Cracks in Prince Harry‘s defense have surfaced amid his ongoing legal battle.
The Duke of Sussex had been embroiled in a months-long battle against the Associated Newspapers, publisher of the Mail titles, over unlawful invasion of privacy claims.
Prince Harry argued that the media outlets obtained information about his life through illegal means like phone hacking. However, a major flaw in that argument recently surfaced in court.
Advertisement
Prince Harry’s Past Ties To A Journalist Revealed In Privacy Case
MEGA
According to new reports, Harry’s connection to the former Mail on Sunday deputy diary editor, Charlotte Griffiths, emerged in the evidence provided at the High Court case in London. The duo’s recovered Facebook messages supported the Associated Newspapers’ argument.
The media outlet argued that the information published about Harry came from sources within his friend group, such as Griffiths. In her witness statement, Griffiths recalled meeting Harry through mutual friends, claiming they all knew she was a journalist working for Katie Nicholl at the Mail on Sunday.
Griffiths told the court Harry contacted her first through Facebook in 2011, where he provided his phone number. He reached out to her after a night out in London, with their messages shared by Newsweek, detailing a flirty exchange between the pair.
The Pair’s Exchanges Radiated Chemistry
MEGA
Griffiths dubbed Harry “Mr. Mischief” and “H Bomb” in her messages, with the Duke responding with similar affection. In a January 2012 exchange, Griffiths noted their friend group missed Harry at a party, to which he partly replied, “I WISH I was there, sugar.”
Harry explained that he couldn’t meet Griffiths anytime soon because he was stuck at the army. He lamented missing the opportunity to spend time with Griffiths, writing, “Hope you’re really well Griff…Miss our movie snuggles!!”
Additionally, the former working royal did not want Griffiths to have any misunderstandings, explaining that he would be unreachable due to his Army engagements. Although these messages showed a strong connection between the pair, Harry argued that it only happened because he didn’t know about Griffiths’ job.
Advertisement
Prince Harry Allegedly Ended Things Once The Cat Was Out Of The Bag
ZUMAPRESS.com / MEGA
The “Spare” author tried to downplay the significance of the Facebook messages, stressing that he broke off contact with Griffiths once he realized she was a journalist. He alleged that none of his friends knew, a claim she refuted in her statement.
In their messages, Harry asked Griffiths about work in general without ever mentioning journalism. The privacy trial has officially ended, but Judge Matthew Nicklin has reportedly deferred judgment until further notice.
The legal empire’s decision is expected to take months, not weeks. The trial has been an emotional experience for Harry, with The Blast reporting in January that he fought back tears while recounting the negative impacts of the Mail’s invasion of his privacy and that of his family.
Meghan Markle’s Life Was Miserable Due To Incessant Reports
Steven Bergman/AFF-USA.COM / MEGA
According to Harry, his wife, Meghan, had to endure the pain of having the Mail report their every move. “They continue to come after me. They have made my wife’s life an absolute misery,” the Duke of Sussex recounted on the stand, noting that the incessant reports started early in their relationship.
Harry explained that he had initially considered filing a lawsuit against the media outlets when he and Meghan began dating in 2016. The desire to take action only grew with time as he could not stand the “vicious, persistent attacks, harassment of, and intrusive, sometimes racist articles concerning Meghan.”
Harry wasn’t the only public figure fighting against the intrusive media outlets, with the lawsuit including notable names such as Sir Elton John, his husband David Furnish, Elizabeth Hurley, Sadie Frost, and politician Sir Simon Hughes. They collectively argued that the information reported about them was obtained through unlawful means.
Advertisement
Prince Harry’s Pal Defends His Right To Taxpayer-Backed Security
ZUMAPRESS.com / MEGA
Besides the privacy case, Harry has been trying to regain his rights to taxpayer-funded protection. The Blast reported in March that his friend, Alex Rayner, who served alongside him in Afghanistan, argued that he deserved the royal treatment.
Rayner noted that Harry’s achievements in the army should be considered as well as his ongoing Invictus Games efforts. He believed his pal shouldn’t be expected to cover his own security costs, while other royals continue to receive taxpayer-backed protection.
Harry and his family lost their rights to taxpayer-funded protection when he and Meghan stepped down from their position as senior royals. They also relocated to the United States, where they have lived to date in Montecito, California.
Will Prince Harry win his invasion of privacy lawsuit?
For every unexpected blockbuster like Backrooms, which is breaking box-office records in its debut weekend, there is an unfortunate counterpart that must settle for future cult status. The cult hit of 2026 has already been crowned, and it’s doing tremendously well on the PVOD market even as movies like Backrooms and Obsession break through the clutter to achieve box-office success. In a way, the year 2026 will be seen as a pivotal period in the history of Hollywood, where a contingent of new filmmakers took over the baton from giants who’ve dominated the industry for decades. What else can explain Backrooms, which cost less than $10 million to produce, delivering a domestic debut in the same range as Christopher Nolan‘s Oppenheimer? It’s a figure that even Steven Spielberg will find impossible to surpass with Disclosure Day in a few weeks.
Spielberg, Nolan, and Denis Villeneuvearen’t the only mavericks who are eying theatrical success this year. Some months ago, director Gore Verbinski made his directorial comeback after a decade with a movie so strange that the only logical outcome for it was flopping at the box office and promptly establishing itself as a niche oddity at home. Verbinski, who achieved culture-defining success in the 2000s with his Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy and won an Oscar with the brilliant animated movie Rango, was sent to solitary in director jail following two back-to-back underperformers. In 2016, he directed the psychological horror movie A Cure for Wellness, which failed to recoup its reported $40 million budget. But it was the infamous, Disney-damning failure of The Lone Ranger that caused the most damage to his reputation.
Advertisement
Collider Exclusive · Sci-Fi Survival Quiz Which Sci-Fi World Would You Survive? The Matrix · Mad Max · Blade Runner · Dune · Star Wars
Advertisement
Five universes. Five completely different ways the future went wrong — or sideways, or up in flames. Only one of them is the world your instincts were built for. Eight questions will figure out which dystopia, galaxy, or desert wasteland you’d actually make it out of alive.
💊The Matrix
🔥Mad Max
🌧️Blade Runner
🏜️Dune
Advertisement
🚀Star Wars
Advertisement
01
You sense something is deeply wrong with the world around you. What do you do? The first instinct is often the truest one.
Advertisement
02
In a world of scarcity, what resource do you guard most fiercely? What we protect reveals what we believe survival actually requires.
Advertisement
03
What kind of threat keeps you up at night? Fear is useful data — if you’re honest about what you’re actually afraid of.
Advertisement
04
How do you deal with authority you don’t trust? Every dystopia has a power structure. Your approach to it determines everything.
Advertisement
05
Which environment could you actually endure long-term? Survival isn’t just tactical — it’s physical, psychological, and very much about where you are.
