Hayden Panettiere is opening up about deeply disturbing experiences she says she endured while navigating Hollywood at a young age.

In her memoir “This Is Me: A Reckoning,” the actress revisits painful moments involving older men in the industry, including one shocking incident at a private party that left her horrified.

The “Heroes” actress shared details about an unsettling experience she says happened when she was 19 years old.

According to Panettiere, she attended a private party with a friend and quickly began feeling uneasy while interacting with a group of older men.

In her memoir, she explained that the men were “in their forties and fifties” and that she “sensed these men’s eyes on me and it made me uncomfortable.”

The actress said the atmosphere at the gathering changed the way she viewed herself in that moment. Per the Daily Mail, she described feeling like a “young commodity ripe for the picking in that moment” before deciding it was time to leave the party.

As she was preparing to go, one of the men approached her. Panettiere described him as a “well-respected” Oscar-winning actor and director.

According to her account, the man attempted to get her attention by claiming he had a “big wad of gum on his pants.”

The situation immediately turned disturbing. “I looked down and recoiled. This well-respected, award-winning actor’s testicles were hanging out from his unzipped fly,” Panettiere wrote in the memoir.

The actress said she left immediately afterward and did not even stop to tell her friend goodbye before leaving the party behind.

Hollywood No Longer Felt Safe

Hayden Panettiere admitted that the incident left a lasting impression because, until then, she had largely felt protected around the powerful men she encountered in Hollywood.

“Up to that moment, men in Hollywood had always been kind and respectful around me. There may have been a peck on the lips here and an inappropriate comment there, but nothing had crossed a line,” she wrote.

Even though the encounter disturbed her, the actress said she chose not to discuss it with her friend afterward. Instead, she convinced herself the experience was something she should simply move past.

According to Panettiere, she assumed “some older men had just grown up with no manners.”

The revelation arrives as the actress continues speaking candidly about traumatic experiences from earlier in her career. Panettiere, who recently came out as bisexual, has been discussing several painful chapters from her life while promoting her memoir.

Her latest claims come shortly after she emotionally revisited another shocking incident she says happened when she was just 18 years old.

Hayden Panettiere Opens Up About Boat Incident

Earlier this month, Panettiere appeared on Jay Shetty’s “On Purpose” podcast, where she discussed another encounter detailed in “This Is Me: A Reckoning.”

During the interview, Shetty referenced a moment from the book involving a boat trip and a much older celebrity.

“You write about a moment in your career where a friend of yours takes you onto a boat. You’re led to a room which has an older man in it and then basically told to perform sexual acts,” Shetty said.

Panettiere reflected on how young and inexperienced she truly was at the time, despite believing she understood the world around her.

“The fact that I was 18, even though I’d lived such a huge life and I thought I was oh so mature at 18… scientifically, your frontal lobes don’t develop until we’re what, 25, 26?” she said. “So even though I felt like I could make healthy decisions, safe decisions, I wasn’t capable of being fully aware of what was going on around me.”

The actress explained that the person who brought her into the situation was someone she trusted deeply at the time.

Hayden Panettiere Says Trusted Friend Betrayed Her

According to Panettiere, the individual who arranged the meeting was someone she viewed as a “protector.” She said that trust made the experience even more devastating.

The actress claimed the friend “physically put me in the bed next to this undressed man who was very famous.”

She recalled being led downstairs into a smaller room before being placed in bed beside the unidentified celebrity. Panettiere said the older man behaved “like this was just an average day for him.”

That realization immediately triggered panic.

Panettiere described becoming “ferocious” as she processed what was happening around her.

“That lion in me, that fire in me… my hair stood on end…” she recalled.

The actress said she instantly knew she needed to escape the situation.

She added, “I was like, ‘This is not happening’” before running out of the room and trying to hide.

Fame Came Fast For The Young Actress

Hayden Panettiere admitted that the terrifying moment made her realize how powerless she felt at the time. Because the incident happened aboard a boat, she said there was no easy way to remove herself from the situation entirely.

“There was no jumping off and swimming away,” she explained. “And there was nobody who was going to be empathetic to my situation. I realized that this was nothing new to them.”

The actress rose to fame in 2006 after landing the role of Claire Bennet in “Heroes” at just 17 years old. Her portrayal of the cheerleader with regenerative powers quickly turned her into one of television’s biggest young stars.

Now 36, Panettiere is revisiting some of the darkest moments from her early years in Hollywood as she shares her story publicly for the first time.

Hilary Duff may have landed the cover of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue 2026, but the actress and singer made one thing clear from the start. She wasn’t doing bikinis. The 38-year-old mother of four recently opened up about setting boundaries for the shoot and why feeling comfortable in her own skin mattered more than baring it all.

During an appearance on “Not Gonna Lie” with Kylie Kelce, Duff reflected on her early conversations with the Sports Illustrated team and revealed she had one major request. “It was great to have conversations with them and be like, ‘Hey, I’m not going to wear a bikini,’” Duff explained.

The former Disney Channel star said motherhood played a big role in how she approached the shoot. “Like, I have had four kids. I feel comfortable showing this. I don’t feel comfortable showing this,” she continued, adding that the magazine team was immediately understanding. “And they’re like, ‘Got it. Got it. Got it.’”

