It seems that Gina Carano still might have some bad blood with Disney, even though they reached a settlement in August 2025 after she was fired from her role as Cara Dune in “The Mandalorian,” seemingly after controversial comments that she made during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. Ahead of her MMA return against Ronda Rousey this May, Carano was asked to name a “Star Wars” actor who could survive a round in the octagon. Instead of naming one of her Mando-verse castmates, Carano decided to name a Marvel actor instead.  

Gina Carano Seemingly Shades ‘Star Wars’ In Viral Exchange

TMZ caught up with Gina Carano outside of the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, where she was holding a press conference with Ronda Rousey to promote their May 16 MMA fight. When she was asked what actor in the “Star Wars” universe could last a round in the Octagon, she replied, “I don’t know anybody in the Star Wars universe that could, but I think Chris Hemsworth could.”

“I met him before, and he’s got a Muay Thai background,” Carano explained, before noting that Tom Hardy also does jiu-jitsu. It’s worth noting that although Chris Hemsworth is best known for his role as Thor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Tom Hardy actually has a secret link to a galaxy far, far away that Carano might not know about.

Tom Hardy filmed a cameo as a stormtrooper (FN-926) in 2017’s “The Last Jedi,” where he appeared in a scene where he recognizes Finn (John Boyega) in an elevator. However, this scene was cut from the final theatrical release. The deleted scene is available on the film’s home release, as per IMDb.

Inside Gina Carano’s ‘Star Wars’ Role

Although she has not appeared in any of the movies, Gina Carano played Cara Dune in the first two seasons of “The Mandalorian.” Cara Dune was from the planet Alderaan, which was famously destroyed by the Death Star in “A New Hope.”

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She served as a Rebel shock trooper during the Galactic Civil War, but later became a mercenary who became a close ally of Din Djarin, the name of the titular Mandalorian. By the end of season 2, she was deputized as a Marshal of the New Republic of the planet Nevarro.

Lucasfilm originally planned a spinoff series called “Rangers of the New Republic” that was supposed to be set around Carano’s character; however, the series never materialized after Carano and Disney parted ways.

Disney Parted Ways With Carano Over Controversial Social Media Posts

In February 2021, Lucasfilm announced that they were no longer with Carano following a series of controversial social media posts. As NPR reported at the time, one photo featured a woman being chased through the streets. The comparison seemingly compared the suffering Jews faced during the Holocaust to the polarizing political climate. “How is that any different from hating someone for their political views?” the post asked.

After #FireGinaCarano began trending, Lucasfilm reportedly parted ways with the actress. “Gina Carano is not currently employed by Lucasfilm, and there are no plans for her to be in the future,” a Lucasfilm spokesperson said. “Nevertheless, her social media posts denigrating people based on their cultural and religious identities are abhorrent and unacceptable.”

She was also dropped from United Talent Agency, as reported by Deadline.

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Gina Carano Sued Disney Over Her Firing

Today is an important day for me–I am filing a lawsuit against @lucasfilm & @Disney
 
After my 20 years of building a career from scratch, and during the regime of former Disney CEO Bob Chapek, Lucasfilm made this statement on Twitter, terminating me from The Mandalorian: “Gina…

— Gina Carano 🕯 (@ginacarano) February 6, 2024

Carano argued that she was being targeted for her conservative views and argued that other costars, like Pedro Pascal, were not disciplined for their more liberal-leaning statements, but to no avail.

Years later, Elon Musk pledged to fund legal fees for users treated unfairly by their employers due to their posts on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. This prompted Carano to officially sue Disney and Lucasfilm in federal court in February 2024, alleging wrongful termination and discrimination. She sought at least $75,000 in compensatory damages and asked to be recast in her role as Cara Dune.

Disney tried to get a judge to dismiss the case, arguing that they had a First Amendment right to choose who represents their brand. However, in July 2024, a judge denied Disney’s motion and a trial date was scheduled for 2026.

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Disney and Carano Reached A Settlement In August 2025

Months before their 2026 trial date, both Gina Carano and Disney reached a mutual settlement in August 2025. Although the financial details have not been released, both sides agreed to dismiss the case “with prejudice,” which means she cannot refile the lawsuit at a later date.

In a statement shared with The Hollywood Reporter, a Lucasfilm spokesperson said, “With this lawsuit concluded, we look forward to identifying opportunities to work together with Ms. Carano in the near future.”

