Movie lovers have always had a fascination with Westerns. In the glory days of the genre, they provided an exciting look at a golden age of cowboys and adventures set against a sprawling backdrop of deserts and mountains. As time has gone by, the genre has evolved, inviting neo-Westerns into the conversation while holding true to its ideals.

Since 2000, Westerns have experienced an extraordinary boom. Throughout the past 26 years, there have been some masterpieces, but the six that made this list are the most perfect of them all. From classic themes, remakes of iconic titles, and newfound thrillers that reignited a passion for the Wild West, these six movies are the most perfect. While there are certainly other movies that came oh so close, these six are why the West continues to win.

1

‘3:10 to Yuma’ (2007)

Image via Lionsgate

Sometimes a modern eye and newfound cinematic technology can take an already solid story and elevate it into something incredible. Such was the case for the 2007 remake of 3:10 to Yuma. Adapted from Elmore Leonard’s short story, the film follows an impoverished, debt-ridden rancher named Dan Evans (Christian Bale) who agrees to safely escort a notorious, captured outlaw named Ben Wade (Russell Crowe) to a 3:10 train heading to Yuma prison in exchange for money to save his family’s land. Along the way, Wade’s violent gang tracks them relentlessly, while Wade and Dan engage in a tense psychological duel and develop an unexpected mutual respect. An enthralling Western whose action is as gripping as the psychological duel, 3:10 to Yuma elevates a simple escort mission into a tense, character-driven study of morality, duty, and mutual respect.

3:10 to Yuma proudly stands on its own as a masterclass of Western filmmaking. Director James Mangold uses the story to propel a dynamite character-driven drama that could easily be a stage play. The movie explores deep themes of fatherhood, personal redemption, and what it truly means for a broken man to earn back his self-respect in the eyes of his son. Bale and Crowe have extraordinary chemistry as rivals. Bale portrays raw, grounded desperation and quiet honor, while Crowe plays a villain with dangerous charm, intelligence, and an unpredictable moral code. The true unhinged villain performance comes from Ben Foster as Wade’s ruthless, psychopathic right-hand man, Charlie Prince. The film shifts away from the standard good-versus-evil Western narrative, in exchange for how the captive outlaw slowly influences and respects his captor. The film builds tension as the clock ticks toward that departure, keeping the audience on edge.

2

‘Brokeback Mountain’ (2005)

Image via Focus Features

The Western genre may be about cowboys and the love for the job, but in Ang Lee’s beautiful romance Brokeback Mountain, love runs deeper. The film takes Annie Proulx’s short story and expands it into a groundbreaking masterpiece. The story follows the complex, secret love affair between two cowboys, Ennis Del Mar (Heath Ledger) and Jack Twist (Jake Gyllenhaal), spanning from 1963 to 1983 in the American West. Isolated from the rest of the world, Ennis and Jack form a deep emotional and physical bond that changes their lives forever. After the summer ends, they separate and both marry women—Ennis marries Alma (Michelle Williams), and Jack marries Lureen (Anne Hathaway). However, they continue to meet up over the course of twenty years for sporadic, hidden fishing trips. Brokeback Mountain tackles forbidden love as it explores how hard it was to express same-sex love in rural America during a time when it was heavily judged, rejected, and unsafe. Brokeback Mountain is more than that “gay cowboy movie.” It’s a transcendent journey through regret, lost time, and the persistence of love.

Brokeback Mountain has all the makings of a Western, but then subverts it into a sensationally unique tale of true love and the struggle to keep it. The cowboy myth is reshaped as the ultimate symbol of rugged, hypermasculine American patriarchy and exposes how rigidly enforced social codes destroy the people who cannot fit inside them. The story highlights the high emotional cost of unfulfilled desires and living a divided life. And love is at the center of that battle. The film brilliantly blends a deeply moving, universal love story with a powerful deconstruction of traditional American masculinity. Lee directs with immense empathy and quiet precision, avoiding melodrama to let small gestures, glances, and long silences carry the emotional weight. Rodrigo Prieto’s breathtaking cinematography uses the vast Wyoming wilderness as a temporary sanctuary for freedom, which starkly contrasts with the claustrophobic, hostile towns where the men are forced to live their separate, conventional lives. Brokeback Mountain pushed commercial and cultural barriers, proving that an LGBTQ-led narrative could achieve high artistic merit and deeply move mainstream audiences worldwide.

3

‘Django Unchained’ (2012)

Image via WC

There’s not a genre that Quentin Tarantino can’t handle. In 2012, he took a shot at spaghetti Westerns with Django Unchained. The film tells the tale of Django Freeman (Jamie Foxx), an enslaved man in Texas who is freed after being purchased by a German bounty hunter named Dr. King Schultz (Christoph Waltz) for his ability to identify his next targets, the murderous Brittle brothers (M. C. Gainey, Cooper Huckabee, and Doc Duhame). Together, they hunt criminals and travel deep into the American South to rescue Django’s wife, Broomhilda (Kerry Washington), from a brutal, sadistic plantation owner, “Monsieur” Calvin J. Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio). Blending the high-energy style of a spaghetti Western with a powerful revenge story, Django Unchained forces viewers to face the true horrors of American slavery while giving its hero a rare, deeply satisfying victory.

