Entertainment
‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ Showrunner Ira Parker Says George R.R. Martin Has “Only Been a Benefit” While Filming Season 2
[Editor’s note: The following contains major spoilers for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.]In the season finale of the HBO series A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, set in Westeros a century before the events of Game of Thrones, hedge knight Ser Duncan the Tall (Peter Claffey) was left wondering just what his responsibilities toward his squire Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell) should be. The aftermath of the Trial of Seven and the death of Baelor Targaryen (Bertie Carvel) make Dunk reflect on his own regret and guilt, unsure of what to do and where to go next. When Dunk ultimately decides to take Egg back, it’s on the condition of continuing to travel as a hedge knight and getting as far away from royalty as possible.
While there is a sense of closure to the story being told over the six-episode first season, there’s also a sense of adventure to come. Already deep into production on Season 2, showrunner Ira Parker is continuing to work with the source material, following The Sworn Sword while also getting feedback from George R.R. Martin as he adds his own touches to the adventures of Dunk and Egg.
Collider recently got the opportunity to chat one-on-one with Parker about the events of the finale, poking fun at the need to rename the series A Knight of the Nine Kingdoms now (and no, the title is not actually changing), that reunion between Dunk and Sweetfoot, how that final shot with Ser Arlan riding off as Dunk and Egg go on their way came about, whether Dunk was ever really knighted, the change in dynamic between Dunk and Rafe from what was in the book, the nod to Brienne of Tarth, and the reveal that Egg lied again so that he could rejoin Dunk. Parker also talked about how far into the Season 2 production they are, whether any Season 1 cast members will show up in Dunk and Egg’s world again, the possibility of continuing beyond Season 3, and how they handle any potential changes that might need to be made.
Collider: It’s fun to see a show that feels so different from the other shows in this world, and yet still looks like it fits in this world.
IRA PARKER: I’m glad it still looks like it fits in this world. That was what made us the most nervous. One of our actor’s agents almost didn’t let them be in it because he said, “We don’t know how you’re going to make this look okay for the money that they’re giving you.” They took those words back by the end. I’m glad that this is the result.
No, the Series Will Not Be Renamed ‘A Knight of the Nine Kingdoms’
“We’re just having some fun in Westeros.”
So, do you have to rename the series now to A Knight of the Nine Kingdoms, or were you just having fun with the title card at the end of the finale?
PARKER: I think that’s probably what it was. We try not to take ourselves too seriously. We’re serious when it’s appropriate. We’re just having some fun in Westeros.
It was nice to have that little bit of humor again, after some of the heavier stuff in the last couple episodes.
PARKER: It was important to have that last little conversation between them to cleanse the palate a little bit. So much stuff has come to pass between the two of them in both of their lives, and we just needed to let the audience know, “Don’t worry, going forward, this will still be the Dunk and Egg that we all grew to know and love even before we turned that relationship upside down.
I also have to give you kudos for taking the time to reunite Dunk with Sweetfoot, the horse. Why was it important for you to find the time for that moment when that’s not something that you had to do?
PARKER: We all felt, pretty early on, that a lot of people, including us, were going to care only if Dunk got reunited with that horse. If he wins the tournament, fine. The Trial of Seven, great, we want him to live. But the horse, that was a hard seed to watch. Obviously, Dunk has a great affinity for his animals, so we felt that it was appropriate to at least address that. And he’s going to an apple farm. What could be better? It’s like horsey heaven.
‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ Just Achieved Something ‘House of the Dragon’ Never Has
The new ‘Game of Thrones’ spin-off is a win for the franchise.
I thought there was something really beautiful about seeing Ser Arlan on Sweetfoot, heading off in another direction from Dunk and Egg. It’s far away, but I thought I saw Dunk turn and look in his direction. Did that happen? Was that moment more emotional than you expected, because it made me very emotional?
PARKER: I’m glad. That was the very last thing that I wrote for this show. It wasn’t actually in the original script, and when we were cutting all the things together, our ending didn’t feel quite right. I forget exactly when or how that came up. We were very lucky when we went back to do some of the re-shoots. We very quickly went and grabbed that, and I’m really glad that we did. First of all, Dunk is looking. There is just a little bit of something there. It’s perfect because your response is exactly what I wanted. Is he looking? Is he not? Was that on purpose? Was it not? We’re sending Ser Arlan off on his way. Ser Arlan has done his job and remained present with Dunk even after he died, but now Dunk is setting off to become his own mentor.
Well, thank you for confirming and clarifying.
PARKER: You have an eagle eye. I appreciate you picking that out.
I’ve really enjoyed watching Peter Claffey and Dexter Sol Ansell work together this season. They’re so different, but they also work so well together. They’ve been a fun odd couple/buddy comedy duo. What has most surprised you about watching them together? When there’s no way you could have known if they would work until you saw them together, was there a moment that just gave you a sigh of relief?
PARKER: In the audition, they related to each other very well physically. How do you quantify that? There was just a certain natural familiarity that they always had. They both went out of their way to forge a relationship off-screen as well, hoping that would translate to more ease and more chemistry on screen, and it worked. Those guys off-screen are exactly like the pair that they are on-screen. They needle each other, but in a brotherly way. I don’t think the mentorship is bottom up the way it is in the show. It’s more classic in real life. But there’s still a lot of back and forth, which I really appreciate. They’re just two very delightful people. George [R.R. Martin] knows what he’s doing. Those odd couple pairings he creates are like none other. We’re very happy to have Peter and Dex bringing them to life, but a lot of that comes from the source material.
Did Dunk Ever Really Get Knighted by Ser Arlan in ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’?
“The whole journey is going to be about what makes a true knight.”
There’s a moment in the finale flashback when Dunk reveals that he wasn’t knighted by Ser Arlan. Why did you want to make that clear?
PARKER: It’s fascinating to me that that’s what you got out of that scene. At that moment, Dunk had never been knighted by Ser Arlan. He says, “Why did you never knight me?” And then, Ser Arlan dies, and we think it’s over. But then, he’s back and, as far as we know, the continuation of that scene is, “Boy, go get me my sword,” and then he knights him. There is no conformation, one way or the other, coming out of that scene. That’s exactly how Mr. R.R. Martin requested it. It remains [ambiguous] and people can decide for themselves. Look, Danny Webb is a fucking magician. I love him so much. He’s just become Arlan. It could have been no one else in this whole world. He was just pitch perfect, all the way up until his death. This whole journey is going to be about what makes a true knight, whether or not you’re given the title, or if you have to earn the title even after you’re given it. Can you earn it, even if you’ve never been given it?
