Director Steven Spielberg has created many movies about aliens and government cover-ups, including his latest release, “Disclosure Day.” However, he is far from the only Hollywood star who believes that aliens exist. Several celebrities not only believe in aliens but also claim to have seen one for themselves.

In one of the last episodes of “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert,” the “E.T.” director said that he doesn’t just believe in aliens – he wants to be the ambassador when they eventually reach Earth.

“I think I should represent… I mean, my whole thing is it should be me!” Spielberg said, garnering cheers from the audience. It prompted host Stephen Colbert to respond, “Everybody wants the gig.”

Former U.S. President Barack Obama has also said that he wants the role of Earth’s alien ambassador; however, Spielberg insists he’s more qualified.

“I think the whole thing is, I made Close Encounters,” he said. “My first alien movie, I was 17 years old, was called Firelight, an 8-millimeter. I made E.T. and I co-produced Men in Black and War of the Worlds.”

“Now you’re just bragging,” Colbert joked, to which Spielberg insisted he wasn’t bragging.

 “Here’s the point I’m trying to make: I’ve made all these movies where I’ve kind of played an ambassadorial role. They’ve never shown themselves to me,” he said, then asked, “Why is that? It’s so unfair.”

Tom Cruise Also Believes In Aliens

In 2005, Spielberg directed “War of the Worlds,” which starred Tom Cruise. While promoting the film, Cruise said, “Of course,” he believes in aliens when asked.

“Are you really so arrogant as to believe we are alone in this universe?” Cruise said to a German newspaper, which was translated by CNN. “Millions of stars, and we’re supposed to be the only living creatures? No, there are many things out there, we just don’t know.”

Halle Berry Thinks There’s ‘Other Life Out There’

Actress Halle Berry starred in two seasons of the CBS sci-fi drama “Extant,” which was produced by Spielberg and his Amblin Television production company.

While attending the show’s premiere in 2014, Berry told the Los Angeles Times that she is a believer. “I’m not so egotistical to think that we’re the only ones living in this vast, vast universe,” Berry said at the time. “I do think there’s other life out there.”

Woody Harrelson Tells Stephen Colbert About His Own Encounter

Spielberg isn’t the only one opening up to Stephen Colbert about his experience with aliens! Actor Woody Harrelson told the host he’s “open-minded” when asked about his belief in aliens.

“I wasn’t abducted. Or maybe I was abducted and forgot,” he joked before revealing that he had his first brush with what he suspected was a UFO when he was a teenager living in Ohio in 1974.

“Suddenly I noticed, like everybody’s out in the street, and so I went out, and we looked up. It was nighttime, and there were these lights that were just kind of blinking, and then it would just shoot all the way across the sky,” he recalled. “And then there’d be one over there, shoot over here, and there were several. They just kept going across the sky.”

“Everybody, we watched it for a while, it took a few minutes, and then finally just, whoosh, went somewhere else. Some other world,” he continued. “Nobody talked about it. Literally, everybody just went inside and said nothing. It was so freaky, even for me, as young as I was.”

Miley Cyrus Claims She Was ‘Chased Down’ By A UFO

While speaking with fashion designer Rick Owens for Interview Magazine in 2020, Miley Cyrus claims that she was “chased down by some sort of UFO” while driving through San Bernardino with a friend.

“The best way to describe it is a flying snowplow,” she continued. “It had this big plow in the front of it and was glowing yellow. I did see it flying, and my friend saw it, too. There were a couple of other cars on the road, and they also stopped to look, so I think what I saw was real.”

That being said, she did admit that she had “bought weed wax from a guy in a van in front of a taco shop, so it could have been the weed wax.” However, the experience affected her so badly that she said she was “shaken” for five days.

“I couldn’t really look at the sky the same,” she said. “I thought they might come back.”

Dredd is another in a long line of movies that, for one reason or another, failed to find a theatrical audience despite being fantastic.

By Brent McKnight
| Published 11 seconds ago

Sometimes movies don’t click with audiences when they’re initially released. It may be timing, it may be the style, maybe it lacks a big-name star to put butts in theater seats. Movies tank for any number or combination of factors, but that doesn’t mean they’re not still great. Such is the case with 2012’s Dredd.

Let us not confuse the movie we’re talking about today with the much-maligned 1995 Sylvester Stallone debacle, Judge Dredd. Based on the same source material, they are very, very different animals. (I have a weird affection and place in my heart for that film, though I will never go so far as to argue that it’s good.) In fact, that confusion, or at least association, is one reason people often cite for why the latter film fell on its face at the box office. It certainly didn’t help matters.

Dredd is another in a long line of movies that, for one reason or another, failed to find a theatrical audience despite being fantastic. Worldwide, it only took in $41 million, with a dismal $13 million domestic haul.

Why Dredd Deserved Better

Dredd may be based on a comic (he first appeared in 1977 via a long-running British comic called 2000 AD), but it’s not your typical comic book movie. This isn’t the episodic long-form superhero storytelling of Marvel, nor the darker, brooding, but still PG-13 fare DC often trades in. No, directed by Pete Travis, Dredd is violent and brutal and hard-R to the point it had to be toned down to get there.