Duff Admits Her First Reaction Was Panic

While the cover ultimately became a confidence boost, Duff admitted her first reaction to the opportunity was far less glamorous. The actress said she found out she landed the cover while driving to pick up her kids from school, and instantly began second-guessing herself. “My first reaction was like, ‘Sh-t. I thought I’d get in, like, rip-roaring shape,’” Duff admitted. “And I’m also like, I’m not a model. I’m 5’2. I’ve had four kids.”

What ultimately eased her nerves, however, was the environment on set. According to Duff, the shoot was largely female-led, and she was surrounded by a trusted glam team that helped her feel comfortable throughout the experience. “The editor-in-chief is incredible. The photographer was who I wanted. It got to be my whole styling team, my hair and makeup,” she said. “They wanted me to feel my best.”

Hilary Duff Says Motherhood Changed How She Sees Her Body

Duff posed for the cover in a plunging white one-piece swimsuit while shooting in South Caicos for photographer Kat Irlin. Though the shoot was fast-paced, taking place during a whirlwind one-day trip on the night of the Super Bowl, Duff described the experience as freeing.

“My body’s worked really hard for me and produced an entire family,” she said, before also admitting that each pregnancy has helped her find more peace with the physical changes that come with motherhood, saying she’s found “a little bit more ease” in the process.

Duff shares the 2026 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit cover alongside Alix Earle, Tiffany Haddish, and Nicole Williams English.

Duff Is Also Entering A New Era Of Music

The Sports Illustrated milestone comes during a major comeback year for Duff. Earlier this year, the actress released her sixth studio album, “Luck … Or Something,” marking her first new album in more than a decade.

Next month, Duff is set to launch her global “The Lucky Me Tour,” where fans can expect a mix of nostalgic favorites and brand-new tracks. “I’m so excited for the scale to change,” Duff told PEOPLE. “There is something so sweet about getting to see everyone’s face, and being so intimate and close with everyone, and it was really a great way for me to start and build confidence.”

She continued, “But I just feel like I know what I’m doing and kind of got my reps in. Now I’m ready for more. I’m ready for my set list to change. I’m ready to surprise people with some of the songs that I’m going to be singing and my new music.”

Hilary Duff Says Her Old Hits Still Mean Everything To Fans

During her “Small Rooms, Big Nerves” tour, Duff performed fan-favorite hits like “Wake Up,” “So Yesterday,” “With Love,” “Why Not,” and “Come Clean.” She also performed “What Dreams Are Made of” from “The Lizzie McGuire Movie” live for the first time.

“What’s been so fun about the live shows is realizing how much the old songs mean to people,” Duff said. “A lot of those songs just live rent-free in my head, so it’ll be nice for the other music to catch up and join the mix.”

Bold and the Beautiful recently saw Hope Logan (Annika Noelle) manipulate her mom into trying to steal Steffy Forrester‘s (Jacqueline MacInnes Wood) job. And it turned out to be a big old bust. Ridge Forrester (Thorsten Kaye) backed right down when Steffy pushed back on him. And very soon, Hope finds out that her big move failed. But she is not going to stop there.

So, we’re going to talk about an upcoming confrontation between Steffy and Hope. It could change everything at both Forrester Creations and Logan. Now, let’s talk about an upcoming tantrum from Hope.

Brooke Backed Down Surprisingly Well on Bold and the Beautiful

This week, after Ridge reported back to Brooke Logan (Katherine Kelly Lang) that he couldn’t get Steffy to step aside. And he doesn’t think it’s fair to push. Because she’s done such a good job, surprisingly, Brooke just backed down immediately. She took the bad news from Ridge that she wasn’t going to be co-CEO surprisingly well. So well, in fact, that I am now wondering if Brooke even ever wanted to be co-CEO in the first place.

She might have been running a two-stage manipulation on Ridge because Brooke‘s no dummy and she’s been playing him like a fiddle for decades. So, after Ridge told Brooke that Steffy is an excellent co-CEO. And it wouldn’t be fair to kick her out when she’s done nothing to deserve it, Brooke started to tear up.

My question is, are these crocodile tears? Because at that point, Ridge felt bad. But Brooke said no. She was crying for Ridge. Because she hates that she put him in such a terrible position. I mean, come on. And then Brooke admitted that she’s fine with not being co-CEO. She doesn’t need a title.

Brooke May Have Had a Secret Strategy on B&B

So, it could be if this is a multi-stage effort, that stage one was asking Ridge to make her co-CEO, which was kind of an insane over-the-top ask. Brooke had to know that there was no way Steffy would ever step aside and just hand her job to her stepmom.

So now we’re seeing stage two. Brooke agreed with Ridge and then asked him to intervene with Steffy to get Hope for the Future reactivated. And at that point since Brooke backed down so graciously, of course, Ridge had to agree to try. Plus, Brooke locked in stage two, I think, by sending Steffy that very nice text saying she’s a great co-CEO and nobody does it better.

This is honestly a great negotiating tactic by Brooke. She asked for something so big that it was absolutely impossible for Ridge to deliver it. And then Brooke asked for what she really wanted, Hope for the Future, to be reinstated for her daughter, Hope. And that seems now like a much more reasonable request. Because the co-CEO thing was way out of line.

