Entertainment
‘House of the Dragon’s Abubakar Salim Explains Alyn’s Most Shocking Season 3 Finale Act
Editor’s note: The below interview contains spoilers for the House of the Dragon Season 3 finale.
House of the Dragon‘s story has been largely devoted to the brewing civil war within House Targaryen, but there’s another family of Valyrian noble blood that has been making their own moves behind the scenes. Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint) may not have much he can leave his descendants after the brutal Battle of the Gullet, but he can offer the protection of his name. After his request for Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) to legitimize his sons, Alyn (Abubakar Salim) and Addam (Clinton Liberty) of Hull, is ultimately denied, Corlys steps down from his role as Hand, recommending Alyn in his place.
It’s a move that proves to be a bit of “culture shock” for the former sailor, as Salim tells Collider, but in the beginning, Alyn’s perspective does lead to some helpful change at King’s Landing — like the solution of cats to deal with the Red Keep’s pesky rat problem. Yet not even the actor himself could have expected where Alyn’s story was heading, culminating in the Season 3 finale, when Rhaenyra orders her Hand to kill the High Septon (Simon Chandler), an act that Salim refers to as “make-or-break” and hints could have major ramifications for Alyn’s position and his most important relationships, including Addam and Baela (Bethany Antonia).
COLLIDER: We’re going to get into the finale, but first, I wanted to ask what you enjoyed about filming the small council scenes this season. You have to keep such a straight face while there’s so much going on in those moments.
ABUBAKAR SALIM: Ridiculousness. The whole thing is hilarious, because that’s the first time I’ve ever been in those scenes. I’m so used to working on the dock and being outside, using my hands. Just sitting down and being in this room where all these heavyweights are going at each other, I feel a bit out of depth. The one thing I’d say that was a lot of fun was really just watching them all work. As an actor, you get a lot from watching so many people do their thing. I was just in awe most of the time. Trying to remember when to come in most of the time, which was pretty funny.
I know people are likely going to be buzzing about the High Septon scene. Before we talk about it from a character perspective, what was your reaction to reading it in the script?
SALIM: That’s a big move. It’s like killing the Pope. It’s kind of insane. It was really punchy. The fact that [Rhaenyra] uses Alyn, that was what really blew my mind. I remember talking with Ryan [Condal] about it and being like, “Sure, Rhaenyra might have her own ideas of what religion is and where she’s at, but I’m the common folk. You’re putting that in Alyn’s hands. You’re having him kill the priest.”
It was hard to actually figure out why Alyn would do it. There’s the moment, obviously, when Rhaenyra convinces him and says, “You’re of a higher power.” Rather than necessarily thinking, “Yeah, I am of a high power,” it’s more of a sense of, “No, this lady has gone loco, and she will kill me if I don’t do this.”
Abubakar Salim Discusses Alyn’s “Make-or-Break” Act in ‘House of the Dragon’s Season 3 Finale
“There is absolutely the feeling that this is all above his pay grade, way above his station.”
In terms of Alyn’s overall dynamic with Rhaenyra, he takes his father’s place when Corlys decides to leave King’s Landing due to frustration and feeling like he’s been betrayed by Rhaenyra’s refusal to grant legitimacy to Addam and Alyn. Did you try to play any of the buildup to the High Septon scene as Alyn having doubts about Rhaenyra’s intentions, even if he’s not expressing them out loud?
SALIM: Absolutely. I think there’s a perspective that Alyn brings to this where he hasn’t come with a silver spoon, so there is a reality check here. There is absolutely the feeling that this is all above his pay grade, way above his station. For me, it was important to make sense of it. To jump from a sea boy to a councilman is massive. It’s like pulling a farmer out to be a politician. Sure, they’ll bring their own perspective and their own elements, and they might actually have more of a better understanding, to a degree, of what the people want. But it’s a culture shock because it’s a completely different language.
That’s something that I really wanted to try and capture and emulate: how it evolves and escalates quickly. That was quite difficult to wrap my head around, as an actor, but it’s at a time when everything is so tricky and on edge, so it makes sense for things to just happen.
Before that, Addam comes to Alyn and brings up Aegon’s reappearance and concerns about Rhaenyra’s state of mind. How much of Alyn is hearing him in that moment? It takes on a more ominous feeling in hindsight, knowing what happens with the Septon.
SALIM: Whereas Addam is very impulsive and just goes for it. Alyn’s just a bit more measured and patient. It makes me feel excited to see where it goes next season, because that’s such a big move. It’s such a huge move, and it’s a make-or-break for a lot of people, particularly for Alyn.
The conversation with Addam is an interesting one. It’s funny, though, because it is loaded with so many other elements and context that sometimes it’s hard for the brothers to even see through the weeds of one another. If the Baela element wasn’t actually a part of it all, there would’ve been a very different conversation, and it would’ve been a very measured one. Because there is just so much emotion going on, it’s made into a bigger thing.
Well, I was going to bring up the Baela of it all, because that hadn’t happened the last time we spoke about the show. Baela and Alyn’s story goes in a very specific direction in Fire & Blood, and the breadcrumbs are dropped this season leading up to the moment when the kiss happens. How did you and Bethany [Antonia] want to approach both the kiss and the deeper emotions at play beneath it?
SALIM: There are so many points of view in this show. To have a buildup of something that important and that powerful, it needs time. The obstacle that we had was that there’s so little time for the amount of story content that needs to be said and shared. When I was talking to Bethany about it, I remember we were also trying to wrap our heads around it. We knew it was coming.
The truth is, because of the time we’re in — of war, pain, grief — you could do anything. I remember my own grief of losing my dad, and the actions and the things that I did were almost like it wasn’t me, in a weird way, but then it was at the same time. There is so much emotion and grief emanating in the space, in the world itself. Alyn thought he had lost his father. [Corlys] comes back and gives Alyn a name. He’s then put into this new position. His brother is flying a death machine. Baela’s lost her betrothed. She’s just losing people left, right, and center. It isn’t just Jace; it’s Corlys’ wife [Rhaena] as well. She even lost her own mother.
I think that’s where it comes from. There is an element of almost seeing a kindred spirit in that. The one thing that I have always said, even after losing my dad, is that when you meet someone else who’s lost someone that they hold dearly, you’re on a different wavelength. You have a different connection and resonance with them because there is an element of understanding, of a level you’ve entered that no one else is at unless they’ve experienced something akin to it.
It doesn’t have to be a parent. It can be a pet. It can be a loved one. It can be a job. But there is something deep that has no explanation, which is why an action like Alyn kissing Baela made sense. That’s where we approached it. It was an element of real deep connection. We’re not human now; we’re animals, and we are hurting, and there is only each other that we have here. Alyn can’t talk to his brother, really, because he’s doing his own thing. His father is just difficult to even connect with. No way is he going to try and open himself up to Rhaenyra. Who else have we got here?
Addam does put feelers out, at one point, to see if Baela is interested in him. Where do you think Alyn would stand on his brother potentially being his romantic rival?
SALIM: It’s such a crazy time. Anything can happen. That’s why it’s so boggling and weird, and kind of left field. There is just no time to process anything. I don’t think even Alyn sees him as a rival. We’re all drinking the weird Kool-Aid, and it’s really affecting us all. We’re in war, and people say stupid things in war, or in pain, or in desperation. It isn’t even about him seeing him as a rival. It’s almost like, “What? Where did that come from?”
