Scooter Braun has no plans to give up on his love with Sydney Sweeney.

The businessman is reportedly working towards putting a ring on the actress’s finger anytime soon, as he sees her in his picture for the future. They kicked things off last year but kept their relationship out of the spotlight until April this year. 

Their relationship began years after Scooter Braun’s divorce from Yael Cohen, with whom he shares three kids, was finalized. Sydney Sweeney, meanwhile, has never been married but was previously engaged to Jonathan Davino.

4

Insiders say the music executive plans to marry Sweeney soon. They speculate that Braun might pop the question at any time over the next six months.

The source explained that he is putting a lot of effort into supporting her and her career, which is part of his grand scheme to get Sweeney to agree to marry him. “He is trying very hard to marry her,” the insider revealed, adding:

“He is following her and chartering private planes. He’s going to stay focused on her until she marries him.” 

According to reports by Page Six, Braun “thinks she is the modern Marilyn Monroe,” emphasizing that he is bent on making their relationship permanent. The lovebirds recently attended Rosh Hashanah services at Temple Sholom in Greenwich, Connecticut, but kept a very low profile.

The Businessman Is Hands-On With His Girlfriend’s Career

4

Insiders shared that Braun is also highly “involved now in her career.” Puck echoed a similar sentiment in last week’s release, saying the father of three was instrumental in helping his beau find her new manager. 

Braun reportedly went around Sweeney’s agent, Jennifer Millar, to set up a dinner with CAA’S Kevin Huvane. This meeting opened doors for “The Housemaid” star, leading her to sign with Huvane over rivals that had been clamoring for a similar sit-down.

The music executive’s involvement in his girlfriend’s career may not shock many, as it was predicted last year. At that time, a source noted his urge to “market everything” before speculating that “he’ll probably get more involved in her career.” 

The Music Executive Gushed About His Bae In Heartfelt Birthday Post

Celebrating Sweeney’s 29th birthday on September 12, Braun took to Instagram, sharing a cute video of them dancing and sharing kisses in front of a castle while Mitski’s “My Love Mine All Mine” played in the background.

“Happy birthday to the woman who is the exception to every rule,” he wrote in the caption. “The person who surprised me and showed me how life with true partnership can be lived.”

Advertisement

He went on, expressing how she makes him feel and even hinting at thoughts for the future. “You’ve made the ordinary feel exciting, and the future feel like something I can’t wait to get to,” Braun penned.

The record executive said Sweeney’s giggle can change his entire day and that he enjoys the time they spend being corny together. “Happy birthday, Syd. Many more celebrations ahead. I love you [red heart emoji],” he ended the post.

Scooter Braun’s Kids Are A Subject Of Conversation

4

Braun is a father to Jagger Joseph, Levi Magnus, and Hart Violet, whom he welcomed during his marriage to Cohen. Having children in the mix while building a relationship is often tricky, especially for the bonus parent.

Relationship expert Nicole Moore weighed in on the couple’s relationship, highlighting that spending more time together as a family could strengthen their connection; however, it could also leave fewer opportunities for the lovebirds to bond and focus on each other. 

She advised that they make a conscious effort to keep their relationship alive, such as by going on regular date nights. The Blast reported that licensed clinical psychotherapist Robin Hamilton spoke about ensuring the kids’ lives remain private and that they are not yanked into the spotlight because of Sweeney’s career or their father’s involvement in the industry.

Advertisement

Sydney Sweeney Previously Expressed Her Desire For Motherhood

4

A few years ago, while the “Euphoria” star was still in a relationship with her ex-fiancé, Davino, she discussed her hopes of starting a family. “I want to have a family; I’ve always wanted to be a young mom,” she said in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter.

Sweeney also admitted she worried about the stigma the entertainment industry places on young women who become mothers. She also acknowledged the financial responsibility that having children comes with, saying, “If I don’t work, there is no money and no support for kids I would have.”

The actress revealed that she took advice from her “Sharp Objects” costar, Amy Adams, who is also a mother. Adams reportedly told her costar that it is possible to strike a balance between private and public life.

Lady Gaga is living a dream she spoke about for years, but friends say the road to motherhood was far more difficult than fans realized.

Days after reports emerged that the singer and fiancé Michael Polansky welcomed their first child, insiders claimed Gaga had been trying for a baby since 2024 and experienced major emotional highs and lows.

According to Page Six, friends say Lady Gaga had wanted to become a mother for years and was trying for a baby as far back as 2024.

One source described the journey as a “hard road to travel physically,” claiming there were “moments of giddiness” as well as “moments of despair.”

“It’s a real tale of hard times, both physical and emotional, en route to this happy ending,” the insider said.

