Sterling K. Brown had a surprisingly NSFW reaction to his wife, Ryan Michelle Bathé, finally meeting Heated Rivalry‘s Connor Storrie.

“This happened and I just want everyone to know that I didn’t fall. I didn’t collapse. I gushed,” Bathé, 49, said in an Instagram video posted on Wednesday, March 4. “I gushed all over him.”

She continued: “Look at him! Isn’t he the best? He was so cool.”

Brown, 49, took to the comments section with a colorful response, writing, “You ‘gushed … all over him?’”

Related: Sterling K. Brown and Ryan Michelle Bathe‘s Relationship Timeline

This is their love story! Sterling K. Brown has been married to Ryan Michelle Bathé since 2006 and he continues to prioritize his other half on a daily basis. “His love language is time spent,” Bathé exclusively told Us Weekly of her husband in March 2020. “So, he’s always calling me throughout the day [and] […]

Bathé is one of many celebrity fans of HBO’s overnight hit. Based on Rachel Reid‘s Game Changers book series, Heated Rivalry follows rival professional hockey players Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams) and Ilya Rozanov (Storrie), whose animosity on the ice is just a front for a secret — and very passionate — romance.

While fans wait for another season of Heated Rivalry, Bathé and Brown are both currently starring on Hulu’s hit series Paradise. Brown teamed up with creator Dan Fogelman on the science fiction series, which marks their first collaboration since This Is Us.

Paradise, which premiered in January 2025, initially appeared to be set in a serene and wealthy community forced to face the realities of a shocking murder. In typical Fogelman fashion, the political thriller introduced a twist when Paradise was revealed to be an underground bunker housing the world’s most prominent individuals after an apocalyptic event destroyed the rest of humanity.

Brown stars as Xavier while Bathé is set to appear later in the second season — and is hosting the show’s companion podcast.

“Initially, I was a little bit lukewarm about doing the podcast because I was like, ‘There’s no way [they can top season 1],’” Bathé exclusively told Us Weekly last month. “Dan is a genius. He’s got great writers but I thought that it’s not going to be as good as season 1.”

Bathé was happy to be proven wrong. “How do you top perfection? You can’t match perfection. So I was going to try it but I was [preparing] for a sophomore slump. I was wrong. Not only was I wrong — but I was so very wrong.”

She continued: “It’s incredible. I don’t know how they create a perfect season of television in season one and then take it apart and take the pieces and put them back together in an even more — or just as interesting — way. I kept asking that question and they’re all so humble.”

Bathé’s love for the show allowed her to get all our burning questions answered, saying, “I truly love the show and I hope that the way I like to watch the show and the questions that I ask match up with the rest of the fandom. I’m a true fan — but I just hope that I make the fandom proud.”

Paradise premieres February 23 on Hulu with new episodes of the show — and the companion podcast — airing every Monday.

Marlon Wayans Will ‘Make Fun Of Everybody’ In ‘Scary Movie 6’

‘Scary Movie 6’ Will Spoof Some Of The Biggest Horror Films Of The Past Decade

Marlon Wayans Has Big Plans For Some Of His Past Films If ‘Scary Movie 6’ Is A Hit

The Wayans Brothers’ Return To The ‘Scary Movie’ Franchise Was Initially Announced In 2024

Kylie Jenner’s Sprinter Brand
Sprinting in Healthy New Direction???

Published
March 5, 2026
2:30 AM PST

By Robert Scucci
| Published 24 seconds ago

While I have no qualms about railing on my landlord for taking over 18 months to replace the window in my master bedroom, I still try to keep some perspective despite the still-unfilled maintenance request. I rent from a large property management group that’s at the mercy of its various contractors, at least that’s the excuse, even though they’ll fire off a nasty email if I even think about sending the rent check an hour late. In 1990’s Pacific Heights, on the other hand, the dynamic is a little different and a lot more terrifying.

