Sydney Sweeney made quite the splash during day two of Stagecoach Music Festival, and fans definitely noticed. The 28-year-old actress stepped out in a daring look while making a surprise appearance during Diplo’s set on Saturday, rocking a plunging corset from her own brand, SYRN, that instantly sparked buzz online.

Sweeney embraced the festival’s Western vibe while putting her own sultry spin on it, pairing a blue corset with a mini skirt featuring tiered ruffles. She completed the look with white cowboy boots, leaning fully into the Stagecoach aesthetic while promoting her newly launched lingerie line.

The actress also made an appearance at the brand’s “SYRN saloon” pop-up, where Diplo joined in on the fun. A photo of the pair was later shared to SYRN’s Instagram Stories with the caption, “@diplo Thanks for stopping by!!!”

Sweeney Steals Show With Surprise Karaoke Sessions

The fashion moment wasn’t the only thing getting attention. Sweeney also had fans talking thanks to her surprise karaoke sessions with celebrity friends. In clips shared to social media, she grabbed the mic to introduce country star Chase Rice before the two teamed up with the crowd to sing his hit “Cruise.” She also delivered a nostalgic performance of NSYNC’s “Bye Bye Bye” alongside Lance Bass, before leaning into country classics.

On Friday night, Sweeney joined Ashton Kutcher, Mila Kunis, and boyfriend Scooter Braun to sing Garth Brooks’ “Friends In Low Places.” She brought the song back again Saturday, this time with Riley Green, whose set had been canceled following a weather-related evacuation.

Sydney Sweeney Faces Backlash Over ‘Over Exposed’ Style

As expected, Sweeney’s bold look quickly sparked reactions online, and opinions were mixed. Some critics didn’t hold back, with comments ranging from “This is gross” to “She is seriously over exposed,” while another wrote, “Only 28 and needs ‘the girls’ to speak for her.”

Others questioned the styling choices, with one user adding, “She is young and adorable. However, I would hate having my breasts half exposed all the time.” And someone else simply wrote, “Massive bazookas.”

Sweeney’s Stagecoach Appearance Sparks ‘MAGA Barbie’ Chatter Again

Sweeney’s latest outing didn’t just get people talking about her outfit, it also reignited a nickname that’s followed her for some time. The actress has previously been dubbed “MAGA Barbie” online, stemming from past headlines tied to her mom’s “Make Sixty Great Again”–themed party and reports about her political affiliation. While the label had largely faded in recent months, her presence at Stagecoach seems to have brought it back into the conversation.

Fans began revisiting the nickname after Sweeney was spotted at an Ella Langley set, an artist who has faced speculation over perceived political leanings due to collaborations with figures like Morgan Wallen and Kid Rock, as well as social media activity that’s drawn attention.

Sydney Sweeney Cut From ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’

While it may feel like Sydney Sweeney is everywhere right now, there’s one major project she won’t be part of. The actress was originally set to make a brief cameo in “The Devil Wears Prada 2,” playing a fictionalized version of herself. However, reports confirmed that her scene didn’t make the final cut of the film, which is set to hit theaters on May 1.

Per reports, Sweeney’s cameo in “The Devil Wears Prada 2” would have been brief, lasting around three minutes, but still played a key role in reintroducing Emily Blunt’s character, Emily Charlton. In the scene, Charlton was set to assist Sweeney with an outfit, a moment designed to showcase just how influential her work has become within Hollywood’s fashion circles. However, according to The Hollywood Reporter, the sequence ultimately didn’t align with the tone of the film’s opening, leading to it being cut from the final version.

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That’s not the only reason Sweeney has been making headlines lately. Her work on “Euphoria,” including storylines involving provocative, adult-themed content, has sparked a lot of criticism amongst viewers. The actress has acknowledged that the focus on her nude scenes can sometimes overshadow the work she’s doing as an actress, describing the experience as feeling somewhat detached from herself.

Sydney Sweeney and boyfriend Scooter Braun only recently confirmed their relationship, but the couple are already hitting up popular celebrity events.

The two were recently spotted at the country music festival Stagecoach, where they packed on the PDA and gave fans plenty to talk about.

According to Us Weekly, on Friday, April 24, “Euphoria” star Sydney Sweeney and music executive Scooter Braun attended the Stagecoach country music festival together in Indio, California.

Per the outlet, the two danced along to the music and turned up the PDA at one point, when Braun hoisted Sweeney onto his shoulders so the actress could get a better view.

Sweeney And Braun Initially Sparked Dating Rumors In Summer 2025

The two initially met in July 2025 when they attended the star-studded wedding of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez in Venice.

