By Joshua Tyler
| Published 20 seconds ago

Sci-fi master Robert A. Heinlein’s most famous book, Stranger in a Strange Land, is now more than fifty years old.  It is so impactful that it inspired Elon Musk’s AI, Grok, named after a word invented for Heinlein’s book. And yet, despite its fame and high quality, Stranger in a Strange Land isn’t his best book, and it’s not his easiest read.

Unfortunately, because Stranger in a Strange Land had such an impact on culture, now anyone looking to explore Heinlein’s work usually starts by reading it. After finishing, those same readers often never pick up anything else he’s done.

Stranger in a Strange Land is a great book, but also narratively unsound, filled with wild ideas that may scare people away, and less of a story than most readers may be used to. For people new to Heinlein, having them start by reading Stranger in a Strange Land is a great way to make sure they’ll never read anything else he’s written.

I’ve been reading Heinlein books since I was far too young to actually be reading Heinlein, and he is, without question, my favorite author. I’m going to fix this problem by recommending other Heinlein books that are not only completely different but infinitely better as a way for new readers to gain entry into Heinlein’s world. Most of these come from earlier in his writing career, before he wrote Stranger. After it, Heinlein kept writing more books like, well, Stranger.

If you really want to read, enjoy, and understand the man once called The Dean of Science Fiction, start reading Robert A. Heinlein with these 5 books instead.

The Star Beast | written by Heinlein in 1954

The Star Best was written by Heinlein as a novel for young adults, but it works well enough that older adults can enjoy it too. This was my first introduction to Robert A. Heinlein at an early age, and if you’re looking for an easy window into his worlds, this might be the book for you.

The Star Beast is the story of a boy named John Thomas who has a pet alien, brought into his family by a spacefaring ancestor. The pet, on the other hand, thinks it’s the one keeping humans. As it grows to adulthood (and reaches a prodigious size), John learns his pet is not just some puppy but an intelligent creature from a powerful race of spacefaring aliens, who want him back.

Tunnel in the Sky | written by Heinlein in 1955

Tunnel in the Sky is much like Heinlein’s Lord of the Flies. A group of students is sent to an alien planet to practice their survival skills. They’re only supposed to be there for ten days, but no one ever comes to pick them up.

They band together to form a community, and the book follows one student who eventually becomes their leader, helping them all survive in a harsh and deadly environment. Years pass as things go from bad to worse when they discover a species of viciously deadly aliens threatening to wipe them all out.

Starship Troopers | written by Heinlein in 1959

This 1959 Hugo Award winner is the book that the Paul Verhoeven movie from the 1990s is based on, in theory. In practice, Starship Troopers, the book, has so very little in common with the film they made out of it, it’s almost a completely different thing.

Starship Troopers is hard-edged, military science fiction about a young soldier named Johnny Rico, thrust into the midst of a war with an alien race of bugs. He’s a member of the mobile infantry, ground troopers who fight in power armor.

In addition to telling a great war story, Starship Troopers contains many relevant political and military themes. Using Rico, Heinlein examines a range of social ills while still telling a great science fiction tale.

The Door into Summer | written by Heinlein in 1957

The Door into Summer is the story of an independent-thinking engineer and inventor (Heinlein’s favorite type of character) named Dan Boone, who builds a robotics company, only to be betrayed by his partners and stuck in cold sleep. He wakes up decades later and tries to rebuild his life in a strange future. Along the way, Dan rises and falls again, ends up at a nudist colony, before eventually giving up and going back into cold sleep again.

It’s a complex story about innovation, invention, and corporate intrigue. The Door into Summer handles some of Heinlein’s pet topics, tackling issues of sexual freedom with lots of time travel. It does all of that while still telling a great story. For me, this is Heinlein at his best, but you may not want to tackle this one until you’ve fortified yourself with some of his simpler works first.

Farnham’s Freehold | written by Heinlein in 1965

Farnham is the Cold War era tale of a family hiding inside a bomb shelter when nuclear war breaks out. It’s brilliant, particularly early on, as Heinlein describes his little group of people, huddled inside their shelter while the world shakes around them.

Eventually, they leave the bomb shelter to discover they’ve somehow been transported somewhere else. Alone in a hostile environment without any of the technology they’re used to, the group tries to form a community and survive, only to discover a place where white men are slaves, and the world they knew is buried and gone forever.

Some groups view this book as controversial, claiming they see racist themes hidden within it. Whether that’s the case, I’ll leave for you to judge. Just keep in mind, while you read Farnham’s Freehold, the time period in which it was written. Context is king.

The Great Robert A. Heinlein Books You Should Read Next

• Have Space Suit Will Travel
• The Moon is a Harsh Mistress
• Red Planet
• The Puppet Masters
• Starman Jones

Bold and the Beautiful hints that with Miss Dylan being harassed right now, a lot of fans suspect it is Luna Nozawa (Lisa Yamada) who is terrorizing Melissa Dylan (Sydney Bullock). A whole pile of fans, and myself definitely included, never believe that she died. Because Luna was never shown dead. There was no closure.

And honestly, B&B has lied about character deaths several times. They had Kimberlin Brown out doing exit interviews and Tanner Novlan as well when Sheila Carter (Kimberlin Brown) and Finn Finnegan (Tanner Novlan) weren’t really dead. The show knew it and they were having the actors basically, you know, in my mind what sounds like giving out false info.

So, there’s also a lot of red flags about Luna being alive. And we’re going to talk about how she could have survived that hit and run, where she’s been all this time. And of course who has been helping her.

