Love Island USA host Ariana Madix shared an emotional tribute to the show’s late executive producer, James Barker.

“As many of you know, we unexpectedly lost a dear friend this summer,” Madix, 41, wrote via her Instagram Stories as the season 8 finale of the reality TV series aired on Sunday, July 12. “James Barker is the kindest person you could ever meet, with the kind of soul that truly radiates from within. We will miss him always.”

Us Weekly confirmed via a statement shared by Peacock on June 15 that Barker, who joined ITV America in summer 2020 and worked on Love Island USA for years before becoming a full-time executive producer, had died in Fiji one week prior amid “an unexpected medical emergency.”

Madix’s post also urged fans to contribute to a GoFundMe page dedicated to raising funds for a “celebration he deserves,” as well as mortgage repayments and other bills. “If anyone is so able to donate or to just share this, thank you.”

Madix, who joined Love Island USA as a host in March 2026 at the beginning of season 6, concluded her post with a message to her late friend. “Thank you to James for touching all of our lives with your amazing light,” she wrote alongside a photo of the pair smiling for the camera. “We miss you.”

The show paid tribute to Barker at the end of its June 16 episode. Alongside a montage of photos of Barker, text read, “For James. We love you.”

Details surrounding Barker’s death remain unclear.

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Barker’s partner, Adam Roth, discussed his heartbreak in the wake of Barker’s death. “James was the absolute light and love of my life. He brought joy and brilliance to everything he touched,” Roth told People in a statement at the time, noting that the pair had met at a Billie Eilish concert and were together for more than four years.

During Sunday night’s Love Island USA finale, Trinity Tatum and Bryce Alakai Dettloff were crowned the winning couple, followed by Aniya Harvey and Carl Lee Schmidt in second place, Melanie Moreno and Sincere Rhea in third place, and Kayda Bosse and Zach Georgiou in fourth place.

The cast will reunite in a special scheduled on Monday, August 31, with Madix teaming up with Andy Cohen to relink “this season’s winners, fan-favorite couples, and this year’s bombshells, for an up close and personal look back at their experience in the Villa,” according to a press release.

Warning: This article contains heavy spoilers!

The plot twist is a narrative device in which an established storyline is completely upended. It often involves death, betrayal, or sudden revelations that change the whole course of the narrative and take things in an entirely new direction. When done right, it adds so much to the story, although it’s a really hard thing to nail.

The plot twist isn’t exclusive to one specific form of media, and it has appeared in movies, books, TV shows, and yes, video games. Basically, if there’s a medium in which a story can be told, creators will try to sneak in a plot twist or two. Some of them, especially in the gaming world, are notoriously awful, but some have gone on to make history for just how good they are. These are the best video game plot twists of all time.

10

The Player Is Revan – ‘Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic’ (2003)

Image via BioWare

In Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, players take on the role of a nameless individual who can be a Jedi, Sith, or even a non-Force user depending on player choices. The galaxy is currently under threat from Darth Malak, a Sith Lord who was once a Jedi but turned to the Sith along with his master, Darth Revan. However, Malak later betrayed Revan, causing a schism amongst the Sith and even more turmoil in the galaxy.

On their quest to stop Darth Malak, gamers eventually learn that they have been playing as Darth Revan this whole time. It turns out Revan was captured by the Jedi Council, and his memory was wiped so that the Jedi could use him as a weapon against his former apprentice. It’s honestly a shame this twist isn’t canon, because it adds so much to the lore of Star Wars. While Revan himself is confirmed to be canon, this whole plotline isn’t, so fans can only hope that it is reimplemented at some point or another.

9

Cloud Is No Hero – ‘Final Fantasy VII’ (1997)

Image via Square

There are a couple of different plot twists in Final Fantasy VII and its recent remakes; for example, there isn’t a single player who forgets the moment Aerith was horrifically impaled by Sephiroth, arguably the most memorable twist but not necessarily the best. For that, it’ll have to be the big reveal at the end about Cloud’s true origins. Cloud is the main character, who passes himself off as this great hero who is attempting to save the world.