Tarantino uses the style of old exploitation and Western films to tell a story of real justice. It trades the usual tragic ending of slave dramas for a powerful, explosive moment of payback. All with the visceral signature Tarantino style. By using the real-world historical horrors of American slavery, such as brutal whippings, forced dog attacks, and mandingo fights, some scenes feel as terrifying and visceral as a horror movie. So, yes, there is lots and lots of blood. The film is filled with top-notch performances, especially from Foxx, Waltz, and DiCaprio. Foxx brings a quiet strength that counters the charm and a warm heart to his role as a mentor. DiCaprio defies type by leaning into a cruel villain with terrifying ease. Other strong turns come from Samuel L. Jackson as a complex and bitterly hateful house servant, Stephen, and Walton Goggins as the sadistic overseer and enforcer, Billy Crash. Django Unchained is not the easiest film to watch, and yet, it’s extraordinarily entertaining. ​​​​​​​

4

‘No Country for Old Men’ (2007)

Image via Miramax/ courtesy Everett Collection

It’s easy for us to toss around terms like magnum opus, but when it comes to Joel and Ethan Coen, their magnum opus truly is No Country for Old Men. Based on Cormac McCarthy‘s 2005 novel, No Country for Old Men follows three individuals. Set in West Texas in 1980, a hunter named Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin) finds a drug deal gone wrong and a case with 2 million dollars. He takes the money, which starts a deadly chase. Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem) is a terrifying and calm hitman sent to find the money. He tracks Moss using a hidden electronic device and kills anyone in his way. Sheriff Ed Tom Bell (Tommy Lee Jones) tries to save Moss and stop Chigurh, but feels old and helpless in a changing, violent world. The neo-Western thriller subverts traditional cinematic expectations through minimalist storytelling, terrifying realism, and profound thematic depth.

No Country for Old Men is not a happy Hollywood Western. In fact, its bleakness makes it more authentic and raw. The movie is full of suspense and keeps you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. The imagery is quite profound. What tends to be a beautiful, vast landscape is reconfigured to capture the dry, empty splendor of the West Texas desert. The film uses very little background music and sparse dialogue, relying on pure atmosphere. With Bardem playing one of the greatest and most terrifying antagonists, the mood was grim. Taking on the remorseless, coin-flipping monster tracking down a stash of cash makes the journey harrowing. The film was widely praised, winning four Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director for the Coen brothers. ​​​​​​​

5

‘There Will Be Blood’ (2007)

Image via Paramount Vantage

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Loosely based on the 1927 novel Oil! by Upton Sinclair, writer and director Paul Thomas Anderson crafted a brilliant period epic that became grander than its source material. There Will Be Blood follows Daniel Plainview (Daniel Day-Lewis), a ruthless silver miner turned oil tycoon, as he builds his fortune in early 20th-century California, using his adopted son H.W. (Dillon Freasier) to project the image of a family man while manipulating landowners into selling their property. Plainview clashes with a charismatic local preacher named Eli Sunday (Paul Dano), leading to a bitter, destructive conflict over wealth, faith, and power that leaves Plainview morally bankrupt and isolated. Anderson brilliantly challenges traditional cinematic expectations through minimalist storytelling, terrifying realism, and profound thematic depth. There Will Be Blood succeeds as a premier modern Western by subverting traditional frontier myths, replacing cowboys and gunfights with the brutal clash of corporate capitalism and religious zealotry during the California oil boom.

There Will Be Blood tells a dark story about greed, capitalism, and the loss of human soul through a brilliant visual and auditory scope. Anderson shoots the bleak landscapes of early California with deep, quiet power. Alongside cinematographer Robert Elswit, the film uses natural light and vast, empty horizons to show how small and empty the characters’ souls are. Jonny Greenwood from Radiohead created a score filled with screeching violins and heavy, pounding dread, operating like a loving, breathing character that builds upon the panic and unease. There Will Be Blood showcases the foundational work of modern American wealth that was built on exploiting the earth, manipulating people, and destroying human connection. The film evokes a psychological horror as Plainview is like a classic movie monster. He starts his journey with cold, calculating ambition and an absolute lack of empathy, turning him into an inhumane force. It’s all part of Day-Lewis’ legendary performance. He does not need many words to show his inner madness. His sharp voice, heavy breathing, and fierce eyes create innate fear. The Western myth of a noble frontier hero is traded away for a misanthropic, hyper-capitalist antihero, making the film a worthy watch. ​​​​​​​

