Ten years ago, Bob Dylan was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, and it’s safe to say not everyone was thrilled about it. The decision was immediately regarded as a radical and divisive act, with critics and fans alike left debating what it meant for the defining boundaries of literature. Crucially, if music has the power to dilute the strength of literary devices.

Project Hail Mary Interview | Sandra Hüller

Even a decade later, questions linger around Dylan’s win, revealing a deep-rooted tension between tradition and evolution, or perhaps more uncomfortably, so-called high and low art. Dylan’s work is at a unique crossroads of the two, having been inspired by both blues legends like Muddy Waters and literary icons such as Herman Melville. In recognizing Dylan’s songwriting as legitimate poetry, the Nobel Committee invited a serious reevaluation of what modern literature looks like, and perhaps an equally serious evaluation of what modern snobbery looks like.

Bob Dylan’s 2016 Nobel Prize Win Shocked the World and Sparked a High vs. Low Art Debate

This year is the tenth anniversary of Bob Dylan winning the Nobel Prize in Literature, and when it was announced on October 13, 2026, it was met with a plethora of mixed reactions. The division of opinion was to be expected, as he was the first songwriter to win the mightily impressive accolade, with The New York Times dubbing the win as “Perhaps the most radical choice” in the history of the prize. The announcement sparked debate regarding the boundaries between so-called high art and low art. The very notion of this distinction alone is problematic. It suggests that a certain form of media deserves to be recognized as having more value, often implied by the way or by whom it is consumed.

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Bob Dylan’s 20 Greatest Songs of All Time, Ranked

The one and only!

According to The Swedish Academy, Dylan’s win was “For having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition.” Throughout his career, Dylan has been heavily influenced by the blues music of the likes of Ma Rainey, Muddy Waters, and Robert Johnson and the literary works of Herman Melville, Erich Maria Remarque, and Homer. This combination of influences could be perceived as the marriage of the distastefully labeled lower and higher arts, and how the prize is slowly adjusting to accommodate a more representative reflection of contemporary art.
The criticism that Dylan’s win attracted was, arguably, understandable. I’m not saying he deserved hate, disrespect, or ridicule, but I’m sure his fans could empathize with the literary community being surprised and feeling like a songwriter was in a different category than, say, a novelist. Rabih Alameddine, a novelist himself, tweeted that “Bob Dylan winning a Nobel in Literature is like Mrs Fields being awarded three Michelin stars,” and Pierre Assouline slammed the win as “Contemptuous of writers.” They’re somewhat valid in their feelings, but what they perhaps failed to see is that many people love Mrs Fields, a brand that has contributed to the shaping of a generation, and Dylan is a writer.
Because Dylan’s poetry is delivered against a musical backdrop, some critics may have felt as though the literary aspect of his work is in some way diluted. However, it could be argued that once any written work is lifted from the page (a playscript, a poetry reading, an audiobook), it becomes a performance piece. So, what critics may want to consider is that the introduction of music to Dylan’s work doesn’t necessarily make it any less poetic, it just adds a contemporary flair to its performance.

Bob Dylan’s Nobel Win Only Got More Complicated

Following the announcement of his win, Bob Dylan only fueled further controversy by not attending the Stockholm ceremony due to “pre-existing commitments.” It is very unusual for prize winners to be absent from the ceremonies, and to some, Dylan’s move felt like a snub. However, Dylan assured fans that winning the Nobel Prize in Literature was “amazing, incredible. Who ever dreams about something like that?” Dylan later received his award in April 2017 in a private ceremony with no media present.
In true music legend fashion, Dylan submitted his Nobel lecture just days before the lecture deadline, six months after the prize was awarded. His lecture also raised eyebrows for its content. In a 2017 article, Andrea Pitzer found multiple examples of Dyan’s lecture that mirrored a SparkNotes analysis of Moby Dick. An Associated Press analysis found that the two pieces of work share twenty “identical phrases and similar phrasing”, but “no verbatim sentences.” Perhaps Dylan was simply continuing the “Rich and enriching tradition” within folk music of using pre-existing material.

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The cover was released less than a year later.

A decade on from the win, Bob Dylan’s Nobel Prize in Literature accomplishment still sits at a rather controversial intersection of music and literature. What felt like a radical decision at the time continues to raise questions about how artistic merit is defined. Even if those boundaries are increasingly blurred, many will deem Dylan’s win as a potential blunder rather than a justification for recognition. The thing is, either way, it disrupted the cultural conversation, which is a subtle act of literature itself. Fair play, Bob Dylan.

For Wilmer Valderrama and Emily Wickersham, hitting 500 episodes of NCIS isn’t just about breaking network television records — it’s about the people who’ve grown up with the show. Speaking with Collider for our expansive Collider Rewind look back at the legacy of the franchise, the actors reflected on what’s kept the long-running series going for more than two decades, pointing to its focus on deeply human, relatable characters and the way it’s become part of viewers’ everyday lives.

Wickersham first joined NCIS in Season 11 in a recurring role before being promoted to series regular later that same season. She went on to play Ellie Bishop for seven seasons before exiting the show, only to return in the current Season 23. Valderrama, meanwhile, joined as a series regular in Season 14 and has portrayed Nick Torres ever since. Over the years, Bishop and Torres developed a classic will-they-won’t-they dynamic — one that quickly became a fan-favorite and drew comparisons to some of the franchise’s most iconic relationships. That storyline was ultimately cut short by Wickersham’s departure, but now, with her return (albeit for just one episode), fans are once again tuning in and hoping Season 23 might finally deliver the payoff they’ve been waiting for.

During our conversation, Valderrama described NCIS as something that evolves alongside its audience, while Wickersham highlighted how it’s created a shared experience across generations—parents, grandparents, and kids all watching together. Together, their perspective frames the franchise not just as a global hit, but as a lasting source of comfort and connection for millions of fans. You can read the full interview below, and stay tuned for more epic NCIS conversations this week.

COLLIDER: Talking about the 500th episode, when it airs, NCIS will have now surpassed Grey’s Anatomy, Family Guy, and classics like Bonanza. What do you think it is about NCIS that has made it such a mainstay on television?

WILMER VALDERRAMA: It’s a beautiful question. Every year, the show defies the odds of gravity by continuing and having this many people watch. I mean, last year, over 300 million people watched around the world. You think about those numbers, and you think about what this show might have actually meant to people at different times of their personal journeys and their lifespans, or the families that have seen children be born and gone off to college throughout the run of the show. It’s something incredibly special.