It feels like, for someone like Dunk, it’s also very much a confidence issue because even if he really has the title, it’s not something he feels that he deserves or is worthy of.
PARKER: Yep. What person doesn’t feel that way, even deep into their careers and even successfully deep into their careers, that they’re not complete frauds and undeserving of any little morsel of praise or success that they receive. Honestly – spoiler alert, except I guess people know from the original series – even when he is more successful in his career than he is now and at quite high levels, as Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, he’s still feeling that way. He’s still feeling insecure because there’s always new levels of a job. No one ever lets you stay at the same place for your whole life. As soon as you do a good job, they want you to do something that’s out of your comfort zone. And so, you can remain anxious and feeling unworthy for your entire career.
The ‘Game of Thrones’ spin-off star goes deep on that surprise twist at the end of the penultimate episode.
Was there ever a version of The Trial of Seven that showed Maekar attacking Baelor? Did you always want that to be something that you held for the end of the episode?
PARKER: We always knew that because of the nature of the novella that is completely told from Dunk’s POV, that our show would follow that quite closely. We’re almost religiously in Dunk’s POV, breaking only a few times for Egg, but no one else. In that Trial of Seven, we wanted to keep it between Dunk and who he was fighting in that moment. That’s not to say we don’t see other little bits of that fight, but we do through Dunk’s perspective and Dunk’s story. When Aerion says on the ground to him very softly, “I yield, it’s over,” Dunk knows it’s over, but people are still fighting. There are still battles to the death going on and Dunk thinks, “I have to get this information out.”
It’s like those war movies when the war is over, but you still feel even more tense now because, what if somebody you love dies after the war is over and they didn’t have to? He sees these brutal fights going on. You see Maekar turning around with his flail and Baelor is still fighting with him. You see the Fossoways going at it, which is one of my favorite ones, and Dunk says, “I need to get this guy to the fucking front and end this thing right now,” and literally drags him there. So, we were always, no matter what, going to show it through Dunk’s POV. That moment at the end had to come through Dunk again. He’s just been given maybe everything he wants. He finally got through it, and maybe now he’s going to be Baelor’s guy. But as George so often does, it was not exactly meant to be that way.
Why did you decide to change Dunk’s childhood friend, Rafe, into a girl and add a bit of romantic interest to it? Did something about that relationship feel important?
PARKER: Is it 100% confirmed that Rafe was a boy?
No, it wasn’t.
PARKER: More than anything else in Dunk’s life, the fact that he was an orphan with no family probably weighs the heaviest and informs most of his decisions. Just that search for family, that search for a mother and somebody to take care of you, which he never had, is very at the core of what it is to be a lonely kid out there, trying to do better. I think Rafe fills that gap in some ways. Not in all ways. Dunk does this thing where he tries to see the very best in everyone because he really wants that family, even when it’s not quite right. I’m still not completely convinced that Rafe isn’t using him a little bit because he’s big and he’s strong, and he doesn’t seem to be that smart, so she can manipulate him. She’s not a bad person. That’s just what she has to do to get by. Dunk is quite earnest. He wears his emotions at the front. It makes you hope for good things.
Rafe is a very interesting relationship in Dunk’s life. At one point, we were going to have all of his little friends. We were going to have Rafe and Ferret and Pudding all in the mix. Of course, our budget necessities brought that all down to what we could accomplish. It originally started off as City of God in Westeros, and then it got paired down a little bit. Rafe, ultimately, was the most important of all those friendships. When a kid that age says, “I love you,” what does it really mean? What is he really saying? I’m not sure it’s romantic love, even though maybe it feels that way because they’re close in age and they only have each other. What is love? Feeling safe and protected and reassured, and somebody you can trust and rely on. Rafe probably qualifies to check off a bunch of those things, and I think a mother probably does the same. I think it was written in the script somewhere that Dunk looks at her like she’s his mother, sister, best friend and wife, all wrapped into one. He’s heaping a lot of things into that moment.
‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ Showrunner Ira Parker Says That Moment Connecting Dunk and Brienne of Tarth Came Up During Reshoots
“It just seemed perfect.”
You also have a subtle moment connecting Dunk and Brienne of Tarth, and I love that you not only did that, but also shot at the same location. How did all of that come about? Was that something you had always wanted to include? Did that come up later?
PARKER: That came up later. That actually came up in our reshoots. That was a scene that we had early on, that came out for budget reasons but then went back in due to cutting too deeply. We were looking for the original, original spot where they did the very first of those walks, but those trees had become a bit of a Belfast landmark and had actually been destroyed a little bit, just by all the tourism. And so, even the original series had to go, in Season 3 or 4 for the Brienne and Pod walk, had to go to a different spot that looked a lot like it and use that because they couldn’t use the original. So, we went to that one. It just seemed perfect. I loved it when I found out that we could get there and do that. That’s exactly the vibe that we were going for. I love that image of the trees touching over the street. There’s something that feels very special to me about Dunk and his great, great, great-granddaughter, whoever it is, walking along the same road. I think Season 1 is a lot about what we pass down to the next generation. We have father to son. We have knight to squire. We have master to apprentice. And so, it felt very within our motifs or themes for the season.
The ‘Game of Thrones’ series is not told chronologically.
We learn that Egg seems to be disobeying a bit again by venturing off with Dunk. How will that affect things for Egg and his family moving forward? Is Dunk ever going to get so fed up with this kid lying to him?
PARKER: We’ve tried a bunch of different versions for Season 2, big and small. It’s not actually even determined yet where we’re going to land on that. It will come back up again. It was initially meant as just a bit of a joke, but then people started telling me afterwards that, “No, it’s a huge cliffhanger, man. You have to go and address this.” And I was just like, “Oh, okay. Yeah. I suppose.” I don’t want it to distract from the main story they were telling in Season 2. That is the only goal. We don’t want to create an alternate timeline. In the book, it felt fair game to me because it’s actually never explicitly drawn that Maekar says, “Okay, my son can go squire for you.” They’re talking about it and Dunk makes a good point, but then Maekar just walks off, and a few moments later, Egg shows up. Maybe Egg was just hiding in the bushes. Maybe Egg followed his father there, and his father was going back to the castle to say, “Let’s fucking get out of here.” And then, Egg is like, “Hey, Ser, I’m allowed to come with you.” It created a little gap there. It was ambiguous enough that we didn’t feel like we were contradicting anything that had been written down. The after effects of this could potentially do that, so we were trying to be very careful.
