Entertainment
HBO Max Officially Combining With This Divisive Streamer Could Change 2 Things for Subscribers
Three’s Company — The Collider TV Quiz
Can you identify the show from a trio of its stars? John Ritter, Suzanne Somers, and Joyce DeWitt hope you can.
If the Paramount/Warner Bros. Discovery merger clears the final regulatory hurdles, this could mean significant changes for HBO Max subscribers in how they access the service. According to Paramount president David Ellison, integrating HBO Max and Paramount+ into a single direct-to-consumer service will give both companies access to the scale they need in an increasingly consolidated streaming marketplace.
For viewers, the real story isn’t the corporate maneuvering — it’s what happens when the apps on their home screen start to change. A unified service has the potential to reshape the everyday user experience while also raising bigger questions about whether HBO’s carefully protected brand identity can truly remain untouched inside a much larger ecosystem.
Your App and Library Could Get Bigger and More Bundled
The first and most tangible change would likely show up in the interface itself. Ellison has repeatedly emphasized plans to bring the two platforms together, but executives have been notably light on specifics about whether that means a full technical merger or a hub-style experience where brands live side by side.
Either way, the direction is clear: the combined service is being positioned as a scale play. Paramount leadership has pointed to the sheer volume of content across both companies — spanning blockbuster franchises, prestige dramas, network television, and sports — as the primary competitive advantage. For subscribers, that likely translates into a broader content library accessible through a more unified experience.
Consumer-wise, the shift could mean one bill, one app, and a new price structure. That kind of consolidation has become the default playbook across the streaming industry, where mergers and bundle experiments typically lead to recalibrated tiers and packaging. While no pricing changes have been announced, history suggests that price hikes, bundle tiers, and ad-plan shifts are typically what follow when platforms bulk up this aggressively.
There are also quieter but meaningful implications for how the service actually feels to use. A merged platform often brings algorithmic tweaks, navigation changes, and different content-surfacing priorities. Paramount executives have already highlighted the technical upside they expect from combining the services, which suggests the recommendation engine and overall UI could evolve alongside the expanded catalog.
Importantly, none of this appears imminent. The deal itself still faces regulatory review in the U.S. and Europe, and Paramount has indicated the broader transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2026. Details about the streaming integration are likely to come closer to 2027, meaning subscribers shouldn’t expect their apps to suddenly transform overnight.
HBO’s Independence Is Being Promised — Not Guaranteed
If the first potential change is about how subscribers use the service, the second is more philosophical: What happens to HBO’s identity once it’s folded into a much larger streaming machine? Ellison has been emphatic on this point. He has repeatedly said that HBO will continue to “operate with independence” and that the premium brand should be allowed to keep doing what it does best. He has also publicly praised HBO and HBO Max content chief Casey Bloys, as well as the network’s recent creative momentum, as HBO’s reputation has always rested on a very specific programming strategy. Subscribers are paying for a curated sense of prestige, careful development cycles, and a quality bar that historically sits above the broader streaming field.
It is uncertain if creative insulation in practice would equate to structural independence on the page. Viewers will monitor theatrical windows for signs of tightening budgets, changes in release strategies, and any potential need to support a larger algorithm-driven ecosystem. Any change, no matter how small, to theatrical window timeframes or episode roll-out timing could be viewed over time as a philosophical change.
For the time being, Paramount has communicated to calm any anxieties. Paramount executives have positioned the newly merged company as a distribution extension, not as a creative transformation; this is evident in that the leadership of HBO will remain intact following the merger. That said, in the streaming era, brand identity is as much influenced by platforms as by assurances from Company Senior Leadership.
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Horror and sci-fi are a match made in heaven. Any movie that seamlessly blends these two often piques audiences’ interest with an interesting story, psychological turmoil, and sometimes jump scares. The Alien franchise, The Cloverfield Paradox, Cloverfield, I am a Legend, The Thing, and more are great examples. The 2000s were the best time for the sub-genre, which gave us some notable movies that still give us chills.
Among them is Kevin Bacon’s Hollow Man. It follows a mad scientist, Sebastian Caine (Bacon), who develops an invisibility serum for the military and volunteers to be its first human test subject. Things take a turn after the trial, when his fellow scientists are unable to restore him to normal, and he increasingly becomes unstable, eventually going on a killing spree. A commercial hit, it bagged an Oscar nomination for Best Visual Effects. Along with Bacon, the cast includes Elisabeth Shue as Linda, Josh Brolin as Dr. Matt, Kim Dickens as Dr. Sarah, and Greg Grunberg as Carter.
The Paul Verhoeven-directed movie has awesome visual effects, a story based on The Invisible Man, and Bacon’s chilling performance that keeps fans on the edge of their seats. His portrayal of Sebastian’s descent into madness was praised by fans and critics alike. However, the film received mixed reactions overall, with critics giving it a 25% Rotten Tomatoes rating. Nonetheless, it proved to be a box office hit, earning $190.2 million worldwide.
