If thinning hair has you relying on strategic parting, volumizing sprays and a little wishful thinking, there’s a quick fix beauty shoppers have been swearing by for years. The cult-favorite Toppik Hair Building Fibers instantly create the appearance of fuller, thicker hair by concealing sparse areas and bald patches in seconds.

Made from natural keratin protein, the same protein found in your hair, Toppik Hair Building Fibers are designed to blend seamlessly with existing strands for natural-looking coverage. Here’s how it works: the tiny fibers carry a static charge that helps them cling to individual hairs, creating the illusion of density and volume wherever hair appears thin. Unlike powders or root touch-up sprays that can sometimes look flat or obvious, these fibers mimic the look of real hair, making them a favorite among those dealing with thinning at the crown, temples, hairline or part.

Get the Toppik Hair Building Fibers for $25 at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate as of the publishing date but are subject to change.

To use, start with clean, dry, styled hair, then gently shake the fibers over any areas where the scalp is visible. As the fibers attach to your strands, you’ll notice sparse spots begin to look fuller almost instantly. Once you’ve achieved your desired coverage, lightly pat the area to distribute the fibers evenly, then finish with hairspray for extra staying power. The result? Natural-looking fullness that can withstand wind, sweat and everyday activities.

Related: Shoppers in Their 60s Call This Hair-Thickening Cream a ‘Life Saver’

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If your hair isn’t as full or voluminous as it once was, the right styling product can make a noticeable difference. Living Proof Full Thickening Blow-Dry Cream is a styling treatment designed to help fine, flat hair look and feel noticeably fuller with every blowout. The lightweight cream works while you style, creating long-lasting volume, […]

One Amazon reviewer who called it a “life saver” said: “Best invention ever for women’s hair loss or hair thinning. It’s basically hair makeup for bald patches & thickener for thinning hair. Never leave the house without it on.”

If you’ve been searching for a fast, affordable way to make thinning hair look fuller, this is it. Add the Toppik Hair Building Fibers to your cart now!

Get the Toppik Hair Building Fibers for $25 at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate as of the publishing date but are subject to change.

Looking for something else? Explore more hair building fibers here and don’t forget to check out all of Amazon’s Daily Deals for more great finds!

Related: Nicole Kidman’s On-Sale Serum Gives Thinning Hair ‘Lots of Volume’

Nicole Kidman has the kind of hair I envy. Her copper-blonde mane bounces when she turns and catches every flashbulb. At 58-years-old, the Oscar winner has become something of a quiet ambassador for what aging beautifully actually looks like, and her hair plays a starring role. Luckily, I know Kidman’s secret: Vegamour Gro Hair Serum, […]

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Rosie O’Donnell is getting candid about her past relationship with the late Whitney Houston. Speaking with Andy Cohen on an episode of “Watch What Happens Live,” the former “The View” co-host said that she once tried to intervene when she believed Houston was headed down the wrong path and claimed she was met with a bit of resistance.

O’Donnell’s comments about Whitney Houston came around the same time talk show host Oprah received backlash from the public after claiming that the “I Will Always Love You” singer fell off her “Oprah” soundstage in the early 2000s due to being high on drugs.

“I’m the kind of friend that always tells a friend when I think they’re in trouble, which doesn’t always make the friendships last,” O’Donnell told the “Real Housewives” executive producer on a recent episode of “WWHL.”

As the conversation continued, O’Donnell said she became worried about Houston when the singer reportedly missed the screening of a “Cinderella” program she produced, which O’Donnell called “a big deal.”

“I remember thinking this is like the beginning of the end and somebody needs to help her now,” O’Donnell said. “Everybody gets lost in their life, and when you’re in the public eye, you get lost very nationally…but we can’t pretend we don’t see what we see.”

And while some were appreciative of O’Donnell’s care and concern, the media personality said that some members of her team told her to mind her own business. “As someone who cares about her and who loves her and wants her legacy to remain, I just wanted to let you know that this is doing her a disservice,” she said.

Fans Back O’Donnell For Attempting To Save Houston

Houston fans responded to O’Donnell’s statements, praising the 64-year-old for having her friend’s back when she needed it most.

“A real friend always tells the truth, even when that truth may be hard to hear,” someone wrote, while another said, “Rosie sounds like she is a truly nice, kind, caring person. Love her even more.”

Other users chimed in, posting, “She may not have always been super close to Whitney, but what she did was the mark of a TRUE friend. Love Whitney, love Rosie.”

