Entertainment
S.S. Rajamouli Reveals His Epic James Bond Replacement “Won’t Be Anything Like ‘RRR'”
Summary
- Collider’s Steve Weintraub talks with director S.S. Rajamouli for Varanasi.
- The filmmaker discusses James Cameron’s comments on RRR, how he’s leveling up since the success of that 2022 adventure film, and what fans can expect from the story and runtime.
- Rajamouli also discusses filming for IMAX, selecting his slow-motion shots, his unique way of filming, and how the music of Varanasi compares to RRR.
There isn’t a lot known, plot-wise, about S.S. Rajamouli‘s upcoming epic Varanasi. What we do know is that it’s going to be epic in scale with the filmmaker’s signature slow-motion beats, specific scenes filmed for IMAX, and Rajamouli’s dedication to building on the success of his globally revered period adventure, 2022’s RRR.
Starring Mahesh Babu (Pokiri), Priyanka Chopra-Jonas (Citadel), and Prithviraj Sukumaran (The Goat Life), Varanasi follows a Shiva devotee (Babu), who embarks on a mysterious mission to retrieve an ancient cosmic artifact. To do so, he must travel through history, using clues to aid him on his journey. But along the way, our hero discovers that the one who sent him on this quest is an evil mastermind looking to control the world. According to Rajamouli, “It’s about the experience. It’s the experience that will transport you through unimaginably big, gigantic worlds, not just in terms of scale, but in terms of emotions as well.”
At the end of last year, Collider’s Steve Weintraub had the pleasure of sitting down with the cast (which you can check out here) and the director in India, after the first-ever look at Varanasi. During their conversation, Rajamouli shares his vision for the final picture, what it’s like working with Telugu Cinema, how he selects his impactful slow-motion shots, and choosing which sequences will be filmed for IMAX. The filmmaker also discusses what to expect as far as Varanasi‘s runtime, shares the comments from James Cameron on RRR, and how he’s leveling up after that film’s success.
S.S. Rajamouli Shares James Cameron’s Response to ‘RRR’
“I was pinching myself to believe it.”
COLLIDER: I have a lot of questions about the movie, but I like throwing in a few fun questions at the beginning of all my interviews. What is your favorite Indian food, and what is in it?
S.S. RAJAMOULI: It’s called pothichoru. It’s basically a liquid form of lentils and rice. That’s home-cooked food, and I love it.
Is there something that you cook yourself?
RAJAMOULI: I never cook. I hate cooking. I only like eating.
We’re very similar. I’m wearing an Arnold Schwarzenegger T-shirt. I know you’re a movie fan. Do you have a favorite Arnold movie?
RAJAMOULI: Who doesn’t? [Laughs] T2, Terminator 2, and I like True Lies a lot. A completely different kind of film from him. I love True Lies.
What’s funny is that both are James Cameron.
RAJAMOULI: Yeah.
I’m assuming James Cameron must have seen RRR.
RAJAMOULI: Yes.
I’m assuming you spoke to him?
RAJAMOULI: Yes.
I know that you got to meet a lot of Hollywood filmmakers when you were promoting. As such a fan of James Cameron and Spielberg, and all these people, what has it been like to be embraced by Hollywood and have these filmmakers that you look up to talk so highly of you?
RAJAMOULI: It was unreal for me. First of all, meeting him is unreal. Then, him talking about my film is something else. And then him talking about the details of the film, the characters of the film, the movements of the film, and how he and his wife watched the film, and he recommended my movie to his wife, and both of them are watching the film again, he watched it a second time? All that was like, “Is this true?” I was pinching myself to believe it. It was one of the happiest moments in my career.
Pinpointing ‘Varanasi’s “Peak” Emotional Beats
“This will be one of the greatest cinematic moments. We have to do this.”
After RRR, you’ve been able to do what you want to do for the last few movies, but did you feel any additional pressure or indecision about what you wanted to do after RRR, knowing that so many people around the world are very interested in what you’re going to do?
RAJAMOULI: No. The success of RRR definitely has no pressure on me. My pressure is that, at the beginning of the film, we always have two or three ideas, which are interesting. So, if I start focusing on one idea, I feel that I’m missing out on those two. If I go for the other idea, I will feel that I’m missing out on this. That’s the pressure I go through at the beginning of the film. The success of the previous film, whether it’s Baahubali or any other film, has never affected me.