“We have reached an agreement with Gina Carano to resolve the issues in her pending lawsuit against the companies,” it continued. “Ms. Carano was always well respected by her directors, co-stars, and staff, and she worked hard to perfect her craft while treating her colleagues with kindness and respect.”

Despite claims that they “look forward to identifying opportunities to work together with Ms. Carano in the near future,” she is not expected to reprise her role in “The Mandalorian & Grogu,” which hits theaters in May 2026.

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Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for 9-1-1 Season 9 Episode 13.9-1-1 has had an elephant in the firehouse for quite some time now. This elephant is shaped like a pair of best friends who are deeply attached to each other, can’t ever seem to make their romantic relationships work, and have essentially been raising a kid together for the better part of the show. This week’s episode, Season 9, Episode 13, “Mother’s Boy,” promised an installment that would finally properly focus on both Buck (Oliver Stark) and Eddie (Ryan Guzman), and that would give them space to exist together away from the firefighting world.

Sure, the promo for this episode teased that they would get into a car accident, in which Buck would be abducted, and Eddie would be left in a hospital room by himself to worry about him. Still, though, it looked like “Mother’s Boy” was going to be exactly the episode that this dynamic needed at this point in the season. Instead, “Mother’s Boy” is a disappointingly surface-level episode that doesn’t feel new or fresh for 9-1-1, and that resolves everything in predictable and cookie-cutter ways.

‘9-1-1’ Season 9, Episode 13 Gives Buck and Eddie Generic, Surface-Level Conflict on Their Road Trip

Image via ABC

The episode opens with the car accident that was teased in the promo, in which a badly-injured Eddie is pulled out of the crash alone. It then goes back in time to Buck and Eddie at the Nashville airport, where all flights have been grounded due to a software issue (which is probably setup for 9-1-1: Nashville‘s episode this week). They’re in a rush to get home for Hen’s (Aisha Hinds) surprise birthday party, which is a do-over after almost everyone forgot her birthday last year. Buck suggests they just drive, which leads to a really fun Buddie road trip sequence where they sing along to the music, rank their favorite Arnold Schwarzenegger movies, and toss snacks into each other’s mouths. It’s a breath of fresh air to see them acting like silly best friends together, but of course, the fun is short-lived.

Buck and Eddie’s conversation in the car stays surface-level, touching just on their previous 9-1-1: Lone Star crossover, and then turning into a fight after Buck gets them lost when he suggests an unconventional route down south through New Mexico. Buck loves the food and gets along very well with the waitress, Bonnie (Melinda McGraw), while Eddie is just angry, and then they get into an explosive argument right there in the diner. Their argument is very generic and standard, with Buck getting mad at Eddie for getting “gloomy” like he says Eddie always does, while Eddie is only mad about being lost. It’s not specific enough for two people who have been best friends for eight years, and even their loud and vicious diner fight doesn’t feel detailed or cutting enough for two people who know each other that well.

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The most compelling part of their argument is Buck expressing his anger that Eddie is mad at him for a choice that they both made. Buck is frustrated that Eddie doesn’t speak his mind and say what he wants, while Eddie admits to taking the “path of least resistance” with Buck most of the time to avoid arguments. This had the potential to touch deeper on their dynamic, but it just skates along the surface and instead turns into an over-the-top argument that has Buck dramatically holding a fork to his own neck and screaming at Eddie to kill him. A group of homophobic truckers mistakes this for a lover’s quarrel, and one of them tells Buck and Eddie that “We just don’t see a lot of your kind around here.”

When Eddie asks what the trucker means by his and Buck’s kind, the trucker says, “You tell me, Princess.” It’s a deliberate narrative choice to show homophobia being directed specifically at Eddie, but the episode never unpacks this further. Buck and Eddie both apologize to each other and cement their position as a team, then they get followed by a truck on the road. They believe that it’s a homophobic hate crime, and they’re driven off the road, which turns into a car accident. Eddie wakes up alone in the hospital where he’s told that he was the only person in the car. Meanwhile, Buck is trapped alone in Bonnie’s house, where she believes that he’s her son, Derek, who has been brain-dead since a motorcycle accident 15 years earlier (and is still on life support in her basement).

