Director Will Gluck is speaking out about Amanda Bynes and her last on-screen role. The child actress stepped away from the spotlight following her role in the 2010 movie “Easy A,” in which she starred opposite Emma Stone, Penn Badgley, Lisa Kudrow, and Stanley Tucci. The film, which first premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, was a major financial success, grossing $75 million against a budget of only $8 million. The film earned Stone a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical, and it won the Critics’ Choice Award for Best Comedy.

‘Easy A’ Director Addresses Amanda Bynes’ Last On-Screen Role

In 2010, Amanda Bynes played mean girl Marianne Bryant in “Easy A,” opposite Emma Stone’s Olive Penderghast. When Olive’s little white lie spirals out of control, she leans into her new provocative persona and sews a red “A” onto her clothes, echoing Hester Prynne’s punishment in “The Scarlet Letter.”

Director Will Gluck recently admitted that the role was “kind of tough for” Bynes while speaking to Jess Lucero on the Plus One podcast on Wednesday, October 21. “She was a huge star, and then she had to play, like, a second banana to Emma,” he admitted. “But she was great.”

Will Gluck Said He Was ‘Shocked’ By Amanda Bynes’ Struggles

Although Bynes found success as a child star, she quit acting following her role in “Easy A” and famously struggled with mental health and substance abuse issues beginning in 2012.

Her parents were granted a conservatorship for her from 2013 to 2022. During that time, she was subject to psychiatric holds and inpatient treatments amid several run-ins with the police.

Looking back, Gluck said that he was “shocked” to see what became of her career, telling Lucero that she was “100 percent a pro.”

“Her parents were on set, too,” he continued. “I was shocked after all this happened, and everyone said to me during the time, ‘Did you see anything?’ I said, ‘Literally, not at all.’”

Amanda Bynes Never Auditioned For Her Role In ‘Easy A’

He also revealed that the actress didn’t actually audition for her role in “Easy A.”

“She didn’t audition for Easy A, but we met, though, beforehand,” the director added. “She was one of the few people who didn’t audition on that movie. We met for a long time. And she was great on that set.”

Lucero praised Bynes, saying that she was “obsessed” with her performances. She went on to reveal that the “She’s the Man” star was actually one of the actresses who got her interested in pursuing a career in the entertainment industry.

“She was so good, too,” Gluck agreed, noting that it was “strange” what happened to her career.

Amanda Bynes Revealed That She ‘Literally Couldn’t Stand’ Her ‘Easy A’ Role

Although Gluck had nothing but praise for the actress, Bynes told Paper magazine in 2018 that she absolutely hated her role when she watched the film.

“I literally couldn’t stand my appearance in that movie, and I didn’t like my performance. I was absolutely convinced I needed to stop acting after seeing it,” she said, although she admitted that her drug use might have altered her perception of the film.  

“I was high on marijuana when I saw that, but for some reason it really started to affect me. I don’t know if it was a drug-induced psychosis or what, but it affected my brain in a different way than it affects other people. It absolutely changed my perception of things.”

Amanda Bynes Released A New Song In 2026

Bynes is now sober and working to turn her life around. In 2022, she told PEOPLE magazine that she has been “working hard” to improve her health so that she can live and work independently.

“I would like to thank my fans for their love and well wishes during this time. I would also like to thank my lawyer and my parents for their support over the last nine years,” she said at the time.

“In the last several years, I have been working hard to improve my health so that I can live and work independently, and I will continue to prioritize my well-being in this next chapter,” she added.

She attempted to make a comeback in April 2026 with a new song, “Girlfriend,” along with Zabba and Fenix Flexin. Juan McLean wrote and composed the single.

Scary books have the potential to make scary movies. That’s a fact (so is, unfortunately, the opposite outcome). Here is a deviously diverse collection of creepy novels that were so popular with readers that they were made into feature films. Terrifying feature films.

With stories about ghosts, vampires, werewolves, demons, and fish (really, really big fish), here are the absolute scariest horror movies that originated as books. From the page to the screen, these fright-fests have left an indelible impression on audiences all over the world, and make the perfect nighttime viewing in the weeks leading up to Halloween…

10

‘The Ritual’ (2017)

Image via Netflix

People love rituals, don’t they? There is something quite comforting about repeating a sequence of events in a certain time period. However, the 2011 folk-horror novel The Ritual is anything but comforting. Adam Nevill’s book and the David Bruckner-directed film follow a group of old friends who elect to go hiking in the remote Scandinavian wilderness in Sweden, as a sort of tribute/memorial to their friend who recently died. Except, in these woodsy woods, they are not alone.

