Pop star Britney Spears might have been pretty influential to the success of “How I Met Your Mother,” at least according to one of the series’ co-creators. The “Toxic” singer played Abby, the sweet but slightly scatterbrained receptionist in the CBS sitcom. She appeared in two episodes during season 3: episode 13, titled “Ten Sessions,” and episode 19, “Everything Must Go.”

Inside Britney Spears’ ‘How I Met Your Mother’ Appearance

In season 3, Abby works as the receptionist at Stella Zinman’s dermatology clinic. Stella is played by “Scrubs” alum Sarah Chalke. Although Abby develops an unrequited crush on Ted Mosby (Josh Radnor) while he is visiting the clinic to get a tattoo removed, Ted remains focused on Stella.

After being ignored by Ted, Abby has a one-night stand with Barney Stinson (Neil Patrick Harris). When Barney fails to call her back, she decides to “sabotage” him by warning other women about his behavior.

However, in her second appearance, she and Barney pretend to be in a serious relationship and even wear matching sweaters to try to make Ted jealous.

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Britney Was Originally Planned To Play Stella

According to the show’s co-creators, Carter Bays and Craig Thomas, they had originally considered Britney for the role of Stella; however, Britney preferred the role of Abby. According to Screen Rant, the cast and crew were impressed with her comic timing and her improvisation skills.

In addition to a cameo on “Will & Grace,” Britney is best known for appearing in the film “Crossroads.” She was even a top contender for the role of Allie in “The Notebook” and tested opposite Ryan Gosling in 2002. Her audition tape was released in 2023, with Hollywood casting director Matthew Barry praising her “phenomenal” acting ability.

“It was a tough decision,” Barry said. “Britney blew us all away. Our jaws were on the floor. I was blown away. Absolutely blown away. She brought her A-game that day.”

Britney Spears’ Cameo Appearance Helped Give The Show A New Audience

Britney Spears’ appearance on How I Met Your Mother boosted the show’s viewership, attracting a wider audience and helping it get renewed, effectively rescuing it from cancellation. Co-creator Carter Bays stated that her role was crucial in putting the show “on the map” and… pic.twitter.com/Lh3DqOfUif

— ScenesThatSlap (@scenesthatslap) December 4, 2025

In 2022, Bays told Metro.co.uk that “How I Met Your Mother” was “doing okay” before Britney Spears’ two episodes. He revealed that the “Oops!… I Did It Again” singer “brought a ton of new eyes” to the show.

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“I’m very thankful that happened to be an episode I was really proud of, and that had a lot of funny stuff in it,” he said. “It was a big turning point in the show, our audience grew sizably that day.”

Neil Patrick Harris Reveals ‘How I Met Your Mother’ Was Under Constant Threat Of Cancellation  

In an upcoming two-part episode of the How We Made Your Mother podcast, obtained by PEOPLE magazine, Neil Patrick Harris revealed that the show was under constant threat of cancellation, prompting everyone to bring their A-game.

“We never felt secure,” Harris recalled on the podcast, which is hosted by co-star Josh Radnor and co-creator Craig Thomas. “We thought we might get canceled all the time. That hunger kept everyone sharp — writers, actors, everyone. We weren’t coasting.”  

However, Harris admitted that he always felt “insecure” in his role and never felt like he “nailed” his scenes. Despite this, he thinks “that insecurity absolutely played into the bravado” that made his character a success.

“I’ve always felt Barney was kind of broken,” he said. “He wore armor. The suit was armor. He hid sincerity and vulnerability behind bravado because that’s how he survived.”  

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‘How I Met Your Mother’ Stars Move Over To ‘Shrinking’

In addition to Josh Radnor and Neil Patrick Harris, the show also starred Jason Segel and Cobie Smulders. Although Segel and Smulders shared very little one-on-one time on the show, Smulders was actually selected to play the role of Sofi, the potential love interest for Jason Segel’s Jimmy, on the hit Apple TV+ series “Shrinking.”

“I’m such a fan of this show. I think that it’s so brilliant,” Smulders told PEOPLE magazine of her role on the show. She went on to praise her costars and said that she was “stunned by everybody, by the greatness and by the greatness in front of you.”

“You’re like, ‘Whoa. Everybody here is so cool, so talented,’” she said. “It was pretty easy.”

The Marvel actress also praised the “very, very funny” show for its “amazing” ability to educate audiences about grief, as much of the show revolves around the way Jimmy and his friends and family move on after the loss of his wife, Tia.

