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The Scary Movie franchise was originally developed by Keenan Ivory Wayans alongside Shawn and Marlon Wayans, with Keenan directing the first two films. The out-of-the-box franchise isn’t exactly what anyone would refer to as “peak comedy,” but it has still managed to withstand time for several decades and reliably keep general audiences entertained for 90 minutes. The movies, most of which star the irreplaceable Anna Faris, Shawn Wayans, Marlon Wayans, and Regina Hall, are silly and absurd, with notable jokes so dumb, lewd, crass, and occasionally corny that many might often feel a tad embarrassed when they find themselves giggling along. These spoof movies mock contemporary horror films such as The Ring, Signs, and What Lies Beneath, as well as other popular films from over the years, like 8 Mile, Thelma & Louise, and Boogie Nights.
They inspired multiple copycats, each worse than the previous one, with none of them coming close to being capable of recreating the original’s unexpected but deserving success. Like so many franchises, the Scary Movie series is inconsistent, chaotic, and irresistible; it ranges from cult comedy classics to noteworthy films that have become a staple in pop culture. However, there is something to be said about its sheer commitment to absurdity and stupidity. When looking at all five films together, it’s not exactly difficult to declare which of the Scary Movies is the best and which is the worst. The series’ early entries are not only the best-received but the most beloved among modern audiences, but is Scary Movie 3 better than Scary Movie or Scary Movie 2? The answer might be more shocking than you think (and timely to discover now that Scary Movie 6 is just around the corner).
It’s not an overstatement to say that Scary Movie 5 is among the worst movies ever made and the worst in the franchise; it makes its predecessors look like masterpieces, and that’s saying quite a lot. This movie has so much contempt for the intelligence level of its viewers, it’s shocking and quite baffling. There’s no sugar-coating it; it’s bad in every possible way. Even dreadful films are usually somewhat aware of the fundamentals of movie-making, like spatial awareness and basic film editing — not Scary Movie 5, which is a movie that fails miserably at even those simplest tasks. Some would think they just didn’t even bother trying in this film and were just doing it based on some contract agreement.
The film attempts to spoof the Paranormal Activity film franchise and other popular films like Guillermo Del Toro‘s psychological thriller Mama and the Oscar-nominated Black Swan starring Natalie Portman, but there isn’t a single laugh to be found or heard among audiences (not even a little giggle). It’s hard to reconcile that people were actually paid pretty good money to make this half-attempt travesty, especially with so many talented artists working their butts off on it to get by. While watching this cinematic train wreck, the average viewer will most likely feel incredibly embarrassed for everybody involved, especially Ashley Tisdale and Simon Rex, two actors who are way too good to be involved in this unacceptable trash. In other words, some movies really shouldn’t exist, and Scary Movie 5 is by far one of them.
While no great feat, Scary Movie 2 alleviates some of the issues that plagued the original Scary Movie, resulting in a fairly decent sequel with some new and familiar talent on board. The film takes place in a spooky mansion where a social experiment is being conducted with Cindy and her friends selected as the lucky few participants due to their previous involvement with the mass murders and paranormal events from the first film. For one, Scary Movie 2 parodies some of the all-time best horror movies, including The Exorcist, The Haunting, Poltergeist, and The Amityville Horror (and randomly a spoof on a Nike commercial, which is pretty entertaining). There is also a very foul-mouthed parrot that adds a bit of derogatory shock value to the film’s overall comedy. It also has the added strength of great comedic actors like the legendary Tim Curry, Chris Elliot, and David Cross, elevating average material. The film also adds in some non-horror films, like the Oscar-winning film, Titanic, and Charlie’s Angels, which mix things up a bit plot-wise compared to the first film.
While not a complete comedy revelation, Scary Movie 2 has a fair number of jokes that are surprisingly decent and occasionally laugh-out-loud funny (“that’s my strong hand!”) The cinematography, sound design, overall acting by a colorful cast, and solid visual effects are a big improvement from its predecessor, mainly because of the large increase in the film’s budget. However, its music and gross-out gags are more overdone in this sequel, often threatening to take the film in uncomfortable and unfunny directions. Like other uneven and overly vulgar comedies, Scary Movie 2‘s quality depends on the mood of whoever is watching it. With that said, viewers should watch it only if they’re already in a good mood or willing to let some over-the-top moments pass.
Let’s be honest, Scary Movie is a weird but one-of-a-kind movie that spawned a different kind of comedy franchise by spoofing some of the most popular horror films, such as Wes Craven‘s Scream, I Know What You Did Last Summer, and The Sixth Sense. There are plenty of jokes that haven’t aged well and are politically incorrect — maybe even cruel by today’s standards — but it still has some moments that have become iconic among original fans. Whatever you may think, it rises, if not necessarily soars, on the strength of a perfectly chosen cast that vastly improves what’s on paper. Faris and Hall are comedic geniuses, and the heart and soul of the film, and their abilities are on full display in this first installment. However, the supporting cast is equally impressive, with Marlon and Shawn Wayans, Shannon Elizabeth, and Jon Abrahams embracing the film’s unhinged humor.
Still, not everything is great in this first installment. While the film takes from several films, it is primarily a parody of the Scream films. Scary Movie’s biggest failure is that Scream is already a meta-satire of the traditional slasher horror film and a far more clever, funny, and highly memorable one, for that matter. It might seem easy to just discard Scary Movie as the film equivalent of a basic photocopy of a photocopy, but it does have a variety of other films it parodies that help the movie’s overall plot (no matter how ridiculous it may get) stand out a bit. However, there is a level of genuine genius in what it did: launching a profitable franchise, initiating a cinematic movement that marked the nineties’ era, and propelling the careers of many of its stars to new heights. Scary Movie is stupidly brilliant, surprisingly quotable, and annoyingly entertaining. It offers nothing more than what it advertises, and honestly, how many films can truly say that?
Scary Movie 4 is the second film in the humorous franchise directed by legendary spoof filmmaker and director David Zucker, who co-directed some of the best American comedies of all time, including Ruthless People, Airplane!, and The Naked Gun. Scary Movie 4 is so lightweight and breezy that when it ends, it feels like no time has passed at all. It’s a welcome mockery of the J-horror craze of the early nineties, insanely intense and graphic torture porn like the Saw series, and several alien invasion blockbusters, primarily Steven Spielberg’s War of the Worlds starring Tom Cruise. The movie also features several cameos by celebrities, most notably NBA star, Shaquille O’Neal and famed talk show host Dr. Phil, who both find themselves in one of Jigsaw’s vile games.
Iconic comedy actor Leslie Nielsen returns with his legendary spoof credentials to the floor, portraying the incompetent and bizarre President of the United States of America. His scene parodying President George W. Bush’s infamous “My Pet Goat” fiasco is a wild stand-out moment, but it does cross a slight line, which is excusable considering the tone of the film. Faris reliably delivers a stellar performance and remains the funniest attribute of the entire film series. Her wistful inclinations and earnest naivety provide even the silliest jokes with an unusual layer of truthfulness and honesty. Hall’s character, Brenda, also makes a miraculous return after her apparent death in the previous entry, mainly because this series is nothing without her and Cindy, and anything is possible in this franchise. Scary Movie 4 is a relentlessly humorous and entertaining, turn-your-brain-off experience and a more than satisfying end to the Scary Movie saga as fans knew and loved it.
The first film of the series to be directed by David Zucker, Scary Movie 3 is the most consistently funny entry of the entire film franchise. It features ridiculous spoofs of massive pop-cultural hits like The Ring, the Matrix films, 8 Mile, and M. Night Shyamalan’s Signs, and features many welcome additions to the series. Faris’ character, Cindy Campbell, is now a TV journalist investigating a series of cryptic alien crop circles and a mysterious tape that supposedly kills its victims seven days after they view it (sounds awfully familiar).
With the exit of the Wayans Brothers, the entire success of the movie is thrust onto Anna Faris and Regina Hall’s capable shoulders; suffice it to say, they more than delivered, but were helped by some newcomers such as Leslie Nelson, Anthony Anderson, Kevin Hart, and Queen Latifah. Faris has amazing comedic and even romantic chemistry with Simon Rex and spoof veteran Charlie Sheen, who nail their roles as brothers who own a farm, parodying the Mel Gibson and Joaquin Phoenix characters from Signs. The most well-written, tightly paced, and clever of the five Scary Movie films, Scary Movie 3 excels not only as a spoof movie but also as a genuine comedy, thanks to its memorable gags, overall top-notch performances, and its willingness to be something more than just a cheap mockery of horror movies.
October 24, 2003
84 minutes
David Zucker
Craig Mazin, Pat Proft
Even though actress Lena Dunham made some serious accusations against Adam Driver, she still wants her fans to read what she had to say “in context.” The “Girls” creator accused her co-star, who played her on-screen love interest for six seasons, of allegedly throwing a chair, punching a hole in the wall of his trailer, and screaming in her face when they were rehearsing lines. She also alleged that the two almost crossed a boundary in their relationship one month before he got engaged to his now-wife, Joanne Tucker.

