Editor’s Note: This interview contains spoilers for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 4, Episode 3, “Human Best Friend.”

After delivering a perfectly classic Star Trek episode with its season opener, followed by a twisted horror episode, Strange New Worlds has delivered its first comedy episode of the season. In “Human Best Friend,” the crew of the USS Enterprise takes some much-needed shore leave on a wild pleasure planet where even the atmosphere itself is intoxicating. While Scotty (Martin Quinn) and Ortegas (Melissa Navia) take center stage for the episode in a bid to become the Geordi and Data of Strange New Worlds, Spock (Ethan Peck), La’an (Christina Chong), and a very real Kirk (Paul Wesley) take turns stealing the show with their laugh-out-loud performances.

I recently caught up with Peck, Chong, and Wesley to unpack their jump into comedy this week. During our conversation, Peck and Wesley spoke about how this intimate experience between Spock and Kirk lays the groundwork for their friendship in the original series​​​​​​. They also discussed filming the slap at the end of the episode when Kirk is trying to prove to Spock that he’s not a hallucination. Chong spoke about getting to learn new fight choreography and letting La’an indulge in her sillier side while processing her pent-up anger. Finally, the trio all shared their reaction to Rebecca Romijn’s Klingon rendition of “Total Eclipse of the Heart.” You can watch the interview in the player above or read the full transcript of our conversation below.

Ethan Peck and Paul Wesley Unpack Kirk and Spock’s Newfound Intimacy

“I just love the idea of that being one of the catalysts for this great friendship that we all know so well.”

Image via Jan Thijs/Paramount+

COLLIDER: This is one of my favorite episodes of the season that I’ve seen so far, and I love the reveal that Kirk was really there the whole time.

CHRISTINA CHONG: So funny, it’s so funny.

It’s so good. Ethan and Paul, how would you say that the relationship between Kirk and Spock has shifted after such a vulnerable experience on Spock’s end?

ETHAN PECK: Yeah, there might be a bit of reticence and withdrawal from Spock because he’s been so exposed in this episode. And then Kirk, you know, is so warm and welcoming of him. So that’s what I anticipate.

PAUL WESLEY: Yeah, it’s really cool. It becomes a part of canon, right? It’s like we sort of, like, begin to understand why these two have such a connection. And it’s because they shared these, like, intimate moments together, revealing, you know, things about one another. Or maybe it was just you revealing things to me, and I didn’t say anything.

PECK: It was mostly just me revealing things to you.

WESLEY: I was like your therapist. No, it’s great. And, you know, I just love the idea of that being one of the catalysts for this great friendship that we all know so well.

Besides 3D chess, what board games do you think they might have played?

WESLEY: Twister!

PECK: Definitely Twister.

I love that. Christina, what do you think it says about La’an that her “journey” on this planet is essentially to teach a gang of thieves to stand up for themselves? Especially on the heels of an episode where she’s so scared of becoming a monster.

CHONG: Yeah, I think for La’an, because she is, you know, ultimately, she’s a security officer. Her job is to look after her family and keep them safe and so on the planet, that’s kind of the gang becomes her family on that planet. And because she’s dealing with a lot of anger right now, I think that’s why that comes out with the drug exposure. And yeah, it’s something she’s working through throughout the season.

I like that; that’s a good tease. At the end of the episode, Kirk slaps Spock to prove that he’s there. And I have to give you both kudos, because that’s a great, well-acted slap. How hard was it to nail that moment?

PECK: I remember it so well because you, Paul, you were like, is this funny? Like, does this work? Because you don’t often do things like that. It’s, you know, it’s like Three Stooges-ish. And, you know, we don’t work in that sort of clownish way too often. And, I actually, I saw this; I thought it was awesome, and it worked so well, and you were so funny. It can be difficult to find the groove of comedy in some of these episodes because we’re so serious — well, I am so serious so often as this character, and it can be quite a challenge to like, still be him while being a bit clownish.

WESLEY: I actually didn’t see that. So I—

PECK: I think you’ll like it.

WESLEY: I can’t wait.

CHONG: It’s very funny.

WESLEY: Really? Okay, good.

CHONG: Very funny.

WESLEY: Did I get close to slapping you in real life?

PECK: It looks like you slapped…Did you— Did you actually slap me? I don’t know, I guess you didn’t. Because it looks like it does look real.

It absolutely does.

Jumping Genres Is as Rewarding as It Is Challenging for the Cast of ‘Strange New Worlds’

“You just never know what you’re going to get.”

Christina, speaking of being so serious and then getting to play fall camp, this episode really sort of lets you lean into La’an’s sillier side like, screaming, “Avenge me!” as she’s dragged out of the bingo hall. For you, what was the most exciting part of showing that more funny side for her?

CHONG: I think for me it was the stick, learning that stick fight routine, the fact that she goes over and completely gets the guy on the floor with the stick and then comes back and she’s like, “Yeah!” [and sort of] becomes the leader of the gang. That was a really cool element of that episode for me. And yeah, just going full on rage. You know, she’s never really gotten to do that before.

PECK: I remember the table read being really funny with your performance, hearing that for the first time, yeah, and being like, “That’s awesome.”

