Entertainment
11 Most Intense Thrillers Ever Made
Thrillers are, by their very nature, designed to push audiences to the edge. They mean to leave no knuckle unwhitened and no nail unbitten in their mission to thrill. Sometimes that devotion to thrills can be intense, almost too intense in some cases, with movies that threaten to push audiences over the edge. Those movies might not be for everyone, especially those viewers who prefer their thrills to be more exciting than overwhelming, but for those who can handle them, they are unique experiences.
What constitutes an intense thriller may be a slight matter of opinion. For some, the most intense are the ones that get violent and nasty to the point they almost qualify more as horror than thriller, while others might consider the movies that send them into a spiral of anxiety as the most intense. Then there are those that fill their audiences with a sense of dread based solely on their oppressive atmosphere. Whatever qualifier you want to assign to it, these are the thrillers that crank the intensity up to eleven.
‘The Wages of Fear’ (1953)
The classic suspense thrillerThe Wages of Fear, directed by Henri-Georges Clouzot, is every bit as potent and palpably tense as it was in 1953. Its razor-sharp sequences of sweat-inducing thrills can be held up against any modern equivalent, which includes both of its remakes, the equally brilliant and thrilling Sorcerer from 1977 and the stunningly dull version released on Netflix in 2024.
Based on the novel of the same name by Georges Arnaud, the film follows a group of expats living in poverty in South America who are hired by an oil company to transport highly volatile nitroglycerin in trucks across the jungle to help extinguish a massive oil fire. The majority of the runtime is then devoted to that transportation, as they make a perilous journey over rocky mountain roads and rickety bridges. With every bump and pothole holding the potential for explosive death, it’s a nerve-wracking viewing experience that is perfectly designed to keep an audience on the edge of their seats.
‘The Hitcher’ (1986)
Open road thrillers are a subgenre that exploits audiences inherent fears of isolation and vulnerability. Expert thrillers like Duel, Road Games, and Breakdown all exploit those fears with visceral efficiency, but there’s no matching the intensity and apocalyptic terror of The Hitcher. It’s a nihilistic thrill ride through hell that comes as close to the horror of something like Wolf Creek but stays firmly within its genre boundaries. It’s also got a devilishly good performance by Rutger Hauer as the titular character, who belongs in the hall of fame of cinematic psychopaths of seemingly supernatural evil.
The film begins with C. Thomas Howell as Jim Halsey, tired and behind the wheel of a vehicle he’s meant to deliver to California. Out on a lonely stretch of desert highway during a torrential downpour, he picks up John Ryder (Hauer), who makes his sinister intentions clear within minutes of getting into Jim’s car. From their its a torturous game of cat and mouse across the American Southwest as Ryder torments Jim and pushes him to the edge of sanity while leaving a trail of bloody bodies. The Hitcher puts the pedal to the metal in its first scene, and it doesn’t let its foot up for one second.
‘Good Time’ (2017)
When Uncut Gems was released, many compared it to experiencing a sustained panic attack. The film’s infuriating and effective depiction of gambling addiction is undeniably intense, but it’s arguable that Josh and Benny Safdie‘s previous film is even more gritty and extreme. Following in the grimy footsteps of the character-driven New York thrillers of the ’70s and ’80s, Good Time is a kinetic film that will get your pulse racing and elevate your heart rate as if you were the one being chased by the cops.
Pattinson plays Connie, who, along with his brother Nick (Benny Safdie), robs a bank in broad daylight. That ill-advised heist gets Nick arrested, and Connie devises a plan to get him out of custody. Through a series of compounding mistakes and bad decisions, the film becomes a nocturnal odyssey of criminal stupidity that would be comical if it weren’t played so heartbreakingly straight by the Safdies and Pattinson. It’s an anxiety-inducing modern masterpiece that was an early herald for its directors as heir apparnet to auteurs like Sidney Lumet and John Cassavetes.
‘Se7en’ (1995)
David Fincher‘s Se7en has a reputation for being visceral and violent, but while the film certainly has some gruesome imagery, it’s far more tame than the more explicit films that would attempt to emulate it. The majority of the kills happen off-screen, but Fincher fills the frame with dread, painting a bleak portrait of a decaying modern world where apathy and pessimism reign and violence is a natural occurrence. Se7en resurrected Fincher’s career after the debacle of Alien 3, and it reinvigorated the genre, influencing dozens of films and television series.
Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman play the archetypal brash rookie and jaded veteran detectives, who team up to track down a serial killer who bases his murders on the seven deadly sins, realized in vivid post-mortems that use the power of suggestion to more effect rather than any Grand Guignol splatter effects. The procedural elements keep us engrossed in the investigation all the way up until the film starts to tug at the rug beneath our feet in its final act. The iconic twist ending is itself an exercise in restraint that had many audience members convinced they’d seen something more explicit than they had.
‘Green Room’ (2015)
Siege thrillers don’t put their characters on the run but instead box them in, exerting external pressure on them until violence inevitably erupts. From the finale of Straw Dogs to the entirety of Assault on Precinct 13, these movies trap their characters in a location and force them to fight their way out. More often than not, that fighting can be rather intense, as it is in Jeremy Saulnier‘s unrelenting Green Room. Here, Saulnier ratchets up the tension incrementally, and while the film does engage with ultraviolence, it does so purposefully and with intent. Every bullet impact and knife wound is viscerally felt, and it makes the danger all the more real.
When a punk band is strapped for cash, they take the next gig they can get, which just so happens to be in the hangout spot of some neo-Nazi skinheads. They play the gig and take the money, but when they also witness a murder, they get locked in the club’s green room with some trigger-happy white supremacists on the other side. Green Room revels in torturing its characters as much as it does the audience, showing them a way out before turning the tables in violent fashion. It’s a grindhouse thriller made with incredible skill, and the cast is filled with above-the-grade talent, including the late Anton Yelchin and Patrick Stewart playing very against type as the leader of the skinheads.