‘9-1-1’ Season 9, Episode 13 Doesn’t Give True Emotional Payoff to Buck and Eddie’s NDEs

Buck’s predicament this episode feels generally low-stakes, because Bonnie is clearly just grieving and unwell, and there’s no doubt that he will make it out alive. The much more high-stakes storyline this episode is Eddie’s. Eddie tries to get the local Sheriff to listen to him and take Buck’s case seriously, but Eddie is instead met with racist and homophobic microaggressions from the Sheriff, who very obviously thinks that Eddie killed Buck in an act of intimate partner violence (which is a baffling choice when this, alongside the homophobia from the truckers, is the only time the romantic undertone of Buck and Eddie’s dynamic is addressed this episode). Eddie turns to the team back home for help, and Athena (Angela Bassett), Maddie (Jennifer Love Hewitt), and Chimney (Kenneth Choi) do their best to assist from afar.

Athena calls the Sheriff, who is still set on Eddie as a suspect, and who doesn’t want to actually do his job. With Buck trapped in a locked room and nobody else around to help, Eddie has to be the one to save him. Eddie is hesitant to break out of the hospital and make himself more of a suspect, but Athena pushes him to go save Buck. This is a disappointing writing choice considering how close Buck and Eddie are, but Eddie’s concerns are understandable due to the Sheriff’s obvious racism, even though the episode doesn’t ever explore this further. An injured Buck and Eddie are paralleled with one another as they both escape to try to get to each other. Buck gets caught, first by Bonnie, and then by her ex-husband and Derek’s father, Earl (Jeff Kober), who’s also the cook at the diner. Eddie’s search for Buck takes him to the diner, where one of the waitresses flirts with him, and Eddie, of course, shows a lack of interest. She offers her his number, and he nods with a serious face, presumably because he wants to be able to contact her in the search for Buck, but that’s the last we see of this odd detour.

Eddie goes to Bonnie’s house, where Earl now has Buck tied up in the basement. Bonnie knows that Buck isn’t Derek now, and she knows that there’s no way out now, so she tries to convince Earl to kill him. Buck talks to Bonnie one-on-one and shows compassion for her, relating her loss of Derek to his own loss of Bobby (Peter Krause), and encouraging her to let Derek go. She almost kills Buck, but Eddie shows up right on time to ask her questions about the truckers, whom he believes has Buck. Buck asks Bonnie and Earl to convince Eddie to leave, willing to sacrifice himself to save Eddie. He appeals to Bonnie as a parent, telling her about Christopher (Gavin McHugh), and saying that Eddie is all Chris has. She tries to steer Eddie away, but he sees the truck and knows that Buck is there. Eddie gets into a confrontation with Bonnie and Earl, where he has a gun to Bonnie’s head, and Earl has a gun to Eddie’s. Buck then escapes and tackles Earl, saving Eddie.

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The cops interrupt at that point, and the Sheriff sees that Eddie was right. Buck collapses and Eddie rushes to him in a moment that should have been the emotional payoff that this episode so desperately needed, showing just how much they mean to each other. Instead, the moment is undercut with a joke, and Buck and Eddie never get a moment to properly debrief either what they just went through together or the argument that they had. It felt like this episode is trying so hard to avoid stepping into anything romantic with Buck and Eddie, that in doing so, there is a massive lack of emotional payoff for what they just went through together. Even if this was supposed to be played as platonic, they could’ve at least had a scene like Hen and Chimney got at the end of “Hero Complex.”

Instead, that’s it for Buck and Eddie, and the only emotional payoff is for Maddie, who’s been terrified for Buck all episode. She drops everything, ready to go find him herself, until she gets the call that he is alright. Even Eddie’s phone call after with Chris takes place off-screen, and we never see Buck proven wrong about his own place in Christopher’s life. The episode ends on a joke, as it’s revealed that the whole thing was pointless, because Hen missed her party for a surprise trip with Karen (Tracie Thoms). The episode is uneven throughout, but it had a lot of potential, if only Buck and Eddie’s emotional conflict and concern for each other had been given proper emotional payoff. Ultimately, though, 9-1-1 seems afraid to let Buck and Eddie have a real conversation, and the episode shoots itself in the foot because of it.

9-1-1 airs Thursdays at 8:00 P.M. on ABC.

