Entertainment
48 Years Ago, David Bowie Turned an Unusual Inspiration Into One of His Greatest Songs
Among the many, many timeless hits David Bowie has graced the music world with, very few hit as hard as “Heroes” does. Contrary to what readers might assume, “Heroes” was not a huge commercial success. The song didn’t do well on the charts, despite being embraced by audiences around the world, but its popularity grew steadily through the years. It became an anthem at every live performance, and after Bowie’s death, it was unearthed by lots of fans, and over 45 years after its release, the track charted in several countries for the first time.
The song, a single from the album by the same name, has a distinct universal feeling. It is, on the surface, a song about love, but as he did with many other songs, in “Heroes,” Bowie is using romance as a Trojan horse to send a deeper message. A lot of fans might not know that this track has a political message hidden. And fewer will suspect that the singer was sneakily uncovering an affair.
David Bowie’s Unusual Inspiration for Writing ‘Heroes’
David Bowie recorded and released “Heroes” in 1977. The song, co-written by legendary producer Brian Eno, came from a bizarre source of inspiration. “I, I will be king / And you, you will be queen / Though nothing will drive them away / We can be heroes, just for one day / We can be us, just for one day.” On the surface, this song is about star-crossed lovers, a common but always successful trope in fiction and music. But the undercurrent of the song becomes clearer when Bowie, in one of the last verses, sings about the lovers “standing by the wall,” kissing as though “nothing could fall” while guns shot over their heads.
He’s not talking about any wall. Bowie is building a story about people falling in love despite being separated by the Berlin Wall. The universal message of love transcending political divides is a tale as old as time, but it never stops being relevant.
Who’s Your Perfect Classic Rock Band?
However, the inspiration for the love story across the Wall didn’t come merely from a political interest. No, he actually saw the couple he was writing about, though at the time, he had to keep the secret. It was his friend and producer, Tony Visconti, and he was kissing Antonia Maass, a German singer who was, crucially, not his wife. So, for a while, the singer had to keep the secret of the true story behind the hit.
“I always said it was a couple of lovers by the Wall that prompted the idea for ‘Heroes’,” Bowie said in 2015. “Actually, it was Tony Visconti and his girlfriend. Tony was married at the time, so I couldn’t talk about it. But I can now say that the lovers were Tony and a German girl that he’d met while we were in Berlin.” In Bowie and Visconti’s defense, “his marriage was in the last few months,” and he found that seeing him fall in love again was “very touching. I could see that Tony was very much in love with this girl, and it was that relationship which sort of motivated the song.”
48 Years Ago, David Bowie Shocked the World With a Record No One Saw Coming
A bold escape from the brink of self-destruction led to an iconic musical rebirth.
Bowie Developed a New Writing Method While Living in Berlin
“Heroes” is the perfect example of how much a new environment enriched David Bowie’s songwriting. Some of his best songs came from what he called the “Berlin period,” when he was living, writing, and recording in Germany. Finding himself in a foreign land and having to find his way around it exposed him to new experiences and, as a result, led him to develop new writing techniques. Living in Berlin in the ’70s was not easy, but in his own words, he had to “put myself in those situations to produce any reasonably good writing.”
“I have to put myself on a dangerous level, whether emotionally or mentally or physically, and it resolves in things like that: living in Berlin, leading what is quite a spartan life for a person of my means, and in forcing myself to live according to the restrictions of that city.”
60 Years Ago, Bob Dylan Changed Songwriting Forever With One Brutally Honest Line
In 1965, Bob Dylan released a track that wasn’t just a hit but a turning point in his career.
The idea of restrictions made its way into the song, and Bowie used it as a guideline for his songwriting of that period. He also urged his fellow musicians to follow that idea. “Maybe I’d write out five or six chords, then discipline myself to write something only with those five or six chords involved,” Bowie explained about that period of his career. “So that particular dogma would dictate how the song is going to come out, rather than me and my sense of emotional self.”
“Heroes” is a song that has it all. A deep, universal message in the lyrics, a fascinating technical background, and even an adulterous secret behind it. 48 years later, it’s still a masterpiece and one of the many indelible marks that Bowie left on this world.
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Justin Baldoni’s lawyer is speaking out after Blake Lively requested damages following their recent settlement agreement.