‘Cape Fear’ (1991)
The original Cape Fear is the most Hitchcockian thriller that Alfred Hitchcock never made. Based on the novel The Executioners, the film has a classic suspense setup, and it executes it to a T. The 1991 remake, directed by Martin Scorsese, is similarly well-executed, but it amps up the intensity and ferocity for ’90s audiences. Where the original was a stark tale of good versus evil shot in black and white, Scorsese’s remake is saturated in vibrant color and exists in a morally grey world. It also features a truly terrifying performance from Robert De Niro.
De Niro plays Max Cady, a criminal recently released from prison after serving a fourteen-year sentence for rape. He leaves prison with vengeance on his mind. His target is his former defense attorney, Sam Bowden (Nick Nolte), who deliberately suppressed evidence during Cady’s trial to guarantee his conviction. Sam’s sins are revisited upon him and his family as Cady stalks and psychologically tortures them before the film reaches its biblically bad climax. Cape Fear is Scorsese bringing his cinematic expertise and signature visual language to a piece of pure pulp, and the results are far more intense than even fans of the director’s crime films may be expecting.
‘Funny Games’ (1997)
Home invasion thrillers bring the terror to our doorsteps, and while they often end in gruesome tragedy, they are intensely thrilling right up until that end. Panic Room is the slickest of these kinds of thrillers, while Wait Until Dark is a classic of the subgenre, with both Hush and Don’t Breathe offering two different variations on its premise. They are all varied in intensity, but Michael Haneke’s controversial Funny Games is the most graphic and unflinching. At their lakeside house in Austria, a family of three’s tranquil afternoon is turned into a violent nightmare when two young men invade their home and subject them to a series of sadistic games.
The torture is hard enough to watch on its own, but it is made exponentially worse by the fact that the lead killer likes to break the fourth wall, engaging directly with the audience, inviting us to become participants in their games. Haneke is no simple sadist; his film has a purpose and a message about violent media. The director plays with the conventions of film and film violence, specifically those that would be familiar to American audiences. Years later, Haneke would remake his ambitious thriller shot-for-shot with an English-speaking cast. Both versions are dark, intense thrillers that are as intriguing as they are revolting.
‘Natural Born Killers’ (1994)
Similar to Funny Games, Oliver Stone‘s Natural Born Killers is obsessed with the connection between the media and violent crime. Still, whereas Haneke’s film is a more measure meta-thriller, Stone’s is a hyperactive music video set to the sounds of bloodshed. Shot with a wild mix of film stocks with contrasting visual styles and featuring rapid-fire editing, the film is an absolute assault on the senses. It perfectly encapsulates the era of tabloid journalism and ultraviolent cinema, and is still a very intense visual and aural experience.
Based on a story by Quentin Tarantino, whose script was heavily rewritten by Stone and his co-writers, the film follows the criminal couple of Mickey and Mallory Knox (Woody Harrelson and Juliette Lewis). The two come from broken homes and violent backgrounds, and after killing Mallory’s abusive family, they hit the road as homicidal lovers on the lam. They slaughter their way across America, and in the process become media darlings with a cult following. The film is far too blunt to effectively interrogate the relationship the media plays in developing the kind of twisted hero worship that evolves around murderers, but it is undoubtedly unsettling and intensely unforgettable.
‘I Saw the Devil’ (2010)
There is no shortage of violent Korean thrillers that could fill out several spots on a list like this. Movies like Oldboy, Memories of Murder, and The Chaser all make their Hollywood counterparts look like children’s programming in comparison, but if there’s one whose intensity cannot go unmentioned, it’s Kim Jee-woon’s bloody and brutal action thriller I Saw the Devil. Graphically violent, impeccably shot, and imminently watchable, this thriller juggles disparate tones and mixes fist-clenching action with horrific violence in a way that can be strangely, hypnotically entertaining despite how repulsive its content is.
Lee Byung-hun plays intelligence agent Soo-hyeon, whose fiancée is abducted and violently murdered by a serial killer, played by Oldboy star Choi Min-sik. After tracking him down, Soo-hyeon doesn’t immediately exact his revenge on the killer, but instead begins tracking him and methodically torturing him. The cat-and-mouse game takes several violent turns and accumulates plenty of collateral damage before reaching the film’s emotionally brutal ending. I Saw the Devil takes a strong stomach to get through, but it is one of the most compelling thrillers of the 2010s for those with a stern constitution.
‘Irreversible’ (2002)
Gaspar Noé is a true provocateur. Films like Into the Void, Love and Climax push the boundaries of good taste with their explicit violent and sexual content, but it’s his 2002 rape and revenge thriller Irreversible that is his most intense effort. Structured in reverse, the film gives us all its violence up front before any context or character development, which arguably makes it all the harder to watch as we become acquainted with the interior lives of its characters. It’s not a film that can be reasonably recommended, but it is uniquely unnerving and unabashed in its exploration of cycles of violence.
Vincent Cassel and Monica Bellucci play Marcus and Alex, a young couple living in Paris. When we first meet them, Marcus is descending into a sex club intent on violence, which is unleashed on a man’s head with a fire extinguisher, and Alex is subjected to an absolutely horrendous sexual assault in an underground tunnel. The unpleasantness is right up front in Irreversible, which makes its final act conversely softer in comparison to the majority of thrillers. That does not negate the violence that occurs in the first act, which will linger with anyone who watches the movie. Irreversible is, if nothing else, intense, but it’s up to the individual viewer willing to subject themselves to it whether that intensity is in service of anything more than exploitative brutality.