Sadly, Hollow Man left Netflix at the end of February 2026. For fans who haven’t seen the feature or want to revisit, time has officially run out. While the feature has less intellectual depth, the stunning visuals make up for it, and the biggest payoff is certainly Bacon’s performance. Now, it is only available to rent or purchase online until it appears on any other streaming platform.
A Hitchcock Film That Never Was — The Collider Movie Quiz!
To celebrate the one-week-iversary of this quiz, Collider is scoping out the long-lost Hitchcock project that never materialized: Kaleidoscope.
Where Else Can I See Kevin Bacon?
Bacon will next be seen in Family Movie, which he is co-directing with his wife, Kyra Sedgwick. Written by Dan Beers, the feature follows a filmmaking family who find themselves in a real-life horror movie when a body turns up on the set of their low-budget slasher, forcing them to cover up the murder to keep filming. He is currently seen in the rom-com The Best You Can, where he stars opposite Sedgwick.
Meanwhile, Hollow Man left Netflix at the end of February and is now available to rent or buy on VOD. Stay tuned to Collider for more such updates.
- Release Date
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August 2, 2000
- Runtime
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112 Minutes
- Director
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Paul Verhoeven
Entertainment
Netflix’s 3-Part Action Thriller Is a Perfect Weekend Binge That Makes ‘Reacher’ Look Soft
In Reacher, retired Military Police Officer Jack Reacher (Alan Ritchson) gets sucked into a deadly conspiracy after being arrested for a murder he did not commit. In The Night Agent, a 2023 thriller series that just released its third season, the main character, FBI agent Peter Sutherland (Gabriel Basso), has been running from false accusations himself when he uncovers a web of lies he could’ve never predicted.
The series, which released its third season on February 19, 2026, is a must-watch for Reacher fans, not only for its similar plot, but for its heart-thumping action too. Since the Season 3 premiere, the Shawn Ryan-created series has been topping the Netflix streaming charts and is currently in the #4 position worldwide, per FlixPatrol. The series is a riveting roller-coaster ride for viewers, and its sharper Season 3 has kept the show’s magic going.
What Is ‘The Night Agent’ About?
Season 1 of The Night Agent kicked off with Peter as a naive yet dedicated FBI agent who spends most of his night shifts parsing through reports next to an emergency landline that never rings. In Episode 1, however, he gets an unexpected call from Rose (Luciane Buchanan), a tech expert whose aunt and uncle are in danger. Their call leads to Peter taking Rose under his protection, and together they trace a greater conspiracy in the White House that goes all the way up to the Vice President.
By Season 3, Peter is no longer the naive, fresh agent undergoing baptism by fire. Now an experienced Night Agent himself, he has sharpened his instincts and found an inner philosophy that is not reliant on basic survival instincts or emotions. The mission this season feels simple at first: track down FinCEN employee Jay Batra (Suraj Sharma), a man accused of murdering his boss after uncovering sensitive government intel. But when Peter locates Jay in Istanbul, it quickly becomes clear that nothing about this case is simple. What begins as a manhunt spirals into a sprawling investigation involving dark money, political influence, and paid assassins determined to eliminate anyone who gets too close.
Netflix’s Perfect 3-Part Weekend Binge Crime Thriller Claims Top Spot Immediately
A new season is already in the works.
‘The Night Agent’ Flipped the Script With Season 3
While Season 1 of The Night Agent established the series as one of the most-watched TV shows in Netflix’s history, the thriller has been reinventing itself ever since. In Season 2, The Night Agent not only gave Peter a new position, but sent him across the globe as it introduced new characters, international threats, and a more tangled political conspiracy. In Season 3, which holds the series’ best Rotten Tomatoes score to date at 85%, a new mission unlocks another cast of characters, while shining a light on some Season 1 favorites. “By tightening its storytelling, deepening its characters, and delivering deliberate, hard-hitting action sequences, The Night Agent has officially delivered its strongest season yet,” wrote Jen Vestuto in her review of Season 3 for Collider.
Among the biggest changes in Season 3, in addition to the sharper and more focused writing, is the absence of Season 1 main character Rose. Instead of tagging her along for another one of Peter’s missions, Rose remains Peter’s moral compass while giving space for the rest of the ensemble to shine. Plus, her absence makes way for another unlikely ally to Peter, relentless journalist Isabel De Leon (Genesis Rodriguez). Much like Rose’s tech expertise, Isabel’s investigative skills become a secret weapon to Peter in his mission, leading them to a conspiracy that turns out to hit much closer to home.
With that said, while Reacher is certainly one of TV’s most enticing and gripping action thrillers, The Night Agent is another unmissable show. With non-stop action, shocking revelations and the rare ability to get better season after season, the series has become an all-around home-run for Netflix, for critics reviews and streaming numbers alike.