Abubakar Salim Discusses Alyn’s Reaction to a Potential Succession Conflict in ‘House of the Dragon’ Season 4
“The people, the sailors, would rather follow him than Joffrey.”
In the finale, Alyn publicly declares himself as Corlys’ heir. I spoke about it with Steve [Toussaint], and he said Corlys would be proud, because it’s something he wanted anyway. He mentioned something I hadn’t even considered, though, which is that Rhaenyra’s son Joffrey might still be in line to claim Driftmark. Where do you think Alyn’s instinct to publicly assert himself as Lord of the Tides stems from, and how is he going to deal with a potential succession conflict heading into Season 4?
SALIM: Alyn’s approach is very much led by his father’s mentality in regards to… I don’t know if you can recall, but in Season 2, Corlys essentially tells Alyn that he’s too hard. He’s too cold. That people, they don’t see him as friendly. I think there is something really important learned there, which is it’s about the people. It’s about what the people believe and what the people think and what they feel. They are the ones who elect the leader, no one else. When Alyn comes out with it and says, “This is what it is,” he knows as well as his father, as well as the people, know that this makes sense. This is who he is.
His instinct or his impulse to take a stand and be like, “This is my right,” in a way, is because he’s seen enough now. He’s been through enough. His father has given him his name even when he has nothing. That’s a very different fuel than it was beforehand. In regards to the element of succession, we’re not talking about a throne here. We’re talking about nothing. There’s nothing there anymore. So, you can have Driftmark, but are you going to do anything about it?
I think there is an element of confidence that Alyn has where he knows what he can do. The people, the sailors, would rather follow him than Joffrey. Really, truly, there is no value in Driftmark apart from the name. I don’t think that someone like Rhaenyra, or these people who are used to material value, are used to the idea of dragons, are really going to care for it. If they really did, it’s silly because there’s nothing there. So, I think that’s where the confidence comes from for Alyn. There’s no contest. There is no contest.
All three seasons of House of the Dragon are now streaming on HBO Max.
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Kim Kardashian is flaunting her romance with Formula 1 racer Lewis Hamilton.
Cuddling up to her boyfriend, 41, in a string of PDA-filled selfies shared via Instagram on Sunday, August 9, Kim, 45, gripped the athlete’s arm and waist in two frames while other photos showed Hamilton with his arms wrapped around her.
Another snap, taken by Hamilton, captured the genetically blessed couple seated in a car as they both gazed softly at the lens.
Kim’s photo dump landed just two days after Hamilton, who is currently enjoying a Formula 1 World Championship summer break, shared his own cozy photos with her via his own Instagram account. In one shot, the pair appeared to be taking a walk in Calabasas, California, which is adjacent to Kim’s residence in the exclusive Hidden Hills.
Kim Kardashian and Formula 1 racer Lewis Hamilton are showing their romance. The pair were spotted packing on the PDA in Malibu, California, on Monday, April 20, while swimming in the ocean. Kardashian, 45, rolled down her wetsuit to reveal a bikini top while Hamilton, 41, sported a black T-shirt and black shorts. While on […]
Another photo of Hamilton’s showed Kim blowing a kiss at the camera while flashing a peace sign, and another showed her staring down a dog inside somebody’s home.
Kim’s loved ones showed their support for her own loved-up post on Sunday, taking to the comments section with messages of support. Her younger sister Khloe Kardashian, 42, posted seven red heart emojis while La La Anthony, one of Kim’s besties, posted five heart-eyed emojis.
Kylie Jenner, 28, also hit “like” on Kim’s post, as did Hailey Bieber.
Kim Kardashian and Lewis Hamilton Courtesy of Kim Kardashian/Instagram
Us confirmed in February that Kim and Hamilton’s longtime friendship had evolved into something more. After they were spotted enjoying time together during multiple public outings, including Super Bowl LX, an insider told Us that he was also enjoying time with Kim’s children. (Kim shares daughter North, 13, son Saint, 10, daughter Chicago, 8, and son Psalm, 7, with her ex-husband Kanye West.)
“Lewis loves kids, so it’s been fun for him,” the insider told Us at the time. “The kids think Lewis is really cool, especially Chicago and Saint, who are completely fascinated by the fact that he drives race cars for a living.”
Kim Kardashian is soaking up the summer with her boyfriend, F1 driver Lewis Hamilton, and her kids. In a Monday, July 13, Instagram post, Kardashian, 45, smiled as she took a sweet selfie with Hamilton, 41, and daughter Chicago. (Kardashian shares daughters North, 13, and Chicago, 8, and sons Saint, 10, and Psalm, 7, with […]
Hamilton showered his girlfriend with praise himself in July, telling a fan during a press conference ahead of the British Grand Prix that the source of his recent happiness was, in part, thanks to his relationship. “Of course, of course it’s Kim,” he said at the time.
Kim and Hamilton’s friendship went as far back as 2014 when they posed for photos together at the 2014 GQ Men of the Year event. At the time, Kim was married to West, 49, and Hamilton was dating Nicole Scherzinger.
Entertainment
2 Marvel Epics Are Officially Conquering Disney+ Worldwide Before ‘Avengers: Doomsday’
Last weekend, the long-awaited Spider-Man: Brand New Day exploded into life on the box office stage, storming to several eye-catching records. Not only did the film earn the biggest opening weekend haul in domestic history, but it also earned the largest preview haul with $72 million, as well as the biggest opening day with just shy of $170 million. It took Tom Holland‘s return as Peter Parker less than a week to break the billion-dollar boundary, doing so in the second-fastest time ever.
Brand New Day isn’t just a box office phenomenon; it is also a massive success with both critics and fans, with many calling it the best MCU movie in many years. In Charlie Ridgley‘s review for Collider, he awarded the movie an 8/10, calling it “the best Spidey adventure in 20 years.” If there is one thing that this instant triumph has taught us, it is that the anticipation for December 18’s Avengers: Doomsday is clearly high, with it being undeniable that the promise of an unmissable round-up of cinema’s biggest franchise later this year has impacted Brand New Day‘s success.
But this isn’t the only way that the anticipation for Doomsday is visible already. At the time of writing, both Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame rank in the top ten most-streamed movies on Disney+ worldwide, as millions remind themselves of what came before ahead of December 18. It is the latter that Doomsday will be hoping to match the success of, with Endgame scoring the second-largest box office haul in cinema history ($2.8 billion).
Who Stars in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’?
It might be quicker to name everyone who won’t be appearing in Avengers: Doomsday. Disney and Marvel have put together perhaps the most jaw-dropping cast list for any film this century, with directors Joe and Anthony Russo facing a near impossible task to reward each of them with enough screen time. Among this cast are new additions to the MCU, such as Marvel’s First Family (Vanessa Kirby, Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach), who feature alongside classic MCU favorites such as Chris Hemsworth, Anthony Mackie, and Tom Hiddleston, and even a selection of Noughties X-Men favorites in Kelsey Grammer, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Alan Cumming, and James Marsden.
Make sure to stay tuned to Collider for all the latest streaming stories.