After that, they went on a series of public dates, including a trip to an amusement park where they were seen hand-in-hand in the company of Sweeney’s mom, Lisa, and her father, Steven.

They have appeared to settle into their relationship amid Sweeney’s busy acting schedule, but sources noted that work strain between the couple has not caused them to drift apart, and their romance is “still going strong.”

“It’s a very casual, laid-back relationship,” an inside source previously told Us Weekly. “Sydney is not looking to settle down right now.”

The insider added, “She has been hesitant to get into another serious relationship but is enjoying her time with him.”

The Actress’ ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2′ Appearance Was Cut Ahead Of The Film’s Release

A source close to the film spoke exclusively to Entertainment Weekly, detailing what Sweeney’s role would have been and why her cameo was cut out.

Per the insider, Sweeney was to appear in a scene with Emily Blunt at her Dior office as Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, and Stanley Tucci arrive to ask for her help. Sweeney appeared as herself in the scene that was described as three minutes long.

Sweeney’s cameo “did not work structurally with the rest of the sequence,” leading to a “creative decision” to cut her from the film entirely. The source also shared that the film’s team was “grateful” for her participation.

Sweeney Has Been The Subject Of Immense Backlash Regarding Highly Sexualized ‘Euphoria’ Scenes

On April 12, after a more than four-year wait, “Euphoria” finally returned to catch up with the cast of characters as they venture into adulthood via a five-year time jump. 

However, many fans couldn’t get past the scenes of Sweeney’s character, Cassie Howard. This season, Cassie has embarked on a career on OnlyFans, resulting in her taking very suggestive and highly sexualized photos that many have deemed degrading.

Some critics have gone even further, accusing “Euphoria” creator Sam Levinson of leaning into “disturbing” and “misogynistic” storylines more than ever in comparison to previous seasons. 

In her very first scene in season three, Sweeney is dressed as a dog, as she pants, eats out of a bowl, and is led on a leash. Additionally, the following episode sees her dressed as an adult baby with her legs spread while sucking a pacifier and also being topless with ice cream dripping down her nipples.

Other scenes feature Sweeney wearing a soaking wet American flag T-shirt without a bra and also dressed as a baseball catcher in only a nude thong. 

Speaking to the consensus of her scenes, one social media user asked, “How is Sydney even agreeing to do this season of Euphoria?” while another said, “Why would Sydney agree to doing allat… weird.”

Another described the scenes as a “humiliation ritual,” and added, “Please God, I can’t keep seeing Cassie degrade herself in the most embarrassing ways imaginable.” 

‘Euphoria’ Is A Ratings Hit Despite Criticism Of Current Season

According to Variety, episode two of the current third season of “Euphoria,” which aired April 19, amassed 8.5 million viewers across HBO and HBO Max in its first three days. Those numbers match the viewership of the April 12 season premiere. 

Additionally, the global total for “Euphoria” season three has surpassed 20 million viewers to date, which is a 68% increase in global viewership from the second season premiere in the same timeframe.

Megan Thee Stallion‘s loyal fanbase, The Hotties, isn’t letting Klay Thompson rest, as they’ve swarmed his Instagram account in the wake of his messy split from the three-time Grammy winner. According to The Blast, Megan revealed that the pair had gone their separate ways in late April 2026 after nearly a year together.

Megan ignited a firestorm online after accusing the former Golden State Warriors star of cheating on her Instagram Stories.

“Cheating, had me around your whole family playing house… got ‘cold feet,’” she wrote. “Holding you down through all your HORRIBLE mood swings and treatment towards me during your basketball season, now you don’t know if you can be ‘monogamous????’”

She added, “B-tch, I need a REAL break after this one .. bye yall.”

The “Girls in the Hood” rapper’s post instantly went viral, sparking a wave of support across social media. Thompson is facing a much harsher reality, as the backlash likely has him regretting his alleged actions.

Klay Thompson’s Instagram Is Being Swarmed By The Hotties After Megan Thee Stallion’s Accusations

Thompson’s most recent Instagram picture is a photo of the Dallas Mavericks guard playing against the Los Angeles Lakers. “Peagus City,” he captioned the carousel of flicks.

Overnight, the comment section became a hotspot for Megan’s global fanbase, many of whom have hurled lethal insults and relentless criticism at the NBA star.

One user shared a GIF that read, “I curse the day you were born,” while a second user wrote, “Hey, we here to jump you.”

A third user chimed in and said, “She the only reason we knew your name,” and a fourth asked, “You think you better than the program???”

Another user appeared to wish ill on the NBA champion, writing, “In 2 weeks’ time you will begin to feel a sharp pain in your chest.”