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There has been a vibrant conversation over the last several years about celebrities receiving honorary degrees. Recently, “Watch What Happens Live” host Andy Cohen became the latest public figure to not only have a doctorate bestowed upon him, but to face backlash from those who say it’s undeserved.
Cohen took to social media on May 15 to share that he was not only giving the commencement address at Washington University in St. Louis but also receiving a degree. He said, “I’m also getting an honorary degree, and I’ve come to understand that I am going to be a doctor.”
After that, he jokingly wondered if he should refer to himself as “doctor Cohen” or “doctor love.” In the video, Cohen was wearing the traditional graduation gown and hood. It’s worth noting that Cohen hails from St. Louis and that much of his family attended the university.
According to the university’s offical website, Cohen received his honorary doctorate in Fine Arts. He was one of seven honorees at the ceremony.
Cohen Shared Thoughts On The Honor
Cohen spoke with news outlet KSDK following there ceremony at Washington University in St. Louis. He described the day as “daunting.” According to him, “Today was daunting. It was bigger than I think I expected it to be.”
He continued, “It was exciting. It meant a lot. It was incredibly emotional.” After that, he reportedly excitedly told a crowd, “I’m a doctor.” Cohen also called receiving his degree “an incredible honor.”
During his commencement speech, Cohen spoke about the importance of authenticity and how to handle social and professional situations. This includes saying “yes” at the correct times but also understanding the importance of “no.”
Following the news of Cohen’s honorary doctorate, social media users, including Bravo fans, took issue with the practice. Namely, the general consensus is that it’s unfair for students who not only dedicate themselves to academia but also often have to take out predatory loans to finance their education.
One person said on X, “What little credibility Washington University had has been wiped away with giving Andy Cohen an honorary degree. Like, why?” In defending the university, a different social media user replied, “Little credibility??? literally one of the best universities in the Midwest.”
A different person reacted to Cohen’s jokes on the day of the ceremony, noting, “His jokes remind us that academia has become a joke.” Someone else stated, “Proving what a joke ‘higher education’ has become.”
After that, one commentator said, “Honorary degrees shouldn’t exist.” However, it wasn’t all hate for Cohen. One person reacted, “Well, this is interesting. My cousin got his architecture master’s from there, and it’s one of the best schools in the country. Shows you the bandwidth of Bravo, haha.”
The Bravo Host Has A New Book Coming Out
In addition to receiving his honorary doctorate, Cohen has several projects in various stages of development. According to Bravo, this includes a new book. Called “Andy’s Bravo Scrapbook,” the upcoming book will be released on October 20.
He described it, saying, “I’ve been working on it for a while. You can say I’ve been working on it for 20 years because this is the ultimate Bravo coffee table book. It’s the ultimate Bravo photo album.”
Cohen also stated that the scrapbook includes “reflections of my time at Bravo working with some of the greatest people in the world. People that we all love. These are my photos. I’m taking you behind over 100 reunion shows, behind-the-scenes — and a whole lot more. It’s a beautiful book. I’m so proud of it.”
This will be Cohen’s fourth book, his first since 2021’s “Glitter Every Day: 365 Quotes from Women I Love.”
Cohen Will Be On Radio & TV For Years to Come
Cohen has been a staple at Bravo since the early 2000s. Since then, in many ways, he’s become the face of the network, thanks both to “Watch What Happens Live” and his reunion hosting duties. Of course, he’s still executive producer of the “Housewives.”
According to Deadline, his late-night talk show was renewed through 2027. This news came in September 2025 and was confirmed with the May 2026 upfronts. Additionally, NBCUniversal extended his first look deal through 2028. That’s not all. Also in September of 2025, SiriusXM extended Cohen’s contract for another three years amid his 10-year anniversary with the company.
Kane Brown fell hard for Katelyn Jae Brown the moment they met.
“We met down in Florida at my very first show ever, I believe it was in 2015,” the “Heaven” crooner recalled during an August 2020 interview with Radio.com. “The day before that show, I was supposed to be in her music video because she was an artist as well, and it couldn’t happen cause my show was the same day as the music video.”
He continued: “A year goes by and the same guy we were working with brings her to a show, she didn’t want to come and he forced her, basically. We met, we didn’t talk at all — I maybe said hey to her — but I thought she was adorable and I kept looking at her all night. So I asked her to come to Nashville, like, the next day, I flew her down and we just hit it off and she never left!”
Us Weekly confirmed in October 2018 that they got married in Nashville. Kane and Katelyn have since welcomed daughters Kingsley and Kodi and son Krewe.
Scroll below to revisit Kane and Katelyn’s relationship:
The Cannes Film Festival has become a glamorous stage for more than just movie premieres — it’s also where several stars have chosen to unveil their growing baby bumps to the world.
From Blake Lively‘s curve-hugging Versace gown to Barbara Palvin‘s joyful announcement alongside husband Dylan Sprouse and Annabelle Wallis‘ reveal alongside boyfriend Sebastian Stan, the French Riviera has played host to some unforgettable pregnancy reveals on the red carpet.
See the celebrities who debuted their pregnancies at the Cannes Film Festival through the years:
Annabelle Wallis
Annabelle Wallis Arnold Jerocki/Getty Images for Kering
Following April 2026 news that she was expecting her first child with Thunderbolts’ Stan, Wallis debuted her growing bump while attending Cannes Film Festival’s 2026 Kering Women in Motion Awards event one month later.
Stepping out with Stan at the event’s red carpet, the Peaky Blinders star rocked a floor-length one-shoulder black gown that cut out at the side to reveal her torso and much of her toned back. As cameras flashed, Wallis beamed while holding a protective hand on her belly, posing for photos both on her own and alongside Stan.