The source also pointed to Gaga’s severe hip problems, other physical ailments and the physical demands of performing as factors that made the period especially challenging.

Neither Gaga nor Polansky has disclosed the child’s name, sex or birth date. There is also no confirmation on whether the baby was born via surrogate,

Lady Gaga Has Lived With Serious Physical Pain For Years

Gaga’s health history gives context to what her friends are describing.

In 2013, the singer underwent surgery after a serious hip injury. She later said a surgeon warned that continuing to perform could have left her needing a full hip replacement.

Advertisement

Years later, Gaga revealed in her 2017 Netflix documentary “Gaga: Five Foot Two” that she lives with fibromyalgia, a chronic condition associated with widespread pain and fatigue.

She has also spoken about performing through intense pain, explaining that adrenaline from music and fans can carry her through a show even when her body hurts.

Becoming A Mom Had Been Lady Gaga’s Dream For Years

Motherhood was not a sudden change of direction for Gaga.

Advertisement

She spoke about wanting children in 2020 and returned to the subject as her relationship with Polansky became more serious. In 2024, Gaga said starting a family was what she was most excited about in the next stage of her life.

Then, during an October 2025 appearance on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” she made the goal unmistakable.

“What I really want is to be a mom,” Gaga said, calling motherhood her hoped-for “next starring role.”

That dream is now reality. PEOPLE reported that Gaga and Polansky welcomed their first child, while a source told the outlet the new parents “both beam” when discussing their baby.

Advertisement

More From The Blast

Michael Polansky Has Been Lady Gaga’s Partner Through A Major Life Shift

Gaga’s new chapter comes after years of building a private relationship with Polansky.

The couple began dating around late 2019 and went public in 2020. They became engaged in 2024 after Polansky proposed following a rock-climbing trip.

Gaga has called him her best friend and partner. She previously explained that their relationship deepened during the pandemic, when time away from her career allowed them to focus on each other.

Polansky has also become part of her creative world, encouraging Gaga’s return to pop music and collaborating with her professionally.

Now, family appears to be the priority. A source told PEOPLE the couple took time away from work during the summer to focus on their newborn and described them as a strong team entering parenthood.

Advertisement

Lady Gaga Already Knows What She Wants To Prioritize As A Mom

Before welcoming her child, Gaga had already thought seriously about motherhood.

During a July 2025 appearance on “The Howard Stern Show,” she said she did not necessarily expect to disappear from public life after becoming a parent, but stressed that her child’s needs would come first.

Gaga said music would remain part of her child’s life, while safety and happiness would come first, describing motherhood as her “No. 1 priority.”

Advertisement

That makes the couple’s recent privacy notable, as Gaga and Polansky have revealed virtually nothing about their newborn.

Award-winning actress Whoopi Goldberg has been a fixture on “The View” since joining in 2007 at Barbara Walters’ request as the moderator. Now, 20 years later, the 70-year-old is opening up about her time on the show, revealing that she often considered leaving.

5

ABC kicked off the milestone 30th season of “The View” in September 2026, with Goldberg returning as the moderator. While promoting the show, the “Ghost” star revealed that, despite loving her tenure, she often considered leaving the daytime talker.

According to her, “Oh, I’ve thought about leaving all the time, all the time.” She went on, “It’s a little bit shocking that I’m here as long as I have been. I didn’t need to hear that today, but we’re lucky. We’re really, really lucky.”

On why she’d previously considered leaving “The View,” Goldberg said it had to do with her opinions being dissected by millions of people, often misunderstood or taken out of context.

She said, “One of the things that you have to know about this job, and it’s really hard, is that disagreement can come from anywhere, for any reason, and really nobody wants to hear your reasoning or your truth of why you thought this way. It’s just easier — people want to be mad; they’re mad.”

Goldberg continued reflecting, saying, “You have to learn that. You have to learn that that’s part of this. So now that I know that, it’s just kind of like, okay, well, listen, don’t watch. If you’re that mad, you don’t have to watch. Take a break.”

The ‘Sister Act’ Star Says She ‘Needed’ ‘The View’

5

Goldberg has been open over the years about needing work for one reason or another when Walters asked her to join “The View.” In her interview with PEOPLE, the Oscar-winning actress reiterated those comments.

According to her, “I needed a job desperately. I needed a job. And I’m just grateful. I’m grateful that Barbara plucked me when I needed to be plucked. Goldberg said Walters initially made the moderator job sound easy, but she later learned that wasn’t the case.

She explained, “She said, ‘Will you come and do this?’ I said, ‘I don’t know how to do this.’ She said, ‘It’ll be all right. You just do lead-ins. It’s like, ‘Oh, okay.’ So I came, and then she gave me the job.” 

