abuse, and my heart goes out to her. I know exactly how she feels, and through my empathy, it has triggered my own trauma,” Hylton wrote via Instagram. “These young people were raised by women that want the best for them — we put God and education first and have always been united in our mutual effort to support their dreams. Two of the youngest do not have their mother here and it has been our duty to support them. Their father needs help and I am praying that he truly does the personal work and receives it.”

May 2025

On May 12, Hylton stepped out in New York City to attend the opening day of Diddy’s sex trafficking and racketeering trial.

The rap mogul faced charges of sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy and transportation to engage in prostitution. Diddy pleaded not guilty to all charges and has denied the allegations against him.

Hylton — who was using a walker during her public outing — was joined by her and Diddy’s son, Justin Combs, at the hearing. After appearing publicly in court, Hylton took to social media to explain and defend her appearance.

“When I suffered my injury, I had chosen to heal privately but when my son said ‘Mommy I need you’ I was right there for him walker and all,” Hylton wrote via Instagram on May 17. “I’m a MOTHER FIRST, FOR REAL and I am my son’s strength and thats just what it is. Plain and Simple. Whoever doesn’t understand that just simply isn’t in alignment with me or anything that I’m about in life.”

Cassie’s emotional testimony in Sean “Diddy” Combs‘ ongoing trial could potentially support the racketeering charges against him, according to a legal expert.

“She’s a very emotionally impactful witness,” lawyer Joshua Ritter, who is not involved in the case, exclusively told Us Weekly on Friday, May 16. “She’s eight and a half months pregnant. She’s tearful on the stand, and she can provide an insight into how all of this works.”

Cassie (full name Casandra Ventura) first took the stand on Tuesday, May 13, before wrapping up on Friday. The singer, 38, spoke about her experience with Diddy, 55, whom she dated on and off from 2007 to 2018, and addressed his alleged “freak off” parties. Diddy, who was arrested in September 2024, has been charged with sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy and transportation to engage in prostitution. (He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.)

“Part of this case is not just the racketeering but the underlying abusive behavior that the racketeering was facilitating,” Ritter added. “So she might provide part of it, but they’re definitely going to have to have other witnesses testify to how others were participating in this criminal enterprise.”

Cassie Will Be Focus of Diddy Trial, Government Says in Opening Statement

Ritter explained that while the details from Cassie’s testimony have been “shocking and deviant and appalling,” the behavior being recalled is “not necessarily criminal.” However, Ritter shared that observers will have to wait as the prosecution continues to lay out their argument in the coming weeks.

“This is going to be a case that is proven by layers upon layers of evidence, and I imagine that eventually the prosecution will be able to connect all those dots,” he told Us. “But it is true that just based upon Cassie’s testimony, we don’t really see the elements of the racketeering, which would involve a criminal enterprise. There [have] been allusions to other security guards and other assistants and people working for Sean Combs who may have helped facilitate all of this.”

While Cassie’s testimony alone has not fully addressed the charges Diddy is facing, the question of whether consent was truly present may stay in the back of the jury’s mind.

“Yes, all of this can be awful. It can all sound humiliating and it can all sound very disturbing, but if she was a willing participant or these other individuals were willing participants, then we really don’t have the elements of a crime here,” Ritter explained. “Now, the defense, I think, has done a very good job in outlining text conversations that she had with Combs during and after many of these freak offs.”

Cassie Speaks Out Following Her Emotional Testimony in Diddy Trial

Ritter added that the prosecution team will have to argue that being an alleged “willing participant” was “part of the cycle of abuse.”

“The prosecution is then going to have the burden of showing the jurors how this is and how many times victims of abuse will actually even shockingly participate or appear to participate in their abuse,” he said. “And I think probably the evidence that we have seen that is most demonstrative of that is the videotape of the assault that took place at the hotel here in Los Angeles. I imagine prosecutors are going to argue that that shows someone trying to escape, that shows someone trying to remove herself from the situation, and him physically beating her and bringing her back under his control.”

That argument is going to be tough to make, Ritter cautioned.

“If someone is suffering from that kind of abuse, they’re going to say some very startling things and maybe things difficult to understand, like text messages that might sound like she’s participating in it,” he continued. “That’s going to be an argument that’s going to definitely be something the prosecution is probably going to have the most difficult time dealing with, is how do you show that these people were not consenting and also vocalizing that they were not consenting? Because even if they were not consenting, but that only took place inside their own head, that’s not enough to satisfy the elements of nonconsensual sexual assault.”

Cassie Addresses Claim That Diddy Dangled a Woman Over Balcony in Testimony

Diddy’s arrest came nearly one year after Cassie filed a lawsuit accusing her ex of sexual and physical abuse throughout their relationship. Diddy denied her claims in a statement shared by his attorney.

“Mr. Combs vehemently denies these offensive and outrageous allegations,” Diddy’s lawyer Ben Brafman said in November 2023.

One day after the suit was filed, Diddy and Cassie settled out of court. She testified earlier this week that the settlement was for $20 million.

In May 2024, CNN published a hotel surveillance video of Diddy kicking and grabbing Cassie in 2016. He later apologized for his actions in a video shared via Instagram.

 If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org. If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 for confidential support. If you or someone you know is a human trafficking victim, contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.

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Blake Lively‘s ongoing legal drama with Justin Baldoni took an unexpected turn by pulling in Taylor Swift.