Here, a young couple purchases a house and does everything they can to make sure their new tenants feel right at home. That is, until their worst nightmare shows up looking for a rental unit and completely destroys their lives in the process. With their hands tied by the legal system, and with no clear or easy way to evict him, they’re stuck in a rental agreement they never wanted in the first place.

Batman’s New Secret Lair

The setup for Pacific Heights is simple and escalates to the point of no return in no time. When we’re first introduced to Drake Goodman (Matthew Modine) and his pregnant fiancée Patty Palmer (Melanie Griffith), they’re wide-eyed, bushy-tailed, and maybe just a little too green to take on a project like the one they’ve sunk their entire savings into. They’ve purchased a beautiful Victorian house in Pacific Heights with plans to renovate into a rental property.

They rent the first unit to the Watanabe family (portrayed by Mako and Nobu McCarthy) without issue, and it’s the perfect setup. They get passive income from low-maintenance tenants and can continue renovations on the rest of the house unbothered. Their house-flipping dream quickly becomes a disaster when Carter Hayes (Michael Keaton) shows up to rent the other available unit, immediately raising more red flags than they can count.

Carter refuses a credit check but offers to pay the first six months’ rent via wire transfer. While Drake and Patty are still weighing the arrangement, Carter locks himself inside the apartment, changes the locks, and starts using power tools throughout the night, scaring off the Watanabes. Oh yeah, and he never pays them like he promised, so he’s living rent free. 

Realizing they need legal action, they hire lawyer Stephanie MacDonald (Laurie Metcalf) to start the eviction process, which proves more complicated than they ever imagined. Drake’s attempts to force Carter out, like cutting the power and heat, only result in the police siding with Carter, who appears to be the innocent tenant with the tyrannical landlords. Further antagonized, Drake eventually comes to blows with the squatter, exactly what Carter planned all along.

Now slapped with a restraining order that legally prevents him from entering his own home, Drake has to find somewhere else to stay, further straining his relationship with Patty. They’re already drowning in legal fees on top of their original investment, and without Drake in the picture, Carter can finally zero in on Patty.

Keaton At His Most Menacing

What really sells Pacific Heights is just how calculating Carter Hayes truly is, thanks to Michael Keaton. It’s clear from the beginning that he’s a con artist, but no one can quite pin down his endgame. He spends much of the film coming and going, locking himself in the apartment, infesting the house with roaches, and staring down Patty whenever she thinks she’s alone. Drake, rightfully losing his grip, wants to protect what’s his, but Carter has already anticipated his every move. Each attempt to remove him only makes his presence, both seen and unseen, more aggressive and menacing.

The suspense in Pacific Heights comes from knowing Drake and Patty are being systematically dismantled with almost no way to protect themselves from the squatter living inside their nest egg. As Carter’s motives slowly come into focus, we learn what he’s truly after, but by then it’s far too late for a clean resolution.

As of this writing, Pacific Heights is streaming for free on Tubi.

‘Below Deck’ Alum Emile Kotze
Sues NBCUniversal for $850 Million …
Network Denies Sexual Harassment Allegation

Published
March 5, 2026
3:00 AM PST

Apple TV’s monumental sci-fi series Monarch: Legacy of Monsters returned to the streamer for Season 2, and to find out what fans are in store for this time around, Collider’s Steve Weintraub sat down with stars Kurt Russell and Wyatt Russell, who both portray Army officer Lee Shaw. In this spoiler-free half of their conversation, the father and son duo discuss how Season 2 compares to Season 1, teasing what fans can expect this year.

After the revelations of Monarch Season 1, Legacy of Monsters Season 2 picks up with the fate of this organization, and the world as we know it, hanging in the balance. Our heroes, and their foes, reunite on Kong’s Skull Island, where long-buried secrets come to light, as well as a mysterious new village, and yet another mythical Titan surfaces from the sea. Here, the past and present collide, confusing the lines between friends, family, and enemies, as humans face off against a new threat.

