Steven “Steve” McBee Sr. made his first appearance on The McBee Dynasty: Real American Cowboys after being MIA for all of season 3 and prior to serving his jail sentence.

During the Monday, July 6, episode of the Bravo series, Steve’s third son, Cole McBee, prepared to propose to longtime girlfriend Kacie Adkison. When the big moment came, Steve, 53, surprised fans when he was seen in the room with his entire family to witness the surprise proposal, which took place in November 2025 — one month before Steve reported to prison.

Fans spotted Steve in the crowd among his other sons, Steven McBee Jr., Jesse McBee and Brayden McBee, as well as his ex-wife, Kristi McBee, who all watched the magical moment from a room that overlooked a romantic gazebo.

At one point, viewers saw Steve holding his granddaughter Summer, whom Jesse shares with Alli McBee.

After the proposal — and Kacie’s enthusiastic“yes” — the happy couple reunited with their loved ones, at which point Steve was seen cheering the engaged couple alongside friends and family.

He was then spotted coming over to see his other granddaughter Blair, whom Cole, 26, and Kacie welcomed in December 2024, and enjoying the moment.

“Having all of our family and friends here, especially my dad is the best thing ever,” Cole told the cameras after he popped the question. “Life will really be changing a lot when my dad goes away and I just wanted to propose while he was still here and can enjoy this with everybody.”

Steve’s cameo was a rare sighting for fans, who last saw the McBee Farm & Cattle ranch founder during season 2 when he attended Jesse and Alli’s wedding. (The couple tied the knot in October 2024 and the episode aired in September 2025.)

Steve was previously a main character on McBee Dynasty during season 1, but after a major deal with his car washes fell through, he temporarily left the ranch.

“We’re on our own. Dad’s leaving. All he said is, he has no idea when he’s going to be back,” Steven told his brothers during the March 2024 episode. “He said he’s not in the right mental state to be running this farm.”

Steve continued to live his life off camera during most of season 2 as eldest son Steven, 33, took over as CEO of the family business. Behind the scenes, Steve was facing legal drama as he and the farm were under investigation.

In November 2024, Steve pleaded guilty to a multimillion-dollar fraud scam using federal crop insurance. The rancher was charged with one count of federal crop insurance fraud after allegedly receiving insurance benefits based on false totals from the family’s corn and soybean crops in 2018. Steve was also accused of fraud in 2019 and 2020.

Steve was sentenced in October 2025 to two years in prison with an additional two years of supervised release. He was ordered to pay $4,022,124 in restitution and to self-surrender on December 1, 2025, to begin his prison term.

While Steve didn’t appear on the season 3 premiere of the McBee Dynasty in June, fans did learn his fate as Steve’s children attended his sentencing and spoke about it on camera.

During the premiere, fans learned that in addition to the $4 million in restitution he owed, Steve was ordered to pay $3 million in fines, which the family was not expecting.

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“It’s the worst feeling I’ve ever felt. I don’t know where the $7 million is going to come from,” Cole told the cameras.

Steven also commented on the bombshell, saying, “It’s the damn monetary amount that I’m very concerned [about]. December 1? That gives us what, six weeks [with him].”

The McBee Dynasty: Real American Cowboys airs on Bravo Mondays at 9 p.m. ET.

Steven “Steve” McBee Sr. was thrust into the limelight during season 1 of The McBee Dynasty: Real American Cowboys — but soon his legal woes were making headlines.

Fans met Steve and his four sons, Steven McBee Jr., Jesse McBee, Cole McBee and Brayden McBee, during the first season of the reality show in 2024 as they took viewers inside their lives running McBee Farm & Cattle in Missouri. Once the cameras stopped rolling, tragedy struck the family after Steve pleaded guilty in November 2024 for his involvement in a multimillion-dollar fraud scam using federal crop insurance.

During season 2 of the Bravo series, Steven took over the farm and slowly let his brothers in on their big secret: their father was under FBI investigation. In October 2025, Steve was sentenced to two years in prison.

When the cameras picked up for season 3, it was the day before Steve’s sentencing — and two months ahead of the date he surrendered to prison. Steve appeared on camera during a July 2026 episode, which filmed one month before he began his jail sentence in December 2025.

Scroll down for everything we know about Steve’s legal issues:

When Did Fans Last See Steve on ‘The McBee Dynasty’?

During the season 1 finale, which aired in March 2024, CFO Galyna Saltkovska told Steve that she failed to secure a deal with investors to expand their carwash business. The pair’s romantic relationship also reached a breaking point that led Steve to drink too much at their annual post-harvest farming celebration.

When the episode came to an end, Steven informed his brothers, “We’re on our own. Dad’s leaving. All he said is, he has no idea when he’s going to be back. He said he’s not in the right mental state to be running this farm.”