Us Weekly obtained court documents on Thursday, May 7, in which Lively, 38, claimed she was “entitled” to receive damages because of the “harm” she suffered as a result of what she described as “retaliatory defamation action” by Baldoni and his Wayfarer Studios in their legal battle over the production of It Ends With Us. (In December 2024, Lively sued Baldoni for sexual harassment, defamation, breach of contract, retaliation and more; however, 10 of the 13 claims were dismissed by a judge last month. Baldoni countersued for $400 million, but his lawsuit was dismissed entirely in June 2025.)
In the docs, Lively requested “‘reasonable attorney’s fees and costs for successfully defending [herself] in the litigation,’ treble damages for the harm caused by the Wayfarer Parties’ retaliatory ‘defamation action’ against her and punitive damages sufficient to deter the Wayfarer Parties from engaging in such conduct in the future.”
Baldoni’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, told Entertainment Tonight on Thursday that he was surprised by Lively’s latest legal move after the parties announced on Monday, May 4, they had reached a settlement.
New monetary details regarding Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni’s surprise It Ends With Us legal settlement have been revealed. A source tells Us Weekly that no money was exchanged between Lively, 38, and Baldoni, 42, in the Monday, May 4, settlement, which ended the contentious legal battle between the former costars while avoiding a trial. […]
“I think they have their own interpretation of what they think is the law. I think it’s a procedural motion that’s left in the case. It’s pretty standard,” Freedman said. “But when you want to parade around and call a loss a victory, this is your attempt to do so. It seems like more nonsense from Ms. Lively.”
“I think it’s impossible for Ms. Lively to take responsibility for any part of her actions,” he added. “If one can’t see themselves, one can’t honestly, realistically, look at their part in things, it makes for a troubled existence.”
Earlier on Thursday, Lively’s attorneys, Michael Gottlieb and Esra Hudson, deemed the settlement a “resounding victory” for their client and explained why they are seeking damages on her behalf.
“By agreeing to this settlement, and waiving their right to appeal, Justin Baldoni and every individual defendant now face personal liability for abusing the legal system to silence and intimidate Ms. Lively,” the attorneys said. “And by admitting that Ms. Lively’s concerns ‘deserved to be heard,’ the defendants have ended once and for all the fiction that Ms. Lively ‘fabricated’ claims of sexual harassment and retaliation.”
This week on Legally Us, Rachael Bennett, a certified family law specialist and senior attorney at Sullivan Law & Associates, breaks down Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively’s legal settlement. On Monday, May 4, news broke that Blake Lively, 38, and Justin Baldoni, 42, had reached a settlement in their lawsuit after nearly two years, just […]
“From day one, Blake Lively’s mission was clear: expose and hold accountable those who weaponize smear campaigns and retaliatory lawsuits to intimidate and silence survivors. That mission continues,” the lawyers added.
On Thursday, Freedman was asked whether Baldoni might consider a payout to Lively in order to put an end to the legal back-and-forth between them.
He responded, “I wouldn’t want to reveal whatever my client’s confidences are, but from day one, we’ve been saying we would never settle this case, and Justin has been saying we would never settle this case if it involved an allegation of sexual harassment.”
“We’ll see how the judge rules on that,” he added of Lively’s request for damages. “I have a feeling Ms. Lively will probably continue to go back into court. … At some point, somebody’s got to look in the mirror and take responsibility for their own actions. That’s yet to happen.”
Blake Lively’s alleged feud with director and costar Justin Baldoni on the set of It Ends With Us exploded into multiple lawsuits in 2025. The former Gossip Girl star kicked off the legal battle by filing a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department and subsequently sued Baldoni over sexual harassment allegations. Baldoni’s lawyer Bryan […]
Freedman said that Baldoni is “doing as well as can be expected when you’re involved in this type of situation” and confirmed that the actor and director did not sign a nondisclosure agreement as part of Monday’s settlement.
Us Weekly has reached out to Lively’s representative and attorneys for comment.
In a statement issued earlier this week, Baldoni and Lively’s teams mutually announced the stars had reached a settlement in Lively’s lawsuit, which had been due to go to trial on May 18.