For all of you, sort of building off of that, Strange New Worlds takes such big genre shifts between episodes. I’m curious what’s the most rewarding part for jumping between those, like, different tones? You have a horror episode right back to back with this really silly, fun episode. So what’s the most rewarding part and the most challenging part of that as an actor?

CHONG: I think it’s the variety, that it doesn’t get boring. You know, you’re doing horror, and then we’re preparing for a classic Trek episode, and then we’re going on to a — I’m not sure what I can say here, but, puppet episode — so, you know, it’s just the variety that’s fun for me.

WESLEY: Yeah. I mean, as an actor, that’s all you want to do, and I, you know, I’ll say that the original series, if you watch the original series, it also, you just never know what you’re going to get. I mean, there’s like, really like, it’s like you get classic Trek and then you get kind of goofy or kind of, you know, Tribbles and like, that’s what I love about the show. It’s deeply imaginative, and we take it even further, you know, and, yeah, as an actor, you’re just constantly wanting to flex your muscles. And so this show allows you to do that.

PECK: The challenge is the different genres. I mean, that’s right there. And if I’m being frank, what’s great about it is finishing those different genres, because every time I’m like, “I don’t know how this is going to work. I don’t know how I’m going to do this.” And I find it to be quite intimidating and frightening. And so a successfully completed episode is a wonderful relief and reward, you know?

Absolutely. I have to ask, did you get to watch Rebecca do “Total Eclipse of the Heart” in Klingon, and how hard was it to keep a straight face?

CHONG: Yeah. She, I mean, that was [incredible]; I can’t believe she did that in such a short amount of time. I think they gave her a few days with the lyrics or something, and I just remember her being so proud of herself for doing that, and rightly so. And she let us listen to the recording pretty much straight after she’d done [it; it was] super impressive.

WESLEY: I just remember Akiva blasting it on the San Diego Comic-Con bus. I don’t know if you guys were there; he was like blasting it. He was like, she was singing “Total Eclipse of the Heart” in Klingon. It was awesome. Over and over, too.

New episodes of Strange New Worlds arrive weekly on Paramount+ every Thursday. Stay tuned at Collider for more.

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Release Date

2022 – 2027-00-00

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Network

Paramount+

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Showrunner

Henry Alonso Myers, Akiva Goldsman

Directors

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Dan Liu, Amanda Row, Maja Vrvilo, Akiva Goldsman, Dermott Downs, Eduardo Sánchez, Jeffrey W. Byrd, Jonathan Frakes, Jordan Canning, Leslie Hope, Valerie Weiss, Sydney Freeland, Christopher J. Byrne, Rachel Leiterman

Writers

Onitra Johnson

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Rapper Kurupt is recounting his journey to sobriety and the people who helped him along the way. During a recent interview, the Death Row Records veteran credited fellow hip-hop icons Eminem and Dr. Dre for supporting him throughout his addiction recovery, sharing how they played meaningful roles during one of the most challenging periods of his life.

Kurupt, born Ricardo Brown, rose to fame as a member of Tha Dogg Pound, one of Death Row Records’ flagship acts. He has a long history with Dr. Dre and Eminem, and in a recent interview, the rapper revealed how the two icons supported him through a difficult time.

Kurupt had an alcohol addiction, which eventually led to multiple health conditions. His latest health scare resulted in damaged organs and multiple seizures, and he had to be put on a medically induced coma for three weeks. The 53-year-old rapper is now sober, thanks in part to the support of Eminem and Dr. Dre.

Amid his addiction struggle, Kurupt said Dr. Dre called him offering his support and told him that Eminem wanted to pay for his rehab. “You know, these things cost bread, so Em put the cheese up for it and said, ‘Tell Kurupt I love him’,” the rapper shared on “Sway in the Morning.”

The Rapper Appreciated The Meaningful Gesture From His Fellow Rappers

Kurupt expressed his gratitude to the two rappers, saying Dr. Dre’s call came out of the blue. “That was real special to me. I appreciate both of them so much.”

He shared that Eminem put him in contact with people he knew and made sure that Kurupt had privacy while recovering. “Like, ‘Okay, Kurupt going through that? Bam. Boom I’ma do that for him, man. Tell Kurupt get well, we love him.’ That’s deep’,” the rapper said.

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The recovery wasn’t easy, and Kurupt said he was initially in denial, but he is now completely sober. “I stopped drinking and believe it or not, it was Dr. Dre and Eminem who came to the table and got me a place where I could be and get away from everything,” he said in another interview with BigBoyTV.

Eminem Helped Another Rapper Through Sobriety Journey

Kurupt isn’t the only rapper who credited Eminem. In 2018, rapper Royce da 5’9″, born Ryan Daniel Montgomery, gave a shoutout to Eminem through his song “Stay Woke.” In it, he said, “Thanks to Marshall I’m sober doing what I enjoy doin’,” referring to Eminem’s birth name.

Royce da 5’9″ was an alcoholic, and even before he hit rock bottom, he said Eminem told him that he could give him a call anytime. After experiencing blackouts and getting into legal trouble, he realized it was time to clean up his act.