Check out the full conversation in the video above, or the transcript below, where Kurt and Wyatt Russell discuss this “moving train,” and what we can expect from Wyatt’s spin-off series, producer Tory Tunnell describes as “punk rock.” The pair also jokes about Kurt Russell’s Super Bowl team-up with Wyatt’s Thunderbolts*‘s co-star Lewis Pullman, and brainstorm an all-star response to that collaboration.

‘Monarch: Legacy of Monsters’ Season 2 Is a “Moving Train”

And this ride’s just getting started.

COLLIDER: Gentlemen, I really want to start with thank you both for your work. I have really loved your work my entire life. And I’m really loving your work. I just want to say thanks.

KURT RUSSELL: Thank you. Steve.

WYATT RUSSELL: I love your work.

KURT RUSSELL: Go ahead and tear it apart now.

[Laughs] Season 2 is fantastic. It is just like an adrenaline shot. It’s nonstop. I hate doing the generic thing, but how would you compare Season 2 to Season 1?

WYATT RUSSELL: It’s a great question. Season 2 is more like a moving train. You’re on it, and you’re going, and it’s more linear in certain ways. Season 1 was like you’re finding your footing, you’re learning who these characters are, and that always presents an element of newness that just takes a minute to get going. Then, for me, in Season 2, you know these people, you know what their personalities are like, you know their dynamics, and you see it blossom. I enjoyed that about it. It felt easier for me.

KURT RUSSELL: A lot of things that presented questions in [Season] 1 would begin to be answered in [Season] 2. The first year was Alice goes down the rabbit hole, and we deal with it, and you meet this guy who’s part of it somehow. Season 2 is really, Grandma comes out, and what she found down the rabbit hole comes out. Now they’re dealing with something that also came out with Grandma.

Wyatt Russell’s ‘Monarch’ Spinoff Makes the MonsterVerse Human

“You’ve got absolutely no fucking clue what to expect.”

Image via Apple TV+

I know that you are filming a spinoff series of Monarch this year. What can you tease people about it?

WYATT RUSSELL: I can tease that it’s going to be something that you’ve got absolutely no fucking clue what to expect. I think people are going to expect one thing and be like, “Holy shit, this is not what I expected.” It’ll go deeper into Lee’s experience after he came up, and being sort of put on ice, in 1982, and then what happens after that, and why he’s needed and the mission he goes on. I’m so excited about it. More excited about that than I’ve been excited about something in a very long time.

I’ve gotten the first episode, and it’s so well written. Joby Harold’s writing it, showrunning it. Having it come together the way it’s come together, I’m very excited and excited about exploring more of what this character becomes as you’ve seen him, an older version, that you see these experiences that he’s had that inform much more of what you’re going to continually be seeing in Monarch.

KURT RUSSELL: Which, in the first two seasons, we dropped a few things that inform that in a certain way.

I don’t want to drill down too much, because I know you can’t say too much, but have they told you, is it more like a Titan thing, or is it more like Cold War kind of stuff?

WYATT RUSSELL: It’s both, but in a way that… I don’t even know what I can talk about, so you guys figure that out later.

KURT RUSSELL: Watch Collider! [Laughs]

WYATT RUSSELL: But it’s so well integrated into both of those things, the way that they’ve dealt with and are dealing with their hand on how they infused monsters and infused the world of the MonsterVerse into a very, very, very human story, a la Monarch. It’s a little bit simpler because it’s less people. It’s less focused on a past and more focused on a present experience, mission, goal. But Joby has fused these elements so, so, so well, and I’m just excited.

I will not pressure you anymore.

WYATT RUSSELL: I know. Sorry, I’m trying to give you a good answer.

No, I appreciate that.

KURT RUSSELL: It’s great. I’m with you. I think this is going to be really interesting.

This is how I know the show is doing very well, because if they’re willing to do a spinoff.

KURT RUSSELL: And there’s someplace to go.

I’m all in.