“The end product – the movie It Ends With Us – is a source of pride to all of us who worked to bring it to life. Raising awareness, and making a meaningful impact in the lives of domestic violence survivors – and all survivors – is a goal that we stand behind,” they said. “We acknowledge the process presented challenges and recognize concerns raised by Ms. Lively deserved to be heard.”
The statement added, “We remain firmly committed to workplaces free of improprieties and unproductive environments. It is our sincere hope that this brings closure and allows all involved to move forward constructively and in peace, including a respectful environment online.”
Entertainment
Forget ‘Man on Fire’ — Paramount’s 3-Part Revenge Thriller Is the Perfect Weekend Binge
With a new series rebooting of one of Denzel Washington‘s most popular action thrillers, Man on Fire, making waves on Netflix, you may be inclined to revisit the 2004 film. But if you’re looking for a different sort of Denzel action movie that covers all the bases and leads to more adventures after the credits roll, you’ll be better off looking to Prime Video. Over on the Amazon streaming platform, it’s The Equalizer that reigns supreme. In fact, the 2014 action thriller has spent the last nine weeks in the streamer’s Top 10. If you’re wondering what all the hype is about, there’s no better time to lock and load — even better, there’s not just one, but three of them.
‘The Equalizer’ Is Making Serious Waves on Prime Video
If it’s been a while since you’ve seen The Equalizer, or you’ve never given this action-packed reimagining of the original CBS Equalizer television show — the one starring Edward Woodward, not Queen Latifah, that series came later — a chance, there’s no better time to watch The Equalizer than now. Washington’s first installment in the franchise introduces retired operative (and grieving widower) Robert McCall as he finds himself befriending a young sex worker named Alina (Chloë Grace Moretz), who is abused by the Russian mafia. At the same time, McCall aids his friend and co-worker Ralphie (Johnny Skourtis) in his training to become a security guard, only for Ralphie’s family’s business to come under threat from the same criminal element. Enraged by the injustice around him, the former Marine and DIA officer decides to dish out some good ole’ vigilante justice, which turns the streets of Boston upside down. With stylish action, gritty violence, and emotionally engaging drama for our leading hero, The Equalizer lives up to all the hype.
There’s something about Washington’s ability to command the screen as a stoic and capable action hero. As Robert McCall, he’s as close the award-winning actor has ever gotten to playing a superhero, complete with a haunted past, expert fighting skills, and social know-how to make a difference to those in need around him. For a fast 132 minutes, this 2014 feature keeps McCall on his toes as he goes head-to-head with mob enforcers and corrupt cops alike, with David Harbour‘s Frank Masters being a particular stand-out among the supporting cast. In many ways, Washington’s original take on The Equalizer acts as a sort of love-letter to his previous pulse-pounding collaborations with the late Tony Scott, which, aside from Man on Fire, also include Déjà Vu, Unstoppable, and Crimson Tide. Only this time, it utilizes director Antoine Fuqua‘s trademark eye for absorbing fight sequences and emotional suspense. Both directors frequently collaborated with Washington, whose action flicks have become fan favorites with audiences and critics alike. The Equalizer is, of course, no exception.
‘The Equalizer’ Spawned Denzel Washington’s Only Film Sequels
Both Fuqua and Washington obviously feel that Robert McCall has limitless potential, because the pair have made not one Equalizer movie but three of them. In fact, The Equalizer 2 and The Equalizer 3 are the only sequels of the Oscar-winning actor’s entire career — with plans for two more on the way. Those still hoping to scratch that Man on Fire itch ought to check out the third installment specifically, as it features an on-screen reunion between Washington and actress Dakota Fanning, who had last worked opposite one another in that film nearly two decades prior. Each Equalizer follow-up is as riveting as the last, with the second installment arguably being most like the original television series. Given Prime Video’s unofficial status as the ultimate home for action thriller lovers everywhere, it’s not a surprise that The Equalizer and its sequels do so well on the platform.
