Alex Cooper built her brand on control, confidence, and knowing exactly how to steer a conversation, but now, that control is being tested in a very public way. 

The “Call Her Daddy” host is facing growing scrutiny after serious allegations surfaced about her husband and business partner, Matt Kaplan. 

As reports describe tension behind the scenes of their company, the spotlight has shifted from Cooper’s success to the cracks forming within her empire, and the pressure is only building.

Alex Cooper found herself at the center of controversy after calling out former collaborator Alix Earle, an unexpected move that quickly snowballed into something much bigger. 

Instead of the focus staying on that feud, attention shifted to Cooper’s husband, Kaplan, and his alleged behavior at their company, Trending.

A recent investigation claimed the 42-year-old created a difficult work environment, with accusations that he “berated” and “yelled” at employees. 

There were also claims that Kaplan threatened to blackball staff from working in Hollywood. As the reports gained traction, insiders suggested the situation hit at something deeply personal for Cooper. 

“This is Alex Cooper’s biggest fear: bad press,” a source told the Daily Mail, adding, “It matters to her. She wants to control the narrative, always. She is insecure and cutthroat all in one. She really doesn’t have that many friends.”

Cooper’s Company Hit With Workplace Complaints And Staff Turnover

According to reports regarding the recent investigation, Matt Kaplan allegedly “berated the staff on set” of the Unwell Winter Games and warned them they could lose future opportunities if mistakes were made. 

One experienced crew member was said to have broken down in tears. Another claim involved a production manager who nearly quit during Alex Cooper’s 2023 live tour, citing concerns about Kaplan “disrespecting staff by yelling and swearing at them.” 

Footage later showed the film producer telling his wife that the manager had simply “snapped.” 

While their creative agency, Unwell, reportedly employs around 100 people, several high-level executives have left within the past year, including key leadership roles in marketing and growth.

Alex Cooper’s Marriage To Matt Kaplan Faces Strain Behind The Scenes

Beyond the business concerns, sources suggest the pressure has also affected Cooper’s personal life. 

Insiders claim that tension has been building within her marriage to Kaplan, particularly as their professional partnership has deepened.

“There’s a lot of tension in their marriage right now,” a source said, adding that the couple is not sleeping in the same room. 

The insider also described a shift in Kaplan’s behavior over time, noting how their relationship changed after they began living together. 

“Matt fully courted Alex and was so sweet with her in the beginning. Once they moved in together, that’s when things changed,” the source explained.

The couple’s decision to combine their business ventures has also raised concerns among those close to Cooper. According to the same source, Kaplan plays a dominant role in her career decisions. 

“Matt pushes her to do things in her business,” they said, adding, “She doesn’t have a manager. Matt is always in the room. Everything goes through Matt.”

Cooper’s Expanding Vision Raises Questions About Sustainability

Bindi Irwin’s mom, Terri Irwin, provided a health update on her daughter after she failed to attend the 2026 Steve Irwin Gala.

During a red carpet interview with E! News at the Saturday, May 2, event inside at Las Vegas’ Bellagio, Terri, 61, spoke about Bindi’s ongoing battle with endometriosis — and why it prevented her from attending alongside her and brother Robert Irwin.

“Bindi is doing so much better now,” Terri told the outlet while standing alongside Robert, 22, at the 3rd annual Steve Irwin Gala that celebrated her late husband’s conservation achievements. “Things like a lot of travel are a bit challenging for her at the moment and so she’ll be here next year to celebrate this wonderful night.” (Steve Irwin died in September 2006 after a fatal snorkelling interaction with a short-tail stingray in Queensland, Australia. He was 44 years old.)

Terri, who was married to Steve for 14 years, added that Bindi, 27, was at Saturday’s event “in spirit” along with her husband Chandler Powell and the couple’s daughter Grace, 5. “This year she’s just staying a little close to home,” Terri told the outlet. “So, ironically, it’s less taxing for her to be home feeding crocodiles.”

Related: Bindi Irwin Misses Late Father Steve Irwin’s Gala Due to Surgery

Bindi Irwin missed her late father Steve Irwin’s annual gala in Las Vegas on Saturday, May 10, after suffering a ruptured appendix. “She’s going to be OK, but surgery — out of all the things we were ready for, that was not one of them,” Bindi’s brother Robert Irwin told People in an interview published […]

In May 2025, Bindi opened up to Us Weekly about her ongoing struggles with endometriosis, which is described by Mayo Clinic as “an often-painful condition in which tissue that is similar to the inner lining of the uterus grows outside the uterus.”

