Get a rundown of Us‘ top stories making headlines in celebrity news, sports and entertainment on September 3, 2026. Here are the key takeaways:

• Kim Zolciak‘s son Kroy “KJ” Biermann has been indicted on seven counts — aggravated child molestation, aggravated sexual battery, aggravated sodomy, false imprisonment and three counts of sexual battery against a child under 16 — following his August 17 arrest. His attorney Jason Sheffield has maintained his client is “100 percent innocent,” and a court hearing is scheduled for September 9.

Thank You!

You have successfully subscribed.

Advertisement

• Randy “Rusty” Yates, ex-husband of Andrea Yates, weighed in on the Lindsay Clancy trial as jurors deliberated, telling News Nation that Clancy’s case is “a little murkier” and “not quite as clear” as his ex-wife’s, who drowned her five children in her bathtub. Clancy, who strangled her three children in January 2023, has argued she shouldn’t be held criminally responsible due to mental health struggles, while prosecutor Jennifer Sprague insisted she knew what she was doing.

• The family of Bank of America vice president Erin Piacenti spoke out after she was fatally stabbed in a random Times Square attack on August 31 — her first day back from maternity leave — by Pamela Cisneros, who also stabbed a 68-year-old man before she was shot by police and died. A GoFundMe supporting Piacenti’s 5-month-old daughter, Madison, has raised more than $560,000 of its $750,000 goal.

Edited by Samantha Benitz. Story produced with AI assistance

Why do people watch movies? It is a question with no shortage of answers. We watch movies to experience everything from exciting escapism to cultural enlightenment, to educate ourselves on the world, on human behavior, and even to learn more about how we as individuals navigate emotions and empathy. Then again, sometimes we all just want to watch a movie to have fun, to be enraptured in a sense of glee that we feel with every ounce of our being.

The first quarter of the 21st century has seen an abundance of movies that allow viewers to revel in this air of joy. As one may expect, this list features many masterpieces of modern comedy that had audiences laughing aloud throughout, but everything from swashbuckling fantasy adventures to propulsive spectacles of action awe have defined cinematic fun over the past 26 years, creating viewing experiences that, even after multiple rewatches, leave viewers grinning from ear to ear.

8

‘Hunt for the Wilderpeople’ (2016)

Image via Defender Films

Charming, charismatic, and endlessly enjoyable, Hunt for the Wilderpeople is a feat of quirky comedy magnificence underlined with a sense of pathos that exhibits all of director Taika Waititi’s defining qualities at their very best. It centers on the bond between rebellious youth Ricky Baker (Julian Dennison) and his cantankerous foster father, Hector (Sam Neill). When Ricky goes on the run to avoid returning to the foster care system, he and Hector are thrust on a marvelously messy adventure and find themselves at the heart of a growing media frenzy.

Dennison and Neill are exceptional in their roles, conjuring a rich, heartwarming chemistry that carries the movie’s beautiful emotional core while allowing for all the absurdist fun to maintain a sense of depth and poignancy. Presenting a perfect odd-couple dynamic while exuding warm wit and a penchant for lovable adventure, Hunt for the Wilderpeople is 105 minutes of wholesome fun that absolutely anyone in the world can enjoy.

7

‘The Nice Guys’ (2016)

Image via Warner Bros. Pictures

When handled with a sense of propulsive momentum and charm, mystery cinema can offer intoxicating fun as its story of suspense and intrigue unfurls. The Knives Out movies are a prime example of this in recent years, but the most outlandishly enjoyable of the 21st century is undeniably 2016’s criminally underrated buddy-cop film, The Nice Guys. It follows a bumbling private eye and an enforcer-for-hire as they team-up to scour 1970s L.A. investigating a missing girl, a dead porn star, and an underlying government conspiracy behind it all.

The chemistry between Ryan Gosling’s Holland March and Russell Crowe’s Jackson Healy is a treat that holds up on multiple rewatches, while the movie around them strikes a perfect balance between masterful mystery plotting, ridiculous comedy eccentricity, and engrossing high-stakes suspense to make for a relentlessly exciting picture that also offers a plethora of laughs. Also featuring razor-sharp writing and an immersive period setting, The Nice Guys is an endlessly rewatchable buddy comedy that is one of the most fun mystery movies of all time.

6

‘Tropic Thunder’ (2008)

Image via Paramount Pictures

A brutal satire of the egomaniacal excess of movie stars, the nature of Hollywood war films, and the process of filmmaking at large, Tropic Thunder is a bold deconstruction of blockbuster cinema that pulls no punches in its pursuit of barbed and bruising hilarity. Its entertaining fervor is only strengthened by its incredible ensemble cast and its ability to combine unflinching shock comedy with piercing precision as it follows the shambolic production of a Vietnam War movie that sees the self-centered lead actors dropped into Southeast Asia to capture a sense of authenticity only for the stars to find themselves in a fight for survival when they encounter a drug dealing syndicate.

Tropic Thunder is not afraid of leaning into all-out absurdism, be it in regard to its comedic wrath or its action bombast. Both of these qualities conspire to make for one of the most relentlessly enjoyable movies ever made. It is uncompromising in its endeavor to lampoon the self-serious entitlement many war dramas have occupied over the years, and its purposefully over-the-top performances parodying everything from Hollywood producers to method acting only add to this scorching critique of major studio filmmaking.

