Spring may be in full bloom, but it’s easy to look ahead to summer vacation — the promise of travel, good food, and an adventure beyond the mundanity of everyday life, even better if there’s someone to share it with or meet along the way. Italy is a popular destination, with its own romance baked into its atmosphere, and that’s why beloved romantic comedies, like Roman Holiday and Under the Tuscan Sun, have used the country as their setting to explore romance. The latest rom-com stamping its passport there is You, Me & Tuscany, led by The Little Mermaid star Halle Bailey and Black Bag star Regé-Jean Page.

Directed by Kat Coiro (Marry Me), You, Me & Tuscany wears its heart on its sleeve for Nancy Meyers and Richard Curtis while delivering a fresh, original big studio romantic comedy. Bailey and Page’s chemistry sells its premise while being supported by a memorable cast and a gorgeous setting. In a way, You, Me & Tuscany is like spaghetti: warm, familiar, and filling. It delivers what it promises and has a good time doing it.

What Is ‘You, Me & Tuscany’ About?

After being fired from a house sitting job, Anna (Bailey) has a chance encounter with an Italian real estate agent, Matteo (Lorenzo de Moor), in a hotel bar. He convinces her to throw caution to the wind and go to Italy. But once she gets to his hometown, Anna decides to squat at Matteo’s empty villa after she can’t find a place to stay. When his family discovers her staying there, Anna pretends to be engaged to Matteo. What starts as a simple lie gets more complicated when she continues to spend more time with them, especially Matteo’s attractive cousin/adopted brother, Michael (Page).

While much of the plot has shades of While You Were Sleeping, the setting trades a wintery Chicago for the summer escape of Tuscany. From Matteo’s villa to Michael’s vineyard to the family restaurant in the town square, You, Me & Tuscany captures the beauty of the region. However, it goes further than just sweeping landscapes and historic architecture. Similarly to Under the Tuscan Sun, Anna starts as a visitor to the region but quickly immerses herself into the culture because of Matteo’s family. Anna is looking for a sense of belonging, and the warmth of this Italian family embraces her with open arms. By extension, You, Me & Tuscany invites audiences into the culture and customs of this town, dropping you during a local summer festival with their own traditions, like barrel racing. With this type of narrative immersion, the region isn’t just a vacation but a character in its own right.

Another key aspect that makes the world of You, Me & Tuscany feel lived in are the supporting characters. Not merely a backdrop to the two leads, the cast around Bailey and Page are just as entertaining. Stella Pecollo‘s Francesca, Matteo’s sister, is her own loose canon of comedy, dropping nuggets of her own secret love affair with a plumber named Luigi (no relation to Super Mario Bros.). Marco Calvani‘s Lorenzo, a taxi driver who Anna befriends, provides Anna with enthusiastic yet earnest support as she navigates lying to Matteo’s family and starts to fall for Michael. Even Anna’s best friend, Claire (Aziza Scott), still has a presence despite remaining stateside for Anna’s Italian adventure. These side characters are just as rich, bringing their own flavor that enhances the central love story.

‘You, Me & Tuscany’ Proves Regé-Jean Page Is Still a Romantic Leading Man

A good rom-com can have a decent plot and play with tried and true tropes. But without chemistry between its leads, the movie’s still going to fall apart. Thankfully, this is not the case with Regé-Jean Page and Halle Bailey, as their chemistry makes Anna and Michael’s attraction believable. What helps is that the two briefly meet after Anna arrives in town and has a rude encounter with Michael after he takes the sandwich she was about to purchase. Already there are sparks, which ignite the flames of what becomes a sizzling love story.

Bridgerton became a global phenomenon off the backs of Phoebe Dynevor and Regé-Jean Page, and their chemistry set the bar of excellence for what a historical romance series could be. Page’s performance as Duke Simon Hastings was so mesmerizing that he earned an Emmy nomination for the role. In his first romantic role since then, it’s abundantly clear that Bridgerton wasn’t a one-time thing. With You, Me & Tuscany, Page is a romantic leading man in his own right. As Michael, he has an effortless charm and magnitude that you can’t look away from. When it comes to the Costa family, Page carries Michael’s weight of responsibility as the brother who stayed while holding some resentment towards the prodigal son who seemingly got the girl. Plus, it turns out Page is a gifted singer, as Michael serenades Anna with his rendition of Mario‘s “Let Me Love You.”