Steffy is On to Brooke’s Manipulation

But the thing is I think Steffy’s on to Brooke and she already told Finn she felt like this was all manipulative. Steffy suspects that Hope had a heavy hand in this and she is right. And this week Steffy is in the CEO office and she’s talking to Brooke and Ridge who are standing side by side facing her and I’m sure Hope’s line is the topic of discussion. The thing is, nothing has changed. Carter Walton (Lawrence Saint-Victor), Steffy, and Ridge all agreed to focus on Eric Forrester‘s (John McCook) upcoming couture collection.

That is why Hope’s line was shelved. That part was not personal. The personal part came in when Steffy got tired of Hope calling her decision into question and fighting her on it. When the executive team was all in agreement, that’s when Steffy kind of snapped and laughed in Hope’s face.

And I don’t think it would have gone that far if Steffy didn’t have Hope continuously pecking at her. I’m certain that Ridge and Brooke are going to talk to Steffy about Hope for the Future. And she may even ask Brooke whose idea it was for her to reach for the co-CEO seat. And if Steffy asks, I am wondering if Brooke would admit that Hope inspired her to think about it.

Brooke’s Gesture Impressed Steffy on Bold

And we saw that Steffy was touched by Brooke’s sweet text. But it may get her wheels turning and Steffy may feel like Brooke is now trying to work both her and Ridge to get what Hope wants basically without a lot of regard for the bottom line at Forrester Creations. I think Steffy may realize that Brooke’s ultimate goal wasn’t even to ever get the co-CEO job. But to give Hope what she wants.

And I think Brooke wanted to appease Hope. And it’s understandable that Brooke wants to make her daughter happy. But at what cost? Forrester Creations is a fairly smallish company. There’s not a bottomless budget or manpower to do everything all at once. And Brooke agreed with them. Eric agreed. Ridge, Carter and Steffy all agreed that they need to hustle out an Eric Forrester couture line to try and make the fashion press forget about his work over at Logan.

Steffy Has to Deal with Another Hope Tantrum on B&B

So, I expect that Steffy’s going to thank Brooke for her kind message, offer her some additional chances to go out and be the face of Forrester Creations, raise her profile that way. But I think she’s going to have to remind Ridge and Brooke both that Eric’s collection has to be the focus, which they all already agreed on. And, you know, Steffy may say once that’s locked down and we do this, then we’ll revisit Hope’s line again at that point. And really, what can Brooke say to that?

Nothing has changed for Forrester Creations other than Hope stomping her feet and trying to make something happen. By the end of this week, Steffy’s got to deal with another tantrum from Hope, who I’m sure is going to try and say Steffy is attacking her personally by pausing Hope for the Future temporarily.

Brooke Tells Hope What She Doesn’t Want to Hear

I can see Brooke then telling Hope that she agrees with Steffy and Ridge and the others for business reasons and Brooke may advise Hope to be patient and that her line will definitely be reactivated just not right this moment. And I can imagine if Brooke tells her this that Hope would have zero chill and would come in hot at Steffy and say a bunch of things.

It’s like Hope has forgotten that she’s a paycheck earner and not an owner at Forrester Creations. Most employees don’t come in and start laying into their boss that way, questioning them, nagging them relentlessly the way that she does. Steffy, in most companies, Hope would have already been fired, especially after she pulled a coup, was fired, and then actually got her job back.

You’d think she’d be on better behavior. She’s not. Bold and the Beautiful spoilers for Friday say that after Hope demands answers from Steffy that Hope’s career at Forrester Creations hangs in the balance. She might even tell Steffy that Brooke deserves to be co-CEO and that Steffy should have been demoted. You know, yada yada yada, provoking her. I think Hope may push too far and Steffy may literally remind her who’s boss.

Hope May Walk Out and Go to Logan on Bold

I think it would be really interesting if Steffy showed Hope the text from her mom, Brooke, saying, “What a great job Steffy’s done.” Because I think that would stun Hope and anger her. And something obviously has to push her to the very brink for her to either annoy Steffy into firing her or for her to walk away. What I’d like to see happen is for Hope to follow through on her snarky comments and her veiled threats to go and she just quits and marches over to Logan.

Obviously, Katie Logan (Heather Tom) worried about Brooke being upset and so is Hope. But if she sees the text Brooke sent to Steffy, then Hope might feel like she’s got nobody on her side at Forrester Creations and that Brooke’s not even there fighting for her and that could be the catalyst to get Hope to walk out.

It’s definitely what Liam Spencer (Scott Clifton) wants and Bill Spencer (Don Diamont) and Katie would be absolutely thrilled. And if Hope tells them that Brooke is now on team Steffy and Ridge, then I think Katie would embrace the chance to work with Hope whether Brooke likes it or not.

We’ll see what happens. But I definitely feel like Hope is going to throw a career changing tantrum that Steffy will not tolerate after Brooke’s two-pronged plan fails to deliver what Hope wants. And I can’t wait to see it. May Sweeps ends this Wednesday, May 20th. But the big fireworks may not come until the end of the week when Steffy and Hope have that major showdown, and I’m here for it.