How did you decide on this film being, “Yes, this is what I want to make?”
RAJAMOULI: It is very difficult to pinpoint and say, “Yes, this is the time,” or “This is the moment in story development that I felt like this is the work.” It’s a kind of process that goes back and forth, back and forth. Also, it took a long time because at the same time, I was also in L.A. promoting RRR. So, I was doing that job there, coming back to India, dabbling a little bit with the story discussions, and again, going back. I don’t know exactly at which point I thought, “Yes, this is the film,” but I remember this definitely is one of the moments when we had the emotional sequence leading up to the moment where Rudhra, the character played by Mahesh [Babu], comes on the bull with the dust flying around. We thought, “This will be one of the greatest cinematic moments. We have to do this.”
I know this is very early; you’re in the middle of filming right now. The film’s not out for a long time, and I hate asking the generic question, but what do you want to tell people about the movie and what it’s about?
RAJAMOULI: It’s about the experience. It’s the experience that will transport you through unimaginably big, gigantic worlds, not just in terms of scale, but in terms of emotions as well.
One of the things that I love about your work is the way that you use slow motion in your action set pieces to help tell the story. How do you figure out which shots you want to do in slow motion, and are you figuring it out on set, or are you figuring it out in the editing room after, or is it a combination of both?
RAJAMOULI: Much, much before. Much before the shooting or editing on the writing table itself, I’ll be figuring out which shots are going to be slow motion. Those moments are the peak moments of emotion, so I can’t decide that on the set. It has to be much before.
S.S. Rajamouli Breaks Down His IMAX Strategy
“Why would I want to hide it?”
I love IMAX. It is my favorite format, and you are going to be releasing this in IMAX, and you’re filming it for IMAX. Can you talk about the decision as to why? Because James Cameron and films like Oppenheimer, all in IMAX, the full screen. Are you doing that, or are you doing select scenes in full-screen IMAX?
RAJAMOULI: Select screens. I would like to do the entire film in full IMAX, but our timelines and the way we work, we are not studio-backed. We are production company-based. So, that would be impossible for us to do the entire film in IMAX. That being said, I also love the moments where a normal scene opens into that gigantic world, you know? I really love that feel.
When we were having the conversations with the IMAX technicians and IMAX people in L.A., they were saying it can cut between the platforms and between the aspect ratios, and people will not notice it. You can hide those cuts. They were suggesting different ways to hide the cuts. I said, “Why would I want to hide it?” I want to blatantly tell the people, show the people that you are going to witness something extraordinary as they open the screen to the larger screen. It gives me elation. Why should I hide it? I would rather flaunt it rather than hide it. When we played this teaser for the audience at the event, you must have noticed when I opened Varanasi from the cinemascope to the full IMAX, there was a roar. So, I want to use it, capture it, and not hide it.
Oh yeah, when it does that, I’m like, “It’s on.” With the footage that you showed, can you talk about why you picked the scenes that you showed for the trailer over other scenes?
RAJAMOULI: It was in last October, I guess, when my artist started putting the pencil on the paper and started drawing the images. We know the story, and I told him that I wanted the audience to experience it. “I don’t want words, I want visuals. I want visuals, and people should get a sense of what this film is going to be, what scale, what scope this is going to be. So, there are no words. There are no words. I just want visuals.” And he started doing the job, and we picked some.
The picking of those visuals is mainly based on, “Am I feeling it or not?” I didn’t want words to describe it. “Am I feeling it or not? Yes, I am feeling it here. I am feeling it here. Yes, go through it, go through it, go through that scale.” We made the basic, simple black and white pencil-lined drawing of what this is going to be, and from last October until now, we started developing it, developing, and developing it. Studios worked on it day and night, day and night, until the last moment, where we are releasing. Some of the artists were working 24 hours, like, literally 24 hours, no sleep. They are working until they deliver this.
S.S. Rajamouli Aims for Another Epic Runtime
“It is always whatever is best for the story.”
I’m waiting for this thing to pop up behind us. What can you say about the antagonist of the film and this wheelchair with the Dr. Octopus-type arms?
