Tim Allen and Jenna Elfman‘s romance on Shifting Gears has raised eyebrows — but what has been said about the surprising fictional age gap?

Shifting Gears, which premiered in 2025, introduced fans to Matt (Allen) and Eve’s (Elfman) romance in season 1. The pair dated throughout the second season before calling it quits due to long distance. Matt and Eve — who have an age gap — found their way back to each other before season 2 concluded.

“Our showrunner [Michelle Nader] put this thing together and they really like the romance. I wanted a car show about a widower to deal with grief. That’s what I wanted,” Allen exclusively told Us Weekly in June 2026. “I loved Kat Dennings [as my daughter] because she’s the perfect choice. That old dynamic is really where I was at.”

Allen chose to go with the flow when Elfman’s character was introduced, saying, “They threw this romance in there and I know Jenna so I said, ‘That’s not the problem. It’s just that I’m feeling way too old for her.’ Sometimes they say, ‘Visually it doesn’t look like you think it does.’”

After seeing the reception to the relationship, Allen became interested to see where the show takes the characters next.

“She’s so fun to be around and it’s brought out a whole different part of that show and brought a different audience to that show,” he continued. “I’m really out there for the car guys and I make sure the car stuff is fun and exciting. Then the office is cool and now you’ve got romance for the people that want that. Because it turns out the flirting and the actual activity between these two characters is working and I said, ‘All right, I’ll go there.’ [Jenna is] really good at this and the romance is kind of generated quite by accident.”

Elfman, meanwhile, praised Allen for his support as a scene partner.

“I love doing scenes with Tim. I got very excited and it took me a couple episodes to go, ‘OK, who are we in this? Who are you? How is he playing within this format? How is his timing?’ It takes a moment to see how we’re dancing together as partners,” Elfman told Us in February 2025.

The actress continued: “He’s so confident as a comedic actor. He’s just confident and I’m confident and we don’t care if something [doesn’t land]. When you’ve been doing it long enough, you’re not paranoid about a joke not working and you don’t care. There’s no preciousness and there’s enough confidence to support the exploration of the scene of humor.”

Keep scrolling for the most candid commentary about Matt and Eve’s age gap:

Expressing Concerns

After the ABC show featured jokes about the age gap, Allen spoke to Us about his reaction.

“The age difference is not much different than my wife and I,” Allen, who has been married to wife Jane Hajduk since 2006, told Us in June 2026.

Allen noted that his response to the age gap varies, adding, “It depends on the pictures. It gets creepy for me at a certain age [and] we’re right at that border. If Jenna didn’t look so damn nice than our age gap is not that much. I just let my hair go natural and she just looks — especially on camera — quite young.”

Trusting the Vision

“They say when you’re lit better and I go, ‘When I’m lit better, I look probably 68,’” he quipped to Us. “I just don’t want to be creepy about it — and that’s kind of the borderline image these days.”

Allen continued: “It hasn’t really come out — except when they joke about, ‘Well, a guy your age.’ When they have her making jokes about it, it’s not my preference. But I said, ‘It’s admitting what is there.’ There’s times — and I’ll give it to them — that they lit right and in the right clothing so it doesn’t look creepy.”

Following What Works

After Matt and Eve’s brief onscreen split, Allen shut down the assumption that their issues were too large to work through.

“Coming up, you’ll see it’s not over yet and it’s really a different thing for a comic to play this,” Allen told Us in January 2026. “In the show, by design there’s more drama to lay the comedy on top of. It’s something I’ve always liked to do.”

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Allen stood by the vision, saying, “The reality of the story is that it was working and it was really romantic for the show. [While] they’re not really a couple yet, it just was really sad. Both of us really got affected by the writing of it and played it very well.”

Not Being Afraid of Obstacles

Before season 2, showrunner Michelle Nader teased the fictional couple’s journey.

“I will say that it is really interesting to watch them,” Nader shared with Us in September 2025 about the onscreen dynamic. “It’s interesting to watch their relationship develop, and so they’re going to go into high gear — but it’s going to be a little bit of a roller-coaster.”

There has been no shortage of Stephen King adaptations in recent years, but some have been more successful than others. Most fans would agree that the best adaptation of one of King’s novels to come in 2025 was The Long Walk, which earned widespread acclaim from critics and audiences while also finding success at the box office. The harrowing horror movie stars up-and-comers Cooper Hoffman and David Jonsson, and it was directed by Hunger Games helmer Francis Lawrence. The most anticipated King adaptation of 2025 came at the end of the year with The Running Man, the second retelling of the story after Arnold Schwarzenegger’s 1987 action classic. Unfortunately, the collective star power of Glen Powell, Josh Brolin, and Colman Domingo wasn’t enough to get The Running Man off the ground, and it ran out of stamina quickly before scattering to Paramount Plus.

Stephen King has written hundreds of novels, many of which, such as The Running Man and Carrie have been adapted more than once. Carrie was told as a feature film back in the 70s, and now Mike Flanagan is telling the story through the lens of a Prime Video original TV show. Carrie won’t be the first time that one of King’s books unfolds over the course of a show on Prime Video, though. King’s famous short story, The Colorado Kid, was previously adapted into a series on Prime Video, Haven, which ran for five seasons between 2010 and 2015. Over 10 years after Haven went off the air, the show has resurfaced as the #10 most popular horror show in the world on Prime Video.

What Is ‘Haven’ About?

The official synopsis for Haven, which was written and created for TV by Jim Dunn and Sam Ernst, reads as follows: “FBI agent Audrey Parker arrives in the coastal town of Haven, Maine, expecting a routine case. Instead, she uncovers “The Troubles” — a wave of supernatural afflictions haunting the town’s residents. Teaming with local detective Nathan Wuornos and smuggler Duke Crocker, Audrey digs deeper into the mysteries plaguing Haven, only to find her own hidden past is tied to its darkest secrets.” Haven stars Emily Rose, Lucas Bryant, and Eric Balfour in leading roles. The show earned a solid 63% from critics on Rotten Tomatoes to pair with a strong 84% on the audience-driven Popcornmeter.