The thriller genre has evolved in pretty fascinating ways over the last five decades. What started with classic noir mysteries and crime investigations slowly transformed into psychological mind games, complex narratives, and morally gray characters. The problem is that plenty of thrillers are great for their time but don’t always age well as audience tastes change and storytelling trends evolve.

However, some films manage to defy that limitation and feel just as effective years later because the fears they tap into are timeless. Here is a list of six perfect thriller movies of the last 50 years that redefined the genre in their own, unique ways.

6

‘Memento’ (2000)

Image via Newmarket Films

Memento is a one-of-a-kind thriller that genuinely offered the audience something new back when it premiered. The Christopher Nolan masterpiece follows Leonard Shelby (Guy Pearce), a man suffering from anterograde amnesia after a brutal attack that left his wife dead and his memory permanently broken. Leonard is unable to form any new memories and retains information through Polaroid photos, handwritten notes, and tattoos carved directly onto his body as he hunts the man he believes murdered his wife. The premise sounds fairly simple, but what’s interesting is that the narrative actually moves backward, so the audience is forced to experience Leonard’s confusion in real time.

This reverse structure never feels like a gimmick because Nolan masterfully uses it to make everything feel constantly unstable. The audience never knows what’s coming next, and that adds a whole new layer of depth to the central mystery. The film gradually transforms from a revenge thriller into something far darker and more existential. That, combined with Memento’s neo-noir aesthetic that thrives on fragmented editing, creates a sense of paranoia that never fully leaves the audience, even when the credits start rolling. The film practically demands several rewatches because every scene takes on a new meaning once all the puzzle pieces come together. Even decades later, Memento stands as one of the most haunting cinematic experiences of all time.

5

‘Se7en’ (1995)

Image via New Line Cinema

David Fincher’s Se7en is as brutal a thriller as can be. The film follows veteran detective William Somerset (Morgan Freeman) and the younger, impulsive David Mills (Brad Pitt) as they hunt a serial killer whose brutal murders are inspired by the seven deadly sins. As the investigation unfolds, the detectives realize that they are chasing someone who isn’t an ordinary criminal, because he sees himself as a man carrying out necessary moral punishments. Se7en takes place in an unnamed, gloomy, and perpetually rainy city that completely immerses the audience in its rotten world.

Fincher avoids showing too much gore on the screen, but the crime scenes still feel viscerally horrifying. The dynamic between Somerset and Mills is the emotional core of the story, with their two opposing worldviews creating a constant tension underneath the investigation. By the time the killer finally appears on the screen, the story becomes less about his identity and more about understanding his twisted philosophy. The film builds a sense of dread and culminates in an ending that refuses to offer any kind of comfort or closure to the audience, but that was the point all along.

4

‘Basic Instinct’ (1992)

Image via TriStar Pictures

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Basic Instinct is a cultural phenomenon. The thriller practically weaponized seduction to manipulate not just its characters, but the audience. Paul Verhoeven’s neo-noir classic follows troubled San Francisco detective Nick Curran (Michael Douglas) as he investigates the brutal murder of a rock star, only to become dangerously entangled with the prime suspect, crime novelist Catherine Tramell (Sharon Stone). The deeper Nick falls into Catherine’s world, the harder it becomes to separate fantasy from reality. The film’s biggest strength is how it never lets anyone feel fully in control.

The narrative thrives on ambiguity and plays out almost like a fever dream that the audience can’t look away from. Stone is definitely the star of the show and completely dominates the screen as the perfect femme fatale. Unfortunately, Basic Instinct is usually remembered for its shock value and reduced to its more sensual scenes. However, the reality is that beneath all the controversy is an incredibly entertaining and genuinely well-crafted story. The film fully embraces its pulpy roots while still delivering sharp character dynamics and a mystery that keeps evolving right until the final scene.

3

‘Shutter Island’ (2010)

Image via Paramount Pictures

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Martin Scorsese’s Shutter Island is the perfect slow-burning thriller that traps the audience inside the protagonist’s mind. The film follows U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio), who arrives at the remote Ashecliffe Hospital to investigate the disappearance of a dangerous patient. From the moment Teddy steps onto the island, everything feels wrong. The doctors seem to be hiding secrets, the patients are terrified, and no matter how hard Teddy tries, he just can’t seem to find any answers. The investigation pulls him into increasingly disturbing territory involving secret experiments, wartime trauma, and conspiracies, but everything leads to one dead end or another.

The film never rushes to solve its central mystery — it builds tension through Teddy’s growing sense of paranoia. DiCaprio does complete justice to the character who is both a determined investigator and a man trying to run from unbearable grief. What makes Shutter Island truly unforgettable, though, is how all that confusion eventually leads to one of the most devastating twists in modern thriller cinema. The reveal completely recontextualizes everything that came before it, and the best part is that the audience experiences the realization at the same time as Teddy. Very few thrillers balance mystery, emotion, and psychological tension as well as Shutter Island does, which explains why the film has only gotten better with time.