Related

‘Monarch: Legacy of Monsters’ Spin-Off Series Is a Punk Rock Cold War Spy Thriller [Exclusive]

Kurt and Wyatt Russell weigh in on Lee Shaw’s next chapter.

Wyatt Russell on His ‘Thunderbolts*’ Castmate Sharing Scenes With His Dad

“What the f*ck?”

I definitely have to ask the most important question, which is, you did a Super Bowl commercial, and you had Lewis Pullman as the person you’re training. Were you a little upset that it was Lewis being trained and not you?

WYATT RUSSELL: I called Lewis, and I was like, “What the fuck?” Nah, I’m kidding. I was so excited. I was like, “You’re doing Super Bowl commercial with my dad! You’re gonna have so much fun!”

KURT RUSSELL: He did. He asked me. He said, “What’s the story?” And I gave him a little thing. He said, “So who’s the guy?” I said, “Lewis Pullman.” He said, “Lewis Pullman? That’s great!”

WYATT RUSSELL: I was like, “Oh, my god, you’re gonna have so much fun.” Then I was like, “Well, now I’m going to have to do a commercial with Bill about, like, sleeping pills.” [Laughs] Something where it’s like you’re not getting enough sleep, and it’s me and Bill Pullman hocking sleeping pills.

It would actually be great if it were you and Bill, and Lewis and Kurt opposite you guys.

KURT RUSSELL: Anheuser-Busch, are you listening?

[Laughs] Just an idea.

WYATT RUSSELL: I love it.

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters is available to stream on Apple TV+. Keep an eye out for the spoiler half of this conversation later this season.

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Release Date

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November 16, 2023

Network

Apple TV

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Showrunner

Chris Black, Matt Fraction

Directors

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Julian Holmes, Matt Shakman, Mairzee Almas, Andy Goddard, Hiromi Kamata

Writers

Al Letson, Karl Taro Greenfeld, Chris Black, Mariko Tamaki, Amanda Overton, Andrew Colville, Matt Fraction, Milla Bell-Hart

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The first official trailer for Lanterns is quite the surprise, as it trades the cosmic scope of the Green Lantern comics for a more gritty, down-to-earth series. Instead of battling alien criminals, Green Lanterns Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) and John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) are investigating a murder mystery. If it weren’t for Jordan brandishing his ring and using it to fly, alongside a shot of a Green Lantern costume, you could mistake this series for a new season of True Detective rather than a comic book adaptation. However, the end of the trailer features a nod to one of the most outlandish Green Lanterns from the comics.

While Stewart and Jordan are riding in a car, Stewart asks the older Lantern if he’s met any of the other members of the Green Lantern Corps. “I’m the only human there,” Jordan scoffs. “One of them’s a f***ing squirrel.” Comic fans will immediately clock this as a reference to Ch’p, a Green Lantern who’s actually a squirrel! Or rather, he’s an alien that looks like a squirrel. First appearing in Green Lantern #148 by Paul Kupperberg and Don Newton, Ch’p was recruited into the Green Lantern Corps to defend his homeworld of H’lven from invasion. He quickly became a fan favorite, and Lanterns hinting at his presence suggest the series could explore more of the cosmic elements of the Green Lantern mythos.

Ch’p Has Appeared in Other DC Movies & TV Shows

Image via DC Comics

Lanterns won’t be the first time that Ch’p has been referenced in a DC project, or even shown up in one. He’s appeared in other Green Lantern movies, particularly Green Lantern: The Animated Series and Batman: The Brave and the Bold. The heroic squirrel’s biggest appearance to date is in DC League of Super-Pets, where he was voiced by none other than Andor‘s Diego Luna. This version of Ch’p was radically different: instead of wearing a Green Lantern ring, he gained the power of electricity due to a freak accident involving Krypto the Superdog (Dwayne Johnson).

