Madison Beer is a singer-songwriter who uses her platform to sing about mental health, self-empowerment, and relationships. She first gained attention as a teenager when pop star Justin Bieber shared a link to her cover of “At Last” on Twitter. Not only did this lead to a recording contract, but her rise in popularity has also led to several brand deals. Most recently, she partnered with Frito-Lay, a subsidiary of PepsiCo, in order to create her own snack: Flavor Swap Lays Sweet Southern Heat Barbecue on Cheetos Crunchy.

Inside The History Of Madison Beer’s Flavor Swap Cheetos Flavor

Madison Beer collaborated with Cheetos on their “Flavor Swap” collaboration, which launched on March 1, 2026. The launch has been a long time coming, as the “Make You Mine” singer has been teasing the collaboration for months.

On December 18, 2025, Madison Beer posted an Instagram Story video teasing an upcoming collaboration with Cheetos.

On January 21, 2026, the official Cheetos accounts posted about the collaboration on X, with a release date of February 16, 2026.

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On February 16, 2026, Madison posted an Instagram video of herself finding her snack bags in stores. “Found my flavor swap bags with @cheetos,” she wrote in the caption. “In stores nationwide, March 1! For a limited time!!”

A fan account also posted the video, showing that one of her bags was available for sale on Amazon for $12.99, although smaller bags are available in some grocery stores for a cheaper price.

Warning: Contains Milk

Although products like Kourtney Kardashian’s Khloud popcorn elevate the snacking experience by offering way more protein than you’d typically get in a handful of popcorn, the Madison Beer x Cheetos collaboration has the same snacking profile that you’d find on pretty much any bag of chips.

One serving is said to contain 160 calories, 10 grams of total fat, 16 grams of carbohydrates, and only 1 gram of protein. The first ingredient is enriched corn meal, and it contains sugar and vegetable oil. It is also said to contain cream, skim milk, and whey, so this is not a product for anyone who is vegan, lactose intolerant, or avoiding dairy.

What Do Fans Have To Say About The New Flavor?

Overall, reactions on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, are pretty positive. “Amazing flavor, but throws me off hard cuz the Cheetos are orange but no cheese flavor. Ty Madison Beer,” one user tweeted.

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Justin Herbert’s girl, Madison Beer, did her big one with this creation. Flavor swap. Whatever it is, it is ADDICTIVE. So good. 10/10. And dipped in a lil sour cream… even better. That is all,” another fan posted.

Another user shared, “Madison Beer’s barbecue Cheetos are good lol they kinda taste like the chili cheese Fritos.” Other fans praised them as “spectacular” and “delicious.”

If you’re the kind of person who needs the thing they’re eating to look like what it tastes like, then you might not enjoy these. If you’re the kind of person who reaches for Cheetos looking for the cheese, then these definitely won’t curb that craving.

My Verdict: Are They Worth The Hype?

They do have a bit of a sweet barbecue flavor, but there was no heat. No spice. If you put these out in a bowl at a party, I doubt anyone would complain, but if you’re looking for heat, you won’t find it. Likewise, if you were hoping for at least some cheese with your Cheetos, you’re not going to find that, either.  

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If you’re curious, wait until the small snack-size bags are on sale at your grocery store before picking one up. They’re definitely not worth the $12.99 price tag on Amazon, unless you’re a huge Madison Beer fan and just want the bag as a collector’s item.

Madison Beer Isn’t The Only One With A Flavor Swap

Frito Lay is swapping flavors from chip to chip(real mind bender). The new Flavor Swap remixes fan favorite chip flavors with the help of a few celebs.

🛒Heading to major stores that carry each brand Feb 16th for a limited-time. I’ll update as found!

(News/Image::PepsiCo) pic.twitter.com/Po9k5Vk1dw

— Markie Devo (@markie_devo) January 22, 2026

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In February 2026, Marketing Dive reported that PepsiCo was looking to “reimagine” how chips are made with a Gen Z audience in mind. The first creator-led product line didn’t just include a Flavor Swap from Madison Beer, but iShowSpeed and Dude Perfect as well.

While Madison Beer made waves with Lay’s Sweet Southern Heat Barbecue on Cheetos Crunchy, streamer iShowSpeed introduced Ruffles Cheddar & Sour Cream on Doritos, and sports-comedy group Dude Perfect added a unique flavor spin by putting Doritos Cool Ranch on Ruffles.

“Flavor Swap is a campaign full of ‘firsts.’ The first time we’ve remixed these iconic flavors onto unexpected chips. The first time we teamed up with some of today’s biggest tastemakers to help us launch and put their own spin on PepsiCo’s legendary brands,” said Chris Bellinger, chief creative officer at PepsiCo Foods U.S., in a statement. “The first time we’ve executed a truly social-first campaign to debut an iconic flavor drop.”