If you’re looking for a more intimate and engaging take on the action genre, look no further. As critic Matt Goldman once wrote in his review of the 2014 picture for Collider, “Director Antoine Fuqua has scaled the picture back to the level of a 90s action movie—few digital effects, close quarters combat, and relying on a gritty tone that’s never too dour.” Thankfully, that general tone is consistent throughout all three films, even after the third installment moves overseas to Italy. Retribution is the theme in this high-octane (yet deeply personal) series of vigilante-style thrillers, and Denzel Washington is the perfect star for the job. It’s no wonder he wants to make fourth and fifth installments in the future…
Entertainment
Jon Hamm Breaks Down ‘Your Friends & Neighbors’ Season 2’s Bold Twist After That Unexpected Death
Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for Your Friends & Neighbors Season 2, Episode 6
Summary
Season 2 of Jon Hamm‘s Apple TV crime series Your Friends & Neighbors has been anything but predictable, largely due to the addition of James Marsden‘s boisterous and enigmatic Ashe. The darkly comedic series has impressively managed to retain the charisma and novelty of its first season, while also expanding Coop’s (Hamm) world of petty theft with the twist of blackmail, courtesy of Ashe himself. Season 2 has also thrust Coop back into the hedge fund game after exiting the industry on, well, interesting terms. To the surprise of no one, Coop never lost a lick of his charm — or skills — and got back into the schmoozing side of things quite effortlessly.
Episode 6, however, takes everything we’ve learned from this season and tosses it out the snuck-in window. The Apple TV series boldly presses pause on Coop’s entire world in a bottle episode that is blisteringly authentic in the way it examines grief. All the chaos, all the uncertainty no longer matters because Coop’s father (Michael O’Keefe) has suddenly died — and now our leading man is forced to slow down, process, and grieve.
During this 1-on-1 interview with Collider, Jon Hamm breaks down the sophisticated and unconventional approach to Episode 6, reflects on his own experience with grief, and explains how James Marsden elevated the Apple TV hit to new heights.
COLLIDER: Before we get into Your Friends & Neighbors, I just wanted to say that there’s an SNL sketch that takes place in the 1920s. You’re at a piano. Kristen Wiig does not want anyone to make her sing when she clearly wants people to make her sing. She keeps missing her cue, and it brings me joy. So I just wanted to say thank you for that.
JON HAMM: Thank you. That sketch is called “1920s Party,” and I believe it was written by James Anderson and Kristen Wiig, and it still gives me joy as well. So I’m glad you like it.
James Marsden Perfectly Slipped Into ‘Your Friends & Neighbors’ Season 2
“He brought so much to the part, and he just killed it.”
Season 2 of the show is just so fantastic. I really didn’t know how it was going to top Season 1, but it really does, and I’m already excited for Season 3. Your scenes with James Marsden are like a dance. He calls you the “suburban James Bond,” which is perfect. What’s it like sharing a scene with him? He has such an interesting energy.
HAMM: James is great. I’ve known James for the better part of 20 years. I consider him a friend. He’s definitely having a moment now with Paradise, and of course the Marvel Universe, and even going back to Jury Duty. I mean, he is great. We were very lucky that he could fit us into his schedule, and he definitely is value added. It was great to have somebody that has the chops, that has the history, that has the experience to be able to walk right into a role and really kind of lean in and knock it out of the park. And that doesn’t always happen, but I was really, really pleased that James decided to spend his summer with us because he brought so much to the part, and he just killed it.
‘Your Friends & Neighbors’ Season 2 Brilliantly Breaks From Tradition With Episode 6
“I was very happy that Jonathan [Tropper] chose to really highlight that moment.”
He really did. And Coop’s going in a lot of different directions this season. He’s got the blackmail, pressure from Jack, his daughter doesn’t want to go to Princeton, you name it. What I really thought was bold and impressive was how the series kind of just presses pause on all of that for Episode 6 when Coop’s father dies. What was your approach going into that as an actor and as a producer?
HAMM: A couple of different things. Stephanie Laing, who directed the episode, really had a very specific stylistic take on it and was like, “do you mind if we do this? I really want to check it out with you first.” And I said, “do whatever you want. Let’s make it a bottle episode, so to speak. When there is a significant upheaval in anyone’s life, everything does kind of recede and go on pause or recede into the background. This is certainly one of those things, and it was a really lovely piece of writing. Stephanie handled it with tremendous skill and style and really was able to bring the difficulty and the upheaval part of what happens when somebody important in your life dies. I was very happy that Jonathan [Tropper] chose to really highlight that moment in Coop’s life and the difficulty, obviously, when you have all this other stuff going on. This takes precedence, but that stuff is also percolating underneath and puts it into very sharp relief. I thought it was a very cool way to bring that series of events about.