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“They get to sneak in ways to handle trauma loss that feel like a lighter way to reach an audience than other ways of doing it,” she explained. “They are able to blend comedy and tragedy together in a way that’s watchable and also educational.”

Tony Dungy confirmed that he won’t be returning to NBC’s “Football Night in America” next season.

“I have been informed by NBC that I won’t be back with FNIA this fall and it has given me time to reflect and also to look ahead,” said the former NFL analyst in a Thursday, March 13, post via X. “It’s disappointing news but I want to thank my NBC family for making the last 17 years so special.”

Dungy, 70, has served nearly two decades in the role, first joining the program in 2009 after retiring as head coach of the Indianapolis Colts and just a few seasons after leading the Colts to a Super Bowl XLI championship.

“I’ll have lasting memories of my time there, especially with Rodney Harrison who has become a tremendous friend,” he added in his statement. “God has always directed me in these moments and while I’m not sure what the next step will be for me — whether it will be in football, in broadcasting, or getting more involved in church and community outreach — I know God has plans for my life and I can’t wait see [sic] them unfold. And I am reminded of one of my favorite verses in the Bible-Romans 8:28. ‘God works all things for His good for those who love the Lord.’”

Related: Aaron Rodgers Was Sobbing When Steelers Coach Mike Tomlin Stepped Down

There was a somber mood around the Pittsburgh Steelers on Tuesday, January 13, when head coach Mike Tomlin told his team he was stepping down. Even the stoic Aaron Rodgers broke down in tears, according to The Athletic. Steelers beat writer Mike DeFabo spoke with players, coaches and staff members around the team about that […]

The Pro Football Hall of Famer became the first African American head coach to win a Super Bowl with that 2006 championship. He began his head coaching career in 1996 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and stayed there for six seasons. He later joined the Colts, where he coached until his retirement in 2008. The following year, he joined NBC’s broadcasting team.

He was inducted into the Hall of Fame as a coach in 2016.

Prior to coaching, he played three seasons in the NFL, winning Super Bowl XIII with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1978.

According to a February 25 report from The Athletic, NBC is planning to “revamp” its NFL pregame show for this upcoming season, which led to Dungy’s firing. The changes reportedly include taking the show fully on the road, rather than splitting coverage with an in-studio crew.

Dungy was at the center of attention during Super Bowl week this past February, declining to reveal how he voted for the Hall of Fame Class of 2026, which notably will not include Bill Belichick after he did not receive enough votes.

While voters are not required to disclose their votes, Dungy’s hesitance to do so led to speculation that he did not vote for his former rival, Belichick.

“I’m not going to disclose that,” Dungy said during the Super Bowl pregame show. “When you come on the committee, you take an oath that you’re not going to discuss any of the debates, anything that happened there. I’m not going to put any of my teammates under the bus who they voted for, who I voted for.”

For a while, Silo felt like one of Apple TV’s most durable prestige engines — the kind of show that lived in the conversation because viewers were genuinely invested in the mystery and convinced it still had a lot more story to tell, and then Apple confirmed the endgame. Last year, Apple officially renewed Silo for Seasons 3 and 4, with Season 4 set as the final season. And this week, it was confirmed that production had finished on the show for good. That should have been reassuring.

Instead, it also seems to have taken some urgency out of the weekly obsession cycle, because the show is no longer charting like one of the platform’s biggest monsters. On Apple TV’s charts, the series is nowhere to be found in the top 10, sitting behind Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, Hijack, Shrinking, and others.

The series stars Rebecca Ferguson as Juliette Nichols, with Common, Harriet Walter, Tim Robbins, Avi Nash, and Steve Zahn among the key cast. It remains one of Apple’s best-reviewed sci-fi dramas, but the final-season revelation may have made it feel more finite and less like an endless mystery box people need to keep chasing.

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How Good Is ‘Silo’?

Collider’s Tania Hussain awarded the second season an 8/10, praising its “uniquely immersive environment” and “razor-sharp writing,” adding that “by grounding its Orwellian elements into tense yet relatable human struggles, Silo continues to surpass the genre… emerging as a masterful exploration of isolation and survival through Ferguson’s nuanced portrayal.” She wrote:

“With its 10 episodes this season, the Silo world is truly expanding and the supporting performances amplify so much of the stakes. Exemplifying a sad and almost heartwrenching portrayal of loneliness with a childlike wonder, Steve Zahn is at his absolute best in a barren playground where his character, Solo, creates the rules. It’s the chemistry he shares with Ferguson that creates a dynamic sort of interplay that contrasts her serious demeanor with a spirited and lively approach. He is every bit a compelling counterpart to Juliette, and one we see most terrifically evolve across the series.”

