Keeping it real is always in style!

Cardi B has never been one to hold back. Whether she’s spilling her beauty secrets, shutting down rumors, rapping about her feelings, or sharing candid looks at her family life, the Grammy winner has built her career on being unapologetically herself. So, naturally, partnering with Zevia for the better-for-you beverage brand’s Real Talk Interpreter campaign was a perfect fit.

“I got to be myself. I love shoots where I can just show up and be me. That’s why this partnership works. It’s funny, it’s honest, and it’s not too serious,” she tells ET.

The partnership celebrates the unfiltered moments that happen when people say exactly what they’re thinking, something the former Love & Hip Hop: New York star has never had much trouble doing.

“I mean, you don’t gotta be rude, but I think people appreciate honesty,” she says with a laugh.

“I’ve always been myself, even when it got me in trouble. I’d rather people know exactly who I am, so they know exactly what to expect,” the hitmaker continues.

“I could never pretend to be anyone else, and I wouldn’t want to be anyone else. I think what my fans appreciate most about me is that they never have to guess when it comes to who I am.”

For the “Bodak Yellow” rapper, being genuine is a way of life, and she brings that same straightforward approach to her health habits.

“I’m definitely more mindful now because I got a lot going on. Touring is no joke, and I need energy every night. … It’s really about balance. I still enjoy the foods I love, but I try to make smarter choices where I can. That’s why Zevia works for me. I still get the flavor I want without any sugar,” she explains.

As for what she keeps stocked on her tour bus, she has found her favorites. “I really love the new Orange Creamsicle and Strawberry Lemon Burst. I can scratch my soda itch with a better soda option.”

Of course, Cardi’s commitment to authenticity goes far beyond her wellness routine, extending to her enviable wardrobe and impressive handbag collection.

When asked whether she’d ever carry a convincing designer dupe, the New York native makes her stance crystal clear: “I’d never buy fake anything, especially not a Hermès bag.”

Cardi’s love of fashion has also become a family affair, especially when it comes to spending time with her daughter, Kulture.

“I love being home with my family and shopping with my kids,” the Grow Good founder shares.

And it sounds like the 8-year-old is already her mom’s mini-me.

“Kulture is a real girly-girl, like me. She’s always finding something for us to do, like skincare, TikTok recipes, and going to concerts. I love doing everything together.”

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Willem Dafoe has perhaps one of the most interesting and impressive resumes of any actor working today. The 4-time Academy Award nominee has played everything from a larger-than-life supervillain in Spider-Man to a humble motel manager in The Florida Project, and in every single one of those projects, he delivers 110% every single time. Dafoe’s legendary dedication to everything he does almost makes his mere involvement a bona fide stamp of approval, and that’s very much the case for his next two projects, Late Fame and The Birthday Party.

The two new films are a near-flawless showcase of Dafoe’s range as an actor, as one portrays him as a quiet and introspective poet while the other has him playing an intimidating and wealthy businessman. Ahead of the films’ release, I had the incredible opportunity to speak with Dafoe about his new roles and how he decided to make them his next projects. Our full conversation also covers Dafoe’s surprising history with the James Bond IP, his ongoing working relationship with Robert Eggers, and what fans can expect from his upcoming horror film Werwulf.

Willem Dafoe Breaks Down His Process for Choosing a Role and Why He Chose to Star in ‘Late Fame’ and ‘The Birthday Party’

“You don’t really know the role until you do it.”

Image via Quiver Distribution

COLLIDER: Let’s just jump right into it. It’s rare that I get to talk to someone about two movies rather than just one movie, and I think that really speaks to how you are always working on something interesting at all times. What does your process of choosing a role look like from the biggest blockbuster to the smallest indie film?

DAFOE: You know, I’ve got a non-answer for that because it’s always different. I think there’s certain tendencies. The director is very important for me, and I think I look for situations, situations where I can find something, or I can learn something, or something can happen to me. So, that’s what I look for.

It’s not really the role specifically because you don’t really know the role until you do it. And sometimes I think even if you see the role too clearly and you say, “Wow, this would be really great for me,” that’s something to avoid because it’s almost like you know what it is. You’ve got to have that space to reach for. You’ve got to have that space that’s a little difficult. You’ve got to have that space that’s full of questions. I think that is what gives you the energy to really extend yourself and forces you in a creative way to find something new, and that becomes the heart and the energy of what commits you to having your world drop away and trying to imagine the situation of another person, another way of looking, another way of feeling. That’s the pleasure of performing.

