Deborah Cox is revealing how she ended up as “the voice” of the legendary Whitney Houston in her 2015 biopic.

During the Wednesday, April 8, episode of the “What Matters with Liz” podcast with Woman’s World Editor-in-Chief, Liz Vaccariello, Cox, 51, recalled how director Angela Bassett reached out to her for the Lifetime Whitney Houston biographical film, Whitney.

“She was the one that called me and said, ‘I’m working on this project. Would you sing the music?’ And I was like, ‘Absolutely,’” Cox shared. “That was the only day that I had off ’cause I was on another project. So I literally flew from Miami to LA, recorded the songs, and we did it.”

“In a day we cut, like, six songs,” Cox continued.

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Cox also shared how hands-on Bassett was during the filming process.

“Under her direction, she was just like, ‘This is the moment. This is what’s happening,’” Cox said of Bassett, 67, explaining the plot to her during big musical moments like “I’m Every Woman” or “I Will Always Love You,’” adding that the goal was to nail the “essence” of Houston’s voice.

“And I think, as a performer, you find little areas of a person’s voice that really resonate with you and that’s what’s inspired me all these years,” Cox explained.

Cox said she knew “very early on” that singing was what she was meant to do.

“I knew when I was singing along to songs on the radio, commercial jingles. I had an affinity for melodies. You know, certain things would just stick with me,” she shared.

Some of her early influences included Billie Holiday, Gladys Knight, Aretha Franklin and Dinah Washington, all of whom her mother would play in the house as she was growing up. Cox discovered Houston later in life, and knew that she “wanted music to be a career.”

In 1994, Cox signed with Clive Davis, the famed award-winning producer and music executive who shaped careers of artists like Janis Joplin, Aretha Franklin, Alicia Keys and Houston. In 2000, Houston and Cox collaborated on the duet “Same Script, Different Cast.”

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“It’s interesting ’cause it’s not until you go through life when you look back you go, ‘Wow, there’s certain patterns that happen and certain synchronicities that happen as well,”’ Cox told Vaccariello. “And I found that to be very interesting.”

Houston died on February 11, 2012, of an accidental drowning in her hotel bathtub, while under the influence of cocaine and other drugs.

Cox, meanwhile, is currently starring as “The Unsinkable Molly Brown” in Titanique, a musical parody of the hit 1997 film Titanic starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet. Titanique features an exclusive score of Céline Dion songs. She also appeared as Glinda in The Wiz and as the titular character in Aida.

Former employees from The Howard Stern Show previously addressed the “frightening” truth about working on the radio show.

Three years before Stern’s executive assistant sued him for creating an allegedly hostile work environment, other ex-staffers spoke out in the Vice TV docuseries Dark Side of the 2000s about issues including low wages.

Jackie Martling, who was a cast member and writer for Stern’s show from 1983 to 2001, claimed a majority of the staff “weren’t getting paid well” despite Stern “making countless millions of dollars.”

“It was frightening what was going on,” Martling, now 78, said at the time before adding, “There was so much money coming in. It was crazy the amount of money.”

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Martling ultimately left the show because of Stern’s refusal to increase his salary.

“You are beyond rich and successful, and you have someone sitting next to you who makes you enjoy that job much more. And you let them go?” Martling continued. “Because he asked for more money? Especially when you’re friends. It boggles the mind.”

Martling also called out Stern, 73, directly, saying, “He’s got all his listeners calling me cheap. And he just crows and crows about how he’s the most loyal guy in the world … which, you know, it’s funny.”

John Melendez, meanwhile, claimed he only made $20,000 a year. After bringing in $75,000 after 15 years on the show, Melendez left to earn from $350,000 to $400,000 with Jay Leno.

“He couldn’t let me evolve and be happy,” Melendez, now 60, said about Stern.

Elsewhere in the 2023 docuseries episodes, Steve Grillo, who was an intern on the show from 1991 to 1998, alleged that he wasn’t paid at all until six years later.