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Release Date

January 3, 2018

Showrunner

Tim Minear

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Directors

Bradley Buecker, David Grossman, Brenna Malloy, Gwyneth Horder-Payton, Jann Turner, Jennifer Lynch, Marita Grabiak, Sarah Boyd, John J. Gray, Barbara Brown, Robert M. Williams Jr., Kristen Reidel, Marcus Stokes, Tasha Smith, Millicent Shelton, Juan Carlos Coto, John Gray, Greg Sirota, Alonso Alvarez, James Wong, Kevin Hooks, Varda Bar-Kar, Shauna Duggins, Sharat Raju

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Writers

Tim Minear, Andrew Meyers, Brad Falchuk, David Fury, Ryan Murphy, Christopher Monfette, Nadia Abass-Madden, Nicole Barraza Keim, Erica L. Anderson, Matthew Hodgson, Stacey R. Rose, Taylor Wong, Tonya Kong, Adam Penn

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Pros & Cons

• Eddie’s storyline this episode is high-stakes and frightening, as it shows the bigoted Sheriff not taking him seriously, leading him to have to save Buck himself.
• This episode remembers how close Buck and Maddie are, and allows Maddie to be terrified for him.

• This episode has a major lack of emotional payoff, making the whole storyline ultimately feel shallow and pointless.
• There is a lack of stakes in Buck’s half of the storyline, which feels repetitive for ‘9-1-1’ and doesn’t bring anything new to the table.
• By refusing to let Buck and Eddie have a real conversation, this episode in turn sidesteps any deeper meaning and misses the opportunity to pack an emotional punch.

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Roommates, the internet is buzzing, wondering if Angela Simmons is stepping into a new era. The entrepreneur just dropped her first single, ‘Run To,’ with a music video, and social media is NOT holding back on their reactions.

RELATED: Issa Kiii! Angela Simmons Has The Internet Crackin’ UP After Finessing Her Son In TikTok’s “Backup Dancer Challenge” (WATCH)

Angela Simmons Shocks Fans After Debuting NEW Single

First it was fashion, then it was reality television, and now it’s music — at this point, Angela Simmons is the ultimate hustler. She’s stepping into her music bag with her first single, ‘Run To,’ and she didn’t do it alone — Jadakiss and an artist Resa joined her on the track. ‘Run To’ officially drops at midnight, but fans were able to get a lil’ preview of the song on Instagram. The visuals show her in front of what looks like a brownstone in New York City, walking along a waterfront, and standing alongside Jadakiss. During her interview with The Breakfast Club, Angela Simmons told the hosts she’s doing spoken word on the track and signed with Ruff Ryders for this single.

Social Media Weighs In On Angela’s Music

Once the internet got a lil’ taste of Angela’s single and music video, The Shade Room’s comment section exploded with reactions. Some folks said they were scratching their heads, trying to figure out how Angela got into music, while others gave her props for stepping out of her comfort zone and trying something new.

Instagram user @thegoldenkei wrote, “What’s going on here?”

Instagram user @1rockemx wrote, “I’m tryna catch it and understand but it ain’t clickin…” 

While Instagram user @msjojo.marshall wrote, “Ummmmm i’m never turning on or hating on any black woman. If this is what she wanna do, I applaud her. Most people don’t have the courage to do anything. Sing girl sing.❗❗” 

Then Instagram user @m__kay__ wrote, “I’m so confused, but I want to be left confused. It’s best 😑🙄” 

Another Instagram user @_suckafreesi wrote, “This is how the group ‘Floetry’ was. Marsha Ambrosius and her spoken word friend lol.” 

Instagram user @mytiaranicole wrote, “But like what is she actually doing on the record? Is she like Angela Khalid?” 

Then another Instagram user @whoisparisphillips wrote, “I’m going to the studio , I got some s**t to say too 😂” 

Instagram user @itzbeautifulgurl wrote, “Wait, is she the video girl or this her song ?” 

While another Instagram user @_pettyking wrote, “So her particular “talent” was the mumbled spoken word in the beginning? 🧐” 

Finally, Instagram user @vicki.lex23 wrote, “She bout to receive a bunch of unnecessary hate as usual. Yall let this girl live, damn.” 

Is Angela Gearing Up To Drop An Album?