Check out all five seasons of Haven on Prime Video with ads and stay tuned to Collider for more updates and coverage of King’s work.

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Release Date

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2010 – 2015-00-00

Directors

Tim Southam, Fred Gerber, Jason Priestley, Rob Lieberman, T. W. Peacocke, Adam Kane, Keith Samples, Ken Girotti, Lynne Stopkewich, Rachel Talalay, Rick Rosenthal, Stephen Reynolds, Mairzee Almas

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Writers

Sam Ernst, Jim Dunn

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  Adam Copeland

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  Dwight Hendrickson

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  Brenda Bazinet

  Gwen Glendower

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  Christian Murray

  Chet Lawson

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  Christine Taylor

  Cathy the Caterer

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Nolan Xavier Wells was reportedly last seen alive on July 4th. The 18-year-old had traveled to Horn Island on a boat trip. He spent time with at least three males, according to photos his mother shared during the search for him. After two days missing, a park ranger reportedly found a body in the northwest end of Horn Island. An autopsy is pending to confirm the body’s identity with DNA. On Facebook, his mother asked for privacy to grieve and thanked the rescue efforts.

RELATED: Body Of 18-Year-Old Nolan Xavier Wells Found On Horn Island Two Days After Going Missing, Mother Confirms (UPDATE)

In between sending his parents love, the internet has also raised questions about where Wells was ultimately found. Here are some key things to know about Horn Island.

Horn Island Is Only 10 Miles Long

Horn Island is approximately between 10 to 12 miles long from east to west, but very narrow. 10 miles long is the same thing as traveling between 10 to 15 minutes on a highway with no traffic or walking the entire length of the National Mall in Washington, DC at least three times. But it’s only 1 mile wide though and that’s reportedly at it’s widest point. See drone footage of the island and surrounding waters below. 

How Do You Get There? 

Horn Island is about 8-10 miles off the Gulf Coast of Mississippi, according to the National Parks Conversation Association. From Ocean Springs it’d take about 20 to 25 minutes to get there, but only if the waters are calm. Nolan Well grew up in Ocean Springs and graduated from Ocean Springs High School last year. The main way to travel to Horn Island is on a private boat, like the 18-year-old did with presumed friends on July 4.

What’s The Terrain Of Horn Island Like? 

Horn Island is mostly flat sand, but can switch up quickly. For example, every 200 yards, it can go from white sand beaches to rolling sand dunes, to pine forests, lagoons and even hidden marshlands.

It’s A Designated Wilderness Area With Wild Animals

According to the National Park Service, there are no bathroom facilities, shelter, trash cans, drinking water sources or even staff on the island. However, they allow people to camp, fish, bird watch and boat on and off the shores of the island with the expectation of following the “Leave No Trace” principles. Glass containers aren’t allowed, neither are pets.

That said, visitors are also subject to the animals living on and surrounding Horn Island. Dolphins are known to play and swim close to boats on the beach. The sandy shores are active with crabs and wild oysters in the shallow water, per NOLA.com. On land, there’s marsh rabbits and black racer snakes. And alligators also live permanently in Horn Island’s interior habitats, like lagoons and ponds. Sometimes, per the NPCA, they even sunbathe on the open beaches and swim in the ocean.

RELATED: UPDATE: Autopsy On Body Of Nolan Xavier Wells Reportedly Scheduled As Internet Users Send Support To His Mom & Family

For Tate McRae, Snoop Dogg, and more Hollywood celebrities, July 4 in the Hamptons will always be a date for the books!

The superstars donned their best outfits, dancing shoes, and social skills to attend some of the dozens of parties thrown in the Hamptons to celebrate 250 years of America’s independence.

Tate McRae was earlier spotted breezing into New York to attend Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s wedding on July 3 before running it back to the Hamptons for more fun.

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Akiva’s annual July 4th party became a feature in the post-pandemic Hamptons party boom around 2021 and 2022. However, he has been a prominent face in the Hamptons summer nightlife circuit since the early 2000s.

Akiva partnered with venues like Kissaki in Water Mill during the 2022 holiday weekend to throw a star-studded Hamptons event, which laid the foundation for an annual July 4th celebration.

This year was not any different; the nightlife king opened the doors of his spot at the Sagaponack beach to hundreds of A-listers for his annual “The Afters” bash. The number of attendees reportedly increased from an invited 400 to 1000 and they all watched Hollywood’s biggest names unwind.

Akiva’s event, co-hosted by Jeremy Tahari, witnessed attendance from McRae, Justin Skye, Jordyn Woods, Alabama Barker, Travis Scott, Snoop Dogg, and Mike Tyson, who marked his 60th birthday with a cake. 

As shared by Page Six, McRae and her pal Earle, alongside socialite Anastasia Karanikolaou, showed off their best moves as they hopped on the couch and danced the night away. The “Greedy” singer arrived in the Hamptons after watching Swift exchange vows with Kelce at MSG in New York.

Snoop Dogg Blew Off The Roof At The Surf Lodge In Montauk

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McRae was not the only musician who had a time on July 4th weekend; her industry colleague and pop culture icon, Dogg, also showed up at Nylon’s party in Montauk.

The rapper reportedly serenaded attendees, including McRae, Milly Bobby Brown and her husband Jake Bongiovi, Earle, Emma Roberts, Bethenny Frankel, among many others.

Although the festivities in Montauk kicked off on Thursday, July 2, just in time for the corporate elites to land in for a performance from DJs and Murda Beatz, Saturday, July 4 really took the cake.

According to Nylon founder Jayma Cardoso to Vogue, Dogg’s presence at the event came after many years of her trying to book him. 

The rapper got to perform some of his killer tunes like “California Gurls,” “Gin and Juice,” and “P.I.M.P” to an excited crowd who secured last-minute wristbands to watch him do his thing.

Cardoso continued that it was a moment everyone deserved, to come together, dance, and watch the sunset without dealing with the distraction of phones and work schedules.

One Famous July 4th Party At The Hamptons Got Moved Due To Taylor Swift’s Wedding

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For most socialites, the name Michael Rubin has become the synonym for July 4 thanks to his massive annual all-white party usually hosted on Independence Day.