Once there, the buds Luke (Rafe Spall), Phil (Arsher Ali), Hutch (Robert James-Collier), and Dom (Sam Troughton) end up taking a shortcut through a part of the forest that is sacred, unbeknownst to them. After that, a moder, a mythological Norse creature that resembles a goat-man from hell, begins to stalk and pick them off (along with a group of death metal-loving fans of the moder who reside there). It’s a very trippy movie, with stunning and frightening visuals galore (Andrew Shulkind’s cinematography alone is lush, wildly inventive, and wonderfully weird).

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‘Malevolent’ (2018)

Director Olaf de Fleur Johannesson’s adaptation of the novella Hush by Eva Konstantopoulos stays fairly close to the plot of the eldritch source material. The main difference is that Malevolent is set in Scotland. The title of the book was probably changed to avoid confusion with the Mike Flanagan thriller, Hush, and also to capitalize on the success of the other menacing-sounding film titles that are just adjectives, like Sinister, Insidious, and Ravenous.

The story follows a brother-sister team who run a scammy ghost-hunting/medium business. In the book, Angela has always had the natural gift of communing with the dead, just like her deceased mother. In the film, she discovers this later on. Angela (Florence Pugh, with a very grounded performance), and Jackson (Ben Lloyd-Hughes) are hired by an elderly lady, Mrs. Greene (Celia Imrie), who asserts that her big old house is haunted by little kid specters. As Jackson coaxes Angela to get into the nitty-gritty, they realize that this place is actually crawling with spirits, and it’s a lot more than these scammers bargained for. Great ambience all around, this is a pretty spine-tingling film.

8

‘Dracula’ (1931)

Image via Universal Pictures

The first film based on the 1897 Bram Stoker novel Dracula famously wasn’t licensed; the filmmakers simply changed the names, and voilà, the early horror masterpiece Nosferatu was born in 1922. Nine years later, though, Hollywood took its first stab at the material and produced Dracula. With Tod Browning and Karl Freund helming the film, and Bela Lugosi in the starring role, this fairly-true-to-the-book production blew audiences away.

The all-too-familiar story is centered on a Count (Lugosi) in the Carpathian Mountains. This eccentric gentleman does a real estate deal with a British chap, Jonathan Harker (David Manners). Dracula sees a picture of Johnny’s betrothed, Mina (Helen Chandler), and becomes enraptured; she looks exactly like Drac’s long-lost love. So, being the romantic that he is, Dracula travels (in some dirt) on the ship the Demeter to England to win Mina’s heart (and suck on a few necks in the process). Drenched in the dark hues of German Expressionism, this creepy Gothic masterpiece has aged very well (just like the Count himself).

7

‘Frankenstein’ (1931)

Image via Universal Pictures

One of the greatest Gothic horror masterpieces in the literary cannon is Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. It’s a sometimes inspiring, other times nihilistic story that raises more philosophical points in a relatively short work (224 pages) than other tomes that stretch on and on. So, needless to say, many filmmakers have tackled the source material, with varying degrees of success. The one film that stands out above all others (sorry, Guillermo Del Toro, your Frankenstein was pretty cool, too) is the original 1931 (dang, what a year for horror) film directed by James Whale.

The famed tale is about an unconventional scientist, Henry Frankenstein (Colin Clive), who is obsessed with defying death. He’s found a way to reanimate dead tissue in the hopes of “curing” mortality. While the book explores his backstory rather in detail, the film focuses mainly on Frank’s creation and what results from it. The ironically named “villain” is The Monster (Boris Karloff), yet the true monsters are the fearmongering townspeople who want him dead simply because they are too dense to understand him.

6

‘Silver Bullet’ (1985)

Image via Paramount Pictures

Cycle of the Werewolf is Stephen King’s shortest book at only 127 pages (a novella, if you will), but it packs quite the meaty punch. It was adapted into the only King film about lycanthropes, Silver Bullet. With some charmingly comedic elements to this tale, it’s actually one of King’s most frightening as well.

