Entertainment
Hayden Panettiere Felt ‘Racked With Guilt’ Over Custody Decision
Hayden Panettiere reportedly carried intense guilt over living apart from her daughter, Kaya, even after explaining that she had not been in the right mental state to raise her at the time. An insider claimed the custody decision continued to trouble the actress, who wrote candidly about motherhood, postpartum depression, and addiction in her memoir, “This Is Me: A Reckoning.”
“Hayden’s been racked with guilt about not being the mother she wanted for her child and allowing her ex-fiancé to bring up Kaya,” the source told the Daily Mail. “She didn’t believe she was in the right mental state to be a good mother at the time. It bothered her greatly.”
The guilt reportedly existed alongside other painful relationships in Panettiere’s life, including an estrangement from her mother and the abuse she said she endured during her turbulent romance with Brian Hickerson.
Kaya’s Birth Became A Terrifying Medical Emergency
Panettiere recalled that Kaya’s 2014 birth quickly became a frightening medical crisis. Doctors reportedly declared a “code crimson” emergency after Panettiere’s blood would not clot following a C-section. She underwent a three-hour operation and later learned that her uterus had become infected. The traumatic delivery was followed by an equally difficult emotional period.
Panettiere described bonding with her newborn as an “insurmountable task,” admitting that she “felt nothing” toward her daughter. She characterized the experience as “a total blackout of emotion.”
The actress subsequently turned to alcohol to cope with what she was experiencing, sometimes beginning to drink as early as 6 a.m. When Kaya was four months old, Panettiere entered treatment for her alcohol use and was diagnosed with postpartum depression. Medication reportedly helped her symptoms but also made her sleepy. She eventually began drinking again, contributing to a period in which several parts of her life unraveled.
Hayden Panettiere Lost Her Relationship And A Major Brand Contract
As Panettiere’s struggles intensified, she lost a lucrative contract with skincare company Neutrogena. Her relationship with Kaya’s father, former heavyweight boxer Wladimir Klitschko, also broke down.
Despite Panettiere’s efforts to retain custody, Klitschko eventually became Kaya’s primary parent. Panettiere signed over custody while initially believing the arrangement would only be temporary.
In her memoir, the actress described the day she signed the documents with agonizing clarity. “I remember every second of that day. Every fg second,” she wrote. “No mother could forget a single thing about the day she signed her child away.”
Kaya is now 11 and was raised primarily by Klitschko.
The Actress Called The Separation ‘Gut-Wrenching’
Panettiere made clear that living apart from Kaya never became an emotionally easy arrangement. “Not being under the same roof with her every day has been the most gut-wrenching experience of my life, and it’s hard to describe the layers of emotion, including sadness, resentment, and anger, I’ve felt because of it,” she wrote.
Despite those difficult feelings, Panettiere’s love for Kaya remained central to the way she discussed her daughter. “She is the greatest gift of my life, with all the best parts of her father and me,” the actress said.
While grieving her separation from Kaya, Panettiere was also dealing with the collapse of her relationship with her own mother, Lesley Vogel.
Panettiere’s Relationship With Her Mother Also Fractured
Vogel, an actress who also managed her daughter’s early career, once reportedly described Panettiere as someone who “does not want to be saved.”
In her memoir, Panettiere recalled freezing during an audition for a Kodak advertisement when she was four years old. She claimed that telling her mother she could not perform felt even worse than the humiliation she had experienced during the audition. “When she was so angry that my best option was to hide under my bed, her lower jaw migrated a few centimeters forward,” Panettiere wrote.
During an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Panettiere alleged that Vogel had “groomed” her to be a “little soldier,” placing pressure on her to succeed and help keep the family financially stable. When Panettiere dismissed Vogel as her manager at 19, she claimed her mother responded, “You owe me.”
Vogel ultimately stopped communicating with her daughter last year. She has not commented on Panettiere’s recent death.
Continue Reading
World War II has been the subject of a nearly countless number of films — the first WWII movies were released shortlly after the war itself began — but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t new stories to tell. Even today, a significant global conflict of that size, with so many different parties involved and theaters of warfare, still offers new opportunities to show what a “war film” can look like — especially when merged with different genres.
Pressure is an effective chamberpiece based on a stageplay of the same name that explores the critical process of planning D-Day, the Allied campaign that changed the course of the war and turned the tide against the Nazis. Rather than focusing on the actual combat on the battlefield, Pressure offers insights into how preparations were handled among the different offices tasked with research. It’s not only a great showcase for a terrific cast to deliver memorable depictions of some of the most important historical figures of the 20th century, but a reminder of how close D-Day was to being a catastrophic failure that doomed the world to live under fascism.
Before becoming President of the United States, Dwight Eisenhower was the supreme commander of the United States military in World War II, and became the leader of the entire Allied Forces. Played by Brendan Fraser, Eisenhower gathers a close circle of advisors and military allies to ensure that D-Day will go smoothly. Among those that Eisenhower enlists is RAF Group Captain James Stagg (Andrew Scott), a Scottish meteorologist who is told to put together a weather forecast for the day of the planned attack. Eisenhower expects this to be nothing more than a precaution, but Stagg’s instincts suggest that there could be a storm that would prevent a seabound invasion from working. It’s a fascinating showcase about trying to plan for the unpredictable when the stakes couldn’t be higher. Scott and Fraser are beloved and well-known actors, but they completely disappear into their roles. And at 100 minutes, Pressure is the perfect bottled-up thriller that offers more than a standard history lesson.
‘Pressure’ Is a Different Type of World War II Drama
World War II is a fascinating subject for dramatic interpretations because it was a war in which military officials from different nationalities had to pool their resources to create a cohesive strategy, even if there were clashes of culture along the way. Eisenhower developed respectful relationships with the English MTC First Lieutenant Kay Summersby (Kerry Condon), British Army General Bernard Montgomery (Damian Lewis), and USAAF Colonel Irving P. Krick (Chris Messina), but Stagg is framed as being an outsider who is unused to military protocol. Since the tension couldn’t be more bracing, the initial awkwardness of Stagg’s introduction to the other military leaders causes friction when they later have to work together. That Stagg is a meteorologist first and a military man second is held against him, especially when compared to Krick, who is a longtime ally of Eisenhower.