Set in the future after a nuclear incident destroys much of the world, the remnants of humanity cram into sprawling metropolises. These become dystopian hell-holes, full of violence and depravity. The only force of order is the Judges, roving cops who serve as judge, jury, and executioner all in one, dispensing tyrannical justice. Our story takes place in Mega-City One, which accounts for much of the East Coast of the United States. There are 17,000 serious crimes reported daily, to which law enforcement responds in 6% of cases.

The plot of Dredd is fairly simple. Legendary Judge Dredd (Karl Urban) is tasked with training and evaluating a new recruit, Judge Anderson (Olivia Thirlby), a mutant with strong psychic ability. They respond to a trio of murders in Peachtrees, a 200-story high-rise slum, and have to fight their way through the building, which is controlled by a vicious drug dealer named Ma-Ma (Lena Headey). She controls the trade of a new drug called Slo-Mo, which slows down how the user experiences time to one percent normal speed.

Dredd takes a certain amount of flak for having a similar plot to Gareth Evans’ martial arts banger The Raid. The Raid did come out first; after a festival run, Evans’ film got a theatrical release in March 2012, while Travis’ debuted in September, and they are, at least on the surface, similar. That said, and for the sake of clarity, one didn’t rip off the other. This is a case where two films with comparable plots came out near each other. Though it arrived later, due largely to significant post-production special effects work, Dredd actually filmed first.

It doesn’t really matter; in addition to being their own individual things, both movies are completely badass and should be watched, often.

Though the setup of Dredd may be relatively straightforward, the finished product is anything but. Written by Alex Garland, who penned the likes of 28 Days Later, and who went on to direct heady sci-fi, like Ex-Machina and Annihilation, Dredd has more on its mind than just empty action. The surface machinations may be minimal, but the film as a whole is deceptively complex and nuanced.

Since his inception, Judge Dredd was always intended as a critique
of the creeping fascism and totalitarian idealism that was on the rise in the political
realm at the time, especially in Britain, but elsewhere as well. He’s a brutal
tool of a corrupt system, draconian in the way he dispenses justice. When we
first meet him, via a high-speed chase full of guns and bullets and viscera strewn
across the highway, he’s a black-and-white, letter-of-the-law lawman. No matter
the situation, no matter the circumstances, this is what the law says, this
is what he does.

Dredd carries this stance to extremes. When he and Anderson are trapped in Peachtrees, taking fire from Ma-Ma’s gang, he still trains her, barking out orders and questions. Because that’s his job and nothing will push him off that path. He’s like a wind-up toy, blindly going in one direction, unable to deviate.

That’s where Anderson comes in. She introduces shades of gray into Dredd’s world. Her psychic abilities give her insight into people and a corresponding empathy. She’s an orphan, a mutant, a product of one of these slums. Dredd looks up, and all he sees is the crime, gangs, the 96% unemployment rate; she sees a place very much like home, full of mostly good people struggling in a tough situation.

Dredd is bleakly nihilistic, a kind of futuristic Travis Bickle, while she’s earnest and idealistic. Over the course of the movie, they find something of a middle ground. She realizes maybe she shouldn’t always expect the best out of people, while he realizes maybe everything isn’t as cut-and-dried as he’s always thought.

Over the course of their day, Anderson commits errors that should fail a recruit, like losing her primary service weapon. But so did he. Or consider the case of a character like Domhnall Gleeson’s Techie. Yes, he works for Ma-Ma, but only because he has no other choice. If he denies her, she’ll eviscerate him. In fact, by this point, she’s already taken his eyes. Anderson sees that, whereas Dredd can’t, or at least couldn’t before.

Within the larger thematic puzzle, Urban and Thirlby (both actors who should be in way more stuff) carry all of this. When the film was announced, Karl Urban delighted fans ahead of time when he said one of his conditions for accepting the role was that, like in the comics, the character never take off his trademark helmet. Even though we can only see the lower third of Dredd’s face, he manages to portray much more than just clamp-jawed stoicism and a grim demeanor.

Urban has such a great range. He’s charming and funny as Bones in the new Star Trek movies. Here he’s in total big-time action-movie mode, which he more than pulls off. Even with what could easily be a one-note throwaway role like Skurge in Thor: Ragnarok, he gives the character pathos and an arc.

Thirlby’s Anderson could easily have fallen into first-day-on-patrol cop-movie clichés. She’s earnest, but not gullible; hopeful, but not to the point of naivete; frightened, but still strong and capable. Willing to resort to violence (when Dredd declares a criminal guilty and sentences him to die on the spot, she pulls the trigger), it’s not her natural first move. Her character balances and tempers Dredd’s impulses, influencing him. It builds to the point when his superior asks if Anderson passed; he says yes, even though, by the book, she committed failable sins.

Lena Headey may be the unsung all-star of Dredd, though. She’s straight-up terrifying. A former prostitute wearing a gnarly face scar, she rules through absolute fear. This is a person not afraid to skin enemies alive and dose them with Slo-Mo before tossing them off the top floor, so the 200-story fall takes that much longer. Ma-Ma is equally as terrifying and relentless as Headey’s Cersei Lannister in Game of Thrones, but played in a much different way.

