A resurfaced clip of “Game of Thrones” star Jack Gleeson opening up about why he stepped away from acting for a while is making the rounds online. The footage has sparked conversations about how convincingly the actor blurred the line between his TV character and real-life personality.

Rumors had long circulated that the “GoT” star took time away from the screen because of backlash and bad reviews tied to his portrayal of Joffrey Baratheon in the hit HBO series.

Gleeson famously announced in 2014 that he was “retiring” from acting following the on-screen death of his character.

Gleeson set the record straight about the myths that have followed his acting career since he largely disappeared from screens.

In a resurfaced clip that has since gone viral online, the 33-year-old Irish actor looked noticeably different, swapping his signature blonde hair for brown locks and sporting a matching mustache.

After portraying what many still consider one of television’s most hated characters, Gleeson announced his “retirement” from acting. Critics speculated that the decision was fueled by the backlash that followed his role on the hit HBO series.

At the time, he only made brief appearances in small independent films and a handful of TV episodes before eventually returning to the screen in Netflix’s crime series, “House of Guinness.”

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Gleeson Addresses Myth About His Acting Career

In the viral X video, Gleeson addressed the speculation that has followed his acting career for years as the host asked him to “put an end” to the rumors “once and for all.”

“Well, I can say, thankfully, it wasn’t because I received any sort of abuse from anybody,” Gleeson said, during the premiere of “House of Guinness.”

“I know that can happen … I don’t know, it can happen. People confuse the character with the actor,” he added, referring to his much-hated portrayal of Joffrey.

Jack Gleeson Revealed What He’s Been Up To

Elsewhere in the conversation, the “Reign of Fire” actor opened up about what he had been doing during the years fans rarely saw him on screen.

According to 7 News, Gleeson considered returning to school at Trinity College Dublin before eventually co-founding the Collapsing Horse Theatre Company with friends during his acting hiatus.

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“After ‘Game of Thrones,’ or even during, I was continuing to act,” he explained. “But it was more just with a theatre company I had set up with some friends in Dublin.”

“And I don’t know, I was just more into that at that time,” he continued. “But then I started to miss screen acting, and I got back into it… It’s just where I was at that time.”

Gleeson Fans React To His Shocking Transformation

Internet users have flooded the comment section of the trending video to react to Gleeson’s remarks.

“I honestly thought maybe he had received too many bad reviews from playing Joffrey,” one X user wrote.

“He was likely getting a lot of sh-t online, but I met him over a decade ago in Brussels in front of a theatre, so he is definitely telling the truth,” another person shared. “Super humble and approachable guy, much the contrary of who he portrayed in ‘Game of Thrones’ lol.”

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One fan was also stunned by the actor’s new appearance, writing, “Wow, Joffrey with a mustache is crazy. He’s actually one of the sweetest people. I saw a video where he was a guest in a college class answering questions for the students. Very chill dude.”

Jack Gleeson Said He Simply Stopped Enjoying Acting

In a 2021 interview with Entertainment Weekly, Gleeson explained that his passion for acting had simply faded over time, which ultimately led him to step away from the profession at just 21 years old.

“The answer isn’t interesting or long-winded. I’ve been acting since age 8. I just stopped enjoying it as much as I used to,” Gleeson shared at the time. “Now there’s the prospect of doing it for a living, whereas up until now it was always something I did for recreation with my friends, or in the summer for some fun. I enjoyed it.”

“When you make a living from something, it changes your relationship with it,” he continued. “It’s not like I hate it, it’s just not what I want to do.”

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High Potential is going to look different when it comes back for season 3 following a change behind the scenes.

Multiple outlets confirmed that Nora and Lilla Zuckerman are taking over as co-showrunners and executive producers amid their overall deal at 20th Television, which produces High Potential.

“We are so grateful to be working with Craig, Karey, Simran and our partners at 20th and ABC on this exciting new chapter of High Potential,” the duo said in a statement on Wednesday, May 6. “The fact we get to collaborate with Drew, Sarah and Andrea at Goddard Textiles and the incomparable Kaitlin Olson is a dream come true.”

