UPDATE, 2/8/2026 at 12:00 a.m. ET:

Home Alone star Daniel Stern’s misdemeanor prostitution case has been dismissed in Ventura County, California.

A spokesperson for the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office confirmed to Entertainment Weekly on Friday, February 6, that Stern, 68, took the necessary steps to have the first-time offense dropped.

“The defendant did what he was supposed to do,” a District Attorney’s Office rep said. “He completed his education class and earned a dismissal. This is our standard disposition for first-time prostitution offenses.”

Senior Deputy District Attorney Twyla Atmore informed the presiding judge, Paul Baelly, in court on Friday that the charge was being dismissed because Stern completed a “diversion program.”

Stern’s attorney Blair Berk subsequently told the California Post that the actor was looking forward to putting the ordeal behind him.

“The case was dismissed with prejudice as it should have been from the start and we’re very pleased,” his lawyer said.

Us Weekly has reached out to Stern’s representative for comment.

Original Story Below:

Home Alone star Daniel Stern has been charged with one misdemeanor count of soliciting prostitution.

Stern, 68, was officially charged with “engaging and agreeing to engage in prostitution” in Ventura County, California, on Monday, January 12, according to documents obtained by Us Weekly. His arraignment is scheduled for Tuesday, January 13.

The actor was reportedly at a hotel in Camarillo, California, on December 10, 2025, when law enforcement issued him a citation for soliciting prostitution, according to police documents obtained by TMZ on January 9. Per the report, Stern was not detained or arrested in connection with the incident.

“From what I understand, he was cited at the location and released,” attorney and spokesperson Joey Buttitta told People at the time.

Related: ‘Home Alone’ Star Devin Ratray Pleads Guilty in Domestic Violence Case

Home Alone star Devin Ratray pleaded guilty on Wednesday, February 21, to two counts of domestic violence in a deal that will keep him out of jail. Ratray, who portrayed Buzz in the 1990 classic and its 1992 sequel, will serve three years probation and will have to complete a Batterers Intervention Program and undergo […]

Us Weekly has reached out to Stern’s representatives for comment.

Stern starred as infamous “wet bandit” Marv alongside Joe Pesci and Macaulay Culkin in 1990’s Home Alone and its subsequent sequel, 1992’s Home Alone 2: Lost in New York. He has been married to his wife, Laure Mattos, since 1980, and the couple recently renewed their vows in a surprise ceremony during a 2019 episode of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, They share three children: daughters Ella and Sophie and son Henry Stern, who is a California State Senator.

In October 2025, Stern made headlines when he was hospitalized for an undisclosed medical emergency. He was reportedly assessed by firefighters at his California home and eventually transported to a nearby hospital, where he was later released, according to TMZ. A rep later confirmed the Wonder Years alum was in good health.

Stern is not the first Home Alone star to face legal trouble. Devin Ratray, who portrayed Culkin’s older brother in both movies, was arrested in December 2021 after an alleged drunken altercation in an Oklahoma City hotel where he allegedly pushed, punched and pressed his hands against his ex-girlfriend’s throat and mouth. He was later charged with felony domestic assault and battery strangulation, as well as misdemeanor domestic assault and battery.

Ratray was released on a $25,000 bond and initially pleaded not guilty, but changed his plea to avoid jail time. He ultimately pled guilty to two counts of domestic violence in February 2024. He was sentenced to three years probation and ordered to complete a Batterers Intervention Program, as well as to undergo a drug/alcohol assessment, according to court documents.

“I am relieved that this chapter in my life is coming to an end, but the scars and trauma will never fully heal,” a statement from Ratray’s ex-girlfriend read during court proceedings, which she did not attend. “No one should have to endure the fear and pain that I’ve experienced at the hands of someone they once cared for.”

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Related: ‘Home Alone’ Star Devin Ratray Pleads Guilty in Domestic Violence Case

Home Alone star Devin Ratray pleaded guilty on Wednesday, February 21, to two counts of domestic violence in a deal that will keep him out of jail. Ratray, who portrayed Buzz in the 1990 classic and its 1992 sequel, will serve three years probation and will have to complete a Batterers Intervention Program and undergo […]

“I want to make it clear that even one incident of domestic abuse is one too many,” she continued. “No one should ever have to endure the physical and emotional abuse that I went through. I hope that by speaking out and sharing my story, I can encourage others to seek help and speak out against domestic violence. I want to send a message that abusers will face consequences for their actions and that victims deserve to be heard and believed.”