Working with cinematographer Anthony Dodd Mantle (127 Hours), Travis created a fantastic-looking movie. The Mega-City One of Dredd has a palpable grime, like if you touched it, your fingertips would come back covered in grit and something sticky you’d rather not know the origin of. But it also has a hypnotic beauty. We never really see the Cursed Earth beyond the walls of the city, but wide helicopter shots show the expanse of decayed urban sprawl. It’s dirty and smelly and looks a little like a large-scale Die Antwoord video.

It’s the Slo-Mo shots, however, that set Dredd apart aesthetically. This isn’t typical slow motion, just the normal action slowed down; this is molasses compared to that. When a character takes a hit, the subsequent movement practically drips. Travis and Mantle use it to great effect. They use enhanced, borderline psychedelic colors; bullets rip through flesh practically frame by frame; spurts of blood and exploding heads are raw and visceral in a unique way, but also gorgeous and mesmerizing. This is gore elevated to art.

All of this still comes through on streaming, but Dredd hit theaters in 3D. 2012 was the middle of that boom where every big movie of this ilk was upscaled to 3D, whether it was shot that way or not. It was overused and oversold, but Dredd knows what it’s doing in that regard. More than simply things flying at your face, it created an immersive feel more akin to the likes of Avatar than other comic book movies. Especially the Slo-Mo scenes. They put you right in the middle, creating an almost uncomfortable sensation of being there.

Critical And Audience Response To Dredd

Dredd offers up a tense pot-boiler of a movie. From end to end, it’s all escalating pressure, fantastic, epic action, and brutal violence juxtaposed with raw humanity. It’s legitimately great, which begs the question: why did it fail in such spectacular fashion at the box office?

Dredd presents an interesting case for a couple of reasons. It’s not as if no one liked the movie. On Rotten Tomatoes, which collects critical reviews, it has a 79% approval rating. Critics generally liked it at the time as well as now.

Beyond theaters, it made a huge splash on home video (which was still a thing back then). It was the best-selling DVD/Blu-ray release when it hit the market, where it moved 300,000 units in its first week of release, on its way to more than 650,000.

After all this, there were multiple fan petitions that collected hundreds of thousands of signatures calling for Dredd 2. They started almost immediately after it tanked at the box office and have popped up sporadically ever since. There were even annual fan Days of Dredd for a few years to call on Hollywood to make more Dredd movies. We’ve seen comics, animated shorts, and all kinds of talk, particularly from producer Adi Shankar, who, for a time, would chat about sequels every chance he got.

For his part, star Karl Urban has often said he’s game to return to the square-jawed character. Saying this even as recently as March 2020. (Though writer Alex Garland said in October of 2019, he has no intention of ever returning to this universe.)

Why Dredd Failed

If it’s so popular, why did Dredd fail? There are a lot of potential answers to this. One is that the stank of Stallone’s 1995 version was still on people’s minds and that kept many away. That Stallone movie isn’t good, but is it that bad?

Another theory is that Dredd was marketed as another superhero movie and was a victim of superhero fatigue. It is based on a comic book, but while Judge Dredd is popular, it’s always been more niche and less mainstream. You can slap Batman, Superman, or Spider-Man on anything and people will see it. But Judge Dredd doesn’t have the same drawing power. Also add in the hard-R rating, the violence, the blood, the fact that it is very not family-friendly; that may have had something to do with it.

Dredd also isn’t the product of a major marketing conglomerate. Disney bought Marvel in 2009 and created a monolith. DC has Warner Bros. behind their movies. This is a much smaller-scale production from a bunch of smaller producers. Dredd cost a reported $50 million. Compare that to the other comic book movies in the summer of 2012: The Avengers cost $220 million, The Amazing Spider-Man cost $230 million, and Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises set the studio back $250 million. Dredd isn’t in that same echelon, though people made it out that it was.

More than anything, I’m a believer that timing killed Dredd. The film opened in September 2012, which has become a bit of a barren wasteland between summer blockbusters and winter award-season bait. This was also a summer with movies like The Avengers, The Dark Knight Rises, Amazing Spider-Man, Men in Black 3, The Bourne Legacy, and tons of other big franchise movies. It’s one of my jobs to see movies, but even I’m usually exhausted and sick of sitting in theaters by the time September rolls around. So are general audiences, who often stay away from theaters for a while at that time of year. Theatergoers may not have had another big movie in them at that particular moment.

Couple that with a lower budget, a lesser-known comic
property, no significant star power to speak of, and a much smaller marketing
budget, and it adds up to a missed opportunity. And I’m kind of okay with that.

Granted, I have no financial skin in the game, and I would definitely be jacked to see more Dredd movies. Still, we never had to suffer through subpar sequels, or had to hope the next one will be good. Instead, we have this one awesome movie. Dredd kicks all kinds of ass on many levels and we should be psyched we can watch it whenever we want.

Who Really Directed Dredd?