Who Has Unfinished Business with Dylan on Bold and the Beautiful?

Let’s be real, from the moment Dylan got that strange phone call saying they had unfinished business. Everybody’s been wondering if it’s Luna back from the not so dead. If it is an existing or a past character, there’s really only a couple of people that have unfinished business with Dylan.

Of course, there’s Luna, who was supposedly run down by Dylan. Could be Ivy Forrester. But I think she’s focused on her walk of shame. Could be one of Luna’s grandmas, Sheila or Li Finnegan (Naomi Matsuda). And on the most recent episode, Electra Forrester (Laneya Grace) was walking out the door right as Dylan’s phone rang. So, it’s not her, even though she definitely has some unfinished business with Dylan.

How Luna Could Have Survived on B&B

So, we know that Luna was running around that night in Malibu. She was being chased by the LAPD and there was Taylor Hayes (Rebecca Budig), Sheila, Deacon Sharpe (Sean Kanan), Li, a bunch of others out there chasing her. That was after Luna had lurked outside of Will Spencer‘s (Crew Morrow) house and then snuck inside to talk to him.

And after the accident, Deputy Chief Baker reported that Luna was killed in the hit and run. And then we later found out it was Dylan. This happened when she confessed to Electra and Will and then they went over and told Finn and Steffy Forrester (Jacqueline MacInnes Wood). All of that said, it is quite plausible that she is alive and I’m going to tell you how.

Bold and the Beautiful’s Intentional Move

So, we have to talk about, you know, how she could have survived the hit and run. So, remember that night outside Will’s place, Luna was hiding in the shrubbery. And then there was a girl that came up from the beach to use the outdoor shower at Will’s place.

You remember what a big deal they made out of people coming up off the beach and using the shower? Why make a big deal out of it? And since Luna’s death in the end of November, we haven’t seen anybody else outdoor showering. So, it was made a big deal out of for a very specific reason.

So, Luna watched this girl take a shower and she left her clothes, ran down to the beach in her bikini. And so Luna stole that girl’s clothes and she stashed her prison uniform nearby like in a little shrub and she runs off. So that girl was in her bathing suit and she probably came back looking for her clothes outside Will’s place.

And when she saw her clothes were missing, she could have easily poked around looking for them and found Luna’s prison jumpsuit and was like, “Okay, it’s better than being stuck in a wet bikini.” And she put it on from there.

Bold and the Beautiful: Case of Mistaken Identity

Instead of Luna being the one in the road, it could have been this mystery girl that was run over by Dylan. Because we saw Luna running around. Then we saw headlights and we heard the crash. But that could have been Dylan running over the other girl and Luna flinching from the headlights, you know, ducking back. And then, you know, watching this happen, running off in shock.

And the police might have seen the prison jumpsuit and a mangled body. The face could have honestly been destroyed when she was run over and it was assumed that it was Luna that died based on the location, similar hair color. If I remember, that girl had long brown hair.

Luna Could Return to B&B For May Sweeps

So, Lisa Yamada might have taken a nice long break from Bold and the Beautiful to go work on the Amazon Prime series that she’s been taping for the six months since Luna supposedly died. And we could get her back for May sweeps. So, if Lisa Yamada is back, that means Luna’s been lying low this whole time. And honestly, while they’re doing things, they might even have her still pregnant with Will’s child.

So, Luna could have lied to Will about the miscarriage And the prison might not have had an ultrasound to confirm a pregnancy loss. Luna herself might have thought she miscarried only it was just cramps and some spotting. If you’ve ever been pregnant, you know, crazy stuff happens to your body.

So, it’d be doubly wild if Luna turned up both alive and with a big baby bump. That would be insane. Very soapy, very big for May sweeps. But even without being pregnant, it would still be a huge shocker for Will’s rapist to turn up alive after all these months.

So, if Luna was alive, I think it would have been hard for her to stay out of sight since November without some help. So, that’s what I want to talk about next. Who could have been hiding Luna and helping her and making sure she didn’t get busted and that this death is, you know, accepted by everybody?

Who Could Be Helping Luna on Bold?

So, right off the bat, you have to consider Sheila. However, she might have refused to even take a call from Luna at first. Because Deacon was so angry at her betraying him when she lied and was sneaking around to see Luna both times before. So, that would have been a problem.

But once Deacon cheated on Sheila with Taylor and then dumped her, I think Sheila would absolutely be willing to help Luna. Because in the end, Sheila would have no reason to stay away from her once Deacon ditched her. So Sheila might be helping Luna. But since Sheila’s split from Deacon was so recent, I don’t think she’s the one that if Luna’s alive that has been hiding her this whole time.

Bold and the Beautiful: Remy’s Been Hiding Luna?

So, I’m wondering if Luna has been with Remy Pryce (Christian Weissmann) this whole time. The timing works out. Because Deacon broke up with Remy a couple of weeks before Luna’s supposed death. And we found out they just brought Christian Weissmann on contract. Also, he did an interview talking about how Remy’s new storyline isn’t just about Deacon.

The actor said Remy has a connection to somebody on B&B and said they’re cut from the same cloth. Oh yeah, that’s a fit for him and Luna. And they were friends at one point as we saw on screen. Plus Remy is hiding some sort of secret when he’s back full time. He said that in the interview as well.

Bold and the Beautiful: Luna’s Remy’s Secret Connection?