A fourth wrote, “She was tearing up when talking about Whitney. Everyone deserves a friend like Rosie.”

Oprah Faces Backlash After Saying Whitney Houston Was On Drugs During 2009 Talk Show Appearance

According to a previous report from The Blast, Oprah recently received a strong rebuke from the public after she spoke about Houston and her alleged 2009 drug use during a Cannes Lions appearance.

“The first interview I did with her when we’d gone behind stage and I asked her about her intention, she was clean, but the day she came to my show then to perform in front of the audience, she was not, and she fell off of the stage,” the “Color Purple” actress claimed.

She went on to say that she then “begged” her studio audience to keep quiet about the situation, and another person claimed that the TV personality even threatened to fire her staff if the rumors got out.

One user on Instagram clapped back at Oprah, saying, “I feel like we could respect her memory better than talking about this publicly a decade plus after she passed,” while another user wrote, “Oh, wow, and you thought this was a perfect time to mention this?”

Whitney Houston’s Estate Fires Back At Oprah’s Claims, Saying The Singer Was ‘Not High’ During Her Appearance

Houston’s estate manager, Pat Houston, wasted no time firing back at Oprah, denying her claims that the singer fell due to being high on drugs.

While Houston’s estate confirmed that she did fall, they said her stumble was due to her unfamiliarity with the stage rather than her being intoxicated.

Before Houston’s sudden death in 2012, the singer dealt with addiction struggles, a fact her estate confirmed in their statement.

“Like many people, she faced personal battles, but it is inaccurate and unfair to attach that struggle to every performance or every chapter of her life,” the statement read. “What the studio audience witnessed on stage was the result of discipline, talent, and commitment—not the assumptions others project.”

Houston’s Hairstylist Also Slammed Oprah For Allegedly Lying About Mishap

In addition to Houston’s estate, her personal hairstylist, Tiffanie Dixon, also defended the singer against claims that she was high during her appearance on the “Oprah” show.

“It’s not true. She fell because they did not rope off the stage… I was standing right there,” Dixon said.

She revealed that Oprah’s comments about her former client “disturbed” her, prompting her to tell the world that the renowned talk show host was allegedly lying. “There’s no truth and no validity… It’s a lie… She’s got a lot of nerve,” she added.

Courteney Cox and Johnny McDaid enjoyed more than a 10-year relationship filled with high highs and documented lows before they eventually called it quits in June 2026.

After first being introduced by mutual friend Ed Sheeran, the former Friends star and Snow Patrol musician began dating in September 2013, entering a whirlwind romance that saw them getting engaged less than a year later in June 2014.

Despite a blip in their relationship — the two called off their engagement in November 2014 but were back together by March 2015 — the stars have seemed incredibly happy together, frequently gushing about each other in interviews and on social media.

“I know that I’ve never loved like I love this woman,” McDaid told Us Weekly in May 2016.

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For her part, Cox frequently shares cozy Instagram posts with the Irish guitarist. “He’s the kindest, most patient, best listener, curious, caring, not to mention talented and gorgeous partner,” she captioned an Instagram birthday tribute to her beau in July 2021. “I love you jmd.”

Years later, in June 2026, multiple media outlets reported that the pair had called it quits after more than a decade together.

Scroll down to learn more about Cox and McDaid’s romance:

Courteney Cox and Snow Patrol musician Johnny McDaid have reportedly called it quits after more than 10 years together.

Multiple outlets, including People and The Daily Mail, reported on Saturday, June 27, that Cox, 62, and McDaid, 49, recently ended their longtime relationship.

Neither the Friends alum nor McDaid have publicly addressed their reported separation. Us Weekly has reached out to reps for both Cox and McDaid for comment but did not hear back at the time of publication..

Cox and McDaid were last publicly spotted together at the US Open in September 2025, twinning in black while watching Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz’s match in the men’s singles final tournament.

Related: Courteney Cox and Johnny McDaid: A Timeline of Their Relationship

Courteney Cox and Johnny McDaid enjoyed more than a 10-year relationship filled with high highs and documented lows before they eventually called it quits in June 2026. After first being introduced by mutual friend Ed Sheeran, the former Friends star and Snow Patrol musician began dating in September 2013, entering a whirlwind romance that saw […]

Months earlier, Cox celebrated McDaid’s 48th birthday.