At the end of the game, it turns out that Cloud is actually just a nobody. He is not a legendary SOLDIER as he claims, but rather an ordinary grunt who was attacked and captured by Sephiroth. Cloud was experimented on, and in the process, suffered a psychological break, adopting the personality of Zack Fair, the man who actually fought Sephiroth. In short, Cloud’s entire persona was just a façade meant to cover up his profound trauma. Worse still, Sephiroth has been controlling Cloud like a puppet this entire time. This twist is great because it doesn’t feel like someone else is betraying you; it feels like you’re betraying yourself. It’s an early example of a plot twist done right, which makes great use of the “unreliable narrator” trope.

8

“The Numbers, Mason” – ‘Call of Duty: Black Ops’ (2010)

Image via Treyarch

In Call of Duty: Black Ops, players assume the role of CIA operative Alex Mason during the Cold War. With the help of Victor Reznov, a Soviet sergeant from a previous entry in the series, Mason is able to break out of a Soviet gulag and escape back to the United States. Later, he reunites with Reznov, who begins leading Mason on a crusade against three leaders of a splinter faction intent on attacking the US. Every time Reznov is seen in the game, Mason hears and sees a string of numbers, not knowing what they mean.

At the end of the game, it turns out that Reznov was never there; he actually died at the gulag and existed only as a figment of Mason’s imagination. As for the numbers? Those are a set of encrypted orders that were embedded in Mason’s brain during his detainment, as a way of making him a sleeper agent for the USSR. The process was similar to MKUltra. However, Reznov was able to alter that process somehow, making it so Mason’s only purpose is to hunt down those responsible. Once this revelation happens, it all makes sense. Nobody aside from Mason actually acknowledges or talks to Reznov, and when Mason does talk to Reznov, others sometimes act like Mason is losing it. Call of Duty isn’t exactly known for its deep and moving stories, but this game absolutely nailed it in that department. It’s one of the reasons it became one of the best FPS games of all time.

7

There Never Was a Konrad – ‘Spec Ops: The Line’ (2012)

Image via Darkside Game Studios

Spec Ops: The Line is based on the 1899 novella Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad, the same book that was adapted into the film Apocalypse Now. Like the movie, the game completely changed the setting: instead of being about Belgian colonialism in the Congo region, this game is about American intervention in the Middle East. In the aftermath of a natural disaster in Dubai, US military official John Konrad (note the name similarity to the original author) was assigned to a relief operation. Instead, Konrad implemented martial law, turning the city into a war zone. Sent in to stop Konrad is Delta Force operator Martin Walker.

Walker experiences severe trauma and witnesses Hell on Earth during his quest to kill Konrad, which eventually leads to PTSD-fuelled hallucinations. It turns out the hallucinations go even deeper than you initially think, though. Upon reaching the end, Walker discovers Konrad’s rotting corpse and is forced to confront the reality: every nightmarish thing that Walker thought Konrad did was all Walker’s fault, from slaughtering civilians to creating anarchy in Dubai. Konrad was just someone to put the blame on. This twist is so great because it paints a horrifying picture of what war is really like, and shows how trauma can manifest in soldiers. It’s also an example of how soldiers of any army can commit serious crimes, but will often find someone else to blame.

6

Geppetto Caused the Puppet Frenzy – ‘Lies of P’ (2023)

Image via Neowiz

Lies of P is a Soulslike RPG based on The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi, only this video game presents a much darker, more mature version of the story. The setting is the city of Krat, which resembles Belle Époque Paris and is almost devoid of human life following an apocalyptic event known as the Puppet Frenzy. Automatons called puppets, who were all made by Geppetto, formerly worked as labourers and servants in the city before abruptly slaughtering their human masters en masse. In the game, you play as P (obviously short for Pinocchio), a near-perfect puppet who is almost human. P is awoken by the Blue Fairy, Sophia, who wants to rescue Geppetto from danger and save Krat.

Once he is saved for the second time, Geppetto reveals that he intentionally caused the Puppet Frenzy because he lost his son, Carlo, whom P was built to resemble. Out of grief, Geppetto orchestrated the Puppet Frenzy as a means of harvesting a magical force called Ergo from Krat’s deceased citizens. He also constructed P as a killing machine to slay bosses and collect their Ergo, planning to use it to bring Carlo back to life, killing P in the process. You can actually do it, as the game gives you a choice. The twist is great because any parent will likely understand Geppetto’s grief, even if his actions are completely unjustified. It’s also a real stab in the back since Geppetto treats P like a son and is a fatherly mentor throughout the game.

5

The Joker Is an Impostor – ‘Batman: Arkham City’ (2011)

Image via Warner Bros.