In the interview, Goldberg also shared why she began adding a sign-off to the episodes during season 29. She stated, “I wanted to give people a little message of hope. The topics we’re covering every day can be heavy, and hopefully, this allows people at home to feel a little lighter.”

Whoopi Goldberg Previously Reflected On Her Job At ‘The View’

5

Goldberg appeared on an episode of the “Baby, This is Keke Palmer” podcast in August 2026. During the episode, KeKe Palmer asked Goldberg about her time on the show and whether she had a favorite aspect of the job. She responded, “The check,” before teasing that the actress and podcast host would be shocked by the amount.

After that, she stated, “I needed a job. Barbara offered me a job. She said, ‘We just lost one of the people on the show; would you consider coming over?’ And I’d been doing a radio show, and I said, ‘Absolutely, yeah!’ She brought me over, and it’s like I’ve been crazy-glued to that chair!”

She then said, “I see my family, and I see pictures of folks, and I think, ‘Oh, yeah, it’s good to have a job.’ And I come to work. A lot of people don’t have jobs, so I’m lucky. I like to talk; I like talking about stuff; I like people. And I’m okay with what I think I believe. I don’t mind doing that. Even when it irritates people? That’s what the show is. It’s not irritation, necessarily, but it is called ‘The View.’”

Whoopi Has A New Netflix Series In The Works

5

According to Deadline, Goldberg has been tapped to lead a new Netflix comedy series, “Women Like Us,” from Macro Film Studios and The Obamas’ Higher Ground. In addition to the “View” moderator, the show will star Jenifer Lewis, Vanessa Williams, and Vivica A. Fox.

Per the outlet, shooting will begin this fall. The series centers on a recently widowed woman whose friends whisk her away for a trip to the Hamptons. The kicker is that the trip was initially planned for her 30th wedding anniversary.

There’s A Documentary In The Works About Goldberg’s Life

5

Goldberg announced on “The View” in March 2026 that director Geeta Gandbhir was working on a documentary about her life.

She shared, “So, for many years, people have been asking me to do a documentary about me. I have been me for a very long time, so, if you want to know who I went out with, when, what color he was … it’s all there.”

Goldberg continued, “So, there’s not a lot that I think is going to be interesting. But I think of myself very differently than other people do. So, it’s an opportunity to learn more about me.”

Currently, it’s unclear what stage of development the documentary is in or when it will be released.

Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy represents some of the finest blockbuster filmmaking of the 21st century. The director’s vision balanced the epic scale of J. R. R. Tolkien’s fantasy saga with a light, humanist touch (as well as plenty of the gross-out jump scares that Jackson mastered with early films like his Muppets parody Meet the Feebles). In the trilogy, the human element is closely tied with the story of the four hobbits who leave their home in the cozy, provincial Shire to face certain death in exchange for defeating the great evils that haunt Middle Earth. The first film of the trilogy, 2001’s Fellowship of the Ring, sets its opening moments in the Shire, and those scenes become very important the further the characters get from home. As the movies go on, the hobbits face monsters, enter war zones, and find themselves spiritually tormented, leaving the Shire as just a memory.

Tolkien’s original Lord of the Rings concluded with a brief fight to reclaim the Shire after it too was sucked into the vortex of war, which was ultimately cut from the films because 2003’s conclusive Return of the King already had a long and unwieldy epilogue. But the novels and the films end the same way, with gardener Samwise Gamgee (Sean Astin) returning to his home after tearfully seeing off Frodo (Elijah Wood), taking in the scene of his wife and children, and saying, “Well, I’m back.” Sam’s famous declaration put the focus of the series ultimately back on the hobbits, on the gravity of returning home after trudging through life-threatening danger for the greater good. Returning to the Shire doesn’t necessarily heal the wounds the characters experienced, or the ones still to come.

The Hobbits of ‘Lord of the Rings’ Go Through The Most Difficult Journey

Image via New Line Cinema

While Frodo is the character initially tasked with carrying the One Ring to its resting place in Mount Doom in Fellowship of the Ring, he doesn’t have the combat chops of Legolas (Orlando Bloom) or Gimli (John Rhys-Davies). Nor does he share the hidden dignity of Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen). He’s not a hero but a hobbit, with the weight of the world resting around his neck. When the Fellowship breaks apart after the death of Gandalf (Ian McKellen) in the first film, he and Sam are left to their own devices to trudge through to Mount Doom. The nature of their journey makes the war more abstract for them — they are often too distant from the action to really observe it, with the exception of the climactic moment in The Two Towers in which they have to fight their way through the wartorn Osgiliath.