He contacted Eminem, and the rapper immediately went into action. “He linked me up with my therapist, who is still my therapist today, and my sponsor today. I haven’t had a drink since. That was 6 years ago,” Royce da 5’9″ said in a 2018 interview.

The Rapper Shared His Own Experience With Addiction

Eminem also had struggles with addiction, as he shared in past interviews. As reported by The Blast, he suffered a near-fatal accidental overdose in late 2007. At the peak of his addiction, he took massive amounts of Vicodin, Valium, and Ambien.

Fortunately, he recovered and later shared that “Relapse,” his first album after getting sober, marked the first time he had recorded music with a clear mind and genuinely enjoyed the process.

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Eminem discussed his addiction and recovery in his 2025 documentary “STANS,” and shared the moment he realized he had to make a difference. “I realized I’m not embarrassed anymore about it, and I started treating sobriety like a superpower. I was proud of the fact that I could quit,” he said.

Eminem Turned To Elton John For Guidance

Unbeknownst to many, Eminem and Elton John have a close relationship. The two first collaborated at the Grammy Awards in 2001 when they performed the rapper’s song “Stan,” with John stepping in to perform Dido’s vocal parts.

Years later, when Eminem started his journey to sobriety, he called John, who has been sober since 1990. “He’s somebody who’s in the business and can identify and relate to the lifestyle and how hectic things can be. He understands… the pressure and any other reasons that you want to come up with for doing drugs,” the rapper shared in 2009.

In April, Eminem celebrated 18 years of sobriety and showed off his chip on Instagram, per The Blast.

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The Shards is Ryan Murphy‘s newest highly anticipated series, but how is the spooky — and star-studded — teen slasher related to Bret Easton Ellis‘ hit American Psycho?

According to the official synopsis, The Shards is set in Los Angeles in 1981 and follows “a 17-year-old version of Ellis during his final year at the elite Buckley prep school.” His world is upended by the arrival of a mysterious new student, Robert Mallory, whose “unsettling presence coincides with the activities of a serial killer known as The Trawler.”

Igby Rigney portrays Ellis, now 62, alongside costar Homer Gere as Robert. The cast includes Graham Campbell, Hayes Warner, Wes Bentley and Kaia Gerber, as well as Evan Rachel Wood, Jordan Roth, Owen Painter and Daniel Dale in supporting roles.

The Shards is based on Ellis’ book of the same name, which is a fictionalized memoir about his upbringing. The 2023 release was Ellis’ first in 13 years. Ellis is best known for his book American Psycho, which told the story of a fictional Manhattan investment banker who lives a double life as a serial killer.

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Horror fans don’t have to rely on just horror movies during spooky season — there’s also plenty of terrifying television shows that can get anyone into the Halloween spirit. American Horror Story has become a spooky season staple since it premiered in 2011 as an anthology series on FX. Each season follows a different set […]

American Psycho was transformed into a movie starring Christian Bale as Patrick Bateman. Other works by Ellis include Less than Zero, The Rules of Attraction, The Informers, Glamorama, Lunar Park and Imperial Bedrooms.

The Shards is the only book of Ellis’ to feature himself as a character, but he issued a disclaimer stating that all the major players in The Shards are fictional — apart from the narrator.

“The last time I thought about this book, this particular dream, and telling this version of the story — the one you’re reading now, the one you just began — was almost twenty years ago, when I thought I could handle revealing what happened to me and a few of my friends at the beginning of our senior year at Buckley, in 1981,” reads an excerpt from the novel.

Ahead of the show’s debut, Campbell, who plays Thom, teased how other characters exist on the page and on screen, telling Us, “What’s interesting because we’re seeing the story through Bret’s eyes is that you kind of tap in and out of other people’s story lines and a lot goes down behind the scenes.”

Daniel Dale had a similar experience while bringing Ryan to life.

“I’ve never worked with a book before as a source material,” he noted to Us. “So we had that and it talks a little bit about Ryan’s upbringing, the character of Ryan’s upbringing, his family and what that was all like. I brought all of that with me to the show — not knowing whether that would stay when we adapted it — but it kind of informed a lot about just the way he stands and the way he talks.”

Dale continued: “I feel like it was very clear to me. I could see him when I read the book. So I tried to really embody that.”

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Filming The Shards also involved a lot of creativity for Painter, especially when it came to exploring his character Matt’s motivation between the lines.

“I thought a lot about who Matt was. In the book — at least to me — [it] shaped up to be about identity and imagination and what happens when you impose your own perspective on other people,” he said. “I honestly didn’t make any hard line decisions. I just kept thinking about it.”

The Shards airs Wednesdays on FX.

Some books are just waiting to be adapted into a movie or TV show. Just this year, we had two incredible book-to-movie adaptations, with Project Hail Mary and The Odyssey both breaking box office records and earning universal acclaim from critics and audiences. Indeed, many books seem tailor-made to be translated into either the big or small screens, with storylines that perfectly benefit from the adaptation treatment. However, many other books remain elusive and unknowable, avoiding the straightforward conventions that would make them ideal for an adaptation. Such is the case for Hyperion.