Fictional U.S. Presidents From Film — The Collider Movie Quiz!
An assortment of movie Presidents so fictional, Bob Woodward wouldn’t stand a chance.
- Release Date
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March 23, 2023
- Network
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Netflix
- Directors
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Adam Arkin, Guy Ferland, Millicent Shelton, Ramaa Mosley
- Writers
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Seth Fisher, Munis Rashid, Corey Deshon
Some sitcom revivals have been hits (King of the Hill, The Conners), while others have been misses (Murphy Brown, Frasier). Thus, ABC’s decision to violate the DNR order on medical sitcom Scrubs may have seemed like a risky move. However, one week after the show returned with a two-episode premiere, it’s clear that there was instant Guy Love between the revived show and ABC’s viewers.
According to reports, Scrubs debuted to ABC’s best comedy streaming ratings in over a year, with 11.36 million viewers tuning in on ABC, Disney+, and Hulu. The last premiere to hit those heights was Shifting Gears; while not a revival, that series marked the return of onetime Home Improvement star Tim Allen to the ABC fold. It’s a sign that there was an appetite for more of the long-running medical sitcom, which premiered on NBC in 2001 and ran for seven seasons there before migrating to ABC for its final two seasons. Can it maintain such lofty results? We’ll find out soon when Scrubs airs its next new episode this Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET.
What’s Changed at Sacred Heart Hospital?
While Sacred Heart Hospital may look the same (even though it’s not; North Hollywood Medical Center, the former home of the series, was demolished in 2011, and the new show is filmed on a recreated set in Vancouver), a lot has changed since J.D. (Zach Braff) last walked the halls. He’s become a concierge doctor, and happens to drop into Sacred Heart while checking up on an elderly patient’s grandson. He ultimately decides to stay, and ends up becoming the hospital’s new Chief of Medicine, replacing his old mentor Dr. Cox (John C. McGinley). Plus, in a shocking reveal from the premiere, he and Elliot (Sarah Chalke), who were married at the original series’ end, have now divorced, and are co-parenting their two children. Turk (Donald Faison) and Carla (Judy Reyes), a little older and grayer, are still married, and busy parenting a brood of four children in addition to their duties at the hospital. Plus, there’s a new crop of interns to mentor, and a new head of HR (Vanessa Bayer) who isn’t going to let the old gang get up to their old shenanigans.
Scrubs was created by Bill Lawrence (Ted Lasso). He executive produces with Jeff Ingold and Liza Katzer for Doozer Productions. Aseem Batra serves as executive producer and showrunner; Randall Winston also executive produces, as do stars Braff, Faison, and Chalke.
New episodes of Scrubs premiere weekly on Wednesdays on ABC, and stream on Hulu the next day. Stay tuned to Collider for future updates.
- Release Date
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February 25, 2026
- Writers
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Aaron Lee, Amy Pocha, Aseem Batra, Mathew Harawitz, Michael Hobert, Seth Cohen, Tim Hobert
Cast
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Donald Faison
Christopher Turk
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Meadows, a deckhand, died Feb. 25 while working the dangerous job. He was 25.
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez are hitting power couple goals and appearing to be carving out a stronger presence in Hollywood.
The Amazon founder and his wife are now playing two major roles at the forthcoming Met Gala. Initially unveiled as sponsors, the pair have now been named members of the prestigious committee.
Their donor status has since fueled speculation that the pair are leveraging wealth to cement influence in fashion.
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Met Gala 2026 Names Bezos And Sanchez Honorary Co-Chairs
Vogue quietly confirmed that Bezos and Sanchez will serve as honorary co-chairs for fashion’s biggest night. The announcement accompanied the reveal of the 2026 dress code, “Fashion Is Art.”
The couple will join an impressive lineup of co-chairs, including Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman, Venus Williams, and Anna Wintour. Sánchez openly celebrated the opportunity during an appearance on Tuesday’s episode of “Today,” revealing that the two positions were presented to her from the beginning.
“When Anna called me and said, ‘Do you want to co-chair and also be the sponsor of the Met?’ I was so honored,” she shared, according to Page Six. “And then she told me the theme — fashion is art. These designers are true artists.”
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She added that she is eager to see how attendees interpret the theme and looks forward to celebrating the creativity behind the designs.
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Anna Wintour Supports Jeff Bezos’s And Lauren Sanchez’s Role In The Forthcoming Met Gala
Before their honorary titles were disclosed, Bezos and Sánchez had already been announced as primary donors to the Costume Institute in November, as The Blast reported.
While the exact amount of their financial support was not stated, Wintour gushed about how beneficial the couple’s participation would be.
“I think Lauren is going to be a wonderful asset to the museum and to the event,” the icon said during an interview.
