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‘Ponies’ Stars Vic Michaelis and Nicholas Podany Break Down That Mole Reveal and the Choice That Changes Everything for Season 2

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Vic Michaelis as Cheryl standing in a room and looking surprised in Ponies

[Editor’s note: The following contains major spoilers for Ponies.]

Summary

  • In the Peacock spy thriller series ‘Ponies,’ Bea and Twila go from grieving widows to inexperienced CIA spies trying to navigate 1977 Moscow.
  • In the season finale, the mole is revealed, destroying evidence and leaving chaos to erupt at the CIA.
  • Ray and Cheryl Szymaski’s fragile marriage masks love, mistrust, and a looming Season 2 mystery.

The Peacock spy thriller series Ponies, set in 1977 Moscow, follows Bea (Emilia Clarke) and Twila (Haley Lu Richardson), two women whose husbands are killed under mysterious circumstances that lead them to become CIA operatives. Bea’s ability to charm and speak fluent Russian is a perfect complement to Twila’s fearless nature and street smarts, but their lack of experience while they’re learning on the job puts them in precariously dangerous situations. And if they’re going to have any chance at survival, they have to be able to trust the lead of the CIA’s spy division, Dane Walter (Adrian Lester), and his team.

As a member of that team, Ray Szymanski (Nicholas Podany) is Dane’s right-hand man while his wife Cheryl (Vic Michaelis) is a secretary for Shep (Andrew Richardson) at the embassy. But when Cheryl kills the nanny and is revealed to actually be the mole that everyone has been trying to hunt down, chaos and fire erupt at the CIA. What comes next will make for a very interesting Season 2, and I know my fingers are crossed that we’ll be hearing about a greenlight soon.

During this interview with Collider, Michaelis (Dropout TV, Very Important People) and Podany discussed their reactions to the way the season played out, how they view Ray and Cheryl’s marriage, getting to improvise and explore their characters together, that rooting for Cheryl’s success at villainy is just the most fun option, killing Eevi (Clare Hughes), how Ray might react to learning the truth about Cheryl, wanting to get out in the field more, what all of this could mean for a possible Season 2, and their most memorable moments with Clarke and Richardson. Michaelis also talked about whether Twila, Bea or Cheryl would make the best guest on Very Important People, and whether they tortured any of your castmates on set as much as Sam Reich.

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Collider: First of all, congratulations on the series. It’s getting a lot of buzz and people, including myself, are hoping for a Season 2. If at all possible, I want to will that into existence, after the way the season ended.

VIC MICHAELIS: I so appreciate you saying that. We’re really hoping so. Every little bit of goodwill into the universe helps.

You can’t leave it there. It’s just not fair. That would just be rude, if you left it there.

MICHAELIS and NICHOLAS PODANY: (Both laugh)

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Vic Michaelis Screamed on the Plane Trip To Shoot in Hungary While Reading the ‘Ponies’ Finale Script

“Truly, it was such a shock.”

Vic Michaelis as Cheryl standing in a room and looking surprised in Ponies
Vic Michaelis as Cheryl standing in a room and looking surprised in Ponies
Image via Peacock
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Did you guys go into this knowing the full arc for your characters? How much did you know about where all of this was heading? Do you feel like you had any sense of where it would end up?

MICHAELIS: I signed on very late for this, so I got the scripts on the plane on the way to Hungary to begin filming. I was somewhere over the ocean, getting through the end of episode eight, and I screamed on the plane. Truly, it was such a shock, in the best possible way. It’s an absolute dream character for me to get to come in and be a little bit mean, but then also have a little bit of dramatic stuff to get to do and then also be the villain. It’s so fun.

PODANY: What’s amazing about that is just the fact that you found out that soon to filming. If you just watch the series back a second time and you watch Vic’s performance, you can see it. It’s brilliant. It’s so good on a second watch of going back through and going, “Aha!”

MICHAELIS: That’s really kind, but that’s the writing. Everything is there in the character already. It does logically make sense.

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PODANY: A friend pointed out to me that you don’t like music. You say it gives you a headache when I turn it on because you don’t want music playing.

MICHAELIS: Yeah.

PODANY: My friend pointed that out to me.

MICHAELIS: I was so mad about the concert. I wanted to go to the concert.

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PODANY: Yeah, it’s crazy.

“Someone Saved My Life Tonight” Episode 108 — Pictured: (l-r) Haley Lu Richardson as Twila, Emilia Clarke as Bea in Ponies.


‘Ponies’ Review: Emilia Clarke and Haley Lu Richardson Deliver a Gripping Spy Thriller With a Perfect Final Shot

Two unlikely spies navigate danger and betrayal in this wild ’70s-era series.

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Vic, you’ve previously talked about how you think Cheryl thinks of herself as somebody that is powerful and holds weight in the world and has value to the people around her, but that that’s also not true. She sees herself in a way that doesn’t match her reality. How do you think she views who she is in her marriage?

MICHAELIS: I think she views herself as a literal perfect wife who has done absolutely everything and gone above and beyond for what she is expected to do, especially in Moscow, where you can’t go to the salon and none of those things are accessible to you. She’s in new outfits all the time, and I think she views that as her wifely duty. I really think that she thinks that a lot of being a wife is about the aesthetic and doing the wifely duties, and I think she performs those exactly as expected. She fills and checks every single box with her little gel pen. It’s that space between realizing that there are other things that you can’t necessarily quantify that go into a relationship and realizing that you have to continue building, and you have to earn those things. A lot of that space is where the current unhappiness is coming from, from Cheryl’s perspective. I’d be so curious what you think, Nick, on that.