Director Daniel Attias’s take on the story provides some of the scarier werewolf imagery depicted onscreen. The plot focuses on a tween, Marty Coslaw (Corey Haim), a wheelchair user who begins to suspect that local clergyman, Reverend Lowe (Everett McGill), is involved in more hairy situations than he lets on. Of course, since Marty is a kid, nobody believes him…until the mounting evidence is too much to ignore. With the help of his sister, Jane (Megan Follows), and his wise-cracking Uncle Red (peak Gary Busey), they devise a plan to eradicate the wolf-man once and for all…which involves a bullet that, yup, isn’t gold or pewter. The SFX team here did a fantastically furry job in creating the anthropomorphized wolf makeup, as did Attias in casting the unholy Reverend in the creepiest shadows possible.

5

‘The Amityville Horror’ (1979)

Image via MGM

The 1977 book The Amityville Horror by Jay Anson was on the bestseller list for 42 weeks, so a feature film was inevitable. The movie, directed by Stuart Rosenberg, was also a tremendous hit — made for five million, it grossed over 86. The reason for the success of both of these works is because the source material is based on a real-life account of a horrific murder that took place on Long Island, NY, and people really seem to love scary stories “based on true events.”

Yet, it’s a fictitious story about a family that moves into a beautiful Dutch Colonial house…that happens to be a multiple-murder site. The Lutzes, George (James Brolin) and Kathy (Margot Kidder), were not aware of this little fact when they purchased the house (can anyone ever trust real estate people in movies?), but when George turns savagely violent and wakes each night at 3:15, the precise time the murders took place in the house, they get an inkling that something sinister is up. With some of the cooler horror set pieces of the late 70s, involving black flies, bloody walls, and iridescent eyeballs, to name of few, The Amityville Horror scares and shocks in perfect proportion.

4

‘Carrie’ (1976)

Image via Everett Collection

After countless so-so remakes, the Stephen King classic Carrie has recently been rejuvenated by the electrifying Mike Flanagan series. Prior to that, of course, was the original hit film of the same name. Brian De Palma’s adaptation of the King story, about the dangers of mixing bullying with telekinetic powers is a powerful, terrifying one indeed.

The titular Carrie White (Sissy Spacek, who received a rare horror movie Oscar nomination for this role) is an isolated girl who is routinely mocked by her classmates. Making matters worse, her mother, Margaret (Piper Laurie, who also got an Oscar nom), is a religious nut who not only shelters Carrie but also torments her, too, with Draconian Christian guilt. So, one bully girl, Chris Hargenson (Nancy Allen, with bouncy hair), and her doofus boyfriend, Billy Nolan (John Travolta, also with bouncy hair), orchestrate a scenario at the prom (in the movie’s most infamous scene), where they rig the vote so that Carrie wins prom queen and then is doused with a bucket of pig blood. Cue telekinetic anarchy. This epic finale is one of cinema’s best, and even the aftermath, with a really nicely placed jump scare, is perfectly executed. The implication is that while Carrie may have passed on, her power leaves a lifelong impact on the survivors — the same way this film eerily lives on.

3

‘Jaws’ (1975)

Image via Universal Pictures

A hugely successful book about a giant killer fish? Surely it must be Moby Dick (no, and that’s a whale). Peter Benchley’s 1974 novel Jaws was well-received indeed, as it remained on the New York Times bestseller list for 44 weeks. Of course, the Stephen Spielberg film adaptation is one of the most famous horror movies of all time, with suspense, thrills, and chills in all the right places. Plus, that score…

Jaws is the story of a New York cop, Brody (Roy Scheider), turned small town (island) police chief who goes head-to-head with not only a voracious great white shark but also the local town government. A cautionary tale about greed, and, in part, about underestimating one’s opponent (they did, indeed, need a bigger boat), this is a rich film with fully realized characters and foreboding, moody sequences to spare. The hair-raising elements are all supremely executed as well, from the ominous opening night swimming death scene to the ferocious finale.

2

‘Pet Sematary’ (1989)

Image Via Paramount Pictures

Stephen King is arguably the best true horror writer of all time, but he’s definitely the most prolific. With over 60 novels and 200 short stories to his name (with the majority of them residing in the horror sphere), his most brilliantly frightening book is probably Pet Sematary. Since he adapted the screenplay himself, the movie is basically just as blood-curdling.