Because really, the thing that we can do is just share an experience. Have an experience, and share an experience. It’s not really about telling people things. It’s not necessarily about communicating the message. It’s about having an experience to expand the possibility of how we see things.

I wouldn’t call that a non-answer at all. That was a wonderful answer. Let me hone in a little bit more on Late Fame and The Birthday Party, specifically. What drew you to those two roles? Was it mainly the directors involved? How would you describe getting involved at first?

DAFOE: It’s probably complicated. Late Fame, I read the novella. A friend gave it to me and said, “I think this is a movie. It’s really interesting,” — a writer-actor friend in New York named Danny Sippy. He gave it to me basically because I was looking for something to do with Abel Ferrara, who I work with quite often. Abel, it wasn’t for him right off the bat, and I knew it wasn’t because it’s set in Vienna and a period movie. It just didn’t seem like the right material for him, but I was really stuck on it.

Then I started seeking out who had the rights to it, and unbeknownst to me, because I’m not really an industry person and I don’t develop things often, it was already a script. Shortly after I started looking for who owned the rights, they asked me to do the role. It was the script from Samy Burch, who did, among other things, May December a couple of years ago, and the amazing thing about it was it was transposed from Vienna to present-day New York City. Initially I thought, “Bad idea,” because Vienna was such a character in the original, but then I read the script, and I said, “Wow, this is really what’s in the air. This is really pertinent. This is something I relate to because I know something of this.” But there are also a lot of questions that are raised that are really interesting and really are in the air. So, that’s when you feel like you’re going to make a movie that people will relate to and will be rich material. So that’s why the reason I did that.

The Birthday Party, it’s a long story, but I did a movie called Inside with a Greek director, and there was a very good producer on it. The movie was really made in the shooting. There was a good script, but we had to tweak a lot of things in the process, and both the director, Vasilis Katsoupis, and the producer worked very well. And the producer said, “I have this book,” and he told me this story, and I said, “What? That’s fantastic!” It’s 1970s Greece, kind of an Onassis kind of character. It was interesting, but I didn’t think it was right for me.

When it was time to cast, he called me up and said, “I want you to do this.” And I was a little bit like, “You really think I’m right for it?” And after some talk, he introduced me to a director that I like very much. He was unknown to me, and I loved his movies. So, these things come together, and I say, “Why not?” It’s like you go towards situations, you go towards people, you go to places where you think you can have an experience or contribute something. So, that’s basically the road to how I choose.

Willem Dafoe on Working With Greta Lee in ‘Late Fame’

Lee can also be seen in Netflix’s ‘The Last House.’

Image via Magnolia Pictures

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Another thing about Late Fame that I loved is Greta Lee is just firing on all cylinders in that movie and is having a blast. What was it like having her as a scene partner in that film?

DAFOE: It’s an interesting story. She’s great. It’s an interesting story because it’s kind of a sidebar to the main story about his relationship with the Enthusiasm Society, and like Ed Saxberger was, perhaps, she is turned on. She’s doing the thing that she loves to do, but she’s having difficulty sustaining herself, not just economically, but finding the right work. She’s still got the hunger. And she’s at that point.

Saxberger, the character I play in Late Fame, at a certain point, the scene kind of moved away. He didn’t get the teaching gig to support him. You can take a job and still continue your art, but he decided to walk away from that life and start another life by working at the post office, having some friends in a bar, living very simply, very solitarily. She is at that point where she has to decide, but she’s not giving up. So, there’s a kind of compassion and desperation.

What’s tragic about her is she’s pushing. She needs the attention, so she’s kicked everything up. But at the same time, you’re kind of touched by her commitment to what she’s doing. It’s what she feels like she’s made for. It’s what turns her on. And I think Saxberger relates to that. And it’s a flirtation with a younger woman, and I think it’s kind of a return to a younger man than he was and a flirtation, so that’s always understandable.

She’s the perfect foil to Sax for the whole time. I especially love, without getting too much into the spoilers, there’s one scene where we get to see a very different side of her character that is a big revelation for him. It’s fascinating to see how both of you worked together in that movie.

DAFOE: She was a good partner. And, yeah, it’s an interesting relationship between the two.

Willem Dafoe Explains His “Tragic Character” in ‘The Birthday Party’

“I feel for him, but I wouldn’t want to be him.”

Image via Quiver Distribution

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Speaking of interesting relationships, The Birthday Party is chock-full of them. Marcos as a character is such a larger-than-life figure, and I feel like we learned so much about him just through visuals alone, let alone the dialogue. He almost carries himself as a Bond villain with his big estate. Do you think that Marcos considers himself the hero or the villain of his own story, even though he is very much the protagonist?