Advertisement
06
Who do you want in your corner when things fall apart? The company you keep is the clearest signal of who you actually are.
Advertisement
07
Where do you draw the line — if you draw one at all? Every survivor eventually faces a moment that tests what they’re actually made of.
Advertisement
08
What would actually make survival worth it? Staying alive is one thing. Having a reason to is another.
Advertisement
Your Fate Has Been Calculated You’d Survive In…
Your answers point to the world your instincts were built for. This is the universe your temperament, your survival instincts, and your particular brand of stubbornness were made for.
Advertisement
The Resistance, Zion
The Matrix
You took the red pill a long time ago — probably before anyone offered it to you. You’re a systems thinker who can’t help but notice the seams in things.
You’re drawn to understanding how the system works before figuring out how to break it.
You’d find the Resistance, or it would find you — your instinct for spotting constructed realities is the machines’ worst nightmare.
You function best when you have access to information and the freedom to act on it.
The Matrix built an airtight prison. You’d be the one probing the walls for the door.
Advertisement
The Wasteland
Mad Max
The wasteland doesn’t reward the clever or the well-connected — it rewards those who are hard to kill and harder to break. That’s you.
You don’t need comfort, community, or a cause larger than the next horizon.
You need a vehicle, a clear threat, and enough fuel to outrun it — and you’re good at all three.
You are unsentimental enough to survive that world, and decent enough — just barely — to be something more than another raider.
In the wasteland, that distinction is everything.
Advertisement
Los Angeles, 2049
Blade Runner
You’d survive here because you know how to exist in moral grey areas without losing yourself completely.
You read people accurately, keep your circle small, and ask the questions others prefer not to answer.
In a city where humanity is a legal designation rather than a feeling, you hold onto something that keeps you functional.
You’re not a hero. But you’re not lost, either.
In Blade Runner’s world, that distinction is everything.
Advertisement
Arrakis
Dune
Arrakis is the most hostile environment in the known universe — and you are precisely the kind of person it rewards.
Patience, discipline, and political awareness are your core strengths — and on Arrakis, they’re survival tools.
You understand that the long game matters more than any single victory.
Others come to Dune and are consumed by it. You’d learn its logic and earn its respect.
In time, you wouldn’t just survive Arrakis — you’d begin to reshape it.
Advertisement
A Galaxy Far, Far Away
Star Wars
The galaxy far, far away is vast, loud, and in a constant state of violent political upheaval — and you wouldn’t have it any other way.
You find meaning in being part of something larger than yourself — a cause, a crew, a rebellion.
You’d gravitate toward the Rebellion, or the fringes, or whatever pocket of the galaxy still believes the Empire’s grip can be broken.
You fight — not because you have to, but because standing aside isn’t something you’re capable of.
In Star Wars, that willingness is what makes all the difference.
Advertisement
A Sci-Fi Gem for the Ages Is Waiting to Be Discovered at Home
Verbinski’s latest movie is Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die — a highly topical sci-fi gem in which a time traveler from the future recruits the patrons of a diner to fight a war against artificial intelligence with him. The movie grossed roughly half of its reported $20 million budget at the box office, despite a “Certified Fresh” 81% score on Rotten Tomatoes. The aggregator website’s consensus reads, “A gleeful high-concept comedy with a serious message at its core, Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die lets Sam Rockwell rip with thrilling results while marking a very welcome return of director Gore Verbinski in peak form.” In his review, Collider’s Aidan Kelley described the movie as “a raucous sci-fi comedy with extremely ambitious goals and insightful commentary.” The film’s positive reviews seem to be fulfilling their purpose and driving audiences toward it on PVOD. According to FlixPatrol, Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die has now spent more than 60 days on the domestic iTunes and Google Play charts. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
A Pennsylvania mayor is being blasted online after making a dig at one of the city’s ex-cops who left public work to go film the newest season of Peacock’s hit reality series “Love Island.” Sean Reifel, 29, is from Easton, Pennsylvania, and was announced as one of season eight’s OG islanders. While the fans are excited about the upcoming season, J. William Reynolds, mayor of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, is not.
For those who may have been unfamiliar, Peacock recently revealed the next lineup of “Love Island” reality stars set to enter the villa. Season 8 of the series will air on Tuesday, June 2, at 9 PM EST. Among the cast is Reifel, a former Pennsylvania police officer looking for love.
“I’m not a model, not an actor, I’m a police officer actually,” he said in the show’s trailer. “You could be having the worst day of your life, and I’ll just help you sift through that.”
J. William Reynolds isn’t too pleased with the 29-year-old’s decision, though. In fact, he made public comments about Reifel’s exit, criticizing him for leaving public work behind for fame.
Advertisement
Reynolds Lets Loose On Reifel For Choosing ‘Love Island’ Over Police Work
“Our police department spent a lot of time training and we paid thousands of taxpayer dollars to send him to the police academy. We are disappointed he left as we now have another vacancy in our department that is impossible to fill until next year,” Williams said, according to ABC27.
And he didn’t stop there. He added, “I never thought I’d see the day in America where reality show participation wins out over being a police officer.”
Reifel, badge number 532, was sworn into the Bethlehem Police Department in August 2025, according to a post shared on Facebook. The post also includes photos of Reifel standing next to Williams, shaking his hand, and smiling.
Reynolds Is Being Dragged Online For Making A Dig At A Former City Employee
“Love Island” fans have been reacting to Reynolds’ comments about Reifel on Reddit, slamming him for taking a shot at a former employee.
“What a loser this mayor is,” someone posted, while another said, “Lol, this amuses me. They are BIG mad.”
A third user posted, “This is stupid. Anyone can quit their job at anytime as long as they don’t have a contract obligation. I know you probably want to stay in a job, especially one that requires training, for longer, but he hasn’t done anything wrong here.”
Advertisement
Someone else chimed in, alleging that Reynolds was “jealous” of Reifel, and another said his comments were completely “unprofessional.”
‘Love Island’ Is Returning To Peacock In Just A Few Days
Peacock | Ben Symons
“Love Island” is one of reality TV’s most-talked-about shows, and this season, viewers are in for big surprises.
The 12 sexy singles will enter the villa on June 2, and in the coming weeks, the islanders and viewers alike will be introduced to new islanders (bombshells) who will test the already-formed connections with the other contestants.
By the end of the series, the viewers will vote for their favorite couples to win their share of $100,000.
Like “Big Brother,” “Love Island” is filmed in real time, so the drama that watchers will see nightly on Peacock happened mere hours before.
Advertisement
“I’m always surprised by who ends up coupling up,” host Ariana Madix said about the series. “Sometimes I think you can feel an energy between people that maybe you don’t even see on camera but when you’re there in person you can always kinda feel like, ‘Oooh, there’s some chemistry here.’”
Peacock And ‘Love Island’ Are Reminding Viewers To Keep Things Respectful This Season
The last season of “Love Island” was filled with drama, and it spilled over into real life. Passionate viewers took to various social media forums to defend their favs while also blasting other castmates.