There is one additional thing to note about Dredd. Though it doesn’t necessarily affect how the film is viewed, it may change how some people view it. It’s also a curious story, one that has been floating around for some years, more or less since the initial release.

Looking at the credits, Dredd lists Pete Travis as the director and Alex Garland as the writer. The long-circulating rumor is that Garland actually directed much, if not most, of Dredd. It’s one of those inside-baseball, not-really-a-secret secrets.

And it’s not without some merit. As recently as 2018, Karl Urban said as much. In an interview with JoBlo, he said: “I would love to have the opportunity to play Dredd again, but if it doesn’t happen then I’m happy with the fact that we’ve made a film that has become a cult classic and that people have discovered over time. A huge part of the success of Dredd is in fact due to Alex Garland, and what a lot of people don’t realize is that Alex Garland actually directed that movie.”

That seems pretty definitive. He later went on to say that people should count Dredd as Garland’s directorial debut. There has even been talk that Travis was barred from the editing process, and Garland even sought a co-director credit.

This is all conjecture and gossip, but it makes a bit of sense. Garland obviously had eyes on a directing career and made his debut two years later in 2014. It may not mesh with the look and feel of Ex-Machina and Annihilation, but it does show some of his trademarks. On the other hand, it’s quite different from Travis’ filmography as well. In reality, it doesn’t really feel quite like the work of either filmmaker, and it’s easy to believe it’s a bit of a hybrid.

If Karl Urban and others are to be believed, Dredd is
the result of Garland more than Travis. Whether or not that’s how you lean, the
movie still totally rules.

Seth Rogen and James Franco were once one of Hollywood’s most recognizable creative partnerships. However, their friendship and professional relationship changed in recent years following sexual misconduct allegations against Franco. It has been years since the actors worked together on a project, and Rogen is sharing whether he has any plans to rekindle his partnership with Franco and whether or not they remain in contact.

In an interview with The New York Times published on June 13, Seth Rogen was asked about the friendships he made in the industry throughout the years, including the breakdown of his relationship with James Franco. Rogen thought about the extent of information he wanted to share, saying that it was “too personal” to get into.

He did, however, say that he still has the “same stance” since he talked about Franco a few years prior. “I think the proof is in the pudding — I have not worked with him in years.” Their last on-screen collaboration was 2019’s “Zeroville,” a film directed by and starring Franco that featured Rogen as Viking Man.

On a personal level, however, Rogen said the relationship is “so nuanced” and involves other people that he doesn’t want to drag into the conversation. Regardless, he said, “I haven’t worked with him in a really long time, and I have no plans to,” adding that he hasn’t talked to Franco in a while either.

The Actors First Worked Together In The Late ’90s

Rogen and Franco developed a friendship while starring in the 1999 NBC series, “Freaks and Geeks, which had just one season but became a cult classic. It wasn’t until 2008, however, that the two reunited on the big screen for “Pineapple Express.”

In the years following, they worked together on several films, including “This is the End,” “The Interview,” “The Disaster Artist,” and “Sausage Party.”

Rogen and Franco have candidly talked about their professional and personal relationship over the years, saying they learned from each other and were like brothers. “We grew up together in this business. He’s like my brother, but a brother I actually choose to work with every single day,” Franco said about Rogen in 2017.

The Allegations Against James Franco

In 2014, Franco faced backlash after screenshots were leaked showing the actor communicating with an underage fan and asking whether he should book a hotel room for them. The actor owned up to the messages and apologized for his “poor judgment.”

Four years later, the Los Angeles Times published an investigative report, in which five women, four of whom were his acting students, accused Franco of “sexually exploitative behavior.” Two of the women filed a class-action lawsuit against Franco, claiming that the actor pressured them into participating in explicit scenes on camera with the promise of film roles.

Franco admitted to having sexual relations with some of his students and also shared that he had a sex addiction. “I suppose at the time, my thinking was if it’s consensual, OK. At the time, I was not clearheaded,” he said.

In 2021, an agreement was reached, and Franco paid a $2.2 million settlement.

Seth Rogen Distanced Himself From The Actor

Following the screenshot leak in 2014, Rogen appeared on “SNL” and poked fun at his friend during his monologue. “I decided to prank James Franco. I posed as a girl on Instagram, told him I was way young. He seemed unfazed. I have a date to meet him at the Ace Hotel,” he said. In 2018, Rogen said that he would still work with Franco.

In a 2021 interview with The Times, however, the actor said he regretted making the joke, adding, “I also look back to that interview in 2018 where I comment that I would keep working with James, and the truth is that I have not and I do not plan to right now,” Rogen said.

“I despise abuse and harassment, and I would never cover or conceal the actions of someone doing it, or knowingly put someone in a situation where they were around someone like that,” he said, adding that Franco’s controversy changed “many things” in their personal and professional relationship.

James Franco Acknowledged The End Of His Friendship With Seth Rogen

Count on Victoria Woods, also known as BroRilla, to keep the spotlight on her and GloRilla! Most recently, she had supporters crackin’ up in her comment section after sharing a throwback family portrait. To boost, she joked about Glo’s facial expression in her caption.