Written by the late Dan Simmons, Hyperion is a challenging yet immensely rewarding sci-fi epic and one of the best reading experiences of the last century or so. The word “masterpiece” is certainly overused, but if there’s one book that earns the title, it’s this one. Yet, what makes Hyperion special on the page is also what would make it impossible for anyone to do it justice in either film or show form. This ambitious triumph of the written word is perfect in its current form, and while many talented creatives could certainly take a chance and test their mettle by adapting it, there’s a strong chance they would simply fail to recreate what Simmons so effortlessly captured on the page.

What Is ‘Hyperion’ About?

Artwork by Noriyoshi Ohrai

Hyperion borrows the structure of the classic by Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales, to tell its fascinating story. First, the basics of worldbuilding: in the far future — the year 2732, to be exact — thousands of planets across the universe make up the Hegemony of Man, each one connected by a farcaster portal. Other players include the TechnoCore, a civilization of advanced AIs, and the Ousters, a group of modified humans living in space stations and in constant conflict with the Hegemony.

Now, for the actual plot: a framing device presents a group of pilgrims sent to the planet of Hyperion, which exists outside the Hegemony. Because it has farcaster, one cannot visit Hyperion without incurring severe time dilation. The pilgrims mean to visit the Shrike, a powerful and dangerous metallic creature said to be capable of granting a wish to each of them. The Shrike, in turn, is the guardian of the Time Tombs, structures that are moving backwards in time.

As an Ouster invasion prepares to attack Hyperion, the pilgrims go on this final voyage, each one with a story to share about how and why they were chosen. They are: Lenar Hoyt, a Catholic priest in his 30s; Fedmahn Kassahd, a Martian of Palestinian descent who is part of the Hegemony’s military; Brawne Lamia, a private detective; Martin Silenus, a poet; Sol Weintraub, a Jewish scholar; Het Masteen, the ship’s captain; and the Consul, an enigmatic man. As for the Shrike, it remains elusive throughout the narrative, appearing constantly yet remaining shrouded in mystery regarding its origin, nature, and motives.

Is ‘Hyperion’ Truly Unadaptable?

Image via Spectra

Some books would never work as movies, and Hyperion is one. For starters, the structure itself is an issue. Divided into a prologue, an epilogue, and six chapters, Hyperion dedicates these six sections to exploring each of the pilgrims’ backstories, each one with a different genre. For example, Fedmahn’s chapter is a classic military sci-fi story, in keeping with his background as a colonel, while Lamia’s chapter is a hard-boiled detective story that uses noir conventions.

Thematically, Hyperion juggles a lot of very big ideas. Religion is a huge theme, mainly embodied by the character of Lenar and his predecessor, Paul Duré, the first Catholic priest to visit Hyperion. Particularly, Simmons’ book is concerned with the very nature of religion and faith, and how their purpose clashes with the institutions meant to uphold them. Lenar and Duré’s stories are a highlight of Hyperion, blending body horror with profound philosophical questions regarding humanity’s place in a larger universe that seems indifferent to suffering. There are no easy answers here — there’s hardly any answers at all. Instead, Simmons allows his prose to awaken something in us as readers, our curiosity to not only come to our own conclusions but to also look beyond what’s on the page and inwards.

Time is the other major theme in Hyperion. Simmons treats time as something unknowable, a primal force that simply cannot be understood, much less manipulated or toyed with. The book uses the concept of “time debt,” caused by the use of the farcasters and interstellar travel. Yet, the actual debt is more emotional and psychological, resulting in “unlived” time that literally separates an individual from everything they know. The universe of Hyperion is populated by people displaced from their origins, literally lost in space, existing outside of their time, drifting aimlessly in a vast and unforgiving universe that couldn’t care less about them.

All of these heady themes translate beautifully into the page thanks to Simmons’ insightful, soulful writing. The book allows him to explore these ideas in detail, and the use of a first-person perspective adds a layer of intimacy that makes the reader connect to the characters on a more personal level. Any movie or TV show would likely fail to replicate this approach, try as they might. Sure, a talented director or showrunner could easily nail the themes, but it’s the execution that would elude them. There’s a rawness to Simmons’ writing that makes Hyperion impactful, a poetic lyricism that allows him to find unexpected beauty and unembellished truth in heavy themes like grief, love, and sacrifice.

Will We Ever See a ‘Hyperion’ Adaptation?

As early as 2009, there were talks of a Hyperion adaptation. Scott Derrickson was attached at one point, and currently, Bradley Cooper is supposedly adapting it as a movie for Warner Bros. Yet, one can’t help but hesitate because both the TV and film mediums have limitations. If there needs to be an adaptation of this masterpiece, then it should be a TV show. The episodic nature of television would be better suited for Hyperion‘s structure, allowing each character an episode to themselves to truly capture the richness of their narratives. Yet, the book’s universal scope and the ambitious, terrifying nature of the Shrike would work better on a big screen and with the larger resources usually reserved for major blockbusters.