Steve was noticeably absent the majority of the Bravo series’ second season, which premiered in June 2025. He made his first appearance of the season during an August 2025 episode when he met his sons in Nashville. Steve was also present for the season finale, which documented son Jesse’s wedding.

During the season 3 premiere, which aired in June 2026, Steve’s sentencing in his fraud case was a major story line. While he didn’t appear on camera, his sons all reacted to his two-year sentencing, which was handed down in October 2025. He was, however, part of Cole and Kacie Adkison’s engagement celebration that was featured during a July 2026 episode.

When Was He Charged — And What Did He Allegedly Do?

In November 2024, the U.S. Attorney’s Office Western District of Missouri announced in a press release that Steve was charged with one count of federal crop insurance fraud. Steve was accused of making a false report to insurance provider Rain and Hill in 2018, where he underreported his “corn crop by approximately 674,812 bushels” and “his total 2018 soybean crop by approximately 155,833 bushels,” per the DOJ.

Steve allegedly received more than $2.6 million in federal crop insurance benefits plus an additional $552,000 in federal crop insurance premium subsidies after providing the false numbers.

The DOJ further claimed that Steve committed fraud in 2019 and 2020. He allegedly misrepresented that his soybean crops were “the first crop in certain fields” in 2019, when he was also using the same space to grow wheat. When he allegedly decided to double crop, the DOJ argued he was “not entitled” to the insurance claim he filed.

In 2020, Steve allegedly planted corn after the last planting date that year and then gave NAU Country Insurance “false plant dates” to fraudulently obtain a new insurance policy.

Related: McBee Dynasty’s Jesse Found Out About His Dad’s FBI Investigation on Camera

The McBee Dynasty brothers vowed to show “the good, the bad, the ugly” on their reality show — including their unfiltered reactions to dad Steve McBee’s FBI investigation. “It’s really, really tough because that is constantly at the forefront of your mind, no matter what you’re doing,” eldest son Steven McBee Jr. exclusively told Us […]

Did He Plead Guilty?

Steve pleaded guilty in November 2024, confessing that his farm sold “more than 1.2 million bushels of corn and nearly 416,000 bushels of soybeans” to another party in 2018, according to the press release.

According to the press release, Steve signed a plea deal where he agreed to pay restitution that will be determined by the court. The government allegedly lost more than $4 million and Steve was estimated to owe more than $3.1 million in restitution.

When Was He Sentenced?

Steve waived his right to a grand jury when he signed his plea deal in November 2024 and was facing up to 30 years in a federal prison without parole.

His sentencing was originally slated for March 2025 but was rescheduled to June and later September of that year. News broke in September 2025 that Steve’s sentencing had been delayed for a fourth time and was set for October 16, 2025.

A judge sentenced Steve to 24 months in prison with an additional two years of supervised release, according to court documents obtained by Us. Steve was ordered to pay $4,022,124 in restitution. He had to self-surrender on December 1, 2025, to begin his prison term.

During the season 3 premiere of McBee Dynasty, which aired in June 2026, Steve’s sentencing was highlighted. Fans learned that in addition to the $4 million in restitution, he was ordered to pay $3 million in fines.

How Did ‘The McBee Dynasty’ Explain His Season 2 Absence?

During the season 2 premiere in June 2025, which filmed in late summer 2024, the cast talked about Steve, but he wasn’t on the show. “He just up and skipped town,” employee Tessa told the cameras of her boss during the episode.

Later in the season, the boys said Steve was traveling with his new girlfriend, Masha, internationally.

How Did Steve’s Family Learn About the FBI Investigation?

Galyna let it slip during season 2, episode 3, that Steve was under investigation by the FBI. At the time, his eldest son, Steven, confirmed that only he, Galyna, and Steve’s ex-wife, Kristi McBee, knew about the investigation. “My dad is under FBI investigation, and you are the only one, and my mom that even knows this is going on. So, this has to stay between us,” Steven told Galyna during the episode, which aired in July 2025.

Steven then told the cameras, “This FBI investigation is wearing on my dad. He didn’t want anything with his involvement affect[ing] any of us boys. My brothers don’t even know about it.”

Steven’s now-ex girlfriend Calah Jackson revealed during season 2, episode 6, that he confided in her about Steve’s legal troubles.

Steven’s younger brothers eventually learned about the scandal while taping season 2. “It was a shell shock just seeing the weight that Steven had been [dealing with],” Jesse exclusively told Us Weekly in July 2025. “It made a lot of things make a lot more sense, just the way that Steven was stressed out and we were trying to figure out why we thought we knew all of his stresses, and obviously he was holding that in and bearing that weight on his shoulders.”

Related: McBee Dynasty’s Steven McBee Pleads Guilty to Multimillion-Dollar Scam

PEACOCK The McBee Dynasty star Steven “Steve” McBee has pleaded guilty to a multimillion-dollar fraud scam using federal crop insurance. According to a November 5 press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office Western District of Missouri, McBee, 52, was charged with one count of federal crop insurance fraud. The McBee Farming Operations owner allegedly received […]

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What Have Steve’s Sons Said About His Trial?