RAJAMOULI: Definitely not sci-fi. It’s not sci-fi. It feels like it’s a sci-fi film. It’s not. It’s a more fantasy, mythological-based film. And the antagonist, Kumbha, I’m always known for presenting my antagonist better than my protagonist. I love working with antagonists. I just love his character, his intensity, and Prithviraj [Sukumaran], the way he brought that out with his performance, is really incredible. He just had his face, nothing else. No arms, no legs, no body movement. Nothing. His menace, he had to bring to his face, and he did it with great aplomb.
I’m curious about the runtime of the movie. I love long movies, especially when they’re deserving of a long runtime. RRR is a little over three hours, but you’ve made previous films that are 3.5 hours. Are you already thinking that this could be three hours, 3.5 hours?
RAJAMOULI: Usually, I aim my films based on the script that we have. Usually, my stories feel like they will be a two-hour and 40-minute to a three-hour kind of thing. That is how most of my recent movies have been like that. I think Varanasi will be, also, on those lines. I am at this point. I’m assuming it will be a little bit less than three hours.
In America, not a lot of people are as crazy about a three-hour movie. They like a two-hour movie. Personally, again, if the movie warrants it, it could be any length, but do you get the pressure to make it shorter, or do you get the creative freedom to do whatever’s best for the story?
RAJAMOULI: It is always whatever is best for the story. I seriously believe that if the content is not interesting, whether it is, three hours, two hours, 1.5 hours, or even three minutes, people wouldn’t care for it. They just get bored, and they just switch it off, or they walk out of the theater. They’re not interested. If you’re able to pull the audience into the world, into the emotions of the characters, and resonate with the emotions of the characters, I think runtime doesn’t matter.
‘Varanasi’s Songs “Won’t Be Anything Like” ‘RRR’
“We should concentrate on how to make that high higher or bigger.”
One of the things about RRR in America was the music and the songs. It exploded around the world. Can you talk a little bit about the music and the songs of your new film?
RAJAMOULI: Each film is different, Steve. It’s a big trap that many filmmakers tend to fall into, trying to see what are the elements in the previous film or the successful film, and because the audiences will be expecting it, how do we recreate that? Each film is different. Each film has different, unique points, with different emotions, different highs. I feel we should concentrate on how to make that high higher or bigger, rather than trying to recreate from the previous success. Of course, we feel great about RRR and how we performed worldwide.
I look at Varanasi as, “How can I get those kind of high moments,” but I do not try to recreate that music into Varanasi. We will have music, which will be great. Will have songs which are great, but they won’t be anything like RRR.
Which shot or sequence of this film thus far has been the most challenging to pull off, or is it still in front of you?
RAJAMOULI: The sequence that I am shooting now, in the middle of the shoot, I think that is one of the more technically challenging moments. We had to combine many known technologies to achieve what we needed to achieve. And the sequence I know, which will be really difficult, really tough to pull off, is a sequence that we have already shot. It’s the Ramayana episode. So, we completed the shoot, and we know the VFX for that is going to be a really, really tough job for all of us.
Right now, it’s November 2025. When do you actually finish filming? What’s still in front of you?
RAJAMOULI: We have completed about 50% of the shoot, and the 50% is behind us. We are thinking we can finish our shoot by next June. Something like that.
One of the things that I learned from Priyanka was that you will shoot the rehearsals and everyone is in street clothing, whatever they’re wearing, and then you’ll edit that and show it to them with their just normal clothes, and then that’s what you will actually shoot. Can you talk about your process? Because that’s unusual.
RAJAMOULI: Because I work with actors from different industries, and I am working with technologies which are not regularly used in filmmaking, it is very important for the cast and crew to understand, even for me to understand, the process of how we are going through filming it. So, I figured out the best way to do it is do a test shoot. So get the actors, give them the lines, get my DP, get the people who are involved in it, the production designer, whoever is involved in it, with the cameras, and let the actors do their acting. It’s a little bit like an extension of the actors reading the scripts. They invest. They do the reading. So I am taking it a little bit forward. I am doing the test shooting as they are reading the lines, making them act, and asking, “How do you like to do it? Would you like to walk as you are saying that? Would you like to sit? Would you lean onto something? Would you want something in your hand to explore?”