5

‘Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl’ (2003)

Image via Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Combining classical swashbuckling romantic adventure with high-fantasy ideas, a litany of memorable performances, and action sequences that are stunning in both conception and realization, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl delivers cinematic escapism at its most immersive and enjoyable. The crux of the story is blacksmith Will Turner’s (Orlando Bloom) efforts to rescue the governor’s daughter from the pirates that abducted her, but the movie finds its lifeblood in everything from Johnny Depp’s iconic portrayal of Captain Jack Sparrow to its inflections of supernatural horror and brilliant comedic timing.

Complimented by an astonishing score, masterful fight choreography, and the ageless beauty of its practical filmmaking and physical, real-world locations, The Curse of the Black Pearl holds a transfixing quality that is both hypnotically engrossing and ceaselessly entertaining. It is the pinnacle of adventure fun in the 21st century, as are its two immediate sequels, with all three movies making for a descent into magic and mania that, in addition to being a sensation of modern filmmaking, stands as one of the most viscerally enthusing viewing experiences in the history of blockbuster cinema.

4

‘The Grand Budapest Hotel’ (2014)

Image via Searchlight Pictures

Wes Anderson’s unique visual style is always a catalyst for unbridled cinematic fun, especially as his eye-catching aesthetic is almost always combined with charming stories of humanity and stunning ensemble casts. The Grand Budapest Hotel is the finest example of this, with the 2014 comedy adventure film revolving around the journey of the framed concierge of the illustrious titular hotel, M. Gustav (Ralph Fiennes), and his loyal lobby boy, Zero (Tony Revolori), as they strive to prove Gustav did not commit murder.

The film is ultimately defined by its underlying heart, especially as its story-within-a-story approach imbues it with a slight degree of pathos to compliment the vibrant adventurous joy of the story and the spellbinding majesty of the set design and cinematography. The Grand Budapest Hotel marks one of the greatest triumphs of cinema this century, a wonderfully constructed tale of friendship, wild adventure, and loss that ensnares viewers from the opening minute and immerses them in what is a soaring glory of style, substance, and sensational fun.

3

‘Shrek’ (2001)

Image via DreamWorks Animation

Advertisement

Whether it be puerile or piercing, parody has always been a great outlet for hysterics and hilarity when handled well. Serving as a send-up of classic Disney animated movies, as well as a lampooning of the fairy tale format at large, Shrek is a sublime example of spoof comedy as it follows the titular ogre in his endeavor to rescue a princess in exchange for being left alone in his swamp.

From its opening minute, the 2001 DreamWorks Animation classic flips the tropes of the genre on their head. The tales of gallantry, heroism, and beauty are replaced by a crude ogre, fun-loving vulgarity, and Smash Mouth’s “All Star”. As the movie unfurls, it only grows more enjoyable, especially as it combines its appetite for laugh-out-loud lunacy with razor-sharp messaging about self-worth and true love. In many respects, what makes Shrek so fun isn’t just that it mocks fairy tale storytelling, but that it improves it. Shrek 2 is also worthy of an honorable mention for how it achieves a similar feat, with both movies sprucing up the traditional ideas of the form with accessible family fun, unforgettable and beloved characters, and rollicking adventure stories accentuated with a lively soundtrack and plenty of joyous jabs at modern pop-culture.

2

‘Hot Fuzz’ (2007)

Image via Rogue Pictures

Advertisement

Driven by the brilliant comedic chemistry of Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, and powered by the kinetic filmmaking of director Edgar Wright, Hot Fuzz stands as one of the most addictively entertaining movies ever made. Blending the quiet serenity of the English countryside with outstanding satire of Hollywood blockbuster action excess, it follows a renowned London cop as he is dispatched to a quiet remote village where he begins to suspect a series of grisly accidents may be part of a larger conspiracy.

More than just a punchy parody, Hot Fuzz showcases Wright’s tremendous love for cinematic history as it mocks the action bombast of the ‘80s and ‘90s with both affectionate liveliness and deep respect. Compounded by its litany of excellent one-liners, energized sense of bizarre pandemonium, and its ability to extract uproarious hilarity from impeccably filmed action sequences, Hot Fuzz has a gravitas that is as viscerally alluring as it is enthralling and infectiously fun. Furthermore, as part of the thematically-connected “Cornetto” Trilogy, it contributes to what is arguably the most fun and enthusing movie trilogy cinema has ever seen.

1

‘Mad Max: Fury Road’ (2015)

Image via Warner Bros. Pictures

Advertisement

Pure propane punch. Mad Max: Fury Road isn’t just the greatest action movie of the 21st century, it is possibly the most awe-inspiring and ferociously outstanding blockbuster experience of all time. With George Miller returning to the post-apocalyptic dystopian he first mastered in the original 1979 classic, the soft reboot maintains the same sense of grit and brutality while ratcheting up the spectacle as it unfurls as a continuous rampaging chase sequence over the course of its relentless two-hour run.

It may not be the kind of movie that inspires fits of laughter, but every frenetic combat sequence is realized with such craftsmanship and creativity that it captures an air of prodigious magnificence, leaving viewers breathless and gleefully overwhelmed. A masterclass in epic-scale action bolstered by the faultless precision of its choreography and camerawork, the tangible realism of its high-concept storyworld, and its propulsive sense of momentum, Mad Max: Fury Road is the peak of energized cinematic grandeur that enthralls and excites with its majesty as well as its might to be the most fun and invigorating movie of the 21st century thus far.

Advertisement

Mad Max: Fury Road

Advertisement

Release Date

May 15, 2015

Runtime

121 minutes

Advertisement

Director

George Miller

Advertisement

Writers

Brendan McCarthy, George Miller, Nico Lathouris

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Remember GalaxyBids?