In Batman: Arkham City, the Joker is revealed to be seriously ill due to a blood illness; a side effect of the chemical compound known as Titan that he used in the previous installment. He also infuses his blood into Batman to force Batman to find a cure. But before he can do that, Joker reveals that he is feeling much better. His sickly blemishes and ragged cough are gone, and he looks as good as new. At the end, though, it turns out that this version of Joker was actually Clayface in disguise. The real Joker is still very much under the weather.

This clever ploy is alluded to at a few other points in the game, which keen players will spot if they’re clever enough. From overhearing a conversation between Joker and Harley Quinn to using detective vision to see that the fake Joker has no bones, the game does let it slip that Joker might not be telling the truth here. The plan does allow Joker to get the drop on Batman not once, but twice, and serves as a boost in the morale of Joker’s gang and a way to break Batman’s spirit after going through all that bloody effort to find a cure. It’s a great twist because it makes sense, and it doesn’t come out of nowhere just for the sake of having a twist. It’s established itself as a legendary piece of the Batman: Arkham series, and of video game history in general.

4

Josh Is the Masked Maniac – ‘Until Dawn’ (2015)

Image via Supermassive Games

Until Dawn opens with the deaths of Hannah and Beth, two sisters, at their parents’ ski lodge in Alberta, Canada. A year later, their group of friends reconvenes at the lodge for their annual ski trip, only this time, the friends find themselves pursued by a masked killer who kidnaps friends Chris, Josh, and Ashley, with the latter two being locked in a death trap. The killer’s voice, speaking on an intercom, forces Chris to make a choice: does he save Ashley, his crush, or Josh, his best friend? Frankly, no matter what you choose, Josh dies in gruesome fashion.

Later, it is revealed that not only is Josh alive, but he’s the masked killer. He orchestrated the whole thing as revenge for the deaths of his two sisters a year prior. He faked his death by using his dad’s film props that he left at the lodge. On top of that, he only did the whole thing to scare his friends, and never actually kills anybody. Unfortunately, Josh is completely unaware that the Wendigo, a cannibalistic being from Indigenous folklore, is also present at the lodge and is a much bigger threat, so the game still continues for several more hours. It’s a bombshell of a twist, to the point that when the game first came out, you could almost hear jaws hitting the floor at the same time from all around the world.

3

Dormin Unleashed – ‘Shadow of the Colossus’ (2005)

Image via Sony Computer Entertainment

Shadow of the Colossus follows Wander, a young man who journeys into the Forbidden Land to seek the slumbering god, Dormin. Wander’s hope is that Dormin will be able to bring back his girlfriend, the Princess, from the dead. Dormin agrees, but only if Wander kills the 16 roaming colossi scattered around the Forbidden Land. You kill these 16 creatures, but the game treats each death like a great tragedy, with sad music and all.

Once all 16 are dead, Dormin reveals that they duped you the whole time. The colossi acted as seals for Dormin’s prison, and killing them has released the dark god in his physical form. Another thing Dormin “forgot” to tell was that Wander’s body would be used as a new vessel, effectively killing Wander when the Princess’ father arrives and puts Dormin back into his prison. Wander is reincarnated as a horned baby, and his girlfriend is brought back to life in the end. Dormin technically did keep their word; it’s just that they chose to leave out some of the more important details. It’s such a great twist because it adds to the tragic ending and emphasizes the importance of not meddling with forces that humanity cannot understand.

Image via Konami

The beginning of Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater sees Naked Snake go on a mission to rescue Soviet scientist Sokolov, who was forced to develop a nuclear-equipped superweapon called the Shagohod. Snake is assisted by “The Boss,” a woman who was his former mentor. After Sokolov is rescued, The Boss betrays Snake, breaking his bones and throwing him into a river before recapturing Sokolov. At the same time, Soviet commander Volgin executes a nuclear strike on US soil, with the intent of blaming the United States. Since this game is set during the Cold War, one can imagine the catastrophic consequences this might have.

Eventually, Snake is tasked with killing The Boss. You have no choice — you have to kill her at the end, and the game actually forces you to press the button/pull the trigger, or it won’t progress. This tragic scene is made worse with the reveal that The Boss was never a traitor in the first place, but rather a deeply embedded agent who was also trying to stop nuclear escalation; once that strike happened, her mission was to serve as a scapegoat. The US government needed her dead to blame the nuclear strike solely on her, and she knew it the whole time. Plus, they needed Snake specifically to do it, meaning the game played you like a damn fiddle. This twist makes for an extremely tragic yet legendary ending that many players are rediscovering thanks to the recently-released remake.