So, that gives us a lot of freedom. And I see them as they are going through their lines and motions. I will be able to see, my DP will be able to see in which pose or which movement, or which still moment, they are more comfortable with delivering their emotions. So, we will be having multiple cameras, and we will be capturing all of that, and we will do the edit on that and see how it is flowing through, and that will be our basis for shooting the actual shoot.
Varanasi is slated for global release on April 7, 2027.
- Release Date
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April 7, 2027
- Director
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S. S. Rajamouli
- Writers
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Vijayendra Prasad, S.S. Rajamouli
Entertainment
Stephen 'tWitch' Boss' widow Allison Holker announces engagement: 'Showed me how to love'
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Holker began dating tech CEO Adam Edmunds a year and a half after the death of Boss.
Prime Video is leaning in hard on its international slate of originals for 2026. Last year saw films and movies alike from other countries take over the platform in a big way, with Culpa Nuestra (Our Fault), the third and final film of its trilogy of Spanish Culpables romance features, finishing the year as the streamer’s top Non-English programs, alongside the streaming sensation Maxton Hall – The World Between Us and, most recently, the German war thriller breakout hit, The Tank. The Culpables trilogy alone has racked up over 100 million viewers to date and landed at number one in over 170 countries upon each film’s launch. With productions outside the United States continuing to draw audiences and break records, Prime Video held its inaugural international originals showcase on Thursday to preview its upcoming projects.
During the showcase, the streamer made known its interest in expanding its anime footprint with a reboot of the influential post-apocalyptic action anime, Fist of the North Star, and a new adaptation of Ghost in the Shell from Science SARU, while also showing off new live-action series like the Korean psychological thriller Siren’s Kiss. Several buzzy new series were announced as well, including Masterplan, a bonkers French/Italian production from Reacher director Thomas Vincent and starring The Devil Wears Prada‘s Stanley Tucci as a father trying to reunite with his long-lost kids by involving them in a plan to steal the Mona Lisa. One of the most exciting shows to get a new look ahead of its arrival was The House of the Spirits, a Chilean production that will reunite Prime Video with one of the Culpables leads, Nicole Wallace.
At the event, a new image and a pre-released clip were unveiled, highlighting the lavish world pulled from the 1982 novel of the same name by acclaimed author Isabel Allende. The eight-episode Spanish-language series is an ambitious undertaking for Prime Video, adapting a story that has sold over 70 million copies worldwide and has been translated into over 20 different languages. The show will span multiple decades and generations of women as it follows the Trueba family while they navigate love, loss, violent social upheaval, and conflict that threaten to tear them apart. Standing at opposite sides of the magical realist tale are the domineering family patriarch and his strong-willed granddaughter, with years of family secrets, struggles to get by, and an unfolding revolution finding them constantly at odds.
Who Else Is Involved in ‘The House of the Spirits’?
Notably, Chile’s House of the Spirits series adaptation won’t be the first time the massively influential book has come to life. Billie August directed a feature film version in 1993 that boasted an eye-watering cast of stars, including Meryl Streep, Glenn Close, Winona Ryder, Jeremy Irons, and Antonio Banderas. While audiences enjoyed it and it was lauded with awards in Europe, it didn’t live up to expectations in the eyes of U.S. critics. The series will look to do the book justice with an all-star international cast featuring Alfonso Herrera, Dolores Fonzi, Juan Pablo Raba, and Fernanda Castillo, and a production team that includes the author Allende and Eva Longoria as executive producers alongside showrunners Francisca Alegría, Fernanda Urrejola, and Andrés Wood.
The House of the Spirits will premiere on Prime Video sometime in 2026. Check out the new image in the gallery above.
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David Boreanaz, the just-announced “Rockford Files” reboot star, first consulted the late James Garner's daughter
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The “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” alum says he is “grateful.”
In Season 2 of The Pitt, Dr. Langdon (Patrick Ball) returns and Robby (Noah Wyle) isn’t happy about it. July 4th marks Langdon’s first day back on the job after rehab and while Robby attempts to keep him at a distance by assigning him to triage, the two cross paths in Episode 5 and their dynamic further confirms that Robby is nowhere near ready to accept an apology from Langdon. But what about Katherine LaNasa‘s Dana?
