John Wick radically reshaped the action movie landscape,thanks to the expert direction of Chad Stahelski and David Leitch​​​​​. The duo crafted a compelling tale in which Keanu Reeves‘ titular henchman is drawn back into the life of violence he left behind; they also expertly balance bloody battles and emotional catharsis in a way that made John Wick a smash hit and led to a franchise that attempts to top itself with each installment. Before Stahelski and Leitch brought John Wick to life, they would take part in an iconic comic book adaptation when they worked on V for Vendetta.

Based on the DC Comics/Vertigo graphic novel by Alan Moore, David Lloyd, and Tony Weare, V for Vendetta is set in a future where Britain is under a totalitarian regime. This regime is opposed by V (Hugo Weaving), a mysterious figure clad in a black cloak and mask who seeks to ignite a revolution with the help of Evey Hammond (Natalie Portman). The combination of bloody violence and a stylized world feels perfect for Stalheski and Leitch’s sensibilities, and director James McTeigue recently revealed during a conversation for Collider Rewind, that the duo stood in for Weaving at key action moments.

“There are a few other people underneath the mask, too, actually, like Dave Leitch, who has great success with Bullet Train and Hobbs & Shaw. Right? He’s under the mask at one point, he and Chad Stahelski, who’s the John Wick director. They were the stunt coordinators on that movie, so Dave was under the mask for a bit of it.”

Related

Famous Silver Screen Adaptations — The Collider Movie Quiz!

When TV shows, books, and true stories make it to the big screen.

Advertisement

Chad Stahelski & David Leitch Brought Their Stunt Expertise to ‘V for Vendetta’

Image via Warner Bros.

Advertisement

Before they were two of the most sought-after directors in the action realm, Chad Stahelski and David Leitch were stunt actors and second unit directors who worked on some of Hollywood’s biggest franchises. Chief among them was The Matrix, where Stahelski served as Keanu Reeves’ stunt double while Leitch offered his services to The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions. This forged a bond between the duo and the Wachowski siblings, and with the Wachowskis penning the script for V for Vendetta, they opted to bring Stahelski and Leitch on board alongside James McTeigue. The end result features some of the best action sequences for any comic book adaptation.

The standout scene in V for Vendetta comes toward the end, where V is cornered by the secret police known as the “Finger” and their leader, Peter Creedy (Tim Pigott-Smith). Rather than surrender, V proclaims that he’ll kill all of his opponents before they reload, and die with his hands closed around Creedy’s throat. What follows is a beautiful, yet brutal action sequence that makes use of the slow motion that populated the Matrix films, and the swift violence that would come to define John Wick. While you’d never know that they were in the suit, Stahelski and Leitch’s fingerprints are all over this final fight.

Members of the ‘John Wick’ Crew Have Worked on Other Comic Book Adaptations

V for Vendetta wouldn’t be the last time that a member of the John Wick filmmaking team helped bring a comic book to life. David Leitch’s Atomic Blonde adapts the graphic novel The Coldest City, and Deadpool 2 brought his action sensibilities to the Merc with a Mouth. Surprisingly, it’s screenwriter Derek Kolstad who’s become the most involved with the world of comics. In addition to penning episodes of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Kolstad is set to adapt the Bad Idea comic book Ordained, featuring a former soldier turned priest who stands against a legion of mobsters. Ordained will also team Kolstad with Colin Farrell (The Penguin), who’s set to play the priest, and Joe & Anthony Russo (Avengers: Doomsday) as executive producers.

Chad Stahelski and David Leitch helped elevate the comic book movie with their work on V for Vendetta. The duo proved that violence, when filmed the right way, can be as gripping as any well-written piece of dialogue, and it’s an aesthetic they embraced with gusto on John Wick.

Advertisement

Release Date

Advertisement

February 23, 2006

Runtime

132 minutes

Advertisement

Director

James McTeigue

Producers

Advertisement

Grant Hill, Joel Silver, Lana Wachowski, Lilly Wachowski, Lorne Orleans

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Karlissa Saffold Harvey has shared strong words for Claressa Shields after she spoke on Blueface losing his recent boxing match.

RELATED: Whew! Claressa Shields & Papoose’s Recent Baecation Flicks Have Some Social Media Users Goin’ IN (PHOTOS)

Karlissa Saffold Harvey Shares Strong Words For Claressa Shields After She Spoke On Blueface Losing Boxing Match

Karlissa Saffold Harvey was keeping her eye on Blueface’s recent boxing match against Chibu. So much so, that on the evening of Saturday, March 14, she took to her Instagram to defend her son’s honor.