DAFOE: Listen, he’s not stupid. But at the same time, he’s so involved in trying to save his life and save the lives of people around him that he’s blinded. He’s also someone who’s been hurt by life, even though he’s very successful and he’s what you call a self-made man, I suppose. He’s concentrated on building this empire, and somehow has lost touch with his wife, with his children, one who has tragically died, and that’s sort of an old story. We all know that: The man who sacrifices the things he loves in the pursuit of something out there. So, he’s difficult. He’s a complex character. I feel for him, but I wouldn’t want to be him. It’s a tough character.

But I think it’s an interesting story just about how people gather around these people of power and what their relationship is, including their family. The central relationship is between him and his daughter, who he loves very much, but it’s tinged by all kinds of complex problems. I also like the relationship with his wife, which is very complicated because there’s a lot of love there, but they can’t stand each other in a way. You see that in a lot of relationships. It’s just a little bigger than life because he’s bigger than life, and his power and the attention and the love and the damage that he can do because of his resources is bigger than life. It’s a very Greek story. He’s a very tragic figure.

But it’s an interesting portrait of power and an interesting portrait of family in a position of power. It’s not a celebration. I remember someone said, “Why do you want to make a movie about rich people?” It’s as much a study of a cautionary tale not only about rich people, but where you place your attention and your relationship to other people. You’ve got to give them space, and you’ve got to get a lot of things to change. You can’t hold on too tightly, or you’ll strangle them. So, I think this is a familiar scene, but it’s played out in a very specific way because it’s a story that happens in the ‘70s with a man of power, an almost Onassis-like character. So, it’s interesting, not only on a personal level, but also, now, particularly, from a political level.

Willem Dafoe Reveals His Surprising History With the James Bond Franchise

Dafoe played the main antagonist of the 2003 video game, ‘James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing.’

Custom Image by Zanda Rice

When I described him as a Bond villain, that ties a little bit into one of my favorite pieces of Willem Dafoe trivia. You actually played a Bond villain at one point in one of the James Bond video games.

DAFOE: I did. And, you know, I think I never even saw it. I enjoyed doing it, but that was very early when people were making video games. Very, very early. I remember it was a very quick recording session. I kind of invented an accent on the spot. It was very loosey-goosey. But many people have told me they really enjoy it, so it’s a case of sometimes it’s good to jump in and play it loose and fast. Sometimes that has a spirit that may not be precise, but it has a spirit that really brings the character to life.

That’s wonderful. A lot of people think you would make such a great Bond villain, because you’ve had so many great villain roles. With all this chatter of who the next James Bond is going to be, would you ever want to revisit the James Bond franchise in live action at some point?

DAFOE: I don’t want to send a little headline out there, but, you know, in the right situation. I mean, when I was a kid, I remember seeing From Russia with Love and Goldfinger when I was really young, like uncomfortable. I was young enough that the sex scenes, for example, or the romance scenes or whatever you call them, were not cool. They were uncomfortable for me because one of my sisters was babysitting me and couldn’t get me lost and had a date, and they took me along. And I remember I suffered through it. [Laughs]

Then, I’ve watched Bond films through the years. They’re a particular thing. Yeah, it is something that might be fun to do, and I’d really check it out if they came my way.

Willem Dafoe on Working With Robert Eggers on the “Otherworldly” ‘Werwulf’

“We’ve got a very, very full-on movie.”

Credit: Frederic Kern/Future Image/Cover Images

About two years ago, I had the pleasure of speaking with someone who you’ve worked with quite a bit, Robert Eggers, and he had very wonderful things to say about you. What is it about him as a filmmaker that you really love working with so much, and how has your relationship now evolved going into what we’re going to see later this year in Werwulf?

DAFOE: He gets better and better. He’s just very committed. He’s smart. He knows his passions. He knows his limitations. He knows what he loves, and he knows actors. He was an actor. I love working with him because he gives me fun things to do, and he knows how to punch my buttons, and he’s a world maker, you know? And that’s what you want from a director. You want him to make the world, so when you enter that world, the world speaks to you. And if a great part of acting is reacting, that world tells you what to do, and you do it. It’s always in the doing — the quality of the doing, the authenticity of the doing, and as we know, he’s a nut about research and all that. It’s an ideal situation. I really love working with him.