The former Vogue Editor-in-Chief also thanked Sanchez for her generosity and passion towards art and costumes, adding that she was excited to work alongside her.
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Fans Accuse Bezos and Sanchez Of Trying To Buy Their Way Into The Fashion World
Wintour’s open support of the couple’s position soon sparked backlash from critics who claimed they used their wealth to get that influential spot.
As The Blast reported, one user bluntly commented, “Everyone has a price.” Another added, “So tired of Anna. So tired of the rich thinking they can buy class and style.”
Some internet users argued that Wintour’s approval of the pair was particularly because of their status. “So now it’s all about money, not anymore about fashion, style, and creativity, as we all know money does not buy style and fabulousness,” one user remarked.
Others directed their attention to the businessman and his wife, alleging they wanted a spot in Hollywood badly, so they had to use their money.
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Jeff Bezos And Lauren Sanchez Face Backlash Over Flashy Date Night
As the tech mogul continues to spark criticism over his expanded role at fashion’s most exclusive night, he and Sánchez are no strangers to public scrutiny.
In December, the couple made tongues wag during a lavish night out in Saint Barthelemy, where they were vacationing ahead of the New Year.
As The Blast reported, the duo was welcomed with an over-the-top bottle service display. A staff member hoisted and vigorously shook an oversized champagne bottle while women in bikinis marched through the venue waving sparklers,
Sanchez appeared captivated by the spectacle, standing on her seat to record the scene while her beau clapped beside her.
In no time, their video gained attention online, with some fans suggesting the display was inappropriate for their age. One other individual mocked the pair’s taste, writing, “I wish taste and money were correlated.”
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The Tech Entrepreneur Reportedly Struggles To Recruit A-Listers For Next Spaceflight
While Bezos may have secured a coveted role at the Costume Institute benefit, he is allegedly facing difficulties in getting celebrity passengers for another Blue Origin spaceflight.
The multimillion-dollar project previously launched an all-female crew that included Katy Perry and Gayle King for an under-11-minute trip, which sparked heavy criticism as environmental concerns were raised.
According to The Blast, insiders now claim that potential high-profile participants who once expressed interest are backing out, as no one wants to make the headlines.
Bezos, who envisioned celebrity involvement as a way to boost excitement and visibility, is said to be stunned by the sudden reluctance.
Since the dawn of the new millennium, HBO has been synonymous with prestige cable television and raising the bar for episodic programming. Starting with The Sopranos and continuing strongly with Succession and The White Lotus, the network’s cultivation of talent and autonomy granted to showrunners has been a miracle for the industry. While HBO is frequently celebrated for their probing, groundbreaking dramatic shows that pushed television to cinematic heights, they are equally inventive with comedies, including identifying untapped stars and reinvigorating the careers of legends.
One of their crowning achievements during their 2000s golden run was the rollicking, raunchy comedy and showbiz satire, Entourage. Having amassed such a vast cultural legacy since debuting in 2004, it’s easy to forget that Doug Ellin‘s series was loosely based on the rise of Mark Wahlberg‘s career as a movie star and celebrity icon, an idea that the creator initially believed to be dead on arrival.
Doug Ellin Initially Thought ‘Entourage’ Was the “Worst Idea”
Entourage, executive produced by Wahlberg, follows the rise of movie star Vince Chase (Adrian Grenier) as he navigates the perilous industry known as Hollywood with the aid of his friend group, made up of his half-brother Johnny “Drama” Chase (Kevin Dillon), Turtle (Jerry Ferrara), and Eric Murphy (Kevin Connolly), as well as his brash, feisty agent, Ari Gold (Jeremy Piven). Running from 2004 to 2011 across eight seasons and 96 episodes, Entourage capitalized on its showbiz setting by deploying real-life stars in recurring roles and cameos, such as Bob Saget, Mandy Moore, James Cameron, Larry David, Tom Brady, and Wahlberg. The average episode consisted of working on film sets, negotiating with studios and executives with Ari, befriending VIP talent, debauchery, and a litany of financial and romantic woes.
In an interview with Complex in 2019, Doug Ellin recalled Wahlberg’s manager, Steven Levinson, pitching him the idea of what would become HBO’s hit comedy series in 2001. Broadly framing the concept as “a show about Mark and his friends,” Ellin thought, “That’s the worst idea I’ve ever heard.” Levinson, who told him that he would “figure it out,” let Ellin ruminate on this loose premise. The turning point came when the eventual showrunner realized that, if he infused his personal voice and memories with his friends and combined them with Wahlberg’s career trajectory, he had a promising idea in his hands. Still, getting greenlit for a pilot wasn’t easy. “I probably wrote 25 drafts before they even agreed to the script,” Ellin said.