After costarring in It Ends With Us together, Lively sued Baldoni in December 2024 accusing her costar and director of of sexual harassment and orchestrating an alleged smear campaign. In her filing, Lively claimed that Baldoni named Swift while discussing his alleged takedown plans.

Baldoni vehemently denied the allegations and countersued Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds. The actor accused Lively and Reynolds of civil extortion, defamation, false light invasion of privacy and more.

When Baldoni filed his $400 million lawsuit in January 2025, Swift’s name appeared in court documents. Baldoni claimed that Lively brought up Swift, who has been her good friend for years, during an alleged text exchange about making changes to the It Ends With Us script.

Detailing Taylor Swift's Apparent Influence on the 'It Ends With Us' Cast

Swift and her team did not publicly comment on the legal matter until she was subpoenaed in May 2025.

“Taylor Swift never set foot on the set of this movie, she was not involved in any casting or creative decisions, she did not score the film, she never saw an edit or made any notes on the film,” a rep for the singer said in a statement to Us Weekly. “She did not even see It Ends With Us until weeks after its public release, and was traveling around the globe during 2023 and 2024 headlining the biggest tour in history.”

Keep scrolling for a full breakdown on how Swift was brought into Lively and Baldoni’s legal situation:

Using Taylor Swift’s Song in the Trailer

When the It Ends With Us trailer dropped in May 2024, it featured Swift’s song “My Tears Ricochet.” After the song was included, Lively revealed she selected the song for the trailer.

“Them together made a lot of sense,” she said at Hoover’s Book Bonanza festival in June 2024. “Colleen is able to tell something that’s deeply personal and intimate but is able to resonate with so many people. And Taylor, she’s such an incredible writer. She writes from such personal experiences and vulnerability.”

Blake Lively Gushes About Taylor Swift’s Support

During an August 2024 panel for the film, Lively spoke about the movie’s budget for songs. The moderator subsequently asked Lively if she persuaded Swift to agree to license the song for the trailer.

“Honestly, she was with me on this experience the whole time,” Lively said, per social media footage. “She really lived this with me, so she’s a person who shows up for you. I’m so grateful to have that love and that support.”

The Taylor Swift and Isabela Ferrer Connection

Ferrer, who plays the younger version of Lively’s Lily in It Ends With Us, told Extra at the August 2024 premiere that Swift helped her land the role.

“She was a helpful part of the audition, which I found out later when I got it,” Ferrer said. “And that rocked my world.”

Baldoni echoed similar sentiments when he spoke to Extra that same month,

“I was casting and I had actually brought in and showed her casting tape to Blake and Taylor and they were both like, ‘Yes, her!’” Baldoni recalled. “And that’s a true story, but she just blew me away.”

Blake Lively Mentions Taylor Swift 1st

In Lively’s December 2024 filing, she claimed that Baldoni’s crisis management team mentioned Swift in their alleged plan to ruin Lively’s career. According to exhibits attached to the complaint, a crisis management expert working for Baldoni wrote in an email, “We have seen the most innocuous issues turn giant due to socials or the hugest crises have no effect on social whatsoever. You just cannot tell at this stage. But, BL does have some of the same TS fanbase so we will be taking it extremely seriously.”

A separate “scenario planning” document from Baldoni’s side also read, “Our team can also explore planting stories about the weaponization of feminism and how people like Taylor Swift, have been accused of utilizing these tactics to ‘bully’ into getting what they want.”

Justin Baldoni Seemingly References Taylor Swift in Texts

In his January filing, Baldoni appeared to reference Swift in a text message to Lively about the changes she wanted to make to the now-infamous rooftop scene in It Ends With Us.

“Was working on rooftop scene today, I really love what you did. It really does hep [sic] a lot. Makes it so much more fun and interesting. (And I would have felt that way without Ryan and Taylor),” Baldoni’s texts read alongside a winking face emoji. “You really are a talent across the board. Really excited nd [sic] grateful to do this together.”

He also claimed that Lively referred to Swift as one of her “dragons” while comparing herself to Khaleesi from Game of Thrones in other messages.

Later in the filing, Baldoni referenced an unnamed “megacelebrity,” who is believed to be Swift, when Lively was allegedly upset that he wasn’t going to make her tweaks to the scene. Lively’s alleged message read, “Of course, didn’t feel great for me. Or [another megacelebrity friend and Ryan Reynolds]. To have my passion praised instead of my specific contribution.”

In addition to text messages with Lively, Swift’s name also came up in a discussion Baldoni had with Sony executives over using the pop star’s song in the trailer. An executive claimed that Lively personally called Swift to “approve” the use of her song.

“Blake is calling Taylor to approve the song. She of course reached out saying she is asking for time with … her editor,” read a message from a contact named Sony Executive No. 1. “We know it was conditional on signing contract – but asking if you’ll reconsider so … can release this trailer and Blake does not change mind re calling Taylor Swift.”

Taylor Swift Gets Subpoenaed

Months after the legal back and forth began, Swift was subpoenaed. Swift’s representative denied that the singer had any involvement in the film.

“Taylor Swift never set foot on the set of this movie, she was not involved in any casting or creative decisions, she did not score the film, she never saw an edit or made any notes on the film,” the rep said in a statement to Us. “She did not even see It Ends With Us until weeks after its public release, and was traveling around the globe during 2023 and 2024 headlining the biggest tour in history.”