What’s interesting is Coop really doesn’t have time to grieve until he’s alone in the car, because he has to go right to being a host at the repast and making sure his sister’s okay. I just felt like I was immersed in his life. Even the camera angles were showing how overwhelmed he was.
HAMM: Having gone through that with both of my parents, the amount of work that you have to do when someone dies is often forgotten about, but it’s a real thing. And it doesn’t get done by itself. It doesn’t go on, you can’t go on autopilot. It needs to be actually managed and handled. And most everybody involved is not in a great place while that happens, so, it’s tricky, and I thought it did a great job of showing that as well.
‘Your Friends & Neighbors’ Amanda Peet Reveals One Surprising Detail From Mel’s Big Fight With Sam
Season 2 of Jon Hamm’s Apple TV crime show is filled with dark secrets.
And then it was really beautiful to have Coop go to the bowling alley and just kind of have that alone time. He also learns a lot about his father. What was it like shooting that scene where he gets a lot of revealing information about his father that was kept hidden. He’s weirdly comforted by it, that at least he had an escape. It was just a really interesting scene.
HAMM: I loved it. Mare Winningham is one of my favorite actresses of all time. She’s a tremendously empathetic energy and person in the world and perfect casting for that. I was thrilled to get a chance to do that scene with her. We had such a wonderful time doing it, and it was wistful and it was sad and it was lovely. It was all of those things, and it was a great piece of writing. I just was so happy we were able to get someone like Mare Winningham to come and do it.
Jon Hamm Doesn’t Want Too Much Creative Control As Producer
“Control isn’t really what I’m seeking.”
It was so wonderful. What can you tease about Season 3? Because I know you’re filming or you’re about to film.
HAMM: We’re getting ready to start it. I can’t really tell you anything, but I’m very excited for you to see it in about a year from now.
It’s one thing to be an actor. It’s another thing to be a producer. What do you like the most about being a producer of a project as you’re acting in it as well?
HAMM: I think part of it is just getting access to the stuff early and understanding that you have a little more… control isn’t really what I’m seeking. I don’t really like to top-down control things. I’m not about that. I like to delegate and let the people that are good at their jobs do their jobs. But I like having the access to it, honestly, especially when it comes to casting and seeing people. When the idea of casting someone like James Marsden came up, it was like, “oh my God, yes, let’s do that.” And being able to lend my weight or my ability to get to people… that stuff is fun for me. But as for most of it, I don’t have a very heavy hand. I like to let people like Jonathan do what he does best, which is write tremendous television. And I feel like if I started getting my hands involved in that, then I don’t think I’d be value added.
New episodes ofYour Friends & Neighbors Season 2 air Fridays on Apple TV.
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Eye creams have become one of the biggest skincare staples among shoppers looking to soften fine lines, hydrate dryness and make tired eyes look more refreshed — and the LilyAna Naturals Eye Cream is one affordable Amazon favorite that’s getting especially rave reviews from users over 50, thanks to its rich yet lightweight texture that helps smooth the undereye area without feeling greasy or heavy under makeup.
This eye cream focuses heavily on hydration, helping the skin appear softer, plumper and more refreshed over time. The formula contains moisturizing and conditioning ingredients that help support the skin barrier while improving the look of puffiness and texture. Hydrating ingredients like rosehip and hibiscus work to soften fine lines caused by dryness, while smoothing components help create a more refreshed appearance overall. The pump packaging also makes it easy to dispense just the right amount without wasting product.
Get the LilyAna Naturals Eye Cream for $18 (originally $22) at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate as of the publishing date but are subject to change.
Bonus: It layers well both morning and night. Some richer eye creams can feel too thick during the daytime, but this one absorbs relatively quickly while still leaving the skin feeling nourished. It also gives the eye area a healthier, more hydrated look without relying on heavy shimmer or temporary tightening effects that can sometimes emphasize texture instead.
To use it, gently tap a small amount around the undereye area and along the orbital bone using your ring finger. It can be used morning and night, as well as before concealer to help makeup sit more evenly throughout the day.