Director Mary Lambert took King’s words and whipped them up into a frenzy of fearsome images that are almost impossible to get out of the viewer’s head. Louis Creed (Dale Midkiff) is a doctor who’s just relocated his happy little family to a remote part of Maine to work at the university there. He soon learns that there is an ancient Micmac burial ground located nearby that, when a dead thing is buried therein, returns from the grave, full of “life.” Unfortunately for Louis, when people from his own small clan end up in the cursed soil and head back home, they are anything but hospitable. With some of the eeriest moments of any movie, perfectly placed, macabre special effects makeup, and an unforgettable lesson about the very nature of inescapable death itself, Pet Sematary goes down as a true bone-chiller.

1

‘The Exorcist’ (1973)

Image via Warner Bros.

It’s not necessarily that widely known that the quintessential demonic possession film, The Exorcist, was originally a book (by the film’s screenwriter, William Peter Blatty). Yet when one reviews the plot, which is really comprised of several major, intertwined storylines, it definitely makes sense that it stemmed from a multi-narrative book.

The primary story is centered on Regan (Linda Blair), a kid, and her mom, Chris MacNeil (Ellen Burstyn), a famous actress. Regan becomes possessed by a vile demon, and Chris calls on the very best religious figures she can find to expel the evil entity from her child. Only problem is, the young priest Father Karras (Jason Miller), has basically lost his faith, and the older one, Father Merrin (Max von Sydow), nearly perished the last time he tried to vanquish a hell-born monster from a mortal host. Once Regan goes full demon, basically every time she is onscreen, it’s another opportunity for director William Friedkin to give us all nightmares. With some of the most iconic horror images ever seen (pea soup sales must’ve plummeted in ’73), The Exorcist is one book turned very, very scary flick.

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The Exorcist

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Release Date

December 26, 1973

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Runtime

122 minutes

Writers

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William Peter Blatty

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Gleb Savchenko is playfully biting back after being branded an “unemployed professional hater” following his recent Dancing With the Stars criticism.

On Thursday, October 22, Savchenko, 43, posted a TikTok video of himself looking unbothered while sipping a cocktail and scrolling through his phone. “POV: Another day of being an ‘unemployed professional hater,’” he wrote over the video.

“Constructive criticism about dance technique.. never personal 🙃,” the DWTS alum captioned the post.

Savchenko recently came under fire from ballroom fans after he criticized the decision to pair actress Jenna Dewan with pro dancer Alan Bersten on this week’s Dedication Night episode of DWTS. Bersten, 32, stepped in for Dewan’s regular partner, Val Chmerkovskiy, who was handed a one-week suspension over comments he made about judge Carrie Ann Inaba.

“Alan, I think he’s Alan,” he said in a TikTok livestream earlier this month. “I mean, he’s just not up to the level of dancing, like, period. [The] quality, the technique. He’s a good dancer, I guess, for TV but if we talk about art? Like, creating art? He’s like, eh.”

In a separate TikTok livestream earlier this week, Savchenko attempted to clarify his comments, insisting he was not attacking Bersten.

“I didn’t attack Alan at all,” he said. “Alan’s a good dancer for his niche. He’s great for his thing. But he can’t be compared to Val. … I’m not talking trash, I’m just saying how it is.”

“Different styles, different technique, different s***. … I don’t wanna compare anybody, I think everybody’s great for their own thing. And it takes time to get better and better,” he added.

Related: ‘DWTS’ Season 35 Troupe Revealed: Who Is Returning to the Ballroom?

The Dancing With the Stars troupe for season 35 has been revealed. News broke on Friday, September 4, that Jaxon Willard, Carter Williams and Onye Stevenson will all return to the ballroom, alongside newcomer Kamri Peterson. “Season 35 Troupe,” an Instagram post read, announcing the casting news. “Help us show some love to Kamri, Jaxon, […]

Savchenko is not among the troupe of professional dancers competing on DWTS this season. He last appeared with Hilaria Baldwin during season 34.

“I’ll probably say a little break, a little hiatus, a little reset,” he described stepping away for season 35 in an exclusive interview with Us in September.

“I’m not retired from Dancing With the Stars. I’m coming back as a celebrity to win it,” Savchenko then quipped.

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“I don’t even remember how many seasons I’ve done nonstop and the tours,” he explained. “So this year is actually a good thing to take a break. You know, watch the show. And it’s such a cool experience when you watch it from the side, and when you’re not there, you see how amazing it is and how cheesy it is and how fun it is.”

Watching season 35, Savchenko recalled thinking “’Oh my god, I actually did that for, like, what, 12 years?!’ But it’s fun, you know. It’s fun. It’s good vibes. I just love it.”

Dancing With the Stars airs on ABC and Disney+ Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET.

Get a rundown of Us‘ top stories making headlines in celebrity news, sports and entertainment on October 22, 2026. Here are the key takeaways:

• Hannah Gosselin said she has not spoken to her brother Collin Gosselin in nearly a year following the release of his memoir, In the Shadow of Eight: Surviving the Reality of My Childhood. In a TikTok Story, Hannah said she has stepped back from the family situation but maintains a relationship with her mom, Kate Gosselin, and her other siblings.

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• Ariana Grande debuted a sleek bob and chocolate hair color in a carousel of fall photos on Instagram, retiring her signature ponytail and waist-length locks. The singer credited stylist Brandon Pietsch, who quipped in his own post that “the ponytail is taking a hiatus.”

• Katie Thurston shared an update on surrogacy plans with husband Jeff Arcuri and pushed back on unsolicited advice to adopt amid her breast cancer journey in an exclusive interview with Us. The former Bachelorette star said she expects the search for a surrogate match could begin sometime next year, and recently revealed doctors found “no evidence of disease.”

Edited by Samantha Benitz. Story produced with AI assistance

Charli D’Amelio is opening up about her finances after months of speculation surrounding an alleged fallout with her parents, Marc and Heidi D’Amelio. The 22-year-old TikTok star revealed that she didn’t start learning about or getting involved in her own finances until around 21, despite working professionally since she was 15. Her admission comes as rumors continue to swirl about her relationship with her family, including unverified allegations that her parents mishandled millions of dollars she earned during her rise to fame. Although Charli firmly denied claims that her parents stole from her, she acknowledged that growing up in the spotlight taught her some difficult lessons about money, trust, and taking control of her career.

Charli D’Amelio Reveals She Only Started Learning About Her Money At 21

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In a revealing interview with The Hollywood Reporter, published October 21, Charli discussed the challenges of becoming a major celebrity while still a teenager. The influencer, who shot to fame on TikTok in 2019, admitted she had only recently begun taking her finances seriously.

“I didn’t start learning about and getting involved in my financials until I was about 21,” she told the publication.

Charli also reflected on how long she had been working, noting that her career began when she was 15.

“I’m very fortunate to be able to be living the life that I am, but I’ve also been working nonstop since I was 15, so I should have stuff to show for it,” she explained.

Her remarks offer a glimpse into the financial responsibilities that came with building a multimillion-dollar career before reaching adulthood. Charli did not disclose how much money she has now or suggest she earned nothing from her years of work. However, she acknowledged that navigating the business side of fame has not always been easy.

Charli D’Amelio Denies Claims Her Parents ‘Stole’ Her Money

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The financial admission comes months after allegations involving Charli’s parents began circulating online. In May, celebrity gossip account DeuxMoi shared an unverified claim suggesting that millions of dollars had allegedly been transferred from accounts associated with Charli’s career.

The allegations sparked speculation about a possible family dispute, especially after fans noticed Charli and her parents no longer followed each other on Instagram. However, when The Hollywood Reporter directly asked whether the rumors about her parents mishandling her money were true, Charli rejected the allegations.

“No, they’re not true,” she said. “I wouldn’t say that they stole my money.”

After reportedly pausing, she added, “I think we did a lot of things as a family.”

Her response marked one of the clearest public statements she has made about the controversy. The allegations against Marc and Heidi remain unsubstantiated, and Charli’s comments do not establish that any money was stolen.

Charli D’Amelio’s Father Previously Denied The Financial Allegations

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Charli’s father, Marc D’Amelio, had already pushed back against the rumors when they surfaced earlier this year. Responding to the allegations on social media, Marc insisted that the claims were false.

“This is not true. We love Charli but she is being manipulated and I have the receipts,” he wrote, according to reports at the time.

Marc also disputed suggestions that the family had depended on Charli’s earnings to support themselves. The controversy coincided with changes in Charli’s professional relationship with her family. In June, it emerged that she had separated from Be Happy Snacks, the popcorn company associated with the D’Amelio family. Her parents remained involved in the business, while Charli began to take greater independence in her career and financial decisions. The professional separation fueled further speculation about the family’s relationship, although the family has not publicly explained the reasons behind every business decision.

Charli D’Amelio Says She Is Finally Taking Control Of Her Career

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Charli’s financial revelations were part of a broader discussion about becoming more independent after years of working within a family-centered entertainment business. She parted ways with longtime manager Greg Goodfried in December 2025 and has since been making more decisions about her career without hiring a replacement.

“I like it. I’m in charge. Now I say what I’m doing and not doing,” she told The Hollywood Reporter.

The change appears significant for someone who became one of TikTok’s biggest stars while still attending high school. Charli also admitted that her experiences in the entertainment industry had changed how she approaches other people.

“You can’t be a trusting person,” she said, reflecting on lessons she learned about people’s intentions.

However, she didn’t direct that remark specifically at her parents. The influencer has continued exploring opportunities beyond social media, including performing on Broadway, as she works to build a career on her own terms.

Charli D’Amelio Opens Up About Her Relationship With Sister Dixie

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While discussing her family, Charli also addressed speculation about her relationship with older sister Dixie D’Amelio. The siblings built much of their early fame together, appearing in social media videos, business ventures, and the Hulu reality series “The D’Amelio Show.” However, questions about their relationship intensified as reports of family tensions circulated.

Asked about Dixie, Charli made it clear that their bond remains important to her.

“I mean, that’s my sister. I’m going to love her till the day I die,” she said. “But there are times where you’re figuring stuff out.”

Charli also revealed that watching episodes of the family’s reality show for the first time had been an unusual experience. She described it as “watching something I never lived,” saying she felt disconnected from parts of her life during her rapid rise to fame.

For Charli, taking charge of her finances and career is now part of a larger effort to understand those years and decide what comes next. Her latest interview offers a more complicated picture of the rumored family feud: she has denied the most serious financial allegations while acknowledging that her relationship with fame, money, and family has changed considerably.

Hey, Beyond the Gates fans, we have got your early edition spoilers for the week starting October 26th, including Kat Richardson (Colby Muhammad) raging despite the promise to keep things peaceable. Plus, Dani Dupree (Karla Mosley) is totally blindsided in a moment when she should be really enjoying her life.

We’re diving into what is happening from October 26th – 30th, including the big kickoff to November sweeps, which starts on Thursday the 29th, and all sorts of wild stuff is going to be happening. As we always do on early edition day, we talk about what’s happening the rest of this week and then go into next week’s action.

Beyond the Gates: Kat Struggles with Wedding Prep

So on Wednesday, October 21st, if you haven’t seen it yet, we’ve got Kat having some problems while prepping for Dr. Ted Richardson (Keith D. Robinson)’s wedding. Kat, I’m sure, is worried about what having Eva Thomas Richardson (Ambyr Michelle) so involved is going to mean. Dana ‘Leslie’ Thomas (Trisha Mann-Grant) is never far behind when it comes to raising havoc. Although Kat and Eva promised Shanice Johnson (Ernestine Johnson) they’d behave so the wedding goes off peacefully, I think it’s going to be a real struggle.

Eva and Izaiah Hawthorne (David Lami Friebe) take a little trip down memory lane as they talk about their romance. They are so cute together, and Eva is trying to be understanding about his long-running friendship with Kat, but I expect Eva’s involvement with the wedding will trigger Kat into a rage before too much longer.

Bradley ‘Smitty’ Smith (Mike Manning) worries because Martin Richardson (Brandon Claybon) seems to be ignoring the obvious. Smitty’s concerned over what his arrest could do to Martin’s campaign, and his hubby seems blindly optimistic.

Beyond the Gates: Dani’s Life Story Special

This week, we’ve got Dani greeting Tia Allen (Tabitha Brown), who is a guest star, at the Fairmont Crest Country Club. Dani’s excited to see her, and Tia talks about Dani’s upcoming appearance on a show called Welcome to Your Life. This brings friends and family together to tell Dani’s life story, and she’s really focused on it.

But Andre Richardson (Sean Freeman) isn’t really on board. He likely does not want to be on the TV show with Dani, because it may trigger Heather Armstrong (Ashley Jones), because she’s insanely jealous. And in fact, neither Dani’s current husband nor her ex-husband is going to enjoy this chat show appearance after they see the fallout, because somebody from Bill’s past riles him up.