But that wasn’t the only message Harvey shared regarding Blueface’s recent boxing match. She also shared a few words for Claressa Shields, telling her to send Papoose in the ring with Blueface.

“…Or shut tf up with her funny lookin sea tf…” she wrote.

Furthermore, Harvey’s comments arrived after Shields took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to speak on Blueface losing his match against Chibu and Egypt Criss recently getting knocked out in the ring. Simply, Shields stated that “public figures” should spend 6 months training “before they start fighting in real fight…”

Social Media Weighs In On Karlissa Saffold Harvey & Claressa Shields’ Words

Social media users reacted to Karlissa Saffold Harvey’s strong words for Claressa Shields in the comment section of an @livebitez post.

More On Blueface Losing His Recent Boxing Match

As The Shade Room previously reported, Blueface and streamer Chibu stepped into the ring on Saturday, March 14. Ultimately, Chibu appeared to knock Blueface out the ring and landed a few shots on his body, with the judges giving him the win.

RELATED: Fair Fight? The Internet Weighs In After Blueface Faces Off Against Streamer Chibu In Celebrity Boxing Match (VIDEOS)

John Carney has nailed the art of being a musical underdog. After the huge Oscar-winning indie hit Once, Carney has made plenty of great, underseen musicals that deserve more appreciation. Carney’s movies beautifully explore the power of music in the lives of normal, everyday people, and how impactful something as simple as a song can be on a person. Once gave us a pair of musicians going from busking to making an album together. 2013’s Begin Again followed a budding songwriter trying to get a break. The cult favorite Sing Street had a boy forming a band just to impress a girl, while 2023’s Flora and Son showed a mother attempting to connect with her son through music. Carney doesn’t make grand musical movies. More importantly, he makes movies about how music can be grand in people’s lives.

Carney continues this trend with Power Ballad, a wonderful music comedy that’s a lovely addition to his oeuvre, as he explores questions of who owns a song and how a song can mean something completely different for two different people. Compared to his other recent work, Carney’s latest pulls back a bit on the music and leans more into the comedy side of things, yet Power Ballad maintains the heart and optimism that is brimming from all his films, and hopefully, it will get the attention it deserves.

‘Power Ballad’ Has Paul Rudd Facing Off Against Nick Jonas

Paul Rudd stars as Rick, who is the lead singer of a wedding band in Ireland named The Bride and the Groove. Rick used to be part of an up-and-coming rock band a few decades ago known as Octagon, but while on tour in Ireland, he met his future wife, Rachel (Marcella Plunkett), then they had a kid, and Rick decided to settle down in the Emerald Isle. When he plays with his band, he still has those dreams of rock stardom. As his bandmate tells him, they’re “human jukeboxes,” not rock stars.

While performing at a particularly fancy wedding, the band is joined onstage by Danny Wilson (Nick Jonas), a former boy band star who is now trying to make it on his own (sound familiar?) Later on, Rick and Danny spend the night hanging out, playing music for each other, getting drunk, and genuinely appreciating each other and their shared love of music. Amongst this, Rick drunkenly plays the bits and pieces of a song called “How To Write a Song (Without You)” for Danny, and the next morning, the pair go their separate ways.

But six months later, Rick hears a song that sounds oddly familiar playing in the mall. It turns out that Danny has completed “How To Write a Song (Without You)” and released it as his own. The track becomes the massive hit song Danny needed to work on his own as a solo artist, and it catapults him into even greater popularity. Meanwhile, the success of the song causes Rick to have a bit of a breakdown, as he tries to prove that the song was stolen from him, though he doesn’t have the receipts to prove it. Rick makes it his goal to show that this gigantic hit song is thanks to him and wants to at least get Danny to admit the truth about where he got his inspiration from.

John Carney Tries Something New With ‘Power Ballad’

Image via Lionsgate

Written by Carney as well as co-writer/co-star Peter McDonald, Power Ballad does feel structurally different than what we’ve come to expect from Carney. So many of Carney’s past films have been about the creation of music and the tremendous alchemy of that. While that’s absolutely an important factor in this film, beyond Rick and Danny’s hangout, and a scene where Danny tries to work through creating his own songs, music creation is really just the inciting incident for Power Ballad. Instead, the film tracks both the shooting star that is Danny back in America, as well as the frustrating blow that this theft is to Rick in Ireland. It’s an interesting change of pace for Carney, but it shows that he can still focus his films on music, and approach that in an entirely different way from one film to another.