By the end of Return of the King, the Fellowship has seen it all. Devastation wrought by the forces of Sauron and Saruman (Christopher Lee), the brutal deaths of friends and countrymen, and a victory found at a moment of great desperation. The massive sense of scale in the films is balanced lightly by the horrors of what the characters have seen, and the sense of adventure that is frequently overwhelming to the diminutive hobbits. Sam, tasked with keeping Frodo safe, spends most of the movies fighting with Gollum (Andy Serkis, now directing his own Lord of the Rings film) and keeping the Ring from breaking his best friend’s spirits. The psychological weight of their journey is directly juxtaposed against the Fellowship’s epic adventures.

Sam and Frodo Can Never Truly Go Home in ‘Return of the King’

By the time Frodo eventually succeeds in destroying the Ring (through a nice bit of irony), it’s largely through the help of Sam and the Fellowship’s work from afar. His stature made him a perfect vessel through which the Ring could be destroyed, and the relative reputation of hobbits — the most insular and humble of fantasy races — is kept largely the same by the films’ end. Hobbits are Tolkien’s slight exaggeration of the typical provincial British villager, with an aversion to adventure that is comical and, by the end of the 10-hour film saga, truly poignant. Knowing their distance from home and the weight of their journey, it’s hard not to be moved by their success and the movie’s surprising ambivalence towards their time back, particularly Sam’s journey from gardener to savior.

Borrowing from war movies like The Deer Hunter, Peter Jackson keeps the return to the Shire relatively uneasy. After what they’ve experienced, can they truly go back to the Green Dragon for drinks? Can one ever really go back home? Frodo, in particular, seems to feel a profound disconnect from the home he’s returned to, which ultimately leads to his abandoning the Shire for the Undying Lands in the movie’s penultimate scene. That leaves the burden of perspective on Sam, who speaks the movie’s final line upon returning to his family, a perfect and small-scale capper to the fantasy epic. For all the incredible heroism and spectacle of the trilogy, this last moment is the key to its lasting resonance.

Former Buffy the Vampire Slayer stars Sarah Michelle Gellar and David Boreanaz enjoyed a heartwarming reunion at the 2026 Emmy Awards.

Gellar, 49, and Boreanaz, 57, posed together at the red carpet on Monday, September 14. The duo were all smiles before their planned onscreen reunion as presenters at the awards ceremony held at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. The actress rocked a bright pink gown while posing alongside Boreanaz, who kept it classy in a traditional suit.

Gellar and Boreanaz’s reunion on Sunday comes ahead of Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s 30th anniversary in March.

The list of presenters also sets another expected reunion, of Buffy the Vampire Slayer stars Gellar and Boreanaz, the latter also promoting his new NBC series, The Rockford Files. The cult vampire drama is headed into its 30th anniversary this coming March.

Related: Emmys 2026 Red Carpet: Stars Turn Up the Glamour for TV‘s Biggest Night

Television’s biggest stars stepped into the spotlight for the 2026 Emmys, bringing plenty of personality to the red carpet. Celebrities showed their sartorial flair while posing for the cameras at the Peacock Theater in downtown Los Angeles on Monday, September 14. From bold fashion statements to timeless Hollywood looks, there was no shortage of glamour […]

Gellar and Boreanaz have remained close since playing love interests on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Based loosely on a 1992 film, the supernatural series followed Buffy (Gellar) as she fulfilled her destiny to destroy vampires, demons and other forces of darkness. Alyson Hannigan, Anthony Head and Nicholas Brendon also starred. (Head and Brendon both died earlier this year.)

Boreanez, meanwhile, brought the role of Angel during the show’s run from 1997 to 2003. He subsequently starred in a spinoff that ran for five seasons on the same network. As Buffy’s first love, Boreanez’s character often found himself at odds with James Marsters’ Spike, who was also smitten with the vampire slayer.

Gellar previously reflected on Buffy‘s success two and a half decades after its premiere.

“25 years ago today I had the honor to introduce the world to my version of Buffy Anne Summers. It was an uphill battle,” she wrote via Instagram in 2022. “A mid season replacement, on a new network based on a movie, that was by no means a giant success.”

More recently, Gellar attempted to revive Buffy with a reboot set to air on Hulu. The show, titled, Buffy: New Sunnydale, starred Ryan Kiera Armstrong as the new slayer. Faly Rakotohavana, Ava Jean, Sarah Bock, Daniel Di Tomasso, Jack Cutmore-Scott and Kingston Vernes made up the rest of the cast — with Gellar set to return as Buffy.

News broke in March that Hulu was not moving forward with the reboot.

“We had an executive on our show who was not only not a fan of the original, but was proud to constantly remind us that he had never seen the entirety of the series and how it wasn’t for him,” Gellar claimed in an interview with People at the time. “That’s very hard when you’re taking a property that is as beloved as Buffy, not just to the world, but to me and Chloé [Zhao].”

Thank You!

You have successfully subscribed.

She continued, “So that tells you the uphill battle that we had been fighting since day one, when your executive is literally proud to tell you that he didn’t watch it.”

Disney addressed the claims that same month, saying in a statement, “We have had a long and very successful relationship with Chloé [Zhao], Sarah [Michelle Gellar] and Gail [Berman] — their track records speak for themselves and they are incredible partners. Our decision not to move forward with a series order is not a reflection of our respect and admiration for the creative team, including Lilla and Nora.”

Gellar threw shade at the decision on Monday while presenting an award with Boreanaz. She quipped that viewers will never know if their characters will end up together as the audience visibly reacted.

Jane Austen wrote six novels, which feels like a small number considering how often her work pops up in a contemporary setting. Her books have been adapted into prestige films, miniseries, loose Hollywood reimaginings, and at least one zombie mashup. They’ve shaped how novelists from the Brontës to Sally Rooney think about interiority and dialogue, and the way two people in a room can say one thing and mean another. Even unfinished fragments like Sanditon and The Watsons have made their way mainstream.

Readers don’t just like these books, they feel ownership over them, which is why ranking them almost always sparks a fight in the comments section. We’re issuing that warning now because, yes, we did assign numbers. And yes, you will have feelings about what ends up where on the list below.

6

‘Northanger Abbey’ (1817)

Image via Penguin Classics

Catherine Morland is seventeen, sheltered, and an absolute fiend for Gothic novels. When a family friend brings her to Bath for the social season, she falls in with two very different crowds: the Thorpes, who are loud and scheming, and the Tilneys, who are warm, witty, and very much Catherine’s speed. She develops feelings for Henry Tilney, the clergyman son, and he seems to return them. But, when his father invites her to their estate, Northanger Abbey, Catherine arrives expecting something out of The Mysteries of Udolpho. Basically, she lets her imagination run completely off the rails and almost ruins everything.

The novel was written in the late 1790s, sold to a publisher in 1803, and didn’t see print until 1817, after Austen’s death, which means it’s simultaneously her youngest book and her most delayed. You can feel it. The satire of Gothic fiction is sharp and very funny, and Catherine’s naivety makes her one of Austen’s most endearing heroines, but the novel lacks the layered psychology Austen brought to her later work. Henry Tilney is charming enough, though he has a tendency to lecture, and the plot wraps itself up with a speed that suggests Austen had other ideas she wanted to get to. It lands at the bottom because it’s Austen still figuring out what she could do with a story.

5

‘Sense and Sensibility’ (1811)

Image via Penguin Classics

Austen’s first published novel gets treated like a warm-up act for the rest of her work, and within the first hundred pages or so, you can see why. The premise is deceptively simple: two sisters who process the same disaster in completely different ways. Elinor Dashwood is steady and private. Marianne Dashwood feels everything at full volume. After their father’s death strips the family of their home and income, they relocate to a small cottage in Devon, and Marianne throws herself into a romance with John Willoughby, a charming man she meets after tumbling down a hill in a rainstorm. Elinor is also in love with Edward Ferrars, but she’d rather die than make a scene about it.

Then Sense and Sensibility gets mean. Willoughby’s exit is brutal. Lucy Steele’s secret engagement to Edward is a gut punch. The tidy set-up cracks open and what’s underneath is a novel about what it costs women to have feelings in a world that will punish them for it. By the time Marianne falls dangerously ill, you’re fully in it. And even though Austen wraps the love interests up almost suspiciously fast at the end, you don’t care because you’ve spent the whole book worrying about these two women, and you’re just glad they’re okay.

4

‘Mansfield Park’ (1814)

Image via Penguin Classics

Nobody agrees about this one, and they haven’t since it was published in 1814. Mansfield Park is the Austen novel that splits readers down the middle, and where you end up on the fault line is almost always because of your feelings about Fanny Price. She’s a shy, morally serious girl who gets shipped from her parents’ chaotic house in Portsmouth to live with her wealthy uncle’s family at age ten. The Bertrams take her in, but only Edmund, the younger son, treats her like she belongs. Fanny grows up grateful and overlooked, quietly in love with Edmund and increasingly invisible to everyone else. When the glamorous Crawford siblings show up and start charming the household into chaos, Fanny is the only person who can see through them.

She watches Henry Crawford toy with the Bertram sisters. She watches Mary Crawford’s wit pull Edmund in. Fanny says almost nothing about either, which is admirable or frustrating depending on your preference. That’s the gamble of this novel. It doesn’t give you the pleasure of rooting for someone bold, but it does get you to notice how someone’s principles can cost them almost everything.

3

‘Emma’ (1815)

Image via Penguin Classics

Emma Woodhouse is twenty, rich, and has decided she has a gift for matchmaking based on a sample size of one successful setup. She takes Harriet Smith, a sweet girl of unknown parentage, under her wing and promptly starts steering her away from a perfectly decent farmer and toward Mr. Elton, the pompous local vicar. When that blows up, Emma tries again. And again.

Austen famously said she was creating “a heroine whom no one but myself will much like.” It’s been two centuries now, but we’re pretty sure she was joking. Emma is bossy, snobbish, and wrong about almost everyone and everything. She’s also one of the most vivid characters in English fiction. She spends the whole novel misreading the people around her, including Mr. Knightley, the one person who calls her on it. It takes her an embarrassingly long time to realize she’s in love with him, but before that, multiple failed marriage proposals and a secret engagement stir chaos in Emma’s small circle. Austen manages to have fun while taking her time with a character that deserves it. And we get to watch a young woman grow into herself in the process.

2

‘Pride and Prejudice’ (1813)

Image via Penguin Classics

You already know the broad strokes even if you’ve never read it. Pride & Prejudice was published in 1813 and adapted roughly once a decade ever since. The Bennets have five daughters, no sons, and an estate that will pass to a male cousin when Mr. Bennet dies. Mrs. Bennet has turned getting those daughters married into a full-time occupation. When Charles Bingley moves into the neighborhood, he brings his friend Fitzwilliam Darcy, who is rich, proud, and determined to find the whole scene beneath him. Elizabeth Bennet, the second eldest and with the sharpest tongue in any room she enters, takes an instant dislike to Darcy. He, despite himself, can’t stop noticing her.

The Elizabeth-Darcy dynamic is one of the great romance engines of English literature: two haughty, intelligent people who have each other wrong in complementary ways. The supporting cast is Austen at her most generous. So why is it ranked second? Because it might be the happiest ending Austen ever wrote, and the more times you read it, the more you notice how convenient that happiness is. Darcy swoops in to fix everything. Every sister lands where she should. The older you get, the more it starts to feel a little like a fairy tale. That’s not a knock. But it is the thing that puts it at number two instead of number one.

1

‘Persuasion’ (1817)

Image via Penguin Classics

Anne Elliot is 27-years-old, which in Austen’s world is practically a spinster. Eight years ago she was engaged to Captain Frederick Wentworth, a poor naval officer who had nothing but ambition. Lady Russell, her late mother’s best friend, talked her into breaking off the betrothal, and Wentworth went to sea to make his fortune during the Napoleonic Wars. Anne stayed home and turned into the person in her family who handled everything: running the finances for her vain father, Sir Walter, and watching her own life get smaller. Then Wentworth comes back.

He’s rich now, still hurt and angry, and he won’t look at her. (If you have ever been in a room with someone you used to love and had to pretend you were fine, this novel will take years off your life.) Austen wrote this while she was sick. She’d be dead within a year of finishing it, and you can feel that in the writing. There’s still comedy, but there’s also this constant awareness of time running out. The climax is Wentworth writing Anne a letter from across the room because he can’t say the words out loud, and it is the most romantic thing Austen ever put on a page. The ending is happy, but you feel what it costs to get there, and that’s why it’s her best.

Advertisement

Persuasion

Release Date

July 15, 2022

Advertisement

Runtime

109minutes

Director

Advertisement

Carrie Cracknell

Writers

Ron Bass, Alice Victoria Winslow

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Britney Spears is determined to be the best to her boys, Jayden Federline and Preston Federline. 

The pop icon shares her two children with ex-husband Kevin Federline. The pair got married in September 2004 and welcomed Preston a year later. Jayden was born the following year, in 2006. 

Despite a rocky past with the boys, Spears seems to be doing all she can to be a great mother to her children, and she is letting the world know it! 

Over the weekend, the “Toxic” singer took to her Instagram to wish her son a happy birthday in an emotional post. 

“Happy birthday to my handsome young boy. Oh dear Lord, we have this beautiful thing called life in front of u; it’s such a beautiful, delicate thing,” the caption on the carousel read. 

Advertisement

The first photo showed her son in a button-down flannel shirt and black pants while posing for a photo. She completed the post by saying, “I hope I can be the best mommy in the world every day of ur life!!!!”

The second photo took followers down memory lane, showing a throwback photo where he sported a red T-shirt, the hem held between his teeth to show his stomach. 

Britney Spears Also Wished Son Preston A Happy Birthday 

Her son Preston was not left out of the birthday wishes, as just hours later, she followed up with a second post to wish Preston a happy birthday. 

“Happy early B-day to u as well,” the Pop icon posted. Preston turned 20 on Monday, September 14, while his younger brother turned 19 on September 12, just two days before. 