PODANY: I think we, as a marriage, are so comfortable in the arguments and in the disagreements. That’s how life works and that’s how our marriage is. I would so much rather be content in that than rock the boat and risk any kind of discomfort in my personal life, especially because Ray’s job is so deeply uncomfortable for who he is, as a person. I think having a very stable place to come home is the only thing he wants. If it’s Cheryl being mad at him all the time, then that’s what it is and that’s okay by him. I think he’s a very lost guy who needs to stay present and in the situation he’s in. Otherwise, the entire Jenga tower would just topple, and that would be that.

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‘Ponies’ Co-Stars Nicholas Podany and Vic Michaelis Believe That Ray and Cheryl Really Do Love Each Other

“There is some love liquid there, underneath it all.”

Vic Michaelis as Cheryl standing in her living room in front of the curtain in Ponies
Vic Michaelis as Cheryl standing in her living room in front of the curtain in Ponies
Image via Peacock

What did the two of you most enjoy about finding and exploring the relationship between your characters? What was the best part of having each other to find that with?

PODANY: When I first read this, I was like, “How will this character ever work?,” in terms of Cheryl. This person doesn’t really seem to have a redeeming quality.” And then, at the first table read, it immediately clicked. I was like, “Oh, my God, she’s an icon. She’s a housewife diva. You root for her and her and her antics and her feeling of being unjustly treated.” And so, the very first day that we were shooting at the Christmas party, just immediately Vic went into improv. They were like, “Okay, just improv your way into the scene,” and every single take was a brand-new way to get under Ray’s skin and to devalue the romantics of the relationship. It was amazing because all I needed to do was just smile and laugh. It was this brilliant thing that Vic brought to the character and to the set. Oh, my God, it was all them. It was insane.

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MICHAELIS: No, that’s not true at all, but that’s so kind. [We] had a conversation really early on that I think was really informative and will be the base moving forward. I think these two do love each other. They’re just so lost as to how to communicate that to each other anymore. It’s that status quo and that being the most important thing, but if you really were to strip all that away, there is a base that’s green and boiling. There is some love liquid there, underneath it all, that is beautiful.

PODANY: Give them therapy for five years and they’ll figure it out. There are moments in the show where we get to show that. They’re fleeting, but those were my favorite scenes.

MICHAELIS: It was great. It was awesome.

Two women looking confused


‘Ponies’ Creators Unpack Those Finale Twists and Tease “More Complicated Loyalties” for Season 2 and Beyond

Creators Susanna Fogel and David Iserson unpack the finale’s biggest gut-punches, Bea and Twila’s new leverage, and why trust gets messier.

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Vic, to get a little silly for a minute, would you want Twila, Bea, or Cheryl on Very Important People, and who do you think would be the best?

MICHAELIS: Oh, okay. That is really tricky. We’re talking the characters? The character is getting in hair and makeup as another character. Cheryl would try the hardest, that’s for sure. But Cheryl would also be really concerned about doing it wrong, in my opinion. So then, that leaves Bea and Twila. Nick, what do you think, gut reaction?

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PODANY: Cheryl.

MICHAELIS: No, not Cheryl. Cheryl, I genuinely think, would be an untenable guest. She’d get on set and be like, “I’m not putting that on my face. There’s not a chance.” She would refuse to cooperate. I think Twila, in the opposite direction, would have some of that because she wouldn’t care enough. So, I think that maybe leaves Bea. I think Bea would earnestly be a quiet hitter. A homerun, but it’s so quiet.

Vic, did you torture any of your castmates on set as much as you torture Sam Reich?

MICHAELIS: I’d constantly set traps for people on set. They’d be like, “Let me out of the tree” and I’d say, “No. Not until you give me a dollar.” It was really fun though. Everybody was so wonderful and so sweet. It’s such a cliche, but we really had such a good time. We sang a lot of karaoke. Nick, at one point, set up a live band karaoke for us, where he just learned a bunch of music in a week. There’s a band in episode four at the party, and that band turned into a real band.

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PODANY: I got this band of these great Hungarian musicians to come to this club, and I got submissions from the entire cast and crew of songs that they wanted to sing and we set up a band. We literally had the best time.

MICHAELIS: It was great. It was amazing.

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‘Ponies’ Star Vic Michaelis Thinks It’s Fun To Root for the Villain

“It was so fun.”

Vic Michaelis as Cheryl opening the door of her home and looking at someone on the other side in Ponies
Vic Michaelis as Cheryl opening the door of her home and looking at someone on the other side in Ponies
Image via Peacock

Everything really comes crashing down in the finale. One of the biggest questions this season, with who is the mole, is answered and we learn that it’s Cheryl. Vic, how did you feel about Cheryl having the tracking device taken into the vault to then have it explode and destroy all that evidence? When your character does something like that, do you cheer on their creativity or do you want to scold them for their bad choices?