 The highly entertaining e-commerce platform is now BidSlam, with the interactive shopping concept and $1 lock model becoming even more engaging. The concept: What if the price of a luxury watch, designer handbag or in-demand gadget never went up, and the person who outlasted everyone else could take it home for just $1? A very tempting concept to shopping. Let’s take a look at the important questions about the platform. 

The gamification of shopping has proven to be extremely popular, and BidSlam’s concept might truly add to that. The simple combination of shopping, competition and suspense is what makes BidSlam different. The platform is a gamified shopping platform built around its signature $1 Lock model, where the product price stays at $1 while participants compete to be the last bidder standing.

What is BidSlam?

BidSlam is interactive shopping with a countdown. The concept is as simple as it is appealing.

Users choose an item, use eligible credits to participate, and watch the clock. Eligible bids add time to the countdown. When the timer finally reaches zero, the last eligible bidder wins. The winner receives the product at $1, free shipping. 

That’s how simple BidSlam works. Instead of a traditional auction where every new bid pushes the price higher, BidSlam keeps the price locked while the clock does the moving. The result is a shopping experience that feels part marketplace, part game.

What is the BidSlam $1 Lock?

The BidSlam $1 Lock is the key to the platform’s concept. Products start at a price of $1 and stay locked at $1. The price doesn’t increase as participants bid. Instead, each bid adds time. If nobody makes another eligible bid before the countdown reaches zero, the final bidder wins the event.

What happens to the credits you spend?

Participants use eligible credits to place bids, and those credits can retain value within the BidSlam ecosystem.

If you decide to use ‘Buy Now’, the value of eligible credits you’ve spent is deducted from the Buy Now price, helping ensure you don’t pay more than the stated retail price, subject to the applicable terms.

If you win an event, there’s another important benefit: 100% of your eligible credits spent are returned to you. You then get the winning product for $1 and free shipping.

For eligible prizes where the option is available, winners can also choose to receive the applicable cash or crypto value instead of the physical product.

What if you don’t win?

BidSlam isn’t necessarily a case of the winner takes all and everyone else gets nothing.

Participants receive a percentage of eligible credits spent back according to the applicable BidSlam rewards and membership rules. The precise amount depends on the relevant event and membership terms, but the idea is simple: even when another participant becomes the last bidder standing, eligible participants can still receive value back.

As always, participants should check the specific terms that apply to their event and membership.

What can you buy on BidSlam?

Probably the most important part for most users – the items that can be purchased on the platform. BidSlam – like its predecessor GalaxyBids – focussed on highly sought after luxury items such as watches, designer fashion, handbags, jewelry, as well as electronics, collectibles, hype items or other hard-to-find products. 

The selection changes with the events, and allows for a variety of different products. 

Beginner and VIP events

For those entirely new to the concept, BidSlam offers events for beginners as well as VIP members, giving different participants the opportunity to get involved at a level that suits them.

The basic mechanics remain the same: choose an item, use eligible credits, follow the countdown and try to be the last bidder standing. However for newcomers, that means there’s an opportunity to learn how the platform works without immediately jumping into every event.

Is BidSlam legit?

Whenever a platform offers the possibility of getting desirable products for $1, people are naturally going to ask, “Is BidSlam legit?”. A totally legitimate question. 

The best place to start answering it is by understanding the model and reading the applicable terms and conditions. BidSlam describes itself as a gamified shopping platform, rather than a conventional auction. Its defining feature is the $1 Lock: bids add time to the countdown, but the product price remains $1. Anyone considering participating should understand the rules around credits, rewards, Buy Now purchases and prize options before getting started.

A large variety of secure payment methods such as Apple Pay, Google Pay, major card providers, Bank Transfer, Cashapp and Crypto allows buyers to complete transactions very much on their own terms. The Buy Now option offers further protection. People researching BidSlam reviews can also consider customer experiences alongside the platform’s own information, and ratings are overall positive. As with any online service, individual reviews may differ, so looking at multiple sources is a sensible approach. BidSlam also provides 24/7 customer support, giving customers access to assistance around the clock.

If you’ve come across the name GalaxyBids before, there’s a reason. The platform which launched earlier this year quickly rose to success and popularity, but is already getting a new name and adapted concept with BidSlams. The new 1$ price lock just makes the platform even more accessible and appealing.

So, to summarize, here’s what you need to know:

To win, participants simply need to be the last eligible bidder standing when an event’s countdown hits zero, at which point they take home the product for $1 plus free shipping — and thanks to BidSlam’s $1 Lock model, that price never climbs no matter how many bids come in, since each bid adds time to the clock rather than adding to the cost. Winners also get 100% of their eligible credits spent back, subject to the platform’s rules, while participants who don’t win can still recoup a percentage of their credits back under the applicable rewards and membership terms. For those who’d rather skip the wait entirely, BidSlam’s Buy Now feature lets the product’s purchase price drop with every bid placed, giving buyers the option to lock in that lower price outright. And for eligible prizes, winners aren’t limited to the item itself — they can opt to take the equivalent value in cash or crypto instead.

Glen Powell is doubling down on his latest love!

The award-winning actor is standing ten toes down behind his decision to share his romance with Michelle Randolph with his teeming Instagram followers and the world at large.

Glen Powell and Michelle Randolph first sparked dating rumors in November 2025 when they were spotted catching a dance at the Broken Spoke in Texas, ultimately confirming things this July.

Superhero shows can either become a total success or a complete flop—and it all comes down to a combination of factors. A wildly creative superhero origin or lore can set the tone, but much of the heavy lifting ultimately comes down to execution. Unfortunately, not every show has mastered the art of bringing superhero stories to the screen.