Pressure feels like an authentic depiction of what went on behind closed doors during the preparations for D-Day, because there is legitimacy to the perspective of every figure in the story. The feud between Krick and Stagg is particularly illuminating because of the different methods that they utilize to calculate their predictions: Krick uses his past experience in similar weather conditions to form a pattern, whereas Stagg pulls from a larger pool of data, including information that would otherwise not have been considered. Since the technology used to put together these forecasts was far less advanced than it is today, the decision of whom to trust comes down to a matter of guesswork. Even if it’s a professional debate, there’s a personal edge to the dispute, because Stagg feels disrespected and doesn’t understand why Eisenhower would bring in another advisor when he has already proven to be loyal.
‘Pressure’ Is a Successful Stage-To-Screen Adaptation
Fraser delivers a terrific performance that captures the General at a unique stage in his career. It would have been easy to paint Eisenhower as an aggressive, grumpy veteran determined to win the war as soon as possible, but Fraser shows how personal the conflict is for him, given that he feels responsible for any loss of life among his men. That the decision comes down to Eisenhower alone is one of the film’s most significant points, as Stagg grows to respect the General and wants to ensure that his strategy is appropriate. At the same time, it never feels like Eisenhower is ignoring science to stroke his own ego; his desire to proceed with D-Day is informed by his knowledge that there will be more casualties if Europe continues to live under fascist rule.
Pressure is an appropriate companion piece to the many World War II films that explore the actual D-Day invasion, because it gives a window into the anxiety of watching a battle proceed from afar. While there was a novelty to the fact that the original stage play was able to encapsulate the scope of an entire conflict within a few intense moments, Pressure is an appropriately cinematic film that succeeds in both its claustrophobic, confined moments and the grandiose spectacle of an epic.
Pressure
- Release Date
-
May 29, 2026
- Runtime
-
100 Minutes
- Director
-
Anthony Maras
- Writers
-
David Haig, Anthony Maras
Entertainment
Marvel Just Confirmed Its Most Highly-Rated Disney+ Series Is Essential Viewing Ahead of ‘Avengers: Doomsday’
The past few weeks have been a barrage of trailers and announcements from Marvel Studios throughout San Diego Comic-Con and D23, but the biggest news may have come from new merchandise. A new Doctor Doom figure by Hot Toys features the tech wiz-turned-sorcerer holding a book that looks a bit like the Darkhold — the magical book from Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness that The Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) destroyed. On top of that, Marvel’s official booth featured several movie costumes on display, including the mysterious “Latverian Witch” that works with Doom (Robert Downey Jr.) This is all fuel for the theory that Wanda Maximoff is alive and working with Doom, making WandaVision essential viewing before Avengers: Doomsday premieres on December 18.
WandaVision might be the most beloved entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe since the Multiverse Saga began, and it makes sense that the studio would want it to tie into the big finale. However, Wanda appeared to die in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, so the MCU will need to either explain her return or replace her with a multiverse variant. Fans have long theorized that some version of Wanda will be working with Doom in Doomsday, and the evidence is stacking up. One way or another, Marvel is definitely trying to draw our attention back to Wanda’s story, as the new trailer for VisionQuest calls it “the final vision of a groundbreaking trilogy.”
‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Needs Wanda Maximoff
The Multiverse Saga has been a bumpier ride than the Infinity Saga was for Marvel Studios, and it makes sense that the franchise would try to capitalize on its biggest successes. WandaVision was the first release of the new saga, the first title in Phase Four, and the first streaming series made for Disney+. It was a massive success, breaking the formula and drawing in new viewers in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. It even inspired a sequel series, Agatha All Along, and Marvel is now calling this a TV trilogy concluding with VisionQuest.
Establishing that continuity just before Doomsday debuts is a strong sign it’s important to the crossover. The Multiverse Saga is littered with dropped plot lines, so the ones Marvel calls attention to now are likely to be the most important ones. Wanda’s story never really crossed over with the saga’s original Kang the Conqueror arc, so it doesn’t require a major pivot the way that others will. In fact, Wanda may be the key to smoothing the transition and making it feel like Doom was the plan all along.
Fans have theorized that Wanda will appear alongside Doom for years now, so it’s nice to see the evidence pointing in the same direction. Marvel loves to keep secrets and surprise its fans, but above all the studio needs to tell compelling, satisfying stories. Predictability is not always a bad thing in movies, an Marvel seems to understand that here. The new figure of Doom holding a book of magic naturally evokes theories about the Scarlet Witch, and Marvel Comics provide plenty of explanations for how this grimoire may be linked to the Darkhold.
Meanwhile, the Latverian Witch costumes displayed at Marvel’s booth could be our first look at Wanda in disguise. Fans suspect that Doom may have found a way to rescue or resurrect Wanda, and that he has either persuaded or coerced her into working alongside him in Doomsday. The Scarlet Witch did get a peak into Doom’s universe, Earth-838, and we’ve seen how open she can be to extreme measures. This is definitely still just a theory, but one that Marvel is not trying to dissuade fans from.
‘VisionQuest’ Should Give Us Clues About ‘Doomsday’
Whatever cataclysm is coming to the Marvel Cinematic Multiverse, VisionQuest will be the studio’s last big chance to share clues with us. The streaming series premieres on October 14, and it’s the last and only release left between now and Avengers: Doomsday. That timing doesn’t seem like an accident — VisionQuest has been in the works for years now, and other productions have turned around much faster. Marvel may have been saving this show for a reason — even if only to re-center the WandaVision storyline at the last moment.