Barbara Palvin
Palvin and Sprouse announced in May 2026 that they were expecting their first baby at the 79th annual Cannes Film Festival.
The supermodel showed off her growing baby bump in a light blue gown, while Sprouse opted for a classic black suit.
Claire Holt
Holt revealed her pregnancy with baby No. 3 while attending the festival in May 2023, debuting her baby bump on the Killers of the Flower Moon red carpet in a gray halter-neck Lanvin gown with a lengthy train.
“Me & no 3 ✨,” Holt wrote via Instagram at the time.
Holt and husband Andrew Joblon, who wed in 2018, are also parents to son James (born March 2019) and daughter Elle (born September 2020). They welcomed son Ford in November 2023.
The Originals alum previously suffered a miscarriage before welcoming eldest son James.
“It was just really amazing to have a partner who was relentlessly there for me and so supportive and fights his own pain to help me out through it all,” Holt exclusively told Us Weekly in a February 2019 about Joblon’s support. “It was really beautiful as well. Obviously what we went through was tragic, but it brought us so much closer together. And I think it’s difficult to say this, because I would have loved to have had the baby and the pregnancy work out, but I wouldn’t change it because I learned so much and it really strengthened our relationship
Michelle Williams
Williams showed off her growing belly while attending the 2022 Cannes Film Festival. The actress stepped out to attend the premiere of her movie Showing Up, wowing in a Chanel Haute Couture black-and-white maxi dress with lace detailing on the red carpet.
Williams shares three children with husband Thomas Kail, and she is also mother of daughter Matilda, whom she welcomed with Heath Ledger in October 2005. (Ledger died in January 2008 at age 28.)
Blake Lively
Lively showcased her growing baby bump in a curve-hugging dress at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival, revealing she was expecting baby No. 2 with husband Ryan Reynolds.
Lively looked gorgeous in a sparkly Atelier Versace gown featuring a thigh-high slit and a long train, paired with Lorraine Schwartz jewelry at the premiere of The BFG.
Days earlier, Lively had a Cinderella moment in a powder-blue Vivienne Westwood Couture dress at the Slack Bay premiere.
“Everyone thinks I was inspired by the princesses. If they only knew,” she wrote via Instagram at the time, sharing a photo of Little Mermaid villain Ursula.
Lively and Reynolds are parents of four: James, Betty, Inez and Olin.
This story was compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists.
Entertainment
Prime Video’s 3-Part Fantasy Saga Is Still a Streaming Hit After Divisive Final Season
It’s been a long and winding road to get to the Good Omens finale, and nothing has been straightforward. What was once one of the most popular shows on streaming, with its opening season earning near-perfect reviews from most critics, Good Omens nearly ceased to exist entirely following allegations of sexual misconduct against writer and showrunner Neil Gaiman. In fact, those closest to the series also feared for its future, with star Michael Sheen being quoted as saying, “I really don’t know what’s going to happen with it.“
It was finally confirmed that, although we wouldn’t be receiving the six-episode Season 3 we’d once been promised, the third season would instead be transformed into one long final episode, which would find a neat conclusion for Michael Sheen‘s do-good angel, Aziraphale, and David Tennant‘s demon, Crowley. Excitement could then begin to build for the Good Omens finale, especially following Sheen’s confirmation that a screening of the finale had taken place in December last year, saying, “I laughed, and I cried.” Sheen added that fans could expect a finale that was “brilliantly directed, beautiful performances, fantastic new looks, incredible work all round.”
So, did the final episode live up to the hype? Well, with controversy overshadowing the show and six episodes of content condensed into 90 minutes, the odds were against the Good Omens team. Those stacked odds were evident in the final outing, with critics admitting it wasn’t up to standard when compared with the previous installments. On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, this final episode only scored 61%, compared to the 85% and 88% scored by Seasons 1 and 2, respectively. However, this seems positively glowing when compared to audience response on the same review site, which currently sits at just 35% for Season 3.
‘Good Omens’ Is Battling for Streaming Supremacy
Whether or not the final episode was well-received was never likely to impact its popularity on the streaming charts. At the time of writing, the Good Omens finale debuted in fourth place on the Prime Video U.S. streaming charts. Good Omens was unable to outperform the recent return of Citadel, a fellow new arrival in the steamy romantic series Off Campus, and the all-conquering superhero series The Boys.
You can watch the entirety of Good Omens on Prime Video now. For more of the latest TV stories, make sure to stay tuned to Collider.
- Release Date
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2019 – 2026-00-00
- Network
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Prime Video
- Showrunner
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Neil Gaiman, Douglas Mackinnon
- Directors
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Rachel Talalay, Douglas Mackinnon
- Writers
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Neil Gaiman, John Finnemore, Andy Nyman, Cat Clarke, Jeremy Dyson
Entertainment
“Shrek” voice cast, then and now: See the All-Stars on the animated hit's 25th anniversary
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“Shrek 5” is currently set for the summer of 2027.
Sydney Sweeney sent social media into meltdown after the latest episode of “Euphoria” delivered another round of shocking scenes that left viewers both stunned and frustrated.
Episode six of the hit HBO drama pushed Cassie deeper into chaos as her growing OnlyFans career collided with a surprising acting opportunity.
However, while the storyline took wild turns involving strip clubs, snakes, and brutal violence, many fans online admitted they were more confused than entertained by the increasingly bizarre direction of the series.
Sydney Sweeney quickly became the center of online conversation after her character Cassie appeared in one of the episode’s most talked-about scenes.
During the installment titled “Stand Still And See,” Cassie continued building her successful OnlyFans career while taking provocative photos inside a strip club called the Silver Slipper.
The character posed on top of the bar in a pink bikini alongside dancers Magick and Kitty, played by Rosalia and Anna Van Patten.