Peacock recently uploaded a statement to their Instagram, reminding viewers to keep things respectful before the season starts.
“The Villa runs on good vibes, and so does this community,” the post read. “We love seeing your reactions, opinions, and debates, but everyone deserves to feel safe and respected.”
The post continued, “This is a space for fun, not negativity – so keep it kind, keep it positive, and remember: this is LOVE Island!”
Morgan Freeman long ago turned his sprawling 124-acre Mississippi ranch into a sanctuary for bees after growing concerned about their declining population.
The actor’s quiet conservation effort is now drawing renewed praise online, with fans applauding him for using his land to support the environment without turning it into a publicity campaign.
Freeman has previously opened up about his love for beekeeping, explaining the ins and outs of caring for the bees.
Advertisement
Soon to turn 89, Freeman has also spoken about his acting career, saying his “appetite” for the craft is still alive, although he admitted that it has “dimmed a little.”
Xavier Collin/Image Press Agency / MEGA
Freeman has played everything from the voice of God to the president of the United States, along with several other iconic screen figures. These days, however, one of his most admired roles is tied to environmental preservation.
Over the years, the “Bruce Almighty” actor transformed his sprawling 124-acre ranch in Mississippi into a sanctuary for bees, per Forbes. The effort was aimed at helping protect pollinators amid concerns about their declining population and the broader threat to the species.
To support the project, Freeman reportedly imported 26 hives from Arkansas to his estate in 2014. He also began planting bee-friendly vegetation, including lavender, clover, and magnolia trees, to make the land more welcoming for the insects.
Fans Praise Freeman’s Quiet Bee Mission
Advertisement
Freeman’s bee sanctuary has been drawing renewed attention online, with social media users focusing on the actor’s decision not to publicize his efforts. One X user praised the actor for turning his land into a bee haven without making a public fuss of it.
“Morgan Freeman quietly turned 124 acres into a bee sanctuary over a decade ago and never made it a press tour. That’s the version of celebrity environmentalism that actually means something,” the user wrote.
Another fan used Freeman’s example as a reminder that people do not need massive ranches to help, noting that planting native flowers or avoiding pesticides can still support local bee populations. A third joked that the famous voice-over actor did not just narrate creation, but helped protect it.
Morgan Freeman Spoke Passionately About Saving Bees
Advertisement
Freeman’s journey into apiculture reportedly began as a personal response to the growing environmental crisis facing bee populations, but it eventually became part of a broader conservation effort.
He first spoke publicly about his love for beekeeping during a 2014 appearance on Jimmy Fallon’s “The Tonight Show,” where he discussed both his hands-on experience and the importance of protecting wild bees.
At the time, Freeman revealed that he was actively involved in caring for the bees himself. He said he fed them sugar and water, did not wear a bee suit or hat while doing so, and had never been stung.
Freeman Is Not Turning Bees Into A Business
ZUMAPRESS.com / MEGA
Money does not appear to be the driving force behind Freeman’s bee sanctuary, as the “Lucy” actor previously revealed that he does not harvest the hives for commercial gain.
“There is a concerted effort for bringing bees back onto the planet,” Freeman told Fallon. “We do not realize that they are the foundation, I think, of the growth of the planet, the vegetation.”
Advertisement
His initiative comes at a critical time for the environment, as bees continue to face threats such as habitat loss, pesticides, and parasites.
The U.N. Environment Programme has also highlighted the importance of bees to biodiversity and food production. Since bees help pollinate a significant portion of the food humans consume, their survival remains closely tied to global food security.
Morgan Freeman Says He Still Has An Appetite For Acting
Image Press Agency / MEGA
Freeman’s appearances on the big screen have become more sporadic in recent years, but he maintains that he is not ready to walk away from acting.
In November, he sat for an interview with The Guardian, where he said his “appetite is still there” for the profession, although more than six decades in the industry may have slightly changed how he feels about it.
“I will concede that it’s dimmed a little. But not enough to make a serious difference,” he admitted.
Advertisement
The Oscar winner also explained that the idea of retirement has crossed his mind a few times, but he has never taken it too seriously.
“Sometimes the idea of retirement would float past me, as soon as my agent says there’s a job or somebody wants you, or they’ve made an offer, the whole thing just boils back into where it was yesterday,” Freeman told the outlet. “How much [are you] going to pay, where we’re gonna be?”
If there’s one director working right now who simply doesn’t get the credit they deserve for having essentially forged a career akin to that of Steven Soderbergh, it’s David Mackenzie. He simply cannot be put in a box, having made movies that belong to genres as diverse as epic historical (Outlaw King) and prison drama (Starred Up). His most popular movie, however, remains the Taylor Sheridan-penned neo-Western Hell or High Water, starring Chris Pine, Ben Foster, Jeff Bridges, and Gil Birmingham. The movie holds a near-perfect 97% score on the aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, which, in any other circumstances, would have set up Mackenzie for life. However, he didn’t jump to major franchise filmmaking or prestige television following Hell or High Water‘s admirable success. He continued down his chosen path of making genre movies. And now, his latest film is emerging as a sudden hit on the PVOD market.
Keeping with his adventurous approach to filmmaking, Mackenzie explores an entirely new genre with his new movie. It stars Theo James, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, and Sam Worthington. The heist-thriller follows a squad tasked with defusing a supposed World War II-era bomb in the middle of London, while a crew of bank robbers attempts to make the most of the distraction by infiltrating a nearby facility. The movie is titled Fuze, and it recently debuted on PVOD following a limited theatrical release. His previous movie, the thriller Relay, had a similarly limited theatrical run before finding success on home video.
Advertisement
Collider Exclusive · Action Hero Quiz Which Action Hero Would Be Your Perfect Partner? Rambo · James Bond · Indiana Jones · John McClane · Ethan Hunt
Advertisement
Five legends. Five completely different ways of getting out alive — with style, with muscle, with charm, with luck, or with a plan so intricate it probably shouldn’t work. Ten questions will reveal which action hero was built to have your back.
🎖️Rambo
🍸James Bond
🏺Indiana Jones
🔧John McClane
Advertisement
🎭Ethan Hunt
Advertisement
01
You’re dropped into a dangerous situation with no warning. What do you need most from a partner? The first few seconds tell you everything about who belongs beside you.
Advertisement
02
You have to get somewhere dangerous, fast. How do you travel? How you get there is half the mission.
Advertisement
03
You’re pinned down and outnumbered. What does your ideal partner do? This is when you find out what someone is really made of.
Advertisement
04
The mission is paused. You have one evening to decompress. What does your partner suggest? Who someone is when the pressure drops is who they actually are.
Advertisement
05
How do you prefer your partner to communicate mid-mission? Good communication is the difference between partners and a liability.