HBO’s ‘Entourage’ Is a Product of Its Time That Still Endures Today
What began as a logline that its creator scoffed at became a signature show of the signature network. Much like its dramatic counterparts, Entourage took the single-camera sitcom to unprecedented heights, converging broad comedic setups with insider commentary on the movie industry and the celebrity lifestyle. Echoing Hollywood satires of the past, such as Singin’ in the Rain and The Player, the series is in conversation with the contemporary moment, capturing the lurid excess, vulgar rebellion, and go-for-broke mindset. This mindset is embedded within the in-house brand of humor throughout the series, which unfortunately relied too heavily on flagrant misogyny, homophobia, and low-hanging fruit humor that punched down at subjects.
Perhaps the series would’ve benefited from condemning the dark cores of Vincent, Drama, and Ari and examining the forces that cause this breed of toxic masculinity that has grown exponentially on the Internet. While the series was never explicitly about his year-to-year career, it mirrored the spirit of Mark Wahlberg’s career, a rapper-turned-Oscar-nominated actor and now media mogul whose life is defined by personal highs and lows. Entourage wasn’t always pretty, but it usually won you over due to its charm and rollicking, provocative streak.
Regardless of its place in 2026, Entourage was an effective series that always entertained. Showbiz satires are niche genres, but HBO made this inaccessible world feel fresh and captivating to the casual viewer. Doug Ellin and his writers successfully translated Hollywood’s politicking and palace intrigue into relatable aspects of life in one’s 20s and 30s. Its portrayal of blind ambition, youthful naivety, toxic work environments, and loudmouth bosses made it resonate with its target demographic. Entourage lingers in the audience’s mind due to its demonstration of male friendship and bonding that is surprisingly tender when needed. Aided by the electric chemistry between the cast and the lived-in setting that allowed viewers to be privy to showbiz secrets, the HBO series, even with its lackluster 2015 feature film, still looms large over the channel’s catalog.
The Disney alum previously updated the public in an emotional post on a health scare she had and the next steps in mind. Shortly after Hollywood star James Van Der Beek‘s passing, she tearfully revealed that she was inspired to take her health seriously and, as a result, got news she did not expect.
Christy Carlson Romano has been in the headlines for thriving career with Disney and on Broadway. She has also faced challenges battling addiction like other child actors, and on this note, she strives to keep her daughters shielded from early stardom as much as possible.
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Christy Carlson Romano Shares New Health Update
Romano gave fans a quick update on her health status, revealing that she got her initial test results back and they were better than what she feared. She said that she is set to meet with an oncologist this week, as there are further tests she has to undergo.
The actress continued saying that over the last year, she had two very significant health scares, which she took as a sign to buckle down on her health care. “I think the universe has been showing me that I need to take my health seriously,” she said in the Instagram reel.
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This update comes a few weeks after the Disney child star shared an emotional video informing fans that she may have stageable cancer after taking a routine test with her husband. In that video, Romano told fans about her family history with the disease, recounting the family members she had lost to the illness.
Romano stated that, unlike her screening results, her husband’s own came back completely negative. “Both my parents had cancer. My mom beat it, my dad eventually didn’t, my grandmother on my mom’s side had lung cancer and died from that,” she previously said.
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The Disney Alum Reveals New Endeavour Amid Health Challenges
Romano shared that she had gotten her hands into something else as she navigates this health struggle. The activity she described as being “extremely cathartic” for her was writing. She told fans in the Instagram reel that she has been writing a lot and has decided to continue to write.
The actress decided that her writings should not be for her alone but also for her fans and followers, saying, “So I decided that I would launch a Substack and that way I would be able to document my lifestyle shift journey.”
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While she documents this phase of her life through her writings, she wants it to be a pure way of letting fans in to have a glimpse of her. The entertainer added that she is unbothered about algorithms or sponsored content before informing viewers that the link to the Substack was on her bio and stories.
In the caption, Romano wrote, “I just launched my Substack. Subscribe if you want to get to know the unfiltered me. Every week, I’ll be writing about my new life/health journey, updates on all things happening in my life, and the millions of thoughts racing through my brain at any given moment.”
She ended by thanking her online fanbase for their support, saying it has helped her through the hard times.
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The Actress Got Emotional Remembering Fellow Hollywood Star Who Lost His Battle With Cancer
During her previous updates shared weeks ago, Romano got teary-eyed as she spoke about popular actor James Van Der Beek, who passed away at the age of 48 after battling with colorectal cancer for years. She recalled the times when she met him and his family at events in Texas, where she also lives.
“I was able to meet James Van Der Beek a bunch. His family is amazing, he was a pillar of our community in Texas,” Romano said before adding that the shocking news of his death prompted her to get tested, which led to the early discovery of hers.
The Blast shared that fans praised the mom of two in the comments for taking the brave step, noting that it will, in turn, serve as an inspiration for others. Her husband also commented, assuring her of his full support throughout the journey. Other fans sent words of prayer and heartwarming words of support.