They continued: “We’re looking forward to climbing into the brilliant, bustling mind of Morgan Gillory and crafting intricate mysteries worthy of her genius.”

Related: Which ‘High Potential’ Stars Are — And Aren’t — Returning for Season 3?

High Potential is returning for a third season — but not everyone is coming back after that surprise cast exit. The hit ABC series, which premiered in September 2024, follows Morgan (Kaitlin Olson), a high-potential intellectual who teams up with the LAPD to assist the department in solving murders. Morgan gets paired up with Karadec […]

Before High Potential, the Zuckermans were showrunners on the hit Peacock series Poker Face. They also wrote for shows such as Suits, Agents of SHIELD, Prodigal Son and Fringe and are currently working on the Scream 8 script. The Zuckermans were previously attached to Hulu’s Buffy the Vampire Slayer, which ultimately did not move forward.

The duo is taking over after Todd Harthan exited the show at the end of season 2. News broke in March that Harthan departed to focus on the upcoming live-action adaptation of Christopher Paolini’s YA book series The Inheritance Cycle. The adaptation — titled Eragon — is cocreated with Paolini and Harthan will serve as coshowrunner alongside Todd Helbing.

High Potential, which premiered in September 2024, was created by Drew Goddard. The pilot was written by Goddard, who was expected to executive produce alongside Sarah Esberg, Rob Thomas, Dan Etheridge, Pierre Laugier, Anthony Lancret, Jean Nainchrik and Alethea Jones.

Thomas, meanwhile, was expected to serve as the showrunner before exiting in June 2024 — months before the series premiere. Harthan was ultimately announced as the new showrunner who also served as an executive producer.

The police procedural follows a high-potential intellectual — Morgan (Kaitlin Olson) — who teams up with the LAPD to help solve murders. She gets paired up with Karadec (Daniel Sunjata), who is initially skeptical about Morgan’s involvement with the Major Crimes unit but ultimately starts to rely on her.

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Related: TV Shows That Went Through Several Showrunner Changes

George Kraychyk / ©Hulu / Courtesy: Everett Collection Chances are if your favorite show felt different over the years, a showrunner shift occurred at some point behind the scenes. Law & Order: Organized Crime attempted to solidify itself as a successful spinoff of Law & Order: SVU but instead it has continued to make headlines […]

Season 2 picked up with the confirmation that Morgan’s ex Roman was still alive after going missing for more than a decade. The only information Morgan — and all of Us — have is that her ex worked as an FBI informant and doesn’t trust the LAPD.

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“It’s a pretty bumpy ride. We’re going to start unpacking some pretty intense things with Morgan, as it relates to all things Roman. There are all kinds of trials and tribulations that are going to happen with the kids at home,” Harthan teased exclusively to Us Weekly in January. “It’s just going to get messy and complicated — hopefully in all the best ways so that the audience stays on the edge of their seats.”

He concluded: “Our job now as we get to the back half of the second season is to fill in some of the big blanks and progress some of the relationships. You’re going to see some intense things happen between Steve Howey’s character and Captain Wagner really starts to bloom in the back half. That causes some good soapy messes on multiple fronts. It’s just our normal MO of just trying to mix things up and keep the audience engaged and keep them guessing.”

High Potential is currently streaming on Hulu.

Blake Lively arrived at the Met Gala dripping in diamonds and confidence, but the timing of her glamorous return only intensified the drama surrounding her ugly legal war with Justin Baldoni. 

Just hours before stepping onto fashion’s biggest stage, the actress finalized a shocking settlement tied to her explosive lawsuit against Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios. 

Now, while Hollywood debates who truly won the battle, insiders claim Baldoni is far from finished and is already preparing his next move.

Blake Lively wasted no time reclaiming the spotlight after ending her legal fight with Justin Baldoni. 

Only hours after news broke that the lawsuit had been settled, the actress made a dramatic appearance at the Met Gala in New York City wearing an archival 2006 Versace gown covered in Lorraine Schwartz diamonds.

The “It Ends With Us” star appeared determined to show Hollywood she was still firmly part of the entertainment elite. 