- Release Date
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December 18, 2026
- Runtime
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165 Minutes
Entertainment
‘House of the Dragon’ Star’s Most Overlooked Role Officially Finds a New Streaming Home
House of the Dragon Season 3 has been must-watch viewing for anyone with an HBO Max subscription these past few months. Returning on June 21, the opener, “Salt and Sea, Fire and Blood,” generated 21.5 million global viewers within its first three days, with the entire season so far averaging over 33 million global viewers per episode, making it the second most-watched individual season in HBO’s illustrious history.
Key to the show’s success has once again been the main cast, which includes the likes of Tom Glynn-Carney, Ewan Mitchell, Emma D’Arcy, Rhys Ifans, and Olivia Cooke. With the show’s third season coming to a close, fans will be looking for what to watch next. With that in mind, one of Alicent herself, Olivia Cooke’s, best miniseries performances is coming to streaming in the U.S. Back in 2018, Cooke starred in a seven-episode adaptation of William Makepeace Thackeray‘s 1848 novel Vanity Fair, which aired on ITV across the pond.
Cooke stars as penniless orphan Becky Sharp in the adaptation, as she fights her way through the societal standards of Regency England after being given the position of governess in Hampshire. The series also stars Tom Bateman, Michael Palin, and a star of another beloved Regency era tale, Bridgerton‘s Claudia Jessie. The show received strong reviews upon arrival, scoring an 89% average rating on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, with much of the credit going to Cooke’s “sparkling” central performance. Starting August 19, you’ll be able to stream 2018’s Vanity Fair on BritBox, the home of many beloved British titles.
‘Game of Thrones’ Is Heading to the Big Screen
Just as House of the Dragon Season 3 comes to an explosive end, fans of the franchise have been rewarded with the news many had long hoped for. It was revealed this week that the franchise is officially heading to the big screen during a 2027 slate presentation. Warner Bros. Discovery officially confirmed that Aegon’s Conquest will be released as a theatrical event movie, “Beyond 2027, the slate will continue to leverage iconic intellectual property, including the theatrical event film Aegon’s Conquest from the Game of Thrones universe, the next installment of The Matrix, the next Batman film, and a live-action Jetsons film starring Jim Carrey,“ the company confirmed.
Starting August 19, you’ll be able to stream 2018’s Vanity Fair on BritBox.
Joe Amabile is back home with his wife, Serena Pitt, after undergoing brain surgery to remove a tumor discovered during a full-body scan. The “Bachelor in Paradise” star was discharged from the hospital days after telling followers that doctors had successfully removed the entire mass. Although Amabile has now reached a major milestone in his recovery, the couple indicated that he still has a lengthy healing process ahead of him.
Serena Pitt Shares First Look At Joe Amabile Back Home
Pitt confirmed her husband’s return home through an Instagram Stories update on Saturday, August 8. “So happy to be back home with Joe,” she wrote alongside a photo of Amabile relaxing on the couch inside their New York City apartment while watching golf. “Lots of rest and recovery ahead of us.”
The image marked a significant change from the hospital photographs the couple had shared only days earlier. Pitt remained by Amabile’s side throughout his hospitalization and surgery.
Amabile offered his own encouraging update from the hospital on Thursday, August 6. “They got it all!” he wrote alongside a collection of post-operative selfies.
Pitt later confirmed that doctors had removed the entire tumor. “The best update: they were able to remove the entire tumor,” she shared. “Joe is recovering really well. We’re feeling so grateful.”
No further information about the tumor’s testing or Amabile’s long-term treatment plan was included in the available updates.
A Full-Body Scan Led To The Unexpected Discovery
Amabile revealed his health crisis in July, explaining that the tumor had been discovered after he underwent a Prenuvo full-body scan. “So a little medical update. I didn’t share my Prenuvo [full body scan] results because they ended up finding a lesion in my brain,” Amabile said in an Instagram video.
The reality star was subsequently sent for additional imaging to provide doctors with a clearer look at the abnormality. “Then, I had to go get a brain MRI, and there was a blueberry-sized lesion in my brain that looks to be a glioma, which is a tumor,” he continued. “I now need to get brain surgery next week to get it removed and get it tested.”
The finding came as a shock to Amabile, who admitted that he had not expected the screening to lead to such a serious procedure. “And then we’re going to go from there. So it’s been a wild couple weeks. I definitely wasn’t expecting this,” he said. “I think it’s one of those things where you’re like, ‘Oh, something like this will never happen to me.’ And here I am.”
Amabile said at the time that doctors believed the tumor was in its “really early stages” and were optimistic that they could remove it completely.
‘Grocery Store Joe’ Tried To Stay Positive Before Surgery
In the caption accompanying his initial announcement, Amabile acknowledged the emotional strain caused by the unexpected diagnosis. “This past month has been a lot of ups and downs to say the least. After multiple scans and MRIs, I have what looks to be an early-stage brain tumor,” he wrote.
He also revealed that the operation would take place at Memorial Sloan Kettering. “In two weeks I’ll be undergoing a craniotomy to have it removed, yeah brain surgery, @memorialsloankettering,” Amabile continued. “I’m doing my best to stay positive during this time and am lucky to have a lot of support from family and friends.”
Amabile became known as “Grocery Store Joe” after his first appearance in Bachelor Nation. He later met Pitt during Season 7 of “Bachelor in Paradise,” and their relationship continued after the cameras stopped rolling. The couple married at a New York City courthouse in October 2022 before holding a larger ceremony in South Carolina the following year.
Joe Amabile Explains Why He Chose A Craniotomy
Ahead of the operation, Amabile addressed the risks and reasoning behind his decision on the couple’s “Not Married to This” podcast. According to the former grocery store owner, monitoring the lesion would not have provided a definitive answer about what it was. “It was, we’ll never know what this is by just monitoring it. We will only know by taking it out or biopsying it,” Amabile explained.
He understood that operating on the brain carried serious risks, even though the tumor’s location reportedly made complete removal more feasible. “And from my understanding, they only do biopsies in the brain if removing it is very dangerous,” he said. “But where mine is located, it seems like it’s a less dangerous scale to remove it. I mean, the surgery is very dangerous. [A] craniotomy … is scary. It’s a serious surgery.”
The decision ultimately allowed doctors to remove the entire tumor, according to the postoperative updates shared by Amabile and Pitt.
Bachelor Nation Friend Was ‘Hoping For The Best’
Amabile received support from fellow Bachelor Nation personalities throughout his health ordeal. Before the surgery, Dylan Barbour told Us Weekly that he had recently spent time with Amabile in the Hamptons and remained in regular contact with him.
“I just saw Joe in the Hamptons,” Barbour said, adding that “he’s doing well.” “It’s good to see him. Good to spend time with him. I talk to him weekly,” the 32-year-old continued.
Barbour also described the close friendship that developed between their families after their time in the reality television franchise. “Joe’s the best. We spent summers together at our lake house. We went to the Hamptons. Him and Serena [Pitt] couldn’t be better people,” he said. “I’m hoping for the best.”
Amabile’s return home now begins the next phase of that recovery, with Pitt making it clear that rest will remain the couple’s immediate priority.