“I started getting paid about 30 hours a week, minimum wage, which was like $6.35 at that time,” he explained. “So I got paid for 30 hours and I was working, like, 60.”

Grillo, now 58, recalled asking K-Rock vice president and general manager Tom Chiusano for a raise to help qualify for health insurance. The request was allegedly shut down at the time, which is when Grillo contacted Stern.

Stern allegedly told Grillo, “Yeah, well, that’s just Tom.” Grillo expressed frustration at his former boss’ lack of support, adding, “That’s a horrible way to do it — to not stand up for an employee that’s [taken] care of you for the past eight years.”

He continued: “You’re making a million dollars an hour and I have to go work at a nightclub in order to survive. And this is the moment I knew I was gonna leave. If that man’s not gonna stick up for me, I’m out. And that’s when I left.”

Stern did not publicly address the accusations made in the docuseries at the time.

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Howard Stern will still be on the airwaves after reports swirled of an alleged cancellation of the beloved The Howard Stern Show. Multiple outlets reported in August that Stern’s show was canceled after making his debut on Sirius Satellite Radio in 2006. Stern, who began his radio host career in the 1980s, was inducted into […]

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Us Weekly confirmed on Monday, April 6, that Leslie Kuhn sued Howard and his wife, Beth Stern. In the court documents, Kuhn recalled being hired as an office manager for SiriusXM’s The Howard Stern Show in September 2022 before becoming Howard’s executive assistant in January 2024.

Kuhn claimed she was later asked to move to Southampton, New York, to work at Howard and Beth’s mansion.

“Beth Stern told Kuhn that, in addition to assisting [Howard], Beth needed assistance with such things as managing the staff of the mansion, setting staffing schedules, completing staff payroll and managing general household operations, including Beth’s extensive at-home feline rescue and fostering operations,” the docs stated.

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Kuhn’s employment was allegedly terminated for cause in February.

“Kuhn contends that her termination was the result of, among other things, a hostile work environment and enablement of that hostile work environment, immense pressures on the household created by irresponsible and untenable animal rescue and fostering operations occurring on-site, and massively disorganized and questionable business operations and accounting practices,” court documents stated. “As such, Kuhn fully intends to disclose details concerning the facts surrounding her employment.”

The lawsuit claimed Kuhn was presented with a separation agreement containing a nondisclosure agreement that she allegedly did not sign. She requested that the court declare the NDA unenforceable and to require the Sterns to cover her court costs.

Jonathan Turk, an Arizona man, reportedly confessed to using a hammer and knife to fatally attack his parents, Fraser and Tina Turk.

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Jonathan Turk Reportedly Confesses To Using Hammer & Knife To Fatally Attack Parents

According to Fox News, the bodies of Fraser and Tina Turk were reportedly discovered in a residence on March 31. Per the outlet, on that day, Jonathan Turk called the police around 6:29 p.m., reportedly admitting that he killed his parents. Furthermore, Turk told dispatchers he was angry that they put him on medication. Per PEOPLE, Fraser Turk was found with at least one stab wound, while Tina Turk was found with head injuries.

Furthermore, Turk even told dispatchers he would wait outside for officers to arrive at the scene.

Per the outlet, officers discovered a hammer and a knife in a trash can inside the home. After his arrest, Jonathan Turk reportedly declined to speak with officers.

More On The Charges Against The Arizona Man For Reportedly Unaliving His Parents, Fraser & Tina Turk

According to the outlet, prosecutors have asserted that Turk’s parents had filed multiple mental health petitions citing concerns about his mental stability.

“It was just a gut feeling. Like, a bad feeling. Like something was not right,” a neighbor reportedly told the outlet about Turk. “I just always tried to walk on the other side of the street when I saw him out, and I just felt really uncomfortable because I have kids.”

Per the outlet, Jonathan Turk is facing “two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of second-degree murder.” Furthermore, his bond has reportedly been set at $2 million cash. Lastly, the outlet notes that a preliminary hearing for the case has been scheduled for April 9.