While promoting her new memoir, “Famesick,” Dunham appeared on “Today With Jenna & Sheinelle” in order to address the accusations that she made about her former co-star.
“You were his boss. You were the director of this television series,” Jenna Bush Hager said, as per Entertainment Weekly. “[You wrote about] moments where there was violence or anger, moments where there could have been romantic feelings. How does it sit with you now?”
Dunham explained that she had included information about her experiences because she thought that they would be “useful” to everyone who read her book.

During their conversation, Dunham said, “I think I wrote about a dynamic that a lot of young women can understand from the workplace.”
“I spent eight and a half years writing this book, so I was super intentional with every word that I put on the page and then you come on live TV — with cool glamorous girls like you — and are asked to rehash it in a way,” she added.

Even though her comments about Driver are making headlines, Dunham said that she wants people to focus on the “context” of her words.
“I really want people to read it in context and understand it in the totality,” she said. “It’s as much about my experience of coming to some kind of understanding of my own power as a boss than it is about anything else.”

Sheinelle Jones asked Dunham whether or not she expected to remain in contact with the “Star Wars” actor after her recent accusations. “Did you ever think that you guys would still communicate again?” she asked. “Or that you would stay in touch?”
However, Dunham seemed to sidestep the question. “I, in the book, really share that there were a lot of magical moments. And our entire cast has a sort of bond that I don’t think can ever be broken.”

In her memoir, Dunham alleges that she did not speak after they wrapped production on “Girls” in 2016. She alleges that they rode home in a van together, since Driver and his wife lived across the street from where she lived.
“In the car, he held my hand in silence,” Dunham wrote in an excerpt published by Entertainment Weekly. “When we reached our block, he took me in his arms. I let him kiss my cheek, my forehead. ‘You, too,’ I warbled. ‘I know we’ve had our hard moments, that we are really different people. I’m sorry if the way I am ever wasn’t good for… the way you are.’ I didn’t know how else to say it.”
She continued: “’It was just as it needed to be,’ he said, sounding like a Jedi (maybe he’d picked up a few tricks). ‘I hope you know I’ll always love you.’”
Dunham says that she stayed “motionless” as Driver left the van, and wondered if this meant that there was a “different kind of future ahead of us.”
“Who knows—maybe I’d write him new parts,” she wrote. “We would tell new stories. We would laugh at the way things had been, and smile at the way they were now.”
However, she confessed, “I never heard from him again.”