Speaking to Us just one day prior to emergency surgery as a result of a ruptured appendix, and the day before the 2025 Steve Irwin Gala, Bindi said, “If you have good health you can do anything, but when you’re feeling unwell it’s impossible to function in life.” (Bindi was forced to skip the 2025 event as a result of her health struggles, too.)

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Later that month, Bindi shared a progress report with fans via Instagram. “Healing,” she captioned a carousel of photos that showed the Dancing With the Stars season 21 champion recovering in the hospital. “Thank you for your incredible words of support and kindness. The reason I share my health journey is because more girls and women desperately need answers to their undiagnosed pain.”

More recently, Bindi reflected on her endometriosis journey via a lengthy post that urged other sufferers to seek increased support during March’s Endometriosis Australia Awareness Month. “In the last three years, I’ve had over 50 endometriosis lesions cut out of my body. A chocolate cyst that was adhering my ovary to my side was removed. An appendectomy and a hernia repair. I’ve felt indescribable, inescapable pain,” Bindi candidly shared via Instagram on March 31. “Trying to keep my invisible illness to myself after being told by doctors it was just “part of being a woman.” I spent 10 years being undiagnosed.”

Bindi’s post concluded, “No one deserves to suffer in silence. For more information I turned to @seckinmd and @endofound. If you’re in pain, my heart breaks for you. I believe you. Please find answers. And don’t give up on yourself. I know how hard that can be.”

Robert Irwin isn’t done collecting “Dancing with the Stars” wins for his family just yet. 

After both he and his sister Bindi Irwin took home Mirrorball trophies, the 22-year-old is now setting his sights on getting their mom, Terri Irwin, onto the ballroom floor. 

During a recent interview, the wildlife conservation family opened up about the possibility, with Robert making it clear he’s determined to turn the idea into reality, whether Terri is fully ready or not.

Robert Irwin is making it his personal mission to see his mom compete on “Dancing with the Stars.” 

After winning the most recent season alongside partner Witney Carson, he didn’t hesitate to share his next goal for the family.

“I’ll get her. Don’t worry. We’re gonna get her on the next season. I’m gonna make it happen!” Robert told E! News, confidently insisting that Terri will eventually step onto the dance floor.

Terri, however, is taking a more cautious approach. Speaking alongside her son at the Steve Irwin Gala in Las Vegas, she joked about needing time to consider the idea. 

“I’ll review the petition,” she said, adding that she would “get back to you in five to seven business days.”

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Still, the 61-year-old admitted that the opportunity is appealing. “I am honored to be asked if I would do it because it’s an amazing thing,” she shared.

Robert Shares Why Terri Would Thrive On The Show

Robert Irwin isn’t just pushing for his mom to join, but he already has a vision for how she would succeed. 

Drawing from his own experience, he believes Terri would genuinely enjoy the process and the energy of the show.

The zookeeper even went a step further by suggesting a potential partner for his mom. He believes professional dancer Val Chmerkovskiy would be the perfect match. 

“Mum, I’d think you’d dance so well with Val,” he told her, adding that it would make the experience even more enjoyable.

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Terri herself reflected on what she has seen from her children’s time on “DWTS,” recalling how Bindi once described the experience. 

“This is the closest you’ll ever get to flying. You feel free. It’s euphoric. It’s amazing,” she remembered her daughter saying.

She also spoke about the physical side of ballroom dancing, noting how demanding it can be. 

“The dancing has gotta be the most athletic, incredible, moving experience that you could have, so I think it would be really special,” Terri explained.

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Robert Irwin Gets Backup As ‘DWTS’ Pros Support Terri Casting

Robert isn’t the only one campaigning for Terri to join the show. His former dance partner Witney Carson is fully on board with the idea and agrees with his choice of partner.

“I think that she would be best paired with someone who’s seasoned, but can really have fun with her,” Witney said, before adding, “Dare I say Val.” 

She also explained why Chmerkovskiy would be a strong fit, noting that he can balance discipline with a fun rehearsal environment.

Witney already sees potential in Terri based on past experience. She pointed to the conservationist’s brief appearance during a performance earlier in the season. 

“She’s the last Irwin. We’ve got to get Terri on the show. I think she would do incredible,” she said.

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Recalling that moment, Witney added, “She was adding things. She wanted to do a passé. She was adding a flick. I was like, ‘Go Terri!’” 