Since Steve pleaded guilty to the insurance scam, the family has welcomed two new members. Cole and his girlfriend, Kacie, welcomed their first baby, daughter Blair, in December 2024. Jesse and his wife, Alli McBee, welcomed their daughter, Summer, in April 2025.

While the family was worried about Steve’s fate, Jesse and Steven exclusively told Us in July 2025 that they were focusing on the little moments.

“We’ve leaned into family. We take it day by day,” Steven said. “The situation is still ongoing. We’re hoping to have it wrapped up and have some finality to it before the end of the year. That’s the goal, just so we can move on and say, ‘OK, we’ve got this figured out. We can start life again now.’”

He added, “The hard part about it is it’s so unknown. We don’t know what it’s going to look like, so we’re preparing. We’re eating dinner together as a family with my dad, including my mom driving up to the farm three to four nights a week, enjoying the time with the grand babies. Just really cherishing time as a family because we don’t know what it’s going to look like afterwards.”

Was Steve Featured During Season 3?

Season 3 of the Bravo series premiered in June 2026, picking up 24 hours before Steve’s sentencing. While Steve wasn’t shown during the episode, his sentencing hearing and the fate of the family with him behind bars was a major topic.

“It’s the worst feeling I’ve ever felt. I don’t know where the $7 million is going to come from,” Cole said after learning his dad owed $4 million in restitution and $3 million in fines.

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Steven was equally worried, telling his siblings, “It’s the damn monetary amount that I’m very concerned [about]. December 1? That gives us what, six weeks [with him].”

Steve’s sons decided to sell their facility to help pay the debt and make sure banks didn’t start calling to collect on their loans.

One month after he was sentenced, Steve reunited with his family on camera for son Cole’s engagement celebration. The episode taped in November 2025 and aired in July 2026, showing Steve with his sons, ex-wife Kristi and their granddaughters raising a glass to Cole and Kacie’s relationship milestone.

SZA is opening up about a deeply personal part of her life. The Grammy-winning singer recently revealed that she was formally diagnosed with autism by medical professionals at 36 years old. The diagnosis also provided clarity, leading SZA to realize that some of her behaviors could be attributed to autism.

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Critically acclaimed singer-songwriter SZA, born Solána Imani Rowe, shared an update about a recent diagnosis. On her burner Instagram account, she posted a photo of a medical report showing she had been recently diagnosed with high-functioning autism and Asperger’s.

“Finally took the time n got formally diagnosed… Asperger’s / high functioning autism / smarter than u n—-s so stop playing in my face cause pattern recognition told me and I WILL get to the bottom if [sic] it thanks,” the singer wrote in the caption.

High-functioning autism is the informal term used for people who are on the autism spectrum disorder (ASD) with low support needs, which means they could go about basic life skills without assistance, per WebMD. Asperger’s syndrome refers to a high-functioning form of autism.

The summary SZA shared read, in part, “Solana has a qualitative impairment in reciprocal social interaction, as both self-reported and observed by this examiner. Her mother also noted these traits when Solana was a child, although they were not as evident.”

The Singer Attributed Her AI Take On Her Diagnosis

Autism is classified as a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects how someone interacts, learns, communicates, and sees the world. While autistic individuals have a wide range of intelligence, research shows that 40 percent of those with autism display above-average IQ, and those with Asperger’s syndrome mostly have strong verbal skills.

SZA’s diagnostic evaluation found that she exhibited a “superior range in fluid reasoning” and scored in the “gifted range” for linguistic abilities.

The singer added to her post, writing, “pretty sure this is why I’m taking Ai so personally btw lol. And also why I’m in every comment section.” SZA was referring to her recent take on AI, in which she called out musicians who support the “degenerate” technology, as previously reported by The Blast.

SZA Also Has Anxiety

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SZA’s report said the singer experiences a “severe degree of anxiety,” which she revealed in the past.

On “Community Voices” in 2022, the singer shared her experiences in the industry and talked about mental health. SZA said she enjoys what she does as a music artist, but also feels pressure and exhaustion from all the work.

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“The exhaustion really comes from expectations, berating, and dehumanizing from outside forces. And that sh-t makes me feel like, ‘Why am I doing this? Why would I set myself up to be bodied like this on a regular basis?” she said.

SZA shared how anxious she gets, citing how she felt at the 2022 MET Gala when she found herself unable to walk down the grand staircase to leave. Instead, she “snuck out the back” and grabbed a cab to go back to her hotel. “I was just overwhelmed. I had too much anxiety to wait for my cab in front of the crowd.”