6

‘True Grit’ (2010)

Image via Wilson Webb/©Paramount Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection

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The original True Grit was an extraordinary classic. But sometimes it takes the right creative team, perfect timing, and faithfulness to the source material to execute the ultimate adaptation. The 2010 iteration of Charles Portis’ novel is simply perfect. Directed by Joel and Ethan Coen, True Grit is the epitome of a classic Western. The story follows 14-year-old Mattie Ross (Hailee Steinfeld), who hires a one-eyed, drunken U.S. marshal named Rooster Cogburn (Jeff Bridges) to track down Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin), the hired hand who murdered her father. They are joined by a Texas Ranger named LaBoeuf (Matt Damon), who is also hunting Chaney for a separate crime. A spellbinding journey into the wilderness, their grit and resolve are tested by harsh weather, shootouts, and violent outlaws hiding out in the territory. True Grit captures the stark, poetic tone of Portis’ original novel, offering a grounded, unromanticized, yet visually stunning look at the American frontier.

The Coens opted to tell the story through Mattie’s eyes; a decision that proved worthwhile. She serves as the emotional anchor of the story. Steinfeld, in a breakthrough role, is treated as a young teenager with fierce agency, with complete seriousness rather than as a cute gimmick. She holds up strongly to the Hollywood legends surrounding her on screen. True Grit presents a moral conundrum for many of the characters. When violence erupts, it is sudden, brief, and brutal, emphasizing the messy and rapid consequences of frontier survival. The Coen brothers approach the classic Western tropes with complete sincerity, creating a timeless myth rather than cynically mocking or deconstructing the genre. Cinematographer Roger Deakins frames the West as a cold, majestic, and indifferent landscape that mirrors the harshness of the journey. True Grit is a razor-sharp Western that honors the classics while setting the blueprint for the 21st century.

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True Grit

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Release Date

December 22, 2010

Runtime

110 minutes

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Director

Joel Coen, Ethan Coen

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Writers

Joel Coen, Ethan Coen, Charles Portis

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Stassi Schroeder’s husband, Beau Clark, broke down on House of Stassi about the couple’s marriage issues — and even compared them to roommates.

During the Wednesday, July 29, premiere episode of Hulu’s new show, Beau sat down with Taylor Strecker to discuss the problems in his relationship with Stassi.

“I’m trying to balance wanting her to have her space and to be able to not stress out when she’s working,” Beau, 46, who shares kids Hartford, 5, and Messer, 2, with Stassi, 38, noted. “But then also I’m sitting here and I’m angry and resentful.”

Beau said he was “just shoving it down” instead of confronting the problem. 
”I just got so detached from her that it’s like we’re roommates,” he continued. “I don’t feel worthy.”

Related: ‘Vanderpump Rules’ Cast: Then and Now

While some things never change, the cast of Vanderpump Rules is used to a shake-up … and a touch-up. Vanderpump Rules was introduced to Bravo viewers during a special episode of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills in January 2013. Season 1 starred Lisa Vanderpump, Stassi Schroeder, Scheana Shay, Jax Taylor, Katie Maloney, Tom Sandoval […]

Reality TV fans have had a front row seat to Stassi and Beau’s ups and downs since they started dating in 2017. After filming their relationship dynamic on Vanderpump Rules, Stassi and Beau got married in 2020 and expanded their family twice.

Beau’s decision to stay home with their kids was a point of contention for the pair. The casting director addressed how their professional lives were affecting the duo’s home life.

“I’m trying not to stress out Stassi. She’s got the show going on and she has her podcast. She’s got brand deals and hopefully at some point, I’ll be able to find the words to just have a chat,” Beau told the cameras. “With Stassi, I will let her know how I’ve been feeling.”

Later in the episode, Beau attempted to broach the subject.

“I just literally just feel like a 1950s housewife where I have my apron on and I’m cleaning everything while feeding the kids,” Beau told Stassi about how giving up his job affected his mental health. “Sometimes that’s how I feel because we don’t have that connection all the time.”

Stassi started to tear up once Beau referred to them as roommates, adding, “I want you to say things. I want you to say things the way that you tell me you don’t want things to build up. I need to make more of an effort.”

Related: ‘Vanderpump Rules’ Cast’s Dating History

When viewers were introduced to staff at Lisa Vanderpump‘s restaurant during Vanderpump Rules‘ 2013 premiere, it was clear everyone was intertwined in one another’s love lives. From Stassi Schroeder‘s rocky relationship with Jax Taylor, which took a turn when he hooked up with her best friend Kristen Doute, to Peter Madrigal’s casual connections to several […]

In a confessional, Stassi gushed over Beau’s support for her.

“All I know is him being with me in the thick of it every day — for the last five years. I became a mom and he was with me the whole entire time,” Stassi recalled.