“Happy birthday to the man who can do most anything,” she wrote via Instagram in July 2025 in a since-deleted tribute. “”I love you always J ♥️♥️♥️.”

Cox and McDaid began in 2013 after they were introduced by mutual friend Ed Sheeran. Cox and McDaid got engaged the following year, briefly separating before eventually reconciling.

“He’s not my fiancé. We were engaged to be married, but now we’re just together,” Cox said on The Ellen DeGeneres Show in January 2019, clarifying the status of the pair’s previous engagement. “We broke off our engagement, and he moved to England, then we got back together, and it’s actually better than it was before.”

Cox later revealed that going to therapy and setting “boundaries” helped her find her way back to McDaid.

Related: Courteney Cox’s Dating History: Costars, Musicians and More

That loving feeling! Courteney Cox’s romantic past is full of bright stars and big names, which echoes her career. After dancing in the dark with Bruce Springsteen in 1984, the Alabama native landed the role of Monica Geller on Friends in 1994 — and she rose to superstardom shortly after. As the show took off, […]

“I’m so thankful for that breakup because when we got back together it was a different relationship, but also because it really taught me how I operated in the world,” Cox said on a 2024 episode of Minnie Driver’s “Minnie Questions” podcast. “[I could understand] what were the things from my childhood that I needed, whether it was to be adored by men, things that I didn’t know how to let go, to be in a relationship, to not take things personally, my boundaries. I just went into myself.”

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According to Cox, it was “really intense” when McDaid initially ended their engagement.

“I didn’t know it was coming,” she said at the time. “I was in so much pain, I also don’t like surprises. And he’s an incredible human being so he wasn’t trying to surprise me. He was in that much pain in the relationship. There was that much that needed to be dealt with that he had to protect himself around his heart.”

Cox was previously married to David Arquette, with whom she shares 22-year-old daughter Coco, from 1999 to 2013.

From Stranger Things to Heartbreak High, Netflix is full of coming-of-age stories that cater to its teen audiences and beyond. Among the best in the genre is Heartstopper, a romance series that first premiered on April 22, 2022, and is based on the graphic novel series written and illustrated by Alice Oseman. Starring Kit Connor and Joe Locke, the series not only put these two actors on the map, but depicted one of the streaming platform’s most heartfelt, diverse and chart-topping romances to date.

After coming out with three seasons, however, Heartstopper is changing it up in its final hurrah. On July 17, 2026, Netflix will be releasing Heartstopper Forever, a spin-off movie with the last chapter of Nick (Connor) and Charlie’s (Locke) love story. The movie will no doubt bring back the magic that made Heartstopper so endearing for three seasons, all while promising an unexpected and potentially tumultuous ending for the characters viewers have gotten to know and love.

‘Heartstopper’ Is Netflix’s Best Teen Romance Series

Before getting into the spin-off movie, viewers who haven’t seen any of Heartstopper yet should first tune into the series. Going back to Season 1, the series follows a shy, openly gay student named Charlie as he’s paired in class with Nick, a charming rugby player who, by all accounts, is straight. As their friendship blossoms, however, Nick makes major revelations about his own sexuality, while Charlie comes to terms with the bullying he’s faced in the past, and the lingering effects it’s had on his personal life and self-esteem. Together with their ride-or-die friends, Charlie and Nick navigate teenhood and their feelings together, with literal sparks flying between them when they’re around each other. All in all, the series manages to be an uplifting, bubbly romantic comedy, all while not shying away from major dilemmas, internal struggles and the classic growing pains of becoming an adult.

Throughout its three seasons, Heartstopper has established itself as one of Netflix’s best teen dramas. When Season 1 was first released, the series became an overnight sensation, reaching over 53.46 million hours viewed in its first three weeks. Two years later, Season 2 drew 55.5 million hours viewed in the same amount of time, with Season 3 achieving similar success. The critical acclaim of the series has been ever more impressive, reaching an average 98% among critics on Rotten Tomatoes in all three seasons, with Seasons 1 and 3 earning a rare 100%.

What Can Viewers Expect From ‘Heartstopper Forever’?