SZA Once Said The Internet Was ‘Demonic’

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For Mental Health Awareness Month in 2022, SZA temporarily deactivated her TikTok and posted the announcement on Instagram Stories, urging her followers to do the same, as reported by Hot New Hip Hop. “Get off the internet. The internet is demonic,” the singer said, adding that everyone should “delete anything” that doesn’t serve them.

Before that, SZA lashed back at online trolls who criticized her for attending the MET Gala when she said she would no longer attend public events before her album, “SOS,” was completed. “Y’all suck the joy and life out of EVERYTHING. Thank God for purpose cause Outside of art it’s f-ck y’all. Now run w that,” she wrote.

Other Entertainers With Autism

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Through the years, some celebrities have shared their own diagnoses.

In 2021, “Prison Break” star Wentworth Miller revealed his formal autism diagnosis via Instagram, noting that while he was “shocked,” he wasn’t surprised. The actor added that he didn’t know much about autism, but he was focusing on “re-examining 5 decades of lived experience thru a new lens.”

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“SNL” alum and “Ghostbusters” star Dan Aykroyd is also on the spectrum and has been open about his diagnosis. He shared one of his symptoms was his “obsession” with cops and ghosts. “I carry around a police badge with me, for example. I became obsessed by Hans Holzer, the greatest ghost hunter ever. That’s when the idea of my film Ghostbusters was born,” he shared.

SZA’s revelation received public support, with fans commending the singer for using her platform to help destigmatize neurodivergence.

By Jonathan Klotz
| Updated 3 minutes ago

Over the weekend, Obsession crossed the $400 million mark at the global box office. It’s notable because the film written and directed by Curry Barker cost $750,000 to make, making it one of the most profitable films in history, but also because that means it has officially surpassed Supergirl ($100 million), Thunderbolts ($382 million), and by the end of the month, is projected to beat Captain America: Brave New World ($415 million). The days of Marvel turning B-tier and even D-tier characters into nearly a billion dollar movies are long over and the younger audiences are flocking back to horror in the pursuit of something new and different. 

Obsession Is Young And Hip, Superheroes Are Old And Broken

Obsession dared to tell a different type of story. Sort of. Monkey’s Paw morality stories are a dime a dozen but by leaning into toxic relationships and turning Bear (Michael Johnston) into a horrible person, Barker found the right twist on a classic. It helps that Inde Naverrette as Nikki gave the role her all with one of the year’s best performances. Compare young and hungry up-and-coming stars both behind and in front of the camera to the routine, predictable, superhero movies of the last two years and there’s no wonder younger audiences have made their choice. 

Thunderbolts dared to do something different within the Marvel formula by focusing on the damaged psychological states of its villainous heroes. It’s Marvel’s best movie in years but it was damaged by years of disappointing films and an entire phase of films that feel like they have no reason to exist. At the end of the day, it’s still a superhero movie. 

DC’s latest in the reborn universe under James Gunn is disappointing. Supergirl had the potential to be something different and daring. Woman of Tomorrow by Tom King is the best arc for the character and Milly Alcock is an inspired choice for Superman’s cousin, yet the end result is a very brown movie that lacks the wonder and amazement of Gunn’s own Guardians of the Galaxy. 

Marvel And DC Have To Go Back To The Drawing Board

There’s a lot of lessons Hollywood should learn from the success of Obsession, and none of them will stick. Marvel has Spider-Man: Brand New Day and Avengers: Doomsday hitting theaters this year, both of which will be massive hits. The problem is what comes after them. Marvel is going to reset after Secret Wars, but will anyone still care by then? 

James Gunn’s decision to make Clayface, written by the modern King of Horror Mike Flanagan and directed by James Watkins, two people far removed from the superhero sphere of influence, is a huge gamble that can pay off big for Warner Bros. It’s closer to Obsession than it is to Superman, and maybe can bridge the gap between the horror-seeking younger audience and the older-skewing superhero audience. 

No matter how the major studios decide to move forward, Obsession is a sign that the world has changed. The superhero formula isn’t working as well as it used to when Captain Marvel and Aquaman both broke a billion. The younger audience is demanding something different, something new, and until Disney and Warner Bros figure out what that is, get used to very expensive VFX-filled superhero throwdowns to lose out to the likes of Sirenhead. 

Marcellus Wiley was arrested on July 4 after being accused of misdemeanor domestic violence. Now, following the arrest, his wife, former “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star Annemarie Wiley, is filing for divorce, has requested a restraining order, and accused the famed football player of sexual assault and other abusive behavior.

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According to TMZ, Annemarie is requesting a restraining order from the court, which would require Marcellus to keep 100 feet away from her at all times. If granted, the restraining order would give her full access to the marital home.

The “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” alum stated in her declaration that she experienced a “continuing and escalating pattern of physical violence, sexual abuse, verbal and emotional abuse, financial control and intimidation.”

Annemarie continued, “Because of the trauma associated with many of these events, there are gaps in my memory, as I have blocked out much of what Marcellus has done to me.”