Beyond the Gates: A Blast from the Past

Also, this week, we’ve got guest star Kandi Burruss. You may know her from Real Housewives of Atlanta, or from being the lead singer of Xscape. She’s fabulous. And she’s playing Kalista Kilroy, who swaggers up to Bill Hamilton (Timon Kyle Durrett) at the country club.

And Kalista says, “If it isn’t Bill Hamilton.” He’s shocked and asks, “What the hell are you doing here, Kalista?” So, it looks like a very unpleasant blast from Bill’s past, but more importantly, she is a blast from Dani’s past.

Promises that Naomi Hamilton Hawthorne (Arielle Prepetit) and Jacob Hawthorne (Jibre Hordges) have made to each other are a struggle to keep. Both are trying to leave their work and Smitty’s case outside of their marriage and home, but that’s going to get increasingly difficult.

Beyond the Gates: Chat Show Explosion

Thursday, October 22nd, we have got Dani’s chat show happening, and we are going to have all kinds of family on there. So, what we’re going to see is the episode of Welcome to Your Life. Tia is hosting. We’ve got Tatum, the fashion designer that Dani collaborates with, on the show, behaving much better than some other people. We’ve got her bestie, Pamela Curtis (Cady McClain).

Andre, despite his protest, is going to be on the chat show with her. Chelsea Hamilton (RhonniRose Mantilla) and Naomi are on there, plus her sister, Dr. Nicole Dupree Richardson (Daphnee Duplaix). It’s everybody that’s important in Dani’s family. Vernon Dupree (Clifton Davis) and Anita Dupree (Tamara Tunie) are also on the show, and so is the drag queen who married her and Andre.

Beyond the Gates: Kalista’s History

But Kalista is on the set of Dani’s chat show and says about Bill, “He’s an awful husband.” Now, it turns out Kalista is Dani’s first modeling agent. So that means Kalista has known Dani since she was a teenager. And Kalista has scenes at Fairmont Crest with Dani’s sister Nicole, among others. So Dani is blindsided, and Bill is stunned by what Kalista has to say, and Bill yells, “Stop.”

But Dani tells him no and then walks away from Bill, annoyed, and he’s asking, “Why the hell would you do that?” So, it looks like he is ranting at Kalista. And Bill seems mortified and humiliated to be called out on national TV. And Dani’s not happy either.

Beyond the Gates: Fallout and Revelations

So, I’m wondering if Kalista is not just Dani’s first agent, but maybe banged Bill back in the day behind Dani’s back. Sounds like something Bill would do. And if so, of course, Dani would be horrified to realize that Bill’s been cheating on her almost from the start.

So, Kalista has some sort of grudge against Dani. I don’t know if Dani axed her as her manager. We’ll find out. But official Beyond the Gates spoilers say Kalista feels justified putting Dani on blast in front of the world. So then we have Naomi, Chelsea, and Andre comforting Dani and helping her with the fallout after Kalista’s appearance and everything on the Welcome to Your Life TV show turning out badly. Bill’s been hoping for a chance to cuddle back up with Dani, but this Kalista thing seems to have made that even less of a possibility.

Beyond the Gates: Hayley’s Shocking News

Friday, October 23rd on Beyond the Gates, Hayley Lawson (Marquita Goings) is still hoping for Randy Parker (Maurice P. Kerry) to come back with a new ID and a better backstory than the blue-collar hussy with bad taste in men, or the librarian. I mean, Hayley doesn’t look bookish. Maybe hookish, but not bookish.

And then, while eating with Leslie at Orphe Jeans, we have Hayley shocked. Leslie says some unflattering words, and Hayley’s ranting at Leslie, asking, “Are you saying I’m gaining weight?” But then Hayley looks like she’s going to toss her cookies and rushes off to the bathroom. And we all know what queasy on soaps means: red flag of pregnancy. If you’re hoping to see Bill’s little ex leave the DMV, think again.

Beyond the Gates: Naomi Encourages Bill

Naomi encourages her dad, Bill, to dig deeper. After the thing with Kalista, I’m sure Bill feels double stupid. He chose Hayley, who tried to kill him. Bill was rolling around with women like Kalista, presumably when he had a diamond at home in Dani, and didn’t treat her right. Naomi may encourage Bill to do some introspection and work on himself, and not dive into the dating app Chelsea got him until Bill sorts himself out.