How many of the Targaryens that we saw this season will crossover to the second season? And really, how much of the cast, in general, will we see again?
PARKER: Every book is a brand-new cast of people. George has a plan for later novellas, where certain people would come back in. We’ll see how it goes. It’s going to be, if any, quite light. There might not be any. We’re exploring. If it feels right, if it feels fun, if it adds something to it while not taking away from everything that we’re trying to do with The Sworn Sword, then it could happen.
Production of ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ Season 2 Is Moving Right Along
“We’re doing some really cool stuff.”
How are things going with Season 2? Where are you at in the process of it all?
PARKER: We are pretty deep into shooting now. We’re seeing some scenes get cut together. I’m still writing a little bit and still tweaking here and there. But everything is going very well. I love our cast this season. I think we’re doing some really cool stuff, and some very different stuff than we did in Season 1. We’ll see. You never know until it’s out there.
You’ve said that Season 2 would also be six episodes. Has it felt challenging to tell the story with just six episodes that are at 40 minutes or less, or has it felt like a good amount because you really can pack the episodes with a lot of story?
PARKER: It is challenging to tell a drama episode in that amount of time, setting up the stakes, telling a full story, and closing it off. However, I will say it’s fortunate for us that, because we are a single POV show, it’s not like we have to manage multiple storylines in every single episode. This feels like the perfect amount for us. It never felt like we were straining or trying to fill time. We were just having fun. Ultimately, at the end of the day, we actually ended up cutting down a lot of stuff because it didn’t work or we didn’t need it or it slowed things down. I’m very grateful that HBO gave us such a wide breadth to deliver an episode in. The truth is, if an episode had come in at one full hour and it was just a banger, then it would have gone out like that. But between 35 and 40 minutes seems to really be our sweet spot.
George R.R. Martin Confirms ‘The Winds of Winter’ Isn’t His Current Priority
The author’s focus isn’t that surprising.
Do you have plans to go beyond three seasons? Have you discussed that with George R.R. Martin at all, with him still writing and things not being done? Are you worried about the Game of Thrones problem of running out of source material? How do you feel about that?
PARKER: Certainly, I’ve talked to George a lot about this, and he’s given me a bunch of paragraphs and synopses of 10 to 12 more of these – I forget and need to count them up again – to take them all the way through their whole lives, which is very exciting. And there’s a lot of really cool stuff in there. Because we actually already know all the moments that happen, because this is in the past from A Song of Ice and Fire, there’s no danger of big events being done uncanononically. Honestly, we know their fates, or George knows their fates, and we know major events that happen within their lives, we know battles that they fought in, and we know people that came in and out of their world, marriages, and deaths, and all these things. So, we actually have a fair bit to work with. We have, essentially, a finished timeline. But we’ll see. We’ll see how this first season wraps up. If people stick with us into the second season, we’ll go from there. It’s a lot of fun to write these characters.
Everything Showrunner Ira Parker Is Doing in ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ Is Guided by the Stories of George R.R. Martin
“We never change the story.”
Are there changes that you’ve already needed to make to material for the second book to do Season 2? Do you make those changes and then go to George R.R. Martin, or do you have to ask him about that stuff before you write it? How does that work?
PARKER: George gets sent every draft of the script, and he’s only been a benefit to the series. That’s all we want, his input. Every now and then, little things have to change, but we never change the story. The beginning is the beginning, the middle is the middle, and the end is the end. We just fill out the world and fill out the characters, and we try to do it in a way that feels seamless and that feels like he would have done it if he had written them as novels instead of novellas. Sometimes we get it wrong, but for the most part, so far, so good. We’ll see where Season 2 comes out. It’s been a joy writing in this world. Just getting to do the fun scenes and having a strong story laid down in front of you that works, what more could you hope for with a big TV series like this? It’s a story that people love. It’s quite a classic tale that can reach a lot of people. We just get to give a different bit of flavor, a little bit of a different tone, and a little bit of a different side of Westeros. We’ll see if people continue to follow us on this journey or not.
- Release Date
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January 18, 2026
- Network
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HBO
- Showrunner
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Ira Parker
- Directors
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Owen Harris
- Writers
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George R. R. Martin, Ira Parker
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Peter Claffey
Ser Duncan ‘Dunk’ the Tall
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A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms airs on HBO and is available to stream on HBO Max.
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Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez may have been married for less than a year, but their relationship still appears to be running on full honeymoon energy.
From luxury trips to red carpet appearances, the newlyweds have made no secret of how close they are.
Now, after Lauren’s surprising comment about having a baby “tomorrow,” a new report suggests Bezos was more than happy to hear it, even if those close to the couple say parenthood is not actually in the cards.
Jeff Bezos And Lauren Sanchez Are Still In Their Honeymoon Phase
Nearly a year after their lavish wedding in Venice, Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez are reportedly more in sync than ever.
According to a Daily Mail source, the billionaire Amazon founder and his wife have settled into married life with the same excitement and affection they showed during their extravagant Italian wedding celebration last summer.
“Even though it was last year, Jeff and Lauren are still in the honeymoon phase from their wedding. They can’t get enough of each other,” the insider said.
That kind of closeness has become obvious in both their public and private lives. The couple has spent the past several months stepping out together at major events, from the 2026 Vanity Fair Oscars party to luxury trips in Paris.
The source made it clear that their bond runs deeper than flashy appearances and glamorous travel.
“Whether you want to call them soulmates or not, they are and were made for each other. The love for each other and their blended family brings them so much joy,” they shared.
Sanchez recently turned heads when she spoke openly about the idea of having a child with Jeff Bezos.
In a wide-ranging interview with The New York Times, the former journalist was candid about how fulfilled she felt in her marriage and how deeply connected she was to her husband.
“I would have a baby tomorrow,” she said. That remark quickly sparked speculation that the couple might be planning to expand their family.
However, Sanchez’s representative later contacted the publication to clarify that she was not pregnant.
Even so, the comment was reportedly loved by her husband. “So, when it was mentioned that she would have a baby with him tomorrow, he ate it up and loved it. It’s what she tells him all the time as well,” the Daily Mail source said.
The insider explained that the comment was not meant as a literal family announcement but rather as a reflection of how strong their relationship feels right now.
According to the source, the conversation around children was something that came up in a loving and playful way because of how secure they felt with each other.