The formula has earned over 7,500 five-star reviews among Amazon customers. One 50+ shopper called it a “miracle in a pump bottle,” noting that they’ve “seen improvements in the fine lines around [their] eyes.” Another reviewer said it “helps reduce dark circles, puffiness and fine lines” and touted the formula for being “gentle and hydrating.”
If your undereyes have been looking drier, more tired or harder to conceal lately, add this hydrating eye cream into your routine for a noticeable difference!
Get the LilyAna Naturals Eye Cream for $18 (originally $22) at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate as of the publishing date but are subject to change.
Looking for something else? Explore more eye creams here and don’t forget to check out all of Amazon’s Daily Deals for more great finds!
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The 17-time Oscar-nominated ‘If I Could Turn Back Time’ songwriter said Cher finds her to be “annoying” but also highlighted a saving grace.
Stanley Tucci has opened up about finding love again after losing his first wife to cancer, admitting that marrying a second time wasn’t exactly on his mind. However, his outlook changed when he reconnected with Felicity Blunt, whom he describes as a grounding and joyful presence in his life, ultimately leading to a new chapter of happiness and companionship.
Stanley Tucci was a guest on an episode of Jenna Bush Hager’s podcast “Open Book with Jenna,” released on May 7, and, apart from discussing his passion for food, the actor spoke about his relationship with his wife, Felicity Blunt.
Tucci was married to Kathryn Spath from 1995 until 2009, when she lost her battle with breast cancer. They had three children together, twins Isabel and Nicolo, and a daughter, Camilla. Tucci said he wasn’t sure he would ever marry again after his wife’s death, more so, having more children. However, he said it just “made sense” when he met Felicity, who is the sister of his “The Devil Wears Prada” co-star, Emily Blunt.
“Even though there is this age gap of 21 years. And obviously, I knew her family, or I knew her sister was one of my best friends. And we just hit it off,” he explained.
The Actor Said Felicity Blunt Changed His Life
Tucci explained that he had a lot in common with Felicity, “even though we had nothing in common,” and their dynamic worked despite the age gap. “I think she changed my life in the sense that she gave me a sense of security. She gave my children a sense of security,” he said, adding that Felicity was a “fun” person whom he enjoys hanging out with.
The actor then praised his wife, a literary agent, for how smart she is. Moreover, Tucci shared that Felicity always has a positive outlook on life, which he admitted he lacks. “Her capacity to take in information, not just from a book, but from the world and process it and turn it into something else is just extraordinary. She’s pretty cool,” Tucci gushed.
Stanley Tucci And Felicity Blunt’s Relationship
Tucci and Felicity first met in passing at the 2006 premiere of “The Devil Wears Prada.” Three years later, the actor’s wife of 14 years passed away from breast cancer. In 2021, Tucci shared that it was still difficult to think about his first wife’s death. However, he said that Spath wouldn’t want him or their children to “wallow in that grief.”
In 2010, Tucci and Felicity reconnected at the wedding of Emily and John Krasinski. They began a romantic relationship and married in 2012. The couple welcomed their first child together, Matteo, in 2015, followed by their daughter Emilia in 2018.
Speaking on Felicity’s relationship with his children from his first marriage, Tucci said, “If anybody made things better for all of us, it’s her. She’s the one.” He commended his younger wife for “taking on a widower and three children whose mother died.”
The One Thing That Makes The Actor Sad About His Age-Gap Relationship
Tucci is 21 years older than Felicity, and admittedly, he had his reservations about the age gap early in their relationship. However, he got over it fairly quickly. In an interview with The Times in 2025, however, the actor said that one thing that he thinks about is getting old.
“I am sad that I won’t see her get old and that I won’t be able to look after her if she needs looking after. I think there’s something really beautiful about people aging together. And unless there’s some miracle, that can’t happen,” Tucci reflected.
Stanley Tucci Has A Great Relationship With His Sister-In-Law
Tucci and his sister-in-law, Emily, have been close friends for years before the actor married Felicity. Since being in-laws, their relationship has only grown stronger. As The Blast previously reported, the two stars received their stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in a joint ceremony, which has happened before, though rarely.
At the event, Tucci shared how he and Emily spent time with their family while filming some scenes for “The Devil Wears Prada 2” in Italy. They were joined by their respective partners, Felicity and Krasinski, as well as their young children. “The kids are the same age for the most part, and they’re best friends. To have it sort of cross over with work was just, like, weird,” Tucci said.