The show wrapped production three years after Driver married Joanne Tucker, whom he met when they were both students at Juilliard. Although they were together while he was filming “Girls,” Dunham alleged that she and Driver almost crossed a boundary in their relationship during a time when her parents were out of town, and Tucker was performing a play in Cincinnati.
In her memoir, Dunham claimed that he called her to tell her that he was engaged one month after the alleged incident. “It was absurd to be heartbroken, to have thought I meant anything, that I occupied any role beyond distraction,” she wrote.
Driver has yet to comment on the allegations.
Editor’s note: The below interview contains spoilers for The Pitt Season 2 finale.
Now that Noah Wyle and R. Scott Gemmill‘s hit HBO medical drama The Pitt has finally reached its Season 2 finale, it feels like both viewers and characters alike can breathe a sigh of relief. Some of that might have to do with the fact that the hospital’s network is finally back online, right as the night shift crew clocks in to relieve the nurses and doctors who have faced any number of stressors — and one of the show’s newest additions is definitely bringing some much-needed “calm, cool, collected, and confident” energy.
Luke Tennie hadn’t even watched any of his Season 2 episodes when Collider caught up with him to chat about joining The Pitt, but he was excited for everyone — friends and family included — to watch his character, fourth-year resident Dr. Crus Henderson, finally roll into the emergency department of the Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center. Ahead of the finale’s premiere, Tennie discusses his experience of being on three of the best shows on TV right now — The Pitt, Abbott Elementary, and Shrinking — as well as which nickname gave him the most insight into Crus, the dynamic he established with co-star Patrick Ball, the experience of rehearsing and filming Season 2’s most visceral patient surgery, and more.
COLLIDER: How does it feel to be on three of the best shows on TV right now?
LUKE TENNIE: I mean, good. That’s nice. They’re all good for different reasons. Shrinking is this true union of drama and comedy, [Abbott Elementary]’s this hard comedy titan, and then The Pitt is the freaking Pitt. So, I can’t complain. Not only can I not complain, I can’t even fathom how I’m the guy who won the lottery three times — on the same lot! WB, man. So, I’m hype about it and really grateful.
In The Pitt, it’s not like someone shows up, and you learn their whole backstory in this huge infodump. Were you armed with any backstory for your character? Were you given leeway to make decisions about who this guy is in his off-time?
TENNIE: The most I learned about this dude was the character breakdown and the action lines. “Crus calmly… Crus, with confidence…” That’s pretty much it. So I know he’s calm, cool, collected, and confident. That’s a lot of Cs. He’s somebody who’s got a great ease about him in the ER. That’s an energy I didn’t see in Season 1. Abbot’s kind of got something like that, but he’s also somebody who’s supposed to mirror Robby, so he’s on the razor’s edge, as well.
I think they wanted a cool sort of counter for Langdon’s character, because he’s somebody who’s obviously an exceptional doctor. The goal when a doctor struggles the way Langdon did is to keep that doctor, because you want to keep people in medicine. You don’t want to lose people who can help people maintain their lives. But yeah, with Crus, he’s sort of the opposite of that wiry, as Langdon mentioned, ADHD sort of approach. He’s just the guy who’s always going for customer satisfaction. He wouldn’t be able to get that unless he’s calm, cool, collected, and confident. That’s Crus! Another C. The thing that taught me the most about the dude was his intro. Crus Control. That right there sums up who that guy is. You can relax, because we on Crus Control.
LaNasa and Ball also discuss Dana’s lingering trauma and Langdon’s post-rehab journey.
I previously spoke with Taylor Dearden about the transition that happens on set when the night crew rolls in. Do you feel like the set experience actually mirrors what your character’s experiencing in terms of coming in and having to start when things have already been cooking for however many hours? Do you use that to fuel the performance, too?
TENNIE: It’s great because on The Pitt, continuity is such an important part of it. You can track how specific this team is throughout the course of the day on The Pitt. You’ll see a couple of flyaways on a couple of heads that you didn’t see at the top of the shift, and that’s intentional because that scene might have been the first scene they shot that day, but they built in the flyaways because canonically in the story, chronologically, it’s been seven hours since the shift started.
We come in, the night shift, and they’re doing us all fresh-faced. That’s the morning for us. It really does feel that way, because you’re meeting the actors, and even the way they tease a little bit of the hair getting loose from the ponytail, it’s subconsciously telling you, even though it’s 8:00 a.m., it’s the end of the day. And then the hospital kind of breathes, you know? It’s like you can tell it’s getting ready to inhale again. It’s trying to catch its breath. Just because of the state of the continuity, that’s so specific that there’s a lot you don’t even have to act. You just react to what’s actually in front of you, which is really nice for an actor. The least amount of acting actually makes your job easier. When you don’t have to act like you’re wearing scrubs because you are wearing scrubs, it’s great. When you don’t have to act like the stethoscope is real, because it is a real stethoscope, it’s great. You can actually just listen for a heartbeat.
The only thing that we ain’t doing for real is cutting people up, because that’s a different show and it’s not on HBO. In our show, we like to make sure everybody’s safe. That’s the only thing that we take very, very seriously regarding actors’ safety. A lot of the stuff that we use, it’ll be a real scalpel; it’ll be dulled, but it’s still a real scalpel. So, if you work it, it’s like a knife. You gotta be careful. There’s a lot you don’t have to act. If you know that the scalpel will tear the prosthetic, then you need to be careful, because the prosthetic imitates real skin, as well. There’s so much that you don’t have to act that the acting that we have to do, that’s really required of us to bridge the gap. We’re so far immersed in reality that by the time we get there, your brain is creating a reality. It’s pretty exciting.
We’ve been talking about the cool, calm, collected guy that you’re playing, but you are at the center of some pretty high-tension patient scenes in the back half of Season 2. Do you feel any added pressure in the moments when you have to play somebody who not only has to keep his own head on straight, but sometimes has to guide someone else?
TENNIE: One of my favorite moments was when I got told by our lovely director Uta [Briesewitz] that there is a moment where Crus is not calm, and that moment takes place when Langdon identifies a possible C-spine for the paralysis patient. I hope it came across because the first few takes, I was like, “Oh, this is Crus. He’s like, ‘Yo, we’ve got to fix this,’” and he’s locked in. But what happens in that regard is they teed me up in the script, and I didn’t recognize it, so I’m glad I had Uta there to help me.
I was coming out of the elevator with this guy after he just got back from his CAT scan, and Garcia’s leaving. I bump into her on the way out. I’m like, “Oh, the surgeon’s leaving?” I start getting a little nervous. We go in there, and I’m telling Langdon about it. I’m getting a little bit more nervous the more I tell him about it. Then the more he talks to the patient, I’m like, “I’m out of my depth here. This is something a neurosurgeon would need to handle, and I just watched the surgeon leave in the elevator. Now I’m the kid, and my parent went to go get shaving cream, and I’m at the checkout line, and the cashier is looking at me. Everything’s scanned, and I’m like, ‘Yo, I need somebody here who can pay!’” So, that’s kind of what happened in that moment.
When Langdon steps up, it’s really exciting because, instead of the attending physician coming in and being like, “Hey, I can pay,” the attending physician comes in, and he goes, “Hey, one of you has some experience. Get to work.” So we’re all flying by the seat of our pants. That’s when Robby comes in, and he’s the one who’s calm, cool, and collected. I haven’t seen any of it. In that scene, it all comes across as, like, “Oh, shoot, Crus Control ain’t got control? This is serious.” And that was one of the coolest things we got to shoot because the surgery was purely physical. It didn’t involve no scalpels, no ultrasound, no X-rays. It was all just a physical surgery, which is really exciting to play.
In terms of surgery, one scenario that takes a turn for the worse really quickly is the patient with the wild pregnancy who ends up having pre-eclampsia. It really feels like it’s a whole avalanche leading to that emergency C-section. Do you remember how many days of filming it took for that sequence?
TENNIE: It was like a week and a half. To shoot an episode of The Pitt, it’s like two weeks, so like 75% of that episode was that surgery. It was electrifying, man. It was so exciting to see all the moving pieces come together.
It’s weird, but sometimes I feel like the more people you add to a scene, it kind of lessens the percentage one actor has to carry, and we had, I don’t know, everybody in that room. So each one of us has like 5%, as opposed to, say, a two-hander, and each actor has 50%. Or it’s just you onscreen, like a lot of the time it is for Noah [Wyle], and he’s just walking around carrying 100% of the show for this long. It’s really interesting to see that. But that’s the teeniest team win I’ve seen on The Pitt, and the fact that I get to be a part of it is something that I just giggle at the thought of finally being able to see. Oh man, I can’t believe it’s finally this Thursday, man. Everybody’s been hassling me, like, “Yo, where is this Crus we’ve heard so much about? Is he on the way?” Sit tight!
Is there a lot of rehearsal involved in a sequence like that? It’s not just high-pressure in terms of energy and tension, but then there are so many bodies in the room.
TENNIE: We didn’t have very long. The reason why the rehearsals work is because they take place during shooting, and that’s it. There will be people down the hall shooting a scene for the show, and we’re in a trauma room acting kind of like background when they’re shooting. When the cameras are off of us, we’re all whispering and working through the sequence, running dialogue, and running the movements, the motions, doing the handoffs.
One of my homies [Xavier Avil], who plays Medic Spratt, he’s this real handsome African American medic. He got the arms that look like Dwayne Johnson on him. You seen him? He and I went to the same college. He said it’s a “chaotic symphony.” Because he was there in Season 1, so he had done a little bit of work on the show before. He had come up with that phrase he used to describe it. Man, there’s nothing more accurate. It’s a chaotic symphony. Shoutout to him. He did a great job. I want to shout out Kacie Rogers, as well, who played my sister in this cool short that we just did, but we also had a couple of scenes on The Pitt. She’s one of the best actors I’ve ever seen. She’s great.
There’s definitely a big emphasis on practical effects and prosthetics, and making a scene feel as real as possible. It just feels like there’s something really tangible about that scene where everybody’s hands are involved, not to mention the baby.
TENNIE: I wish I had the crew list in front of me. I’m not remembering any of our visual department teams’ names, but it is done so well practically, I would venture to say about 5% of computer graphics is needed. That’s probably why they’re able to churn the show out so much. They just try to get it in a camera. Say you have to repeat something a couple of times, like if you have to make an incision, usually the prosthetics will have an incision, and the after effect they’ll do is the scalpel entering the skin but revealing the prosthetic that is already open. It’s like this true marriage — just a tiny amount of visual effects at the top, and then you’re in camera. That’s why it feels real, because usually the first or maybe second thing that you’re seeing is computer graphics, and then you’re just seeing what we did.
For the baby stuff, I don’t know if they used any computer graphics. We’re pulling a baby out of a stomach and setting it on the table. Like, that’s legit. That was some of the coolest visual effects work I’ve ever seen. I’ve seen some creature stuff up close, like for thriller horror movies; it’s different seeing what doctors would see. At the time, when I was doing that scene, we were two weeks out from the birth of our secondborn. Actually, getting close to the end of that episode, after we’d finally wrapped up that scene, I was like, “This baby can come any day now. I hope this baby doesn’t come when they need me in this O.R., because Daddy’s got to go to the O.R..” But it all worked out. There was a day of rest, and then my kiddo came the next day. We had a break on Saturday, she came on Sunday. It was insane.
Perfect timing! At this point, in terms of Season 3, there’s probably not much you can say or even know. Fans definitely love seeing the night shift crew roll in, and it’s really great to see you get to be a part of that. Do you have anything on your personal wishlist for Crus Control in a third season?
TENNIE: Honestly, character relationships. Something that I think is really cool about Patrick [Ball] is when we were putting together our intro, he’s like, “Well, I’ve been held back, man. So, if you’re a fourth year and I’m a fourth year, I’m supposed to be fifth, so you were coming up under me, and now we’re on the same level.” And I was like, “Oh, this is an actor right here. He’s digging into these character relationships.” I love to hear it. I want to explore that some more.
I want to know, yo, does [Crus] know about Langdon’s issues? The details? Because as we’re learning about stuff on Season 2, it’s like, “Hey, some people feel some type of way. You know about the beef with Santos?” Because I got a little scene with [Isa Briones], I’m familiar with her character. The character relationships are something I’m interested in seeing. Like, what’s this dude up to in terms of what he wants? We know he’s doing an ultrasound fellowship. Why does he want that? What does he feel like he can contribute? Where does he want to go? Does he want to stay here in emergency medicine? Does he want to change? That’s the kind of stuff I want to find out.
Both seasons of The Pitt are available to stream on HBO Max.
By Robert Scucci
| Published