Megan Thee Stallion Releases A Transparent Statement After Her Public Separation From Klay Thompson

Following her Instagram Stories post, Megan shared more details about her split from Thompson in a statement.

“Trust, fidelity and respect are non-negotiable for me in a relationship, and when those values are compromised, there’s no real path forward. I’m taking this time to prioritize myself and move ahead with peace and clarity,” she said, according to The Blast.

For those who may be unfamiliar, Megan and Klay first turned heads in the summer of 2025, after social media sleuths spotted them together in the Bahamas.

Shortly after, the pair became red-carpet official, popping out together at public events, while Megan often appeared courtside throughout the 2025-2026 NBA season.

Previously, the superstar said that her relationship with the 6’5″ athlete began after she began working on her mental well-being.

“I think that because finally I started being in a better mind space about myself and my life, and I had already been doing a lot of work to heal me,” she said, per The Blast. “I had been going to therapy, I had a bunch of activities that I started doing for myself, maybe God just opened up that space for me to have somebody that loved me right.”

Megan Appeared In An Fanatics Ad After Hard Launching Relationship With Thompson

Prior to their split, Fanatics Sportsbook teamed up with Megan to promote the company’s one-of-a-kind features, including FanCash and their FairPlay policy. In the ad, according to The Blast, Megan appeared alongside an orchestra that played a snippet of her Hot 100 chart-topper, “Savage.”

“Megan Thee Stallion embodies the heartbeat of fandom where music, fashion, and sport collide and brings an energy that turns basketball season into a full-blown cultural moment. She’s the perfect partner to show how Fanatics Sportsbook makes winning hit different,” said Selena Kalvaria, Chief Marketing Officer at Fanatics Betting and Gaming.

“Wicked” star Marissa Bode is calling out an airline after a shocking travel ordeal she says left her grounded because of her disability. The 25-year-old actress, who uses a wheelchair after being paralyzed in a childhood car accident, took to TikTok to accuse Southern Airways of refusing to let her board a flight, alleging she was denied access due to her inability to climb stairs.

Marissa Bode claimed that when she approached the gate for a connecting flight to Pennsylvania, airline staff questioned her ability to stand before ultimately denying her entry. “I got to the gate and was like, ‘Hey, could you help me locate my boarding pass?’ And the two people at the gate look at me and they’re like, ‘Can you stand?’ And I said, ‘No.’ And they said, ‘I’m sorry, because of that we’re gonna have to deny you boarding,’” she claimed.

The “Wicked” actress said she was told all passengers must climb stairs to board the aircraft, something she pushed back on in the moment. “They proceeded to tell me all the planes within this airline have stairs to get on the plane. Wild. Never heard of that before… You’re telling me none of the people who have flown on your plane before are disabled?” the actress continued.

Bode Calls Out Airline For ‘Blatant Segregation’ In Heated Response

Bode didn’t hold back in her reaction, accusing the airline of discrimination and a lack of accessibility.

“This is blatant segregation,” she claimed before questioning why accommodations weren’t already in place, arguing that disabled passengers shouldn’t be treated as an afterthought. “Disabled people are not an afterthought. Why, knowing that disabled people exist, which y’all clearly often forget, do you choose not to update your planes?”

Airline Policy Under Scrutiny As Accessibility Rules Come Into Focus

Under the Air Carrier Access Act, airlines are prohibited from discriminating based on disability and are required to provide assistance boarding and deplaning. However, smaller aircraft, like those operated by Southern Airways, are not always required to have mechanical lifts, according to the airline’s policy.

Southern Airways states that passengers must be able to climb steps to board, though it notes ramps may be available at certain locations, but are not guaranteed.

Marissa Bode Says Airline ‘Shifted Excuses’ As Travel Ordeal Forced Costly Detour

Bode said the situation escalated further when airline staff reportedly shifted their reasoning to the weight of her wheelchair, something she strongly disputed. “My chair is 35lbs. I am heavier than my chair. My chair is probably less than other people’s luggage,” she said, adding that moments like this are far too common when traveling. “And this is what I mean when I say it is always something when I’m flying.”

After being denied boarding, Bode said she was forced to take a costly three-and-a-half-hour drive to reach her destination for a speaking engagement. The “Wicked” actress also revealed that her manager had previously confirmed with the airline that accommodations would be available. “I literally called them, talked to them on the phone, asked Southern Airlines if they could make that accommodation and they fully assured me and told me yes,” she claimed.

Southern Airways Responds, Says Incident ‘Does Not Reflect Our Standards’ As Investigation Begins

In a statement, Southern Airways said Bode’s experience “does not reflect the standard to which we hold ourselves,” adding that the company is investigating the incident and reviewing its processes.