Greek mythology is a contender for the most well-known and influential mythology in the world. Originating as oral poems passed down through the ages, they have captured the human imagination for thousands of years thanks to their wide variety of gods, monsters, and heroes, all of whom have a dash of tragedy that makes their struggles feel more human. Even if you’ve never heard one of their myths in its entirety, monsters like the multiheaded Hydra and the one-eyed Cyclops have become staples in the fantasy genre, to say nothing about famous sayings like “flying too close to the sun,” which comes from the tragic tale of Icarus.
Christopher Nolan‘s The Odyssey has got people thinking about Greek Mythology again. Fortunately, there is a plethora of films based on these ancient tales, and each one offers something new and unique in its retelling.
1
‘Immortals’ (2011)
Having lost faith in the gods after the death of his family, King Hyperion (Mickey Rourke) rallies his armies and seeks out the Epirus Bow, a magic weapon that can be used to release the Titans and bring about the end of the Olympians. Despite the threat he poses, Zeus (Luke Evans) forbids the gods from directly aiding mortals, wanting them to have free will. However, he does take the form of an old man (Sir John Hurt) to train a demigod warrior named Theseus (Henry Cavill), who comes to despise Hyperion when he attacks his village.
Immortals is pure 2010s action-slop, but if you’re in the mood for cinematic junk food, it’s a lot of fun. Between the slo-mo action sequences inspired by 300, over-the-top gore and violence, and hilariously fake-looking costumes, the film manages to hold one’s attention, if only because you want to see how silly things can get by the end. Still, there are some things that do work, such as the performances by Cavill and Evans, who manage to tap into the complex emotions of their characters.
2
‘Métamorphoses’ (2014)
A young woman named Europe (Amira Akili) decides to skip class one day. She bumps into a charismatic man named Jupiter (Sébastien Hirel), who convinces her to travel with him. What follows is a magical odyssey that sees Europe bear witness to interactions between ancient gods and mortals, all linked by themes of transformation.
Métamorphoses is based on the Metamorphoses by Ovid, and while it was written from a Roman perspective and uses the Roman names for the gods, a majority of the stories within it come from Ancient Greece. This adaptation is a very trippy film, and the longer you watch it, the more it feels like you’ve stepped into a lucid dream. The result is an unsettling, confusing, and magical atmosphere that conveys a sense of having entered a world that may appear like our own, but plays by its own unknowable rules that can lead to harsh punishments if broken.
3
‘Ulysses’ (1954)
Penelope (Silvana Mangano), Queen of Ithaca, finds herself hounded by a mob of suitors who demand that, since her husband Ulysses (Kirk Douglas) never returned home from the Trojan War, she remarry and give Ithaca a king, despite having a grown son, Telemachus (Franco Interlenghi). Unbeknownst to them, Ulysses washes ashore on the island of Phaeacia, suffering from amnesia. He is taken in by King Alcinous (Jacques Dumesnil) and wins the affection of Princess Nausicaa (Rossana Podestà), but just as they are to be married, the memory of the events that led him there comes back.
Ulysses is a condensed telling of the Odyssey that goes for the strange choice of using a mix of Greek and Roman names for the characters. Once you get past that indecisiveness, it’s a pretty good adaptation with impressive sets for the time and strong performances. Douglas is by far the stand-out, as he manages to tap into Ulysses’ signature wit, intelligence, and pride, while mixing in his own natural charisma, resulting in a protagonist who is everything you could hope for in a Greek hero.
4
‘Hercules’ (1997)
When the God of the Underworld, Hades (James Woods), learns that the newly born Hercules (Josh Keaton and Tate Donovan) is the only thing that will prevent him from conquering Olympus, he sends his minions Pain (Bobcat Goldthwait) and Panic (Matt Frewer) to kidnap the baby, turn him mortal, and kill him. However, they are interrupted before he drinks the last drop, meaning that Hercules retains the strength of a god. This causes him to feel ostracized during his adolescence, but, upon speaking to his father, Zeus (Rip Torn), he learns that he can become a god again by becoming a true hero.
Hercules plays very fast and loose with the mythology that inspired it, combining elements from superhero and sports movies, while also spoofing celebrity endorsement deals. It’s a veritable ad lib of a film to be sure, but it’s still entertaining thanks to beautiful Disney animation, catchy songs, a good sense of humor, and likable characters. Hades also ranks as one of Disney’s best villains thanks to his interesting design and Woods’ iconic performance.
5
‘Iphigenia’ (1977)
After Helen, wife of King Menelaus of Sparta (Costas Karras), is abducted by Paris of Troy, his older brother, King Agamemnon of Mycenae (Kostas Kazakos), rallies all of Greece into an army to get her back. Unfortunately, Agamemnon angers the goddess Artemis when his men kill one of her sacred deer, and she denies the Greeks the wind they need to set sail. High Priest Calchas (Dimitris Aronis) consults the Oracle and learns that Artemis will only be sated if Agamemnon offers his eldest daughter, Iphigenia (Tatiana Papamoschou), in sacrifice.
Iphigenia was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, and, thanks to being a Greek production, feels all the more authentic as an adaptation. The film is far less action-oriented compared to other Greek epics, instead relying on powerful emotional moments as the characters debate, anguish, and rage against this impossible situation. This results in some fantastic performances from everyone involved, but special note has to go to Kazakos for how he conveys Agamemnon’s broken spirit, and Papamoschou, who was only 13 when the film was made.
6
‘Jason and the Argonauts’ (1963)
Enraged that Pelias (Douglas Wilmer) defiled one of her temples when he killed the daughter of King Aristo during his coup, the goddess Hera (Honor Blackman) spirits away Aristo’s son, Jason (Todd Armstrong), and warns Pelias that a man wearing one sandal will be his downfall. Years later, an adult Jason intends to overthrow Pelias, but also unknowingly saves Pelias from drowning, losing a sandal in the process. Realizing who he is, Pelias encourages the young hero to go on a quest to find the legendary Golden Fleece, hoping he will be killed along the way.
Jason and the Argonauts is a fantastic adventure film that captures the epic nature of Greek mythology. This is thanks in large part to the phenomenal stop-motion animation by the legendary Ray Harryhausen, which not only brings the mythical creatures to life, but makes them move in such a way that feels both a part of the world yet distinctly not of it. No other moment captures this better than the iconic skeleton fight; Harryhausen’s team not only made it seem like the skeletons were there locking swords with Jason and his men, but they also move in more dynamic ways, such as by jumping over obstacles or vaulting over walls.
7
‘Clash of the Titans’ (1981)
Perseus (Harry Hamlin) is the demigod child of Zeus (Laurence Olivier) who grew up on the island of Seriphos until he was teleported off by the goddess Thetis (Dame Maggie Smith) in retribution for Zeus cursing her cruel demigod son, Calibos (Neil McCarthy). Now outside the city of Joppa, Perseus learns that Calibos cursed its princess, Andromeda (Judi Bowker), and helps to break the curse and secure her hand in marriage. However, Thetis announces that Joppa will be destroyed unless Andromeda is sacrificed to a sea monster called the Kraken, forcing Perseus to seek the means of killing it.
Clash of the Titans was the last film to feature Ray Harryhausen’s stop-motion creatures, and they rank among his best. The show-stealer this time is the gorgon Medusa, notable for her horrific serpentine design, and for the fantastic atmosphere of dread and anxiety as Perseus and his men must desperately hide from her petrifying gaze. The story between the creatures is satisfactory for what it is, with the star-studded cast giving stellar performances, especially whenever the gods are on the screen.