1985’s Invasion U.S.A. Holy crap, what a movie. Chuck Norris doesn’t kill terrorists. Terrorists kill themselves when they learn that Chuck Norris is coming for them. This movie was made possible by Cannon Films, the studio that also brought us 1987’s Masters of the Universe and 1989’s Cyborg. The latter was famously written in a single weekend by Albert Pyun after Masters of the Universe underperformed, its sequel plans fell apart, and Cannon needed to repurpose expensive sets and props in a last-ditch effort to recoup their losses.
In case you’re wondering what caliber film Invasion U.S.A. is, the above paragraph is all the explanation you need. It was written by Chuck Norris and James Bruner, and directed by Joseph Zito, best known for classic punishers like 1979’s Bloodrage, 1984’s Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter, and 1984’s Missing in Action, another powerhouse Chuck Norris vehicle that sits with a 19 percent critical score on Rotten Tomatoes but is revered as a cult classic.

Chuck Norris is retired CIA Agent Matt Hunter in Invasion U.S.A., and before things truly heat up, he’s totally fine with his quiet life. He rides around on his airboat with his best friend John Eagle (Dehl Berti), wrestles alligators, and rocks a full Canadian tuxedo like it’s standard issue. What Matt Hunter doesn’t know yet is that he’s about to be forced out of retirement when he learns that his old rival Mikhail Rostov (Richard Lynch) is back to his old tricks.
And what are Mikhail Rostov’s old tricks, you ask? It’s a bit convoluted, but here’s what I picked up after watching Invasion U.S.A., not knowing what I was getting into. Rostov, a Soviet terrorist, wants to create civil unrest in the United States. He first leaves his mark by posing as the Coast Guard and murdering a group of Cuban refugees. He then walks into a flop house, shoots a random dude in the dick, and throws a cocaine-addicted woman through a window.

By themselves, these sequences are unintentionally hilarious, but they also establish exactly what kind of menace Rostov is. These incidents are just the tip of the iceberg, because what he plans next is total anarchy. Rostov, haunted by nightmares of Matt Hunter finally delivering brutal justice, decides to assassinate him so he can finally stop looking over his shoulder. He screws it up, misses his target, blows up Hunter’s swamp house, and kills John Eagle in the process. That’s enough to bring Hunter out of retirement so he can make Rostov’s nightmare come true after all.
Rostov and his goons, thinking they’ve eliminated Matt Hunter, show up in suburban neighborhoods with bazookas and start blowing up random houses. They hit a mall with enough explosives to blow the Santa display into the stratosphere. They show up at public spaces and mow down people coming out of church. All of these acts of terror build toward race wars and full societal collapse. Chuck Norris drives around in his truck wearing driving gloves, because he needs to keep his hands fresh for combat.

Everything explodes in Invasion U.S.A. There is a very clear bad guy and good guy here, and Rostov has a very specific, very insane calling card. He shoots multiple people in the crotch as if it’s his signature move. He literally pulls down the waistband, inserts the muzzle, and starts blasting. Right in the family jewels. He does this a lot. It’s a perfect action movie if these are the kinds of thrills you seek. As Matt Hunter gets further into his crusade for justice, he stays stoic, confident, and ready to tell the higher-ups exactly what they need to do to make sure America rebuilds and remains a dominant world power.

It’s all so stupid, but it’s such a great flick to throw on with friends. The rewind-and-laugh-your-ass-off value on this one is off the charts, making it perfect for a group setting. If you want to celebrate one of Cannon’s most insane clunkers from the 80s, you can stream Invasion U.S.A. for free on Tubi as of this writing.