On the flip side, Halle Bailey’s Anna wasn’t planning to find love in Italy. Anna is a culinary school dropout still grieving her mother’s death, something she later bonds over with Michael. She’s been so content pretending to live someone else’s life through house sitting that she forgot to live her own dreams. Thanks to Michael and the Costa family, her passion for cooking slowly returns. Due to this, Page does more of the heavy lifting with the love story, while Bailey brings more of her strengths to Anna’s personal journey. This isn’t to say Bailey doesn’t bring anything to the love story, far from it. Michael carries himself as the responsible one of the family, but Anna draws out his more playful side, which is thanks to Bailey’s natural charisma. She even has a great chemistry with de Moor when Anna meets Matteo in New York. With this and The Little Mermaid, Bailey continues to hone her acting skills.

‘You, Me & Tuscany’ Offers a Promising Future for Theatrical Rom-Coms

Image via Universal Pictures

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In the words of Ted Lasso, I believe in rom-communism. I was brought up during a time when there was a steady output of romantic comedies as part of a studio’s annual slate. During the 2010s, the genre was seemingly abandoned, reduced only to being found on streaming. This isn’t to say there haven’t been romantic gems on streaming; Netflix kicked off the year with the Emily Henry adaptation of People We Meet on Vacation, which is its own form of romantic travel escapism. In the years since, many fans have grown nostalgic for the greats of the ’90s and ’00s, like You’ve Got Mail and How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days. There have been a few studio rom-coms that have broken through, like Crazy Rich Asians and Anyone But You, but too few have been given a real chance in theaters.

You, Me & Tuscany evokes those types of romantic comedies we’ve been missing. The movie isn’t reinventing the wheel — it is ultimately a love story that plays with familiar tropes in a beautiful setting. But it does remind audiences why we love these movies in the first place. You, Me & Tuscany is now part of this rom-com legacy, and if audiences enjoy it enough, perhaps it will signal to major studios that original rom-coms are worth investing in again.

You, Me & Tuscany releases in theaters April 10.

An audio recording has surfaced, capturing Melissa Gilbert lashing out at the parents of two children who accused her husband, Timothy Busfield, of sexual abuse.

The furious footage of the actress was released after she gave her first interview since Busfield’s brief arrest, saying their life is “done,” even if the actor is cleared of the charges.

Melissa Gilbert noted that she didn’t speak out before now to honor the request of his lawyers, but decided to address the situation now because they’ve been “hearing and reading too much untruth.”

Melissa Gilbert Joined Her Husband For A Police Interview Months Before His Arrest

Gilbert went off on the parents of two children who accused her husband, Busfield, of abuse.

The actor-director was arrested briefly after being officially charged with child sex abuse on January 9, in connection with the alleged incidents involving minors, which are said to have occurred on the set of Fox’s “The Cleaning Lady.”

In a November 2025 interview with Albuquerque Police detective Marvin Brown, the “Little House on the Prairie” star joined her husband for the session and sounded angry while addressing the parents of her husband’s accusers.

“You’re here with my wife, Melissa Gilbert, and I,” Busfield tells the detective on the call before Brown goes ahead to read him his Miranda rights.

Elsewhere in their conversation, the actor told the detective that he was never alone with the boys and that all he wanted to do was to create a playful environment on the set of the film.

“It’s ridiculous that I would ever be inappropriate with the little boys,” Busfield said in the recording obtained by USA Today.

The Actress Slammed Parents Of Her Husband’s Accusers While Defending His Approach To Creating A Playful Environment

During the interview, Gilbert defended her husband and shared her belief that the case won’t help the alleged victims/

“It’s cruel, and it’s vindictive, and it’s disgusting. And in my opinion, that does nothing to help these children. It only hurts them,” she told the cop.

The actress seemingly approved of the way Busfield handled things on the set of the film, as she described it as friendly, while also explaining that he only wanted to make them comfortable.

“It’s really important that the kids feel comfortable with the people they’re working with. So, it’s just standard practice to become as friendly with them as possible so that they trust you, so they open up on screen,” she told Brown. “I always admired the way Tim works with children because he makes them so comfortable.”

Melissa Gilbert Hinted That She And Timothy Busfield Used To Be Close With The Parents

Gilbert hinted that she and her husband used to be close to the parents of the boys, and would often host cast parties in their house that had the boys and their parents in attendance. Sometimes, they’ll also attend other parties hosted by the families of other cast and crew members.

“Adorable boys. They’re boys,” she said. “They’re cute, fun little boys. I mean, I’ve Christmas shopped for them. I know them.”