Whether it’s poor pacing, a lack of suspense, or uninspired world-building, superhero shows with promising potential can quickly end up in the trash because of treatment they never deserved. From dumping an entire origin story into its opening episodes to failing to live up to the potential of its original series, here are superhero shows that have aged like milk.

‘Secret Invasion’ (2023)

Secret Invasion should’ve been one of Marvel’s strongest spy thrillers—if only the show knew how to nail the thriller aspect of it. The miniseries takes place in the aftermath of the Blip, featuring a now-worn-out Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), who’s been living away from Earth after the trauma of the Blip. But when he learns that a group of renegade, shapeshifting Skrulls are forming a resistance-turned-terrorist group by impersonating humans around the world, Fury steps in alongside Talos (Ben Mendelsohn).

The premise of Secret Invasion should’ve hinged on the uncertainty of not knowing who is actually a Skrull and who is human. However, Secret Invasion lays everything out at the beginning, treating the mystery as one giant exposition dump that immediately reveals who the villains are and, in turn, strips away much of the show’s intrigue. And while it’s only human for Fury to be worn out like any other hero, something about his characterization feels completely out of character. It’s one thing for him to be out of shape, but it’s another to completely forget that he was once an international spymaster. Watching Fury act clueless, reckless, and passive while handling a situation that should be right in his wheelhouse feels deeply unusual for a character who has always been defined by his ability to stay several steps ahead.

‘The Cape’ (2011)

Image via NBC

Advertisement

The Cape is quite a doozy. Neither belonging to the Marvel nor DC binary, the NBC series follows Vince Faraday (David Lyons), an honest detective who is framed for murder by corrupt billionaire Peter Fleming (James Frain), a.k.a. the villain Chess. Presumed dead, Faraday is taken in by a circus crime ring, where he learns specialized cape-fighting and illusion techniques that allow him to become a masked vigilante. As for his new name, he adopts his son’s favorite superhero identity. It’s low-key giving Kick-Ass vibes, with a hero origin story that, although unconventional given the whole circus aspect of it, feels surprisingly genuine. Unfortunately, terrible execution buries whatever potential The Cape has.

Instead of letting the premise breathe, The Cape crams its origin story, training montage, superhero transformation, secret lair, supporting cast, villains, criminal conspiracy, family drama, and larger mythology into its opening episodes. Because there’s so little room for the setup to develop naturally, The Cape never really figures out what kind of tone it wants. On one hand, Vince’s revenge story gives The Punisher vibes, while the show’s colorful absurdity has the appeal of Silver Age comics. One moment, it’s dealing with corruption and Vince’s struggle to get his family back; the next, villains are delivering cartoonish one-liners, with dialogue that sounds like it belongs in a Saturday-morning cartoon.

‘Heroes Reborn’ (2015–2016)

Image via NBC

Advertisement

Heroes Reborn is an ambitious follow-up to its original series, seemingly assuming that longtime Heroes fans can keep up with the lore while doing little to bring new viewers up to speed. Heroes Reborn takes place one year after a terrorist attack in Odessa, Texas, turns the world against people with extraordinary abilities known as evos. Forced into hiding and hunted by vigilantes, a new generation of heroes must learn to control their powers while uncovering a dangerous conspiracy involving powerful corporations. As a catastrophic geomagnetic reversal threatens the planet, these emerging heroes must unite to save humanity from extinction.

Heroes Reborn needed to offer something distinctive to justify bringing the franchise back, but everything feels too stacked on top of everything else. Instead of allowing one storyline or character to develop before moving on to the next, the series keeps adding another character, another mystery, and another conspiracy to an already crowded story. While that gives the show plenty of suspense to keep audiences hooked, the limited time devoted to each storyline gives viewers little reason to become emotionally invested in the characters. Heroes Reborn ultimately has almost the opposite problem of a show with too little going on: it starts with too many premises and never establishes a strong enough emotional center to hold them together.

‘Iron Fist’ (2017–2018)

Image via Netflix

Advertisement

Iron Fist arrived at a difficult moment for superhero television, with DC series such as Arrow, Supergirl, and Gotham already dominating the genre. The series had a compelling premise: Danny Rand (Finn Jones), a billionaire heir who disappeared for 15 years, returns to New York as a highly trained martial artist with the mystical power of the Iron Fist. Unfortunately, the biggest problem is that Iron Fist begins after the most fascinating chapter of Danny’s life has already happened. His inherently outrageous superhero origin deserves the most spotlight, yet the series mostly treats it as exposition rather than something audiences get to experience, leaving Danny already fully formed.

The show’s priorities make matters worse. Instead of fully embracing its mystical mythology, Iron Fist spends much of its runtime on corporate politics, inheritance disputes, and the Rand-Meachum business drama. Corporate intrigue can work, but here it consistently overshadows the supernatural elements that make Danny’s story distinctive. Add in Danny’s lack of charisma and the controversy surrounding his casting, and the result is a series that wastes an incredible superhero origin by focusing on almost everything except what makes the character interesting. For a show built around a mystical warrior who defeats dragons and wields supernatural power, Iron Fist spends surprisingly little time letting him actually be one.

‘Inhumans’ (2017)

Image via ABC

Advertisement

Inhumans had so much superhero potential, especially by focusing on a group of heroes who don’t even come from Earth, leaving plenty of room for some truly strange and exciting superhero magic. Unfortunately, terrible writing, cheap-looking production, and stiff performances do little justice to bringing their story to life. Inhumans follows the Royal Family of Attilan, a secluded race of genetically gifted beings who gain their powers through the mysterious Terrigen Mists. When their kingdom comes under attack, King Black Bolt (Anson Mount) and his family must defend their home while protecting their people from a power-hungry force.