NEW: Man killed both of his parents at their Arizona home then called 911 to confess to what he had done

Jonathan Turk, 29, ‘said he murdered his parents with a hammer and a knife because he got mad at them for putting him on medication,’ according to court documents

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Officers… pic.twitter.com/S4pBuDa8Lu

— Unlimited L’s (@unlimited_ls) April 2, 2026

Before Jonathan Turk Reportedly Confessed To Using Hammer & Knife To Fatally Attack Parents, Another Man In California Committed Similar Actions

Before Jonathan Turk’s case for allegedly using a hammer and knife to fatally attack his parents, a man in California made similar headlines. As The Shade Room previously reported, in July 2024, Joseph Brandon Gerdvil, a 41-year-old man, was arrested for allegedly decapitating his parents. Furthermore, Gerdvil reportedly lived in a mobile home with his parents. Both were reportedly in their 70s.

Gerdvil was allegedly spotted arguing with his father before he allegedly committed the decapitation and even mutilated their bodies.

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Diss tracks are alive and well among pop girlies, but the art of a good diss usually comes with a bit of discretion. Most artists try not to stir too much attention in the press, keeping things subtle rather than outright confrontational. Still, Katy Perry made her message pretty clear with her 2017 single “Swish Swish.”

Framed as an empowerment anthem about rising above negativity, the song still carries a sharp throw aimed at an unnamed opponent. Its kitschy, EDM-driven sound marked a shift from her earlier bubblegum pop style. In a way, the sleek production alone suggested that “Swish Swish” was meant to make a statement. However, as time passed, Perry seemed to reconsider her intentions with “Swish Swish,” and said that the song is just another chapter in her pop career.

“Swish Swish” Was Meant to Be an Anti-Bullying Anthem

Released as part of Perry’s fifth album Witness, at first impression, “Swish Swish” sounds like the sound a basketball makes when it goes through the basket — and that’s the point. Like the competitive, “I’m the man” spirit of the sport, “Swish Swish” is an anthem about standing up against your haters. Amidst the release of the single, Perry explained that the song is “a great anthem for people to use whenever somebody’s trying to hold you down or bully you.” Although she doesn’t explicitly name names, listeners have linked the song to one particular artist: Taylor Swift.

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Back in 2013, Perry and Swift found themselves in a pickle over their background dancers. This dispute is widely believed to have inspired Swift’s “Bad Blood,” with “Swish Swish” often seen as a response. For context, three of Swift’s dancers allegedly left her in the middle of her Red World Tour and chose to work for Perry on her Prismatic World Tour, since they already had history together. In a Rolling Stone interview, although Swift didn’t mention anyone by name, she recalled that a former friend “did something so horrible,” to the point that the person “tried to sabotage an entire arena tour.”

Katy Perry Buried the Hatchet with Taylor Swift — and Changed the Lyrics to “Swish Swish”

Concept-wise, “Swish Swish” is a cross between the anthem Perry proclaims it to be and a full-on diss track. At one point, Perry positions herself as the bigger person, comparing herself to “a tiger” that doesn’t lose sleep or need opinions from a shellfish or a sheep. On the other hand, she still calls out her opponent, seemingly putting them in their place with lines like “you’re a joker / and I’m a courtside killer queen.” Don’t forget the playful basketball references, including “your game is tired / you should retire” — one of the small details that connects the song to the title.

However, all pop star feuds eventually come to an end. The first gleaming hope of reconciliation occurred when Perry changed the line “don’t you come for me” to “God bless you on your journey, oh baby girl” during a live performance. But what really sealed the deal was when Perry appeared in Swift’s music video for “You Need to Calm Down,” dressed in a hamburger costume alongside Swift’s french fry outfit. Reflecting on the feud in 2020, Perry explained that “gossip and lies, they take the elevator, but the truth takes the stairs, and it just takes time […] they will tell my story.”