MICHAELIS: It’s so curious. I have my own ideas, obviously, of how Cheryl ended up in this situation. From a person that is closely tied to this character and is, of course, having to root for their success because it is the most fun option in this situation, it was a ballet. By the time that device gets into the ambassador’s hands, all of a sudden, Cheryl can start showing emotion because it’s like, “I did it! Oh, my God, I did it! Here we go. Can you even believe it?” Personally, I think it’s kind of fun to root for a villain, especially in a situation like that. It’s so fun. Make more fun TV. I love this. It was so fun. It was so good.

Were you surprised that Cheryl actually killed the nanny? Do you think she knows more about the nanny than she’s saying? Was it just instinct? Was it a loose end? How did you rationalize that?

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MICHAELIS: (Creators) David [Iserson] and Susanna [Fogel] have gone on record saying that they’ve left it ambiguous. But I think Cheryl kills the nanny, at the end of the day, for the family. I think that legitimately is the motivation there is because now, at this point, it is like looking down the barrel. I do think Eevi staying alive messes up her son and her husband and her life. I think she kills Eevi because if Eevi wakes up and starts talking, and they find out that Eevi was not the mole, that then can affect Cheryl’s family, and I think that is a motivation worth killing for.

ponies-5-1


Peacock’s Near-Perfect Spy Thriller Is Surging on Streaming — and the Finale Twist Changes Everything

The wife of the great khal has another husband to mourn.

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Nick, at the end of the season, the CIA isn’t aware of who the mole is. Even Ray is unaware that it’s Cheryl. How will that affect things? How do you think he’ll feel about that? What do you want to see with him in Season 2?

PODANY: I think he spent the entire season being very stubborn to his own moral compass. I think he knows exactly who he’s loyal to. I think he knows exactly what this job means to him and what his family means to him. He’s got a list of people he trusts. And then, the rest of the world, no, but that list is stuck in his brain forever. For the rest of the characters, in this whole thing, we learn that the technique of being a spy always gets you in trouble, and yet Ray has lived with it and thrived on it for a long time. Given that he’s an analyst in the CIA, he’s not usually boots on the ground. He’s able to distance himself. So, it would be really cool to see him thrown into the middle of the action and learning that trust gets you in some real hot water in this kind of world. I’m really excited to see how his kindly manner will mix with that information.

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The ‘Ponies’ Set Embraced a Vibe of Fun and Joy While the Cast Got To Play and Shake Things Up

“I adore every person in this cast.”

Aside from working with each other, you’re also sharing scenes with Emilia Clarke and Haley Lu Richardson. Do you guys each have a favorite moment or scene that you had with one of them from the season?

PODANY: The bubble, where it’s me, Adrian [Lester], Emilia and Haley, was the crew’s least favorite place to film because we wouldn’t be able to get through a scene. We’d just start laughing. It was really hard to get through sequences because the four of us would just have giggle fits all the time. I adore every person in this cast because of their work ethic, but also just this incredible capacity for fun and joy. I think trying to stifle creativity by making something really serious and really hard-framed and where you know exactly what you’re going to do in every take just completely stifles the joy and ultimately the beauty of the project. And so, my favorite thing about working with them was just the ability to fuck with things and have a great time doing it.

MICHAELIS: I love that. I didn’t know we could cuss. There we go. Fuck, fuck, fuck. I didn’t have a place for it, I just wanted to do it to make sure that was on record.

PODANY: I’m a pretty cool guy. I swear sometimes.

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MICHAELIS: I didn’t know, but now I know. There you go. My favorite scene is also the first one that we filmed. It was me, Haley, and Tom [Stourton], who played George. In the second episode, we’re at this discotheque and we’re literally pushing through fog and into the discotheque, and Haley just leans over to me and goes, “This is a movie.” I feel like when you’re an actor, before you ever step on set, you have a dream of what filming a movie is going to be like and it’s often like you’re living in the final product that you’re seeing. And that was a moment where it really was like, “Oh, yeah, we are literally experiencing filming and simultaneously living a movie right now.” It really was absolutely crazy, walking through all this fog with all these characters pushing through, and then being in this bustling discotheque. And they actually had the sound on for the first little bit, so that way we could get the feel for it. A little movie magic, they don’t often have the sound on when they’re playing music, so that you can hear dialogue and stuff like that. It was incredible. It was crazy.


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Release Date
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January 15, 2026

Network

Peacock

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Directors

Ally Pankiw, Susanna Fogel, Viet Nguyen

Writers
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Carolyn Cicalese, Susanna Fogel, David Iserson, Adrian Lester, Emilia Clarke, Haley Lu Richardson, Jordan J. Riggs, Rosa Handelman

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Ponies is available to stream on Peacock.

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Products to Kick Off Spring Cleaning

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Deals to Sweep you off your feet 🧹
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Prime Video’s Chilling 8-Part Series Is the Perfect Weekend Binge for Mystery Fans

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In a post-Tell Me Lies world, every relationship should be analyzed for red flags. The same month that the high-anxiety relationship drama ended on Hulu, Prime Video released its own take on the subject. In February, an adaptation of Catherine Ryan Howard’s book, 56 Days, hit the platform. Though the series veers quite substantially from the source material, the heart of the story is still there.