1

“Would You Kindly?” – ‘BioShock’ (2007)

Image via 2K Games

BioShock opens with the player, named Jack, getting in a nasty plane crash over the ocean. Swimming to a lighthouse, Jack discovers the underwater city of Rapture, a former utopia that eventually fell into chaos due to the unregulated use of the substance known as ADAM, and the selfish philosophy of Andrew Ryan, the city’s co-founder. Upon arrival, Jack makes contact with a man named Atlas, who begins guiding Jack through the city from afar, telling him he needs to do certain things, kill certain individuals… that sort of thing. He’s pretty polite about it, too, always beginning his requests by saying “would you kindly?”

Eventually, Andrew Ryan reveals that Jack is a sleeper agent who intentionally caused the plane crash on Atlas’ (secretly criminal mastermind Frank Fontaine) orders. On top of that, “would you kindly” acts as a trigger phrase for Jack, compelling him to obey no matter what. Moreover, Jack is actually Ryan’s biological son, and possesses the necessary biometrics to enter Rapture. The whole thing is an elaborate ploy for Fontaine to seize control of what remains of Rapture. It’s easily the most well-known plot twist in all of gaming, to the point where many don’t even need to have played the game to know it. It absolutely floored people, and continues to do so to this day, largely because it exploits the very concept of playing a game. Every gamer has been told their objectives before, but did anyone bother to ask why? It is this built-in blind obedience that makes this twist so effective.

The Hugo and Nebula awards are the leading prizes for fantasy and sci-fi writing. The former dates back to 1953 and the latter to 1966, meaning that many of the genres’ classics have taken home one of these prizes and, occasionally, both. While quite a few sci-fi novels have claimed both awards, only a handful of fantasy books have.

The titles below are all great in different ways, from the emotional coming-of-age storytelling of Among Others to the immersive world-building of The Stone Sky. Fantasy fans are bound to find something to enjoy among them.

4

‘Among Others’ (2012)

“I read, and therefore I was not alone.” This book presents itself as the diary of teenager Mori Phelps. Following the death of her twin sister, Mori is sent to live with relatives she barely knows while trying to escape her manipulative, possibly magical mother. Isolated at boarding school, she searches for belonging by reading sci-fi and fantasy books. All the while, she navigates a world where fairies and magic may be just as real as her grief.

Author Jo Walton masterfully blurs the line between fantasy and psychological realism. Among Others is thoughtful and intelligent, with a lot to say about growing up and dealing with loss. It gets pretty dark at times, delving into themes of illness, abuse, and even evil. At the same time, the book is very much a tribute to sci-fi and fantasy literature itself, referencing countless classics and emphasizing the power of imagination.

3

‘Paladin of Souls’ (2004)

“Sometimes the gods answer in ways no one expects.” Paladin of Souls centers on Ista dy Chalion, a middle-aged widow (and mother of the current ruler) whose family believes she has spent years suffering from madness. Determined to reclaim control over her own life, she leaves behind the expectations placed upon her and embarks upon a journey that unexpectedly draws her back into the affairs of gods, demons, and kingdoms.

While many classic fantasy elements are at play here, the book treats them with more depth than usual. The character development is especially rich. For instance, rather than being a stereotypical heroine, Ista is a three-dimensional woman burdened by regret and responsibility. She changes a lot over the course of the story. Her rediscovery of her confidence and sense of purpose is relatable and resonates.

2

‘The Stone Sky’ (2018)

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“The world is already ending. The question is who survives.” The Stone Sky is the final entry in N.K. Jemisin‘s acclaimed Broken Earth trilogy, which takes place on a supercontinent wracked by destructive geological activity. In this volatile world, protagonist Essun, her daughter Nassun, and the mysterious Stone Eaters move toward a cataclysmic final confrontation. Its outcome will determine not only the fate of their world but also the future relationship between humanity and the immense powers that have shaped civilization for millennia.

The world-building in this series is fantastic, with the constant environmental catastrophes woven directly into the setting’s mythology, politics, and magic system. That said, Jemisin makes sure to keep the characters front and center as well, even as grand plotlines reach their crescendos. Not for nothing, every book in this trilogy took home the Hugo Award.