2

‘Memories of Murder’ (2003)

Image via CJ Entertainment

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Long before the global success of Parasite made him a global phenomenon, Bong Joon-ho gave the world one of the most brilliant thrillers ever made: Memories of Murder. The film, inspired by South Korea’s first confirmed serial murder case, follows two detectives investigating a series of brutal killings in a small rural town during the late 1980s. Local detective Park Doo-man (Song Kang-ho) relies on instinct, intimidation, and forced confessions. Seo Tae-yoon (Kim Sang-kyung), a detective from Seoul, approaches the case with logic and procedure. However, as the killer goes on a rampage, the pressure mounts, and both men slowly begin to unravel. Unlike most other thrillers, the investigation doesn’t really lead to any solid answers.

In fact, the director ensures that the audience realizes how helpless the two detectives really are. The film portrays the non-glamorous parts of their jobs, including contaminated crime scenes, false leads, and lost evidence. What’s interesting, though, is how Memories of Murder plays with tone to convey all this. The film constantly shifts between dark comedy, procedural drama, and outright horror to highlight the absurdity of the situation. After all that, Memories of Murder delivers one of the greatest and hardest-hitting endings in film history to prove that evil doesn’t always look the part. That final image lingers in the viewer’s mind for a long time, which is exactly how one knows the film accomplished everything it set out to do.

1

‘The Silence of the Lambs’ (1991)

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The Silence of the Lambs remains an integral part of pop culture to this day, which goes to show the film’s staying power. Jonathan Demme’s psychological thriller follows FBI trainee Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster), who is tasked with tracking down serial killer Buffalo Bill (Ted Levine). Now, to understand the criminal she is hunting, Clarice is forced to seek help from the imprisoned psychiatrist and cannibalistic killer Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins). What starts as a professional exchange quickly turns into something far more unsettling as Lecter begins dissecting Clarice psychologically just as much as he helps her solve the case. It’s almost baffling how personal this investigation becomes.

Buffalo Bill is a terrifying antagonist, but the conversations between Clarice and Lecter make for the most horrifying moments in the film. Their interactions feel like a psychological chess match as Lecter quietly manipulates Clarice. Despite his limited screentime, Hopkins completely dominates every scene he is in. The Silence of the Lambs is also brilliant because of how it places the audience directly into Clarice’s perspective to emphasize her isolation inside male-dominated spaces. At the same time, the central mystery itself keeps evolving in unpredictable directions, which keeps the audience hooked till the very end. This is a film that completely redefined what suspense could look like on the big screen.

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The Silence of the Lambs

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Release Date

February 14, 1991

Runtime

119 minutes

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Director

Jonathan Demme

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Writers

Ted Tally, Thomas Harris

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Michelle Monaghan recalled filming an “intimate scene” with Tom Cruise days after she got married.

In Us Weekly‘s exclusive clip from the Tuesday, May 19, episode of Fox’s Bear Grylls Is Running Wild, Monaghan, 50, gushed about her marriage to husband Peter White, saying, “I met Pete right as I started acting.”

Monaghan and White dated for five years before tying the knot.

“We had gotten married in Australia, and I was getting ready to shoot Mission: Impossible III,” she shared. “We didn’t have time to take a honeymoon because I had to fly back. We get back to the hotel room, and I get the call sheet, and it is an intimate scene I am doing with Tom Cruise.”

Related: Tom Cruise’s Dating History: A Look Back at His A-List Romances

As one of Hollywood’s hottest leading men, Tom Cruise knows that finding love can be a risky business. Cruise has been married three times: to Mimi Rogers from 1987 to 1990, to Nicole Kidman from 1990 to 2001 and to Katie Holmes from 2006 to 2012. He has also romanced Cher, Heather Locklear and more […]

Monaghan continued: “[Peter] is like, ‘Baby, this is going to be amazing. Just follow his lead. He is a total pro.’”

Bear Grylls Is Running Wild follows legendary adventurer Bear Grylls as he takes celebrities into the wild for a 48-hour journey of a lifetime.

“With thrilling action and revealing conversations, Bear takes his guests on unforgettable adventures in breath-taking wilderness and reveals a side of some of your favorite people like you’ve never seen before,” the official season 9 synopsis reads. “On the season premiere, Bear Grylls takes Matthew McConaughey on an adventure 20 years in the making as the two traverse the secluded glacial alpine wilderness of Norway.”

In addition to Monaghan and McConaughey, the new season features Uma Thurman, Colman Domingo, Elizabeth Banks, Rhys Darby, Tiffany Haddish and Machine Gun Kelly.

Related: Tom Cruise Turns 63: Look Back on His Life and Movie Career

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Tom Cruise has defined pop culture for decades through his movies and marriages. The actor was born Thomas Cruise Mapother IV in New York in July 1962. After becoming interested in acting as a child, he landed his first onscreen role in 1981’s Endless Love. Cruise went on to star in countless blockbusters and critically acclaimed […]

Monaghan, who shares two kids with White, previously recalled getting her big break alongside Cruise.

“I was so nervous about it,” Monaghan shared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in June 2025. “I get up at 4 a.m., I dart out of the hotel, I forget my key, of course. And I go to work, and I proceed to have the best day with Tom and J.J. Abrams, our director.”

After the first day, Monaghan was thrilled to update White.