As viewers of the series eagerly await the spin-off movie coming out next month, there are already some clues as to what the new and final chapter will entail. Directed by Wash Westmoreland, Heartstopper Forever will take off from where Season 3 ended, as Nick continues to explore universities and what it would mean for his and Charlie’s relationship if he were to move far away, while Charlie embarks on his last year at Truham Grammar School while dealing with his mental health struggles. Joining Connor and Locke in the feature-length finale are William Gao, Yasmin Finney, Corinna Brown, Kizzy Edgell, Tobie Donovan, Jenny Walser, Rhea Norwood, and Leila Khan. A synopsis for the third season reads:

“After Season 3, the couple is inseparable. But, with Nick preparing to leave for university and Charlie finding new independence at school, the reality of a long-distance relationship begins to weigh on them. Doubts take hold, and their relationship faces its biggest challenge yet.”

With that said, while it might be disappointing for Heartstopper fans to hear that their beloved show will be coming to an end, the series is promising a satisfying, heartfelt finale that will not only please viewers and critics alike, but will surely top the charts. Since 2022, Heartstopper has become one of Netflix’s most moving and successful teen shows, and its spin-off feature-film finale will likely only continue that trend, and end on a high note.

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Release Date

2022 – 2024-00-00

Showrunner

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Alice Oseman

Directors

euros lyn, Andy Newbery

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Alice Oseman

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Being an actress is more than just glitz and glamour. Lindsay Lohan would know — she’s spent nearly her entire life in the spotlight. Between long days on set and being on her feet all day, she’s learned that comfy shoes are the key to surviving film days, and she’s loyal to one specific pair.

The actress was recently spotted on the set of her upcoming TV series, Count Me Lies, in Brooklyn, New York, sporting an all-white ensemble that included the Salomon XT-6 Sneakers. Beyond completing her sporty-chic look, these shoes are known for their supreme comfort and were built to keep feet supported through long terrain runs.

Get the Salomon XT-6 Sneakers for $185 at Nordstrom! Please note, prices are accurate as of the publishing date but are subject to change.

Lohan may be far from any trail in the streets of New York, but the Salomon shoes can be worn virtually anywhere — and that’s on versatility. These sneakers help you clock miles, whether you’re walking or running, thanks to their foot-stabilizing technology that keeps your feet pronated at the exact alignment for the most comfortable stride.

Related: Nicole Kidman’s Sleek, Laid-Back Sneakers Style Goes With Everything

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It’s literally never been so easy to dress like Nicole Kidman. She gave Us a masterclass in countryside cool, posing outside in a breezy button-up shirt, flared jeans and clean white sneakers, which gave the outfit a laid-back feel. Her shoes are versatile and stylish, and we found a pair that looks so similar to […]

Since the Salomon XT-6 Sneakers debuted in 2013, they’ve undergone a cultural revolution. At first, people mainly wore them for intense training runs. Now, they’ve become a status symbol and an everyday staple because of the edgy streetwear vibe, easy slip-on style, and, of course, their comfort.

The shoes’ fans span much further than Lohan, too. Over 1,200 Nordstrom shoppers have given these their five-star seal of approval. “These shoes definitely live up to the hype,” one reviewer wrote. “Super comfortable, lightweight, and easy to style with pretty much anything. The grip and support are great for everyday wear, and the Quicklace system is way more convenient than I expected.”

Everyone needs a reliable pair of white sneakers in their wardrobe, and as far as the options go, it doesn’t get much better than the Salomon XT-6 Sneakers. Experience the hype for yourself by adding them to your cart today.

Get the Salomon XT-6 Sneakers for $185 at Nordstrom! Please note, prices are accurate as of the publishing date but are subject to change.

Looking for something else? Explore more from Salomon here and more chunky sneakers at Nordstrom here! 

Related: We Found the Exact White Sneakers Selena Gomez Wore All Over London

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Selena Gomez just gave Us another reason to refresh our sneaker rotation. The singer, actress and Rare Beauty mogul recently swept through London and documented the whole thing on Instagram, looking effortlessly polished in a way that only she seems to pull off. The standout detail? Crisp white sneakers that quietly stole the show from […]

Despite how synonymous he now is with the action genre, Gerard Butler was a far more experimental movie star several years ago. In fact, for a decade, he was just as well-known for his romantic movies. One of them is currently streaming on Paramount+ in the United States, but it won’t stick around for much longer. The movie was released in theaters in 2010, only a few years after Butler became a bona fide movie star thanks to Zack Snyder‘s 300. This was during the time he headlined films such as The Ugly Truth, P.S. I Love You, and Playing for Keeps. The movie we’re talking about, however, is arguably the most popular romance title he starred in.