“These are good kids,” Busfield added. “These are good kids.”

The couple then blamed the parents for what they believe is a legal witch hunt, particularly because the boys were recast at some point, causing them to lose out on the money they were being paid.

“It’s Warner Brothers Safety Protocol as it is probably legally … that establishes that precedent where you’re never alone (with children),” Busfield stated.

Timothy Busfield Said There Was ‘No Protocol’ For Touching Children On Set

The actor noted that there was no protocol for touching children on set, and he did not particularly need one as he hoped to promote a “playful environment.”

“Whether I’d tickle the kids or tell them they did a great job, it was like a coach. I would treat them like a coach. That was my job. Great on this, great on that, all positive,” he told police.

When asked if he tickled or hugged the children on set, Busfield replied: “I don’t remember overtly tickling the boys ever, but it wouldn’t be uncommon for me to.”

“What is the protocol for touching children and picking them up and touching?” Brown asked him.

“It’s not not allowed at all. There’s no protocol. I mean, I’m always around people. It would be in front of the parents. There would never (be) a weird moment about it. I don’t really remember picking those boys up,” Busfield said. “It’s disgusting. Never anything of any sexual, any weird ever with them. Just that’s disgusting.”

Busfield has since denied the charges brought against him. On February 6, a New Mexico grand jury formally charged him with four counts of criminal sexual contact involving a child. His trial is now set for May 2027.

Melissa Gilbert Calls Her Husband’s Side Of The Story ‘The Truth’

The actress recently sat for an interview on “Good Morning America,” where she lamented the controversy plaguing her husband.

“Our life, as we knew it, is done,” she said. “We are grieving what we had. All of our plans, all of our dreams, all of our ideas, all of our projects − for Tim, it’s done. He’s canceled. Even if he’s exonerated, he will always be that guy.”

During the interview, hosted by George Stephanopoulos, the actress also admitted that the accusations were not new to her, noting she married Busfield fully aware of the past allegations.

“When Tim and I got together, the internet existed. I didn’t go into my relationship blind. I’m neither naive nor am I complicit,” Gilbert said, per The Blast.

She continued, “I talked to him about it. I asked him questions about it. I heard his side of the story — which nobody has ever heard — which is the truth. And when the time is right, and that is not now, Tim will tell the truth of all of these past allegations when he needs to.”

New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel and NFL reporter Dianna Russini became the center of a media firestorm after photos surfaced showing the two holding hands and embracing at an Arizona resort.

The images, published by Page Six on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, showed Vrabel and Russini at a boutique hotel in Sedona. According to the outlet, the photos were taken “two weekends ago.”

Both Vrabel and Russini are married to other people and have young families, quickly making the images and assumptions about their alleged relationship one of the biggest off-field stories in the NFL.

Us Weekly is breaking down everything that happened below:

What Do the Photos of Mike Vrabel and Dianna Russini Show?

The images showed Mike Vrabel and Dianna Russini spending time together at a plush resort on March 28, 2026. In one photo, the pair clutched hands, and in another, their arms were wrapped around one another on a rooftop. Additional photos showed the duo relaxing by a pool next to one another, enjoying time in an outdoor spa together and individually walking around the same outdoor space.

How Did Mike Vrabel and Dianna Russini Respond?

Both broke their silence shortly after the photos were published, denying anything romantic was going on.

“These photos show a completely innocent interaction and any suggestion otherwise is laughable,” Mike Vrabel told the New York Post, per reporting by NBC Sports. “This doesn’t deserve any further response.”

Dianna Russini also pushed back on affair allegations, claiming the photos don’t show the full picture of the pair’s working relationship. “The photos don’t represent the group of six people who were hanging out during the day,” her statement read. “Like most journalists in the NFL, reporters interact with sources away from stadiums and other venues.”

Steven Ginsberg, executive editor of The Athletic — where Russini works as a lead NFL insider — also defended her amid the drama. “These photos are misleading and lack essential context,” Ginsberg said. “These were public interactions in front of many people. Dianna is a premier journalist covering the NFL and we’re proud to have her at The Athletic.”

Who Are They Married To?

Mike Vrabel has been married to his wife, Jen, since 1999. The couple were college sweethearts at Ohio State University and share sons Tyler and Carter. Vrabel, a former NFL player who won three Super Bowls with the Patriots, spoke to The Athletic in January 2025 about celebrating his 25th wedding anniversary with Jen in Italy.