Later, Cassie took things even further when she was shown handling a massive yellow python while wearing almost nothing except a beige thong. The sequence immediately triggered reactions online, with many viewers questioning the increasingly outrageous storylines.
“The snake around Cassie??” one viewer wrote on social media per the Daily Mail, while another asked, “What do you mean there’s a deadly snake that cassie takes pictures with?”
A third person also commented, “That was such a weird episode.” Others appeared exhausted by the show’s latest twists, with one simply writing, “So tired.” Another fan wrote, “I’m so tired of euphoria bro,” while someone else shared, “wtf is this euphoria plot even.”
Sweeney’s Cassie Faces A Major Career Decision
While Cassie’s photoshoot scenes generated backlash, the episode also introduced a surprising new opportunity for Sydney Sweeney’s character.
Cassie landed an audition for a television series called LA Nights, where she caught the attention of the show’s demanding creator Patty, played by Sharon Stone.
However, there was one major catch. Patty informed Cassie she would need to permanently delete her OnlyFans account if she wanted the role.
At first, Cassie appeared willing to agree to the ultimatum. However, after unsuccessfully trying to reach her husband Nate for support, she spiraled emotionally before ultimately deleting her profile anyway.
The decision became even more complicated after Patty defended Cassie’s online work during a conversation with the latter’s sister, Lexi.
Patty described Cassie’s content creation as a “new form of feminism,” believing Lexi had arranged the audition to rescue her sister from sex work. Instead of rejecting her, Patty expanded Cassie’s role on the series, giving her an even bigger opportunity moving forward.
Sydney Sweeney’s Character Struggles As Nate’s Violence Escalates
Sweeney’s character also continued unraveling emotionally as Nate’s dangerous situation intensified throughout the episode.
During her audition, Cassie struggled to focus after experiencing flashbacks of her husband being violently attacked by loan shark Naz during their wedding night.
The traumatic memories caused her to stumble through her lines until her scene partner improvised, accidentally impressing Patty in the process.
Meanwhile, Nate’s own storyline became increasingly disturbing. Still furious over mounting debt and construction problems tied to endangered flowers halting his projects, Nate was shown destroying plants while screaming profanities.
Things worsened when Naz, the same man responsible for chopping off Nate’s toe and ring finger in the previous episode, returned once again, seemingly prepared to inflict even more damage.
Cassie’s nightmare escalated near the end of the episode when she received a mysterious FedEx package. Inside was a chilling note telling her to “answer the phone.” Beneath it sat Nate’s severed ring finger.
Maitland Ward Says Sweeney’s ‘Euphoria’ Storyline Crossed A Line
Recently, adult film actress Maitland Ward publicly criticized Sydney Sweeney over controversial scenes in “Euphoria,” calling parts of the storyline “disgusting and vile.”
As The Blast reported, Ward took issue with scenes involving Sweeney’s character, Cassie, creating explicit OnlyFans-style content while dressed in pigtails with a pacifier and sheer clothing.
She argued the scenes crossed a line by leaning into childlike imagery, saying, “You don’t want pedophilia anywhere near pornography.”
Ward also claimed the show treated adult content creators unfairly, saying “Euphoria” turned sex workers into a “circus act” instead of portraying them realistically.
She argued that the series relied on shock value rather than authenticity and accused Hollywood of pushing increasingly extreme material under the guise of art.
Adult Creators Say ‘Euphoria’ Misrepresented OnlyFans Culture With Sydney Sweeney’s Character
Besides Ward, adult creators Sydney Leathers and Alix Lynx were also among the latest voices criticizing Sweeney’s controversial “Euphoria” storyline.
According to The Blast, they argued that the show presented an unrealistic and damaging portrayal of adult content creators.
Leathers slammed the HBO series as “ridiculous and cartoonish,” claiming many of the acts shown on screen “are not even allowed on OnlyFans,” particularly scenes involving age-play imagery like diapers and baby costumes.
Lynx echoed similar concerns, saying the show turned sex workers into exaggerated stereotypes rather than portraying them as professionals.
“It’s portrayed that if you just dress up and do crazy sh*t, you’ll instantly make money, or you just have to be hot and have big boobs and you’ll instantly cash out, and it doesn’t work like that,” Lynx shared.
Full House alum John Stamos is remembering the final moments spent with his former costar Bob Saget.
Stamos, 62, took to Instagram to mark what would have been Saget’s 70th birthday on Sunday, May 17, sharing a carousel of photos and video footage that captured the late comedian hanging out with Stamos prior to his death at the age of 65 in January 2022.
The final photo in Stamos’ carousel showed Saget standing beside his widow, Kelly Rizzo, Stamos, and Stamos’ wife, Caitlin McHugh, as the group posed for a scenic sunset snap in front of the ocean. Stamos wrote over the image, “Last pic.”
Stamos’ post was also captioned, “We used to throw each other great birthday parties. Your 70th today would’ve been epic! I miss you and love you.”
John Stamos and his fellow Full House alums are remembering Bob Saget two years after his death. “Hard to believe. As time moves on, that sharp pain I felt at the beginning … it’s become a part of me,” Stamos, 60, captioned an Instagram video on Tuesday, January 9. “It doesn’t feel as overwhelming as […]
Saget died inside Orlando, Florida’s Ritz-Carlton hotel on January 9, 2022, with an autopsy determining the cause of his death one month later. The Saget family told Us Weekly in a statement at the time, “The authorities have determined that Bob passed from head trauma. They have concluded that he accidentally hit the back of his head on something, thought nothing of it and went to sleep. No drugs or alcohol were involved.”
In the wake of the news, Stamos shared a Twitter post that reflected on his heartbreak. “I am broken. I am gutted,” the actor wrote via the social media platform, now X. “I am in complete and utter shock. I will never ever have another friend like him. I love you so much Bobby.”