There’s a lot of room for thematic symmetry here as well — Doom combines his scientific genius with his ancestral tradition of magic, leading to a unique fusion of technology and mysticism. There’s something similar at play in the MCU’s version of Wanda, whose magic was harnessed and enhanced by experimental exposure to the Tesseract. Vision (Paul Bettany) is similar — a bio-synthetic body combined with an advanced artificial intelligence and awakened by a magical blow from Thor’s hammer. Wanda and Vision embody this duality as a couple as well since her powers are magical while his are technological.
Wanda and Vision seem like Marvel’s best chance at making this brand new villain feel relevant to the stories they’ve been telling, an that means their trilogy of shows are likely central to Avengers: Doomsday. WandaVision and Agatha All Along are streaming now on Disney+, while VisionQuest premieres there on October 14. Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters on December 18.
- Release Date
-
October 14, 2026
- Network
-
Disney+
Hayden Panettiere’s sudden death in South Carolina has renewed scrutiny of her complicated relationship with Brian Hickerson, the on-and-off partner who reportedly traveled with her from Los Angeles just one day before she was found unresponsive. The trip immediately raised questions about whether Panettiere and Hickerson had quietly reconciled after publicly describing their relationship as a friendship only months earlier.
However, authorities have not accused Hickerson of wrongdoing or connected him to Panettiere’s death. Police have said their preliminary investigation uncovered no signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances. With Panettiere’s cause of death still undetermined, exactly why the pair traveled to Hickerson’s home state, and what his role was during her final hours, remains unclear.
Panettiere and Hickerson reportedly flew out of Los Angeles together on Saturday, August 15, heading south ahead of what would have been the actress’ 37th birthday. The following afternoon, emergency personnel responded to an apartment at Judson Mill Lofts in Greenville, South Carolina, after receiving a report of an unresponsive woman. First responders attempted to resuscitate Panettiere, but she was pronounced dead at the scene at 2:32 p.m.
The Greenville Police Department later revealed that an “acquaintance” had placed the emergency call. Authorities have not publicly identified that person, and it remains unknown whether Hickerson was at the apartment when Panettiere became unresponsive. “The preliminary investigation has not indicated any signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances,” police emphasized in a statement.
An autopsy reportedly found no signs of trauma contributing to the actress’ death. The official cause and manner remain pending while investigators await additional test results.
Why Was The Actress In South Carolina?
Panettiere lived and worked primarily in Los Angeles, making her presence in Greenville another unanswered part of the story. Hickerson is originally from South Carolina and reportedly has family in the area. He later relocated to Los Angeles, where he pursued work in real estate and acting before becoming publicly linked to Panettiere in 2018.
The two were reportedly traveling to South Carolina to celebrate Panettiere’s upcoming birthday. However, neither Hickerson nor Panettiere’s family has publicly explained their plans or identified who owned or rented the Greenville apartment where she died. The available reporting also does not establish whether Greenville was their final destination or simply one stop during the trip.
Although Hickerson has been described in several reports as Panettiere’s “on-again, off-again boyfriend,” the pair’s actual relationship status before her death was less clear.
Brian Hickerson’s History With Hayden Panettiere
Panettiere began dating Hickerson in 2018 following the end of her engagement to former professional boxer Wladimir Klitschko, with whom she shared her daughter, Kaya. The new relationship soon became engulfed in legal trouble.
Hickerson was arrested in 2019 following an alleged domestic violence incident involving Panettiere. That case was later dismissed after prosecutors said they could not secure a material witness. In 2020, he was arrested again and charged in connection with multiple alleged incidents involving the actress.
Hickerson pleaded no contest in April 2021 to two felony counts of injuring a spouse, cohabitant or girlfriend. The remaining charges against him were dismissed as part of the resolution. He received a 45-day jail sentence, four years of formal probation, 52 domestic violence classes, $500 in restitution, and a five-year protective order.
Panettiere nevertheless began spending time with Hickerson again after his release from jail. A source said at the time that the actress had not forgotten what happened but wanted to forgive him and move forward. The two continued to be seen together over the following years, although they reportedly ended their romantic relationship in 2022.
Hickerson Admitted To Abusing The Actress
Panettiere revisited the relationship in her 2026 memoir, “This Is Me: A Reckoning,” offering a detailed account of the abuse she said she endured. Rather than denying his past behavior, Hickerson publicly admitted his actions.
“I got arrested for, you know, abusing her, and I wouldn’t blame her friends for being pissed off at me,” he told TMZ while discussing the book. “You got to be vulnerable and, you know, I did it. I did it.”
Hickerson also acknowledged that drugs and alcohol contributed to what he described as an extremely “dark place” during their relationship.
One memoir passage recalled Hickerson threatening Panettiere with a phone during a drunken confrontation. He admitted asking her not to include that story but ultimately supported her decision to publish it.
Panettiere previously said she hoped telling the truth about the relationship could help others recognize abuse and seek assistance. Her willingness to reconnect with Hickerson did not erase what happened, nor did it mean that she no longer held him accountable.
Questions Remain About Their Final Trip
Hickerson’s history with Panettiere makes his return to her life noteworthy, particularly because the pair traveled together shortly before her death. It does not, however, establish that he played any role in what happened.
Police have not identified the acquaintance who called 911, confirmed Hickerson’s whereabouts that afternoon or publicly described who else may have been inside the apartment. They have also found no preliminary evidence of foul play or suspicious circumstances.
Until investigators release Panettiere’s official cause of death and additional details about her final hours, her relationship status with Hickerson, and the reason they traveled together to South Carolina, remains unresolved.
