Kathy Ireland and her husband, Greg Olsen, are suing their former business managers.

According to court documents obtained by Us Weekly in March 2026, Ireland and Olsen accuse multiple defendants of negligence, theft, intentional representation, constructive fraud and other allegations.

“This case is about trust betrayed on a staggering and unconscionable scale,” the lawsuit claims. “For over 35 years, defendants Jason Winters and Erik Sterling held themselves out to Kathy and Greg, not only as their managers, but as their family. … But in fact, they concealed and misrepresented information from Kathy and Greg to hide their predatory misdeeds.”

According to the lawsuit, Ireland claims the defendants are liable for damages “in the tens of millions of dollars, if not exceeding $100 million.” (According to Forbes, Kathy Ireland Worldwide generated retail sales of $3.1 billion in 2021 alone.)

“My clients granted sweeping authority to people who concealed the truth while exercising total financial control and enriching themselves. Their conduct will be exposed, and it will have consequences,” Ireland’s attorney, Jill Basinger of Stris & Maher LLP, said in a statement to Us. “The scale and sophistication of this fraud demand an equally sophisticated response. We are pursuing this matter aggressively. The defendants are not facing a garden-variety dispute — they are facing comprehensive scrutiny that will expose what has been hidden for years. This is a serious reckoning.”

Keep reading to read more of Ireland and Olsen’s shocking claims in the lawsuit:

Who Is Kathy Ireland?

In the lawsuit, Kathy Ireland is described as a “celebrated model, actress, business person and entrepreneur” who resides in Santa Barbara, California.

Over the years, Ireland found success with home decor, furniture, jewelry and fashion. Her items can be found at various stores, including HSN, Home Depot and Walmart.

What Is Kathy Ireland and Greg Olsen Accusing the Defendants of Doing? 

According to court documents obtained by Us, Kathy Ireland and Greg Olsen “do not know the whole story” of what they could have lost because of the defendants’ alleged actions.

“Kathy and Greg now know there are no substantial retirement accounts,” the lawsuit claims. “There are no prudently managed investments securing their future, as promised. There is no wealth securing their retirement and their children’s futures, as they were led to believe. Instead, in the wake of Defendants misconduct, there was staggering debt, misused credit, secret loans and missing funds.”

Ireland and her husband claim they’ve been forced to sell their home and have been left without substantial savings, court documents state.

“Defendants treated Plaintiffs as their work horses and piggy banks, all the while scheming to fund their own lifestyle, while hanging the Ireland-Olsen family out to dry,” the lawsuit alleges.

How Close Were Kathy Ireland and Her Business Managers?

One year after marrying Greg Olsen, Kathy Ireland started working with Jason Winters and Erik Sterling as her managers.

“Over the years, Winters continually preached to Kathy and Greg about the great personal ‘wealth’ he and Sterling were creating for them, and the very successful financial ‘investments’ he and Sterling were managing for them,” the lawsuit alleges. “Kathy always believed Winters and Sterling because she trusted them. Greg also believed they were working in Kathy’s and his best interests.”

Court docs also allege Winters and Sterling (who are married) claimed they “loved” Ireland and Olsen.

“Based on the promises made by Winters and Sterling, Kathy and Greg believed they had millions of dollars invested by Winters and Sterling and that they had extremely significant net worth,” the suit alleges. “When Plaintiffs asked about their financial condition, Winters and Sterling scoffed at them, telling them they were so extremely wealthy and successful that they would never have anything to worry about.”

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What Have the Defendants Said About the Case

Before Jason Winters was involved with a lawsuit, he alluded to a falling out with a business in a cryptic Instagram post. (Kathy Ireland was not named in the social media post.)

“Why does a real ‘relationship’ fail in business? Because it wasn’t real,” Winters wrote in October 2025. “We should have seen the signs. We did not. We were deceived. It’s easy to be deceived by people you trust. Especially, when decades of faith, success and love appear wrapped in a faux-relationship older than my grandchildren. …. Whatever you hear about any situation? Hold your reaction until you learn the truth.”

In response to Ireland’s suit, Winters told Us Weekly, “When enmeshed in 100M litigation, no one can claim value was not created.”

What Have Kathy Ireland’s Coworkers Said About the Suit?