If anything, maybe the biggest disappointment in Power Ballad is that the film doesn’t have more original music in it — especially compared to other Carney works. Beyond a catchy opening song and “How To Write a Song (Without You),” we don’t get nearly enough music written by Carney and Gary Clark. Narratively, it makes sense, considering the film isn’t focused on the process of creating music, but rather, delving into the ownership of music. Yet considering how delightful the songs are in a movie like Sing Street or Once, two songs just don’t feel like enough.

Here, Carney and McDonald are more interested in looking at the idea of whom a song belongs to. Considering so many of Carney’s films have been primarily about the craft of writing a song, it is fascinating to see Carney and McDonald exploring deeper questions about music itself. Yes, we know Rick wrote most of the song at the center of this film, but we also know Danny brought it across the finish line and polished it into something Rick could’ve never crafted on his own. It’s also a fantastic look at how perception can completely alter a piece of art, as both Rick and Danny have their own meanings behind the song they believe to be their own. Especially as the song finds gargantuan success, the music itself becomes even bigger than either one of them.

Paul Rudd and Nick Jonas Are a Delight in ‘Power Ballad’

Image via Lionsgate

Power Ballad also makes a great stage for both Rudd and Jonas to push themselves. In the last few years, Rudd has been trying out smaller films, both good (Friendship) and not-so-good (Death of a Unicorn), but it’s a delight to see Rudd returning to more indie filmmaking. With Power Ballad, not only do we get to hear Rudd’s talent for singing and being a pretty excellent lead singer of a band, but it’s also an all-too-rare opportunity for Rudd to show off his dramatic skills in a way that he really hasn’t in quite some time. It’s gratifying to see Rudd once more in a role where he can be charming, funny, and dramatic, all in a film where he’s the lead role.

This also makes a strong presentation of Nick Jonas’ talents as an actor, even if he is playing a thinly-veiled version of himself. Jonas matches Rudd’s charm, and even though we see the theft happening in front of our eyes, it’s hard not to like Jonas’ Danny, a character who also similarly wants to prove he has talent, but doesn’t know quite how to do it commercially. In watching these two together, we see them both struggling with their desire to be stars — one just has their foot in the door, while the other doesn’t even seem to know where the door is. We don’t get much time with Rudd and Jonas together, but their scenes together do comprise some of the best of the film, and they’re a truly wonderful match.

Carney is one of the best current creators of heartfelt, uncynical stories about the power of music, and Power Ballad marks yet another impressive addition to that canon. Rudd and Jonas fit into his style quite nicely, and Carney once again proves that he’s a master of crowd-pleasing, heartwarming stories about underdogs we all want to root for.

Power Ballad screened at the 2026 SXSW Festival. It comes to theaters on June 6.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Release Date

May 29, 2026

Runtime

98 minutes

Advertisement

Director

John Carney

Advertisement

Writers

Peter McDonald, John Carney

Producers

Advertisement

Anthony Bregman, John Carney, Peter Cron, Rebecca O’Flanagan, Robert Walpole

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Pros & Cons

• John Carney is great at these type of underdog stories set in the world of music.
• Paul Rudd and Nick Jonas make a great pairing that balances each other well.
• Carney and Peter McDonald balance the comedy and drama nicely with an uncynical, crowd-pleasing story.

• A few more songs would’ve been great.

For fans of Close Encounters of the Third Kind — or Steven Spielberg’s work more broadly — there’s now a graphic novel that brings his legacy into a new medium. Created by Amazing Ameziane for Titan Comics, the project offers a fresh take on the iconic filmmaker, translating his influence into a visual format that feels both fitting and inventive. Ameziane, known for Quentin by Tarantino, turns his focus to Spielberg with this latest work, and Collider is excited to share an exclusive first look.

“Based on the lives and films of acclaimed cinema icons, this book spotlights the inimitable, multi-award-winning Steven Spielberg, director of Jaws, E.T., Back to the Future and countless other masterpieces. With over a dozen Academy Awards (among many others), Steven Spielberg is considered the most acclaimed director in modern cinema history,” the press release states. It goes on to talk about more of Spielberg’s work, and the upcoming comic for the Cine graphic novel.