Silo Seasons 1 and 2 are streaming now on Apple TV, while Season 3 is awaiting release. Stay tuned to Collider for more streaming updates.

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Release Date

May 5, 2023

Showrunner

Graham Yost

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“The Devil Wears Prada” star, Adrian Grenier, might have uncovered why he was left out of the sequel.

The actor is breaking his silence about being snubbed from the project, stating that it may be due to the controversy that trailed his character and his love interest on the show.

In “The Devil Wears Prada,” Adrian Grenier played Nate Cooper, the unsupportive boyfriend of Anne Hathaway’s character, Andy Sachs, in the 2006 hit flick.

Adrian Grenier Was Disappointed About Missing Out on ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’

The media personality revealed to Page Six that he might have finally understood why he was not called to feature in the sequel. Grenier added that it may be due to the backlash he received for the way he portrayed his character on screen.

“We’re all fans of the movie, whether or not we’re in it. Obviously, it was a disappointment that I didn’t get the call to be in the sequel, but I also understand there’s some backlash with Nate, the character, so that might have something to do with it,” the actor explained. He continued that on the bright side, being left out of the show might mean there is room for a spinoff in the future, so all hope is not lost yet.

Fans branded Grenier’s character an immature, selfish boyfriend for failing to be there for Hathaway’s character, his girlfriend. In the original movie, Sach’s personal life suffered the strain of constantly meeting the needs of her high-maintenance boss, Miranda Priestly, played by Meryl Streep. Grenier, however, did not agree that he was not recalled because his character’s storyline ended.

Grenier Addressed The Aftermath Of ‘Nate Cooper’ In A 2021 Interview

Grenier admitted to Entertainment Weekly five years ago that he did not see some of the nuances and interpretations of his character and what it represented in the movie until fans shared their opinions.

He noted that the family’s wisdom came online and started pushing back against the character, thus throwing him under the bus. From the shocking memes to the outrageous opinions, Grenier expressed that he might also have been as immature as Cooper in real life at the time.

He admitted that, in many ways, his character was selfish and self-involved, and that he completely failed to extend himself to support Sachs in her career. Grenier continued that he took the time to reflect and to recognize Cooper’s shortcomings, and then was finally able to acknowledge the truth in that perspective.

‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’ Trailer Broke A Major Record

Grenier is definitely missing out on a lot in the sequel, as the trailer broke a record last month for the most views in 24 hours in the history of 20th Century Studios. The studio’s official account described the trailer as groundbreaking, as it prepares for a big premiere in May.

As noted by The Blast, original cast members like Hathaway, Streep, and Emily Blunt are back on screen to reprise their roles, alongside legends Stanley Tucci and Tracie Thoms. The trailer garnered over 200 million views within the first 24 hours, as the studio’s official account thanked the fans for their loyalty over the years and for helping them reach this milestone.

Fans have also expressed excitement about the OG cast reuniting and delivering peak entertainment on television once again. The spectators also raved about the prolific rise of these characters in their respective careers, two decades after they won hearts onscreen, with every single one of them clinching an Oscar nomination or win over the years.

Meryl Streep Negotiated For Her Pay To Match The Original Movie’s Popularity 

The Hollywood icon revealed that playing such a big role in the movie meant she also had to fight for a pay rise. As noted by The Blast, the Oscar winner said she had to return to the negotiating table with Fox to review the price he was being offered.

She revealed that the moment she immersed herself in the show’s script, she knew it would be big, and then she realized Fox’s initial offer did not reflect her actual value to the project. Streep added that she even considered stepping aside from the project because she learned how to deal on her own behalf at the age of 55.

The actress eventually won at the table and secured a $4 million pay for herself, double the initial amount offered. Streep also left with assurance that the final script would give her intense character a bit of a soft landing and also explore her personality.

‘The Devil Wears Prada’ Rumored Inspiration Spoke About The Concerns In Her Circle

As soon as the project was released, theories went wild on how it depicted the life of famous fashion editor Anna Wintour. The woman of the moment also had some things to say about the speculation when she attended the production’s 2006 screening, decked in Prada. 

Wintour confessed that she went in without any idea what the movie was about, but after seeing it, she had to deal with concerns from her loved ones worried about her future in the industry. She continued that her friends felt the movie portrayed her in a difficult light, which may make her career tough.