56 Days follows two people who embark on a romance after a chance meeting in a grocery store. Oliver (Avan Jogia) comes from generational wealth while also working at an architecture firm in Boston. Ciara (Dove Cameron), who is new to town, has a working-class background, but the two hit it off immediately after connecting on the subject of outer space. They rush into a sexual relationship, ignoring all the questions they have about each other. Oliver immediately seems suspicious as he takes intense private phone calls that hint at a dark, ulterior motive. Ciara, however, isn’t as innocent as she seems, and eventually it becomes clear that Oliver isn’t the only one harboring secrets.

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‘56 Days’ Delivers All the Twists in Its Limited Run

56 Days’ addictive romance is only one part of this compelling thriller. The 56 days in question measure the time that Oliver and Ciara are together before a horrific crime rocks the apartment that they share. Flashforwards show that only a couple of months after the lovers get together, a body is discovered in the apartment. Authorities are shocked to find a partially dissolved body in the bathtub, and work to piece together the timeline that brought the characters to this point.

The flashbacks offer further tension as fans form their own conclusions about the identity of the body in the bathtub. As Ciara and Oliver’s relationship heats up, signs point to one of them being the victim. That being said, 56 Days offers many surprises to keep viewers engaged over the course of eight episodes.

The best part of the series is the increasing feeling of dread as Oliver and Ciara’s relationship progresses. It soon becomes clear that their first meeting was not by chance at all, but something else, darker and more nefarious. It almost becomes a cat-and-mouse game of who can be the most unsettling in this fast-paced relationship. Within minutes of meeting each other, Oliver offers to take Ciara out on a date that escalates quickly. He seemingly lies about their plans and then leads her into a dark alley. Though he does nothing to harm her, this is exceedingly worrying behavior, and Ciara somehow doesn’t seem concerned by it.

Somehow, the audience is encouraged to ignore these warning signs as well and fall under the spell of the narrative. Avan Jogia is captivating as Oliver, who is equal parts charming and disturbing. Jogia walks the line between these two traits well, leaving no question as to what attracts Ciara to Oliver in the first place. His dark allure becomes erratic at times, but ultimately, the vulnerability of the character shines through. This allows fans to suspend their disbelief when it comes to some of the more dramatic portions of the story.

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Oliver and Ciara quickly consummate their physical relationship, which leads them to become even more codependent. There is a reason their fast-paced relationship leads to death, but that reason doesn’t become clear until the very end. 56 Days is the type of thriller that is easy to consume and leaves viewers guessing until the last possible moment.


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2026 – 2026-00-00

Network

Prime Video

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Directors

Alethea Jones

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Writers

Lisa Zwerling, Karyn Usher, Catherine Ryan Howard

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The Voice’s Kelly Clarkson Says She’s ‘In Love’ After ‘Sexy’ Performance

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Kelly Clarkson is already in love with one of her newest contestants from The Voice.

During the Monday, February 23, season premiere of The Voice: Battle of Champions, viewers at home were introduced to New York singer Jonah Mayor.

“I’m known in the band as the sexy, muscular, long-haired, sensitive but determined boy band member,” Mayor, 31, said before performing in Italian. “I’m taking a big risk with my blind audition.”

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Quickly after Mayor began his rendition of “Il Mondo,” Clarkson, 43, immediately turned her red chair.

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“Can I have a hug? You are my favorite performance thus far,” she said. “You are so incredible. What a gift! Oh my God! That was so sexy!”

Although fellow coach Adam Levine acknowledged it was going to be hard to persuade Mayor to pick his team, he did his best to praise the New Yorker.

“Jonah, I think you’re super awesome, and I think you are going to do great things. I think what you do is so singular, and there isn’t going to be anyone like you,” the Maroon 5 frontman, 46, shared. “You absolutely are the complete package in terms of performer and singer. There’s so much power in your voice. There’s a lot of presence in you.”

The Voice Kelly Clarkson Declares She Is In Love With a Contestant After His Sexy Performance

Kelly Clarkson
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Although John Legend didn’t turn his chair for Mayor, he described the contestant as a “charismatic, super-gifted person.”

“It was gorgeous, flawless, beautiful,” Legend, 47, added of the audition. “I was thoroughly impressed by what you did.”

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Before Mayor could officially pick which coach he wanted to be part of for season 29, he heard one final convincing argument from Clarkson.

“You sang, I think, three syllables and I was like, ‘Choose me, pick me, love me,’” she said while comparing Mayor to Josh Groban and Andrea Bocelli. “I’m down for the ride. I have won the most.”

The Voice Kelly Clarkson Declares She Is In Love With a Contestant After His Sexy Performance

Jonah Mayor
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After careful consideration, Mayor picked Clarkson, leading the former American Idol winner to profess her admiration even more.

“I love you. I’m so in love with you,” she said. “I want to help you so much just so everyone can hear that beautiful gift in all the languages.”

In a confessional interview, Clarkson added, “I love Jonah. I do love people that can sing opera. I love people that just have those full-body voices, just a nice glass of wine, a good red. This season, I’m really adamant about finding people in different genres and he is literally perfect for my team. I was so afraid I was going to lose him to Adam. I would have cried.”

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During the season premiere, viewers also learned about The Voice’s new triple turn competition. During the blind auditions, the coach with the most artists on their team who received three-chair turns will earn a special advantage to use later in the competition.

“It really just depends on what artists are coming out and who they’re inspired by and want to work with,” Clarkson said on the show.

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Watch the competition unfold when The Voice airs on NBC Mondays at 9 p.m. ET. Stream new episodes the next day on Peacock.

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23 Years Ago, the Best Spy Show Ever Made Took an Unexpected Turn That Completely Changed Its DNA

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Carrie Coon looking off into the distance on The Sinner

What most shows considered jumping the shark was just another day at the office for 24. The renowned FOX spy thriller series created by Joel Surnow and Robert Cochran set in real time never wavered in delivering shocking twists and turns, leaving audiences in awe every week with a traumatic death, climactic escalation of events, and jaw-dropping set piece.

In Season 3 — or rather, in 24 parlance, Day 3 — counterterrorist agent and borderline superspy Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) undergoes an excruciating shift at CTU. Kicking off the day with a prison riot and concluding with the severance of his future son-in-law’s hand, Jack was left in tears by the end of Episode 24. Things were already chaotic with the control of a deadly virus swapping hands and the return of Jack’s mortal enemy, Nina Myers (Sarah Clarke), but the inflection point of Day 3 came with the execution of bureau head Ryan Chappelle (Paul Schulze), a moment that altered the fabric of 24 forever.

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’24’s Darkest Moment Tested the Morality of Jack Bauer and CTU

CTU was on its heels when possession of the virus landed in the hands of Stephen Saunders (Paul Blackthorne), a disgruntled MI6 agent looking to exact revenge on America through eco-terrorism. Having lost control of the situation, the agency was forced to commit the ultimate sin of 24: negotiate with the terrorists. Saunders had such leverage that he was directly making demands to President David Palmer (Dennis Haysbert), who was placed in the cruelest dilemma in Episode 18, “Day 3: 6:00 am. to 7:00 a.m.,” of this nightmarish day. Continuing his reign of terror, Saunders demands the killing of Ryan Chappelle, a high-ranking federal officer brought in to carry CTU’s workload after Tony Almeida (Carlos Bernard) is incapacitated, or else he’ll release the virus to the open air.

Throughout the episode, audiences expect that Jack and company will locate Saunders and/or the distributor of the virus, as, even for 24 standards, Chappelle’s premeditated execution would be too stark a line to cross. After Chase Edmunds (James Badge Dale) and his field unit fail to capture Saunders before the deadline, Jack, under authorization of the President, is left with no choice but to take Chappelle to an abandoned train station and put a bullet through his head. Major characters have died in 24, notably Jack’s wife, Teri (Leslie Hope), which closed Day 1, but these deaths were tragic costs of victory against the forces of evil. Here, Chappelle’s death is a sheer act of capitulation and failure. The series caught on in the 2000s as America was reeling from September 11th, but this pivotal moment in 24 reminded us all that the bad guys do occasionally come out on top.

Ryan Chappelle’s Death in ’24’ Rattled the Spy Series

This critical turning point in 24‘s DNA on Day 3, Episode 18, was an extraordinary feat of garnering audience sympathy for Chappelle, the stereotypical punctilious boss in a suit who viewers are designed to loath. Brought in from the parent division of CTU, Chappelle is strict with protocol, constantly barking commands and stubbornly interfering with Jack’s rogue procedures. Upon learning that he is the newest pawn in Saunders’ negotiating scheme, he becomes the symbolic figure of the season’s tragic stakes. In mere minutes, Chappelle is taken down a peg, proving that all parties working in counterterrorism are vulnerable.

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Carrie Coon looking off into the distance on The Sinner


This Psychological Thriller Series Is So Suspenseful, You Won’t Want To Hit Pause

We can’t look away.

You know things are serious when a 24 episode’s climax doesn’t feature its signature multi-panel screens of ongoing storylines. The final minutes of the episode force you to sit with Ryan Chappelle on his knees, trembling as he’s unable to pull the trigger on himself. “God forgive me,” Jack says before coldly executing this esteemed federal agent to buy time with a virus-wielding terrorist. If this moment wasn’t chilling enough, the ticking clock that ends every hour is silenced, mourning our fallen hero. As horrifying as his ordeal is, Chappelle knows that he could never live with Saunders’ threat coming to fruition, where millions of Americans die by not sacrificing himself. The most heartbreaking moment of this scene is when Jack asks him if there’s any loved one he’d like to call for one final goodbye. For Chappelle, a man driven by his profession, he has no one important enough to bid farewell to.

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“I feel as though I’m crossing a line I will never be able to step back from,” President Palmer solemnly states after authorizing Ryan Chappelle’s grave sacrifice. 24 fans knew instantly that there was no turning back from this moment. The series underwent a narrative reset following Season 3, with new faces beginning to populate CTU, Palmer resigning from office, and Jack Bauer working a desk job. Chappelle’s death shaded the morality of not just Jack, but also the cost of justice.

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The Unexpected Bob Dylan Song the BBC Banned Over a Single “Blasphemous” Line

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Bob Dylan onstage in front of a microphone.

It’s a long way from Minnesota to New York’s Greenwich Village. Armed with nothing but his 1940s Gibson J-50 guitar and a handful of songs, Bob Dylan set out for the Big Apple in 1961, hoping to have his music heard. By 1963, Dylan had become the talk of the village thanks to what would become his most famous song, “Blowin’ in the Wind.” A reflection on the effects of war and racism around him, the song offered a glimpse of his talent for social commentary.