1

‘American Gods’ (2002)

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“People believe, and so things are.” One of the most influential fantasy books of the 2000s, American Gods introduces us to Shadow Moon, an ex-con who accepts a mysterious job working for the enigmatic Mr. Wednesday. Soon, Shadow discovers that America has become the battleground for a looming conflict between the fading deities of old mythology and the powerful new gods born from modern obsessions like media and technology.

Along the way, the book confidently blends Norse mythology, African folklore, Slavic legends, Native American traditions, and countless other belief systems into a uniquely American road novel. It includes leprechauns, ifrits, spidery tricksters, World Trees, sacrifice, godly battles, and very weird sex scenes. All in all, American Gods is endlessly entertaining, but also full of real food for thought, with a lot to say about the power of belief.

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American Gods

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Release Date

2017 – 2021-00-00

Directors

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David Slade

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Glenn Close belongs to that rare group of actors whose name still feels serious before the movie even starts. A whole generation knows her through prestige drama, awards conversations, theater roots, and the kind of screen intensity that can make even a quiet line feel dangerous. Younger viewers may know the reputation first and the films later, but once you actually go through the work, the reputation makes sense fast.

These four films show why Close became such a towering name in American movies. They are romantic, messy, seductive, ugly, funny, tragic, and deeply human in completely different ways. This is a reminder that Close could enter whichever theme and still leave a mark that still feels alive decades later. Scroll down slowly now if you’re locked in.

4

‘The Natural’ (1984)

Image via TriStar

The Natural is a baseball fable first, full of mythic lighting, impossible talent, broken dreams, and that almost religious belief in the sound of a bat meeting a ball. Roy Hobbs (Robert Redford) is the man at the center, a gifted player whose life is derailed before he gets a late chance at glory. Iris Gaines (Glenn Close) then shows up, the woman connected to the innocence and hope Roy lost along the way.

Iris could have disappeared inside the film’s golden nostalgia, but that never happens. She becomes the emotional reminder of the life Roy might have had before fame, corruption, and regret started crowding him. Iris has this calm sadness that fits the movie’s fairy-tale quality without making her feel unreal. Her presence in the stands, especially as Roy tries to reclaim himself, gives the film a clean emotional charge. It’s not the best but it counts.

3

‘The Big Chill’ (1983)

Image via Columbia Pictures

The Big Chill follows a group of old college friends who reunite after the suicide of Alex (Kevin Costner), the one person whose absence forces everyone to look at who they became. Sarah Cooper (Glenn Close) is married to Harold Cooper (Kevin Kline) and quietly carrying the grief that opens the film. This is an ensemble movie, so nobody owns the whole thing, but Close understands the exact tone required: adult sadness mixed with old affection, sexual history, disappointment, music, and the weird comfort of people who once knew you better than anyone.

Sarah’s pain never turns into one grand display. It leaks out through conversation, hosting, small looks, and the tension between who these friends were in the 1960s and who they became in the 1980s. Sarah has this warmth without sanding down the hurt. Her bond with the group feels lived-in, especially because the film keeps showing how nostalgia can comfort people and expose them at the same time. The Big Chill remains a classic because its characters feel older than their ideals and younger than their regrets.

2

‘Fatal Attraction’ (1987)

Image via Paramount/courtesy Everett Collection

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Fatal Attraction became a cultural earthquake because it touched something people were already terrified to talk about: desire outside marriage, male entitlement, female rage, and the consequences of treating another person as a mistake to clean up. Dan Gallagher (Michael Douglas) has an affair with Alex Forrest (Glenn Close), then tries to retreat back into family life as if the damage can stay neatly contained. Alex refuses to vanish.

The movie has been argued over for decades, and Close is the reason it still feels complicated. Alex does frightening things, of course, but there is heartbreak under the obsession and humiliation under the fury. She is lonely, intelligent, unstable, wounded, and furious at being treated as disposable. That cocktail makes the film harder to shake than a simple thriller about a dangerous woman. Close turns Alex into a nightmare built from real emotional injuries, which is exactly why the movie still gets under the skin. Fatal Attraction is messy, sensational, and unforgettable.

1

‘Dangerous Liaisons’ (1988)

Image via Warner Bros.