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Katy Perry’s “Swish Swish” Performance on ‘Saturday Night Live’ Left Quite the Impression

The drama surrounding “Swish Swish” wasn’t the only reason it became a mid-2010s tabloid obsession. On May 20, 2017, Perry performed the track as the musical guest on Saturday Night Live. But the spotlight didn’t stay on her for long. Instead, her backup dancers stole the show, with many of them drag performers and club personalities, walking down the stage like it was a ballroom. As the performance built toward its finale, viral Instagram personality Russell Horning, a.k.a. Backpack Kid, made a surprise appearance, enthusiastically performing his signature “floss” dance (Fornite later popularized the move).

Perry’s Saturday Night Live performance was praised for promoting LGBTQ+ inclusivity in mainstream media. With the message of “Swish Swish” coming across a resistance to those who oppose the community, it felt especially fitting. However, Perry’s advocacy has also been seen as ironic, given her track record of choosing to work with a known producer accused of sexual assault. On one hand, it is commendable that she aims to promote a positive message and embrace inclusivity. On the other hand, it’s contradictory of Perry to simultaneously preach empowerment and collaborating with a questionable industry figure.

April is often considered the month of rebirth, as it’s when Easter takes place and spring kicks into high gear. This April also marks a milestone in pop culture, as it’s the month when four of the biggest television shows air in the same week​​​. It began on Monday with the premiere of Star Wars: Maul — Shadow Lord on Disney+, while Tuesday saw a game-changing episode of Daredevil: Born Again. Finally, today was a double header forInvincible and The Boys, especially as the latter show is entering its final season. This stacked lineup looks to continue throughout April, and to paraphrase a Bible verse, this is proof that the geek has inherited the Earth.

Such a collection of pop culture riches is rare, but when it happens, the results are worth talking about. 2015, for example, saw the release of Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens and Jurassic World, which reignited their respective franchises and cemented the idea of the “legacy sequel” alongside Creed. What makes 2026’s crop of television series stand out is the way they bring new dimensions to certain franchises, proving that in the right hands, classic stories can avoid audience fatigue. It also makes Disney+ and Prime Video worth an investment, especially for longtime viewers.

April Cements Disney+ and Prime Video As Hubs For Pop Culture

It’s no secret that most streamers are built on the backs of established franchises. Disney+ leaned on Marvel and Star Wars for its streaming library, while Prime Video has appealed to fans of all stripes with its fantasy and science fiction series. Maul — Shadow Lord, Daredevil: Born Again, Invincible, and The Boys cement this approach as they’ve topped the charts on their respective streamers and sparked discussion on social media. Each one of these shows also fills a certain fandom niche: if you’re a die-hard Star Wars or science fiction fan, Maul — Shadow Lord is right up your alley, while the rest of the shows provide a weekly fix for superhero fans.

Another major element that makes these shows stand out is that they all focus on fan-favorite characters. Darth Maul has long been an iconic figure since his first appearance in Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace, and Shadow Lord finally gives him a much-needed spotlight. Daredevil: Born Again is a reminder of how the original Daredevil series thrived on the dynamic Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) and Wilson Fisk (Vincent D’Onofrio). Invincible and The Boys upend standard superhero tropes in spectacularly violent fashion. There’s plenty of variety and depth in these shows, so it’s no surprise that fans keep tuning in.

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Animation Is Making A Big Splash in April

Image via Crunchyroll

The fact that Invincible and Maul — Shadow Lord are at the top of Disney+ and Prime Video’s streaming charts is a strong reminder that animation remains a medium ripe with potential. Most people tend to write off animation as merely targeted toward children, or think the only way that it can be “adult” is if it engages in South Park-level shenanigans. Thankfully, Invincible and Maul – Shadow Lord prove these thoughts are exceptions to the rule, and they’re the precursor to more animated series in April. This month will also see the release of Stranger Things: Tales from ’85, along with the adaptation of Witch Hat Atelier.