So, Luna might actually be the secret he’s hiding and the person cut from the same cloth. Given that she stalked Will and Remy stalked Electra, yeah, I can see him and Luna seeing eye to eye and they might have a trauma bond. I could see her sneaking to Remy’s place after watching that random girl get run over and Luna might have seen on the news that she’s presumed dead and thought, “Okay, this is my chance.” Remy probably wouldn’t turn Luna away. I mean, Deke Sharpe (Harrison Cone) had already moved out at that point and you know, he knows what it’s like to be a villain and to be arrested.

So, with the voice call and then the jump scare at Forrester Creations we’re supposed to get at the end of this week that makes Dylan scream could be Remy and Luna working together. And Sheila might be in the mix also. I have to say that she likes Remy and of course absolutely adores Luna. And after having lost Deacon and then Remy losing Deke. And Luna losing everything, I could kind of see those three maniacs forming sort of a bizarre quasi family, you know.

So, we should find out very soon if Dylan’s stalker is Luna, maybe with some help from Remy or maybe even Sheila. But looking back at the night Luna supposedly died and the big red flags they kept dropping about the beachgoers showering on Will’s deck and the girl’s hair looking like Luna, it all makes sense. I actually talked about this back in November when she first supposedly died. I talked about all of this and six months on it seems valid. So, we’re going to find out very soon.

Pete Davidson and Elise Hewitt are “figuring out what they want” in their relationship months after welcoming daughter Scottie.

“They are working things out,” a source with knowledge of the couple tells Us Weekly exclusively. “They are on their own timeframe and it’s up to them to make a decision about their future.”

The insider adds that both Davidson, 32, and Hewitt, 30, are “really dedicated to doing what’s right for the baby.” They are also “rooting” for each other “to be successful,” the source says, despite what they are going through personally.

Hewitt, for one, is “in a good place” professionally as she gets the hang of motherhood. The actress has “a lot of good new opportunities in front of her,” as does Davidson, the source explains. (Hewitt has several upcoming projects in the works, including movies Triton and We’re Already There.)

Us confirmed in March 2025 that Hewitt and Davidson were dating after they were seen out together on multiple occasions. Hewitt later announced that she and Davidson were expecting their first baby. Their daughter, Scottie — named after Davidson’s late father, a firefighter who died in the 9/11 attacks in 2001 — was born in December 2025.

“They are figuring out their relationship,” the same source tells Us about where Davidson and Hewitt stand amid their whirlwind romance. “They want to make sure that the baby has what is best for her and her future.”

Hewitt has been offering fans an inside look into daughter Scottie’s first year via Instagram.

“My scottie girl is 12 weeks old today,” Hewitt captioned an Instagram post in March. “On the way to the hospital we wrote down our predictions for what time she’d be born. My guess was 3:05pm (my birthday, 03/05). After 23 hours of labor, that is the exact time she arrived. How crazy and cool is that?”

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Pete Davidson and model Elsie Hewitt have kept their relationship relatively low-key. After the pair were spotted together on multiple occasions in March 2025, Us Weekly confirmed that they were dating. Weeks earlier, Hewitt gave a clue about her romantic life. “It’s actually so simple, like, I just want somebody who is funny [and] makes […]

The model and actress has also been candid about deciding not to breast-feed Scottie.

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“It’s important for me to say this: I feel fortunate not to have felt pressure to breast-feed from the people in my life,” Hewitt wrote in an open letter published via Elle magazine in February, referencing her relationship with Davidson. “My partner didn’t push me in either direction.”

Hewitt explained that her family and doctors also supported her decision, but she still felt some guilt.

“Whenever people asked whether I planned to breast-feed, I felt a flicker of hesitation or embarrassment, even when nothing judgmental was said. Truthfully, I still can’t always tell whether those feelings come from others or from me,” Hewitt wrote. “I notice how aware I am of reactions when I talk about feeding my baby. I enter these conversations with a quiet readiness to justify my choice, even though I don’t need to.”

“Real Housewives of Atlanta” alum Kim Zolciak has been embroiled in a custody dispute with her estranged husband, Kroy Biermann. Now, after previously having her parental rights limited, she has temporarily lost primary physical custody. This comes years after the couple initially filed for divorce in 2023.

Additionally, Zolciak is set to testify in her boyfriend’s divorce hearing, following reports that Biermann warned the woman about the “RHOA” alum.

According to TMZ, a judge has issued a ruling on Biermann’s previous emergency motion. He now has primary physical custody of the four minor children. Per the ruling, Zolciak will have limited parental time with them on every other weekend.

However, the estranged couple will continue to share joint legal custody of the kids. Still, Biermann will have the authority to make decisions about their education, religion, and non-emergency medical situations.

As the outlet highlights, Zolciak saw her custody rights limited in April. However, they were reinstated after she completed court-ordered therapy.

Kroy Biermann Accused Kim Zolciak Of Neglect

TMZ obtained court documents in April 2026 that showed Biermann had filed an emergency motion seeking primary custody. This came as the parenting plan they had in place saw both parents with two of the kids before essentially swapping. According to Biermann, “The children were rarely together as a group under this parenting plan.”

Additionally, the former NFL player claimed that Zolciak “acts in ways that are harmful to the children and contrary to their best interests.” He also accused her of being “both unstable and unfit,” and said she “is more selfishly concerned with her own image and her work options than with the opinions of experts and/or the best interest of the children.”

Biermann added, “This constitutes neglect of the minor children and is harmful to the progress and healing of the family unit.”

Kim Says The Judge’s Ruling Is Temporary

Zolciak issued a statement to TMZ regarding her loss of primary physical custody. The “RHOA” alum said, “The judge’s decision … is temporary until our return court date on May 21st, when we will have the opportunity for a full hearing.”

She added, “While I want this process to be over for my children more than anything, I am looking forward to our court date on May 21st when we will finally be provided with an opportunity to present the truth.”

‘RHOA’ Fans Want The Best For The Kids

Zolciak and Biermann have been embroiled in their divorce drama since 2023. For “RHOA” fans, the worst part is that the children are in the middle. One person on X reacted, writing, “Kim losing primary custody even temporarily is a big shift. Divorce battles are ugly, but kids shouldn’t be pawns. Hope they sort it out privately.”

Someone mentioned the duration of their divorce, saying, “This is the longest divorce ever..Where is Victor Newman, and flying to the DR to get a quick divorce like on Y&R?”

A different person wrote, “Wow, Kim temporarily losing primary custody to Kroy is wild even if it’s just for now. These high-profile splits always remind me how fast things can flip when stability for the kids is on the line. Hope they both put the little ones first moving forward. What do you think will happen at the May hearing?”

Lastly, another social media user speculated, “She’s not a bad mother. She’s just a compulsive spend-a-holic.”

Kim Zolciak Is Dating

Zolciak isn’t legally divorced from Biermann, and it’s unclear how much longer the process will take. However, in the meantime, the “RHOA” alum reportedly began dating Kyle Mowitz in the spring of 2025. Later in the year, they were spotted together, and on one occasion, she was seen leaving his home.

However, it’s also worth noting that Mowitz is currently going through a reported $100 million divorce from his wife, Jillian Green. Per Reality Tea, Green subpoenaed Zolciak on September 30 for questioning. Specifically, she was served the paperwork while waiting in the parking lot of her son’s high school.

Per the report, Zolciak will face questions about any financial assistance Mowitz has provided. This includes gifts, money, or loans. Additionally, she’s being asked to reveal all correspondence with him. Zolciak will also be required to hand over any supporting documentation for gifts.

Per US Weekly, a transcript from Green’s deposition shows that Biermann spoke to her about Zolciak and Mowitz. She stated that Biermann had called her about “Kyle and Kim’s involvement and his concern,” and that Zolciak would “financially … drain money from Kyle.”

He is also said to have shown Green proof that Zolciak had used resources provided by Mowitz.

Jamie Lynn Sigler believes in miracles after witnessing her son Beau’s health recovery following a month-long hospitalization – and she’s revealing the powerful comment he made to her as he was on the mend.

“He looked at me with such clear certainty a few weeks after he was sort of coming out of everything,” Sigler, 44, exclusively told Us Weekly for her recent cover story promoting her upcoming book, And So It Is…: A Memoir of Acceptance and Hope. “He said, ‘I went through this for you.’ I just looked at him and kind of nodded. He goes, ‘You needed to see me. You needed to see a body get better. You needed to see a miracle.’”

Sigler publicly revealed her Multiple Sclerosis (MS) diagnosis in January 2016. Although she was diagnosed at age 20 while filming The Sopranos, she kept her condition a secret for nearly 15 years in fear that it could negatively impact her acting career.

In August 2024, Sigler found herself as a hands-on caregiver for her then 10-year-old son when he was hospitalized and diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disorder called acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM). After 33 days in the hospital, Beau was able to return home.

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Jamie-Lynn Sigler is candidly sharing how her son, Beau, has been affected by her battle with multiple sclerosis (MS). Sigler, 44, revealed during the Tuesday, August 26, episode of the “MeSsy” podcast that her 12-year-old son had a heartbreaking reaction to his mom’s illness after they watched the 1994 movie Forrest Gump together. “Beau is […]

“He’s a miracle, and he has changed, but it’s like this experience has just cracked him open,” Sigler shared with Us. “I don’t think there’s a week that goes by that I don’t have three or four random people text me or come up to me and be like, ‘I just met your son, Beau. He is just the most loving, wonderful human,’ and it’s from his experience.”

Ever since sharing her own health struggles with the world, Sigler has been praised by family, friends and fans for spreading awareness and going above the call of duty to uplift and inspire strangers in similar situations.

To this day, the actress may not realize the complete impact she has had.

“My husband [Cutter Dykstra] tells me all the time. He’s like, ‘That’s how people feel about you, Jamie, and it’s because of what you’ve been through. You’re so open. You’re so loving. You’re so there.’ …  That’s the gift I want to give other people. Your pain doesn’t have to break you. Your pain can break you free. Your pain can open your heart.”

Nearly two years since Beau’s health scare, Sigler admits that her family is “still putting the pieces together,” but they have changed in positive ways.

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“From this, we’re always grateful and present and really just feel lucky that we’re all here,” she said.

“I definitely had to call on strength that I didn’t even know I had. I had to find a voice that I’ve never used before. I radically opened myself up to help,” Sigler continued. “I remember just getting on my knees in just pure surrender like ‘God, I have nothing left. I need help.’ I have never felt more pain, but also more love and just really understanding what’s right on the other side of it. And I truly feel like everything in my life that I’ve been through prepared me for who I needed to be in those moments for my son.”

And So It Is…: A Memoir of Acceptance and Hope hits bookstores on Tuesday, May 5.

It’s been more than a decade since Tangled became one of Disney’s most beloved modern animated movies, and the film has only grown in stature since then. For a whole generation of fans, Rapunzel’s story remains one of those comfort watches that still hits, whether it’s the music, the lantern scene, or the movie’s surprisingly sharp emotional core. Now, director Nathan Greno is stepping back into animation with something very different. His new Netflix movie, Swapped, is a body-swap comedy, but Greno says the film has something much bigger going on underneath all the fun.