HBO Max has been on fire over the last year of television. When Emmy nominations were announced back in July, the streamer led all platforms with 122 nods, most of which could be attributed to two shows — Hacks and The Pitt. The former comedy came away with an impressive 24 nominations for its final season, but the latter only continues growing, nearly doubling its total of awards nods from its colossal freshman run with a staggering 25 nominations to lead all shows. Noah Wyle, Shawn Hatosy, Sepideh Moafi, Fiona Dourif, Katherine LaNasa, and Taylor Dearden were all recognized in the acting categories after breaking out as HBO stars last year, while series creator R. Scott Gemmill is up for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series.
While the names on the script and at the top of the call sheet get the most praise, it takes a village to bring Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center to life. The Pitt Season 2’s many Emmy nominations also include production design, casting, prosthetic makeup, picture editing, sound mixing, and much more. Everyone involved behind the scenes is just as responsible as those on-screen for the chaotic feeling of the emergency room when disaster strikes and Dr. Robby and his team have to scramble. To highlight that atmosphere of teamwork aboard the medical drama, Collider can exclusively share a video of the expansive team, including Wyle, Patrick Ball, Isa Briones, and more from HBO Max’s Emmy Nominee Celebration as they shout out the unsung heroes behind the chart-dominating series.
First and foremost, Wyle highlights Johanna Coelho, The Pitt‘s director of photography, whom he credits for designing every frame of the drama down to the last detail with help from everyone working the cameras. Part of the reason the series can have such an intense pace while still giving the cast plenty of freedom is the operators’ ability to deftly navigate a moving set like “Ginger Rogers dancing in heels backwards” while capturing the action. The AD department also received praise as the set’s “air traffic controllers,” while the prop, sound, and makeup departments were hailed as being some of the best in the business, to the point that “it’s kinda up to you to mess it up.” As for the set itself, production designer Nina Ruscio earned a particularly enthusiastic response for bringing the titular emergency room to life beforehand, so the writers could structure the story around her work. Isa Briones gave further credit to the background team for truly making The Pitt feel, for the actors, like they were in constant life-or-death situations, which, in turn, fed into their acclaimed performances.
‘The Pitt’ Season 3 Will Shake Up the Emergency Room
Between its much-lauded ensemble and the crew that creates the perfect stage for them to perform on, The Pitt Season 2 was able to raise the bar and the stakes from its 2025 debut. The sophomore outing explored more of the harsh realities of the modern U.S. medical industry, as Robby’s final day before sabbatical sees him clashing with his interim replacement, Dr. Baran Al-Hashimi (Moafi), facing an influx of patients from another recently closed hospital, and witnessing the horrors of an ICE raid. Season 3 is currently in production with a few changes in store, as Dr. Samira Mohan (Supriya Ganesh) exits the building and Dr. Parker Ellis (Ayesha Harris) moves from night shift to day shift. No matter who comes in or walks out of the hospital’s doors or what time of year a shift takes place, though, the series is built with rotation in mind, and the technical staff will still be there to ensure the set is ready to accommodate faces both fresh and familiar.
All episodes of The Pitt Season 2 are now available to stream through HBO Max. Season 3 is expected to return around the same time in January. Check out the video of Wyle and the team praising the series’ unsung heroes in the player above.
- Release Date
-
January 9, 2025
- Network
-
Max
- Showrunner
-
R. Scott Gemmill
- Directors
-
Amanda Marsalis
- Writers
-
Joe Sachs, Cynthia Adarkwa
-
Noah Wyle
Dr. Michael ‘Robby’ Robinavitch
-
Tracy Ifeachor
Dr. Heather Collins
Marvel Studios has officially set a release date for Ghost Rider, giving fans a firm date for Ryan Gosling’s debut as the Spirit of Vengeance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
The upcoming Ghost Rider movie will hit theaters on July 28, 2028, filling out another major piece of Marvel Studios’ post-Avengers: Secret Wars theatrical slate.
Gosling was officially announced as Marvel’s new Ghost Rider during San Diego Comic-Con in July. The film will be directed by Shawn Levy, who previously helmed Deadpool & Wolverine and is also working with Gosling on Star Wars: Starfighter. Jonathan Tropper is writing the screenplay.
The project will mark the first standalone Ghost Rider movie produced by Marvel Studios. Nicolas Cage previously portrayed Johnny Blaze in 2007’s Ghost Rider and its 2011 sequel, Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance, while Gabriel Luna played Robbie Reyes in Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Ryan Gosling, Hall H, Ghost Rider [getty]
Marvel has yet to reveal major story details for the upcoming film, including whether Gosling’s version will officially be Johnny Blaze. However, the actor’s casting brings one of Marvel’s biggest supernatural characters into the MCU at a time when the franchise is preparing to enter a new era following the conclusion of the Multiverse Saga.
Ghost Rider will also be part of a packed 2028 lineup for Marvel Studios. The studio’s new X-Men movie is scheduled for May 5, 2028, while Black Panther 3 will arrive on December 15, 2028.
With Gosling leading the film and Levy behind the camera, Ghost Rider is quickly shaping up to be one of Marvel Studios’ biggest upcoming projects.
FILM RATING
The post Ryan Gosling’s Ghost Rider Gets Official 2028 Release Date From Marvel Studios appeared first on Coastal House Media.
Months after Brooklyn Beckham cut ties with the rest of his family, his younger brother Cruz Beckham appears unwilling to let go of the memories they once shared.
Earlier in the year, Brooklyn alleged that his parents, Victoria and David Beckham, had long controlled the narrative of his life and made it clear that he wanted nothing to do with them.
However, since the split, his brother Cruz has continued to reflect on their old times together, a move that has now drawn reactions from fans.
Over the weekend, the 21-year-old took to social media, sharing pictures from a family getaway and including a nostalgic photo featuring Brooklyn.
The Instagram carousel opened with a picture of Cruz and several family members participating in what appeared to be a mozzarella-making class. The post also featured a series of solo shots, but the fourth slide drew the most attention.