“We are investigating the incident, and will take all appropriate action, including making any necessary improvements to our processes and training,” the company said. “We have reached out to Ms Bode to offer support and will work to address her concerns.”

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Meanwhile, Bode claims, “It’s so much more than bad communication. It’s so much more than a mistake. These are our lives. This is our entire existence you’re talking about. My wheelchair is my freedom,” she continued. “And of course when I’m crying out of frustration and talking to the people at the gate very firmly, I look like a crazy person. I look like the one that’s in the wrong.”

Every genre of television has a fascinating history and a long trajectory of some of the medium’s greatest masterpieces, but few genres have ever produced as many groundbreaking shows as science fiction. From classics like Doctor Who to modern gems like Lost, there are several small-screen sci-fi masterpieces which can be counted among the most important shows of their time.

These are all great shows, but they’re far more than just that: They’re also seminal works of science fiction that have helped to define the way the genre looks on television. Whether it’s thanks to their stories, their style, their technical qualities, or their structure, these eight shows are the most important in the history of televisual sci-fi, and all fans of the genre should consider them essential viewing.

‘Doctor Who’ (1963–Present)

Back in 1963, the world was introduced to Doctor Who, a family adventure show about an alien (played by William Hartnell) traveling through time and space with his companions. Originally devised as an educational show aimed at children, the series slowly started to transform into something far more universal. As soon as viewers across the United Kingdom and the rest of the world got to see Hartnell’s First Doctor transform into Patrick Troughton‘s incarnation of the character, the sci-fi game was changed forever.

No matter how one ranks its versions of the Time Lord, there’s no denying that Doctor Who has remained revolutionary throughout its whole run. Aside from its use of regeneration as a plot device perfect for keeping itself fresh, which has made it the longest-running sci-fi show in television history, the show has also constantly been ahead of the curve with its campy tone, imaginative stories, and progressive heart. Doctor Who has far transcended the British television screen and turned into a global pop culture phenomenon like no other.

‘Neon Genesis Evangelion’ (1995–1996)

Image via TV Tokyo

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No conversation about anime television or animated science fiction could be complete without at least a mention of Neon Genesis Evangelion. It’s one of the best ’90s anime show masterpieces, an auteur-driven masterwork created by the brilliant Hideaki Anno. The show’s favoring of a slow-paced, philosophically-charged deconstruction of the mecha genre over an action-packed narrative makes it a terrible gateway point for anime beginners, but those already on the medium’s typical wavelength ought to check out Eva at least once in their lives.

On top of helping to popularize anime television globally, Neon Genesis Evangelion is one of the most radically re-defining sci-fi shows in history. Blending sci-fi concepts with surrealism, philosophy, and a slow sense of rhythm, it showed that sci-fi could be the home of more thoughtful and methodically-told stories than audiences were used to. Three decades after its conclusion, watching still feels like you’re experiencing a crucial pillar of the genre.

‘Lost’ (2004–2010)

Image via ABC

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From Westworld to Stranger Things to Severance, mystery box shows have been all the rage since around the early 2010s. It was arguably a certain other show that really pioneered the mystery box category, which defines shows featuring large and hyper-complex narratives reliant on underlying mysteries tying it all together. But if there was any show that solidified the mystery box genre as a respectable and hugely popular branch of science fiction, it was Lost.

Jeffrey Lieber, J. J. Abrams, and Damon Lindelof‘s groundbreaking ensemble show immediately proved to be one of the most game-changing sci-fi shows that rewrote genre rules. Whether it did or did not jump the shark in its final season is beside the point here—Lost was a massive pop-cultural phenomenon across the globe during its run, introducing countless people to the potential magic of sci-fi. Virtually every mystery sci-fi show that has been made after 2004 owes something to Lost.

‘Battlestar Galactica’ (2004–2009)

Image via SYFY

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There are some sci-fi shows that shouldn’t be remade, and then there are others which beg for a modernization of some kind. The fun-but-dated Battlestar Galactica from the ’70s belonged to the latter group. After an incredible 2003 miniseries, the 2004 revival of the same title didn’t just revitalize and revolutionize the Battlestar franchise—it re-defined modern science fiction as a whole. Here, Dwight Schrute (Rainn Wilson) is to be believed: There’s no science fiction show like this one.

The entire realm of American television took a drastic turn following the tragic events of 9/11, and Battlestar Galactica came as a direct result of that tonal and thematic shift. Suddenly, televisual sci-fi became grittier, more mature, more sharply political, and more morally ambiguous than it had ever been before. By elevating sci-fi into the realm of true prestige television, the 2004 version of Battlestar instantly cemented itself as one of the most important genre shows of the 2000s.