The New York Times reported that this year actually took a different turn, no thanks to the much-anticipated nuptials of Swift and Kelce, which had nearly the whole of Hollywood in attendance.

Rubin had hosted his famous party on July 1 at his $50 million mansion in Bridgehampton to prevent it from clashing with the singer’s wedding celebration on July 2 and 3. The socialites had expressed that he did not want people to be forced to choose, as his date allowed them to experience the best of both worlds.

A source described Rubin’s party as the one with the biggest celebrity pull in the Hamptons, as they usually fly in for that specific event, which featured a mix of sports stars and Hollywood’s finest alongside business moguls. 

Michael Rubin’s All-White Party Delivers Celebrity Fashion, Surprise Performance And Fireworks

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Three years ago, Rubin’s expansive beachfront estate glowed with neon pink lights and sparkling white ensembles from famous faces including Beyoncé, Jay Z, Kim Kardashian and Leonardo DiCaprio.

A few highlights, however, made the event memorable, as stated by Vogue, including Lori Harvey’s impromptu fashion show, which went viral on TikTok, racking up millions of views. While celebrity DJs like Travis Scott and Jack Harlow spun the deck, Ne-Yo and Usher threw in real-life performances in the mix.

The latter even engaged in a dance interlude with Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck as Tom Brady and Robert Kraft kept up the appearance for the sports industry. The attendees were fed rounds of pizza, other exotic meals, and shots of alcohol from the stables of Dusse and Ace of Spades.

The 2023 edition of the annual all-white celebration proudly powered by Rubin ended with electric fireworks displayed by the Grucci Family.

Inside The Billionaire’s Parties At The Hamptons And Beyond

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In 2024, Rubin discussed with Billboard the process that goes into throwing a successful party and how it has also become an avenue to network the right way. To be more precise, Jay Z signed Latin music act J Balvin to Roc Nation Management three months after they met at one of Rubin’s events in 2023.

While he has a hold in the sports world due to his business of selling licensed apparel from every major professional sports team, his most trusted allies and advisers include Jay-Z, Meek Mill, and Lil Baby.

He revealed in the interview that for his parties, he manages the guest list by himself and approves each person’s presence in the room. But when it comes to the music policy, his close pal Jay-Z handles that. According to Rubin:

“I’m always getting input from Jay-Z. I’ll call and ask people, Hey, do we want this person? Do we not want this person? People don’t understand, I’m not a music guy. My brain doesn’t work that way.”

The next July 4 definitely has a record to break in the Hamptons!

Yellowstone‘s spinoff 6666 has been in development for five years — but is there a chance the show will finally premiere amid delays?

Creator Taylor Sheridan introduced the concept of a show set at the 6666 Ranch when Jefferson White‘s character Jimmy left the Duttons’ ranch during season 4 of Yellowstone. His time at 6666 was shown numerous times — with Sheridan playing Jimmy’s boss on the show.

Off screen, Sheridan bought the famous 6666 Ranch in Texas. At the time, Sheridan addressed the historic value of the property without confirming his participation in its sale.

“The legacy of the 6666 Ranch and Miss Marion’s vision for the ranch are vital not only to the ranch itself, but the rich heritage of ranching in Texas,” he told the Texas Spur in May 2021. “This legacy is so important to me I chose to highlight it in the upcoming season of Yellowstone and will continue to further the legacy and preserve its operations in a manner consistent with that great vision.”

Related: Is ‘Yellowstone’ Spinoff ‘6666’ Still Happening? Delays Explained

Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone universe continues to expand — but whatever happened to the planned 6666 spinoff? The popular franchise, which premiered in 2018, introduced viewers to the fictional Dutton family, who own the largest ranch in Montana. While some viewers came for Kevin Costner’s portrayal of family patriarch John Dutton — and stayed for the […]

The ranch operations would be at the center of 6666 since most of the land continues to run the same as it did over a century ago.

“Founded when Comanches still ruled West Texas, no ranch in America is more steeped in the history of the West than the 6666,” the official series description for the spinoff stated in 2021. “Still operating as it did two centuries before, and encompassing an entire county, the 6666 is where the rule of law and the laws of nature merge in a place where the most dangerous thing one does is the next thing. … The 6666 is synonymous with the merciless endeavor to raise the finest horses and livestock in the world, and ultimately where world class cowboys are born and made.”

6666’s future, however, was overshadowed by other prequels in the franchise and Yellowstone‘s dramatic conclusion after star Kevin Costner‘s departure in the fifth and final season.

The most recent update about 6666 came in 2022 when it was announced that the show would air on Paramount Network instead of Paramount+. Since then, Dutton Ranch was released on Paramount+ and Marshals premiered on CBS. There has also been talk of a possible prequel titled 1944 but more of the focus has been on Sheridan’s non-Yellowstone productions — including Landman and The Madison.

Fans have taken the public silence regarding 6666 as a sign that production won’t be moving forward. Keep scrolling for the rare updates from the cast about 6666:

Taking His Time

Even though Yellowstone has inspired several shows about the Dutton family, Sheridan elaborated on his approach to each project.

“[It is a] peek through a different window into a different era. Again, I don’t think of any of these as spinoffs, but rather as complete stories that have common roots,” he told Deadline in February 2022. “My goal with the next one would be that you could never have seen 1883 or Yellowstone, and still have a fully realized experience as a viewer.”

Jimmy’s Future After ‘Yellowstone’

White previously noted that he wasn’t sure whether Jimmy was set to stay at the Texas location with his wife, Emily (Kathryn Kelly).

“We don’t know anything. Listen, I certainly don’t know anything,” he exclusively told Us Weekly in March 2022 about the character’s original ending before 6666. “I think it’s very funny. People keep expecting me to know what’s going on, and nobody would tell Jimmy anything, right? Like, it feels like another way in which me and Jimmy are similar is that nobody tells me anything. So, I would be incredibly excited to go back to work in Montana. I would be incredibly thrilled to go back to work in Texas.”