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The ‘Even Stevens’ Star Struggled With Addiction
The entertainer marked five years of sobriety in 2021, celebrating on social media, which came as a shock to a handful of fans. Many declared that they had no idea she previously battled with addictions, nor did they know she was on a sobriety journey.
As shared by The Blast, Romano had previously talked about her struggles with alcohol abuse, where she explained that, like her co-star Shia LaBeouf, she had her share of issues with controlled substances.
She explained that the addictions stemmed from their struggles in the industry with early fame. While LaBeouf’s battle with substances was making headlines, she suffered largely in silence.
Romano stated that she “grappled with depression, drinking, and more, desperate to find fixes for how [she] felt.” The voice behind “Kim Possible” noted that she was unprepared for the responsibilities that came as a souvenir for her fame and celebrity status.
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Christy Carlson Romano Wants Her Kids To Enjoy Their Childhood
Romano is being careful not to let history repeat itself. The Blast reported in a previous release that, as a mom, the actress does not want her daughters, Isabella and Sophia, to start their careers in the industry early like she did.
The entertainer revealed that she does not “like to push anything on them” and wants her girls to “have their childhoods.” One of the reasons she moved with her family down to Texas was to ensure that they had a quiet and peaceful life growing up.
Romano, however, explained that she is open to exposing them to the performing arts and has even been taking them to The Nutcracker. She also lets them watch her theatre performances, noting how excited they were to see her on stage for the first time when they were five and three-year-olds.
What will Christy Carlson Romano reveal next?
Entertainment
10 Years Ago, This 3-Part Gothic Horror Masterpiece Surprised Fans With an Unexpected Series Finale
With the seeming exception of The Simpsons, no TV series lasts forever. Some end unexpectedly, being cancelled due to low viewership or for no sense whatsoever, often ending on cliffhangers that go forever unresolved, like Mork & Mindy and Quantum Leap. Others are able to end on their own terms, with viewers aware of the series’ finale well ahead of airing, either sticking the landing (M*A*S*H), botching it royally (How I Met Your Mother), or wrapping up divisively (Seinfeld). Rarely do you see a series that ends on its own terms, with viewers being completely unaware that what they’re watching is, in fact, not a season finale but a series finale. In that rarefied air is the three-season horror masterpiece Penny Dreadful, which came to an end at the hands of its creator in 2016.
What Is ‘Penny Dreadful’ About?
Penny Dreadful aired for three seasons on Showtime, first premiering on May 11, 2014. The name is derived from “penny dreadfuls,” cheap 19th-century magazines with stories and illustrations both sensational and gruesome. The lurid magazines were popular in England, and the series borrows heavily from the Gothic fiction of the time. Penny Dreadful could be likened to Once Upon a Time, except instead of beloved fairy tale characters like Snow White and Prince Charming, the show features a who’s-who of characters from 19th century Gothic horror fiction, the likes of which include Dorian Gray (Reeve Carney), Dracula, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and Shelley’s iconic duo of Victor Frankenstein (Harry Treadaway) and his Creature (Rory Kinnear). There’s also Ethan Chandler (Josh Hartnett), a werewolf, whose real name, Ethan Lawrence Talbot, is a nod to the tortured protagonist of 1941’s The Wolf Man. An entire cast of classic characters, each given new life – sometimes literally – with engaging stories that both honored and challenged their rich history.
Collider Acrostic — The Collider TV Quiz!
Can you answer these television questions, wherein each correct response begins with a successive letter of the word “Collider”?
But the series lives and dies by lead character Vanessa Ives, whose tragic arc, played out through a consistently powerful, scene-stealing portrayal from Eva Green, serves as the anchor for Penny Dreadful as a whole. Vanessa is introduced as an enigmatic medium, a woman of deep faith at odds with her own evil nature. Over the course of Penny Dreadful, Vanessa is possessed by the Devil himself, hunted by the evil Evelyn Poole (Helen McCrory) and her coven, and forced to embrace her own past as a witch.
Vanessa finds herself desired by both Lucifer and Dracula, each of whom seeks to use the powerful darkness within her, which she’s been fighting to suppress in spite of the prophecy that heralds her as the “Mother of Evil.” Finally, in Season 3’s “Ebb Tide,” exhausted from the constant battle within and without, Vanessa is coerced by Dracula into embracing who she really is, becoming the very being she was prophesied to be and sending the world into the darkness on the edge of the apocalypse.
‘Penny Dreadful’ Season 3 Ended on a Shocking Note for Fans
However, being the “Mother of Evil” isn’t everything it’s cracked up to be, and it all comes to a head in the Season 3 finale, “The Blessed Dark.” As a battle rages between Dracula and his “children” and Sir Malcolm Murray (Timothy Dalton) and his allies, Ethan slips away to find Vanessa in Dracula’s lair. It’s a truly heartrending moment for the two star-crossed lovers, as Vanessa, who has come to accept that she will only ever find peace and redemption, and stop the impending end of the world, implores Ethan to kill her; Ethan does so, freeing her to find peace and the faith she once held so strongly, as a final act of love.