Inside the event, she reportedly sat at one of Anna Wintour’s tables, showing her long-standing ties to fashion’s biggest names.

However, not everyone viewed the glamorous return as a victory lap. “The move of going to the Met Gala was not a business-as-usual move from Blake Lively, but actually just proved exactly what Wayfarer has been dealing with in terms of her character,” one source told the Daily Mail.

Another insider accused Lively of letting ego drive the entire legal battle. “Lives have been wrongfully put on hold due to what amounted to nothing more than the whim of an overinflated ego,” the source added.

Lively’s Lawsuit Ends Without Money Or Apology

Blake Lively initially launched the lawsuit accusing Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios of sexual harassment and retaliation connected to the filming of “It Ends With Us.”

However, the legal battle suffered major setbacks after Judge Doug Liman dismissed ten of her 13 claims, including allegations tied to harassment, conspiracy, and defamation.

Only three claims remained active before the settlement was reached. Despite online attempts to frame the agreement as a victory for Lively, critics quickly pointed out what was missing from the final outcome.

Baldoni and Wayfarer did not apologize to the actress, nor did they agree to pay her any money. The joint statement released on Monday acknowledged that Lively’s concerns “deserved to be heard” while also describing the movie as a “source of pride” for everyone involved.

“We remain firmly committed to workplaces free of improprieties and unproductive environments,” the statement read.

Blake Lively Faces More Fallout As Justin Baldoni Plans Public Response

Lively may be hoping to move forward, but Baldoni reportedly has no plans to stay silent. Sources claim the actor and director is preparing a major sit-down interview in the coming months to tell his side of the story.

He is also allegedly planning to write a book tied to the scandal that consumed Hollywood for nearly two years. According to insiders, Baldoni believes the public deserves to hear more about what happened behind the scenes during the production of “It Ends With Us.”

The 42-year-old has already relocated with wife Emily and their children from California to Nashville, Tennessee. “He very much likes Nashville and they are looking forward to making it their home,” a friend shared.

Baldoni also reportedly hopes to continue running his film studio despite ongoing damage to his reputation. Still, some industry insiders believe the controversy may continue hurting both stars professionally.

One female studio executive told Page Six, “Justin doesn’t have enough value in the market to overcome the suspicion that he may have created an unsafe set.”

Others were less sympathetic toward Lively. “Most of Hollywood knows what’s up. Yeah, maybe he’s a weirdo, but he didn’t commit any crime. Blake did this to herself whether they will admit it or not,” a male talent manager said.

Lively’s Legal War Reportedly Cost More Than $100 Million

Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni’s courtroom showdown reportedly became one of the most expensive celebrity legal fights in recent memory.

While industry reports initially estimated legal costs around $60 million, insiders now claim the true figure exceeded $100 million.

The battle expanded far beyond the original lawsuit, eventually encompassing defamation actions, rival publicists, and disputes involving The New York Times.

Under the confidential settlement, both parties reportedly agreed to pay their own legal bills. That arrangement is said to have been especially painful, considering the number of attorneys involved from multiple firms.

Lively even added lawyers from powerhouse litigation firm Sussman Godfrey during the final weeks of settlement negotiations. According to insiders, the actress became increasingly eager to settle after Judge Liman’s devastating April ruling weakened her case.

“Everyone on the legal team told her to settle as so much was wrong with the case,” one source claimed, adding, “She was desperate to settle. She and her legal team were the ones pushing for a settlement even one where no money changed hands at all.”

Blake Lively’s Reputation Battle May Not Be Over Yet

Lively’s legal fight may be finished in court, but the battle over public opinion is still raging.

Critics continue pointing to leaked text messages and emails that surfaced during the case, including one where Ryan Reynolds allegedly referred to Baldoni as “a bucket of dumb dumb juice.”

Sources close to the situation insist those exchanges damaged Lively’s image far more than she expected.

“The world can see what she did by her own words and the texts and emails she wrote,” one insider claimed. Meanwhile, Baldoni’s team continues focusing on a separate legal dispute involving publicists Stephanie Jones and Jen Abel.