Speaking with Collider ahead of the movie’s release this week, Greno opened up about why Swapped was never designed to be just a silly premise. Instead, the director said the story began with a simple emotional idea: empathy. “The idea from the beginning was to tell a story about empathy, and to tell a story that deeply resonates with an audience, and especially for where we’re at right now, in our current climate,” Greno explained. “You know, I think people are quick to see differences in one another. So, while we didn’t want to make a message movie, per se, the idea was to make a big, fun, entertaining roller coaster of a film that has you walk away and kind of think about things on a deeper level, maybe within your own life.”

That balance seems to be the key to Swapped. Greno doesn’t want the movie to feel like homework, but he also isn’t pretending it’s just chaos for chaos’ sake. The film takes the classic body-swap idea and pushes it through an animal-led story, something Greno said came from wanting to avoid the usual “human becomes an animal and learns a lesson” setup. He explained:

“We’re like, let’s tell a story about empathy. What does that mean? We did a lot of research on empathy, walking a mile in someone else’s shoes. Well, that sounds like transformation. Well, the thing that we kept going to is, like, we’ve seen those. We’ve seen the human that becomes the animal, and the human learns the lesson: I was wrong. And so we go, well, how do we do it differently? Because, again, I think it’s not a bad thing to put out into the world, and everything’s been done, so how do you do it in a way that’s, like, unique and different, and something that surprises audiences?”

Greno added that going “all animal” opened the movie up in a major way, especially because the story plays with the relationship between the smallest and largest creatures in the valley. “For me, it was the animal aspect, going all-animal, was one way to get there. That was really exciting. On top of it, we had scale that we were going to work with, because how does the smallest creature in the valley relate to the largest one? And then, how do you do scale? And scale in animation is not the easiest thing to do.” The movie was also inspired in part by nature documentaries, which helped the team think more deeply about how audiences understand size, movement, and physical space in animation.

“Those nature documentaries were us really examining why in the world, when you look at even a photo of a small creature, and we could go, I know how big that is. Like, just looking at a photo with no background, I could tell how big a dog is, you know, we know these things and to capture that, that was a real challenge, but I really believe the team got there.”

‘Swapped’ Has a Stacked Voice Cast

Swapped also has a major cast behind it, led by Michael B. Jordan (Creed, Black Panther) and Juno Temple (Ted Lasso, Fargo), with Tracy Morgan (30 Rock, The Last O.G.) also part of the ensemble. Greno said both Jordan and Temple brought so much to the film that they changed what he thought certain scenes could be. Temple, in particular, unlocked emotional layers Greno didn’t initially realize were there.

“I kind of approach everything this way, just as a director, I’m open to ideas. We’re going in a direction, but I’ve worked with directors that are so-called perfectionists, and I guess it’s perfection to their own liking, but I think if you’re open, and you’re going in a direction, and you let people do their jobs. From the beginning, I’ll say with Juno, when she came on, there were scenes that I didn’t realize were as emotional. I was getting choked up as she was doing them, I was going, well, I didn’t… I thought this was sort of, like, kind of a sad… I didn’t know this was this sad. It was like, she brought so much to it, she had to take a break, and I was going, ‘Oh, that just changed everything.’”

Speaking separately with Collider’s Steve Weintraub, Temple said Swapped is a milestone for her in a way audiences might not expect. After years of live-action work in projects like Ted Lasso, Fargo, and Venom: The Last Dance, this is not only her first lead role in an animated feature, but her first real animated film altogether. She had briefly done voice work for a cartoon series before, but Swapped was the first time she had to fully live inside an animated character across an entire movie.

“I was like, ‘Wow! How exciting.’ I was just more like, ‘How cool. I haven’t explored that.’ I’ve had people in my life tell me that I would do a fun voice for kids’ films or for a cartoon,” explained Temple. “I was also thrilled by the script. I loved the script. And it’s actually my first animation film at all. I’ve done a voice in a cartoon for a series briefly, but I wasn’t in it that much. I only had to do two sessions for it. So, this was my first time actually really being a part of an animated film at all.”

For Temple, the pull of Swapped went beyond the novelty of trying a new medium, so when Weintraub pointed out that the movie’s message is largely about empathy and friendship, Temple concurred with his sentiment, but noted that there was another element to it, “And our environment, too! It’s about saving the planet.” Now it’s only a small quote, but it says a lot about how Temple sees the movie. Swapped may be built around a body-swap, Freaky Friday-style premise, but it’s a story with a bigger set of ideas underneath: how people treat each other, how they treat the world around them, and how much of life depends on learning to look beyond yourself.

Asked what she hopes little kids take away from the film, Temple pointed first to friendship, then to accountability, then to the planet itself. “I hope that they feel the absolute importance and need for friendship we’ll have throughout life. It doesn’t matter how old you are, where you come from, what you do, your friends are always going to be integral to making your life better, bigger, and more beautiful,” said Temple. “It’s just the truth. And I think also accountability is really key, and learning things when you’ve done things wrong and right are important to pay attention to both.” She continued:

“Also, it’s about not judging books by their cover. You don’t know what it’s like to be somebody until you’ve really listened to them, or you’ve really understood who they are. I know this takes it to a degree where we won’t necessarily ever experience being able to step inside of another person’s body — maybe we will in our lifetime, I don’t know, but I think that it’s a really beautiful metaphor for really being unjudgmental with other people who are different from you, because we shouldn’t do that. It’s useless. I also really hope it makes them excited about the big world out there and the greenness of the world that we should keep protecting, and all the animals that may not be around, if we don’t take care of them, when they’re grown up. As a storyline in itself, the idea of being able to get through difficult scenarios with your friends and then hopefully save the planet, pretty good messages.”