Young and the Restless had Nick Newman (Joshua Morrow) kidnapped by Matt Clark (Roger Howarth), and this week, Adam Newman (Mark Grossman) is snatched, too. So, things are looking really dire for the Newman brothers, and we have to wonder who is going to save Nick and Adam. Could it be the ladies?
We’re going to talk about Nick and Adam being at horrible Matt’s mercy and of course he doesn’t have much mercy and if Adam and Nick are going to survive this I think they are going to need help. I mean Adam was just conked in the head and Nick’s high on all kinds of bad drugs. So it looks bad. Let’s just talk about what’s ahead.
Adam and Chelsea Lawson (Melissa Claire Egan) were horrified this week when Matt told them that Nick overdosed and died. And of course, Adam flips out and insists that Matt is lying about Nick being dead. And Matt says that Nick was using both fentanyl and cocaine and that the drugs won. So, Adam demands that Matt take him to see Nick whether his brother is dead or alive.
And at first, Matt refuses because he’s running a long con, right? But then Adam threatens to kill him and he warns Matt that he himself has done some pretty bad things in the past. Adam says he’s done things that would impress a sick freak like Matt. So he finally pretends to relent and tells Adam yes. And Chelsea wants to go with them to see Nick, but Matt shuts that down immediately and tells Chelsea no because he’s scheming.
Then Matt takes Adam down to the storage room where he is keeping Nick. And then Adam sees his brother on the floor and Nick is tied up and he’s lying there all limp. Of course, Adam’s worried and he bends down to check Nick for a pulse.
And that is when Matt bashes Adam in the head with a fire extinguisher. So that’s got to hurt. And then Matt leaves Adam and Nick both locked in the storage room together. So, now Matt has both of the Newman boys in his clutches.
And I don’t think anybody, not even Riza Thompson (Tina Casciani), knows where Matt has stashed Nick. And that means they’ve got no idea where to start looking for him and Adam. Now we had Matt and Adam leaving Riza with Chelsea when they took off.
So, we’ll see if Matt shows back up to, you know, do some wicked villain laughter.
Or if he just heads back to Riza’s room to wait on her. So, I guess we’ll see if he taunts Chelsea or not. Matt seems like the kind who would show up to do a villain monologue. But either way, when Adam doesn’t return to the hotel room, whether Matt stops by or not, I’m sure that Chelsea is going to panic.
And I think she’s going to call Sharon Newman (Sharon Case) and let her know that Matt told them that Nick overdosed and died. Chelsea may also tell Sharon that Adam suspected that Nick is addicted to painkillers.
And then Chelsea is probably going to tell her Adam left with Matt to see what happened to Nick. Now Adam has also disappeared. And of course Sharon’s going to freak out. An official Young and the Restless spoilers say that she heads to Vegas by the end of this week.
And already back in Genoa City, Noah Newman (Lucas Adams) was pushing and said he wanted to go to Vegas, but Sharon doesn’t want their son in more danger. I suspect if she leaves without Noah, he and Sienna Bacall (Tamara Braun) may still follow along because things are about to hit fever pitch.
Now, Sharon knows that Matt wants to kill Noah because he slept with his wife, Sienna. We’ll see if Sharon goes ahead and just takes off without even telling Noah that way she can try and keep him safe in Genoa City.
And in the end, all the main players may wind up in Vegas. We could see Adam there. Obviously, he’s there and he’s with Nick. Chelsea’s already gone there. Sharon’s on the way soon. And Noah and Sienna might follow.
And after Matt leaves Adam and Nick in the storage room, he may circle back and also try and hurt Chelsea or kidnap her, too. So, we also have to see which side that Riza is going to fall on.
She had been partnering with Matt for a while, but she thought his name was Ronnie. And then Adam told her what a dangerous psycho that he is. But Rizza may just be paralyzed with fear, especially when she sees what he’s been doing with the Newmans.
So, Matt might also chuck Chelsea in with Adam and Nick so he’s got all his targets in one room like fish in a barrel. And either way, I think Matt’s going to warn Riza she better not turn on him or else. But she likes Adam even though she feels like he tricked her. And Riza may hope that by siding with Adam, he’ll take out Matt and then Riza can take over the whole Vegas operation herself.
And once Sharon’s in Vegas, I think we could see her and Riza and Chelsea plotting and scheming. But Riza would have to pretend to still be on Matt’s side to make this work. And I’m betting he would be thrilled to find out that Sharon is in Vegas because Matt has always been fixated on Sharon.
If you remember, he raped her back in the day. I’m sure Matt is gonna try and hurt Sharon because he has many times in the past. But Chelsea and Sharon are tough and they’re not going to back down from Matt. They are not going to let him win and they are certainly not going to lose Nick and Adam.

And don’t forget Riza is a tough cookie, too. And she might be on board to help because she is starting to see just how evil Matt is. I expect Riza has resources of her own in Vegas because she’s the one who’s been running things there while Matt was off in LA for so long. And when Chelsea asks Riza what side she’s on, she calls Matt a maniac.
But Riza also said she’s not about to pick a fight with Matt, but she may not have a choice. So Riza and Chelsea bickered a little, but I think once Sharon arrives, she and Chelsea may be able to get Rizza fully on their side. And Sharon and Chelsea are going to need all the help that they can get.
Now, we know Rizza has a gun because she pulled it on Adam when he first came back. So hopefully Rizza gets the chance to grab it and either shoot Matt or hold him at gunpoint so Sharon and Chelsea can run in and give Matt a beat down and restrain him long enough to call the police and get him arrested.
We’ll see if they can work that out. I do think that he is planning ahead and thinking ahead and is a couple of moves ahead of them because Nick and Adam were in reactionary mode where Matt was plotting and scheming proactively.
But once Sharon arrives in Las Vegas, obviously she’s going to be on Matt’s radar and things could get really dangerous really fast. We were promised a big showdown with Nick and Sharon and their allies against Matt. And with May sweeps starting up next week, it is nearly time for the big boss battle.
I think it’d be really cool if instead of the men saving the day that it might be Sharon and Chelsea who swoop in to rescue Adam and Nick. And now that Adam told Chelsea he’s sure about Nick’s drug addiction, of course, that’s another issue and another weakness that’s going to make things messier.
And we’ll see if Matt keeps forcing drugs on just Nick or if Matt also turns around and tries to force some drugs on Adam also just to put him in a weakened state. Hopefully Sharon and Chelsea can find Nick and Adam and save them from Matt and put that villain down once and for all. And before all is said and done, Riza and Sienna might help out. And it could be all the ladies beating Matt at his own twisted game.
Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, postponed his upcoming show in the city of Marseille after French authorities said they would seek to ban the concert.
Ye’s decision came a week after he was banned from entering the U.K. Wireless Festival had booked him to headline in July. However, he faced backlash over his history of antisemitic remarks. On Tuesday (April 14), he shared the update on the Marseille show.
“After much thought and consideration, it is my sole decision to postpone my show in Marseille, France until further notice,” Ye wrote on Wednesday on the social network X. “I know it takes time to understand the sincerity of my commitment to make amends.”
The rapper, who changed his name in 2021, had been expected to play at Marseille’s Stade Vélodrome on June 11.
French Interior minister Laurent Nuñez had pledged to explore “all possibilities” to make sure the show would not go on as planned, according to his office. Also, earlier this year, Marseille Mayor Benoît Payan opposed the rapper’s visit to one of France’s most multicultural cities. The city has a history of immigration stretching back centuries.
“I refuse to let Marseille be a showcase for those who promote hatred and unabashed Nazism,” Payan said. “Kanye West is not welcome at the Vélodrome, our temple of community and home to all Marseillais.”
Ye has drawn widespread condemnation for making antisemitic remarks and voicing admiration for Adolf Hitler. He previously released a song called “Heil Hitler” and advertised a swastika T-shirt for sale on his website last year. Officials in Australia canceled the musician’s visa in July after the release of the single.
The 48-year-old apologized in January with a letter published as a full-page advertisement in The Wall Street Journal. He said his bipolar disorder led him to fall into “a four-month long, manic episode of psychotic, paranoid and impulsive behavior that destroyed my life.”
In his latest message on X, Ye said: “I take full responsibility for what’s mine but I don’t want to put my fans in the middle of it. My fans are everything to me. Looking forward to the next shows. See you at the top of the globe.”
I know it takes time to understand the sincerity of my commitment to make amends
I take full responsibility for what’s mine but I don’t want to put my fans in the middle of it
My fans are everything to me
Looking forward to the next shows
See you at the top of the globe 🌏
— ye (@kanyewest) April 15, 2026
Associated Press reporter Samuel Petrequin contributed to this report via AP Newsroom.
What Do You Think Roomies?
A glamorous night meant to showcase Hollywood connections has instead sparked fresh questions about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
After a series of cozy images from a Netflix event mysteriously vanished, insiders are now offering clues behind the decision, leaving fans wondering what really happened behind the scenes.