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“My husband said, ‘Baby, how did it go?’ And I said, ‘It was amazing. It was so good.’ He was like, ‘Brush your teeth and tell me all about it,’” she continued. “And so I said, ‘Oh, honey, he was so sweet. It was a lovely day. It was so perfect.’”

Monaghan added: “He looked at me, and he grabbed my arms, and he goes, ‘How cool is it that you were making out with Tom Cruise on our honeymoon?’ I was like, you know what? I married the right dude.”

Bear Grylls Is Running Wild airs on Fox Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET.

Animated movies on streaming are a rare breed because the ones that arrive with the biggest fanfare can sometimes disappear like a damp squib, and then the unsung ones end up being the ones kids watch 900 times a year. Netflix has had several animated hits over the years but the latest in that very long line is continuing to perform above expectations.

Swapped is once again absolutely smashing it on the English film list for the week of May 11 with 26.4 million views and that would be impressive enough on its own, but the bigger number is even wilder because since launch, the film has now reached 80.6 million views. According to Netflix, Swapped also debuted to record-breaking demand, claiming the highest viewership for any Netflix animated movie in its first two weeks.

Directed by Nathan Greno, Swapped follows Ollie, a lil’ woodland guy voiced by Michael B. Jordan, and Ivy, a gorgeous bird voiced by Juno Temple, after the two magically switch bodies. The cast includes Tracy Morgan (30 Rock, The Longest Yard) as Boogle, Cedric the Entertainer (Barbershop, The Neighborhood) as Caloo, Justina Machado(One Day at a Time, Jane the Virgin) as Calli, Ambika Mod (One Day, This Is Going to Hurt) as Violet, Lolly Adefope (Ghosts, Shrill) as Lily, and Táta Vega (The Color Purple, The Lion King) as Ollie’s Grandma.

What’s Doing Well on Netflix This Week?

Swapped wasn’t the only title making noise on Netflix this week. The TV side of things was led by The Roast of Kevin Hart, which burned its way to No. 1 with 13.5 million views after streaming live from the Kia Forum. Hart was absolutely destroyed by stars like Sheryl Underwood, Chelsea Handler, Jeff Ross, Pete Davidson, Draymond Green, Tony Hinchcliffe, Regina Hall, Dwayne Johnson, Teyana Taylor, Tom Brady, Lizzo, Venus Williams, Serena Williams, and Katt Williams.

On the film side, Remarkably Bright Creatures took the No. 2 spot with 20.3 million views. It stars Sally Field as a grieving widow alongside a local newcomer (Lewis Pullman) and a giant Pacific octopus voiced by Alfred Molina. Meanwhile, the true-crime documentary The Crash landed at No. 3 with 11.7 million views. As for Netflix’s TV chart, Worst Ex Ever Season 2 climbed to No. 2 with 8.1 million views, while Nemesis, the new thriller series from Power creator Courtney A. Kemp, landed at No. 3 with 7.1 million views. Man on Fire dropped to No. 5 with 5.5 million views and bringing its total to 29.1 million views so far.

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Release Date

May 1, 2026

Runtime

102 minutes

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Director

Nathan Greno

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Disney is gearing up for the release of its latest “Star Wars” film, “The Mandalorian and Grogu.” However, the company is receiving backlash after a reportedly staged promotional event featuring Pedro Pascal, which reportedly included influencers rather than fans. Plus, reviews for the movie are out, and they are less-than-stellar.

The official “Star Wars” social media channels posted footage of Pascal suited up as the Mandalorian at Disneyland, apparently surprising fans about to board the Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run ride. The 38-second clip featured the actor preparing to walk out for the audience and later removing the helmet as fans raved.

After that, he posed for photos with the event goers. Disney captioned the video, “Pedro Pascal creates the surprise of a lifetime at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at @disneyland.”

However, the backlash came when the internet learned that Disney had allegedly staged the event. Instead of everyday “Star Wars” fans, the people in attendance were influencers, journalists, and others. Still, it’s worth noting that the company never claimed that the attendees were run-of-the-mill fans.

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‘The Mandalorian and Grogu’ Gets Sour Movie Reviews

Disney lifted the “Mandalorian and Grogu” review embargo on May 19. The movie debuted on Rotten Tomatoes with a “rotten” 58%. However, as of writing, the score has increased to a “fresh” 61 percent on the platform. Its current score is based on 77 reviews. Currently, there is no audience score, as it has not yet been released.

Regarding individual reviews, Tessa Smith from Mamma’s Geeky summarized her thoughts, saying, “Underwhelmed is an understatement. ‘The Mandalorian and Grogu’ feels like a mashed-up TV arc that belonged on Disney+ rather than in IMAX.”

Matt Oakes from Silver Screen Riot gave the movie an “F.” He said, “The biggest problem with ‘The Mandalorian and Grogu’ is not simply that it is boring, ugly, or dramatically inert. It is that it barely qualifies as a movie. It has the shape and style of content, not cinema.”

In a somewhat positive review, Katie Smith-Wong from Flick Feast stated, “Although a generic premise fails to expand its horizons, Favreau pulls out the big guns to bring The Mandalorian to the big screen, and his emotional and action-packed efforts reiterate that Star Wars isn’t just about the Jedi.”

