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Netflix’s 2-Part Crime Thriller Shows Just How Hard It Is to Follow a Perfect First Season

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When Beef first arrived on Netflix back in 2023, it didn’t just become one of the streamer’s most talked-about shows. It felt like the kind of series that came out of nowhere and instantly locked people in, blending dark comedy, rage, pain, and chaos in a way that was weirdly hard to look away from. Plenty of shows come back after a long gap hoping to recreate that same magic, but that’s always easier said than done. Especially when the first outing landed almost perfectly with both critics and audiences.

Now, after a three-year wait, Beef has officially returned for Season 2, and while the new installment is still in strong shape overall, it hasn’t hit the same towering Rotten Tomatoes highs as the first season. Season 1 holds a huge 98% critics’ score and an 87% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, while Season 2 currently sits at 87% with critics and 62% with audiences. That still keeps the new season comfortably fresh on the critical side, but it’s a pretty noticeable drop from the level the series reached the first time around.

That gap matters because Beef didn’t return with the same setup. Creator Lee Sung Jin has turned the Netflix hit into an anthology, meaning Season 2 trades the Ali Wong and Steven Yeun-led spiral of mutual destruction for a completely different story and cast. The new season stars Oscar Isaac as Josh, Carey Mulligan as Lindsay, Charles Melton as Austin, Cailee Spaeny as Ashley, and Youn Yuh-jung as Chairwoman Park. It’s a big swing, and one that was probably always going to invite comparisons to the original. We need to remember though — it’s still clearly very good, but perhaps just lacking that freshness the first one had.

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Is ‘Beef’ Season 2 Worth Watching?

Collider’s review stated that Beef Season 2 is ambitious, well-acted, and often compelling, but it never feels as sharp or complete as the first season. Instead of centering on one tightly wound conflict, this new story spreads itself across two couples, class issues, race, beauty standards, healthcare, and more. That gives the season a lot to say, but not enough time to say it well.

At the end of the day, Beef Season 2 struggles where so many other shows flounder today: The show is trying to do too much with too little. With double the protagonists, the season would have had more room to breathe with even just ten episodes, allowing for the final arc — which takes our protagonists out of California and over to Korea — to feel a bit more natural in the transition. Season 2 is by no means bad, but it’s a step down from what this series can accomplish, and I can only hope that if there’s a Season 3, the series will course-correct, because this just isn’t working as well.

Beef is streaming now on Netflix.


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Release Date

April 6, 2023

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Netflix

Showrunner

Lee Sung Jin

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Directors

Hikari, Jake Schreier, Kitao Sakurai, Lee Sung Jin

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Writers

Alice Ju

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Laura Linney admits to starring in 'one of the great bad movies of our time': 'It's a delightmare'

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The Golden Globe-winner described the 1995 sci-fi film as a ‘delightmare.’

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Born Again’ Had Every Chance To Be Great — Then It Did This

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Ayelet Zurer as Vanessa in Daredevil: Born Again Season 2

Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for Daredevil Season 2, Episode 5.To say that Daredevil: Born Again has had a rocky road to development would be a vast understatement. While fans had been clamoring for Charlie Cox to reprise his role as Matt Murdock ever since the original Netflix Daredevil was cancelled, the initial version of Daredevil: Born Again had to be completely re-shot and reconfigured as a result of creative changes. Although the series has pulled off some of the best moments to ever feature the characters, Daredevil: Born Again has also taken major swings where the consequences aren’t fleshed out. The decision to kill off another major character isn’t just a disappointing instance of a story choice being made purely for the sake of shock value, but it’s an indictment of the series’ troublesome depiction of its female characters.

Wilson Fisk (Vincent D’Onofrio) and his wife Vanessa (Ayelet Zurer) were at odds last season after Vanessa was involved with having Benjamin Pointdexter (Wilson Bethel) assassinate Foggy Nelson (Elden Henson), and the threat of Bullseye has been prevalent all Season 2. Although Bullseye nearly manages to kill Fisk at his boxing match, Vanessa is the one who is caught in the crossfire when Fisk smashes a glass ornament with his winning belt, and the shrapnel from the glass fatally wounds her. Although Vanessa manages to successfully survive the surgery, she ultimately dies not long after she regains consciousness. While Vanessa’s death will likely turn Fisk into an even more ruthless figure, he’s already been acting recklessly leading up to the boxing match. Vanessa’s death isn’t just an unnecessary and derivative narrative point, but it also robs the series of one of its most complex characters.

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‘Daredevil: Born Again’ Didn’t Take Advantage of Vanessa

Ayelet Zurer as Vanessa in Daredevil: Born Again Season 2
Ayelet Zurer as Vanessa in Daredevil: Born Again Season 2
Image via Disney+

When compared to the vast majority of other projects set within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Daredevil has always had a fairly permanent sense of death, and doesn’t needlessly revive characters once they are killed off. Although Foggy’s demise was controversial, it’s not something that the series took lightly because it was important to Matt’s development into a darker, more conflicted figure. However, Vanessa’s death simply confirms a direction Fisk was already going in and undercuts her as an individual character. Considering that he is using the Anti-Vigilante Task Force as his own private militia, Fisk isn’t going to be reigned in, especially since he and Vanessa have been struggling with a growing rift between them. The assassination attempt on Fisk by Dex would already have been a convincing enough reason for him to lose control, but Vanessa’s death is a weighty moment that isn’t built up to in a compelling way. While she was once a character with dimensionality, Vanessa has become yet another sacrifice used to push along a male character’s development; this has been a consistent issue for the franchise, as Elodie Yung‘s Elektra was killed to push along Matt’s development.























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Collider Exclusive · Marvel Personality Quiz
Which MCU Hero Are You?
Spider-Man · Daredevil · Iron Man · Punisher · Thor · Cap

Six heroes. One destiny. Answer 10 questions to discover which Marvel Cinematic Universe hero shares your personality, values, and fighting spirit. Will you swing, fly, or thunder your way to glory?

🕷️Spider-Man

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😈Daredevil

🤖Iron Man

💀Punisher

Thor

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🛡️Cap

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01

What drives you to do what’s right?
Choose the answer that feels most like you.






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02

It’s 2 AM. Where are you?
Your answer says more about you than you’d think.






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03

How do you handle a villain who keeps escaping justice?
Every hero has a method. What’s yours?






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04

How do you feel about keeping a secret identity?
The mask — or the lack of one — says everything.






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05

You’ve lost someone important because of your heroism. How do you carry that?
Every hero pays a price. The question is how they pay it.






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06

What’s your role when working with a team?
Who you are under pressure is who you actually are.






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07

Where do you draw the line between justice and revenge?
The answer defines what kind of hero you really are.






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08

When you’re not saving the world, what does life look like?
The person behind the mask is always the more interesting story.






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09

What keeps you up at night?
Fear is useful data — if you’re honest about what you’re actually afraid of.






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10

The battle is lost. You’re outnumbered, outgunned, and exhausted. What do you do?
This is your tiebreaker — choose carefully.






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Your Hero Has Been Identified
Your MCU Hero Is…

Based on your answers, the Marvel hero who matches your spirit, values, and instincts has been revealed.

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Queens, New York

🕷️ Spider-Man

You carry the weight of the world on shoulders that are younger than they should have to be — funny, loyal, and endlessly self-sacrificing.

  • You do the right thing not because it’s easy, but because no one else will.
  • You understand that responsibility isn’t a burden you choose — it’s one that finds you.
  • Whether it’s a neighbourhood mugging or a multiverse crisis, you show up.
  • Peter Parker’s lesson — that great power demands great responsibility — isn’t a slogan to you. It’s the code you live by, even when it costs you everything.

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Hell’s Kitchen, New York

😈 Daredevil

You fight in the shadows between law and chaos, guided by a fierce moral compass that refuses to let the guilty walk free.

  • You use every tool available — your mind, your body, your faith — to protect those the system overlooks.
  • You’ve looked into the darkness and chosen not to become it, though the line has never been easy.
  • Matt Murdock’s duality — champion in the courtroom, devil in the alley — mirrors your own.
  • Relentless, conflicted, and unwilling to stop. That is exactly you.

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Stark Industries, Malibu

🤖 Iron Man

Brilliant, driven, and occasionally insufferable — but always the person who solves the unsolvable problem.

  • You lead with your mind and back it up with resources, innovation, and a stubbornness that borders on heroic.
  • You started out looking out for yourself, but somewhere along the way the world became your responsibility.
  • Tony Stark’s arc — from ego to sacrifice — is your arc too.
  • You build, you plan, and when the moment comes, you’re willing to give everything. Because in the end, you’re Iron Man.

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New York City

💀 The Punisher

You’ve been through fire that would break most people — and it did change you, completely. What’s left is unyielding, relentless, and operating by a code forged in grief.

  • You don’t ask for forgiveness, and you don’t expect gratitude.
  • You see a corrupt, broken world and you’ve decided to do something about it, consequences be damned.
  • Frank Castle’s war is born from love twisted by loss — and so is yours.
  • Uncompromising and unflinching — the world may not agree with your methods, but your conviction is absolute.

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Asgard · Protector of the Nine Realms

⚡ Thor

Powerful, proud, and on a lifelong journey to become worthy of the legend you carry.

  • You lead with strength but have learned — sometimes painfully — that true greatness comes from humility and growth.
  • You’re larger than life, yet more vulnerable than you let on.
  • Thor’s story is one of transformation: from arrogant prince to worthy king, from isolated warrior to beloved protector.
  • You bring the storm when it’s needed — and the warmth when it matters just as much.

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Brooklyn, New York · The Avengers

🛡️ Captain America

You believe in something bigger than yourself — and you fight for it even when the world has moved on and nobody else will.

  • You don’t bully the small guy, and you never stop when it gets hard.
  • Steve Rogers didn’t become a hero when he got the serum — he was always one. So were you.
  • Your strength isn’t in your fists; it’s in your refusal to compromise what’s right, no matter the cost.
  • In a world full of people taking the easy road, you’re the one who picks up the shield and stands up — every single time.
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What’s especially disappointing is that Vanessa has growing more powerful in the current season. Dex gives a powerful monologue to Matt when discussing the psychological torment that he endured while under her control, and Vanessa had also been making moves to legitimize her husband’s coalition by meeting with officials from the New York state government, not to mention running his criminal empire when he was gone from New York. She represented a different type of villain for the series because of her political connections, and could operate in the shadows in a way that made it more difficult for Matt to discern her plans. While the implication is that Vanessa was just as dangerous as her husband, albeit in a different way, her death seems to discredit that development by making her another sacrifice within the long game. It’s an unfortunate example of fridging, in which a female character is taken out of the story in order to further the emotional development of a male character, Fisk in this case.

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‘Daredevil: Born Again’ Has an Uneven Relationship With the Netflix Series

The other issue Daredevil: Born Again has run into is its revolving door of villains, as Mr. Charles (Matthew Lillard) and Buck (Arty Froushan) haven’t proven that they will have the same level of moral ambiguity. Vanessa was one of the rare female characters in Marvel’s television to have a position of authority and power, but there was still room to expand upon her history. When considering that there have been entire flashback episodes that delved into what drove Dex and Fisk to become more ruthless, Vanessa’s backstory has been shrouded in a degree of mystery that could have come to play in future installments in the series. It would be one thing if Vanessa’s death was part of the endgame for what Daredevil: Born Again had in mind, but another season is already in production. It’s disappointing that a character who was clearly being developed was reduced to being a catalyst for Fisk’s aggression, especially since Vanessa hadn’t had the chance to have confrontations with some of the other new characters.

Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock in his costume standing in front of the river in New York at night in Daredevil: Born Again Season 2


‘Daredevil: Born Again’ Brings Back One of the MCU’s Greatest Characters in Its Darkest Episode Yet | Review

Not even a bullet can kill Avocados at Law.

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“The Grand Design” even included a flashback moment when Fisk discusses entering the art world with his former right-hand man, James Wesley (Toby Leonard Moore), which sets up why he meets Vanessa in the gallery back in the first season of the Netflix series. Vanessa’s death is not only an exhausting example of a show putting a ceiling on what its female characters are allowed to accomplish, but a decision that makes Fisk less interesting. The scenes of the Fisks marital issues in Season 1 offered a vulnerability to the character that made him more complex than how he had appeared in the original Netflix series. And as exciting as it will be to see Krysten Ritter pop up later in the season, Daredevil: Born Again hasn’t offered much for its female characters, especially since Deborah Ann Woll has been given little to do in the last four episodes as well. Vanessa’s death is a worrying sign for Daredevil: Born Again, proving that no matter how far the show has come, it is still prone to missteps.

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Original Voldemort Pushes Harry Potter To Gender Swap His Character

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By TeeJay Small
| Published

harry potter ralph fiennes voldemort

Sometimes an actor does such an incredible job in a landmark role that it becomes impossible to picture anyone else taking on the mantle. Characters like Batman or the Joker are almost designed to be passed down for each new generation, but others are defined by a single performance.

JK Simmons’ J. Jonah Jameson, for instance, is so fundamental that the MCU didn’t even attempt to recast the newspaper editor once they took control of the Spider-Man IP. Now, thanks to a report in Variety, we know that Lord Voldemort actor Ralph Fiennes is ready to officially hand the villain of the wizarding world off to one of his esteemed colleagues.

Voldemort Lobbies To Gender Swap Himself

Constantine Tilda Swinton
Tilda Swinton

Specifically, Fiennes has pointed at Tilda Swinton as the perfect Voldemort, expressing “I think she would be amazing.” Fiennes famously portrayed he who shall not be named during the original run of the Harry Potter film franchise, reprising the role a total of five times from 2005 through 2011.

With a new HBO reboot series on the way, fans have been cautiously optimistic for casting news. Several names, including Tilda Swinton and Oppenheimer‘s Cillian Murphy have circulated, though none have been confirmed at the time of this writing.

Why Ray Fiennes Can’t Return As Harry Potter’s Villain

Performers that have been confirmed to appear in the new Harry Potter series include Nick Frost, John Lithgow, and newcomer Dominic McLaughlin. Fiennes claims that he would have loved to return for a time, but “that ship has sailed” now that so much time has passed. It makes sense that decorated actors like Tilda Swinton and Cillian Murphy would top the list for fan castings, since they both offer uniquely intense performances, impressive range, and slender, pale frames, similar to the build you’d expect from Hogwarts’ Dark Lord.

Casting Voldemort may turn out to be a make-or-break decision for the success of the Harry Potter show, since the series already has so many cards stacked against it. Promo images have been released for the inaugural season, though the style and design were torn apart by social media users. Likewise, the project has been viewed as radioactive to some fans, due to J.K. Rowling‘s polarizing online presence, particularly in regard to her outspoken stance against the transgender community.

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The Politics Of It All

Casting a woman who self-identifies as queer in the pivotal role could be a lifeline for fans who disagree with Rowling’s views on transgender ideology, but it also runs the risk of offending her supporters. Any way you slice it, it’s a complete tightrope walk for the producers of the series.

That’s why it’s important to absolutely nail it by selecting someone as talented and capable as Swinton. As we’ve seen in the past, fans can move past casting choices quickly when the performances are truly undeniable. In 2026, nobody is complaining about Samuel L. Jackson’s turn as Nick Fury, or even Chris Pratt‘s straightforward delivery as Mario.

The Harry Potter series is due for a Christmas premiere later this year. As that date draws near, we’re bound to keep getting casting updates.


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Pedro Pascal explains why he 'seemed like a deer in headlights' in Bad Bunny's Super Bowl halftime show

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Pascal danced alongside Cardi B, Karol G, and Jessica Alba during the memorable halftime performance.

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The 9 best musicals on Disney+ for soul-warming singalongs

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If you’re in need of a new song to sing on a loop, these time-tested musicals should help.

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Netflix’s Extremely Violent, R-Rated Buddy Comedy Slays Vampires With Reckless Abandon

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Netflix’s Extremely Violent, R-Rated Buddy Comedy Slays Vampires With Reckless Abandon

By Robert Scucci
| Published

Normally, I’m not one to gush over vampire movies, but I’m a “never say never” kind of guy when it comes to my media consumption. While I admit that I had my reservations about checking out 2022’s Day Shift after punishing myself with 2005’s infamously terrible BloodRayne, I’m a fan of Jamie Foxx in most applications, having thoroughly enjoyed White House Down (2013) and They Cloned Tyrone (2023). Both films technically function in the buddy comedy wheelhouse, and the humor lands exceptionally well thanks to Foxx’s ability to play the straight man in increasingly ridiculous situations.

Day Shift brings that energy into the world of vampire hunting, where there’s payroll, union rules, and a code of conduct that needs to be followed for the whole machine to work in the shadows without too much collateral damage. With that dynamic in mind, Day Shift gets its laughs from constantly breaking those rules as an ancient, undead evil threatens the world as we know it.

Stuck On The Day Shift

Day Shift 2022

When we’re introduced to Jamie Foxx’s unfortunately named Bud Jablonski, we quickly learn just how unfortunate every other aspect of his life is. Separated from his wife Jocelyn (Meagan Good), he does everything he can to provide for his daughter Paige (Zion Broadnax). Posing as a contract pool cleaner, Bud moonlights as a rogue vampire killer, collecting their teeth so he can pawn them off for extra cash. Facing mounting financial pressure because Jocelyn is threatening to sell the house and move out of town, Bud realizes what he has to do: rejoin the vampire hunting union.

There’s just one problem. Union boss Ralph Seeger (Eric Lange) doesn’t want him back because he has a long history of violating protocol. Don’t worry though, because we need Bud to rejoin the union for his movie to work, so Snoop Dogg’s Big John Elliott, a well-respected veteran vampire hunter, helps convince Seeger to allow him to work in an official capacity again.

Day Shift 2022

Seeger, not exactly thrilled to let Bud back into the mix, forces him to work with Seth (Dave Franco), the most by-the-books union supervisor to ever walk on God’s green earth. Seth eats gluten-free muffins, speaks fluently in policy, and is tasked with clocking every single one of Bud’s infractions during his probationary trial before he can be fully welcomed back as a full-time member.

Right off the bat, Bud and Seth butt heads, but Seth warms up to his unconventional approach to vampire hunting when he sees the results. As their friendship forms throughout Day Shift, we learn what’s really at stake in the form of our antagonist, Audrey San Fernando (Karla Souza). Audrey has it out for Bud, who in the film’s opening sequence murdered an elderly vampire woman in her home who just so happens to be her daughter.

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Day Shift 2022

Stuck trying to do things his own way without getting the book thrown at him, Bud now has to worry about Audrey hunting down his family, who have no idea about his extracurricular vampire activities, for revenge.

Bloody, Buddy Cops

Not only does Day Shift offer an emotional throughline through Bud’s family dynamic, the buddy cop aspect of the film is what really sells its premise. Seth constantly getting sick to his stomach and soiling himself every time Bud and his vampire hunting friends rack up a body count becomes a recurring gag, and much of his character’s evolution comes from realizing that rules are sometimes meant to be broken when there’s a greater good at stake.

Day Shift 2022

Fortunately for Bud, who’s racking up countless infractions while on probation, Seth’s knowledge of the employee handbook is so comprehensive that he knows all the loopholes they can lean on when things get dicey. Seth also learns that there are more important things in life than following protocol, like family, which is why Bud is so hellbent on getting his job back in the first place.

Bud’s heart and chaotic charm are perfectly foiled by Seth every step of the way, and as they become fast friends while facing their immortal enemies, they turn into an unstoppable force of nature, exactly what you need when an ancient evil posing as a real estate agent is trying to wipe out humanity one pre-fab housing development at a time.

Day Shift 2022

While my mileage varies on most Netflix Originals, Day Shift holds its own by taking an inherently absurd premise and matching it with a tried-and-true buddy cop formula. It’s not high art, but it’s a wildly entertaining trip through a San Fernando suburb plagued with vampires and daywalkers alike.

Day Shift is a Netflix Original and can be streamed with an active subscription.

Day Shift 2022


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New Gen Of Calabasas Reality Stars To Appear On Netflix

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Calabasas Confidential photo still.

Netflix is gearing up to introduce the world to the next generation of reality stars from the fancy Los Angeles suburb in the new series “Calabasas Confidential.” While pop culture lovers are likely familiar with the city thanks to the long-running reality show “Keeping Up with the Kardashians,” this new crew of unscripted television stars is sure to make a splash by spilling all of their tea in season 1, coming to the streaming giant in May. But before the first batch of episodes premieres, here’s everything fans should know.

‘Calabasas Confidential’ Will Premiere On Netflix On May 29 And Showcase A Dramatic Group Of Friends, Rivals, And Exes

Calabasas Confidential photo still.
Netflix

According to Netflix’s Tudum, their new show will follow a close-knit group of high school friends, romantic partners, and foes who recently returned to Calabasas after four years away.

The show’s description reads, “Fresh out of college, they’re plunged right back into the drama they thought they left behind. As they settle back into their families’ sprawling mansions and slip into the familiar circuit of parties, La La Land catch-ups, and beach hangs, these young adults are forced to reckon not only with who they were but also with who they’re becoming — in the town that raised them.”

Who Is Part Of Netflix’s New Series Set In Calabasas?

CALABASAS CONFIDENTIAL (2026)
Netflix

The entire first season of “Calabasas Confidential” will air on Netflix on May 29. The episodes will showcase the cast navigating life after college while also dealing with shifting dynamics in their hometown.

“New flames, old feuds, and unexpected secrets don’t stay hidden forever behind the gates of LA’s most envied zip code,” the show’s synopsis said.

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Speaking of the cast, season 1 of the show will include Alexie Olivo, Ben Favaedi, Dylan Wolf, Emilie Nelson, Emma Medrano, Hercy Miller, Jemma Durrant, Jodie Woods, Kimora Lewis, Nicole Sahebi, Preston Pippen, Raine Michaels, Sterling Retzlaff, and Suede Brooks.

‘Calabasas Confidential’ Is Part Of Netflix’s Plan To Bring Back A Certain Genre Of Reality TV

CALABASAS CONFIDENTIAL (2026)
Netflix

Based on some of the show’s early access press photos, it appears to have a similar feel to OG reality shows set in California, such as “Laguna Beach” and “The Hills.”

Jeff Gaspin, head of unscripted at Netflix, told Deadline that “Calabasas Confidential” is part of the streamer’s plan to bring “some of that magic back” of the original series.

“When someone in their 20s comes to visit Los Angeles, there’s two places they want to go, and it’s not Disneyland or Universal: It’s Calabasas and Erewhon,” he said in 2025. “I’m not a Calabasas native, but I moved here when I moved to L.A. in 2001. It used to be a pumpkin town and everyone would say, ‘Why are you moving all the way out there?’ But then, of course, a certain family moved in [to Hidden Hills] and put Calabasas on the map.”

Shyanne Blankenship, Jack Mason in episode 209 of Temptation Island.
Netflix

Before the cast of “Calabasas Confidential” officially makes its grand entrance, another Netflix reality show, “Temptation Island,” has been the talk of the town.

According to The Blast, the show follows four couples struggling with personal issues and places them in a luxurious villa to tempt them with hot singles.

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The show is dramatic, salacious, and scandalous, but for host Mark L. Walberg, it’s “real.”

“It’s real for me, and I don’t know how to detach or phone it in,” he said in a previous interview. “Having done it for years and years now, I can tell you that the people who come on [Temptation Island] really do get answers to their questions.”

Is ‘Temptation Island’ Scripted?

Kai Stone on
Netflix

The over-the-top theatrics have also raised some eyebrows, prompting viewers to ask whether the show is scripted or 100% authentic.

According to Kai Stone, everything happened exactly as they were shown in the episodes.

“It’s not scripted like people think—no one’s telling you what to say—but it’s definitely engineered,” Stone said, per The Blast. “The producers know what they’re doing. You’re put in situations that are going to bring stuff out of you—good, bad, whatever’s already there.”

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While the show’s cast may have been placed in uncomfortable situations, Stone said everyone has to own their actions.

“But what you say and how you react—that’s on you,” he said.

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‘Supernatural’s Most Heartbreaking Loose End Is the Daughter Dean Winchester Never Got To Know

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Emma (Alexia Fast) is shot and killed by Dean Winchester (Jensen Ackles) in 'Supernatural'

Of all the crazy things to happen on Supernatural, one of the most bizarre occurred smack in the middle of the series’ epic 15-season run. If you ever wondered if Dean Winchester (Jensen Ackles) was dad material, wonder no further. Season 7 was an odd one for the show, introducing the Leviathans, killing off main characters, and stripping the Winchesters of their iconic Impala for a time. But one of the weirdest additions to the show’s ever-evolving mythos was when writers Eugenie Ross-Leming and Brad Buckner gave Dean a daughter after he slept with an Amazon. Not only did the elder Winchester produce a child of his own, but that very same daughter later tried to kill him. It doesn’t get much stranger than that on Supernatural.

“The Slice Girls” Officially Gives Dean Winchester a Not-So-Little Girl of His Own

In the show’s seventh season episode, “The Slice Girls,” which takes place not long after the death of their surrogate father, Bobby Singer (Jim Beaver), the Winchesters find themselves in Seattle investigating some pretty strange murders. Each of the victims had their hands and feet cut off and bore a symbol carved into their chest, which is about right up the brothers’ alley. Additionally, each of these victims had engaged in one-night stands at a local bar, The Colbalt Room, which they only discovered after Dean first had a sexual encounter of his own with a woman named Lydia (Sara Canning). Soon after, Lydia becomes pregnant and gives birth to a young girl named Emma, who ages rapidly into a teenager in less than three days.

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Collider Exclusive · Action Hero Quiz
Which Action Hero Would Be
Your Perfect Partner?

Rambo · James Bond · Indiana Jones · John McClane · Ethan Hunt

Five legends. Five completely different ways of getting out alive — with style, with muscle, with charm, with luck, or with a plan so intricate it probably shouldn’t work. Ten questions will reveal which action hero was built to have your back.

🎖️Rambo

🍸James Bond

🏺Indiana Jones

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🔧John McClane

🎭Ethan Hunt

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01

You’re dropped into a dangerous situation with no warning. What do you need most from a partner?
The first few seconds tell you everything about who belongs beside you.





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02

You have to get somewhere dangerous, fast. How do you travel?
How you get there is half the mission.





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03

You’re pinned down and outnumbered. What does your ideal partner do?
This is when you find out what someone is really made of.





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04

The mission is paused. You have one evening to decompress. What does your partner suggest?
Who someone is when the pressure drops is who they actually are.





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05

How do you prefer your partner to communicate mid-mission?
Good communication is the difference between partners and a liability.





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06

Your enemy is powerful, well-resourced, and has the upper hand. How should your partner approach them?
The approach to the enemy defines the partnership.





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07

Things go badly wrong and you’re captured. What do you trust your partner to do?
Who someone is when you need them most is the only thing that matters.





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08

What does your ideal partner bring to the table that you couldn’t replace?
A great partner fills the gap you didn’t know you had.





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09

Every partnership has a cost. Which of these can you live with?
No one comes without baggage. The question is whether you can carry it together.





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10

It’s the final moment. Everything is on the line. What do you need from your partner right now?
The last question is the most honest one.





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Your Partner Has Been Assigned
Your Perfect Partner Is…

Your answers have pointed to one action hero above all others. This is the person built to have your back — for better or considerably, spectacularly worse.

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Rambo

Your partner doesn’t talk much, doesn’t need to, and will have assessed every threat in your immediate environment before you’ve finished your first sentence. John Rambo is not a man of plans or politics — he is a force of nature shaped by survival, loyalty, and a capacity for endurance that goes beyond anything training can produce. He will not leave you behind. He has never left anyone behind who deserved to come home. What you get with Rambo is the most capable, most quietly ferocious partner imaginable — one who has been through things that would have broken anyone else, and who chose to keep going anyway. You’ll never need to ask if he has your back. You’ll just know.

James Bond

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Your partner will arrive perfectly dressed, perfectly briefed, and with a cover story so convincing it’ll take you a moment to remember what’s actually true. James Bond is the most professionally dangerous person in any room he enters — and the most disarmingly charming, which is the point. He operates in a world of layers, where nothing is what it appears and every advantage is used without apology. You’ll never be bored. You’ll occasionally be furious. But when it matters — when the mission is genuinely on the line and the margin for error has collapsed to nothing — Bond is exactly the partner you want. He has survived things that have no business being survivable. He does it with style. That is not nothing.

Indiana Jones

Your partner will know the history, the language, the cultural context, and exactly why the thing everyone else is ignoring is actually the most important thing in the room. Indiana Jones is brilliant, reckless, and occasionally impossible — but he is also one of the most resourceful, most genuinely knowledgeable partners you could find yourself beside. He approaches every situation with a scholar’s eye and a brawler’s instinct, which is an unusual combination and a remarkably effective one. He hates snakes and gets personally attached to objects of historical significance, both of which will slow you down at least once. It doesn’t matter. What Indy brings is irreplaceable — and the adventures you’ll have together will be the kind people write books about. Assuming you survive them.

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John McClane

Your partner was not supposed to be here. He does not have the right equipment, the right information, or anything approaching the right odds. He has a sarcastic remark and an absolute refusal to accept that the situation is as bad as it looks. John McClane is the greatest accidental hero in the history of action cinema — a man whose superpower is stubbornness, whose contingency plan is improvisation, and whose capacity to absorb punishment and keep moving would be alarming if it weren’t so useful. He will complain the entire time. He will make it significantly more chaotic than it needed to be. And he will absolutely, unconditionally, without question come through when it counts. Yippee-ki-yay.

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Ethan Hunt

Your partner has already run seventeen scenarios by the time you’ve finished reading the briefing, and the plan he’s settled on involves at least two things that should be physically impossible. Ethan Hunt operates at the absolute edge of human capability — technically, physically, and intellectually — and he brings the same relentless precision to protecting his partners that he brings to dismantling organisations that shouldn’t exist. He is not easy to know and he will never fully tell you everything. But he will carry the weight of the mission so completely, so absolutely, that your job is simply to trust him — and the remarkable thing is that trusting him always turns out to be the right call. The mission will be impossible. He will complete it anyway.

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As Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean try to figure out their next move, they discover that Lydia is one of the Amazons, a group of warrior women (not unlike Wonder Woman) who were blessed by the Greek goddess Harmonia with the ability to conceive and give birth quickly for the sake of amassing their armed forces. As the Amazons continue to build their army, they do so by traveling from place to place every few years, only to bear more children, kill their fathers, and move on to the next town. With Seattle as their current locale, Sam and Dean put two-and-two together, recognizing that Lydia was an Amazon and that her rapidly aging daughter Emma (played later by Alexia Fast, who had previously played Missy Bender in the fan-favorite “The Benders”) is actually Dean’s offspring.

As Sam is jumped by an Amazon elsewhere, Dean is confronted by Emma, now at the end of her rapid-aging process. Though Sam and Dean thought that Lydia would have come to kill Dean, Sam discovers that the Amazons assign their children to commit patricide as a rite of passage into their ranks. While confronting Dean, Emma pleads with her father to help get her out from under the Amazonian cult, and tries to appeal to their familial ties, but it’s all a trick. Emma had been briefed by her superiors on her father and uncle’s profession and had prepared to deceive Dean into letting his guard down. By the time Sam gets back to the motel, Dean and his daughter are engaged in a standoff, forcing Sam to be the one to ultimately pull the trigger.

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Emma’s Potential on ‘Supernatural’ Was Instantly Cut Short

Emma (Alexia Fast) is shot and killed by Dean Winchester (Jensen Ackles) in 'Supernatural'
Emma (Alexia Fast) is shot and killed in front of Dean Winchester (Jensen Ackles) in the ‘Supernatural’ episode “The Slice Girls.”
Image via the CW

The idea that either Sam or Dean would have children while Supernatural was in its heyday is something that the showrunners would never have allowed to happen. After all, it would drastically change the tone of the show and introduce character dynamics that wouldn’t conform naturally to the way the series had been set up. Supernatural was always meant to be a horror road show, and because of that, for the first seven and a half seasons, the Winchesters never had a base of operations or a home to call their own. While Season 8 would change that by introducing the Men of Letters and their Lebanon, Kansas-based bunker, Season 7 was still firmly set on the open road. It’s not surprising then that the rest of Supernatural essentially forgets about this moment, never mentioning Emma again after this season.

Nevertheless, “The Slice Girls” exists, and Emma is legitimately Dean’s only known biological child. That’s not something you see every day, and for a character who struggles with living under a deadbeat dad of his own (we still love you, John Winchester), the idea that Dean would have a daughter is a fascinating concept. Considering that Emma was an Amazon like her mother, it makes the concept all the more engaging, knowing that Dean’s only confirmed child isn’t even human. We have to remember that, at this point in Supernatural, Dean was rarely merciful to monsters. If anything, he would go out of his way to make sure more were put down properly. Sure, he and Sam let a few go over the years (provided they didn’t kill humans), but earlier in Season 7, Dean had been responsible for killing a monster friend of Sam’s from his childhood, one who only killed to save her own son. Sam was furious with Dean then, and his killing Emma allowed him to return the ill-gotten favor.

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Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles as Sam and Dean Winchester look at something puzzling outside


Only 5 Fantasy Shows Are Better Than ‘Supernatural’

Carry on my Winchester brothers.

But what happened to Emma — a girl who, had she survived, we might have come to know as Emma Winchester — is a tragedy. Not only was Dean’s Amazon-born daughter brainwashed by the Harmonia-centric cult, but she also showed no remorse about killing her own father. If Dean could have saved her, if he could have convinced her to leave with him (or at least go their separate ways), it’s possible we could’ve had a very heartfelt father-daughter Supernatural story down the road, which might’ve changed the elder Winchesters’ outlook on the opposite sex. More than that, it might’ve been a more natural way to change Dean’s mind concerning monsters in general, rather than how the following season did so with his time in Purgatory.

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Emma’s Story Is Tragic, but Dean’s Reaction Is Even More So

Jensen Ackles as Dean Winchester with his shirt off and a protection tattoo on his chest
Jensen Ackles as Dean Winchester with his shirt off in the ‘Supernatural’ episode “The Slice Girls.”
Image via the CW

There’s no denying that what happened to Emma here is a tragedy, even if it’s an understandable one. Here’s a girl who died for no reason simply because she was ordered to kill her father by a group of cultic warriors. According to Emma, she had no choice in the matter, though Dean (captain of “Team Free Will” over here), of all people, knows that everyone always has a choice. Dean’s inability to convince Emma of her own autonomy is heartbreaking, and while we’re not meant to sympathize with his psychotic Amazonian daughter, it’s not hard to see why Dean himself would want to. At the end of the episode, Sam accuses Dean of not being able to pull the trigger, which Dean adamantly denies. But the truth is, Sam, might be right. Dean saw Emma as his daughter, his only daughter, and for that reason alone, we can’t help but feel for his strange loss.

To make matters worse, the Amazons get away in the end. As far as we know, Emma’s mother, Lydia, was with them, likely furious at the fact that her daughter didn’t return from her mission. But, because Supernatural never acknowledged this episode beyond a brief reference in the very next episode, “Plucky Pennywhistle’s Magical Menagerie,” Lydia is left in the wind. Though the show treats it as a standard monster-of-the-week story, it feels much more than that, and given how other episodes this season would be followed up on in the future, Supernatural‘s decision to ignore the Amazon story seems like an oversight. It’s unlikely that Lydia wouldn’t want to avenge her daughter’s death, just as it’s strange that the Amazons wouldn’t attempt to kill the Winchesters after Sam first killed two of their own. Instead, this is just yet another one of Supernatural‘s many loose threads.

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This Isn’t the First Time ‘Supernatural’ Teased Dean Winchester’s Offspring

Of course, this isn’t the first or only time that Supernatural teased the idea of Dean being a father. As early as the show’s third season, Lisa Braeden (Cindy Sampson) and her son Ben (Nicholas Elia) were introduced in “The Kids Are Alright,” and immediately the show made us believe that Ben was the result of a hook-up between Dean and Lisa years earlier. Though Lisa denied it, Ben’s aesthetic, choice of music, speech patterns, and physical appearance made many believe otherwise. After Sam was trapped in Hell at the end of Season 5, Dean went to live with the Braedens and became Ben’s surrogate father. By the end of Season 6, Dean had Castiel (Misha Collins) erase Ben and Lisa’s memories after the pair were nearly killed by a demon, but not before that demon revealed Ben was indeed Dean’s son.

Naturally, Dean (and Supernatural itself) framed this as just another lie the demon was trying to tell, and so Dean left his makeshift family behind forever. This all took place just before Season 7, when Dean had his encounter with Emma, making her not the first, but the second child of his that he’s walked out on (or worse, in Emma’s case). It wouldn’t be until the show’s final few years that Dean would have one more chance to redeem himself as a surrogate father figure with Jack Klein (Alexander Calvert), the estranged son of Lucifer (Mark Pellegrino). Dean, Sam, and Castiel helped raise Jack (who is a Nephilim) into a stand-up young man, one who ended up being vital in saving the world. While things between Dean and his only confirmed biological child might have turned sour, the elder Winchester proved himself to be worthy dad material by the end. No wonder Sam later named his own child after his brother.

Supernatural is available for streaming on Netflix.

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Release Date

2005 – 2020

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Network

The WB, The CW

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Showrunner

Eric Kripke

Directors
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Philip Sgriccia, John F. Showalter, Kim Manners, Thomas J. Wright, Charles Beeson, Guy Norman Bee, Richard Speight Jr., Mike Rohl, John Badham, Steve Boyum, Amyn Kaderali, Jensen Ackles, Tim Andrew, Eduardo Sánchez, Jeannot Szwarc, P.J. Pesce, Nina Lopez-Corrado, James L. Conway, amanda tapping, J. Miller Tobin, Stefan Pleszczynski, John MacCarthy, Jerry Wanek, Ben Edlund

Writers

Meredith Glynn, Davy Perez, Raelle Tucker, Cathryn Humphris, Brett Matthews, Nancy Won, John Bring, Ben Acker, Daniel Knauf, David Ehrman, James Krieg, Trey Callaway

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Akon Talks Gender Roles, Polygamy & More

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Akon On Why He Didn't Sign Drake, A Verzuz With T-Pain + Polygamy & Ne-Yo

On this episode of ‘Stepping Into The Shade Room,’ Akon sits down to discuss his legendary career, his headline-making polyamorous lifestyle, why T-Pain would win against him in a Verzuz, and much more! From revealing his real name to breaking down why polygamy works for him, Akon gets super candid during his conversation with host Thembi.

Akon Speaks On Polygamy & Faithfulness V. Commitment

During the conversation, Akon shared his thoughts on faithfulness versus commitment, and the ability of men to do either.  Ultimately, he explained that he believes men can be faithful to the woman, or women, they love. But he finds that men are not wired to be committed.

“How many men do you know will fight for that one because of the mistake that they made with someone that didn’t matter to them? That’s faithfulness, that’s creating that energy to fight for it,” he said. “We’re going to be with multiple women, that’s who we are… otherwise, it wouldn’t be a coincidence that every single woman on this planet, if they have a problem with their spouse, it’s over another woman. Think about it! Every woman that has a problem with they man, it’s over another chick.”

He Gets Real About Gender Roles

Before the conversation concluded, the pair touched on gender roles. Akon shared that here in America, he believes the women “want to be men.” Then, in Africa, the women there live “the most amazing life” and only have a hard time when it comes to pregnancy.

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“I think when it comes to women, there’s a certain level of respect that should be given to a man. The same way that a man should have a certain level of respect that he should give to a woman,” Akon explained.

Scroll above to watch the episode in full.

RELATED: Raven-Symoné Opens Up About Former Castmates, Marriage & Body Image | SITSR (Exclusive)

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Gio & Iggy Azalea Spark Shade Rumors Amid Playboi Carti Drama

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Social Media Thinks Gio Ramos and Iggy Azalea Are Throwing Shade at Each Other Amid Playboi Carti Drama (PHOTOS)

Social media users are convinced that Gio Ramos and Iggy Azalea may be throwing subtle shots at each other online. Both shared cryptic posts that quickly went viral.

Related: Y’all Good? Social Media Reacts As Gio Calls Out Playboi Carti In Series Of Now-Deleted Posts (PHOTOS)

Gio Ramos Reacts After Iggy Azalea Tweets “Lol…”

On Thursday, April 16, Gio Ramos and Iggy Azalea posted near-identical cryptic messages on X. Gio wrote “LOL,” while Iggy posted “Lol….” Users quickly circulated screenshots of the posts side-by-side.

A user quote-tweeted the posts, which led Gio to respond directly, writing, “man idk why that yt lady laughing wtf 😂😂”

The situation escalated when another commenter added, “Don’t be weird you with a deadbeat mind you,” appearing to reference Playboi Carti, who shares a son with Iggy Azalea.

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Gio fired back, saying, “how I’m weird cuz idk why she laughing 🤣 y’all be so d**** out. idk that lady!!”

Although Iggy Azalea did not mention Gio directly, she later posted a series of tweets that many users read as commentary on the viral moment. She wrote, “Not 3 letters with 0 context having y’all spiral 😭😭😂”

She followed with, “Note to self: don’t make vague posts anymore,” and later added, “main character syndrome is real.”

Social Media Reacts

Social media users quickly debated whether the interaction was intentional shade or simply a coincidence.

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Instagram user @igotthejems_ wrote, “😭😭😭😭😭😭 I mean what if she was laughing at something else”

Another Instagram user @sammydavisthe4th wrote, “Iggy definitely is throwing shade she does this all the time then acts innocent I’ve see her do it twice past 6 months without looking for it”

While Instagram user @myakierra wrote, “She didn’t deny that she’s with a deadbeat tho”

Instagram user @diestwice wrote, “Carti got gio acting corny now 🫠 booooo”

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Another Instagram user @astroworld.jay wrote, “Lord people can’t even laugh no more 💀”

While Instagram user @pr1ncesslaughalot wrote, “Iggy been saying this is how Carti acts but nobody beleived her”

Instagram user @niy.hendric wrote, “I missed when Gio was just fine and quiet”

Another Instagram user @poochbaby_ wrote, “Even if she was laughing at her any female that lays up with a deadbeat is a deadbeat with him idc I said what I said argue wit God”

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While Instagram user @_prayingforloyalty wrote, “Not y’all investigating a ‘Lol…’ like it’s the Da Vinci Code 😭”

Fans Believe Iggy Azalea’s Tweet Is Tied To Gio Ramos And Playboi Carti’s Recent Online Drama

The situation comes just days after Gio Ramos posted now-deleted Instagram Stories calling out Playboi Carti.

She later addressed the situation during a livestream with streamer Neon, saying, “I crash out one time and everybody just going to take that to the heart, ain’t it?”

Playboi Carti and Iggy Azalea share a son together. In past interviews, Iggy spoke about allegedly raising her child on her own.

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While Iggy Azalea’s post was not directed at anyone specifically, the timing has led social media users to speculate that it may have been shade.

Related: Iggy Azalea Shocks Social Media After Revealing The Last Time She & Her Son Allegedly “Heard From” Playboi Carti (WATCH)

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