New behind-the-scenes details from The Art of Star Wars: The Acolyte reveal that The Acolyte’s most unsettling character — the Stranger — carried a surprising nickname during production, one inspired by one of Jake Gyllenhaal’s most iconic films. According to the book, the Stranger, portrayed on screen by Manny Jacinto, was referred to internally as “Frank” during preproduction. The nickname was a direct nod to Frank the Bunny, the eerie, grinning figure from Richard Kelly’s 2001 cult sci-fi film Donnie Darko.

The reference wasn’t incidental. It became a creative shorthand for the tone and psychological discomfort the team wanted the Stranger to evoke — something uncanny, unsettling, and difficult to emotionally place.

Why the Stranger Was Called “Frank” During ‘The Acolyte’s Production

As The Art of Star Wars: The Acolyte makes clear, the Stranger is one of creator Leslye Headland’s most personal creations. Headland describes the character as a vessel for her own philosophy around freedom, identity, and belonging.

“In ‘Night,’ he says something that I would say is a good summation of how I feel moving through the world, which is that all he wants is freedom. When he says, ‘the Jedi say I can’t exist,’ there is something about my experience in the world that has felt that way to me. Sometimes walking through life, with its highs and lows, can feel like you’re not allowed to be yourself, that you have to follow certain rules of society. To be free of that is something I find really enticing.”

That emotional core directly informed the Stranger’s visual design — particularly his mask. Concept artists explored a wide range of disturbing imagery while developing the Stranger’s look, but one element remained constant from the earliest conversations: the grin. “That was very important from the beginning,” said creature effects supervisor Neal Scanlan. Headland immediately follows that thought in the book, explaining why the smile was non-negotiable.

“There’s some psychological thing that happens to your brain when you see a smile like this one.”

During preproduction, that unsettling smile led designers to nickname Jacinto’s character “Frank,” referencing Donnie Darko’s grinning, inhuman figure. For weeks, the image haunted the costume and creature departments as artists searched for the right balance between something never-before-seen and something that still fit within Star Wars’ established visual language. The final helmet emerged from a deeply collaborative process. “The Stranger’s mask is a good example of how a lot of the design elements come out of some combination of creators,” Headland said. “The final helmet is a collaboration of at least four departments — creatures, costumes, the stunt team, and visual effects — working together.”

The Art of Star Wars: The Acolyte is available now. Stay tuned at Collider for more.

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Release Date

2024 – 2024-00-00

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Showrunner

Leslye Headland

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Directors

Leslye Headland, Alex Garcia Lopez

Writers

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Leslye Headland, Charmaine De Grate, Kor Adana

Franchise(s)

Star Wars

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The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City star Mary Cosby’s son, Robert Cosby Jr., has broken his silence after recently being released from a Utah jail.

“I’m back :),” Robert 23, posted via Instagram on Friday, February 6, alongside a carousel of photos of himself and his pet bulldog.

Robert’s attorney Clayton Simms confirmed to People on Wednesday, February 4, that the Bravo star was released from Salt Lake County Metro Jail on Tuesday, February 3, after two months behind bars. Per court documents, Robert will be required to serve 36 months of probation and complete 75 hours of community service.

“[Robert] expresses deep regret regarding his prior actions and acknowledges that his past behavior demonstrates poor judgment,” Simms told the outlet.

The lawyer went on, “[Robert] attributes his behavior to an absence of coping skills when dealing with a painful separation from his wife, as he was unprepared for the sudden dissolution of their union.”

Simms indicated that Robert will undergo mental health and anger management evaluations as a condition of his release. (Robert previously opened up to his mom, Mary, 53, about past substance abuse issues on The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City.)

“To ensure his continued success, Robert is committed to taking responsibility, engaging in therapy and securing employment,” Simms told People. “Unfortunately, we sometimes learn more from our mistakes than our successes. Robert is on the right path and moving forward in a positive direction.”

Us Weekly reported in November 2025 that Robert Jr. pleaded guilty to assault, trespassing and violating a protective order, among other charges, in relation to several incidents involving his estranged wife, Alexiana Arian Smokoff, and her father.

At the time, the court declined Robert’s request to be released from custody and ordered him to remain in confinement at Salt Lake County Metro Jail until sentencing in February. A judge issued a permanent order of no contact for Alexiana as well.

Alexiana filed for divorce at Salt Lake County District Court in November 2025, with the court granting her a default divorce decree earlier this month. A condition of the divorce required Robert not to harass, threaten or show up at Alexiana’s home and he was also required to pay her legal fees associated with the divorce.

Mary opened up about Robert’s arrest during the Real Housewives of Salt Lake City reunion in January by telling host Andy Cohen that she was “OK” with her son being jailed for the time being.