While chatting with The Breakfast Club, Angela Simmons said she’s been sitting on a few tracks for a minute and spent some creative time in the studio putting ‘Run To’ together. Even though she comes from a music family with her dad Rev Run in Run D.M.C. and her brother Jojo Simmons also rapping in the past, Angela said she never planned to do music, though she’s always loved it. She also shared that she’s planning a full project that will feature a mix of different artists. “I started this like 2 years ago and this one I just felt led to put out. It was all timing and alignment and all the pieces started to come together,” Angela explained.

RELATED: A Ball! Angela Simmons Shuts Down Birthday Bash With Spicy Twerk To Yo Gotti’s Song (VIDEOS) 

By Douglas Helm
| Published 32 seconds ago

The world Oda created in One Piece is a vast and varied one, and one of the most interesting concepts in the franchise is Devil Fruits. Devil Fruits grant immense power to characters that obtain and eat them, and they are the source of protagonist Monkey D. Luffy’s powers as well. But how do these fruits work, and why are they so important?

In the world of One Piece, there are numerous Devil Fruits scattered around the world, and if someone eats one, they are permanently granted superhuman powers. However, those with Devil Fruit powers are said to be hated by the sea, and the drawback of eating one is that the user will be permanently unable to swim. Which, obviously, wouldn’t be ideal for the many pirates and marines who we follow in the series.

Each Devil Fruit in One Piece is unique, and no two Devil Fruits share the same power. Also, an individual who has consumed a Devil Fruit can’t consume another, or they will die. They are extremely rare in the universe and often fetch extremely high bounties, making them highly desirable for even those who aren’t interested in obtaining the powers within.

The Three Types Of Devil Fruits

Devil Fruits in One Piece are also generally separated into three different, distinct categories: Paramecia, Zoan, and Logia.

Paramecia Devil Fruits are the most common type, and they grant users superhuman abilities that don’t easily fit into the Zoan or Logia categories. These fruits give users any power that isn’t turning into an animal or a natural element.

Zoan Devil Fruits in One Piece grant the user the ability to transform into a specific animal, as well as the ability to transform into a hybrid species that combines the user’s original species with the animal of the Zoan Devil Fruit.

Zoan fruits have also been revealed to have their own individual wills, which is not a trait found in other types of Devil Fruits. Zoan Devil Fruits also have three rare sub-classifications, which include Ancient, Mythical, and Artificial Zoan.

Ancient Zoan Devil Fruits allow users to transform into ancient animals, such as dinosaurs, while Artificial Zoans were created fruits that permanently gave users an animal characteristic. The rarest is Mythical Zoans, which are the rarest Devil Fruits in One Piece overall. As the name implies, these allow the user to transform into mythical animals like dragons.

Other than Mythical Zoan fruits, Logia Devil Fruits are the rarest and most powerful in the One Piece universe. Logia fruits allow the user to create, control, or transform their body into a natural element, such as lightning or darkness. This brings us back to the Paramecia Devil Fruits, which give users powers that don’t fall into the other two categories.

There are also Devil Fruits in One Piece that haven’t been categorized yet, but Paramecia, Zoan, and Logia are the main ones to know.

Monkey D. Luffy’s Devil Fruit Is The Gomu Gomu No Mi

As the main protagonist of One Piece, Luffy’s Gomu Gomu no Mi is obviously one of the most interesting Devil Fruits in the series. It is classified as a Paramecia fruit, and it grants Luffy’s body the properties of rubber.

With this power, Luffy can easily stretch, expand, inflate, bend, and twist his body, limbs, and even his organs. Luffy has also developed transformation techniques using his Devil Fruit powers, which he refers to as Gears.

For instance, Luffy can combine his Devil Fruit powers with his Haki (a character’s ability in One Piece to utilize their spiritual energy) to enable his Gear 4 form, where he will inflate his muscular structure with air to vastly increase his offensive and defensive capabilities. Devil Fruits can be awakened by their users, which Luffy has since done with his Gomu Gomu no Mi fruit.

The awakened form unlocks the most powerful form of the Devil Fruit, which enables Luffy to obtain his Gear 5 form in the anime. Interestingly, Luffy’s awakened form revealed that Gomu Gomu no Mi is actually a Mythical Zoan fruit (a fact the World Government of One Piece kept concealed), which gives Luffy the appearance of the Sun God Nika when he transforms.

Sydney Sweeney, known for her role as Cassie on “Euphoria,” has opened up about her struggles with body confidence as a teenager and her journey to self-assurance in Hollywood.