The “RHOBH” Alum Detailed The Abuse She Faced In The Marriage

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Annemarie used the court order request to detail the abuse she allegedly suffered at the hands of Marcellus over the years. Per TMZ, the “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” alum claims that he raped her in 2012 while he was under the influence. She also stated that he tried to have sexual relations with two of her friends the same year.

According to Annemarie, the abuse didn’t end then. She claims that in 2014, Marcellus punched her in the face, resulting in a black eye. Years later, when she was 9 months pregnant in 2019, Annemarie says he launched a bottle of Coca-Cola at her head.

Then, from her memory, the “RHOBH” alum says Marcellus hit her in the face with his shoes in August 2025. After that, in January 2026, she says he dragged her out of bed, verbally assaulted her, and then hit her on the head.

Per the filing, “He then raped me, telling me that I was his property and that I had to do what he said.” She also accuses him of sexually assaulting her a second time on the same day as the first offense. The former “RHOBH” star also says he sexually assaulted her again two days after.

Details Of The Divorce

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Some of Annemarie’s allegations against Marcellus are financial. Namely, the “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star is also accusing her husband of borrowing $100k from her but failing to repay it. She also claims he made $100k worth of charges on her credit card.

Regarding the divorce, Annemarie is requesting custody of their three children. Their date of marriage was listed as February 7, 2024, but the date of separation was labeled “TBD.” Annemarie also requested spousal support from the former football player.

The former Bravo star also stated in the filing that she requested the restraining order because she feared for her life. As of writing, a judge has not ruled on Annemarie’s request for a restraining order from Marcellus.

Marcellus Wiley Was Arrested In Florida

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Marcellus was taken to the Orange County Jail on July 4 for an alleged domestic battery. It’s worth noting that Annemarie was not initially reported to have been the victim in the domestic battery incident. According to NBC Sports, he was then released the following day on a $1,000 bond.

Following his release, Marcellus released a statement on X, denying having abused Annemarie. He said, “I’m deeply grateful for the love, prayers, and concern for me and my itty bitties. Your support is fully appreciated. I completely and unequivocally deny these allegations, and I’m certain the truth will prevail.”

The 51-year-old continued, “As you know, I’m usually the first to break down the truth and separate facts from fiction. But because this is now a legal matter—and because my greatest responsibility is protecting my babies, who have already been impacted—I have to handle this differently.”

He then said, “When I can speak freely, I absolutely will. Until then, thank you for your patience, your prayers, and for continuing to stand with me.”

Annemarie Wiley Announced Her Exit From ‘RHOBH’ In 2024

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Annemarie joined “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” in 2023 for the show’s 13th season. However, after only one season, she announced that she’d been fired from the show in March of the following year. Per PEOPLE, she revealed the news in a now-deleted Instagram post.

Annemarie said, “I just got word today that I will not be returning to ‘The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.’ To say that I’m disappointed is an understatement.”

She continued, “I never auditioned for this show. The show found me and asked me to be on it out of the blue, 6 weeks after the cast had already started filming. I was thrown into filming 2 weeks later, mid-season.”

Annemarie then stated that she was misled about the show. According to her, “I was very excited about the opportunity, and I thought following exactly what I was instructed to do throughout filming last season was the way the ‘game was played.’”

She added, “Listening to what I was instructed to do was my rookie mistake. … Contrary to what was shown on TV, I am not obsessed with the esophagus! LOL.”

2026 has been a big year for Netflix so far, and most of its most successful hits have come from its original programming. The first movie that immediately comes to mind is War Machine, the sci-fi epic headlined by Alan Ritchson that earned over 130 million views, enough to make it one of the top 10 most-watched Netflix original films in history. The film was such a success that Netflix has already announced it’s working on a sequel, but at this time it’s entirely too early to predict when it could be released. Netflix also released a new sci-fi series, The Boroughs, which was cancelled after only one season despite being positioned as the platform’s next Stranger Things. Another non-original Netflix sci-fi show, The Last Ship (starring Eric Dane), has been blowing up on the streamer over last few weeks after all five seasons were added to the platform.

Netflix is always searching for hidden gems that may have never found an audience in theaters, ones that can be revived thanks to its gargantuan streaming subscriber base. One long-forgotten movie that has found redemption on Netflix as of this week is The Doorman, the heist thriller starring Ruby Rose, who is best known for her role as Ares in John Wick: Chapter 2. Jean Reno and Rupert Evans also have key roles in the action thriller, which was written by Lior Chefetz, Joe Swanson, Devon Rose, and Matt McAllester, and directed by Ryūhei Kitamura. The Doorman is streaming on Prime Video, Pluto TV, and Tubi in America, but the film was recently added to Netflix’s global library, where it has become a top 10 sensation in more than 25 countries.

What Is ‘The Doorman’ About?