Episode 6, “12:00 PM,” finally offers up a quiet one-on-one between the two, with Langdon continuing his apology tour. He lays things out one by one — he’s having a rough first day back, no one from the ER reached out while he was gone, his wife could have taken the kids and left. Dana says exactly what one might assume Langdon would want to hear in those moments. He lost one patient and had another with a “septic bounce back?” Dana tells him neither were his fault. No one from the ER called him while he was away? She gives him a soft “sorry.” He’s shocked his wife stuck with him? Dana says it’s because he deserved a second chance. Even when Langdon launches into his 12-step apology to make amends, she cuts him off and assures him, “You can check me off your list, kid. We’re good.”
But are they really? If you simply took Dana at her word, the scene might demand a revisit because it’s actually loaded with subtext.
This Was the Most-Discussed Scene of ‘The Pitt’ Before Filming
“He said something to me that I had a hard time understanding, and I really had to let it simmer.”
While on Collider Ladies Night to revisit her journey to The Pitt and to discuss what Dana’s experienced through Season 2, Episode 6, LaNasa zeroed in on what made this scene one-of-a-kind. “It was probably one of the most talked-about-beforehand scenes that I’ve ever done on The Pitt.” She recalled:
“Noah was directing, and he and Patrick had talked about it, and I think he had come to me and said, ‘You’re gonna kind of patch him up and get him on his way.’ Then he came and he said, ‘You know, I’m thinking this now. I want you to be mad and to take down this donut sign.’ He said something to me that I had a hard time understanding, and I really had to let it simmer to really understand it. But at the end of the day, kind of what he was saying was, ‘You don’t have time for this today.’ It was a little bit the theme of the one before, but he wanted him to feel uncomfortable. He wanted me to not entirely be able to take care of him. So, maybe behind, ‘You didn’t call me,’ when I’m like, ‘Sorry.’ I got to a place where it’s unspoken.”
Star of HBO’s Hit Genre-Defining Series Explains Why TikTok is An Important Part of the Show
‘The Pitt’s Shabana Azeez reveals the many layers of Dr. Javadi’s TikTok fame.
Does Dana Really Forgive Langdon?
This is a mess Langdon created for himself. “I didn’t choose my punch in my face.”
LaNasa insists she actually does forgive Langdon. “I do forgive him because I, myself, have a child the same age as Patrick.” She gets who he is and where he’s coming from. However, she also knows her own truth, and there’s a big difference between what she went through during their last shift together and the position he found himself in.
“Underneath, it was like, ‘I know you can’t think about this because you’re a young man and you only think about yourself, but I got punched in the face.’ You know what I mean? I got punched in the face. It caused me to have an existential crisis of my own. I’m still fucking upset about it. Yeah, I’m sorry I didn’t call you after you stole drugs and were sent to rehab, and now have to repeat your year in a mess that you chose for yourself. I didn’t choose my punch in my face. I think he actually wanted me to bring my own weight and to be not really willing to take care of him.”
The lasting impact of the punch isn’t the only thing on Dana’s mind at that moment. She’s also working to keep the ED up and running during yet another hectic shift. “I think some of the, ‘Look, you don’t have to apologize to me,’ was in part because I need Langdon to just get out there, just put his nose down, and get his job done.”
Another piece of this puzzle Dana wants him to be mindful of? Get his job done and “look good for Robby.”
“That’s basically what I’m saying. ‘Why don’t you just leave him alone today? Just come back. Do a good job. Things will sort out in time.’ Like that older wisdom. Whereas a kid’s like, ‘I want to make an apology. I want to make it alright right away,’ and just her not really having the time for that today.”
Looking for even more from LaNasa on what’s gone down in The Pitt Season 2 thus far, like the meaning of Dana’s bell pin, the importance of serving as a mentor to (Laetitia Hollard), and then some? Be sure to watch her full Collider Ladies Night interview in the video near the top of this article.
- Release Date
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January 9, 2025
- Network
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Max
- Showrunner
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R. Scott Gemmill
- Directors
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Amanda Marsalis
- Writers
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Joe Sachs, Cynthia Adarkwa
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Noah Wyle
Dr. Michael ‘Robby’ Robinavitch
-
Tracy Ifeachor
Dr. Heather Collins
Entertainment
‘The Vampire Lestat’ Is a Blood-Sucking Rock Star With New David Bowie-Inspired Single
Lestat de Lioncourt is about to rock your world. Summer is only a few months away, and with the season will come the much-anticipated return of Anne Rice‘s Immortal Universe on AMC and AMC+ in the form of Interview with the Vampire Season 3. San Diego Comic-Con previously confirmed it’s getting a big shake-up, too, with a brand-new name, The Vampire Lestat, that reflects a shift to adapting book two in the series and a brand-new occupation for the titular immortal — rock star. As such, the network is starting to give viewers a taste of what’s to come with the change of scenery after a Season 2 finale of reconciliation for the vampire.