After Kathy Ireland’s lawsuit made news, kathy ireland Worldwide (kiWW) chair and chief executive Officer Brittany Duncan shared a statement via Linkedin, slamming the suit.

“Kathy Ireland may be spiritually broken, but she is not financially ‘broke,’” Duncan wrote on March 12, 2026. “I have known this woman my entire life. This situation is deeply sad. … What is being done is beneath the dignity of this firm.”

Jason Winters commented on Duncan’s post, writing in part, “Dear Brittany: Thank you for telling the truth. Courage. Leadership. Integrity. Talent. These are hallmarks of your character. … Your career is stellar and more importantly, unlike others, your future is purely ahead of you. Onward!”

Us Weekly has reached out to Ireland’s attorney for comment on the Linkedin post.

Sarah Michelle Gellar has broken her silence on why the Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot is no longer moving forward.

“We had an executive on our show who was not only not a fan of the original, but was proud to constantly remind us that he had never seen the entirety of the series and how it wasn’t for him,” the actress, 48, claimed in an interview People published on Monday, March 16. “That’s very hard when you’re taking a property that is as beloved as Buffy, not just to the world, but to me and Chloé [Zhao].”

Gellar, who claimed one person was at fault for axing the potential series, continued, “So that tells you the uphill battle that we had been fighting since day one, when your executive is literally proud to tell you that he didn’t watch it.”

She added that, after years of saying she’d “never” reprise her role as the titular character, the inspiration to return as the beloved vampire slayer was thanks to the show’s dedicated fans.

“They were the only reason we were doing this show in the first place,” she reflected. “We were doing it because everybody loves it. So how do you do a show that’s beloved with someone that doesn’t love it?”

Last week, Gellar announced that Hulu was not moving forward with the reboot. The actress, who portrayed vampire slayer Buffy Summers on the WB drama for seven seasons from 1996 to 2003, was gearing up to introduce a new generation of vampire hunters alongside Zhao, 43, who was tapped to direct the pilot.

While Gellar was previously adamant about not going back to her Buffy roots, Zhao presented her with an idea that made her rethink her stance.

“In one meeting, she makes me say ‘yes’ to something I never saw on my radar,” Gellar reflected. “That was because of the deep love and commitment and passion she had for this character. It was like I was stepping back in time.”

The reboot, titled, Buffy: New Sunnydale, would star Ryan Kiera Armstrong as the new slayer. Faly Rakotohavana, Ava Jean, Sarah Bock, Daniel Di Tomasso, Jack Cutmore-Scott and Kingston Vernes made up the rest of the cast, with Gellar stepping back into Buffy’s stylish but affordable boots.

“I’d like to use this moment also to say that Ryan Kiera Armstrong is a superstar. I’m gutted that no one will see her as a slayer,” Gellar confessed to the outlet.

On Monday, Gellar revealed that she learned about the news of Buffy’s fate moments before her appearance at SXSW Film & TV Festival premiere of her new movie Ready or Not 2: Here I Come on Saturday, March 14.

Related: Chloe Zhao Breaks Silence on ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ Reboot Cancellation

Chloé Zhao spoke publicly for the first time about the cancellation of her Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot. During a red carpet interview with Variety at the 2026 Oscars on Sunday, March 15, Zhao, 43, reflected on Hulu’s unfortunate decision after creating the reboot’s pilot and preparing to direct and executive produce Buffy the Vampire […]

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“I was just about to take the stage in front of all the fans,” Gellar recalled to the outlet. “Hulu had decided not to move forward with the Buffy revival. Let me tell you, nobody saw this coming.”

Gellar shared on Monday that she and Zhao — who learned the news ahead of her appearance at the Oscars for her award-winning film Hamnet — were disappointed with the network’s decision.

“We don’t want to let the fans down. That hurts. Saddened at how it was handled and when it was handled,” Gellar said. “But I just said to Chloé, and I was very specific, I said, ‘Sunday night, you put that crown on and you walk that red carpet and you take in all that love for what you worked for and forget the other stuff.’ It’s important to me that this doesn’t take away from what we achieved and what she’s achieved. And there’s always more to do.”