Stassi was then asked by producers if Beau’s comments made her unsure about returning to reality TV. Stassi, for her part, made it clear that it was time.

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“I’ve already been working for years to get here. I can’t just stop now because all of a sudden, Beau waited until this very moment to tell me that,” she explained before telling Beau they would “work through” any potential issues.

Stassi then joked about Beau finding love with someone younger, to which he replied, “I hope you’re joking. Why would you even say something like that? I’m telling you my feelings. I’m not trying to sit there. I know you’re not trying to make me feel bad. I feel guilty. 
You are not in charge of my feelings.”

House of Stassi premieres Thursday, July 30, on Hulu.

Ben Affleck trusted instinct over strategy, and it turned into one of the most memorable moments of “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire.” 

The Oscar winner and “Jeopardy!” champion Jamie Ding found themselves one correct answer away from the show’s elusive $1 million prize, but instead of relying solely on a trivia expert, Affleck put his faith in an unexpected source. 

The decision transformed a tense finale into a dramatic victory that will ultimately benefit a cause the actor has championed for years.

Ben Affleck joined forces with “Jeopardy!” standout Jamie Ding during Wednesday’s episode of ABC’s “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire,” hosted by Jimmy Kimmel.

Playing on behalf of charity, the pair advanced all the way to the game’s final question, giving them a chance to win the show’s rare $1 million prize.

Per the Daily Mail, the question asked, “In an annual Thanksgiving tradition, all but which of these have been the names of turkeys pardoned by a U.S. president?”

The four possible answers were Peanut Butter & Jelly, Tater & Tot, Mac & Cheese, and Spaghetti & Meatball.

Although they still had both the Ask the Host and Phone-a-Friend lifelines available, Ding initially leaned toward calling longtime trivia partner Stephen Morrison for help. Affleck, however, saw another option sitting directly across from him.

Affleck Put His Faith In Kimmel’s Hunch

4

Rather than immediately reaching for the phone, Ben Affleck suggested asking Jimmy Kimmel for his opinion first. 

The host jokingly pushed back, quipping, “Alright, I don’t have to give you any of my f-cking thoughts, if you don’t want.”

The “Gone Girl” star then responded by explaining exactly why he valued Kimmel’s input. “Actually, you’re very good with cooking and food, current events, too. Actually, you might know this,” Affleck said

After thinking it over, Kimmel said “Spaghetti & Meatball” sounded like the odd one out. “I could see me adding a big bowl in Donald Trump’s hands and him slurping up the spaghetti and meatballs,” he joked before concluding, “That one sounds like it wasn’t the one to me.”

Affleck appeared convinced, telling the comedian he was “probably the best person in the world to ask this question to.” Even so, he and Ding decided to use their remaining Phone-a-Friend lifeline.

Unfortunately, the lifeline proved unhelpful as Morrison admitted he couldn’t confidently identify the correct answer.

Ben Affleck’s Big Win Will Help Families In Eastern Congo

4

Without a definitive answer from their trivia expert, Affleck and Ding circled back to Jimmy Kimmel’s original instinct and locked in “Spaghetti & Meatball.”

Moments later, the studio erupted as the answer was confirmed to be correct, making them one of the few celebrity teams to walk away with the show’s coveted $1 million prize. 

Confetti filled the stage as the duo embraced to celebrate the dramatic victory.

Rather than keeping the winnings, Affleck and Ding secured the entire amount for the Eastern Congo Initiative, the nonprofit Affleck co-founded with Whitney Williams in 2010. 

The organization works to expand access to essential services, strengthen economic opportunities, and promote justice through locally led programs.

Affleck’s Mother Was Surrounded By Family In Her Final Days

4

Ben Affleck’s $1 million game show victory wasn’t just about winning as it also showcased the values that guided much of his life. 

Those principles were largely instilled by his late mother, Chris, whose family recently revealed she died peacefully at 83 after battling pancreatic cancer.

According to reports, she passed away just two days after fulfilling what her family described as her “greatest wish:” attending her grandson Atticus’ high school graduation alongside loved ones. 

According to her obituary, Chris had been given six months to live following her diagnosis in December 2025, but remained determined to witness the milestone before her passing. 

Throughout her life, she was one of Affleck’s biggest supporters, famously accompanying him to the 1998 Academy Awards when he and Damon won the Oscar for “Good Will Hunting.”

Her legacy extends far beyond Hollywood, encompassing decades as a public school teacher, civil rights activist, and devoted mother and grandmother whose influence shaped generations of her family.

Jennifer Garner And Jennifer Lopez Reportedly Unite To Support Ben Affleck

4

The outpouring of love surrounding Chris’s life has reportedly extended well beyond Affleck’s immediate family. 

According to insiders, the Oscar winner also found comfort in the support of ex-wives Jennifer Garner and Jennifer Lopez, who reportedly rallied around him following the loss of his mother. 