The blackness is lifted, and Dracula, sensing her death, flees. Following her funeral, the Creature (Rory Kinnear) kneels, alone, at her grave, reciting a poem. Then a title card that simply reads “The End” comes on screen, bringing completion to the season — and, as it turns out, a completion to the series as a whole. Penny Dreadful, which for three seasons held a consistency of quality with a healthy balance of horror and drama, truly did live and die by Vanessa Ives, as creator/showrunner John Logan explained in a statement that was sent out after the series ending:
“I created Penny Dreadful to tell the story of a woman grappling with her faith, and with the demons inside her. For me, the character of Vanessa Ives is the heart of this series. From the beginning, I imagined her story would unfold over a three-season arc, ending with Vanessa finally – and triumphantly – finding peace as she returns to her faith.”
Despite a number of storylines left unresolved – Dracula’s fate, the abrupt ending of Dr. Jekyll’s (Shazad Latif) arc before ever exploring his alter-ego Lord Hyde, and the underutilization of Catriona Hartdegen (Perdita Weeks) – it’s hard to argue with Logan’s rationale. Many series, including the aforementioned Once Upon a Time, have tried, and failed, to carry on for another season or two after key characters have left, and a season without Vanessa would have been empty, existing only to sate the wishes of those who wanted closure. Masterpieces only remain masterpieces if they conclude before tarnishing their reputation, and Logan did what he needed to do to keep the legacy of Penny Dreadful untarnished, even if it came as a surprise to literally everyone.
Keke Palmer and Demi Lovato recently recalled feeling “exploited” by older men during a vulnerable conversation. Both Disney stars have opened up about past relationships, and on a new episode of “Baby, This is Keke Palmer,” the iconic actresses said they were more alike than they realized.
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Keke Palmer And Demi Lovato Question Why They Were Dating Older Men As Teenagers
Palmer and Lovato opened up about their child star days and detailed past relationships with older men. “I’m fifteen, why was my boyfriend 20?” Palmer said to which Lovato replied, “Why was my boyfriend 30?”
Palmer was visibly stunned by Lovato’s admission, shouting, “Girl, d-mn.” She added, “I’m not smiling at that but that is real. We were trying to find outlets, though, and just a way to process this.”
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Keke Palmer And Demi Lovato Recall Feeling ‘Exploited’ By Previous Partners
Elsewhere during the conversation, Palmer added, “The moment when you realize and you get [to] the age of a lot of people that were around you and doing stuff it’s almost a mental break that can happen because you realize, ‘You were taking advantage. Oh, I was being exploited.’”
Palmer theorized that part of the reason she may have been in a relationship with an older man was that her job made her feel more mature than she was.
“That was very difficult for me because at 15 I’m thinking like, ‘My boyfriend’s older because I’m doing an older job. And I’m doing a bunch of things and this is the way that it is,’” the “True Jackson VP” actor added. “And it seemed normal in my mind.”
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Keke Palmer Opened Up About Her Age Gap Relationship In 2024
This isn’t the first time Palmer has discussed her past age gap relationship. In a 2024 interview with PEOPLE, the “Nope” actress said that she was trying to “balance” being young with feeling more mature for her age.
“If I thought it was inappropriate, then I wouldn’t have done it. Obviously, I shouldn’t have been 15 dating no 20-year-old,” she said.
Palmer said working a “full-time job” gave her a sense of independence she wasn’t used to. However, that wasn’t an excuse for the relationship she was in, she said.
“But he knew there was a lot of stuff that there’s no d-mn way for me to understand at damn 15.”
While speaking with Lovato, Palmer referenced Hilary Duff’s similar experience, which she sang about in her 2025 single “Mature.”
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“She’s me, I’m her in a different font / Just a few years younger, a new haircut,” Duff sang in the pop song. “She looks … Like all of your girls but blonder / A little like me, just younger / Bet she loves when she hears you say, ‘You’re so mature for your age, babe.’”
“Yeah, because it’s like ‘oh sh-t’ we all had the same d-mn life.’ You know what I mean, where people kept telling us, ‘You’re so mature for your age,’” Palmer shared.
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Social Media Users React To Palmer And Lovato’s Admission
Social media users reacted to Palmer and Lovato’s conversation, and many voiced their displeasure with the pair’s experiences.
“Why do grown men like teenagers,” someone wrote. “This happens a lot so many men should be in jailllll,” another wrote.
“It’s sad when we come to the realization,” a third user posted, while a fourth said, “It’s so sad looking back.”