Ch’p hasn’t been so lucky in the comics. During the Green Lantern: Mosaic miniseries, he was hit and killed by a truck (said truck was painted yellow, which was one of the few weaknesses of a Green Lantern ring at the time). While Ch’p would survive the cataclysmic events of Crisis on Infinite Earths, he’d later learn that his wife M’nn’e thought he was dead and ended up getting remarried to his best friend, D’ll. Perhaps his most gruesome death came in Injustice: Gods Among Us, which details a world where Superman slowly slips into tyranny. Ch’p is briefly able to hold off the Man of Steel until he gets a nail through the skull, courtesy of the Sinestro Corps. Here’s to hoping Lanterns keeps the furry little guy alive.

Related

15 Years Later, Green Lantern Finally Gets the Gritty ‘True Detective’-Style Adaptation the Hero Deserves

No evil shall escape their sight.

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By Referencing Ch’p, ‘Lanterns’ Might Be Preparing To Go Galactic

The Ch’p reference in Lanterns hints that the series could eventually veer into cosmic territory despite its grounded tone. Hal Jordan’s former partner turned arch nemesis Sinestro is set to appear in the series, played by Ulrich Thomsen. Given that Sinestro’s an alien with an enlarged head and pink skin, it’ll be hard to ground that in reality. Ch’p also isn’t the strangest being to wield a Green Lantern ring, as one Lantern, Mogo, is an entire planet. There’s also the matter of Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion), who’s also set to appear in Lanterns. How will Gardner’s infuriatingly cocky attitude rub off on Jordan and Stewart?

Having a balance of cosmic and crime elements means that Lanterns is staying to the spirit of the Green Lantern comics, while also showcasing the unique approach that James Gunn and Peter Safran are taking with DC Studios. No character is too outlandish or off-limits, especially if it’s a talking squirrel with a ring that can create anything. If Lanterns is a success, there’s even the possibility that Ch’p could show up in a future season, and that would be TV worth watching.

Lanterns premieres on HBO Max in August.

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Famous Small Screen Adaptations — The Collider TV Quiz!

These films went from 16:9 all the way down to 4:3 (proverbially). How many of these movie-to-TV titles do you know?

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HBO

Showrunner

Chris Mundy

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Directors

James Hawes

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Chicago P.D.’s Jay Halstead and Hailey Upton returned to the Windy City during the high-stakes One Chicago crossover — but did they leave a couple?

Jesse Lee Soffer, who plays Halstead, and Tracy Spiridakos, who portrays Upton, exclusively told Us Weekly all about their “unfinished business” and the TV reunion that will definitely leave fans talking.

Warning: Spoilers below from season 13, episode 13 of Chicago P.D. and the One Chicago crossover.

Soffer, 41, explained to Us that during the Wednesday, March 4, crossover event, Halstead finds himself back in Chicago after traveling to Bolivia to work drug interdiction and chase cartel members.

When a case that Upton is working on, now as an FBI agent, “intersects” with Halstead’s work, it’s a “really big deal” for Halstead, who is “happy to see her and work side by side with her for a minute.”

Soffer told Us that before Halstead left during season 10 in 2022 of Chicago P.D. amid his marriage to Upton, he told her, “I’m coming back. I got to go do this. I gotta go, like, find myself, but I love you, and I’m coming back.”

However, he left “so abruptly that there was all this unfinished business” and it left a “void” in both of their lives.

“There’s a lot of like story to be mined from that,” the actor said, noting that the crossover gave Halstead an opportunity to see Upton face-to-face for the first time in years. (Spiridakos’ Upton left Chicago P.D. after season 11 in 2024 as a divorced woman.)

During the three-hour crossover episode, Upton crossed paths with Chicago Med, Chicago Fire and Chicago P.D. members as they all work to figure out what caused passengers of a plane headed for Chicago to die mysteriously.

Upton revealed to her former boss Hank Voight (Jason Beghe) that a drug trafficking case she was working on was tied to Halstead, which is why she decided to come to Chicago and not blow his cover in case he’d been compromised.