What began as a routine industry gathering quickly turned into a puzzling situation.
Photos of Harry and Meghan attending a Netflix celebration for the series “Beef” were initially released to the press, only to quietly disappear days later.
The images, taken at a California event, showed Meghan warmly interacting with Ted Sarandos and his wife, Nicole Avant.
In several shots, the Duchess of Sussex appeared relaxed, sharing laughs and embracing the couple.
Yet, shortly after their release via Getty Images, most of those photos were removed.
Only a single group shot featuring Harry, Meghan, Sarandos, and Avant remains publicly available.
Notably, every image showing physical closeness between Meghan and the Netflix executives was taken down, fueling speculation that the decision was far from random.

Before their disappearance, the photos had already stirred intense online reactions. Social media users did not hold back, with many criticizing the tone and optics of the images.
Some labeled the pictures “cringeworthy,” while others claimed Meghan appeared “needy” and “desperate” to signal closeness with Netflix leadership. The criticism intensified amid ongoing rumors that Sarandos may have cooled on the Sussexes professionally.
There were also remarks about the styling itself, with some viewers calling the images unflattering.
Meghan’s green silk outfit, which stood out during the event, became a talking point as the commentary spread.
The backlash seemed to grow rapidly, raising questions about whether public reaction played a role in the decision to pull the images from circulation.

The mystery deepened when Getty Images confirmed that the request to remove the photos came directly from Netflix.
A spokesperson explained to the Daily Mail, “Those images were shot for Netflix and they have asked for them to be removed, so we can no longer license them.”
That statement immediately shifted attention to the streaming giant’s role in the situation.
According to insiders, all event photos typically undergo approval before being released, making the removal after publication highly unusual.
Sources familiar with such processes noted that a delay of around 24 hours before releasing the images was already out of the ordinary, suggesting that Netflix may have been particularly cautious from the outset.
Even more striking was the suggestion that removing images after they had already been distributed is rare.
One insider described the move as “highly unusual, if not unheard of,” adding that it was their belief that the request could only have come from the Sussexes, who are touchy about their public image.

For observers, the situation felt oddly familiar. The disappearance of the Netflix event photos echoes a previous incident involving Harry and Meghan.
Last year, images of the couple attending Kris Jenner’s birthday celebration were also removed shortly after being shared online.
The event, hosted at Jeff Bezos’ Beverly Hills home, sparked controversy due to its timing.
The party took place just before Remembrance Sunday, when members of the royal family traditionally honor fallen soldiers in the UK.
Reflecting on that moment, Kim Kardashian later explained during an appearance on her sister’s “Khloe In Wonderland” podcast, “it was totally cool to post,” before adding, “Mom and Meghan have been friends for some years now, and they have a really sweet relationship.”
She continued, “After it was posted, I think they realized it was Remembrance Day, and they didn’t want to be seen at a party, even though it’s already up, you know, and then taken down.”
The parallels between the two situations have only intensified speculation that image control plays a significant role in how Harry and Meghan manage their public appearances.