With some police procedurals, there isn’t a chance to really dig into the characters’ lives in a super deep way. The action moves fast, and in-depth character explorations go by the wayside. Last week on ABC’s The Rookie, Lucy Chen (Melissa O’Neil) has a devastating experience when she kills a man in the line of duty. While this is tragic, I was excited to see how The Rookie would incorporate some of Lucy’s past trauma with this new event. We do get a little bit of development into this storyline, but unless it gets picked up later on in the season, The Rookie wraps up Lucy’s post-traumatic stress disorder-type symptoms in a way too neat bow in this week’s episode. On the bright side, we do get to see more of one of The Rookie’s best villains, which saves this hour.

‘The Rookie’ Allows Liam Glasser To Escape Justice

Although Liam Glasser (Seth Gabel) has been a fantastic villain for the series, our favorite characters are incredibly frustrated that their case against him is falling apart. Wesley Evers (Shawn Ashmore) announces to the team that because of Nyla Harper’s (Mekia Cox) misconduct and Ryan Dearbourne’s (Patrick Stafford) testimony coming under question, the best they can do with Glasser is to offer him a plea deal for involuntary manslaughter for just one of his murders. Wesley assures everyone that they did their best, and Glasser could be off the streets for at least 10 years. The next thing they know, Harrison Novak (Noel Fisher), who buried bodies in the same place as Glasser, announces he wants to “unburden himself” by confessing to more crimes. Novak heads to the precinct and Glasser heads to the DA’s office. This side-by-side scene drove me crazy because it seems highly unrealistic that these dangerous killers would travel outside the prison for these types of meetings. Novak announces that he actually committed all of Glasser’s crimes too, but it’s clear to the cops that he’s been put up to this by Glasser or Glasser’s lawyer, Malcolm (Sean Patrick Thomas).

It seems like Glasser has convinced a lot of people to help get him out of jail, even perhaps ADA Vivian Eckert (Necar Zadegan), who will do anything to sabotage Wesley’s campaign for DA. A hearing takes place with Malcolm and Wesley, and Malcolm confirms that Glasser is rejecting the plea deal. By the episode’s end, Wesley learns that the DA is dropping all charges against Glasser since a win at trial seems impossible. It also seems like Wesley might lose the DA race as well. But to add insult to injury, Glasser, now a free man, drops by the precinct with donuts just to taunt Nyla. She firmly claims this whole thing isn’t over, but it’s horrifying that this creepy serial killer is now out in the world again. Although it’s a bummer for everyone, Glasser being free does set up some nice drama heading into the rest of the season.

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‘The Rookie’ Shouldn’t Be Done With Its Serial Killer Plot Just Yet

This is the most interesting antagonist we’ve had in a while!

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‘The Rookie’ Season 8, Episode 11 Rushes Through Lucy’s Traumatic Experience

Image via ABC

The episode opens with Lucy struggling to get out of bed. She is grappling with the fact that the man she killed was also a victim, since he was poisoned by toxic chemicals. Tim Bradford (Eric Winter) tries to insist that she take more time off, but she says she’s well enough to return to duty. Tim has encouraged the other officers to give Lucy space (which seems a bit too overprotective to me), and decides to ride along with her for the day. He appoints Smitty (Brent Huff) as temporary Watch Commander, which makes absolutely no sense. Smitty is the least qualified, and it’s clear the writers threw this in merely for a few comedic moments. Later, the victim’s sister shows up to confront Lucy. Lucy wants to release the body cam footage from that day, but there are legal restrictions. After Chenford argues about the right way to handle this, Lucy agrees to talk to the sister, saying, “In order to be a good cop, I need to be a good human first.” Lucy explains to the sister what happened, who states that she believes Lucy. This is a kind way to tie up the story, but it’s frustrating that The Rookie writers are using this conversation to end an experience that would normally cause ongoing symptoms for an officer.

The case that Lucy works on this week is a dead body that was found at a local motel. While they research who he was, Skip Tracer Randy (Flula Borg) shows up and has a connection to the victim. Randy had been hired to track the victim, who was a con man named Charles Deacon. While a bad guy flees, he knocks out Randy, causing him to lose his German accent and develop a Southern one (in something called Foreign Accent Syndrome). This bit results in the episode having a sillier tone, despite Lucy’s storyline calling for a more somber one. The case resolves when the crime is pinned on a Mafia-type family. Randy regains his accent eventually, and although I usually like this character, he sort of felt out of place in this particular episode.