Jeff Bezos And Lauren Sanchez Have Built A Deep Daily Routine Together
One of the clearest signs of how close Sanchez and Bezos have become is how fully their lives now revolve around each other.
During the New York Times interview, Sanchez described how the couple has developed a shared rhythm inside their $90 million home on Indian Creek.
She said they begin each day at 6 a.m. by saying ten things they are grateful for out loud. From there, they play pickleball, work out with a trainer six days a week, and watch the sunrise while drinking coffee together.
Even their mugs reflect their playful dynamic. She drinks from one that says “Woke Up Sexy As Hell Again,” while Bezos uses one featuring “HUNK” written in periodic table symbols.
Sanchez also made it clear just how much the billionaire means to her. “I talk about everything with him,” she said, adding, “Everything! Jeff is my best friend and I don’t say that lightly.”
Bezos And Sanchez Are Focused On Love, Not Growing Their Family
While Lauren Sanchez’s comment about having a baby grabbed attention, those close to the couple say the statement was more symbolic than serious.
Between them, Jeff Bezos and his wife already share a blended family of seven children from previous relationships.
Sanchez has three children: Nikko Gonzalez, Evan Whitesell, and Ella Whitesell. At their wedding in Venice, her sons walked her down the aisle, while her daughter served as the maid of honor.
That family-centered moment was a reminder that the lovebirds already have full lives as parents.
According to the Daily Mail source, Bezos and Sanchez have no plans to adopt or pursue having a child together. Instead, comments about babies are simply another way they express how much they care for one another.
“[Lauren’s comment] was said both in jest but seriously, to show the love she has for him,” the source said.
They added, “They aren’t going to adopt a child or anything like that. It was said in a fun and loving way, because she is so in love with him and he shares the same love and respect for her.”
The insider added that for the Amazon CEO, even talking about the possibility is just another sweet part of their bond. “Jeff loves her, and bringing up having kids is just the icing on the cake,” the insider revealed.
Jeff Bezos And Lauren Sanchez Continue To Embrace Their Glamorous Life Together
Since getting married, Bezos and Sanchez have fully embraced life as one of the world’s most high-profile couples.
Their Venice wedding reportedly cost between $15 million and $20 million and featured nearly 200 guests, including Oprah Winfrey, Kris Jenner, Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Brady, and others.
Since then, they have continued to make the rounds in elite social circles. Earlier this year, they attended Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week and sat front row at the Schiaparelli show.
Over New Year’s, they celebrated aboard Bezos’s $500 million yacht, Koru, where he had previously proposed with a pink diamond ring reportedly worth more than $2.5 million.
Next month, the couple is expected to play a major role at the 2026 Met Gala as honorary chairs.
Though their lavish lifestyle often draws criticism, Sanchez appears unfazed.Speaking to the New York Times, she said her happiness had nothing to do with money. “If baseline is here,” she said, holding one hand at chest level, “I’m up here.”
Pop star Justin Bieber is not letting anyone rain on his parade. According to a new source, the “Baby” singer isn’t focused on the outrage over his stripped-down Coachella set in April 2026. In fact, the 32-year-old is still taking in the moment and reportedly blocking out the noise. Bieber’s headlining performance comes almost a year after the father of one sparked concern after sharing controversial photos and fear-inducing statements on social media.
Justin Bieber Reportedly Unbothered By The Outrage To His Coachella Performance, Source Says He’s Living His Best Life
According to The Blast, Bieber hit the Coachella stage on April 11 in a relaxed look, wearing a dressed-down hoodie and baggy black denim shorts.
The first half of the set largely featured songs from his latest albums, “SWAG” and “SWAG II,” while the second half included some of the singer’s biggest hits, like “Beauty and a Beat,” “That Should Be Me,” and “All That Matters.”
Per PEOPLE, some viewers and longtime Bieber stans described the performance as “low energy,” and on Reddit, other users called the set “weird” and “sad.”
Despite the feedback, Bieber is keeping his head held high, according to a source who spoke with the outlet about the A-lister’s overall thoughts.
Justin Bieber Did The Coachella Set He Wanted To Do, Not What Others Expected From Him
“He felt great about the set. He was excited to reconnect with fans in a way that felt true to where he is now,” the insider revealed. “He’s not focused on how it’s being labeled. He wanted to show up and do it his way. And that’s exactly what he did. He’s happy with how it turned out.”
Bieber also had support from those closest to him, including his wife, Hailey Bieber.
“It was a big weekend for both of them,” the source added. “Hailey hosted several Rhode-related events, including an exclusive pop-up. They really made the most of it though. They were able to support each other and also focus on their own projects. It was a mix of work, time with friends and just enjoying the weekend together.”
Justin Bieber Has Receieved Negative Attention Lately
According to a previous report by The Blast, Bieber has been the center of significant negative attention over the past year.
In April 2025, the singer made headlines after being spotted speaking aggressively with a paparazzi while out getting a drink.
“What the f-ck?” Bieber screamed. “In the desert, really?” Bieber continued, hurling expletive-filled insults at the photographers, calling them “f-cking a**holes.”
“Why are you guys out here? You’re gonna record me and sh-t, too?” he continued. “Give me a f-cking break for two seconds.”
Bieber Admitted To Having ‘Anger’ Problems In An Unexpected Social Media Post
Before that, Bieber sparked concern after admitting to having “anger issues” in a candid Instagram post.
“I’ve got anger issues too, but I wanna grow and not react so much smh,” he wrote online. “I think I hate myself sometimes when I feel myself start to become inauthentic. Then I remember we’re all being made to think we’re not enough, but I still hate when I change myself to please people.”
In another post, Bieber opened up about struggling to process and regulate his intense feelings. “I WAS ALWAYS TOLD WHEN I WAS A KID NOT TO HATE … BUT IT MADE ME FEEL LIKE I WASNT ALLOWED TO HAVE IT AND SO I DIDN’T TELL ANYONE IVE HAD IT,” the pop star wrote online.
He added, “I THINK WE CAN ONLY LET HATE GO BY FIRST ACKNOWLEDGING IT’S THERE.”
Bieber Was Spotted With A Bong
In March 2025, Bieber generated even more buzz after posting a photo of himself appearing to smoke out of a bong.
The image drew much backlash, as people encouraged the singer to remain sober for his son, Jack, while others said his alleged marijuana use was masking a bigger problem.
A rep for the singer clapped back at the claims, though, calling them “absolutely not true.”