Dianna Russini married Kevin Goldschmidt, an HR technology vice president at Shake Shack, in September 2020. The pair share sons Michael and Joey. Russini posted an Instagram carousel of photos with her husband and kids on March 8, 2026, writing, “Life lately before it gets whackier. Here comes Marchhhhh.”

She also reflected on her marriage in a 2022 Instagram post, writing, “[Two] years today was the best day of my life — when I married Kev in front of our family and dozens of friends over Zoom. It’s you and only you, for me, forever.”

What Did They Say Publicly Before the Photos?

Dianna Russini appeared on the Stugotz and Company radio show in February 2026, where she joked about her mother telling her that her “marriage is falling apart.”

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“He looks good, he looks really good. You know, I’m starting to think he’s got a girlfriend. And you know what, good for him,” Russini recounted at the time of her mother’s comments on Goldschmidt. “He looks good, he’s successful. His wife’s never around. You love this football thing. That’s why he looks good.”
Russini told the show she fired back at her mother, “I went right back at her,” she claimed. “I said, ‘Why would you say that to me right now while I’m on a trip? That my husband has a girlfriend?’”

In a February 25 press conference, Mike Vrabel discussed work-life balance and the importance of spending time with family.

“We put a lot of work in,” he said at the time. “It was a long season, and we were excited to work as long as we did, but you have to be able to get away. You have to be able to spend time with people that care about you.”

While balancing life as a father and an entertainer, it seems like Blueface just can’t seem to dodge the chaos. This time, his mom Karlissa Saffold has stepped in and now folks are trying to read between the lines after she went off on in him in a series of posts on social media. 

RELATED: Karlissa Saffold Shares That She Was Blocked After Reacting To Blueface And Nevaeh Akira’s Gender Reveal (PHOTO)

Blueface Asks His Mother To Apologize To Him & Nevaeh Akira Following Past Feud

Blueface has been in his streaming era lately, and recently had his girlfriend, Nevaeh Akira, by his side. In clips circulating online, Karlissa Saffold ended up calling him in the middle of a session and asked him to support and post her book. In one clip, Blue asked his mom if she supported his relationship. She clapped back, saying she wouldn’t be calling his phone if she didn’t support it. He then asked her to apologize to Nevaeh. Karlissa responded, “Apologize for what? Me and Nevaeh already apologized to each other. What are you talking about?”

Blueface replied, “I’m asking you to apologize to me.” She fired back, saying she already apologized 60 episodes ago. He then told her to do it again. Karlissa then questioned him, asking what he was going to apologize for, saying, “Are you going to apologize for betting Chrisean to beat my a**?” The rapper then responded, “I’m going to post your book.” Blueface then cut her off, saying, “I’m not apologizing for your a** whooping, you should’ve fought better.”

Karlissa even took to her page to react to another clip with Blueface and Nevaeh. This time, Nevaeh said it was all love and that she wouldn’t disrespect her, adding she wouldn’t call her out her name, speak down on her, call her an “old h**,” twerk at an older age, or have three baby daddies.

Karlissa wrote, “I’ma leave this here until they have their kid. Johnathan, you ain’t allowed to fraternize with criminals. Get rid of that 304.” She also added, “I got baby daddies and never disrespected one of their mothers and I married one. Surrogate incubator… a** reject albino.”

Karlissa Pops OFF On Blue On Social Media

Karlissa isn’t letting up. It looks like what was said on Blueface’s stream still wasn’t sitting right with her spirit. On Wednesday, April 8, she called him out by dissing him and the women he’s been involved with, writing, “My son is a washed-up rapper with a group of dirty pennies for BMs and nobody gives a f*** how you feel about me. I’ll buy another son… you 304 don’t even take showers… them trailer park trash groupies with your broke a**.”

She also warned those involved not to disrespect her, adding, “If you sit up with a groupie and try to call me a 304, I’m coming to take what’s left. So you better make sure whatever you say is the truth.”

In another series of posts, Karlissa made it clear she isn’t backing down and is ready to escalate things further if needed.

She wrote, “Say something else to disrespect me and I’m posting s*** about that 304 that’s going to make the last one look like a saint. I’ll embarrass you so bad you won’t want that baby either. Try me.”

When asked what sparked her latest rant, she claimed in her comments that Blueface was “showing off for a rat per usual.”

Social Media Reacts 

Folks gathered under The Shade Room Teens comment section to share their thoughts on the recent Blueface’s family tea. Some felt Karlissa wasn’t wrong for going off and fully supported her posts. Others argued she should mind her business when it comes to her son’s relationships and stop inserting herself publicly. Meanwhile others think even if she oversteps, Blueface should still respect his mom and handle things differently.

Instagram user @i.keraaa wrote, “Scribble face took me out omg 😂😂😂😂😂”

Instagram user @iiheartshaex wrote. “wait i’m weak she ate him up”

While Instagram user @kash.ari26 wrote, “And u came on the internet to tell us this about your son WHY”

Instagram user @ruinqueenn wrote, “This wouldn’t happen if she would listen to him when he tell her to stay out his relationships js, but she rather act like a bitter ex and link up with Jadyn when they both bitter about the new gf”

Instagram user @ravennicole_ added, “This don’t even sound like somebody mom this sound like somebody who mad a ninja don’t want them”

While Instagram user @idkimjustunknown wrote, “Why yal taking up for him? Do yal not see how he talks to HER? 😂”

Instagram user @_nazeera wrote, “He  said you you should have fought better 😂😂 like that’s not his mom omg”

Instagram user @qweenbeauu wrote, “He wrong for letting her talk about his mom  so I don’t blame her.”

While Instagram user @miradione wrote, “she heated she the lighter 😂😂”

RELATED: Wait…What?! Blueface Airs Out Ongoing Tension Over His Mother Karlissa’s Involvement In His Love Life (PHOTO)

By Douglas Helm
| Published 1 hour ago

Everyone is familiar with Stanley Kubrick’s adaptation of Stephen King’s novel The Shining, but there is also the lesser-known 1997 miniseries that starred Steven Weber in the role of Jack Torrance, played by Jack Nicholson in the Kubrick film. Weber appeared on an episode of the Inside of You podcast in 2023, where he recalled a slightly disappointing moment he had with King himself.

In the interview, Weber said, “There was a portion of the book that I couldn’t understand… and I asked [Stephen King] what it meant,” adding, “And I thought, ‘Great, I’ve got a living author downstairs. What does this mean, Steve?’ And basically, he was, like, ‘Yeah, this line is about a bottle of wine, and this is because I was standing over a carpet that had a color that intrigued me, and this — I was drunk.’ And I was, like, ‘Oh. Thanks, Steve.’”

Of course, Weber laughed about the anecdote and went on to say that King is a great guy, but it’s funny to learn that even iconic lines in iconic books don’t always have the most profound meanings behind them.

King’s Prolific Output

King is a highly prolific author with an incredibly consistent output quality despite the number of books he releases. Understandably, his writing style doesn’t necessarily lend itself to poring over each and every line, and moments like this offer a glimpse into how instinctive some parts of his process can be.

The Shining miniseries is an interesting entry in Hollywood history, as it was always going to be compared to the cultural phenomenon that was Kubrick’s adaptation. Famously, Stephen King wasn’t a fan of the Kubrick adaptation, so it wasn’t surprising that he wanted a more faithful version of one of his most iconic novels. King took it upon himself to write the TV miniseries adaptation, which Mick Garris directed.

Stephen King’s version of The Shining aired on ABC in 1997 and was met with fairly decent reviews, with fans of the book appreciating the more faithful adaptation of the source material and the high production values. Steven Weber also brought his own unique flavor to the role of Jack Torrance, and his performance was praised.

Of course, it would never become as big as the Kubrick film, but it’s still worth a watch to see the differences between the two and understand what King wanted out of an on-screen version of The Shining.

More Stephen King Adaptations Are Always In The Works

While Stephen King may not have been satisfied with Kubrick’s version of The Shining, he has had a long and varied relationship with adaptations of his work. There have been a ton of TV shows and movies adapted from his work, and there are always more on the way.

Rather than a fixed number of projects in development, the reality is that King’s catalog is in near-constant rotation in Hollywood, with movie adaptations of The Monkey, The Long Walk, and The Running Man seeing 2025 releases. New films and series, like It: Welcome to Derry are regularly announced, with major filmmakers and showrunners continuing to put their own spin on his stories.

It remains to be seen which of these projects ultimately make it to the screen, but one thing is clear: there is no slowdown when it comes to adapting Stephen King’s work.

Stephen King’s The Shining is currently streaming on Tubi.

By Robert Scucci
| Published 1 hour ago

I hated every single minute of American Honey (2016), and it’s rare for me to find zero redeeming qualities in a film. It’s not that it’s objectively terrible. A quick trip to Rotten Tomatoes, where it holds a 79 percent approval rating, does all the heavy lifting there. It’s 163 minutes of a young woman trying to find herself while selling magazines with a bunch of other wanderers, but something about this one really rubbed me the wrong way.

I think the problem I have with American Honey is that there’s no real goal or dream to latch onto. It’s static, and while that was probably writer-director Andrea Arnold’s intention, it didn’t land for me. I’m just not the right audience for this kind of movie. I like straightforward storytelling, and American Honey is pure slice of life. I don’t hate slice-of-life outings, but I still need some kind of goal, moral, or takeaway, and I never found one here.

This could have been distilled into 90 minutes and been just as effective. Even then, I don’t think I’d feel any differently about American Honey. I had the same reaction to Nomadland, so take that for what it’s worth.

Nearly 3 Hours Of Nothing Much At All

American Honey centers on Star (Sasha Lane). She lives in Oklahoma with her abusive father and acts as the primary caretaker for her younger siblings. She dumpster dives for food and lives a miserable life. You want to root for her because she’s clearly been dealt a bad hand and wants something better. She could take night classes a library, crash with a friend while getting on her feet, find a shelter in another town to escape her abusive family while still keeping tabs on her siblings from a safe but reachable distance. It wouldn’t be easy, but it’s doable.

Instead, Star meets Jake (Shia LaBeouf with a hideous rat tail haircut), who likes causing scenes while dancing at K-Mart. Their eyes lock and she’s instantly smitten. She abandons her siblings because she’s completely sold on becoming a traveling magazine sales person with Jake and his ragtag group of miscreants, led by the super sexy but manipulative Krystal (Riley Keough).

Here’s how the rest of American Honey plays out. Jake trains Star in sales. Star doesn’t like how Jake lies during his door-to-door pitches because it says everything you need to know about his moral compass. Star and Jake fall in love, or at least Star thinks they do. Krystal gets mad that Jake’s numbers are slipping since Star joined the crew. Krystal makes Jake massage her with lotion in a motel room while Star watches, marking her territory in what her mind is the most humiliating way possible.

Day after day, Star gets in the van, wakes up in a new state, and repeats the cycle. She sells a ton of “subscriptions,” but she’s really just running a game on a string of male suitors. She never fully commits to prostitution, but she plays the part just enough to make a disportionate amount cash for her exploits under the guise of working a low-level sales scam job. Shia LaBeouf’s rat tail flaps gently in the breeze when he admits he’s been stealing valuables from every house he enters. Star and Jake roll around in the grass, people get betrayed, more magazines are sold. Yawn.

You Can Trace The Origin Of The First Time Machine To Somebody Trying To Stop This Movie From Being Made

Call me old fashioned, but I like my movies to tell a story. It doesn’t matter if it’s straight-forward, esoteric, non-linear, or fragmented. There still needs to be something holding it all together. At its core, American Honey uses its slice-of-life approach to show Star’s struggles, but we only get fleeting glimpses of where she came from and where she might be going. I understand that this is probably the point, and that I’m just not picking up what it’s throwing down, but it frustrated me because there’s some interesting stuff happening throughout, but we only see it on a surface level. Probably another intentional artistic choice. It’s a subversive way to deliver social commentary on this kind of lifestyle, but this movie screams to be more visceral and cathartic by latching onto something tangible. It doesn’t do that, so it feels like a complete waste of time.

Star is a complex character, shaped by her unstable upbringing. The same could be said for everyone she’s working with as they bounce between motels and sell subscriptions just to scrape together a per diem and party their way through their teens and 20s. Everyone is running from something, and whatever that something is must be bad enough for this life to feel like a better option. Most of these characters are probably trying to be good people, even if their instincts are completely misguided. That’s what’s interesting to me. Watching them all operate in this kind of limbo for a prolonged period of time is a disservice to the kind of resilience that’s being actively celebrated in American Honey.

Except for Jake. He’s in full-on chode mode for the entire movie, and every single scene he’s in makes me wish time moved faster.

My disappointment with American Honey comes from how many compelling stories are sitting right there in front of you, but always just slightly out of reach. Every character has some idiosyncracy worth exploring, but instead we get a long sizzle reel of their antics as a collective. Even as a sizzle reel, it still clocks in at nearly three hours. The whole thing feels like young-adult nomad porn; the kind of fantasy about running away you have when you’re 15, when all you think you need to survive is the prospect of dry humping and occasionally blowing up bottle rockets.