Beyond the photos themselves, the situation has reignited broader questions about Netflix’s relationship with the couple.
Harry and Meghan signed a widely reported $100 million deal with Netflix after stepping back from royal duties in 2020. The partnership led to several projects, including the high-profile documentary series “Harry & Meghan.”
However, recent developments suggest that the collaboration may not be as strong as it once appeared. Their deal was reportedly downgraded to a “first look” arrangement, and Netflix has since stepped away from their lifestyle brand partnership.
Reports have also claimed that the brand associated with Meghan struggled commercially, with mentions of “$10 million” in unsold stock circulating.
Adding to the uncertainty, a recent report suggested that Netflix was “done” with the Sussexes, though both the company and Meghan’s legal representatives denied the claim.
Still, insiders have indicated that the streamer is “broadly” moving on, and that recent ventures tied to the couple have not delivered the expected success.
Against this backdrop, the removal of the event photos takes on added significance. Whether it was a response to public backlash, a matter of image control, or something more strategic, the decision has left many wondering what is really happening behind the scenes.
For now, one thing is clear: even a single set of photos can spark a wave of questions when it comes to Harry and Meghan.
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Heidi Klum made SoHo her personal runway last week, strolling through shops with her pup in one arm and a sleek black handbag draped over the other. We found a twin on sale for just $30 on Amazon, and it has the same expensive look that makes Klum’s street style so magnetic.
Don’t get Us wrong, Klum’s furry friend is adorable, but her handbag look totally stole the show. She styled it a little black dress, heels and sunnies with it — no bright colors or accessories needed. Classy and effortlessly chic, this sophisticated lookalike works with fancy and casual outfits alike.
Get the Chicarousal Crossbody and Handbag for $30 (was $43) on Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate at the date of publication but are subject to change.
This leather-looking bag could totally be designer, featuring intricate stitching, gold accents and structured handles that add to the luxe appeal. Plus, the bag holds its shape, so it doesn’t collapse when you set it down at brunch.
What seals the deal? This chic piece is two basically bags in one. You can carry it by the handle for Klum’s polished, put-together look, or clip on the crossbody strap when you want your hands free. The adjustable drop means it sits comfortably, whether you’re 5’2″ or closer to Klum’s model height.
Inside, the organization is genuinely impressive. This stylish bag is mega spacious, fitting iPads, cosmetics and even books. It has two roomy compartments, slip card slots and a zipper pocket for small essentials that always get lost (we’re looking at you, lip gloss).
With two ways to wear it, this structured handbag is a wardrobe staple you’ll wish you had years ago. It works for in-office days, date nights and yes, walks around Manhattan’s most stylish neighborhood. At just $30, it’s a no brainer for Us.
Get the Chicarousal Crossbody and Handbag for $30 (was $43) on Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate at the date of publication but are subject to change.
Not what you’re looking for? Shop other bags on Amazon and don’t forget to check out Amazon’s Daily Deals here!
Kandi Burruss has the internet leaning in after dropping a rehearsal clip that has folks raising eyebrows. Her preview didn’t give everything away, but let’s just say the message is loud enough to get people talking.
In a recent Instagram video, Kandi is seen in what appears to be a rehearsal space, holding a mic, seemingly preparing for an upcoming performance. While singing, she belts out, “When I got home last night, something didn’t seem right.” And if that wasn’t enough, she took it a step further in the caption, writing, “My man’s been cheating on me!…”—leaving many to wonder if this is all part of the performance or if there’s more to the story. Either way, the clip has already sparked chatter as fans try to piece together what Kandi might be hinting at.
Fans wasted no time running to The Shade Room’s Instagram comment section and acting up over Kandi’s emotional preview. Some said she always knows how to have folks deep in their feelings. While others pointed out this might be an older song and not necessarily about Todd, her ex-husband. And, of course, a few chimed in, saying they love to see her turn any pain into a big bag.
One Instagram user @kb_thecandledealer said, “One thing about Kandi! She will turn pain into a big bag 👏”
This Instagram user @neshsmilepretty commented, “Please don’t PMO😊 I’m not in the mood!!“
And, Instagram user @shay_bella claimed, “Before anyone ask is this about Todd this was from her first solo album“
Meanwhile, Instagram user @kiieanna_ shared, “She bout to have a Beyoncè – resentment stage performance moment 😭😭”
While Instagram user @lexbethereason_ added, “It’s a scheme that Todd set up 🗣️🤣”
Finally, Instagram user @mzmona24 wrote, “🗣️COME ON KANDI!!!!!“
What Do You Think Roomies?
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The Los Angeles Police Department says 21-year-old David Burke is currently being held without bail.
Editor’s note: The below interview contains spoilers for The Pitt Season 2 finale.
With Noah Wyle and R. Scott Gemmill‘s hit HBO medical drama The Pitt reaching its Season 2 finale this week, the thought of the doctors and nurses working this Fourth of July shift finally getting to enjoy some fireworks should be cause for celebration, right? Unfortunately, the season’s final hour, “9:00 P.M.,” doesn’t feel all that festive even once the staff is hanging out on the roof with lawn chairs and beer (except for that delightful mid-credits karaoke scene); everyone’s made it through a brutal gauntlet, and the future only holds more uncertainty.
Nowhere is that precariousness more evident than for Dr. Baran Al-Hashimi (Sepideh Moafi) in particular. Last week’s episode saw the new attending pull Dr. Robby (Wyle) aside in the closing minutes to assess the chart of a patient with a seizure disorder — and Robby’s keen eye immediately put two and two together about the patient’s identity: “Baran, is this you?” When the finale picks up where their conversation left off, Al-Hashimi’s admission that she’s had several seizures during today’s shift creates a perfect storm alongside Robby’s inner turmoil, and the resulting conflict spirals into an ultimatum from one doctor to another: if Al-Hashimi doesn’t report her seizures to hospital admin by Monday, Robby will do it for her, upcoming sabbatical be damned.
Ahead of the episode’s premiere, Collider had the opportunity to speak with Moafi about her character’s most pivotal moments in the finale, including when she learned about Al-Hashimi’s seizure disorder, the research she did to accurately portray the character’s seizures throughout Season 2, why Al-Hashimi goes to Robby for his opinion (and why his reaction confirms all her worst fears), which part of that crushing parking lot breakdown scene was left on the cutting room floor, and much more.
COLLIDER: When were you informed that Dr. Al-Hashimi had this seizure disorder?
SEPIDEH MOAFI: I found out right before I tested for the role. I had my initial self-tape that was three scenes, and then they added a scene for my callback. I haven’t tested for anything in person, flown out to LA to do an in-person thing, since 2015. I thought after that Zoom session that they would make their decision. Apparently, for every character, they’ve done a live testing thing, which I love. I love being in the room. So, they brought me to LA, and before that, they added one more scene, and that was a scene where I’m basically describing my condition, talking to Robby, in a casual way. Certainly not the way that you see in Episodes 14 and 15.
I knew early on. I did double-check with [creator R. Scott Gemmill] at the beginning of the season to make sure that that was still what we were playing, and that that last moment with the baby at the end of Episode 1 was indeed a seizure. When I got confirmation, then I knew how to work my way backwards from that final moment where I didn’t know what it would look like, but I knew there would be a reveal somewhere later in the season, and I understood how to pace myself throughout the season.
How much research did you personally do about the types of seizures that she’s having so that you could bring the necessary physicality to it?
MOAFI: A lot, a lot, a lot. The thing that matters to me the most is the accuracy, and I’m grateful that the show also places importance on medical accuracy, but for me, it’s doing right by a community. A lot of people don’t even realize what’s happening or the struggles that people who suffer from this condition, what they manage and have to navigate. I spoke to epileptologists. I spoke to the doctors that we have available to us. I spoke to every doctor that I knew, basically, and then also talked to specialty doctors. I had them send me medical journals about how these patients’ symptoms manifest. I watched videos of children seizing, of adults talking about their experiences with seizures or how they evolved throughout their lives. I listened to and read a lot of interviews with people who are talking about not just the event itself, not just the seizures themselves, but the fear and the moments leading up to them. It was a lot of collecting, hunting, gathering information.
As with most aspects of this character, you fill the tank, and then you put the walls up, and you hide. The seizures are so subtle. You’ll see people in real life who, when it’s happening, they’ll be in conversation just naturally, and then all of a sudden, they’ll kind of look off to the side. They’re still blinking. It’s like what Samira was saying to Doctor Al-Hashimi in the first episode, like, “Dr. Al, is everything okay?” It’s not like she’s staring off into space and looks like a zombie or something. She looks like she’s living and breathing. Unless you know what is happening, that it can be a seizure, you wouldn’t know.
The subtlety is everything with this. Every movement of the eye and how she’s coming out, and the blinking, it’s so subtle. I was on our doctors about, “If you don’t believe even a second of this, you have to tell me because it’s so important for me to get this right.” And it’s scary. It’s scary to do and go through that whole… The last three episodes for me were very intense. Very emotional.
There’s something interesting about the fact that Al-Hashimi goes to Robby with this. Is it doctor-to-doctor, “I need a different set of eyes on this, someone else to look at this that isn’t me”? Does she feel like she can be more honest with him at this point in the shift?