Robert Calls ‘DWTS’ Win ‘Life-Changing’ After Emotional Finale

Robert Irwin won Season 34 alongside Carson after a highly competitive finale in which five couples performed multiple routines, with judges’ scores and audience votes combined to determine the winner.   

Despite entering the finale with a rib injury, he delivered strong performances, earning near-perfect scores and ultimately winning after one of the closest vote results in the show’s history.

As The Blast shared, the TV presenter said the victory meant “everything” to him. Speaking after the finale, Robert shared, “To follow in those footsteps and to do the same has meant everything to me.”   

He described the experience as life-changing, saying, “This has absolutely changed my life.” Robert also reflected on watching Bindi’s win years earlier, explaining how it inspired him.

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“When I watched her lift that Mirrorball, I saw her lifting that message,” he said. Overall, Robert expressed gratitude for the journey and his dance partner, calling the experience unforgettable. 

Robert Irwin Weighs In On ‘Bachelor’ Speculation: ‘Never Say Never’

Robert has addressed growing speculation about whether he could become the next lead on “The Bachelor,” and he’s not shutting the door on the idea. 

According to The Blast, the wildlife conservationist said, “Never say never,” adding, “I’m in this realm right now where I’m like, never say never.”   

He continued to tease the possibility, saying, “Watch this space. Who knows. It’s a strange world. Anything could happen.”  

Despite the buzz, Robert made it clear that reality TV romance isn’t his main focus. He emphasized, “I’m a zookeeper. I’m an animal conservationist. That’s my thing,” noting that his life is very different from what’s being reported.   

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He also downplayed his dating life, admitting, “My life is a lot more boring than you might think. I’m pretty vanilla.” 

A Complete Unknown has officially become one of the year’s most talked-about films. James Mangold’s masterful take on the life of Bob Dylan—portrayed by Timothée Chalamet—has not only reached new heights for a musical biopic; it has garnered the all-important award buzz. But the real standout of the picture isn’t Chalamet’s take on Dylan but his muse, as Elle Fanning’s Sylvie Russo is more than just a fascinating character. In a world filled with eccentric characters, Russo acts as a beautiful proxy for the audience, helping moviegoers care for Dylan beyond the musician they already know, as they watch his rise to stardom. However, unlike many of the other characters the “Like a Rolling Stone” singer encounters throughout, Sylvie is technically fictional. But she was inspired by an incredibly important force in Dylan’s life and left an incredible legacy of her own behind.

Sylvie Russo Was Inspired by Dylan’s Real-Life Muse

Like most biopics, A Complete Unknown takes quite a few liberties with Dylan’s story. While Sylvie is technically one such modification, she isn’t as fictional as many think. Per Rolling Stone, the character of Sylvie was inspired by Suze Rotolo, an Italian-American artist whom Dylan first met in 1961 and who was a force to be reckoned with. Rotolo, a New Yorker from birth, moved to Greenwich Village to find herself. “[…] it was to Greenwich Village that people like me went—people who knew in their souls that they didn’t belong where they came from,” Rolling Stone quoted. “I was drawn to the Village with its history of bohemia—where the writers I was reading and the artists I was looking at had lived or passed through.”

Much like her movie counterpart, Rotolo became Dylan’s muse—in one of the film’s more accurate sequences, Dylan met Rotolo when he performed in an all-day concert at Riverside Church. Rolling Stone claims she inspired “Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right,” as well as much of his work, even famously appearing with Dylan on the iconic cover of 1963’s The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan. But music and art weren’t the only things Rotolo inspired in Dylan’s life; as with Fanning’s fictional take, Rotolo was heavily involved in various social movements. According to Forbes, she was suspended from school after distributing “Stop the bomb” petitions and participated in the first-ever Civil Rights march in Washington, D.C. As stated by Rolling Stone, she got Dylan interested in civil rights after turning his attention to the murder of 14-year-old Emmett Till, which, of course, inspired his song on the subject. Sadly, the couple would part ways in 1964; however, they continued to speak of each other fondly in later years. Perhaps most telling was Dylan’s decision on how to handle her story when it came to A Complete Unknown.

Bob Dylan Wanted To Change Rotolo’s Name For ‘A Complete Unknown’

When it came time to start making A Complete Unknown, Bob Dylan himself had a very specific request for director James Mangold. The two had been through quite a lot together, including an abortion, as well as an extended distance when Rotolo went on an eight-month trip to Italy, yet Rotolo’s life was kept largely private. “It was a character who I felt—and I think Bob very much agreed when we talked early on—was the only one who wasn’t a celebrity and an icon in and of themselves with a kind of public persona,” Mangold reflected. Sadly, Rotolo passed away in February 2011, thus the decision to change her name for the movie was likely the right one. Still, the film completely honors Rotolo’s legacy.