A source told PEOPLE that Chris’s death had been “hitting Ben and Casey really hard,” describing it as “an unimaginable loss” for the brothers. 

Separate reports claimed both Garner and Lopez had checked in on Affleck, with Garner remaining especially close to Chris even after her divorce from the actor, while Lopez reportedly offered quiet emotional support as a longtime friend. 

Surrounded by his children, siblings, and extended family, Affleck was said to be leaning on the people closest to him as he mourns the woman who remained one of his greatest champions throughout his life and career.

If you’re a fan of Marvel Comics, you surely know who the X-Men are. And if you know who the X-Men are, then you surely know about Jean Grey, if only by name. Arguably the most prominent member of the team that isn’t named Wolverine, Jean is one of the team’s founding members, debuting in the Silver Age of Comics as Marvel Girl before eventually adopting her civilian name as her superhero persona.

Being one of the most popular comic book characters means Jean is never far away from the conversation. However, as with many other figures from the medium, her history is long, complicated, and often bats—t crazy, to the point where even many hardcore comic book fans have trouble keeping up. This list will offer ten key details about Jean Grey’s comic book journey, for no particular reason other than a desire to honor one of Marvel Comics’ most important and powerful female characters.

Jean Is an Omega-Level Mutant

Image via Marvel Comics

Let’s start with something simple and mostly well-known by both fans and casuals: Jean Grey is an Omega-Level mutant, meaning she has almost limitless potential. In the comics, the term is used for those mutants whose powers reach “an undefinable upper limit of that power’s specific classification.” In other words, it’s mutants whose powers can not be surpassed.

It’s important to note that the Omega classification only applies to one power. In Jean’s case, she’s an Omega-level telepath, but not a telekinetic. There can also be multiple Omega-level mutants for one power. For example, Jean, Charles Xavier, and Kid Omega are all Omega-level telepaths.

Jean Has a Clone

Image via Marvel Entertainment

If you’re a fan of X-Men ’97, you might already know who Madelyne Pryor is. For the uninitiated, let’s begin. Following Jean’s death, the villain Mr. Sinister creates a clone of Jean Grey named Madelyne Pryor with the intention of marrying her to Scott and producing a powerful mutant child. Because Scott is apparently clueless to the fact that this woman looks exactly like his presumably death former love, he marries Madelyne and indeed has a son with her, Nathan, AKA Cable.

Once Jean returns to life, Scott goes back to her, and Madelyne descends into madness, becoming the Goblin Queen. She plays a key role in the demonic invasion of Earth during the Inferno storyline before ultimately committing suicide in an attempt to take down Jean. If any of this made you feel bad for Maddie, then congratulations, you’re probably in the right. Few Marvel characters have ever been so mistreated, honestly.

Chris Claremont Changed Jean for the Better

Image via Marvel Comics

Debuting in the Silver Age of Comics, Jean was introduced as something of a damsel in distress. Her powers had a clear ceiling, causing her to faint in exhaustion. It was up to the other five male X-Men to save the day and, often, Jean. If you’re wondering how that looked, take a look at the ’90s animated show, which also made Jean useless, constantly falling, screaming, or getting shot at while everyone else around her did the heavy lifting.

Then came Chris Claremont, one of the most legendary X-Men writers who completely rehauling the team in the ’70s. It was he who took Jean and completely evolved her character, turning her from the weakest member of the X-Men to the strongest. Claremont created many of the best-known aspects of Jean’s characterization, including the Phoenix Saga (more on that later). He did a lot for the X-Men overall, but his part in Jean’s story is perhaps more notable.

Jean Is a Professional Model

Image via Marvel Comics

Most superheroes have secret identities and try to lead normal, civilian lives. The X-Men are usually depicted as either students or teachers at Xavier’s school, but Jean actually had a brief stint as a professional model. When the X-Men disband following an FBI order, Scott and Jean get regular jobs to make ends meet in New York City (fun fact: Scott becomes a radio news broadcaster).

The side hustle doesn’t last, and it’s not long before Jean and Scott are back in the X-Men. Still, it’s always fun when superheroes try to lead normal lives, only to realize they either can’t or don’t want to. Because Jean has always been portrayed as something of a role model, she naturally excels as a model. Maybe, in an alternate timeline, she’s gracing the cover of Vogue instead of constantly dying.

Jean Has Died Many, Many Times

Image via Marvel Comics

And speaking of deaths, Jean has had a lot of them. Comic book characters usually die, but Jean has done so more than the average hero. Jean’s first major death happened in Uncanny X-Men #100, succumbing to radiation while sacrificing herself to save her fellow X-Men. It’s here that the Phoenix Force enters the chat, duplicating her body while preserving the original in a cocoon at the bottom of a lake.