That answer neatly brings together the two sides of Swapped, which is the emotional body-swap metaphor and the adventure that’s built around Mother Nature. Between them, Greno approached the movie as a story about empathy, while Temple describes it as a story about friendship, listening, accountability, and environmental care. Put together, the film starts to sound less like a standard animated comedy and more like a big, accessible metaphor for the things kids — and adults, frankly — are constantly having to learn in real time.

Juno Temple Had To Get Used To Hearing Her Own Voice

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Of course, believing in the movie’s message was only part of the experience, because Temple also had to adjust to a form of acting that put all the pressure on the one part of her performance she wasn’t entirely comfortable with — her voice. For an actor known for physically expressive live-action work, the recording booth was both freeing and slightly confronting. Temple told Collider:

“I think the most difficult thing was, initially, I really don’t love my voice. I find my voice quite annoying. I’m not great at listening to even my voicemails. So, I was a bit overwhelmed with that aspect of it. [Laughs] Then weirdly, at the opposite end of the spectrum, when I finished the job, I was like, ‘Actually, maybe my voice isn’t as horrific as I think it is. It’s also a tool.’ So that was kind of a weird sort of juxtaposition that went on with just that experience alone, which I’m very grateful for. But I think also, I haven’t mastered the art of being still yet. I’m quite a twitchy, moving-about person, which isn’t super awesome for voice recording. So, trying to master the art of being still with each session was really interesting.”

That is, weirdly, a very Swapped kind of realization. Temple went into the process feeling uneasy about something familiar, only to come out of it seeing that same thing differently. Her voice, the thing she found annoying, became a tool. The booth, which limited some of her physical instincts, became a place where she had to trust her imagination instead. That shift also changed how she understood animation as a collaborative art form. In live action, Temple said, she often comes in with physical beats mapped out in her head. She knows when a character should be still, when they should move, and when they should explode into something more chaotic. In animation, she had to release some of that control and let her performance become one part of a larger creative chain.

“I found it liberating that you don’t have to know what you have prepared for the day and hope it goes the way you sort of mapped it out. You can just go in and be a part of an imagination with somebody,” said Temple. “So playing like that and then seeing the animation come to life with your voice kind of navigating how your character is going to be able to walk into a space or fly into a space, or how fast they’re flapping is going to be when they fly, and things like that, is quite an amazing experience to witness, because you’re like, ‘Whoa! Whoa! That really matches that. That’s insane.’” She continued, saying:

“When you’re going to do your live-action performances, you’ve so mapped out in your head, ‘I want to be still at that moment. This is the moment she’s allowed to be absolutely crazy and dance around.’ Obviously, you have to let it all go, and if it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work, and you have to change it. You always have to be open to changing things. But I think that the walking into the space with a bunch of people, a bunch of creatives, just filled with imagination and bringing the imagination to life like that, is something really special.”

That idea of performance as shared imagination is also why Greno’s comments about the cast hit harder. He didn’t just hire actors to read lines into a microphone. He watched them reshape the film’s emotional center. Temple brought sadness and vulnerability to scenes he thought he already understood, while Jordan’s process changed the way Greno thinks about directing voice performances at all. He told Collider, “And then Mike… it’s Mike. I mean, Michael B. Jordan is, I mean… the way he records, I’ve never experienced anything like that, and it’s kind of changed the way I even direct now, when I’m going forward. It’s, like, his way of working and his way of, like, finding the truth within the lines. Both of them change the course of the movie 100%.”

Because Swapped is an animal body-swap movie, Weintraub had to ask Temple the obvious question: which animal would she want to switch places with for a few days? Her answer was immediate, then immediately rethought. “Leopard. No-brainer. But I know that I’m not a leopard. I know I’m not there yet. I think, truthfully, my dream would be a leopard. I think I’m actually a fruit bat.”

‘Tangled’ Director Reveals Deep Personal Connection With the Story of His New Netflix Movie

Image via Netflix

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Temple’s self-assessment kind of sums up the way the movie is working with big animated comedy energy, but for Greno, the film is grounded in something personal. He said the film draws from his own experience growing up in a small factory town in Wisconsin, where his father — whom he loved and who has since passed away — encouraged him to stay close to home and follow the same path as everyone else. Leaving that world, Greno said, taught him that he didn’t have “the full picture” at all.

“There’s so much of this movie just is me telling my own story of, like, starting in a small town in Wisconsin. My father, I love my father, he’s passed away, but he was always being protective and saying, you know, basically, you can’t leave this island. It was a factory town, and it’s like, get a job at the factory like we all do in this town. And so, going out in the world and realizing, wait a second, I don’t have the full picture here at all.”

That personal connection is also what links Swapped back to Tangled, even though the two movies look very different on the surface. Greno said both films follow characters trapped inside a bubble who don’t yet understand what they don’t know, which mirrors his own experience of leaving home and discovering the wider world. “As different as… and I appreciate this, that you’re like, well, these movies are completely different,” he said. “They still are a character within a bubble that doesn’t know what they don’t know. And that is my story, is, like, me growing up in that small town and just kind of going out into the world and trying to figure it out. And I think you can put enough sort of elements, enough frosting on that cake, that it’s gonna feel different. But it’s an emotional story that I know very deeply. If you think about it in kind of the broadest of strokes, Tangled and Swapped have a lot in common, actually, with the protagonists.”