Halstead, meanwhile, showed up to help the team just in time to save Upton’s life from one of the assailants, who purchased drugs to make a toxin that would infect first responders he held responsible for the death of his family in a fire 25 years prior.

Related: Tracy Spiridakos Sounds Off on Her ‘Chicago P.D.’ Exit After Season 11

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Maarten de Boer/NBCUniversal Tracy Spiridakos addressed her Chicago P.D. exit for the first time ahead of her farewell episode and the season 11 finale. “I decided at the end of my sixth season (a.k.a. season 10 of the series),” Spiridakos, 36, told Variety on Tuesday, May 21, of her departure timeline. “Which is when I […]

“There were so many times I wanted to reach out,” Halstead told Upton after they were out of harm’s way, but he just brushed him off.

At the end of the episode, Halstead and Upton — along with their former Intelligence Unit squad — eliminate the bad guy and save the city from an attack that would have killed even more people. They also manage to get an antidote to save the firefighters and paramedics who were exposed during the investigation.

Before Upton leaves the squad room, Halstead tries one more time to apologize for leaving her and seemingly giving up on them.

“I stayed to work this case because you were here,” he told her. Upton confessed, “I came here because you were here.”

Halstead then apologized for “all of it,” saying he was “sorry” he couldn’t find his way back to Chicago. “I’m sorry that I lost you.”

Upton replied, “I’m sorry too,” before inviting him out for a drink ahead of their respective departing flights. They exchanged a cheeky glance before leaving the office together.

“I think the bond that they had was a really, really strong one to begin with,” Spiridakos, 38, told Us of the TV duo. “They were partners for so long [and] had been through so much. The romantic part of their relationship came so much later.”

She noted that Upton was “hurt by how things ended between them” and that pain would not be “easily forgotten.”

Related: ‘Chicago P.D.’ Couple Jesse Lee Soffer, Tracy Spiridakos Adopt a Dog Together

After bringing Upstead’s romance to life on Chicago P.D., Tracy Spiridakos and Jesse Lee Soffer formed a connection off screen. Soffer was previously linked to Sophia Bush and Torrey DeVitto before sparking romance rumors with Spiridakos. Soffer and Spiridakos met on the set of the Dick Wolf police drama while playing Hailey Upton and Jay […]

Upton gave Halstead an olive branch with the drinks offer, with Spiridakos teasing that could eventually lead to more between them.

“I don’t know if it’s a new beginning, but I think it’s opened the door to have further conversations,” Spiridakos told Us. “That the end moment between them is like, ‘OK, I will accept a conversation.’ And that’s about as far as she can go.”

Spiridakos and Soffer both agreed that it’s not the end of Upton and Halstead’s story, assuming the One Chicago writers agree.

“I know we both would love to come back and play some more. If there’s more story to be had, we are here for it,” Spiridakos confirmed, with Soffer adding that he’s more than open to the possibility of more episodes for the former TV couple.

“Hell yeah,” Soffer said.

Only time will tell if fans will see the pair back together.

Chicago P.D. airs on NBC Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET.

‘RHOSLC’ Resumes Production, But Mary Cosby Is Not Yet Filming Amid Son’s Death

It Was Previously Reported That Cosby Will Return To The Show For Its Upcoming Season

Robert Cosby Jr. Died Amid A Long Struggle With Drug Addiction

Mary Cosby Publicly Addressed Her Son’s Death In A Heartfelt Tribute

Andy Cohen Showed Support For Cosby Via An Emotional Message

This interview contains spoilers for the Vladimir finale.Leo Woodall is one of the most exciting new actors working today. From being a standout in the star-studded cast of The White Lotus Season 2 (the reason we have the iconic quote, “So you fuck your uncle?”) to appearing opposite Ambika Mod in the critically acclaimed romantic series One Day, he’s shown immense talent and range in the short half a decade since his first onscreen role. Vladimir, however, might be his most intriguing and impressive performance yet.