From there, Jean would keep on dying and resurrecting. She dies after the Phoenix Force corrupts her. She then dies after taking a bullet from a Magneto clone. She also vanishes after a certain Mad Titan snaps his fingers and perishes at the hands of Sentinels during an attack on the ORCHIS station. Most recently, she died at the 2023 Hellfire Gala, when ORCHIS launched a devastating mutant attack. At this point, it’s become a recurring joke that Jean Grey dies, but you have to admire her ability to keep coming back, especially because she’s resurrected herself through sheer force of will at least once.

Jean Was Snapped by Thanos

Image via Marvel Comics

Speaking of the Mad Titan himself, yes, Thanos did snap Jean Grey out of existence in the 1991 event Infinity Gauntlet. If you’ve seen Avengers: Infinity War (and considering you’re reading this article, I’m going to go on a limb and say you have), then you’re familiar with the gist of it. In the comics, Thanos means to impress his long love, Mistress Death, and thus uses the Infinity Gauntlet to both secure power and impress her.

Jean is among the Mad Titan’s many casualties, although the characters don’t exactly die here; rather, they’re wiped out. Similar to the MCU, Thanos’ actions are reversed, so Jean comes back alongside all those who vanished. Jean plays absolutely no role in the storyline, and we only know she disappeared because of her face in a poster of those missing. However, it’s a cool easter egg for MCU fans.

Jean Is Strong Enough to Defeat Galactus

Image via Marvel Comics

In the Marvel Universe, few characters are stronger than Galactus. The World Eater is a powerful cosmic entity, often described as the “physical, metamorphosed embodiment of a cosmos.” He eats planets to sustain his life force and possesses powers beyond most humans’ comprehension. Although he’s usually represented as a villain of the Fantastic Four, Galactus has fought many other Marvel heroes.

In one memorable instance, Jean used Galactus’ own force against him, constructing a giant fist (lol) that knocked Galactus on his back and scared him enough to not only leave her alone but also spare the star he was planning to consume. The fact that Jean could single-handedly defeat Galactus by using his own force against him proves just how resourceful and capable she is. When ascending to higher planes of existence, such as the White Phoenix of the Crown, Jean is also objectively more powerful than Galactus, so there’s that.

Jean Can Reshape Reality

Image via Marvel Comics

Jean has many powers, especially when bonded with the Phoenix Force. She infamously consumed a star once, and has shown abilities that transcend even the normal understanding of mutation. On one memorable occasion, Jean literally reshaped reality to create an alternate timeline for Moira MacTaggert, one of the X-Men’s longest-running allies.

After Moira was retconned into being a mutant with reincarnation abilities, and because no one stays fully good in the world of comics, she became evil and an accomplice of the multiversal AI villain Enigma. She is eventually redeemed, though, and Jean creates an alternate timeline where Moira doesn’t have her mutation. We’re talking about manipulation on a molecular level here — Scarlet Witch who?

Xavier Had a Creepy Crush on Jean

Image via Marvel Comics

Charles Xavier is creepy — there’s really no way around it. The man is a sanctimonious creep with an alarming lack of respect for other people’s physical and mental boundaries. Xavier has crossed so many lines throughout his comic book history that they might as well be dots to him. Arguably, one of his worst hours came with the reveal that this fully grown man harbored a crush on his teenage student.

As previously mentioned, Jean was the only female member of the original X-Men, and at some point, each of her male teammates expressed a romantic interest in her, including Xavier (again, it was the ’60s). However, Xavier was his teacher, and that makes it far more problematic. During an infamous storyline, Onslaught, the entity created through the mix of Xavier and Magneto’s consciousnesses, showed Jean a glimpse into Xavier’s romantic feelings for her. It’s weird, unnecessary, and casts a very ugly shadow over what once was a rather wholesome mentor-mentee dynamic.

Jean and the Phoenix Force

Image via Marvel Comics

Jean Grey and the Phoenix Force are as inseparable as Wallace and Gromit. Their connection has been retconned multiple times, beginning with Jean being a mere host of the Phoenix to her becoming its cosmic counterpart and physical manifestation. Now, it’s commonly accepted that Jean is the Phoenix’s one true host, even if they can revert to being separate if the storyline demands it.

When fully bonded, Jean adopts the White Phoenix of the Crown persona, becoming a being with power over creation itself. We’re talking about literal gods here — the White Hot Room, the Phoenix’s home dimension, literally exists outside of the multiverse. Jean and the Phoenix Force are two of the most fascinating and complicated beings in the entire Marvel Universe, and while their bond keeps changing, one thing remains certain: they are far more powerful than you could ever imagine,

Jessi Draper dropped a bombshell on Stassi Schroeder when she claimed that Scheana Shay tried to get cast on The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.

“I have tea for you about Scheana,” Jessi, 34, told Stassi, 38, in the season premiere of House of Stassi, which aired on Wednesday, July 29. “She told me she is walking away from Bravo completely.”