“From classic escapist thrillers like Jaws and Jurassic Park, magical family movies like E.T., to thoughtful historical dramas like Schindler’s List, Spielberg has something to offer everyone,” the release continues:

“In this retrospective graphic novel, Ameziane things of comedies, historical dramas, and more. The auteur himself, imagining exactly how the cinema icon would tell his story, through his humble beginnings and rise to fame, as well as the struggles and crucial moments of his career. You might know his works, but now you can get to know the man behind the camera. Created and illustrated by Amazing Ameziane, Spielberg is the fifth installment in the author’s Cine series, illustrating the behind-the-scenes stories of some of Hollywood’s biggest hitters.”

The Best in Hollywood

Steven Spielberg is widely regarded as one of the greatest directors, with a legacy that extends far beyond the film industry. Given his lifelong passion for cinema, a new graphic novel exploring his work feels like a natural extension of that influence. The project itself is compelling—not just as a tribute to the films that defined his career, but as a reflection of how audiences continue to engage with and reinterpret his storytelling. More than anything, it offers a thoughtful way to recognize the person behind some of the most iconic blockbusters ever made.

Spielberg is why we have the modern concept of a blockbuster. He gave us Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones, and so many other iconic moments in film history. Now though, he’s a comic book legend, and you can own the new comic for $24.99 this September. Pre-order Spielberg on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Forbidden Planet in the UK. Until then, you can watch Spielberg’s upcoming film, Disclosure Day, on June 12, 2026.

After four seasons of conspiracies, rogue states, political chaos, and Jack Ryan repeatedly getting dragged way beyond his analyst job description, Prime Video is finally ready to show fans what comes next. But this time, it is not another season, it is a movie.

The first trailer for Jack Ryan: Ghost War has officially arrived, giving audiences their first real look at John Krasinski’s return as Tom Clancy’s most overqualified intelligence analyst-turned-action hero. And if the footage is anything to go by, Prime Video is not treating this like a modest small-screen follow-up; this looks like a full-scale escalation.

The cast also features Wendell Pierce returning as James Greer and Michael Kelly back as Mike November. The ensemble also includes Sienna Miller, who joins the franchise in a major new role, alongside Max Beesley, Douglas Hodge, J.J. Feild, and Betty Gabriel. Behind the camera, Ghost War is directed by Andrew Bernstein, with a script by Aaron Rabin, both of whom already have ties to the Jack Ryan world.

Related

The Gang Gets Tested — The Collider TV Quiz!

Wanna ring in St. Patrick’s Day with some pub trivia? Then pull up a bar stool and reminisce on 17+ seasons of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.

Advertisement

Is The ‘Jack Ryan’ TV Series Worth Watching?

Collider’s review stated that while real-world politics rarely delivers edge-of-your-seat excitement, Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan has always known how to turn global tension into something far more cinematic. Tania Hussain opined that, as the show entered its final season, it leans fully into that blockbuster energy, delivering a high-stakes farewell that feels bigger, bolder, and more urgent than ever. Where other political thrillers like Homeland or The Diplomat thrive on slow-burn tension, Jack Ryan continues to separate itself with a more explosive, action-driven approach — and Season 4 wastes no time reminding audiences exactly why that formula works. Hussain wrote:

“With pulse-pounding action that makes for fun TV, this final season is a swan song befitting of a great character who will be missed. As a functional spy thriller with some surprising turns and plenty of twists that will keep you on the edge of your seat, it is a notable final chapter while still sticking to the notes that have worked best throughout this series. Though some might have touted the series as “Dad TV” solely pleasing one demographic since its debut in 2018, Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan holds enough strength outside its surface appeal to make it a work that can captivate just about everyone as it combines the elements of big-screen joys with small-screen pleasures.”

Jack Ryan: Ghost War will premiere in May 2026.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Release Date

2018 – 2023-00-00

Advertisement

Network

Prime Video

Showrunner

Advertisement

Carlton Cuse

Directors

Jann Turner, Andrew Bernstein, Dennie Gordon, Kevin Dowling, Lukas Ettlin, Patricia Riggen, David Petrarca, Phil Abraham, Carlton Cuse, Morten Tyldum

Advertisement

Writers

Amy Berg, Dario Scardapane, Nolan Dunbar, Vince Calandra, David Graziano, Steven Kane, Marc Halsey, Robert Port

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Beauty and the Geek Australia alum Tamika Chesser has reportedly given birth in prison after allegedly beheading her boyfriend Julian Story last year.

Australia’s 9 News reported that Chesser, 34, was pregnant at the time of her 2025 arrest but that the father of her child has not been publicly identified.

Us Weekly reached out to Chesser and South Australia Health for comment.