8
‘Troy’ (2004)
Achilles (Brad Pitt) is the greatest warrior in all of Greece, and he is eager to earn more glory. He gets his chance when Paris of Troy (Orlando Bloom) kidnaps Helen (Diane Kruger), wife of the King of Sparta, Meleneus (Brendan Gleeson), prompting his elder brother, King Agamemnon (Brian Cox), to rally all of Greece for the invasion. The war turns out to be far from easy, however, thanks to the size and strength of Troy’s walls, the leadership skills of Paris’ elder brother, Hector (Eric Bana), and Achilles refusing to fight after Agamemnon claims Briseis (Rose Byrne), a Priestess of Apollo captured by Achilles.
Troy is based on The Odyssey’s prequel story, The Iliad, although it plays very hard and loose with the story, such as removing any instance of the gods interfering with the war. It’s another movie where the best way to enjoy it is to focus on the action sequences, which are enthralling thanks to the choreography and the scope of the battles, especially when the armies clash or legendary heroes duel. That said, it does still have its emotional moments, and the star-studded cast all put out worthy performances for such an epic tale.
9
‘The Return’ (2024)
After years away from home, Odysseus (Ralph Fiennes) washes up on the shores of his kingdom, Ithaca. However, he learns that, in his absence, his wife Penelope (Juliette Binoche) is being pressured to remarry by a gathering of impatient suitors, and the life of his son, Telemachus (Charlie Plummer), is in jeopardy. Rather than immediately retaking his throne, Odysseus poses as a beggar to assess the situation and come up with a plan.
The Return makes the rather bold choice to only adapt the second half of The Odyssey, thus omitting the gods, monsters, and the deadly overseas journey. This allows the story to become more grounded and focus on the characters and their inner turmoil. This is best represented through Odysseus’ struggle with PTSD at being the only one of his men to return home from the Trojan War, though Penelope’s impossible choice and Telemachus’ complex relationship with both of his parents are given their necessary dues as well.
10
‘O Brother, Where Art Thou?’ (2000)
A trio of convicts — Ulysses Everett McGill (George Clooney), Pete Hogwallop (John Turturro), and Delmar O’Donnell (Tim Blake Nelson) — escape from their chain gang and head off to recover some treasure that Ulysses buried before his arrest. They’re on a time crunch, however, as the area is slated to be flooded and turned into a reservoir. A blind man (Lee Weaver) tells them that they will indeed find their fortune, but not the one they seek, and only after enduring much hardship.
O Brother, Where Art Thou? may be set during the 1930s, but its foundation comes from The Odyssey, and if you know the story, you can quickly see how many of the plot beats match up. The film is a joy from beginning to end, with stellar camaraderie between the three protagonists, a hilarious comedy of errors that all pay off in the end, and even references to real-life figures, like Tommy Johnson (Chris Thomas King), a guitarist who sold his soul to the devil for his talent. Finally, there’s the soundtrack, which is a lovely collection of folk songs that display a wide array of styles and help to elevate the scenes they’re a part of.
O Brother, Where Art Thou?
- Release Date
-
September 15, 2000
- Runtime
-
107 minutes
- Director
-
Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
- Writers
-
Joel Coen, Ethan Coen, Homer
Demonic children are nothing new to the world of horror. Whether they’re the actual spawn of the devil, like the titular baby from Rosemary’s Baby, just plain evil, like Orphan’s not-so-little Esther (Isabelle Fuhrman), or something in between, like the various children touched by the supernatural from The Ring, The Exorcist, and many, many other movies, this particular kind of enfant terrible has been making the rounds ever since the dawn of the genre. They appear in stories about the corruption of the innocent, the fear of evil hiding in plain sight, and, of course, the trials and tribulations of becoming a parent — particularly, a mother.
There is, after all, something inherently terrifying in bringing a whole new human being into the world and raising them without a blueprint, with no clear idea of what they’ll become. Thus, it isn’t rare to find horror stories that are, in the end, about nothing more than the strangeness of fostering another person into your own body or discovering that your sweet baby isn’t as sweet as you thought. All of these stories take a complex look at a part of many women’s lives that is usually romanticized, giving us a somewhat exaggerated glimpse of how hard becoming a mother can be. But no story accomplishes this goal quite like HBO’s horror-comedy miniseries The Baby.
What Is ‘The Baby’ About?
Created by Lucy Gaymer and Siân Robins-Grace, The Baby tells the story of 38-year-old Natasha (Michelle de Swarte), a carefree and child-free woman who is less than thrilled by the fact that all her friends are suddenly having babies. Unable to deal with the shift in her friends’ lifestyles, Natasha pushes them away with her callousness and even seems to judge them for being mothers. However, her life takes an unexpected turn when a small, adorable, and utterly diabolical baby comes into her life.
Brought to life by twins Albie and Arthur Hills and a team of skilled VFX professionals, the titular baby doesn’t enter Natasha’s life through any conventional way. There are no disturbing pregnancies or creepy orphanages in her path. The infant simply falls into Natasha’s arms as she is standing on an empty beach by a cliff where she was hoping to catch some rest from day-to-day stress. Right away, the baby imprints on Natasha, and there’s absolutely nothing she can do to get rid of him. No matter how much she tells people that this is not her baby, everyone reacts to seeing them together either by congratulating her for becoming a mother or by complaining that she didn’t tell them sooner. To add insult to injury, the baby simply kills or maims everyone who stands in their way using his seemingly endless energy and psychic abilities. And who’s to blame for the chaos that ensues but Natasha?
The True Villain of ‘The Baby’ Is, Unsurprisingly, the Patriarchy
Right off the bat, it’s easy to see the most obvious way in which The Baby forces us to look at mothers under a different light. For being so judgy and unaccommodating towards her child-rearing friends, Natasha receives the visit of the demon baby equivalent of the Ghost of Christmas Present and learns that she needs to step up. Her friends are stressed, lonely, and in need of help, and it’s not their fault that their children have insomnia right in the middle of poker night. By the end of the series, Natasha learns her lesson and becomes someone on whom her mommy friends can rely on to feel more like full human beings instead of someone who just exists to look after a child. It’s all plain and simple, and yet, this PSA side of The Baby is the least interesting of the many ways in which the show casts a humanizing look on being a mother.
The show slowly reveals the baby’s origins through Mrs. Eaves (Amira Gahazalla), who has been tracking the child, and the revelation of what the baby represents is more nightmarish than the baby. He is, in Mrs. Eaves words, “a bottomless pit of need”. He attaches himself to women who don’t have and don’t want children and demands from them unconditional, undivided love and attention. When they fail to give it to him, he gets rid of them, usually in pretty gruesome ways.
Through flashbacks, we learn that back in the 60s, when Mrs. Eaves was just Nour (Seyan Sarvan), she fell in love with a woman named Helen (Tanya Reynolds). Her love was reciprocated, but there was a catch: Helen was married and pregnant with her first child. In much more homophobic times, Helen’s husband drags her away from Nour, claiming that his wife is being corrupted, and forces her to take the pregnancy to term under inhumane circumstances. Helen is treated as a living, breathing incubator. In such an environment, there is no room for motherly love to flourish.