RELATED: BroRilla FrFr! Victoria Woods’ New Hair Has Fans Saying She Looks Like An Early-Career GloRilla (VIDEO)

Victoria Woods Shares Childhood Photo Featuring GloRilla

On Saturday (June 13), BroRilla dropped a throwback moment on her Instagram. The photo appears to feature the Woods’ parents and their 10 children, including Victoria and GloRilla, standing together. BroRilla is dressed in a dark blue dress with hair bows, while Glo is wearing a light blue dress with hair bows. In the flick, Glo is looking down and away from the camera.

“Glo in the pic like I can’t wait to get away from them they embarrassing 😭😭,” Victoria Woods captioned the photo.

Social Media Reacts To Woods’ Family Portrait

More than 500 comments filled up the family portrait’s comment section on Victoria Woods’ page. Others saw the humor in BroRilla’s caption, while others speculated that she misses her sister IRL. Some even cracked jokes of their own and commented on the physical similarities between the Woods siblings.

@parysamournailsllc commented, “The fact that this pic looks like it was taken in the 80’s but Glorilla isn’t that old 😂.” 

“Omg y’all dad genes is strong 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 . I know y’all grew up getting the same gift but different colors lol me and my sis did,” @tuesdaytakeovermedia added.

“Glo looking like ‘I gotta think about these ppl something ain’t right bout them’ 😂,” @keyjonesphotography1 said.

“Shidddd yall all have the same damn face I don’t know who is who 😂😂😂,” @chocolateisalwaysgood commented.

@theonly_ruthlessstrawberry wrote, “Scar & Glo face expressions lol match y’all personality and vibes now lol to cute & funny … I can’t wait to see the link up ❤️🙏🏾🤞🏾.” 

“She miss her sister real bad,” @thabellastory said.

“Is glo the one holding up the peace sign to her face? She been saying duces to them fam since a young girl 🤣😂🤣😂,” @shirleyzeelombardi commented.

“This a beautiful photo,” @preciousloveones added.

@kween_kwali_ wrote, “Y’all momma DNA didn’t fight back AT ALL!!😂😂.”

“Ya’ll gotta recreate this picture,” @theinfamoussavage said.

“😂😂😂😂😂she look like ‘ima head out,’” @1ruby_runt added.

BroRilla Clarifies Her Previous Comments About Growing Up With Rats

Earlier this year, Victoria Woods first went viral after alleging that GloRilla doesn’t take care of their family. She dived into their family dynamics, claiming they lived through childhood struggles together. During that era, BroRilla seemingly suggested they also experienced rat infestations in their home. On Saturday, she clarified that their childhood home has one rat that she and her siblings nurtured ahead of it getting pregnant. Their mother allegedly did not know about the pet rat, then or now.

“We took care of that rat. She had about nine rats…When she had them rats, she ended up dying, we had a funeral for her. And after that we took care of all them rats and my momma was like where the f**k all these rats coming from…she didn’t know we were taking care of the rats.”

RELATED: Sheesh! See Why GloRilla’s Sister Victoria Woods Mentions Megan Thee Stallion, Brandon Ingram & Latto In Diss ‘Therapy’

After spending years working at a high-end boutique, I got pretty good at spotting which dresses would fly off the racks. The biggest surprise? Many of the dress styles customers couldn’t stop buying looked remarkably similar to pieces now available at Walmart — for a fraction of the price.

From breezy linen-blend midi dresses to flattering smocked silhouettes and polished cotton styles, Walmart has quietly become one of my favorite places to find boutique-looking dresses that feel expensive without the hefty markup. Ahead, shop 13 styles that remind me of the best-selling dresses we couldn’t keep in stock.

13 Boutique-Looking Dresses for Way Less at Walmart

1. Our Favorite: This is exactly the type of easy cotton midi dress that boutique shoppers gravitate toward every summer. The structured seams and flattering fit give it a polished feel that looks far more expensive than its under-$20 price tag.

2. Runner-Up: If you’ve ever admired resort-ready dresses at specialty boutiques, this style delivers the same elevated look. The linen blend fabric and statement border print feel straight out of a vacation collection.

3. Celeb-Inspired: This universally flattering silhouette reminds me of the easy dresses celebrities wear with simple sandals and oversized sunglasses. The fit-and-flare shape creates definition without sacrificing comfort.

4. Designer-Looking: Smocked dresses dominate boutique floors every spring and summer. This one has the same feminine, expensive-looking silhouette you’d expect to find for three times the price.

5. Everyday Essential: Every boutique has a ‘throw-on-and-go’ dress that customers buy in multiple colors. This breezy swing option is comfortable, versatile and easy to style for errands, brunch or travel.

Related: 12 Boutique-Worthy Walmart Finds That Simplify Summer Dressing

For many women over 40, the ideal summer wardrobe consists of airy dresses and elevated basics that can be worn multiple ways. Forget the crop tops and mini skirts – stylish and mature women want pieces that look more polished and put-together. They’re finding these pieces at Walmart, which is a treasure trove of chic […]

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6. Vacation Ready: Lightweight linen-blend fabrics always sell quickly in boutique settings. This shift silhouette feels effortless and sophisticated while keeping you cool in warm weather.