Woodall plays the titular role, acting as the object of the unnamed protagonist’s (Rachel Weisz) affection — and obsession — when he begins teaching at the same college as her. Somehow both deeply attentive and utterly clueless, the young professor struggles to juggle his course load, his own writing, and his relationship with his wife Cynthia (Jessica Henwick). There’s an immediate connection between him and the main character… or is there? Told from the (not always entirely truthful) protagonist’s perspective, the audience struggles to parse out the true nature of their relationship, giving Woodall the challenging exercise of constantly toeing the delicate line between reality and fantasy.

Collider got the chance to speak to Woodall about how he approached such a task. Throughout the conversation, he also discussed what it was like working with Weisz, the most difficult part of acting while chained to a chair, his character’s shocking fate in that wild finale, and more.

Leo Woodall Talks Working With Rachel Weisz in ‘Vladimir’

“We had quite a lot to talk about and reminisce over.”

Image via Netflix

COLLIDER: You’re acting opposite a legend in Rachel Weisz. Do you remember the first project of hers you saw, or do you have a favorite?

LEO WOODALL: Ohh, I mean, everyone saw The Mummy. I loved her in About a Boy with Hugh Grant and Nicholas Holt. I also remember there was a spin-off of Jason Bourne with Jeremy Renner that she was in, and I loved that movie. I watched it, like, eight times, so I was very excited to work with her, and she did not disappoint. She’s wonderful.

I find it so funny that you’re both British people doing American accents. I’ve interviewed actors who have said that it’s hard not to slip into their native accent when they’re around people who also have it. Was that the case for you on this project?

WOODALL: Yeah, we didn’t ever speak to each other in American accents. In fact, we really leaned into our Britishisms when the camera wasn’t rolling. We don’t actually live that far from each other, so we had quite a lot to talk about and reminisce over — London and England and missing pubs, even though we shot in Toronto, which had some lovely pubs. We’d really celebrate our Britishness on set.

Leo Woodall Reveals How He Formed His Mysterious Character in ‘Vladimir’

“For her, every single syllable matters.”

Image via Netflix

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You do an amazing job with this character. He feels very real and authentic, but he’s also this enigma who’s very difficult to read. How do you balance creating a character who obviously has a life of his own, but is, in some ways, a fantasy that the main character is projecting onto?

WOODALL: Really good question. There were definitely moments where it was kind of my job as the actor to live in the space and go about my day. That’s what’s so funny about the show — she will interpret something so minute and turn it into something so important, and telling, and meaningful in her head. But then, when it came to the fantasy aspect, I had to lean into everything that she wants him to be.

I love that you mentioned that she reads into the littlest things. I feel like so much of the humor comes from that. The little jazz hands emoji, for example, and the debate about what that means had me laughing so much.

WOODALL: I swear, everybody has been through that moment where you read a text and you think, “What is this emoji? What are they telling me?” It’s so human and relatable.

In your mind, what was he trying to tell her with that?

WOODALL: I don’t know, actually. Even I don’t know. Sometimes, you just want to do something fun, and it doesn’t really have a meaning. The stakes are so much lower for him, but for her, every single syllable matters.

The show is very silly and wacky, but there are definitely some steamy scenes as well. Intimacy coordinators are a huge topic of conversation right now. Did you work with one on this show, and what was it like filming those fantasy moments?

WOODALL: Yeah, we did work with one, and she was great. I think we were all kind of on the same page in that Rachel and I felt very, very comfortable with each other very quickly, so luckily, we didn’t need someone to facilitate us too much in playing those scenes. Particularly towards the end of the series, with the spontaneity, passion, and instincts, we were both on the same page about how we wanted them to be really at play and not choreograph or pre-plan too much. We were both very open to each other and thoughtful about the other person’s feelings. It worked out well, and we aligned.

The show is really rooted in the protagonist’s perspective and the female gaze. I’m curious if you feel like the protagonist is objectifying Vladimir.