It also features Jennifer Aniston, and was directed by Andy Tennant, who previously made Hitch and Fool’s Gold. Produced on a reported budget of approximately $45 million, the film grossed more than $135 million worldwide. It wasn’t well-received by critics, though, and now holds a poor 13% score on the aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes. We’re talking, of course, about The Bounty Hunter. The Rotten Tomatoes consensus for the film reads, “Gerard Butler and Jennifer Aniston remain as attractive as ever, but The Bounty Hunter‘s formula script doesn’t know what to do with them — or the audience’s attention.”

Gerard Butler and Jennifer Aniston’s Action Comedy Is Leaving Paramount+

The Bounty Hunter is currently streaming on Paramount+, but only until July 1. Meanwhile, Butler has mostly moved away from romance movies of all kinds. He focuses almost exclusively on the action and sci-fi genres, although he recently experienced major success with the live-action remake of How to Train Your Dragon. He also starred in two action sequels, Den of Thieves 2: Pantera and Greenland 2: Migration. While the former did solid box-office business and even better on home video, Greenland 2 was a major commercial misfire. More recently, Butler was part of the eclectic ensemble of Julian Schnabel‘s Netflix film In the Hand of Dante, which also features Oscar Isaac, Gal Gadot, John Malkovich, Al Pacino, and Martin Scorsese. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.

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Release Date

March 16, 2010

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Runtime

110 minutes

Director

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Andy Tennant

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Mitchel Musso says he’d do anything for his “sister,” Miley Cyrus.

Days after trashing the “Hannah Montana” 20th anniversary special, the “Hey” singer got candid about his relationship with the 33-year-old and their co-star, Emily Osment.

Exactly one year ago, Mitchel Musso made headlines when he clapped back at Cyrus’ claim that he used to smoke pot on the set of the Disney Channel original series.

On an episode of the “Joe Vulpis Podcast,” Musso, 34, opened up about his relationship with his “Hannah Montana” co-stars, Cyrus and Osment, who played Hannah and Lilly.

“This is our middle school, high school, college — we graduated a class of three,” he said about the trio.

“Hannah Montana” aired on Disney from 2006 to 2011. In addition to the show’s 98 episodes, the cast also filmed a feature film that included the chart-topping hit, “The Climb.”

“It was just me, Miley, and Emily, right?” Musso said. “So, it was everything to us. If we weren’t on set together, we were out snowboarding together. We were hanging out in Tennessee at the house.”

Mitchel Musso Gets Candid About His Relationship With ‘Sister’ Cyrus

According to Musso, the trio “never wanted to be apart” from each other while filming the Disney series, adding that their little group had “so many inside jokes.”

“It was our little, it was our clique, you know, us three,” he added.

And speaking about his clique, Musso said that while he doesn’t speak with Cyrus much today, when they do, it’s like old times, calling the “Flowers” singer one of “the coolest people.”

“One of the most impressive people and watching her career…it’s not like I talk to Miley every single day, but you know the once or twice a year that I do get to speak with her, she’s my sister, you know what I mean? I’d do anything for Miles,” he said.

Mitchel Musso Slammed The ‘Hannah Montana’ 20th Anniversary Special

Musso’s comments about his Disney co-stars come days after he made headlines for trashing the show’s 20th anniversary special, which included a sit-down interview with “Call Her Daddy” podcast host Alex Cooper and new versions of “Best of Both Worlds” and “This Is The Life.”

Although Musso wasn’t part of the special, he said it “wasn’t presented correctly” for him to even want to have a role in it. “It’s too long of a wait to do it in a way that isn’t even close to, in my opinion, correct,” he said.

“The kid in me was banking on it, like ‘I can’t wait for us to all be on set again,’” he added. “And it just didn’t work out that way.”

Osment Wasn’t Included In The 20th Anniversary Special Either

And Musso wasn’t the only “Hannah Montana” alum who missed out on the special. Osment also took a back seat this time, telling her fans online that she had too many conflicts to make it work.

“‘Hannah Montana’ changed my life, it gave me a lifelong respect for this medium of comedy, it taught me discipline, patience, timing and respect working in an adult space so young,” she said of the series.

The “Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage” actress went on to say that she’s loved interacting with fans of the show over the years and has enjoyed seeing the series’ legacy live on.

“I can’t tell you what your sweet messages mean to me and how lucky I feel to have been [a part] of this once in a generation goliath of a television show,” she said. “Thank you for letting me into your living rooms and I hope to still be there many years from now. Would never be where I am without you guys, working on another beautiful show I love so dearly. With all my heart, THANK YOU!”