7. Most Expensive-Looking: The combination of a smocked bodice and flowing skirt gives this dress a refined, boutique-quality appearance. Pair it with leather sandals and no one will guess it’s from Walmart.

8. Rich-Mom Energy: Puff sleeves and mixed-media fabrics are details often found in contemporary designer collections. This style has the polished, affluent look that’s trending right now.

9. Best Mini: This peasant mini dress feels like something you’d discover in a charming coastal boutique. The puff sleeves and relaxed fit strike the perfect balance between romantic and effortless.

10. Most Versatile: Every boutique relies on elevated basics. This cotton T-shirt dress is one of those wardrobe heroes you’ll wear on repeat with sneakers, sandals and denim jackets.

11. Best Plus-Size Pick: The sweetheart neckline and flutter sleeves create a feminine silhouette that looks incredibly flattering. It’s the type of dress boutique shoppers often seek out for weddings, vacations and summer events.

12. Most Figure-Flattering: A cinched waist is one of the easiest ways to create shape and definition. This dress highlights curves while remaining comfortable enough for all-day wear.

13. Hidden Gem: The twist-front detail gives this dress a fashion-forward look that instantly elevates it. It reminds me of styles we’d routinely sell for $80 or more at the boutique (this one is just $20)!

Related: 17 Dresses That Look Like Spring-to-Summer Boutique Bestsellers

I used to work at a boutique, and spring-to-summer was always our sign of what shoppers couldn’t get enough of. The second the weather warmed up, everyone skipped past anything fussy and went straight for breezy midis, easy maxis and throw-on dresses that looked put-together (no styling stress required!). I could easily predict which ones […]

Still shopping for your go-to summer wardrobe? Skip the fancy boutiques and big-name designers. Walmart’s latest arrivals include on-trend styles, looks that are ready for a night out and luxe basics, all of which are so stylish that they can easily be mistaken for something a lot more pricey. The best part? They start at just $10, so you can easily shop on a budget.

We took a look at the options, and it didn’t take us long to find some stand-out pieces. Think breezy dresses that can stand up to rising temperatures, cute tops you can dress up or down and comfortable shorts and pants you’ll wear again and again. Get ready to start adding to your cart, because these rich-looking clothes are not to be missed.

15 Boutique-Worthy New Arrivals at Walmart — From $10

Dresses

1. Our Favorite: With the prettiest botanical design and flattering wrap-style design, this midi dress is so chic and perfect for vacation or a night out. It’s also made of a cotton and linen blend that is super breathable for hot summer temps.

2. Denim Dream: Snag this denim midi dress if you’re looking for a cute everyday frock you can wear to lunch or when shopping. We’re obsessed with the tiny anchor details that add color and a fun nautical touch.

3. Easy Breezy: Lightweight with a loose fit, this button-down midi dress can be dressed up to wear to work, or dressed down to wear out for the day. Sunny yellow is perfect for summer, but it’s also available in other bright hues.

4. Night Out: Going out somewhere special? This white mini dress feels sexy and on-trend, and the color would really pop if you have a little tan from the beach.

Bottoms

5. Our Favorite: Take a break from your basic denim shorts and opt for these striped shorts instead. They’re bright, fun and much more comfortable with a drawstring, elastic waistband.

6. Beach Ready: These gauzy white pants look so much more expensive than they are and will quickly become a go-to pick for the beach, pool and tropical vacations. Light, comfy and airy, they’ll elevate any swimsuit.

7. Everyday Pick: We love these denim shorts because they have a longer inseam and a drawstring waistband that makes them extra comfortable. The relaxed fit and soft material are bonuses.

8. Cropped and Cute: There’s just something about these cropped white pants that screams summer. They have a relaxed barrel fit and just a tiny bit of stretch to make them feel so effortlessly cool.

Tops

9. Our Favorite: This short-sleeve sweater looks like it came straight out of a Hamptons boutique, but costs less than $20. The crochet-like texture makes it summery and breathable, and we love the neutral color that goes with everything.

10. Romantic Lace: With lace detailing and a higher neck, this button-up top feels just a little bit romantic and feminine without being over the top. Wear it with jeans, shorts, a skirt… the options are endless.

11. Go-To Layer: This short-sleeve cardigan is perfect for chilly nights when you need a light layer. It comes in a bunch of different colors and looks just as good buttoned up as it does open.

12. Luxe Basic: Perfectly breathable and stretchy, this sleek tank top will quickly become a wardrobe staple. This can easily be worn with a casual look or dressed up with the right pieces.

Shoes 

13. Our Favorite: Mesh flats like these are a big trend for summer, and at just under $25, these are a budget-friendly way to try them out. The fishnet style is so comfortable for hot days, too.

14. Retro-Inspired: With a chunky block heel and ankle wrap, these wedges feel a little retro-inspired in the best way. The platform heel makes them more comfy and gives you a little height when you need it.

15. On-Trend Flats: Another big shoe trend for summer? Pointed-toe Mary-Jane flats exactly like this pick. These look designer but cost a whole lot less, and they’re so chic.