When you ask, what’s the secret sauce? We’ve understood what the show really is about, and it’s about the people solving the cases. It’s about creating these characters that you can see yourself in, and then also go through some kind of subliminal journey, spiritual journey, physical journey, where it goes like, “Okay, I know what they’re going through.” And you get answers, and you get to places. So, I think in many ways, NCIS has had a soulful journey, as any individual has. The show performs as a living organism, so everything you see on that screen is alive. It’s not a character that you’re just watching solve a crime of the week, and to me, that’s the gift, right?

I knew the show was incredibly special before I joined it. I joined in Season 14, I’m going into Season 24 next year, and I’ll tell you, the thing that really sticks out to me is that the people behind the characters are just as special as the people who are on-screen, and that’s something that is also part of the secret sauce.

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Reunions Not a Moment Too Soonions — The Collider TV Quiz!

It’s always fun when actors from one show find their way back to one another in a new show. Were these television reunions memorable to you?

‘NCIS’ Has Cracked the Code for Continuing to be a “Good Show”

“It’s been so cool to have that experience from fans over the years.”

Image via CBS

That’s such a beautiful answer. Emily, do you have anything to add to that, or did he hit the nail on the head?

EMILY WICKERSHAM: He always hits the nail on the head. He’s so good at this. But I think that, I’m sure, Wilmer, you’ve experienced this also, that different generations of people will come up to you and be like, “I watched the show with my grandma. I was a little kid, and I watched with my grandma, or my mom, or my dad.” It’s built this connection between generations, which I’ve always thought was so cool, that a grandparent watched it with their grandson or granddaughter, because it’s been on for so long that it does have this special quality about it. It’s been in people’s living rooms for so long, of different ages, and I always have found that so special that everyone has been able to have this shared experience with these characters over the years.

There are so many episodes to watch. People who are in hospital beds or whatever have so many wonderful episodes they can just throw on the TV, and it’s become this comfort. It’s been so cool to have that experience from fans over the years.

VALDERRAMA: You nailed it there. That’s one of the most special things is when you either are walking through an airport or you’re walking through a mall, and you’re walking down the street and somebody comes up and is like, “Hey, I just want you to know, I lost my grandfather or my father two years ago, and I keep watching NCIS because it’s the one thing that connects me to them.” What a gift, and what a beautiful responsibility to continue to be a good show.

I think that’s part of the beauty of the show. It’s one of those very few shows still in our lifetime that can bring families together in the living room. I think we’ve lost a lot of that viewership in television. There are so many options, there are so many genres, there are so many age groups that have specialty shows dedicated to them. Shows that bring us all together in one cohesive, extraordinary experience are very few. So, I think for CBS to continue to cultivate that NCIS night and to continue to give families a place where they can watch together, it’s cool enough, it’s seasoned enough, and it’s mature enough that that gets people talking together. I feel like it’s been the greatest gift in my life, in my career, to be able to see that through this show.

It’s really been such a gift for fans. I’ve actually been watching NCIS since it first started as a backdoor pilot on JAG, so it’s been part of my life for as long as I can remember, and I have a lot of fond memories tied to it. I was also thinking about how you both came into the show in Season 10 and Season 14, and I’m curious what that experience was like — especially the audition process. Did you go back and watch specific episodes to get a feel for where the show was at, its tone, or how your characters might fit into that world at the time?

WICKERSHAM: I went in pretty blind, if I’m being completely honest. I actually hadn’t watched much of NCIS before my audition. There were several episodes to watch, and I watched a few. The audition process was really cool, and I think very different from Wilmer’s, where I auditioned with a few girls, and we did scenes on the actual set for the tests with the actual actors at the stages, and it was so cool, I felt, the way they went about it. In a way, it took the pressure off because it was like it doesn’t matter if you get the job, you just kind of have the job for the day, and that went for all the actors auditioning.

I just had the best time. It was Sean Murray, Michael Weatherly and Mark Harmon for those tests, and everyone was wonderful. I had such a great experience. I didn’t know if I was going to get it or not, and I did, and it changed my life.

And the rest is history, right?

WICKERSHAM: Yeah!

Wilmer Valderrama Resisted the Call for ‘NCIS’ Until it Was the Right Moment

“You guys don’t need anything. Your cast is stacked.”

Image via Michael Yarish/CBS

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VALDERRAMA: I would say for me, yeah, we had a little bit of a different experience. Years before I actually joined NCIS, there was this opportunity to join NCIS: Los Angeles, and I wasn’t ready at that moment. I was doing some other stuff. There were a couple of things that I had on the horizon that I really wanted to see through, and the timing wasn’t right for NCIS: Los Angeles, for me, so it didn’t happen.

But then, years later, I was shooting Minority Report, which lasted one season, and then I was shooting From Dusk Till Dawn with Robert Rodriguez. I was covered in gunpowder and fake blood and vampire fangs, and Robert Rodriguez directed, and I’m in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and I get this phone call from my team, and they’re like, “Hey, an offer came in for you to join NCIS.” And I was like, “I don’t know, man. That show is like the number one show on television. I feel like they won’t need me.” I feel like going to a show that needs you is so much more rewarding because you get to contribute on a greater level. They’re like, “But just take the meeting!” And I was like, “I don’t know. I don’t know. I think I’m okay.” Then I got back in town from shooting the show and they’re like, “Just take the meeting with the showrunner.” And I was like, “Alright.”

I’d just done this pilot for CBS Studios, where I played a young colonel in a show called Four Stars. It was a beautiful show. Unfortunately, at that time, there was no slots because nothing got canceled on CBS, so the show didn’t go, even though the show was really, really good. I think the network and Amy Rosenberg, who was our current executive on NCIS at the time, now the president of the network. She had seen that pilot and she had said, “What about Wilmer Valderrama for this part?” And I was like, “What?” Then she talked to the team, Mark Harmon, talked to everyone, and they’re like, “Yeah, that sounds like an interesting idea.” So I met with the showrunner, Gary Glasberg, rest in peace, and I was like, “Hey, man, look, I’m taking the meeting. I really appreciate it. I’m very flattered, but you guys are number one. You guys don’t need anything. Your cast is stacked.”

Then that’s when he told me that Michael Weatherly was leaving, and they wanted to shake things up in the squad room. They wanted to do something different. I was like, “Well, I don’t know how different, because I don’t know that I’m going to be playing what he was to the show.” And he said, “Well, what do you want to create?” And that’s when my ears went like, “Create? I can create my own character from scratch?” And then we’re having this conversation, and he’s like, “Look, man, the next two years are picked up. You get to have a journey to build a character you would like to play.” He said, “Not a lot of people are running up to the bad guy anymore, so we need to actually go chase the bad guys.” So, long story short, I was like, “Well, this is an interesting opportunity.”