It was an old picture of Brooklyn, Romeo, and Cruz as young boys posing at what looked like a beach area. The trio wore only shorts and flashed bright smiles at the camera. Cruz opted to leave the post without a caption, and it has since caught the attention of fans who took to commenting.
One user wrote, “Class act Cruzie!” A second person referenced Cruz’s music, asking, “Those song lyrics are meant for Brooklyn, huh?”
This fan criticized the young singer and the rest of the brood, claiming, “They’re all obsessed with Brooklyn and can’t stop antagonizing him. Just proving how toxic they really are. I can see why Brooklyn cut ties….”
Another questioned the decision to include the image, writing, “You are not supposed to post any pictures of Brooklyn. You trying to make him mad?”
Cruz Beckham Has Revisited Childhood Memories With Brooklyn Before
The singer’s latest upload is not the first time he has looked back on happier moments with Brooklyn.
The Blast reported in February that he took to a similar pattern, seemingly in an attempt to reconnect with his elder sibling. Cruz uploaded a shot showing Brooklyn and Romeo hugging him.
He added another image that captured Brooklyn and their sister Harper Beckham on a beekeeping adventure. At that time, their mom liked the post and dropped several heart emojis in the comment section.
Cruz Beckham Seemingly Addressed The Family Rift
In addition to remembering his loving moments with his older sibling, Cruz has also seemingly bared his emotions about his family’s broken bonds in his music.
As The Blast reported, during a performance in March, the guitarist got emotional as he sang his track “Loneliest Boy” while his parents watched in the audience.
The lyrics describe someone who pushes loved ones away despite being shown care, with one verse particularly mentioning a mother whose heart is breaking. Many fans believe that the song was addressing the rift in the family.
Brooklyn Snubbed David Beckham’s Father’s Day Post
Cruz is not the only family member reaching out publicly to Brooklyn. Their patriarch has also continued to acknowledge Brooklyn during major milestones and celebrations.
Per The Blast, the former football star shared a tribute on Father’s Day featuring a photo with his first son as well as a picture including all four of his children.
In the post, David wrote, “Being a dad is my most important job… I love you all and thank you, mummy @victoriabeckham, for giving me our beautiful family.”
Despite the heartfelt message, Brooklyn did not respond or acknowledge the tribute, marking the second consecutive year he has remained silent on the occasion. Fans were quick to praise David’s gesture, with many describing it as an example of unconditional love.
Brooklyn Beckham Gushed About Nicola Peltz In Anniversary Post
While keeping his distance from his family publicly, Brooklyn has continued to celebrate his marriage with wife Nicola Peltz.
The Blast reported a few weeks ago that the former photographer marked one year since the couple renewed their wedding vows with a heartfelt Instagram tribute.
Brooklyn and Peltz, who first married in April 2022 before reaffirming their commitment in August 2025, commemorated the milestone with intimate photos and loving messages.
In his caption, the 27-year-old wrote, “Happy anniversary Nicola… I can’t tell you how much I love you x you are my best friend, and I love you more than life itself xx.”
He continued, “I am so lucky to be able to call you my wife xx. You are my absolute princess, and I promise to always protect you xx.”
Two employees at a support facility in South Carolina were arrested after they allegedly left a vulnerable adult strapped to a toilet with a leaking feeding tube for more than an hour without helping them.
The South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division confirmed that Angela Peterson and Sherika Myles have been charged with neglect of a vulnerable adult following the incident. Peterson, 46, and Myles, 41, were booked into the Dorchester County Detention Center, and they have since been released after posting bond.
Peterson was working as a registered nurse at the Coastal Regional Center in Summerville, South Carolina, at the time of the incident, while Myles was employed as a direct support professional.
Both Peterson and Myles had been tasked to take care of a vulnerable adult on May 20, according to the arrest affidavit viewed by Us.
Three Florida day care employees are accused of torturing young children in their care through physical abuse, including by hitting them with their hands and a wooden spoon as a “form of punishment,” according to court documents. Surveillance footage from Gingerbread Manor Child Care Center in Rockledge showed three women identified as teachers at the […]
One of the defendants was accused of strapping the victim to a toilet with a G-tube, which is also known as a gastrostomy tube and is designed to help with supplemental feeding, hydration or giving medicine to the patients.
However, the tube started to leak, and Peterson allegedly did nothing about it despite knowing that there was an issue with it.
Peterson eventually “wrapped a towel around the G-tube to stop it from leaking” and then allegedly “waited until the next shift nurse arrived, an hour later, to receive help fixing the G-tube,” according to the documents. The victim was then “left strapped to a toilet, with a leaking G-tube for an hour.”
Myles was assigned to care for the victim and check on them “every five minutes,” which she “failed to do adequately,” per the documents.
At one point, the victim fell while they were strapped to the toilet. Authorities said they were then found “in a squatted position on the floor in front of the toilet” and were “still strapped in.”
A couple has been arrested and charged after authorities allegedly found a 1-year-old baby and an elderly man living in “deplorable” conditions inside a roach-and-mold-infested Florida home. Authorities first became aware of the situation when a welfare check was called on the 81-year-old man living in at the property of Nikolas Anthony Cummings and Tashaye […]
Authorities launched an investigation into the matter, in which they conducted interviews and reviewed surveillance footage that corroborated the victim’s account of events.
Following the incident, the South Carolina Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities issued a statement saying it was “aware of two recent arrests following an allegation of neglect at Coastal Regional Center,” according to WCSC.
“BHDD requested the investigation and is working closely with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED),” the statement continued. “Because this is an active case, any requests for information or updates should be made directly to SLED. As always, BHDD takes the safety of individuals in our care with the utmost seriousness and will continue to cooperate fully with law enforcement.”
It’s not currently clear whether Peterson or Myles have entered pleas or retained legal counsel following their arrests. The South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division did not immediately respond to Us’ request for comment regarding the case.