Wintour described the movie as very enjoyable and funny, often sparking conversations between herself and the head of Prada, Miuccia Bianchi. The movie “The Devil Wears Prada” was adapted from a similarly titled book authored by Lauren Weisberger, Wintour’s former assistant. It encapsulated her experiences as an aspiring journalist at the mercy of her super-demanding boss with insatiable wants and needs.

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters has quietly become one of the easiest ways for casual viewers to dip into Apple TV+ without fully committing. That is a big reason the MonsterVerse series has been hanging around the broader streaming conversation even between seasons. That easy-access window is apparently about to close.

Prime is currently surfacing Monarch: Legacy of Monsters through its Apple TV+ sample setup, while the title’s direct Prime listing also makes clear that the full series lives under the Apple TV+ umbrella. On Apple TV’s own current charts, the show is still doing real business too, sitting at #1 worldwide on March 11, according to FlixPatrol.

The cast is led by Anna Sawai as Cate Randa, Kiersey Clemons as May, Ren Watabe as Kentaro, Mari Yamamoto as Keiko, Anders Holm as Young Bill Randa, Joe Tippett as Tim, Wyatt Russell as Young Lee Shaw, and Kurt Russell as older Lee Shaw, with Season 2 already underway.

So if viewers have been using Prime’s sample setup as their route into the series, April sounds like the point where that convenience dries up. For MonsterVerse fans, that means one thing: If you want to keep following Monarch, you may need to jump fully into Apple TV+ rather than just sampling around the edges.

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What Is Season 2 of ‘Monarch’ About?

The Season 2 synopsis is as follows:

“Season 2 will pick up with the fate of Monarch — and the world — hanging in the balance. The dramatic saga reveals buried secrets that reunite our heroes (and villains) on Kong’s Skull Island, and a new, mysterious village where a mythical Titan rises from the sea. The ripple effects of the past make waves in the present day, blurring the bonds between family, friend and foe — all with the threat of a Titan event on the horizon.”

The series continues to be produced by Legendary Television, with showrunner Chris Black leading Season 2. Executive producers include Matt Shakman, Joby Harold, and others, with Toho Co., Ltd. — the home of Godzilla — also involved. And Apple isn’t stopping here. More MonsterVerse shows are in development, including a Young Lee Shaw prequel with Wyatt Russell set to reprise his role.

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters Season 2 is streaming on Apple TV now.

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Release Date

November 16, 2023

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Network

Apple TV

Showrunner

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Chris Black, Matt Fraction

Directors

Julian Holmes, Matt Shakman, Mairzee Almas, Andy Goddard, Hiromi Kamata

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Writers

Al Letson, Karl Taro Greenfeld, Chris Black, Mariko Tamaki, Amanda Overton, Andrew Colville, Matt Fraction, Milla Bell-Hart

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Friends of Gene Hackman aren’t staying silent amid recent allegations made against him a year after his passing.

Actress Liza Minnelli accused the actor of being “dismissive” and “rude” to her when they worked together on the 1975 film “Lucky Lady,” but Hackman’s friends claim it’s not true.

Gene Hackman, alongside his wife Betsy Arakawa and one of their dogs, was mysteriously found dead in his New Mexico home last February.

Gene Hackman’s Friends Hit Back At Liza Minnelli

It’s been more than a year since Hackman’s passing, but he faces a fresh allegation from his former co-star Liza Minnelli, who accused him of being “downright rude” to her in her recently released memoir, “Kids, Wait Till You Hear This!”

According to a report, Hackman’s Friends are not happy with the Broadway icon and have hit back at her claims.

“Gene can’t defend himself,” a longtime friend of the late actor said. “Going after someone who’s dead feels cowardly.”

“If Liza wants to talk about rude behavior, she should look in the mirror,” a harsher source noted. “She was a nightmare on set.”

The Late Actor’s Friends Claim Liza Minnelli Was Not ‘Easy’ To Work With

In the Stanley Donen-directed comedy-drama, the 79-year-old Oscar-winning actress played Claire, a singer who promises to help two businessmen, Kibby Womack [Hackman] and Ellison Walker [Burt Reynolds], smuggle alcohol from Mexico to the U.S.

However, it appears that there were some underlying tensions on set as sources told journalist, Rob Shuter, that things didn’t really go smoothly due to Minnelli.

“Liza was often late, sometimes sick, and not always prepared,” the insider said. “Working with someone struggling with addiction isn’t easy.”

“She wanted to be treated like Hollywood royalty,” they continued. “And when she didn’t get that, things got difficult fast.”