In other words, a Hyperion TV show would be too expensive, and a movie would be too constrictive. Will we ever see an adaptation? Maybe, but I wouldn’t hold my breath. After all, some works of art exist in their ideal form from the get-go, and Hyperion is one. The literary medium is the perfect home for this larger-than-life, genre-bending, once-in-a-lifetime work, a pillar of modern science fiction that has inspired countless writers and will inspire a thousand more.

Molly Ringwald has opened up about her experiences in the industry, with people and shows.

The phenomenal actress recently reflected on her past work, rating her experience working on several sets. In the process, she opened viewers’ eyes to how much a castmate can affect a co-star’s overall feeling about a project.

Molly Ringwald started in the entertainment industry as a child actress and rose to fame over the years. She has been vocal about the challenges she faced as a young actress in Hollywood.

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Ringwald revealed her personal views on several projects she worked on right from her days as a child star. While playing a game of “Spill the IMDb Tea” on a recent episode of “Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen,” the actress was asked to rate some of her roles based only on her experience filming them, not on the final product.

The wheel spun, revealing some films she’s appeared in like “Diff’rent Strokes and The Facts Of Life,” “Not Another Teen Movie,” and “Pretty In Pink,” amongst others. Ringwald gave each film a rating on a scale of 1 to 10 and offered brief explanations for the ratings.

One show that stuck out, receiving the lowest number on the scale, was “The Secret Life of the American Teenager.” She shared that while she “loved” the cast of the show, it was “the worst” because “there was one person that was really difficult.”  

Who Starred In ‘The Secret Life Of An American Teenager’ Alongside Ringwald?

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The actress played Anne Juergens in the ABC Family teen drama from 2008 to 2013. The show centered around the story of Amy, played by Shailene Woodley, a high school student who became pregnant at 15 years old and had to navigate life changes and a journey into motherhood.

Ringwald and Woodley starred alongside Mark Derwin, Ken Baumann, Megan Park, Francia Raisa, India Eisley, and other Hollywood stars for five seasons. Woodley and Ringwald, who played a mother-daughter duo, have remained close over the years. 

“I got to know her as just this, like, beautiful older sister, motherly figure to me who was really protective of honoring, like, my authenticity as a young person and who I was and just being, like, a kiddo playing a kiddo,” Woodley said of the “Sixteen Candles” star in 2024. 

Later on the show, Ringwald clarified that she was “not going to say who that one person is,” from the ABC Family drama, but they “brought it down to a 1” on Cohen’s rating scale. 

Molly Ringwald Regrets An Iconic Role She Passed On

During the same appearance, as her chat with Cohen continued, the mom of three revealed the one project she regrets not jumping on when the offer came. She shared that she still thinks about her decision to say no to the 90’s American supernatural romance film “Ghost.”

The role ultimately went to Demi Moore, who played Molly Jensen in the supernatural blockbuster. “But Demi is great in it. So good for Demi; she did a great job,” Ringwald said, praising the actress before revealing that she passed on the film because she didn’t connect with the script or the material. 

Cohen highlighted that taking that role could have “changed the entire trajectory” of her career, prompting Ringwald to admit, “It was just not meant to be.” The TV personality is famously known for turning down several major roles in projects including “Working Girl,” “The Silence of the Lambs,” and “Pretty Woman.”

The Award-Winning Actress Had ‘To Protect’ Herself In Hollywood

Ringwald previously revealed the challenges she faced as a young star in Hollywood. She shared that despite her “shy, introverted” nature and preference for staying home rather than going out, she found herself in some “questionable situations.”

Speaking to Marc Maron on his podcast two years ago, the “Sixteen Candles” star noted that she didn’t really feel part of a community in the industry because she was not very social nor “into going out to clubs.”

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In response, Maron said, “Well, you’re lucky you didn’t get taken advantage of or got into some sort of horrible situation,” to which she disagreed, saying, “You can’t be a young actress in Hollywood and not have predators around.” 

The actress disclosed that she had to rely on her survival instinct and a pretty big superego to figure out a way to protect herself from being taken advantage of.

Molly Ringwald Wants A Different Path For Her Daughter

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Ringwald shares three kids: a daughter, Mathilda, and fraternal twins, Adele and Roman, with her husband, writer and book editor Panio Gianopoulos. While discussing her book “When It Happens to You” on the TODAY show in 2012, she shared that she says no to her daughter’s dreams of becoming an actress.

“She asks me every day…I say no,” Ringwald shared. The TV star, however, clarified that she is not completely shutting down her child’s dreams but wants her to follow a particular path to achieve them. 

She stated that school comes first, and after her daughter graduates from college, preferably an Ivy League school, she could pursue a career in acting. Ringwald revealed that her decision stemmed from the fact that a good education would make her a better actress and person, in addition to her knowledge of the entertainment industry.

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What other Hollywood experiences is Molly Ringwald yet to share?

Carson Daly is reassuring fans that he is not leaving “The Voice.” Confusion arose after it was announced that Keke Palmer will be hosting a new spin-off of the long-running singing competition. The TV personality addressed it on social media, telling fans that he will be coming back as the main show’s host and will be involved behind the scenes of the companion series.