American Honey is streaming on Netflix. Watch it. Or don’t. I don’t care.

Joseph Duggar relied on his faith during his time in jail.

According to jailhouse audio released by the Washington County Sheriff’s Office and obtained by Us Weekly on Wednesday, April 8, Joseph, 31, spoke to his wife, Kendra Duggar, about how he was finding strength while behind bars.

“I just went into my prayer closet, and I had a really good time praying for you and for the kids and even for Mama and Joy, because they’ve been assisting you a lot,” Joseph shared. “I found Psalm 54 has been one that I’ve been praying. I changed kind of the personal pronouns and just put your name or different [people’s] name on it. It’s been really comforting.”

At one point in his phone call, Joseph spoke highly of his mom, Michelle Duggar, “because I know that this weighs on her heavily.”

“You can let her know that I’m very, very thankful for her support for you, and I know she’s done a lot, probably in this whole journey of stuff,” he said. “Just make sure she knows that I love her. I was praying Psalm 54 over her too, because I feel like the attacks that are coming to our family are also coming probably to her, or she feels the pressure of it.”

Us Weekly previously confirmed on March 18 that Joseph was arrested in Arkansas amid accusations of sexual abuse from a 14-year-old girl, who was 9 years old at the time of the alleged incident.

The former reality TV star has pleaded not guilty to all charges, including lewd and lascivious behavior involving molestation of a victim less than 12 years old and lewd and lascivious behavior conducted by a person 18 years or older.

On March 31, Joseph was released from a Florida jail after posting $600,000 bail. Kendra, 27, reportedly put her family’s home up for rent and sold personal items to secure the necessary funds to pay for Joseph’s bond.

During the call, Kendra tried to offer support to her husband and father of their four children.

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Related: Who Is Joseph Duggar? What to Know About the Former TLC Star After Arrest

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The Duggar family is making headlines again following the arrest of Joseph Duggar for allegedly molesting a minor. Joseph, the third son of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, was arrested by the Tontitown Police Department in Arkansas on March 18 after they obtained a warrant from Bay County, Florida, where the alleged incident took place. […]

“Something else I was gonna say is that I know that I have Brother Carl. He texted me and said to tell you that he loved you and loved us,” she said. “And I was thinking, I need to relay that to you. Well, I know that everybody here loves you. I’ve heard that they all want to visit you when they can, and we’re all grieved about the situation, but there’s love too, so I want you to know that.”

Since Joseph’s release from a Florida jail, the former TLC reality star has been able to reunite with Kendra in Arkansas, his lawyer confirmed to People.

If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). If you or someone you know is experiencing child abuse, call or text Child Help Hotline at 1-800-422-4453.

Arguably, no one does true crime better than Netflix. The sheer number of offerings Netflix has in the genre is staggering, making it the de facto platform. It’s a reputation that Netflix is only too happy to oblige, with true crime consistently finding its way into the top-watched programs and accounting for a significant portion of what its subscription base chooses to watch. That said, despite a respectable consistency in quality, Netflix’s true-crime fare often falls into the same trap that has dominated the genre for years, where victims are merely checkpoints in the story of the glorified perpetrator. But Netflix does have its fair share of projects that are more victim-centric, and its latest, The Predator of Seville, is one such entry, and it is surging the charts, currently sitting as the third most-watched Netflix show of the week.

The Hunter Becomes the Hunted in ‘The Predator of Seville’

For a series called The Predator of Seville, it spends precious little time on its titular subject, one Manuel Blanco Vela. Blanco Vela was a tour guide in Morocco who used his position to scout out young women, in Spain on study abroad trips, he could drug and assault. One of those women, Gabrielle Vega, was assaulted when she was 18, with Blanco Vela choosing the night before her return to the United States to commit the act. The timing was deviously purposeful, not allowing time for local authorities to be approached before the flight home, and wagering that the challenge of pursuing justice for a crime suffered abroad would be enough to deter his victims from even trying.

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The series draws directly from detectives, prosecutors, survivors, friends, and victims’ families.

Initially, Vega wasn’t interested in trying either and simply wanted to warn potential victims to avoid Discover Excursions, despite the incident sending her into years of depression. But it would turn out that Blanco Vela had many other victims, as many as 50, and the stories were shockingly similar to her own. It led to Vega mounting a full-scale investigation into Blanco Vela’s crimes, bolstered by those who had reached out to her, and largely without the assistance of authorities. It all paid off, with Blanco Vela convicted and sentenced to eight-and-a-half years for sexual assault.