Over the years, Dylan continued writing lyrics that questioned authority and the status quo. While not always overtly critical, his approach wasn’t always welcomed in an industry eager to present optimism during the sensitive postwar period. Whether through the anti-militarism of “Masters of War,” or the borderline sacrilegious tone of “God on Our Side,” controversy followed. Even in the earliest days of his career, one song foreshadowed Dylan’s future clashes with censorship — and it happened all the way in the United Kingdom.

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The BBC Refused to Play “Baby, Let Me Follow You Down” From Bob Dylan’s Debut Album

In the 1960s, the BBC had a strict approach to what could and couldn’t be played on the radio. Even cultural giants weren’t spared. The Beatles famously landed in hot water over a single line, “A Day in the Life,” prompting a personal letter from a BBC executive to their label, EMI. This time around, however, the artist was Dylan. The controversy had nothing to do with drug references or hidden meanings. Oddly enough, it wasn’t even his song to begin with.

In Dylan’s 1962 debut album Bob Dylan, the singer released a cover of “Baby, Let Me Follow You Down,” a blue-folk love song made popular through an adaptation by 1950s blues musician Eric Von Schmidt. Like much of the traditional blues repertoire, the song had already strayed far from its original roots. It was first recorded in 1935 as “Don’t Tear My Clothes” by the State Street Boys, then later adapted as “Let Your Linen Hang Low” by Rosetta Howard and “Mama Let Me Lay It On You” by Blind Boy Fuller. Von Schmidt’s version eventually gained wider recognition and made its way to Dylan’s debut album — a debt Dylan openly acknowledges at the start of the track: “I first heard this from Ric von Schmidt. He lives in Cambridge. / Ric is a blues guitar player. I met him one day on / the green pastures of Harvard University.”

Bob Dylan onstage in front of a microphone.


This Bob Dylan Classic Was Almost Cut From the Album — Now It’s One of His Greatest Songs Ever

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“Baby, Let Me Follow You Down” Broke Religious Broadcast Standards Because of One Word

Lyrically, “Baby, Let Me Follow You Down” is simple and sincere, far removed from the social provocation Dylan was known for. Yet the BBC took issue with one, tiny detail: Dylan repeats the word “godalmighty” four times. The mere mention of the Lord, even when used in a non-religious context, was deemed a violation of the broadcaster’s rules against taking God’s name in vain. A similar incident had occurred in 1953 with Don Cornell‘s “Hold My Hand.” Although the only scandalous part of the song was the idea of a blissful kiss, the BBC didn’t take too lightly to phrases such as “the kingdom of heavens.”

The BBC wasn’t the only broadcaster to clash with Dylan. In 1963, a year after the release of “Baby, Let Me Follow You Down,” the singer encountered trouble in the United States with CBS. Having gained some level of popularity, Dylan was invited to perform on The Ed Sullivan Show. Initially, the singer wanted to perform “Talkin’ John Birch Paranoid Blues” from his second album, The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan. Based on the real-life controversial John Birch Society, the song is meant to criticize the severe anti-communist agenda that both the group and society were obsessed with. However, CBS executives pressured Dylan to change the song or alter its lyrics. Rather than compromise, he politely declined to appear on the show.

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Bob Dylan Performed an Electrified “Baby, Let Me Follow You Down” at The Band’s ‘The Last Waltz’

Despite breaking into the folk scene professionally in 1962, it wasn’t until 1965 that Dylan truly sent his fans into a frenzy. That year, he drew widespread attention for ditching his acoustic image in favor of a rock and roll set at the Newport Folk Festival. The move from folk to Fender was widely seen as — no pun intended — blasphemy. Dylan took plenty of heat for the performance. Critics branded him a sellout and accused him of giving in to the commercialization taking over rock music at the time. Still, Dylan didn’t back down and continued pursuing his electric sound.

In 1978, Dylan reworked “Baby, Let Me Follow You Down” into an electric performance for The Last Waltz. Directed by Martin Scorsese, the concert documentary served as The Band‘s farewell show, with Dylan appearing as one of their guest performers. Unlike the gentle folk version, Dylan’s updated rendition featured twangy solos, punchy guitar riffs, and the singer’s scratchy, loud vocals — to which the audience applauded with great enthusiasm at the end.

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Tyra Banks Demanding $50,000 From Ex-Business Partner Over ‘Celebrity Shakedown’

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Tyra Banks
Demanding $50,000 in Court …
Over ‘Celebrity Shakedown’

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Inside Ex-Prince Andrew’s Entitlement-Filled Eviction

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Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor

Ex-Prince Andrew reportedly did not take his eviction from the Royal Lodge well.

The former Duke of York was stripped of his titles and sent to live away from the Royal Lodge, where he had lived for years, after the revelation of his ties to the sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. 

Ex-Prince Andrew recently got involved with the authorities over suspicion of misconduct in office. He was taken into custody from his new residence on his 66th birthday. 

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Ex-Prince Andrew Reportedly Played The Mommy Card During Royal Lodge Eviction

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor
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Andrew reportedly tried to resist being evicted from the Windsor mansion to Sandringham, claiming that as the Queen’s son, he could not be ordered to leave the estate. A Royal insider revealed that he refused to leave or take responsibility and “was so arrogant” about it.

“But I’m the Queen’s second son, you can’t do this to me,” he repeatedly cried out during the process of his eviction, raising concerns that he probably did not understand the extent of his situation in the public eye at the time. 

According to The Sun, Andrew was often considered the favorite child and/or blind spot of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II. This knowledge is probably why he insisted that he did not want to leave the mansion even after being stripped of his royal titles. 

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Ultimately, King Charles III reportedly forced him out of the Royal Lodge last October after it was revealed that he lied about cutting ties with Epstein.

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While Andrew lives out his exile at Sandringham estate, it is understood that the King privately funds his needs, as insiders disclosed that the disgraced royal has no retirement funds.

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The Former Duke Of York May Face Serious Charges

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor at King Charles III's coronation
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Andrew was arrested on Thursday, his 66th birthday, on suspicion of misconduct in a public office, related to his time as UK trade envoy from 2001 to 2011. The recently released Epstein files show conversations between the pals that call for investigation. 

Police vehicles with officers made their way to his abode that morning to conduct searches and take him in for questioning. His devices, such as computers and other electronics, are also to be assessed in search of further evidence.  

It was further revealed that Andrew was questioned for up to ten hours at Aylsham police station in Norfolk before he was released in the evening of the same day.

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His brother, King Charles, shared that he was deeply concerned with the turn of events but assured the public that their law must take its course, and he and the royal family would continue to serve the country.

The outcome of the investigations might be life-changing for the former Prince as he stands to lose his place as eighth in line to the throne. While he previously denied any wrongdoing,  Page Six notes that if convicted, he could face life in prison.

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The Disgraced Royal’s Eviction Previously Sparked An Investigation 

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor
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When the details of Andrew’s lease at the Windsor Estate hit the media, it raised eyebrows. He had lived in the mansion for over two decades and was only required to pay “one peppercorn (if demanded) per annum.” 

The Blast reported that news of this agreement raised dust in the public over whether taxpayers were getting any value from the deal, and in turn triggered an investigation by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

The investigations aimed to determine whether the Crown Estate properties are being properly managed, with a focus on the Royal Lodge. MPs also challenged the Crown Estate to explain Andrew’s lease and prove that it benefits taxpayers.

The PAC requested details on his living arrangements, and with the information received, the committee chair, Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, stated that “the information provided clearly forms the beginnings of a basis for an inquiry.”

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Former Prince Andrew Is Not The First In His Bloodline To Face Legal Issues

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor
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While the former Duke’s arrest comes as a shock to many, it should be noted that this does not mark the first time a person of royal blood has committed an offense. Andrew’s arrest still makes history as the first in almost 400 years of clean sheets for the royal family. 

The Blast detailed in a previous release, the members of the royal house who have previously been tied to some form of legal drama. Prince Philip, husband of the late Queen Elizabeth II, got involved with officials for driving without a seat belt in 2019. The Prince did not address the issue till his death and was never arrested.

Princess Anne, in 2002, was convicted of owning a dog that bit two children.  As a result, she was fined £500 for breaching the 1991 Dangerous Dogs Act, but was never arrested.

King Charles I was arrested in 1646 during the English Civil War. He was placed on house arrest and, after facing crimes of tyranny in court, was beheaded years later.

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Alan Cumming Slammed For Racial Slur Apology At BAFTA Awards

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Michael B. Jordan at the 2026 Golden Globes.

Social media users are fuming at Alan Cumming after the BAFTA Awards.

The actor and “Traitors” host issued an apology during the recent ceremony after a man in the audience with Tourette’s screamed a racial slur at Black actors Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo.

While his comments were likely shared with good intentions, netizens shared how his remarks seemed to excuse the damage that may have been caused.

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Alan Cumming Speaks During BAFTA Awards, Issues An Apology

A stunning moment from last night’s BAFTA Awards has captured global attention. According to Variety, Tourette’s campaigner John Davidson made several outbursts during the show, which featured offensive language, including “f-ck” and “shut the f-ck up.”

Elsewhere during the ceremony, Davidson—whose life served as the inspiration for the nominated biopic, “I Swear”—shouted the N-word while Jordan and Lindo were on stage, sparking horror as the video captured the audience audibly gasping.

Host Alan Cumming addressed the situation during the broadcast, noting that viewers may have heard “strong language.” He later expressed gratitude to the audience for their understanding and “helping create a respectful space for everyone.”

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Cumming Slammed Online By ‘Sinners’ Production Designer Hannah Beachler Over Apology

Cumming also sought to educate viewers who may have been unfamiliar with Tourette’s Syndrome, calling it “a disability and the tics you’ve heard tonight are involuntary, which means the person who has Tourette’s Syndrome has no control over their language. We apologize if you are offended tonight.”

“Sinners” production designer Hannah Beachler discussed the moment on her X account, revealing she was struggling with how to address the matter. “The situation is almost impossible, but it happened 3 times that night, and one of the three times was directed at myself on the way to dinner after the show,” Beachler wrote.

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Beachler explained that they were aware that they needed to handle the situation “with grace.” They added: “But what made the situation worse was the throw-away apology of ‘if you were offended.’”

“Of course, we were offended…but our frequency, our spiritual vibration is tuned to a higher level than what happened. I am not steal, this did not bounce off of me, but I exist above it. It can’t take away from who I am as an artist,” Beachler finished.