By the end of the conversation, Greno doubled down on the idea of empathy, which seems to be the film’s real north star. The animal world, the body-swap romp, the nature-doc inspiration, and the voice cast are all part of the packaging, but the core idea is much simpler, and that’s that people don’t know as much as they think they do, and perspective can change everything. “It’s definitely empathy. It’s this idea of we don’t know what we don’t know. Be open-minded to others, and just realize, we really do want the same things, and it’s a thing that I need to remind myself about, too. You don’t have everything figured out as you go through life. You gain more perspective and hopefully become a better person because of it.”

Swapped is now streaming on Netflix.

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Release Date

May 1, 2026

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Runtime

102 minutes

Director

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Nathan Greno

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This article covers a developing story. Continue to check back with us as we will be adding more information as it becomes available.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has made some sweeping rule changes for the 2027 Oscars that will finally address some long-looming concerns and forever alter Hollywood’s biggest night. In one of the most seismic shifts to voting for acting nominees since the awards show’s conception, it will now be possible for the same actor to be nominated multiple times in the same category for different performances if both place within the top five vote-getters. Additionally, the barrier for international films to qualify just got far lower, no longer requiring an official selection from a country. Instead, winning a major award at an approved film festival as specified in the International Feature Film Award Qualifying Festival List is enough to be submitted for consideration. The Academy also took a hard stance on AI, outright barring generated performances and scripts from consideration.

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Release Date

March 19, 1953

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Directors

Glenn Weiss, Alan Handley, George Seaton, Hamish Hamilton, Roger Goodman, Max Miller, Trevor Newman

Writers

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Buz Kohan, Dave Boone, David Steinberg, Ed Driscoll, Hal Kanter, Jeff Cesario, Marc Shaiman, Jon Macks, Carol Leifer, Bruce Vilanch, Robert Wuhl, Dan Harmon, Phil Alden Robinson, Billy Crystal, Amberia Allen, John Hoffman, Mason Steinberg, Colleen Werthmann, Joelle Boucai, Greg Martin, Agathe Panaretos, Blaire Erskine, Louis Virtel, Jordan Rubin

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This article covers a developing story. Continue to check back with us as we will be adding more information as it becomes available.

This May, Netflix wants you to laugh, cry and maybe battle some futuristic pirates in a post-apocalyptic world.

All this month, Netflix is adding a slew of new movies from virtually every known genre and featuring some of Hollywood’s most famous actors.

Watch With Us has compiled a brief weekend streaming guide for any Netflix subscriber looking to be entertained.

From the Robert De Niro comedy Meet the Parents to the Kevin Costner action picture Waterworld, there’s plenty to watch over these next three days.

‘Meet the Parents’ (2000)

Who would’ve thought a sweet — if not derivative — comedy about a man meeting his in-laws would become a blockbuster comedy franchise? Whatever you think of the sequels, you have to give the original Meet the Parents its due — the film is often very funny, and it still elicits laughs today.

Ben Stiller stars as Greg, a humble nurse who wants to marry his longtime girlfriend, Pam (Teri Polo). He needs her father Jack’s (De Niro) permission and approval, and he’s not so willing to give his daughter away to just anyone. To make matters worse for Greg, Jack used to be a CIA agent and uses all of his government training to find out if Greg is the right man to marry his daughter. All Greg wants is to live happily ever after with Pam, but Jack has other plans for her — and they don’t involve Greg.

What makes Meet the Parents work is the odd-couple chemistry between Stiller and De Niro. Stiller’s nervous energies complement De Niro’s laid-back menace, which sets the stage for several comical situations that keep getting more absurd — and hysterical. Another sequel, Focker-in-Law, is slated for release later this year and brings back the OG cast plus Ariana Grande as Greg’s would-be daughter-in-law.

Meet the Parents is streaming on Netflix.

‘Fried Green Tomatoes’ (1991)

What becomes of the brokenhearted? That’s the central question Fried Green Tomatoes aims to answer, and it’s also the title of the song that pops up throughout the film. Based on the hit Fannie Flagg novel Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistlestop Cafe, this excellent 1991 film chronicles two friendships in two different periods: Evelyn (Kathy Bates) and Ninny’s (Jessica Tandy) in the ‘80s, and Idgie (Mary Stuart Masterson) and Ruth (Mary-Louise Parker) in the ‘30s. All four women endure the highs and lows of life, including abusive husbands, ungrateful family members and brushes with the law, but the one that they can rely on is each other.

I’m aware that what I just described sounds like a Hallmark Channel movie, but Fried Green Tomatoes is better and richer than your run-of-the-mill female-bonding “chick flick.” That’s due largely to the fantastic performances by the four leading actresses, specifically Tandy, who was nominated for Best Supporting Actress, and Masterson, who should’ve been nominated that year for Best Actress. Together, they create a rich tapestry of 20th-century Southern life that was fraught with economic instability, inequality between men and women and racial segregation. The film’s ending is surprising in its refusal to be downbeat for the sake of a cheap cry.

Fried Green Tomatoes is streaming on Netflix.

‘Waterworld’ (1995)

In 1995, all people could talk about was Waterworld — and for all the wrong reasons. The Kevin Costner-led film underwent a troubled production, which included numerous reshoots, the original director on the outs and the budget ballooning to a then-astronomical $175 million (now the average cost of a Marvel superhero film). The end result was a surprisingly ordinary sci-fi flick that wasn’t as bad as everyone thought it would be. That’s faint praise, but it’s still praise.