The official synopsis of The Doorman reads as follows: “When a former Marine takes a job as a doorman at a luxury Manhattan high-rise, she never expects to be reunited with her late sister’s family living inside. But when a ruthless gang of mercenaries storms the building hunting for priceless hidden art, she’s forced to use her deadly combat skills to protect her niece and nephew — turning every hallway into a battlefield.” The Doorman earned poor scores of 24% from critics and 23% from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes. Budget information about the film was never released to the public, but it grossed less than $1 million at the global box office.

Check out The Doorman on Netflix globally or on Prime Video in America, and stay tuned to Collider for more updates and coverage of all the hottest projects on streaming.

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Release Date

October 1, 2020

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Runtime

97 minutes

Director

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Ryûhei Kitamura

Writers

Joe Swanson

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Producers

Harry Winer, Mark Padilla, Sean HusVar, Craig Lothian, Gary Drummond, Cory Chen, Stanley Preschutti, Joe Simpson, Phin Glynn, Geneva Wasserman, Jason Moring, Daniel Negret, Jonah Loop, Simon Williams, Sara Shaak, Peter Hampden, Norman Merry, Shayne Putzlocher, Timothy Marlowe, Nick Stagliano, Michael Philip, Jonathan Bross

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Penélope Cruz revealed that she suffered from several brain aneurysm “scares” in recent years.

“I have had many scares like that,” The Invite actress, 52, said in an interview Net-a-Porter published on Monday, July 6. “Fortunately, I’m fine, it was a false alarm.”

Cruz, who shares son Leo, 15, and daughter, Luna, 12, with husband Javier Bardem, explained that the health issues inspired her to make sure she was on the right path for her well-being.

“I worry about staying healthy, taking care of myself,” she explained. “I don’t drink, I don’t smoke, I really don’t party. Without health, we have nothing. You talk about real equality? Why don’t we start with health?”

Related: Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem: A Timeline of Their Relationship

Penélope Cruz and Javier Bardem knew each other for more than a decade before falling in love, they have managed to keep their personal lives relatively private ever since. The couple met while filming the 1992 film Jamón, Jamón. They reunited for 2008’s Vicky Cristina Barcelona and sparks flew. Cruz and Bardem began dating in […]

Cruz added that women’s health issues don’t get as much research compared to men’s ailments.

“It’s shocking that over decades, we’ve stuck to the same information about how women’s bodies work,” she told the outlet. “Look at funding for investigation into any illness that affects only women — we don’t get even half the investment. It is a level of control or suppression.”

Earlier this year, Cruz publicly spoke about experiencing brain aneurysm symptoms while filming The Black Ball. During the film’s premiere at Cannes in May, the actress, who plays a cabaret performer in the Spanish film, revealed that a doctor told her about the health issue before one of her night shoot sequences.

“We’re about to go out, I was putting on my wig, and they said, ‘Oh, apparently you have some brain aneurysm,’” she recalled of the instance at the film’s festival screening, per Variety. “I thought I was about to die. This is something that was totally surreal in my life.”

Cruz explained she took the rest of the evening off and was medically cleared by a doctor to continue the production.

“I thought, ‘It’s a total miracle,’” she reflected. “I have to, I must have this in me.”

The actress added that the health scare also made her performance and connection to the film’s crew stronger.

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“You experience these things together, yet despite all this, despite the hardship, you can move forward in life,” she said.

The Black Ball is a queer drama that spans nearly a decade of Spanish history. It is based on the unfinished work of the same name by Federico García Lorca. In addition to Cruz, the film adaptation stars Guitarricadelafuente, Miguel Bernardeau, Carlos González, Milo Quifes, Lola Dueñas and Glenn Close.

Following its premiere at Cannes, The Black Ball earned a 16-minute standing ovation.

Apple TV’s best sitcom of all time is finally back for Season 5 after a two-year break, and it doesn’t take very long for Trying to tackle the cliffhanger it last left off on. Just when Nikki and Jason’s life finally feels a bit more settled in and picture-perfect, Esther Smith and Rafe Spall are asked to take their characters’ warm, wonderfully steady marriage into some messier terrain. Princess (Scarlett Rayner) and Tyler (Cooper Turner)’s biological mother, Kat (Charlotte Riley), shows up and throws their family into a whole new kind of chaos.

As if that wasn’t enough, Nikki also has a charming new co-worker in her life (Colin Morgan), the kind of person who makes you wonder if this marriage is about to hit a really hard bump. Suddenly, the happy life this quintessential couple fought for and that audiences have come to love since Trying‘s 2020 premiere doesn’t feel quite as simple as it did before. However, that’s what makes the opening stretch of its latest season so exciting and one more example of why the show itself is Apple TV’s sweetest hidden gem. Six years later, the streamer’s laugh-out-loud half-hour series is finally asking some very uncomfortable questions about marriage, parenthood, and whether life ever really stops testing those who’ve found happiness.

What Is ‘Trying’ Season 5 About?

Picking up right where Season 4 left off, with Kat at the front door of Nikki and Jason’s home, the couple is now dealing with an “additional” parent in their daily comings and goings, which leaves plenty of room for an anxious Nikki to spiral. The new dynamic has also created some hostility between Nikki and Princess, who is upset that her adoptive mother kept the truth from her while she visited Kat in Spain during Season 4. Meanwhile, Tyler is less sure how he feels overall about it, leading the couple to try to support their kids’ wishes but also figure out where Kat really fits in their lives.

At the same time, life is pretty much moving forward for everyone. Jason heads back to school after feeling inspired by Penny (Imelda Staunton) to become a social worker, while Nikki starts a new job in the travel industry. Without spoiling the gags that follow, it’s safe to say they both have the kind of first days that only Trying could pull off: awkward, sweet and deeply funny. Meanwhile, Princess and Tyler are growing into teenagers who have their own worries between what to text a crush to party-hopping with friends on Halloween. The season also follows Nikki’s sister Karen (Siân Brooke) as she manages to juggle life with her daughter, Stevie (Matilda Flower), while Scott (Darren Boyd) is still caught up in his latest adventure following last season’s decision — rowing across the Atlantic.

One of Season 5’s most common threads is not so much everyone “trying” to float on by, but that they’re all standing at a crossroads. Nikki and Jason are no longer learning to be good parents, but rather holding onto themselves while raising full-grown teenagers. Across the season, Nikki starts to feel like she’s an outsider, especially as Kat’s return gives Princess so much she can’t offer. It’s this very real fear that gives the season some of its most tender moments, because even when Nikki and Jason are pulled in different directions, the show keeps coming back to how much they still want to find their way back to each other. Never once turning those big soap-opera moments into melodrama, Trying lets Season 5 become a story about learning to live with change without assuming change means something is falling apart.

‘Trying’ Season 5 Is Still One of Apple TV’s Best-Written Shows

One of the things that has made Trying so special is that it understands how funny normal life can be when people who are just doing their best get it slightly wrong. After four seasons, these new episodes lean into that even more, with jokes that don’t feel forced or overly set up. While Nikki and Jason’s first days in their new worlds are absolutely perfect examples of this, so is the couple’s eyebrow-raising trip to Italy, or Nikki and Karen’s dad, John (Roderick Smith), not knowing how to operate state-of-the-art kitchen cabinets while visiting his eldest daughter. The humor comes from how awkward, exposed, and out of place everyone can often feel. Yet Trying never laughs at them; it laughs with them, which has always been part of its charm, and the show trusts its audience to find those moments just as rewarding as the bigger ones.

Season 5 also has a knack for making the smallest moments feel huge. Between a text message, a bad assumption, or withholding information, Trying turns all of it into something funny and tender at the same time. Even Nikki meeting (and crushing on) Kerry works because the show never treats it like some cheap twist. Instead, it uses her charming colleague to explore something very interesting about Nikki and Jason’s marriage, which showrunner and creator Andy Wolton handles with remarkably mature writing even when the triangle leads to some shocking revelations. More than anything, Trying Season 5 still understands something many comedies forget: people don’t stop growing once they get their happy ending. They just face different challenges.

The ‘Trying’ Cast Is as Lovable as Ever in Season 5

Image via Apple TV

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Smith and Spall have always been the heart of Trying, but Season 5 gives them a slightly different challenge this time around. Nikki and Jason are still very funny, warm, and wonderfully chaotic, but the show’s leading duo now has to play them as people who are more settled in and somehow less sure of themselves at the same time. Smith is especially good at letting Nikki’s anxiety creep in without making her feel irrational, grounding every spiral in something painfully human and completely understandable. Meanwhile, Spall continues to make Jason’s kindness feel easy and instinctive. He can get a laugh with one confused look, then turn around and make a quiet parenting moment feel completely sincere.

Rayner also gets some of her strongest material yet as Princess, and carries it beautifully. Princess is at the heart of the season, consistently in search of answers she has wanted her whole life, which gives her story even more weight when you think back to Nikki and Jason first finding her in Season 2. Rayner plays her as older and sharper, but never too grown-up. There is a real vulnerability underneath the anger Princess feels toward the adults, especially as she tries to work out what her biological mother’s return means for her and for the family she already has.

Around the trio is Turner, who also brings a lovely awkwardness to Tyler, especially as the character tries to navigate first love. Joining the young actor are Brooke and Boyd, whose performances continue to make Karen and Scott’s chaos feel strangely touching. Also along for the ride this season is Morgan, who fits in quite well as Kerry, bringing just enough charm to make his place in Nikki’s life believable without flattening him into a simple plot device. We’d be remiss not to mention the striking turns from Celia Imrie and Gbemisola Ikumelo in guest-starring roles as a hoarder and social worker, respectively, that smartly tie to Jason’s new path. It’s small yet impactful and heartfelt, giving Season 5 another lovely reminder of how far Nikki and Jason have come since the early days of trying to become parents.