‘The X-Files’ (1993–2018)

Image via FOX

In the history of sci-fi television, there’s before The X-Files and then there’s after The X-Files. With its unprecedentedly large cult following surging right as the worldwide web was starting to be democratized, this Fox gem pioneered the online fandom space. Over three decades after it first aired, it’s still every bit as enjoyable and engaging as it was back in its infancy. Who could have foretold that a sci-fi/supernatural mystery series following a skeptic and a believer could have provided material for over 200 phenomenal episodes that never lost momentum?

From Supernatural to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, virtually every “monster-of-the-week” type of genre show that came after The X-Files was in some way inspired by it. It’s one of those classic sci-fi shows that has aged like fine wine, the show that fully brought science fiction into the modern mainstream television era. Popularizing conspiracy shows (and even conspiracy theories as a whole) and establishing Mulder (David Duchovny) and Scully (Gillian Anderson), the most iconic duo in sci-fi television history, The X-Files left an indelible mark on the history of American television.

‘Star Trek: The Original Series’ (1966–1969)

Image via NBC

Nowadays, the Star Trek franchise doesn’t really need an introduction; but back in 1966, audiences had never seen anything quite like Star Trek: The Original Series. With an unprecedentedly diverse ensemble cast and the distinctly optimistic worldview that has come to characterize the entire franchise, Gene Roddenberry‘s original creation wasn’t huge while it was on their. But following its cancellation, its release into syndication turned it into the gargantuan cult classic that people know it as today.

The Original Series is, in virtually every sense imaginable, one of those sci-fi shows that were way ahead of their time. There’s its cast, its exceptionally progressive politics, its stunning production values, and the uniquely utopian way in which it looks at the future. This lends it infinite rewatchability value even today, as it remains one of fans’ favorite installments in a massive franchise that has no shortage of gems to offer.

‘The Twilight Zone’ (1959–1964)

Image via CBS

Back in the ’50s and ’60s, sci-fi television was in practically no way like what we know today, but Rod Serling was the first person to truly help sci-fi take a leap into modernity. The Twilight Zone is arguably the single most groundbreaking and influential sci-fi TV show in history, and it’s definitely the biggest sci-fi anthology series of all time. Like all anthology shows, it had its fair share of ups and downs; but there’s no way of denying that it completely re-defined televisual science fiction in virtually every sense imaginable.

It’s one of those anthology TV shows that have aged like fine wine, a classic full of iconic episodes that deal with themes that still feel relevant and timely over 60 years after the show’s conclusion. It played an instrumental role in bringing science fiction into the mainstream, proving just how intelligent and culturally relevant the genre could be when in the right creative hands. Sci-fi TV as we know it today could never have existed without The Twilight Zone.

‘Babylon 5’ (1994–1998)

Image via PTEN

Though perhaps not quite as influential, nor nearly as vastly acclaimed as The Twilight Zone, there’s a strong argument to be made that there has never been a science fiction TV show more important or genre-defining than Babylon 5. Almost unprecedentedly for American broadcast television at the time, this space opera was designed as a sort of novel for television, where each season of a pre-planned five-part arc would serve as a different chapter.

Babylon 5 brought not only television sci-fi, but American television as a whole, away from their episodic days and toward a more heavily serialized era. Campy though it may sometimes feel nowadays, it’s nevertheless one of those sci-fi shows that hold up surprisingly well, a game-changing classic without which sci-fi television—and perhaps even American television more generally—would have likely looked vastly different today.

Megan Thee Stallion absolutely shocked fans when she revealed on social media that her relationship with NBA star Klay Thompson was over after less than a year of dating.

The rapper further shared that the split was due to Thompson’s alleged cheating, but just months before, she gushed about being “loved right” by the athlete.

In an exclusive January 2026 interview with PEOPLE, Megan Thee Stallion, who previously proclaimed that she was in her “Lover Girl era,” couldn’t stop singing Klay Thompson’s praises.

“Well, I don’t never want to tell [anybody] to just jump in a relationship just because everybody else got one, and I’m not going to tell you to just jump in a relationship because you have to,” she began. “I didn’t even know I was going to be in my relationship, to be honest.”

“I had been going to therapy, I had a bunch of activities that I started doing for myself. Maybe God just opened up that space for me to have somebody that loved me right,” the Grammy winner said.

“This is one of the first times that I’ve ever been just overly comfortable,” Megan said at the time: “I’m comfy, babe!”

She also previously referred to Thompson as the “nicest person I’ve ever met in my life,” after the former couple made their July 2025 red carpet debut.