On June 19, 2025, investigators discovered 39-year-old Story’s burnt and dismembered body at the couple’s Port Lincoln home in the Lower Eyre Peninsula. Chesser was subsequently charged with murder, destroying human remains and perverting the course of justice.

The former model has been held at mental health facility James Nash House, near Adelaide, since her arrest last June. She is expected to appear in court in April. (Chesser has yet to enter a plea.)

Australian broadcaster ABC reported in June 2025 that police were called to the couple’s home when a neighbor noticed smoke coming from their unit. Per a police report, a witness said they “saw the accused and asked what she was doing, the accused said ‘nothing’ and then took her dogs for a walk and locked the front door.”

After the witness tried to throw a bucket of water at Chesser and Story’s unit, they eventually called emergency services. Police soon arrived on the scene and discovered Story’s beheaded body in a bathroom.

Chesser was discovered in a “catatonic and unresponsive state” in a nearby yard and taken into custody, per South Australian police.

“We know that after his alleged murder, Julian’s body was dismembered and while I won’t provide any further details about that at this time, I can tragically say that we have not recovered the head of Julian Story,” Detective Superintendent Darren Fielke announced in a media briefing last June.

Fielke went on, “I can only imagine … the grief this news is causing Julian’s family. It is crucial that we locate Julian’s head so that his family has the opportunity to lay him to rest.”

Detective Superintendent Fielke later confirmed to the media in September 2025 that Story’s skull was recovered by a local dog, per the ABC.

“One of those situations where the dog ran off into the scrub, the dog didn’t come back immediately on being called,” the police spokesperson explained.

At the time of Story’s death, his family thanked the public for their “care” as they “navigat[ed] an unimaginable loss.”

Related: How Long Does Cheerleader Laken Snelling Face In Prison?: Everything to Know

Laken Snelling, a former competitive cheerleader at the University of Kentucky, has been arrested after allegedly giving birth and hiding her newborn’s body in a closet.  Snelling, 22, was initially taken into custody on August 30, 2025, after a third party called the police and reported finding an infant’s body that was “cold to the […]

“Your care has brought comfort amid the chaos,” his family told the ABC. “We are also deeply grateful to our family and friends and this extraordinary community whose kindness and support have helped carry us through. Your prayers, presence, and quiet strength mean more than words can say.”

Chesser was a runner-up on the second season of Australian reality show Beauty and the Geek in 2010. The reality show matched up conventionally attractive “Beauties” with “Geeks” — or, socially awkward men — in hopes of winning a $100,000 grand prize.

The reality star was introduced as “a cocktail” waitress on Beauty and the Geek and described herself as “the best person at making ‘animal noises.” In the show’s intro video, Chesser said that her “favorite feature would be my smile.”

Chesser was paired up with “Hawaiian shirt enthusiast” Thomas Richardson-Smith on the reality show but they ultimately lost to dancer Jessie Byrne and National Math Champion Michael Price in Beauty and the Geek’s season 2 finale.

FBI‘s Missy Peregrym broke her silence after the hit CBS series took a turn with a shocking onscreen death.

During the Monday, March 16, episode of FBI, Maggie (Peregrym) had to face off with her first arrest — serial slasher Ray DiStefano (Matthew Rauch) — who kidnapped her sister, Erin (Adrienne Rose Bengtsson). Maggie ultimately wasn’t able to save her sister, whose body she found after thinking she would still be alive.

“I was scared to do this script. I was scared to play this part, knowing what a dark place I would have to go to to just live in that moment, and I really cared that if I had to go that far that we did this as grounded and real and scary as possible,” Peregrym told TV Insider about the surprise twist. “And so it was amazing to work with [the writers] to figure out, what would be the most heartbreaking thing? Originally, it was written where there was a little bit more of a wrap-up with Peter in the episode. And I just felt like, ‘Ugh, how could you even talk after discovering your sister?’”

Peregrym opened up about her concerns going into the episode.

Related: Which ‘FBI’ Stars Are — And Aren’t — Returning for Season 8?

The FBI universe experienced a massive shakeup at the end of the 2024-2025 TV season — but how was the flagship series affected? CBS shocked fans in March after announcing that FBI spinoffs FBI: International and FBI: Most Wanted were cancelled ahead of their respective season 4 and season 6 finales later that spring. While […]

“I just kind of went to work and I was like, ‘OK, I know what I have to do today, but I don’t know how I’m going to do this. I know where I need to go, but I don’t know what my body’s going to do,’” she recalled. “And we did it in one take. … But I didn’t look at Erin beforehand. I didn’t want to see her. I didn’t want to know what I was — I didn’t know anything. And so when I turn that corner and go into the truck, that was the first time I was experiencing that moment, and it was hell.”