Both of these animated series are a big deal for different reasons. Stranger Things: Tales from ’85 will be the first major spinoff series for Stranger Things, showcasing a story that takes place in between Seasons 2 and 3 and featuring the return of fan favorite characters. Witch Hat Atelier, which adapts the manga by Kamome Shirahama, focuses on a girl named Coco who learns to be a witch in a world where magic is an innate force. It’s a premise that subverts the usual expectations of a fantasy realm, making Witch Hat Atelier worth watching. Whether superheroes, spaceships, or sorcery is your thing, April has a show for you.

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Release Date

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April 6, 2026

Network

Disney+

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Directors

Brad Rau

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Star Wars

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General Hospital early weekly spoilers for April 13th through the 17th say Ethan Lovett (Nathan Dean Parsons) is coming back for revenge and also Jordan Ashford (Tanisha Harper) seems to be injured, possibly quite seriously.

As we always do on early edition day, we start with what’s coming the rest of this week, then we talk about next week.

General Hospital Spoilers Wednesday, April 8th: Britt Gets Another Warning

So, on Wednesday, April 8th, we’ve got Britt Westbourne (Kelly Thiebaud) getting another warning from Cassius Faison (Ryan Paevey). He’s telling her to be careful. He already told Britt she’s in a lot of trouble and Cassius says he wants to help her, but he’s insisting that Britt has to finish the prototype.

Plus, she basically has to go over to Wyndemere and suck up to Sidwell (Carlo Rota) and just beg for mercy. So, she does and Britt tells Sidwell that she will do whatever he wants just as Cassius ordered her to. So, I wonder if Sidwell is going to ask for something extreme and Cassius may warn her do it no matter what it is.

That same day, Sidwell is ordering somebody to get rid of a woman permanently. So, we’ll see if he’s talking to Britt or to Cassius or Pascal (Mark Forget) and maybe about Kristina Corinthos (Kate Mansi), you know.

So, we still don’t know exactly which woman it is he is threatening, but hopefully Sidwell’s not going to demand that Britt kill somebody as her way of atonement because I don’t think she’s up for that.

GH Spoilers: Carly in a Panic

Carly Spencer (Laura Wright) leaps into action. So Valentin Cassadine (James Patrick Stuart) is with Carly as she takes a phone call frantically asking what’s wrong. Then Valentin and Carly are going to get in the car and go speeding off.

So, we’ll see what that is about, whether it has something to do with Danny Morgan (Asher Antonyzyn) and Charlotte Cassadine (Bluesy Burke). Because remember Alexis Davis (Nancy Lee Grahn) was asking Charlotte about her driving safety.

And if Charlotte and Danny have something bad happen, obviously Valentin and Carly are going to leap to action. After Jordan and Curtis Ashford‘s (Donnell Turner) car crash, there’s sparks flying. Looks like Jordan is injured.

Possibly, you know, she hit a power line or one came down with the wreck. They’re kissing. They’re not paying attention to the road. That was terrible. Terrible teenager driving that was going on with those two on General Hospital.

General Hospital Spoilers: Sidwell Opens up to Ava

Meanwhile, Sidwell pours his heart out to Ava Jerome (Maura West) and he may tell her more about his suspicions about Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard) killing Marco Rios (Adrian Anchondo). And Ava wants to know if somebody is under arrest.

And I wonder if, you know, she is hoping Sidwell is able to get justice for Marco already. I mean, honestly, if Sonny is arrested or killed, it’s going to make Ava’s life probably easier.

Gio tells Brook Lynn Ashton (Amanda Setton), “It would have been nice to look out and see her in the audience at Charlie’s.” Now, she rushed over after Dante Falconeri (Dominic Zamprogna) called, but she might not have made it in time.

And Gio is saying sorry and I wonder if it’s for pushing his parents away or you know if he had wanted Brook Lynn there he could have actually invited her. There’s that.