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Related: ‘Yellowstone’ Spinoff ‘6666’: Everything to Know So Far Amid Delays

After the success of Yellowstone, the show expanded with were the 6666 spinoff that has yet to premiere amid delays. Creator Taylor Sheridan‘s vision for the present-day series quickly became a topic of conversation when he reportedly bought the famous 6666 Ranch in Texas. At the time, Sheridan addressed the historic value of the property without […]

Worth the Wait

Amid ongoing delays, Yellowstone director Christina Voros said that working with Sheridan meant possible long pauses between projects.

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“We don’t know until we get the scripts what the story is. And when the time to tell the story is upon us, there will be a script in my inbox,” she said in a 2024 interview with TV Insider about the Yellowstone series finale. “And I will be really happy to saddle up.”

She continued: “I honestly don’t know how Taylor chooses to tell which stories he chooses to tell when [about 6666 and 1944]. I think he has closed a lot of doors on Yellowstone this season. There are obviously characters that we will not see again because they have been dispatched. But I think he has left some doors open, and there’s some doors that I can’t tell if they’re locked or not yet. But we will know when we cross through them.”

No Updates

White denied having any updates in December 2025, telling The Daily Mail, “Not that I know of now. I kept my fingers crossed, but also, I’d be grateful if I got to do more and I’m grateful for what I got to do. I don’t want to be selfish. We got a lot of great mileage out of that show.”

Decked out in an all-white ensemble with a loose sweater draped over his shoulders, Common is the epitome of cool on a Tuesday afternoon in Los Angeles. Junket days rarely leave much room for small talk, but he never rushes our time together. Instead, he greets me with a warm smile, pauses before answering, and speaks with thoughtful intention. It’s even more obvious when I ask about what it means to him to create work that stays with people.

“When I first started my work as an artist, music, all I knew was the love I have for it. I was just putting in my soul and my spirit and my creativity, my imagination, my love for it as a fan of music and all types of art. But as I started to create and put music out there, I liked the way it felt when I created art that resonated with people,” Common says, emphasizing the importance of that element over any record sales. “It was more about the way people responded to the music, that light that I could see in their faces when they were at the shows, the conversations I would have with people about the music. And I think from that point, I realized the power of art; I saw what art can be.”

Listening to him, it’s hard not to draw comparisons to The Flamekeepers in his Apple TV series, Silo. While the group does persist in the deep dark silos, their sole purpose is to preserve fragments of the past so that truth survives. Common isn’t trying to archive history in quite the same way, but there is a similar instinct behind the work he has chosen throughout his career. Whether it’s Selma’s Oscar-winning anthem, “Glory,” his roles in The Hate U Give or Hell on Wheels, or the causes he lends his voice to, Common is continuously drawn to work that outlasts the individual moment in which it was created.

‘Silo’ Season 3 Finally Lets Robert Sims Out of the Shadows

If Common believes the best art lives beyond a specific point in time, then Silo has quietly become one of those rare television series doing exactly that. Fans of the Apple TV show don’t just watch it religiously; they debate and dissect every single frame. It’s that level of attention that makes Robert Sims’ evolution even more satisfying this time around, and he steps into Season 3 as one of its most fascinating and complicated characters.

With his slick black leather jacket, sharp turtleneck, and quiet evil-henchman energy that could rival even the most legendary Bond villains, Robert has spent two seasons as one of Silo’s most intimidating figures — enforcing rules, protecting Judicial, and standing firmly behind a system that rarely welcomes questions (and rarely tolerates them). But he always seems to know more than he’s saying, which is exactly what makes Season 3 such an interesting turning point for the character.

“When you find [him] at the end of Season 2, he and his wife Camille [are] going back and forth on the right way to do it. Some of the things that he believed throughout his life were being questioned, and his wife was one of the people who was bringing it to him. But internally, he was also having questions about the things that he had been fighting for and standing up for and being the head of Judicial for.”

Common never once describes his character as a man losing power, but more as someone losing certainty, and that difference matters. While Robert finds himself caught between the job he’s expected to do and the doubts quietly building beneath the surface, he is one of the people trying to keep everything together despite a cracking foundation. One of the smartest choices Graham Yost’s adaptation of Hugh Howey’s novels makes this season is refusing to turn Robert into either a hero or a villain.

“What interested me the most was the fact that this season, we get to see the human being,” Common reveals. “When you are dealing with trying to protect your son and create something right for your child… [or] when you’re dealing with a relationship, a marriage that you’ve put all your heart and soul into, and built this secure place for your family, and all that is unraveling, and you’ve got to deal with a lot of different emotions, you question a lot of things about yourself.”

For Common, Alexandria Riley’s Camille is the key to understanding Robert this season. Watching those two drift to opposite sides of the same question also gives Season 3 some of its emotional weight, especially because neither of them is acting out of spite toward the other. They’re just arriving at different conclusions, which Common views less as conflict and more as growing uncertainty.

“You could be in a place of authority, but inside, be in a place of unknown, and really trying to find yourself and find your way.” That said, Common admits that his character isn’t “really grounded” at the start of the season, either. “That first episode, though, he has to do the job. It’s like being in a job, and you’re not sure you’re in the right place, and you’re doing the right thing, but you’re still executing it. He has a lot of questions that need to be answered and decisions that need to be made.”

One of the biggest changes Common stresses about Season 3 is how Robert and Camille are at opposite ends of what it means to protect those in Silo 18. “What’s even causing more turmoil and more of him being disgruntled is that he and his wife, the person who was the security blanket, the person who was his confidant, they’re not vibing,” he says.

That tension with his wife that also changes how Robert looks at Rebecca Ferguson’s Juliette. While originally, she represented everything he believed threatened the silo’s survival, she’s now become something else entirely. “I really think that Robert has more room for compassion for Juliette at the beginning of the season,” Common says, adding that there is an element of wonder in how Robert views her, given that she was the only person who went out to clean and came back alive. “He sees that what she’s been fighting for may not be wrong.”