The actress explained why it was “really important” to tell the story, adding, “Everybody’s lost somebody, we’re experiencing this a lot. It’s obviously not going to be the same scenario, but that grief and that fear and that, oh, it’s the worst feeling in the whole world. And I didn’t want it to wrap up. I didn’t want it to feel OK in the end. It makes me cry thinking about it now because it’s real.”

FBI, which premiered in 2018, centers on the inner workings of the New York City field office criminal division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, where the personnel work to ensure the safety of New York City and its citizens.

“We’re a procedural show, so we don’t get to go this deep into the character, and I’m really grateful to the writers for trusting me with this episode in the moment, as scared as I was to do it. And I’m grateful — I haven’t seen it,” Peregrym continued. “I’m grateful that it’s turned out well, but my hope is that people can really relate to Maggie in the next chapter of having to get back up and how does she make sense of her world now after this gigantic loss, not even just with Erin, but with her career? How can she trust herself to move forward and be herself and be vulnerable or do her job without feeling that anybody she loves or herself is not going to be threatened again?”

Peregrym admitted she “didn’t ask why” Erin “didn’t survive.”

“I can’t go to a worse place for my character,” she noted. “So, kind of grateful for that. Hopefully things are looking up from here.”

Looking ahead, Peregrym made it clear that the personal loss would stay with her character.

“We do address that, obviously, and it’s still stuff that I carry with me. I’ll never be the same to a certain degree. Never. I’ll never be the same. Which again was why I was so scared to go this far with my character,” she continued. “Playing something for eight years and then all of a sudden having a loss like this, you don’t ever go back to the person you were before. You’ve got to navigate a completely different set of, I don’t even know, rules, set of understanding, trying to figure out where your place is anymore. What can you trust? And it’s terrifying.”

Peregrym concluded: “We’re not a character show where we sit around in our living room and chat about everything. I’m choosing to come to work because there’s work to do. So, it’s finding those moments to have those discussions and figure those things out, but we still have cases to solve.”

FBI airs on CBS Mondays at 9 p.m. ET.

Editor’s note: The below interview contains spoilers for Paradise Season 2 Episode 6.

As Hulu’s post-apocalyptic sci-fi series Paradise heads into its last few episodes, things have never been more intense for these characters. Not only has the Dan Fogelman-created series widened its scope beyond the Colorado bunker to reveal what life has been like for the people struggling to survive on the surface, but the situation inside Paradise has become even more intense, with Sinatra (Julianne Nicholson) seizing her power back with the help of a truly unpredictable wildcard in Jane Driscoll (Nicole Brydon Bloom). Other characters have already become caught in the crossfire, including Nicole Robinson (Krys Marshall), who’s sent to Paradise’s underground prison after being framed for murder, and Dr. Gabriela Torabi (Sarah Shahi), who’s beginning to seriously question Sinatra’s true intentions.

Ahead of the Season 2 premiere, Collider had the opportunity to speak with several cast members, including Bloom, Marshall, and Shahi, about some of their characters’ most pivotal moments over the first six episodes. Over the course of the interview, which you can watch above or read below, the women of Paradise discuss Robinson’s tougher side, Jane’s incredibly dark and complicated backstory, and Torabi’s increasing doubts about whether Sinatra’s goals are really the best thing for humanity in the long run.

COLLIDER: Krys, in Season 2, we see Robinson knocked down a little bit after her role in the resistance last season, but she’s too tough to be completely knocked out. What did you enjoy about getting to showcase more of that physical and mental toughness when the chips are down for her, especially once she’s framed for murder that season?

KRYS MARSHALL: Robinson is tough as nails, and it is so fun to get to be a woman playing a woman who is just so strong. I feel like her vulnerability, we got to see last season, we got to see a woman in love, in this sort of unrequited, complicated love relationship. So, I think to play her in Season 2 and know that the love story is set to the side, and now, she’s just this badass who is kicking butt and taking names, was just delicious to play.

Nicole, Jane has been such a big question mark in this show, but in Season 2, we finally get a glimpse of who she is at her core. What was most appealing to you about getting to delve into her backstory? Because we see some really defining events that seem to shape her into who she is in the present.