Fans Call Disney ‘Contrieved’

Regarding Disney’s marketing for “The Mandalorian and Grogu,” fans think the company has lost the plot in promoting its movies organically. One person said, “Everything Disney does feels so contrived. Look at the reaction of those ‘fans.’ What a bunch of cringe.

Someone else criticized the company, writing, “Surprise of a lifetime” with invited influencers with acting chops that would get them cast in a late-night ’90s Cinemax movie.”

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Another fan stated, “Pedro Pascal dressed as the Mandalorian in Smugglers Run is a bunch of bull sh-t. It wasn’t a normal day with guests; it was all influencers that Disney had hired to promote the movie. When Johnny Depp was actually on ‘Pirates,’ it was REAL Day guests, and he was there all day.”

A different person remarked, “Not normal fans. Just a bunch of influencers pretending to be surprised lol. Disney deception knows no bounds.”

In response to the movie’s reviews, one fan said, “POV: You waited 7 years for Star Wars and paid $20 to watch a Disney+ episode with better lighting.” Another one posted, “LMAO who thought that releasing an episode of The Mandalorian in the theaters would be a good idea?”

Still, not all comments were negative. Some Star Wars fans believe in the movie and are withholding judgment until they see it for themselves.

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The New Star Wars Film Is Predicted To Have Weak Box Office

There hasn’t been a new “Star Wars” film since 2019’s “The Rise of Skywalker.” Because of this, as well as criticisms of Disney’s handling of the property, there’s increasing pressure for “The Mandalorian and Grogu” to succeed.

According to Variety, the new film, directed by John Favreau, is expected to open with between $80 million and $100 million across its four-day opening weekend. While this is a solid figure for most films, it’s not the best outing for a “Star Wars” film.

Per Box Office Mojo, “Skywalker” opened to $177 million in the US and another $198 million internationally. However, it’s also worth noting that “The Mandalorian and Grogu” has a smaller budget than most films in the franchise at a lean $165 million, not including marketing.

The New ‘Star Wars’ Film Boasts A Stacked Cast

Disney’s “The Mandalorian and Grogu” boasts a stacked cast, including Pascal. It features the likes of Sigourney Weaver, Jeremy Allen White, Jonny Coyne, Steve Blum, Dave Filoni, Martin Scorsese, and Paul Sun-Hyung Lee.

The movie has a 132-minute runtime. According to Coming Soon, it has no post-credit scenes.

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By Chris Snellgrove
| Published 1 hour ago

Nearly 20 years ago (well before his infamous Oscars slap), Will Smith was one of the hottest action heroes in Hollywood. It felt like a no-brainer to cast him in Hancock (2008), a blockbuster movie where the titular hero has the powers of Superman. Unfortunately, he’s a lazy drunk and reckless superhero, so the general public more or less hates him. In the real world, the moviegoing public shared the same opinion, which is why this film has a Kryptonite-green “rotten” rating of 42 percent. Nonetheless, the movie (currently streaming for free on Tubi) has an unexpected modern charm because it gives us a smarter take on Homelander, the archvillain from The Boys.

In The Boys, Homelander is presented as the mustache-twirling answer to the eternal nerd question: “what if Superman was evil?” It’s a portrayal built on the old adage that absolute power corrupts absolutely, and Homelander’s fantastic powers make him want to rule humanity as a literal god. For all its flaws, Hancock focuses on the far likelier possibility: that such a superpowered being would lose touch with his humanity and become a withdrawn, sullen mess rather than a dictator wearing a cape. Whether you want to see the Homelander concept done better or just give this beleaguered film another chance, it’s the perfect excuse to watch Hancock.

From Hero To Zero

The premise of Hancock is that Will Smith is a drunken superman who wants to do the right thing but usually screws it up. For example, he saves a PR specialist (Jason Bateman) from a speeding locomotive, but he derails the train in the process. In gratitude, the PR guru tries to help this hated superhero restore his tattered public image. It’s a gambit that yields results, but revelations about Hancock’s forgotten past and the existence of others like him threaten to completely change his life, right when he’s starting to get it together.

It’s a fun premise, and the movie is filled with some great stars, including Charlize Theron. It also happened to generate major box office returns ($629.4 million against a budget of $150 million). Why, then, did the critics hate the movie so much? The short answer is that most reviewers thought the movie began with a paper-thin plot and never really attained much depth. At the same time, they considered the execution of a plot stuffed with too many ideas to be pretty lackluster. Ultimately, Hancock failed to be a traditional superhero film, but it also failed to be a successful satire or deconstruction of the genre.

Sexy And Subversive

Why in Jor-El’s name, then, am I recommending you give the movie another shot? The first reason is, frankly, the performances. While there are some fun guest stars in the movie (including Big Bang Theory’s Johnny Galecki and Reno 911!’s Thomas Lennon), the plot mostly revolves around characters played by Will Smith, Jason Bateman, and Charlize Theron. All of them do an amazing job (even Roger Ebert agreed) of bringing their two-dimensional characters to life, elevating the script even at its most lackluster moments. Smith deserves particular credit for making Hancock both hateable and redeemable, showing us the vulnerability that lurks deep beneath his bulletproof skin.