The Vampire Lestat will find its lead, once again played by Sam Reid, on an electric multi-city tour, haunted by the “muses” from his rebellious past while he leans into his new life of rock and roll. With the rise in his band’s star power comes greater influence over humans and vampires, making him an ever-greater force to be reckoned with in the night. Other powers are forced to take note of his growing might in the face of the Great Conversion, an event that sees a boom in the number of vampires in the world. Despite being in his rock-star era, Lestat remains largely the same aristocrat viewers know, embracing hedonism in his new, glamorous tour lifestyle. It’s also a chance to show off his talents as an artist through song.
Ahead of the summer premiere, the first track from Lestat’s catalog, “Long Face,” has just been released overnight courtesy of AMC Networks and Lakeshore Records. It’s the first of several singles that will be rolled out in the coming months on the official Vampire Lestat profile page on the major digital music services to get viewers hyped for the tour. Show composer Daniel Hart penned the lyrics and composed the music, while Reid himself performed on the song. According to the former, the goal was to lean into glam rock while tying the music into Lestat’s ability to blend in with just about any era, an aspect of the character that reminded him of the late great David Bowie:
“Long Face is the first song I wrote for The Vampire Lestat. We decided early on to make David Bowie a big influence for Lestat’s musical style and persona, and there’s certainly some Ziggy Stardust in this song. But we chose Bowie not only for his glam era, but because he was a chameleon. Expect Lestat to change his musical colors throughout the season as well, as he discovers how to remain true to himself, and how to express that truth on stage every night.”
‘The Vampire Lestat’ Brings New and Returning Faces on Tour
As for Lestat, well, he didn’t have as kind of words for Hart, sounding every bit like a rock diva. With his immortal expertise, he also threw a stray jab at Hart’s acclaimed work on The Green Knight in a scathing, in-character statement, adding, “Long Face is the first song Daniel Hart ‘produced’ for my album. He decided early on to steal where he could from Bowie because he hasn’t had an original idea for five years now (is that his Green Knight score fading in the rearview?) As for “Long Face,” the bass should have walked down with the guitar at the end instead of pedaling on E. Predictable. Like everything Daniel Hart touches.”
Reid will lead a cast of new and returning faces, headlined by Jacob Anderson, Assad Zaman, Eric Bogosian, Delainey Hayles, and
Jennifer Ehle. Newcomers, meanwhile, include Sheila Atim, Noah Reid, Ryan Kattner, Seamus Patterson, and Sarah Swire, with Atim entering in a massive role as the Queen of the Damned herself, Akasha. Series creator, writer, and showrunner Rolin Jones is also back at the helm.
“Long Face” is now available to stream on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, and more digital music services via the Vampire Lestat artist profile. More songs will be released in the coming months, leading up to The Vampire Lestat‘s premiere on AMC and AMC+ this summer. Stay tuned here at Collider for more on the series’ return until then.
- Release Date
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October 2, 2022
- Network
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AMC
- Directors
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Levan Akin, Alan Taylor, Craig Zisk, Emma Freeman, Keith Powell
- Writers
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Jonathan Ceniceroz, Coline Abert, Eleanor Burgess, Ben Philippe
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Jacob Anderson
Louis de Pointe du Lac
-
Entertainment
Margaret Qualley was scared women would hate her when she started acting: 'I was just overwhelmed'
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The star of “The Substance” says her marriage to Jack Antonoff has helped boost her confidence.
Roomies, y’all already know Lori Harvey keeps a good, foine man! But when it comes to women moving gracefully and finding their prince charming, Lori is definitely ultimate cheerleader. That’s exactly the energy she had when TikTok star Amani Wortham shared her engagement news. Amani first went viral two years ago when she spilled about breaking up with her boyfriend even though he was “great,” he just wasn’t her husband.