That shift is part of what makes Common’s scenes with Ferguson, whom he describes as a “free bird,” feel so different this year, too. They’re not exactly playing opponents, but more so two people slowly discovering that they may have been searching for the same thing all along, even if they took different roads to get there. Robert’s question of “What is the truth?” also gives him a better understanding of Juliette’s cause.

“They haven’t had any time to communicate or bond, but he looks at her differently. He sees her differently, with more respect and understanding, and wonder.” The scenes he shared with Ferguson, Common says, had “life to them,” simply because the two were so present for each other. “It was interesting to play in the first episode because I know that Robert, as a character, was deceiving her, but I also cared about her.”

Common Has Never Been Afraid of the Risk

Photography by Gina Gizella Manning for Collider

That kind of compassion isn’t something Common wields depending on the role. It’s actually the same instinct that’s guided him since he first picked up a microphone in the late 1980s as a student at Luther High School South in Chicago. Long before audiences knew him as Robert Sims on Silo, they knew him as a rapper who wasn’t afraid to grow beyond expectations. That willingness to move before everyone else also defined some of the biggest swings in his music career.

But before Common addresses the risk of 2002’s Electric Circus, the singer-songwriter highlights the impact his favorite artists had on him in terms of what their music could hold for others. “Growing up, it was Stevie Wonder, KRS–One, Nina Simone, Aretha Franklin, and Earth, Wind, and Fire, all these artists who shaped my life and influenced me to be who I was,” he says warmly. “I realized, ‘Wow, this is something that my art can do.’”

It’s interesting that even now, after Grammys, platinum records, and an Academy Award, Common still talks about music not as a form of entertainment, but more as a responsibility. Those artists didn’t simply soundtrack his childhood, but showed him that songs could shift the way we think, feel, or even see ourselves. That’s the standard he quietly set for his own work long before anyone started calling it influential. “I just did my best, and I continue to do my best to be as honest with where I am as an artist,” he says with a smile. “I want to stay open and stay free to grow and keep the higher purpose in the work that I do. I believe that that is what will allow things to have a timeless effect, and when you put the truth into it.”

As luck would have it, that philosophy would finally be tested. By the time his fourth album, Like Water for Chocolate, arrived in 2000, Common had reached the widest audience of his career. His second single off the record, “The Light,” became a smash hit, introducing his music to listeners far beyond hip-hop’s core and giving him his first real taste of commercial success. “That was the first time I was really on the summer jams in Seattle, in Alabama, in freaking Chicago to Brooklyn, to New York, L.A.,” he reflects. The record, which was also produced by J Dilla and Questlove, is one he looks back on fondly as “really soulful and different.”

But while the easier decision would’ve been to make Like Water for Chocolate all over again, Common went in another direction with his sound. After listening to artists like Pink Floyd, Jimi Hendrix, Radiohead, and Stereolab, the artist wondered what those sounds would become through his own perspective. “What does that sound like coming from me, coming from this Black man here from the South Side of Chicago? How do I interpret that music that’s inspired by that?’ And that’s what Electric Circus became,” he says. “And it was very risky.”

Risk, as it turned out, came with consequences, as Common admits. “At least from the hip-hop audience, they were like, ‘Oh, we don’t like this.’ The critics didn’t dig it,” he recalls with a laugh. “Man, it was a tough time, to be honest.”

Time, however, has a funny way of changing the conversation. In the years that followed, the resurgence of the album on streaming would find fans calling it a cult classic. “That album was labeled as one of the most innovative and creative and classic albums of that time period,” he grins. “People to this day come up to me and say, ‘Man, one of my favorite albums of yours is Electric Circus.’”

Common doesn’t tell that story like some kind of victory lap or sign of personal vindication. If anything, he sees it as proof that chasing the truth is usually worth the wait. “As an artist, you gotta go where you are, the love, what you care about,” he adds. “There’s something in creating something from a truthful place that at least allows it to have a timeless effect. It might not always, but it will at least be allowed if you create it from a place of truth. So, that was my truth at that time.”

‘Hell on Wheels’ Taught Common to Trust the Journey

Imae via Chris Large; AMC/Everett Collection

After the creative gamble of Electric Circus, Common found himself searching for another place to grow, and as luck would have it, he found it somewhere he never expected. “My first acting class was like, ‘Wow, I feel that freedom. This is what it should be. This is what I believe God wants me to do, also.’ So I did.”

Never wanting to be “put in a box as a musical artist,” Common now admits he needed to express himself in some artistic way, where he could “feel free.” That sentiment eventually led him to Hell on Wheels, where he spent five seasons playing the incredibly layered former slave turned Chief of Railroad Police, Elam Ferguson. Looking back almost 10 years to the date of the series finale, Common doesn’t simply remember his time on the award-winning drama as another acting credit. Rather, he talks about it the way someone remembers the place where everything finally clicked.

“Hell on Wheels, man, that was like a really great college for me,” he smiles, reclining slightly as he reflects on how the AMC series both taught him to work and be present. “It was a real lesson because it was the first time I was working that consistently, and I got to stay in a character and learn more about that character.” For the first time in his career, Common wasn’t just building a character over the course of a few weeks with various crews and directors, but rather over years. As it goes, TV forced him to embrace something he already learned about in music, which is that you can’t always know where the journey is headed.

“When you read a movie script, you know where your character ends, you know what your character may be doing in Act Three. In a TV series, you don’t, so you have to be open to where they take you. They also build on what you bring into the character,” he points out.

Listening to him talk about the show, it’s easy to understand why Silo’s Robert Sims has been such a natural fit across three seasons. There’s a visible pleasure in the way Common describes that process, as though the uncertainty is part of the appeal. He doesn’t seem interested in deciding who a character is before he steps into their shoes. For him, the work is in the discovery.

“I always have to go to what the truth of the character is,” he says. “I always have to go to that character’s purpose in the story, and how they serve the story.” That answer leads me to another question, about something I’d noticed between Elam and Robert. On paper, they’re worlds apart. One has spent years fighting against an unjust system, while the other devotes himself to protecting a version of the same. But beneath those differences, both men are trying to light a spark in worlds that ask impossible things of them.

Turns out that Common has been thinking about that connection, too. “I saw some similarities,” he says, almost squinting. “Initially, playing Robert Sims, I was like, ‘Man, me, Rashid, Common, is not the type of guy like Robert Sims. I’m not that type of person.’” But then, as he puts it, Robert began changing for him. “Elam had to fight against that. He had to buck the system in Hell on Wheels early because he was a Black man in the 1800s. But Robert discovered that this system that he was fighting for or standing up for, there’s no truth in that. So now, he is becoming closer to what Elam is in that way.”

What stayed with Common most about Elam wasn’t just that he fought the system; it was that the world never fully hardened him, even after everything it put him through. “One thing about Elam that I really did my best to bring to the character was, as much as this Black man during that time had been through, he still had love in him. He still had compassion and cared about people.”

It’s an observation that says as much about Common as it does about the characters he chooses to play. Whether he’s stepping into a Western or a dystopian sci-fi series, he isn’t interested in people who already have all the answers. He’s drawn to the beats of confidence that lead to curiosity, because that’s where the humanity lives.

Common Is Still a Student of the World

Photography by Gina Gizella Manning for Collider

If Hell on Wheels taught Common anything about himself, it was that growth doesn’t end once you’ve found your footing. In fact, it becomes easier to recognize all the places where real evolution comes from. When I ask how all these chapters of his career have shaped the artist he is today, he laughs. “Oh, man, I’ve got so many different eras. It’s fun sometimes to look back and see pictures of myself or even hear myself on albums, and I’m like, ‘Wow, I said that?’ But the thing that I embrace is being open to the growth and being open to the eras.”

Common doesn’t talk about those branches in time as though they’re versions of himself he’d rather leave behind. Instead, he carries all of them with him, even the difficult ones. “All these different facets of life that I’ve experienced definitely helped shape where I’m going now, and I don’t forget those things. Like the shows where people were throwing pennies at me in New Jersey, at this club where I’m opening up for KRS. I don’t forget that.”

The triumphs matter, too, and Common humbly admits he doesn’t forget the “good moments.” He smiles while recounting one conversation in particular, when Prince walked up to him after hearing “The Light,” which was an experience in itself that later led to a collaboration on Electric Circus for the track “Star *69 (PS With Love).”

“When Prince came to me and said, ‘Man, the song, ‘The Light,’ I really dig that song, man. It’s a major chord.’ I didn’t know music theory like that, so I was just agreeing with Prince, like, ‘Yeah, it’s a major chord!’ Those things gave me fuel,” Common says, laughing. It’s a funny story, but it reveals a lot about how he moves through the world. Along the way, success hasn’t dulled his curiosity, but rather sharpened it.

Similarly, almost 20 years after appearing in Ridley Scott’s crime epic, American Gangster, alongside Denzel Washington and Ruby Dee, Common talks about the experience not through the lens of standing alongside Hollywood legends, but as someone still taking mental notes of everything he witnessed on set. “The times in life when I’m sitting on a set and watching Denzel and Ruby go to work… I’m like, wow, I’m picking up all these things,” he recalls. “Even from some artists that may not be as well known, but I still see them at work. All those things and people help shape and form me and inspire me.”

While watching Hollywood icons work is one classroom, life has always served up different lessons for Common. Some of the people who have left the deepest impression on him aren’t your regular Grammy winners or Academy Award nominees; they’re people he’s met while visiting prisons, where conversations have stayed with him long after he walked back out.

“When I visit people who are incarcerated, and I go there and just have conversations with the women and men who are incarcerated, some conversations make me who I am, like the talks I have with them,” he says with a pause. “Or seeing a guy who taught himself piano on cardboard because he didn’t have a piano in prison, and now he can play piano. That’s inspiring to me.”

It’s also one of the clearest insights Common offers into how he moves through life and contributes to it with several nonprofits he also supports, like Imagine Justice, Common Ground Foundation and Free to Dream. He never ranks where inspiration truly comes from — because, between Prince and a man teaching himself piano on a piece of cardboard, they occupy the same space for what’s possible when we refuse to stop growing. “I feel like being open to life and seeking, as you say, curiosity,” he says. “I’m a seeker. Those things really help inform my eras, you know?”

Common’s Most Important Life Lessons Were Learned at Home

Photography by Gina Gizelle Manning for Collider

Common might call himself a “seeker,” but long before he was learning from legends or individuals in prison, someone else had quietly shaped the way he sees the world: his mother, Dr. Mahalia Ann Hines, an educator and former principal in Chicago. When asked how his definition of creating an impact has changed over the years, he immediately turns to the foundation his mother laid out for him.

“My mother’s a teacher. She got a doctorate in education,” Common shares. “From the beginning, as long as I can remember life, I’ve seen her looking out for people. It wasn’t always in a formal way, but it was like, sometimes students she had, on the weekends, could come to our house and eat or whatever. I’ve seen her taking care of family too, in certain ways, and making sure they were okay, or helping friends get summer jobs.”

Yet he also admits it was never like philanthropic work; it was more for the community and “doing for people that you’re around who are in need.” He knew he wanted to continue with the same call to action he saw from his mother growing up. “Whether it was my homies, my good friends, that needed something, I would try to provide, or I would be a connector to help them get to a certain place in their lives. Whatever they wanted to pursue, I wanted to do that.”

Listening to Common, it’s clear that instinct never disappeared. Instead, the audience just got bigger, and he got more creative with it. “When I got out there as an artist, I still wanted to be that connector, but now for a bigger amount of people,” he says thoughtfully. “Now, it’s, ‘Okay, how can I connect these kids that come from where I come from, or any pocket on the earth, with people who have high potential but don’t have the access, how can I provide to them?’”

As he talks, the word “access” keeps resurfacing, proving this is a characteristic that is ingrained in every fiber of Common’s being. As his career expanded, so did the knowledge of what he could offer others through his successes. Mentorship became one part of it, but introducing young people to careers they may never have imagined became another.

“The blessing of certain things being successful or certain things getting out there, like winning an Oscar, was like, ‘Oh, these different people now I can make a call to,” he says most confidently. “I can make a call to the CEO of a company and say, ‘Hey, man, we need to do this,’ and we come up with a 10,000-job initiative in Chicago.”

As he puts it, “it evolves” across the board. “Now I know what a gaffer is. Now I know there are people that do sound on the movie,” he says. “It’s 200 people working on this set… They might eventually say, ‘Oh, I want to be a makeup artist. Well, I want to actually be a director of photography.’”

There’s something quietly consistent about the way Common describes all of it. Whether it’s music, acting, or even advocacy, success for the multifaceted artist only seems valuable if it creates another opportunity for someone else. “At some point… I felt like as much work as I put into my acting and into my music, I wanted to have that same type of work into the activism and the philanthropic work I do, meaning have structure and be strategic and be creative with how you can help people.”

Common’s Found Purpose Beyond Purpose

Photography by Gina Gizella Manning for Collider

For every road that Common has taken across 30 years, it’s striking how often they lead back to the same place. Music became acting, while acting expanded into activism, and activism grew alongside service. None of it seems driven by his personal pursuit of another accolade; instead, there’s only the desire to leave something behind that genuinely matters.

While Common began our conversation by talking about work that reaches people long after it’s made, by the end of it all, he admits his journey is still just getting started. “I feel like I’m on a quest to be impactful as an actor and be as inspiring and mood-changing and life-changing as an actor and storyteller as I’ve been as a musician for some people,” he says. “It’s about picking projects that resonate with you. Of course, as an actor, you’re like, ‘I want to work! I want to work!’ But you have to still be aware and conscious and mindful of the projects you choose.”

That mindfulness feels like the quiet ember under everything Common does. He doesn’t pretend there’s a secret formula to building a career that lasts, either. “To me, there’s no formula, but those are the only ingredients and things that I can say I’ve put in that have blessed me and allowed me. Obviously, the power, the Most High, and the purpose of what God has put me here to do is allow me, but my consciousness of it and applying it has been those things.”

It’s a sentiment that quietly reframes everything we’ve spent the last hour talking about, as Common admits he doesn’t see art as something to consume or even create. “I’m grateful that you say that I’m a part of art that is lasting, because that’s one of the ways that you can give to the planet.”

That, more than anything, seems to be the driving force Common keeps circling back to — not legacy as a trophy case or a time capsule found in silos hundreds of years later, but as something passed along. By the time our conversation winds down, the question no longer feels like what Common has been chasing, but what has been carrying him all along.

“I hope [others] feel my driving force was about purpose, about spreading joy, about having a connection to God, to a higher power, and seeing the God that exists in all human beings. That will translate into love, so I hope that they feel like, ‘Man, one thing we got from Common’s acting, from his music, and from the work he did for people was that he put love into it, and he had love for them, and I think it was a funnel of the love of God.’”

Photography Credits: Photographer: Gina Gizella Manning | Production Assistance: GIZELLA | Lighting Director: Mike Pecci | Digital Imaging Technician: Mike Tran | Grip: Lance A. Williams

Styling Credits: Barber: Daronn Carr | Grooming: Tasha Brown | Styling: Kate March

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Silo

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Release Date

May 5, 2023

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Apple TV

Showrunner

Graham Yost

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Directors

Morten Tyldum, David Semel, Michael Dinner, Aric Avelino

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New footage circulating online allegedly shows a crowd arguing on Horn Island on the same day of Nolan Xavier Wells‘ disappearance. Civil Rights attorney Ben Crump reposted the video on Instagram after content creator @valsinsights initially shared the footage.

The video reportedly originated on TikTok on Monday, July 6.

Related: Nolan Xavier Wells’ Friends Reportedly Speak Out As His Remains Are Recovered On Horn Island (UPDATE)

Footage From Horn Island Shows Nolan Xavier Wells Amid Crowd Before Disappearance

Nolan Xavier Wells’ body was found on Monday, July 6, on Horn Island, Mississippi, two days after he disappeared following a Fourth of July celebration on Saturday, July 4. The 18-year-old was one of the few Black students on a trip to the island, and his family reported him missing when he did not return with the rest of the group.

The video that has since originated was apparently shot from a distance on a boat. And it appears to show a crowd as one individual is heard yelling. It is unclear who the person was shouting at in the footage.

As the footage pans from left to right, several groups of people are seen watching the argument from different boats. Several groups of people are also wading in the water while watching the argument.

Arguing Can Be Heard On The Video

One of Nolan’s friends told the Sun Herald the college student was a great role model. He added that Wells often broke up arguments among friends when they were younger.

His friend, Trace Carter, also spoke to the outlet and revealed that he had spoken to Nolan just before the trip to Horn Island.

“Just hit me up when you get back,” said Carter. “Just be careful, bro. Watch out for yourself.”

Wells replied, “I got you. I’ll hit you up later.”

Nolan’s best friend, 17-year-old Jayvon Williams, said he was supposed to ride to the island on the same boat as Wells, but it filled up too fast. He rode out to Horn Island on another boat but saw Nolan there around 4 p.m.

“As soon as we got out there, he told me that he loved me,” said Williams, while adding that the two always stuck up for each other.

Williams also noted that his friend visited with a girl on the island.

Nolan Xavier Wells Was Found On Horn Island Two Days After His Disappearance

As previously reported by The Shade Room, Nolan was found off the western tip of Horn Island. He was found two days after he was reported missing.

Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter claims Nolan wanted to stay on Horn Island when the group left.

“From what we understand, he chose to stay there,” he said to Good Morning America, per WLOX.

The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office is currently investigating, and an autopsy is scheduled for July 7.

RELATED: Nolan Xavier Wells’ Death Ignites Social Media Conversation About Being The Only Black Person In Non-Black Spaces’ Friend Groups

An autopsy on the body of Nolan Xavier Wells has reportedly been scheduled as internet users continue to send support to his mom and family.