Other Full House stars including Dave Coulier, who played Joey Gladstone opposite Saget’s Danny Tanner and Stamos’ Jesse Katsopolis, also took to social media to share tributes of their own. Coulier, 66, wrote via Instagram, “I’ll never let go, brother. Love you,” before sharing a second post that touched on his friendship with Saget. “I met Bob when I was 18 years old. I didn’t know then that two, struggling standup comics would end up being brothers forever. I wish I could lean on you right now through all these tears. I love you,” he wrote.
Candace Cameron Bure, who played D.J. Tanner on Full House, also took to Twitter to comment on her costar’s death. “I don’t know what to say,” she began at the time. “I have no words. Bob was one of the best humans [sic] beings I’ve ever known in my life. I loved him so much.”
In July 2024, Stamos revealed the impact of Saget’s death on his life, and how he managed to cope in the aftermath. During an appearance on Coulier’s “Full House Rewind” podcast, Stamos said of Saget’s 2014 book Dirty Daddy: The Chronicles of a Family Man Turned Filthy Comedian, “Do you remember when his book came out? It was very dirty and weird. And so for whatever reason, the night [Saget] died, I put on his audio tape and it gave me such comfort. I don’t know why. I listened to it every night when I went to sleep.”
Elon Musk’s criticism of Lupita Nyong’o’s upcoming role in “The Odyssey” has drawn a sharp response from Alec Baldwin after the tech billionaire questioned the motives behind her casting as Helen of Troy.
Musk previously claimed that director Christopher Nolan’s decision to cast Nyong’o was less about storytelling and more about targeting awards season. To make his argument, the owner of X pointed to the diversity requirements films must usually meet to be considered for Best Picture.
“Saturday Night Live” star Baldwin has mounted an impassioned defense of the Kenyan-born actress, however, insisting she truly fits the role’s legendary beauty.
Musk recently reignited his public criticism of filmmaker Christopher Nolan, taking to his X platform to slam the director’s upcoming epic, “The Odyssey.”
The latest controversy comes after Nolan confirmed in a recent interview with Time Magazine that Nyong’o will play the dual roles of Helen of Troy and her sister, Clytemnestra, in the movie.
Musk made it clear he was unhappy with the casting choice, arguing that the actress does not fit the description of the legendary figure in the source material.
The Tesla boss also referenced the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ updated representation and inclusion standards for Best Picture eligibility.
Alec Baldwin Calls Out Elon Musk Over Lupita Criticism
Seemingly frustrated with Musk’s take on the selection of Nyong’o to play Helen of Troy, Baldwin responded on Instagram with a photo of the actress. “Dear Elon,” he wrote in the caption, “but she IS the most beautiful woman in the world… Alec.”
His comment followed remarks from conservative commentator Matt Walsh, who argued in a post on X that no one genuinely sees Nyong’o as fitting the mythical image of Helen, whose beauty famously sparked the Trojan War.
Musk has also criticized other casting choices connected to the film, including Elliot Page’s role, after initially reacting to rumors that she would play Achilles.
Fans Echo Elon Musk’s Casting Disapproval
When rumors of the casting first surfaced, Musk claimed it would be “an insult” if Nyong’o played Helen of Troy, and even wrote that “Chris Nolan has lost his integrity.”
Several online users appeared to agree with his sentiment, with some accusing the filmmaker of deliberately provoking audiences by casting a Black actress in a role they viewed as traditionally white.
“It feels like a humiliation ritual,” one X user wrote, while criticizing Nolan’s casting choices and claiming the filmmaker had gone from acclaimed movies like “Oppenheimer” and “Interstellar” to decisions they found absurd.
Another user was equally dismissive, saying each new casting announcement made them less interested in seeing the film and predicting that “The Odyssey” would flop at the box office.
Christopher Nolan Defends Other ‘Odyssey’ Choices
While Nolan has not directly responded to Musk’s criticism, he has defended some of the creative choices in “The Odyssey” that have also sparked backlash online.
The film is scheduled to hit theaters worldwide on July 17, 2026. According to Radio Times, the trailer set tongues wagging after showing Tom Holland’s Telemachus saying his “dad” would return. Viewers also criticized the armor worn by some characters, with many arguing that it resembled the Batsuit from Nolan’s “Dark Knight” trilogy.
In his Time Magazine profile, the director pushed back on the armor criticism by explaining the historical thinking behind the design.
“There are Mycenaean daggers that are blackened bronze,” he said. “The theory is they probably could have blackened bronze in those days. You take bronze, you add more gold and silver to it, and then use sulfur.”
Nolan Compares ‘The Odyssey’ To ‘Interstellar’
The “Oppenheimer” director also opened up about his overall approach to making the film, comparing it to the process behind “Interstellar.”
“For Interstellar, you’re looking at, ‘What is the best speculation of the future?’ When you’re looking at the ancient past, it’s actually the same thing,” Nolan said. “‘What is the best speculation and how can I use that to create a world?’”
He added that while he does not expect every viewer to agree with every choice, his goal was to make sure the film still feels carefully considered.
“Hopefully they’ll enjoy the film, even if they don’t agree with everything. We had a lot of scientists complain about ‘Interstellar.’ But you just don’t want people to think that you took it on frivolously,” Nolan explained.
Lainey Wilson sings about heartbreak in her music, but in real life, she’s found lasting love with Devlin “Duck” Hodges.
The country singer introduced her fans to Hodges while attending the 2023 ACM Awards, but the duo’s romance actually began two years prior. Wilson confirmed their timeline in June 2023, teasing that she almost blew her own cover in April of that year while giving a nod to Hodges on stage.