Considering the original Inhumans lore, the series could have explored this fictional realm more deeply and intentionally, particularly its rigid caste system and questions surrounding genetic superiority. Instead, all of that potential is reduced to a basic “brother wants to overthrow his brother” storyline. Inhumans should also have felt weird, alien, and surreal given its origins, but instead, much of the action takes place in ordinary-looking environments that make the entire world feel lackluster. The Moon-based kingdom of Attilan should have been one of the most visually and conceptually interesting locations in the MCU. Instead, the production makes it look bland, empty, and inexpensively constructed, which begs the question of whether the creators actually cared about this series at all.

Advertisement

Inhumans

Advertisement

Release Date

2017 – 2017-00-00

Advertisement

Showrunner

Scott Buck

Directors

Advertisement

Roel Reiné, Chris Fisher, Billy Gierhart, David Straiton, Kevin Tancharoen

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Ben Stiller‘s wife Christine Taylor is revealing a side of Hollywood that once felt almost impossible to escape.

Years after landing one of her most recognizable roles, the actress has opened up about a surprising demand she faced before filming “The Brady Bunch Movie,” and the request left her feeling “embarrassed.”

Ben Stiller’s wife, Christine Taylor’s revelation adds a fascinating new layer to a career filled with memorable roles, including her on-screen work with her husband.

5

Christine Taylor thought she had already cleared the hardest hurdle when she landed the role of Marcia Brady in “The Brady Bunch Movie”. After all, the opportunity had come from Sherwood Schwartz himself, following her performance as the character in “The Real Live Brady Bunch”, and she went into the audition convinced she had nailed it.

That confidence quickly ran into an uncomfortable reality of 90s Hollywood. After booking the role, Taylor said she was given an “out of the blue” demand to lose 10 pounds, a request she later described as leaving her feeling “embarrassed.”

The actress agreed at the time, but the story has taken on a very different tone years later. What once might have been treated as a routine industry expectation now stands out as a startling glimpse into the pressure actresses faced just to fit a particular screen image.

A Different Time In Hollywood

5

The story resurfaced during a recent episode of the Office Ladies podcast, where Taylor took hosts Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey back to the moment she first learned the role came with an unexpected condition. She explained that, although she didn’t consider herself particularly heavy, she was asked to lose 10 pounds before filming began.

Taylor recalled agreeing to the request while admitting, “Of course, I was embarrassed when that ask came my way.” She also reflected on how different the industry was at the time, describing the expectation as something that belonged to a “so ’90s” era of Hollywood.

Taylor later joked that viewers who watch the movie closely can actually spot the weight returning and disappearing because of reshoots. She said she treated herself to nonfat frozen yogurt after filming, turning what had once been an uncomfortable demand into a surprisingly funny Hollywood anecdote years later.

More From The Blast

Christine Taylor Wasn’t The First Choice To Play Ben Stiller’s Love Interest

5

Taylor’s Hollywood experience did not always come with the certainty that her talent would be enough to secure the part. Just a few years after “The Brady Bunch” experience, she found herself navigating another unexpected hurdle while trying to land a role opposite Ben Stiller in “Zoolander.”

Speaking on The Drew Barrymore Show, Taylor revealed that she initially decided not to audition for the role of Matilda Jeffries. At the time, she was dating Stiller and worried about putting their relationship through the awkwardness of potentially being rejected for a part in his movie.

According to PEOPLE, the role was subsequently offered to other actresses, including Sarah Jessica Parker, before Taylor eventually got the opportunity. When those options did not work out, Taylor ultimately got her chance, and she has since turned the unusual casting history into a joke.

“I always joke that I’m fourth choice and cheap,” she said, poking fun at how she landed the role. Years later, the movie has only grown more popular, with Taylor saying audiences have embraced it more with every decade.

Their On-Screen Chemistry Couldn’t Prevent Trouble At Home 

5

Christine Taylor’s professional life wasn’t the only part of her world to take an unexpected turn while she was building a life with Ben Stiller. The couple married in 2000 and went on to raise two children, but their relationship eventually reached a point where they needed to step away from each other.

As reported by The Blast, Taylor previously explained that she and Stiller had grown in different directions and were “not on the same page with a lot of things.” After 17 years of marriage, they announced their separation in 2017, although they never officially divorced and continued putting their family first.

Then came the twist neither of them seemed to expect. During the pandemic, the family was suddenly under one roof with nowhere else to be, giving Taylor and Stiller time to reconnect without forcing anything.

What began as an unexpected period of togetherness ultimately helped the couple rediscover their relationship, bringing them back together after five years apart.

Ben Stiller’s Biggest Regret As A Father Changed How He Sees Success

5

Ben Stiller’s career brought him fame, but it also forced him to confront the personal cost of chasing it. His children eventually forced him to face choices that affected their family. Stiller began to think about it after his daughter, Ella, talked about his lack of presence when she was younger, The Blast reported.

He confessed that his hard-working lifestyle sometimes kept him out of the children’s lives, prompting him to re-evaluate what success means. That lesson has stayed with him, as he now looks forward to working with Ella and Quinn creatively.

“Golden Years” arrived at a moment when David Bowie was redefining what his plastic soul could become, but with a noticeable maturation of the energy he had crafted. Released as a single on November 21, 1975, ahead of the rest of Station to Station, “Golden Years” came during a moment of transition when it wasn’t certain that Bowie would even be the one to sing the recorded version. Elvis Presley was waiting in the background as a potential performer, yet Bowie’s own delivery ultimately made it a hit, sending it to No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Its success landed at a pivotal point in Bowie’s career, one many fans regard as his creative peak. “Golden Years” is musically funky and groovy, but its lyrics reveal a story of isolation, naivety, and a loss of direction. It was, perhaps, an undercurrent that reflected Bowie’s own state at the time. In this way, the track represents his remarkable ability to blend American pop with a distinctly European sensibility, subtly foreshadowing the experimentation of the Berlin Trilogy.

Elvis Presley Nearly Sang “Golden Years,” and His Vocal Influence on the Song

Amazingly, “Golden Years” was first written with Elvis Presley in mind to perform it, according to Bowie’s biographers. Bowie and Presley were both signed to RCA Records at the time “Golden Years” was being written, and Presley had heard demos from Bowie. Presley’s manager, Colonel Tom Parker, thought it would be wise for Bowie to write songs for the King, given the ease that sharing a label naturally brought the pair. It’s written in David Buckley’s biography, Strange Fascination – David Bowie: The Definitive Story, that Bowie simply “adored” Presley and would have loved the opportunity to have worked with him. Alas, Elvis Presley never recorded a version of “Golden Years,” despite the artists’ offices being in contact with each other.

When you listen to “Golden Years,” it’s clear why Elvis Presley would have been an incredible performer of the song. The vocals on the track start in a distinctively Elvis-inspired, low and smooth, coolly delivered croon. In the first verse alone, Bowie’s voice bounced around melodically and rhythmically, shadowing the free elasticity that Presley made so iconic twenty years before “Golden Years” was recorded. Bowie references Presley’s technique throughout the song, but one line in the second verse does so particularly accurately. “In walked luck, and you looked in time / Never look back, walk tall, act fine,” exudes a dulcet baritone power that is cooly restrained, a loosely phrased way that prioritizes expression over rhythmic rigidity. Bowie performed so incredibly as various characters, and the pastiche of Elvis Presley was such a smart way to epitomize a feeling of nostalgic soul in his forward-facing funk. In subtly referencing an icon, Bowie bravely asserted that his music was aiming to exist in the legendary realm, and that it certainly did.

David Bowie’s Creative Transition With ‘Station to Station’

After Bowie’s success with Fame, he and his label were keen for a repeat. Bowie expanded on the upbeat funk elements of the record to build the foundations for Station to Station. “Golden Years” is more understated than the large-sounding “Young Americans,” “Fascination,” and “Fame” of the previous 1975 album, and leans more into a cool, sophisticated exploration of his soul-influenced music. The slowing down in pace also implies a steady preparation for the experimentation that Bowie took on in the Berlin Trilogy. “Golden Years,” and the rest of Station to Station could then be considered to be a creative bridge between Bowie’s plastic soul sound and the more left-field avant-garde output of the late-’70s.

It was also at this time, in 1975, that Bowie was at the height of his drug use. He was living in Los Angeles in an unhealthy state, frequently experiencing paranoia. The lyrics of “Golden Years” tell a story of feeling lost and isolated, with lines like “Run for the shadows / In these Golden Years” expressing an almost fear-like state among a fragmented sense of self. Set against an upbeat soul instrumental, the narrative holds a strong sense of suspicious melancholy, which was carried over from Young Americans and expanded even further on Station to Station in a more dismissive manner, which only heightened the eeriness of it.

Bowie captured glamour versus decay expertly, and it reached a new peak on Station to Station with the introduction of the Thin White Duke. If I may, the Thin White Duke is the persona of Bowie I regard as having the most depth and bearing in his career. It may not be the opinion of every Bowie fan, but the era of The Thin White Duke is perhaps not as equally ubiquitous as his other characters. Bowie embraced nostalgic elements of soul, dark romance and obsession combined with an inherently unfeeling man. This feels like a theatrical dramatization of figures like Elvis Presley, whose iconically romantic presence was used as a reference to the surface of the Thin White Duke.

“Golden Years” was the first song from Station to Station to be recorded. RCA actually released it as the lead single for the record on 21 November before the remainder of Station to Station was even finished. It’s a testament to Bowie that the label was so confident in his musical abilities to commit to Station to Station without a confirmed final destination. “Golden Years” continues to be one of Bowie’s most celebrated works. As it approaches 50, the song perfectly crystalizes Bowie’s shifting identities and how his music will forever exist in golden leagues.

Jennifer Lawrence has zero interest in pretending that she’s a stranger to cosmetic procedures. The Oscar-winning actress recently spoke candidly about her cosmetic enhancements.

She also opened up about the type of invasive procedures that make her anxious and the ones she would like to undergo if she wasn’t such a popular figure.

Although Jennifer Lawrence revealed that she often gets Botox in minute amounts, there is one procedure she has shied away from due to public scrutiny.

5

During an interview with Vogue at the Dior Spa Hotel Cipriani in Venice, Lawrence spoke at length about her true approach to cosmetic treatments.

The 36-year-old admitted that she loved getting facials; however, she has been careful not to do too much, so she doesn’t limit her facial expressions. This caution is very important because the entirety of her job involves her ability to convey strong facial emotions on camera.

Baby Botox generally refers to using the treatment in small amounts to achieve a lasting result. While it might not be as effective as taking on full Botox treatments

“I get baby Botox, but I can’t do a lot,” she explained to the outlet, adding that instead of fully relying on these treatments, she also keeps herself hydrated to achieve glowing skin.

The Actress ‘Would Love’ To Have Buccal Fat Removal

5

Lawrence may have taken a laid-back approach to Botox, but she admitted that she is curious about buccal fat removal.

This surgical procedure involves removing fat from between the cheekbones and jawline to help create a more defined look and facial appearance. While Lawrence may love the idea of a refined jawline, she admitted that her fame has made her reluctant to undergo the surgery.

She noted that while she “would love” to have the procedure done, “everybody would know” if she does.

Throughout her career, Lawrence has faced continuous public scrutiny. Fans often take different photographs from different timelines to speculate if the actress has ever had any cosmetic work.

Jennifer Lawrence Is Nervous About Fat-Transfer Procedures

5

Aside from Buccal fat removal, the “Silver Linings Playbook” actress revealed in her interview that she is familiar with another procedure called cosmetic fat transfers.

This cosmetic work generally involves taking fat from one area in the body and adding it to another part of the body.

However, Lawrence said she remains nervous about trying it herself. She explained that she supports other people making that choice but wants to continue observing the results before deciding whether it is something she would consider.

She Once Denied Ever Having A Facelift Or Using Fillers

5

In 2025, during a sit-down with The New Yorker, Lawrence addressed speculations surrounding her appearance once and for all.

The actress confirmed that she had engaged in Botox procedures, but denied ever doing fillers to enhance her facial structure.

She went on to say that she stayed away from fillers because she believed that people would notice the changes on camera. She again stressed the need to retain enough facial movement to portray different characters well.

When asked whether she had undergone a facelift, Lawrence denied the speculation while joking about the possibility of having one in the future.

“No. But, believe me, I’m gonna!” she responded.

Lawrence also admitted during the interview that she is making plans to have a cosmetic breast procedure after the arrival of her second child.

Professional Makeup Previously Fueled Jennifer Lawrence’s Surgery Rumors

5

Lawrence also shut down plastic surgery rumors that spread like wildfire in 2023.

She explained that her makeup artist, Hung Vango, used a technique of overlining her lips that led people to believe that she had gone under the knife to get cosmetic surgery.

“I didn’t have eye surgery; I’m doing makeup,” the actress stressed.

Lawrence also pushed back against people who took photos from when she was younger and compared them to ones from her thirties as proof that she has undergone cosmetic surgery.

She argued that the unfair comparisons did not account for the fact that she could have just been aging naturally, which has led to changes in her facial structure.

Lawrence insisted that, besides her Botox use, she has not gone through any other invasive surgery on her face.

Hey, Beyond the Gates fans. We have Dana ‘Leslie’ Thomas (Trisha Mann-Grant) at a fork in the road. One way could lead to redemption and the other to rejection and ruin. And it all starts with the request Anita Dupree (Tamara Tunie) made for Leslie to give them permission to use Barbara Mitchell’s voice in these new recording sessions.

And things are going to spiral from there. In fact, it already started. Let’s talk about how Leslie’s foolishness could ruin the The Articulettes legacy unless a miracle happens and it somehow turns out well.

Beyond the Gates: Leslie’s Tragic Backstory

If you recall, Leslie didn’t know the identity of her biological mother for her whole entire life. Peaches Evans (Arle Michel) raised Leslie after her friend Barbara Mitchell, the founding member of the The Articulettes, left Leslie with Peaches when she was an infant and then she took her own life. Leslie was stunned when Peaches showed up in town. And this was after Eva Thomas Richardson (Ambyr Michelle) told Leslie to stop ignoring the letters from the trust lawyer.

But Leslie thought they were scam letters because she didn’t know anyone with money to leave her. And Peaches showed up to finally share this secret she’d kept hidden her whole life because Barbara made Peaches promise to act as Leslie’s mother and never reveal she was really her biological mother.

Anita Drowning in Guilt on BTG

Meanwhile, money had been piling up for years because of Anita. She was so guilt-ridden that Barbara killed herself after she was pushed out of the The Articulettes because the producer thought she was too straight. So, Anita refused and didn’t push back on the producer and let it happen to Barbara because Anita was prioritizing her own career, never having any idea that Barbara was going to take her own life.

So, Anita was haunted. She set up the trust for Barbara’s heirs and over time it grew into a veritable fortune and she was horrified to find out Leslie was Barbara’s only heir and she got the entire fortune after destroying Nicole Dupree Richardson (Daphnee Duplaix)’s marriage of a lifetime. So, she got money but Leslie never got to know her mother. And Leslie grew up, like so many of that generation, as an The Articulettes superfan with no idea her biological mother was the driving force behind the formation of the famous girl group that Anita went on to be the lead singer and star of.

Beyond the Gates: Leslie’s Deal with The Articulates

And now Tracy, Sharon Winger (Bonita Brisker), and Anita are supposed to be getting back into the studio to recut versions of all their songs and adding in archival tapes of Barbara’s voice to make the The Articulettes group whole again retroactively. Problem is, as her sole heir, Leslie is the one who controls the permission over using Barbara’s voice. So, Leslie demanded some concessions that Anita didn’t like, but Sharon pushed Anita to set the feelings aside and just make the deal.

Leslie wants to sit in the booth while they record. That was the very first thing. And she wants a producer credit on the new The Articulettes album, plus a share of the profit. But I doubt what Anita agreed to is going to be the end of it. Leslie could make things much more difficult actually during these recording sessions. Anita may give Leslie an inch and she takes five yards instead.

Leslie Replaces Anita on BTG?

Big question is whether she will wind up ruining these recording sessions and honestly ruining the The Articulettes legacy. Right now Anita can’t do the concert because her voice isn’t back. She’s hopeful it’ll recover before the studio sessions with Tracy and Sharon. But if it doesn’t, we could see Leslie pushing to take her place.

We know she loves to be the center of attention. Also, like her mom, Barbara, we know that Leslie can actually sing, and she may jump at an opportunity to get onto the album. Or worse yet, Leslie might create an opportunity to get onto the album. She may do something really sneaky and manipulative.

Red Flags on Beyond the Gates

Actress Trisha Mann-Grant, who plays Leslie, is a singer in real life and she sang on Beyond the Gates not too long ago. She serenaded Marcel Malone (Darryl W. Handy). And I feel like having Leslie sing was a red flag that we’re going to see more of her vocal talents on BTG. And we have seen Leslie humble lately. Like when she was trying to make things right with Marcel, she blew him off about the whole boat thing, but then Leslie softened her approach to her grumpy cop boyfriend Marcel.

But the question is, can Leslie also be humble about this The Articulettes opportunity? Because realistically, she should just be thrilled to be in the same room with these legends that were her mom’s best friends and to watch the The Articulettes record. But I can’t imagine Leslie just settling for watching Tracy, Sharon, and Anita sing. So Leslie may find a way to work her way into it.

BTG: Leslie’s Rotton Move

Worst case is she does something awful trying to wiggle her way in. Like Leslie erases Barbara’s tapes. So they need to find another way to have their original founder’s memory and legacy honored with this project. And it could be that Leslie’s voice sounds a lot like her mom’s enough to where they reluctantly agree that she can sing with them. Anita, Tracy, and Sharon may be hesitant to allow this unless they were in a bind. And of course, it would be horrifying if Leslie ruined what might be the only copies of her mom’s early recordings.

At the same time, I wouldn’t put it past her. We’ve seen she’s willing to use Eva, use Peaches, use anybody else to make Leslie’s schemes happen. So, it could also be something benign like a technical issue that makes Barbara’s recordings unusual, and Leslie may humbly ask for a chance to audition for them, and maybe she wows them.

Beyond the Gates: Leslie Pushes Anita Out

Another way for Leslie to worm her way in is if Anita’s voice doesn’t come back on the timeline they need. Devon Winters (Bryton James) may have a deadline for the project and if Anita’s voice isn’t recovering fast enough, they may be left in a tight spot. And again, Leslie could offer to audition. She may suggest she can sing alongside her mom’s voice on the album. You know, pop stars’ children often do tributes like this, like when Natalie Cole did that amazing version of Unforgettable.

And it was a posthumous duet after her dad Nat King Cole’s death. I’ll never forget listening to that. But even if none of these things happened, I fully expect Leslie to abuse this opportunity when she should just be enjoying watching her mom’s best friends make music. So, she could do what Anita expects and Leslie can make trouble or she can do something right for a change.

Beyond the Gates: Leslie Out for Revenge

So, since Sharon got Anita to agree to the producer credit, we could see something less intrusive like Leslie’s just bragging about it all over the place, doing interviews about being Barbara’s daughter and trying to blow up her role in the project and make herself seem more important. This is a big opportunity that could change Leslie’s life and help her work through some of her issues around never knowing her mom, you know, or she could abuse it and it just isn’t a positive thing.

Leslie was really enjoying the stories about her mom, Barbara, that she was hearing from Anita and Sharon and Tracy, but at the same time, Leslie may want some payback because Barbara was kicked out and Anita didn’t stand up for her and then basically took her place. So, Leslie might try to get more involved with the project specifically to damage Anita. I wouldn’t put it past her.

Eva Warns Leslie on BTG

I know Eva is going to be thrilled for her mom, but we’ll also see this is probably a situation Leslie will abuse. Eva may even warn her mom, don’t do it. But Leslie doesn’t listen and she tends to make a fool of herself and make others hate her. So that could happen again. Anita’s already on edge about having to involve Leslie.

But Sharon and Tracy may give Leslie the benefit of the doubt in honor of Barbara. Question is, will Leslie rise to the occasion and be an important part of honoring Barbara’s legacy, or will she make a mockery of it all by trying to glory hound, hog the limelight, and make it all about Leslie herself rather than her mom? I know which outcome I expect.

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs is expected to be freed from prison in 2028. When exactly? That date has changed at least three times in the last three months. As first reported by TMZ, the latest update puts ‘Brother Love’ outside before Valentine’s Day 2028.

RELATED: Diddy’s Prison Release Date Reportedly Updated — Again

Latest Report On Diddy’s Release Date

Diddy’s release date has been revised several times since his sentence last year. In November 2025, his release was set for June 4, 2028, and by March 2026, it was moved up even closer to April 25, 2028. It underwent another 10-day change, and then February 23, 2028, became the next possible date back in June. Days after getting into an altercation with another inmate, the date was bumped up a month earlier to January 24, 2028, per FOX11. Following that incident, last month, it was again pushed back to February 20, 2028.

In the latest update from the Bureau of Prisons, Diddy is now expected to be released from behind bars on February 5, 2028.

He is still being held at the FCI Fort Dix in New Jersey for two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. His sentence included 50 months in prison and a six-figure fine. The jury acquitted him of sex trafficking and racketeering charges that carried heavier sentences.

Sean Combs Family Has Been Sticking Beside Him

Through the trial and post-conviction changes, Diddy’s family, namely his adult children, have stuck beside him. That includes Quincy Brown, his stepson from his time with Kim Porter; Chance Combs; Christian Combs; and D’Lila and Jessie Combs. From attending the sentencing to asking the judge for leniency, their support did not waver. Outside of the courthouse, the children have remained close, still spending holidays together.

RELATED: Whew! Christian & Justin Combs Spark Strong Reactions With Father’s Day Messages For Diddy (VIDEO)