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Related: 12 Boutique-Worthy Walmart Finds That Simplify Summer Dressing

For many women over 40, the ideal summer wardrobe consists of airy dresses and elevated basics that can be worn multiple ways. Forget the crop tops and mini skirts – stylish and mature women want pieces that look more polished and put-together. They’re finding these pieces at Walmart, which is a treasure trove of chic […]

Keke Palmer and Sean Evans have reignited romance rumors after being spotted together enjoying a cozy dinner. The pair’s outing quickly drew online attention, with many speculating about the nature of their relationship.

The actress and the YouTube personality first met in 2017, when the former appeared as a guest on “Hot Ones.” Palmer has since returned to the show two more times, with the third appearance sending fans into a frenzy after she and Evans shared a kiss. With their undeniable chemistry, many can’t help but speculate about whether there is something more than friendship between the two.

On June 12, Keke Palmer and “Hot Ones” host Sean Evans were seen dining together at Lucali in Brooklyn. Celebrity gossip account Deuxmoi posted a photo of the two seemingly deep in conversation.

A source also told TMZ that the dinner lasted for more than 90 minutes, and Evans looked like he was “smitten” with the actress. Despite the dating rumors, the insider observed that the dinner was more like a meal between friends.

One user commented on Deuxmoi’s post, saying, “You can tell just by this picture that she genuinely likes him but the interaction is platonic.” Others shipped the two, with one suggesting the couple name “KeSean,” and another writing, “He was smiling like a schoolgirl, she was acting like zendaya… it is meant to be!”

Sean Evans Admitted To Having A Crush On The Actress

Palmer and Evans first met in 2017 on “Hot Ones” to promote her movie “Berlin Station.” Four years later, she returned to the show for a second time.

In 2023, Evans was a guest on “Chicken Shop Date,” and host Amelia Dimoldenberg asked him whether he had ever had a crush on any of the celebrity guests on “Hot Ones.” The show premiered on YouTube in 2015 and has since welcomed hundreds of celebrity guests. The setup has Evans interviewing celebrities while eating chicken wings dabbed with hot sauce that progressively gets spicier.

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Evans told Dimoldenberg he had a crush on Palmer, adding, “Very charming. Very charming woman.”

Keke Palmer Had ‘Good Chemistry’ With The Host

After Evans’ revelation, Palmer took to Instagram to post that segment of “Chicken Shop Date,” adding the caption, “It was love at first hot wing — this was too kind,” and tagging Evans.

In 2024, PEOPLE asked Palmer about her reaction to what Evans said about her, to which she replied, “I was living for it,” adding that she had “good chemistry” with the “Hot Ones” host.

“Not to say that I was surprised or I wasn’t surprised. But when I heard it and people were sending it to me, I was like, ‘I knew the vibes were vibing,” the actress said.

The Two Shared A Kiss That Went Viral

Palmer returned to “Hot Ones” for a third time in September 2025. “We’re back together again,” Palmer said. “I can’t quit you,” Evans replied.

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At the end of the episode, Palmer acknowledged that she’d seen the host talking about his crush on her. “I know we’ve just had some wings, but I thought that maybe we could just have a quick smooch to see if there’s a spark,” she then suggested.

Evans agreed, and the two shared a quick smack. “The spark was sparking,” the actress could be heard saying after. “When I’m dying, and my life flashes before my eyes, I’ll have that snapshot. You’re amazing. I love you,” Evans said.

They Reunited On Keke Palmer’s Podcast

Keke Palmer & Sean Evans react to their most viral flirting moments together and admit they both feel an INSANE chemistry after revisiting the clip where Sean revealed Keke was his crush 😭❤️👀

“I was gagged when you said that. I was like, so it was special?” pic.twitter.com/SYhjQ0zleP

— Killa 🌺 (@KillaKreww) May 28, 2026

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In May 2026, several months after they shared a kiss, Evans guested on Palmer’s podcast, “Baby, This is Keke Palmer.” The two continued their flirty banter, with the singer introducing Evans as her “potential future suitor.”

During their conversation, Palmer asked Evans about his first crush. He revealed that it was TLC’s Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes. Palmer then said that she portrayed Rozonda “Chilli” Thomas in the 2013 TLC movie, “Close enough,” she added.

At one point, they looked at videos of their moments together throughout the years, including the kiss. “I think they probably thought it was scripted because you didn’t seem surprised at all,” Palmer said. Evans noted that he didn’t have to think about it, adding, “Once I heard the offer and the conditions, I immediately signed.”

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A friendship that once appeared inseparable is now reportedly hanging by a thread. Taylor Swift and Keleigh Teller were frequently seen together during some of the singer’s biggest public moments, but new claims suggest their bond has unraveled in dramatic fashion.

With wedding rumors, hurt feelings, and competing accounts fueling speculation, sources say the fallout has now affected the people closest to them.

Not long ago, Taylor Swift and Keleigh Teller appeared to be among Hollywood’s closest friends.

Their friendship reportedly dates back more than a decade, but insiders claim it became significantly stronger in 2023 after Swift began dating NFL star Travis Kelce. Keleigh’s husband, actor Miles Teller, already had connections within Kelce’s circle, helping bring the two couples closer together.