Advertisement
06
Your enemy is powerful, well-resourced, and has the upper hand. How should your partner approach them? The approach to the enemy defines the partnership.
Advertisement
07
Things go badly wrong and you’re captured. What do you trust your partner to do? Who someone is when you need them most is the only thing that matters.
Advertisement
08
What does your ideal partner bring to the table that you couldn’t replace? A great partner fills the gap you didn’t know you had.
Advertisement
09
Every partnership has a cost. Which of these can you live with? No one comes without baggage. The question is whether you can carry it together.
Advertisement
10
It’s the final moment. Everything is on the line. What do you need from your partner right now? The last question is the most honest one.
Advertisement
Your Partner Has Been Assigned Your Perfect Partner Is…
Your answers have pointed to one action hero above all others. This is the person built to have your back — for better or considerably, spectacularly worse.
Rambo
Advertisement
Your partner doesn’t talk much, doesn’t need to, and will have assessed every threat in your immediate environment before you’ve finished your first sentence. John Rambo is not a man of plans or politics — he is a force of nature shaped by survival, loyalty, and a capacity for endurance that goes beyond anything training can produce. He will not leave you behind. He has never left anyone behind who deserved to come home. What you get with Rambo is the most capable, most quietly ferocious partner imaginable — one who has been through things that would have broken anyone else, and who chose to keep going anyway. You’ll never need to ask if he has your back. You’ll just know.
James Bond
Your partner will arrive perfectly dressed, perfectly briefed, and with a cover story so convincing it’ll take you a moment to remember what’s actually true. James Bond is the most professionally dangerous person in any room he enters — and the most disarmingly charming, which is the point. He operates in a world of layers, where nothing is what it appears and every advantage is used without apology. You’ll never be bored. You’ll occasionally be furious. But when it matters — when the mission is genuinely on the line and the margin for error has collapsed to nothing — Bond is exactly the partner you want. He has survived things that have no business being survivable. He does it with style. That is not nothing.
Advertisement
Indiana Jones
Your partner will know the history, the language, the cultural context, and exactly why the thing everyone else is ignoring is actually the most important thing in the room. Indiana Jones is brilliant, reckless, and occasionally impossible — but he is also one of the most resourceful, most genuinely knowledgeable partners you could find yourself beside. He approaches every situation with a scholar’s eye and a brawler’s instinct, which is an unusual combination and a remarkably effective one. He hates snakes and gets personally attached to objects of historical significance, both of which will slow you down at least once. It doesn’t matter. What Indy brings is irreplaceable — and the adventures you’ll have together will be the kind people write books about. Assuming you survive them.
Advertisement
John McClane
Your partner was not supposed to be here. He does not have the right equipment, the right information, or anything approaching the right odds. He has a sarcastic remark and an absolute refusal to accept that the situation is as bad as it looks. John McClane is the greatest accidental hero in the history of action cinema — a man whose superpower is stubbornness, whose contingency plan is improvisation, and whose capacity to absorb punishment and keep moving would be alarming if it weren’t so useful. He will complain the entire time. He will make it significantly more chaotic than it needed to be. And he will absolutely, unconditionally, without question come through when it counts. Yippee-ki-yay.
Ethan Hunt
Advertisement
Your partner has already run seventeen scenarios by the time you’ve finished reading the briefing, and the plan he’s settled on involves at least two things that should be physically impossible. Ethan Hunt operates at the absolute edge of human capability — technically, physically, and intellectually — and he brings the same relentless precision to protecting his partners that he brings to dismantling organisations that shouldn’t exist. He is not easy to know and he will never fully tell you everything. But he will carry the weight of the mission so completely, so absolutely, that your job is simply to trust him — and the remarkable thing is that trusting him always turns out to be the right call. The mission will be impossible. He will complete it anyway.
Advertisement
David Mackenzie’s Star-Studded New Thriller Gains Steam on Streaming
According to FlixPatrol, Fuze was among the most-watched movies on the domestic iTunes chart this week, cracking the top 10 immediately after its debut. The movie grossed around $4 million in its theatrical run earlier this year, which is a low number despite the positive reviews. Fuze holds a “Certified Fresh” 73% score on the aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, where the consensus reads, “Unapologetically leaning into its own pulpy excess, Fuze detonates as a stylish thriller with energy, craft, and twists to spare.” Reviewing the thriller at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival, Collider’s Ross Bonaime called it a “big, mediocre action film, and with a twist that the audience can see coming from a mile away.”
Advertisement
Advertisement
Release Date
April 24, 2026
Runtime
Advertisement
98 minutes
Director
David Mackenzie
Advertisement
Writers
Ben Hopkins
Advertisement
Producers
Gillian Berrie, Callum Grant, David Mackenzie, Sebastien Raybaud
Throughout Chris Sails’ career as a YouTuber, he has often been known for trolling others online. Whether involving fellow creators, his ex and R&B singer Queen Naija, or her current partner Clarence NYC, his antics have frequently sparked reactions across social media. Those moments have kept parts of his personal life in the spotlight for years. They have also fueled conversations and, at times, strained his co-parenting relationship with Queen Naija. Over the years, the pair have been involved in several public disagreements that played out online. As a result, fans have often weighed in on their relationship and parenting dynamic. Now this! As Queen Naija and Clarence NYC celebrated CJ’s elementary school graduation, Chris Sails addressed questions about his absence.
Chris Sails Addresses Questions About Why He Didn’t Attend CJ’s Graduation
On Friday, clips of Chris Sails answering questions from supporters about why he wasn’t in attendance at CJ’s elementary school graduation began circulating online. While responding to comments on live, Chris claimed that he was not invited to the ceremony and acknowledged that some of his past actions may have contributed to the situation.
Chris said, “I know I made it harder on myself, so I don’t blame them over there for not inviting me; I don’t think it’s their fault.”
The YouTuber also read comments suggesting that he could have made time to attend once he found out about the graduation. Another commenter argued that he needed to put more effort into it. Chris appeared to agree with those sentiments. One commenter accused Chris of lying and claimed that he was aware of the graduation beforehand.
“I didn’t lie n****, I just corrected myself. Shut yo goofy a** up,” Chris responded. “They didn’t tell me that he had a graduation. I had asked them when I could get my son for the summertime. She said anytime after this time because he’s graduating. So that’s how I found out. It wasn’t an invitation-type of find out.”
Chris continued by saying that he does not blame them for not inviting him because he understands that his past actions may have made things harder for him. Despite that, he admitted that he still feels he should have been extended an invitation. However, he added that he does not want anyone to feel uncomfortable. Chris also shared that he plans to speak with CJ about the situation and ask how he feels regarding the graduation and his absence.
Advertisement
Chris Sails And Queen Naija Faced A Similar Situation During CJ’s Kindergarten Graduation In 2021
This is not the first time Chris Sails and Queen Naija have faced questions surrounding one of CJ’s graduations. Five years ago, Chris shared similar frustrations after missing CJ’s kindergarten graduation. At the time, a commenter asked why he was not in attendance. Chris replied, “I didn’t get an invitation. And also didn’t even know he was graduating today. That’s messed up.”