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The Oscar winner has spent most of his life in the spotlight.
The Alien franchise has always understood something most sci-fi releases eventually forget: space should feel terrifying. Not adventurous, not hopeful, but terrifying. Across nearly five decades and nine films, the franchise has built one of the most instantly recognizable worlds in genre cinema, filled with corporate greed, synthetic paranoia, biomechanical horror, and people making catastrophically bad decisions the second they encounter something beyond their comprehension that they should not touch.
That atmosphere is exactly why the franchise works so well as a weekend binge on HBO Max. Watching all nine films together, including the questionable Alien vs. Predator crossovers, highlights how flexible Alien became without ever fully losing its identity. The series shifts between survival horror, war movie chaos, existential sci-fi, gothic tragedy, and creature feature insanity while still feeling tied to the same cold industrial nightmare. And that clarity of identity is easier to appreciate when the films are watched as closely together as possible.
The Original ‘Alien’ Movies Still Feel Untouchable, And Probably Always Will
Alien and Aliens remain one of the strongest back-to-back combinations in sci-fi history because the movies compliment each other rather than competing with one another. Ridley Scott approaches Alien like a haunted house story trapped inside a rust-covered freight ship drifting through deep space, while James Cameron turns Aliens into a full panic spiral built around military escalation and collapsing control. Watching the two films close together makes the franchise’s range immediately obvious. The original thrives on silence, dread, and slow-building inevitability, while Aliens pushes in the exact opposite direction without weakening the tension. The xenomorph becomes more aggressive, the scale becomes larger, and the violence becomes louder, but the fear still comes from how fragile humanity looks against something designed purely to survive and spread.
Even the later sequels become more compelling during a marathon because they are willing to get stranger and meaner than most modern studio franchises. Alien 3 strips the series down into something bleak and fatalistic, while Alien Resurrection fully embraces grotesque sci-fi weirdness. Neither movie is as universally beloved as the first two, but both benefit from the franchise’s willingness to let different filmmakers push the mythology into uncomfortable territory rather than endlessly recreating the same film.
The Sci-Fi Crossover Movie Critics Buried Is Still Pulling Audiences Back on HBO Max
The most infamous crossover in sci-fi is trending.
The Prequels and ‘Alien vs. Predator’ Movies Are More Fun Than Their Reputations Suggest
One of the best parts of binging the entire franchise is realizing how much easier it becomes to appreciate the weirder entries once they are viewed as pieces of a much larger mythology instead of standalone disappointments weighed down by release expectations. Prometheus and Alien: Covenant become especially interesting in that context because they lean harder into existential horror than straightforward creature terror. Instead of simply repeating the structure of the earlier films, the prequels focus on creation, artificial life, and humanity’s obsession with reaching beyond limits it does not fully understand. Michael Fassbender‘s performance as David ends up becoming one of the franchise’s strongest connective threads because his fascination with perfection and authorship feels fundamentally tied to Alien‘s larger themes.
Then there are the Alien vs. Predator movies, which honestly become pretty entertaining once the pressure of taking them overly seriously disappears. Alien vs. Predator understands the basic assignment of smashing together two iconic monster franchises and letting the spectacle carry the fun. Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem leans fully into chaotic creature horror in ways that feel messy but undeniably memorable. Neither movie reaches the highs of the core Alien films, but they still fit naturally into a franchise built around hostile creatures, bad corporate choices, and escalating biological disasters.
The ‘Alien’ Franchise Still Feels Completely Unique
Part of what keeps Alien so bingeable is that no other sci-fi franchise really feels like it, including even the latest film release, Alien: Romulus. The series has such a specific visual and thematic identity that even weaker installments remain compelling to look at. H.R. Giger‘s biomechanical designs still feel invasive and deeply upsetting decades later, and the franchise’s industrial environments continue to influence horror games, sci-fi films, and television across the genres. The xenomorph also remains one of the greatest movie monsters ever created because the horror surrounding it never feels shallow, and the continued use of practical effects for the perfect organism delivers an unsettling tangibility. Every stage of the xenomorph’s life cycle is built around bodily violation, infection, and loss of control, which gives the franchise a physical discomfort many creature features never achieve. The xenomorphs evolve constantly, but the underlying horror always stays recognizable.