Dante asked Emma if there’s any updates on Anna Devane (Finola Hughes) and Lulu Spencer (Alexa Havins Bruening) tells Rocco Falconeri Finn Carr) that she may need to take him to the ER. So Isaiah Gannon (Sawandi Wilson) is rushing to get there and he said it’d be 40 minutes.

We’ll see if you know with these car wrecks and stuff he might get called into the hospital instead of coming there. But Isaiah is hiding a secret and it may be about Rocco’s wound.

Thursday, April 9th: Curtis Really Upset on GH

Thursday, April 9th, we’ve got Carly being careful and this may involve keeping Valentin out of sight while they are driving to help somebody. Gio tells Emma he’s grateful for her and I’m sure it’s her support during Gio’s parent crisis. Curtis is really upset, likely involving Jordan and their car crash.

And Curtis may panic because Jordan’s severely injured. She already only has the one kidney. Jack Brennan (Chris McKenna) makes a reveal to somebody. It could be (Jacinda Bracken). I wonder if Jack’s going to give her an idea of what he has on Willow Corinthos (Katelyn MacMullen).

Obviously, the photos that Jack has could get Michael Corinthos (Rory Gibson) full custody forever, even if they can’t get Willow arrested. And already Jacinda made more progress in a way than Nina Reeves (Cynthia Watros) did.

Because she has a very good idea now that Charlotte knows exactly where her dad is. Plus, Kristina talks about her past and it could be with Jacinda. We’ll have to wait and see if Kristina is targeted at the opening.

General Hospital Spoilers Friday, April 10th: Laura Looking For Curtis

Friday, April 10th, we’ve got Laura Spencer (Genie Francis). She is going and looking for Curtis. And I’m sure it’s to check in on him and Jordan after the car crash. This week over at Sonny’s, he and Ric Lansing (Rick Hearst) are looking tense as somebody arrives at Sonny’s house.

Maybe it’s Carly, maybe it is Justine Turner (Nazneen Contractor). And Sonny is asking Ric to do something. So, I wonder if he’s looking for some kind of promise. You know, Sonny is obviously worried that this thing with Sidwell could go sideways.

He may want Ric to step up in case something happens to him, especially with Jason Morgan (Steve Burton) gone. Could be some kind of last wish sort of thing, just in case, insurance policy. And Carly gives somebody as good as they give to her. She’s fighting back.

We’ll see what that’s about. But she’s definitely trying to protect Valentin still and she’s very upset about Jason. She’s very angry at Jack. Lots of stuff going on with her. And Nina is pushed too far, I’m assuming, by Jack because he’s the one who is her primary source of stress right now.

Week of April 13th-17th on GH

Then the week of April 13th through the 17th, we’ve got Rocco continuing to be consumed by guilt. He hates that Jason was arrested. I don’t think he’s really getting that Jason was going to be arrested by the WSB anyway. Nothing to do with him.

But the whole Ross Cullum (Andrew Hawkes) shooting just kind of substantiated it. But Dante is questioning that that has nothing to do with the shooting because the warrant was already out there and Cullum’s hiding it was. And of course, it was just to leverage Britt.

So, Rocco’s still feeling really guilty about the whole Danny thing. And hopefully his hand isn’t going to get worse or Dante is definitely going to find out. And I’m guessing he would recognize that kind of injury.

Brad Cooper (Parry Shen) and Britt are going to keep trying to find out who Jason covered for. Rocco may let something slip and Britt puts two and two together or she may get a glimpse at Rocco’s hand. And again, I think she would realize what that injury is.

General Hospital Spoilers: Carly’s Agreement with Valentin

Carly and Valentin are going to make an agreement with each other and it may have something to do about why they were out and about, which I think is tied to Danny and Charlotte. Willow tries desperately to keep her secret.

And if she loops Sidwell in on Kai and Trina Robinson (Tabyana Ali) knowing that she shot Drew Cain (Cameron Mathison), I wouldn’t trust Sidwell not to do a bad thing because he wants his pet congressman and Drew wasn’t cooperative and Willow is a lot more cooperative.