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Dangerous Liaisons is pure poison wrapped in silk. The world is aristocratic France before the Revolution, where manners, letters, sex, reputation, and revenge become weapons. Close plays the Marquise de Merteuil, a woman who understands the rules of this society so clearly that she can bend them better than almost anyone around her. Across from Valmont (John Malkovich), she turns cruelty into strategy and elegance into combat.

Merteuil’s every gesture feels controlled and every word has a blade hidden inside it. She has survived a world built to limit women, then learned how to use secrecy, intelligence, and desire as power. That never makes her harmless or heroic. Her games destroy people, and the destruction becomes more brutal because she sees so much more than the people she manipulates. The character is genuinely magnetic, terrifying, witty, wounded, and proud enough to burn everything rather than lose.

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Dangerous Liaisons

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Release Date

December 21, 1988

Runtime

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119 minutes

Writers

Christopher Hampton

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Comedian Margaret Cho addressed the death of Senator Lindsey Graham via a critical social media post.

“Bye Lindsey, bye Lindsey Graham. From the closet to the coffin, real seamless. Real seamless,” the lifelong democrat, 57, said in a TikTok shared on Sunday, July 12, after news of the South Carolina senator’s death broke earlier that day. (The sexuality of the former politician was the subject of widespread speculation over the years.)

Cho’s post, which was captioned, “Bye gurl,” also directed commentary towards the health of fellow Senator Mitch McConnell, who has been hospitalized since June 14 after he was found unconscious inside his home. “So, it’s Mitch McConnell, Lindsey Graham … it does happen in threes,” she continued, seemingly hinting at another high-profile republican. “Hope.”

Cho, a vocal advocate of LGBTQIA+ rights, has spoken out against President Donald Trump’s administration during many media interviews and via social media posts. Her followers mostly share her political viewpoints, with several showing their support within her latest TikTok’s comment section. “It’s been a good week,” wrote one follower, while another wrote, “I have a little extra pep in my step today!”

Graham’s death was confirmed by a spokesperson via an X statement on Sunday. “On the evening of Saturday, July 11, U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham passed away from a brief and sudden illness,” the statement read. “Senator Graham’s family appreciates prayers at this time and asks for privacy during this incredibly difficult period.”

Hours later, the office of McConnell, 84, released a statement that addressed the fellow senator’s own health. “My doctors have confirmed that I didn’t break any bones or suffer a concussion. I didn’t have a heart attack or a stroke. I don’t have any tumors or hemorrhages,” McConnell’s statement read. “But I was briefly unconscious and was taken to the hospital. While receiving excellent care over the past several weeks, I’ve also had to deal with a mild case of pneumonia.”

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McConnell’s statement, which included a photo of himself smiling at the camera from a hospital bed, continued, “In fact, with signs of continued progress, I’ve been able to move from hospital care to a rehabilitation center where I’ll keep regaining my strength.”

Cho is not the only celebrity to weigh in on the weekend’s health-related political news. On Sunday, in light of McConnell’s hospital bed photo, Jimmy Kimmel poked fun at the image by editing his own head in place of McConnell’s and sharing his version via Instagram.

Seemingly commenting on his current two-month hiatus from late-night hosting duties on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Kimmel, 58, cheekily wrote, “For those who’ve been asking, I’m feeling great.”

The season 8 finale of Love Island USA featured a major change when it came to the prize money.

Love Island USA viewers know that usually America votes for the final four couples, who then make it to the finale that took place on Sunday, July 12. Similar to past seasons, each pair got the chance to go on their own date.

They then decided if they wanted to remain together but this time around they didn’t write the standard “vows” for each other before finding out who gets crowned the winning couple.

Another major shakeup was the envelope ceremony, where the duo who received the highest number of votes from the public were given two envelopes: one for each partner. One envelope was meant to contain $100,000, while the other was empty. The partner with the $100,000 envelope would choose whether to share the money with their partner as a test of trust and commitment — or walk away with all of it as a way of choosing the prize over love.

Related: Which ‘Love Island USA’ Season 8 Couple Won the $100,000 Prize?

After a summer full of relationship drama, Love Island USA finally crowned the season 8 winner — but which couple scored the most votes? During the Sunday, July 12, season finale of the hit Peacock dating show, host Ariana Madix announced that Trinity Tatum and Bryce Alakai Dettloff got the most votes from the public […]

Trinity Tatum and Bryce Alakai Dettloff were awarded the win but host Ariana Madix didn’t ask them their individual plans for their prize money. Instead, she said on multiple occasions that they both were sharing the $100,000.