“Oh no that’s concerning. That’s predatory actually. I feel like you need to be 20 and above to date someone in their 20s, 30s and older,” another user wrote.
Palmer Opened Up About Living With Her Future Partner
According to The Blast, Palmer also recently discussed boundaries she’d have in future relationships.
“One thing I need you to know is I never want to live together. I like my alone time,” Palmer said. “That’s real. I’m speaking as The Keke. I just feel like Whoopi Goldberg said it best once. She was like, ‘I don’t want nobody in my house.’ And I feel that. I’m serious — married, even.”
Palmer went on to say that she’d love for her future husband to be around the corner or even in the guest home. “You can be in the guest house, we can be on the same land, but I’m over there, and he’s over there. At best, separate rooms,” she said.
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“But think about how fun it would be to be like, ‘I’m going over to my man’s house.’ Over there, hi husband!” she joked. “It keeps it fun and exciting. I want to go sit on his couch.”
When Hillary Clinton appeared before the House Oversight Committee in a closed deposition, she denied having any connection to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. There was one alleged statement from the late billionaire, however, she didn’t take offense to — and it made everyone in the room laugh.
“Mr. Epstein is commenting and he quotes, ‘Hey, Hillary Clinton is much prettier in person,’” Republican congresswoman Lauren Boebert said in a video of Clinton’s Thursday, February 26, deposition.
“I’m not going to object to that,” Clinton, 78, replied, shrugging her shoulders in a sheepish manner as the room laughed in response.
A legal representative of Clinton’s can be heard asking the congresswoman off camera, “Can we see the documents? We don’t think the document says that.” He then turned to Clinton and said, “Not that you’re not pretty.”
Before sitting down with the House Oversight Committee and testifying about Jeffrey Epstein, former President Bill Clinton is speaking out about his intentions. “I’m here today for two reasons. The first is that I love my country. And America was built upon the idea that no person is above the law, even Presidents — especially […]
The interaction between the pair provided a moment of levity in an otherwise tense proceeding, with Clinton responding, “I’ll take it if I can get it.”
Despite making a few jokes while facing the committee in Chappaqua, New York, for six hours last week, Clinton maintained she did not have a relationship with Epstein after she and her husband, former president Bill Clinton’s names were found in some of the Epstein’s files.
The former first lady told the panel she had “no idea” about Epstein’s sex trafficking crimes prior to his arrest. Hillary also claimed she barely knew the man and never visited any of his properties.
President Donald Trump, Woody Allen, former President Bill Clinton and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor are all seen in newly released photos obtained from the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein’s estate. On Friday, December 12, Democrats on the House Oversight Committee released 19 archival photos, of more than 95,000 total images, recovered from Epstein’s estate as part […]
Hillary noted that Epstein’s crimes are not a one-off and the victims should be the subject of everyone’s focus.
“If you are new to this issue, let me tell you: Jeffrey Epstein was a heinous individual, but he’s far from alone,” she said in her opening statement to the committee via The Independent. “This is not a one-off tabloid sensation or a political scandal. It’s a global scourge with an unimaginable human toll.”
In July 2019, Epstein was arrested on federal charges of sex trafficking and conspiracy to traffic minors. (He also pleaded guilty in 2008 of soliciting prostitution from a minor — a lesser charge as part of his “sweetheart” plea deal.) He pleaded not guilty to the charges but before the case could go to trial, Epstein died in a New York City jail at the age of 66. His death was later ruled a suicide.
While Epstein is no longer alive to speak about his alleged crimes, he is still continuing to make headlines thanks to the Justice Department’s long-awaited release of his Epstein Files as part of the Epstein Files Transparency Act.
In recent months, several high-powered figures — including celebrities, politicians and royals —have been named in the documents.
Documents that name dozens of public figures associated with accused sex offender Jeffrey Epstein have been unsealed. The first of what is expected to be multiple batches of documents were released in federal court in New York on Wednesday, January 3, following federal judge Loretta A. Preska’s December 18 ruling. The documents were initially filed […]
Bill, 79, and Hillary both met separately with the House Oversight Committee to deny their alleged connection to the late criminal.
“First, I had no idea of the crimes Epstein was committing,” Bill wrote in a statement via X on Friday, February 27, ahead of his closed deposition. “No matter how many photos you show me, I have two things that at the end of the day matter more than your interpretation of those 20-year-old photos: I know what I saw, and more importantly, what I didn’t see. I know what I did, and more importantly, what I didn’t do. I saw nothing, and I did nothing wrong.”
He added that the committee might not like his answers, but he’s going to speak his truth. “That might be unsatisfying. But I’m not going to say something I’m not sure of,” Bill said. “Since I am under oath, I will not falsely state that I am looking forward to your questions. But I am ready to answer them to the best of my abilities, consistent with the facts as I know them.”
If you or someone you know is a human trafficking victim, contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
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