The actress now channels that confidence into her lingerie brand, Syrn, which she models herself, emphasizing body positivity and inclusivity.

In recent months, Sydney Sweeney has also navigated public controversies, including a promotional stunt at the Hollywood sign and backlash over her American Eagle campaign.

Sydney Sweeney Reflects On Body Confidence Journey

Sydney Sweeney has opened up about her struggles with body confidence during her teenage years and how she’s grown into self-assurance as a Hollywood star.

The 28-year-old, best known for her role as Cassie on “Euphoria,” revealed that she felt self-conscious about her curves from an early age.

“I grew up with boobs. I was wearing a 32DD in sixth grade, and I never felt confident,” she told Us Weekly. “I never had anything I felt good in, and I just wanted to hide.”

The actress added that it wasn’t until she experienced playing Cassie, a character known for body confidence and sexual empowerment, that she began to embrace her own body.

“It’s actually powerful to be confident,” she said. “Our bodies are incredible. We should embrace [them] and feel really good in our skin.”

Sweeney now channels that mindset into her lingerie brand, Syrn, proudly modeling the pieces herself and promoting body positivity. One standout, a black corset, is her “date-night go-to,” designed for an adjustable fit and flattering curve.

“I could not find a top that made me feel hot without being too much,” she explained. “But this is perfect. You can tie it as tight as you want, so you can make ’em pop as much as you want! The shape is amazing.”

Sydney Sweeney Showcases Inclusivity And Personal Touches In Syrn Lingerie Line, Eyes Future Beauty Ventures

Sweeney also highlighted the personal touches in her line, from heart motifs on straps and sliders to her logo featuring intertwined Ss shaped like a heart.

She explained, “I like to personalise things as much as I can. … I play dress up now with my own [SYRN] stuff.”

The collection has already seen massive demand, selling out quickly online, with restocks reportedly in the works.

Looking ahead, the “White Lotus” actress appears poised to expand into beauty. She reportedly filed a trademark for Syrn covering skincare, cosmetics, and other beauty products, signaling potential future launches.

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Emphasizing inclusivity, she told Cosmopolitan, “My designers are all women, and I have an amazing, diverse team. My models are a beautiful range of body types. I’m always like: ‘I want to see it on everybody.”

She added, “I can’t be the only model. I need to make sure everyone feels really good in it. I wouldn’t wear it, I wouldn’t want to make it.”

Sydney Sweeney’s Hollywood Sign Stunt Sparks Controversy Over Unauthorized Lingerie Promotion

Earlier this year, Sweeney made headlines for a bold stunt involving the Hollywood sign.

Video footage captured the “Anyone But You” star climbing the iconic “H” at night to hang bras in promotion of her lingerie line.

TMZ reported the incident, with the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce confirming that the stunt was unauthorized. The chamber, which manages the sign’s intellectual property through the nonprofit Hollywood Sign Trust, said neither organization was aware of the activity beforehand.

“Anyone intending to use and/or access the Hollywood Sign for commercial purposes must obtain a license or permission from the Hollywood Chamber to do so,” explained chamber chief Steve Nissen, per The LA Times. He added that no license was requested or granted for Sweeney’s stunt, emphasizing that the production had no official authorization.

While her team did secure a general permit to film in the surrounding area through FilmLA, filming the sign itself requires extra clearance and payment of a licensing fee.

The chamber explained that part of the collected fees supports the Hollywood Sign Trust, which helps maintain the landmark. Access to the sign is typically restricted, making special permission essential for any commercial use or on-site filming.

Sydney Sweeney Responds To Backlash Over American Eagle Denim Campaign

Last December, Sweeney also addressed the controversy surrounding her American Eagle denim campaign in an emotional interview with People Magazine.

The campaign, titled “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans” and released on July 23, sparked debate over the wordplay between “jeans” and “genes,” with some critics claiming it implied racial undertones or genetic superiority.

Others argued it catered to the male gaze, echoing Brooke Shields’ contentious 1980 denim ad.

The “Christy” star explained she was surprised by the backlash, emphasizing her love for the brand and her intent behind the campaign.

“Many have assigned motives and labels to me that just aren’t true,” she told the publication, noting that what was being said about her regarding the ad was false.

Sydney Sweeney Says She Is Against Hate After American Eagle Ad Controversy

Describing herself as someone who “leads with kindness,” Sweeney said she decided to speak out about the Jean ad to address the criticism and counter divisiveness.