NICOLE BRYDON BLOOM: It’s always useful to get to explore that side of a character, go back in time. The young actress who played little Jane was just so beautiful and sweet, but her intensity that she brought to it helped me place where Jane has grown from there. I still have a lot of questions, but it definitely helps to have some clarity. It was really fun to explore that side of her.

Related

3 Episodes In, ‘Paradise’ Season 2 Just Confirmed the Bunker’s Biggest Threat

A wolf in sheep’s clothing might tear everything apart.

‘Paradise’s Sarah Shahi Explains Why Gabriela Is More Motivated To Take Down Sinatra Than Ever

“I think she was able to see the humanity in the monster because she understood her from such a different place…”

Image via Hulu

Sarah, Torabi’s always had these little misgivings about Sinatra, despite their long friendship and the history there, but Season 2 really seems to mark a shift in their dynamic that can’t really be walked back from. We see Torabi doing a little bit of self-surveillance with bugging the office and whatnot, and now, heading into the back half of the season, Jane catches on to what’s going on there. When you’re approaching her mindset this season, what do you think is driving Torabi most in this mission to unearth the truth about what’s really going on in the bunker?

SARAH SHAHI: I feel like, from day one, I felt that she was different, and initially, it was not a difference that I liked. I feel like everyone straddles a line of morality in some way or another, but Gabriela did not as much. She felt very earnest. I think the thing that I always go back to with her is, in this world where morality does get crossed, and good versus bad, people at the top, the people at the bottom, and those lines are very distinguished, she just wants what’s for the highest good of everybody. She really does have an altruistic sense about her.

So, to be able to look at it from that angle and to also see that, as a therapist, she sees many red flags, and Sinatra is like, “Let me walk towards that.” It’s like, “No, you should walk away from that,” you know? I think she was able to see the humanity in the monster because she understood her from such a different place than everybody else did. But, as you said, the writing on the wall just becomes all too clear, and it’s for the good of humanity that she needs to do what she does.

The Women of ‘Paradise’ Reveal What They Loved About Getting to Share More Scenes in Season 2

“We got to do some fun fight training.”

Image via Hulu

It’s nice to get to see more scenes between the three of you this season — not a group scene, necessarily. Your characters do get more of a chance to face off in a way that is clearly adversarial, but also just so fun to watch. What did the three of you enjoy about getting to share more scenes together this season?

BLOOM: We got to do some fun fight training.

MARSHALL: Some really fun stuff. Nicole is such a little sweetheart in real life that to get to kick her ass is kind of tough because she’s just such a little cuddlebug. But I really enjoyed the fight training that we did. Nicole and I spent weeks in MMA fight training to get into our bodies what it’s like to choke a person out, to slit a person’s throat. So, that was really fun.

I also love that throughout our story, we see Agent Robinson has always got a beat. She’s always watching and seeing what’s going on. So, while everyone else has the wool pulled over their eyes about who Jane actually is, Robinson sees something early on and is like, “Wait a minute, I’m not buying this.” So, it felt very delicious to watch that come to the head.

BLOOM: Yeah, it was really fun getting to have that moment with you. And then we get to come a little toe-to-toe.

SHAHI: Ours was more of a cat-and-mouse type of situation. We didn’t have anything physical. I was mostly with Julianne [Nicholson] last season and didn’t really get to experience these other brilliant actresses in the way that I was able to more so this year. So, it’s good to be able to have scenes with Nicole.

And I only had one with you, [Krys]. That’s the thing about the show, too, is there’s such a large cast and large casts can go so many different places. I spent the entire season barely even seeing Julianne or Sterling [K. Brown]. But yeah, we had some fun cat-and-mouse stuff to do. The paranoia was fun.

New episodes of Paradise Season 2 premiere Mondays on Hulu.

When Leonardo DiCaprio stepped onto the Oscars red carpet, fans immediately sensed something had changed. 

Known for staying low-key and often shielding himself from cameras, the actor surprised many with a noticeably sharper appearance. 

From a slimmer frame to a fresh grooming style, his transformation quickly became one of the night’s biggest talking points. 

As reactions flooded social media, experts and insiders began weighing in on what could really be behind his striking new look.

Leonardo DiCaprio’s Red Carpet Appearance Leaves Fans Talking

Leonardo DiCaprio’s arrival at the Academy Awards should have been routine, as he was nominated for Best Actor for “One Battle After Another.”

However, while Michael B. Jordan ultimately took home the award for “Sinners,” it was DiCaprio’s appearance that dominated conversation.