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From Breakup To Engagement: Lori Harvey Celebrates Amani Wortham’s BIG Moment
Lori Harvey is giving the gworls life after sliding into Amani Wortham’s comment section to congratulate her on her engagement. For context, Amani Wortham is an influencer and podcast host who is going viral again after sharing where she’s at now following her breakup two years ago. Back in 2024, Amani blew up on TikTok when she opened up about splitting with her ex because he wasn’t her husband. Fast forward to now — Amani is engaged and showing off a huge rock in a new video. She made it clear that keeping her standards high and holding out for the right man led her straight to her hubby. “High standards do nothing, but good.” She continued, “If your standards to not eliminate most they aren’t high enough!”
Amani didn’t throw shade at her ex. She just put the ladies out there hoping to walk down the aisle and find Mr. Right on. She hyped women up to realize that “good” isn’t always the best and that sometimes what you really need shows up after you thought you had already found the right person.
“Good wasn’t good enough […] Now I actually have the person that I should be with.” She added, “Never let nobody tell you that you’re doing too much, especially as a woman when it comes to your life partner.”
Lori Harvey peeped Amani’s video and seemed to agree. She slid straight into her comment section, letting everyone know she’s living for her energy writing, “You ain’t wrong queen! Congratulations.”
Lori Harvey’s Support For Amani Has Social Media Buzzing
The Shade Room’s comment section was basically on the same as Lori. Plenty of folks said they weren’t surprised to see her agree, while others preached that “good” doesn’t always mean right for you. Of course, some folks couldn’t help but throw a lil’ shade, saying Amani needs to keep the internet updated on her future with her hubby.
Instagram user @lovelyladynotes wrote, “And the girls who get it got it ☺️💍”
Instagram user @fitwitbritt504 wrote, “Lori we knew you would agree sis 😂”
While Instagram user @divinely_dimples wrote, “2 things can be true he can be a good man and still not be the right man for you.”
Then Instagram user @getuptoparr wrote, “I love me a woman who knows how to LEAVE!!!!”
Another Instagram user @jujuleger85 wrote, “A good man doesn’t always equal the right man for you… love this for her👏👏”
Instagram user @killemallcoop wrote, “Keep us updated when y’all divorce too.”
While another Instagram user @rudi.not.rudy wrote, “She’s not operating from a mindset of scarcity. Someone can be a great person just not YOUR person and that’s ok!”
Finally, Instagram user @s.nashay wrote, “exactly that’s why ppl be miserable in them marriages cause they settled 🤣🤣”
Amani Wortham Turns Breakup Lessions Into Viral Advice For Women
In 2024, Amani went viral on TikTok after sharing how she got through a breakup with an ex without crashing out. She said she’s been through rough heartbreak seasons, but her spirituality kept her sane. Her relationship with her ex didn’t end like a horror story, he was still sending her flowers even after they split. She made it clear that nothing messy caused them to part ways, it was really a few small things that led to the decision. That’s when she realized she needed to make room for her future husband. From there, Amani reminded women that holding your standards in relationships can be a positive experience. She also wanted her video to show that sometimes you can simply part ways because you are growing and desiring different things.
@amaniworthamA positive break up story ❤️♬ original sound – AmaniWortham
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What Do You Think Roomies?
JoJo Fletcher and Jordan Rodgers became parents in December 2025 following the arrival of daughter Romy.
“What a whirlwind these last couple of days have been but in the most magical way,” the former Bachelorette wrote via Instagram at the time. “Went in for our weekly sonogram this past Tuesday and found out we needed to deliver via emergency c section that day. At 5:37pm on Dec 23 – we met our girl. Romy Blair Rodgers you are our whole world. Cant wait to share more but in the meantime soaking up these moments as a new family of 3 ❤️ + 2 😉 🐶🐶.”
Fletcher gave an update on how she, Rodgers and Romy were faring following the emergency surgery.
“Mom & Dad and baby girl [are] all doing good! In the new born trenches so haven’t had much time at all haha but wanted to say thank you so much for all the love and wishes,” she wrote via her Instagram Story. “I’m recovering well, Jordy is literally DAD goals, it’s crazy how fast he took to it and has been a total rockstar caring for me and Romy.”