Helen has an ideal of motherhood shoved down her throat — or into her arm, with a hypodermic needle — and the result is that it is impossible for her to have a healthy relationship with her child. Being forced to become a mother means that the ideal nuclear family she’s part of is less than ideal. Even after she escapes, Helen is trapped in the patriarchal mold that society has forced on her. This all leads her to kill herself, while the baby, on the other hand, lives on as a flesh-and-bone reminder of all the expectations and the strain that is put on mothers.
‘The Baby’ Makes Helen Into the Perfect Foil for Bobbi and Barbara
Helen’s story stands in sharp contrast to that of Natasha’s estranged sister, Bobbi (Amber Grappy). Energetic and great with children, Bobbi is desperate to adopt a baby of her own. Not only does she believe that a baby will help heal her relationship with Sam (Genesis Lynea), she also feels that she has so much love to give that a child could find no better home than with her. But it’s precisely her enthusiasm that makes the social worker put her on a one-year waiting period before she can go through the adoption process again. While Helen didn’t want a baby at all, Bobbi wants a baby too much. She isn’t attuned to the reality of being a mother, and her high expectations are far from realistic. The same societal pressures towards motherhood that were at play in Helen’s storyline are at play in Bobbi’s own life.
But the most intriguing parallel is between Helen’s story and that of Barbara (Sinéad Cusack), Natasha’s mother, whom she loathes for having abandoned her and Bobbi when they were kids. Now living in a commune, Barbara tries to win back Natasha’s trust and give her advice about the baby, not knowing the true danger he poses. Natasha is enraged by the fact that her absent mother is trying to give her parenting advice. Having grown up idolizing her father for taking care of her and Bobbi all by himself, Natasha can’t accept when her mother tells her that it was her father who asked her to leave. Barbara spent most of Natasha’s childhood lying in bed, too depressed to do anything. Natasha took care of her, and Barbara couldn’t help but feel guilty that she wasn’t able to love her daughter with the same intensity. That sadness and guilt were the reason why she left Natasha behind, but not before giving her a little sister whom she could shower that love on.
When this revelation hits, Natasha is forced to deal with two harsh realities at the same time. The first one is that she also failed as a mother figure. She failed to give Bobbi all the love that was expected of her. Then, she has to face the fact that her mother isn’t the bad person she believed her to be. She was simply a human being, a woman who was just as tired as Natasha is now. On the other hand, little Natasha was just as demanding as her demon baby, even if she didn’t have the same psychic abilities. Her mother left not because she hated her nor because she didn’t think things through before having a child. She left because she couldn’t take it anymore. It was either leaving or dying. After learning this truth, Natasha is given the insight she never would have gotten had a supernatural killer baby not dropped onto her lap. While the horror and comedy elements are equally entertaining, it’s this deeper aspect of The Baby that makes it a perfect watch — just maybe not for new mothers.
Jared Padalecki has apologized after his public message supporting Perez Hilton during the celebrity blogger’s hospitalization sparked criticism online. The “Supernatural” star initially wished Hilton well following a serious mental health crisis that resulted in authorities responding to his Miami home. However, some social media users objected to the message because of Hilton’s controversial history of targeting celebrities and their families through his former gossip coverage. Padalecki subsequently deleted the post and explained that he had been unaware of the extent of Hilton’s past conduct.
Padalecki addressed the backlash on X on Sunday, August 9, hours after sharing his original message. “I didn’t know. It’s been brought to my attention,” the 44-year-old actor wrote. “I’m sorry [red heart emoji].”
Padalecki’s initial post came after Hilton was hospitalized following a disturbing livestream in which he appeared to engage in acts of self-harm.
While the actor’s message focused on Hilton’s wellbeing during the crisis, critics argued that it failed to account for the people who say they were harmed by the blogger’s past behavior.
Padalecki removed the original statement before returning with a lengthier explanation of his intentions.
The Actor Explains Why He Initially Offered Forgiveness
Padalecki said he knew Hilton had previously been unkind to him but believed offering grace was healthier than holding onto anger. “To give more detail re: my post wishing someone well. I had ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA about his past,” Padalecki wrote. “I had heard of him. Obviously. I had heard that he hadn’t exactly ‘been kind’ to me in the past.”
The “Gilmore Girls” alum said his instinct was to forgive someone who may have wronged him personally. “So, my thought is always to give grace and forgiveness to those who may have tried to ‘harm’ you … in my experience, it usually works out better than holding a grudge or wishing punishment on someone else,” he continued.
However, Padalecki acknowledged that his understanding of Hilton’s history had been extremely limited. “That having been said, I TRULY didn’t know ANYTHING about the extent to what he has done,” the actor wrote. “That’s my bad.”
‘Supernatural’ Star Distances Himself From Hilton’s Actions
Padalecki claimed he had never visited Hilton’s website or researched the controversies surrounding his celebrity coverage. “On my life, I have never in my life, not once, looked him up or gone to one of his sites,” he explained. “I simply thought he was a ‘tabloid’ type of sensationalist journalist.”
After learning more, Padalecki stressed that his compassionate message during a mental health crisis should not be interpreted as an endorsement of Hilton’s previous conduct. He said he does not “stand for” or support any of those actions. “Full stop. I’m sorry if my words caused any harm,” Padalecki stated. “And, I hope you ALL are well out there, and taking care of yourselves.”
His clarification attempted to hold two positions simultaneously. On one hand, he seemed to condemn conduct he had only recently learned about. On the other hand, he made sure to maintain his broader belief that someone experiencing a crisis should not be wished further harm.
Adrianne Curry Forgives Hilton Despite Their Painful History
Padalecki was not the only celebrity forced to confront complicated feelings about Hilton’s hospitalization. Former “America’s Next Top Model” winner Adrianne Curry also expressed concern for the blogger despite claiming that he subjected her to years of bullying. Curry said the two were “never” friends but acknowledged what she described as Hilton’s “redemption arc.”
After winning “ANTM” in 2003, Curry alleged that Hilton repeatedly targeted her on his website, encouraged the public to ridicule her and drew male genitalia over photographs of her. “He bullied me and got the public to bully me. This was during his peak years,” she explained.
Despite that history, Curry said she wanted Hilton to understand that even people who had reasons to dislike him still believed his life held value. “I pray that he knows that his life has meaning and purpose,” she said.
The former model emphasized that her message did not erase their past, but she no longer wanted to carry anger toward him. “I wish him peace,” Curry shared.
Addressing Hilton directly, she added, “I forgive you, I don’t think you should be hurting yourself, and I hope you get f-cking better.”
Perez Hilton’s Family Says Recovery Will Be ‘A Long Process’
Hilton, whose real name is Mario Lavandeira, has not publicly addressed his hospitalization or the livestream. His family said he remains in “serious but stable” condition after sustaining significant injuries.
“He experienced significant blood loss and sustained additional injuries that will require surgery in the coming days,” his relatives said in a statement. “His treatment and recovery will be a long process. We are grateful that Perez was able to spend time with his mother and sister yesterday. As our family remains focused on Perez’s treatment and recovery, we also need the space and privacy to care for everyone affected by this situation.”