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Social Media Users Rip Into Cumming Over His Handling Of The Awards Scandal

Beachler was far from the only individual to weigh in on Cumming’s stance during the BAFTA Awards. Other social media users similarly voiced their opinions, expressing collective frustration with the “Traitors” star’s handling of the situation.

“No, Alan Cumming, I am NOT going to be understanding when a grown adult (even if they have disabilities) says a racist slur,” a user wrote on X.

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“Alan Cumming cannot be trusted either,” another user shared. “We don’t need to have understanding when we get called racial slurs. Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo were publicly humiliated and dehumanized. You could see it on their faces. They should NOT have had to endure that. Period.”

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Other social media users were incensed when they learned that the BBC had chosen not to scrap the footage from the replays.

Jamie Foxx Expresses Frustration After Seeing Footage Of Jordan And Delroy Being Called A Racial Slur During Awards Show

Actor Jamie Foxx commented on the situation on Instagram, calling out Davidson for hurling a racial slur at Jordan and Delroy while they were presenting the award for Best Special Visual Effects.

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“Nah, he meant that sh-t,” the “Blame It” singer wrote. “Out of all words you could’ve said, Tourette’s makes you say that?”

He added, “Unacceptable.”

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Jewel Bentley in 'Taking Care of Business' 'Memba Her?!

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Jewel Bentley in 'Taking Care of Business' 'Memba Her?!

American actress Loryn Locklin was 21 years old when she played the super sexy daughter, Jewel Bentley, in the 1990 classic “Taking Care of Business.” Locklin shared the big screen with Jim Belushi as Jimmy Dworski and Charles Grodin as Spencer…

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Morgan Fairchild Says She Didn’t ‘Sell Her Soul’ To Further Her Career

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Morgan Fairchild

Morgan Fairchild has opened up about the darker side of Hollywood and the conscious choice she made not to indulge in its pressures.

She revealed that she decided early on not to “sell her soul,” a stance that was reinforced by advice from a mentor.

Over the decades, Morgan Fairchild has continued to age gracefully and has earned recognition as one of Hollywood’s most iconic blondes.

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The Actress Has No Regrets About Not Compromising Her Standards

Morgan Fairchild
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In an industry often defined by compromise and cutthroat ambition, Morgan Fairchild says she made a deliberate choice not to “sell her soul” to get ahead in Hollywood.

The actress, who began her career in the early 1970s, shared the revelation during a recent conversation with Fox News Digital.

“I made my decision early on that I was not going to sell my soul or my pride or my dignity to succeed in this business,” the actress told the news outlet.

She has enjoyed a sterling career over the years since her debut, starring in films like “Seduction,” “Freak,” as well as TV roles, “Friends” and “Dallas.”

Still, while she believes that compromising might have pushed her even further, Fairchild has no regrets about not budging.

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“I might’ve done a little better if I had, but I was willing to live with that,” Fairchild continued.

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Morgan Fairchild Said There Were ‘Jobs She Lost’ Because She Refused To ‘Sleep With People’

Morgan Fairchild at the 45th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards
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According to Fairchild, she was confronted with the narrative that she needed to compromise to get ahead from the very moment she moved to Hollywood.

“When I first moved to L.A., everyone told me, ‘If you don’t go to the right parties, if you don’t sleep with the right people, and if you don’t do what everybody does, you’re never going to get anywhere,’” the “Flamingo Road” star revealed.

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Realizing this was how the industry was run left Fairchild in shock, as many of the vices people expected her to participate in weren’t things that were part of her lifestyle or habits.

“Well, I don’t even drink, much less do drugs. I just never did,” Fairchild recalled. “When they told me that’s what it takes to make it here, I thought, ‘Then I guess I just won’t have a career.’

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Even now, Fairchild believes there were “jobs she lost” simply because she “wouldn’t sleep with people.”

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“I know that, and I accept that I wasn’t willing to accept that. I just wasn’t willing to sleep with them,” she added.

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The Actress Shared The Best Advice She Ever Received From An Industry Colleague

 Morgan Fairchild arrives at the Washington Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C. on Saturday, April 26, 2008 for the annual White House Correspondents Association (WHCA) Dinner.
Ron Sachs – CNP / MEGA

Despite her decision not to compromise her standards, there were moments during Fairchild’s early days in the industry when she questioned her choice.

One such moment came at a cast party where she recalled attendees being “a little strange,” an experience that left her shocked and feeling emotionally unsettled.

“I went to a cast party, and I realized everybody was a little strange,” Fairchild recalled. “The next day, I was walking with one of my mentors, and he said, ‘You seem a little down.’ I told him, ‘I really like working on this movie, but I’m realizing it’s a strange world. I walked out on this party, but that’s the reality of the business, and I can’t just keep walking out on reality.’”

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After sharing her plight, the mentor, whom Fairchild chose not to name, offered what the actress described as the “best piece of advice” she has ever received.

“He said, ‘Nonsense, you can always walk out on reality.’ So that’s how I approached Hollywood,” the actress revealed.

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The Actress Posted Photos With Industry Colleagues

Now 76, Fairchild still remains one of Hollywood’s most memorable blondes.

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This reputation has seemingly been further fueled by how gracefully she has aged over the years.

As such, it came as no surprise when fans flooded her with praise after she shared photos of herself alongside familiar faces, including everyone from “The Facts of Life” and “Palm Royale” star Mindy Cohn to “Good Times” legend Jimmie Walker.

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