At the same time, insiders believe Lively may soon begin carefully rebuilding her public image through charity-focused interviews and discussions about online behavior.

Still, skeptics remain unconvinced that audiences will quickly move on from the controversy. “She has put so many women and their children through the shredder for two years because she couldn’t handle that people don’t like her,” one source alleged, further noting, “That’s all it amounted to. She couldn’t bear that.”

Angela Simmons appeared on ‘Cadillac Chronicles’ this week, and the internet isn’t holding back its reactions! She performed her song, ‘Run To’, as she and three others drove around Atlanta. In response, social media users have been cracking jokes about high gas prices, parking the Cadillac, and Angela’s extracurricular activities.

RELATED: Angela Simmons Has Social Media Poppin’ OFF After Dropping Music Video For Her New Single ‘Run To’ (EXCLUSIVE)

Angela Simmons Flexes Her Vocals During Guest Appearance

On Wednesday, May 6, ‘Cadillac Chronicles’ shared a video of Angela speaking and singing her track into a mic. In the speaking portion, she asked questions like, “Have you ever found yourself trying to find which way to go? Do I go left? Maybe it’s right. Have you ever ran from the truth?” Then, she jumps into showing off her vocals!

The car interview series captioned the post, “So the lovely @angelasimmons came through to @cadillacchroniclestv with a super positive song ✅ Her intentions and message with her music are very inspiring 👌 Real dope vibe and experience ☀️ Super thankful for the link up 🫶.”

Meanwhile, Angela said in the comment section: “Thanks for having me/ us 🙌🙌 such a vibe!!!! Spreading love and high vibrations everywhere 🫶🏽🫶🏽”

Social Media Has Plenty To Say About Simmons’ Singing

On ‘Cadillac Chronicles’ IG page, the post featuring Angela Simmons pulled in over 8,800 comments. While a few showed support for her pursuing her music, others cracked jokes about gas prices and her side quests.

@doit4dane commented, “Gas is way too high for this ride.”

“She just on side quests doing whatever. I love this type of freedom for her 😂😂😂❤️❤️,” @herlifesparkles added.

“If u don’t get yo ahh out them folks car playing in they face 😂😂😂😂😂😂,” @singtyrus said.

@andarrio wrote, “Park the car.” 

“With the gas prices being high you wasted a ride having her there 😆 bring her pops out,” @_mel_1517 commented.

“The closed eyes took it😂Angela please,” @_reemixx said.

“What is going on yooo I love Angela she just be doing random shiiii😂😂 😂😂,” @_rashamel commented.

@glow.w.kirstin added, “Why she in the front seat giving us facial expressions and spoken word poetry 😂.” 

“This what happens when you have money and time on your hands. Just be doing any damn thing 😂😂😂😂,” @therealjillianrajai said.

“Angela need to move on to the back. That girl back there singing her heart out and Angela is serving spoken word 😐,” @taylomania commented.

“How much you paid this man to ride in his car because they never called you,” @_ebony_shanice_ wrote.

@therealburnell added, “Not Angela Franklin😭😭😭” 

“Wasting that man gas😂😂😂😂,” @tmcguirejr said.

“Give her a ride to the next MARTA station,” @itsjoitomyworld commented.

“This has gone too far. Oil is more than $100 a barrel and The Strait of Hormuz is still closed. Please, Angela—I beg,” @tamishaharris added.

RELATED: Spill The Tea, Sis! Angela Simmons Shares What She Believes Ended Her Romance With Yo Gotti (WATCH)

The U.S. State Department will begin revoking the U.S. passports of thousands of parents who owe a ton of unpaid child support. The department told The Associated Press on Thursday that the revocations would begin Friday (May 8) and target those who owe $100,000 or more. That would apply to about 2,700 American passport holders, per the Dept. of Health and Human Services.