“What’s funny is literally a couple weeks before the [awards] show, we had played out in Pittsburgh and me and my band, we all wore Duck Hodges jerseys,” Wilson said on The Bobby Bones Show. “And so that kind of started a few rumors.”
Hodges was a quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers and a few other NFL teams before he retired in 2022. His nickname “Duck” dates back to his college football days and has nothing to do with the fact that he is also a duck hunter.
Atta girl! Lainey Wilson is living her best life on the road, and gave Us Weekly a VIP backstage pass at a day in her life. “I do all of my own glam on tour,” the country songstress, 31, exclusively reveals in the latest issue of Us Weekly. “I love trying new products and techniques. It’s an art […]
The couple celebrated a big milestone in February 2025 when Wilson announced their engagement. One year later, they tied the knot in May 2026 in Tennessee.
Scroll down to see Wilson and Hodges’ romance from the beginning:
2021
The twosome began dating sometime in 2021, which Wilson confirmed two years later.
July 2021
Wilson first commented on Hodges’ Instagram page when he posted a photo of himself sitting on a fence in the country. “I’m your huckleberry,” Hodges captioned the snap, which prompted Wilson to reply, “What you on the fence about?”
April 2023
Wilson sparked romance speculation with Hodges when she wore his Steelers jersey at her Pittsburgh show. “Is Lainey Wilson wearing a @DevlinHodges10 at the concert tonight. Homeboy is gonna be in heaven when he finds out,” one fan wrote via X. Hodges saw the message and responded, “Did she really?!?! Y’all are lying !!!! @laineywilson holla at me !!! 🏈.”
The singer commented on the post as well, writing, “This is me hollerin 🤠.” Hodges replied, “OH.MY.GOD 👀 hello.” The former NFL player later posted pictures from the Pittsburgh concert, revealing he was there in person.
Lainey Wilson has made waves both as a country star and for standing up against body-shamers. In December 2022, a video of Wilson performing in a pair of leopard print bell-bottom pants went viral on TikTok. “Didn’t want to be a gatekeeper of my Lainey view,” a user captioned the post, which featured the singer […]
Earlier that month, Hodges hinted at their relationship by sharing a photo from what appeared to be Wilson’s Stagecoach Festival performance in California. He wore a Wilson T-shirt, yellow bandana, camouflage jacket and cowboy hat. Hodges gushed about how “thankful” he was “for the friendships and memories” while celebrating his birthday via Instagram.
May 2023
Just weeks after flirting via X, the couple made their red carpet debut at the 2023 Academy of Country Music Awards.
June 2023
“He’s been around for a while,” Wilson said of Hodges during an appearance on The Bobby Bones Show. “I just decided to make him wait for two and a half years.” She told host Bobby Bones that the retired athlete is a “good dude.”
Wilson revealed that Hodges is also very close with her inner circle. “It’s so great. I mean, he’s buddies with all my buddies,” she shared. “He’ll FaceTime me and he’ll be with Hardy or he’ll be with Cole Swindell and all of them. I’m like, ‘Can you please stop taking my friends?’”
November 2023
Hodges joined Wilson and her family at the 2023 Country Music Association Awards in Nashville. After Wilson won five awards, including Entertainer of the Year, her then-boyfriend sang her praises on social media.
“She already heard what I’m fixing to say, but I just want y’all to hear it once. This girl is the most hard-working person I know,” Hodges wrote via Instagram, sharing photos of the pair getting cozy at the awards show. “Her work ethic and her desire to be the best person she can be is contagious. I’m so happy that all the hard work continues to pay off. Congrats on all the awards last night and especially the BIGGEST AWARD OF THE NIGHT! ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR!”
Whether high school sweethearts or second chances at love, these country couples are in it for the long haul. Faith Hill and Tim McGraw have a love story for the ages. The twosome tied the knot in 1996 and went on to welcome daughters Gracie, Maggie and Audrey in 1997, 1998 and 2001, respectively. Despite […]
He added: “I’m so glad she can be some of y’all’s favorite artist, sing your favorite song. Or be your daughters favorite role model. I’m just thankful to call her my best friend. Love ya LW 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆.”
January 2024
Wilson gave fans a look into her life on the road in an episode of CMT’s “On the Road.” Within the first few minutes, Hodges popped up on screen and gave Wilson a kiss before she took the stage for a show in Las Vegas. The episode was filmed in December 2023.
October 2024
Wilson gave fans a sweet look inside her low-key romance by dedicating her song “4x4xU” to Hodges.
“Ain’t nowhere I’d rather be #4x4xu @devlinhodges,” Wilson captioned a reel of her and Hodges in a car with the country tune playing during their scenic drive.
Lainey Wilson opened up about her relationship with her fiancé, Devlin “Duck” Hodges, in her new documentary — and credited him with helping her survive her meteoric rise to fame. “I don’t know how I would have survived these last few years,” the Grammy winner, 33, said in Lainey Wilson: Keepin’ Country Cool, which debuts […]
February 2025
Wilson announced the pair’s engagement via Instagram, sharing a glimpse of her diamond ring. “4x4xU forever ❤️,” she wrote in the caption.
October 2025
In an interview with Southern Living, Wilson revealed that she lied to Hodges on their first date — but the ploy worked. “I told him that people call me Goose,” she recalled, referencing her fiancé’s nickname. “I was lying, but he fell for it. I think he was like, ‘Oh, I’m in love.’”
She also noted that Hodges is an amazing cook, saying, “He’s an Alabama boy, so he knows how to whip it up.”
November 2025
In a cover interview with Us Weekly, Wilson gushed about her relationship with Hodges. “He’s such a good dude. He is my best friend. He’s my biggest cheerleader,” she said. “We lift each other up. He understands that this life is full of a lot of late nights and travel, and we might be ships passing in the night, but he’s always my rock through it all. He’s my home, no matter where we are. I feel like my blood pressure comes down, and he’s a safe place to land. I can just let loose.”