“The recurring narrative that Justin is using hard drugs is absolutely not true,” they said, before stating that Bieber is “in one of the best places in his life.”
In another post, Bieber seemingly responded to the criticism, proclaiming that he had “NOTHING TO PROVE.”
He went on to blast those using the Bible to cast judgment, saying, “Jesus didn’t heal his best friend Lazareth [sic] right away. Even tho he knew people would talk sh-t, saying how could he be god if he didn’t heal his best friend? But Jesus wasn’t trying to please everyone and didn’t allow people to rush him. He knew what he was capable of.”
Just because a song is successful, it doesn’t mean it’s going to stand the test of time. Even if it’s written by some of the best songwriters in music history. Perhaps the fact that these songs were written by iconic rock stars makes the fact that they slipped into oblivion even more understandable. A Rolling Stone or a former Beatle has hundreds of chart-toppers under his belt. It’s only natural that not all of them will be timeless.
Some songs were representative of a time in music. Some were eclipsed by other, even more successful hits. And others aged poorly, and even the musicians who made them want to forget about them. For many reasons, these three songs had huge success when they first came out, then were promptly forgotten. Here’s what happened.
“Miss You” – The Rolling Stones (1978)
The Rolling Stones aren’t a band that fans would associate with disco music. But as the ’70s were ending and disco was upon us, even the ultimate rock band couldn’t resist. “Miss You” was a big hit, the first single for their 1978 album, Some Girls, written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, one of the greatest songwriting partnerships in music history. But even though Jagger and Richards are credited, many people should get praise for this classic.
When the song first came together, Jagger was working not with his usual partner, Keith Richards, but with another rock legend: Billy Preston. The iconic keyboard player was the one who showed the singer the incredible beat that later made the song, and Jagger worked on it with Preston while Richards was… otherwise occupied.
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“I got that together with Billy Preston, actually. Yeah, Billy had shown me the four-on-the-floor bass-drum part, and I would just play the guitar. I remember playing that in the El Mocambo club when Keith was on trial in Toronto for whatever he was doing. We were supposed to be there making this live record… I was still writing it, actually. We were just in rehearsal.”
Drummer Charlie Watts later said that his drumming on the track was heavily influenced by his and Jagger’s frequent visits to discos. While they never set out to make a disco record, the experience of listening to dance music nurtured their songwriting. “Miss You” quickly climbed to No. 1 on the American charts, and while it is by no means the most popular Rolling Stones song, it certainly makes you want to dance no matter where you are.
“With a Little Luck” – Paul McCartney (1978)
“With A Little Luck” is just one of Paul McCartney’s countless chart-topping hits, but it has somehow slipped into oblivion. This song, recorded aboard a boat in the Virgin Islands, where McCartney’s band Wings recorded their 1978 album, London Town, was released as a single in March of that year, and it topped the Hot 100 in May. The song was released during a turbulent time for the band, as once again, members were leaving the group (there had first been a sudden change in lineup in 1973, right before the recording of Band on the Run). The result was that Wings shrunk down to three members: McCartney, his wife Linda, who played keyboards, and lead guitarist Denny Laine.
“With A Little Luck” is a quintessential McCartney song, full of optimism and a message of love being the answer to everything. While the song topped the charts at the time, the reason it might have faded from people’s minds is that it followed the triumphant release of the single “Mull of Kintyre” over Christmas in 1977. “Mull of Kintyre” was an ode to the Kintyre peninsula, close to where the McCartney family lived on a Scottish farm. The song was such a huge success that it outshone everything, including The Beatles, and became the UK’s best-selling single of all time, dethroning “She Loves You.” After such a huge hit, “With A Little Luck” was inevitably eclipsed, but faithful fans will remember and appreciate it for the masterpiece it is.
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“Island Girl” – Elton John (1975)
“Island Girl” reached No. 1 in 1975, and was promptly forgotten almost immediately. There could be many reasons for this, but the main one is that the theme of this song is, looking back, completely inappropriate. The Caribbean-inspired tune follows the story of a Jamaican sex worker living in New York City. Songwriter Bernie Taupin co-wrote it with Elton John, and he crafted it specifically to be a commercial success.
“When I wrote ‘Island Girl’—that was one of the first songs I wrote for the new album—when I look back at all the lyrics, I knew that was going to be very commercial and would be the single,” Taupin explained. However, even though the song spent three weeks as No. 1, both fans and Elton John quickly got over it, and Taupin acknowledges that it’s not the kind of song anyone wants to remember. “That’s one that’s been erased from our work,” he said of “Island Girl.” “You will never see it on a greatest-hits album! It’s horrible. I don’t know what I was thinking of.”
No matter how good they seemed when they came out, some songs shouldn’t become classics, and “Island Girl” is one of them.
UPDATE — 4/13/26, 7:37 p.m. ET: Grace, who went viral with her boyfriend Michael at a recent Indiana Pacers game, has clarified her comments about Shaquille O’Neal after her Inside the NBA appearance.
“I am a private person that has been thrown into the public eye unexpectedly and am doing my best to navigate it with good humor,” she said in a statement shared with Us Weekly. “The two of us had a wonderful time on the show- Shaq did absolutely nothing to make us uncomfortable and I do not view him as “creepy” at all. I was attempting a joke about my flustered reaction in the midst of a high pressure situation. We have nothing but admiration and appreciation for the hosts hospitality and the joy they’ve brought us over the years. Go Pacers.”
Original story below:
One half of the Indiana Pacers fan couple that has taken the NBA world by storm over the last week seems to be over the rush of media attention.
Grace, who went viral with her boyfriend, Michael, after cameras caught them arguing at a Pacers game on Thursday, April 9, even compared Shaquille O’Neal to a “creepy horny uncle” following an appearance on ESPN’s Inside the NBA.
“Shaq was like a creepy horny uncle trying to embarrass his nephew and I went along with it until the bit got embarrassing and I was like alright chill,” Grace wrote via X on Monday, April 13.
She continued, “I’m glad my bf got to meet the people whose videos he shows me constantly but God I am ready to be done with Sports people. I have found u generally exhausting and, forgive me for saying so, I mean this respectfully, not smart in the ways that matter to me. TO ME.”