Ted offers praise to Andre about Dani. So, it looks like Ted is impressed with how well Dani and Andre did on the show, especially in the face of more embarrassment from Bill.

Beyond the Gates: Heather’s Dark Turn

Somebody who’s not a fan of this show is Heather. She is triggered by the end of this week and gets treacherous. She’s sitting with Dani and Vanessa McBride (Lauren Buglioli) at Fairmont Crest Country Club, and Heather’s saying that she couldn’t let her ex flaunt his new woman in front of her every day, and tells Dani, “It would make me murderous.” And then Heather grabs a knife and stabs Dani in the chest. So, it looks shocking, and I’m sure it’s either Heather’s twisted fantasy in her head or Andre’s worst nightmare, because he’s paranoid after more threats from Heather about how much she wants him back.

Beyond the Gates: November Sweeps Outlook

Then the week of October 26th – 30th on Beyond the Gates, look for more fallout for Andre from Heather. He gets a big win because Bill was called out on Dani’s big day. But unless he can get Heather out of his life, Andre’s lies are going to come crashing down.

Bill’s reeling from this humiliation on national TV, thanks to Kalista. I’m sure he had it coming, though. And there’s going to be a one-two punch if Hayley really is pregnant. She may initially want to terminate the pregnancy, because she’s not exactly mom material. But I’m guessing Leslie is going to tell her the bun in that oven is an eighteen-year paycheck to take Bill to the cleaners every day.

Beyond the Gates: Leslie’s Story About Bill

And since Hayley is struggling to find a new identity to move on, maybe she’ll stop and listen when Leslie shares her story about Bill terrorizing her when she was pregnant. Dani and Andre’s marriage is stronger after the chat show ordeal, but the Heather mess is going to hit hard.

Smitty’s hoping for good news from Naomi’s expert, to say the footage from Uptown was digitally altered. Shanice’s wedding plans kick into high gear. We’ll find out if Leslie really is taking the high road or just biding her time. And with sweeps kicking off on Thursday, October 29th, I’m hoping to see the long-running Heather the Impaler story finally wrap its run.

Give yourself a hug in fabric form this fall and winter with a little help from celebrity stylist Rob Zangardi.

His luxury outerwear brand, AUTER, has found its way into the closets of Jennifer Lopez, Chrissy Teigen, Kendall Jenner, Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, and Kim Kardashian, proving that sometimes, what’s on the outside really does count.

“I’ve been fortunate to work with incredible clothes and designers throughout my career, but I still couldn’t find the coats I wanted. As a stylist, I know how much a coat can change the feeling of a look, and even the way you carry yourself. I wanted to create outerwear that could be the outfit,” he tells ET.

From furry statement jackets to muted-toned puffers, wool peacoats, bombers, cropped styles, belted options, trenches, and leather staples, the collection offers plenty of reasons to keep your coat on long after you’ve stepped inside.

“I want someone to put it on and feel like the whole look has come together, then get inside and leave it on anyway. … Let the coat lead and keep the rest of the look simple. A great coat can make jeans and a T-shirt feel considered or bring a new energy to a dress. I also love when someone makes the coat their own and wears it open or buttoned, pops the collar, uses the belt, or adjusts the waist,” he says.

Beyond the high-quality fabrics, Zangardi puts just as much thought into the finishing touches.

“I think about how the coat feels, how it moves, and how someone will actually wear it. Fit is incredibly important to me, as are comfort and the small details that give a piece options, like hidden buttons, toggles, or a belt. … They can feel familiar and vintage in spirit, but have a modern shape, with fabrics and construction that make them distinctive.”

One person who was ahead of the curve? His longtime client Lopez.

“The first AUTER coat was a fox coat I designed with Jennifer in mind, and she was the first person to wear it,” he notes.

When it comes to styling the singer for cooler weather, Zangardi likes to work from the outside in.

“With AUTER, the coat is often that starting point. It gives the rest of the look a point of view.”

Next on his wish list for Lopez: a little something borrowed from the boys.

“I’m loving the richness of alpaca, mohair, and cashmere, and shapes that have a little volume and movement,” he shares.

“I’d love to see Jennifer in one of our green men’s alpaca topcoats. Green is her favorite color, and I love the idea of that relaxed, generous shape with something simple underneath. There’s something so good about ‘his coat on her,’ especially when she makes it completely her own.”

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