Additionally, Hancock was made before the Marvel Cinematic Universe became a global phenomenon. Since the MCU became a cinematic juggernaut, it has influenced almost every superhero movie that hits theaters. Eventually, this led to superhero fatigue because the public grew sick of every tights-and-flights film (including later entries in the MCU!) feeling like a half-hearted attempt at copying Marvel’s earlier successes. They don’t all connect, but Hancock deserves praise for taking some huge creative swings and delivering a superhero movie like nothing we’ve seen before or since. It’s the opposite of a Marvel movie in every conceivable way, which is great for anyone who wants a truly original superhero film.

Tights, Flights, And Fights

Finally, your mileage may vary, but I love that Hancock is one of the only cape films to examine the psychological toll that being a superhero would have on someone. Hancock can’t be a man, but he doesn’t know how to be a superman, leaving him with a void of existential dread that he tries to fill with booze and sarcasm. It’s a provocative idea, and one that Will Smith animates with the perfect combo of pride and pathos. Sorry, Boys fans. “What if Superman but evil?” is a tired and lazy premise. But “what if Superman was depressed?” is a concept as fresh as it is relatable to most watching at home.

Care to relate to a man with the powers of a god? Maybe you want to wash the bad taste of the Boys’ series finale out of your mouth. Or (and I wouldn’t blame you on this one) maybe you just want to return to the glory days when people cheered at Will Smith for punching people instead of booing him. No matter the reason, you can now stream Hancock for free on Tubi. It remains one of the most unique pieces of superhero media created in the last two decades, making it perfect for any tights-and-flights fans who are sick of Marvel slop and looking for something fresh and delightfully rough around the edges.

Cate Blanchett has decried the impact of the #MeToo movement, suggesting it “got killed very quickly” by an industry eager to return to the status quo.

The actress’s remarks come after she came under fire online for her comments about Palestine, where she initially said it was a “sad state of affairs” that film festivals have suddenly become the place where people want to talk about conflicts, wars, and genocides happening around the world.

Blanchett has sparked renewed interest in the #MeToo movement after lamenting how quickly its impact appeared to fade.

During a recent appearance at Cannes Film Festival, the “Ocean’s 8” actress spoke with moderator Didier Allouch and reflected on how the movement “got killed very quickly” in Hollywood.

“There are a lot of people with platforms who are able to speak up with relative safety and say this has happened to me, and the so-called average woman on the street is saying #MeToo. Why does that get shut down?” Blanchett asked, per Variety.

She continued, “What [the movement] revealed is a systemic layer of abuse, not only in this industry but in all industries, and if you don’t identify a problem, you can’t solve the problem.”

Blanchett Previously Marched For #MeToo

The #MeToo movement gained viral momentum on social media in 2017 following multiple sexual abuse allegations against film producer Harvey Weinstein.

At the time, several people came forward with claims of workplace sexual abuse and harassment by powerful figures, while demanding accountability from industry leaders and executives.

According to Time magazine, the #MeToo movement resulted in the ousting, resignation, or firing of more than 400 high-profile executives and corporate leaders across various industries. Some of the most prominent figures who faced professional fallout or investigations included Bill Cosby, former Intel CEO Brian Krzanich, and Weinstein himself.

Cate Blanchett Calls Out Hollywood Gender Gap

Weighing in on the campaign’s limited impact on the industry, the two-time Oscar winner lamented that a major disparity still exists between the number of men and women working in Hollywood.

“I’m still on film sets, and I do the headcount every day, and it is still, you know… there’s ten women, and there’s 75 men every morning,” Blanchett said.

“I love men, but what happens is the jokes become the same,” she continued. “You just have to brace yourself slightly, and I’m used to that, but it just gets boring for everybody when you walk into a homogeneous workplace. I think it has an effect on the work.”

Blanchett Led 82 Women In Cannes Protest

At the 2018 march, the “Lord of the Rings” actress was one of 82 women who protested the glaring divide between men and women in Hollywood.

At the time, Blanchett explained that the number represented the 82 female directors who had competed at Cannes since the festival’s inception, compared to 1,866 male directors over the same period.

“Women are not a minority in the world, yet the current state of the industry says otherwise,” Blanchett said at the time. “As women, we all face our own unique challenges, but we stand together on these stairs today as a symbol of our determination and commitment to progress.”

Cate Blanchett Faces Backlash Over Palestine Comments

Social media users immediately took to the comment section to slam Blanchett over her remarks.

“I guess it’s unsurprising that people whose lives are all about playing make-believe are disproportionately susceptible to believing make-believe stories like the Gaza ‘genocide’ hoax,” one X user wrote.

Someone else penned, “She’s trying to sound smart but is stupid. She wishes organizations were more ‘opaque and honest.’ Opaque is the opposite of transparent. She doesn’t know the meaning of words. She should look opaque and genocide up in a dictionary.”

“Film festivals are the only place to talk about global conflicts? How out of touch are celebrities, honestly?” a third user said.

Another critic noted, “Which is precisely why actors like Cate and her fans bring it up so often at film festivals, where there is no expectation of any follow-up action but applause on camera.”