By the way, in referencing Cote de Pablo and giving her her flowers, a Latina who played a really beautiful, strong character on that show, yet she was never allowed to play a Latina; she played an Israeli character, you know? I just felt like, “Wow, this will be the first Latino on the cast. Could be interesting. It could be fun. I could really spice it up. I could really be myself, unapologetically.” And the promises were right. They were just like, “Go. Fly.” So, we created a character that I felt was so different than NCIS had seen that I felt like, “At least I’m contributing something that dynamically feels different.” And I really loved it.

My first two days there were amazing. Emily and Sean Murray and Pauley Perrette, at the time, and that same year, Jennifer Esposito joined. Man, I was like, “This team is awesome!” The nicest crew in Hollywood. The writers just like to keep writing out amazing episodes, and they knew how to make my character sing. So, I had a lot of fun the first couple of years, and I realized, “Man, this really could be a home.” And I really worked very hard to make sure the fans knew that I was here with all respect, that I was here to build on what they had already seen, and that hopefully they would have me in their living rooms. And so far, I still got a job, so that’s pretty good.

Two things off of that. One, From Dusk Till Dawn, is one of the best shows ever. I loved it so much.

VALDERRAMA: Thank you!

Two, you mentioned here that this is 10 years going into your 10th season. What has being part of NCIS taught you as a member of a cast, especially when you have a show like this where there are so many guest stars, so many day players, so many supporting roles? How have you grown as an actor?

VALDERRAMA: Thank you for that. It’s a great question. The first thing that comes to mind is collaboration, to be at a place where nobody’s afraid to try things. When you have a show that gets 20-episode pickups, you’re like, “Alright, let’s try this this episode. Let’s make him a little moody on this episode. Let’s make him a little bit more of a ball-buster on this one.” You get to really try things. That’s one of the things I feel, that they have created such an environment for all of us to play and have fun, and the writers really are not very picky about how it’s interpreted. There’s a science for solving cases, but when it comes to letting our characters sing, they really let us cook, and so that makes it very fun. I think when you have that environment, you start swinging for the fences. You have a lot of fun. You come to work excited to do something different, and I think that that definitely was one of those elements.

The other environment is that everyone’s very grateful to have a job, and everyone’s very grateful to be there, and that feels refreshing. There’s no bitterness on set, and so that’s also really exciting.

But I don’t know, it’s a really loaded question because there’s like a million reasons and a million ways that I could answer that. I would say that what this show has really taught me is to lead with opinion and lead with solutions. I’m not going to complain about the script if I didn’t read it three days before. I’m not going to have an opinion on the scene unless I talked about days before, where the writers can actually have an opportunity to help you mold it into what you expect it to be. That level of respect for each other’s artistry, I think, is also kind of a great runway. But I think that’s the thing: lead with ideas and solutions, and help move the ball a little closer to the touchdown.

I love that answer. It was really astute.

WICKERSHAM: No, he’s so articulate. So good!

Bishop’s Return to ‘NCIS’ Was “So Serendipitous”

“It was like stepping back in time into this family that I really love.”

Don’t worry, Emily, I have one for you now.

VALDERRAMA: [Laughs] Oh, here we go!

Coming back as Bishop, I remember being so gutted when your character left, and I was so excited when the news came out that you were coming back. What was it like coming back? Because there have been so many cast changes, so many differences between now and then. How has it shaped your return for Bishop as well?

WICKERSHAM: It was so serendipitous and perfect the way it unfolded. Bishop went off and had to really shift her life. There was this fire that she didn’t want to put out, and I think that was happening for me in different ways as Emily. So, coming back to the show, the show really did change my life in so many ways. I feel like I really had the opportunity to work every day as an actor, and I got to learn how to act in a lot of ways. Because before you’re doing it every day, I found it very difficult to get into the rhythm, but you get into such a wonderful rhythm on this show. For 10 months out of the year, you’re sharing this experience with these people. You become so close. I don’t think I’ll actually ever have this experience again in my life, where I get the opportunity to go back.

I knew everybody. There were a few characters and a few new cast members that I didn’t know, and I got to know, and they’re wonderful. But a lot of the crew has stayed the same, and it was like stepping back in time into this family that I really love. It was such a special, wonderful experience for me, and I think for Bishop, as well. Coming back, Bishop had such a great period of her life, had so many incredible experiences at NCIS solving cases, and all this stuff, and just the day-to-day rapport with everyone there that there’s this familiar thing about NCIS where it was just cool. I knew I wouldn’t be as articulate as Wilmer.

VALDERRAMA: Oh my god!

WICKERSHAM: [Laughs] But it really was! It was cool. And I really don’t think I’ll ever experience anything like it again, both for myself and Bishop.

Tune into the 500th episode of NCIS tonight, and stay tuned for more Collider Rewind drops as we look back at the series’ legacy.

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NCIS

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Release Date

September 23, 2003

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Showrunner

Donald P. Bellisario

Directors

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Dennis Smith, Terrence O’Hara, Tony Wharmby, James Whitmore Jr., Thomas J. Wright, Michael Zinberg, Arvin Brown, Rocky Carroll, Diana Valentine, Leslie Libman, Tawnia McKiernan, Colin Bucksey, William Webb, Bethany Rooney, Alrick Riley, Jeff Woolnough, Alan J. Levi, Lionel Coleman, Martha Mitchell, Peter Ellis, Michael Weatherly, Edward Ornelas, Stephen Cragg, Tom Wright

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  Sean Murray

  Timothy McGee

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  david mccallum

  Dr. Donald ‘Ducky’ Mallard

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By Chris Snellgrove
| Published 39 seconds ago

Right now, Firefly fans are cheering for some seemingly good news: this sci-fi cult classic is going to finally get a revival. Even better, the new show will be animated, and it will be set between the events of the Firefly show and the Serenity movie. This allows the animated series to sidestep the biggest problem a live-action revival would face: namely, showing us the depressing sight of aging actors trying to wheeze their way through acting young again.

However, as a huge fan of Firefly, I can’t help but think this animated show is going to ruin this franchise’s legacy. Right now, Firefly has a reputation as an absolutely perfect one-season show; if the cartoon is not similarly perfect, then the fandom is going to lose its mind. Furthermore, the fact that the animated series will have an entirely new writing staff means it will likely lack the magic of the old show. But even if the old creators came back, this venture would still be doomed because everything we know about Firefly’s aborted second season makes it sound like the worst thing in the ‘verse.

The Chicken, The Egg, And The Starship

Among Firefly fans, there is sometimes a “chicken and the egg” style argument about the show’s quality. Some think the show could have kept its momentum going into future seasons, and that Fox canceling the series after one season kept us from getting years of impossibly awesome sci-fi entertainment. Others think that Season 1 effectively captured lightning in a bottle and the cancellation was a good thing: after all, the thinking goes, it’s better to get one flawless season than watch a show you love sink into mediocrity, year after year.