On August 4, NBC officially announced a new spin-off show titled “The Voice: Celebrity,” with Keke Palmer stepping in as the host, as reported by The Blast. The news came ahead of Season 30 of “The Voice,” and some believed it meant that longtime host Carson Daly was stepping down from the franchise.

Daly, who has been hosting “The Voice” since its premiere season in 2011, took to Instagram to clarify that he isn’t going anywhere. He will remain the main show’s host for its upcoming season, but he believes he is “not the right host” for the celebrity edition.

“We’re gonna try out these 2 formats this fall/spring and see how it goes! Hopefully this post clears up any confusion. I am still hosting the show currently,” Daly said, adding that he will also be involved as a producer on “The Voice: Celebrity.”

Keke Palmer Is Ecstatic About Her New Gig

Singer and actress Keke Palmer shared the exciting news on social media, sharing her reaction to her new hosting gig. Fans expressed their excitement as well, leaving their comments on the post. “This is the smartest thing NBC has done,” one wrote.

Daly also sang Palmer’s praises, describing the actress as a “triple threat queen” who is perfect for hosting the celebrity spin-off. “I’m so grateful she carved out the time in her busy career to help us out. We’re all big fans & welcome her to the family,” Daly wrote.

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Palmer most recently appeared on the Peacock series “The ‘Burbs,” which has been renewed for a second season. She was also in the crime comedy film “I Love Boosters.”

What We Know About ‘The Voice: Celebrity’

“The Voice: Celebrity” will have a different format than the original series. One major difference is the set of contestants, which will include celebrities, as the name suggests. Although no names have been officially revealed, NBC teased that competitors could include stars from TV, film, sports, music, and the influencer world.

Instead of four coaches, the celebrity edition will have three: Queen Latifah, Riley Green, and Joe Jonas. “‘Celeb Voice’ is a fun, NEW IDEA that features some big differences like… FAMOUS PEOPLE singing for 3 coaches to see if they have what it takes. There’s lots of new twists & turns,” Daly teased.

“The Voice: Celebrity” will air sometime in spring 2027.

Carson Daly Has Been With ‘The Voice’ For More Than 15 Years

Carson Daly has been with “The Voice” since its inception, serving as both its host and producer. He won his first-ever Emmy as producer in the category of Outstanding Reality-Competition Program, and subsequently won three more times in 2015, 2016, and 2017.

Throughout the years, Daly has expressed immense pride in the reality competition show. In 2024, the host talked about the show’s longevity and how amazing it was to see “The Voice” thrive amid the changing industry. “The scale and scope of a show like ‘The Voice’ on a network… the fact that that could have stayed on for so long and really held a high level of quality, I mean those are the things that come to mind as I think back,” he told Gold Derby.

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‘The Voice’ Season 30 Will Premiere In September

“The Voice” Season 30 will premiere on September 21, and as Daly confirmed, he will be resuming hosting duties. The upcoming season marks Queen Latifah and Riley Green’s debut season as coaches, and they will be joined by veteran coaches Kelly Clarkson, who is returning for her 11th season, and Adam Levine, whose team member won Season 29.

The Season 30 winner already has a big gig waiting, as it was announced in June, per Variety, that the emerging champion will be performing at the Governors Ball Music Festival in 2027. Other prizes include $100,000 and a record deal with Universal Music Group.

O’Shea Jackson Jr. typically doesn’t hold back his thoughts on social media. Recently, he penned a sweet birthday message for his nine-year-old. The post quickly drew mixed reactions as some fans learned about his daughter for the first time. When one internet user tried to crack a lil’ joke about posting the child, the actor quickly set the record straight.

RELATED: Blueface’s Dad Speaks Out Amid Jaidyn Alexis Allegedly Blocking Rapper From Attending Daughter’s Birthday Party (VIDEOS)

O’Shea Jackson Clocks Social Media User’s Joke About Hiding His Daughter

On Instagram, O’Shea Jackson Jr. penned a sweet message for his nine-year-old daughter. His post also includes a single image of two wet footprints, his and a young child’s. His caption said the following:

“Dear Baby. 9 years ago my life changed forever. I felt a love I had never felt before. A feeling of purpose I had never felt before. A new focus. A new drive. New wants, new fearsew laughs. New tears….a whole new me. And it all came with … a little me. That of course being, you. Jordan you have no idea how much I love you. And how much I needed you in my life. Everything that I do, I do for you. And everything that I DONT do, I don’t do….for you. You make me so proud to be your dad and all I want in this life is to make you proud to be my daughter. Idk when you’ll read this but one day you will. That day you will know that I’ve always felt like I had the smartest, funniest, most beautiful little girl in the entire world. And today is your 9th birthday. And my 9th anniversary of being the luckiest father in the world. I love you baby. Always and forever. Forever and always. Chicken wing chicken wing. Hot dog and bologna.” 

Actor Pops Off Over His Daughter’s Privacy

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Roommates, spooky season is off to an early start thanks to one man who decided to climb onto the roof of a hospital dressed as the Grim Reaper. Yes, y’all! Police arrested 26-year-old Leon Gillespie after he showed up on top of the building wearing a black hooded costume and carrying a long blade.