WOODALL: There’s no doubt that she fancies the pants off him. Whether that means she objectifies them, I don’t really know. I think what the show does quite well is that her fantasies about him and her infatuation with him come from quite a real and understandable place. It starts to spiral out of control, and she knows in her mind that she’s going a bit mad, but this woman feels like this man can do no wrong. It’s only towards the end that she starts to get a little frustrated with the lack of give from him, or she starts to get a bit sick of not having any answers. I don’t know how much she objectifies him — I think she just really fancies him.

Leo Woodall Breaks Down ‘Vladimir’s Wild Ending

“I feel like he finally showed his cards.”

Image via Netflix

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When this show opened with your character chained to a chair, I knew I was in it for a wild ride, and then in that scene — when we see it in context with him drugged and stumbling around — it was somehow even crazier. What was it like shooting that sequence?

WOODALL: We shot that in two different parts. In Episode 1, she’s giving a monologue to the camera, and I’m in the background. That day was very early on in the shoot, and I just remember I really, really, really wanted to sneeze. I knew I was on camera as she was delivering this long monologue, and I was desperately trying to hold in the sneeze. It was very dusty in this cabin, and I knew it would ruin the take if this mysterious, unconscious man, chained to the chair in a slightly erotic way, suddenly sneezes. We had a real laugh about it. I think the chair could have been more comfortable, but they were very good about giving me breaks and making sure that when we weren’t rolling, I had at least one arm free.

That ending is crazy. The protagonist tells us that both John and Vladimir escaped the fire, but she’s also been known to not be the most truthful with the audience. Do you think that he actually makes it out?

WOODALL: I don’t know. I kind of love the idea that she takes some ownership in letting these two men perish. I mean, she wouldn’t be taking ownership of it because she’s lying and saying that they made it out, but I feel like she also knows that the audience knows that she lies sometimes. She tells some fibs. I think it’s really funny, the idea that they actually do perish — these two men who have caused so much anxiety and stress to this woman’s life. But I also think she’s a good woman, and she’s not about to let two people die, so that’s kind of where the ambiguity lies, which I think is fun.

If he were to make it out, what do you think his relationship with the protagonist and Cynthia looks like going forward?

WOODALL: Not great. I don’t think his life looks easy breezy. He has to come clean to his wife and explain himself as best he can, but it probably won’t be good enough, understandably. In terms of Rachel’s character, I don’t know, man. I feel like he finally showed his cards, and he showed how he feels about her, so I wouldn’t be that surprised if he goes a bit more on the offensive and causes trouble. It looks like she and John are maybe about to patch things up in their marriage and live a bit more harmoniously, so I wouldn’t be that surprised if Vladimir wants to fuck that all up.

Leo Woodall Discusses Whether He’d Return to ‘The White Lotus’

“Jack was one of those sort of career-changing roles for me.”

Image via HBO

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I also really loved you on The White Lotus. I know Mike White tends to bring back an old character or two every season. Would you like your character to make a return? And if so, what do you think he would be up to?

WOODALL: I loved playing that character. Jack was one of those sort of career-changing roles for me. He was so much fun, and I’m so grateful to Mike White for that. If Mike calls, I think I would seriously consider it. It’s a very fun role, and it’s such a wonderful show. I’ve no idea what he’d be up to, though. I’d like to think he’d be on some path of revenge against Greg.

You have another project coming up that I’m really excited about with the Anthony Bourdain biopic. I’m curious what you can say about that.

WOODALL: I’m curious about what I can say about that, too. It’s a really fun movie. Matt Johnson is one of those directors who’s so spontaneous and loves living on the edge, which is right for a movie like this about Bourdain. Dominic Sessa does a wonderful job. That was another character where I got to really throw all kinds of paint at the wall. It was a really fun character to play. I haven’t seen it or any rushes of it, so I’m intrigued myself.

Vladimir is now streaming on Netflix.

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Release Date

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March 5, 2026

Network

Netflix

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Writers

Julia May Jonas

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