After Chris’ comments began making rounds online, Queen Naija responded and shared her side of the story. She explained that Chris was dealing with legal matters at the time and said their co-parenting relationship was strained. Queen also revealed that she was caring for a sick two-year-old during that period. The situation sparked debate across social media, with many users weighing in on both sides. Queen Naija’s younger sister Tina, who was estranged from her at the time, also joined the conversation and shared that she was upset about not receiving an invitation.
Social Media Weighs In
Folks gathered in The Shade Room Teens’ comment section to react to Chris Sails’ video. While some agreed that Queen Naija and Clarence should have invited him, others felt it was not Queen’s responsibility. Several commenters argued that Chris should have been more proactive and asked questions about CJ’s graduation on his own.
Advertisement
Instagram user @thasweetest1_ wrote, “Mann if u involved in your child’s like you’d know. Simple as that.. he musta thought Cj was in 3rd grade or sum 😂🫠”
Instagram user @september22ndd_wrote, “You’re the dad, call the school and get the information. CJ is also old enough to communicate these things. These are excuses.”
While Instagram user @theregoesfefe wrote, “cj gon graduate high school and chris gon be tb how he didn’t get a invite again see yall in 2033 😭”
Instagram user @anti_social1926 wrote, “Queen and Clarence are definitely wrong af idc.”
Advertisement
Instagram user @aaliyahebaby added, “Naw Queen wrong for that.. He should know everything that boy has going on in school and should have been able to be at the graduation..could sit on another side of the room or matter fact that man could have kept his butt at him”
While Instagram user @yellow_tatted wrote, “You know everybody business but your own 😭”
Instagram user @ishanilatrice.m wrote, “Yall find any way to blame the mom ….. he know what grade he in and talks to his son … im not obligated to make sure a dad is being a dad regardless of being in different states wtf?! Yall okay?”
Instagram user @gyt.jas added, “Watching Chris on TikTok I can say he’s matured a lot since that last situation they was in. I feel like they should’ve at least sent the invite.”
While Instagram user @gothamlibra wrote, “For all the ones who saying she should have told him HE SAID HE ASKED ABOUT GETTING CJ FOR SUMMER AND SHE TOLD HIM AFTER “HIS GRADUATION” he knew and didn’t want to go. He let the ball slip. He acknowledged it and hopefully he’s at the next one. Yall be slow and intentionally missing information just to have dense opinions.”
Kai Cenat is giving fans a rare update while taking a break from streaming. The streamer took to X to answer questions from his community ahead of the platform’s decision to remove all communities from the social media site following a decline in usage.
Kai Cenat Shares His Thoughts On The Current State Of Streaming
On Friday, May 29, Kai Cenat shared a tweet to his community of over 55,000 members, inviting supporters to ask him questions before the community ends on May 30. During the Q&A, one of the most-viewed questions centered on a topic supporters have been asking for months: When is Kai returning to streaming?
Although Kai did not provide a specific date, he reassured fans that his passion for content creation has not changed. In response to one user, Kai wrote that he would “never lose passion for streaming” and would return “when it’s time.” Meanwhile, another fan asked Kai for his thoughts on the current state of streaming. Keeping his answer brief, the content creator responded that streaming simply “needs more inspiration.”
Kai Cenat Also Opened Up About Music, Books and Life Away From The Camera
Beyond streaming, Kai also answered several light-hearted questions about his personal interests and what he’s been up to while away from the spotlight. The streamer shared details about the book he’s currently reading, offered his thoughts on the upcoming Michael Jackson biopic, and revealed some of his favorite songs from Drake’s latest project, ‘Iceman.’ Kai also gave fans a glimpse into his day-to-day life outside of content creation. According to the AMP member, he’s been spending much of his time reading and hanging out with his AMP group when he’s not working.
Advertisement
Social Media Reacts
Fans quickly flooded social media with reactions to Kai’s responses.
Instagram user @jesseniaa.__ wrote, “Well he’s talking to us again, that’s great, I’m glad he’s taking his time tho. We all we be tuned in soon as he go, live 😂”
Another Instagram user @0k.imani wrote, “Kai choosing himself 👏👏”
While Instagram user @its.trinnn wrote, “Who tf do kai think he is fr 😂😂”
Advertisement
Instagram user @afkingp wrote, “I feel like he’s gonna make his own streaming platform.”
Another Instagram user @maaaack.kingg wrote, “Bro u just a fallen off streamer, relax with the celebrity bs 😭😂”
While Instagram user @lizzycoker10 wrote, “He just wanted to show us the new words he discovered from his dictionary 😭”
Instagram user @for.ou6992 wrote, “Streaming so boring without him 😭 they only doing it for money now and you can tell. Nobody hold my attention fr not even Rakai and clover. It’s just ain’t the same”
Advertisement
Another Instagram user @latricee._ wrote, “just yapping”
While Instagram user @fly4carti wrote, “Why are you guys so upset he’s answering questions? If he speaks it’s a problem if he doesn’t it’s a problem just leave the man alone 💀”
Keanu Reeves in ‘John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum’Image via Lionsgate
Shattering its already outrageous pre-release box-office projections, the new horror film Backroomsis breaking records as we speak. It’s also working hand-in-hand with the holdover hit Obsession to launch what seems like a new era in not just horror, but in mainstream Hollywood as a whole. No one would have expected a movie made by a 20-year-old debutant to gross more thanOppenheimer in its opening weekend, but that’s exactly what’s happening with Backrooms. Directed by Kane Parsons, the film was initially eyed to gross around $25 million in its domestic debut, a number that subsequently ballooned to around $45 million, and then $75 million. Don’t be surprised if it hits the $90 million mark come Monday’s final report.
For now, a handful of achievements are clear. Backrooms will break A24‘s domestic debut roughly thrice over, and will become one of the indie studio’s highest-grossing movies ever in just three days of release. It will also become A24’s top-grossing domestic release of all time in its first week, overtaking Marty Supreme‘s record of around $95 million. This would have been a remarkable achievement for any filmmaker, but it’s made all the more special because Parsons was a teen when he signed on. Like Obsession director Curry Barker, Parsons honed his skills on YouTube before making the jump to Hollywood.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Collider Exclusive · Horror Survival Quiz Which Horror Villain Do You Have the Best Chance of Surviving? Jason Voorhees · Michael Myers · Freddy Krueger · Pennywise · Chucky
Five killers. Five completely different ways to die — if you’re not smart enough, fast enough, or self-aware enough to avoid it. Only one of them is the villain your particular set of instincts gives you a fighting chance against. Eight questions will figure out which one.