RELATED: Future Hit With Another Paternity Suit As Alleged Ex Seeks Child Support For 9-Year-Old Son

What To Know About The Child Support-Passport Update

AP first reported plans for the revocation program in February. Soon, it will be expanded to cover parents who owe more than $2,500 in unpaid child support. That threshold was set by a little-enforced 1996 law, the State Department said. It was not clear on Thursday how many passport holders owe more than $2,500. This is because HHS is still collecting data from state agencies that track the figures. However, the $2,500 threshold could include thousands more people, officials said.

Until this week, only those who applied to renew their passports were subject to the penalty. But, under the new policy, HHS will inform the State Department of all past-due payments of more than $2,500. So, the department said, parents in that group with passports will have their documents revoked.

“We are expanding a commonsense practice that has been proven effective at getting those who owe child support to pay their debt,” Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Mora Namdar said. “Once these parents resolve their debts, they can once again enjoy the privilege of a U.S. passport.”

Policy Has Been Effective At Collecting Unpaid Child Support

Since the AP reported the expansion of the program on Feb. 10, the department said it had “seen data that hundreds of parents took action and resolved their arrears with state authorities since news broke that the State Department would start proactively revoking passports.”

“While we can’t confirm the causation in all of those cases, we are taking this action precisely to impel these parents to do the right thing by their children and by U.S. law,” the department said.

Even before the policy was expanded, the department said the program had been a “powerful tool” to get parents to pay what they owed. Since it began in earnest in 1998, states had collected some $657 million in arrears. That includes more than $156 million in over 24,000 individual lump-sum payments over the past five years.

What Will Happen After Passport Revocation? 

Those whose passports are revoked under the program will receive notification. They will not be able to use their documents for travel. Also, they will have to apply for a new passport once their arrears are confirmed as paid. The revocation program will also affect anyone already abroad as of tomorrow. To return to the United States, the parent with unpaid debt must visit a U.S. embassy or consulate to obtain an emergency travel document.

RELATED: Investigators Detail Where Celeste Rivas Hernandez’s Passport Card Was Found Following Her Disappearance

AP Diplomatic Writer Matthew Lee contributed to this report via AP Newsroom. 

Chef Marilyn Cole has been a staple in the Crenshaw community for years, known for selling 99-cent soul food platters. Now, she says, two lawyers have cost her everything. And have “scammed” her out of her business.

Now, The Shade Room’s Justin Carter is stepping in to hear from Chef Cole as two California attorneys, Cierra Carter and Channing Smith, explained their side of the story.

What really happened? Scroll below to watch ‘TSR Investigates.‘

LA Chef Marilyn Cole Says She Lost Everything In Business Deal

According to Chef Marilyn Cole, “one disaster after another” left her in over her head financially with her business. Cierra Carter and Channing Smith stepped in to “help.” Cole reportedly told the lawyers she no longer wanted to handle the “administrative” tasks of her business. In turn, the lawyers reportedly presented her with a “deal memo.” The deal was reportedly made to cover her existing debt, bind Cole to licensing her “name, likeness, recipes, and potential trademarks” to the lawyers, and create a 60/40 profit split between them.

In April, things hit the fan when customers began coming in, and Chef Cole was unaware of their prepaid orders.

“They weren’t letting me order. They took over the ordering… ordered the wrong stuff, and it was just frustrating, and then they’re telling people I’m an employee? I was embarrassed. I was humiliated, and I was mad,” Cole recalled to Carter.

By the end of the month, Cole requested a leave of absence to address her health and the stress from the ordeal. In turn, she received an email from Cierra Carter and Channing Smith in which they reportedly scolded her for her prior time away and alleged unrendered services.

More On The Business Deal

Ultimately, Cierra Carter and Channing Smith told Chef Marilyn Cole they would no longer use her name or likeness for the business.

“I was moved out… disrespected, and I didn’t deserve that,” Cole told Carter.

Scroll up to watch the chef share reactions from longtime patrons. Additionally, Carter shares footage of what the chef found after regaining access to her store. Furthermore, Carter shares reactions from those who have taken to social media to speak on the ordeal. Lastly, Carter even shares social media footage of Cierra Carter and Channing Smith sharing their side of the story. This, along with a statement from both of them.

RELATED: How This Fake Realtor Sold Luxury Apartments She Doesn’t Own | TSR Investigates