Some Broadway insiders also alleged that Minnelli faced such complaints from people who worked with her on “Victor/Victoria.”

“Cast members would call in sick when they knew she was performing,” a theater insider said. “They joked they had ‘influenza with a Z.’”

What Liza Minnelli Said About Gene Hackman

The “Cabaret” actress wrote in her book that one of the reasons she agreed to star in the movie despite not liking it was because she “respected” Hackman’s work, although as she puts it, the feeling “wasn’t mutual.”

“I don’t like to whine, but [director] Stanley [Donen] later shared publicly that Gene was very dismissive of me during the film,” she writes, per USA Today. “It’s hard to go to work when the chemistry is absent. I think it’s fair to say that Gene was downright rude.”

In her book, Minnelli also claims that the film suffered from a “cliched script,” which “screamed disaster from page 1,” adding, “The powers that be made the old mistake of counting box-office receipts before the film was hatched — and we all paid the price.”

She continued, “Imagine a film where the script is lousy, the director gets increasingly frustrated, there are nasty tensions behind the scenes, and, worst of all, you have to spend months — six months — filming on an old, rickety boat off the coast of Mexico.”

Burt Reynolds Hinted That Gene Hackman Was Hard On Liza Minnelli

Hackman and his wife were found dead in their Santa Fe home in early 2025, and Minnelli notes that she “felt sad” to hear of their deaths.

However, before his death, Burt Reynolds, who passed away in 2018, claimed in his own memoir “But Enough About Me,” that Hackman was a “good” but “tough” actor who sometimes told Minnelli to shut up, and “we’d all have to walk off the set until he cooled off.”

“Gene’s not a bad guy, but he allowed Liza to distract him,” Reynolds continued. “Gene wasn’t the easiest to work with either. You’d do the rehearsal one way, and when you got to the take, he’d say, ‘You’re not gonna do it that way, are you?’ He’d do that to Liza, and she’d fall apart.”

What Caused The Actor’s Death?

Authorities have since said that Gene Hackman’s wife, Arakawa, died from hantavirus, while the famous actor died about a week later from a combination of severe heart disease, high blood pressure, and advanced Alzheimer’s disease.

“It is reasonable to conclude that Ms. Hackman passed first,” Heather Jarrell, New Mexico’s chief medical examiner, told reporters last year.

The couple’s dog, Zinna, was also found dead. They have since been laid to rest, with reports of legal tensions brewing between Hackman’s kids over his estate.

For a while, Without Remorse felt like one of those movies that arrived, got discussed for a weekend, and then mostly evaporated into the streaming void. That happens a lot with direct-to-streaming action films, even when they are attached to a big author and a big star. Tubi has now given it a second shot.

Tubi’s March 2026 lineup officially added Tom Clancy’s Without Remorse, and the movie is currently showing up among the most-watched titles in the service’s streaming conversation. FlixPatrol also had it in the MGM Amazon Channels U.S. Top 10 on March 10, a sign that the movie is finding new viewers again.

Directed by Stefano Sollima and written by Taylor Sheridan and Will Staples, the film stars Michael B. Jordan as John Kelly, with Jodie Turner-Smith, Jamie Bell, Guy Pearce, and Lauren London rounding out the main cast. It originally launched on Prime Video in 2021 as a Tom Clancy franchise-starter that never quite became one. Plus, with Jordan heavily favored to win his first Academy Award this weekend for Sinners, the timing couldn’t be better.

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Is ‘Without Remorse’ Worth Watching?

Collider’s review stated that Tom Clancy’s Without Remorse is a straightforward military action thriller that largely sticks to the familiar formula of the author’s previous adaptations. While the film doesn’t reinvent the genre or fully explore the depth of its lead character, it still delivers enough tactical action and political intrigue to satisfy fans of Tom Clancy–style storytelling. For viewers primarily interested in watching tactical operations, shootouts, and high-stakes military missions, the film delivers exactly what it promises.

“The Clancy adaptations are typically a tightrope where you never want to be too jingoistic while also ultimately approving the supremacy of the U.S. military as a force for global order, and Without Remorse is of a piece with those stories. It may start from the place of a revenge-thriller, but its heart lies in the power of the U.S. military.

That kind of story isn’t really for me, but I understand the appeal, and Without Remorse tells it fairly well. Considering that the Jack Ryan series is already headed towards its third season, there’s clearly an audience for what Clancy created, and I imagine those fans will be satisfied by Sollima’s adaptation and even happier at what gets teased during the mid-credits scene.”

Without Remorse is streaming now for free on Tubi.