MOAFI: I think it’s all the reasons that you said. Most important is, in order to get closer to someone, you reveal part of yourself to someone. From the very beginning, they have been fascinated with each other. They recognize how talented and committed and devoted they are to the practice and to delivering the best care for patients and being the best doctors they can be with their respective backgrounds. They’re cut from the same cloth.
I think she is scared. She’s hid her whole life, her entire career, and there is part of her who thinks that maybe Robby has a genius intuition. Maybe he has some insight. “I do need an outside perspective,” she says. But more than the outside perspective, I think that she hopes that it will bring them closer and that he will humanize her a little bit. Because he’s been pretty dismissive of her, and yet it’s clear he admires her in ways, and it’s clear she admires him in ways. It’s kind of an opportunity to get them aligned with something, and get them on the same page.
It goes south. It’s not the outcome I think she hoped for, but I think it is a desperate attempt at being closer in some way. And she does hide in ways, but she doesn’t shy away from confrontation or from pain or difficulty, and she’s noticing she spent the last two hours hiding from him, basically, and she doesn’t recognize herself. She’s like, “What is this? I can’t lead by example if I’m hiding, and that’s the example that I’m setting.”
There’s something beautiful and kind of antithetical to the way that Robby deals with his trauma, which is that he continues to remove himself and withdraw. She recognizes this human impulse to withdraw, and something that’s very natural in a case like this, but it’s the childlike instinct to go and hide. Then the adult steps in, and she’s like, “No. You have to step up. You have to confront what is happening with you. This is an opportunity to express and embody vulnerability by example, and leadership with vulnerability.”
The first time they talk about her seizures, Robby’s getting pulled in a million different directions, and there are people interrupting them, so it’s not really resolved. The second conversation has a very different tenor than the first. At any point, were there off-script moments where you were improvising in the fight, or was that all written?
MOAFI: It was scripted as a confrontation, but the first time we read through it, and we walked through it, it got so intense and so heated to the point where the crew started clapping. So what you see on camera in the reactions was genuinely everybody being like, “What the fuck is happening in there?” And after that first rehearsal, Noah and I just hugged each other like, “I love you. I’m sorry.” There were many takes, and I haven’t seen the episode yet, so I don’t know which take was used, but she’s trying to keep the conversation private and bring him into the room, but then the fucking switch flips, and he’s yet again undermining her, undercutting her. So that’s what flips in that moment, in the scene, and takes it into a really intense, dark direction.
We didn’t know that it would get that heated, but it did, and it stayed there. There were variations, but it stayed at that level, 12 out of 10 intensity, for every take we did, which was, in a way, also kind of cathartic, as the character, because she’s zipped up so much all season and he’s been so condescending. He’s cut her down in so many different ways, and to finally be able to just let it rip, to not be so concerned about being seen as a hysterical woman or whatever. I think a lot of women hold that fear of, like, you have to contain your emotions, or else people aren’t going to take you seriously, or they’re going to discredit you as being overly emotional or hysterical, and she spent her whole career doing that.
That wasn’t just a climax of the day, it was a climax of her career, of, “How much fucking harder do I have to work? How much more perfect do I have to be?” She is terrifyingly high-achieving, and that’s not enough. It’s never enough. She can’t be human. She can’t be flawed, but everyone else can, which is why the whole Langdon thing also sets her off. It’s like, “You were going to cover for him, but I’ve been validated by neurology that it’s okay for me to be here, and you were threatening me still?” It is crazy. It makes my blood boil when I think about it.
There’s that ultimatum that Robby leaves the conversation with, which is essentially, “If you don’t go to hospital admin about this, I’m going to do it for you.” The last scene that you have after that hits me every time I watch it, in the parking lot. Al-Hashimi gets in the car and only gets as far as backing out of the spot before breaking down. I’m curious about how you wanted to approach that scene with the deeper emotions that are at play for her.
MOAFI: So many emotions. Actually, prior to that emotional climax, there was a scripted portion. Because I think she’s acting out of character. It’s out of character for her to be confronted about something and run away and hide, as she did for an hour and a half or two hours. It’s out of character for her to know that she seized twice in the day and get behind the wheel. And I think part of that is reclaiming her own power and agency, and like, “Fuck you. You can’t tell me what to do.” Getting behind the wheel, she stops, and she realizes, or she has this image of driving her son, and that is what makes her think, “What am I doing?”
The part that didn’t end up in the edit was that she calls her ex-husband, and, basically pretending everything’s okay, she says, “Is it possible for him to stay overnight? I have some car troubles.” She is stifling tears as he says, “Do you need me to pick you up?” There’s a moment where she’s desperate to ask for help, and she cannot. She doesn’t trust anyone. Part of that is these paranoias that we carry throughout our lives from childhood: If I reveal this part of myself, then I will not be loved, then I will not be accepted, then I will be shunned, then I will be betrayed. She wants to say, “Yes, I need you,” and she cannot. Part of that is connected to Robby. He’s proof that if you show some of who you are, you will not be accepted. So, she gets off the phone with him and has that sort of meltdown, the breakdown.
‘The Pitt’s Biggest Secret to Success Started With a Note From Noah Wyle
Director Damian Marcano sits down with Collider for an in-depth chat about his journey to ‘The Pitt’ and Season 2 Episode 10’s biggest moments.
There’s a lot in that. It’s that you’ve worked so hard to uphold this exterior of competence and diligence and proficiency and intelligence and compassion, and all of these things that she is, and yet what’s inside is this five-year-old girl who feels cold hands on her back from a spinal tap, a five-year-old girl who’s seeing her mother sob while she’s on the hospital bed, and that never leaves your body. That experience of being that little girl who is sick, who is a burden, who is not good enough, who is seen in her father’s eyes as special needs because of it, and fighting that your whole life, and 35 years later, that fight means nothing because somebody who doesn’t like you or who feels threatened by you can just take it all away.
It’s not just her own personal frustrations and grief. It’s systemic frustrations and grief that, “No matter what, I am trapped in this container, and no matter how good I am, no matter how hard I work, no matter how much I prove myself repeatedly, there is always a way for somebody to undercut me and try to get me down.” There’s this saying of “I’ll let it spoil my dinner, but not my breakfast,” and I think this is, “I’ll let it spoil my week, but not my life.” I think this is much more consequential and heavy than anything she might have experienced personally in this way. Of course, she’s experienced grief and all of that, but just feeling sorry for herself in this way, she doesn’t give herself that time. But this is a moment of true grief for everything that you’ve worked for, and somebody just threatening you, and knowing that these are impossible hurdles to overcome. She will continue to fight and continue to overcome hurdles, but in this moment, it’s just a pure unraveling of the soul and self.
This season, so many of the doctors are being put through the wringer. Looking at the fireworks, it should be a moment of celebration, but it feels like they’ve all gone through this gauntlet, your character included. I know that there’s probably nothing you can tell me about what the future has in store for Al-Hashimi at this point, but given where Season 2 leaves her, do you hope that there’s more to come for her?
MOAFI: I don’t know what’s going to happen. I don’t know what they have planned. I think they’re in the writers’ room now discussing that. I don’t know what’s in store for her next season. I’m very curious. I haven’t seen it, but based on the scripts and based on what I did on set, what we captured, nothing is resolved, so how do you pick up from that? Do you resolve, do you keep that tension and the suspension alive for an episode, or for a season? Who knows?
With everybody, and with Robby, everything is just so up in the air. Personally, I would love to see how that dynamic continues to evolve and move forward, potentially, in another season. Thank you so much for taking the time out of your day to share your insight on this episode, because it’s such a great one for your character. Honestly, it makes you look back on the whole season and changes your whole perspective of everything that we’ve seen leading up to that point.
MOAFI: That’s so cool. It’s cool from a character perspective, and I think it’s so gratifying from an artist’s perspective because it does the thing that I love more than anything about acting, which is you shatter people’s perceptions or expectations. You think you know someone on the surface, and we’re so quick to judge, and when you just scratch past the surface, you realize, “I don’t know anything.” Even your partner or your mother or your sister or your best friend, we don’t know what’s happening inside.
To have an arc like Dr. Al-Hashimi’s, where, in the beginning, everybody was so quick to judge, and everybody was so quick to be like, “Oh, I know that person. I’ve seen that person. I’ve dealt with that person,” and then see what it takes, actually. Instead of starting from the beginning with her condition and then working our way up to this hard exterior, it’s the opposite, which is deeply humanizing, and should be a reminder for us that this is how we should relate to everyone that we encounter — the grumpy coffee shop worker or the grumpy teacher, or the grumpy parent, or whatever. Something is going on, and it’s rooted so deeply inside of each person. Hopefully, that can help us be a little bit more compassionate and understanding of one another.
Both seasons of The Pitt are available to stream on HBO Max.
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