The Love Island franchise began in the U.K. in 2002 before expanding worldwide with various spinoffs, including Love Island USA on Peacock. Each season, a different group of single Islanders are challenged to pair off in order to stay in the show’s luxury villa for a chance at the $100,000 prize.

Season 8 has had its fair share of drama — both while filming in Fiji and off screen. Earlier this season, Vasana Montgomery was cut from the show after resurfaced social media posts showed her using a slur.

Related: ‘Love Island USA‘ Season 8 Couples: Who Is Still Together? Who Broke Up?

Love Island USA is all about coupling up — so which Islanders are currently together and which have already called it quits in the villa? Peacock’s popular dating show returned in June 2026 with contestants Aniya Harvey, Beatriz Hatz, Bryce Alakai Dettloff, KC Chandler, Mackenzie “Kenzie” Annis, Melanie Moreno, Sincere Rhea, Sean Reifel, Trinity Tatum […]

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Casa Amor bombshell Alannah Keyser also got pulled from the season after facing backlash for a resurfaced video that allegedly showed her using a racial slur.

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Similar issues arose during season 7, with Yulissa Escobar leaving days into the experience last year after clips of her using racial slurs on a podcast circulated online.

Season 7’s Cierra Ortega also faced backlash for using a slur in her own resurfaced social media post. She was pulled from the villa and later issued an apology for her past behavior.

Love Island USA is currently streaming on Peacock.

Brooke Williamson was on hand to support boyfriend Bobby Flay while he competed at the 2026 American Century Championship.

In an exclusive video taken by Us Weekly on Sunday, July 12, Williamson, 47, placed her arms on Flay’s shoulders as the pair chatted before the iconic 17th hole at the ACC Golf Championship presented by American Century Investments in South Lake Tahoe.

She then placed a hand on his chin as he leaned down to listen to her. The couple was then seen laughing as he prepared to play.

Us confirmed in March 2025 that Williamson and Flay, 61, are dating. Two months later, Flay opened up about their relationship for the first time.

“Well, first of all, I’ve been friends with Brooke forever,” he told People in June 2025. “I mean, she and I have been friends for a long time, and so we shot this show before we started actually officially dating. So it has always kind of been the same for me.”

He continued, “She’s been on the show basically since the inception. So it’s always been fun to kind of have her around because we’ve been friends, but now going forward, it’s a little bit different. So we’ll see what that brings.”

Flay shared that he and Williamson “have a lot in common,” which includes being in the same industry and their roles as parents. (Flay welcomed daughter Sophie with ex-wife Kate Connelly, whom he was married to from 1995 to 1998. Williamson, meanwhile, shares son Hudson with Nick Roberts, whom she was married to from 2007 to 2024.)

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Related: Bobby Flay Packs on PDA With Girlfriend Brooke Williamson at US Open

Those tuning in to watch the 2025 US Open got a glimpse of Bobby Flay sharing a smooch with his girlfriend, Brooke Williamson. The pair attended the annual tennis tournament at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on Thursday, September 4. During a match, the camera panned to Flay, 60, and Williamson, 47, […]

“We are both in the restaurant business,” he shared at the time. “We have tons to talk about in terms of the things that we love to do besides just go and have dinner every once in a while. So it’s been really great. And one of the things I really like about being in a relationship with Brooke is that she’s great to bounce things off of. Like, we ask each other’s opinion about things that we’re doing food wise or restaurant wise or business wise, all the time. So it’s really nice to have kind of a best friend that you’re dating that can also be helpful answering the questions that you have.”

Months later, the couple sparked engagement speculation when she shared a photo wearing a ring. In November 2025, Flay clarified that the jewelry is a “commitment ring.”

“I’m not engaged,” he said during an appearance on Elvis Duran and the Morning Show at the time. “We both don’t want to get married again. It’s OK. So, like, it’s great having a life partner. And so I wanted to give her something significant to make her feel committed. That’s all.”

Despite having only hours left on Love Island USA, the Islanders still got very “loud” during their last night in the villa’s shared bedroom.

During the Sunday, July 12, finale, Melanie Moreno poked fun at how she wasn’t able to go to sleep because it was “loud as f***” due to the other couples acting on their feelings for each other. Melanie was reminded that she partook in the hooking up with her partner, Sincere Rhea.