Megan Thee Stallion Broke The Internet With Breakup From Klay Thompson

On Saturday, April 25, with a single Instagram post, Megan Thee Stallion became the number one trending topic across social media.

In an Instagram Story post, Megan revealed that she and Thompson had split. However, it was her allegations of cheating that caused fans to spiral.

“Cheating, had me around your whole family playing house… got ‘cold feet,’” the post began. “Holding you down through all your HORRIBLE mood swings and treatment towards me during your basketball season, now you don’t know if you can be ‘monogamous????’ ” she continued. “B-tch I need a REAL break after this one .. bye yall.”

Megan followed that up with a statement to TMZ.

“I’ve made the decision to end my relationship with Klay,” her statement read. “Trust, fidelity and respect are non-negotiable for me in a relationship, and when those values are compromised, there’s no real path forward. I’m taking this time to prioritize myself and move ahead with peace and clarity.”

Megan’s 2025 Single ‘Lover Girl’ Was Seemingly Inspired By Relationship With Thompson

In the song, released on October 24, Megan Thee Stallion gushed about her man, sex, and being in love: 

“My man, my man, my man, my baby, my baby
 / D-ckin’ me down, spoilin’ me, drivin’ me crazy,” she raps over the track samples that 1996 song “Kissin’ You” by the R&B group Total.

Additionally, Megan raps about how different her man is from the rest:

“My n—a say, ‘My lady,’ he never say, ‘My b-tch’
 / Some n—as make excuses, he make that sh-t exist
/ Most n—as want attention, my n—a give me his /
He know he a star, but he my biggest fan,” she raps.

The Former Couple Went Public In Summer 2025

After photos of the two made the rounds on social media last summer as they embarked on a luxurious baecation, Megan shared a risqué video of herself and Thompson, sending fans into overdrive.

A few days later, the couple made their official red carpet debut at Megan’s inaugural Pete & Thomas Foundation Gala in New York City.

Shortly after, she offered a bit of insight into the start of their relationship, describing it as “cute” and “like a f-cking movie.”

Megan also said that their relationship is the first time she’s “been with somebody who’s genuinely a nice person, and he makes me genuinely happy.”

Thompson Was Previously In An On Again/Off Again Relationship With Laura Harrier

The Dallas Mavericks Star previously dated “Spider-Man” and “BlacKkKlansman” actress Laura Harrier. The former couple dated off-and-on from 2018 until early 2020.

Shortly after their appearance together at the 2020 Vanity Fair Oscar Party, allegations that Thompson was unfaithful emerged, and the pair ultimately decided to call it quits.

Throughout the back-and-forth relationship between the two, there were ongoing rumors of Thompson’s serial infidelity, but neither party publicly confirmed it.

Valerie Bertinelli spoke about how scared she was of posing nude for the cover of her memoir, “Getting Naked,” during a book festival.

The actress explained that the idea came from a conversation with her editor, who felt that the cover should match the book’s theme of honesty.

Although she found it intimidating, Valerie Bertinelli said she pushed herself to go through with it and ultimately viewed the experience as something she was glad to try once.

Valerie Bertinelli Reflects On ‘Terrifying’ Moment She Posed Nude For New Memoir Cover

Bertinelli shared how “terrifying” it was to pose nude for the cover of her memoir, “Getting Naked.”

Speaking during a live Q&A at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books on April 18, the 66-year-old actress explained that the idea came up while she was talking to her editor.

She felt that if the book was called “Getting Naked,” the cover should reflect that honesty. Once she said it out loud, she felt committed to following through.

“It was terrifying,” Bertinelli began, per People Magazine. “But here’s the deal. It’s like when I was on the phone with my editor, and I was saying, ‘I think because I’m calling it ‘Getting Naked,’ I need to actually be naked on the cover. So I wanna try and explore that.’ And she’s like, ‘Great!’ And then once it was out of my mouth, I kinda had to do it.”

To prepare, Bertinelli shared that she worked with a trusted team she had collaborated with for years. The actress admitted she eased into the shoot slowly, arriving in a cozy sweater to stay comfortable before deciding to fully go for it.

Even though the moment felt intimidating, Bertinelli described it as a powerful experience. She shared that she tends to confront things that scare her, questioning what the real fear is and pushing herself to move past it. In the end, she saw the shoot as a one-time challenge that helped her grow.

The Actress Says The Nude Shoot Felt More Liberating Than Bikini Moment

Interestingly, in her conversation with People Magazine in March, Bertinelli shared that posing nude at this stage in her life felt more liberating than a bikini shoot she did back in 2009 after losing weight.

Despite being slimmer at the time, the “Hot in Cleveland” actress said this recent experience left her feeling more confident and at ease.