It’s hard not to be angry about Deli Boys getting cancelled after only two seasons. After all, Hulu’s crime comedy was genuinely one of the funniest shows on TV. But it was also doing something we don’t see enough of in 2026 — putting Pakistani-American characters at the center of the story and letting them get buckwild. Asif Ali’s Mir and Saagar Shaikh’s Raj could get away with being spoiled brats or complete “lafangas” (Urdu for scoundrels), while Poorna Jagannathan’s Lucky Auntie could stab someone with one hand and shoot someone with the other. Nobody needed to be the perfect Brown character carrying the weight of an entire community.
And that’s part of what creator Abdullah Saeed wanted. After news of the cancellation broke, Saeed took to Instagram to thank “every brown and Muslim and Pakistani and immigrant person who saw themselves in my show,” adding that he created these characters for them. But he also had a message for the people who might follow him: “To the next generation of browns, I hope I helped you see that you deserve the airwaves, no matter how hard you have to fight for your rightful place.”
That “rightful place” is what makes Deli Boys’ cancellation so frustrating. Deadline reports that ratings were behind Hulu’s decision, despite the show being a priority for Onyx Collective. And contrary to the easy assumption that the show was never prioritized for marketing, Deli Boys wasn’t simply dumped onto Hulu and forgotten. People worked pretty hard to help this show find an audience, so what happens when all of that still isn’t enough?
‘Deli Boys’ Is Likely a Victim of Streaming’s Viewership Clock
The numbers make it hard to argue that nobody tried to sell the show. According to marketing agency The Third Place, its influencer campaign for the series generated 8.87 million organic views and 881,000 interactions across social platforms. For the show’s first season, an event with Kolkata Chai Co. had 1,500 RSVPs and more than 900 attendees. Another campaign took branded food trucks to six cities, serving 1,800 orders and generating more than 200,000 social impressions. But the gap between those numbers and the show’s actual viewership underscores a bigger issue: getting millions of people to see something about a show isn’t the same as getting them to actually watch it.
Onyx also reportedly made a direct effort to bring more eyeballs to Season 2, alongside plenty of press, including daytime and late-night talk shows. Deadline reports the studio also pushed for a new series regular and supporting cast to attract viewers, with Fred Armisen joining, while Kumail Nanjiani, Andrew Rannells, Lilly Singh, Robin Thede, and Tan France were among the new additions. Clearly, there was an effort here, but it just didn’t translate into enough people watching. That makes Deli Boys a more complicated casualty of streaming than a show nobody bothered to promote.
Between all our favorite shows getting canceled across platforms from Apple TV to Netflix, we already know streaming puts a lot of weight on early performance. Hulu doesn’t explicitly spell out how it decides which shows get renewed or cancelled, but other streamers have been more open about those first few weeks. Netflix has previously said that it looks at viewership after the title’s first seven and 28 days. That doesn’t mean Hulu follows the same formula, but it gives us some idea of how quickly a streaming show can be judged.
That matters for a show like Deli Boys, which didn’t come with a huge built-in fandom or decades of IP behind it. Viewers needed to find it on their own, watch it, then tell their friends, and let that word of mouth spread. The problem is that streaming may not give every show enough time for that slow build to happen. Not every show is also built to become an overnight hit, and culturally specific shows may need more time to find audiences beyond the communities they depict. Whereas movies have an opening weekend with projected numbers, TV always needs time. Streaming has somehow managed to give viewers endless time to watch (or even produce) a show while giving the show itself very little time to prove they will.
When Shows Like ‘Deli Boys’ Disappear, There Isn’t Another One Waiting
This is not a problem unique to Deli Boys, as shows with predominantly white casts get cancelled after one or two seasons all the time. So without Hulu’s internal numbers, it’s unfair to argue that the two-season comedy was axed because it centered Brown people. But what we lose with its cancellation is far more nuanced. South Asian actors are thankfully much more visible on American TV than they once were, and far less likely to be reduced to stereotypes. Utkarsh Ambudkar leads CBS’ Ghosts, Avantika stars in Hulu’s Not Suitable for Work, and Simone Ashley stars in Netflix’s Bridgerton. But Deli Boys is still rare. Its creator was Pakistani-American, its three leads were South Asian, and that representation extended behind the camera. Brown characters weren’t just part of the world — they were the world.
There isn’t another show waiting on Hulu (or anywhere else on American TV) where Pakistani characters get to be this messy, funny, criminal, selfish, loving, and weird. Especially since Deli Boys never sanded down their South Asianness to make the characters easier for audiences to digest. Mir could pray to Allah in a grocery store, asking Him to bring his brother home and promising he’d be good — even tipping 20%, or qawwalis could be sung at a party without anyone pausing to explain them. The culture was never the plot, but it was always part of who these characters were.
Saeed previously said that when first pitching Deli Boys, it was passed over because another Muslim show was already in development. Apparently, that Muslim “slot” was filled, as he told the Trust Me, I Know What I’m Doing podcast, even though the two shows had little else in common. And that’s what makes losing a show like Deli Boys all the more heartbreaking because one cancellation for a show like this can take an entire kind of story with it. Nobody treats one show about white characters as filling the “white slot.” But when representation is scarce, identity itself can become the category.
And Deli Boys isn’t the first critically acclaimed culturally specific comedy cancelled before it had time to grow. Hulu’s This Fool, centered on a working-class Mexican-American family in Los Angeles, was cancelled after two seasons, while Peacock’s Rutherford Falls, a groundbreaking Native American comedy, also got only two. Their cancellations don’t prove culturally specific shows are being targeted. But they do show how quickly a distinct world can disappear when there aren’t 10 other shows like it waiting in the wings. A cancellation can make perfect sense on a spreadsheet and still leave American television poorer for it. Saeed is right that the next generation of Brown creators “deserve the airwaves,” and Deli Boys proved what that could look like. So maybe the next note for studios is simple: opening the door matters, but so does figuring out why audiences still aren’t making it through before it closes.