NBA icon Shaquille O’Neal is addressing the viral rumor claiming he slid into Sabrina Carpenter’s DMs. “First of all, ladies, the diesel got way more game than that,” O’Neal, 54, said on the Friday, March 20, episode of his “Big Podcast” show, reading aloud the fake flirty messages. “I’m just saying.” Social media images surfaced […]
Grace and Michael appeared on Inside the NBA on Sunday, April 12, where O’Neal, 54, told Michael that he would pay for the engagement ring if he proposed to Grace live on the show.
Michael tried to negotiate, saying, “If you guys agree to come to the wedding, we’ll do that.”
Michael and Grace ESPN/X
But while the studio crew began to talk it over, Grace interrupted to remind everyone that, “I didn’t agree to this.”
She added in a separate X post, “Alright i agreed to do this so my boy could talk about BASKETBALL.”
At the beginning of the segment, Michael revealed what the couple was arguing about when cameras memorably caught Grace appearing to say to him, “What the f*** are you talking about?”
Getty Images (2) Shaquille O’Neal is in some hot water after commenting on an outfit that WNBA player Angel Reese wore. On the Thursday, October 24, episode of her “Unapologetically Angel” podcast, O’Neal, 52, discussed the differences between men and women’s basketball while touching on how lowering the rims could impact the WNBA. “Imagine you […]
“Unfortunately, it was as boring as it could be,” Michael said. “We were talking about, sort of, the rigors of a liberal arts education and how I thought it needed to be essentially updated for how the future job market looks, and she disagreed.”
Grace added, “The game was kind of interrupting our usual conversation, which is so funny that this went viral.Just really embarrassing stuff. I’m not a huge sports person. Shaq, I love Icy Hot, that’s where I mostly know you from.”
O’Neal pressed Michael, saying that he didn’t buy that story, based on Grace’s expression. Michael only replied that the couple prefers to keep their private conversations private.
Grace first addressed the viral clip Thursday night, sharing it via X and writing, “IM CRYINGGGGGGGG I LOVE MY BOYFRIEND THIS IS JUST HOW WE TALK!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
Maria Shriver has strongly condemned President Donald Trump for his scathing criticism of Pope Leo XIV.
“We all deserve better, and we all can speak up and demand better,” Shriver, 70, wrote via Instagram on Monday, March 13. “The job of President requires composure, compassion, and the ability not to react to anything and everything you do not like. We deserve better!”
Trump unleashed a verbal attack on Pope Leo XIV, 70, via his Truth Social social media platform on Sunday, April 13, calling the religious leader “weak on crime and terrible for foreign policy.” (Leo — formerly known as Cardinal Robert Prevost — became the first American pope in the Catholic Church’s 2,000-year history in March 2025.)
“[The pope] talks about ‘fear’ of the Trump Administration, but doesn’t mention the FEAR that the Catholic Church, and all other Christian Organizations, had during COVID when they were arresting priests, ministers and everybody else, for holding Church Services, even when going outside, and being ten and even twenty feet apart,” Trump, 79, complained on Sunday.
As President Donald Trump continues to reshape the White House and Washington D.C. in his image, a group of experts are warning that his desire to use “magic paint” on an iconic building is “incompatible” with reality. According to a Saturday, April 11, report from CNN, Trump, 79, has “privately advocated” for the Eisenhower Executive […]
The president continued, “I don’t want a Pope who criticizes the President of the United States because I’m doing exactly what I was elected, IN A LANDSLIDE, to do, setting Record Low Numbers in Crime, and creating the Greatest Stock Market in History.”
Shriver — a devout Roman Catholic — has been a frequent critic of Trump over the years. In this case, she not only took issue with President Trump’s dustup with the Pope but also his decision to post an AI image depicting himself as Jesus Christ. (The AI photo was widely condemned by Trump’s political opponents and it was later removed. President Trump subsequently claimed that he thought the photo showed him “as a doctor and had to do with [the] Red Cross.”)
“I was enraged about the picture and I was also stunned that [Trump] was attacking the Pope, a deeply religious man [and] a deeply peaceful man,” Shriver explained via Instagram on Monday. “[The Pope] has used his voice in a socially conscious way, in a peaceful way, in a way that rises above the noise, in a way that makes us all think about the cost of war, the price of war and whether this is something we really want to be involved in, which is his job.”
(The Pope urged the Trump administration to end the war in Iran during his Easter message on April 5, calling the conflict a “delusion of omnipotence” and a “discourse of death.”)
“I know many people who voted for this President and I know they didn’t vote for this,” Shriver insisted. “I know many of them to be good and kind people. … This is clearly a person who is dangerous, unreliable. ‘Unhinged’ doesn’t even begin to cover it.”
Shriver argued that America is strongly in need of a wartime leader “who is calm [and] knows how to manage their emotions.”
“This is a plea to the people who are also [working] with him,” Shriver went on. “Come on! Are you not concerned about what is going on? The whole world is concerned … You can do something to stop this. You can do something to teach someone about emotional regulation, about the fact that this isn’t all about him. This is about all of us.”
She declared, “We deserve so much better. Those who voted for this man and those who didn’t! … We deserve a person in this job who is safe, who is consistent, who is reliable and who will manage their emotions. And who doesn’t depict himself as Jesus Christ.”
Amid ongoing hostilities between the White House and the Vatican, Pope Leo XIV assured reporters on Monday that he will not be intimidated.
President Donald Trump has even more plans for the Kennedy Center after he worked to rename the landmark. “The Trump Kennedy Center will close on July 4th, 2026, in honor of the 250th Anniversary of our Country, whereupon we will simultaneously begin Construction of the new and spectacular Entertainment Complex,” Trump, 79, wrote via Truth […]
“I have no fear of the Trump administration or speaking out loudly of the message of the Gospel, which is what I believe I am here to do,” the Pope said.
For this part, Trump has refused to back down from his criticism of Pope Leo XIV during a brief press conference at the White House on Monday.
“[The Pope] was very much against what I’m doing with regard to Iran, and you cannot have a nuclear Iran. Pope Leo would not be happy with the end result,” Trump told the White House press pool. “I think he’s very weak on crime and other things so I’m not [going to apologize].”
Us Weekly has reached out to the White House for a comment on Shriver’s video.
After over two decades on network television, NCIS is one of the longest-running police procedurals of all time. Since then, all the original cast members have exited the series for various reasons. This leaves Sean Murray‘s Timothy McGee as the most tenured character since his introduction back in Season 1, Episode 7, “Sub Rosa.” Although McGee was only intended to be a one-time guest star, he became a recurring character in Season 1 before being promoted to series regular in Season 2. With 23 seasons’ worth of character development, it looks like McGee is leveling up to a position he’s perfect for.