“Anyone who knows me knows that I’m always trying to bring people together. I’m against hate and divisiveness,” she explained, noting that her previous silence may have unintentionally widened the divide.

Sweeney added that she hopes the new year “brings more focus on what connects us instead of what divides us.”

Magic Johnson‘s son makes quite an interesting selection from the dating pool!

EJ Johnson confessed that despite being a gay man, he actually prefers romantic relationships with straight men and often finds himself competing with women for their affection.

Magic Johnson’s son, EJ Johnson, came out as gay in 2013 and has since remained honest and open about his dating struggles, love for fashion, and experiences as a gay man.

Magic Johnson’s Son Says He Is Attracted To Straight Men

EJ appeared on the “Reality with The King” podcast, where he revealed that his dating preferences do not extend to gay men. According to him, he does not frequent gay clubs, nor does he participate in socializing within the gay circle, because his target market is not there when it comes to dating.

He noted that he often gets attention from men inside predominantly straight spaces, adding that it has always been that way for him, and now that he presents in a more feminine way, the attention is increasing. While he refused to spill many details about his love life, he did admit that he had had a thing with one or two celebrities behind the scenes.

The TV personality also shared on the podcast that, while he is known for his gender-fluid fashion, he is gradually phasing out some masculine undertones and leaning more toward femininity.

The Former E! Television Star Credited His Famous Dad For Some Of His Dating Hassles

In 2018, EJ spilled some facts on an episode of the “Red Table Talk” with Jada Pinkett Smith, Willow Smith, and Adrienne Banfield-Jones about the hurdles in the dating pool. The appearance came five years after he publicly came out as gay, and he confessed that most people want to be with him because of his father.

In his words, “It’s always been a struggle. There are so many factors. First of all, the celebrity thing. Who are you here for? Are you dating me, or are you trying to date my dad?” He added that the men in his life are either unserious about the relationship or they just want to ride on his father’s name and use him for photo ops.

EJ continued that he has never taken any of his relationships far enough to introduce them to his family, because something always gets in the way. 

EJ Johnson’s Views On Transitioning

During an interview in 2019, the ever-vocal EJ told his host on the E! News “Just the Sip” series that he has no plans whatsoever to transition, despite his unending love for fluidity in fashion. EJ declared that he is comfortable in his skin and feels like he is in the right body, although this does not mean anyone who wants to transition should not go ahead with it.

The media personality affirmed that his chances of ever feeling like he would transition were very low, even in the future. The fashion guru credited fashion for giving him a chance to explore several aspects of dressing, whether in a masculine or feminine style.

He noted that the temporary nature of it all makes him excited because he can literally shape-shift as many times as he wants. He continued that he has also grown a lot and has arrived at a point in his life where he handles himself very differently, and the results have been satisfactory.

The Socialite Shut The Door On A Controversial Phase In His Life

EJ also shared his thoughts on settling down in the interview, admitting that he has changed his search route for “Mr. Right,” as he now knows he would not meet the one for him at the club. According to him:

“We all had to go through a h-e phase, and I think I’m successfully out of mine. I’m done. I had a really good run, and I had a lot of good memories, and terrible ones, but mostly good ones!”

EJ explained that the experimental phase of his life was very successful, as he wanted to feel sexy and get all the male attention, which was exactly what happened. He added that he had maximized his attention during that period and ultimately realized it was time to pursue something real.

The media personality revealed that he had never really had a serious relationship, and the time has come for him to sit straight and cast his net wide in the good part of the sea.

Magic Johnson’s Son Revealed Dad Was The Last To Know About His Sexuality

In 2022, EJ got candid with Variety about his father’s journey to accepting his sexuality. According to him, Magic and his mom were the last to know about his sexuality, and his father initially struggled to come to terms with that reality.

He shared that it was a lot for his superstar dad to take in, and there was a lot of back-and-forth in the discussion because he does not do well with surprises and other situations that are just deep. Magic eventually came around and visited EJ while he was away in college in New York to make amends.

EJ recalled his father giving him the tightest hug, and that was when he knew there was nothing but love in his heart for him. Through his son, Magic has become a loud supporter of the LGBTQ community and has expressed his pride in EJ for always using his voice and platform to fight for the community’s welfare.