Aniya Harvey and Carl Lee Schmidt, Kayda Bosse and Zach Georgiou and Trinity Tatum and Bryce Alakai Dettloff were the remaining people still vying for the season 8 win. Trinity and Bryce ultimately walked away with the $100,000 prize.

Love Island USA originally premiered in the U.K. in 2002 before it expanded worldwide with various spinoffs, including Love Island USA on Peacock. The series follows a different group of singles every season who have to pair off in order to stay in the show’s luxury villa.

The contestants — referred to as Islanders — live in isolation in a villa and are under constant video surveillance. They must be coupled up to remain on the show and stand a chance at receiving the $100,000 prize.

While finding a connection that you want to explore more intimately isn’t out of the question, season 7 of Love Island USA seemed to set some sort of record with the amount of times Islanders were caught hooking up — until season 8.

From Hannah Fields and Pepe Garcia to Huda Mustafa and Jeremiah Brown, the reality stars found ways around having to address their sexual encounters for all of America to hear.

“We had a code name for intimacy,” Hannah exclusively told Us Weekly in June 2025. “We would say, ‘How was your journey? What was this journey like?’ Huda [started it when she] said something like, ‘Oh, I had a journey. My journey went all the way.’”

Season 8 escalated the sex that took place in the villa with multiple couples going all the way while sharing a bedroom in the villa. There was even the term “French fries” that was coined in reference to a sex act.

Trinity said in a June episode that she heard someone performing “French fries,” which sounded “too wet” to just be a kiss. In a confessional, Kenzie Annis confirmed she shared a heated exchange with Corbin Mims.

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“I was definitely getting some French fries. Feeling good,” she gushed. “We were probably doing a bit much honestly but I feel a strong connection with Corbin. We probably got a little bit carried away.”

Based on the footage, French fries hinted at manual sex acts such as a hand job. Viewers, meanwhile, pointed out that it likely meant an appetizer ahead of a full meal.

Love Island USA is currently streaming on Peacock.

Oceans of digital ink have already been spilled about Denis Villeneuve‘s new James Bond movie, and especially about who will play the lead character. With previous Bond Daniel Craig having left the series dramatically at the climax of No Time to Die, there’s a vacancy for cinema’s top secret agent, and fan castings have been inescapable.

Now, Debbie McWilliams, who headed up the casting for every Bond movie since 1981’s For Your Eyes Only before retiring, is weighing in on the subject. While she won’t be part of the casting process this time, she still has strong opinions about the role, having had a hand in selecting previous Bonds, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan, and Craig.

McWilliams recently spoke at the Karlovy Film Festival in Czechia at a panel moderated by Variety. There, she asserted that she believes the character should remain a white man, as he’s traditionally been portrayed: “Ian Fleming wrote a character, and that’s the character that stays. That’s what I think. I mean, other people might think otherwise, but I don’t think that.” The most important characteristic for McWilliams, however, is the danger Bond represents: “…part of his job description is ‘license to kill,’ so you’ve got to think that he could pick a gun up and shoot you…he’s got to have a kind of threat about him.”

What Do We Know About the New James Bond Movie?

The next Bond movie will be produced by Amazon MGM Studios; they purchased total control of the franchise from Eon Productions’ Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, whose father, Albert “Cubby” Broccoli, started the Bond film franchise with Dr. No in 1962. Villeneuve, fresh off his epic science-fiction Dune trilogy, will take the directing reins. It will be up to him and veteran casting director Nina Gold (Star Wars: The Force Awakens) to choose the next Bond; casting is already underway, although it’s too soon to say when the new 007 will be announced. What we do know is that the new Bond will be young enough to play the role for an extended series of films, which will likely eliminate many popular fan-casts, including Idris Elba and Henry Cavill.

Although it may be some time before a new Bond film graces cinema screens, Bond is having success in another medium. IO Interactive’s new video game, 007 First Light, has been a hit with critics and audiences, selling 3 million copies within its first two weeks of release. The game features Patrick Gibson (Dexter: Original Sin) as Bond, as well as performances from Gemma Chan and Lenny Kravitz; it even includes a Bond theme from singer Lana Del Rey, complete with a Bond-style opening sequence.

Denis Villeneuve’s new James Bond movie is in development; no release date has yet been announced. Stay tuned to Collider for future updates.

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Release Date

October 8, 2021

Runtime

163 Minutes

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Director

Cary Joji Fukunaga

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