Fans are looking forward to seeing what other artists, influencers, and flavors might appear in a future drop!

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Vice President JD Vance, the second in line to the presidency, is sharing his unconventional, Christian-based theory on life beyond Earth.

“I don’t think they’re aliens. I think they’re demons anyway, but that’s a longer discussion,” Vance, 41, told far-right YouTuber Benny Johnson in an interview published on Saturday, March 28.

“Well, look, I think that celestial beings who fly around, who do weird things to people, I think that the desire to describe everything celestial, everything is otherworldly, to describe it as aliens,” Vance, who grew up atheist but converted to Catholicism as an adult, continued. “I mean, every great world religion, including Christianity, the one that I believe in, has understood that there are weird things out there and there are things that are very difficult to explain.”

He added, “And I naturally go, when I hear about, sort of, extra natural phenomenon … to the Christian understanding that there’s a lot of good out there, but there’s also some evil out there. And I think that one of the devil’s great tricks is to convince people we never existed.”

Related: Vice President JD Vance Reacts to Nicki Minaj’s Sit-Down With Erika Kirk

Vice President JD Vance is singing his praises for Nicki Minaj after her appearance at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest. “Nicki Minaj said something at Amfest that was really profound,” Vance, 41, wrote via X on Monday, December 22. “I’m paraphrasing, but she said, ‘Just because I want little Black girls to think they’re beautiful doesn’t […]

Johnson — who in 2024 was discovered to be secretly funded by Russian state media along with a handful of ultra-conservative social media influencers — asked earlier in the wide-ranging interview if Vance and the current administration had plans to “release all the UFO files.”

“We’re working on it,” Vance responded, referring to President Donald Trump’s February claim that he would be directing the proper U.S. agencies to “begin the process of identifying and releasing” all government files on aliens and extraterrestrial life. (No such files have been released at the time of publication.)

“It’s funny. When I came in, I was obsessed with the UFO files,” Vance admitted. “And then you start getting really busy worrying about the economy and national security and things like that. But I’ve still got three more years as vice president. I will get to the bottom of the UFO files.”

While public interest in possible extraterrestrial life is far from new, the possibility that we are not alone in the universe has hit an arguable fever pitch after former President Barack Obama seemingly confirmed that aliens do, in fact, exist.

“They’re real,” Obama, 64, told political podcaster Brian Tyler Cohen on February 13, adding that while he knows extraterrestrial life is real he has not personally seen any evidence that could definitively prove their existence.

“But I haven’t seen them,” he continued. “They’re not being kept at Area 51. There’s no underground facility — unless there’s this enormous conspiracy and they hid it from the president of the United States.”

Related: Erika Kirk Breaks Silence on Intimate Hug With Vice President JD Vance

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Charlie Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk (née Frantzve), answered some lingering questions about her onstage hug with Vice President JD Vance. “My love language is touch, if you will,” Erika, 37, explained during a recent Megyn Kelly Live appearance. “So, I will give you a play-by-play: They just played the emotional video. I’m walking over, [JD] […]

Two days later, Obama clarified his shocking comments via Instagram.

“I was trying to stick with the spirit of [Cohen’s] speed round, but since it’s gotten attention let me clarify,” the former president said at the time. “Statistically, the universe is so vast that the odds are good there’s life out there. But the distances between solar systems are so great that the chances we’ve been visited by aliens is low. I saw no evidence during my presidency that extraterrestrials have made contact with us. Really!”

The Hollywood crime dramas of the 1940s are typically known as “film noir.” With a cynical morality that puts them at odds with contemporary censors, and black-and-white cinematography that made cities into fearsome urban jungles, film noir remains popular to this day. 1947’s Out of the Past, a twisty thriller starring Robert Mitchum as a mystery man with a shady past, is often considered one of the best noirs, if not the best, and you’ll be able to catch it at its new streaming home next month.

Out of the Past was adapted from the 1946 novel Build My Gallows High, by Daniel Mainwaring (Invasion of the Body Snatchers); it was acquired by RKO, a B-movie studio that lavished a surprisingly high budget on the production. It was directed by French-American director Jacques Tourneur, best known for helming the Val Lewton horror pictures Cat People and I Walked With a Zombie. Mitchum was a regular in RKO pictures, and had been nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor two years before, for The Story of G.I. Joe. His role in Out of the Past solidified him as an archetypal leading man of film noir. You’ll be able to see for yourself when Out of the Past comes to HBO Max on April 1.

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What Is ‘Out of the Past’ About?

As the film opens, Jeff Bailey (Mitchum) is the owner of a gas station in a sleepy mountain town. Soon, Bailey’s true identity is revealed: He was New York private eye Jeff Markham, who was hired by hot-tempered crime kingpin Whit Sterling (Kirk Douglas, in one of his first screen roles) to track down his missing girlfriend, Kathie (Jane Greer). Jeff and Kathie fall in love, and everything goes wrong in both the past and the present, conveyed via an innovative flashback structure.

Out of the Past was remade as Against All Odds in 1984, with Jeff Bridges, Rachel Ward, and James Woods; Greer had a supporting role in the film. Out of the Past also had an unexpected sequel, of sorts, 40 years after it was released. Mitchum hosted an episode of Saturday Night Live in 1987, and starred in a black-and-white pre-taped sketch titled “Out of Gas.” It picks up on Jeff, decades later, running the last leaded gas station in America. One day, Kathie (Greer, also reprising her role) pulls up to the pumps, and hilarity ensues.

Out of the Past will be available to stream on HBO Max starting April 1. Stay tuned to Collider for future updates.

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Release Date

November 25, 1947

Runtime

97 Minutes

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Director

Jacques Tourneur

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Writers

Daniel Mainwaring

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Martin Short was reportedly spotted in Los Angeles for the first time since the death of his daughter, Katherine Hartley Short, in February.

TMZ published photos and videos showing Martin, 76, out for dinner with his longtime friend, Star Wars director J.J. Abrams, in Santa Monica on Friday, March 27. The comedian could be seen exiting a restaurant and entering the passenger seat of Abrams’ car but did not interact with photographers on the scene.

Us Weekly has reached out to Short’s representative for comment.

Martin has largely shied away from the spotlight since he confirmed the death of his daughter on February 24.

Related: Martin Short’s Daughter Katherine Short’s Neighbors React to Her Death

Martin Short’s daughter Katherine Hartley Short’s neighbors are “sad” over the death of the “great” resident. A next door neighbor exclusively tells Us Weekly that Katherine was a “great neighbor and gardener,” ahead of her death at age 42, which her family confirmed on Tuesday, February 24. “It’s incredibly sad,” the resident, who wishes to […]

“It is with profound grief that we confirm the passing of Katherine Hartley Short. The Short family is devastated by this loss and asks for privacy at this time,” a family statement to Us read.“Katherine was beloved by all and will be remembered for the light and joy she brought into the world.”

The following day, Us reported that Katherine’s death was officially ruled a suicide by investigators. An LAPD spokesperson confirmed to Us that its officers originally responded to a radio call of a possible suicide attempt in the Hollywood Hills on February 23 and later found a deceased woman on the property.

Katherine was one of three children adopted by Martin and his late wife, Nancy Dolman. (The couple also shared Oliver Patrick Short, 39, an NBC Sports producer, and Henry Hayter Short, 36, a veterinary assistant. Dolman died at age 58 in August 2010 following a battle with ovarian cancer.)

In 2012, Katherine officially filed to change her name to “Katherine Elizabeth Hartley” for work purposes, according to court documents obtained by Us.

“My father is a public figure. I am a psychiatric social worker,” Katherine wrote in the documents. “I am concerned about potential harassment from future patients resulting from my association with my father.”

Katherine’s name change was granted in 2013 and she spent the next 13 years working as a licensed clinical social worker in Los Angeles. She also worked for the Amae Health clinic in L.A. on a part-time basis.

Martin’s friends and collaborators — including his Only Murders in the Building costar Selena Gomez — have shown the actor support in the wake of his loss. Oscars host Conan O’Brien also offered a subtle tribute to Martin during the 2026 Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on March 15.

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Related: Martin Short’s Daughter Showed ‘No Indication’ She Was Struggling Before Death

Martin Short’s daughter Katherine Hartley Short seemingly kept her mental health struggles tight to her chest before her tragic death. One of Katherine’s neighbors exclusively told Us Weekly that the comedian’s 42-year-old daughter gave “no indication of struggle” before she died on Monday, February 23. (The Los Angeles Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed to Us that […]

In the immediate aftermath of Katherine’s death, her father and Steve Martin postponed a number of their live comedy shows. As of publication, the comedy duo are set to resume their 2026 Best of Steve Martin & Martin Short Tour on April 11 at the Johnny Mercer Theater in Savannah, Georgia. (These live shows also feature Steve’s bluegrass band, The Steep Canyon Rangers, and multi-instrumentalist Jeff Babko.)

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.

Corey Feldman is addressing his noticeable absence from this year’s emotional on-stage Oscars tribute to the late director Rob Reiner.

“Personally, it felt a little bit like a family reunion I wasn’t invited to, but we’re not going to use this time to get into my feelings about that,” Feldman, 54, told Entertainment Weekly in an interview published on Friday, March 27.

“Instead, I just want to say that I’m, with the rest of us, we’re all very destroyed that things went down the way they did, losing Rob when we all thought he’d be joining us at some point for this tour,” he continued, referring to the theatrical re-release of Reiner’s 1986 film Stand By Me.

The film, starring a young Feldman alongside Jerry O’Connell and Wil Wheaton, is returning to theaters in honor of the movie’s 40th anniversary.

“We all would’ve loved to be able to say goodbye in our own ways,” Feldman continued. “Unfortunately, that didn’t happen. The best way we can say goodbye is honoring him and his work and his film through these tours that we’re doing and these interviews and getting people to take the moment and time to acknowledge the history of his work and art that he created. And hopefully going out there to celebrate him one last time on a big screen where it deserves to be seen.”

Rob and his wife, Michelle Reiner, were found dead in their California home in December 2025. The late director was 78, while she was 70. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner later determined Rob and Michele’s cause of death to be “multiple sharp force injuries” from apparent stab wounds.

The couple’s son Nick Reiner, 32, was subsequently arrested and charged with two counts of first-degree murder with special circumstances in connection to his parents’ untimely deaths. In February, Nick pleaded not guilty to the charges. He faces life in prison without the possibility of parole or the death penalty should he be convicted. Nick remains behind bars without bail. His next court date is scheduled for April 29 at the time of publication.

In March, Rob and his wife were honored onstage during Hollywood’s biggest night by some of the stars of the filmmaker’s most prolific movies. Billy Crystal led the way, recalling how he met Rob in 1975 while playing best friends on an episode of All in the Family.

“It went so well Rob said, ‘It was fun playing your best friend, why don’t we keep it going?’” the actor said while on the 2026 Oscars stage. “It was a thrill to see him evolve from a great comic actor to a skilled storyteller.”

Related: Jerry O’Connell Says He Owes ‘Everything’ to Late Director Rob Reiner

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Jerry O’Connell honored late Stand by Me director Rob Reiner with a powerful tribute hours after news broke of the Hollywood icon’s death. Appearing on the Monday, December 15, episode of CBS Mornings, the 51-year-old actor admitted he was still in “shock” after learning Reiner, 78, and wife Michele Singer Reiner were killed in their […]

Crystal then highlighted some of the late director’s most memorable films, including Misery, When Harry Met Sally and Stand by Me. The actor was then joined by the stars of Reiner’s many films, including Meg Ryan, Kathy Bates, O’Connell and Wheaton.

“I think Jerry and Wil did what had to be done,” Feldman said of the onstage moment featuring his former costars. “It was a fleeting moment, so I don’t feel like I missed much at all. I personally was probably maybe a little bothered by the fact that nobody got to speak or say anything from their own heart. Although they did a wonderful job, I would’ve liked to have heard from Wil and Jerry and a few other people up there.”

Thriller TV shows win over viewers with shocking twists and high-stakes mysteries that the audience wants to try to solve themselves. But, shows like Law & Order: SVU, Poker Face, American Horror Story, Barry and Only Murders In the Building also keep viewers hooked with their celebrity cameos. From A-list actors to people who appeared in the shows before they became famous, thriller series have used guest stars as a major draw for audiences.

Sure, celebrity guest stars can be used as gimmicks by shows to keep viewers engaged, but they can also be a way of bringing new energy or deepening the mystery. They bring a new energy than the series regulars and can leave the audience wondering what the purpose of them being on the show is. Are they a victim? A suspect? A clue to what happened? From long-running network dramas to prestige streaming hits, thriller shows love a good celebrity cameo and these five shows are proof.

5

‘Barry’ (2018)

Image via Merrick Morton / ©HBO / Courtesy Everett Collection

At first, Barry seems like it’s just a dark comedy. But, it’s actually a psychological thriller just masquerading as a comedy. The tension in the show makes celebrity cameos especially effective, although it’s a technique the show really embraced in the fourth season. Unlike some shows that rely heavily on guest stars, Barry used them sparingly and only ramped up the effort in the final season. It makes the appearances even more impactful, even if some people might not have caught them all.

While big names like Jon Hamm and Guillermo del Toro were likely immediately noticeable to viewers, Barry also used a flurry of SNL alumni in the final season, a nod to star Bill Hader’s former home. As a thriller series, Barry proves that fewer celebrity cameos—used strategically—can be far more powerful than constant stunt casting.

4

‘American Horror Story’ (2011)

American Horror Story’s capsule seasons make it the perfect breeding ground for celebrity cameos. Ryan Murphy’s long-running thriller anthology built its reputation on shocking viewers both with the plot lines and headline-grabbing casts. It featured celebrities like Lady Gaga, Adam Levine, Naomi Campbell, Lena Dunham and Kim Kardashian.

As a horror-thriller television series, American Horror Story thrives on the chaos of the season. While some celebrity cameos – like Kardashian and Lady Gaga – were central characters for the entire season, others, like Dunham, were meant to be temporary guest stars that just helped move the season forward for an episode or two. Kardashian and Lady Gaga served as a way to bring viewers in ahead of the seasons, while Dunham and other guest stars often arrived with little warning and disappeared abruptly. They turned the season not only into a conversation about a show, but a pop culture event.

3

‘Poker Face’ (2023)

Image via Peacock

Rian Johnson’s Poker Face is a modern-day mystery-thriller that uses celebrity guest stars similarly to how SVU does, except they’re leaning into big names. Much like Columbo, the show introduces new characters every episode, making it ripe for using celebrity cameos to heighten interest among the audience.

The Peacock thriller stars Natasha Lyonne as Charlie Cale, a human lie detector who is constantly coming into contact with a rotating cast of suspicious characters. Over the past two seasons and 22 episodes, audiences have seen over a dozen celebrity guest stars, including Adrien Brody, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Cynthia Erivo and BJ Novak. Despite the guest appearances happening in capsule episodes, each actor anchors the story. It allows each episode of Poker Face to feel fresh while contributing to the show’s larger arc.

2

‘Only Murders in the Building’ (2021)

Image via Hulu 

Only Murders in the Building may lean comedic, but its murder‑mystery backbone firmly places it among modern thriller TV shows—and its celebrity cameo roster is one of the most impressive on television. The show blends big names as side characters in the show with celebrities playing themselves throughout the seasons. It’s given the show a way of heightening the tension, because viewers aren’t always sure how long a character will be on the show and how important they’ll be to the story.

The show kicks off season one with an all-star celebrity cameo cast with Tina Fey playing true crime podcaster Cindy Canning, and Sting playing himself. Fey plays a central figure to all five seasons of the show, until she meets her untimely demise in the season five finale. While Fey is likely to be a smaller character for season six, her influence will still loom large with Martin Short, Steve Martin and Selena Gomez working to figure out the circumstances of her death. Sting, however, plays a more fleeting character as a suspect-turned-witness in the investigation of Tim Kono’s death.

Season two brought Amy Schumer, playing herself, and at first, viewers are made to believe that she’ll be central to the investigation. But, time quickly moves beyond Schumer, relegating her to a relatively useless character. Then, in season 3, Matthew Broderick plays the nightmare version of himself as the cast investigate the murder of Paul Rudd. Rudd would later come back as another character in season four and then voice the robot doorman in the latest season.

With some celebrities playing themselves, some playing characters, and all of them having varying levels of importance, the show constantly encourages viewers to question whether a famous face is a joke—or a key clue. By blending mystery, suspense, and star power, Only Murders in the Building has perfected the formula for a thriller series packed with celebrity guest stars.

1

‘Law & Order: SVU’ (1999)

Image via NBC

There’s really no show that comes even close to Law & Order: Special Victims Unit when it comes to the sheer number of celebrity guest appearances. Having been on the air for nearly 30 years, the show has become famous for featuring actors when they were in one of their first few roles or on the verge of stardom. With so many characters needing to be played, celebrity cameos run the gambit in Law & Order: SVU, ranging from kids before they became stars to well-seasoned acting veterans.

What separates SVU from other thriller series is how seriously it treats its guest stars. Since so many of the episodes are capsule stories, guest stars are often the main event. They’re the ones driving the plot lines forward, usually either as victims, suspects or key witnesses. Guest stars like Bradley Cooper, Adam Driver, Pedro Pascal, Sarah Paulson, Mahershala Ali, and Elizabeth Banks all appeared on the show before they were household names, and they all delivered emotionally heavy performances because they were critical for the episode.

While a lot of celebrities on SVU had roles before they were famous, for some, their time on the show came after they were household names. Alec Baldwin, Cynthia Nixon and Carol Burnette all appeared on the show long after they were already famous, giving their episodes an extra level of intrigue for a show that thrives on uncertainty. That unpredictability has made SVU one of the most enduring thriller TV series with celebrity guest stars ever made.

Whether it’s the procedural intensity of Law & Order: SVU, the chaotic horror of American Horror Story, or the playful mystery of Only Murders in the Building, these series understand that celebrity guest stars can elevate suspense rather than undermine it. In an era crowded with streaming content, these shows stand out by combining gripping storytelling with unforgettable performances—proving that sometimes, the most thrilling twist is seeing who shows up next.

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Release Date

September 20, 1999

Showrunner

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Michael S. Chernuchin, David Graziano

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  Ice-T

  Odafin ‘Fin’ Tutuola

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  Dann Florek

  Donald Cragen

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  Richard Belzer

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Nick Cannon has revealed that he “f***s with” President Donald Trump and described the Democrats as “the part of the KKK.”

“People don’t know that the Democrats are the party of the KKK [Ku Klux Klan],” Cannon, 45, said in the Friday, March 27, episode of his show Big Drive. “People don’t know that the Republicans are the party that freed the slaves.”

At the time of the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln’s Republican Party pushed to abolish slavery. By the 1960s, several notable segregationist “Dixiecrats” — including Senator Strom Thurmond — changed their allegiances from the Democrat Party to the GOP.

The subject came up when Cannon discussed politics with his Big Drive guest Amber Rose, who described herself as a formerly “liberal” Democrat. Rose switched parties to become a Republican in recent years and endorsed Trump in the 2024 presidential election.

“Democrats don’t care about Black people,” Rose told Cannon on Big Drive. “They don’t care about people of color and the Republicans do. That’s the misconception.”

“You and I have some conservative views. You’re just a little more outspoken,” Cannon replied. “Honestly, I don’t subscribe to either party. I rock with W.E.B. Du Bois when he said this, ‘There’s no such thing as two parties. It’s just one evil party with two different names.’”

Du Bois was a sociologist and civil rights pioneer who fought for equal rights for Black people in the late 1800s and throughout the 1900s. He died at age 95 in 1963 — just a year shy of President Lyndon B. Johnson, a Democrat, signing the Civil Rights Act into law. (The Civil Rights Act of 1964 made racial segregation illegal and banned employers from discriminating against job-seekers on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.)

Rose, 42, said that she voted for Trump in 2024 because “we had two options and he was by far the better option.”

“As of now, I agree with a lot of the things he’s doing,” Rose said, with Cannon chiming in, “[He’s] cleaning house. He’s doing what he said he was going to do.”

“I f*** with Trump,” Cannon added later in the interview while praising the president changing the name of the “Gulf of Mexico” to the “Gulf America”.

It is unclear exactly when Cannon and Rose’s Big Drive episode was filmed. In February, Trump , 79, caused controversy by sharing an AI-generated video that depicted former president Barack and first lady Michelle Obama as apes during Black History Month.

Related: Nick Cannon Talks Diddy Parties: ‘I Ain’t Got Nothing to Hide’

Nick Cannon spoke openly about his attendance at various parties hosted by the now disgraced Sean “Diddy” Combs on the radio program “The Breakfast Club” on Friday, October 11 — admitting he was a “kid” around “16, 17” the first time he went to one in New York City. “I live my truth,” the father […]

Amid accusations that he was endorsing a blatantly racist video, Trump refused to apologize and told reporters that he “didn’t make a mistake” during a briefing on Air Force One. The White House later blamed a staffer for “erroneously” posting the video and deleted the post entirely.

That same month, Barack, 64, told Brian Tyler Cohen that the scandal was a prime example of “the clown show that’s happening in social media and on television.”

“[Many Americans] find this behavior deeply troubling … There doesn’t seem to be any shame about this among people who used to feel like you had to have some sort of decorum and a sense of propriety and respect for the office,” Obama argued.

Ever since his screen debut as Jason Ioane in the action series Baywatch: Hawaii, Jason Momoa has slowly worked his way to the very top of Hollywood. Thanks to his performance as the intense Khal Drogo in the first season of the beloved Game of Thrones, Momoa finally made his breakthrough, with his later casting as the DCEU’s Aquaman cementing him as a Hollywood mainstay. Most recently, the Hawaii-born actor’s starring role alongside Dave Bautista in Prime Video’s The Wrecking Crew rose to the top of the streaming charts, with its popularity making a sequel highly likely.

However, as is the case with any popular actor, not all of their films look destined to stand the test of time. One of Momoa’s more forgotten action flicks, and one of his most underrated performances, came in the neo-Western Braven, directed by Lin Oeding and written by Mike Nilon and Thomas Pa’a Sibbett. Sporting a lead turn from Momoa that is surprisingly soft and passive compared to his usual no-nonsense, charismatic performances, Braven deserves more love than it first received when released in early February 2018.

For anyone looking to give Braven a try, you’re in luck, as the film is about to head to a new streamer. Starting April 1, you’ll be able to watch Braven on the free streaming site Tubi, joining the long list of other exciting content joining the platform, including the cult classic fantasy hit I, Frankenstein and Dwayne Johnson‘s straight-to-DVD flick Empire State, and more. A synopsis of Braven reads:

“A logger and his father head to their hunting cabin, hoping for a quiet weekend. Instead, they find themselves in a kill-or-be-killed stand for survival when they encounter a gang of ruthless drug traffickers.”

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What Did Critics Say About ‘Braven’?

Image via Saban Films

Most action flicks lost to time received a poor critical reception. This is not the case with Braven, with the film earning a strong average score of 80% on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. One critic wrote, “If you’ve had a hard day and want to watch something to restore your sense of justice in this world, then Braven has all the boxes well and truly ticked,” with another proclaiming that “there’s plenty about this tiny action effort to stand up and cheer.”

Braven is streaming on Plex this April. Stay tuned to Collider for more streaming stories.

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Release Date

February 2, 2018

Director

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Lin Oeding

Writers

Thomas Pa’a Sibbett, Michael Nilon

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There is a level of finesse and craft that goes into the creation and fundamental strengths of horror filmmaking that have made it such a captivating genre for so many generations. Being able to perfectly balance the classic tenets of cinematic storytelling with sequences oozing with tension that are meant to massively scare the audience can be a daunting task, as many films fail to accomplish such a difficult balance.

However, this also serves to make the films that do accomplish this that much more impactful, as a horror film with absolutely perfect direction for its vision can be one of the most impactful and defining cinematic experiences out there. Scaring the audience in one moment and keeping them massively invested in the characters and story in the next, these horror films go above and beyond in terms of providing sheer cinematic bliss and mastery thanks to the genuine craft and impact of their direction.

10

‘Jaws’ (1975)

Image via Universal Studios

Steven Spielberg continues to stand as one of the most prolific and widely acclaimed directors of all time, with his craft and brilliance behind the camera amplifying the weight of many different cinematic masterpieces over the years. However, his often considered first true blockbuster masterpiece, Jaws, continues to be a landmark title for accessible, electrifying horror that still stands as one of the greatest horror movies of all time thanks to his masterful touch.

The film completely revolutionized the animal attack film, thanks in part to the brilliance and impact of Spielberg’s directing style. It adds emphasis and weight to each terrifying, tension-building moment, creating maximum terror out of a shark that is rarely ever actually seen on-screen. It continues to stand as one of horror’s most well-crafted cinematic achievements, having an undeniable legacy that still lingers in blockbuster filmmaking, horror or otherwise.

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‘Scream’ (1996)

The slasher genre remains one of the most prolific and widely explored subgenres of horror, as the fear of being chased by a ruthless, manic killer has opened the creative floodgates for many horror filmmakers. It has largely reached a point where even the very notions and conventions of slasher filmmaking can be picked apart and satirized within the film itself, which is at the very core of what makes Scream such a timeless, well-crafted horror thriller.

While many other horror satires are quick to lean much more into comedy than actual horror, the directing and precision from Wes Craven do a brilliant job of keeping the film tense and terrifying, even while the screenplay is as witty and hilarious as possible. It’s this masterful pacing and balancing of distinct tones that helped the film completely revolutionize and reintroduce slashers to the public eye in the ’90s, with its on-screen brilliance still having an impact on slashers to this day.

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‘Sinners’ (2025)

Image via Warner Bros. Pictures

Immediately making a name for itself as a striking, must-watch original horror film of the modern era, Sinners soars to masterpiece status thanks in great part to the inspired directing and craft from director Ryan Coogler. The film is second-to-none in terms of its pristine combination of layered worldbuilding, mesmerizing cinematography and visual craft, and deep-rooted thematic depth that amplifies the scares and action alike. The film became an unstoppable juggernaut of film culture in 2025 for good reason, as Coogler went all out in directing a new modern classic.

While its story and characters are certainly strong enough on their own to make the film worthwhile, it’s the directing and fine-tuned craft under the vision of Coogler’s directing that truly makes Sinners such a special cinematic experience. He takes what he had learned from high-budget franchise blockbusters like Creed and Black Panther in order to concoct an exceptionally original experience tailor-made for the modern era but distinctly in line with his quirks and personality.

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‘Evil Dead 2’ (1987)

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Sam Raimi‘s original Evil Dead was already a widely celebrated exploration of passionate filmmaking, creating something truly distinct and full of personality with an infamously minuscule budget. However, with more experience and resources available for the sequel, Raimi manages to improve upon the Evil Dead formula in every possible way to make Evil Dead 2 one of the all-time greatest horror comedies. Rarely does something so close to a full-on remake of the original film so massively improve upon the original, but Evil Dead 2 struck while the iron was hot and solidified Evil Dead as a horror staple.

The biggest change and distinction that makes Evil Dead 2 such a more well-crafted and impactful horror film comes down to the confidence in Raimi’s filmmaking as a whole. With a better understanding of how to balance scares and comedy to create a beautiful cacophany of gore and madness, Evil Dead 2 consistently goes all out with its unrestrained vision, unafraid to fully commit itself to madness.

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‘The Fly’ (1986)

Image via 20th Century Studios

The now 40-year-old classic horror remake by legendary master of body horror David Cronenberg, The Fly is still considered to be one of the absolute greats, not just in terms of technical craft and disgustingly perfect visuals, but a pitch-perfect execution from Cronenberg. While the film certainly delivers in terms of the stomach-churning visuals and body horror that Cronenberg is famous for, it’s the slow build into madness and exceptional pacing that sets Cronenberg’s vision apart from any other body horror film.

The film not only improves upon the narrative strength and horror impact of the original sci-fi horror classic, but also implements newfound themes and revelations of depth that only Cronenberg could have brought out of this already classic story. It finds this brilliant balancing act of staying true to what made the original such a classic while also reinventing it for a new audience, amplifying its greatest strengths while still feeling distinctly Cronenberg in nature.

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‘Halloween’ (1978)

Image via Compass International Pictures

One of the all-time masterpieces of the slasher genre and one of horror’s absolute greatest examples of slow-building tension and dread, Halloween has received a constant stream of adoration and appreciation in the decades since its release. However, among all the strengths and iconic features that have made Halloween such a classic, the most important and defining aspect after all of these years is the exceptional direction by John Carpenter.

Carpenter brings out the tension and scares in Halloween to consistently make it an exploration of true discomfort and impact on the screen. So many of its scares and most impactful moments come directly from the pacing and execution of its directing, even further amplified by Carpenter’s own legendary original score and sound design that adds impact to each moment. While the film has seen a multitude of sequels over the years, the reason why none of them come close to the impact of the original is that they cannot recreate the magic and fine-tuned craft of Carpenter’s perfect directing style.

4

‘The Shining’ (1980)

Image via Warner Bros.

Stanley Kubrick is one of the biggest names in terms of masterpiece filmmaking, spanning all varieties of genres, with his brilliant Stephen King adaptation, The Shining, proving to be one of the all-time horror greats thanks to his masterful directorial vision. Kubrick is the undeniable linchpin that ties all the madness and symbolic brilliance of the film to life, transforming an already great novel into a horror filmmaking masterclass that continues to influence and impact the genre to this day.

Kubrick’s exceptional visual style and camerawork serve to add weight and impact to the already masterful performances in the film, delivering on the strengths of King’s novel while also adding new layers of symbolic depth from Kubrick’s own vision of the story. While the film was wildly divisive when it was first released, it is now widely acclaimed and celebrated as one of the absolute greatest horror films of the ’80s.

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‘The Sixth Sense’ (1999)

Image via Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

While M. Night Shyamalan‘s career has certainly been rocky and unpredictable over the years, his masterful work in directing The Sixth Sense and creating a powerful horror mystery masterpiece cannot be taken away from him. The film builds up tension and mystery better than any other horror film of the era, with its exceptional pacing helping create one of the all-time icons of original twists that still shocks audiences over 25 years later.

However, the depth and impact of its story wouldn’t be nearly as effective without the exceptional directing and passion from Shyamalan in every waking moment of the film. He brings out some truly beautiful and layered performances from everyone on-screen, with his signature stylistic choices feeling especially original and unexpected for its era. Even as the allure and charm of Shyamalan’s wild twists have largely worn off for many audiences, The Sixth Sense is still an icon of horror mysteries that is as perfectly directed as it gets.

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‘The Silence of the Lambs’ (1991)

Image via Orion Pictures

Still standing as the only horror film to this day to actually win the Academy Award for Best Director, The Silence of the Lambs is a masterfully concocted crime procedural horror film whose narrative brilliance is amplified in spades by Jonathan Demme. The film does an exceptional job of keeping the audience on the edge of their seats, shocking them with its depraved and sickening concepts, while also balancing this terror with an impassioned side of intellect in its characters and filmmaking.

The definitive ’90s masterpiece took the world by storm in a way few horror films ever could, not shying away from the shocking content of its story while also managing to have mass appeal with general audiences thanks to the perfect execution of its directing. It continues to be celebrated as a pillar of the genre and a frequent display of horror thrillers at their absolute best, being a masterclass of directing and filmmaking even outside the confines of the horror genre.

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‘Psycho’ (1960)

Image via Paramount Pictures

Alfred Hitchcock‘s overwhelming prowess and legacy as a master of filmmaking precede him, as his signature approach for thrills and tension is unmatched by any other director in film history. Among his legendary filmography of masterpiece after masterpiece, no singular film has had the continued staying power and legacy as his masterful horror icon, Psycho. Psycho continues to stand as the go-to example when considering masterpiece horror classics, with its legacy standing tall thanks entirely to the directing and craft of Hitchcock.

While many film fans will be quick to sing the praises of the film’s infamous shower kill, which became one of the most iconic and influential individual sequences in film history, this manages to do a disservice to the wide array of mastery present within every other aspect of the film. With a generational performance from Anthony Perkins, an unmatched rising tension and dread seeping from the film’s most painful moments, and one of the all-time most iconic endings ever put to film, Psycho will continue to be the blueprint for masterful horror filmmaking that cements Hitchcock as an all-time great.

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Psycho

Release Date

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September 8, 1960

Runtime

109 minutes

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Writers

Joseph Stefano, Robert Bloch

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