The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office confirmed that deputies responded to reports of a person “livestreaming acts of self-harm on social media.” Authorities said the person was “safely recovered” and transported to a hospital.
Hilton’s family said he was hospitalized under Florida’s Baker Act, which permits an emergency mental health evaluation and temporary hold when someone is believed to be at risk of harming themselves or others.
TikTok removed the troubling livestream after it was flagged by the platform’s automated moderation system. A company spokesperson acknowledged that a moderator error delayed its removal.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
Former staffers are offering a revealing look inside Howard Stern’s SiriusXM operation, claiming employees were expected to follow unusual rules surrounding the famous radio host. One of the most startling allegations involves company parties, where workers were reportedly instructed not to approach Stern or attempt to start a conversation with him. The claims arrive amid significant upheaval at “The Howard Stern Show,” including layoffs, severance disputes and Stern’s newly negotiated schedule allowing him more time away from the microphone.
An insider claimed employees received explicit instructions before attending work-related celebrations. “People were warned before any company parties not to speak to Howard, with the added note that people have actually gotten fired for it,” the source alleged to The U.S. Sun.
The account suggests Stern remained separated from much of his own workforce, even when employees were gathered for an event intended to bring the company together. The report did not provide specific examples of employees who were allegedly fired for speaking to Stern at a party.
Stern and SiriusXM also have not publicly addressed the latest claims in the material provided.
Sources Describe The SiriusXM Workplace As ‘Cultish’
The restrictions reportedly extended beyond employees’ interactions with Stern at social events. Sources characterized the New York City section of SiriusXM occupied by Stern’s team as insular and heavily centered around the broadcaster’s identity. “All of these men [who work for Stern] are so desperate for Howard’s attention, it’s like they all just like want Daddy’s approval so bad,” one insider alleged.
The source claimed some staff members would attempt to attract Stern’s attention through their behavior. “I think that a lot of them like acted out to get that attention,” the insider continued. “You go into that compound, and it’s just pictures of Howard everywhere.”
Even casual greetings among colleagues reportedly reinforced Stern’s influence on the workplace. “And then everyone greets each other like, ‘Hey now, hey now,’” the source said, referring to one of the broadcaster’s best-known catchphrases.
While those details could initially appear to be harmless traditions created around a long-running entertainment program, the insider claimed the overall atmosphere felt different after gaining some distance from it. “And it all seems light and fun, but once you step back, you see it as something else,” the source alleged.
Another Insider Says Employees Wanted To Please The Boss
A second source agreed that Stern’s operation could appear cult-like, particularly to people who were not part of its internal culture. The insider said the environment felt like a cult “especially if you’re on the outside looking in.”
However, the source also suggested that some of the behavior may have developed from a more familiar workplace dynamic: employees attempting to satisfy the person with the greatest authority. “Whenever you’re part of something, and you know someone is in charge of everything, you know you want to please that person,” the second insider alleged.
The accounts remain claims from unnamed sources rather than independently established findings. Nevertheless, they offer new context surrounding a workplace that has recently undergone significant restructuring.
Laid-Off Employees Reportedly Rejected Their Severance Offers
The alleged workplace rules emerged days after reports that several former “Howard Stern Show” employees were negotiating their exits from SiriusXM. The cuts reportedly affected more than a dozen employees connected to the program, including at least five personalities who had appeared on air.
According to a previous U.S. Sun report, multiple workers rejected their initial severance packages. Those offers allegedly provided approximately one week of pay for every year an employee had spent with the show. “Some people are still negotiating their exit packages,” one insider claimed.
Another source said some former employees eventually became more comfortable with their compensation after negotiating with SiriusXM’s human resources department.
Money reportedly was not the only point of disagreement. The packages allegedly included strict nondisclosure agreements limiting what former staff members could reveal publicly after leaving the company. Some employees were reportedly unwilling to accept those conditions immediately.
Insiders Claim Staff Saw Warning Signs Before The Cuts
Although some workers reportedly considered the layoffs unexpected, one source alleged there had been signs that reductions were approaching. “The writing was on the wall,” the insider said. “Staff knew these layoffs were coming.”
The timing has attracted additional attention because the cuts followed Stern’s decision to extend his relationship with SiriusXM. Stern signed a new three-year contract in December 2025, keeping him with the satellite radio company through 2028.
The agreement also provided the broadcaster with a more flexible schedule. “I am happy to announce that I have figured out a way to have it all. More free time and continuing to be on the radio,” Stern told listeners when announcing the extension.
SiriusXM’s official announcement similarly confirmed that the renewed deal would allow Stern to continue hosting his show while gaining greater flexibility.
Usher has responded to viral speculation after fans questioned whether the singer actually performed at a recent concert on his ongoing R&B Tour. Videos from the show sparked claims online that a lookalike had taken the stage in his place, prompting a wave of reactions across social media. Now, Usher has addressed the unusual allegations and offered his response.
On August 7, Usher and Chris Brown performed at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, one of the stops on their co-headlining R&B Tour. Clips of a performance went viral online, with many claiming it wasn’t Usher who performed onstage that particular night.
One post, which has been viewed millions of times, showed a video clip an audience member recorded during the concert with text that read, “Usher you can’t fool New York that’s not you bro i want my money back.”
More comments followed, agreeing that the performer’s appearance looked “off.” “Usher out there using the Temu version of himself. They can’t clone this… but they can definitely cosplay it,” one user commented. Others say he looked more like Taye Diggs, Juelz Santana, or, as another pointed out, “Dude looks like R. Kelly and Usher had a baby!”
The Singer Responded To The Viral Claim
Other users defended Usher, with one calling those who believed the “cloning” or “lookalike” claims “morons.” “He’s a 47-year-old man. His face will change as time passes lol I’ve seen Usher 4 times live. THAT WAS HIM 1000%,” a fan wrote.
Usher also addressed the claim, not taking it seriously and just laughing it off. The official social media account of the R&B Tour posted screenshots of his comments, along with the so-called lookalike Usher dancing.
“Ya’ll are funny… clone? They can’t clone this??” Usher wrote with a crying-laughing emoji. In another comment, he said, “How ya’ll come up with this? AI ain’t that advanced.”
Some offered their theories about why he appeared different. One suggested his mustache had been shaved differently, while others pointed out that a 47-year-old Usher would naturally look and move differently from the version of himself audiences saw in his 20s.
Another Viral Incident From Usher
The “lookalike” rumor wasn’t the first viral moment from the R&B Tour. As The Blast previously reported, a supposedly seductive onstage moment quickly turned awkward when a fan appeared uncomfortable as a shirtless Usher moved toward her.
The woman, later identified as Gabrielle Cheyenne, said she was selected for the VIP section but wasn’t aware until the last minute that she would be brought onstage to participate. Gabrielle admitted she would have reacted differently if it were Chris Brown dancing in front of her. “I’m more of a Chris Brown fan than I am of Usher,” she said.
Some connected the two viral moments, joking that Usher was so hurt about the brush-off that he hired a lookalike to perform in his place.
The R&B Tour Faced Controversy Before It Began
Usher and Brown’s co-headlining tour drew criticism as soon as it was announced in April. Many were surprised, as the two allegedly had a physical altercation in 2023 at Brown’s 34th birthday party, per The Blast.