‘The Predator of Seville’ Is a Tale of Inspiration

The Predator of Seville is a rarity in the true-crime genre. It doesn’t focus on Blanco Vela, which is refreshing and rare on its own, but it also isn’t victim-centric. Rather, it is a celebration and a tale of inspiration about a group of women who rallied to break free of the victim label, finding a strength in connection they couldn’t have on their own. Interviews with other women who were assaulted by Blanco Vela, interspersed throughout the series, serve to highlight the impact of Blanco Vela’s crimes. It’s a shared experience that each recounts, about how a charming tour guide lured them in with a comforting reassurance before shattering it through his heinous actions, the words weighed down by years of trauma and grief, laid bare to the audience.

Those stories build on one another, with viewers privy to how each one emboldens Vega even further in her investigation, creating a union of survivors who collectively bear the ups and downs of the journey. And as The Predator of Seville makes abundantly clear, there were a lot of downs: bureaucracy, shoddy law enforcement, translation complications, the distance, and Blanco Vela himself, who leaned on his charismatic reputation to evade suspicion.

Yet their resilience in the face of it all is empowering, showcasing how collective action worked to prove a pattern of abuse and bring it to a satisfying end. While Gabrielle Vega may be the primary focus, don’t let that fool you: The Predator of Seville is their story. In a genre that too often focuses on the villain, one where the victim is little more than a name on the villain’s journey, as much a victim now as they were then, it’s little wonder that the series has stormed the charts. The Predator of Seville is a series celebrating a resilient group of women who found in each other their own story reflected, connected in an unprecedented way to change the narrative and reclaim what had been taken from them.

Whew, Roommates! Offset just can’t seem to catch a break. While bouncing back after getting shot near Florida’s Hard Rock Hotel and Casino this week, the rapper has reportedly landed in some legal trouble with a Detroit casino over a six-figure debt.

RELATED: Whew! Offset Responds To Lil Tjay’s STRONG Words As Authorities Report That Associate Of Bronx Rapper Shot Him

Detroit Casino Hits Offset With Lawsuit Following Six-Figure Debt

According to TMZ, Detroit’s MotorCity Casino Hotel is suing Offset, claiming he opened a $100,000 credit line to keep a night of gambling going back in March 2024. The casino claims they couldn’t get in touch with the former Migos member, so they tried to pull the money from his account like they agreed when he opened the line. But when they went to collect, there allegedly wasn’t enough cash to cover the debt. Now, the casino has reportedly filed a lawsuit against him for breach of contract, fraud, and more related allegations. Despite the legal heat, a representative for Offset has reportedly told TMZ they are “working toward a resolution.” Per Complex, the casino filed the lawsuit on March 30, just a week before Offset was shot outside of Florida’s Hard Rock Hotel and Casino on April 6.

Offset’s Shooting Shakes Up Timeline As Authorities Investigate

Offset had fans shook and timelines blowing up after reports revealed that he was shot on Monday, April 6. Even though he’s in stable condition now, rumors and new details about the incident have continued to surface. Shortly after the incident, TMZ reported that Lil Tjay was taken into custody and after getting into a fight with Offset right before gunshots rang out. Tjay’s charges included “disorderly conduct” and “operating a vehicle without a valid license.” His bond was set at $500 for the conduct charge and $2,500 for the traffic violation. His booking record didn’t mention Offset’s shooting or any gun-related incidents.

On top of that, Tjay’s lawyer, Dawn M. Florio, denied that he had anything to do with the shooting and called any claims “baseless rumors.” However, Seminole police reportedly detained a second unnamed person at the Hollywood, Florida casino but they reportedly have not been charged as of yet.

Offset Calls Out Lil Tjay After Shooting Incident

Lil Tjay was later released from jail on Tuesday, April 7. A clip on NBC 6 South Florida’s official Instagram account showed him speaking with reporters while walking out. He said he wasn’t involved in any altercations. “Did I shoot Offset? That s**t is crazy… I’ll smack the s**t out of Offset. He would never play with me like that in his life.” He then called out Offset for spreading false claims that he fired shots at him. “The last thing I seen was Offset looking at me like this, ‘Yo, that n***a shot me. That n***a shot me […] N***a is a rat.” Offset seemed to peep Tjay’s comments and jumped on his Instagram Story with a message that read, “U aint buss nun.” 

RELATED: Whew! Lil Tjay Shares STRONG Words About Offset After Being Released From Jail In Florida (VIDEO)