In a weird way, my biggest worry about the animated Firefly revival isn’t that it will be bad but that it will be average. For other franchises, average wouldn’t be so bad, but the stellar quality of the original Firefly show will cast a big, damn shadow over this new series. Should we get a season or two of mediocre storytelling, fans will be disappointed because the original show set such a high bar. More importantly, it will only take one or two “meh” seasons to completely ruin Firefly’s reputation. It will no longer be a perfect show; it will just be the solid opening of a sci-fi franchise that simply got worse over time. 

Joss In Space

A major elephant in the room is that Firefly was the brainchild of Joss Whedon, the same visionary creator who gave us Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Whedon was once celebrated as the king of the geeks, one whose kingdom rested on his reputation as the world’s biggest male feminist.

Later, the inevitable happened: his ex-wife revealed that he was constantly cheating on her with other women, including the stars of his shows. This happened during the #MeToo movement, hurting his reputation. Later, after stars like Charisma Carpenter, Ray Fisher, and Gal Gadot shared toxic tales of alleged workplace abuses, Whedon was fully canceled and effectively retired from filmmaking. 

This is important because it means the Firefly revival, like the recently-canceled Buffy reboot, is facing an impossible situation. If they were to bring Whedon back, it would be seen as an endorsement of a very controversial figure, leading to the show getting canceled before it ever gets off the ground. But without him, the show is not going to have the exact same quirky humor and whimsical characterization that fans fell in love with in the first place.

Reportedly, the Firefly animated show is proceeding without Whedon, which is likely for the best: it will keep the revival from getting canceled alongside the original show’s creator. But as much as I loathe to say it, his absence means the new show won’t be as good as the old one. At that point, we have to ask the obvious question: why bring Firefly back in the first place if it’s just going to be a crappy imitation of itself?

The Stories Firefly Was Planning To Tell Next

Over the years, fans have fervently wished that Fox hadn’t canceled Firefly so that it could have gotten more seasons. However, that’s a monkey’s paw style wish, and I’ll tell you why. Based on everything we know about the stories planned for it, Firefly Season 2 would have been a disaster.

For one thing, there were plans to make Firefly much darker. Proposed Season 2 stories involved episodes where Mal decided to abandon a planet full of people asking for his help, leaving them all to die. Alan Tudyk pitched an episode where the crew would be helping some criminals who were organizing alien dog fights, getting our crew involved in intergalactic animal abuse. Believe it or not, though, that’s not the worst of it.

According to producer Tim Minear, the very first episode Joss Whedon pitched for Firefly Season 2 focused on Inara; she was the ship’s Companion, a prostitute with many of the privileges of a diplomat. Whedon wanted a story where she was not only suffering from a terminal disease, but also had injected herself with a special syringe that would kill anyone who had sex with her. This comes in handy when she is kidnapped by some Reavers who are known for intimately assaulting their victims. By the time Mal comes to rescue her, all the Reavers are dead, implying Inara had survived a very brutal ordeal.

In case you think that’s a one-off, think again: Minear claims that, after pitching this horrific episode, Whedon told him, “These are the kinds of stories we’re going to do.” Had Firefly gotten a second season, the show would have been a grimdark mess that transformed your favorite characters into a collection of monsters and victims. The show’s early cancellation saved its reputation; now, I can’t help but worry that the Firefly animated show will take its cues from these unused Season 2 stories, ruining this franchise the same way Picard’s grimdark storytelling nearly ruined Star Trek: The Next Generation.

The Hero Of Streamtown

Will the Firefly animated series be any good? As the hero of another Fox TV show might put it, “I want to believe.” The show has a lot going for it, including the return of the original cast and a groundswell of fan support. But it also has a lot going against it because, without the original creators, the storytelling will suffer. That could hurt the entire franchise’s reputation, turning Firefly from the most beloved modern sci-fi property into just another failed reboot.

Like all Firefly fans, I will be tuning in for the animated revival, and I really want it to be the best new show in the entire ‘verse. However, after years of crappy revivals like The X-Files, I’m steeling myself for disappointment. Should that happen, though, I’ll do what any good fan does and dust off my physical media collection. To paraphrase the Firefly theme song, “I don’t care, I’m still free. You can’t take the Blu-rays from me!”

One thing about Steph Curry, he loves him some Ayesha Curry! On Monday (March 23), the NBA baller reminded the world how much his wife means to him with a sweet message honoring her 35th birthday. She later thanked him for the birthday love. And while she appeared appreciative of his words, social media users were poppin’ off with hot takes about Mrs. Curry and their marriage.

RELATED: Killer Mike Finally Speaks After Steph Curry Clocked Him For Viral Reaction To Video Dissing Ayesha (WATCH)

Steph Curry Brags About Ayesha On Her 35th Birthday

Curry took to at least two of his social platforms, Instagram and Threads, to shout out his queen! He penned a paragraph in his caption about her contributions to his and their family’s greatness.

“Happy birthday to the one that makes this whole thing work! This past year has been one of my favorites. The determination to go after what you want. The grind and work behind the scenes. Stepping into new versions of you with courage that inspires me every day. I love it all,” Steph Curry wrote.

He added, “You don’t play when it comes to our family. Our kids know you always show up and have their back no matter what. With the biggest heart I know. We are lucky and We love you!”

Meanwhile, the post included multiple photos of Ayesha—solo, selfies with him and photos their four kids. The first picture in his IG post shows her hugging a bouquet of pink flowers and greenery, but it’s unclear if they were a birthday gift.

Ayesha Curry Reacts To Birthday Wishes From Her Husband & Loved Ones

Steph wasn’t the only person flooding his wife with birthday love on Monday. On her Instagram Stories, she reposted his post, highlighting a picture of them walking on an airport tarmac. In Jamaican Patois, she wrote, “Mi love yuh bad yuh see,” which loosely translates to “I love you so much, you know!” in English. Ayesha’s mom has Jamaican heritage.

Social Media Shares Mixed Reactions To Steph Curry’s Message, While Her Mom Defends Her

One day after his wife’s birthday post, the comment section was loaded with over 4,300 reactions. Even celebs, like Lindsay Lohan and Nina Westbrook, dropped birthday wishes. Ayesha Curry’s mother, Carol, also stopped by, defending her daughter against the internet’s drags.

“Happy birthday to my first born you look amazing. You’re always top notch. I love you with all my heart. I hope you have an amazing day today and watch out for the trolls. There are just too many ignorant people in this world and thank God you’re not one of them. I love you with all my heart. Have a great great day.!!❤️❤️❤️❤️,” Carol (@jamaicanglamma) commented.

However, not everyone stepped in with the sweet energy Steph presented. In fact, some of the comments had harsh words for Mrs. Curry, highlighting podcast comments she’s previously made about being married to one of the greatest NBA players ever.