Social media lit up almost instantly, with fans reacting to his slimmer face and updated grooming. 

Some were clearly impressed, with one person admitting that they didn’t expect the actor to look “kind of hot” and another adding that he looked better than he had in a while.

Others, however, focused on how different he looked compared to recent years. His fuller appearance in the past decade became part of the discussion, with some suggesting he had finally shed that look. 

Although a few credited his mustache and styling, others believed something more significant had changed behind the scenes.

The buzz only intensified as viewers compared his current look to previous red carpet appearances, with many agreeing that something about him felt noticeably refreshed.

DiCaprio’s Lifestyle Habits Come Under Scrutiny

As speculation grew, attention turned to DiCaprio’s long-known lifestyle. 

The “Titanic” star has often been associated with Hollywood’s party scene, including luxury yacht trips in places like St Barts and the south of France, where he has frequently been photographed smoking and drinking.

Leonardo DiCaprio once revealed he would order two drinks at once, one caffeinated and one alcoholic, though he has also insisted he has never done hard drugs, seeing how damaging they can be.

Smoking, however, has remained a visible habit over the years. He has often been photographed with cigarettes or vapes, and even shared that attempts to quit once led to intense side effects, including “bloodcurdling nightmares of mass murders” while filming “Shutter Island.”

Experts now believe that even small changes to these habits could significantly impact his appearance. Cutting back on alcohol, in particular, may play a major role.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, facial plastic surgeon, Dr Anil Shah, explained, “Alcohol is a toxin and studies show that it will age you faster, including your brain, your skin, your face – everything.”

Vittoria Ceretti’s Relationship With Leonardo DiCaprio Raises Questions

Another major piece of the puzzle may be DiCaprio’s relationship with Vittoria Ceretti. The pair, who have been together since 2023, made their Oscars debut as a couple, sitting side by side during the ceremony.

Insiders suggest she may have influenced his recent changes. One source shared, “Leo has shed pounds before, but this time is different because it isn’t for a movie role.” 

They added, “He is getting healthy and fit to keep up with Vittoria. She’s a great influence on him, and he is very much in love with her. She’s a part of his world now, and he intends on keeping it that way.”

Another insider echoed that sentiment, noting, “Vittoria is enjoying her new man so to speak, she is very happy with him and being several pounds under the weight he was at only a few months ago is only a good thing.”

The source also clarified that the model was never turned off by DiCaprio’s previous appearance. 

Recent vacation photos also support this shift, showing the 51-year-old looking noticeably slimmer and more relaxed while spending time with her.

DiCaprio’s New Look Sparks Ozempic And Health Speculation

In recent years, no celebrity transformation has gone without speculation, and the case of Leonardo DiCaprio is no different. 

Some fans have pointed to the rising popularity of GLP-1 medications such as Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro, which are known to aid weight loss and reduce cravings.

Experts have acknowledged the possibility but also stressed that it is not the only explanation. One explained, “GLP-1’s can be super powerful for addiction and cravings, so if he did this as a way of curbing his appetite for alcohol, that’s okay.”

At the same time, they emphasized that the change could be entirely natural. “However, it’s very possible that he may have just made a profound lifestyle change and we’re just witnessing that,” the expert added, praising the visible results.

Others have suggested his current work schedule, possibly stepping away from long vacations and focusing on filming, could also contribute to a healthier routine.

Leonardo DiCaprio’s Look Reflects A Bigger Hollywood Shift

DiCaprio’s evolving look doesn’t exist in isolation. It reflects a larger shift happening across Hollywood, especially among male actors.

According to the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, more men are now seeking cosmetic treatments than ever before. 

Experts say the stigma around male grooming and procedures is fading, with many viewing it as part of maintaining confidence and longevity in the industry.

As Dr. Anthony Brissett, the president of the AAFPRS, noted, “We’re seeing a real shift in how men approach cosmetic surgery.” 

He explained that what once centered on gym routines has expanded into aesthetic treatments, with men now seeking to look “rested, healthy, and confident” without obvious signs of work. 

He added, “Advancements in technology have made facial plastic surgery more precise, less invasive, and far more natural-looking.”

At the same time, public scrutiny has intensified. Actors like Jim Carrey have recently faced similar speculation, with fans even questioning whether his altered appearance meant he was a “clone,” a claim later shut down.

In that context, DiCaprio’s transformation feels less like an isolated change and more like part of an evolving Hollywood standard, where lifestyle, image, and perception are constantly under the spotlight.