“Please stop working out so much because your muscles r starting to scare me …. JK! Well…I’m so proud of the young man you have become,” a proud Spears wrote.

Advertisement

The photo showed an old picture of the singers and her boys in a golf cart, and she added: “P.S. This was in London, strolling in the park …. Preston absolutely loved London!!!” 

Britney Spears Spoke Out About Failing Her Children Amid Secret Outing With Her Parents 

The birthday wishes came shortly after the award-winning artist opened up about her parents’ dark secrets involving her sons. 

The “Oops, I did it again” singer and her boys reunited earlier this year and have spent more time together since. She then shared a moment that confirmed one of her biggest fears: that she’s been a bad parent to her kids, like her own parents were to her. 

The Blast reported that during a rant, Spears revealed that it wasn’t till five years ago that she saw they were secretly taken to the beach by her mom and dad. 

“I felt demoralized to live in a country where it was accepted for people like my mom and dad to live secret lives with my children.” Spears lamented

Advertisement

She also opened up about one of her sons’ struggles with faith after he told her he doesn’t believe in God. Admitting the information hit her hard, Spears confessed he felt she “had failed as a mother.”

However, she remains hopeful that the Holy Spirit that touched her will do the same to her boy.

Britney Spears’ Son Pushed Back On Clone Rumors 

Before the online rant, Spears’ son was recently the topic of discussion after he pushed back on clone rumors about his mother. 

The Blast reported that Jayden spoke about how he saw a video online with 1.2 million likes with the caption ‘The biggest theory ever: Is Britney Spears still alive?’ 

Advertisement

“Like, bro, you can go to her page and see her right now,” he responded, calling the accusations ridiculous. “It makes me know that a lot of the stuff on the media is exaggerated and fake.”

Britney Spears’ Son Teased New Music 

20-year-old Preston is also proving that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, as he has expressed interest in music alongside his other passions. 

He landed his first cover of MAC Cosmetics’ digital editorial platform, MaCzine, where he stated that the next item on his list was to share his music with the world when he was ready, per The Blast.

He described sound as the foundation of everything for him, adding that he and his brother have gravitated toward music their entire lives. 

Advertisement

Spectacular Smith is being sued for assault, battery and sexual assault. TMZ broke the news about the Pretty Ricky star on Sunday (Sept. 13). According to the lawsuit docs, the alleged attack appears to have happened nearly a year ago. The alleged victim, Alexis Dieng, says he not only assaulted her but also recorded it.

RELATED: N.O.R.E. Responds To Carmen Bryan’s Lawsuit Citing Sexual Assault Allegations (UPDATE)

Woman Alleges Spectacular Smith Raped Her In Private Residence

TMZ reports that Alexis Dieng filed the lawsuit against Spectacular on August 12, 2026, according to court documents obtained by Radar Online. She says Smith reached out to her on Instagram on October 23, 2025, seeking restaurant recommendations. After talking for several hours and gaining her trust, Dieng says he arranged for them to meet in person. She says he then switched the meet-up location to a residence in Maricopa County, Arizona. Dieng adds that she arrived at the residence alone at around 10:30 p.m. on October 24.

While at the residence, Alexis alleges the Pretty Ricky singer initiated the physical contact. He allegedly put his hands on her neck to the point of restricting her breathing. Also, she says in the lawsuit that he had sexual intercourse with her without her consent. As mentioned, Dieng also indicated that he recorded “all or part of the incident without her consent,” per TMZ.

Woman Sought A Rape Exam & Reported Incident To Local Police

Additionally, the lawsuit says Alexis Dieng underwent a forensic sexual-assault examination at a Phoenix Family Advocacy Center on October 25. The examination reportedly found tenderness and redness in her vaginal area, along with tenderness, redness and an indentation on the right side of her neck, per The Daily Mail.

Also, she reported the alleged assault to the Phoenix Police Department, which created a case report and identified Spec as the suspect. In a statement to The Daily Mail, the Phoenix PD said it is still investigating the incident and no arrests have been made.

Alexis is seeking justice, says her lawyer. For her that reportedly includes a jury trial and punitive damages. In the last year, she said she’s received treatment at Carl T. Hayden Veterans’ Administration Medical Center for the incident. She’s also allegedly gotten continuous medical and psychological care following the alleged assault. The Shade Room reached out to Spec directly for comment, but has not received a response.

Singer Previously Cleared Of Liability In Battery Case

Last year, Spectacular Smith walked away from cutting a major check. He was first arrested in 2020 for an incident involving a Disney World employee. Smith and the employee got into an argument following the singer’s coronavirus joke with his son. When the employee tried to block Smith’s path forward, he allegedly reacted by punching the employee in the face. His bond was set for $500, but prosecutors later dropped the related battery charge. Five years later, in April 2025, a jury found Spec not liable in a $5 million civil lawsuit the employee had filed against him.

