Lukas Gage is coming into his own. In a new interview, the “White Lotus” alum reflects on embracing his sexuality as a gay man after years of hiding it.

In a previous exclusive interview with The Blast, the actor discussed writing his memoir, “I Wrote This For Attention,” in which he shares deeply personal stories about his struggles with people-pleasing, mental health, family trauma, and addiction.

Speaking with E! News, Gage, 31, said that he’s now finally able to embrace his identity as a gay man following years of hiding his sexuality. While he was open with the people closest to him, Gage said he used to be “fearful” of telling those who didn’t know him well.

“It was the people that didn’t know me that I was the most fearful about,” he said before revealing that something finally shifted in him, giving him the courage to live life on his terms.

“I don’t know what happened, maybe it’s growing older or maybe it’s just life experience,” he said, adding, “If people don’t want to work with me because of how I identify or who I have sex with, they’re probably people I don’t want to work with anyway.”

Growing Up Had An Impact On How Lukas Gage Viewed Himself

Gage, who appeared in the 2025 series “Overcompensating,” said that growing up gave him the confidence to truly embrace who he was.

“When you’re younger, it feels more intense than it actually is, or more important,” he said, adding, “but ultimately, the right people are going to find you.”

Gage explained that after making peace with himself, he realized he could “take a deep breath” and live a little. “At first, having a secret can be fun and it can feel like you’re mysterious. Then it starts to eat away at you and you just can’t keep up with it anymore,” he said.

How Being ‘Upfront’ About His Identity Helped Lukas Gage ‘Be More Free’

Gage, whose 2026 credits include “People We Meet on Vacation,” “Rosebush Pruning,” “Love Language,” and “Voicemails for Isabelle,” said coming out of the closet allowed him to “be free.”

“Just being upfront was the thing that allowed me to be more free,” he said before revealing that it also impacted how he showed up to work.

“… [Coming out] allowed my work to be better and allowed me actually to work with the right people. It aligned me in the right way,” he said.

What Gage Hoped To Get Across In His Memoir, ‘I Wrote This For Attention’

In a past interview with The Blast, Gage opened up about his memoir, “I Wrote This For Attention,” and spoke about why he believed it was important to share his personal story.

“The message that I share throughout the book is that the little boy who was desperate for attention and love and validation became a man who was also a little bit desperate for love and validation and attention,” he said. “I try to share how that manifested. And I try to put a different spin on our innate human need for attention, our desire to be seen, and show how you can do that in a positive way instead of only being seen for negative attention.”

The 320-page memoir touches on Gage’s “broken family, struggles with addiction, sex, borderline personality disorder,” and much more.

Gage Gets Real About The Importance Of PrEP And Sexual Health

Elsewhere in his conversation with The Blast, the “American Vandal” actor opened up about the importance of sexual health and why PrEP—a once-daily medication that reduces the risk of acquiring HIV through sex by about 99% when taken as prescribed—is so important for those at risk.

“I think that the way that we become knowledgeable is to have an open conversation about these things and to not live in fear and uncertainty,” he said. “The way that we just bring awareness is that we step away from the taboo and from the stigma that we have wrapped around these topics.”

Regarding PrEP, Gage said being “safe” is a vital part of his “self-care” routine, calling it “just as important as working out and eating well.”

“[Getting on PrEP] might feel like a scary step, but you just have to take the leap. And if you are uncomfortable talking to your primary care doctor, you might consider telehealth options where you can talk to someone from the comfort of your home. Regardless, there is nothing to be ashamed of. The more we talk about sex and how to have safe sex the less taboo it becomes,” Gage said.

If there’s one thing I remember from my recent trip to London, it’s polka dots, and Blake Lively just brought the rich mom look to New York City. Not only that, but she also nailed the elevated lounge pants trend. I found her comfy-chic style for just $23!

Heading out to dinner, Lively was spotted with husband Ryan Reynolds wearing a simple tank, a leather-like blazer and polka-dot pants that make you question every pair of tight trousers you own. Loose, breezy and incredibly sophisticated, these pants channel ‘summer in Kensington’ vibes without even trying.

Get the Wiholl Polka-Dot Lounge Pants for $23 (was $30) at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate at the date of publication but are subject to change.

These Wiholl Polka-Dot Lounge Pants mirror Lively’s in every way, with the same relaxed shape, smocked waistband and tapered ankles. The black-and-white polka dot print is also similar, reading polished from across the street and playful up close.

Better yet, these upgraded lounge pants are as comfortable as, well, lounge pants. They have a stretchy high waist and a billowy cut that drapes in all the right places. I’m especially obsessed with the tapered ankles that work just as well with sneakers as they do with heels. Oh, and did I mention pockets?