Russo is an easy character to fall in love with and is key to crafting the film’s gorgeous romance. It additionally honors the amazing work she did for people all around the world. Rotolo involved herself in some of the most meaningful causes of all time and helped bring them into the public consciousness through Dylan—a sort of legacy that cannot be understated. Sylvie Russo may be a creative liberty of sorts, but the legacy of Suze Rotolo lives on through her, through the music she inspired, the art she created, and the love she brought to the world.

Who’s Your Perfect Classic Rock Band?

Whitney Leavitt has announced that she will be exiting The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.

According to a Sunday, May 3, article by The Hollywood Reporter, Leavitt, 32, revealed during her final Broadway performance of Chicago earlier that day that she “is departing” the Hulu reality TV show. The outlet, along with Deadline, confirmed the news in the hours that followed.

Us Weekly has reached out to a representative for Leavitt for comment.

One day prior to the news, Leavitt had celebrated the end of her on-stage portrayal of Roxie Hart via an Instagram video. “Closing night is tomorrow and I’m just feeling a roller coaster of emotions right now 😭,” she captioned the Saturday, May 2, clip. “Never let anyone convince you your dream is impossible. Do the work to make it happen ✨I love you guys sm! Thank you for everything!!!! xx- Roxie Hart 💋✨.”

Related: Whitney Leavitt Teases Future on ‘The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives’

Whitney Leavitt is playing coy about her future on The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. “We’re figuring it out in real-time. I don’t really know,” Whitney, 32, said of whether she’ll return to the show during a Wednesday, April 8, interview on Good Morning America. “I feel sometimes that it’s like time to venture out.” […]

The video included no mention of Mormon Wives, of which Leavitt has appeared as a full-time cast member since debuting on Hulu in September 2024. The show has charted a group of Mormon mom influencers, including Leavitt, whose lives were forever changed following a high-profile cheating scandal.

Leavitt made her Broadway debut in Chicago in February after news of her leap from TV to stage broke in December 2025. The news came after Leavitt competed in season 34 of Dancing With the Stars, finishing the dancing competition in sixth place.

Leavitt will also make her acting and executive producing debut in a holiday rom-com for Ninth House Productions later this year, per reporting by The Hollywood Reporter.

Related: Whitney Leavitt Hints at Possible ‘Secret Lives of Mormon Wives’ Exit

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Whitney Leavitt weighed in on whether she would leave The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives “soon” in the wake of a few new career opportunities. “Well, I’m figuring it out in real time,” Leavitt, 32, told The Hollywood Reporter in an interview published on Monday, March 16. “We’re figuring it out together, but it feels […]

The multiple-threat’s exit from Mormon Wives comes amid a string of controversies that have plagued the show in recent months, including a police investigation focused on an alleged domestic violence altercation between Taylor Frankie Paul and her ex Dakota Mortensen that saw production of Mormon Wives halted. (Us Weekly confirmed on April 14 that Paul, 31, will not face charges in relation to the investigation.)

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The reality TV series’ executive producer Jeff Jenkins addressed speculation that Paul will also not be returning for season 5. “I certainly hope [she will film with the other women],” Jenkins, 58, told fans at Deadline’s “Reality TV Summit” on Friday, May 1. “Again, first and foremost, is she healthy of body and mind, then we’ll talk about it.”

One month prior, the ex-husband of Mormon Wives star Miranda McWhorter, Chase McWhorter, said during the April 7 episode of Harry Jowsey’s “Boyfriend Material” podcast that he believed cameras on the reality show may not pick up again at all.

“I think that’s kind of up in the air at this point,” Chase, 30, claimed at the time. “Hoping they do. All the other women have a bunch of great stories and story lines that haven’t been told. I think that’s a great thing they could look into. So I think they should, but we’ll see.”

Apple TV’s crime-drama bench is crowded right now, which makes this show’s chart movement particularly interesting. On April 23, one day after its Season 2 launch, FlixPatrol had it at No. 5 among Apple TV shows worldwide, behind only Margo’s Got Money Troubles, Imperfect Women, Your Friends & Neighbors, and Monarch: Legacy of Monsters. In the U.S. that same day, it also hit No. 5 on Apple TV’s TV chart, jumping four spots, which is a strong early signal for a returning thriller.

The better sign is that it did not vanish after the premiere curiosity cooled. By April 30, it was still sitting at No. 8 on Apple TV’s U.S. TV chart and had climbed to No. 7 overall on Apple TV’s U.S. list, above bigger Apple library names like Ted Lasso, The Last Thing He Told Me, and For All Mankind. By May 1, it remains visible globally at No. 7 among Apple TV shows, ahead of For All Mankind, Shrinking, and The Last Thing He Told Me.

The series is Criminal Record, Apple TV’s London-set detective thriller starring Peter Capaldi as DCI Daniel Hegarty and Cush Jumbo as DS June Lenker. The show’s Season 2 premiered globally on April 22, 2026, with eight weekly episodes running through June 10. The new story forces Hegarty and Lenker into an uneasy alliance after a young man is killed at a political rally, pushing the case toward a far-right bomb plot and the same moral rot that made Season 1 such a tense sleeper.

‘Criminal Record’ Season 2 Debuted to a 100% RT Score on Rotten Tomatoes

Criminal Record Season 2 opened with the kind of Rotten Tomatoes score that instantly strengthens the sleeper hit argument: early critics had it at 100%, signaling that the Apple TV thriller had returned with more than just residual goodwill from Season 1. The score has since shifted as more reviews were added, with Season 2 critics’ score on RT currently in the high-80s, but the debut reaction still matters.

Criminal Record is currently trending on Apple TV, and Season 2 will air its remaining episodes through June 10. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.

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Release Date

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January 10, 2024

Network

Apple TV

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Showrunner

Paul Rutman

Directors

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Jim Loach

Writers

Thomas Eccleshare, Ameir Brown, Paul Rutman

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• 

  Andrew Brooke

  Clive Silcox

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  Charlie Creed-Miles

  DS Tony Gilfoyle

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The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox allowed Grace Van Patten to work with sister Anna Van Patten, who then went on to appear in a graphic sex scene as Kitty on Euphoria.

Grace, who is Anna’s older sister, grew up with her siblings in New York City before attending Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School. After being directed by her father, Timothy Van Patten, in an episode of The Sopranos, Grace continued to find success with roles in Boardwalk Empire, Maniac and Nine Perfect Strangers.

Grace skyrocketed to fame after being cast as Lucy in Hulu’s Tell Me Lies. She went on to score the lead role as Amanda Knox in a limited series, which will chronicle the period after Knox was wrongfully accused in Meredith Kercher’s murder trial, her time in prison and her journey to freedom. Margaret Qualley was originally set to play Knox in Hulu’s scripted series, but she exited the project and Grace replaced her.

The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox paved the way for Grace to work with Anna, who plays Knox’s real-life sister.

“I’ll say that Grace is f***ing amazing. That’s what I will say,” Knox exclusively told Us Weekly in March 2025. “I’m in a very, very privileged position as someone who is a subject of a story. Typically someone in my position — the subject — doesn’t get to be an executive producer of their own show.”

Keep scrolling for what to know about Anna after she collaborated with Grace on The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox:

What TV Shows Did Anna Van Patten Work On Before ‘The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox’?

Anna made appearances on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, FBI: Most Wanted, Gossip Girl and she has been cast in season 3 of Euphoria.

Who Else Is Part of Grace and Anna’s Famous Family?

Grace and Anna’s father is director and producer Timothy Van Patten and mother is Wendy Rossmeyer Van Patten. Their uncle is comic actor Dick Van Patten and their cousin is actress Talia Balsam, who is the daughter of Joyce Van Patten. Grace and Anna have a younger sister: June.

What Has Anna Shared About Her Career?

During a joint interview with her mother in January 2025, Anna spoke with Modern Luxury about breaking into the industry.

“I went to a performing arts high school where you could major in a subject. I majored in drama, and then I went to the New School for college where I studied film,” she explained. “I think learning all aspects of film can only teach me more about the art as a whole. I think that having Gossip Girl as my first job is teaching me a lot, because there’s really nothing like learning from being on set.”

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Anna continued: “I’m so thankful for that, but I really want to learn to be more hands-on behind the camera. I think this is all teaching me a lot for potential future projects.”

Have Grace and Anna Worked Together Before?

The sisters shared the screen for the first time in Hulu’s The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox, which premiered in August 2025. Grace played Amanda while Anna Van Patten was cast as her sister, Deanna. The rest of the Knox family was portrayed by Sharon Horgan and John Hoogenakker.

What Role Does Anna Van Patten Have in ‘Euphoria’?

Anna appeared in season 3 as a newcomer at the strip club. The dancer — who is named Kitty — has a brutal start at her new job when she has to have sex with a group of men.

There have been movies made about World War II since its conclusion, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t more stories to tell. The conflict was the largest in human history, and was filled with countless stories of heroism, many of which have never been addressed. “Operation Mincemeat” was an operation by the British military told by author Ben Macintyre in a 2010 novel that described the unusual plan. Although the novel had helped to publicize a story that hadn’t received much attention, Netflix’s Operation Mincemeat brought to life one of World War II’s strangest moments with the help of some of the greatest British actors working today. Beyond the fact that Operation Mincemeat is legitimately informative, it’s also a great work of entertainment that understands why World War II is such a compelling cinematic subject.

Operation Mincemeat examines a particularly dangerous moment in World War II when the Allies had prepared an invasion of Sicily, which could’ve turned the tide of the war through the advantages of European expansion. In order to ensure that the attack is a surprise, Admiral John Godfrey (Jason Isaacs) came up with a strategy to leak false information about an invasion of Greece that would confuse the Nazis, forcing them to mount their defenses elsewhere. The only way to pass along the fake details to the Nazis was to create false plans that were placed on the body of a fallen soldier, who could be intercepted. The unlikely heroes of Operation Mincemeat are Lieutenant Commander Ewen Montagu (Colin Firth) and Flight Lieutenant Charles Christopher Cholmondeley (Matthew Macfadyen), who are tasked with identifying the corpse and giving it the necessary preparations. While it is a war movie, first and foremost, Operation Mincemeat contains elements of the espionage and heist genres.

Netflix’s ‘Operation Mincemeat’ Uncovers an Undiscovered WWII True Story

Operation Mincemeat is effective at showing the substantial pressure put upon the Allied forces at this point in the war, which has already proven to be devastating and responsible for millions of lives lost. The film shows how the Allies became more interested in untraditional strategies, as to simply wage war through endless combat zones would only become more destructive. The irony of the film is that Montagu and Cholmondeley find that the body of a vagrant could end up being responsible for an operation that brings forward peace. Even though this man, who is disguised as a soldier, did not get to enjoy the virtues of life in his own time, he may be helpful in awarding those freedoms to countless others. Although there is some humor in how the film describes how inherently unusual this mission was, it also shows a respectfulness for the deceased that is necessary for the given subject.

Operation Mincemeat is distinct from other World War II films because it examines the unspoken heroism of those who were not in positions of authority. Among the complications of the secret mission is that Cholmondeley and Montagu understand that their actions will have to be classified in the immediate aftermath, and they may not receive the laudatory praise of their peers if their operation is successful. This opened the door to a deeper understanding of the ethics of spycraft, especially since future James Bond author Ian Fleming is a character in the film, played by Johnny Flynn. While being able to work in secret could have given Montagu and Cholmondeley the excuse to take a more ruthless, immoral approach, their insistence on remaining honorable shows the importance of retaining ethics. Montagu and Cholmondeley believe that victory cannot be attained through malicious means, as they don’t want to fall into the same path of deceit and manipulation that hallmarked their enemies.

Netflix’s ‘Operation Mincemeat’ Examines the Complexity of Victory

Image via Netflix

Operation Mincemeat is a terrific ensemble film, as it shows that all of those that participated in the operation were integral to its success, and that a war could not be won by simply one brave soldier. Firth has had some experience starring in World War II films, such as The King’s Speech and The Railway Man, but he gives one of his most underrated performances ever as Montagu. Montagu is distraught throughout because he is separated from his family, who have been sent to remain in safety in the United States, which makes him feel even more alienated as he remains in Europe. He’s also Jewish, and there have been rumors about what Adolf Hitler did to the population of Poland, even if the more disturbing details of the Holocaust were not uncovered by the Allies at this point in history. While both of these stresses weigh down on Montagu, Firth shows the integrity of a man who put his best foot forward and served as a role model for those under his command.

The Operation Mincemeat story has strangely become even more popular since the film’s release, as a Broadway musical of the same name became incredibly successful, even if it took a slightly more comical approach. However, Operation Mincemeat is unique among war films because it showed how many of the most pivotal moments in the conflict were made in meetings and boardrooms. While this may not seem as inherently exciting as a film like Saving Private Ryan that is set within the trenches, Operation Mincemeat showed that heroism takes many forms, and that some of the most valiant efforts are kept secret.