Cassius is going to keep getting closer to Lulu. He’s continuing to protect Rocco and he’s wooing her, but Lulu may start asking some tough questions because no matter what, that is definitely not Nathan West (Ryan Paevey) and he’s not acting like him deeper than a surface level.

Brennan maximizes his efforts to recapture Valentin. And if he gets any inkling that he is still in Port Charles, much less with Carly, that’s going to be a huge explosion with her and Jack. I think Carly is going to read him for filth over Josslyn, Jason, and a lot of stuff. Ric and Elizabeth Webber (Rebecca Herbst) keep getting closer, and they could make love soon.

Ethan Lovett Returns to GH on Friday, April 17th

Watch for Ethan Lovett’s return on Friday, April 17th. So, Nathan Dean Parsons is back to GH and we’re going to see Ethan going after revenge on Sidwell for trying to blow up his sister Sasha Gilmore and trying to kill his mom Holly Sutton (Emma Samms). And word is that Ethan is going to conspire with Sonny to take down Sidwell.

By Matthew Flynn
| Published 2 minutes ago

Near Dark, directed by Kathryn Bigelow, is a unique blend of neo-Western and horror genres. The plot traces the life of Caleb Colton, a small-town young man, who gets entwined with a family of nomadic American vampires. The film stars Adrian Pasdar as the protagonist Caleb, with Jenny Wright, Lance Henriksen, Bill Paxton, and Jenette Goldstein in the supporting roles.

Originally, Kathryn Bigelow had intended to make a pure Western movie with Near Dark. However, she found garnering financial backing too challenging. Unfazed, she decided to embed the elements of the popular vampire genre into the Western setting.

This ambitious undertaking of blending the genres led to a revisionist interpretation and brought about the resurgence of American vampire films in the 1980s.

Near Dark first graced the silver screen at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 1987 before being officially released on October 2, 1987, across 262 theaters. Despite its innovative take on the vampire genre, the movie failed to make a significant impact at the box office initially. Nevertheless, it won the favor of critics and eventually cultivated a dedicated cult following over the years.

The narrative of Near Dark is centered around Caleb, who encounters Mae, an enigmatic drifter. After she bites him on the neck, he finds himself turning into a vampire and is subsequently taken into the fold of her roving vampire crew. Caleb grapples with his new form, particularly his aversion to kill for sustenance, which estranges him from his new family.

Renowned for her unique storytelling style and visual flair, Kathryn Bigelow made her directorial debut with Near Dark. After, Bigelow continued to create groundbreaking films across a broad spectrum of genres, from war drama The Hurt Locker, which saw her become the first woman to win the Academy Award for Best Director, to the thrilling action in Point Break and the gripping drama of Zero Dark Thirty.

Bigelow was married to director James Cameron from 1989 to 1991 and knew him prior to her work on Near Dark. Their connection could explain the carryover from Cameron’s Aliens to Near Dark. Three actors from Cameron’s film, Paxton, Goldstein and Henriksen, also appear in Near Dark.

The film received a generally positive response from critics, who appreciated the amalgamation of the Western, biker, and vampire movie elements in Near Dark. But no one saw it.

Near Dark was made on a modest budget of around $5 million, but despite strong reviews and a now-cult reputation, it struggled commercially, earning only about $3.4 million at the domestic box office. When released in 1987, the film faced stiff competition and marketing challenges, especially as audiences gravitated toward more traditional vampire fare like The Lost Boys, which hit theaters that year with a flashier, youth-oriented appeal. Yet, its status as a cult classic grew over time.

In 2006, plans for a remake of Near Dark made headlines but were later abandoned due to its conceptual resemblance to Twilight. The shelved project was to be a collaboration between Rogue Pictures and Platinum Dunes, with Samuel Bayer set to direct.

Near Dark stands as a testament to the compelling blend of Western and vampire genres. Despite its initial box office performance, the film continues to captivate audiences and critics alike with its unique charm.