RELATED: Photo Of Sidney Starr In Court Surfaces As Judge Denies Bond Following Arrest On Child Sexual Assault Charges (UPDATE)

The mystery woman, now apparently identified as “Icelyn,” who was spotted with Boosie, is now speaking out as fans flood his fiancée Rajel Nelson‘s comment section.

RELATED: Rajel Nelson Apologizes After Blasting Victoria Woods Following Her Spicy Shots At Boosie (VIDEOS)

Mystery Woman Spotted With Boosie Speaks Out

On Monday, September 14, The Shade Room reposted footage shared on Instagram by the mystery woman, who appears to go by the name “Icelyn.” In the clip, Icelyn explained that Boosie didn’t “touch her” because he “couldn’t.” Then, she addressed those who said she looked surprised when she was spotted alongside Boosie because the woman’s voice “came out of nowhere.” As the clip went on, she explained that she didn’t know Boosie had a fiancée.

“The only reason why I’m clearing this up is because he keeps texting me, telling me to clear it up, and not only that y’all got him and his wife in a uproar because they definitely called me yelling at the top of their lungs a whole week later. When is this going to be over? I’m tired of getting accused of doing something I didn’t do. Anymore questions?” she said in the clip.

In TSR’s comments, fans flooded the video.

Fans Flood His Fiancée Rajel Nelson’s Comments

Meanwhile, fans have been sliding in the comment section of Rajel Nelson’s latest carousel post of selfies.

More On Boosie Being Spotted With The Mystery Woman

As The Shade Room previously reported, over the weekend, footage surfaced of Boosie hopping out of a black truck with a mystery woman — now known as Icelyn. As they hopped out, a fan commended Boosie for his recent show. However, him and the woman appeared surprised that they had been spotted and were being recorded.

Subsequently, Boosie shared a photo of him and Rajel online. Additionally, he slid into TSR’s comments, proclaiming that he didn’t “touch” the woman.

RELATED: Boosie Posts Photos With Fiancée & Daughter After Clearing The Air About Video Of Him & Mystery Woman In Kansas

The biker horror-thriller hits nationwide platforms the same night, adding another credit to a year that’s already included a buzzy short film alongside Adrien Grenier.

“The Iron Door” has its world premiere at the TCL Chinese Theatre on September 17, releasing simultaneously across Amazon, Fandango, Google Play, YouTube, cable VOD and home video. The film adds a directing credit to Garrett Patten’s résumé, one more piece of a 2026 that’s kept him busy on both sides of the camera.

A short film that turned heads

3

Before “The Iron Door” release, Patten co-directed and starred in “Self Custody,” a 31-minute thriller centered on a financially struggling father who discovers he’s sitting on a forgotten Bitcoin fortune, if he can remember how to access it. Patten took acting classes specifically to play the lead role of Scott, and he shared the screen with “Entourage” alum Adrien Grenier, two-time UFC champion Henry Cejudo, and Odette Annable.

Shot in Austin, “Self Custody” premiered at the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema Mueller during SXSW and is now streaming on Prime Video, Tubi and Plex. Patten has said the idea grew out of a friend’s real experience. “A friend that had lost his job learned that in the past, he was gifted crypto, and he actually went on this journey to try to recover it,” Patten explained. The short’s reception was strong enough that TBK Productions is now developing it into a television series exploring the broader Bitcoin community.

From acting alongside Grenier to another film in the director’s chair

3

With “The Iron Door,” a low-budget indie Patten actually made a few years back, he steps behind the camera as director.  The film pulls from a real desert legend in California’s Yucca Valley, tied to gold miner Johnny Lang and stories that have circulated in the region for a century.

“You’ve got to have such a passion for each of those projects that you just can’t quit,” Patten has said of what it takes to make it as an independent filmmaker, a philosophy that tracks with a résumé that’s grown to include a supporting role in a Bitcoin thriller and directing a feature built around desert folklore.

Advertisement

Building a slate at TBK Productions

3

Patten founded TBK Productions, and the company has been busy well beyond “The Iron Door.” Its slate includes “In the Hand of Dante,” and “Family Movie,” along with the in-development “Self Custody” series. Patten has also teased two upcoming projects: a narrative centered on The Grateful Dead as seen through the eyes of children, and a biopic centered on Mike Tyson.

Landing at the TCL Chinese Theatre and every major streaming and VOD platform simultaneously, “The Iron Door” gives audiences a wider release than the festival circuit where the film built its early buzz. It’s the latest addition to a busy year for Patten, who’s kept building his slate at TBK Productions while continuing to work in front of the camera.