By the time the credits roll, Trying will once again leave you wishing you could spend a little more time with this family (those eight episodes made available for review were not enough). It is also the kind of season that will have you laughing one minute and quietly tearing up the next, tugging at your heartstrings in the gentle, non-showy way that the show has always done best. Five seasons in, Trying remains one of the best-written, best-acted, and most emotionally rewarding comedies on television.

Trying Season 5 premieres with new episodes starting Wednesday on Apple TV.

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Release Date

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2020 – 2023

Network

Apple TV

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Directors

Ollie Parsons, Ellie Heydon, Elliot Hegarty, Jim O’Hanlon

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Writers

Andy Wolton, Oriane Messina, James Wood, Fay Rusling

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Pros & Cons

• Esther Smith and Rafe Spall deliver another deeply lovable, lived-in performance as TV’s most comforting couple.
• Andy Wolton’s writing finds huge emotional payoffs in life’s smallest, funniest, and most relatable moments.
• Scarlett Rayner shines as Princess in the show’s most emotionally rewarding storyline yet.
• The Kerry storyline adds real tension without turning the season into cheap relationship drama.

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Dave Chappelle didn’t mince words when sharing his assessment of Travis Kelce’s bachelor party.

Kelce celebrated the occasion ahead of his wedding to singer Taylor Swift. As part of the festivities, the NFL star attended Chappelle’s show in San Diego, and seeing who the football star arrived with led the comedian to draw his own conclusion about the celebration.

Chappelle wasn’t invited to the wedding and admitted he was surprised by the omission. The ceremony had several high-profile stars in attendance, including figures from the worlds of sports, music, and film.

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On Friday, Dave Chappelle appeared on CNN Live with television personalities Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen. At one point, the conversation shifted to Travis Kelce’s bachelor party. The football player had also attended Chappelle’s show in San Diego as part of the celebration.

Knowing Kelce had been at the show, Cohen asked Chappelle whether he had interacted with the football star during the night.

Chappelle confirmed that they had met and, in typical fashion, offered a candid, no-holds-barred assessment of Kelce’s bachelor party.

“Well, of course I did. I was shocked; I had never seen anything like that. A wh-reless bachelor party. Whatever makes you happy, Travis,” the comedian told Cohen and Cooper.

Inside Travis Kelce’s Bachelor Party Weekend

Kelce attended Chappelle’s San Diego show alongside his brother, Jason Kelce, and at least half a dozen other friends, according to TMZ.

The comedy show was just one stop on the group’s bachelor party itinerary. Earlier that day, they got their adrenaline fix by attending a NASCAR event at Naval Base Coronado in San Diego.

The multi-day celebration also took the group to Los Angeles, where Kelce spent a night at the exclusive Bird Streets Club with close friend Ross Travis and comedian Druski.

The festivities also included a stop at a performance by DJ Chris Lake. At the event, Kelce wasted no time living it up by dancing both on and off the stage, as seen in viral fan footage.

Dave Chappelle Jokes About Missing The Wedding Invite

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Kelce and Swift ultimately tied the knot on July 3, 2026, at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The ceremony was officiated by actor and comedian Adam Sandler and attended by approximately 1,000 guests.

Despite the star-studded guest list, Chappelle did not receive an invitation, something the comedian admitted came as a surprise.

“I heard he was getting married at Madison Square Garden,” Chappelle told Cohen and Cooper. “You would think I could have gotten an invite. I didn’t make the 15,000 closest friends.”

Cohen then jokingly replied that he, Cooper, and Chappelle were probably the only people who didn’t receive an invitation.

Swift And Kelce’s Wedding Drew Major Stars

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Both the bride and groom appeared to keep the guest list limited to people with whom they shared personal relationships.

On Kelce’s side, many of the attendees were individuals he had worked with throughout his NFL career. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, 49ers tight end George Kittle, and Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford all made the list, each accompanied by their spouses. Also invited were Chiefs coach Andy Reid, Patriots coach Mike Vrabel, and NFL legend Tom Brady.

Swift’s guest list featured a mix of music and Hollywood stars. Singers Selena Gomez, Ed Sheeran, Camila Cabello, Ice Spice, Little Big Town, Benson Boone, and Sabrina Carpenter were all in attendance, along with actors Dakota Johnson, Hugh Grant, Bradley Cooper, Ethan Hawke, Elizabeth Banks, and Emma Stone.

Kelce And Swift Reportedly Delaying Honeymoon Plans

“Giants wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster’s wedding to Laura Kruk on July 11 at the Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel in Orange County, California,” TMZ recently reported.

“There’s a week between Taylor and Travis’ wedding and JuJu’s … but we’re told the couple has no plans for a mini honeymoon before they head out to California,” the outlet added.