The friendship seemed especially strong around Swift’s 34th birthday when Keleigh gifted her an extravagant opal ring.

Reacting to the gift, Swift wrote, “Wow. This is like a present for Elizabeth Taylor, not me.”

Keleigh responded warmly, telling the singer, “You’re my Elizabeth Taylor.”

According to one source, Keleigh also played an important role during the early stages of Swift’s relationship with Kelce.

“Travis wasn’t looking for anything serious and once you get into the Taylor world, it’s instantly serious,” the insider told the Daily Mail.

The source added that Keleigh encouraged the relationship and helped the pair grow closer.

Claims Of Jealousy And Growing Tension

As Taylor Swift and Keleigh Teller’s friendship strengthened, sources claim not everyone around them was thrilled about the growing bond.

One insider alleged that Blake Lively became uncomfortable with how close the pair had become. According to the source, Lively allegedly “felt threatened by Keleigh and Taylor’s closeness and tried to tear their friendship apart to be Taylor’s number one.”

The same source claimed Lively was “jealous” after seeing photos of Swift and Keleigh together in New York.

Another issue reportedly emerged when private messages connected to Lively’s legal dispute with Justin Baldoni became public.

According to a second source, Keleigh was unsettled by the situation.

“Keleigh didn’t want to be a part of it, and couldn’t believe they were talking like that to each other,” the insider alleged.

The source also claimed friction increased before a major awards show after Swift invited Keleigh to attend. When Keleigh reportedly withdrew for personal reasons, tensions allegedly surfaced.

“Friends told Keleigh to protect her mental health, she needs to take space, but they were still in contact here and there,” the source said.

The insider added, “Keleigh’s friends were very protective.”

Not everyone viewed the situation the same way. Another source claimed Keleigh remained loyal because “Nobody wants to be on the outside,” while also alleging she “wants to be relevant.”

Taylor Swift Friendship Reportedly Reached A Breaking Point

By the middle of 2024, insiders claim the relationship had deteriorated significantly.

One source alleged that people close to Swift and Kelce had become frustrated with the Tellers and pointed to differing “lifestyles” as a factor in the growing distance.

Another insider strongly disagreed with that explanation and argued that Swift’s actions played a larger role in the friendship’s collapse.

The source pointed to the devastating Pacific Palisades Fire, which reportedly destroyed the Tellers’ home.

“When Keleigh and Miles’s house burned down in the fires and Taylor didn’t call or check in at all, Keleigh just let the friendship go,” the source claimed.

The insider added, “That was the nail in the coffin of the friendship.”

A separate source defended Swift, claiming the singer was simply “exhausted” and “only in touch with very few people after almost two years on the road.”

According to reports, Keleigh later appeared to endorse criticism of Swift by liking a social media comment that read, “Pretty sure the woman lost her damn home in a fire. I think there’s way more things going on in her life than Taylor Swift. Good lord.”

Another source also claimed Keleigh had previously expressed frustration about her place within Swift’s social circle.

“Keleigh told Taylor she felt like she was always playing second, third or even fourth fiddle to her other friends,” the insider alleged.

Wedding Rumors And Reconciliation Efforts Continue

The reported fallout has led to speculation about whether the Tellers will attend Swift and Kelce’s expected wedding celebrations.

Sources told the Daily Mail that mutual friends are still working behind the scenes to repair the friendship.

One insider claimed, “All of our friends are currently trying to fix this but it’s hard to come back from losing everything and not hearing from your once closest friend.”

Despite those efforts, the source alleged Keleigh remains hesitant.

According to the insider, she worries that attending the wedding would only make “Taylor look good” and leave her feeling “like a doormat.”

The source added, “Keleigh wants the friendship to work itself out naturally without media book ending it.”

They also said, “She is literally still heartbroken.”

Friends reportedly continue encouraging reconciliation, with one source saying they have urged her, “Look, just come and we’ll all be fine after.”

Meanwhile, some observers pointed to Miles Teller’s appearance on Kelce’s “New Heights” podcast as evidence that the feud had cooled.

However, one source rejected that idea, insisting, “There is no reason to read into that at all.”

Taylor Swift Fallout Reportedly Impacts Miles Teller

While the reported issues began between Swift and Keleigh, sources claim the tension eventually extended to their partners.

According to one insider, Miles Teller is “absolutely disgusted” by some of the narratives that have emerged publicly, particularly claims involving alleged lifestyle differences between the couples.

The same source alleged that Kelce failed to intervene as the friendship deteriorated and claimed he had not “stepped in” for a long period of time.

However, insiders also suggested Kelce may have recently tried to reconnect with Miles and feels “bad” about how things unfolded.

As speculation continues, another source offered a broader explanation for the friendship’s end.

“Taylor changes all the time,” the insider claimed. “She ebbs and flows with whoever she’s hanging out with. The Keleigh relationship – she’s just not doing that anymore.”

For now, the once-close friendship remains the subject of competing accounts, unanswered questions, and ongoing efforts to bring the former friends back together.