@thatboycrazyyyy wrote, “The only [shot] Curry missed.”

“She’s not for you bro,” @flexx__y commented.

“Despite all this she still want out 😂,” @tife31905 added.

“I love you bro I don’t think she the one for you gang fr,” @realbandupfresh said.

@wit.j20 commented, “Nahh we ain’t forget.” 

“You deserve better gang,” @keyonji1 weighed in.

“She bouta slander his name again soon lol,” @iz90744_ commented.

“Blink twice bro we gotchu,” @zaymusician wrote.

“We ain’t forget shorty but happy gday I guess,” @4lorday._ added.

@cory__brennan said, “Idk who’s worse for this man’s life. Her or podz 😂.” 

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Some flops turned into masterpieces many years after their release. David Bowie’s 1977 hit, “Heroes”, is a huge example of this. Among his discography are classics such as “The Jean Genie,” “Life on Mars?” and “Golden Years,” which turned into hits. The difference between those songs and “Heroes” is that “Heroes” took a long while to be appreciated.

“Heroes” was released on September 23 1977, with Bowie anticipating the song’s success. Strangely, despite the exquisite storytelling and emotional appeal, “Heroes” did not receive the reception it truly deserved. Nowadays, it is considered one of his greatest songs, despite failing to achieve commercial success.

David Bowie’s “Heroes” Was Inspired by an Affair

“Heroes” was penned during Bowie’s residence in Berlin, where he fled after burnout from the music industry in Los Angeles. The song told the story of a German couple who refuse to be torn apart by the political climate. To continue their relationship, they met every day under a gun turret on the Berlin Wall.

According to an interview Bowie did in 2003 with Performing Songwriter, Bowie’s producer, Tony Visconti, had an affair with his backup singer, Antonia Maass. They inspired the German couple in the song, as they would kiss “by the wall” in front of Bowie. The “Under Pressure” singer detailed the context behind the song, stating, “I always said it was a couple of lovers by the Berlin Wall that prompted the idea. Actually, it was Tony Visconti and his girlfriend; Tony was married at the time. And I could never say who it was. But I can now say that the lovers were Tony and a German girl that he’d met whilst we were in Berlin.”

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“I did ask his permission if I could say that,” he added. “I think possibly the marriage was in the last few months, and it was very touching because I could see that Tony was very much in love with this girl, and it was that relationship which sort of motivated the song.”

“Heroes” Failed to Achieve Commercial Success

Upon release, Bowie heavily promoted the song, which included a music video and a performance of it on two shows, such as Marc and Bing Crosby’s Merrie Olde Christmas. Sadly, the hosts would soon die before the episodes aired, adding another obstacle in front of the song’s potential success. Bowie also released the French and German versions of the song.

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Bowie’s promotions of “Heroes” were to no avail. While “Heroes” achieved some chart success in Europe and Australia, it failed to enter the charts on the Billboard Hot 100. It peaked at 24 on the UK Singles Chart, being shut out of the top 20. Bowie’s promotions showed that he was ready for the world to hear “Heroes.” Sadly, the world did not feel the same way, as the song did not receive the recognition and praise it deserved.

There is no real reason why the song did not perform well. Other well-known songs were originally flops too, like Radiohead’s “Creep” and Queen’s “Don’t Stop Me Now”. However, it could be said that “Heroes” underperformed for the same reason why “Creep” and “Don’t Stop Me Now” were overlooked; the radio stations were not ready to accept music that was so innovative, unusual, and experimental.

David Bowie’s “Heroes” Made a Breakthrough Years Later

Image via RCA Records

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The famous and iconic Live Aid in 1985 was the first time “Heroes” became more appreciated. Bowie reintroduces “Heroes” to the world during his Live Aid performance. After his performance, listeners and fans responded better to “Heroes”, and it soon led to it becoming one of his most covered songs. His tragic death in January 2016 was the second time, as the song would climb to 12 on the UK Singles Chart.

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After his death, fans rediscovered “Heroes” again, but through the smash-hit Netflix series Stranger Things. Peter Gabriel’s 2009 cover also received little response until it was featured in the first few seasons of the show. Following the show’s conclusion in January 2026, the streaming numbers of the song surged on Spotify, receiving an increase of 500 percent plays, according to Rolling Stone.

The revival of “Heroes” is a huge example of the timeless cultural significance Bowie has on music. Why “Heroes” remains one of Bowie’s greatest hits is due to its ability to resonate among all listeners. Not only does this prove Bowie’s musical genius, but also his long-lasting legacy.

By Joshua Tyler
| Published 18 seconds ago

The first twenty years of the 2000s belonged to Joss Whedon, and he found that success by becoming king of the nerds. His was the mind behind the most successful geek properties of all time, and he was Marvel’s chief genius, the architect of assembling The Avengers. Then, in 2021, he was cancelled. I still don’t understand why.

First, it must be said that Joss Whedon definitely did bad things, and he’s not someone I would ever be friends with. The source of my confusion isn’t a debate over whether he’s a virtuous person; he isn’t. What doesn’t add up is why Hollywood’s powers think his level of virtue should determine whether or not he’s allowed to work.

To understand how strange Joss Whedon’s cancellation is, first, we need to understand what he’s accused of. Here’s a simple, bullet-point list.

Joss Whedon’s Bad Behavior

• Joss Whedon is accused of saying mean things to Ray Fisher and Charisma Carpenter.
• Joss Whedon was a bad husband and had relationships with his actresses.
• Joss Whedon’s sets weren’t always fun, according to some people.

None of these things is good, but to put them in context, let’s compare that list to things done by other Hollywood notables who aren’t cancelled and can do whatever they want. 

Woody Allen’s Bad Behavior

• Woody Allen is accused of molesting his daughter, Dylan Farrow.
• Woody Allen married his adopted daughter. 
• Woody Allen cheated on his wife with his adopted daughter.

That seems worse than Joss Whedon. A lot worse. Yet Woody Allen isn’t cancelled. Let’s try someone else, maybe Woody Allen is a one-off? What about acclaimed director Roman Polanski, who frequently wins Oscars and can work on anything he wants? 

Roman Polanski’s Bad Behavior

• Roman Polanski pleaded guilty to, and was convicted of, raping a 13-year-old child. 
• Roman Polanski pleaded guilty to, and was convicted of, drugging a child.
• Roman Polanski fled the country to escape justice.

Roman Polanski has suffered zero consequences and instead is frequently nominated for awards and praised as a genius. What about a more modern figure, like Mel Gibson?