He’s demanding. It’s not easy. But one thing that he does, that is the reason why I sought him out: I saw The Witch, and then I asked for a meeting with him, and then I’ve worked with him, I guess, four times now. A lot of particular period movies or elevated movies that aren’t naturalistic family drama, these sorts of things, he makes it so easy to enter the world because he doesn’t show. Like a good actor, he inhabits it. He creates things, not to tell you where you are, but because he wants to be there. He has such love for the material and gives you beautiful research that really makes you learn things and puts you in another head. So, that really makes a space. Once you learn those things, you want to pursue them, and that’s the road to inhabiting something. Because once you learn something, you become a different person, and that different person then becomes available to pretend to be this character. So, it’s a growth process. It’s a game.

He’s fun to work with, and just committed and strong, and I enjoy him so much. And I always admire people that really give themselves to their work totally, and he does. He has collaborators that become extensions of him. There’s such understanding and such complicity that he doesn’t delegate anything. He’s everywhere, but he’s everywhere with the collaboration of a team. It’s a beautiful thing to work with him. Not always easy. It’s not a character thing. He just doesn’t sign things; he experiences them.

For example, in the case of Werwulf, we’ve got a very, very full-on movie, and I think it’s going to be very beautiful. I haven’t seen it yet completely, but I have done some ADR, and just some of the visuals and some of the short little clips that I saw are just stunning. Stunning. Otherworldly. So, yeah, you heard it. I’m a cheerleader. What can I say? [Laughs]

Willem Dafoe’s Late Fame is in theaters now, with The Birthday Party set to debut in the U.S. on August 14.

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Release Date

August 7, 2026

Runtime

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90 minutes

Director

Kent Jones

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“Real Housewives of New Jersey“ stars Teresa Giudice and Melissa Gorga reconciled in November 2025 after multiple years of feuding. Now, months later, after filming the most recent “RHONJ” season, the self-proclaimed “Queen of New Jersey” is opening up about where she stands with her sister-in-law and why they reconciled.

This comes as Giudice appears on Bravo’s newest limited series, “The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: Roaring 20th,” as one of the seven principal cast members. The others are Vicki Gunvalson, Porsha Williams, Luann de Lesseps, Kyle Richards, Gizelle Bryant, and Lisa Barlow.

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Giudice and the main cast of “The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: Roaring 20th” appeared on Bravo’s “Watch What Happens Live” on August 9 following the show’s premiere episode. During the appearance, she was asked what led to her and Gorga burying the proverbial hatchet.

Giudice responded, stating that filming Fox’s “Special Forces: World’s Toughest Race” with her daughter, Gia Giudice, was part of the motivating factor, noting that she wanted to set a positive example for all four of her daughters.

According to her, “I’m always thinking as a mom, you know, ‘what kind of lesson can I teach my daughters,’ so I was like, ‘I’m not fighting.’ I wanna show her that I’m gonna end the fighting.” Notably, Giudice said her feelings were first directed at her ex, Joe Giudice, but she later directed them at her brother, Joe Gorga, and his wife, Melissa.

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She Opened Up About Reaching Out To Joe And Melissa Gorga

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Giudice continued, going into some detail about her process of reaching out to Joe and Melissa. According to her, “So, I texted my brother, and I said, ‘Do you want to meet? Let’s meet together and let’s talk.” From there, she shared that “ever since that day it’s been great.”

After that, Andy Cohen asked Giudice how filming season 15 of “The Real Housewives of New Jersey” with Joe, Melissa, and the rest of the cast had gone. She said, “Amazing. Yeah, it was great.” Cohen then stated that this was the first time in “15 seasons” that Giudice had enjoyed filming the show.

Melissa Gorga Recently Opened Up About Her Relationship With Teresa Giudice

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Melissa interviewed with E! News in August 2026 while at the premiere event for “The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: Roaring 20th.” During the chat, she was asked for an update on her relationship with Giudice, and she said they were in a great place.

In regard to ending their feud, Melissa said, “That’s what it’s all about. We were so proud that we were able to turn it around, and maybe we can be an example for people who think they’re never going to speak to their family members again.”

Melissa continued reflecting by sharing advice for other families who had similar drama, saying, “If we can do it, anyone can.” Additionally, she also spoke about the upcoming 15th season of “The Real Housewives of New Jersey,” noting that “the season finale ended with a bang.”

Teresa Recently Celebrated Four Years Of Marriage

According to PEOPLE, Giudice began dating Luis Ruelas in July 2020 and then tied the knot with him in August 2022. Now, most recently, the “Real Housewives of New Jersey” star took to Instagram to highlight their fourth wedding anniversary.