🏕️Jason
🔪Michael
💤Freddy
Advertisement
🎈Pennywise
🪆Chucky
Advertisement
01
Something feels wrong. You can’t explain it — you just know. What do you do? First instincts are the difference between the survivor and the first act casualty.
Advertisement
02
Where are you most likely to find yourself when things go wrong? Setting is everything in horror. Where you are determines which rules apply.
Advertisement
03
What is your most reliable survival asset? Every survivor has a quality the villain didn’t account for. What’s yours?
Advertisement
04
What kind of fear is hardest for you to fight through? Knowing your weakness is the first step to not dying because of it.
Advertisement
05
You’re with a group when things start going wrong. What’s your role? Horror movies are brutally clear about who survives group situations and who doesn’t.
Advertisement
06
What’s the horror movie mistake you’re most likely to make? Honest self-assessment is a survival skill. Denial is not.
Advertisement
07
What’s your best weapon against something that can’t be stopped by conventional means? Every horror villain has a weakness. The survivors are always the ones who find it.
Advertisement
08
It’s the final scene. You’re the last one standing. How did you make it? The final survivor always has a reason. What’s yours?
Advertisement
Your Survival Odds Have Been Calculated Your Best Chance Is Against…
Your instincts, your strengths, and your particular way of thinking under pressure point to one villain you actually have a fighting chance against. Everyone else — good luck.
Advertisement
Camp Crystal Lake · Friday the 13th
Jason Voorhees
Jason is relentless, but he is also predictable — and that is the gap you would exploit.
Advertisement
He moves in straight lines toward his target. He doesn’t strategise, doesn’t adapt, doesn’t outsmart. He simply pursues.
Your ability to keep moving, use the environment, and resist the panic that freezes most victims gives you a genuine edge.
The Crystal Lake survivors were always the ones who stopped running in circles and started thinking about terrain, water, and distance.
You think like that. Which means Jason, for all his indestructibility, would face someone who simply refused to be where he expected.
Haddonfield, Illinois · Halloween
Michael Myers
Michael watches before he moves. He is patient, methodical, and almost impossible to detect — until it’s too late for anyone who isn’t paying close enough attention.
Advertisement
But you are paying attention. You notice the shape in the window, the car parked slightly wrong, the silence where there should be sound.
Michael’s power lies in the invisibility of ordinary suburbia — the fact that nothing ever looks wrong until it already is.
Your spatial awareness and instinct to map every room, every exit, and every shadow before you need them is precisely the quality Laurie Strode had.
You are not a victim waiting to happen. You are someone who already suspects something is wrong — and acts on it.
Elm Street · A Nightmare on Elm Street
Freddy Krueger
Freddy wins by getting inside your head — using your own fears, your own memories, your own subconscious as weapons against you. That strategy requires a target who can be destabilised.
Advertisement
You are harder to destabilise than most. You’ve faced uncomfortable truths about yourself and you haven’t looked away.
The survivors on Elm Street were always the ones who understood what was happening and chose to face it rather than flee from it.
Freddy’s greatest weakness is that his power evaporates in the presence of someone who refuses to give him the fear he feeds on.
Your psychological resilience — the ability to stay grounded when reality itself becomes unreliable — is exactly the quality that keeps you alive here.
Derry, Maine · It
Pennywise
Pennywise is ancient, shapeshifting, and feeds on terror — but it has one critical vulnerability: it cannot function against someone who genuinely stops being afraid of it.
Advertisement
The Losers Club didn’t survive because they were braver than everyone else. They survived because they faced their fears together, and faced them honestly.
You ask the questions others avoid. You look directly at what frightens you rather than turning away.
That directness — the refusal to let fear fester in the dark — is Pennywise’s worst nightmare.
It chose the wrong target when it chose you. You are exactly the kind of person whose fear tastes like nothing at all.
Chicago · Child’s Play
Chucky
Chucky’s greatest advantage is that nobody takes him seriously until it’s already too late. He exploits the gap between how something looks and what it actually is.
Advertisement
You don’t have that gap. You take threats seriously regardless of how they present — and you never make the mistake of underestimating something because of its size or appearance.
Chucky relies on surprise, on the delay between recognition and response. You close that delay faster than almost anyone.
Your instinct to treat every unfamiliar thing with appropriate scepticism — rather than dismissing it because it seems absurd — is the exact quality that keeps you breathing.
Against Chucky, not laughing is already winning. You are very good at not laughing.
Advertisement
History Is Being Made at the Box Office
Obsession is eying another increase in weekend-to-weekend box office revenue, which is unprecedented in itself. Together with Backrooms, the two movies will contribute more than $100 million in domestic box office revenue this weekend. This overperformance spells doom for Disney’s The Mandalorian and Grogu, which is looking a greater second-weekend drop than Solo: A Star Wars Story. Backroomsgrossed around $38 million on opening day, which is a greater haul than those of John Wick: Chapter 4 and Dune: Part Two. Starring Oscar nominees Renate Reinsveand Chiwetel Ejiofor, the critically acclaimed movie holds a “Certified Fresh” 90% score on Rotten Tomatoes. The aggregator website’s consensus reads, “A startlingly assured feature debut from director Kane Parsons, Backrooms bends the liminal spaces that have haunted the internet for years into a horror film that’s as mesmerizing as it is terrifying.” The movie has also earned a B- grade on CinemaScore, which is below the mark for mainstream horror. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates on the box-office fireworks this weekend.
She was known for her work on the original Star Wars, Lucas won the Academy Award for Best Film Editing alongside Paul Hirsch and Richard Chew. Her work on the film has long been credited as essential to how the final film turned out, particularly in the film’s climactic Death Star assault, which remains one of the most thrilling finales in the history of cinema.
It wasn’t just the first film that Lucas worked on, either, as she played a key role on Return of the Jedi, while her wider contributions to the franchise as a whole have been noted greatly in the franchise’s behind-the-scenes history. As her name also suggests, she was married to the series creator George Lucas, and was a vital cog in the creative functions of Lucas’ early work as a filmmaker.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Collider Exclusive · Star Wars Quiz Which Force User Are You? Light Side · Dark Side · Or Somewhere Between
The Force is not a binary. It is a spectrum — from the serene halls of the Jedi Temple to the shadowed corridors of Sith space. Ten questions will reveal where you truly fall. The Force has always known. Now you will too.
🔵Jedi Master
🟡Padawan
🔴Sith Lord
Advertisement
⚫Inquisitor
⚪Grey Jedi
Advertisement
01
What is the Force to you? Your relationship with the Force defines everything else.
Advertisement
02
When you feel strong emotions — anger, grief, love — what do you do? The Jedi suppress. The Sith feed. Others choose differently.
Advertisement
03
The Jedi Council gives you an order you disagree with. You: How you handle authority reveals your alignment.
Advertisement
04
You are offered forbidden knowledge that could give you enormous power. The cost is crossing a moral line. You: The dark side’s pull is never more than a choice away.
Advertisement
05
Your approach to training and learning is: A student’s habits become a master’s character.
Advertisement
06
In a duel, your lightsaber fighting style reflects: Combat is the purest expression of a Force user’s philosophy.
Advertisement
07
A defeated enemy lies at your feet, powerless. You: Mercy — or its absence — is the truest test of alignment.
Advertisement
08
The Jedi Code forbids attachment. Your honest view on love and bonds: The source of the greatest falls in the galaxy.
Advertisement
09
Why do you use the Force at all? What’s the point? Purpose is the difference between a knight and a weapon.
Advertisement
10
At the final moment — light side or dark side pulling at you — what wins? In the end, every Force user faces this moment. What does yours look like?
Advertisement
Your Alignment Has Been Determined Your Place in the Force
The scores below reveal how the Force sees you. Your highest number is your true alignment. Read on to understand what that means — and what it will cost you.
Advertisement
🔵 Jedi Master
🟡 Padawan
🔴 Sith Lord
⚫ Inquisitor
Advertisement
⚪ Grey Jedi
Disciplined, compassionate, and deeply attuned to the living Force, you have walked the path long enough to understand its demands — and accept them. You lead not through authority alone, but through example. You have felt the pull of the dark side and chosen otherwise, every time. That is not certainty. That is courage.
Advertisement
You are earnest, powerful, and brimming with potential — and you know it, which is both your greatest asset and your most dangerous flaw. You act before you think, trust your gut over your training, and sometimes confuse impatience for bravery. The Masters see something in you, though. The question isn’t whether you have what it takes — it’s whether you’ll be patient enough to find out.
You are not simply dangerous — you are certain, and that is worse. You have decided what the galaxy needs, and you have decided you are the one to deliver it. Your power is genuine and formidable, earned through sacrifice that would have broken lesser beings. But examine your victories carefully. Every Sith believed their cause was righteous. The dark side’s cruelest trick is that it agrees with you.
Advertisement
You were forged in fire and reshaped by those who found you at your lowest. You serve, because service gave you structure when you had none. Your allegiance is not to an ideology — it is to survival and to the master who gave you purpose. But there is something buried beneath the conditioning. The Jedi you hunt? You recognize them. Because you remember what it felt like before the choice was taken from you.
You have looked at the Jedi Code and the Sith Code and found both of them incomplete. You walk the line not out of indecision but out of conviction — you genuinely believe both extremes miss something essential. The Jedi don’t fully trust you. The Sith think you’re wasting your potential. They’re both partially right. But so are you.
Advertisement
Advertisement
What Films Did Marcia Lucas Work On?
Her career wasn’t just limited to Star Wars, as Lucas edited her former husband’s earlier films THX 1138and American Graffiti, the latter of which became a major breakthrough, introducing the world to a young Harrison Ford before Star Wars. She also worked with Martin Scorsese, including on Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore and Taxi Driver.
Editors are often unsung heroes in the art of filmmaking, but those in the know are all too aware of how important they are to the making or breaking of a major motion picture. Bad editing can make a good film drag or confuse audiences, but in the casr of a film like Star Wars, it took what was essentially a very weird space fantasy into a propulsive thriller.
She was also part of a generation of women editors who shaped New Hollywood at a time when few women held that level of creative authority in the industry, alongside figures like Thelma Schoonmaker, Dede Allen, and Verna Fields.
The thoughts of everyone at Collider are with the family of Marcia Lucas. We are extremely grateful for the joy her contributions to cinema have brought us.
Us Weekly has affiliate partnerships. We receive compensation when you click on a link and make a purchase. Learn more!
Finding beach pants when you’re 5’3” can feel weirdly impossible. Most pairs are either so long they drag across the floor, so oversized they swallow your frame or so sheer they only work for a two-minute walk from the pool to the hotel room. I wanted that relaxed, coastal-boutique look . . . just without the tailoring appointment afterward.
Lately, though, I’ve been spotting breezy wide-leg pants everywhere, from chic seaside boutiques in Nantucket to polished vacation outfits all over TikTok. The difference? The best pairs feel effortless instead of sloppy, with cropped hems, soft draping fabrics and easy pull-on waists that actually flatter a shorter frame. Ahead, I rounded up 13 petite-friendly beach pants that look far more expensive than they are — and they start at just $18.
Advertisement
13 Petite-Friendly Beach Pants With Coastal Boutique Vibes
1. Our Favorite: The smocked waist on these flowy palazzo pants stretches comfortably without digging in, and the wide leg falls cleanly without overwhelming a shorter frame. The real pockets are a nice bonus at this price.
2. Loose and Slimming: Stiff waistbands ride up when you sit, but the drawstring on these low-waist linen pants cinches to your size. Plus, the loose harem cut hides what you want hidden without looking shapeless.
3. Darling Details: The lace trim at the hem of these drawstring capri pants adds the kind of detail you’d expect from a small boutique. The lightweight fabric and a drawstring waist make them easy to wear.
4. Nautical-Chic: Wear these striped linen pants to a seaside lunch with a white linen shirt and espadrilles, and you’ll look like you’re summering in Nantucket. The breezy fabric handles humid afternoons.
Advertisement
5. Floral Fun: Fussy zippers and stiff waistbands ruin a beach day. The elastic waist on these printed wide-leg pants disappears under a tank, and the dark floral print forgives the inevitable spills.
Some dresses just hang there, and other flowy options completely transform your shape. Wrap dresses fall into the second category, thanks to their waist-defining ties, flattering V-necks and draped silhouettes that naturally create an hourglass look without feeling restrictive. They’re basically the ultimate summer confidence boost when you want to feel comfortable but still look […]
Advertisement
6. Cropped Classic: Full-length palazzos can swallow a shorter frame. The cropped capri length on these flowy wide-leg pants keeps proportions clean and lets you skip hemming altogether.
7. Airy and Easy: These 100% cotton wide-leg pants skip the synthetic feel you get from cheaper beach pants. The elastic waist pulls on quickly, and the cropped length sits right at the ankle.
8. Palazzo Perfection: The loose harem cut on these baggy palazzo pants drapes well without clinging anywhere unflattering. This kind of style usually costs three times more.
9. Fabulously Flowy: The gaucho cut on these flowy capri pants hits mid-calf with a full sweep that catches the breeze. An elastic waist plus pockets make them the kind of pants you reach for repeatedly.
Advertisement
10. A Bestseller: There’s a reason these flowy palazzo pants keep selling. The wide-leg cut drapes cleanly, the price stays under $25 and the fit works across a range of body types.
11. Boutique-Worthy: The cut-out eyelet details along the leg give these striped palazzo pants the look of something hanging in a coastal boutique. Pockets and a drawstring waist keep them practical, too.
12. Tummy Control: The high elastic drawstring waist on these linen-blend palazzo pants sits above the midsection to smooth things out. The wide leg and cropped length keep the proportions in check.
13. Throw-On-And-Go: Pull these linen-cotton beach pants on over a swimsuit, grab the tote and head out. The drawstring waist adjusts on the fly when lunch turns into a longer afternoon.
You know that feeling when you’re flipping through photos from a trip to Paris (or just scrolling through them on Instagram) and every woman seems to be wearing a dress that looks effortless, romantic and somehow expensive? It’s enough to give Us some serious fashion envy. However, pulling that look off back home doesn’t require […]
Editor’s note: The below interview contains spoilers for Dutton Ranch Episode 4.
Despite Taylor Sheridan‘s Yellowstone wrapping up with its fifth and final season, the hit neo-Western franchise has found a way to endure by way of two spin-offs about John Dutton’s (Kevin Costner) offspring. While Kayce (Luke Grimes) is keeping an eye on Montana on the CBS procedural Marshals, his sister Beth (Kelly Reilly) and her husband Rip (Cole Hauser) have kicked off a bold new chapter in Texas on Dutton Ranch. While Beth’s family name does carry some weight, they’re far from being the top dog — which immediately becomes clear when they cross paths with Beulah Jackson (Annette Bening), owner of the historic 10-Petal Ranch, who will seemingly stop at nothing to retain her status and prestige.
Ahead of Dutton Ranch‘s premiere, Collider had the opportunity to speak with some cast and crew, including Reilly and Bening, about their characters’ most thrilling scenes so far and why Beth and Beulah are more alike than they realize. Below, the co-stars discuss how the burgeoning romance between Carter (Finn Little) and Oreana (Natalie Alyn Lind) will impact the dynamic between their families, how Beulah’s connection with Everett (Ed Harris) adds more complexity to an already complex character, and more.
Advertisement
COLLIDER: There are a lot of really fun scenes that the two of you have early on in the show, starting with when Beth and Beulah first meet. What did the two of you enjoy about getting to face off for the first time? It really feels like a scene where these two women are taking the measure of each other.
ANNETTE BENING: Well said. I think Beulah, at first, is sort of like, “Oh, who is this person? What can she do for me?” And then, when she gets a little taste of what she’s doing and how she does what she does, I think she’s really impressed and somewhat intimidated.
KELLY REILLY: I think they sort of mirror each other in a weird way. They have so much in common. That first scene, that day, was my first scene with Annette. [To Bening] I’m not sure if I’ve ever told you this, because Annette and I became really good friends, but as Kelly and Annette, we were thrown into different things at the beginning, and you don’t get to know each other straight away, and I was so scared, and I kept tripping up on my lines. I was like, “I can’t hold my own against this heavyweight here.”
I just remember Beth and Beulah just circling each other like animals, these apex predators, and I just knew that it was going to be juicy. I knew that there was just so much potential, not just as adversaries, but as women who understood they’re both daughters of big ranches they have the burden and the responsibility to protect. They know what it takes. Beth knows what it takes, and it’s a powerful woman who can do that. So, there was something about a mirror, like Beth could sort of see herself in Beulah, and I think likewise, maybe.
Advertisement
‘Dutton Ranch’ Stars Confirm That Beth and Beulah’s Dynamic Will Only Get More Complicated
“… they start to understand each other, and that’s when the mutual respect starts to really rear its head, especially for Beth.”
Dutton Ranch S1 ImagesImage via Paramount+
In addition to the conflict, the dynamic between these two families in general takes a really interesting turn, especially with the blossoming romance that we see develop early on in the season. When Beth drops Oreana off at the house, there’s, again, a tête-à-tête between your characters. What can you set up about how that’s going to impact the relationship between the Jacksons and the Duttons?
BENING: What makes this interesting to me from the very beginning, doing this show, was the stakes are high, and that’s what Yellowstone as a show did for me as an audience member. I loved the juicy, kind of mythical quality of what’s going on between everybody. First of all, the writing and then the acting were so invested. The stakes are so high, and that’s what we want as actors. We want to find those parts where we can really fight and dig in for what our characters love. So that, for me, was kind of the inspiration, what happened in that amazing show.
Advertisement
Quite frankly, Kelly, and Cole [Hauser] and everybody in the show, but Kelly for me, was an actress that, when I was watching the show, I’m like, “Who is that? Where did she come from? Oh my God, that actress just blew me away.” Anyway, backing up a little bit, for me, that was just so much of it. But yes, the fact that we have a lot of ways in which our two families… I mean, let’s remember, Beth and Rip come to my territory.
Director and EP Christina Alexandra Voros explains how Episode 1’s most “visceral” sequence was achieved on a practical level first.
BENING: They come into our world, and there are a lot of ways in which our families are beginning to get involved and have problems from a business standpoint, as well as, as you said, that my granddaughter and her son start to get involved, and there are problems.
Advertisement
REILLY: One of the interesting things to me is when we get further into the season, they potentially might start to need one another, and that’s when we start getting into some of the more complexities, and they start to understand each other, and that’s when the mutual respect starts to really rear its head, especially for Beth.
My favorite parts of the show are when I’m on a horse and when I’m working with Annette. It’s just extraordinary. I never know what the scene is going to turn into with her, and we get to play with each other very nicely. I just remember Christina [Alexandra Voros] coming up to us after some of our scenes because no take was ever the same. It was just like letting her go and letting me go with one another, and it just always felt exciting. Like you said, the stakes are so high, so it’s all you want as an actor, to go to work and have something to really get your teeth into.
Annette Bening Didn’t Find It Difficult To Fall in Love With ‘Dutton Ranch’ Co-Star Ed Harris
“They have a wonderful history.”
Dutton Ranch S1 ImagesImage via Paramount+
Advertisement
Annette, you and Ed [Harris] have some great scenes, but I cannot stop thinking about the moment when the two of you are sitting on the porch, and Everett leaves, and Beulah breaks down, and then as soon as the phone rings, she has to slip right back into composure. What was it like to film that scene and really get to peel back the layers on that relationship and the history between these two characters?
BENING: Oh, thank you. I hope it works. It meant a lot to me just knowing I got to work with Ed. We did a film together years ago. I really love him and admire him, and I find falling in love with Ed Harris, there’s no acting required for me. I really appreciate this in the writing, that this is part of Beulah’s underbelly, that she is so longing for romance and connection and intimacy with this man. They have a wonderful history. They knew each other and were together when they were kids, and then, again, had a brief affair years ago. So, this longing of hers, I loved trying to explore that, and the fact that it is very frustrating for her, and that’s the dynamic.
This is a woman who tries to control everything, right? She tries to control the town, she tries to control her ranch, and she has good intentions, but things are slipping through her fingers. She’s desperate in a way. And the longing for him, I think, is such an important part of her, and I loved exploring that with Ed and playing with him. What a joy. He’s such a wonderful actor.
New episodes of Dutton Ranch premiere Fridays on Paramount+.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login