One happy fan highlighted the flattering fit and wrote, “These lay so nicely on the body, hiding lumps and bumps. So soft and perfect for the hot summer yet you can wear them well into fall. The wide ruched waistband smooths your tummy and in a not tight way.”

These flowy wonders are labeled lounge pants, but don’t let that fool you. Classy and luxe, these pants dress up any outfit. No matter how you style them, you’ll look like a London rich mom and a New York City celeb simultaneously. Score!

Get the Wiholl Polka-Dot Lounge Pants for $23 (was $30) at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate at the date of publication but are subject to change.

Related: Jennifer Garner‘s Classic Summer Sandal Is on Major Sale for Prime Day

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Jennifer Garner and Julianne Moore are the ultimate celebrity rich moms, so when they agree on shoes, we take notes. Both have been spotted wearing Birkenstock slide sandals, which usually have a $150+ price tag, but we found them on major sale for Amazon Prime Day! There’s a reason Birkenstock sandals show up on the […]

Love Island USA host Ariana Madix had to step in when a brutal recoupling turned into a verbal argument.

The Friday, June 26, episode got heated at multiple moments as the guys and girls reunited. While a majority of the girls chose not to couple up with a new guy in favor of their existing partner — the same couldn’t be said for the group coming from Casa.

KC Chandler got the most backlash when he brought Tierra Davis back with him. He stood by his decision despite how much it affected his former match Aniya Harvey, who chose to remain single so she could recouple with him.

After KC defended his actions, Tierra stepped in. This didn’t sit well with Trinity Tatum who confronted KC but ended up in a verbal argument with Tierra instead. As everyone shouted over each other, Ariana, 41, broke up the fight.

“It’s a lot of emotions. It’s a really hard night tonight,” she told the group. “It’s hard for the girls to come from Casa. It’s obviously gonna be really hard for you guys as well.”

She continued: “So if we could squash it now, that way we can get to everybody and we can find out how everyone’s feeling.”

This isn’t the first time Ariana has had to step in. Earlier this month, Ariana addressed claims that voting was rigged in the villa. The host

replied to an Instagram comment after Caleb McDaniel and Sol Dean were not announced as a top couple during the Thursday, June 18, episode of the show — despite an online campaign for the season 8 bombshells.

“Unfortunately, they were not in the top 4,” Ariana wrote in response to a message that read, “They @loveislandusa messing up the show.” Ariana also “liked” a comment which stated that “legally” production “can’t tamper with results” despite the speculation on social media.

Fans were left frustrated when Sol and Gabriel Vasconcelos ended up dumped from the villa following a group vote. This came after America chose their favorite couples — and the bottom three were left at risk of elimination, leaving the remaining girls to decide which guy went home and vice versa.

This isn’t the first time Ariana has had to step in to debunk rumors. In June 2025, Ariana slammed the insinuation that the show was “rigged,” telling The Wrap, “You can have whatever opinions you want to have about the show itself, but I will tell you: Don’t you start making up conspiracies.”

She continued: “I’m not a conspiracy theorist, so I’m the debunker.”

At the time, Ariana also denied that any Islanders were coming into the villa with a plan on how to win.

“As much as someone might try to gamify the show for themselves while they’re in there as an Islander, you cannot for 24 hours a day,” she added. “It’s nearly impossible to really be able to fully keep that mask on at all times.”

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Ariana encouraged viewers to show their enthusiasm by voting, saying, “If America does feel a certain way about certain Islanders, they do get their say. So if someone is trying to super gamify everything, and if they find out that they’re in the bottom, they’ll be like, ‘Wait, oh.’”

New episodes of Love Island USA are released six days a week — except for Wednesdays — on Peacock.

Join Us Weekly and Bracketology.tv in our first-ever Love Island USA fantasy league! This is your chance to predict who you think will win Season 8 and rank the Islanders weekly based on how confident you are that they will survive the next elimination. You will be playing against our editors, get access to exclusive content and have the chance to win fun prizes. Sign up for free today!

Saturday Night Live‘s 50th anniversary show was a big success as cast members from the beginning until now showed up for the celebration. If you were watching the broadcast on NBC (which is now available to stream on Peacock), you might have noticed that one former cast member was moving quite gingerly. Chris Kattan, one of SNL‘s most popular names in the late ’90s and early 2000s, looked like he was in pain as he moved around the stage. So what’s that about? The truth is much more shocking. In 2001, Kattan broke his neck live on TV during a Saturday Night Live sketch. He has been dealing with the physical and mental consequences ever since.