That atmosphere is ultimately what makes the Alien series such a satisfying weekend binge. These movies are not just connected through lore or recurring creatures, though they have plenty of both to provide. The movies are connected through tone, texture, and a shared understanding that humanity keeps walking directly into nightmares it was never prepared to survive. By the end of the marathon, the franchise leaves behind one of sci-fi horror’s harshest and clearest truths: in the Alien universe, humanity’s greatest threat has never been space itself, but the belief that any nightmare can be controlled once it becomes profitable.
- Release Date
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June 22, 1979
- Runtime
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117 Minutes
- Writers
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Dan O’Bannon, Ronald Shusett
A resurfaced clip of “Game of Thrones” star Jack Gleeson opening up about why he stepped away from acting for a while is making the rounds online. The footage has sparked conversations about how convincingly the actor blurred the line between his TV character and real-life personality.
Rumors had long circulated that the “GoT” star took time away from the screen because of backlash and bad reviews tied to his portrayal of Joffrey Baratheon in the hit HBO series.
Gleeson famously announced in 2014 that he was “retiring” from acting following the on-screen death of his character.
Gleeson set the record straight about the myths that have followed his acting career since he largely disappeared from screens.
In a resurfaced clip that has since gone viral online, the 33-year-old Irish actor looked noticeably different, swapping his signature blonde hair for brown locks and sporting a matching mustache.
After portraying what many still consider one of television’s most hated characters, Gleeson announced his “retirement” from acting. Critics speculated that the decision was fueled by the backlash that followed his role on the hit HBO series.
At the time, he only made brief appearances in small independent films and a handful of TV episodes before eventually returning to the screen in Netflix’s crime series, “House of Guinness.”
Gleeson Addresses Myth About His Acting Career
In the viral X video, Gleeson addressed the speculation that has followed his acting career for years as the host asked him to “put an end” to the rumors “once and for all.”
“Well, I can say, thankfully, it wasn’t because I received any sort of abuse from anybody,” Gleeson said, during the premiere of “House of Guinness.”
“I know that can happen … I don’t know, it can happen. People confuse the character with the actor,” he added, referring to his much-hated portrayal of Joffrey.
Jack Gleeson Revealed What He’s Been Up To
Elsewhere in the conversation, the “Reign of Fire” actor opened up about what he had been doing during the years fans rarely saw him on screen.
According to 7 News, Gleeson considered returning to school at Trinity College Dublin before eventually co-founding the Collapsing Horse Theatre Company with friends during his acting hiatus.
“After ‘Game of Thrones,’ or even during, I was continuing to act,” he explained. “But it was more just with a theatre company I had set up with some friends in Dublin.”
“And I don’t know, I was just more into that at that time,” he continued. “But then I started to miss screen acting, and I got back into it… It’s just where I was at that time.”
Gleeson Fans React To His Shocking Transformation
Internet users have flooded the comment section of the trending video to react to Gleeson’s remarks.
“I honestly thought maybe he had received too many bad reviews from playing Joffrey,” one X user wrote.
“He was likely getting a lot of sh-t online, but I met him over a decade ago in Brussels in front of a theatre, so he is definitely telling the truth,” another person shared. “Super humble and approachable guy, much the contrary of who he portrayed in ‘Game of Thrones’ lol.”
One fan was also stunned by the actor’s new appearance, writing, “Wow, Joffrey with a mustache is crazy. He’s actually one of the sweetest people. I saw a video where he was a guest in a college class answering questions for the students. Very chill dude.”
Jack Gleeson Said He Simply Stopped Enjoying Acting
In a 2021 interview with Entertainment Weekly, Gleeson explained that his passion for acting had simply faded over time, which ultimately led him to step away from the profession at just 21 years old.
“The answer isn’t interesting or long-winded. I’ve been acting since age 8. I just stopped enjoying it as much as I used to,” Gleeson shared at the time. “Now there’s the prospect of doing it for a living, whereas up until now it was always something I did for recreation with my friends, or in the summer for some fun. I enjoyed it.”
“When you make a living from something, it changes your relationship with it,” he continued. “It’s not like I hate it, it’s just not what I want to do.”
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Here, there are thrills, chills, and movies set in automobiles.
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