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Musso Claps Back At Claims He Used To Smoke Pot On The ‘Hannah Montana’ Set

According to a previous report from The Blast, Cyrus spilled some “Hannah Montana” secrets while preparing for the show’s 20th anniversary. Last year, the singer said that someone used to smoke pot on the show’s set and implied that Musso was the one known to light up.

The “Shout It Out” singer clapped back, though, calling Cyrus a revisionist historian. “That’s not how I remember it,” he said. “I’ve got plenty of stories from those years that might be worth having a conversation about.”

The science fiction genre has seen the birth of numerous science fiction franchises over the years, from Star Wars and Star Trek to cult classics like Babylon 5. One of the most underrated is the Stargate franchise, which officially kicked off with Stargate: SG-1. Showrunners Brad Wright and Jonathan Glassner deserve credit not only for launching a series that continues to hold a dedicated fanbase 25 years after its inception but also for having that series serve as a launching pad for a whole franchise. While it’s common for shows like Peacemaker and Loki to spin out of feature films, SG-1 didn’t have the luxury of a streaming service or an era where genre fare was commonplace. Its origin story boils down to unexpected success.

SG-1 sprung into being due to a deal between Showtime and MGM Studios, with the latter owning the rights to the Stargate film. With Stargate proving to be a massive success at the box office, director/co-writer Roland Emmerich and his creative partner Dean Devlin pitched two more Stargate films. Each of the proposed sequels would have delved into the origin of various myths in Earth culture, and revealed that the chyrons on the Stargate were in fact coordinates to other alien worlds. “Whether it was Bigfoot, or the Yeti — we were going to tie everything together into a larger mythology. And it was going to be so much fun. It was going to be so wild,” Devlin said during an interview for the Dial the Gate podcast.

The Stargate TV Series Brought Back Beloved Characters With New Faces

Those films never came to be as MGM saw more value in a television series. The network hired Wright and Glassner, who’d previously worked on the Showtime revival of The Outer Limits. Together, they crafted a story that took place roughly one year after the events of the Stargate films and saw the return of protagonists Jack O’Neill (Richard Dean Anderson) and Dr. Daniel Jackson (Michael Shanks). O’Neill and Jackson become part of a specialized “SG” team that also includes tech genius Samantha “Sam” Carter (Amanda Tapping) and the mysterious alien warrior Teal’c (Christopher Judge). Throughout SG-1‘s entire run, the team would utilize the Stargate to travel to other worlds and confront interstellar threats such as the shapeshifting Goa’uld.

Ironically, SG-1 would contain many of the elements that Emmerich and Devilin had pitched for their potential Stargate trilogy. The Goa’uld’s highest-ranking members, the System Lords, were named after gods in various mythologies, including Apophis (Peter Williams) and Ba’al (Cliff Simon). It turns out that Ra, the alien warlord whom O’Neill and Jackson battled in the Stargate film, was also a member of the Goa’uld. Wright and Glassner also explored the possibility of the Stargate connecting to other worlds, allowing the show to put its own spin on mythological figures.

There were takes on Norse, Japanese, and even Babylonian gods, which gave the creators the ability to establish a rich universe and continue with the film’s theme of “ancient astronauts.” This also allowed the series to tackle religious themes, specifically how others do terrible things in the name of faith. Teal’c formerly served Apophis but wound up defecting to SG-1 in order to free his people, the Jaffa.

The New Stargate Cast Developed the Characters, Adding More Depth Over Time

A major draw of the series was the chemistry between the cast, especially Anderson and Shanks. Both step into the roles left by Kurt Russell and David Spader with ease; Shanks even won producers over with his pitch-perfect impression of Spader. But they also made the characters their own. Anderson constantly sought to make O’Neill a more flippant and approachable character than he was in the film, and he frequently had the chance to show how little regard the Colonel had for bureaucracy. Shanks’s performance as Jackson is equally compelling, as his intellect and compassion prove to be a solution to many problems the SG-1 team faces. Their interactions with Tapping’s Carter and Judge’s Teal’C make for some memorable dynamics; both O’Neill and Carter struggle with their feelings for each other, and Teal’C learns more about humanity.