The spokesperson added, “The connection Taylor had to this film was permitting the use of one song, ‘My Tears Ricochet.’ Given that her involvement was licensing a song for the film, which 19 other artists also did, this document subpoena is designed to use Taylor Swift’s name to draw public interest by creating tabloid clickbait instead of focusing on the facts of the case.”

Swift’s legal team is fighting to get the subpoena dismissed.

Justin Baldoni’s Lawyer’s Alleged Taylor Swift Source

After news of the subpoena broke, Baldoni’s lawyer Bryan Freedman claimed in a letter to the judge that he had been in touch with an ally of Swift. Freedman claimed that in a one-hour Valentine’s Day call, the source told him that Lively’s lawyers made “extortionate threats” to the law firm representing Swift and demanded that she “release a statement of support” for Lively.

Lively denied the allegations and asked the judge to throw out Freedman’s letter. The judge ruled in favor of the Gossip Girl actress and the letter was struck from the record.

© Getty Images (3)

Cassie spoke out about her emotional testimony in Sean “Diddy” Combs’ trial.

Cassie’s attorney Douglas Wigdor read a statement on the singer’s behalf outside the Daniel Patrick Moynihan U.S. Courthouse in New York City on Friday, May 16, according to multiple outlets.
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“This week has been extremely challenging but also remarkably empowering and healing for me,” the statement read. “I hope that my testimony has given strength and a voice to other survivors and can help others who have suffered to speak up and also heal from abuse and fear.”⁠
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The statement continued, “For me, the more I heal, the more I can remember. And the more I can remember, the more I will never forget.”⁠

Cassie Comes Face to Face With Diddy in Courthouse Sketches From Trial

In addition to speaking on how it felt to take the stand Cassie (full name Casandra Ventura) also thanked her family and supporters for getting her through this tough time.
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“I want to thank my family and my advocates for their unwavering support and am grateful for all the kindness and encouragement that I have received,” the statement read. “I am glad to put this chapter of my life to rest as I turn to focus on the conclusion of my pregnancy. I ask for privacy for me and for my growing family.”⁠

Wigor also read a statement on behalf of Fine, who supported Cassie in the courtroom each day.

“Over the past five days, the world has gotten to witness the strength and bravery of my wife freeing herself of her past,” he said. “There has been speculation online surrounding how it must feel for me to sit there and listen to my wife’s testimony. I have felt so many things sitting there. I have felt tremendous pride and overwhelming love for Cass. I have felt profound anger that she has been subjected to sitting in front of a person who tried to break her.

“So to him and all of those who helped him along the way, please know this. You did not. You did not break her spirit, nor her smile, that lights up every room. You did not break the soul of a mother who gives the best hugs and plays the silliest games with our little girls. You did not break the woman who has made me a better man.”

Fine’s statement continued, noting that he is not Cassie’s knight in shining armor: “I did not save Cassie, as some have said. o say that is an insult to years of painful work my wife has done to save herself. Cassie saved Cassie. She alone broke free from abuse, coercion, violence and threats. She did the work of fighting the demons that only a demon himself could have done to her. All I have done is love her as she has loved me.”

“Her life is not surrounded by love, laughter and our family,” Fine’s statement said. “This horrific chapter is forever put behind us and we will not be making additional statements. We appreciate all of the love and support we have received and we ask that you respect our privacy as we welcome our son into a world that is now safer because of his mom.”

Diddy, 55, was arrested in September 2024 and charged with sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy and transportation to engage in prostitution. He pleaded not guilty to all charges and has denied all of the allegations against him.

Cassie, 38, first took the stand on Tuesday, May 13, before wrapping up on Friday, ultimately giving her recollections for nearly 20 hours over four days. The singer testified about her relationship dynamic with Diddy, whom she dated on and off from 2007 to 2018, and addressed his alleged “freak off” parties.

Cassie Hid in Hotel Room for 1 Week to Protect Mom From Truth About Diddy

While addressing the court, Cassie got candid about the alleged abuse she suffered from while dating Diddy. In addition to being a participant in Diddy’s “freak offs,” Cassie claimed that she was raped by the music mogul. The singer also revealed she contemplated walking into traffic years later due to all the trauma she endured.

Diddy’s arrest came nearly one year after Cassie filed a lawsuit accusing him of sexual and physical abuse throughout their relationship. Diddy denied her claims in a statement shared by his attorney.

“Mr. Combs vehemently denies these offensive and outrageous allegations,” Diddy’s lawyer Ben Brafman said in November 2023.

One day after the suit was filed, Diddy and Cassie settled out of court. She testified earlier this week that the settlement was for $20 million.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org. If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 for confidential support. If you or someone you know is a human trafficking victim, contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.

© Johnny Nunez/WireImage

Emma Stone and Pedro Pascal had an unexpected run-in with an uninvited guest on the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival — a bee.

Stone, 36, and Pascal, 50, attended Cannes for their new movie Eddington on Friday, May 16. While posing for photos on the red carpet with their cast, the insect approached Stone.

In footage shared by Variety on Friday, Stone can be seen cowering between Pascal and fellow costar Austin Butler as the bee got closer to her face. As Stone turned to Pascal, the Mandalorian actor was also startled by the pollinator. Stone and Pascal turned to each other for protection while Butler, 33, attempted to blow and swat the bug away.

The bee was seemingly unimpressed with the pair’s reaction to its arrival, so the insect ultimately decided to fly away. Once the bee departed, Stone regained her composure and continued to pose for photos.

Emma Stone Playfully Corrects Director on Using Her Real Name

Stone stunned in a custom white Louis Vuitton gown. The garment had an oversized bib collar with an asymmetrical cutout and a tiny train. Pascal and Butler both looked dashing in their red carpet looks. Pascal opted for an all-black suit while Butler donned a classic tux with a bowtie.

Stone, Pascal and Butler star in Ari Aster’s Eddington, which debuted at the French film fest. In addition to the trio, the Eddington cast also includes Joaquin Phoenix, Luke Grimes, Clifton Collins Jr., Micheal Ward, Amelie Hoeferle, Matt Gomez Hidaka and Cameron Mann. Butler previously shared how excited he was to work on the project alongside a group of stars he admires.

“I’m a huge fan of Ari and Joaquin and Emily and [DP] Darius Khondji and everybody involved. The entire team was incredible to work with,” Butler said in a June 2024 interview with The Hollywood Reporter. “I don’t want to give much away as far as the story and character go, but it was a wild adventure that I got to go on. I got to play a character who’s very different from anything that I’ve done.”

Butler added that it was “great” to reconnect with Aster whom he formed a friendship with before the project began.

Emma Stone and Dave McCary's Relationship Timeline

“Ari and I have been friends for a little bit, and it was great to see him on set,” he said. “He is such an incredible filmmaker, and he has such confidence and such a sense of humor and wild imagination. I truly loved working with him.”

Eddington is a Western thriller that pits a small-town sheriff (Phoenix) against a mayor (Pascal) in a tense standoff in New Mexico. The film is scheduled to release on Friday, July 18.

© Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images

Before even stepping onto The Amazing Race mat, Carson McCalley and Jack Dodge had mentally prepared by going to therapy together.

“We knew we were capable [of winning]. But we always talk about the No. 1 thing that we did before going on the race was we actually went to therapy together,” Carson, 28, exclusively told Us Weekly on Friday, May 16, after winning the competition series. “Which is not [something] that friends do a lot.”

Carson added that the decision to get professional help was “essential” for them and the race they ran.

“I think it was the No. 1 thing that helped us,” he explained. “But a lot of that is about actually taking expectations off [ourselves]. We knew we’re capable [of winning], but we also are capable of going home first.”

The Amazing Race’s Ricky and Cesar Thought They Were 'Underdogs’ at First

One of the things that the best friends worked out in therapy was how they could support one another when in a high-stress situation.

“Obviously, everyone’s different. Everyone knows what they need more than I do. What was so awesome is, right out the gate, it sets us up to know this is somebody who has the same goal as me,” Carson told Us. “We’re coming together, we’re putting our egos away and saying, ‘How do we communicate so that we are one team?’ You are all I have in this race, right? So if we can’t work together, you can’t build on that.”

Carson shared that removing expectations also made him and Jack, 27, work together as a cohesive unit.

“I think a lot of people go into it being like, they know they’re gonna get stressed. They know they do some mental preparation, but a lot of it is, ‘OK, when I’m stressed, I need this from you,’” he explained. “When we actually dug through therapy, we realized, ‘Actually, when I’m stressed, I can’t expect you to act, talk, or be the way that I want you to act, be, and talk, because that’s gonna make me even more stressed. Because you’re not gonna say it exactly the way [I want]. You’re not gonna run exactly the way I want you to.’”

Carson shared that he and Jack came up with ways to “self-soothe” so they wouldn’t take out any of their frustrations on each other.

When it came time to run the race, Jack and Carson were ready mentally. However, Jack shared that he knew getting to the million-dollar prize wasn’t going to be easy, especially when he got a look at the competition.

Amazing Race’s Scott and Lori Had a 6-Minute Delay After Taxi Hit a Bird

“When we showed up and we saw how buff [everyone was] … like these people were rock stars and they meant business, and I won’t lie, I was a little scared,” Jack told Us. “We saw like Alyssa and Josiah [Borden], Brett [Hamby] and Mark [Romain] and Pops and Jeff [Bailey], and we were like, we don’t compare to them in certain categories, like in the strength category, it’s a blowout. Let’s never get caught up in a strength competition against them.”

Despite not having as much muscle power as the other teams, Jack knew he and Carson’s superpower would be their friendly nature and love for competitive games like Dungeons and Dragons.

“We have our own strengths as well,” Jack said. “Which I think a lot of that was, being gamers, loving games, being strategic and being really silly as well. I think silliness was our superpower.”

Carson and Jack proved their dominance all season long, minus one disaster leg in Bulgaria. The pair won a total of five legs, including the final and its million-dollar prize.

Amazing Race's Melinda and Erika Reveal Potential Penalty for Taxi Mishap

“We were sobbing on the mat. It was so overwhelming because these are people that you develop such a strong bond with,” Jack said of reaching the finish line in Miami first, where they were greeted by host Phil Keoghan and the previous eliminated racers. “They’re the only people you can talk to for a month, and only they will ever be able to understand what we all went through. It was so touching to have them be on our side and be our cheerleaders just for a minute and yeah, just like the love was filling an entire stadium.”

As for Carson and Jack’s plan for their prize money? While they don’t know what they’re going to do just yet, the game streamers want to pay it forward to their community.

“I think something I keep coming back to is that we attribute so much of our success on the race to being self-proclaimed nerds and weirdos and freaks, and the communities that have surrounded us who created that passion in us,” Carson told Us. “If we could create more of that community, whether that is through our D&D show, through our podcast, or creating maybe a board game store or a board game, developing a board game, maybe making a tavern. We have so many ideas of bringing communities together, nerds and freaks and weirdos. To give back to the community that helped us succeed on the race.”

© Megan Briggs/CBS ©2025 CBS Broadcasting

Beloved Survivor castaway Jane Bright has died at the age of 71.

“Today Jane Hammett Bright was found passed away within her home by a good friend and county sheriff,” Jane’s daughter, Ashley Hammett, who made an appearance on Survivor for the game’s loved ones visit, announced via Facebook on Thursday, May 15.

A cause of death was not shared at the time.

Several Survivor alums and fans took to social media to pay their respects to Jane, who first appeared on season 21 of the beloved reality series.

1st Ever ‘Survivor’ Castoff Sonja Christopher Dead at 87

“Rest in heavenly peace. Jane from Survivor Nicaragua,” two-time winner Sandra Diaz-Twine wrote via Instagram alongside a photo of Jane’s cast photo.

Survivor: China winner Todd Herzog replied in the comments, “Love you Jane! Always in our hearts!”

Jane first appeared on Survivor during its Nicaragua season, which aired in 2010. She applied to the competition series 10 times before being selected for its 21st season. During her season, tribes were divided by their age and Jane was the oldest woman on the cast at age 56.

Survivor: Nicaragua included a variety of characters, including winner Fabio Birza, country singer Chase Rice, and NFL coach Jimmy Johnson. Jane was best known for feuding with her tribemate Marty Piombo. Jane attempted to get Marty out at every chance she could and was successful on day 24, making him the second member of the jury.

Jane was able to stay in the game due to her quirky charm, ability to provide food for the tribe and challenge prowess. She won two individual immunity challenges in her season, the most out of any woman on the cast. Jane formed a strong connection with Chase on the island and they bonded over both of them being from North Carolina.

However, Jane’s time on the island came to an end after her alliance saw how well she was perceived by the jury. She was voted out on day 36 and became the seventh member of the jury.

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

Despite not being crowned the Sole Survivor, Jane was the fan favorite of the season. During the reunion show, Jane was selected by the fans as the first ever Sprint Player of the Season award and won $100,000.

While Jane did not play Survivor again following her time on Nicaragua, she remained a fan favorite even in the New Era. While gearing up to play Survivor 48, Charity Nelms shared that Jane was her favorite all-time player and was hopeful to connect with her after this current season aired.

“I called Jane my favorite Survivor of all time in one of my interviews and she messaged me inviting me to her farm less than a month ago,” Charity wrote via her Instagram Story on Thursday. “This is so sad. We lost a really special one.”

© Courtesy of Jane Bright/Facebook

Michael J. Fox is pausing his retirement to join the cast of Shrinking season 3.

Fox, 63, will guest star on the Apple TV+ series starring Harrison Ford and Jason Segel, according to Deadline. Details of his role are under wraps as season 3 is currently in production.

By joining the Emmy-nominated dramedy, Fox will be reunited with creator Bill Lawrence. The pair previously worked together on Spin City from 1996 to 2001.

This is Fox’s first role since he announced his retirement from acting amid his battle with Parkinson’s disease in his 2020 memoir No Time Like the Future: An Optimist Considers Mortality.

How Michael J. Fox Inspired Portrayal of Parkinson's Disease in ‘Shrinking’

“There is a time for everything, and my time of putting in a 12-hour workday, and memorizing seven pages of dialogue, is best behind me … I enter a second retirement,” he wrote at the time. “That could change, because everything changes. But if this is the end of my acting career, so be it.”

Parkinson’s is a progressive disorder that affects the nervous system and the parts of the body controlled by the nerves, per Mayo Clinic. In most patients, symptoms typically start slowly as the first symptom may be a barely noticeable tremor in one hand. Other symptoms include slowed movement, rigid muscles, impaired posture and balance, speech changes and loss of automatic movements. There is no cure for the condition.

Before retiring, Fox’s last onscreen role was as a guest star on The Good Fight in 2020. However, he did make an appearance in his docuseries, Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie, which detailed his struggles with Parkinson’s.

Despite retiring, Fox teased that he would make an exception if the right role came along.

“I would do acting if something came up that I could put my realities into it, my challenges, if I could figure it out,” Fox said in an April 2024 interview with Entertainment Tonight.

Michael J. Fox Receives Presidential Medal of Freedom

Shrinking is seemingly the perfect fit for Fox as Lawrence, 56, previously revealed that Ford’s character, who also suffers from Parkinson’s, was inspired by the Back to the Future star.

“It’s cool to get to write about things you care about now,” Lawrence said in a December 2024 interview with People. “And Michael J. Fox is my first mentor. So we wanted to represent it in hopefully an inspiring and not sad or tragic way.”

Lawrence teased that the third season would show a “portrait of living with” the condition.

© Jason Kempin/Getty Images

Blake Lively slammed Justin Baldoni’s claims about Taylor Swift after receiving a major legal win.

“It took the court less than 24 hours to see through Mr. Freedman’s irrelevant, improper and inflammatory accusations, strike them, remove them from the court and warn Mr. Freedman that further misconduct may be met with sanctions,” Lively’s legal team said in a statement to Us Weekly on Thursday, May 15.

Lively’s statement follows her response to Baldoni’s lawyer Bryan Freedman’s letter, in which he claimed that he spoke to a source close to Swift, 35, “who is highly likely to have reliable information.” Per court documents obtained by Us, Lively’s legal team called for Judge Lewis J. Liman to throw out Freedman’s initial letter to be thrown out.

“The apparent intent of the Freedman Letter is to launder scandalous and defamatory allegations about Ms. Lively and opposing counsel into the press by abusing the Court’s docket,” the response read.

Blake Lively Asks to Strike 'Baseless' Taylor Swift Claims From Legal Record

Despite Freedman signing an affidavit under the penalty of perjury with more details from the unnamed source, the judge ruled in favor of Lively, 35. On Thursday, Judge Liman granted Lively’s motion to strike Freedman’s letter and affidavit, ruling that there was no finding as to the validity of the claim. The judge ruled that Baldoni’s team could not pursue it.

Judge Liman called the action “improper” and “irrelevant to any issue before this Court.” He added that any “future misuse” of the court “may be met with sanctions.”

Lively and Baldoni’s drama began after working together on It Ends With Us, which they both starred in. In addition to acting, Baldoni, 41, also served as the film’s director.

In December 2024, Lively sued Baldoni for sexual harassment, fostering a hostile work environment and trying to ruin her reputation. Baldoni has vehemently denied the allegations and subsequently filed a $400 million defamation lawsuit against Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds. Lively and Reynolds, 48, have denied Baldoni’s accusations.

Taylor Swift Is Fighting Justin Baldoni’s Subpoena Amid Blake Lively Drama

Recently, Baldoni’s team has accused Swift, who is good friends with Lively, of being secretly involved in Lively’s alleged production takeover. A subpoena from Baldoni’s legal team was sent to the pop star earlier this month in hopes of collecting evidence pointing to the singer supporting Lively, per Freedman.

Swift reacted to the subpoena via a statement to Us, denying having any involvement in It Ends With Us.

“Taylor Swift never set foot on the set of this movie, she was not involved in any casting or creative decisions, she did not score the film, she never saw an edit or made any notes on the film,” a spokesperson for Swift said in the Friday, May 9, statement. “She did not even see It Ends With Us until weeks after its public release, and was traveling around the globe during 2023 and 2024 headlining the biggest tour in history.”

© Getty Images (3)

Justin Baldoni’s legal team is doubling down on their claims that Blake Lively demanded Taylor Swift publicly support her after not attending this year’s Super Bowl.

According to court documents obtained by People on Thursday, May 15, Baldoni’s attorney Bryan Freedman sent a letter to Judge Lewis J. Liman on Wednesday, May 14, claiming that he spoke to a source close to Swift, 35, “who is highly likely to have reliable information.”

Freedman alleged that the insider told him Lively’s lawyers made “extortionate threats” to the law firm representing Swift and demanded that the singer “release a statement of support” for Lively.

Lively’s team quickly responded to the allegation according to court documents obtained by Us Weekly, also submitting a letter to the judge that called for Freedman’s to be thrown out.

Blake Lively Asks to Strike 'Baseless' Taylor Swift Claims From Legal Record

“The apparent intent of the Freedman Letter is to launder scandalous and defamatory allegations about Ms. Lively and opposing counsel into the press by abusing the Court’s docket,” Lively’s legal team wrote.

Following the response from Lively’s team, Freedman returned with a signed affidavit under the penalty of perjury with more details from the unnamed source and the allegations. In the legal document, Freedman claimed that he spoke to a “person very closely linked to Taylor Swift” on Valentines Day.

Freedman alleged that Swift’s lawyer was called by Lively’s lawyer and “requested, on Ms. Lively’s behalf, that Taylor Swift make a social media statement in support of Ms. Lively given her absence from the Super Bowl that year, and stated that if Ms. Swift failed to do so, Ms. Lively would release ’10 years’ of private texts with Ms. Swift.”

The source also claimed that Lively asked Swift to delete their past text messages “four or five months” prior.

On Thursday, Judge Liman granted Lively’s motion to strike Freedman’s letter and affidavit.  There was no finding as to the validity of the claim and Baldoni’s team cannot pursue it in the case. The judge called it “improper” and “irrelevant to any issue before this Court.” He added that any “future misuse” of the court “may be met with sanctions.”

Lively’s legal team reacted to the legal win in a statement to Us.

“It took the court less than 24 hours to see through Mr. Freedman’s irrelevant, improper and inflammatory accusations, strike them, remove them from the court and warn Mr. Freedman that further misconduct may be met with sanctions,” the statement read.

Taylor Swift Is Fighting Justin Baldoni’s Subpoena Amid Blake Lively Drama

Lively and Baldoni’s legal case began following their experience working on It Ends With Us. In December 2024, Lively sued Baldoni for sexual harassment, fostering a hostile work environment and trying to ruin her reputation. Baldoni has vehemently denied the allegations. The director subsequently filed a $400 million defamation lawsuit against Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds. Lively and Reynolds, 48, have denied Baldoni’s accusations.

Baldoni’s team has claimed that Swift, who is good friends with Lively, was secretly involved in the actress’ alleged production takeover. A subpoena sent to Swift earlier this month was, according to Freedman, in hopes to collect evidence pointing to the singer supporting Lively.

“Taylor Swift never set foot on the set of this movie, she was not involved in any casting or creative decisions, she did not score the film, she never saw an edit or made any notes on the film,” a spokesperson for Swift told Us in a Friday, May 9, statement. “She did not even see It Ends With Us until weeks after its public release, and was traveling around the globe during 2023 and 2024 headlining the biggest tour in history.”

© Getty Images (2) ; Roger Wong/INSTARimages

Plenty of stars have been up for Sean Evans’ challenge on Hot Ones, but there are more he’d like to see take the heat.

“We’ve caught so many of the dream guests along the way that I don’t even know if there’s like a white whale at the moment or someone who seems unobtainable,” the Hot Ones host, 39, exclusively told Us Weekly at YouTube Brandcast 2025 on Wednesday, May 14. “But you know, fans really want Keanu Reeves.”

Evans noted that he had just seen Reeves in the latest John Wick installment, Ballerina, and thought it was “incredible,” so he agrees with the fans that Reeves would be a fantastic guest on Hot Ones.

In addition to bringing new faces to the Hot Ones table, Evans also would “love” to bring back some familiar faces.

Ryan Reynolds Avoided ‘Hot Ones’ for ‘Years,’ Says Host Sean Evans

“I love bringing people on a second time,” he told Us about having repeat guests. “Let’s bring Conan [O’Brien] back, see if he can match that same energy.”

Evans added he thinks Paul Rudd is “long overdue” for a return. While Gordon Ramsay has appeared on the YouTube series multiple times already, Evans confessed that they “can never get sick of Gordon.”

Dave Grohl is another guest Evans would like to see back. The internet personality recalled getting the chance to hang out with the Foo Fighters frontman after his episode wrapped up.

“I remember after the show cut, he invited me to his premiere. The next night, we stayed in L.A., went to the premiere, then he had a friends and family show afterwards, or the Foo Fighters performed,” Evans recalled. “And it’s kind of one of those things where if you do Hot Ones, we either become friends for life or they never wanna see me again.”

Evans created Hot Ones alongside Chris Schonberger in 2015. On the YouTube talk show, Evans interviews a series of guests while the pair eat hot wings with sauces at various spice levels that continue to increase in temperature. Hot Ones is currently in its 27th season.

Keanu Reeves Threw Up a ‘Couple of Times’ During ‘John Wick’ Stunts

Since the start of the series, Evans knew that he had created something special, but it took a second for it to become mainstream.

“So I knew from the earliest shoots that we had that it was different, that it was unique, that it was something special just because [of] the way people were reacting in the studio,” he recalled. “I’d never seen a show like that.”

While Hot Ones didn’t achieve millions of views right away, it did gain traction after Keegan Michael Key and Jordan Peele made an appearance on season 2.

“I knew that it would be a hit if anyone ever watched it in the beginning, no one watched it,” Evans told Us. “So it wasn’t until the Key and Peele episode where it kind of broke containment, got huge, and we’ve been off to the races ever since then.”

© Michael Loccisano/Getty Images

Kim Kardashian is making a fashion statement while appearing and testifying in court amid her Paris robbery trial.

“Her jewelry and styling while in Paris are a subliminal message of freedom,” a source exclusively tells Us Weekly. “It is of course on purpose sending a message no matter what they took from her that she is back better than ever.”

Kardashian, 44, appeared in court on Tuesday, May 13, wearing a long black John Galliano dress and Saint Laurent heels. She accessorized the look with a $1.5 million diamond necklace that featured over 52 carats from Samer Halimeh New York, matching diamond earrings and a $8,100 Briony Raymond ear cuff.

The Skims founder took the stand on Tuesday to testify about allegedly being robbed at gunpoint in 2016. While on the bench, Kardashian gave an emotional recount of how the incident “changed everything” she previously loved about Paris, per NBC News.

Kim Kardashian Drips in $7M Diamonds and Feathers During Paris Trial

“Kim finally feels more ‘free’ after testifying in court. She is a forgiving person but still wants justice,” the insider explains of how Kardashian feels after telling her side of the story under oath. “It has helped with her healing journey as she can finally put this behind her.”

While reliving the alleged robbery has been a “relief” for the reality TV star, it has also been “very hard.”

“This was one of the most — if not the most — traumatic experiences she ever had to go through, and it’s been hard for her to relive it again,” the source tells Us. “She feels relieved because she knows there will be justice.”

During Kardashian’s emotional return to Paris, she’s had her loved ones by her side. Kardashian’s mother, Kris Jenner, attended the hearing alongside her daughter as emotional support.

“Kim has been in a good headspace overall. She’s been emotional at times but is happy to have Kris and a few of her close friends with her,” the insider shares. “Kris has also been very emotional especially when Kim spoke about the possibility of death.”

The source notes that hearing Kardashian speak about her experience was a “hard moment” for her loved ones. However, Kardashian is “grateful” to “be here” in Paris and throughout the proceedings.

Kim Kardashian Has Chance to 'Fight Back' With Paris Robbery Case Testimony

While attending 2016 Paris Fashion Week, Kardashian was allegedly held up in her hotel room by a group of men who she claimed dressed like policemen and wore masks. She further claimed the suspects demanded her diamond ring before tying her up. During her testimony, she said she felt that her life was in danger and at one point as if she was going to be killed.

Multiple suspects were arrested in connection with the alleged robbery in January 2017, with 10 individuals later charged. The trial began in Paris in late April and is expected to continue until May 22.

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Katelynn Ordone shared new heartbreaking details about the car accident that ultimately killed her son Preston Ordone, also known as “Okay Baby” on TikTok.

“For those of you who don’t know, my husband and I suffered severe concussions and have no memory of the accident,” read a lengthy statement shared via Katelynn’s Instagram on Wednesday, May 14. “There has been a lot of misinformation out there & we want to share the most accurate information we have at this time.”