With a milestone of 500 episodes, the NCIS creative team was definitely going to deliver an episode that would impact the show in a big way. In a shocking twist, NCIS Director Leon Vance (Rocky Carroll) died saving the agency. He’s been a staple of the series since the end of Season 5, when he officially took on the role of NCIS Director following the death of Jenny Shepard (Lauren Holly). After 18 seasons, the federal agency needs a new director, and they already have the perfect person to lead: Tim McGee.
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McGee was first introduced as a probationary agent (aka “probie”) back in Season 1, referring to NCIS Senior Agent Tony DiNozzo (Michael Weatherly) as “sir” in a very timid and insecure manner. While it took some time, McGee experienced so much character development once he joined Gibbs and DiNozzo on the Major Crimes Response Team (MCRT). Even though DiNozzo would give him goofy nicknames, McGee pushed back and earned the respect of his peers. McGee earned the status of being a Senior Field Agent with his dedication to the job and extreme care for every case. Even when he and his partner, Delilah Fielding (Margo Harshman), experienced a personal tragedy, McGee came back even stronger. McGee is truly the most well-balanced character of NCIS as he’s able to prioritize his personal life over the job.
When Gibbs retired from NCIS, he gave his blessing for McGee to take over MCRT. But seeing how Gibbs was, he knew the strain it would have on his life, so he respectfully passed on the position because his family came above anything else. But that doesn’t mean McGee doesn’t love NCIS. When Vance had to step away from his directorial duties, McGee happily filled in and did a good job at running the agency. In Season 22, McGee applied to be NCIS Deputy Director but sadly lost the position to Department of Justice Inspector Gabriel LaRoche (Seamus Dever). While it seemed like McGee’s growth was at a standstill, Season 23 is giving fans hope that McGee will finally get the recognition he deserves.
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“What good’s it being an armed Federal Agent, if you can’t drive fast?”
In the 500th episode of NCIS, Vance says, “McGee is destined to lead, and leaders know when to ask for permission and where to ask for forgiveness.” The director of a global agency singling out McGee as a leader is a huge moment that speaks volumes. With over 20 years of experience on MCRT, McGee has led various agents, such as Ellie Bishop (Emily Wickersham), Nick Torres (Wilmer Valderrama), and Jessica Knight (Katrina Law). He’s even worked with agents in other offices, like Sam Hanna (LL Cool J), G. Callen (Chris O’Donnell), and Dwayne Pride (Scott Bakula). With his relationship with various people across the entire agency, McGee would be a perfect leader and have a huge number of supporters. As a husband and a father to two kids, McGee has a constant fear that each day might be his last, considering the risk he takes as a Senior Field Agent. Putting him in the Director position would still paint a target on his back, but at least he would see less action. While that sounds like a punishment, it’s a big evolution for McGee.
With Cyber Ops Tech Operator Curtis Hubley (J. Claude Deering) returning in NCIS Season 23, Episode 15, the show is also hinting that he could be McGee’s replacement on MCRT. Throughout his recurring appearances, Hubley has been vocal about one day becoming a probie. It would be a full circle moment to see McGee usher in a new probie and share his wisdom after his years of experience. Even if McGee becomes NCIS Director, fans don’t have to worry about seeing less of their fan-favorite NCIS character. Vance has had a strong presence throughout the series, and that shouldn’t change if McGee takes on this role. It would be interesting to see McGee continue to provide his expertise to MCRT, even if it’s just bouncing off theories or using his new power as NCIS Director to speed through any red tape.
NCIS‘ 500th episode is a major turning point for the series and foreshadows even more great stories for seasons to come. There’s a reason why the show has gone on for 23 seasons and continues to maintain its loyal fanbase. With McGee as the most tenured character on the show, it’s finally time to see him get a big character moment that changes the status quo moving forward. He’s become the face of the NCIS franchise since Gibbs’ exit in Season 19, and he has more than proven himself worthy of becoming a leader of the global agency.
New episodes of NCIS Season 23 drop on Tuesdays. The series is streaming on Paramount+.
Young Thug debuted colorful new dreads at Coachella, and internet users are goin’ IN with reactions.
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Young Thug Debuts Colorful New Dreads At Coachella
According to HotNewHipHop, Young Thug took the stage at Coachella over the weekend. Furthermore, he performed some of his hits. This reportedly included ‘Check’ and ‘Digits.’ But the apparent star of his show was his colorful, new dreads.
Check out photos from his performance by swiping below.
Internet Users Are Goin’ IN With Reactions
Internet users immediately gathered in TSR’s comment section, goin’ IN on Young Thug’s new look.
Instagram user @speakingoftori wrote, “He wanna be the birthday confetti so bad!!!!”
While Instagram user @cobacobana added, “He the rainbow”
Instagram user @khainesmommy wrote, “Why Mariah like him ? I jus don’t get it”
While Instagram user @just.janae added, “We have no men left 😭😭”
Instagram user @therealkotamocha wrote, “are those pipe cleaners?”
While Instagram user @therealkay_kg1 added, “Boy do he know how to pmo😒😭”
Instagram user @sollybandz wrote, “Atlanta Down So Bad Rn, It’s Crazy😭😭😭😭”
While Instagram user @officialjaylewis added, “He the birthday cake 😞”
Instagram user @cxaxrxexe wrote, “Just to live THIS HERE lifestyle⁉️😵💫”
While Instagram user @b00tyful_d1vah added, “You not the birthday you the sprinkles😂 😂”
Instagram user @gbecandi wrote, “You know what…it’s my fault for being awake”
While Instagram user @kimberlyiwunzee added, “you’ve got to be joking”
Instagram user @ross_benjamins wrote, “When the music ain’t Hittin you gotta do sum else to get attention”
Before Young Thug Debuted Colorful New Dreads At Coachella, He Had The Internet Gagged With His Reaction To The Offset Shooting
As The Shade Room previously reported, before Young Thug turned heads with his colorful dreads, he turned heads amid the Offset shooting. Last week, footage showed Thug being asked about Offset getting shot at the Hard Rock Casino in Hollywood, Florida. In turn, Thug appeared shocked and confirmed that he was just hearing the news for the first time. Ultimately, his reaction went viral.
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What Do You Think Roomies?
Vice President JD Vance — a Catholic convert — has weighed in on President Donald Trump’s feud with Pope Leo XIV, suggesting the religious leader should “stick to matters of morality.”