Mel Gibson’s Bad Behavior

• Mel Gibson was arrested for a DUI, which endangered the lives of others.
• Mel Gibson is on tape making sexist and full-on anti-Semitic and racist comments.
• Mel Gibson pleaded not guilty to domestic battery against a helpless woman.
• Mel Gibson is on tape making violent threats.

There was, for a time, some vague noise about cancellation over Gibson’s anti-semitic comments, but it never happened. He kept working, getting payday roles in big Hollywood movies like Daddy’s Home. At this very moment, Mel Gibson is working on directing The Passion of the Christ 2. Meanwhile, Joss Whedon’s Firefly series is being handed over to a talentless hack who made a bunch of terrible superhero shows, because Whedon is not allowed to work.

Maybe Joss Whedon’s problem is that most of his bad behavior revolved around things that happened at work. Let’s take a look at another big, Hollywood director.

James Cameron’s Bad Behavior

• James Cameron is accused of saying mean things to Ed Harris and other actors.
• James Cameron was a bad husband and had numerous relationships with his actresses.
• James Cameron’s sets aren’t always fun, and he’s known to yell at people, mistreat his cast, and physically endanger them.

James Cameron’s history seems similar to Joss Whedon’s. Yet he’s currently in production on another Avatar movie, and no one seems to mind any of it.

Evil Flourishes In Hollywood

Mel Gibson, Roman Polanski, and Woody Allen are not edge cases. Neither is James Cameron, whose behavior is pretty much a mirror of every successful Hollywood director. The movie-making business is full of people who are, by any objective measure, extremely evil.

To actually get punished, you usually have to be as bad as Harvey Weinstein, a serial assaulter and abuser with dozens of accusers. He’s now in jail, where he belongs, but if he gets out (and that’s a real possibility), he’ll never work in Hollywood again.

By comparison, Joss Whedon said some vaguely mean things, was a bad husband, and yet, like Harvey Weinstein, he’s never going to work again. It doesn’t add up.

The Psychology Behind Hating Nerds

Until the early 2000s, nerds like Joss Whedon and the nerd audience he represents were treated like a joke. Nerds were disrespected, hated, and entire movies, like Napoleon Dynamite, were built around the idea of how funny it was to bully and dunk on them.

That changed as Hollywood began to see the profit potential behind catering to geeks, but that doesn’t mean the powers that be were happy about it. They couldn’t be, because of something called Status Identity Threat Syndrome.

Status Identity Threat Syndrome (noun): A psychological response in which individuals experience anxiety, defensiveness, or hostility when the traits or skills that underpin their social status and self-worth are devalued or displaced within a shifting hierarchy.

Extroverted networkers tend to build influence through visibility, relationships, and social fluency, the traditional, human-centric routes to power. For most of human history, these kinds of networkers ran not just Hollywood, but the entire world. When “nerd” types, people who win through technical mastery, obsessive focus, or systems thinking, start outperforming them, it scrambles that hierarchy. 

Psychologically, it’s a form of status inconsistency: the traits that used to signal dominance (charisma, connections) suddenly matter less than competence in domains the networkers don’t control. That creates anxiety, because it’s not just losing, it’s losing in a way that makes your skill set feel obsolete.

People defend traits on which they base their self-worth. If success shifts away from social skills like extroverted networking, those invested in social capital can feel threatened. So if you’re an extrovert who has built your entire life around looking cool, seeing an awkward nerd succeed would, from a well-founded psychological perspective, make you very nervous.

Anti-Nerd Bigotry Is Real

As you might expect, as the founder of sites like GIANT FREAKIN ROBOT, I’m something of a nerd. The more successful I’ve gotten, the more the extroverts who man the levers of power dislike me, and the harder they’ve worked to push me out. It’s not something unique to me; it’s something that happens to every introverted nerd in every industry and social corner. Ask them about it, and they’ll tell you.

It’s why educational research shows that introverted students are more likely to be ignored by teachers, receiving less attention and help, resulting in lower grades and fewer opportunities. It’s why data shows that extroverts are more likely to get favorable outcomes in court and even receive superior medical care. It’s why introverted nerds, on average, make 20% less than their extroverted counterparts, despite data showing they demonstrate superior competence at work.

Joss Whedon isn’t the only nerd to be cancelled over allegations like these. Pixar’s bespectacled, Hawaiian shirt-wearing John Lasseter was kicked out of Hollywood for giving a hug. Anyone seen Harry Knowles lately?

I’m not arguing here that Joss Whedon should be un-cancelled; he seems like a hypocritical jerk. Also, Harry Knowles always struck me as a sleaze; we’re probably better off without him. But if being unlikable is the baseline standard we’re setting for whether or not you’re allowed to work, then shouldn’t Woody Allen be locked up in a torture dungeon, instead of being celebrated as a genius?

Make it make sense. Until you do, I’m going to assume you hate nerds and respond by hating you right back. I’m also never going to celebrate anything by Roman Polanski. Sorry, Rosemary’s Baby.

Tom Blyth came to girlfriend Daniela Norman‘s defense after her naked dress was called “vulgar.”

Blyth, 31, recently shared photos of himself and Norman, 30, at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party, where his girlfriend rocked a sheer blue gown. In the comments section, a social media user criticized Norman’s outfit, writing, “He looks handsome and elegant, but his girlfriend, on the other hand, looks incredibly vulgar, dressed completely inappropriately for the occasion.”

The actor called out the insulting comment. “Stfu. She wore a dress that she was excited by and she looked EXQUISITE in it,” he replied.

Blyth has preferred to keep his love life out of the public eye. He and Norman made their red carpet debut in September 2025 after they started dating earlier that year.

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The 2026 Vanity Fair Oscar Party was stacked with the hottest naked dresses. Thank You! You have successfully subscribed. Subscribe to newsletters Enter your email Please enter a valid email. Subscribe By signing up, I agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy and to receive emails from Us Weekly Deal of the Day I Found […]

Blyth rose to stardom after playing Coriolanus Snow in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes in 2023. He has since found success as a rom-com lead with Netflix’s People We Meet on Vacation.

“I think I was just ready to do something fun,” he exclusively told Us Weekly in January. “I’m ready to do something light.”

Based on Emily Henry’s book of the same name, People We Meet on Vacation follows friends Poppy (Emily Bader) and Alex (Blyth), who bond on their annual vacations. Their friendship is tested when Poppy, who is more free-spirited, and Alex, who is more reserved and quiet, start to develop romantic feelings for each other.

Blyth said the film is what the world needs “right now.”

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“I think we can take ourselves really seriously sometimes. And I certainly have been guilty of that at times,” Blyth told Us. “And I think it’s really worthwhile to do something fun once in a while and remind yourself that what we do for a living is playful and fun and a luxury and to lean into that, and lean into the love.”

Bader, 29, had a similar thought about bringing rom-coms back into the pop culture spotlight.