Bailey Has Wiggled Her Way Into Another Perilous Situation in ‘The Rookie’

Image via ABC

John Nolan (Nathan Fillion) gets a call from Zuzu (the AI bot), warning him that Bailey Nune (Jenna Dewan) is being followed. Nolan is mad at Wade Grey (Richard T. Jones) for getting Bailey mixed up in something while she’s away at the Pentagon. He assures Nolan that he’ll keep Bailey safe, but it’s clear that the mysterious woman from last week’s episode has decided to find out exactly who Bailey is. To get more information about what’s going on with this woman, Bailey sets a trap to smoke her out. We don’t get anything else in this week’s episode, but I’m already sort of annoyed that Bailey is involved. It still makes no sense that a firefighter is working at the Pentagon, and even less sense that Wade would be recruiting her for a dangerous mission.

There were definitely some interesting moments in this episode, but the hour would have felt more realistic with a little less humor and more of an emphasis on Lucy’s mental health. It’s always fun that The Rookie makes sure to include levity in its storytelling, but I would have preferred a little bit less lightheartedness in the aftermath of Lucy’s attack. My wish would be that this event continues to affect Lucy in future episodes, but I fear the series will plow ahead with other narratives instead.

New episodes of The Rookie air on Monday nights on ABC, with episodes available to stream on Hulu in the U.S.

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Release Date

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October 16, 2018

Showrunner

Alexi Hawley

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Directors

Tori Garrett, Chi-Yoon Chung, Michael Goi, Sylvain White, Lisa Demaine, Lanre Olabisi, Bill Johnson, David McWhirter, Liz Friedlander, Daniel Willis, Toa Fraser, Anne Renton, Jon Huertas, Cherie Nowlan, TK Shom, Rob Seidenglanz, Valerie Weiss, Barbara Brown, Charissa Sanjarernsuithikul, SJ Main Muñoz, Nelson McCormick, Marcus Stokes, Adam Davidson, Anna Mastro

Writers

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Corey Miller, Bill Rinier, Zoe Cheng, Mary Trahan, Ally Seibert, Liz Alper, Nick Hurwitz, Racheal Seymour, Madeleine Coghlan, David Radcliff

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Pros & Cons

• Bringing back several familiar characters feels like a fun callback to previous episodes.
• The type of Chenford conflict portrayed feels fresh and relevant to their relationship.

• Some aspects of this episode felt unrealistic and over-the-top.
• Bailey’s storyline feels like awkward filler at this point.

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After swift online backlash, fans are learning why James Van Der Beek and Eric Dane were not honored during the 2026 Oscars In Memoriam.

A source tells Us Weekly that the Academy “receives hundreds of requests to include loved ones and industry colleagues” to be featured during the emotional segment. To narrow down the many requests, an “executive committee” is formed with members that represent every branch of the Academy.

The insider explains that those committee members review the list and make “recommendations for the telecast based on limited available time.”

For those who do not get a spotlighted moment during the live awards show, their names do appear on the Oscars’ website. All of the submissions are included on the site, where they remain for the duration of the year.

Related: Fans React to 2026 Oscars In Memoriam Segment Snubs: Eric Dane and More

The annual In Memoriam segment at the 2026 Oscars took time to remember those in the film industry who died in the past year. And while actors from Robert Redford and Diane Keaton to Catherine O’Hara and Rick Reiner received recognition, fans were not happy with some notable omissions. Chief among them were Eric Dane […]

Us has reached out to the Academy for comment.

On Sunday, March 15, Van Der Beek and Dane were noticeably missing from the award show’s tribute to those who have died in the past year. Both actors are, however, featured on the website’s tribute page.

Fans expressed their disappointment online after noticing that both actors were excluded from the In Memoriam.

“I know every year, the Oscars leaves out a few people who passed away. But these 3 were so recent,” one user wrote via X. “I’m sad they left out James Van Der Beek, Eric Dane, and Robert Carradine. RIP.”

Both Dane and Van Der Beek died weeks before the Academy Awards were held at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. Van Der Beek died in February after a battle with colorectal cancer. The Dawson’s Creek alum was 48.