Deli Boys is streaming on Hulu and Disney+.
Deli Boys
- Release Date
-
March 6, 2025
- Network
-
Hulu
- Directors
-
Oz Rodriguez, Maureen Bharoocha, Fawzia Mirza, Jeremy Konner, Andrew Ahn, Nisha Ganatra, Ahmed Ibrahim, Jenni Konner
- Writers
-
Abdullah Saeed, Michelle Nader, Mehar Sethi, Ekaterina Vladimirova, Sudi Green
Entertainment
The Real Reason ‘The Simpsons’ Quietly Erased One of Its Most Controversial Characters
Over the course of its long, long run, The Simpsons has seen a number of characters say goodbye to Springfield: Maude Flanders, Edna Krabappel, Bleeding Gums Murphy, Herb Powell, and most recently Larry the Barfly. For most, the characters no longer appear on the show because of an actor’s death (characters Lionel Hutz and Troy McClure were key supporting characters up until the death of their “voice,” Phil Hartman) or simply haven’t been brought back (like Danny Devito‘s character, Homer’s half-brother Herb Powell, who hasn’t appeared in years, apart from the Season 36 premiere, that brings him back).
One of the series’ longest-running characters, however, just seemed to slowly slip into the background after having been a main recurring character for the bulk of The Simpsons‘ run, and the last time he welcomed anyone to the Kwik-E-Mart was back in Season 29. We are, of course, talking about Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, and there’s a reason why he no longer appears as a speaking character.
‘The Simpsons’ Apu Became the Lone Representation of South Asians on American TV
Apu Nahasapeemapetilon (hereon simply “Apu”) was originally conceived as a nameless convenience store clerk, simply called “CLERK,” and written Matt Reiss; in the margin of the script were the words “definitely not Indian,” looking to avoid such an obvious cliché. But The Simpsons‘ versatile voice actor Hank Azaria, asked by one of the producers if he would try an Indian accent, used a heavy, stereotypical South Asian accent during the table read, and it cracked the room up.
The voice stayed, and the world was introduced to Apu in the classic first-season episode “The Telltale Head.” He became one of the series’ most popular recurring characters, almost always behind the counter of the Kwik-E-Mart, dispensing Squishees and his popular catchphrase, “Thank you, come again.” He was the lead character in a few episodes as well, including “Homer and Apu,” which featured the Emmy-nominated song “Who Needs the Kwik-E-Mart?” and was the character that provided the rationale for the appearance of Paul and Linda McCartney in the series-changing episode “Lisa the Vegetarian.”
But the popular public image of Apu was that of the convenience store clerk, purveyor of questionable food, and “Gigantic Asses” magazines, all with that heavy South Asian accent. Although The Simpsons writers and Azaria himself never meant for it to happen, that image became the predominant stereotype of South Asian people throughout America. Utkarsh Ambudkar explains it like this (per Entertainment Weekly):
“We just were underrepresented. We didn’t have any other representation in this country. That creates a problem when the most popular show on television is showing mainstream America what an Indian is.”
“The Problem With Apu” Creates Problems for Fox and ‘The Simpsons’
That depiction of Apu remained unchallenged for years, while the use of the name “Apu” and “Thank you, come again” grew into slurs used against the South Asian community. Then came 2017’s The Problem With Apu, a documentary by comedian Hari Kondabolu, that initiated a public discussion on how the character negatively impacted Indian Americans as a racial stereotype. Whether the documentary simply opened the eyes of the public to it, or if those who always had an issue with Apu were finally just given a voice, was secondary to the fact that the conversation grew to such a point it couldn’t be ignored.
The thing is, instead of recognizing that the winds of change were blowing and maintaining the status quo simply wasn’t going to work, The Simpsons arguably made what is the series’ most mind-numbing, tone-deaf, and cringe-worthy statement in defense of Apu, in a scene from “No Good Read Goes Unpunished” (as summarized by Entertainment Weekly):
The scene begins with Marge reading a bedtime story to Lisa that had been neutered with social justice buzzwords. “What am I supposed to do?” Marge asks when Lisa complains. “It’s hard to say,” says Lisa, breaking the fourth wall and looking directly at the camera. A photo of Apu on the nightstand helped make it very clear they were no longer talking about the fictional bedtime story. “Something that started decades ago and was applauded and inoffensive is now politically incorrect. What can you do?” “Some things will be dealt with at a later date,” says Marge, also to the camera. “—If it all,” Lisa concludes.
The response was ripped to shreds across social media, and it was clear that The Simpsons severely underestimated the impact of Kondabolu’s insightful documentary.
‘The Simpsons’ and Hank Azaria Put Apu on Mute
The Simpsons’ response may have been tone-deaf and, quite frankly, stupid, but at least one member of the cast went public with his misgivings about the character: the voice of Apu himself, Hank Azaria. On an episode of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert that aired shortly after, Azaria admitted that he would be willing to step aside from the role for no other reason than it being the right thing to do, and suggested that South Asian writers in the writers’ room should help direct the future of Apu.
So, when news came down in 2020 that Azaria and The Simpsons team agreed that he would stop voicing Apu altogether, it didn’t come as a surprise. Since then, Azaria has been very open about his remorse for having helped to “create a pretty marginalizing, dehumanizing stereotype,” citing the story of a Middle Eastern man being called Apu repeatedly while being attacked in his store as particularly eye-opening in showing the extent of the damage The Problem with Apu was addressing.
By then, Apu had already made his last notable speaking appearance in Season 29’s “The Serfsons,” which aired on October 1, 2017. But the question of whether putting Apu on mute is the right thing to do or not is a contentious issue in itself. For some, silencing Apu addresses nothing and removes a prominent character of color from TV that could still be of value in turning around the conversation in conjunction with the South Asian community.