That same month, Hodges supported Wilson as she hosted the CMA Awards solo for the first time. When Wilson won the evening’s top prize, Entertainer of the Year, she gave a shout-out to Hodges, adding, “We’re getting married next year, come on now!”
April 2026
Lainey Wilson and Devlin ‘Duck’ Hodges in her Netflix documentary, ‘Lainey Wilson: Keepin’ Country Cool.’ Courtesy of Netflix
Wilson and Hodges opened up about their relationship in her Netflix documentary, Lainey Wilson: Keepin’ Country Cool. “I don’t know how I would have survived these last few years,” Wilson said. “He adds so much to my life, I’m like, ‘Why wouldn’t I wanna spend the rest of my life with my best friend?’ Somebody who lifts me up and encourages me and shoots me straight, who cooks potato soup for me. This is making it.”
Hodges, meanwhile, said he knew Wilson was The One as soon as they went on their first date. “I felt like I’d known her for years, really,” he recalled. “I knew that night, like, this was the person I was gonna spend the rest of my life with. I really did.”
May 2026
Wilson and Hodges got married on May 10 at the Ruskin Cave in Dickson, Tennessee, surrounded by family and celebrity friends including Wynonna Judd and Miranda Lambert.
“I have never seen Duck smile as big as he did then,” Wilson told Vogue, reflecting on their ceremony, which took place outside in front of a waterfall. “It made me feel giddy about turning the page into this next chapter of marriage. We were both anxious to say ‘I do!’”
The pair’s special day also included a second line march in honor of Wilson’s Louisiana roots, a Cajun fest for dinner with chefs from her Bell Bottoms Up bar and a reception inside a cave that enhanced the vintage decor and wildflower accents.
One week later, the couple stepped out on the 2026 ACM Awards red carpet in Las Vegas, where Wilson was nominated for Entertainer of the Year.
Seven of the biggest names in country music faced off in the Entertainer of the Year category at the 2026 Academy of Country Music Awards.
Cody Johnson ultimately took home the top prize, which he dedicated to his “buddy” and fellow nominee Luke Combs during the Sunday, May 17, ceremony at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
“When I was a little kid, I remember my mom walked in my room, and I had little microphone, and it was duct-taped to the side of my bunk bed, and I had a guitar with no strings on it, and I was singing, ‘Girl, while you’re walking out / Please walk out real slow / ‘Cause I’m learning as you go.’ It’s a Rick Trevino song,” Johnson, 38, said during his acceptance speech. “All I’ve ever wanted to do was be in front of a crowd and entertain.”
He continued, “They say that music is the sound of emotion, and I get to use my platform to not only promote positivity in this country and all over the world, [but] I get to use it to make you feel emotions that I feel. … It’s the greatest drug that has ever been introduced on planet Earth.”
Country music’s biggest stars delivered a fashion moment worth singing about even before the trophies were handed out at the 61st Academy of Country Music Awards. Thank You! You have successfully subscribed. Subscribe to newsletters Enter your email Please enter a valid email. Subscribe By signing up, I agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy […]
Combs, 36, Chris Stapleton, Jelly Roll, Lainey Wilson, Megan Moroney and Morgan Wallen rounded out the list of nominees in the Entertainer of the Year category.
Of the contenders, Moroney, 28, led with nine total nominations this year, including Female Artist of the Year, Song of the Year for “Am I Okay?,” Single of the Year and Visual Media of the Year for “6 Months Later,” Music Event of the Year for “You Had to Be There” with Kenny Chesney and Artist-Songwriter of the Year.
Wilson, 33, followed closely behind with seven nods for Female Artist of the Year, Song of the Year, Single of the Year and Visual Media of the Year for “Somewhere Over Laredo” and Music Event of the Year for “Trailblazer” with Reba McEntire and Miranda Lambert.
Stapleton, 48, trailed with six nominations for Male Artist of the Year as well as Song of the Year, Music Event of the Year and Visual Media of the Year for “A Song to Sing” with Lambert, 42.
For his part, Johnson earned four nods for Male Artist of the Year, which he also won, as well as Single of the Year and Visual Media of the Year for “The Fall.”
Combs and Wallen, 33, received three nominations each. Both were recognized in the Artist-Songwriter of the Year category. Combs was also up for Male Artist of the Year, while Wallen’s I’m the Problem vied for Album of the Year.
Country music’s biggest names are gearing up for the 2026 Academy of Country Music Awards. The 61st annual awards show is moving from Texas to Las Vegas for the Sunday, May 17, ceremony. “We couldn’t be more thrilled to return to MGM Grand for the 61st ACM Awards next May, a place that holds a […]
Jelly Roll, 41, garnered two total nods, as his and Shaboozey’s song, “Amen,” competed for Music Event of the Year.
Prior to Sunday’s ceremony, Wilson was the two-time reigning Entertainer of the Year after earning the accolade in 2024 and 2025. Stapleton was the only other nominee with a past win in the category in 2023.
During her 2025 acceptance speech, Wilson confessed, “I’m sure everybody deals with a little bit of imposter syndrome, but I won’t lie to you — I have a little bit.”
Despite her doubts at times, the songstress noted, “I dreamed about entertaining. I love making people feel things. I love making people laugh and smile and cry. I’m sorry, I like to make you cry. … Country music has given me more than I deserve.”
Over the years, Stapleton has been nominated for Entertainer of the Year eight times, followed by Combs with seven nods and Wallen with four. Wilson, Johnson and Jelly Roll have each been up for the award three times, while Moroney landed her first-ever nomination in the category this year.
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