She did so by posting several photos from the occasion and including a lengthy caption. She began, “Happy 4th Anniversary to my Love, the man who makes me feel like a queen every single day. Four years ago, I married my best friend, my greatest blessing, and the love of my life.”

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Giudice continued, “Every morning I wake up beside you, I’m reminded how lucky I am. If I had to choose you all over again, I would—365 days a year, forever and always.”

Toward the end of the post, she added, “My man, my forever, my everything—I love you more than words could ever express. Here’s to celebrating us today and to a lifetime of waking up beside each other, laughing together, loving each other, and growing old hand in hand.”

The ‘RHONJ’ Star Has A New Book Coming Out

Giudice announced in June 2026 that she was set to release a new memoir, “The Queen of New Jersey.” It comes from Ballast Books and will be released on November 17. Notably, this is the “Real Housewives of New Jersey” star’s third memoir, following her most recent, 2017’s ‘Standing Strong.”

She said on Instagram about the book, “Life has taught me so much — about family, loyalty, strength, forgiveness, and what it truly means to rise. Every time I fell, I got back up stronger. I can’t wait for you all to read The Queen of New Jersey and share this journey with me.”

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If you know Jordyn Lucas, you know Drake has been on her list for a minute! So when the streamer finally got the chance to meet the Toronto rapper during his viral speed-dating stream, she made sure to enjoy every second and leave with $25,000 and a Birkin bag!

Related: Jordyn Lucas Puts Skai Jackson On Blast As Streamer University Drama Has The Internet Talking (VIDEO)

Jordyn Lucas Finally Meets Drake & Leaves With $25K And A Birkin

On Saturday, Aug. 9, Drake hopped on stream with comedian BenDaDon for a 20-v-1 speed-dating session that had the internet tuned in. After meeting several women, Drake narrowed the group down to three finalists, with streamer Jordyn Lucas among them.

Jordyn has openly expressed her admiration for the Toronto rapper and her longtime desire to meet him. When Jordyn finally found herself face-to-face with Drake, she definitely made the most of the moment she’d been waiting for. Making the moment even more unforgettable, the rapper surprised her with $25,000 and a Birkin bag.

In a caption shared alongside footage from their interaction, Jordyn wrote, “my husband, my lover, my lifeline, I’ve waited my whole life for this moment & it’s been confirmed… we belong together. thank u for my BIRKIN & 25k dada man 🧊 @Drake”

But Jordyn wasn’t the only woman Drake showed love to during the stream. Drake also gifted finalist Lena The Plug $25,000 and an all-expenses-paid trip. He additionally revealed plans to buy another woman a brand-new house for her mother.

Social Media Is Living For Jordyn’s Drake Moment

As clips from the stream made their rounds online, social media quickly filled up with reactions to Jordyn’s big moment.

Instagram user @xijeoma wrote, “Drake loves making women happy”

Another Instagram user @yonnawitnoooooooglockk_.ptt2 wrote, “Actually love this for her, she always loved Drake down this been her dream”

While Instagram user @mayyaiko wrote, “When will it be my turn wtf?”

Instagram user @wynnbougie wrote, “Laughing him right out his draws period Jordyn”

Another Instagram user @moonlit.melanin_ wrote, “Lmfaoooo not name the bay deshae 😂😂😂 he so messy”

While Instagram user @og.prettycee wrote, “He the trickest trick that ever did trick and I ain’t mad at it 😌”

Instagram user @iambiglavissh wrote, “She deserves that, happy for her 👏🏾❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️”

Another Instagram user @iiam.ashhb wrote, “She got me blushing like Im there wtf, I love this for her sooo bad”

While Instagram user @lilx.lyz wrote, “Yooo she really manifested this 😂”

Deshae Frost Reacts After Drake Name-Drops Him During Jordyn Date

Deshae Frost also had a moment of his own after Drake name-dropped him during his one-on-one date with Jordyn. During the date, Jordyn asked Drake what he would name their daughter, and his response definitely caught her off guard: “Deshae,” referring to her ex-boyfriend and content creator, Deshae Frost.

Desha quickly took to X after hearing his name mentioned, declaring himself “OVO Frost.” He also had the internet cracking up with his reaction on stream.

Watch below:

Related: Uh-Oh! Saucy Santana & Deshae Frost Have Internet Users Crackin’ UP After Running From Apparent Alligator During Livestream (WATCH)