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Leon Gillespie Had Hospital Patients Seeing More Than Doctors

If you thought you have seen and heard it all, think again! Ysbyty Glan Clwyd Hospital in Denbigshire, North Wales, had an unexpected guest recently. A man named Leon Gillespie popped up on the roof of the building dressed as the Grim Reaper on Saturday, August 1. Gillespie claimed his all-black costume was meant to represent a crow, even though he appeared to carry a long blade.

According to the New York Post, Gillespie stayed on top of the building for around 50 minutes and reportedly made noises toward people on the ground. Hospital visitors couldn’t believe their eyes as they watched him stand still while holding the blade. Four police cars and a fire crew eventually arrived to the scene to apprehend Gillespie while he pulled off the stunt.

So What’s Next For The Grim Reaper?

As of right now, Gillespie hasn’t explained what inspired his viral stunt. Still, police arrested him and later charged him with causing a nuisance or disturbance without a reasonable excuse on NHS premises. Gillespie eventually pleaded guilty to the offense and reportedly received a fine.

This isn’t Leon Gillespie’s first run-in with the law. He previously faced two other offenses after police accused him of stealing cat food and litter from a pet store in March and taking goods from a Sainsbury’s supermarket in the same town in May.

The TL Couldn’t Resist Cracking Jokes About The Grim Reaper Stunt

Y’all already know the internet doesn’t take anything serious. Once news broke about Leon’s Grim Reaper stunt, The Shade Room comment section went crazy with reactions. Plenty of folks asked, “Now why would he do that?” while others joked that his appearance probably had patients’ blood pressure rising and left them wondering what in the world was going on.

Instagram user @blackgirlrebirth wrote, “Nah this is HILARIOUS.” 

Instagram user @fmg_bp wrote, “I ain’t never laughed so hard with out seeing proof 😂”

While Instagram user @iam.jadaaa wrote, “this not funny but it is😭 those intrusive thoughts took over for sure 😂😂” 

Instagram user @chasedby_grace wrote, “Now that’s what I call DARK humor 😭😭” 

Then Instagram user @leway_tattoos wrote, “Imagine you just woke up and you see him!” 

Another Instagram user @detroitdar_ wrote, “Now why would you do that 😂” 

Instagram user @goldncase wrote, “Everyday People finding new and innovative ways to go to jail 😂😂😂😂😂😂” 

Then another Instagram user @1partyboi_duece wrote, “I just know he had this day marked on the calendar 😂” 

While another Instagram user @taeevstamar wrote, “What they charge him with? Dark humor? 😭😂” 

Finally, Instagram user @dredataurus wrote, “Everybody’s blood pressure was sky high.” 

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Zendaya has fans cracking up after a video surfaced of her recreating Keke Palmer‘s iconic “Sorry to this man” meme while holding up a photo of husband Tom Holland.

Years later, Palmer herself admitted the off-the-cuff remark has become one of the defining moments of her career, with fans still recognizing her for the viral quote more than many of her films.

Zendaya has delighted fans after recreating one of the internet’s most iconic viral moments, this time with a playful twist involving fiancé Tom Holland.

A clip making the rounds on social media shows the Euphoria star holding up a photo of Holland before delivering Keke Palmer’s famous line almost word for word.

“I hate to say it. I hope I don’t sound ridiculous; I don’t know who this man is,” Zendaya joked. “I mean, he could be walking down the street. I wouldn’t… I wouldn’t know a thing. Sorry to this man.”

The moment is a direct callback to Palmer’s unforgettable 2019 Vanity Fair lie detector interview. When shown a photo of former Vice President Dick Cheney, Palmer admitted she had no idea who he was, saying, “I hate to say it… I don’t know who this man is… Sorry to this man.”

Fans Say Zendaya Nailed The Viral Impression

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Fans on Reddit were quick to praise Zendaya’s delivery of the iconic line, with one writing that she “delivered that way too perfectly,” while another called her vocal impression “flawless.”

The clip also reignited appreciation for Palmer’s original quote. Fans described it as one of the funniest soundbites ever, with several admitting it has become part of their everyday vocabulary.

Others joked that the meme had become bigger than Cheney himself. “I’ve seen the original clip, and I still can’t recall who Keke was referring to,” one Redditor confessed. “It’s such an iconic soundbite, but ‘that man’ remains irrelevant.”

Some viewers also spotted an extra layer to Zendaya’s joke, pointing out that her Spider-Man character, MJ, no longer remembers Peter Parker after the events of Spider-Man: No Way Home. That led many to believe the Tom Holland gag doubled as a clever callback to the Marvel blockbuster.

Keke Palmer Says The Meme Overshadowed Her Movies

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Years after the clip first took over the internet, Palmer admitted it’s still the moment many fans know her for.

Looking back during Vanity Fair’s Scene Selection, the actress laughed, “‘Sorry to this Man’ was a movie. It was a very short one, but it really was a movie in so many ways.”

She revealed that people still approach her about the viral line more than many of her biggest acting credits.

“People still come up to me talking about that damn near more than anything in my catalog of films,” Palmer said.