RELATED: Nolan Xavier Wells’ Death Ignites Social Media Conversation About Being The Only Black Person In Non-Black Spaces & Friend Groups

Autopsy On Body Of Nolan Xavier Wells Reportedly Scheduled

According to WLOX, an autopsy is scheduled to be performed on the body of 18-year-old Nolan Xavier Wells. This, reportedly on Tuesday, July 7. At this time, officials have reportedly noted that the body recovered from Horn Island on Monday, July 6, appears to be that of the 18-year-old. However, “DNA testing is still needed to officially confirm the identity.”

Per the outlet, the search for the 18-year-old involved multiple agencies. This reportedly included the “Jackson County Sheriff’s Department, the Department of Marine Resources, the Gulf Islands National Seashore, the U.S. Coast Guard, and the United Cajun Navy.”

Josh Gill, the incident commander for the United Cajun Navy, reportedly told the press that the organization received information from Nolan’s family before locating his body on Monday.

“Got the information from the mother, as well as one of the cousins, and then jumped into action really quickly. We deployed some vessels. We deployed some surface vessels, some boats, as well as personnel with drones and some boots on the ground,” he reportedly recalled.

Per Gill, the question now shifts to, “‘Truly, what happened?”

“That’s the question everybody’s asking… We’re not law enforcement. We are a volunteer group that specializes in search and rescue and search and recovery. We leave the investigating to the law enforcement officers. All we know is the end result,” he reportedly concluded.

Internet Users Send Support To Nolan Xavier Wells’ Mom & Family

According to WXXV, Christopher Wells Jr., Nolan’s grandfather, has taken to social media, reportedly sharing a post about his grandson being found, but noting “it’s now time for answers.” Additionally, Nolan’s mother, Christine Wonsley, has also been active on Facebook.

On Monday, she announced a GoFundMe created to support funeral costs for her son.

“I know times are hard and we appreciate and are grateful for anything that is donated,” she wrote.

Furthermore, a few hours later, she returned to the platform, writing:

“Thank you everyone for all the support, love and prayers. Everyone if there are any articles stating I or my husband have made statements or comment regarding the loss of our son Nolan Wells, WE HAVE NOT MADE ANY STATEMENTS TO ANYONE OR ANY OUTLET. Please respect our privacy and allow us to grieve.”

In response, social media users have shared comments.

Facebook user Ashlie Renee Wyatt wrote, “I’ve seen many post about him being a light. Now, I’ve started seeing videos, and I see what they meant. He should be here. That’s the only fact I know. Sending love to all who love him… “

At this time, donations to the GoFundMe have exceeded over $80,000, nearly reaching its $120,000 goal.

More On The Search & Rescue

As The Shade Room previously reported, Nolan Xavier Wells reportedly attended a boat trip and festivities on Horn Island on Saturday, July 4. At the time, he allegedly attended the outing with a group of white male friends. By Sunday, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office initiated a search for Nolan.

RELATED: Nolan Xavier Wells’ Friends Reportedly Speak Out As His Remains Are Recovered On Horn Island (UPDATE)

Following one of the strongest debut seasons in Marvel Animation history, X-Men ’97 faced enormous expectations entering Season 2. Fortunately, the first three episodes prove the series hasn’t lost any momentum, delivering another thrilling blend of superhero action, emotional storytelling, and deep comic book lore.

Rather than easing viewers back into the world of the X-Men, Season 2 immediately picks up after the explosive finale of Season 1. With the team scattered across three different time periods, the opening episodes follow multiple storylines simultaneously while laying the groundwork for Apocalypse‘s rise.

It’s an ambitious approach, but one that largely succeeds.

Episode 1 centers on Cyclops, Jean Grey, and the future timeline, adapting elements from The Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix. Their reunion with Nathan, better known as Cable, provides some of the strongest emotional moments of the season so far. The episode reminds viewers that beneath all of the time travel and mutant battles, X-Men ’97 continues to thrive because of its characters.

X-Men 97′ Season 2 [credit: Marvel Animation]

Episode 2 shifts gears with a fun, action-packed adventure featuring Cable, Jubilee, Sunspot, and the formation of a new X-Force. While the episode embraces the over-the-top style of the classic ’90s comics, it also explores the moral differences between Cable’s hardened worldview and Jubilee’s optimism. Their dynamic creates one of the season’s most entertaining character pairings.

The third episode may be the strongest of the bunch, taking audiences thousands of years into the past as Magnetoencounters a young En Sabah Nur, the mutant destined to become Apocalypse. Rather than presenting the iconic villain as a one-dimensional conqueror, the episode explores his origins in a surprisingly thoughtful way. The conversations between Magneto and En Sabah Nur are among the most compelling scenes in the series, adding emotional complexity to a character fans thought they already knew.

Visually, X-Men ’97 remains one of Marvel’s most impressive productions. The animation captures the spirit of the original 1990s series while elevating every action sequence with fluid movement, vibrant colors, and cinematic direction. Whether it’s mutant powers colliding on the battlefield or quieter emotional moments between teammates, every frame feels carefully crafted.

The voice cast also continues to shine, bringing authenticity and heart to these beloved characters. Even with multiple storylines unfolding simultaneously, each episode finds time for meaningful character moments that remind viewers why the X-Men have endured for generations.

The biggest criticism of these opening episodes is pacing. Episode 1 in particular moves through a significant amount of story in a short amount of time, and several of the timelines could have benefited from an extra episode to further develop their characters and emotional beats. It’s less a flaw in storytelling than a reminder that there’s simply so much happening at once.

X-Men 97′ Season 2 [credit: Marvel Animation]

Even so, those concerns do little to diminish what has been an outstanding start to Season 2. Marvel Animation has once again found the perfect balance between nostalgia and fresh storytelling, honoring classic comic arcs while keeping longtime fans guessing about what’s coming next.

Three episodes in, X-Men ’97 is already shaping up to be one of the year’s best animated series. If the remaining episodes maintain this level of quality, Season 2 has every chance of surpassing its already exceptional predecessor.

Verdict

X-Men ’97 wastes no time reminding fans why it became one of Marvel’s biggest success stories. While the opening episodes occasionally move too quickly through their ambitious storylines, the outstanding animation, emotional character work, and faithful adaptation of beloved comic arcs make for an exceptional return. After three episodes, Season 2 is firing on all cylinders.