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Related: 41 Best Movies on Netflix Right Now (April 2026): ‘Apex’ and More

This April, Netflix is on the hunt to add more new movies to its already impressive library. Buoyed by early 2026 hits like The Rip with Matt Damon and War Machine with Alan Ritchson, the streamer just added yet another gripping action flick worth your time — Apex, starring Charlize Theron and Taron Egerton. Thank […]

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In 2500, the polar ice caps have completely melted, resulting in the sea level rising and rendering almost the entire world underwater. The remnants of humanity survive on boats and makeshift islands, which is where the villainous pirate Deacon (Dennis Hooper) frequently operates. He’s looking for a little girl, Enola (Tina Majorino), who holds the key to finding the mythical Dryland, but she’s under the guardianship of The Mariner (Costner), a mutant loner who just wants to be left alone. Deacon always gets what he wants, though, and he’ll kill anyone, including The Mariner, to claim the Dryland as his own.

While Waterworld doesn’t look like the most expensive movie ever made, it’s still impressive. The action sequences, particularly the opening battle between The Mariner and Deacon’s pirates, are impressive, and the special effects are convincing enough to make you believe Earth has been submerged. Costner is miscast and seems a little lost at times, but Hopper’s over-the-top villains make up for his costar’s dim-bulb energy.

Waterworld is streaming on Netflix.

Blake Lively is facing fresh scrutiny over her marriage to Ryan Reynolds as her legal showdown with Justin Baldoni intensifies.

The actress has been accused of “exaggerating” the strength of her relationship with Reynolds, with critics pointing to her recent social media posts as a calculated attempt to counter growing speculation that the ongoing court battle has strained their dynamic.

While reports claim the once-playful couple has lost some of its spark under pressure, Lively appears determined to shut down the narrative by continuing to share affectionate glimpses of their life.

For years, Lively and Reynolds built a reputation as Hollywood’s most relatable power couple, winning fans over with their self-deprecating humor and playful social media exchanges. But that image has come under scrutiny since the actress filed a sexual harassment and retaliation lawsuit in 2024 against her “It Ends With Us” co-star Baldoni.

Still, Lively has continued to post affectionate glimpses of their life online. Just weeks ago, she shared a photo of them posing with friends, and more recently, she reposted an image of Reynolds on her  Instagram Story, calling him “such a babe.”

Those posts, however, have fueled fresh criticism, with some social media users accusing her of trying too hard to maintain the image of a happy marriage, even as rumors swirl that the ongoing fallout has put their relationship under serious strain.

Reynolds ‘Wants Blake Lively To Settle Case’

Despite presenting a united front, Reynolds is reportedly eager for Lively’s legal battle with Baldoni to wrap up before it escalates further. The actor, who has been named as a potential witness in the case, could be called to testify if the matter goes to trial. However, sources claim he would prefer a quieter resolution behind the scenes.

“Ryan is fully supportive publicly,” an insider told Rob Shuter’s #ShutterScoop. “But privately? He wants this settled. This is pulling him in, and he knows it. He doesn’t want to be dragged through court.”

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According to the source, Reynolds is increasingly concerned about the potential impact on his image and standing in Hollywood, especially as the case grows more complex and harder to contain.

Lively’s Case Hit With Major Setback In Court

Lively’s legal fight against Baldoni took a significant hit earlier this month after Judge Lewis Liman dismissed ten of her 13 claims, including sexual harassment and defamation.

Despite the setback, the actress signaled she’s not backing down. In a statement shared on Instagram, Lively made it clear she intends to push forward with the remaining claims, framing her decision as part of a broader stand for those who may not have the chance to speak out.

Behind the scenes, however, the ruling appears to have taken an emotional toll. A source told Rob Shuter that the courtroom loss left her “devastated” and frustrated by how her case is being perceived.

“She’s devastated,” the insider said. “This is not the outcome she expected. She’s angry. She feels like her story isn’t being fully heard.”

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Ryan Reynolds Publicly Backs Blake Lively

Reynolds has continued to stand firmly by Lively as she faces mounting pressure ahead of her trial with Baldoni in May. During an appearance on  TODAY’s “Sunday Sitdown Live with Willie Geist” on April 19, the actor made his support clear, praising Lively’s character amid the ongoing scrutiny.

“I’ve never in my life been more proud of my wife,” Reynolds said. “People have no idea what’s really going on, you know? And I’ve just never in my life been more proud of someone with that level of integrity… in everything that they do.”

Blake Lively And Justin Baldoni Clash In Pretrial Showdown

JUST IN: Blake Lively branded a ‘f***ing terrorist’ by Sony exec over her 17-point demands to return to ‘It Ends With Us’ set. New filings claim co-star Justin Baldoni admitted he didn’t always listen when women said no to advances. pic.twitter.com/mI5FvdEUXe

— The scoop stateside (@ScoopStateside) January 21, 2026

Lively and Baldoni’s legal battle escalated this week as both sides squared off in court over key pretrial issues.

During Tuesday’s hearing, the “Jane the Virgin” star’s legal team pushed back against Lively’s claims that his alleged smear campaign cost her millions and damaged her business ventures, including her beverage brand, Betty Buzz.

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Instead, his lawyers argued that her financial struggles cannot be tied to their client, claiming her brands underperformed due to her own public image rather than any coordinated effort against her. They pointed to past controversies, including backlash over comments she made about Kate Middleton’s Photoshop incident, as examples of moments that may have hurt her reputation.