Since bringing Romy home, Fletcher and Rodgers, who wed in 2022, have given little glimpses of their life with their baby girl.
Keep scrolling to see some of Fletcher and Rodgers’ sweetest moments with Romy:
NBA YoungBoy fans have yet to let go of his past relationship with Jania Meshell. The former couple split back in 2018 and later welcomed their son, Kacey in 2019, who will soon be seven years old. Since then, Jania has moved on and is allegedly in a relationship with Dejounte Murray, while YoungBoy is married to Jazlyn Mychelle. However, after Jania showed support for her child’s father at one of his concerts last year, speculation quickly began to swirl. Instead of leaving the past in the past, some social media users became convinced the two were secretly messing around. Well, Jania has now taken to the internet to put the rumors to rest once and for all.
RELATED: The ‘Net Floods Jania Meshell’s Comments After NBA YoungBoy Asks Kacey To “Put In A Good Word” For Him In New Song (LISTEN)
Rumors About NBA YoungBoy And Jania Circulate Online
Earlier this week, rumors began circulating on X (formerly Twitter) claiming that Jania Meshell and NBA YoungBoy were allegedly dealing with each other on New Year’s. One account wrote, “So NBA YoungBoy and Jania Meshell was sneaking and geeking in Utah on New Year’s. Y’all, this is really happening before our eyes… cause omg. Why was YoungBoy on the phone with his wife Jazlyn while Jania was picking YB up from his godmother’s house? JANIA OUTSIDE!!!!”
As the speculation continued to spread, folks on TikTok added fuel to the fire. Some users claimed that Jania had allegedly saved an edit of her and NBA YoungBoy to her account, further sparking conversation online.
Jania Clears The Air Once And For All
It looks like the rumors eventually made their way to Jania’s timeline, because early Thursday morning she hopped online to set the record straight. In her first post, she made it clear that everyone has moved on.
“I’m just going to leave this here since people are confused….. Everybody has moved on don’t tag me in s*** don’t try to put 2&2 together y’all are getting piss I’m sick and tired of this it. If y’all rock with me y’all rock with me if you don’t you don’t idgaf anymore”
The influencer followed up by stressing that she has no interest in interfering with anyone’s marriage.
She added: “And furthermore the people that let the internet shape your opinion about ME… you too idgaf I’m in my own lane I’m not trying to mess with NOBODY HUSBAND OML”
When one commenter asked, “But if he was single??” Jania quickly responded: “WE JUST HAVE A CHILD TOGETHER.”
Jania later became more vulnerable, opening up about how the ongoing speculation has impacted her personal life. She wrote, “Been trying to protect people I love and then get on the internet and everyday it’s something. If I was Dejounte I wouldn’t fwm cause all I bring is drama and honestly I’m just tired of this sh***. I want to be free.” In additional posts, Jania expressed feeling overwhelmed and embarrassed. She ended by apologizing to anyone she feels she may have negatively impacted, saying she hopes they can enjoy life without experiencing that again.
Social Media Reacts
Folks on the net gathered under The Shade Room Teens comment section to react to Jania’s messages. Some agreed with her, arguing that NBA YoungBoy fans need to leave her alone. Others expressed that they feel like Dejounte might be the reason she’s speaking out. Meanwhile, a few are still standing ten toes down behind the rumors, insisting the two are still messing around.
Instagram user @barbrii._ added, “She went to one concert now yall won’t stop running with sht”
While Instagram user @youlovedreaa_ wrote, “Dejounte must’ve said something”
Instagram user replies @_____ntd wrote, “I mean It has to be exhausting to continue to be attached to someone even after publicly being in a relationship that would piss me off too!”
Instagram user @desifuckinbaby added, “If she wanted that man she would be with him let it go”
While Instagram user @anti_social626 wrote, “She’s lying and he will expose that in the next album”
Instagram user @naesoalias added, “Yall obsession w Nba Youngboy needs to be studied fr i would hate to have any affiliation w him the fans are CRAZY””
While Instagram user @_myiaaaaaa wrote, “If something was going on ion think he would be asking Kacey to put in a good word for him but idk”
RELATED: Leave Him Out Of It! Dejounte Murray Liked An Interesting Comment After NBA YoungBoy Responded To His Father’s Recent Advice
What Do You Think Roomies?
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