Katelynn noted that she and her husband, Jaelan Ordone, “hired an independent accident reconstruction expert” to review the incident. The professional’s results have come in and provided some clarity.

“According to the vehicle’s black box data, the vehicle was traveling at 70 mph before decelerating and making a right turn, impacting at approximately 60 mph,” the statement continued. “Preston was properly secured in a two-piece, 360-degree car seat positioned behind the passenger seat.”

Okay Baby's Mom Shares Emotional 1st Statement After 2-Year-Old's Death

Katelynn also addressed previous testimony from eyewitnesses who attested that Preston “remained fully restrained in his car seat throughout the incident.”

“He was removed from the vehicle still securely fastened and brought to the side of the road by bystanders — this occurred before any emergency vehicle arrived at the scene,” her statement read. “Witnesses shared that it appeared to take at least 15 minutes for first responders to arrive, at which point Preston was still secured in his car seat and handed over to them.”

Katelynn added that the report confirmed that the car seat base “was properly installed and belted in.” However, there was a different issue with the car seat that she and Jaelen were previously unaware of.

“There appears to have been an issue with how the seat attached to the base: the locking pins were stuck in the engaged position, which may have prevented the seat from fully securing to the base,” Katelynn said. “After learning this, we further researched this particular car seat and discovered the issue has been reported by others as well.”

As for what caused the accident, there are no confirmed details, but it is “believed to have been the result of a medical emergency, which is consistent with the vehicle’s deceleration and steering behavior.”

What to Know About the Investigation Into Death of 2-Year-Old TikTok Star

“We deeply appreciate the continued prayers and support as we navigate this unbearable tragedy. We are grateful for the continued prayers. Our only source of strength right now is our faith and the hope we have in God. We can’t imagine walking through this without the assurance of eternal life and then peace that comes from knowing this truth,” the statement concluded.

Last month, friends of Katelynn and Jaelan shared the news that Preston died in a single-vehicle car crash and his parents were in the car at the time of the accident and sustained injuries. Preston’s 7-year-old sister, Paisley, was at school. Preston was 2 years old.

Us Weekly confirmed earlier this week that Preston’s cause of death was from “blunt force injuries due to a motor vehicle crash.” Preston’s death was ruled accidental.

© Courtesy of Katelyn Ordone/Instagram

Cassie got candid about how the aftermath of her relationship with Sean “Diddy” Combs took a heavy mental and emotional toll on her.

“I was spinning out,” the singer, 38, tearfully testified on Wednesday, May 14, during her second day on the stand in Diddy’s sex trafficking trial. “I didn’t want to be alive anymore at that point.”

Cassie (real name Casandra Ventura) explained that years after the alleged abuse by Diddy, 55, she hit a breaking point while shooting a music video in 2023. She shared that she kept having flashbacks from her time with Diddy.

After coming home from the set, she told her husband, Alex Fine, “You can do this without me. You don’t need me anymore.”

Cassie Gives Emotional Testimony About Diddy Allegedly Raping Her

Cassie shared that she then tried to walk out the door and into oncoming traffic but Fine, 32, stopped her. (Fine and Cassie, who tied the knot in 2019, share daughters Frankie, 5, and Sunny, 4, and are currently expecting baby No. 3.)

Following the incident, Cassie entered rehab and “trauma therapy.” During her recovery, Cassie began writing a book about her time with Diddy as part of her therapy process. She claimed that she gave a copy of some of the chapters she wrote to Diddy.

“I really wanted Sean to read the information,” she said from the stand. “I wanted him to understand what I had to learn to understand over that period.”

Upon reviewing the content, Cassie claimed that she had a lawyer reach out to Diddy’s team to pay her $30 million for the rights to her story.

“I wanted to be compensated for the time, the pain,” she said, noting that she did not receive any money at that time.

The same year Cassie began her therapeutic treatment, she filed a lawsuit against Diddy accusing him of sexual and physical abuse throughout their relationship, which lasted off and on from 2007 to 2018. Diddy denied her claims in a statement shared by his attorney.

“Mr. Combs vehemently denies these offensive and outrageous allegations,” Diddy’s lawyer Ben Brafman said at the time.

One day after the suit was filed, Diddy and Cassie settled out of court. Cassie stated during her Wednesday testimony that she received $20 million from the settlement.

In May 2024, CNN published a hotel surveillance video of Diddy physically abusing Cassie in the hallway of a hotel room in 2016. He later apologized for his actions in a video shared via Instagram.

Cassie Hid in Hotel Room for 1 Week to Protect Mom From Truth About Diddy

Diddy was arrested in September 2024 and charged with sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy and transportation to engage in prostitution. He pleaded not guilty to all charges and has denied all of the allegations against him.

“We are disappointed with the decision to pursue what we believe is an unjust prosecution of Mr. Combs by the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” Diddy’s attorney Marc Agnifilo said in a statement at the time. “He is an imperfect person, but he is not a criminal. To his credit Mr. Combs has been nothing but cooperative with this investigation and he voluntarily relocated to New York last week in anticipation of these charges. Please reserve your judgment until you have all the facts. These are the acts of an innocent man with nothing to hide, and he looks forward to clearing his name in court.”

Since his arrest, Diddy has been held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. His four requests for bail were denied by Judge Arun Subramanian.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org. If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 for confidential support. If you or someone you know is a human trafficking victim, contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.

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