“This genre means a lot to a lot of people. I think that we can ask something from all genres of film. And I think that the rom-com genre can be complex and have real character development and make you feel a lot of things,” she explained to Us at the time. “I hope that looking at the greats that we take so much inspiration from, that we can get anywhere near close to the feeling that I got as a kid watching those for the people watching this movie, then I’d be happy.”

Young and the Restless gears up as Victor Newman (Eric Braeden) sitting on a secret weapon that he is going to reveal this week when he makes a big move that greatly and horribly impacts somebody’s life and maybe more than just one person.

We’re going to talk about what this secret weapon might be and which of his enemies he’s targeting since Victor wants to punish Cane Ashby (Billy Flynn) and Phyllis Summers (Michelle Stafford) and also Jack Abbott (Peter Bergman).

Victor Reveals a Secret Weapon This Week on Young and the Restless

So, by the end of this week, official Y&R spoilers say that Victor reveals a secret weapon. And the two big questions are what exactly is this weapon? Is it person, place, or thing? And who does Victor plan to deploy this weapon against?

Phyllis is a top choice because she had help stealing the Newman Empire and she still owns the gem of Victor’s legacy, which is Newman Enterprises, and is planning to change the name. What is it like? Summers Consolidated or Summers something—it’s not a great name, it’s not memorable or I’d remember it.

And the only thing Phyllis gave back to Victor was Chancellor Industries and she did that trying to save Jack. And of course Phyllis wrapped Newman Media into Abbottcomm and Sally Spectra (Courtney Hope) has that now.

Victor Still after Cane on Y&R

Plus, Victor also wants revenge on Cane although Victor’s already taken pretty much everything from Cane so it’s hard to imagine what else he could take, but he’s still trying. And Victor may still want to punish Cane for stealing his empire in the first place.

Even though Victor destroyed Arabesque first and then he lost Newman because the AI was on the Newman servers because Victor put it there and then Cane was able to flip the switch and turn it on him like a Trojan horse.

And last, but definitely not least, we’ve got Victor’s number one enemy, longtime rival, Jack Abbott, who Victor just had kidnapped, drugged, sexually assaulted on a yacht by Jack’s crazy ex-wife, Patty Williams (Stacy Haiduk).

So, these are the three likely people that are targets that Victor could use this new weapon on. And now, let’s talk about what this secret weapon could be and which of them he may use it on.

Could Summer Newman Be the Secret Weapon on Young and the Restless?

Let’s talk about Phyllis first. So the weapon may not be a thing but a person or persons. So Victor might bring back Summer Newman as his secret weapon. Victor may want his granddaughter to threaten Phyllis and force her to give everything back that she stole from Victor and the Newmans.

Summer may show up and tell Phyllis that they are done for good and she can never see her grandson Harrison Locke again if she doesn’t make this right and give it back. That would absolutely crush Phyllis. Doubly so because she’d be losing Summer and Harrison.

And if Summer turns on Phyllis, you know that probably Daniel Romalotti (Michael Graziadei) also will stick with his sister and won’t forgive Phyllis either because their mom is still running an empire that she stole from Victor and the rest of the Newman family.

And yes, Phyllis gave Chancellor back so she can try and defend herself saying that, but she was going to give it to Billy Abbott (Jason Thompson) anyway. So, Phyllis wasn’t really sacrificing anything.

But if Victor weaponizes Phyllis’ daughter Summer against her, it could be a gamechanger. But I hate to say this, even if Summer were the secret weapon, I don’t think Phyllis would back down.

Victor Could Blame Phyllis for Destroying Arabesque

The second possibility for a weapon that may be directed at Phyllis could be Victor outing publicly that Phyllis stole Cane’s AI and turned it against him. Victor could actually blame Phyllis for what he did, he could say that she’s the one who destroyed Arabesque.

And then Victor could say after Phyllis targeted Cane, then she turned the AI on Victor and stole his company, too. He could play a victim card and he could make it a public scandal suggesting that people should wonder who Phyllis will target next. And Victor could make Phyllis not just a total pariah in Genoa City, but everywhere on Young and the Restless.

Young and the Restless Shocker: Did Victor Record Jack and Patty on the Yacht?

So, a third possibility for Victor’s secret weapon has to do with Jack. And I just wonder if Victor had cameras on the yacht, specifically in the bedroom. If so, he could have recorded Patty and Jack’s entire ecstasy-fueled romp. And you know the drugs might not—you wouldn’t know that there were drugs involved if you just had the video, right?

And not the audio of him saying stop because he was basically molested. So, Victor could leak photos or the whole video and that would embarrass Jack. It would destroy his reputation and make him look like the playboy he used to be back in the day. And it could make him look like he never changed and he’s still a cheater.

Plus, it would totally humiliate Diane Jenkins (Susan Walters). She’s already heartbroken and furious that Jack cheated on her with Patty. But if it comes out publicly and it’s plastered all over the internet, which is forever, Jack and Diane’s marriage may be destroyed forever and nothing would make Victor happier.

Could Victor Use Lily Against Cane on Y&R?

So, another option for the weapon could be something to use against Cane. We know Victor wants to obliterate Cane. Just wipe him off the face of the earth. And we know that Lily Winters (Christel Khalil) is back on screen soon. And I think Victor could bring her back to Genoa City to punish Cane.

So this could be another person as a weapon twist. We could see Lily telling Cane that yeah, she joined forces with Victor to ruin him. And if Lily said that, I think it would salt the wound and drive the knife in deep because Cane still stupidly thinks Lily and his kids were legit kidnapped. Cane would be absolutely crushed and heartbroken that Lily would do something like this to him and use their kids as a weapon.

Plus, Cane would be humiliated that he fell for Victor’s bluff, especially when Phyllis warned him over and over that Victor was bluffing. If it goes down this way, Cane will have really lost everything. His business, Lily, also their kids, and even his co-conspirator, Phyllis.

Victor Could Reveal Cane and Colin Stole from Devon

So, the last option for the weapon could be another public reveal. That would be really scandalous. Now, Victor already tried this before, but in a limited way. If you remember, he had Adam Newman (Mark Grossman) run a story on Newman Media about Colin Atkinson seducing that old lady in France to get her estate.

And the inheritance he swindled was the capital that Cane used to start Arabesque. And that already came out in the press, but there’s more to it. So, one last option for this weapon would be kind of a repeat of that, but with a different scandal. Victor may publicly reveal that Cane and Colin stole billions from Devon Hamilton (Bryton James), stole his whole inheritance, and that absolutely happened.

Not only would this completely humiliate and destroy Cane, even worse, it would further ruin Colin’s reputation, and Cane loves his father and wouldn’t want Colin tarnished even more after his death. So, any legacy that Cane’s father had left would go up in smoke. And in both cases with the swindling of the older lady and with Devon’s inheritance, it’s all true.

Young and the Restless: Can Vies Revenge

Colin did bilk the old lady and Cane was part of Colin’s plan to swindle Devon. This would absolutely infuriate and embarrass Cane, especially because according to him, Colin changed his ways in the end. And I think Cane would be so upset he’d vow revenge and try to find a way to hit back at Victor as hard as he can.

So, whether this secret weapon is a thing or a video or a person, you know, we’ll find out if it’s intended for Cane or Phyllis or Jack or maybe more than one of them. We’ll find out by the end of this week what it is and what Victor has planned, but it seems like it is going to be huge.

New bodycam footage from Taylor Frankie Paul’s 2023 domestic violence arrest reveals the aftermath of her alleged altercation with former boyfriend Dakota Mortensen.

On Monday, March 23, TMZ released nine minutes of bodycam footage filmed as Herriman City Police Department officers arrived at Paul’s home and had to physically separate her from Dakota, 33. As the former couple open the door, Dakota tells police that “she is attacking the crap out of me,” leading to officers stepping in to separate the two when Taylor, 31, seems to take a swipe at her then-boyfriend.

“I just want to talk to you. I don’t need you throwing hands at people,” an officer tells Taylor, before she promises, “You’re good! You’re good!”

The bodycam footage cuts between Taylor and Dakota being questioned separately by Herriman City police at the scene. Dakota tells one officer that Taylor was “not doing OK in life” and that they’d agreed to both stay away from alcohol “for her health, especially.” (Earlier in the video, Dakota claimed that Taylor was “hammered.”)

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Details about Taylor Frankie Paul’s 2023 arrest have resurfaced in the wake of her latest scandal. News broke in March 2026 that Taylor and on-again, off-again boyfriend Dakota Mortensen were allegedly involved in a domestic dispute. A spokesperson for Utah’s Draper City Police Department confirmed to Us Weekly that there was an open “domestic assault […]

“I think my finger’s broken, dude. My elbow [is hurt],” he alleges. “She hit me with a chair.”

Dakota recalls that their dispute started when he picked Taylor up from a girl’s night to attend a concert but determined that she was “in no condition.”

“I just went silent for a good 30, 40 minutes while she was just screaming,” he alleges. “It wasn’t really anything crazy, to be honest with you, until we got here [to Taylor’s home] … She started hitting me.”

Dakota accuses Taylor of throwing her phone at him when he threatened to leave the residence. The interrogation is then interrupted by Taylor returning and ordering Dakota to continue his police interview outside.

“This is my house. Get out,” she demands.

The footage soon cuts to the aftermath of Taylor’s arrest on domestic violence charges, as Dakota requests to be taken into custody instead of her.

“No,” the officer tells him. “The way it works is she was the primary aggressor of everything.”

“I can’t do this to her, dude,” Dakota pleads, with the officer responding. “The reality is you were victimized tonight.”

When Dakota is given a victim report to fill out, he insists, “I truly just want her to get help and that’s that.”

Dakota is ultimately told by one of the officers that Taylor was being charged with “domestic violence.”

TMZ obtained a followup phone call between police and Dakota, where he explains how Taylor’s daughter was allegedly struck by a chair during the argument.

“I have a video,” he says. “She threw the first one [chair] … and she threw another one and that’s when I was getting nervous. I went to hover over [the child] to protect her, which maybe I shouldn’t have done that, but then she threw another chair. I deflected it with my arm but it still hit [the child]. It bounced down and it hit her. … She got hit.”

Later in the clip, Dakota says, “I had to hold [Taylor] down because she wouldn’t stop throwing stuff. … Then, she just started hitting me again.”

During this call, Dakota confirms that he showed officers on the scene a video that he shot during the altercation.

The outlet also reported that police returned to Taylor’s residence one week later to confiscate one of the chairs that Paul allegedly threw.

Us Weekly has reached out to Taylor’s rep for comment.

Related: Inside Mormon Wives’ Taylor, Dakota’s Messy Relationship: What They’ve Said

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The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives‘ Taylor Frankie Paul and Dakota Mortensen never shied away from addressing their messy — and oftentimes volatile — relationship ahead of their domestic dispute. Before the show premiered on Hulu in September 2024, Taylor and Dakota started dating following her divorce from husband Tate Paul due to a high-profile […]

TMZ originally posted footage on March 19 of an alleged 2023 domestic incident between Taylor and Dakota that led to her arrest. In the footage, Taylor allegedly physically assaults Dakota and throws multiple chairs at him in the presence of her daughter, seemingly striking the child by accident at one point.

Taylor was arrested on suspicion of aggravated assault, two counts of domestic violence in the presence of a child, child abuse and criminal mischief. The Mormon Wives star eventually agreed to plead guilty to felony aggravated assault in order for the other charges to be dropped. (As per the terms of her plea deal, Taylor’s aggravated assault charge will be reduced to a misdemeanor in August 2026 if she meets the court’s conditions, including breaking no laws. Her 36-month probation is currently set to end on August 24, 2026.)

When cellphone footage of the alleged dispute leaked last week, Dakota’s spokesperson told Us, “As anyone who has seen the video will understand, this is a deeply upsetting situation. I am, unfortunately, used to these baseless claims about me and our relationship, which I categorically deny. I am focusing on our son and his safety, and hope that Taylor will do the same.”

Taylor’s rep suggested the footage had been selectively edited, telling Us, “It’s sad to see the latest installment of his never-ending, desperate, attention-seeking, destructive campaign to harm Taylor without any regard for the consequences for their child.”

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“Releasing an old and selectively edited video on their son’s birthday is a reprehensible attempt to distract from his own behavior,” the statement continued. “Thankfully, the public has seen this act before and knows who he is. Sadly, many will recognize this pattern of manipulation, both in his actions on the show and from their own experiences.”

Last week, a Draper City Police Department spokesperson confirmed that Taylor and Dakota were involved in a separate “domestic assault investigation” relating to an incident that allegedly occurred in February. The police department has said that “allegations have been made in both directions” and “contact was made with involved parties on [February] 24th and 25th.”

In light of this latest incident, Salt Lake City District Attorney Sim Gill told Us on Monday that Taylor could face “enhanced” charges in connection with her 2023 plea deal.

“Late last week, we requested all the investigative material to screen the most recent allegations for charges,” Gill, 65, told Us. “We made the request because of the potential that if charges are filed, they could be enhanced due to a prior plea in abeyance to a domestic violence offense.”

Due to Taylor’s latest legal trouble, Hulu paused production on The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives season 5 and ABC pulled her season of The Bachelorette three days before it was set to premiere on Sunday, March 22.

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