“Our beloved James David Van Der Beek passed peacefully this morning,” James’ wife, Kimberly Van Der Beek, wrote via Instagram at the time. “He met his final days with courage, faith and grace. There is much to share regarding his wishes, love for humanity and the sacredness of time. Those days will come. For now we ask for peaceful privacy as we grieve our loving husband, father, son, brother and friend.”

James is survived by Kimberly, 43 and their six children, Olivia, 15, Joshua, 14, Annabel, 12, Emilia, 9, Gwendolyn, 7, and Jeremiah, 4.

Nearly a week later, Dane died following his battle with ALS. The Grey’s Anatomy alum was 53.

Related: Which Celebrities Were Left Out of the 2026 Oscars In Memoriam Segment?

The 2026 Oscars had an emotional In Memoriam segment that noticeably missed several celebrities. During the awards show on Sunday, March 15, Rob Reiner, his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, Robert Redford and Diane Keaton were some film industry members who received lengthy tributes from their former costars. Catherine O’Hara was also mentioned in a heart-wrenching […]

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“With heavy hearts, we share that Eric Dane passed on Thursday afternoon following a courageous battle with ALS,” his family said in a statement to Us at the time. “He spent his final days surrounded by dear friends, his devoted wife and his two beautiful daughters, Billie and Georgia, who were the center of his world.”

The statement continued, “Throughout his journey with ALS, Eric became a passionate advocate for awareness and research, determined to make a difference for others facing the same fight. He will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered always. Eric adored his fans and is forever grateful for the outpouring of love and support he’s received. The family has asked for privacy as they navigate this impossible time.”

Dane is survived by Rebecca Gayheart, who withdrew her 2018 divorce filing in 2025 following the actor’s ALS diagnosis, and their daughters, Billie, 16, and Georgia, 14.

In Jessica Alba‘s universe, her timing is the only perfect one!

The talented actress attended the Vanity Fair Oscar Party without company despite her ongoing sensational romance with her boyfriend, Danny Ramirez.

Jessica Alba and Danny Ramirez were first linked romantically in May 2025, sharing a kiss in London, and their relationship became red-carpet and Instagram official towards the end of the year.

Jessica Alba And Her Younger Boo Color-Coordinated At The Oscars

While they did not arrive together for the event, the actress and her Ramirez still left hints that all was well in paradise by leaving the event together in matching black outfits. Alba arrived at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art for the party in a dramatic sequin gown paired with Alexandre Birman Clarita Bell Slingback 100 Satin Black shoes.

The screen goddess’s elaborate gown also featured a plunging neckline and feathery details at the base. She paired the look with a middle-parted, wavy look, minimal accessories, and a softly made-up face as she walked closely beside her boyfriend.

Ramirez reportedly made a low-key entrance into the venue much later in an all-black ensemble to match her glamorous outfit. As shared by The Daily Mail, Alba’s relationship with Ramirez marks her first-ever public romance since filing for divorce from her husband of nearly two decades, Cash Warren, early last year. 

The ‘Honey’ Actress’s Boyfriend Flaunted Their Romance On Instagram Last Year

Last November, Ramirez took the bull by the horns and confirmed what everyone has been hush about by uploading pictures of their recent outing at the “Baby2Baby” event on his Instagram. He shared a cute selfie picture of the two of them, with Alba’s hand wrapped around his neck while flaunting her stunning serpentine silver neckpiece.

The new couple was all smiles as they posed with some other attendees at the ceremony. Ramirez’s hard launch was received with incredible enthusiasm from fans who commented on adorable things about the duo.

Alba herself moved like the number one fan of her new couple by leaving a love and heart sign emoji. Actresses Maude Apatow, Rachel Zegler, and a few other admirers of the couple did not mince words in affirming that they accept the new man in Alba’s life with their heart and soul.

Jessica Alba’s Ex-Husband Was Spotted In The Company Of A Younger Beauty

The actress’s estranged husband also made a statement with his relationship status late last year when he was spotted out and about with a new partner, Hana Sun Doerr, a 25-year-old model in Beverly Hills.

Warren and his rumored new flame held hands as they walked around a celebrity romantic hot spot in E Baldi. The Blast stated that the actress’s ex has put it on record that he was happy for her to find love with Ramirez, who seems like a really good guy.

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As for Alba and Warren, the couple drew the curtain on their divorce process on March 16, 2026, when a judge signed off on their settlement, which involved equal division of community property and a multimillion-dollar payout from Alba to Warren.

Alba And Her Ex Tried Therapy To Salvage Their Failed Union

Alan and Warren welcomed three children together while they were married, and when trust issues began to create a crack in the marriage, the couple turned to therapy.

The Blast shared that a source close to the couple claimed there was little therapy done to save the collapsing ship, and at the time of their split, they cited irreconcilable differences as the culprit. “There were trust issues in the past, which led to many arguments. The marriage ran its course. Their communication hadn’t been great,” a source had shared about the couple.

On the road to finalizing their divorce, the couple reportedly agreed not to pay spousal support. As for the payout from Alba to Warren, which totaled $3 million, the actress promised to make the payment in two non-taxable installments. The first would be a $1.5 million payment now, and the remaining half in 2027.

Jessica Alba’s Blast From The Past Broke Down The Nature Of Their Romance

The Honest Company co-founder was formerly involved with Kristen Bell’s current husband, Dax Shepard, who reflected on their past relationship during a March 7 episode of his podcast. 

Shepherd admitted that people acknowledging previous relationships with him now makes him proud, compared to two decades ago, when he went on several dates with Alba and did not want her to tell the world what they had going on back then.

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Then they reunited on a 2017 Netflix comedy project where Alba indeed blew the covers off their secret romance by telling him across the room, reminding him about the times they used to make out. Shepard claimed that the statement truly shocked him because he was so sure Alba would not let anyone into her personal business.

Will Jessica Alba and Danny Ramirez keep this current arrangement in their public outings?

There’s a case to be made for Paul Feig‘s The Housemaid being the biggest box-office surprise of 2025. Released just before Christmas as an alternative to Avatar: Fire and Ash (which, notably, underperformed relative to expectations), the erotic psychological thriller proved to be a monumental sleeper hit, grossing just shy of $400 million against a $35 million budget.

Sydney Sweeney, Amanda Seyfried and Brandon Sklenar star in the picture based on Freida McFadden‘s book about a pretty young ex-con who takes a job as a live-in house cleaner for a yuppie New York family harboring wild, dark secrets. Now available on digital platforms as well as a Blu-ray packed with bonus features including two commentary tracks and deleted scenes, The Housemaid is fairly ridiculous, especially in its final act, but it’s propped up by its impossibly attractive leading cast and a ripper of a performance from Seyfried. Its runaway, attention-grabbing success makes one wonder if, perhaps, the steamy thriller subgenre might be making a comeback. The following erotic thrillers, aimed squarely at adult audiences, are likely to appeal to you if you’re among those who’ve made The Housemaid such an astonishing financial success.

‘Wild Things’ (1998)

Director John McNaughton has received critical praise and controversy in about equal measure throughout his career, originally and most famously regarding his 1986 chiller Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer, a groundbreaking picture about what kinds of minds and social connections could be behind murder. It’s a brilliant, disturbing look at a topic that’s usually dumbed down and glossy in fiction. Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer was in a much-publicized push-pull with the MPAA before eventually getting released in multiple cuts.

Wild Things is similarly infamous, one of the most sexually explicit proper Hollywood movies of its era. Matt Dillon, Kevin Bacon, Neve Campbell and Denise Richards are all terrific in a darkly funny noir thriller about an uncomfortably hot Florida guidance counselor who’s accused of rape by two of his students, one who lives in a trailer park and one of whom is local yuppie royalty. Nothing is as it seems, and where The Housemaid hinges on one major plot twist, Wild Things is defined by too many to count. Bill Murray is hilarious here as a skeezy lawyer who’s never without his prop neck brace. This subject matter, especially involving high school students, is undeniably edgy even by today’s standards—on paper, it may seem outright tasteless—but Wild Things is a shrewd, character-focused balancing act that’s designed purely to surprise and entertain, succeeding handsomely.

‘Cruel Intentions’ (1999)

The classic French novel Dangerous Liaisons has served as the basis for many memorable adaptations (most recently, an international series on HBO Max mere months ago), but the most ubiquitous throughout pop culture at this point is likely this teen romance starring a who’s who of young Hollywood at the dawn of the new millennium. Ryan Phillippe, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Reese Witherspoon and Selma Blair headline a drama about horny, bored rich New York teens who plan seductions and conquests to entertain themselves.

Cruel Intentions is darkly comedic navel-gazing, but it works surprisingly well thanks to excellent performances all around, and an unusual, appealing mixture of cynicism and earnestness that can’t be bottled. This bona fide cult classic has received numerous direct-to-video sequels and a TV reboot. All of these failed miserably to capture the alchemy that’s made Cruel Intentions endure, so it’s best if the follow-ups stop. Just stop.

‘Color of Night’ (1994)

I’m about to recommend a terrible movie to you. The erotic thriller subgenre reached its absolute zenith in popularity and exposure in the early ’90s, and many of these movies were terrible. Psycho slasher Color of Night is terrible in a way that’s fascinating, a trainwreck that’s come to be embraced by audiences. Bruce Willis stars as a psychologist, traumatized following a client’s suicide, who starts attending a group therapy where bodies begin piling up.

Color of Night received a lot of controversy, and an NC-17 rating, due to extensive nude scenes between Willis and co-star Jane March. It’s a riotously inaccurate depiction of mental health struggles and treatment, and the big twist is so obvious it’s quite literally in front of your eyes the entire running time. Roger Ebert summed it up pretty perfectly in saying the film approaches badness from so many directions that one really must admire its imagination.” There’s never a dull moment. It’s like Agatha Christie by way of softcore, shot like an Italian giallo. It’s an experience.

‘Eyes Wide Shut’ (1999)

Eyes Wide Shut and The Housemaid are alike in some ways, and couldn’t be more different in others. They’re both high-profile, uncommonly sex-driven studio films featuring A-list cast members. But where The Housemaid is content to be pulpy, frothy and ultimately rather mindless fun, Eyes Wide Shut is the magnum opus of a master, and designed to stay in your head forever.

With a production period of around 400 days, Eyes Wide Shut still holds the record for longest film shoot in history. Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman star in Stanley Kubrick‘s final film, about a rich New York doctor struggling in marriage who goes down a rabbit hole of elitist depravity one Christmas season night. Eyes Wide shut is so slow-paced that many are likely to dismiss it as boring, but it’s an extraordinary, oddly terrifying slow-burn that’s more relevant than ever now that society at large has been made aware of just how abhorrent the sex practices of the hyper-rich can be in reality.

‘Dressed to Kill’ (1980)

An overt student of Hitchcock and a New Hollywood innovator in his own right, Brian De Palma is one of the undisputed masters of the erotic thriller genre. Though other films like Body Double and Femme Fatale are definitely worth checking out as well, the De Palma film that’s most in line with The Housemaid is 1980’s Dressed to Kill, a slasher mystery with wall-to-wall Hitchcock references, most notably Psycho with plenty of Vertigo accents.

Angie Dickinson stars as a bored and sexually frustrated housewife who vents about her displeasure to a psychotherapist played by Michael Caine. Nancy Allen co-stars as a call girl who’s the prime suspect in a murder she didn’t commit. Dressed to Kill is visually arresting in the way that the best Brian De Palma outfits are, with a beautiful Pino Donaggio score that evokes Bernard Herrmann. It’s politically incorrect or whatever by today’s standards, but in a fun way. This isn’t a De Palma masterpiece like Carrie, Scarface, or The Untouchables, but it’s a twisted pleasure that holds up nearly half a century later.

‘The Housemaid’ is now available on digital platforms, and hits Blu-ray March 17.

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The Housemaid

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Release Date

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December 19, 2025

Runtime

131 Minutes

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Director

Paul Feig

Writers

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Rebecca Sonnenshine, Freida McFadden

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Hollywood’s A-listers always bring the heat to the Academy Awards.

While winning a gold statue is the main goal at the Oscars, stars are also set on slaying the red carpet. Although some have played it safe, other celebs show up to the Oscars in the sexiest, most skin-baring dresses, suits and gowns the fashion world has to offer.

For starters, Angelina Jolie commanded attention in her black strapless Atelier Versace gown at the 2012 show. The strapless getup was the talk of the night, and to add even more drama to the ensemble, she wore a bright red lip and stilettos.

Then in 2026, Zoe Saldaña gave fans a glimpse of her figure in a fitted black Saint Laurent dress finished with a see-through lace bodice.

Without further ado, look through the all-time sexiest Oscars red carpet fashion moments from years past: