Entertainment
Only 5 MCU Heroes Are Smarter Than Tony Stark
In the MCU, the name Tony Stark commands considerable respect. Within the franchise’s context, the now-deceased, self-described “genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist” was the former co-leader of the Avengers and the ultimate savior of the universe, sacrificing his life to wipe Thanos (Josh Brolin) from existence. In real life, Tony is an icon of superhero cinema, resuscitating Robert Downey Jr.‘s career and becoming the MCU’s face for all intents and purposes. The character’s eventual death in 2019’s Avengers: Endgame marked the end of an era for the franchise and, arguably, superhero cinema as a whole.
One of the reasons for Tony’s popularity is his intelligence. Widely considered one of the smartest characters in the MCU, Tony is behind many of the franchise’s most important breakthroughs. For starters, he single-handedly provides the tech that makes the Avengers work, including the suits of many superheroes, including Spider-Man (Tom Holland). He also discovered how to travel through time using the Quantum Realm, thus allowing the time heist that eventually saved the universe from Thanos’ plans. Yes, it wouldn’t be an understatement to say Tony is the smartest character in the Marvel Universe, except it’s maybe not exactly true. Indeed, at least five characters in the MCU are smarter than Tony, which is no small feat. Moreover, two of those are still quite young, meaning they have their whole lives ahead to further surpass Mr. Stark in the intellectual department.
Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo)
Let’s kick off this list with a divisive entry that revives the age-old MCU debate: is Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo) smarter than Tony Stark? Well, it depends, but for the purposes of this list, we’ll go with “yes.” Bruce is the world’s leading authority on gamma radiation and biochemistry, holding seven (!) PhDs and participating in many of the series’ most influential events. Notably, he’s one of the few characters who could match Tony in the MCU’s early days, with the two collaborating in several projects, most notably the creation of the android Vision (Paul Bettany).
In the MCU, Bruce’s most notable feats apart from Vision include co-designing the Hulkbuster armor and perfecting the time machine alongside Tony. He also has a mind for problem-solving — for example, he’s the one who suggests separating Vision from the Mind Stone, and he’ll also help Peter Parker in the upcoming Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Bruce also cracked the code to “solve” his own dilemma, combining his intellect with The Hulk’s sheer strength to create the controversial but no less impressive Professor Hulk persona. Sure, the answer as to who is smarter between Bruce and Tony is less straightforward than it might seem, but there’s no denying that Banner is at the very least on the same level.
Riri Williams, AKA Ironheart (Dominique Thorne)
An intellectual prodigy and MIT student who became a superhero on merit alone, Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne) is among the newest additions to the MCU. Introduced in 2022’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Riri is recruited by Shuri (Letitia Wright) and Okoye (Danai Gurira) to fight in Wakanda. Later, following her expulsion from MIT, she returns to her Chicago home, where she finds herself in the middle of a battle between science and magic.
Riri’s intelligence allowed her to build a suit of armor that rivals Tony’s in her college dorm room using only scraps and basic tools. Moreover, her suit has a vibranium detector, a powerful tool that made both Talokan and Wakanda take interest in her. Tony was considerably older when he built his suit, so Riri already has a head start. Furthermore, her suit doesn’t have the same energy issues as Tony’s original design because it runs on batteries powered by solar and wind energy. Ironheart’s suit is literally eco-friendly, meaning she’s both smart and socially conscious. It’s a shame her solo show didn’t quite work, but here’s hoping we see her again in the MCU, sooner rather than later.
Shuri (Letitia Wright)
Shuri is the princess of Wakanda and the current Black Panther, protecting her country from outside threats while also leading the Wakandan Design Group. She was first introduced in 2018’s Black Panther, immediately making a strong impression thanks to her mighty intellect and spirited personality. In Wakanda Forever, she’s far physically stronger and more resilient, relying on both her intelligence and mental fortitude to lead her people.
There really is no argument here: Shuri is more intelligent than Tony. A master of nanotechnology and biomechanics, she’s the main driving force behind Wakanda’s impressive technology, leading many of the country’s modern and more experimental inventions, including the powerful Black Panther nanotech suits she and her late brother used. Shuri also understands and is capable of weaponizing vibranium far better than anyone else in the MCU, making her a key player on the geopolitical stage and possibly the only person in the world capable of exploiting the rare metal. There’s also the fact that she’s been officially declared the smartest character in the MCU, so there’s that.
Reed Richards, AKA Mister Fantastic (Pedro Pascal)
Fans had eagerly been awaiting the debut of Marvel’s First Family since the MCU first started expanding. However, they had to wait nearly two decades since the franchise began to finally see the Fantastic Four on the big screen. The Fantastic Four: First Steps introduces the titular family in all their swinging ’60s glory, focusing on Reed Richards, AKA Mister Fantastic (Pedro Pascal) and his efforts to defend his world from the threat of the planet eater, Galactus (Ralph Ineson).
In the comic book lore, Reed and Tony are considered equals, but in the MCU, the former arguably surpasses the latter. Tony might’ve cracked the secret to time travel, but Reed managed to find a way to transport an entire freaking planet to another solar system. He then built the teleportation devices to make it happen, and his plan actually worked. That takes some serious mental prowess, since we’re talking about moving millions of people light-years away from their point of origin. Based on the post-credits scene in Thunderbolts*, Reed also cracked the secret to interdimensional travel, another feather in his already considerable cap.
Phastos (Brian Tyree Henry)
Some of you might object to including Phastos in this list, but the fact of the matter is, he arguably has more knowledge than most other characters in the MCU. As an Eternal on Earth since the dawn of humanity, he has been alive for millennia, accumulating knowledge and sharing it with humanity, contributing to their technological development and directly influencing most of the most important breakthroughs in the species’ history.
In his first appearance in Eternals, Phastos is seen helping humans develop their civilization. He eventually comes to regret his influence after humans find a way to turn technology into something destructive, building bombs and other weapons of mass destruction. In a way, everything that Tony ever did was only possible because of Phastos. Sadly, Eternals flopped quite spectacularly, so the chances of ever seeing this character again are slim to none. It’s a shame, because it would’ve been great to see him interacting with the other characters on this list and realizing his technology could also be applied for the greater good.
Entertainment
The Star Trek Icon Who Suddenly Stripped Naked On Set
By Chris Snellgrove
| Published

From the very beginning, Star Trek has been a franchise about exploring strange new worlds. Often, that’s literal, with our intrepid crews learning about new life and new civilizations on one planet after another. More often than you might think, however, the most interesting explorations were more metaphorical, as our characters discovered new facets of their own humanity. However, there was one final frontier this franchise never explored for decades: nudity!
Until its more recent pivot to streaming, Star Trek had always premiered on network television. That meant that it had to abide by certain broadcast standards and practices. As you might imagine, there are plenty of restrictions regarding nudity, most of which focus on how much skin can be shown. That’s why, when Q showed up naked in The Next Generation episode “Deja Q,” we only see so much: one cheek, no crack, and (perhaps most importantly) no genitals. No matter how much they wanted it otherwise, fans could only see so much of Q actor John de Lancie’s body. The actors, however, saw everything because de Lancie stripped completely naked on set!
The Naked Now

“Deja Q” is the Next Generation episode where Q loses all of his godlike powers and is rendered human. He is being punished by the Q continuum for abusing those powers to torment various alien beings who can’t fight back. Aboard the Enterprise-D, Q is attacked by an alien race that he had preyed on before (the Calamarain), and they end up damaging Data. Realizing that he is putting the entire crew at risk, Q steals a shuttle and tries to sacrifice himself to the aliens to keep everyone else safe. Impressed by altruism, the Q Continuum ultimately restores all of Q’s powers.
In previous appearances, Q had always made himself look imposing by dressing like a judge, a soldier, and even a Starfleet captain. To visually underscore that his powers had been stripped, the Star Trek: The Next Generation producers stripped him, and Q showed up completely nude on the bridge. To make that happen, John de Lancie was given a g-string to protect his modesty. According to visual effects supervisor Dan Curry, de Lancie decided to forego the g-string, and nobody else knew until the actor showed up on set.
Star Trek Icon Bares It All

As recorded in Star Trek: The Next Generation 365, Curry said, “The script said ‘Q appears nude.’ We planned to have John de Lancie lay on a wooden board that couldn’t be seen due to Patrick Stewart’s position in the shot.” However, things soon went off-kilter in the most hilarious way. “As we were prepping the shot, John showed up on the set with his bathrobe on. When we were ready to go, he dropped his bathrobe, and he was stark naked. That caused… ummmm… a bit of a stir.”
Curry didn’t elaborate further, so we can only imagine what costars like Patrick Stewart and Brent Spiner felt about seeing the full de Lancie. However, the visual supervisor did note that despite (or perhaps because of) the actor’s unexpected antics, the scene went exactly as planned. “It’s one of the few shots we’ve done that came out looking exactly like the storyboard. I’d picked the spot for the camera in advance, and the scene played out just as I drew it.”

In Star Trek: The Next Generation, Q is a chaotic trickster god, and you never know exactly what he’s going to do next. Now, you know that John de Lancie has the same temperament as his omnipotent onscreen alter ego. While the actor doesn’t, sadly, have his character’s fantastic cosmic powers, he did demonstrate one astonishing ability on the set that day: just like that, he transformed “Deja Q” into a special after-hours rerun: “The Naked Now.”
Entertainment
42 actors you forgot were on “Friends”, from Noah Wyle to Julia Roberts
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Some of Hollywood’s biggest names bumped into the gang at Central Perk, while others were even invited up to their apartments.
Entertainment
Kathy Griffin slams longtime friend Adam Carolla for attacking her over Karen Bass interview: 'Go f— yourself'
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Griffin hit back at Carolla after he called her a “red-haired, pasty” person.
Entertainment
Zac Efron Is Living Off the Grid in Australian Rainforest
Zac Efron is in the process of building a sustainable $2 million home in the Australian rainforest.
The High School Musical actor, 38, has partnered with eco-friendly designer Joost Bakker and architect Frank Burridge on a residence he calls “Futurecave”, which is located an hour outside of Australia’s famed Byron Bay, per the Daily Mail.
Efron’s design team is using environmentally responsible building materials — largely made from hemp blocks, recycled oyster shells and agricultural waste — and more than 200 sustainable particle boards to construct the six-bedroom, two-story property as well as its internal bricks, mattresses and even bedsheets. All of the bedroom pods will be connected by an outdoor walkway and each has their own rooftop garden.
In December 2025, Efron confirmed to the Australian Financial Review that he purchased a 128-hectare plot in New South Wales in 2020 and is just now starting to develop it.
“I live a pretty fast-paced life and work quite a bit, so in between movies and press tours, my number one goal is always to take time for myself and rest and recharge and to be in nature as much as possible, and as close to the earth as I can, and this land just feels like it’s perfect for that,” Efron explained.
He expressed hopes that the “Futurecave” could become “the coolest house ever built” once the project is complete.
Eforn spent the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia and later returned to the country to film his Netflix travelogue Down to Earth, during which he met Bakker, 51.
Bakker confirmed last November that he had started developing the concept of “Futurecave.”
“It’s not every day of the week that @zacefron asks you to design his home, I am beyond excited! Especially as it will be the first home he has ever owned,” he revealed via Instagram at the time. “Zac fell in love with @futurefoodsystem and then our family home in Monbulk and now wants a home of his own + best of all he wants me to push my ideas as far as they can go!”
The designer described Efron’s sustainable home as a “dream come true” that was “pushing my team creatively.”
“For the past year we’ve experimented with making hemp blocks, replacing concrete with two materials that restore the environment hemp, possibly the best plant on earth at repairing and restoring soil health and of course oysters, natures ultimate ocean restorer,” he shared.
Bakker went on, “We are using the most cutting edge technology (invented by the Romans 2000+ years ago) I want to create a building material that I hope will become mainstream one day — a material that naturally breathes, is anti mould, naturally fire resistant and improves the indoor air Zac will ultimately breathe.”
More recently, he confirmed on May 8 that his team was “excited to get started on Zac’s house” after more than six months of lining up the concepts.
“Although @zacefron kitchen and bathroom joinery will only use only 200 hundred boards (less than 1000 square metres of crop) if we embrace this product we have the potential to help farmers restore soil health in a natural way,” he revealed via Instagram on May 22.
Us Weekly has reached out to Efron’s representatives for comment.
Efron told Variety in December 20243 that he was actively trying to shift focus from work to his personal life.
“I’m thinking about where I want to build a home base and cultivate my life,” he said. “It’s shocking — sometimes you wake up after doing three movies a year, and you’re like, I’ve neglected thinking about my own personal life for this long.”
He continued, “The goal is always the next mission, the next movie, making sure everyone else is very happy. It can be very lonely at times. But the process of taking your emotions head-on, sort of working with them, was a profound moment in my life. And it’s definitely taken me down a different road.”
Entertainment
What Time Does Love Island USA Air? Season 8 Release Schedule
We are back at the Love Island USA villa — but when (and how often) do new episodes drop?
Season 8 of the Peacock hit debuts Tuesday, June 2, following a group of singles who have to pair off in order to stay in the show’s luxury villa in Fiji. The contestants — who are referred to as Islanders — live in isolation in the villa and are under constant video surveillance.
Hosted by Ariana Madix, Love Island USA requires the group to be coupled up in order to have a chance at receiving the $100,000 prize. While the Islanders are filming nonstop for weeks, viewers are watching daily episodes — and even get to cast votes that affect couples and the fate of the contestants.
Love Island USA releases episodes every day (except for Wednesdays!) at 9 p.m. ET. There is also a new Aftersun special every Saturday to recap what took place in the villa that week.
Before season 8 even premiered on Peacock, the official Love Island USA account released a statement regarding the cast.
“The Villa runs on good vibes, and so does this community,” read a post shared via Instagram. “We love seeing your reactions, opinions, and debates, but everyone deserves to feel safe and respected.”
The statement continued: “This is a space for fun, not negativity — so keep it kind, keep it positive, and remember: this is LOVE Island!”
Love Island USA made headlines again when contestant Vasana Montgomery was removed ahead of the season 8 premiere after resurfaced social media posts showed her using a slur. Both clips were leaked from her private social media, which meant producers weren’t privy to the posts while casting the show.
The shakeup came one year after season 7 faced offscreen issues with Yulissa Escobar, who left days into the experience after clips of her using racial slurs on a podcast circulated online.
Cierra Ortega also faced backlash when a resurfaced social media post showed her using a slur. She was pulled from the villa and later issued an apology for her posts.
Join Us Weekly and Bracketology.tv in our first-ever Love Island USA fantasy league! This is your chance to predict who you think will win Season 8 and rank the Islanders weekly based on how confident you are that they will survive the next elimination. You will be playing against our editors, get access to exclusive content and have the chance to win fun prizes. Sign up for free today!
Entertainment
How Blasted ‘Love Island’ Cop Can Get His Job Back
Blasted “Love Island” cop Sean Reifel can get his job back. However, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, Mayor J. William Reynolds says he will have to do one thing. Reifel was previously slammed by the local politician after it was revealed he allegedly quit his job to film the latest season of the popular Peacock reality series. His stint in Fiji, however, came to a sad end after he was the first islander to be booted from the villa in a recent episode.

According to a new report from TMZ, Reynolds told the publication that the Bethlehem Police Department is open to rehiring Reifel after being the first islander to be axed from the “Love Island” villa. However, in order to get back to patrolling the streets, Reifel will have to reapply for the position.
The mayor told the news outlet that if Reifel reapplys for the open position, he’ll be required to go through the same process as everyone else. Essentially saying he was not guaranteed solely because of his history with the city or department.
Reifel was one of the original cast members to be featured on season 8 of “Love Island” when it premiered on June 2, 2026. “I’m not a model, not an actor, I’m a police officer actually,” he said on the series. “You could be having the worst day of your life, and I’ll just help you sift through that.”

Before Williams shared how Reifel could get his job back, he criticized the 29-year-old while speaking with the media, according to The Blast. During his statement, he said the Peacock TV personality left the city of Bethlehem, PA, in a tough spot to film the series.
“Our police department spent a lot of time training, and we paid thousands of taxpayer dollars to send him to the police academy. We are disappointed he left as we now have another vacancy in our department that is impossible to fill until next year,” Mayor Williams said.
And that’s not all. He added, “I never thought I’d see the day in America where reality show participation wins out over being a police officer.”
Users on Reddit torched the public figure, with one writing, “This is so unprofessional lol, why are they trying to tarnish his name? Ever heard of At Will employment? [They are] mad AF they didn’t get to fire him first.”
Reifel’s Family Reacts To The 29-Year-Old Father Of One Being The First To Get Sent Home
Reifel’s elimination episode aired on Sunday, June 7, and his family reacted to the saddening moment with an emotional post on social media.
Reifel’s sister, Brice Marie, said that although she was told by “Love Island” producers that her brother would be the first to be sent home, she still found the moment difficult to watch. Additionally, she shared that one of the reasons Reifel may not have found a meaningful connection was due to his age gap with the other women.
“So, it just made sense that he didn’t find a super close connection there in that way,” she said, according to Cosmo.
‘Love Island’ Sets New Ratings Record

The new season of “Love Island,” hosted by Ariana Madix, is reaching a wider audience, as the first three episodes of season 8 have become the “most-watched debut of an original season of television” in the streamer’s history, per Variety.
The first three episodes have reached a total of 824 million minutes watched—a 74% increase from the year before.
Put another way, season 8 has generated about 3.7 million views. Variety reports that the estimate is based on dividing the 824 million minutes watched by the 224 minutes of content released so far.
The Show’s First Live Vote Of The Season Caused Issues
The increase in viewers was apparent during last night’s first live vote of the season. According to PEOPLE, when viewers learned they could decide which Islanders the three new bombshells would couple up with, demand was so high that it crashed the app.
The official “Love Island” Instagram account shared an update, though, informing fans that they’d extended the vote until 3 PM ET on June 10, 2026.
New episodes of “Love Island” air every day except Wednesdays on Peacock.
Entertainment
Academy is not going to ignore Glenn Close: Iconic actress finally gets her Oscar
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Close is among this year’s class of Honorary Oscar recipients, which includes Ridley Scott and Floyd Norman, Disney’s first Black animator.
Entertainment
Former Superman actor Dean Cain has a lengthy history of slamming superheroes
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Cain has repeatedly criticized recent superhero adaptations, including calling them too ‘woke’ or saying they promote ‘anti-Americanism.’
Entertainment
Tim Allen acknowledges his time in prison: 'I did not want to do that ever again'
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Tim Allen was arrested in 1978 and served time for felony drug trafficking.
Entertainment
Millie Bobby Brown Defends Husband Jake Bongiovi’s Parenting
Millie Bobby Brown is a strong, independent woman who does not need a man to carry her belongings.
“Hi, I’m Millie Bobbie Brown and I’m not gonna lie, when did women become incapable of holding their own bags, car seats and stuff?” Brown, 22, shared in a sneak peek of the Thursday, June 10, episode of the “Not Gonna Lie” podcast. “This stems from me holding all of my suitcases and bags and my kid and people are like, ‘Your husband doesn’t hold a single thing.’ Because I’m three miles ahead. I have been planning this all night.”
Earlier this year, Brown and her husband, Jake Bongiovi, went viral when paparazzi photos surfaced of the pair out with their daughter. In one picture, the Stranger Things star was seen pushing a stroller while her husband walked nearby empty-handed.
“We’re all about empowering girls and, ‘You got it’ and ‘You don’t need a man.’ But then when I’m like, ‘Ok, I can carry my own things,’ people are like, ‘Where’s your husband?’” Brown shared. “I can also do it on my own. Nobody knows my husband. My husband is the most polite, sweet, will-do-anything-for-me. But he also knows I’m capable.”
Podcast host Kylie Kelce — who shares four daughters with husband Jason Kelce — immediately agreed with her guest and shared her own point of view.
“I love this,” Kylie, 34, proclaimed. “The number of times that I have people come up to me and be like, ‘Do you need help with that bag?’ and I’m like, ‘Hey guys, I really appreciate it but if I needed help, I’d ask for it.’ The first person I’m asking — you guessed it — my husband. Thank you.”
While Kylie enjoys “the idea of chivalry” and doesn’t want to make it “dead,” men shouldn’t underestimate the strength of a woman.
@nglwithkylie We’re not gonna lie: Millie Bobby Brown can carry her baby and her bags all by herself 💪
“I want there to be a degree of politeness and catering to your woman and whatever,” she continued, “but at the same time, don’t act like I’m broken or dainty.”
Brown replied, “I’m not broken!”
In August 2025, Brown surprised fans when she announced the arrival of her first baby with Bongiovi, 24.
“This summer, we welcomed our sweet baby girl through adoption,” the couple wrote via Instagram in a joint statement. “We are beyond excited to embark on this beautiful next chapter of parenthood in both peace and privacy. And then there were 3. Love, Millie and Jake Bongiovi.”
While Brown tries to keep her personal life off of social media and away from the Hollywood spotlight, the actress shared a rare photo of her daughter in February while celebrating a special birthday.
“22. grateful for my husband and daughter. for my family and friends. all of my animals,” she wrote via Instagram at the time. “I am so blessed. thank you for the birthday wishes. Xoxo.”
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