Keke’s Meme Legacy Keeps Growing

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Palmer realized almost immediately that “Sorry to this man” had taken on a life of its own. Speaking to TIME at the magazine’s 2019 TIME100 Next event, she laughed, “Sweetie, the ‘sorry to this man’ meme has definitely changed my life. I could have never imagined saying sorry to a man could be turning out this way.”

The publication argued the viral moment had elevated Palmer beyond her reputation as a singer, dancer and actress, joking she had become a “quadruple threat” by mastering another modern art form: memes.

What was an unscripted response during a lie detector test quickly evolved into one of social media’s favorite reaction clips. Years later, fellow celebrities like Zendaya are still putting their own spin on the famous line.

Hollywood Also Wants Keke Palmer’s Famous Line

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Palmer says the quote has become so ingrained in pop culture that filmmakers have even tried to work it into her projects.

During a 2025 appearance on “Late Night with Seth Meyers,” the actress revealed that directors and advertisers have repeatedly asked whether she could squeeze “Sorry to this man” into commercials and movie scenes. Her answer, however, is usually no, per Entertainment Weekly.

“I’ve done commercials or movies, and they’re like, ‘Do you think there’s a way you could fit in ‘Sorry to this man?’” Palmer recalled. “I’m like, ‘There’s no man to say sorry to!’ It’s a very unique experience.”

Daemons and talking polar bears and a repressive religious regime, oh my! When it comes to vastly underrated fantasy sagas, it doesn’t get much better than HBO’s His Dark Materials. Produced in collaboration with BBC One, the much-anticipated TV series based on Phillip Pullman‘s trilogy of novels is set in a multiverse that includes our own world. His Dark Materials follows young Lyra Belacqua (Dafne Keen) and her daemon Pantalaimon (Kit Connor) as they uncover a conspiracy involving kidnapped children and a mysterious cosmic substance known as Dust, teaming up with Will Parry (Amir Wilson), a boy from another world, to battle the authoritarian Magisterium.

Also starring James McAvoy and Lin-Manuel Miranda, His Dark Materials received critical acclaim for its outstanding cast and breathtaking visuals but, despite its success in the United Kingdom, didn’t become quite as popular as the series deserved to be. Unfortunately, lack of worldwide mainstream appeal typically means that an IP is shelved. But there is still so much more to explore in Pullman’s (and Lyra’s) world, and a sequel might be just what His Dark Materials needs to get the flowers it deserves.

Lyra’s Story Doesn’t End With ‘His Dark Materials’

His Dark Materials’ November 2019 premiere was an attempt to capitalize on the sudden fantasy TV series-shaped hole left by the end of Game of Thrones and its controversial final season. But, despite positive reviews, the series struggled to stand out amidst a new host of adaptations also hoping to become the next big fantasy series — think House of the Dragon, The Witcher, and The Wheel of Time.

This is perhaps why the series did not plan to continue past Season 3, which is a shame because Pullman wrote no less than five novellas, a short story, and a new (as yet incomplete) trilogy series set in his multiverse following the completion of the His Dark Materials novels.

A ‘His Dark Materials’ Sequel Could Explore More of Lyra’s World

His Dark Materials’ Season 3 storyline was accused of feeling rushed and was notably criticized for overshadowing the tragedy of Lyra and Will’s relationship arc for the sake of advancing the plot, but Pullman’s latter stories offer an opportunity to slow down and simplify, focusing on singular characters and their motivations. A sequel series based on Pullman’s expanded world could tie up loose ends with Lyra’s Oxford and Serpentine, which explore Lyra and Pantalaimon’s new normal, and how the events of His Dark Materials affected them.

The novellas also provide backstories for fan-favorite characters like Lee Scoresby (Lin-Manuel Miranda) in Once Upon a Time in the North, and Mrs. Coulter (Ruth Wilson) in The Collectors. The first two books of Pullman’s second trilogy, The Book of Dust and The Secret Commonwealth, shed more light on both the mysteries of the Magisterium and Dust and elaborate on Lyra’s story before and beyond His Dark Materials, which could amend the series’ issue with incomplete-feeling character arcs.

Unfortunately, with only three seasons, His Dark Materials may not have been given enough time to dig into Pullman’s intricate novels and develop a larger fanbase. Even Game of Thrones, now considered the gold standard of epic fantasy, took three full seasons to build up its viewership and only exploded into the zeitgeist after the infamous Red Wedding episode at the end of Season 3.

Critics and audiences both agreed that HBO’s adaptation expertly captured the tone of Pullman’s books, and the series still maintained a fairly high viewership — averaging three to four million viewers per episode — over its three seasons despite its apparent lack of mainstream success, meaning His Dark Materials has more than enough enthusiasm (and material) for a much-deserved sequel series.

His Dark Materials is available to stream on Max in the U.S.

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Release Date

2019 – 2022-00-00

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Network

BBC One

Directors

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William McGregor, Amit Gupta, Leanne Welham, Charles Martin, Otto Bathurst, Euros Lyn, Dawn Shadforth, Harry Wootliff, Jamie Childs

Writers

Jack Thorne, Francesca Gardiner, Amelia Spencer, Sarah Quintrell

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