“I’m not worried about him,” Mary told Andy. “I know he’s somewhere where he’s not using. At some point, I have to step back so that he can learn and he can make his own decisions, and unfortunately, he’s learning the hard way. But I’m OK with it.”

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The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City star Mary Cosby shared an update on how her son Robert Jr. is doing amid his substance abuse struggles. “He’s steady, which I think is good,” Mary, 52, exclusively told Us Weekly while promoting the limited-edition RHOSLC-themed Van Leeuwen ice cream flavor, The SLC Scoop, alongside costar Angie […]

She went on, “It’s just, you don’t want to see your kid suffer, but I know it’s good. And I’d rather him be [in jail] than dead, you know?”

Mary revealed to Andy during the tear-filled reunion segment that she kept in close contact with Robert though she had no plans to visit Salt Lake County Metro Jail.

“I can’t go to the jail, Andy. That’s a little weird. I don’t want to look at my child behind a glass,” she insisted. “He calls me every day. I’m basically preaching to him. I’m like, ‘You’re going through this, but you have to realize that God is allowing it, and if God allowed it, then it’s for your good. This will help you to change, and you gotta change.’”

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.

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Heading into awards season, Renate Reinsve seemed like a lock for a Best Actress nomination for her performance in the Danish-Norwegian drama, Sentimental Value, which was also primed for major Oscar consideration in numerous categories. No matter how strong her performance was, she was due for a nomination after being rudely snubbed in 2021 for her revelatory performance in The Worst Person in the World, her previous collaboration with Sentimental Value writer-director, Joachim Trier. Receiving critical acclaim and nominations for Best Original Screenplay and Best International Feature at the Oscars upon release, Trier’s coming-of-age dramedy announced Reinsve as a seminal actor of her generation, giving a tour-de-force performance as a young woman stuck in the aimless pit known as everyday life. The Worst Person in the World will be wholly relatable, if not painfully true-to-life, for most viewers, and Reinsve portrays the perfect avatar of twentysomething disillusionment.

Renate Reinsve Gave Her Breakthrough Performance in ‘The Worst Person in the World’

Reinsve and Trier have proven to be one of the signature actor-director pairs of their respective era, with the two first teaming up in Oslo, August 31st, the actor’s feature film debut. Being two artists drawn to sympathetic but searing depictions of intimacy and melancholy set against the backdrop of art, the pair’s special touch has produced cinematic gold, but they’ve only been properly recognized by the Academy for Sentimental Value. However, with Jessie Buckley from Hamnet standing as the prohibitive favorite for Best Actress, it seems that Reinsve will have to wait her turn for the statuette. She is one of four acting nominees for Sentimental Value, alongside Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, Elle Fanning, and Stellan Skarsgård.

The Worst Person in the World follows Julie (Reinsve), a medical student in Oslo who jumps from major to major and partner to partner, unable to lock down her direction in life. Pivoting from medicine to psychology, then eventually photography, she aspires for something more life-fulfilling and imaginative, and this is the same for her romantic life. Joachim Trier’s films tend to have one foot in the closely observed real world and another in the realm of a surrealist fantasy. While Sentimental Value is icier in tone and grounded in its scope, The Worst Person in the World reaches for the sky, indulging in outright fantastical sequences. The film’s tonal shifting mirrors the day-to-day life of Julie, who can go from elated to defeated in minutes. Julie is, while maybe not idyllic, a heightened superstar version of the average undergraduate with incredible knowledge but lacking in the judgment and stability department.

‘The Worst Person in the World’ Tackles the Absurdity and Harshness of Figuring Out What To Do in Life

Before playing a stage actor reckoning with a surprise visit from her absent father in Sentimental Value, Renate Reinsve confronted the most lofty mysteries about humanity in The Worst Person in the World. Trier’s films deal with weighty subjects involving life, death, and purpose, but he makes them feel tangible to the viewer, interpreting our enduring crises through literal imagery and allegory. Most of all, Reinsve’s performance, which earned her the Best Actress prize at Cannes in 2021, is a stunning feat of internal modulation. In scenes with her two romantic interests, Aksel (Anders Danielsen Lie) and Eivind (Herbert Nordrum), and while she’s roaming parties and the streets of Oslo without a care in the world, Reinsve conveys so much through subtle facial gestures.

This invaluable trait of hers paid dividends in Sentimental Value, a film centered around a generation’s worth of reticence. In The Worst Person in the World, she adds grave pathos to the plight of this age demographic, one that relates to a global audience, but particularly Americans amid our current economic distress, by appearing inscrutable, to the point that showing indifference is the only solution. Whether in reality or fantastical mode, Reinsve holds her own as her character embarks on a rollicking and oftentimes unsettling odyssey.

Renate Reinsve’s grace and sheer magnitude resulted in an all-encompassing performance that will make you laugh, cry, and reflect on your own place in the world simultaneously. The role of Julie is the kind of part actors dream of playing, and Joachim Trier’s literary writing and shrewd character dynamics are responsible for his films consistently featuring earth-shattering performances. His love for Julie, and, by proxy, Reinsve herself, translates on the screen, as the film is an elegiac tribute to a period of free-spirited youth and vigor that filmmakers are always trying to channel. Sure, Julie may be selfish, and even a complete mess half the time, but weren’t we all at one point? If this performance didn’t demand an Academy Award, then who knows what does.

The Worst Person in the World is available to stream on Tubi in the U.S.

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October 13, 2021

Runtime

127 minutes

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Director

Joachim Trier

Writers

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Joachim Trier, Eskil Vogt

Producers

Thomas Robsahm, Tom Kjeseth, Andrea Berentsen Ottmar

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• 
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  Anders Danielson Lie

  Julie

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Atlanta Falcons linebacker James Pearce Jr. is facing a battery charge — as well as other offenses — after an alleged domestic incident with Los Angeles Sparks star Rickea Jackson.

Doral, Florida, Police Chief Edwin Lopez told local station Channel 10 News that Pearce, 22, was in custody after crashing his vehicle during a chase with officers on Saturday, February 7. He is facing charges for the aforementioned two counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, plus fleeing or eluding police with lights or siren and aggravated stalking.

A spokesperson for the Atlanta Falcons told Us Weekly on Saturday, “We are aware of an incident involving James Pearce Jr. in Miami. We are in the process of gathering more information and will not have any further comment on an open legal matter at this time.”

Pearce reportedly fled the scene of an altercation with Jackson, 24, when police responded to a report of a dispute between a male and a female. Chief Lopez confirmed to Channel 10 News that the woman involved was Jackson.

Related: NFL Fines Atlanta Falcons, Jeff Ulbrich for Shedeur Sanders Prank Call

UPDATE — 4/30/25, 2:48 p.m. ET: The National Football League has levied fines to the Atlanta Falcons and Falcons defensive coordinator, Jeff Ulbrich, over a prank phone call made to Shedeur Sanders during the 2025 NFL draft.  The Falcons were fined $250,000 and Ulbrich, 48, was fined $100,000 for the leak of Sanders’ phone number.  […]

After allegedly fleeing, the football star crashed his car near Northwest 103rd Avenue and 66th Street in Doral before he was taken into custody. He was booked into Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center in Miami, with no bond immediately set.

Us has reached out to Doral police for comment and has also contacted the Sparks.

Pearce was chosen by the Atlanta Falcons as the 26th overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft and ultimately played in 17 games with 26 combined tackles and 10.5 sacks last season, per Sports Illustrated. He previously played three seasons with the Tennessee Volunteers at the collegiate level before turning pro.

Jackson played small forward for the Lady Volunteers after transferring from Mississippi State in 2022. She was drafted by the Los Angeles Sparks as the fourth overall pick in the 2024 WNBA draft.

A romance between the two athletes was rumored dating back to their college days in Tennessee. Jackson finally went public with the relationship when she sat next to Pearce at his NFL Draft party in April 2024.

Fans quickly pointed out the couple’s hard launch via social media, with Jackson playfully responding via X, “Soooo I have a doppelganger. Wow.”

In June 2025, Jackson shut down pregnancy rumors after she missed two Sparks games due to personal reasons. The pregnancy speculation started when she posted a selfie showing her holding a basketball in front of her stomach.

When a fan criticized Jackson’s friends for “implying that you’re pregnant,” she clarified, “1. My friends don’t use twitter. Yall gotta stop linking people because of a follow😩. 2. Yall come to conclusions everyday it’s hilarious, but I’m a ‘rich auntie’ typa gallll.”

Jackson returned to practice on June 3, 2025, where she complained to reporters about all of the speculation about her absence.

“You’ve just got to be realistic with yourself. Like, at the end of the day, media isn’t about facts anymore,” she told the media. “So that’s just the media. Just taking it with a grain of salt, and not being gullible.”

“Whatever sounds the juiciest, that’s what people want to go with,” she went on. “Like, I’m pregnant, apparently.”

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At the time, Sparks head coach Lynne Roberts sought to downplay social media insinuations that Jackson’s absence was due to dissatisfaction with the WNBA franchise.

“In regards to Rickea, Rickea is a big part of our organization and our team,” Roberts, 50, said. “She is taking personal time and we support her. And we’re excited to get her back when she is ready to come back.”

Jackson returned to the court after a two-game absence and even played through a leg injury later in the 2025 season.