Scheana, 41, allegedly pitched herself for Jessi’s show, with the Hulu personality adding, “And then [Scheana] goes, ‘So do you have any events coming up? [My husband] Brock [Davies] was Mormon so maybe I can come be on your show.’”

Stassi, for her part, wasn’t surprised about Scheana’s alleged career plan.

“Scheana loves the spotlight,” she said in a confessional. “I would be more surprised if she didn’t try to get on Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.”

She continued: “I can’t get away from this woman. Scheana will 100 percent show up at my funeral and make it about her.”

Scheana was previously an original cast member on Vanderpump Rules, helping launch the show by sitting down with Brandi Glanville on an episode of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills in 2013.

While Scheana went on to be a main cast member for 11 seasons, she stepped back after season 12 featured an entirely new cast from Lisa Vanderpump‘s restaurant SUR.

“We all were kind of in a place where we’re like, ‘OK, if it continues, great.’ I did think there was more story to tell. We’ll just be telling that somewhere else now,” she said during a December 2024 episode of her “Scheananigans” podcast. But I think the women were kind of ready to move on to another platform to tell our stories.”

Scheana said she thought she could show her life elsewhere, adding, “I’m not distraught. I wasn’t shocked at all. I think the men — minus Brock — from what I’ve heard, took it the hardest. Definitely not the women.”

At the time, Scheana maintained that the news about season 12 didn’t come as a surprise to her.

“Any sad feelings that I have about not returning for season 12 are mostly not being able to work with that crew anymore. I loved the crew that we’ve had and hopefully, we’ll be able to work together on other projects because we became like a family,” she continued. “So that was definitely the hardest part. And the whole thing was bittersweet. It’s sad to say goodbye, but excited for the new servers and the next chapter of their lives.”

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Scheana was looking forward to new ventures — including appearances on VPR’s spinoff The Valley. (She ultimately didn’t join the cast in season 3 unlike fellow former VPR star Lala Kent.)

“I am excited for new opportunities ahead outside of Vanderpump Rules, but I’m also a nostalgic person and it’s never easy to say goodbye,” she concluded. “Lala and I had a good cry about it on the podcast, something that was such a big part of my life for so long. But also I think it was time. Honestly, it all feels right. It’s still all happening. It’s just happening a little differently.”

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Stassi, meanwhile, led Vanderpump Rules for eight seasons before she was fired in 2020 alongside Kristin Doute following controversy with their former costar Faith Stowers.

“I wasn’t going to let Vanderpump Rules be my legacy. I’m at a completely different place in my life now,” she told Glamour on Tuesday, July 28, about returning to reality TV with House of Stassi. “I’ve always been vocal about how I haven’t had that many great experiences with therapy. Reality TV is my therapy. Having these conversations, working through them, talking them over and over again. … Reality TV, for better or worse, is therapeutic for me. I love it.”

House of Stassi is streaming Thursday, July 30, on Hulu.

Jerry O’Connell‘s recent comments about his past romance and breakup with Giuliana Rancic have prompted the TV personality to offer her own perspective. The pair dated in the early 2000s before eventually parting ways, which Rancic detailed in her 2015 memoir. Now, she is adding more context to their relationship and sharing how traumatizing the split was for her.

On July 28, Giuliana Rancic told her more than 2 million Instagram followers to stay tuned to her podcast, “Bill and Giuliana: The Podcast,” where she would share details about her relationship with Jerry O’Connell more than two decades ago. “The [teapot emoji] will be served tomorrow… and you’re invited,” she teased.

The episode, titled “Unfuzzing Memories (Part 1),” dropped on July 29. Together with her husband, Bill Rancic, and other friends, Giuliana shared her side of the relationship and eventual breakup. She dated O’Connell from 2003 to 2004.

Giuliana cited O’Connell’s recent statement that he couldn’t recall the exact words he used when he called off the relationship, as previously reported by The Blast. She said the actor’s memories were a bit “fuzzy.” Moreover, she felt the actor “downplayed” the seriousness of their relationship.

“For a year and a half, except for the one breakup, we were together 24/7 every day, every night,” adding they exchanged “I love yous.” “It was a real relationship,” Giuliana said.

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One Incident Left Giuliana ‘Crying Hysterically’

In the podcast, Giuliana discussed one devastating incident in the relationship that left her in tears. O’Connell had been overseas shooting the movie “Fat Slags” with Spice Girl Geri Halliwell, and Giuliana saw photos of the co-stars leaving a restaurant hand-in-hand.

She broke down in tears and fell to the ground “crying hysterically,” saying the incident was “so upsetting” and “devastating.” She confronted him about it, but claims O’Connell had nothing to say except, “Yeah, sorry. I don’t know what to tell you. I screwed up.”

The two briefly broke up, and Giuliana claims the actor asked her to take him back, saying the fling with Halliwell was “the biggest mistake” of his life.