Still, she admitted that she’s “never going to do it again, but it was fun to try it once.”

She added, “I’ve got this weird quirk that if I’m afraid of something, I’m going to walk right through it. And I did.”

Valerie Bertinelli Speaks About Overcoming Her Body Image Issues

Bertinelli also reflected on her long struggle with body image, explaining that she spent “too many decades” being overly critical of herself.

The memoir cover, she said, became a moment of reclaiming confidence and appreciating her body as it is now.

As she put it, “I don’t know what I’m going to look like when I’m 80, but at 65 it looks pretty f-cking good. I think you’re allowed to feel good about yourself.”

She continued, “I have felt bad about myself for too many decades. I’m going to feel good about myself now.”

The Actress Says She’s Not Ready To Date, Calls Vulnerability A ‘Superpower’

Beyond body image, Bertinelli also shared that she isn’t ready to return to dating.

While speaking at the festival, she described vulnerability as a “superpower because it can connect you to people, and it can connect you and make a relationship much more powerful.”

She added, “But you do have to be careful with your superpower. You have to be careful of who you share your vulnerability with.”

Despite her openness, Bertinelli acknowledged that sharing so much publicly hasn’t been easy. She has faced criticism online but is learning to manage it by focusing on her own self-worth. As she explained, she had to change the beliefs she held about herself to stop internalizing negativity.

She explained that writing “Getting Naked” helped her process these emotions and regain a sense of control, allowing her to better understand and become comfortable with her feelings.

Despite being open about her journey, Bertinelli admitted that sharing so much of herself publicly hasn’t been easy. She acknowledged facing criticism online, but said she’s learning to manage it by focusing on her own self-worth.

According to her, “You can’t make me believe anything about myself that I don’t already believe.’ And that’s why I had to change my beliefs of what I believe about myself, that I’m not a bad person.”

Valerie Bertinelli Calls Divorce From Tom Vitale’ Second Best Day’ Of Her Life As She Reflects on Past Relationships

Looking back on her past relationships, Bertinelli spoke honestly about her marriages to Eddie Van Halen and Tom Vitale.

She described her marriage to Vitale as particularly difficult, alleging that he emotionally abused her, calling her “fat and lazy.”

When their decade-long marriage ended, she saw the divorce as a major turning point, even calling the finalization of it the “second best day of my life.”

She later found love again with writer Mike Goodnough in 2024, but the relationship eventually came to an end. The split played out publicly, with both sides sharing their perspectives.

Goodnough criticized Bertinelli after the breakup, accusing her of “playing a one-woman tennis match thinking there is someone on the other side of the net,” and misinterpreting his social media posts and directing frustration toward him.

“Valerie is in a war with her ghosts,” he said, per Fox News Digital. “I’m just the guy who catches the bullets. And that isn’t new.”

Despite the tension, Bertinelli later reflected on the relationship with a sense of growth, saying she had been “irreversibly changed by him for the better.”

She expressed gratitude for the experience, even acknowledging that she may have “fumbled the last true good man I met.”

Actress Gina Carano may be taking on Ronda Rousey on Netflix on May 16, but “Star Wars” fans are eager to see her reprise her role as Cara Dune in a galaxy far, far away. Although she appeared in the first two seasons of “The Mandalorian,” she was fired due to controversial social media posts made during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. After she settled her wrongful termination lawsuit, it seemed possible – albeit unlikely – that she would ever return to the franchise, especially since season 4 of the Disney+ series was reworked into a movie that’s set to hit theaters next month. Although she will not appear in the film, it is possible that she could return to the Lucasfilm franchise, as she recently revealed that she’s already spoken to the new Lucasfilm co-CEO, Dave Filoni, and showrunner Jon Favreau.

Although it’s not clear if she will ever return to a galaxy far, far away, it appears that she is at least on good terms with Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau, with whom she previously worked on the first two seasons of “The Mandalorian.”

“I’ve already had a conversation with Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau. We got onto a Zoom call. It was really nice,” she said during an interview with Ariel Helwani. “Dave is taking over as CEO of Star Wars. We didn’t miss a beat. Jon Favreau got on Zoom and was really funny. He was like so; where did we leave off?”

Although her “The Mandalorian” costar Carl Weathers has passed away, Carano has received support from another costar: comedian Bill Burr.

Bill Burr Shows Support For His ‘The Mandalorian’ Costar

Following her controversial firing, the comedian called Carano “an absolute sweetheart” and a “super nice f-cking person,” as previously reported by The Blast. “Unless she did some truly horrible sh-t or said overtly racist sh-t, I don’t know. I think there are just too many channels,” he said at the time.