“When it comes to the disagreements with the Vatican, we’re going to have disagreements from time to time,” Vance, 41, told Fox News on Monday, April 13. “I think it’s a good thing actually that the Pope is advocating for the things that he cares about. But we’re always going to have disagreements on matters of public policy.”
The Vice President went on, “The Pope has been critical of our immigration policy but ultimately the immigration policy of the United States is set by Donald Trump. The Pope is going to have disagreements on other issues. We certainly respect the Pope, we certainly have a good relationship with the Vatican.”
Vice President Vance said it was “totally reasonable” for the Vatican and the White House to disagree on “substantive” issues, though he also suggested it may be best if Pope Leo, 70, stayed out of U.S. foreign policy.
Maria Shriver has strongly condemned President Donald Trump for his scathing criticism of Pope Leo XIV. “We all deserve better, and we all can speak up and demand better,” Shriver, 70, wrote via Instagram on Monday, March 13. “The job of President requires composure, compassion, and the ability not to react to anything and everything […]
“[President Trump] has to look out for the interests of the United States of America,” the politician argued. “That inevitably means that when the Vatican comments on issues of public policy, sometimes there’s going to be agreement and sometimes there’s going to be disagreement. … I certainly think that, in some cases, it would be best for the Vatican to stick to matters of morality, to stick to matters of what’s going on in the Catholic Church. Let the President of the United States stick to dictating public policy.”
He added, “When they’re in conflict, they’re in conflict. I don’t worry about it too much … I think it’s a natural thing. I’m sure it will happen in the future.”
Us Weekly has reached out to the Vatican for comment.
Vance converted to Catholicism at age 35 in August 2019 after growing up in an evangelical family.
Earlier this month, Pope Leo XIV came out strongly against the U.S. war in Iran during his Easter speech on April 5, calling the military conflict a “delusion of omnipotence” and a “discourse of death.”
President Trump fired back via Truth Social on Sunday, April 12, calling Pope Leo XIV “weak on crime and terrible for foreign policy.” He also claimed that the only reason Leo was selected as Pope in March 2025 was that the Vatican sought better relations with the White House by choosing an American.
“[The Pope] talks about ‘fear’ of the Trump Administration, but doesn’t mention the FEAR that the Catholic Church, and all other Christian Organizations, had during COVID when they were arresting priests, ministers and everybody else, for holding Church Services, even when going outside, and being ten and even twenty feet apart,” Trump, 79, complained on Sunday.
Pope Leo XIV in Monaco in March 2026. Stephane Cardinale/PLS Monaco Pool/Getty Images
His social media rant went on, “I don’t want a Pope who criticizes the President of the United States because I’m doing exactly what I was elected, IN A LANDSLIDE, to do, setting Record Low Numbers in Crime, and creating the Greatest Stock Market in History.”
Pope Leo responded on Monday by telling reporters that he had “no fear of the Trump administration or speaking out loudly of the message of the Gospel.”
That same day, President Trump stood by his criticism of the religious leader during a White House press conference.
“[The Pope] was very much against what I’m doing with regard to Iran, and you cannot have a nuclear Iran. Pope Leo would not be happy with the end result,” Trump told the assembled press. “I think he’s very weak on crime and other things so I’m not [going to apologize].”
Meanwhile, President Trump faced another religious backlash for posting an AI photo depicting himself as Jesus Christ on Sunday. The post was later removed from Truth Social when it sparked outrage from both political allies and opponents.
Trump attempted to downplay the controversy on Monday, telling the White House press pool that he thought the AI photo showed him “as a doctor and had to do with [the] Red Cross.”
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The years went by, but in Point Place, Wis., it’s still the late ’70s.
Simone Ashley addressed her loyalty to Bridgerton despite her character Kate’s decreased screen time.
During the Monday, April 13, episode of “The Louis Theroux Podcast,” Ashley, 31, credited Jonathan Bailey for teaching her some important lessons about making Bridgerton a priority, adding, “He set a great example of — for lack of a better word — the loyalty to the show. It is a show about family and returning home and returning to the family. I think a lot of people follow that suit.”
Ashley “learned a lot” from Bailey, 37.
“Now when we go back, there is that environment of coming home and feeling like we’re part of a family,” she added. “I can only comment on what me and Johnny have done. We just really make sure that our schedules can just make it work.”
Ashley continued: “He flew between Toronto and London back and forth whilst he was filming Wicked. Thank God I’ve not been filming during the start of this year. I’ve done like eight cities in one month. So that would have been a bit nuts to figure out. But I would have done it. I would have scheduled it.”
Kate’s romance with Anthony (Bailey) was the focus of Bridgerton season 2. Since most of the season was focused on Anthony getting out of a courtship with her sister, Edwina (Charithra Chandran), before getting together with Kate, viewers were expecting the pair to play a large role in season 3.
Season 3, however, featured Anthony and Kate sharing only a handful of scenes before disappearing on a second honeymoon. They returned toward the end of the season to announce Kate’s pregnancy, which is when the pair decided to take a trip to India. Season 4, meanwhile, explained Anthony and Kate’s continued absence by keeping them in India after the arrival of their first baby.
“I think the strength of sending them off to India for a little while is that it does leave the door open for them to come back, schedules allowing,” Brownell told Teen Vogue of the characters in June 2024. “I think, understandably, when any of our lead actors have given over their lives for their season, in future seasons, we want to be supportive of the fact that they do have other projects coming in, and to ask actors to come back just to be in the background is not really fair to them.”
At the time, Brownell explained the planned vision for Kate and Anthony.
“I think after all they went through in their season, obviously, the focus for us this season was just showing them in a more loving place. But we also wanted to underscore how they’re still the Kate and Anthony you know,” she continued. “They still banter with each other and get annoyed at each other. We wanted them to show up in that way … They’re in a much wiser place, both of them, in their relationship to relationships.”
Brownell clarified why Anthony and thus Kate were barely in season 4, telling People, “I think for [Luke Thompson’s] Benedict in particular, it was important for Anthony to be elsewhere in part 1, to give Benedict a moment to struggle with the weight of being the second son who’s filling in for the viscount.”
She added: “For Anthony to be in India — or later in Aubrey Hall — it allows Benedict the chance to rise or to fail. It also felt incredibly important to bring Anthony back, because the relationship with Benedict is so key between the first and the second [parts of season 4].”
Bridgerton is currently streaming on Netflix.
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