Chris Kattan Was Known for His Wild Physicality on ‘SNL’

In the mid-1990s, Saturday Night Live was going through a time of big change, as major names like Chris Farley, Adam Sandler, and Chris Rock started to leave the show. Going into the latter half of the decade, SNL nearly started from scratch, hiring new future featured players such as Will Ferrell, Tracy Morgan, Darrell Hammond, Cheri Oteri, and Ana Gasteyer. Another impactful name brought in was Kattan. Kattan was seemingly born for comedy, as his father, Kip King, was a cartoon voice actor and one of the founders of the sketch comedy troupe The Groundlings. Kattan ended up being part of The Groundlings, too, leading to Lorne Michaels hiring him for Saturday Night Live in 2001.

Kattan became one of the biggest names in the cast thanks to his willingness to do anything. He could do celebrity impressions, but what he became most known for was three original characters. One was the flamboyant exotic danger named Mango, and another was Mr. Peepers, with Kattan stripping down, putting on bigger ears, and jumping around like a monkey while he devoured apples, with bits of fruit flying everywhere. His physicality became so well known that there’s a scene in Jordan Peele‘s Nope where Jupe (Steven Yeun) is talking about the terrifying chimp scene from the film being portrayed in a fictional SNL sketch. And who should play the chimpanzee? Kattan.

Kattan was also known for his recurring sketch as one of the Butabi brothers alongside Will Ferrell, two eccentric men who like to bob their heads to “What Is Love” by Haddaway. They think they are cool even as every woman rejects them. The sketches were so popular that they even led to a feature film, 1998’s A Night at the Roxbury. Everything was going right for Kattan, until it really wasn’t.

Chris Kattan Broke His Neck During an ‘SNL’ Sketch

In 2019, Kattan wrote a memoir titled Baby, Don’t Hurt Me: Stories and Scars from Saturday Night Live. In it, he details the highs and lows of being a famous cast member on one of America’s most well-known shows, but the lowest of lows for Kattan came during the May 12, 2001, episode. He was involved in a sketch parodying The Golden Girls, when Kattan’s character began to shake wildly, as he often did. Kattan flailed about so much that he fell back in his chair, tipping it over as intended, but when he did, he landed on the back of his head.

Kattan went on with the rest of the show as normal despite being in a lot of pain. He continued with Saturday Night Live until 2003, and no one knew what had happened, or why he largely disappeared from acting in the years right after. Finally, in 2017, when he was cast on Dancing With the Stars, Kattan sort of came clean, wanting to explain why his dancing was so rigid and stiff. He said that he had broken his neck in the past without going into detail. Kattan ended up being the first contestant eliminated.

In Baby Don’t Hurt Me, Kattan revealed the whole story about how he injured himself. He hoped that the pain would just eventually go away, but nearly a year later, with the pain worse, his chiropractor got him to finally see a doctor, where it was discovered he had broken his neck. In total, Kattan has had five surgeries, but Saturday Night Live wasn’t there to support him for all of it. In his book, Kattan wrote:

“NBC had stopped paying my medical costs after the second surgery. The ‘SNL’ family I was part of had stopped taking care of me, and soon I wasn’t able to pay for everything myself.”

Kattan admits that he didn’t handle things the right way. He tried to hide his injury, pretending that everything was fine, because he didn’t want to sue anyone. However, in an interview with Variety, he said he wishes now that he’d stuck up for himself, because he waited so long that he could no longer get workers’ compensation. “It’s a different day and age where people, if they get any injury or harassment or anything, it’s a good time to say anything about it. This is not too long ago, but it was more of a faux pas to say anything, especially if it has to do with your showbiz family.”

Chris Kattan’s Career Has Suffered Because of His Injury

Image via Touchstone Pictures

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In another interview with Variety, Kattan said that he’s 95% okay now, thanks to physical therapy, but he does have limitations due to permanent nerve damage, including not being able to fully open and close his hands. Still, he admits, “There is a lot of pain involved.” The pain for Kattan hasn’t just been physical, either. As has sadly happened with too many people who have had a serious injury, Kattan then found himself addicted to painkillers. That led to an arrest and the end of his marriage. After marrying model Sunshine Deia Tutt in 2008, the pair divorced just months later. In his memoir, he wrote, “The impact that my injury and subsequent surgeries had on my career was immense, but more importantly, the fallout proved to be devastating to some of the closest relationships in my life.”

Five months after his SNL accident, Kattan was the lead in the feature film Corky Romano. It was a critical bust, with a lowly 7% on Rotten Tomatoes, but it made a respectable $24 million domestically at the box office. Later in the 2000s, he was still acting, but here and there, in small, forgotten movies, or doing guest spots on TV shows and voice work. That’s still not a bad career, but it’s a big fall off for someone who was once just as big as Will Ferrell.

Thankfully, he has turned his life around. He told Variety, “Comedy is what brought me out of it. I was born to be funny and to perform comedy.” Kattan, who said he was once ashamed of going outside because he didn’t want to be judged for his appearance, is now doing stand-up comedy regularly. He also found love again, getting engaged in 2023 to his girlfriend, Maria Libri. Thankfully, he was at Saturday Night Live‘s big 50th celebration, standing on the stage where he belonged.

Saturday Night Live is now available to stream on Peacock.

Amal Clooney admits she had to adjust to a different lifestyle after tying the knot with George Clooney.

While speaking at a Cartier Dialogues event in Bangkok earlier this month, the international human rights lawyer, 48, detailed how things had shifted.

“I used to have my work life and my personal life, and they could look quite different, and I was able to not have them mix and then I got married and that changed quite a lot,” Amal said, per a People article published on Friday, June 26. “And at first I was kind of conscious of that one-dimensional view where I felt like, well, I can’t be seen wearing this dress or doing this because I’m in front of a judge on Monday.”

Amal continued, “But you know it just doesn’t matter as much as living your life, and ultimately if you’re good at what you do, that is going to shine through or not. I wouldn’t allow that factor to stop me from doing things that were important for my family or for my relationship. It was easier when I could decide what kind of exposure I got. It was something new to navigate.”

After Amal was introduced to the Ocean’s Eleven actor, 65, at his Lake Como house by a mutual friend, the pair fell in love and tied the knot in 2014. The couple welcomed twins, Alexander and Ella, in 2017.

Both Amal and George have gushed over one another over the years, praising their harmonious relationship.

In an interview with Glamour in July 2025, Amal shared how grateful she was to have found a “supportive” partner like George.

“I have a partner in life who is so supportive of what I do. So I don’t feel like I have to apologize for it or rein it in,” she told the outlet. “And I remember when I became a mom, which was obviously a new frontier, he was the first one to say, ‘I know you’ve got this speech at the Security Council. You have to go. I’ve got the kids, don’t worry about it.’”

The Oscar winner has been equally effusive about his wife, telling The New York Times in February 2025 that he was “proud” to be her husband. He added that he felt as though “everything made sense” after they fell in love.

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“There’s a thing about finding the person that you needed to find, particularly at a certain age, and everything from then on is easy,” he said.

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Related: George Clooney ‘Still’ Thinks Wife Amal Clooney Is Out of His League

Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images George and Amal Clooney are couple goals, but he has no shame in admitting that they aren’t quite on the same level. George, 62, confessed to “punching above” with his marriage during a recent interview with Page Six, teasing that he “still” thinks Amal, 45, is out of his league nearly a […]

The actor added that he’s less likely to sweat the small stuff in relationships as he ages, sharing a personal anecdote to make his point.

“We renovated our house,” George said. “Amal would go, ‘I want to paint this wall yellow.’ Well, if I was 27 years old and doing construction work, I would’ve been like, ‘Well, that’s a stupid color.’ But the truth of the matter is that at 60, you just go, ‘OK.’ There are so many things that would have caused friction that don’t.”

Love Island USA gives viewers the chance to cast their votes throughout the season — but how does the process work?

The hit Peacock series follows a group of singles who must pair off in order to stay in the show’s luxury villa. The contestants — referred to as Islanders — live in isolation in a villa under constant video surveillance. They must be coupled up to remain on the show and earn a shot at the $100,000 prize.

While the islanders are filming nonstop for weeks, viewers are watching daily episodes and casting votes via the app that affect the couples and the fate of the contestants.

Voting for season 8 originally opened on Monday, June 9, but users were met with glitches and a message that read “network error” after opening the Love Island application on their phones.

“Vote tonight to choose which Islanders the new Bombshells — Sol, Jen and Caleb — should couple up with!” read the initial post from the show’s official Instagram account. “Voting opens at 10:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. PT and closes at 1 a.m. E.T./10 p.m. PT. Voting is open in the U.S. only. Link in our bio.”

After voting closed, Love Island USA posted an update on Instagram addressed the issue, which read, “For those of you experiencing issues registering to vote, we apologize for the inconvenience. Our team is actively working on it. Stay tuned for updates.”

There was another clarification after the app crashed.

“Your overwhelming enthusiasm for America’s first vote caused the app to crash. But don’t worry, we are extending the voting window until 3 pm ET / 12pm PT on Wednesday, June 10!” read the new post.

Before viewers tuned into season 8, Peacock also issued a message to remind the audience to be kind.

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“The Villa runs on good vibes, and so does this community. We love seeing your reactions, opinions, and debates, but everyone deserves to feel safe and respected,” read their statement. “This is a space for fun, not negativity – so keep it kind, keep it positive, and remember: this is LOVE Island!”

New episodes of Love Island USA are released six days a week — except for Wednesdays — on Peacock.

Join Us Weekly and Bracketology.tv in our first-ever Love Island USA fantasy league! This is your chance to predict who you think will win Season 8 and rank the Islanders weekly based on how confident you are that they will survive the next elimination. You will be playing against our editors, get access to exclusive content and have the chance to win fun prizes. Sign up for free today!

By TeeJay Small
| Published 26 seconds ago

If you’ve spent any time at all browsing social media in recent years, you’ve definitely encountered the claim that older TV shows, movies, and games simply “couldn’t be made” today. The argument is that modern audiences are just too sensitive to handle the rough-and-tumble jokes that the Nixon or Reagan era handled with so much grace. Rainn Wilson is the latest voice to join in this insufferable chorus, having recently sat down with Fox News. Per X, Wilson expressed “I do feel like you couldn’t make The Office today. I think that would be too hard to be as politically incorrect as the show was.”

Nobody Is Clutching Pearls Over The Office

Personally, I’ve always found this line of reasoning to be idiotic. Sure, on occasion I’ll sit down to watch an old film without my nostalgia glasses on, and find myself gasping at the rampant homophobia, misogyny, or racism on display from characters we’re meant to like and agree with. Even still, most of the jokes from older projects hold up just fine by modern standards, and offensive humor is very much still alive and well. In fact, I’d argue that the average episode of It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia or South Park is significantly more politically incorrect than anything from The Office, and those shows seem to be doing just fine.

The fact that Rainn Wilson is referring to The Office in his recent comments is perhaps the most baffling part of this entire discourse. In fairness, it has been a few years since I’ve sat down to binge the show, but I really don’t recall anything offensive or boundary-pushing occurring within the Dunder Mifflin bullpen. Michael Scott offers a few awkwardly-placed racial jokes at the expense of Kelly, Oscar, and Darryl, but it’s nothing more jaw-dropping than the stuff you’d hear in a traditional work environment.

This bizarre take seems to stem from the idea that young people today, primarily those who lean left of center, are put off by patently bigoted material. Sometimes, these audiences can amplify their positions to the point of absurdity, and call something bigoted when it was really just a good-natured joke with a bit of edge. But, the idea that this is new is baffling to me. Decades ago, it was the conservative christian crowd chomping at the bit to cancel anything and everything. Television shows, films, and rap artists were picketed for foul language, suggestive nudity, or the mere suggestion that conservative Christian values could be questioned in any capacity.

From the 1930s through the 1960s, movies and TV shows were strictly governed by the Hays Code, which prohibited a wide array of so-called “offensive” materials. Landmark TV moments that broke the mold include Captain Kirk smooching Lieutenant Uhura, (a black woman) on Star Trek: The Original Series and a married couple from The Flintstones sleeping in the same bed. For contrast, Always Sunny characters now frequently drop the C word on FXX, while South Park shows off photorealistic deepfake sequences of the sitting president’s teeny tiny wang.

Art Is Getting Away With It

Every time I hear someone espouse this notion that they can’t make jokes because of cancel culture, my first response is to ask for some examples. So far, I’ve yet to hear a single joke that would be deemed “too edgy” for modern audiences. Sometimes people will respond with bits from Blazing Saddles, or show me the blackface scene from Trading Places. But those movies continue to air on television today, exactly as they were produced. In fact, you can pull up regular daytime cable and watch films that blatantly violate the Hays Code of yesteryear, in between car insurance ads and children’s programming.

Modern politics have become extremely divisive, leaving audiences significantly more polarized than they were back when The Office was in its heyday. Still, I just can’t see liberals foaming at the mouth over Michael Scott misusing urban slang, or MAGA voters writing in to the network because they had to bear witness to a desegregated workplace. I think every joke told in The Office, and in fact, in all popular movies and shows of decades past, would survive just fine on today’s radar. Plus, there’s a new Office spin-off series or foreign remake being produced just about every year, and those rarely receive negative press.

The classiest ladies don’t lounge in old T-shirts and sweatpants. They do what Jennifer Lopez just did: wear coordinated outfit sets that are just as comfortable but much more polished. Somehow, we found Lopez’s two-piece style on sale for just $43!

Strolling out of her Paris hotel, Lopez made a loose beige lounge set look like front-row couture, especially since she finished it off with a mini Birkin bag. With relaxed shoulders, wide-leg pants and a creamy neutral palette that flatters any skin tone, Lopez’s outfit is pure rich mom, and this Amazon version hits every note.

Get the Prettygarden Two-Piece Lounge Set for $43 (was $56) at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate at the date of publication but are subject to change.

This Prettygarden Two-Piece Lounge Set channels the same slouchy, expensive-looking energy, featuring an easy V-neck sweatshirt top and wide-leg pants that create a flowy, intentional silhouette. Nothing frumpy here!

Better yet, the cotton-blend fabric has a drapey lived-in feel. It’s breathable enough to wear year-round, so you can wear it indoors all summer and still rock it through fall and winter. The combo is especially perfect for travel days when the plane turns arctic. The layering possibilities are endless!

One five-star shopper described the set as mega flattering.

“I am eight years bariatric post op, never had skin removal, so I’m always looking for outfits to help camouflage what’s underneath . . .” they said. “The top is so perfect living out in the desert of the Pacific Southwest . . . you still wanna wear sweatsuits that don’t make you feel hot. Believe me, you can so wear this out of the house with some cute sneakers and nobody will know it’s a lounge set.”

Clearly, this pairing is an easy, put-together outfit that goes from a transatlantic flight to brunch without missing a beat. Add big sunglasses, a structured bag and a swipe of lip gloss, and suddenly you’re not running errands — you’re having a J.Lo moment!

Get the Prettygarden Two-Piece Lounge Set for $43 (was $56) at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate at the date of publication but are subject to change.

One simply can’t get enough of thriller movies. Fast-paced, heart-pounding, and packed with twists and surprises, the genre feeds off the reactions of audiences as they are pulled to the edge of their seats. A good thriller delivers suspense, but an excellent one reinvents classic thriller elements, all while staying relevant to the anxieties of the era it was released in.

Whether it’s the effects of corporate culture, a rookie police officer taking on 30 levels of criminals, or a chef who’s sick and tired of serving uppity patrons, these movies show that there’s more than one way to deliver the adrenaline. That said, here are 10 intense thriller movies that are perfect from start to finish.

1

‘One Battle After Another’ (2025)

Image via Warner Bros. Pictures

What happens when a revolutionary loses his spark? One Battle After Another introduces us to Bob Ferguson (Leonardo DiCaprio), a former demolition expert for a militant group who, 16 years later, has become a jaded single father to the teenage Willa (Chase Infiniti). But when a secret is revealed about Willa’s true origins, she goes off the grid, prompting the washed-up Bob to reignite the fire he once had.

One Battle After Another has the makings of a classic thriller. However, there is a refreshing comedic edge to him. Considering that he’s not as energetic and physically limber as he used to be, he falls and stumbles as he evades the cops. Bob can barely run without losing his breath, but with his daughter kidnapped, he’s not catching a break anytime soon.

2

‘Sinners’ (2025)

Image via Warner Bros. Pictures

Sinners refuses to be boxed into conventional thriller norms. When twin brothers Smoke and Stack (Michael B. Jordan) open a massive juke joint on the outskirts of town, the last thing they expect is for a group of vampires to crash the party. As the night wears on, these undead intruders begin turning the brothers’ human guests one by one.

Historical, breathtaking, and full of movement, Ryan Coogler has a knack for using horror to bring up broader themes like racial identity and systemic oppression. In Sinners, blues music serves as the voice of the marginalized, giving power to those who play it. Coogler goes one step further by portraying blues as a near-magical force that can literally open portals to the supernatural.

3

‘Oldboy’ (2003)

Image via Show East

No other thriller has tested an audience’s perception of reality more than Oldboy. For reasons unknown, a drunken Oh Dae-su (Choi Min-sik) is abducted and imprisoned in a sealed room with no communication to the outside world. 15 years have passed, and the now disoriented Dae-su is suddenly returned to society — this time framed for the murder of his wife.

It’s mystery after mystery in Oldboy, but it all boils down to a hyper-specific revenge ploy. Sometimes, death is too swift and merciful a solution — although the movie does boast graphic scenes like the violent hallway fight. Instead, the most effective kind of revenge is one that twists a person’s cognition, leading them to make immoral decisions by their own doing.

4

‘American Psycho’ (2002)

Image via Lionsgate

Corporate gets cold-blooded in American Psycho. Although modern movies like The Wolf of Wall Street show the high-adrenaline rush from working in investment, Christian Bale’s performance as banker Patrick Bateman is much more polished and restrained — but even more deadly. A swanky apartment and a ridiculous salary aren’t enough to fill his empty void, prompting him to find alternative sources of pleasure.

Thus begins the true thesis of American Psycho — the rich aren’t devoid of feeling because they lack material wealth; it’s because they can’t appreciate what they have. Capitalism emphasizes the idea of having more. Unfortunately, the more Bateman tries to gain — whether status, money, or women — the less satisfaction he finds, until he finds something that cannot be bought: the ability to control whether someone lives or dies.

5

‘The Raid’ (2011)

Image via PT Merantau Films

The only thing that’s separating a 20-man SWAT team and one crime lord in The Raid is a 30-story rundown apartment. But like Dante’s nine circles of hell, each level in the building is infested with all sorts of criminals. From drug dealers to machete-wielding killers, rookie officer Rama must conquer the threats on each floor before getting his hands on the feared underworld kingpin, Tama Riyadi.

There is a non-stop, relentless pace that drives The Raid from start to finish. The not-so-fun part about raiding a high-rise building is that there is practically no way of escaping. The hallways are tight and narrow, meaning that any criminal could just jump on Rama from whichever direction, amplifying the anxiety from being only literally one step away from being stabbed by a knife.

6

‘Inglourious Basterds’ (2009)

Image via The Weinstein Company

There’s no knowing where a Quentin Tarantino thriller might go, and the in-your-face Inglourious Basterds is as unpredictable as they come. Lt. Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt) is responsible for his “Basterds,” a crew of Jewish-American soldiers whose job is to infiltrate Nazi spaces and kill them. Somewhere in the French countryside, Shosanna Dreyfus (Mélanie Laurent) has a personal vendetta against the infamous “Jew Hunter,” Hans Landa (Christoph Waltz).

Inglourious Basterds doesn’t skimp on the anxiety of being hunted like helpless prey, and much of that tension comes from Walt’s performance as Landa. Widely regarded as one of cinema’s greatest villains, Waltz plays him as chillingly polite one moment and completely ruthless the next, especially when he suspects he has found a Jew in his presence.

7

‘Parasite’ (2019)

Image via NEON

In Parasite, the resourceful Ki-taek (Song Kang-ho) does everything he can to pull his Kim family out of their scrappy, cramped basement apartment. His luck changes when his son, Ki-woo (Choi Woo-shik), secures a tutoring position with the affluent Park family. With no proper qualifications, he sweet-talks his way into the job, gradually bringing the rest of his family into the Parks’ lives.

Parasite challenges the audience’s pre-existing notions about the rich versus the poor. While it may seem unethical for the Kim family to manipulate the Parks, they are simply doing what they can to achieve upward mobility. The Parks, on the other hand, appear kind because they have the resources to afford generosity. The film suggests that privilege itself enables the ability to be “nice.”

8

‘Get Out’ (2017)

Image via Universal Pictures

A weekend out of the city goes sideways in Get Out. Black photographer Chris Washington (Daniel Kaluuya) accepts an invitation from his white girlfriend, Rose Armitage (Allison Williams), to a family gathering at her home in the countryside. Unbeknownst to him, her parents have a horrifying pastime of hypnotizing and lobotomizing Black individuals as a vessel for immortality.

Get Out reimagines how modern-day slavery would take place. The scariest part is that, unlike in the past, with recorded accounts of white masters being viciously cruel, Rose’s family initially welcomes Chris with open arms. This sense of niceness — almost too nice — strikes a nerve, considering that Chris is the only Black person in the countryside with no outside communication.

Image via Searchlight Pictures

Unlike Marco Pierre White and Gordon Ramsay, Chef Julian Slowik (Ralph Fiennes) is cool as a cucumber — the perfect facade to hide his taste for revenge in The Menu. Obnoxious food snob Tyler (Nicholas Hoult) takes his less-than-enthusiastic date Margot (Anya Taylor-Joy) to a group fine dining experience at Chef Julian’s secluded island restaurant, only for the night to get bloody.

Despite the terror they face from the disillusioned Chef Julian, there’s something darkly funny about paying $1,250 per person only to end up getting killed. Then again, The Menu is about a service industry man’s attempt to get revenge on the entitled guests who have caused him to lose his passion for the simple joy of cooking. The wealthy will pay anything for an “experience,” and that is exactly what they’re going to get.

10

‘The Handmaiden’ (2016)

Image via CJ Entertainment

Nobody can trust anyone in The Handmaiden. Set in Japanese-occupied Korea in the 1930s, Sook-hee (Kim Tae-ri) is appointed as the loyal handmaiden to the Japanese heiress, Lady Hideko. Unlike the tales of cruel masters, Lady Hideko (Kim Min-hee) shows nothing but compassion to Sook-hee. Unbeknownst to them, the male powers shadowing over them plan to use them as pawns for material and colonial gains.

The Handmaiden is as much of a period piece and a forbidden romance as it is a thriller. Considering the context of the time, the two leading women, despite their class differences, are no less put into precarious positions. For all its sickening plot twists, the bond between Sook-he and Lady Hideko gives the thriller a strong sense of heart. After all, the two are only trying to escape from their oppression, even if that route requires manipulation.

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The Handmaiden

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Release Date

June 1, 2016

Runtime

145 minutes

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  Ha Jung-woo

  Count Fujiwara

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  Cho Jin-woong

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  Uncle Kouzuki

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90 Day Fiancé alum Jasmine Pineda has been ordered to pay her ex-husband Gino Palazzolo spousal support after their divorce was finalized.

According to legal documents obtained by Us Weekly on Friday, June 26, the court ordered that Pineda, 39, will need to pay Palazzolo, 57, $20,000 in spousal support.

The documents state that the “defendant shall pay this amount at five hundred dollars ($500) a month for a period of forty (40) months. Spousal support will commence on the first day of the month after the Judgment of Divorce is granted, which is July 1, 2026.”

In the division of assets, it was also stated that in terms of the former couple’s property,  Palazzolo will retain their Canton, MI property, while Pineda gets to keep their home in Dunedin, FL.

The court decided that each party will retain their own clothing, jewelry and personal effects as well as any furniture and furnishings inside their respective properties. Palazzolo will also get to keep the 2015 Ford Explorer.

Related: ’90 Day Fiance’ Star Jasmine Pineda’s Lawyer Speaks Out After Gino Divorce

90 Day Fiancé alum Jasmine Pineda is speaking out after finalizing her divorce from now-ex-husband Gino Palazzolo. “My client has exercised remarkable restraint despite repeated public accusations that we believe are false and damaging. The legal process has concluded, yet the public attacks have not,” Pineda’s lawyer Andrew J. Tahmazian said in a statement to […]

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In response to the legal filing, Palazzolo’s legal representative said Pineda would not receive “one red cent” from Palazzolo.

“Basically in a nut shell my client is a super nice guy he offered from the very beginning for each party to walk away keeping their own property,” the lawyer told Us. “She asked for money she was not entitled to. Then attempted to default him in an out of state court. At which point my client was forced to defend himself. The end result, she’s paying my client money and he is not paying her one red cent.”

Earlier on Friday, Pineda spoke out via her lawyer after the divorce was finalized.

“My client has exercised remarkable restraint despite repeated public accusations that we believe are false and damaging. The legal process has concluded, yet the public attacks have not,” Pineda’s lawyer Andrew J. Tahmazian said in a statement to Us Weekly on Friday. “We are issuing a formal cease-and-desist demand, and if these defamatory statements continue, we are fully prepared to pursue every legal remedy available. Reputation has value, and the law provides recourse when false statements cause harm.”

Pineda’s manager, Dominique Enchinton, also addressed the reality star’s divorce in a statement to Us, “For far too long, Jasmine has been forced to defend herself against a narrative that simply does not align with either the facts or the outcome of this case. The final divorce resolution speaks louder than months of interviews, online commentary, and accusations.”

Enchinton continued, “Jasmine chose peace over prolonged litigation. She honored a settlement so she could close this chapter and focus on her children, her family, and her future. Unfortunately, the continued public attacks have made it necessary to respond. The legal process has concluded, and the outcome speaks for itself. Jasmine is choosing to move forward with grace, dignity, and purpose—not conflict. We are hopeful this chapter has finally come to a close. However, a person’s reputation is invaluable. Should false and defamatory statements continue, we are fully prepared to protect Jasmine’s rights through every appropriate legal avenue. We remain confident that the truth, supported by the facts, will continue to speak for itself.”

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Related: Inside 90 Day Fiance’s Gino Palazzolo and Jasmine Pineda’s Divorce

90 Day Fiancé stars Gino Palazzolo and Jasmine Pineda are still in the middle of a quarrelsome divorce nearly three years after they tied the knot, Us Weekly can exclusively report. Gino, 57, filed docs in July 2025 to legally end their union in Michigan, where the now-exes wed in June 2023, noting they separated […]

Palazzolo and Pineda, met online in 2019 and wed in June 2023. Their relationship was initially documented on 90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days, followed by the flagship show and spinoff 90 Day: The Last Resort.

According to Palazzolo’s July 2025 divorce filing in Michigan, they separated on April 22, 2024. For her part, Pineda filed for divorce from Palazzolo in Florida in August 2025.

Palazzolo and Pineda agreed to have a nonmonogamous relationship — which Palazzolo admitted he later regretted. Pineda began seeing Matt Branistareanu, with whom she welcomed daughter Matilda in March 2025. She also has sons Juance and JC from a previous relationship.