“And then you gotta do sensational sh-t,” he continued. “I don’t know what the f-ck it is. I’m on that f-cking show. Now, I gotta watch what the f-ck I say.”

Bill Burr Called Gina Carano’s Firing ‘Bizarre’  

In an April 2022 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Burr opened up about the politics that led to her firing and labeled it “bizarre.”

“I thought it was funny that the liberals proved her point,” he explained. “They just use outrage because they don’t like your politics. As someone who considers himself liberal, it’s disappointing to see the left become how the right used to be when they went after the Dixie Chicks after they criticized George W. Bush.”

“There’s not a lot of people like that — most are just trying not to get in trouble — but there’s this small collection of lunatics — either on the right or the left, at any given moment – that cause hysteria,” he continued. “And now there’s so many [media outlets] that want eyeballs, they make money off advertising, that they give attention to these crazy fringe people.”

“The whole thing with Gina: You can’t chime in when the sh-t’s happening, because then you cause static for other people on the [show]. That somebody’s opinion — or their political beliefs — makes people try to destroy their ability to make a living, it’s f-cking bizarre to me.”

Bill Burr Gets Candid About Cancel Culture

Burr went on to say that what happened to Carano could happen to anyone in the age of social media, pointing out how old tweets can be dug up in order to “cancel” someone who holds different perspectives.

“And I love the whole idea that somebody can go back eight years in somebody’s Twitter feed and be like, ‘What about this?’” he continued. “And nobody says, ‘You had to go back eight years to find something?! Sounds like this is a pretty good person if you had to go back eight f-cking years!’ Meanwhile, there are people who get paroled from prison every day who have done so much worse and they’re allowed to put their lives back together.”

“You can have 20-year wars, you can create synthetic heroin, you can f-cking poison the food supply. You can do all of that sh-t and it’s barely going to read,” he went on. “They did a study the other day that 85 percent of people have plastic in their body – horrifying. Who’s going to be held accountable for that? Nobody. But I could tell you five different topics that if I did jokes about, I would get more in trouble than the people who caused that.”

Just as HBO was gearing up with its original programming in the early aughts, it released one of the greatest miniseries of the modern age. Developed by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks, Band of Brothers told the true story of the 101st Airborne Division of World War II. These soldiers were the first to implement dropping into combat and were led by the now-famous military tactician, Dick Winters.

Band of Brothers became the benchmark of how to do a decent military drama, but it was far from the first. For those in need of a gripping story, they can turn their attention to a series with similar stakes, China Beach. Premiering in 1988, the show ran until 1991 and, like Band of Brothers, depicted the harrowing subject matter of an American conflict on foreign soil.

‘China Beach’ Was a Precursor To ‘Band of Brothers’

Image via ABC

China Beach and Band of Brothers took on two very different American conflicts of the 20th century, but still focused on how war affects the mind and human spirit. Band of Brothers started around D-Day, charting Easy Company’s journey through the entirety of the war. China Beach had similar values, but took place during the most divisive war in history up until that point.

Named for the beach where there was an evacuation hospital during the Vietnam War, China Beach was a drama that took on many issues of the era. The series discussed concepts such as PTSD and substance abuse and had the impressive inclination to tell many of these stories from the perspective of women. Airing on ABC for only a few seasons, it was one of the first instances of prestige television, which has only become more prominent as time has gone on. Band of Brothers would eventually pick up where China Beach left off with episodes that were perfect from start to finish. Focusing on the realities of war as well as the personal trials of the central characters was the formula that endeared these shows to audiences.

Both Series Showed the Talent of Its Young Stars

China Beach also starred actors who would go on to have lucrative careers, similar to the Band of Brothers cast. The HBO series starred Damian Lewis, Michael Cudlitz, Matthew Settle, and Ron Livingston, among many others. Because the series was shot in Europe, it also showcased many English actors who had small roles but would go on to be huge names in the industry.

Michael Fassbender played a lesser-known member of Easy Company, Christenson, but would go on to become a powerhouse in the independent film world. His X-Men: First Class co-star James McAvoy was also a main character in the episode “Replacements.” Tom Hardy played a particularly tragic character in the tail end of the series. The main cast of China Beach were also names that would be of particular note in the entertainment industry.

Most notable was Dana Delaney, known for her roles in Tombstone, Desperate Housewives, and Body of Proof. She starred as an Army nurse at the titular hospital. Marg Helgenberger was a civilian worker who most viewers will remember as a major component of the original line-up of CSI. Helgenberger played Catherine for almost the entire run of the series and got her start on the little-known war series. China Beach had not had streaming rights prior to this, but now fans can finally catch it for free on the Roku channel.