Another reason was Brown’s past and ongoing legal troubles. Many argued that the industry gives performers a “pass” for toxic behavior as long as they get high ticket sales and generate profit.
In an interview with AP, Usher said that criticisms over Brown were not a factor in his decision to tour with the singer. “He’s my brother, and he’s amazing as a performer. That’s who I see. He works hard for his fans, and his fans support him,” he said.
Usher And Chris Brown’s Joint Tour Has Surpassed $100 Million
The R&B Tour kicked off in late June and features 33 concert dates. During the three-hour concerts, Usher and Brown take the stage alternately to perform tracks from their decades-long solo careers before teaming up to perform collaborative songs.
According to reports, the joint tour has surpassed $100 million in earnings from the first eight shows and sold more than half a million tickets, per Pollstar. It is projected to earn about $400 million by the end of the tour in December.
Editor’s note: The below recap contains spoilers for the House of the Dragon Season 3 finale.
HBO’s House of the Dragon has had a lot of ups and downs since its premiere. Season 1 was praised for bringing the franchise back to its political roots after Game of Thrones‘s abysmal final chapter, while Season 2 proved a bit more divisive. Because of that, as well as a very long wait for the newest and penultimate installment, Season 3 was fighting an uphill battle.
Thankfully, House of the Dragon Season 3 began with not one, not two, but three of some of the best episodes in the entire series. From the Battle of the Gullet to Rhaenyra’s (Emma D’Arcy) complicated claim of the Iron Throne, there are plenty of standout moments that have helped to make Season 3 one of the Game of Thrones franchise’s best. Now, the finale is finally here, but does it manage to stick the landing?
Aegon and Sunfyre’s Return Causes Chaos in King’s Landing
Rhaenyra’s woes have finally come to a head, as the realm is buzzing with the news that Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carney) still lives, as well as his dragon Sunfyre. This puts Rhaenyra’s entire claim to the Iron Throne at risk, and she emotionally confides in Daemon (Matt Smith) in the hopes of finding a solution. Even less helpful is Baela (Bethany Antonia), who is hounding Rhaenyra for an update on a rescue attempt for Corlys (Steve Toussaint), currently in the custody of Ormund Hightower (James Norton).
In a somewhat surprising move, Rhaenyra also orders the removal of Mysaria (Sonoya Mizuno) from her cabinet despite their secret romance. Before Mysaria is escorted out of the Red Keep, she crosses paths with Helaena (Phia Saban) and directly informs her that the queen is never going to let her leave King’s Landing. This proves to be one of the final straws in Rhaenyra and Helaena’s already rocky relationship, which is complicated further after Rhaenyra forces the guards to force-feed Helaena to end her hunger strike.
The schism with Helaena could also double as the moment that truly pushes Rhaenyra into Mad Queen territory, even though her next heir, Joffrey (Oscar Eskinazi), has been safely delivered to King’s Landing. After donning armor and chainmail, Rhaenyra insists on being escorted under guard to the sept in an effort to reassert her claim to the throne, but when the High Septon (Simon Chandler) once again refuses to anoint her as queen, Rhaenyra orders Alyn of Hull (Abubakar Salim) to kill him. Shortly afterward, the new and much more ruthless queen addresses her subjects, revealing the truth of Aegon’s Prophecy and declaring herself “the Prince Who Was Promised.”
The Battle of Tumbleton Leads to Major Losses in the ‘House of the Dragon’ Season 3 Finale
As Daemon and other allies loyal to Rhaenyra gather at Tumbleton, Ulf the White (Tom Bennett) is inside the city’s walls celebrating as if it’s the end of the world. Ormund’s craven battle strategy, which also includes him putting literal children on the front lines as human shields, hasn’t gone unnoticed by Daeron (Benjamin Evan Ainsworth) and Gwayne (Freddie Fox), who know they’re fighting a losing battle. The two hatch a plan to trade Corlys to Daemon for safe passage out of Tumbleton, but Corlys takes over the negotiations, trying to appeal to Daemon’s better nature and arguing for peace. Instead, the Sea Snake is handed over into Daemon’s custody while Gwayne flees.
Not much longer after, the Battle of Tumbleton officially begins, with Daemon throwing everything he has at the city while Ormund runs around looking for Ulf, who’s gotten so drunk that he’s sleeping through the event. Leading the charge is Ser Roderick Dustin (Tommy Flanagan), who is having the time of his life slaying Hightowers before Caraxes burns down the front gate. Eventually, Ormund finds Ulf and gives him quite the dressing down before ordering him to get on his dragon Silverwing and attack Rhaenyra’s army.
Meanwhile, Hugh Hammer (Kieran Bew) has abandoned his post at King’s Landing to find his wife Kat (Ellora Torchia) in Tumbleton. Ulf stays true to his promise at first, burning a portion of the Blacks’ forces, but Ormund should’ve recognized that the dragonseed doesn’t respond well to negative feedback. After violently clashing with Ser Roderick on the battlements, Ormund looks up in horror as Ulf sets his sights not just on the Targaryen forces, but also the Hightowers, burning both men to a crisp. Unfortunately for Hugh, he’s too late to save his wife, cradling Kat’s lifeless body in his arms.
‘House of the Dragon’ Season 3 Ends With Another Shocking Character Death
Two people who aren’t present at the Battle of Tumbleton are Aegon and Aemond (Ewan Mitchell), but that’s for good reason. The two brothers finally reunite at Harrenhal, and understandably, Aegon is none too happy about seeing the kin who tried to kill him. Aegon has the upper hand now that Sunfyre has returned from the dead, and while it would bring the would-be king great joy to slay Aemond where he stands, Aegon instead proposes a truce between them to find Vhagar and remove Rhaenyra as queen for good. If Aemond is willing to help him regain the throne, Aegon declares, maybe he’ll finally be able to forgive his brother for attempting to kill him.
While Rhaenyra’s forces are technically victorious at Tumbleton, tragedy strikes at King’s Landing. Not willing to be a prisoner any longer, Helaena jumps from her bedroom window in a sequence eerily similar to Tommen Baratheon’s (Dean-Charles Chapman) demise in Game of Thrones. Traveling back from Harrenhal, Alicent (Olivia Cooke), who has largely taken a backseat in this episode, suddenly finds herself surrounded by blue butterflies, a heartbreaking omen, without realizing its connection to her daughter’s fate. Upon entering Helaena’s room, Rhaenyra discovers the tapestry her half-sister had been working on, which the Dreamer had not only stitched her own death into but also included an image of the queen herself, sitting on the Iron Throne, covered in blood.
House of the Dragon Season 3 is streaming now on HBO Max.
- Release Date
-
August 21, 2022
- Network
-
HBO
- Showrunner
-
George R.R. Martin
- Directors
-
Clare Kilner, Geeta Patel
- Writers
-
Gabe Fonseca
-
-
Fabien Frankel
Ser Criston Cole
Pros & Cons
- Tumbleton is another stunning battle in Westeros.
- Emma D’Arcy’s performance of Rhaenyra’s evolution into a mad queen continues to impress.
- There are plenty of interesting plot threads for the fourth and final season to follow.
- Alicent feels weirdly sidelined.
- The episode has some plot holes and inconsistencies.
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