The TV Personality Said Jerry O’Connell Was Dismissive

Giuliana and O’Connell reconciled, but it wasn’t long before they broke up for good. She recalled the incident leading up to the split, saying she had not seen the actor for several days and was trying to get a hold of him.

Giuliana headed to his home, where she claimed O’Connell wouldn’t face her and broke up with her from his balcony. “He broke up with me from a balcony, and I honestly thought it was because he was just, like, over it,” she said. She described the incident as “traumatizing,” and she recalled O’Connell turning around and closing the door as she went to her car.

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It wasn’t until recently that Giuliana learned O’Connell had another woman in his home when he broke up with her.

Jerry O’Connell Admitted He Was A ‘Terrible Boyfriend’

Giuliana was prompted to share her side of the story after O’Connell admitted to being a “terrible boyfriend” on Kelly Ripa’s podcast, “Let’s Talk Off Camera.” In the episode, Ripa brought up a detail from Giuliana’s memoir in which she claimed the actor broke up with her via the intercom.

“Nope, sorry homegirl. Things change, but you take care, OK?” O’Connell allegedly said. It was then that the actor said he didn’t recall his exact words, but he also didn’t dispute the manner in which he broke up with her.

He further elaborated on the relationship and breakup, saying that at that point, their relationship was not going well. O’Connell then revealed the reason for his behavior, sharing that another woman was in his condo at that time.

Giuliana Rancic Invited Jerry O’Connell To The Podcast

Giuliana said the podcast episode comes from “a place of love,” and she appreciated that her ex-boyfriend is “an open book.” She also revealed that producers of the podcast sent an invite to the actor to join the discussion, but he declined.

The TV personality added, “At the end of the day, I truly believe everything happens for a reason. We are both happily married now, we both have great families, and we are both exactly where we’re meant to be.”

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O’Connell is happily married and shares two daughters with Rebecca Romijn. Giuliana, meanwhile, is married to Bill Rancic. Interestingly, it was O’Connell who first introduced Bill to Giuliana.

On her new reality show, Stassi Schroeder got brutally honest about how she thought Vanderpump Rules protected the men over the women.

“I loved Vanderpump Rules but it also is literally what we’re gonna have PTSD about and have to talk to therapists about for the rest of our life,” Stassi, 38, told Katie Maloney in the series premiere of Freeform and Hulu’s House of Stassi.

Stassi called the Bravo show out, adding, “It was always, ‘Make the girls look psychotic, make the girls look like they have issues. They covered for the boys, they covered for the men.”

In a confessional Stassi elaborated on her “mixed feelings” for the show that made her a household name.

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“I’m so appreciative of it, and it’s given me so many opportunities. But it normalized so much darkness,” she continued. “It rewarded so much darkness until it didn’t. And then coming back to reality TV, I’m like, ‘Are you being a dumb bitch?’”

Stassi continued: “I’m scared of reality TV but it’s all I know. I love it but I’m also traumatized by it. But I can’t stay away from it. But I was not gonna let Vanderpump Rules be my legacy. I had to make this happen. I had to.”

Stassi made her reality TV debut as a contestant on season 8 of The Amazing Race. She also starred on the short-lived show Queen Bees, which aired two years before Stassi took a job as a waitress at Vanderpump’s SUR restaurant.

It didn’t take long for Stassi to become the fan favorite on Vanderpump Rules after it premiered in 2013. While documenting her life for the hit Bravo series, Stassi started to expand her empire by releasing her first book, Next Level Basic: The Definitive Basic Bitch Handbook, in 2019.

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When viewers were introduced to staff at Lisa Vanderpump‘s restaurant during Vanderpump Rules‘ 2013 premiere, it was clear everyone was intertwined in one another’s love lives. From Stassi Schroeder‘s rocky relationship with Jax Taylor, which took a turn when he hooked up with her best friend Kristen Doute, to Peter Madrigal’s casual connections to several […]

The following year, however, Stassi was fired from Vanderpump Rules alongside Kristin Doute at the end of season 8 following controversy with their former costar Faith Stowers. She has since authored a second book, Off With My Head, and shifted her focus to her podcast.

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“Even when I started Vanderpump Rules, the goal was then to always do something even bigger after that,” Stassi told TV Insider earlier this month. “Granted, Vanderpump Rules was huge. We didn’t even know how big it was. We still, I don’t think, understand how big it was or whatever, but I never thought it would be Vanderpump Rules or nothing. Anyone who goes on Bravo, they’re like, ‘Oh, I want to get a spinoff out of this.’ Everyone will tell you that. And so it was always like, ‘OK, what can I do after this?’”

In her personal life, Stassi found love with Beau Clark. The couple exchanged vows in 2020 before welcoming daughter Hartford in 2021. Two years later, Stassi and Beau expanded their family with son Messer.

House of Stassi premieres Thursday, July 30, on Hulu.