The problem, though, is that it may simply be too late. The announcement in 2020 that white actors would no longer voice people of color on The Simpsons works for a character like Carl Carlsen, now voiced by Alex Désert, because his voice was never a caricature of African-American speech, whereas Apu’s was an exaggeration from the start, and an authentic South Asian voice would be at odds with the history of a character who has been defined in one way for decades. Right or wrong, Apu has effectively been cut from the show entirely, and it would seem that he has been shown the exit door of the Kwik-E-Mart, with the words, “Thank you, don’t come again,” following him out.
The Simpsons is streaming on Disney+ in the U.S.
Hayden Panettiere‘s death is reportedly under investigation amid reports of a 911 audio call mentioning an overdose. The 36-year-old actress died on Sunday, August 16, in Greenville, South Carolina.
RELATED: Wait, WHAT!? 17-Year-Old Faces Murder Charges After Reportedly Using ChatGPT Before Mother’s Brother’s Deaths (VIDEO)
Hayden Panettiere Found Unresponsive
The Greenville Police Department responded to a 911 call about an unresponsive female at an apartment in the Judson Mill Lofts on Easley Bridge Road at approximately 1:50 p.m. on Sunday.
The paramedics also responded and performed CPR. However, the ‘Hero’ actress was later pronounced dead at the scene, according to the Greenville Police Department, per NBC News.
“Upon arrival, medical assistance was administered; however, the individual, later identified as Hayden Panettiere, was pronounced deceased at the scene,” reads the statement. “The case is under investigation by the Greenville Police Department in conjunction with the Greenville County Coroner’s Office.”
Panettiere’s father, Skip Panettiere, also confirmed his daughter’s death with a statement.
“It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden,” it reads.
Hayden Panettiere’s Death Investigation Found No Foul Play
The Greenville Police Department has not released an official cause of death. However, they noted that they found no signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances surrounding the actress’s death.
“The preliminary investigation has not indicated any signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances,” reads the statement. “An acquaintance of Ms. Panettiere placed the 911 call.”
Furthermore, Panettiere’s publicist, Kasey Kitchen, said that the ‘Nashville’ actress’s death was being investigated.
“There’s an investigation ongoing,” Kitchen noted. “We should know more tomorrow.”
Overdose Mentioned In Audio, But No Cause Of Death Released
The Greenville County Coroner has not released an official cause of death. However, an overdose was reportedly mentioned on 911 audio, according to WYFF 4 News.
The words “overdose” and “cardiac arrest” can be heard on the audio,
“Easley Bridge Road. Overdose,” says a voice on the audio. “CPR in progress.”
Panettiere had roles in soap operas like ‘Guiding Light’ and ‘One Life to Live’ as a child actress before nabbing roles in TV shows like ‘Ally McBeal’ and ‘Malcolm in the Middle.’ One of her latest roles was in the film ‘Scream 4,’ according to Page Six.
The actress went to rehab for 8 months in 2020 and was candid about her drug and alcohol addiction during a 2022 interview. The actress revealed that her issues began after she was given “happy pills” when she was just 15 on-set, per PEOPLE.
“My saving grace is that I couldn’t be messy while on set and working,” she recalled, adding that off-set was another story. “But things kept getting out of control. And as I got older, the drugs and alcohol became something I almost couldn’t live without.”
Panettiere leaves behind an 11-year-old daughter, Kaya, with her ex, former pro boxer Wladimir Klitschko.
RELATED: OnlyFans Model Courtney Clenney Reportedly Gets Plea Deal After Stabbing Boyfriend Christian Obumseli To Death
What Do You Think Roomies?
Sports55 seconds ago
The 4 Vikings Injury Issues After the Giants Game, Including a Season-Ending Gut Punch
Tech2 minutes ago
Anthropic’s annualized revenue surges to $65B
NewsBeat4 minutes ago
AstraZeneca ditches lung cancer treatment trial
-
Fashion3 days agoWeekend Open Thread: Ann Taylor
-
NewsBeat6 days agoCommunication cards help banking customers access services or report scams
-
Business7 days agoOil Price Today (August 11): Crude oil rises to $88 after Trump’s compensation demand dents Hormuz opening. Here’s why
-
Crypto World7 days agoRevolut wins French banking licence, creates second EU banking hub
-
Sports4 days agoThis U.S. Amateur is a glimpse into golf’s future in more ways than you think
-
Sports3 days agoBirmingham 2026: Day 6 Timetable for Irish Athletes
-
NewsBeat3 days agoMyanmar says over 300,000 Rohingya refugees verified for repatriation as exodus enters ninth year
-
Politics3 days agoSEQ Code: The Three Letter Boarding Pass Code That Could Give You The Worst Seat
-
Entertainment6 days agoKeke Palmer Subtly Hints At Sean Evans Drama With Cryptic Post
-
Entertainment7 days ago57 Years Later, the Best Sitcom Ever Made Still Deserves a Reboot
-
Fashion6 days agoCoffee Break: The Fonteyn Jane Flat
-
Tech6 days agoZoom Screen-Sharing Bug Let People Fully Take Over Other Devices On A Call
-
Fashion6 days agoClaire Life: Kicking Off MVAAFF With the C Suite Luncheon Featuring Phylicia Rashad, Letoya Luckett, and More!
-
Fashion6 days agoShould you refinance your debt? Pros, cons, and real numbers
-
Crypto World6 days agoXRP bridge drained after software mistook fake deposits for real ones
-
Sports5 days agoDeQuan Jones in ‘high spirits’ after successful leg surgery
-
Tech7 days agoZuck rekindles open weights Llama drama with Muse Glimmer
-
Business7 days ago(VIDEO) Emirates Unveils 2.4-Meter Arsenal Crest Sculpture Built From Recycled A380 And Boeing 777 Jet Parts
-
Fashion7 days agoHow to Mix Diamond Rings With Gold & Silver Jewelry
-
Fashion7 days agoFrench Rose Gown with Cape Sleeves
You must be logged in to post a comment Login