And unlike other sci-fi series, SG-1 knew how to balance its darker scenes with moments of levity. Watching the series, it’s clear that the SG-1 team cares deeply about each other, and, as it turns out, that care extended to the behind-the-scenes matters as the actors collaborated with the crew on shaping their characters. Anderson, for example, asked for O’Neill to be more sarcastic, while Judge felt Teal’c should be more stoic.

Stargate: SG-1 would last for 10 seasons and weather several changes. Shanks and Anderson would have reduced roles in later seasons, and the show shifted from Showtime to the SyFy Channel with Season 6. Despite this, the show received critical acclaim as well as stellar ratings. The feature-length SG-1 pilot “Children of the Gods” was one of Showtime’s biggest series premieres and, combined with Battlestar Galactica, the series helped put SyFy on the map. Naturally, given SG-1‘s success, spin-offs were soon put into production.

Two feature films, Stargate: The Ark of Truth and Stargate Continuum, were developed for a DVD release. The Ark of Truth serves as the grand conclusion to SG-1’s battle with the alien race known as the Ori, and Continuum finds them attempting to fix the past after Ba’al changes history so that the Goa’uld conquered Earth. Both films, despite being direct-to-DVD, take the SG-1 story and escalate it to cinematic heights — the danger feels bigger and the scope more epic.

Stargate Led to Further Spin-Offs and Launched Genres Stars Into the Mainstream

Image via Showtime

There would also be spin-off series in the form of Stargate Atlantis, Stargate Universe, and the prequel Stargate Origins. Atlantis premiered between the Season 7 finale and the Season 8 premiere of SG-1 and follows a new team led by Lt. Colonel John Sheppard (Joe Flanigan) as they discover the lost city of Atlantis and wind up in a battle with the malevolent Wraith. Universe finds a team of scientists forced to board an ancient alien ship called Destiny after their base is attacked, and escape using a Stargate — but wind up in a distant galaxy.

Origins is rather self-explanatory: Catherine Langford (Ellie Gall) aims to save her father after he is sent through a Stargate. All of these series continued to build out the universe of Stargate, but only Atlantis matched SG-1 in terms of fan engagement and character development. The SG-1 crew would also appear in various episodes of Atlantis and Universe, especially Tapping’s Carter, who served as a major character in the former.

The Stargate franchise was home to many genre alums over the course of its run. Farscape alum Ben Browder joined SG-1 in its final two seasons as Cameron Mitchell, Jason Momoa had a recurring role on Atlantis as Ronan Dex, which is rather ironic given his future role in Aquaman, and Ming-Na Wen had a recurring (later regular) role on Universe. Other sci-fi alums who appeared in the franchise include Robert Picardo and Morena Baccarin. Baccarin’s fellow Firefly alums Jewel Staite and Adam Baldwin also had recurring roles in Atlantis.

Though Stargate SG-1 has been off the air for years, its fanbase is still going strong. There’s been a “Gatecon” convention dedicated to the series, and rumors have swirled of a potential new Stargate installment once MGM became a part of Amazon. None of it would be possible without the groundwork that SG-1 laid, as it took the foundation of a cult film and built upon it to make one of the most interesting science fiction universes ever put on the small screen.

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Stargate SG-1

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Release Date

1997 – 2007-00-00

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Showrunner

Brad Wright

Directors

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Martin Wood, Andy Mikita, William Waring, Bill Gereghty, David Warry-Smith, Brad Turner, Mario Philip Azzopardi, William Gereghty, Peter F. Woeste, Dennis Berry, Ken Girotti, Charles Correll, Jonathan Glassner, Robert C. Cooper, Allan Eastman, Bill Corcoran, Jeff Woolnough, Jim Kaufman, Allan Lee, amanda tapping

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  Samantha Carter

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Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox and more costars had their fair share of high-profile romances since the sitcom catapulted their careers.

In 1995, one year after the NBC series premiered, Aniston actress began dating Tate Donovan. The pair called it quits three years later, and while they were working through their split, they were given a romantic arc on Friends.

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Though he had his ups and downs with Aniston, Donovan said all six of the main Friends cast “were amazing” to him during his time on the show. “They were fantastic,” he gushed.

Donovan isn’t the only one of the Golden Globe winner’s beaus to have appeared on the legendary comedy. Brad Pitt made a brief appearance on Friends in 2001, playing a former high school classmate of Rachel, Ross Geller (David Schwimmer) and Monica Geller (Cox).

Scroll down for a recap of the Friends cast’s dating histories through the years: